Fate's Enmity

Chapter 9

Weizhe stepped closer, his heart pounding in his chest. The bushes he had aimed for rustled once more, and as he parted the leaves, he froze.

It wasn't a beast.

Lianhua Xiang knelt on the ground, her hand pressed against her upper arm, where his arrow had struck. Blood seeped through her elegant robe, staining the rich hues of red and purple. She looked up at him, her sharp eyes blazing despite the pain on her face.

"You idiot," she spat, her voice tight. "Do I look like a wild animal to you?"

Weizhe's mouth opened, but no words came out. His grip on his bow loosened, and he stepped back, shaken. "I didn't—" he stammered. "What are you doing here?"

Lianhua grimaced as she tried to stand, wobbling slightly. "I should be asking you that," she shot back, her usual sharpness dulled by the injury.

He hesitated before lowering his bow entirely. "You're hurt," he said plainly, as if it weren't obvious.

"No thanks to you," she snapped, swaying slightly before catching herself.

Weizhe sighed, pulled a small pouch from his bag, and crouched beside her. "Let me see," he said, his tone softer now.

Lianhua's piercing gaze softened just enough for her to allow him to examine the wound. She winced as he tore a strip from his cloak and pressed it against her arm to stem the bleeding.

"You're lucky it's not deeper," he muttered, more to himself than to her.

"What are you doing out here, anyway?" she asked through gritted teeth, though her voice held a note of curiosity.

Weizhe froze for a fraction of a second but quickly recovered. "Just... searching for something."

Lianhua raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed by his vague answer. "In the middle of a forbidden forest? You're not much of a liar, Weizhe Wu."

He avoided her gaze and focused on tying the makeshift bandage around her arm. "And you?" he countered. "What's a Xiang doing out here alone?"

She leaned back against a tree, her strength visibly waning. "I don't owe you an explanation," she said, though her usual venom lacked conviction. "Not that I could explain it to someone like you."

Weizhe didn't press further. The silence stretched between them, broken only by the rustle of leaves in the wind. Lianhua's face grew pale, and he realized she was trembling.

"You need to rest," he said firmly.

Lianhua scoffed, though her voice was faint. "I don't need—"

Before she could finish, her body sagged slightly, and Weizhe instinctively caught her. "Stubborn as always," he muttered under his breath, guiding her toward the small cave he'd spotted earlier.

Though reluctant, Lianhua allowed herself to lean on him as they walked. For the first time, she didn't argue.