Chapter 7
The wolves found Jia sitting on the cloth with a trinket in her hands.
She glanced restlessly at them before directing her attention back to her object. She wasn't bothered by Renshu, but Zhong and Bolin unnerved her, for obvious reasons. It wasn't even just the kidnapping...the few times she'd caught them staring at her...there was something in their eyes she didn't like. Whenever they were around, she remained as silent as she could, as she wanted to attract as little attention as possible. Presently, she noticed Renshu approaching out of the corner of her eye. She didn't look up, even as he stopped beside her.
"What's that in your hand?"
"Oh, it's...its just an ornament that Lihua taught me to make." She held up a circlet made from dried leaves.
"No kidding." He studied the circlet for a moment, before turning his gaze on her. His ears were laid back in slight apprehension. "Listen, Jia. I've made a decision." She stared at him. His shoulders rose and fell and he lowered his head, as if mustering up enough courage for what was to come next. She was about to ask him what was wrong, when he said, "I'm gonna escort you back to Gongmen City."
Her large, brown eyes grew even larger, and he felt an uncomfortable catch in his chest.
"You...Renshu, I…"
He held up a hand. "It's nothing, Jia. I, well…" He grumbled, rubbing the back of his head.. "If I'm gonna be honest, I owe it to you, and your sisters, for not turning me in when you had the chance to, more than once."
She shook her head, utterly taken aback by this unprecedented act of kindness - if, indeed, that's what it was. "I...don't know what to say, Renshu." A pause. "Why the change of heart?"
His ear twitched. "It's a matter of honor, Jia."
She nodded. "I see." She seemed still stunned by his decision. This certainly was not the wolf who had threatened her and forced himself upon her and her sisters, taking over their home and tilting their world upside down. It couldn't be; the Renshu she had come to know was selfish, antagonistic, and self-preserving. What made him decide to take her all the way back to Gongmen City? He would never have done such a thing before. For that matter, she wasn't even sure how far they were from the city. And then, of course, there was also the fact that he apparently trusted her not to betray him and his friends...How did he know she wasn't going to tell the guards as to their whereabouts, or at least, where they had been? So many questions buzzed through her mind, and she had half a heart to pose them to Renshu.
"Rensh -"
"Hey there!" Zhong strode up to them, very brazenly. "Did you give her the news?"
Jia stared uneasily at Zhong for a moment, before turning to Renshu, and he said, "Yeah, yeah, I told her." He glanced at the sheep. "These two are coming with us." He growled out this last part, as if he still wasn't entirely convinced that he liked the idea.
Her eyes widened. "Oh, they...they are?"
"It was two to one, missy," Zhong leaned an elbow on Renshu's shoulder. It was the first time he'd spoken directly to her since the kidnapping. "Ren knows better than to put up a fight when he's out-voted." He grinned.
She was unsure how to respond, and so looked uncertainly at Renshu. "Don't worry about them," he said, flippantly. "They won't bother us, and I sure as heck promise you they won't hinder our traveling." He glared pointedly at Zhong, who merely barked out a harsh laugh and left the two to go assist Bolin with the supplies.
"Renshu…" She started, trying to at least partly hide her misgivings. She didn't want to appear too ungrateful, as they were going out of their way to help her - but she couldn't help feeling a strong aversion to his companions.
"Hey, kiddo," he said, gazing intently at her, "don't even give a second thought to those two. I know you're not at rights with them, but they can't do a thing to harm you."
She placed a hoof on her forehead. "I know, it's just...I don't trust them, Renshu. They stifled me and shoved me in a sack, and the next thing I know, I wake up who knows how far from my home, and my sisters! What did they hope to accomplish by doing that?"
He grimaced. "They got it into their heads that in case we were pursued, you might be used as a hostage. Those flea-bitten varmints were just trying to save their own hides."
She raised her eyes to meet his, and said, pointedly, "And you...wouldn't you have done the same?" She paused. "Forgive me for saying so, but...I'm a little surprised that you didn't take their side."
He knew what she was getting at, but didn't want to take the bait, so he tried turning the conversation. "Like I said, it's a matter of honor. Those two might not care, but my father wasn't completely negligent when it came to my upbringing...You could say he was a bit on the strict side."
His weak attempt at waving it off didn't fool her.
"But Renshu...you broke into our home. You took me and my sisters hostage, or something near to it. You stole from me…" He noted the veiled hurt in her voice, and she continued, "Why, after committing such acts against us, would you go out of your way to see me safely home? ...Wouldn't it have been easier to leave me here and hope for the best?"
