"I want you to do me the favour of being my wife." Sun Jian announced.

Gan Ning tried hard not to laugh.

"Your wife! But I'm only nineteen!" Xing Cai exclaimed.

"Nineteen? Liu Bei is recruiting underage kids!" Gan Ning interrupted.

Xing Cai glared at him.

"I'm not a kid! Besides, I volunteered to serve Lord Liu Bei!" Xing Cai claimed.

"Xing Cai, age should not stop two people from loving each other." Sun Jian said.

"Yeah. There's only a, oh, I dunno … 25 year difference?" Gan Ning said sarcastically.

"I'm not that old!" Sun Jian claimed.

"Lying is a sin, old man." Gan Ning taunted.

"Be quiet, Gan Ning!" Sun Jian shouted.

"I'm sorry, Sun Jian. But I'm not ready to get married." Xing Cai said.

"Why not? It's not like you're with another man." Sun Jian said.

"Actually, I am!" Xing Cai lied.

"Who is he?" Sun Jian asked.

"He is …" Xing Cai started. "Zhao Yun!"

"Zhao Yun of Shu?" Sun Jian said as if his name was a swear word.

"Yes. Zhao Yun. I am with Zhao Yun." Xing Cai said, trying to convince herself.

Sun Jian didn't fully believe that Xing Cai was telling the truth.

"Then we must meet Zhao Yun!" Sun Jian decided.

"What! No, he's very … busy! Anyway, you can't go into Shu territory, you're the enemy!" Xing Cai muttered.

"You're a bad liar." Gan Ning whispered to her.

"Shut up!" Xing Cai hissed back.

"Come, Xing Cai. We must meet Zhao Yun!" Sun Jian smiled fakely.

"But … what about my hip? The pain's getting worse." Xing Cai complained.

"You made it here, didn't you?" Gan Ning asked.

Xing Cai punched him on his shoulder.

"We must take you back to Shu territory anyway. Might as well meet Zhao Yun while we're there." Sun Jian said.

It seemed only minutes when they arrived at the North Fort of Shu.

The soldiers and archers prepared to attack as they saw Sun Jian and Gan Ning.

"Don't attack!" Zhao Yun appeared in the crowd of troops. "They have Xing Cai!"

Everyone lowered their weapons immediately.

Xing Cai jumped off Gan Ning's horse and ran to Zhao Yun.

"Zhao Yun, it's OK! They didn't harm me!" Xing Cai hugged Zhao Yun tightly.

Zhao Yun was surprised but hugged Xing Cai back.

"I thought you weren't allowed to move about cause of your hip?" Zhao Yun said.

"I'm fine! Sun Jian wanted to meet you!" Xing Cai smiled.

"Meet me? Why?" Zhao Yun asked, confused.

He glanced at Sun Jian as he got off his horse.

"I wanted to congratulate you." Sun Jian put his hand out to Zhao Yun.

"For what?" Zhao Yun questioned him.

"For being with Xing Cai." Sun Jian said.

Xing Cai could tell Sun Jian wasn't buying it.

Before Zhao Yun could speak, Xing Cai kissed him on his lips.

Zhao Yun was too shocked to react.

"Zhao Yun and I got together weeks ago. Isn't that right, Zhao Yun?" Xing Cai nudged Zhao Yun, who seemed to still be astonished.

Xing Cai pinched his arm without Sun Jian seeing it.

"Oww! Oh, right. Yeah." Zhao Yun said.

"Well …" Sun Jian cleared his throat. "We should be off. Goodbye Xing Cai, Zhao Yun."

He got on his horse and left the fort.

Gan Ning turned around and saw Xing Cai wiping her mouth the moment they left.

He smirked.

She was so different to any other girl he had met.

Back at the fort …

"I'm sorry, Zhao Yun! I had to do it! Sun Jian proposed to me and he wouldn't take no as an answer unless I was with another man so I told him I was and he didn't really believe me so he -"

"Shh! Its fine, Xing Cai!" Zhao Yun assured. "Just don't pinch me like that again. That hurt."

He rubbed the part of his arm where Xing Cai had pinched him.

"Sorry. You were kinda lost then." Xing Cai laughed.

"It's not like you wouldn't be if someone just kissed you like that." Zhao Yun said. "It reminds me of when we were still dating."

"Hey!" Xing Cai pushed him playfully. "Cut it out! It was only acting!"

"I know, I know!"

"Oh, when Gan Ning took me from the North Depot he … he left a big mess behind."

"You mean he killed everyone?"

"Umm … yeah."

"It's a shame we let them go so easy."

"It doesn't matter, Zhao Yun. We'll get them next time!"

"You're right - for once!"

"Hey!" Xing Cai hit Zhao Yun softly.

"You need to rest! Come on." Zhao Yun put Xing Cai's arm on his shoulder and he helped her walk to a tent.