When they arrived in the room, JinGe was laid on bed and the scholar, once more tore away his sleeve and bandaged her wound with it, trying his best to stop the bleeding. Before the manager left, he had told him that if a hooded man came with a doctor, "Bring them here."

"Quickly," thought LiRen as he held tightly onto JinGe's hand.

"Please do not die," he told JinGe who was unconscious. He never felt such a strong sense of wanting to protect someone or so worried for another. He had been helping the doctor a few years ago with his work but he never felt any feelings for those who died in the process because he thinks that death was something natural and people especially those close to the patient should not be so sad at their passing.

But right now, the thought of JinGe dying made him afraid. She was just someone he met in the middle of the forest, they have been together only for a short period of time, less than a week. He could even count the number of times they have exchanged words.

Meeting her, he had only encountered danger.

Yet, in that short time, he had most fun and more excitement than he had ever had in his whole lifetime. The weak him who went up mountains and through forest, finding himself at the most beautiful waterfall, seeing her unclothed, then his embarrassing stunt in front of JiuTian and later getting attacked. Furthermore, the highlight of their meeting, her enchanting dance which mesmerized him.

In those moments he also realized his own strengths and also weaknesses of failing to protect JinGe.

"Me, who never thought of marriage suddenly proposing to her," he told her as he remembered the promise he made to her on that night. On the surface, he told everyone that he was just seeking new knowledge and exploring the world but in truth he had left home just to avoid getting married but now promising another to join hands in marriage. It felt himself being so contradicting. But she had already refused him and suddenly, he felt a sense of disappointment.

Finally finding someone he felt that he could spend the rest of life together but fate is unrelenting, allowing them to meet yet unwilling for their red threads to be connected. He moved her hair away and looked at her pale face. It seems today was the first time that he was able to take a good look at her.

Suddenly, the door behind him opened, and a female doctor entered into the room with JiuTian following behind. They exchanged glances and the doctor, ordered them to go away.

When LiRen refused the woman scolded him, "Are you her husband? If you are not then get out. I need to undress her and bandage her wound." The men, both went out quietly without anymore argument. They sat at the wall opposite of the door, waiting anxiously; even the calm JiuTian was tapping his fingers to ease his anxiety as the sound in the room was making him nervous as well.

"Stupid girl," thought JiuTian. Since the time he met her, the only opinion she had of her was stupidity.

JinGe would leap into line of danger to save anyone. It was her strong point and also her weakness. But underneath, JiuTian was angry at himself, he was skilled with the sword and in fighting yet, if he wasn't too arrogant, he wouldn't have caused harm to JinGe as he remembered the events of the white group men. There was his other worry as well. "She can't die. If she did-"

Before the sentence in his mind could finish, the door opened again, and the female doctor's clothes were stained with some of JinGe's blood here and there but there was a smile on her face. She looked over at JiuTian and said to him, "Her condition has been stabilized. I managed to use acupuncture as an internal treatment and using yarrow and a mixture of herbs, externally to stop the bleeding. You may go and see her now."

Without waiting any longer, JiuTian rushed into the room, to have a look at JinGe. LiRen followed behind but was stopped by the female doctor, "He can go but you can't." She closed the door of the room and stared at the scholar.

LiRen looked back at the female doctor who was in her thirties and said, "Mother."

The female doctor in front of LiRen is not actually LiRen's biological mother but guardian. Ever since they lived together, she had insisted that he called her mother. "That way we will be more familiar with each other," she told him.

His birth mother and the doctor were good friends when they were young but LiRen's mother was unfortunate and died young and because of his rebellious behaviour his father had him kicked out from the house and later it was thanks to the doctor that he had a place which he could call home.

However, when he was of age, his father had come for him, arranging a marriage for him. When he knew about it, he left the house, running away so that the doctor wouldn't be caught up in the mess he left behind when he rejected the marriage with that girl his father arranged.

LiRen looked away, unable to look at her in the eyes, waiting for her to scold him like she always would when he got into trouble, but the doctor strutted off with her box of tools and said to him, "You know the way home. Come and have soup sometime." And with that said, she walked away and then down the stairs.

"Just what she would say," thought LiRen and then he shouted at her, "I will come over when I am free."

While in the room, JiuTian quickly went over to JinGe and looked at her, finally seeing her how she looked better, he finally relaxed but when he turned to sit down on a chair, a raven flew over and into the room and transformed into a man, it was JianYu, JinGe's master.

With magic he had casted on JinGe's bracelet, JianYu had felt that JinGe was in danger and was rushing towards her. It was when the bracelet jingled again that he found her here.

