Chapter 5 - Fights and quick tempers

Xiao Yan Zi finally opened her eyes, glancing around and blinking groggily.

"Xiao Yan Zi? Are you alright?" asked Zi Wei, concerned for her sister's wellbeing.

"Zi Wei?" Xiao Yan Zi uttered, confused. "What happened?"

"Don't you remember? Don't scare me," said Zi Wei, carefully helping her to sit up.

Xiao Yan Zi frowned for a moment, then suddenly jumped out of Zi Wei arms and onto her feet.

"The girl, where did she go? Did she take my sword?"

Zi Wei quickly caught her when she collapsed down again, holding her head and shaking off the dizziness.

"Be careful," said Zi Wei. "The sword is right here," she reassured her, showing Xiao Yan Zi the sword and the kite lying beside them.

"Oh, but I thought… did you manage to defeat her, Zi Wei?" asked Xiao Yan Zi, her eyes widening in surprise.

"Of course not. She felt sorry that she hurt you and gave you the sword."

"What? How dare she! I don't need her to feel sorry for me," yelped Xiao Yan Zi, jumping up to her feet again, but quickly toppling back into Zi Wei's arms once more.

"Stop trying to get up," Zi Wei scolded, frowning in worry. "I can't catch you all the time. How are you feeling? We better go back and have Yong Qi take you back to the palace."

"No, I promised them that I wouldn't get into a fight. They'll never let us go out alone again if they find out. We must keep this a secret, please," begged Xiao Yan Zi, pouting as she pulled pleadingly on Zi Wei's sleeve.

"How are we going to keep it a secret? You have a huge bruise on your forehead. Not to mention that scrape on your arm, and heavens knows what other bruises and scrapes you have." Zi Wei frowned, studying the bruise on Xiao Yan Zi's head that was now swelling up. "That won't do, you need to be treated by the physician."

"But I feel fine," Xiao Yan Zi protested, trying her best not to wince when Zi Wei lightly touched the bump on her head. "We can't let them find out. Please, Zi Wei," begged Xiao Yan Zi again. "Besides, if they find out, Huang Ah Ma might punish Magistrate Hong for what his daughter did, and for all we know he could be a very nice man. I mean, he already has to put up with such a daughter."

Zi Wei sighed, shaking her head at her sister.

"What kind of logic is that? Aren't you the one who is always fuming at the corrupt noblemen using their status to bully the common peasants?"

"Yes, but, this wasn't Magistrate Hong himself, it was just his daughter. Anyway, we just can't let them know. Please, I beg you," she pleaded, pouting.

"Fine," Zi Wei sighed. "As long as you're sure you're alright. I still think you should at least see a physician. How about if I accompany you back to the palace and we'll request some private time in Shu Fang Zhai? Nobody else has to know."

"But as soon as anyone summons a palace physician, word will get around."

"Well, can you think of a better idea of how you're going to keep this a secret? Especially with that giant growing bump on your head right now."

"Yes, we'll go back and pretend nothing ever happened. I'll get Ming Yue to help me rub on some ointment when I get back."

"You were knocked unconscious, and you can't even stand up now. How can you be fine?"

"Yes I can, I just wasn't ready the other two times," said Xiao Yan Zi, carefully, rising up, this time steadying herself against the wall. "See," she declared triumphantly.

Zi Wei quickly stood up, placing her arms around her in case she fell over again.

"Alright then, if you can find a way to keep it a secret from Yong Qi and Er Kang then I won't tell on you," she agreed, thinking that there was probably no way that Xiao Yan Zi would be able to hide such a large bump on her head anyway.

"Zi Wei, you're the greatest sister ever," Xiao Yan Zi exclaimed, wrapping her arms around Zi Wei in delight.

Meanwhile, in Hui Bing Lou, Xiao Jian broke the news of finding Fang Ci to Yong Qi and Er Kang.

"So, Xiao Yan Zi isn't your sister?" exclaimed Yong Qi in disbelief.

"Unless Sister Jing Hui was lying to me, no, she isn't," replied Xiao Jian with a sigh.

