The noises from the street outside and the voices from the dining hall below slowly pulled Fang Yaoting back to reality. He found himself holding Lee Dachin in his arms. The slightly rosy scent from Lee Dachin's forehead warmed his heart with ease. Although he and Lee Dachin had only met a few days ago, he felt a sense of completion having Lee Dachin beside him. He thought to himself: this must be the feeling Guo Baiyu had mentioned previously.
Fang Yaoting sighed and pressed another gentle kiss on Lee Dachin's forehead. He said softly, "Let me make the bed first." He took out the spare sheets and neatly fixed the bed. Then, he helped Lee Dachin get back into bed and lay down next to him. He put his hand under Lee Dachin's head and held him close. "Dachin, let us be like this forever."
"Do you think we are moving too fast?" Lee Dachin asked, his voice soft.
"Nonsense," Fang Yaoting said firmly. He turned Lee Dachin's face with his left hand to face him. He looked at Lee Dachin with an unwavering gaze. "Dachin, if you ever leave me, I am going to chase after you and lock you up."
"It's not that I don't want this," Lee Dachin said, burying his face in Fang Yaoting's arms. "Due to our differences in status, and the fact that we are both men, I am afraid that one day your parents will not allow this."
Fang Yaoting lowered his head and kissed Lee Dachin's forehead. "I swear on my life, no one or no reason can ever break us up. I, Fang Yaoting, will love you until death do us part."
"Do you know I am a very poor man?" Lee Dachin asked, his voice small.
"I know," Fang Yaoting sighed, his voice gentle.
"I earn money by writing and reading letters for others," Lee Dachin continued.
"Mmm..." Fang Yaoting hummed softly.
"I live in a small house on my uncle's land, in poor condition," Lee Dachin added.
"Mmm..." Fang Yaoting hummed again, listening patiently.
"That's why I can't be with you," Lee Dachin said, pulling himself away from Fang Yaoting and sitting up. "Let us forget what just happened. This was just the heat of the moment."
"Why didn't you talk about this first, before we did that?" Fang Yaoting asked angrily, getting up from the bed to face him.
Lee Dachin lowered his head. "I'm sorry. If I went too far."
Fang Yaoting, now standing, looked down at Lee Dachin, who was still sitting on the bed. "I have declared my love to you in front of everyone. I truly love you."
Lee Dachin got out of bed, pulling his robe tightly around him. "Childe Fang, I'm sorry, this is my fault. You can think of me as a substitute for one night. I am at fault; I will not let anyone know."
Fang Yaoting grabbed Lee Dachin's right wrist and squeezed it hard, his anger flaring. "I have already told you; I don't think you are a substitute!"
Lee Dachin pulled his hand away. "Childe Fang, let us forget everything. I'm sorry if I seduced you in any way." He walked to the door; his eyes filled with pain.
"Lee Dachin!" Fang Yaoting shouted angrily, looking at him. "If you walk out that door, we are through!"
Lee Dachin bit his lip and held back his tears. "Goodbye, Childe Fang." He walked out the door, closing it softly behind him.
"Lee Dachin! Lee Dachin! You bastard!" Fang Yaoting shouted, grabbing one of the pillows and throwing it at the retreating figure, but the pillow hit the door frame. This was why he feared that intimacy would change their relationship.
Lee Dachin was able to walk out the front door slowly, without anyone else noticing.
"Dachin, where are you going?" Guo Longtong asked, seeing his friend.
Lee Dachin turned around. "I have to go home," he said, forcing a smile. "I promised my uncle I would go fetch lily pads with him. I totally forgot."
"Ping'an said you were injured," Guo Longtong replied, confused. "She is still boiling medicine in the kitchen."
"Longtong, please don't tell anyone where I live," Lee Dachin pleaded, his smile fading.
"Why? It's not like you care?" Guo Longtong asked, surprised.
"I don't, but I… Childe Fang might take some joke too far," Lee Dachin stammered, looking away.
"I... don't think he was joking. He looked serious last night," Guo Longtong murmured, scratching his head.
"Please…" Lee Dachin insisted, his eyes pleading.
"Fine," Guo Longtong conceded, still bewildered.
"I must go now," Lee Dachin said, and rushed out of the inn, walking quickly into the street and heading home.
