QingYu: A Wuxia Tale (Going Through Reediting)

In One Room

(Qing's POV)

I opened the door. There he stood, Dayu. Looking freshly washed with still wet hair, tied loosely, wearing a grey cotton tunic a size too big and cotton pants. He is also clutching a satchel to his chest.

But as always, his face captured my eyes. Through the lights coming from the torches, his pretty upturned face was illuminated. His eyes round and that blasted mole under his left eyes felt like it's winking on me to pay some attention to it.

He bowed his head.

"C-captain, I think the other helpers are making fun of me. T-they said I can't sleep at the helper's bunk. T-that I have to stay here w-with you..."

He looks so nervous, stammering like an idiot. I grab his arm and pull him inside before shutting the door firmly.

He looked shocked to the core. He took two steps away from me, clutching the satchel harder to his body.

"Stop acting like a virginal bride. I have no interest or design on your body," I sat on my bed, snapped my fingers and point at the pallet on the floor. "You will sleep here,"

Big round eyes stared at me, "Here? Truthfully?"

"Yes," he is already emptying my patience. "Like I said I have no design for you but I can't say that for everyone. As your keeper, it's my job to protect you, which also include sleeping with you. But! But not on the same bed, just on the same room," I hastily add when his eyes turn rounder.

He sighed a breath of relief and smiled, "Ah, I understand now," he bowed again. "I am sorry Captain, if I am an inconvenient,"

"Yes, you are. Good of you to realize that..."

His smile dimmed and I felt a stab of regret for causing that. He nodded shyly.

"Where can I place my things?" he was referring to his satchel.

"Just place it anywhere you want. Tomorrow I will look for a small chest for you to place your things there,"

His bright smile came back, "Thank you Captain,"

He placed his satchel on top of his pallet and he gingerly sat there. He touched the blanket then slowly lay down on the pallet.

I am not aware that I am holding my breath as I watch him lie down. I gasped a little when he got settled and felt my heart pounding inside my chest.

Dayu covered himself with the blanket and smiled at me again.

"Thank you again Captain. Have a good sleep,"

"Wait? You will not wash up?"

"Oh I already did. At the stream on the back of the camp,"

I got annoyed, there is a bathing area on one corner of my room with a tub and a screen for privacy. I even ordered a bucket of water in case he needed to wash up, but I guess I forgot his wet hair when I started looking at his eyes.

"Did you get naked again?" I asked snappishly as I remember the scene on the stream this morning when he took off his clothes in front of me and my soldiers.

"I didn't get naked..."

"I don't want to ask this but I think I have to. Do you have a penchant for taking off your clothes?" I interrupted his explanations.

He shook his head swiftly, " No Captain, I don't take off my clothes..."

"Good! Cause protecting you will be hard if you will not cooperate with me. We should have some rule if I will continue to be your keeper. Listen carefully,"

He nodded, sat up and focused on me.

"First rule, no taking off your clothes in public. Second rule, don't bat your eyes. Third rule, try avoiding looking at people for more than two seconds. Fourth, that smile of yours, don't smile too much..."

He looked confuse as I continued giving him rules. Mostly involving his eyes and smile.

"Did you get all that?" I asked.

He scratch his head, "I can't smile. I can't look at people for too long. I should cover my mole. Hide my face. Hide my body from others," he looked up at me. "Can I still get out of this room?"

He looked so innocent asking that question. I stopped to review my rules to him and winced when I realized how ridiculous they sounded. No wonder he looked confuse.

Time for some damage control...

"Look, just remember one thing. Try to avoid being too enticing or desirable. That's it! And always let me know where you are, when Mr.Shu gave you your scheduled tasked for the day, come to me and report to me your schedule so I will know where you are at the certain time of the day. Try to avoid suspicious looking people too. Understand?"

He nodded.

"Lie down again and go to sleep," I said.

He lay down again and pulled up the blanket. I snuffed out the light from the candle and lay on my own bed.

But after pulling my own blanket I remembered the real reason why I became his keeper. I turn sideways to face him.

"By the way, you are from SiChuan..."

Ngork! Ngork!

I stopped when I heard his snores. Great! He snores too! Of all the incovenient little shit...

I peek a look down at him. He sleeps with his mouth open, snoring and arms raised above his head. In short, total abandon. I was tempted to slap him and see if he is a light sleeper or not.

But I decided to settle in my bed instead and go to sleep.

This boy is not going anywhere. There's still tomorrow to ask him about "The Shadow" and what he knew about that assasin.

I close my eyes and sleep.