"Is the nun's words trustworthy this time?" asked Er Kang. "There can't be other intentions here, can there?"

"I don't think so. She's a nun who took in orphans out of the kindness of her heart, what intentions would she have? Plus, she gave me something, she said it belonged to Xiao Yan Zi."

Xiao Jian took out the small round box he had hidden under a pile of clothing in his drawer. "If she had any ill intentions, I don't believe she would have given this to me. It is probably worth a good fortune."

Yong Qi picked the box up, studying it in the light.

"This is exquisite, it's white jade. And the engravings, it's something I would expect to find in one of Huang Ah Ma's collections. Surely no commoner would be able to afford something like this."

"Sister Jing Hui told me that the lady who brought Xiao Yan Zi to her left it with her before she died, with instructions to give it to Xiao Yan Zi when she was older. She never got the chance though, since Xiao Yan Zi and Fang Ci went missing, so she kept it hidden all these years in case she ever found its owner again."

"Did she tell you how to open it?" asked Yong Qi, twisting the wheels of characters around. "This is a lock to open this, right? What kind of puzzle is this though?"

"Yes, I thought it was a lock for the box as well, which should open with the right combination of words. The sister didn't know how to open it though, and I haven't managed to figure it out," answered Xiao Jian. "We could always try to cut it open, it's only jade after all, though if this was left for Xiao Yan Zi, do you think whoever gave it to her believes that she would know?"

"Is this a poem?" asked Yong Qi, trying to make sense of the characters. "Xiao Yan Zi has always said that she only knows the Three Character Classic." He passed the box to Er Kang so he could study it also.

"What do you think?"

"The characters are simple, but nonsensical," said Er Kang. "It certainly isn't any classic text I've studied. We could just ask Xiao Yan Zi."

"About that, I was hoping to get your ideas on how to tell Xiao Yan Zi. After everything that has happened recently, if this is true and she really isn't Fang Ci, I can't help but think our family has caused her much unnecessary pain," said Xiao Jian.

"Do you have to tell her? With everything that has happened, I'm just not sure. Who knows if her true family has another story of grief against mine." Yong Qi sighed, feeling a lump in his throat at the thought. He took the jade box back from Er Kang, studying it again. "According to the nun, she was brought to her by an injured maid who passed away. With the value of this box that was left behind, I doubt it is a simple tale of a family too poor to support their child."

"I understand where you're coming from, Yong Qi. I'm hesitant to lose this sister of mine also, but she'll have to find out some time. Plus, unless she's pretending, the actual Fang Ci does exist, we won't be able to keep the two from meeting forever."

"Have you met her?" asked Yong Qi.

"Yes, I've met her a few times now. She said she was adopted by a kind couple with no children of their own. She's been well provided for over the years."

"That must be a relief to you," said Er Kang. Xiao Jian nodded.

"I'm grateful she has had a happy childhood and found a family of her own. Though she doesn't seem as elated about having me as a brother as Xiao Yan Zi was," said Xiao Jian, smiling wryly.

"Hmm, it's strange, but, I feel like I can string some of these characters together," said Yong Qi, twisting the wheels around on the box. His brow furrowed as he read the jumbled characters over again.

"Birds don't eat grass, cows don't fly, bears eat people," he recited, turning the first two wheels to match the words 'birds' and 'grass', 'cow' and 'fly', and 'bird' and 'people' together. He paused, frowning at the next rows.

"What is it?" asked Xiao Jian.

"I don't know anymore."

"Are you sure about those ones? You've matched them up but it makes no sense."

Yong Qi shrugged.

"I'm fairly certain, though I wouldn't know how I know it."

"Perhaps we could ask Xiao Yan Zi about it as a riddle? Then we can see if indeed this belongs to her before telling her the news that she isn't Fang Ci," suggested Er Kang.

"That's a good idea," said Xiao Jian. "Then at least we will be sure Sister Jing Hui has the right person."

Yong Qi nodded in agreement, passing the box back to Xiao Jian when he heard Xiao Yan Zi's voice outside.

"I think they're back. Here, it's best you keep it for now."