He shook his head, and in spite of himself couldn't stop the wry grin from spreading across his face. "They said the same thing when I told them I'd bring you back myself. What is it with you lot? Why all the questions, huh?" She wasn't satisfied with his answers, and he knew it.
Even so, he couldn't tell her the truth. To admit that he felt somewhat protective over her to his friends was one thing; admitting it to her was another. He remembered, none-too-fondly (though at the time he thought it amusing) her reaction when he had traced a finger across her face. He forced himself to acknowledge the strangely uncomfortable truth that she did not reciprocate his...well...whatever they were. Certainly he didn't want to call them feelings, but...there was something there, something in her that he felt drawn to. Or perhaps it was just her. No, he couldn't give her the real reason for his decision...He couldn't tell her that he'd grown fond of her...
Truly, Zhong and Bolin weren't so much bothered by the fact that they believed Renshu's attraction to Jia was entirely physical. They were men, and didn't begrudge him a fling, even if it was outside of their species. Heck, they themselves had been known, on occasion, to have flings outside of their race, too. It was practically an unspoken rule among the males, that whenever any of them had been lucky enough to take up temporary residence in a province that didn't turn them away, flings were fairly common, regardless of any difference in species. The majority of their lifestyle was rough, rigorous, and often dangerous. Sometimes there were no she-wolves to be found in certain towns or cities, and whenever a wolf went off in search of female company, the others would know better than to resent him the small comforts that life would sometimes allow.
That was, more or less, the situation that Zhong and Bolin believed Renshu to be in. Over the course of their stay in the glen, they'd even teased him about it.
"Must have been hard hiding from the law for such a long time," Zhong had said earlier that day. "Lucky for you you got to hide in a house full of women." He shook his head in mock-jealousy. "Sometimes it seems like you get all the luck."
Renshu, to his credit, didn't so much as bat an eye at the callous joke. He vowed not to react in anger toward his friends' prodding, for fear of what they might attribute it to. Pouncing on Zhong had practically given his true feelings away, and he didn't want to make the same mistake twice. Instead he either ignored their jabs, or gave a half-hearted grin in response.
Presently, the object of his interest was leaning back on her hooves, politely waiting for an answer from him.
"Jia," he said, "is there any chance you'd do me a favor, and give me the benefit of the doubt? It might be hard to believe, but I do owe it to you and yours for not turning me over to the masters of the city. Just...call this errand a debt I'm paying off."
She didn't answer, and he knew that she still wasn't entirely convinced that that was the reason. He was grateful, however, when she nodded. "Thank you, Renshu."
He waved a hand, glad to be off the subject. "It's the least I can do. I guess…"
Come evening, the four of them were ready to leave the safety of the dell and make their way back toward Gongmen City.
They had all voted that it was safer to travel by night, and so had waited until the sun went down behind the hills. A red-orange light blanketed the land as night came on, and a soft wind touched the tops of the trees and bushes. Crickets rang out in small choruses, but other than that, the land was silent and serene. They realized, too, that if any warriors or scouts had been sent forth from the city to get wind of them, that it would likely consist of at least some who were able to see keenly in the dark.
Jia strode beside Renshu, and Zhong and Bolin kept on his other side.
"You know I find it ironic that you two thought you'd be safer taking a captive," Renshu remarked. "In doing so, you've guaranteed that soldiers will be sent after us to look for her. If you'd have left her in the city, the odds of a chase would have lessened."
"Well that could go both ways," Bolin stated. "If they'd decided to come after us anyway, and we hadn't taken along a potential hostage...where would we be then?"
"It's still faulty logic," Renshu insisted.
"Doesn't matter now, does it?" Zhong cut in. "Because we're gonna return that hostage, and then be on our way."
Jia, who had remained silent, plucked up the courage to ask a question. "Just how far did you all take me from the city, anyway?"
Renshu was a little surprised by her boldness, for she'd always made sure to stay silent in the company of his friends. And it wasn't just the question, but he detected a hint of sauciness in her tone, like she felt an answer was owed to her.
Zhong didn't hesitate to answer. "It's only about two hours, sweetheart. You're lucky that dell of ours wasn't situated further out." He displayed a toothy grin.
"Such a short distance, all things considered…" She mulled this over, and Bolin said:
"When you're back in your city, we'll be retreating a lot further than that, believe me."
"I'd imagine so."
