One Lifetime Is Never Enough

1.82 Missing and Meeting

One mid-morning, in front of Yong tea-house, there were two people standing facing each other, seemingly on a stand-off.

"Miss Bai," One of them, an old man, was now almost close to tears, "Please don't make this old one's life difficult... . My Young Master gave clear order to make sure Miss Bai receive these gifts... ."

"I do not want to make your life hard, Uncle Rong," YuLan could not help but to frown. Her hands were still clasped behind her back as she looked at the old man in front of her, and his outstretched hands that were holding a box,

"But I really cannot - do not - want to receive the gift!"

She had grown to know the old servant's name, sometimes even chatting to him at length, because as of late, the old man was the most frequent servant Qian FanSheng had sent to deliver gifts to her.

Gifts that she had always refused.

"Miss Bai," Uncle Rong sighed, "Please accept it. This old one's wife also works at Old Master Qian's estate, and this one's only son also works at one of Old Master Qian's shops. This one cannot really afford to offend Young Master!"

Undoubtedly, Qian FanSheng finally managed to use his brain and figured out that Bai YuLan had tendency to be softer towards the old man. If Qian FanSheng came by himself - which he had actually been brave enough to do lately - or send younger servants, YuLan would not even step her foot outside the front door. Only her two guardians - HeShan and SunChen - would be greeting them instead, much to his dismay

But maybe it was the cold weather and the biting wind; and how YuLan also saw that old Rong refused to budge or to even come inside to warm himself unless she accepted the box; and most of all, perhaps it was her very growing irritation that had been gnawing at her heart as of late.

Behind her, two men were standing guard. They were Ji clan's soldiers, but they had actually only arrived a few months back.

Without their General.

The new soldiers only replaced the previous pair of men who had been guarding Yong tea-house. One of the newly arrived soldiers gave a letter to her, as well as a pouch containing dried colorful fragrant flowers - white magnolias mixed inside as well.

"From the General," - they had said.

A potpourri, YuLan realized as she looked at the pouch and its content. The hand-written letter said almost nothing other than an apology for his absence, and a short message that the fragrant pouch had been personally prepared by himself; and his last message for her to always be well and happy.

Bai YuLan frowned more as her heart suddenly tightened. Lightly touching the pouch tied to her waist hidden under her thick cloak - the scent of the flowers had long gone - she suddenly felt a rising unreasonable anger.

"Then just burn the damn thing if you are afraid to bring it back to Qian FanSheng!" - she snapped.

The soldiers glanced at each other but kept their straight postures.

"She's in a bad mood." - they thought.

The old servant - who was taken aback as it was the first time the polite beautiful young maiden had ever raised her voice at him - thought, "She's in a bad mood."

"Uncle Rong," HeShan finally exited the house and walked to her side, as they had been outside for quite a while,

"Forgive YuLan. She is in a bad mood."

YuLan glared icily at the scholar, only to be more angry as SunChen solemnly nodding by his side, while looking at her with his expression that seemingly was pitying her.