Xiao Jian quickly hid it back into his drawer, the three of them making their way downstairs to Xiao Yan Zi and Zi Wei.

"Xiao Yan Zi, what happened to you?" asked Yong Qi when he saw her.

"Is it nice?" asked Xiao Yan Zi, twirling around to let Yong Qi take a good look at her traditional Hui headdress. "We found a merchant all the way here from Xinjiang selling these."

"It's… beautiful," answered Yong Qi, in awe at how good she looked with the decorations on the headdress framing her features perfectly.

"And look at my kite, it's a little swallow! And I got this sword for Lao Ye, do you think he'll like it?" asked Xiao Yan Zi, showing off her purchases to him. "And Er Kang, see, Zi Wei is here all in one piece," she continued, dragging Zi Wei towards her husband. Er Kang smiled, running his eyes up and down to inspect Zi Wei.

"Hmmm, she might be missing a few hairs from her head, Xiao Yan Zi?" he joked.

"Really?" said Xiao Yan Zi. "How many did she have before? Are you sure you counted right?" she asked, humphing at him and making everyone laugh.

"Lunch is ready!" announced Liu Hong, beckoning everyone to their table.

"Oh good, I'm so hungry," exclaimed Xiao Yan Zi, taking a seat. "Liu Hong, you prepared roast chicken!"

"Of course, I wasn't going to forget your favourite dish now," said Liu Hong.

"You're always the best to me," said Xiao Yan Zi, grinning.

"Xiao Yan Zi, aren't you going to take off the headdress?" asked Yong Qi, taking the seat at his wife's side.

"No, I like it on," said Xiao Yan Zi, pushing it down firmly.

Yong Qi shook his head in amusement.

"Since when did I marry a Consort Xiang?"

"You would be so lucky," said Xiao Yan Zi, smirking. "If only I could attract butterflies too."

"You don't attract butterflies, you attract bees!" pointed out Er Kang, reminding them of the time Xiao Yan Zi soaked herself in a flower wash and attracted a whole nest of bees to sting her. Everyone laughed, much to Xiao Yan Zi's embarrassment.

"Humph, I was the only one brave enough to try it, and you aren't even grateful," she complained, pouting and crossing her arms. "Plus, it was all Yong Qi's fault anyway."

"What? What did I have anything to do with it?" retorted Yong Qi, only to sigh and shake his head in resignation when Xiao Yan Zi simply glared accusingly at him. "Sure, sure, it was all my fault. Here, have some roast chicken thigh," he quickly reassured her, placing a drumstick into Xiao Yan Zi's bowl.

Everyone only laughed harder at the couple.

By late afternoon, the group settled into one of the larger guest rooms for some tea and snacks before Xiao Yan Zi and Yong Qi were due to return to the palace. Xiao Yan Zi was feeling decidedly worse since lunch, her body aching from the various bruises and scrapes. Her head in particular throbbed terribly and even her stomach felt sick. She had been about to quietly approach Zi Wei for some solace when Er Kang suggested testing them on some literary riddles, and Yong Qi called her out to solve one.

"Xiao Yan Zi, I have a riddle for you," he began. "It's a little strange, but I think I might have taught it to you before."

"Do I have to? You know I'm going to get it wrong anyway," she answered meekly, gulping down hard to try and keep the nausea at bay.

"How do you know you will get it wrong if you don't try? It's okay, we won't laugh at you even if you get it wrong," he continued.

"But I don't want to. Why don't you ask someone else?"

"Come on, just try it?"

"I said I don't want to. Stop forcing me!" said Xiao Yan Zi, turning her back to him.

"Hey, there's no need to get angry, it's only a riddle. I thought you liked solving those," said Yong Qi.

Xiao Yan Zi's anger rose at once. How dare Yong Qi make her solve literary riddles on her day out? He just wants the perfect demure scholarly wife, doesn't he? Why didn't he just marry a demure lady then? All the old issues arose in her heart. Usually, she probably wouldn't have minded solving riddles, she did find some of them quite amusing, but between her throbbing head and generally feeling terrible, the last thing she wanted was to be reminded of her own inadequacies.