Ping'an walked out of the kitchen with a bowl of medicine and saw Guo Longtong standing in front of the main entrance. "Longtong, is that Dachin?"
"Yes," Guo Longtong replied. "I don't know what happened to him today. He's very strange."
"What is it?" Ping'an asked, concerned.
"Usually, he didn't care about people's thoughts," Guo Longtong mused.
"Longtong, hold this," Ping'an said, handing him the bowl, then hurriedly pursued Lee Dachin.
Ping'an caught up with Lee Dachin and grabbed his left wrist. Lee Dachin pulled his hand away and continued walking, trying to distance himself from Ping'an. Ping'an chased after him, determined.
"They are both very strange!" Guo Longtong exclaimed, his eyes and mouth widened in disbelief.
"What freaked you out so much that you have that ugly look on?" Huang Hongse asked, walking up to him, a hint of annoyance in her voice.
"Hongse, nothing. I just happened to space out, that's all," Guo Longtong mumbled, trying to dismiss it.
At lunch, everyone sat at the table. Guo Longtong noticed that Ping'an and Lee Dachin had not returned yet.
"Where is Ping'an?" Zhao Renshu asked, looking around.
"I think she is sleeping," Guo Baiyu replied calmly. "Let her rest. I will cook for her later."
"Oh," Zhao Renshu said, and stuffed more food inside his mouth.
Guo Longtong sat there with a sad face and looked at Fang Yaoting. Fang Yaoting only held chopsticks, but did not eat. He looked at the two gentlemen who didn't know what happened. They thought their lover was asleep in bed, but the truth was that their lover had run away with another man. He picked up a piece of chicken and put it in Guo Baiyu's bowl.
Guo Longtong put on a sad, long face. "Baiyu," he said, "no matter what happens, you must take good care of yourself." He picked up another piece of chicken and put it in Fang Yaoting's bowl. "Childe Fang, love hurts, but no matter what, we have to be strong." He sighed sadly. "And you, Renshu, so innocent, eating freely." He sighed again and shook his head, a dramatic flair to his sadness.
Everyone at the table looked at him, bewildered by his sudden melancholy.
"What happened to you today?" Huang Hongse asked. "Do you need Baiyu to check on you?"
"Hongse, the man has a lot of things on his mind lately, don't bother him," Guo Longtong replied, still in character.
"Huh… You are weird today," Zhao Renshu said, a mouthful of food. "What kind of spirit possessed your body today?"
Guo Longtong shook his head. "Renshu, denial is part of the healing process."
Lim Peizhi touched Guo Longtong's forehead with his hand, checking for a fever.
"I'm fine," Guo Longtong insisted pushing Lim Peizhi's hand away. "You should check Childe Fang."
"I'm fine," Fang Yaoting said curtly, pushing away his food.
"No….. not just you, but the three of you," Guo Longtong continued, gesturing to Zhao Renshu and Guo Baiyu.
Zhao Renshu smashed his chopsticks on the table hard, which startled Guo Longtong.
"Speak out! No more riddles!" Zhao Renshu demanded. "I hate it!"
"Speak out, or I will beat the hell out of you," Huang Hongse said coldly, backing Zhao Renshu.
Guo Longtong pleaded then suddenly speak out, "Ping'an and Dachin are having an affair! They fled together this morning! Please don't beat the hell out of me!"
Zhao Renshu laughed suddenly, and rice flew out of his mouth in a spray.
Fang Yaoting folded the two chopsticks in half, snapping them. "I'm full." He stood up, then went up the stairs, a storm cloud on his face.
"Stupid bookworm, our Ping'an will never deceive us," Zhao Renshu scoffed, still chuckling.
"She might just be consoling Dachin," Guo Baiyu offered, trying to be fair.
"But I saw with my own eyes!" Guo Longtong insisted, tears welling up.
Huang Hongse looked at Guo Longtong coldly. "Then you're colorblind."
"Do any of you believe me?" Guo Longtong asked sadly, looking around the table.
Everyone looked at Guo Longtong and said in unison, "NO!"
"Does anyone believe me?" Guo Longtong repeated, his voice desperate.
Everyone shook their heads and continued to eat, completely unconcerned by his dramatic outburst.