Author's note:

My holiday has over, so I must attend the college days again. Maybe it would make me upload the next chapter longer than before. Sorry for making you wait, but I will do to best to make the stories. Regard

Chapter 9 – The identity revealed

The night was really cold. Everyone in town seemed has been asleep. However, Lu Xun still waited in Cai Wenji house. He waited for the medicine that Cai Wenji grinned. Lu Xun looked at the window, thinking. Xiao Hua maybe hasn't asleep yet, waiting for his return. And about Winter… Why the general called him 'young lord'? Do they really friend…?

" Mr. Swallow?" Cai Wenji called.

" Ah, Ms. Cai Wenji…?" Lu Xun turned his head.

" I have called you for many times…" Cai Wenji gave a little laugh, " Are you tired? Maybe you should stayed here tonight, since it already night?"

Lu Xun shook his head, " Thanks, but… someone on the house may waiting for me, so I have to go home as soon as possible…"

" Oh… Is that your special one?"

" No, it's my…little sister…"

" Oh, the one with the disease… I see…" Cai Wenji paused for a while, " Don't worry, we just have to waited until the medicine cooked… It would be in half or an hour from now."

" Glad to hear that… Oh yeah, Cai Wenji, you seem know Winter… I want to ask you something about him…"

" What is it?"

" The general with him this evening… why did he call Winter 'young lord'? Is Winter a noble…? Wel, he has a servant… He has some money… and the way he speak… the way he fight this evening…"

Cai Wenji smiled, "Perhaps we can call like that… Why do you ask?"

" No, it just… " Lu Xun kept silence for a while, " Why did he lie to me…? He told me that he was a scholar…"

Cai Wenji smiled," Maybe he didn't want to ruin your friendship? If he was a noble, it's hard for him to make a friend with the villagers... If he exposed his status, it would only attract the bandit, the thief, or maybe the assassin…"

" You're right…"

" I told you about this because Winter seems believe in you. It's rare for me to see him smile like that. He seemed really happy when he was with you…" Cai Wenji grinned.

Lu Xun blushed, " What is it? Why did you smile like that?"

Cai Wenji laughed, " It's nothing. You have to know that his father is rather strict with him, so it's hard for him to make any friend. I'm glad that he can find a friend in this village…"

" How do you know about Winter if he hardly made a friend?"

" Well…" Cai Wenji took a few steps, " Actually I was a princess from a noble too… But I chose to leave my house… And helped the people here with my ability…"

" And… why is that?"

" I was kidnapped when I was young… And after that, I understand… the kidnapper took me because he really needed some money to cure his daughter… He was only followed the order from his lord… However the plan failed… Cao Cao's general saved me, and that kidnapper was punished. His daughter died

because of her disease not long after the his death… The general brought me into the castle. Winter's father was glad that I'm saved. And after that he asked me to stay in his place until my father picked me up. That's why I know about Winter."

" Wow… You're amazing…"

" That's nothing…" Cai Wenji blushed." Oh yeah, back to the topic before… Even you have known Winter's true identity… I want you to keep it secret…"

" Of course!" Lu Xun nodded.

" And also… no matter what happened… I want you to be his friend!" Cai Wenji held Lu Xun's hand.

" Oh…" Lu Xun took some step backward, " But why do you ask that…"

" Promise?"

"…"

" Please… I will help you by making your sister's medicine for free! But you have to help Winter…"

"…" Lu Xun nodded.

Cai Wenji smiled, " I'm glad to hear that! Now I have to check on the medicine! After it cooked, you can bring it home. If you excuse me…" Cai Wenji left Lu Xun.

Lu Xun looked at his hand that once held by Cai Wenji, " What do I do…? Winter is a noble… and he knows many general of Wei… It would be danger for me but… I hope he won't know my true identity…"

" Here it is!" Cai Wenji ran into Lu Xun, " Please be careful on your way home!"

" Thanks a lot, Ms. Cai Wenji!" Lu Xun bowed and left Wenji's house.

Lu Xun rode his horse as fast as he can. He didn't care about the cold winter wind that made him froze. Xiao Hua may suffer because of her disease. He reached the house in a very short time, a new record for him. As he reached the house, he quickly tied his horse on the barn and ran to the door. He was very surprised when he saw Winter and a strange guy waiting in front of his house.

" Winter? What are you doing…?" Lu Xun asked as he approach Cao Pi.

Cao Pi handed him a cage with a little bird inside it, " Here… I just want to fulfill my promise to you…"

" MY PET!" Lu Xun received the cage with a happy face. " Thank you very much!"

Cao Pi smiled and hugged Lu Xun, " I'm glad I made it…"

" Winter…?" Lu Xun blushed. " Why you…?"