"It's always this riddle, that text, this poem. Why do you always force these things on me? I've told you a million times, when it comes to these things, I don't know them and they don't know me. Now you've just ruined a perfectly good day, maybe you should have just married someone else if you wanted a scholar. Why did you even bother messing with me?" she cried, heaving hard, unwanted tears already falling from her eyes making her feel even worse than she already did.

"Xiao Yan Zi, you know how I feel about you," replied Yong Qi, confused by her sudden outburst. "It's just a riddle-"

"You say that you don't care whether I know these scholarly things or not, but you're always forcing them on me anyway. I'll tell you clearly now, I don't want to know them, and I don't want to learn them! Leave me alone. If you want a scholar then go and marry someone else!"

Yong Qi shook his head.

"You're being unreasonable," he retorted, himself stressed out from Xiao Jian's revelation earlier in the day.

"No, you're being unreasonable," yelled Xiao Yan Zi, roughly pushing him away. "You're a thousand times unreasonable, ten thousand times unreasonable!"

"All I asked of you was this measly task, do you have to be so dramatic about it?" scolded Yong Qi. "Maybe I should have married someone else, then at least I wouldn't have had to waste my time trying to teach my wife silly things even a child knows."

"Yeah, you should have. I hate you, I hate you, you dabendan (big stupid egg)!" shouted Xiao Yan Zi, crying in earnest now.

"That's right. I'm the world's biggest idiot for being with you!"

"You are, go away! I don't want to see you anymore. Go and marry your phoenix then, I don't care," Xiao Yan Zi yelled back, her words choking in her throat as she sobbed.

"Fine, I will," said Yong Qi. He huffed, flicking his sleeves curtly before turning and leaving the room. Xiao Yan Zi watched him go, her hand tightly clutching her aching stomach, gulping quickly to stop herself from being sick then and there.

"I'll speak with him," said Er Kang, quickly going after Yong Qi.

"Xiao Yan Zi, what is it?" asked Zi Wei, seeing her sister's pale and pained face.

"Zi Wei," whimpered Xiao Yan Zi in a small voice, sniffling as her tears continued to run down her cheeks. "I…," she started, but paused when she noticed that everyone was staring at her in concern.

"Why don't we go into Xiao Jian's room?" Zi Wei suggested, carefully leading Xiao Yan Zi away.

Er Kang followed Yong Qi all the way to the back courtyard before Yong Qi stopped and turned around.

"Why are you following me?" he demanded, glaring at his friend. Er Kang sighed, crossing his arms to freign nonchalance.

"If I were you, I would go back in there before I regret it."

"Pfft," tutted Yong Qi. "Why should I be the one to regret it. I only wanted to ask her about the riddle to open the box. Did she have to lose her temper like that?"

"Did Xiao Yan Zi know you wanted to ask her about the box? She thought you were going to test her on a riddle."

"Well, even if I was, is it too much to ask of her? She was the one who promised she would study for me… all that nonsense about becoming a new Xiao Yan Zi and she's still wary over my status."

"I thought you two had resolved that issue?"

"So did I, heavens knows why she brought it up."

Er Kang shook his head.

"Shaoye (young master), I don't think her willingness to study should be your greatest concern right now. This is just a small squabble, let's not make something big out of it. Remember the time she ran away? You wouldn't want that to happen again."

"I'm not the one in the wrong here, she was the one accusing me of everything."

"Yong Qi, being a man condemns us to relent a little to our wives. If you still love Xiao Yan Zi, don't let your pride spoil your relationship."

"Of course I still love her, what do you mean by that?"

"Then I think you know what to do. Also, I did hear you saying a few hurtful things to her too. Something about having to teach your wife things even children know?"

Yong Qi sighed.

"You're right, I shouldn't have said that." He paused, gulping as he recalled her hurt and tearful expression. "What was I thinking?" he groaned, closing his eyes and giving himself a small tap on his own head.

Er Kang smiled, guiding the prince back inside.

Inside Xiao Jian's room, Zi Wei sat Xiao Yan Zi down onto the bed, taking a seat beside her and turning to study her.