"And speaking of which," Bolin said, taking on a more serious tone. He turned and eyed her. "You need to swear not to tell anyone in which direction we head when we do leave."
"I assure you," Jia said with an almost impertinent display of grace, "I have no such desire to see the three of you again. As such, you can be sure I'll have wiped the slate clean and let bygones be bygones. The last thing I want to do is prolong my association with you three - even if it means giving up the pleasure of seeing you all behind bars, which you know you deserve."
Bolin's ears laid back, and Zhong sniggered. "Well," he said, forcing his laughter down, "I call that as good as any promise. Wouldn't you say, Bolin?"
Bolin, unprepared for the sheep's brazen response, considered the matter settled, and so remained silent.
Renshu had raised an eyebrow at Jia's response, and after a minute or two, remarked, "When did you get so bold?"
She looked down, a slight smile playing across her face. "I'm not, really. I just figured that for all the trouble those two have put me through, well...I don't have to play the meek sheep all the time, do I?"
He actually gave a small laugh. "No, kiddo. It doesn't seem so." He almost wanted to tell her that he was proud of her, but refrained from doing so. It was too loose a comment, something he wouldn't have done even if it they had been alone. Nevertheless, he was amused; he hadn't known there was a spark in her.
The four traveled in silence for some time, enjoying the feel of the night air and the grandeur of the landscape lit by a sliver of moon. The air was clear, and the stars shone bright and glittering in the velvety sky above.
They'd covered many miles within the course of the night, and traversed over a mild array of land. It was mostly through level fields that they walked, but once in a while they'd come across a ravine that they had to climb down and out of again. These were always a bit frightening to Jia, for she knew that the valleys throughout the province often hid criminals of all sorts. The ravines were always thick at the bottom with gnarled bushes and dense trees; perfect hiding spots for anyone wanting to take refuge from prying eyes. Every time they crossed one of these, she wondered if there were bandits lurking in the dark brush - but they never saw so much as a sign of life other than themselves. The wolves, naturally, were unafraid of traversing these hidden places, for they were no strangers to conflict, and would certainly fight their way out of a scuffle if need be.
Jia gathered up her courage and kept silent as they made progress on their journey. If they ever did run into unfriendly company, she had a feeling that Renshu might be willing to defend her. After all, as he said, he owed it to her and her family to bring her back to the city. She assumed he meant alive and unharmed.
Once, they came across a wide river. It ran strong and loud, all the more so because of the silence that had reigned for so long. There was no bridge, no stepping stones of any kind, so crossing became an issue for a while.
"I don't remember having crossed this river when we fled," Bolin muttered. "We must be lost...but...it could be a slight miscalculation. Traveling at night," he explained, "we could have traveled up where the river is wider, but having fled this way before, might have crossed where the river was thinner -"
Renshu cleared his throat, and said, "Why don't we pause for a rest." It was posed as a statement, rather than a request. "We might have lost our way by traveling at night."
"What, you're tired already?" Zhong blurted.
"Of course not, you fool," he snapped back. "But there's no sense in walking nonstop all the way to the city. Let's just take a break."
"Fine, fine...guess some of us could use a rest." He thought maybe Renshu wished to stop because Jia might be tired, although the sheep had shown no signs of slacking in any way. On the contrary, Jia had walked on silently most of the way, uncomplaining and as resolute as the wolves. If she was tired, she did a good job of hiding it.
"We could have a snack," Bolin suggested, and as they sat down, he rummaged through the sack of provisions.
"Toss me something, I'm starving," Zhong demanded, and Bolin flung him a rice cake. He passed out a few to Renshu and Jia as well, and the four of them ate in silence.
Had it not been for their unusual circumstances, it might have looked as though they were having an odd picnic. They had moved a little ways off from the river and rested on the soft, dry grass. The countryside they currently found themselves in was less open, and the hills closed in around them at a fair distance. The going was no longer over smooth terrain, but in a way they were grateful for the change.
"How do you think we should cross the river?" Zhong asked when he'd finished eating.
Renshu shrugged a shoulder. "The way I see it, the only way to do it is to walk alongside until the gap is smaller. Then we can wade across."
"What if it doesn't?"
"It has to," Bolin said, "we made it to the dell crossing only a handful of small streams. We obviously trekked further up river heading back than we did coming in."
"So that means we have to walk all the way down the river until the gap is smaller? Some luck," he grumbled.
"Then you come up with something, genius!" Renshu scowled as he took the last bite of food.
Zhong and Bolin exchanged glances, and Jia paused in her meal to regard his mild outburst.
