Because I Cannot Hurt You

The next morning, the storm finally calmed down. But the sun was still hidden in the clouds, casting a dark shadow over the forest and the village. A kind woman from the village knocked on the hut's door. "Are you up?"

Zhiyuan's brows furrowed and he yawned as he woke up. He looked bedside and saw that Xinyi was peacefully sleeping in his arms. A warm smile lit his lips and softly pecked her forehead.

"Son?" The elderly woman gently knocked again.

Zhiyuan quietly got up from the bed without disturbing Xinyi. He tiptoed up to the door and opened it.

She said, "Good morning, son."

"Good morning."

"I hope you got good sleep. The hut is small right? I know life in a village can be difficult for you who live in the city…" she anxiously said.

"No, no," he quickly said, "Please don't worry. Xinyi and I got a good rest and we loved the dinner too. It was delicious. We weren't troubled at all. In fact, we are really grateful for all the help."

She felt relieved to hear that. "That's good, that's good. Oh yes. I came to say that Elder Sun wants to check on your wife." 

"Ah. Actually, Xinyi is sleeping. I don't want to disturb her…"

"It's alright. I am awake," Xinyi softly said.

Zhiyuan turned and saw her getting up on her own. "Wait. Don't move," he rushed to her side. He supported her back and helped her sit. 

A minute later, Elder Sun entered their hut and checked her vitals again like last night. He brightened. "Your pulse is normal now. That is good news," he nodded.

Zhiyuan anxiously asked, "And the wound on her temple?"

"That is also recovering. The effects of concussion have also reduced now. I have concocted this medicine for her. It's bitter but it will help with any remaining fatigue inside her."

Xinyi drank it and nodded. 

They heard a little commotion outside. Zhiyuan asked, "What is going on?"

Elder Sun said, "Oh all the villagers are repairing their huts. It was a bad storm last night and some of the roofs broke here and there."

Zhiyuan said, "I will help too."

"Oh no no! We will do it ourselves."

He shook his head. "Let me do this Elder. It's the least I can do for all the help your village has given us."

Xinyi smiled. "En. Zhiyuan is right. Let him please help you."

He hesitated at first but then nodded. "I think your wife should step outside too. The fresh air will help her rejuvenate."

"Good idea."

Outside, as Zhiyuan helped her sit, they heard a familiar voice all too distinctly.

"Don't move your foot! You seriously are your own enemy I feel at times."

They froze.

Xinyi rapidly blinked her eyes. 

It is Xiaosi's voice…

She looked at Zhiyuan in disbelief who shared her sentiments. They turned to take a look and were stunned to see Xiaosi and Caihong in the village too.

As if somebody keenly watching him, Xiaosi raised his head and was taken aback for a moment as he finally met his enemy's eyes.

"Oh look who do we have here!"

Caihong was startled and traced the line of his sight. She was stunned to see them as well. "Xinyi? Zhiyuan?"

Xiaosi chuckled. "What a pleasant surprise in this pleasant weather."

Zhiyuan asked, "What are you two doing here?"

"What can I say? I thought about having my honeymoon with Caihong in the midst of these beautiful woods and nature. Great idea, isn't it?"

Xinyi grimaced.

He coldly glared at him. "Shut your nonsense!"

Caihong stared at him with no comments. Xiaosi looked at her and smiled. "Hey, wifey. Your ex-boyfriend is here. Won't you say hello? After all, you were so chatty last night."

She stiffened.

"Stop it Xiaosi," Zhiyuan warned him to which he simply snickered.

Xinyi anxiously said, "Caihong, you are hurt. Are you alright?"

Zhiyuan noticed the bruise on her ankle and frowned. He glanced at Xiaosi and narrowed his eyes.

She smiled. "I am fine now. But you are hurt as well."

"It doesn't hurt as much now. How did you two end up here?"

Caihong finally thought back to the time when Chyou ran into the woods and she had to chase after her. It started all of because of that. 

"Somebody's daughter just cannot stay put," she gritted her teeth and squinted her gaze at Xiaosi. He looked away and pretended not to hear her.

Chyou? Xinyi thought. As she thought about the little girl, she couldn't help but worry about Siying too.