"What happened? Why did you lose your temper like that?"

To her surprise, Xiao Yan Zi only burst into tears again.

"Xiao Yan Zi, what is it? I've noticed you've been quiet all afternoon," she asked.

Xiao Yan Zi gasped, clutching at her stomach.

"I don't feel well, my head hurts, everywhere hurts, and I think I'm going to be sick."

"What? Why didn't you tell us?" asked Zi Wei, cupping Xiao Yan Zi's cheek in concern. "I knew I shouldn't have just left you to hide your injuries."

She glanced around the room, taking a bucket from the corner that was usually used to catch the rain from a leak in the ceiling.

"Here, don't hold it in if you can't," she told Xiao Yan Zi, placing it on her lap. Xiao Yan Zi hugged it close, closing her eyes, then coughed a few times. After a moment, she shook her head, the bucket falling from her hands to the ground.

"Xiao Yan Zi, what is it?" asked Zi Wei, frowning in concern. She knelt before Xiao Yan Zi, taking her hand into her own, feeling her trembling.

"I want to go back home," whimpered Xiao Yan Zi after a moment. "Where is Yong Qi, can you tell him to come back?" she pleaded. "I'm sorry for losing my temper."

"Xiao Yan Zi?" said Yong Qi, appearing at the door. He gulped, feeling a lump rise in his throat at her words, immediately regretting everything he had said. "No, I should be the one who's sorry," he told her, going up to her and gathering her into his arms.

"Yong Qi," she cried, burying her tears into his shirt as she sobbed. He sighed in relief at her response, pulling her in tighter. However, she gasped sharply, quickly pulling away.

"What's wrong?" he asked her, confused. "Are you still angry?"

Xiao Yan Zi shook her head, biting her lip and wincing sheepishly.

"Come on," Zi Wei spoke up. "You should probably let Yong Qi know what happened now."

"What happened?" asked Yong Qi,

"This morning, when we were out in the markets, Xiao Yan Zi got into a fight with someone over the sword she bought for Huang Ah Ma."

"You got into a fight? Why didn't you tell us?"

"I promised you and Er Kang I wouldn't," whimpered Xiao Yan Zi softly. "I didn't mean to fight, honest. But she was so bossy and rude, and she was going to steal Huang Ah Ma's sword from me."

"Okay, so you got into a fight. Then what happened?"

"You can take your headdress off now," said Zi Wei to Xiao Yan Zi.

Reluctantly, Xiao Yan Zi uncovered her head, revealing the large swollen bruise on her forehead.

"Heavens!" exclaimed Yong Qi at once upon seeing her injury. "You were hiding that? Does it hurt? Do you feel okay?" he fussed, holding her head to get a better look. He frowned when Xiao Yan Zi shook her head.

"No, I feel sick, can we go back now?" she asked.

"You should take her back to the palace to see the imperial physician," agreed Zi Wei. "That's just one of her injuries, I'm sure she has various bruises and cuts elsewhere as well from what I saw."

Yong Qi nodded. Xiao Yan Zi almost never admitted to feeling sick, so to hear her wanting to go back to the palace was very concerning.

"Of course, let's go back now."

Taking care to be gentle, he helped her up, supporting her out the door.

"We're going to return to the palace," he told the others waiting outside for them. "Has Xiao Gui Zi come with the carriage yet?"

"Yes, he's just waiting outside. Is everything alright?" asked Xiao Jian.

"I can let everyone know what happened," said Zi Wei.

"Yong Qi, my things," reminded Xiao Yan Zi, pointing to her various packages.

"I'll get them for you," offered Xiao Jian, lifting the load into his arms.

Xiao Yan Zi was already fast asleep in Yong Qi's arms on the horse carriage when they reached Jing Yang Gong.

"Xiao Gui Zi, go and summon an imperial physician here," ordered Yong Qi as they pulled up at the entrance. "Xiao Deng Zi, tell Ming Yue and Cai Xia to prepare some cool wet towels and a hot bath for Ge Ge."