"There something eating you, Ren?" Bolin asked with raised eyebrow.
"No," Renshu snapped. "I just wanna get this journey done and over with, that's all."
"You're the one who wanted to stop," Zhong pointed out, and leaned back on his hands.
Renshu picked at his teeth and stared off into the dusky horizon. He had been thinking a lot since they'd been travelling, and it seemed that the nearer they got to Gongmen City, the more agitated he became. He felt he knew the reason; he was worried about the risk of being caught. He knew he wanted to see Jia home and safe, certainly, but the whole journey was like one huge, burdensome chore than couldn't be gotten out of the way soon enough. He told himself that seeing her safely back wasn't that big a deal - that even if the outskirts of the city were being patrolled, he could still hide and make sure she at least got within sight of it before taking off. It was a pep talk that should have encouraged him and abated his irritable mood, but it didn't.
Zhong laid back in the grass with his eyes shut, but Bolin eyed Renshu shrewdly. His mind came to an astute guess, and he suspected that his friends' foul mood had to do with a certain sheep they were travelling with.
Even so, he said nothing (knowing there was nothing, really, that could be said), and copied Zhong's example. He might have been overly concerned about Renshu's obviously strong interest in Jia, but he decided to let it go - at least, for now.
Jia stood up and walked a little ways off into the darkness to shake the crumbs off the sack (funnily enough, the same one she had been taken captive in.)
Renshu's gaze followed her, and the desire to accompany her was overwhelming. When she folded the sack and stood gazing up at the stars, he decided to throw caution and etiquette to the wind. He stood up and walked over to her side. Her head tilted slightly in his direction as he approached.
"Some sky, huh, kiddo?" He remarked in a low voice.
She made a soft noise. "Stargazing is different out here than it is in the city."
"To be sure." He said, playfully, "You've become attached to that sack."
She laughed softly. "Well," she smoothed her hoof over it, "it's come in pretty handy, being that there aren't any chairs out here."
He mimicked her smile. Had it been lighter outside, she would have seen that it was the first he'd given that bore neither malice nor sarcasm. But she didn't see it, and so remained in the dark, in more ways than one.
"Did you do much stargazing back home?" He asked.
"Some. When I was younger, I used to sneak out of the house at night when my sisters were asleep and sit atop the walls. It made for some wonderful nights. I always went to the same spot, too. The view of Gongmen Palace was magnificent, and on clear nights you could see the mountains far away. My favorite nights were always during the winter when you could see the snow gleaming on their peaks." She paused. "How about you?"
"Never did any stargazing. I, uh...spent most of my puphood in training."
She looked at him. "Didn't you ever have any free time?"
"Some. But even that had restrictions."
Her gaze lingered, and she wanted to ask him more, but decided against it. Unsure of what to say, she offered, "Well...at least, you can do a little of it right now." As an afterthought, she added, "Even if it isn't under the best of circumstances."
This time it was he who stared. His thoughts began to steer a different course. "Jia…" She met his gaze. "There's something I should tell you. You know...days ago when you were adamant about me staying at the house while you went to your job…" He struggled to get the words out, and inwardly cursed himself for his weakness. "I was angry at you."
Her expression relaxed. "I know."
He shook his head. "No, you don't. I was angry most of the day."
She turned to face him, wondering just what he was getting at. He clenched a fist, the struggle within becoming evident on his face. Feeling prompted to say something, she said. "I know you were upset, but I forgive you. You don't have to feel so bad about it."
He shook his head. "It isn't that…"
"What is it?"
He sighed. He rubbed a hand behind his neck, and still he couldn't find the words. Growing impatient with himself, he mustered up what courage he had left. He had only so much time with Jia before they said their goodbyes forever; it was now or never.
He cleared his throat. "Listen, Jia...I, uh...I should apologize to you…"
She blinked, more confused than ever - not least of all at his uncharacteristically nervous attitude.
"Apologize? What for?"
"Well...for getting you caught up in the situation with my friends...and me…"
She didn't know what to say. Truth be told, she was surprised at her own lack of animosity toward Renshu, in spite of all the trouble he had put her through since day one. But perhaps that was because she had gotten to know him a little over time, and believed that deep down, he wasn't as bad as his lifestyle made him out to be. If anything, he was simply lost.
