Author Notes: Hello again, everyone! Enjoy the next chapter :)

Beta: JeanGirlMY

- Chapter Start -

A-Qing had something to look forward to now - Song ZiChen's arrival in a week's time.

In the original timeline, she had watched in horror as he engaged Xue Yang in a fight to the death. It had been partly her fault for inciting his rage further by telling him Xue Yang had repaid their kindness by bullying Xiao XingChen.

Halfway during that fight, Xue Yang had started taunting Song ZiChen about how he had pushed Xiao XingChen away and blamed him for the destruction of Baixue Temple and the deaths of his master and fellow disciples. And yet, Xiao XingChen had still given him his eyes before leaving him.

Overcome with shock and sorrow and guilt, Song ZiChen had left himself wide open for Xue Yang to cut out his tongue. Xiao XingChen had appeared moments later and killed his best friend, thinking he was just another fierce puppet since he was unable to identify himself.

This time round, A-Qing wasn't too worried about Xue Yang, but she was still determined to have things play out differently. She had seen how devastated Song ZiChen looked when he held the qiankun pouch containing Xiao XingChen's soul fragments. He loved Xiao XingChen, that much was clear.

But he hadn't told him that.

This time, A-Qing vowed that her sweet Daozhang would be left in no doubts as to how his soulmate felt about him. If she had to stomp on Song ZiChen's pride to get him to apologise and confess, then so be it!

- o -

Two days later, A-Qing and Xiao XingChen headed back to the abandoned temple with some vegetables after helping an old woman repair her leaking roof. Sensing they were being followed, A-Qing looked over her shoulder and gasped in surprise. Walking towards them with large strides was a tall figure in black with a sword strapped to his back and a horsetail whisk over one arm.

It was Song ZiChen! But Xue Yang had said to expect him in a week's time!

"Daozhang, I think I dropped something earlier," A-Qing said hurriedly. "Please go on ahead, I'll catch up with you!"

"What did you drop?"

Ignoring his question, she spun around and all but ran to Song ZiChen, waving her bamboo stick to waylay him.

"Stop!" She hissed as soon as she was out of earshot - she hoped - of Xiao XingChen.

"That man... that man you're with," Song ZiChen said, speaking faster than she remembered, the words tumbling from his lips. He didn't even tear his gaze away from him. "You know him?"

"Of course," A-Qing said, crossing her arms over her chest. "Why do you ask?"

The suspicious note in her voice got his attention. He blinked down at her before giving a rather sheepish smile and bow.

"I apologise for my rudeness, young lady. My name is Song ZiChen. I am looking for my... friend."

He was staring again at Xiao XingChen who had turned to face them, waiting patiently in the distance instead of continuing on like A-Qing had told him.

"His blindfold..." Song ZiChen trailed off and swallowed.

Shaking her head, A-Qing grabbed his arm and pulled him further away. He went without protest.

"XingChen," he murmured. "XingChen."

A-Qing cleared her throat to get his attention again. He managed to look self-conscious, anxious and guilty all at once, eyes darting from her to Xiao XingChen again as if he couldn't bear to look away, as if the vision in white would disappear the second he took his eyes off him.

Well, if A-Qing still had any doubts as to how he felt about her sweet Daozhang, they were put to rest.

"And you think my companion is him?" She asked.

"It's him. It is him," he replied, looking as fervent as he sounded.

And Xue Yang had called him blank faced and boring. A-Qing swallowed back a sudden giggle.

"What's his name then?" She asked. "And what is he to you?"

He turned back to her and frowned, as if just realising he was being interrogated by a teenaged girl.

"That is between him and me," he replied, a gentle reprimand in his deep voice

Undeterred, she just tipped her chin up and waited until he sighed and bowed his head.

"I'm glad he's not alone," he said.

A-Qing gave a sniff and decided not to reply to that.

"His name is Xiao XingChen," Song ZiChen finally relented. "He's a skilled cultivator with high principles and a pure heart. I have searched everywhere for him. I need to beg his forgiveness."

A-Qing nodded in satisfaction and no small amount of glee. What with Xiao XingChen confessing he had done something wrong and Song ZiChen wanting to apologise, it seemed like there was a very good story just waiting to be told. She had to know what it was!

"Very well. I'll take you to him," she announced as if she was doing Song ZiChen a favour, as if he wasn't capable of announcing his presence with a mere shout. "But not now."

He swung back to her in dismay.

"What? Why not? He's right there!"

A-Qing narrowed her eyes at him.

"Because you owe me an explanation first," she announced, tipping her chin up again.