" It's the only time I can meet you… After this… maybe it will be hard for me to meet you… That's why… I came to your house tonight… sorry…"

" You… have a fever, Winter…" Lu Xun said.

" What?" Zhang He approach Cao Pi, " Oh no, young lord, are you alright? Let's go home now!"

" WAIT!" Lu Xun cut, " We better take him inside the house and let him warm his body. Or else, it will made the condition worse…"

" It's okay, Swallow. I have to go home now, or else someone will notice my absence…." Cao Pi said.

" NO! I WON'T ALLOW THAT!" Lu Xun grabbed and pulled Cao Pi's hand, " I will make some hot tea and some medicine. After you drink it, I will allow you to go home!"

Zhang He grinned. Just in one glance, Zhang He can recognize whose Cao Pi loved, " Okay… I think you should accept his offer… You should consider your condition…"

Cao Pi has no choice. Lu Xun opened the locked door and forced Cao Pi to sat beside the fireplace. Lu Xun glanced at Xiao Hua's room and found out that she was already asleep. Quickly he cooked some tea and the medicine.

Zhang He approached Lu Xun with his beautiful steps, " Please let me cook the tea and the medicine. I am Zhang He, a servant. It's my duty to serve my master…"

" But… I…" Lu Xun said, but his word was cut by Zhang He's finger on his lips.

" Halt, my dear… My master wished to have some word with you..." Zhang He lied.

" He want to have a word with me…? But…"

Zhang He pushed Lu Xun, " He has to go home as soon as possible. You better accept my offer, cute one!" Zhang He gave Lu Xun a wink.

" Okay then… " Lu Xun came to Cao Pi. Lu Xun put a thick blanket on Cao Pi's shoulder.

" You don't need to do all of this, Swallow…" Cao Pi said.

" Well, your servant said that you want to chat with me. What is it?"

" Really?" Cao Pi just realized Zhang He's strategy," Well... just came closer…"

Lu Xun came closer to Cao Pi." It's your blade… sorry for borrowing something so precious to you…"

Lu Xun smiled. His golden eyes seemed glowing because of the reflection of the fireplace, " Oh my, I forget about it, thanks a lot… "

" And…"

" What is it?" Lu Xun stared at Cao Pi as he moved his face closer.

Cao Pi pulled Lu Xun's chin and kissed him on the lip. Lu Xun was really surprised. He felt his body freeze. Neither of them moved for a moment. Cao Pi pushed Lu Xun to the floor and kissed him more aggressive. Lu Xun tried to pulled away, but Cao Pi's arm hold him still.

" Winter…STOP!" Lu Xun pushed Cao Pi with all of his might. " Your fever made you act weird…"

" …" Cao Pi left Lu Xun and went back to his seat, " Sorry for losing my control… I think I fall for you… After your first kiss this afternoon… I feel something different inside me… Hey, maybe you're right… it's just my fever who made me acted weird…"

They kept silenced for a long time. Neither moved from their seat until they heard a knock from the door.

" A visitor…? This late…?" Lu Xun stood and tried to peek outside. He saw a man with messy white hair and a set of bell on the waist. He quickly realized that the man who standing in front of the door was his own general, Gan Ning. Quickly he opened the door and let the general came inside.

" Gan Ning! Love to see you here!" Lu Xun jumped and hugged Gan Ning.

" Calm down, Boy!" Gan Ning laughed, " It really cold here… Can I have something to warm me up?"

" Sure!" Lu Xun nodded.

Zhang He just finished his cooking and brought them to the room. " Tea is ready!"

" Such lovely fragrance!" Gan Ning entered the room following the scent of the tea. " Hey… you look familiar…." Gan Ning said as he saw Zhang He.

" I feel like I know you too…" Zhang He said as he examined Gan Ning. " AH! Those bell… and those messy hair…" Zhang He took his blade, " You are General Gan Ning from Wu, right? What are you doing here in the land of Wei?"

" AH! Those lotus symbols and that strange costume… You are General Zhang He!" Gan Ning covered Lu Xun, " What are you doing on our young strategist's house?"

" Young strategist…?" Cao Pi's eyes grew widen.

Zhang He covered Cao Pi," Ah, I see your strategy now. You try to lure our young lord… and then you will crush us when we are not ready… very nice…"

" NO!" Lu Xun shouted, " I never know that Winter is… the young lord… so you are Cao Pi..?"

" You tricked me…?" Cao Pi was angry. " How dare you!"

" GYAAAA!" Suddenly all of them heard a loud scream.

" Oh no, I forget to lock the door!" Lu Xun said as he ran toward Xiao Hua.