She answered as neutrally as she could. "Well, Renshu...you are making up for it by escorting me back home." She pulled her coat more tightly about her. "And if I'm going to be honest, I'll say I'm very grateful not to be traveling alone." She imagined, for a moment, what it might have been like if she'd been forced to make her way all the way back to Gongmen City by herself. She would have had to traverse all those ravines, all those hills and thickets by herself. The very notion frightened her, and she became suddenly very grateful to be in the company of three wolves.
Renshu let out a veiled sigh. He hadn't been able to tell her what he really meant to. "There's...something else I need to apologize for…"
This was it; he couldn't turn back now. He prayed she would listen, as he wouldn't get another chance like this.
She stared at him, waiting for him to speak.
"That night, you know, when I...touched your face…"
Now Jia felt a catch in her own chest, and she nervously turned away.
"I didn't mean to offend you," he hastened, keeping his voice steady, but willing her to listen.
She was unsure how to respond, but wished that he hadn't brought that awkward moment up. It had unnerved her at the time and certainly she didn't understand why he'd bestowed such an intimate gesture on her. Until now, she had believed that he'd done so just to make her feel uncomfortable, which it certainly did. But his current mannerisms, his nervous, faltering speech...it was more than she could bear…It hinted at something serious, something growing inside of him that she wasn't ready to face, and probably never would be.
She understood a little better the motives behind his gesture, and strange to say, she was more comfortable with him toying with her out of meaningless amusement, instead of…
'No,' she thought. 'He couldn't possibly feel that way, he's a wolf, and a criminal…' But she was kind, and desired to give him one more chance to prove her wrong - for both their sake.
"It's ok, Renshu, really. I know you didn't meant anything by it, it was just a silly moment, and I know that. I'm not so foolish as to think that one little gesture means...you know…" She gave a small laugh that was anything but amused.
"Jia," he stopped her. The gentle sincerity in his voice made her feel weak. He'd never spoken to her like this before, and she found herself suddenly desperate for the harsh, callous, antagonistic Renshu she knew at first. "I know both our worlds got turned upside down, but the thing is, we may never see each other again."
'Don't say that,' she inwardly pleaded. 'There is no 'we'.' Try as she might, she found it increasingly hard to be graceful to this wolf. What he was getting at was becoming too obvious to pretend to ignore. "Renshu -" She shook her head.
"I'm not trying to scare you, kiddo. Believe me, I don't expect anything from you whatsoever. But I...I wanted you to know the truth."
"The...the truth?" She repeated, and her breath nearly caught in her lungs.
His confidence plummeted at the look on her face.
Of course...he should have known how she would take this. What had he been thinking?
But...he had gone this far...The way he saw it, he had nothing to lose at this point - especially not now that he'd seen her reaction.
"I'm sorry, Jia," he said again, and his voice was low, resigned, bitter as it had been on the first day they'd met. "I don't know what I was thinking. I don't even know how to say this, but…" he shook his head, "I guess soon it won't matter. Look, I don't wanna go the rest of my days knowing I never told you the truth."
She shook her head again. "The truth about what, Renshu?"
"Staying with you and your sisters was kind of an...um...eye-opener for me…"
He faltered for probably the umpteenth time that night, and she said, "Renshu, what on earth is it you're trying to say?"
"I'm trying to tell you that I like you, kiddo!"
He'd said it. It was finally out in the open.
She was struck nearly dumb, and for a long time she said nothing.
Renshu babbled on nervously, "You're a sweet girl, and to be honest, you're the only one I've ever met who treated me like I mattered. By the ancestors, I'm no good at this," he mumbled, momentarily turning away from her. He'd never felt so drawn to a female before, and he was vastly uncomfortable on this new ground.
"You like me?" She repeated.
He stopped his spiel and forced himself to face her. But he found he couldn't hold her gaze for long. He let his head droop, and answered, "Yeah...I do..."
It was her turn to face away, and she shifted from one hoof to the other. She wasn't sure how to handle such a huge confession, especially from him. So she said the first thing that came to mind, not even wholly sure of what it meant. "You...sure chose a funny time to tell me…"
He lifted his gaze and stared at her, as if shocked simply that her reaction hadn't been one of revulsion. His ears lifted and he gave a slight nod. "Yeah. I guess I did."
Her uneasiness was evident enough to be felt in the air. "I...I'm sorry, Renshu…" For what, she couldn't say, but in the end it didn't really matter. As he said, they would be parting ways soon, and would likely never hear from nor see each other again. And even if they did, it was not as if they could be together. They were too different, too far removed from each other. They were worlds apart. And yet...by some miracle (if it should be called that), they had found their way into each other's lives, and he had actually developed something akin to...feelings for her. It was impossible; unheard of.
