Xián Leng again demanded for her to answer his question. A strong slam against the tree trunk from both of his hands at the sides of Pamella's face made a terrifying cracking sound of bark breaking.

Pamella started to tremble while her face changed from purple to blue, and all colors. She didn't know what was up with Xián Leng and his irritable attitude. Out of nowhere he was acting all strange and demanding, pulling, pushing, breaking trees, what else?! If he slammed with that strength of his on her face it would certainly end up like a pancake from Aunt Jemimah. Pamella thought best, that she should try to figure what was wrong with him before she really ended beaten up without reason whatsoever.

She breathed in and sighed. Looking at the angry man in front of her, she inquired calmly,

- Xián Leng I don't condone violence. What is the matter? From where did this displeased attitude of yours come from?

The funny thing was that Xián Leng didn't know either. Let us be serious now, none of the two people glaring at each other right now knew exactly what was up with them, although Pamella did a little bit, it proved useless for her. Both were lost at their own thoughts, emotions and actions; they thought they controlled themselves but some other things which they were ignorant about were factors to their impulsive reactions. If Pamella which had read some books before about the "soul contract" knew nothing about what was wrong with Xián Leng, then neither would he know what had made him boil with anger at the Royal Festival.

Xián Lengs constricted expression remained, but he had lowered his eyesight a little, appearing a little lost in his thoughts.

Pamella glanced from left to right at the encrusted in the tree trunk hands impeding her escape. A storm of solutions rushed unto her brain. From all, she only decided on three which she considered reasonable.

I could headbutt him with a pack of spiritual energy and make him conscious, but... Wouldn't that also make me unconscious? Plus, it'll hurt like Hell for me too!

Maybe, I could just go Muggle style and kick his jewels. Yeah! That wouldn't hurt me!... But if I hit to hard, I could leave him without progeny. NOW THAT IS WAY TO SAD!

MAY~BE... I could just talk myself out of this. Yes! Didn't Master Weng tell me that this "bond" that existed between us two could help us understand each other better? Maybe, that could soften up things...

Xián Leng had been looking for the cause of his still burning anger, but not getting to a conclusion made him angrier. Both of his hands broke deeper into the tree's trunk.

Pamella felt that her situation was an emergency and she didn't have time to think of some interesting matter to talk about, so she threw the first thing that came into her mind.

- Um.... Uh... Xián Leng, do you know how to...

Xián Leng snapped at her.

- How to... What?

Could you stop looking at me like I've committed a sin!

She "nervously" looked down to her feet and popped her face closer than necessary towards Xian Leng's. He tried to move backwards, but he had forgotten than his hands were tightly enwrapped by the tree's bark. He could only extend his neck and face sideways and back; eyeing Pamella in suspicion. She asked with orbital like shining eyes,

- How to... grow flowers?

Xián Leng was dumfounded at that out of the blue stupid question. He asked her,

- You mean... Grow as if, with spiritual energy...?

Pamella laughed while gathering Qi on both of her hands and freeing Xián Leng from the tree's trunk. He almost fell backwards on himself but Pamella caught him in time, or so she thought she could. Both fell; one on top of the other.

Xián Leng rolled to one side.

- What kind of way is that of stopping one from falling off? It made no difference.

Pamella laughed at the dumb matter she picked to talk about but either way, it seamed to have positive outcomes. She continued while turning her, resting on the slightly damped grass, head towards him.

- No~ I meant something more like... Gardening! You know, well I hope you do, grabbing some and planting some seeds. Attending the soil, watering them, the usual thing one must do to make plants grow pretty and healthy. I had a garden back at home, not my China home but at my island home. It rained almost every day, but the sun would accompany the rain like an obsessed with each other couple. Both made the flowers, and plants grow abundantly green.

Xián Leng did recall that he had heard of that activity way back in his past, but he felt he wanted to know more than anyone, of Pamella and her previous life. He let her continue her nostalgic speech. She softly laughed and Xián Leng inquired while directing his gaze towards her.

- What is it...?

Pamella looked up at the night sky, adorned with glistening stars; smiling.

- I remembered when I was younger, how could Mr. Sun be such a psychopath as too stalk Mss. Rain all the time. He really didn't have other things to do with his life.

Xián Leng chuckled at her nonsensical memory. He asked, following up with what he thought was as fun as a game.

- And... How do you know it wasn't the other way around?

Pamella turned to look at him; confusion on her eyes.

- How so?

Xián leng smiled and turned his gaze towards the sky.

- What if... Mss. Rain was the one to follow him all the time she saw him rise and fall? Since she couldn't see him every time, she cherished the time spent with him the most, so she would beside him as much as she could.

He turned to see her expression.

Pamella looked at him with wide thoughtful and heart touched eyes. She chuckled and snickered.

- I didn't know you had the poet in you xiānshēng Leng~

Xián Leng also chuckled at his idea of Pamella's story. He felt that she was making fun of his ridiculous conclusion, but what she said next proved him wrong.

Pamella looked at his shadowed dark red eyes.