The moment JianYu looked at JiuTian, he quickly casted a barrier around the room, causing LiRen who was outside unable to open the door and get into the room. His shout was heard from the inside of the room but the noises and sound from inside could not be heard from the outside.

"You," said JianYu. "Why are you here?"

JiuTian did not answer him and tried to back away. He was closer to JinGe and without a moment of hesitation he took JinGe hostage with his hand on her neck. "Do not come any closer or I will kill her."

JianYu looked more closely at the man and then suddenly began to laugh, "What a great haul today. I did not expect you to show yourself."

"I-" before JiuTian could say anything.

JianYu interceded and said, "I wouldn't let you get away this time."

And he rushed towards JiuTian, apprehending him because JianYu knew what the man said was only a simple bluff that he would never be able to act on it because JinGe was just as important to him just as she was too him.

The moment JianYu caught JiuTian, JinGe who was threw to the side, woke up. As her eyes opened, she saw her master taking off JiuTian's hood, revealing the face underneath; a face that she would never forget or was she anymore familiar with it because what she was staring at, was her own face, not LiQin's but her face, the face of Sun YuQiao.

"But how?" said JinGe out loud. The girl tried to take the chance to escape but with JianYu locking onto her hands she could not move much.

"Stay still," said JianYu to the girl on the table.

JianYu looked over to JinGe, "She is you, your other soul. The soul that you had given to ZhenYu."

"But then shouldn't she still be with him," asked JinGe as she collected herself and sat on the bed instead on the floor.

"I do not understand it as well. When I went to check on him three years ago, the soul was already gone and I have been searching for it. I have encountered her several times but failed to catch her every time. It is a sly fellow. See how she is using magic to create an illusion to create a false image."

"Hey, I am not 'it'. I have a name. I am called JiuTian."

With the mentioned of the name made JianYu laughed and he said to her, "You belong to someone else. You do not have a name. You do not need one."

"What are you going to do with her?" asked JinGe as she was curious about the reason that JianYu had insisted so much on capturing her.

"Of course, I am going to piece both of your soul together again," said JianYu.

"What will happen to her?"

"She will disappear. You are the main soul. It will overpower her and she will be absorbed and both of your soul will be one again."

"Then I do not need it," said JinGe.

Her words shocked the both of them. The girl had thought that JianYu had been so insisted on catching her was due to JinGe but now it seems like it was all along JianYu's idea.

"What?!" said JianYu who was surprised at JinGe's reaction.

"I said I do not need our soul to be combined. Let her go," said JinGe looking over to the girl.

"But without it you could not go back to the heavenly realm, back home where you belong."

"I-" she stopped for a while and then continued slowly but surely, "I do not want to leave." The words that she had wanted to say for so many years was finally uttered out from her mouth, the stone that weighted heavier and heavier on her heart everyday was finally lifted.

"But you said-" JianYu stopped for a while and thought back about everything that had happened and not once that she had said that she had want to come along with him back to the heavenly realm.

The things he had done for so long had been for nought. Although it was only five years and he would have live for a long life, it was just a brief moment like a blink, but he still felt angry.

"I do not care anymore," said JianYu and he released the girl and transformed back into his original form of a raven and flew away through the window.

The girl was relieved. She was finally free from her pursuer. 

JinGe looked over to the girl and said to her, "Please hide first. I do not want to scare LiRen." JiuTian nodded and hid herself. Seeing that she was hidden, JinGe walked over to the side of the room and closed the window, breaking the barrier set by JianYu.

It allowed LiRen to open the door to the room but instead of walking into it, he fell in. It was because LiRen thought that there was a strange power blocking the room and used all his strength trying to push open the door.

He stood up quickly and searched the bed for JinGe but seeing that she wasn't there, shocked him and he flung the bed covers up which made JinGe laughed, "Hey, I am over here not underneath the covers."

LiRen seeing her standing up, laughing even though it was at him can't help but felt happy. He rushed to her side and forgetting all about the courtesy that he had learned for so long and hugged her tightly.

"It hurts, you pervert," said JinGe which made him felt embarrassed and he lets go of her as quickly as he had hugged her and realized that they were alone in the room.

"Where is JiuTian?" asked LiRen. "Oh, he went out already."

"When? I was at the door all along," said LiRen.

"He went out through the window."

"But this is the second floor."

"He seems fine when he jumped down from here and landed on the street."

"He does seem like a sturdy guy, unlike me," said LiRen.

"But it was thanks to you that I was saved," uttered JinGe. She walked back towards the bed as she was getting dizzy, but she wasn't sure whether it was from her anaemia or from the things that had just transpired.

