Tales of Mohua

Chapter 3: Her Fiancé

A young man walked over and introduced himself, "I'm Kong Yunru. Let's be friends."

"Shen Mohua." She gave him a small thankful smile. Even if the two men across from her were worse than scums, at least this man seemed to be honest and upright.

"Hear that? Shen Mohua is now my friend. I'm a generous man, I'll double the bullying back if you don't stop." Kong Yunru glared in warning, his hands ready to grab the sword on his back if need be. "If you still want to live, I suggest you remove yourself from here."

Bald Man hesitated for a moment. He glanced regretfully at his poor teeth on the ground. Thief Man pulled Bald Man and hurriedly scurried off with his minions after recognizing the identity of the young man.

"Yunru, thank you. You are a true gentleman." Grandma Shen spoke loudly with pride.

He scratched his neck out of habit when feeling embarrassed, "Eh... I'm not as good as you said."

Shen Mohua gladly thanked him again. For the rest of the night, they checked into another inn.

Grandma Shen slept soundly on the bed while Shen Mohua sat on the ledge of the window, her legs dangling outside. She leaned her forehead on the side. The blue pendant glinted in her hands with the glow of the moonlight. 

Kong Yunru made a great impression on her grandma. The next morning, Grandma Shen was still continuously complimenting him. "This Yunru, what a handsome and well mannered man. Mohua, what do you think of him?"

"He's nice... but we have to go." She quickly ended the topic as they exited the inn towards their carriage.

"Yunru!"

Shen Mohua watched as Grandma Shen called and walked towards Kong Yunru, who was packing things into his carriage.

Seeing the elder making her way towards him, Kong Yunru stopped what he was doing. "Grandma Shen, good morning..."

In the end, two carriages were on the road together. Shen Mohua wanted to knock herself for having not successfully dispelled her grandma's idea.

Grandma Shen claimed she was afraid of thieves on their travel after the encounter last night, and asked to tag along with Kong Yunru and his companion. Coincidentally, Kong Yunru was heading also to the capital. Neither he nor Shen Mohua could say no to the elder.

"Yunru is not only handsome and skilled, but he is also such a gentleman..."

Grandma Shen gave him endless praises in the carriage until they stopped to take a rest.

Shen Mohua jumped out as soon as she could. It was not hunger that motivated her to move to quick. Rather, it was Grandma Shen's endless speech full of praises that lasted for the last four hours...

After the food were spread onto a large blanket on the grass, Shen Mohua pretended not to see Grandma Shen handing a drumstick to Kong Yunru.

She wasn't bitter at all, in fact, she wanted to laugh. Kong Yunru's hesitation and his red cheeks were all too familiar and amusing.

"Mohua, can you get my friend? He should be down the river." Kong Yunru helplessly asked as Grandma Shen piled food onto his plate.

"En, don't worry. Just focus on finishing that mountain of food..." Shen Mohua held her laughter as she walked away. When she was far enough, she burst out into laughter.

In Grandma Shen's eyes, any child was like her own. All the children in their village loved Grandma Shen for her kindness. Her amazing personality came first, her mesmerizing storytelling was a bonus.

Down the river, a man sat by the white wildflowers. His face was slightly tilted towards the sun.

While she was still a distance away, he had already known her presence. "Who's there?"

As he faced the other direction, all that was visible to Shen Mohua was his wide back. His sudden question combined with the fact that his low voice sounded daunting, caused her to trip on her own feet.

Years of martial art practice helped her catch herself in time. Her face burned red in embarrassment and she was glad they were not face to face. "I-it's me, Shen Mohua."

"Shen Mohua."

He simply spoke her name, but her heart almost jumped out of her chest. She didn't do anything wrong, yet, she felt as if she had wronged him. This man's aura was too strong. Did he called her or did he simply tested her name on his tongue? Should she answer or remained silent? What if she just ignored him...?

She contemplated how to respond over a long silence. In the end, a single sound came out, "Huh?"

"Didn't you come looking for me?"

Right, she came for him. "Yunru said for you to come eat."

He didn't respond to her. Instead, he asked, "Travelling to the capital... is it all to meet your fiancé?"

Shen Mohua was surprised. Yesterday, she didn't notice him in the corner table and even less expected that he'd pay attention to her conversation with Bald Man. Nonetheless, she wasn't in a hurry to hear the next part of Grandma Shen's speech. 

She sat down and leaned back onto her hands. Her face tilted towards the sun, following the same position as him. The warmth of the sun felt comfortable. "En."

"Do you know him? Have you even seen the man?"

Behind the sun, the sky was cloudless blue. Soft refreshing breezes came gently, every now and then. All she knew of her fiancé was his name. "No."

He laughed dryly at her response. "How foolish. A lifetime is a long time, you know."

"Is it?" Her finger brushed on the petals of a flower by her side. "I suddenly feel a lifetime is not that long."

"You don't know if you'll be able to love him once you see him... " His voice trailed off as he laid onto the soft grass. "If there is no love, marriage is nothing more than an eternal prison."

Love him? She didn't love him. Could she learn to love him? Her gaze fell from the flower to the ground.

Growing up in their small village, she spent most of her time outdoors enjoying nature. She had not have much experience with love. Due to her failing health, she never entertained the idea of falling in love.

How does one fall in love? How should one deal with a loveless marriage? Has he loved before?

Shen Mohua simply didn't know. She wanted to turn around and ask him, maybe share a conversation as mutual strangers.

"Don't turn around," he spoke again. Soon, his footsteps treaded off. 

She looked over once he left. On the grass where he laid was a flower.