Blind and Bereft

Chapter 29 | Unruly

Zhanying rubbed his temple, wondering what kind of absurd situation he was caught in once again. Did he make her cry? He loved to make people cry, but not this easily. He pushed himself to stand and walked over to her.

Her knees were pressed to her chest, her arms winding around her own trembling body. "They're coming, the terrible men," she repeated through her sobs. "I need to save Sister. I need to. . ."

Had she really lost her mind? He crouched in front of her and reached for her. When his thumb subtly grazed her face, she flinched and cowered her hand over her head. "P-Please don't hit me," her words tumbled out in a naïve whisper.

His brows arched up as his hand froze midair. "Why would I?" he asked. "Even though you are mischievous, I've never thought of hitting you, Bao Bao."

She snapped her gaze up at him, confused. After blinking several times, her eyes widened as her jittered thoughts finally fell back into place. "Y-Your Highness?" Jingrui let out a cry filled with relief and shot towards him, her hands clutching onto his sleeves. She shook his arms as her eyes wandered around the room. "Your Highness, this place, there are terrible men. I hate it here, we need to get away from here, we need to-"

"There is no such thing as terrible men, Bao Bao, stop acting unruly." He glanced down, feeling her hand tug and pull at his sleeves, nudging him to stand. His jaw clenched as he lowered his voice. "And for God's sake, behave like a maid. I am not the one to take care of you."

At his words, her movement came to a pause, and instantly, she let go of his arm. Pressing her lips into a thin line, all her senses crashed back to her. "Your Highness," she said firmly.

"Are your senses finally coming back to you, Bao Bao?" he asked, tapping his finger on his head.

"Y-Yes," she stuttered as she tried to stabilise her breathing.

He let out an exasperated sigh and stood up. "That's well. Come, sit down on the bed," he ordered, beckoning her to him.

She walked over to him without saying a word and sat down, wiping her tears with her sleeves.

"Why do you hate it here?" he asked.

She sniffled. "I was born here."

"Oh?" He cocked his head to the side.

"People here are the meanest," she added.

He nodded slowly, unable to understand her fear. "They are mortals, Bao Bao. Whatever happened in your past, it is but a mere memory. You are an immortal now, mortals cannot harm you."

She rubbed her eyes. "I . . . I forgot about that."

Zhanying ran his hand into his hair and tilted his head back. Having lived for millenia, he had been through many trials, and within the four seas and eight deserts, even the most complex sutra was an easy feat for him to understand. But before him was something that, for the first time, he could not comprehend. Timid and happy, innocent and sheltered; she was someone he could never understand.

"You are hurt," he muttered, diverting the subject.

Jingrui looked up at him, taken aback. "O-Oh, my shoulder that the men in black burnt?" she forced out a smile. "No worries at all, Your Highness, I've got used it now. If Your Highness didn't say it, I would have forgotten. Besides, I told you I wouldn't be a burden to you, so you needn't worry. . ."

He let out a dry laugh. "You are already my burden, Bao Bao."

She looked up at him as if she didn't understand what he meant.

"Strip," he told her

Her mouth gaped open before she rapidly shook her head and hugged her body. "I-Is Your Highness out of your mind?"

Her voice pierced his eardrums, and he closed his eyes. "I will heal your wound."

She didn't seem convinced as she backed into the furthest corner of the bed. "A-Are you ill, Your Highness."

"I am not ill, I am blind." He waved her to come to him. "I'm not interested in seeing your naked body, and even if I am, I won't get a glimpse of it with these eyes. Rest assured."

"Oh. . ." She shuffled closer to him and peeled the hanfu by her shoulder off.

The smell of burnt flesh entered his nose. He held his finger above her wound. Silver light flared from his fingertips, patching the wound gently until her skin was smooth again.

She gasped, and a bright smile returned to her face. "How did your Highness do that?"

He chuckled as he caressed the back of his finger over the bridge of her nose. "Be good now, and don't cause me any more trouble. You don't have to be scared as long as I am here."

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