"Xiao Yan Zi, we're home," he whispered to her, gently shaking her to wake her. Xiao Yan Zi groaned, blinking sleepily as she opened her eyes. "Here, I'll help you down from the carriage, then you can keep resting," he told her, lifting her up to her feet. She gulped, taking a moment to steady herself, then carefully followed him out of the carriage. He got off first, then held out his arms to help her down as well. Once she was down, he lifted her into his arms again, frowning in concern when she didn't protest as he expected, only groaning and clinging tightly to him. He carried her all the way to their bedroom, carefully placing her down onto the bed. She stared up at him, her face pale.

"Did you want to have a bath?" he asked her. "I've asked Ming Yue and Cai Xia to prepare one already."

Xiao Yan Zi nodded, closing her eyes again.

"Wu Ah Ge, it's okay, leave Ge Ge with us," said Ming Yue, coming into the room with Cai Xia, carrying some towels in her arms. Yong Qi nodded, giving Xiao Yan Zi's hand a reassuring squeeze before leaving her in the care of the maids.

By the time Physician Hu arrived, Xiao Yan Zi had already been bathed and tucked up in bed.

"What took so long?" asked Yong Qi.

"Apologises, Wu Ah Ge. We were all summoned to Ci Ning Gong to care for the Empress Dowager."

Yong Qi nodded, waving the physician into the bedroom to treat Xiao Yan Zi. He had been about to go in as well when Qian Long's arrival was announced at the door.

"What is this I hear? Why has the physician been summoned here as well? Perhaps we need to prepare some herbal soup for everyone," he said as he entered.

"Huang Ah Ma jixiang," greeted Yong Qi.

"Yong Qi, did you summon the physician? What has happened? Is it Xiao Yan Zi? Is it serious?" asked the Emperor, his brows creasing in concern.

"Yes, Huang Ah Ma, I summoned the physician for Xiao Yan Zi. She had a fight with someone when we were out today. I wasn't with her when it happened, but she hit her head and was feeling ill, so I thought it best for the physician to have a look at her."

"A fight? How did you let her get into a fight? Who with? How dare they hurt a princess!"

"I'm not sure, she was out alone with Zi Wei at the time."

"Zi Wei was with her? Did she get hurt?"

"No, Zi Wei is fine. Only Xiao Yan Zi was in the fight from what I hear. It happened in the morning before lunch, but she hid her injuries from us until late afternoon."

"She even hid her injuries? Such a troublemaker," said Qian Long sighing. "Weren't you looking out for her?"

"She requested to go alone with Zi Wei, and we thought it would be safe, since it was just the marketplace. She did promise she wasn't going to get into a fight beforehand."

"And of course she didn't heed her promise as usual."

"I'm sure she didn't mean to," said Yong Qi, bowing his head sheepishly.

"There's no need to try and defend her now, Yong Qi. You spoil her too much already."

"Yes, Huang Ah Ma. I will be more careful in the future."

Qian Long grunted, though let the matter rest when the physician came out from the bedroom.

"Your humble servant greets Your Majesty," Physician Hu greeted, bowing as soon as he saw the Emperor.

"You may rise," said Qian Long. "How is Xiao Yan Zi?"

"Her Highness has a few flesh wounds, but nothing serious. The only concern is the injury on her head. I will prescribe her some herbs to help with the nausea and dizziness, but she will need to be monitored overnight to make sure her condition doesn't get any worse. I also will recommend at least a few days of rest from any physical exertion," the physician reported. "If there is nothing else required, I will take my leave to prepare her medicine."

Qian Long and Yong Qi nodded, allowing the physician to leave.

"Huang Ah Ma, Xiao Yan Zi is going to be fine. Why don't you get some rest? I will let her know you visited," Yong Qi suggested, seeing his father hide a yawn.

"Yes, I do still have some documents to go through as well, since I spent most of the day at Ci Ning Gong. Tell Xiao Yan Zi I'll come and deal with her tomorrow."

"How is Lao Fo Ye?" asked Yong Qi.

"She has a bit of a cold, though as you know, all illness is a concern at her age."

"I understand. I will make sure to send her our regards," said Yong Qi as Qian Long stepped out of the door.