"Who are-" Song ZiChen swallowed the rest of his words, lips thinning for a moment. Then he nodded reluctantly. "Now?"

"Not now. My Daozhang and I are going to cook lunch," she told him. "Wait for me at the gate of the abandoned temple three hours from now."

"Three hours?" Song ZiChen repeated, darting another longing glance at his soulmate.

"Three," A-Qing repeated and turned around. "And don't follow us."

With her back towards him, she let her wide grin have her way as she walked back to Xiao XingChen.

"Did you find it?" he asked when she held onto his sleeve. "What did you drop?"

"Nothing important, Daozhang. Let's go, I'm hungry!"

- o -

Later that evening...

Once their simple dinner was over, A-Qing asked Xiao XingChen to tell her more about his past.

"But not the places you've been to," she quickly added. "I want to hear about your master."

"Baoshan Sanren," Xiao XingChen said in a low voice. "It was a rule that any disciple leaving her mountain can never return."

In the flickering firelight, his smile looked brittle.

"But you did?" A-Qing prompted, already knowing the answer. Baoshan Sanren the immortal was the one who had transferred his eyes to Song ZiChen despite her misgivings.

A-Qing glanced at the black clad man sitting cross legged beside her. When they spoke earlier that afternoon, she had told Song ZiChen he could return here after dinner on condition that he remain silent until she revealed his presence.

She knew he wasn't the type to allow others to dictate his actions, let alone a teenaged girl. If it wasn't for his guilt at pushing Xiao XingChen away, he would have already taken matters into his own hands instead of acquiescing to her childish demands.

In the past few minutes since he arrived, he hadn't once taken his eyes off Xiao XingChen, gazing at him with a deep sorrow and yearning that she wished Xue Yang could see.

"I had to," Xiao XingChen said, staring at the flames as if he could see them through the thin cloth covering his eye sockets. He was more likely recalling a past memory. "Xue Yang was trying to get back at me by destroying ZiChen's home and blinding him... it was because of me."

"No. It wasn't your fault, but his!" A-Qing told him fiercely and then she grimaced.

Yes, Xue Yang had done all that and more. But the Xue Yang who had returned to the past like she had, who had saved her from those two men in the alley, who had kept an eye on her and Xiao XingChen, given them food and money and even tracked Song ZiChen down and led him here...

That Xue Yang wasn't the same. She wanted to believe he wasn't the same person anymore.

"It was my fault," Xiao XingChen said. His voice was distant, fragile, as if the slightest wind could blow it away. In the flickering firelight, the white cloth over his eyes looked damp.

Song ZiChen made an aborted movement, one hand stretching out towards him and then drawing back, curling into a fist. His jaw was clenched, his face tight with grief.

"ZiChen lost everyone dear to him because of me," Xiao XingChen whispered.

A-Qing had to rub her eyes. Stupid smoke from the fire was blowing in her face!

"Not everyone," she insisted. "He has you."

"He..." Xiao XingChen shook his head. "He no longer considers me his friend."

"How do you know that?" A-Qing countered, glancing at the man beside her who sat as still as a statue. Then she blinked when something ran down his cheek, something that glittered in the firelight.

"Because he told me to get lost," Xiao XingChen whispered, each word falling from his lips like droplets of pain.

Even though Song ZiChen had confessed as much this afternoon, A-Qing turned to glare at him. He bowed his head in regret, his throat working as he swallowed.

"Well! If I ever meet this friend of yours," she said, directing her words at Xiao XingChen while glaring at Song ZiChen, "I would hit him over the head with my bamboo stick!"

Xiao XingChen uttered a shaky laugh as Song ZiChen's head dipped lower, broad shoulders hunching.

A-Qing shook her head and exhaled, figuring they had both suffered enough. It was time for the next step.

"Daozhang, like you said, he had lost his home and his master," she began. "Maybe he was just lashing out at you. Maybe he regrets it now."

Song ZiChen's head snapped up at once. He nodded at her until his hair clasp wobbled. She had to swallow a giggle.

"Maybe," Xiao XingChen whispered.

"We could go look for him," A-Qing suggested, but he shook his head.

"I don't know where he is. And if we do find him, what if he doesn't want to see me?"

"I'm sure he does," she said, just as Song ZiChen said, "I do!" at the exact same moment.

"Oi!" She turned to glare at him again. This wasn't part of the script!

"Wait - who said that? Who's there?" Xiao XingChen's voice sharpened as he turned unerringly in Song ZiChen's direction.

- Chapter End -

A/N: Thank you for reading! Please leave a comment if you enjoyed it :)