EDITED
Ru Ying Sui Xing – Chapter 4 – Mistakes
Father came in the next day while I was in my room reading a book. I noticed him and closed my book.
"Yes?" I asked.
He smiled at me. "Guess what. The nobleman Zhuge Liang is outside/aid he couldn't wait to show you something...?"
I stood up eagerly. I pretended to be bored with this situation.
"Oh he is?" I said monotonously. "I'll greet him..." I said as I walked out of my room. Stepping down the stairs, I checked to make sure father was not behind me. Then I cheered as quiet as I could.
Zhuge Liang was right there, on my right.
"Someone's eager."
"A little. I tend to get so anxious when I have a surprise waiting, I would do anything to have at least a little spoiler."
Zhuge grinned. "Maybe I should have waited on that week then..." I saw where he was getting at. "Don't even try, Liang." He then walked to me and took my arm. "Come then, it's not too far from here..."
I turned around. Father was there, and he nodded. "Don't worry. I trust him. You should too."
I was blindfolded and the only thing guiding me was Liang's voice. It was a game to test my listening skills and take away my sense of sight.
"This way," he said.
Where was his voice coming from? The left? Center? Right? It was the center. I was so, so, so eager to see this place that I had decided to be faster than walking. As I ran, Liang yelled, "Miss Huang! Stop! Cease! I order you too!"
I didn't heed his warning, therefore I ran straight into a tree. The bark on the tree hit me hard and I felt dizzier and dizzier by the second.
I slowly woke up and there was Liang and something wet on my forehead.
"Miss Huang!" he said. "Can you hear me?"
My vision cleared up. I nodded, but pain stung my forehead. "Aye, what happened?"
"You hit a tree and passed out." He said. "Are you alright now? You are bleeding; I am afraid."
I touched my forehead. My headdress was slightly dented, but it did protect my head a little. The cloth on my head was Liang's hat, and below that blood. I tried to say something, but nothing came out.
I was just about to faint again when Zhuge Liang shook me and said, "Wait, miss Huang! This is entirely my fault! We had better get you back to your father as soon as possible!"
I hesitated. "N-No! I don't even know what your surprise is, Liang!"
He chuckled and laid down beside me. "We're here. The Peach Garden."
I strained my eyes as I looked up. There were Peach trees everywhere and blossoms growing over them. I really loved the view here. Petals flew all across the field. Some landed on my face and clothes.
"Liang?"
"Yes?"
"I've never heard of the Peach Garden. How did you hear of it?"
"It was said that three men wanted to be brothers, so they met here and swore brotherhood. I always wanted to go here, but I also wanted to go for a good reason. One I would remember. Something special happened here in my family."
"What was that?"
"...Never mind. I just wanted to be here for a good...reason."
"So what?" I asked. "As long as you can be here. This place is the most beautiful place I have ever seen, Liang!"
He shook his head. "No, I'm not at all selfish. I would never think about that."
Somehow that remark made me feel egotistic. Although I was averagely selfish, Liang wasn't at all. One thing I never saw in a man. There was only one last thing to be tested.
"Liang?"
"Hm?"
"Do...Do you care for first or eternal appearances?"
"Appearances? Huh. I suppose first appearances are always the main thing..."
What a loser!
"But I really think that a person is judged by what they do, rather than what they wear." He winked at me. "Don't worry. I don't care for beauty."
So he was decent.
Who am I kidding?
He is decent.
We both stayed there, enjoying the show the wind had created for us. Somehow...I felt quite special inside. This really puzzled me, since I have never felt this way before. Perhaps it was the Peach Garden. Perhaps. But maybe it was he. But that would be crazy. Well, I'm a crazy person.
Crazily insane.
Suddenly, I felt dizzier and dizzier. "Li...Liang..."
"Miss Huang? Miss Huang!"