A Lonesome Fragrance Waiting to be Appreciated 3

13

Pingting slept sweetly for a while and groggily woke up. She opened her mouth to summon Zuiju. However, she did not hear anything and couldn't help feeling it was strange. She sat up and realised Zuiju's bag was by her foot, a few herbs scattering out of it.

"Zuiju?" She got off the bed and quietly called a few more times. She was met with silence. Pingting turned to look outside the window. The sky was already a dark gray.

"Zuiju, where are you?" The voice was a little higher.

There was the sound of the curtain being lifted as someone entered. Pingting happily turned around, only to find that it was the Missus of the cabin.

"Miss, your younger sister has gone to get some Mo grass for your sister in law." The Missus smiled kindly. "The food is already made. Let's eat together though there isn't much vegetables."

"Thank you Missus." Pingting replied softly, revealing a small smile of gratitude. She followed the Missus to a simple little room. Her mute husband was already seated by the table. Tidily made dishes laid on the table a dish of radish, a dish of steamed fish and half of pot of rice porridge made from various grains. All of them were steaming hot.

The mute Mister gestured as he said, "Ahhhh....Ah!"

Only the Missus understood what he meant and explained to Pingting, "Miss, sit down and eat. Don't worry, your sis said she was just going to the foot of the mountain and will be back soon."

"Thank you Sir, thank you Missus." Pingting looked out at the dark sky outside the window.

Although the dishes were very rough, the old couple was very attentive to her needs. The little room was filled with a warm atmosphere. Pingting placed her chopsticks down and looked outside the window. It was already dark.

She still did not see Zuiju's figure and began to worry again.

"My, how could your sis still not be back?" The Missus was also looked worriedly outside. "It's just to the foot of the mountain, not that far. She should be back by now."

Pingting's heart was full of unease. She paced around in the little front courtyard a few times. Although Zuiju was clever, the mountains at night were no joke. What if she were to meet with beasts, crazy with hunger pent up over the winter?

She had made Zuiju wait at the hotel in the capital for a while and laughed at her expression, saying she worried too much. She only now realised that worrying about someone else was a much more terrible feeling than worrying about herself. Since leaving with Zuiju, they had been inseparable. She grew more and more restless until she could bear it no longer. "Matron, I think I'll go find her after all."

The Mister uttered a few sounds and held her back with his powerful grip.

The Missus also replied, "Wait for a little longer. If your sis doesn't see you when she comes back, she'll be even more worried."

"No, no. I will just take a look around the foot of the mountain and be back immediately." Pingting borrowed a flaming torch and asked about the direction Zuiju had set off. She then said, "Missus, if my sis comes back, make sure to not let her leave again. If I don't see her at the foot of the mountain, I will immediately head back."

The Missus sighed. "As expected of two sisters. She told me again and again to look after you when she left. Now you are telling me to look after her when you leave. Be a good Miss and just look around the foot of the mountain. It's dark, so don't climb it."

"Understood."

Although it was night, the wind wasn't very strong. Pingting walked stably, the flame drawing a long tail behind itself as if trying to chase after her figure.