"Would you like something to eat?" asked LiRen.

"Yes, some porridge would be good," as JinGe looked up at him.

"Then I will go buy some," and he left in a hurry but in mid-way he turned around and came back to say, "Rest well. I will wake you up when I come back." JinGe nodded and waved a goodbye at him. LiRen closed the door and JiuTian came out from hiding.

JiuTian sat next to JinGe on the bed, not knowing what to say.

Staring at her, she thought, "It was all thanks to her, that she was safe, but it was also her that caused her, her misery. Yet without her, she wouldn't have been born in the first place. That is their relationship. It was something that would never be severed."

Before JiuTian could say anything to JinGe, JinGe took the initiative and talked to her first, "Tell me about your life for the past three years and the man JiuTian. I would love to hear about it."

JiuTian smiled at her and nodded, "It happened on a moonlit night when I was separated from you..."

Painting

ZhenYu entered into the room and looked around, the manager of the Three Delight Inn had said that it was his most luxurious room, but it seems to be untrue. It was a simple room, a bit dusty but other than that, everything seems to be normal. Not a hint of extravagance, except for the antique vase on the side table in the centre between two windows but ZhenYu preferred this room, as it was comfortable.

There were two beds, one for him and another for YongKang and then a table and two chairs with a cupboard at the corner of the room. He looked around.

As he studied the wall, he noticed a nail was hammered in the middle of the wall, above the vase where a painting should have been placed.

ZhenYu rummaged around his baggage and took out a painting, put away the vase and climbed upon the chair and hung the painting on the wall with the nail to keep it in place. He unfurled it as he came down.

YongKang came in time, and saw his young master, and quickly got over to help him down, "Young Master, please be careful."

"Oh, you have come earlier than I have expected," said ZhenYu while coming down and talking, it almost caused him to fall. "Young Master," cried out YongKang the surprised man.

"Yes, yes. Do not worry."

Only when ZhenYu's feet were solidly on the ground, that YongKang finally relaxed.

"Young Master, you should have waited for me to help you hang it. You should leave the hard labour to me," said YongKang.

"Ah Kang, it's just a simple task, anyone could do it. Your young master is still young as you called me," said ZhenYu jokingly. "Anyway, see the picture is already up and-"

ZhenYu stopped talking and gazed at the picture. It was a picture of mountains and rivers that was given to him by ChunWah. It was something that they had drawn together when they went to a trip before.

It was beautiful. However, he could not help but miss the old painting, the one that he had always carried with him. He can't but missed it.

ZhenYu looked away from the picture and told YongKang to get some water for tea which YongKang left quickly to do his bidding. The man went asking the whereabouts of the kitchen at a passing waiter who was working outside.

Alone again in his room, ZhenYu walked over to the window and stare over at the room which he should have stayed. The windows were closed, no shouts or crying, there wasn't much happening. "The girl must be alright," thought ZhenYu.

He went back into the room and took out his books and laid them out onto the table. It was strange the headache he had just now, seems to have disappeared and he took the foremost book on top of the pile and set the chair next to the window and began reading.

YongKang came back with the water and began making tea while ZhenYu read.

Although, it looked like he was reading but, in his mind, the things his father told him before they left the city was repeating in his mind.

Everyone in the meeting room was leaving except for him as his father's secretary had told him beforehand to stay after everyone left. While he waited for them to leave, he sensed that his father was in a bad mood.

When they were the only ones left. ZhenYu bowed at his father.

"You may leave too, Secretary Ma," ordered Lord Zhen to the thin man that was standing beside him. The secretary followed his orders and left the two alone in the large room.

The moment the door was closed, his father walked away from his seat and moved towards him and placed his hand on his shoulder. It was placed for a very long time, and he could feel his pressure on him however, his stepfather suddenly laughed and he looked at him.

"You are really simple minded. You should have at least glanced a bit or say something when I did not say anything," said his father. "You are always so strict with yourself. You are no fun at all. Relax already."

ZhenYu stood up and looked at his father, "Father, why have you called me over?"

Lord Zhen turned his back against his son and sighed. There was a long pause before he said, "I do not know what to name your nephew."

ZhenYu had to think for a while before the word caught on his train of thoughts. "Nephew?"

"Yes, your brother, ZhenAn is expecting a child. The doctor had confirmed it yesterday and he told me this morning. I am going to be a grandfather."

"I am glad," said ZhenYu.

"Your brother is getting ahead of you," said Lord Zhen as he turned his attention and looked outside the window. "The one who should be giving me this news would have been you, if she did not die at such a young age. It's been five years already. I am worried for you."

