CHAPTER 06 - Falling

After days of living as a betrothed woman, He Jian insisted Chao Lei to learn things as for becoming a good wife.

Chao Lei only had to obey and harshly learned embroidery, cooking and making tea. Which was never her major, she suddenly urged to take her sword and call her black massive horse to fight for war than to do, these things.

But because she will be soon a wife. She need to learn these things for Qiang Ping to live a harmony together with her.

"Am I doing this right?" she asked He Jian beside while making a mark figure on a white silk by knitting it.

He Jian turned to see her work "It's quite fine from yesterday Big sister" she decided to call her that "...but just what is that figure? A frog? A toad?"

Chao Lei was somewhat disappointed. She said "I made a figure of Qiang Ping sitting."

"...."

Night came and He Jian smilingly went beside his big brother whose sitting at his wheelchair at his garden of herbs.

"Big brother. I have a present." He Jian teased.

Qiang Ping placed aside his collected herbs and turned to He Jian.

He Jian immediately put a white silk on his lap exposing a knitted figure on the side.

Qiang Ping was familiar with the figure and abruptly took it to see closely. "A frog?" he asked.

"You can't be serious brother."

"I am."

"Take a look closer!"

He Jian made him to look closely to the figure. There's a head and legs.

Wait 

The body...

"Me?"

"Definitely! Big sister made it and was supposed to throw it out when I said it looked like a frog and a toad. But I quietly took it to let you see."

Qiang Ping's stare was locked at the figure sewed, it was messy and created clumsily but thinking that Chao Lei made it, he was somewhat in bliss.

He brushed the figure gently and smiled warmly.

Seeing this scene, He Jian can't help but to be moved.

These two, they had affection on each other! It is just a pity that they can't see each other often because of the bride's hectic schedules.

"Big brother, I have more."

And that night, He Jian showed all her collections from Chao Lei's epic works. And those works proved that she would first thought Qiang Ping before anything.

And at a lone room. Chao Lei was emerged with sewing in the middle of the night.

She was sewing another silk with the same figure she's practicing.

Qiang Ping.

...

Morning came and the session was about making tea.

"Big sister are you okay?" He Jian approached her seeing her Big sister having black corners below her eyes.

"I'm fine, just a little bit sleepy."

The session started and surprisingly, Chao Lei can finally catch up compared to the previous sessions!

The teacher and He Jian immensely observed her as she make tea. The way she handles the intensity of charcoal was amazing, the tea was brewed fragrantly.

Chao Lei prepared two cups of tea for them to taste.

They both shot a wide eye.

"This tea, it is somewhat unique." the teacher said

He Jian vigorously nodded too.

Chao Lei survived at the jungles and forest and there, she would make her own tea "I used the cinnabar leaf to be drowned at the tap water. Cinnabar leaf has the hidden aroma that appears whenever it is soaked with the tap water heated by the afternoon heat." she explained.

"And it is good for calming the nerves."

...

Their session which is learning different herbs will be held tomorrow. And currently in the middle of the night, Chao Lei roam at the Manor to find the herb that He Jian told her.

He Jian said to her earlier that there is this kind of herb that the teacher wants to use, He Jian felt sick and she requested Chao Lei to take it at the wide garden located at the east side of the Manor.

So then after a moment of sneaking and peeking, she finally reached the so called garden. It was huge and colorful! Even the scent from various herbs can make you feel refreshed.

She stood amazed  exploring every corner of the garden.

When she suddenly heard sounds coming from a wooden wheel. Like someone was using it. She walked towards that sound and was utterly shocked when she saw Qiang Ping carefully picking some herb.

He was seating on a wheel chair while harmoniously picking the herbs.

Qiang Ping has his own delicate features that could be noticed after a long observation to him.

But for a moment, she was stunned and her breathing froze. She felt her instinct to turn around and run, but only touched her chest. It was throbbing vigorously. Her heart was beating uncontrollably!

She frowned. Did she felt ill? Did the attack from the Dark Lord affected her in inner matters?

But she abruptly lifted her attention again to Qiang Ping. Seeing the guy already leaving, she involuntarily walked towards him.

"Qiang Ping." she greeted. They were engaged so it's normal to call each other directly.

Qiang Ping quickly turned his head hearing the very familiar voice and trembled.

Is he seeing things?

Chao Lei. Chao Lei was infront of him! He had a bit of urge to cover his haggard and messy face, he is drawn the whole day here, picking and plucking plants.

"C-Chao Lei? Why are you here?"

"I was instructed to take a herb here." she replied nervously but still kept an indifferent face.

Qiang Ping was somewhat surprised hearing it, no one dared to put a step on here because the herbs was Qiang Ping's life and it had became a rule to not dare lay a finger here.

He then thought of He Jian.

That Little sister of his was naughty but then he is grateful.

He finally saw Chao Lei.

So does Chao Lei.

Right at that moment, they forgot everything and only conversed with each other.

Without Qiang Ping's explanation, looks like Chao Lei understood his condition and she herself carried the wheelchair as Qiang Ping explains the herbs and plants they encounter.

When they reached the station for storage of various teas. Chao Lei thought of something and immediately faced Qiang Ping and said, "Qiang Ping. If I may, can I brew you a bit of tea?" she asked

Qiang Ping blinked twice and with anticipation, he nodded. Chao Lei was quite confident after all.

But at that time. Something wasn't right. They walked straight off to Qiang Ping's courtyard. The servants shot a wide eye with the couple leisurely talking inside the room.

Currently, they are still not married but both of them was alone in a room. That made the servants be worried, if the Elders will know about this...

While the couple inside was ignorant and doesn't know about the issue spreading.

Qiang Ping was warmly observing Chao Lei preparing the tea.

It was graceful and lovely. Even the aroma from it can make you excitingly anticipate it.

After a while of preparing, Chao Lei filled the cup of Qiang Ping and offered it to him.

Qiang Ping gladly took it and finally made a sip.

His eyes widened with the taste, it was different from the common tea he ever tasted!

"So, how was it?" Chao Lei nervously asked

Qiang Ping smiled to ease her worry "Very good."

Chao Lei sighed in relief. She learned everything just for Qiang Ping and she's already in bliss hearing it from him. She want  to qualify herself.

"Can I..." Chao Lei lifted up her head to see Qiang Ping staring at her and the guy said "...can I taste some more in the future?"

Chao Lei smiled "Definitely."

Hearing it from her, Qiang Ping felt an urge to do something.

He reached his hand to touch Chao Lei's small cheeks, and it suddenly redden feeling his soft touch.

They both exchanged stares that tells a lot of emotions.

They only had meet recently and barely knew each other but their feeling was unexpectedly, mutual and yearning.

They both don't understand why.

They were just both engaged by his sisters doing.

Chao Lei's hand touched Qiang Ping's long hand and took grip of it. She placed it in the corner of her mouth.

The grip made Qiang Ping to loosen his defense.

Softly and warmly, Chao Lei kissed his fingers.