Once his father had left, Yong Qi hurried back into the bedroom to find Xiao Yan Zi. She was propped up on the bed, staring up at the ceiling.

"Hey," he greeted, taking a seat on the bed to face her. "How are you feeling?"

"My head still hurts, but I feel better than before. Do you really think I need all the rest that the physician prescribed?"

"Don't you even think about getting out of it," he told her sternly, tapping her gently on her bruised forehead and making her wince to prove his point. "Consider it your punishment for breaking your promise about no fighting."

He sighed when she pouted pitifully at him, his heart relenting.

"Perhaps if you feel much better, I'll let you go to the courtyard. Only walking though, no flying."

"You're the best," she declared, grinning and leaping into his embrace. He couldn't help but smile, wrapping his arms tightly around her, and she snuggled close to him, laying her head onto his shoulder.

"Yong Qi, about the riddle you wanted me to solve..." she began after a moment.

"Don't mention it anymore. We don't have to think about any riddles or poems or anything until you are better."

"But I want to try. I want to study for you, and make you proud of me."

"There's no need, you make me proud already."

"How so?" asked Xiao Yan Zi.

"By being my Xiao Yan Zi," he whispered to her, kissing her tenderly on her forehead, careful to avoid the bruised area.

Xiao Yan Zi blushed, softly hitting his shoulder in retaliation. "Yong Qi, stop it! Ming Yue will laugh at us," she whispered back, her eyes glancing over to the maid cleaning nearby.

"I don't even care if Huang Ah Ma is right beside us," he answered, staring mesmerised into her eyes. "Do you know how beautiful you truly are?"

Xiao Yan Zi blushed even more.

"Stop! Anyway, I do want to make you more proud of me. I promised you I was going to study for you and be an all new Xiao Yan Zi, and since I already broke the no fighting promise, at least let me keep this one."

Yong Qi sighed, shaking his head.

"Alright then. I might or might not have taught you this, so it's okay if you don't know it. It is quite a strange one."

Xiao Yan Zi glanced curiously at him, nodding. He took a breath, trying to calm his nerves down as he took a piece of paper from his pouch where he had copied the rows of characters engraved on the box.

"See these characters, all the words in each row belong in a certain order. The riddle is to see how they can be lined up."

"Are there any clues?" she asked.

"Of course," replied Yong Qi. "Your clue is 'birds don't eat grass, cows don't fly, bears eat people'. See here, it's bird, and grass, cow and fly, bear and people," he told her, pointing to the matches. "Now how do we match the other rows?"

Xiao Yan Zi stared at the characters on the paper, frowning in concentration. After a long moment, Xiao Yan Zi shook her head, her cheeks flushing red.

"I don't think I can solve it," she told him, biting her lip.

"Hey, that's okay. I told you I might not have taught it to you yet," reassured Yong Qi, though he was quietly distressed at her response. If Xiao Yan Zi couldn't solve it, was Sister Jing Hui not telling the truth? Then again, how did he himself know the first couple of lines?

"But I was hoping to be able to impress you for once. I think I do know it, Yong Qi, I just can't remember it right now. If you teach it to me again, I promise I'll remember it for next time."

"Xiao Yan Zi, you impress me every day, you don't need to solve riddles to do that. Don't worry about this for now. Why don't you get some rest while your medicine is being prepared? I can wake you when it's ready."

Xiao Yan Zi shook her head.

"But I'm not sleepy."

"You just said that your head still hurts. You need to rest. Plus, you know how your temper gets when you're tired."

"I'm not that bad," Xiao Yan Zi defended, pouting.

"Oh really? I still remember that time when you threw a calligraphy brush at me because it was late and you needed to finish your homework for Master Ji the next day. Then there was that other time you spilt ink over all your homework, and who can forget that time when-"

"Alright, alright," said Xiao Yan Zi, obediently letting Yong Qi push her down onto the bed and tuck her in. "Yi hou bu gan le ma (I won't dare to in the future)!"

Author's note: Just sneaking a chapter in before the Easter break. I'm going to be away for Easter so won't be able to post until afterwards!