This was the moment he was waiting for, the best time to state it to his father, about the marriage between himself and ChunWah but there was an unknown force that was choking him. He just could not get the words out from his mouth.

However, his father sensing that there was something he wanted to say, asked him instead.

ZhenYu looked at his father and finally said, "I would like to marry ChunWah." Although he had proposed to ChunWah, his father's approval is still needed. It was already wrong to ask ChunWah first rather than his stepfather who had raised him all these years.

His father looked composed. He was neither shock nor surprised. The man nodded and smiled at his stepson, "Hmm, I see. I do not object. Do as your heart wishes."

ZhenYu had not expected such a reaction from his father. He thought that his father would put up a little more resistance of the news but now his worry seems useless. "I appreciate your response, father. I am grateful."

His father however, sighed a little, looking away from his stepson, "However, the wedding shall be held at a later date. I have a task for you. I need you to go to XinYe as my representative to attend to a conference with the other city lords."

"Yes, father. I understand, official matters are more important. I have no objections as well," replied ZhenYu. "I will prepare for the trip immediately."

"You do not have to be in such a hurry. Let's have some father and son talk. How are you today?" asked Lord Zhen while walking towards his own desk and writing down something with a brush. ZhenYu walked over to his side while answering his father's question, "I am doing fine. I am more worried about your health, father."

"Oh, I am as fit as a horse," said Lord Zhen pointing towards the piece of paper he had finished writing on. ZhenYu looked at it, 'Secret task: Investigate'.

ZhenYu nodded and before walking out from the room, "Father, may I be excuse? I have other matters to attend to, let's talk another time. Take care, father. The seasons are changing. It's going to be colder soon."

"Yes, you too and do not overwork yourself," said his father as he started tearing the paper up and burning it in the censer on his table and ZhenYu bowed again and left the room.

What he did not expect was the fact that both ChunWah and his little sister would be coming on this trip with him. He got to be sure to keep them safe.

And then his mind continued playing the scene after meeting his father.

When he walked out of the room, another officer was waiting for him and when he saw him, he walked towards him, "Young Master Zhen, do you have a moment? I have something that I would like to speak to you about."

"Go on, I am listening," said ZhenYu to the old officer.

"I was wondering if you want to take up a wife, to take care of you. I have a very nice niece. She lives just right two blocks away from my house. Would you like me to set...?" before the officer could finish his sentence, he bowed with his hands in front of the old man. "Many thanks for your gracious offer but I do not think I am adequate for your niece." With that said he smiled at the minister and left him there.

He was kind of happy thinking about the shocked face on the old minister's face. Even though, he had seen it so often, it was still priceless.

"Maybe that was why, I finally decided to get marry again?" he asked himself. "No, it wasn't. I sincerely love ChunWah," he thought to himself as he remembered how ChunWah had saved her from bandits on that day. He was sure that it was ChunWah who saved him.

It was her who bandaged his wound and took him with her down the mountains and to the local town where they met with YongKang and later seek medical health. He could still remember how she took care of him at that time and when he was finally healthy again, taking into account that she had no relative, he had asked her to follow him home and been living together ever since.

When they got back to AnShun, it wasn't too long, he joined the army and been fighting in the front lines. That war lasted for three years which in those times, he never once gotten injured as if he was protected. He ranked up and become his father's right-hand man which was why many officers had their eyes on him.

And the years they spent together, he was getting closer to ChunWah and he finally proposed to her on the last day of summer. Now that he have also asked for his father's blessing, they would soon be married and be a formal husband and wife. Yet there was still something bothering him, an emptiness which could not be filled as he looked at the evening sky.

YongKang called him and he was bought back from his reminiscence. He took the tea that YongKang served him. "Sit, and have some tea too," invited ZhenYu towards his servant.

"No, I dare not."

"Sit," said ZhenYu.

YongKang finally heeded his words and took a cup of tea himself and sat next to the man.

"This tea is so delicious," complimented YongKang.

"Ah this is a special tea. A special blend that I couldn't figure out," replied ZhenYu as he took another sip.

"It's getting colder at night. We must be careful," said the man as he put down his cup and went to close the young master's window, leaving only a small space, enough for him to look at the street below.

It was also at that moment that JinGe got up from bed after JianYu flew out from the window and she glimpsed a man's shadow in the opposite room as someone like a servant closed the window. JinGe paid them no more than a sparkle of curiosity.

Sunset dye the sky red, yet without the sky it would not be red.

A fleeting moment, a missed chance.

Yet unknown to each other, will it be missed.

Are you surprised by JiuTian's identity?