- Maybe you're right. Time with a precious one cannot be replaced by other means. The time lost can't be brought back to mend, but... as life goes on, one should appreciate and hold tight to their loved one as if tomorrow was ever the last day for both or for one of them. Maybe Mss. Rain and Mr. Sun grasped to each other's presence until the time of their separation arrived.

Pamella unconsciously moved closer to Xián Leng. Something made itself ablaze inside her. She knew that it would be to bold of her to touch Xián Leng's face. She knew, because of the presence of the heat on her face, she was blushing. But what made her burn more in embarrassment, was the fact Xián Leng was not retreating, but looking her straight in the eyes. He was waiting, as if...

As if expecting something from me!

Pamella halted for a moment trying to figure out what both of them were trying to do.

Trying to change the current of things she blurted while looking away.

- Ha ha ha... You seem to have calmed down already... We... We should get bACK!?

Xián Leng rolled on top of her, and inched little by little near to her face; noses almost brushing.

At first Pamella thought that what was happening was not right and that she had to push him off her, but at the same time she felt something that fought against her reasoning and succumbed her into rushing desires.

Since when I have become the kind of woman to play undercover with a man?! EPECIALLY a man I scarcely know! But... He does smell nice when his leaned like this over me... DAMMIT! NO!

Xián Leng's face came nearer to hers, as her eyes closed, waiting to accept whatever her body told her needed to be accepted.

A voice from a far; near the Imperial Palace's gates resonated, waking broth people on the ground from their absurd trance.

Pamella pushed Xán Leng quickly off her, while the other abruptly stood up, and returned to his gracefully serious self.

- Let's go.

Pamella stared at Xián Leng's back, unbelieving what she was about to do with not only the historically famous "Lord of Darkness", but a man! The problem wasn't that Xián Leng was a man, but due to her present circumstances, how can she even think of throwing herself at him or was it the other way around. Anyways, that could never happen ever again. She was not planning to stay long or remain in Wu Chu Zhi's body. She might as well not get fond of the people she meets while she was there.

I need to get those Hún Bó Xué charms as fast as possible... I can't afford wrecking Xián Leng's history, or even worse... Wrecking the existence of 2019's Pamella...

As both turned a corner of the Imperial Gates wall, Hei Bao called out to them again. Master Weng was next to him with a cup of what smelled like tea, in his hands. Pamella thought,

From where that man finds tea to always fill his cup?! Is there a magic trick for tea regeneration which I don't know about?!

Master Weng inquired.

- Where were you two? You disappeared without a trace! I came to think that you decided to go on your journey in the middle of the night, which as an expert, I don't recommend doing so. Poor Hei Bao was pestering me with how you've gone without even giving your farewells to him.

Hei Bao blushed and looked the other way.

- I did no such thing. By the way, where were you two? We couldn't leave without finding you so we waited what seemed like eternity!

Pamella and Xián Leng glanced at each other, not being able to come up with a valuable excuse.

Master Weng didn't look pass both their nervous looks, so he thought that it was better not to ask about their whereabouts. There could be many ideas passing through the old man's head; from as a simple "getting lost, and having difficulties to come back to the Imperial Palace", of to the most preposterous and scandalous of things as "hiding among the bushes and trees, looking for a way to kiss each other". But Master Weng would discard such ideas, he believed that by the little time he had, chatting with Pamella, he got to know her true nature as a good and reasonable young woman that didn't let her emotions waver easily, that is why he didn't think she and Xián Leng already moved towards that phase of things.

Little did he know the emotional tension between Pamella and Xián Leng and the audacious thing that both were about to do moments ago.

Pamella felt tensed having Xián Leng beside her so she moved further to the front, accompanying Hei Bao bringing up conversation, as a way to ease her mixed up feelings and heart rate. Hei Bao had said something while he laughed, and Pamella tried to no avail to catch him on a dead lock.

Xián Leng watched as both of them laughed in unison. Hei Bao grabbed one of Pamella's hands on both of his and made energy flow into Pamella's palm. Suddenly, a seed appeared, but it sprouted and continued to grow into a beautiful six petal purple flower; a Crocus. Pamella looked at it in amazement and asked Hei Bao to do it again. It was repeated until she had a small six flowers bouquet in between her hands. She smiled her thanks to Hei Bao as he patted her head softly while smiling.

Xián Leng clenched his hands into fists and unclenched them as a sad feeling invaded his self. He turned towards the still drinking tea Master Weng.

- Master Weng... May I have a word with you...?

Master Weng glanced at him and then back to the front. As they walked, he answered,

- Let us be seated and at peace, that way, whatever you wish to talk about, or ask, may be answered with ease and accuracy. For now, let us enjoy the night walk, and the faint smell of flowers.

Xián Leng stared back at the semblance of Pamella. She held the Crocuses towards her nose and as she smelled the sweet scent of the flowers, she closed her eyes and smiled.

Xián Leng's mouth curved slightly up.

The night surely held the smell of flowers.

[yuányì ɡōnɡ jù]- Chinese for "gardening tools".

[xiānshēng]- Chinese for "mister" (title).