"I don't know what to say…" She faltered, refusing to face him. "We're so...different…"
"Look, Jia...it might be selfish of me to put this on you. By the ancestors, you've had a lot on your mind since I barreled into your life. So…" He approached her, closing the distance between them and forced her to look him in the face, "you'll forgive me for adding this extra burden. I felt it needed to be said." She held his gaze with subtle alarm, and he continued, "if things were different, kiddo...maybe if I'd been raised different, and wasn't such a stranger to domestic niceties...things between us might have been different, too." He realized that the question of whether or not she felt anything toward him hung in the air. He had already plainly confessed his attraction to her, but she had given so sign whatsoever of returning his feelings, even slightly.
The thought suddenly troubled him, and his courage wavered. Had he been spilling himself all this time for nothing? "Jia," he said, his frown deepening. "...Say something."
The change in him from the first time they'd met was so alarming that she wondered for one crazy moment if this was, indeed, the same wolf she had been threatened by on numerous occasions. She had had an effect on him that she hadn't been aware of in the slightest, but whether for good or for bad remained to be seen. Or not, considering their final farewells were at hand.
"I...I don't know what to say, Renshu." She fiddled her hands.
"Do you feel anything toward me?" He moved his face in front of hers yet again, demanding an honest answer.
She shook her head. "I'm afraid to." She retreated one step back, and said, "...When I got to know you...I felt that you weren't as bad as you made yourself out to be. I guess, I believed that there was some good in you, and that you'd just been misled most of your life. It seemed as if you'd never had any choices."
"But do you feel anything toward me?" He kept his voice low. He didn't want his companions stumbling into this conversation.
This time she looked at him and held his gaze. "In spite of your cruelty...the harassment you've put upon me and my sisters...even your threats, and...the stealing…" She paused, as if searching for the answer in his eyes. "In spite of all that, I found it hard to hate you. I don't know why, I just...couldn't."
"So you don't hate me," he murmured. He grew rigid and regarded her coldly. "Well, that's praise…"
She turned away and scooped up the sack she'd dropped on the ground. "We should get back to the others."
"Jia -"
"They'll be wondering where we've gone off to. We wouldn't want to give them the wrong idea." With that, she strode off into the grass toward Zhong and Bolin, still lying peacefully in the field.
"Jia, wait!" He called, this time not caring who head. But she didn't so much as stop or give him a parting glance.
Zhong's ears twitched at the rustling grass, and he opened an eye. He saw that their female guest had come back, spread out the cloth sack, and made a sort of makeshift bed out of it. He glanced over at Bolin, who was staring up at the stars.
"Hey," he said under his breath, "did you mark the time?"
Bolin muttered back, "They've been having a heated discussion, or I'm a monkey's uncle."
"About what, now - I wonder."
"The dame came back first. They might've had a fight."
"Lover's quarrels," Zhong chuckled, then folded his arms behind his head. "I remember those days. How long has it been since my last rendezvous with a woman?"
Bolin turned to face him. "Too long, I'm thinking."
"And here Renshu wasn't even planning on becoming intimate with the girl."
Bolin was about to reply, hesitated, then said, "Call me crazy, but I'm thinking that's because Renshu is genuinely fond of this girl. He didn't want to do anything that would compromise her honor."
"No," Zhong blustered, knowingly. "Renshu isn't the type to become attached. Trust me, I've known him for years."
"He shows an strange amount of respect toward her, for being he isn't attached."
"That's because…" Here, Zhong hesitated, suddenly realizing the truth in that statement. But he was confident he knew better, and said, "Well, maybe he likes her. But he doesn't love her."
"Who said anything about love? Of course he doesn't love her - he barely knows her. But," he drawled, "from like sometimes comes love, eh?"
Zhong jokingly swiped at him. "Knock it off with the poetry, it's making me gag."
Bolin chuckled. "I'm serious, though."
"Well so what? They're not gonna have enough time together to...fall in love." He swallowed hard, as if the very concept of love was a foreign one. "All the better, for both of them! Renshu's got no time to settle down, and as for that...that Jia girl…"
"On the contrary, the three of us have all the time there is. We have no real pack, no ties to anyone, or any place…"
"Oh shut it," he muttered. "I'm done thinking for now." He turned on his side, deciding that if they were going to remain in that place for a while, he might as well get a little sleep. "Nothing is gonna happen between those two. Mark my words."