四

"Say Deyue, wanna go have some tea? Let's celebrate your promotion, my friend!" TongQi offers. "How can I possibly turn down this offer? Rare of you to be treating me a meal these days." DeYue says. They both burst into laughter as they enter a tea shop.

"Welcome! Welcome!" the shop owner greets, gesturing them both inside and having them sited down. "What can I get you?" the waiter asks. "We'll have some snacks and your best wines!" TongQi orders. "Coming right up!"

"So, what can I do to help?" TongQi asks.

"That's an out of the ordinary question," Surprised by his sudden question. "Hey! Friends help each other out no matter the cost. I may not be a medium ranking officer like you, but I still wanted to contribute and help you as well as our Country alike! Remember our motto?" TongQi asks.

"Thou we aren't born in the same year nor day, yet we will face death together! Till the end of time?" TongQi pauses, as he offers his hand. "Till the end of time!" DeYue replied. They both shook their hands while looking straight at each other's eyes. "Ready to take on the challenge?" DeYue asks. "Ha! Ready as you ever been!" TongQi says with a tone full of determination.

"Come! Let us drink to your promotion and toast to your ambitions!" TongQi proclaims, lifting his bowl of wine high up in the air. "To our ambitions!" DeYue shouts, clinging his bowl onto Tongqi's as they both finish their wines with one sip.

With the sun setting, painting the sky with orange clouds while reddish lights blinded his vision. "Well, till we meet again my friend!" TongQi offers his farewell before waving off into the distance. DeYue calmly walks down the empty streets, with his shadow cast onto the walls. Upon reaching the gates, he takes his hat.

Slowly, he opens the massive wooden gates carefully as he does not want to frighten the one who is behind these doors. Stepping into his lawn, he sees her sitting below a tree. As he slowly and quietly approaches her, he noticed she had fallen asleep while waiting for him to return. "Master! I see that you had returned." One of his servants greets.

"How is she?" DeYue asks as he sits beside her.

"Mistress had been waiting for your return right after you left, but she might have dozed off some time ago," He answers.

"Shall I wake the mistress up?" the servant asks.

DeYue shook his head, calmly move her hair away from her face. "I'll wake her up myself, while you go prepare some tea."

"Understood,"

Looking back at her, he can't stop but thinking to himself how he can carry her into their house without waking her up. Scratching his head, he starts to ponder while her beauty distracted him.