Xinyi lightly tugged Zhiyuan's shirt. "Zhiyuan... Siying. How will he be now? Without us the whole night...he must be crying…"

Zhiyuan quickly held her hands and smiled. "Siying is fine, Xinyi. Liang and Ah Cy are there with him, remember? They are there to take care of him."

Xinyi slowly nodded with his reassurance.

The elder with her granddaughter came to their side. "It seems you two know each other."

Xiaosi smiled. "We know each other very well, isn't that right, Zhi?"

Zhiyuan didn't comment. He ignored him and looked at the elder. "Elder, is there any way to contact my friends in the camp?"

"Oh don't worry about that! Mia and I will take you four to your campsite. We know this forest very well. Unfortunately, we don't have any phones here," he pursed his lips.

"That will be a great help too. We will head out once we help you settle your village back to normalcy. You have helped us a lot."

Xiaosi didn't say anything but he was going to help the villagers too after how they treated Caihong to get better.

As Zhiyuan and Xiaosi left, Xinyi sat beside Caihong. Caihong smiled at her. There was silence for a long time. As she stared at Xiaosi who was easily carrying heavy logs of wood on his shoulder, she said, "Xinyi."

"Hm?"

"You remember what Xiaosi had said to you in the hospital that day when he came to meet you?"

Xinyi didn't understand where she was going with this so suddenly. "Yes."

Caihong tore her gaze away from him and focused on her. "What did you think of his words at that time? Do you think he was lying?"

---

A strong gust of wind fluttered open the window hard that startled Zizi. She frowned and slowly opened her eyes. She yawned and looked around and found that it was an unfamiliar ceiling. Her eyes flew open as she remembered last night.

She jerked her head to the side and saw that she was sleeping in Yunru's arms. His eyes were still shut in deep sleep and his breaths were calm and even. The heavy storm had made the temperature dip by a few degrees, yet she felt warm in his embrace. He had tightly hugged her in his arms.

Ah damn! I totally forgot to head back home!

She clearly remembered how she burst into tears as she confronted Yunru and had then kissed him. The memory made her stiffen.

She touched her lips in a daze and thought how soft and thin his lips were. She was still in disbelief that she initiated to kiss him. What took over her, she didn't know. She kissed him and then she had cried so much feeling hurt for him that her eyelids turned heavy at some point and she fell asleep on his chest.

Ah ah ah! I spent the night with Yunru in his room! We-we slept together!

Her cheeks blushed furiously and she felt heat creep into them. She nervously raised her head and looked at his sleeping face. 

Yunru…

She felt mesmerized by his handsome features. In a stupor, she held his cheek and brushed her fingers along it. She knew she was supposed to get up. But she didn't wish to tear herself from his strong arms that had securely held her. She wanted to feel his warmth a little longer. 

When she remembered how he cried hard for his girlfriend, she felt an ache in her heart once again. Fury bubbled in her chest for that woman who could so cruelly ignore his feelings like that and more for Yunru who chased after that woman even when she loved someone else.

She buried her face in his chest and clutched her shirt.

"Yunru?"

Zizi stiffened as she heard an elderly man's voice.

Who?

"Yunru, you are at home right?" He called out again.

Wait this voice…

She heard his steps stop near the room's door. The knob twisted and the door opened.

Soo Enlai took a step into Yunru's room and froze upon seeing the scene in front of him. Zizi widened her eyes in shock.

"U-Uncle Soo?" She stammered as she turned pale 

Soo Enlai, Xinyi and Yunru's father, looked at her, dumbfounded.

"Han Zizi…"

Absolute silence.

He looked at the sleeping Yunru and then back at her. They laid on the same bed, hugging each other. Realization dawned on him and he hastily said, "I-I am so sorry! Silly me. I shouldn't have opened the door just like that. I apologize for disturbing you two. Please c-continue…"

He shut the door behind him and quickly left.

Zizi was still too stunned to react to what just transpired.

Uncle Soo. Yunru's father. He saw us together like this...

His last words rang in her ears and her eyes popped out of her sockets as she understood his nuance.

What!!!