Run Tiger Run (III)

Hu Li reach there with a leap. He smile and touch her cheeks. The moon is full tonite and his eyes are glowing in pink. 

"Your magic is working hard, my love."

"Where have you been?"

"I was wounded. I have to hide far and deep. Di Jun is angry at me. He is still looking for me. Why are you here?"

"I have a friend here. He is in trouble, I am going to protect him for awhile."

"He is a human?"

"Yes. Why do you ask?"

"Humans... they are... tasty. " He laugh. Hu Li is offended at his laughter

"Why are you laughing? And what do you mean tasty?!"

"You haven't try one yet."

"I don't eat much nor drink. I am fine the way i am... Wait ... tasty? You mean you eat humans?"

"Sometimes. Mostly those nasty ones who does bad things to others. I will eat them." 

"Ohh... "

"If you are wondering.... no it's not in our nature to eat humans. I do that for justice. An eye for an eye, my love."

"Since you are here. Will you help me?"

"What about?" He pluck an apple and start chewing it. Hu Li watch him chew the apple. She imitate his action too. 

"Help me to catch a tiger." 

He smirk and stop chewing. 

"Do you know what is a tiger? How it looks like?"

Hu Li realised that she doesn't know actually what is a tiger. She stare blankly ahead. 

"Tell me Hei." 

"They are fierce. They are the hunters of the forest. They are very agile. Once they have a target, they don't plan to let go. Appearance wise... think of ... a three no five times of a cat size."

Hu Li try to imagine her new friend a cat who is five times her size to becomes a tiger. 

"They are hot headed. Don't listen well enough. The tigers have a natural loud voice. They run as fast as we do. So in the world of the animal kingdom, most animals will run when they encounter a tiger. Even we foxes have to run. So why are you asking a fox to hunt a tiger?"

"But we are not just some animals. We are mystic beast."

Hei Shi Ren look at her and smile. He nod his head. 

"You are right! Hu Li we are mystic beast but i don't know if we can go against a tiger. As i say, they are the hunters of the forest..."

"If you are afraid, it's fine. I will do by my own."

"Why... why is this human important? Do you like him?"

"He is my first human friend. I like him."

"Who do you like best? That human, Di Jun or me..."

Hu Li look at the moon. Hei move closer to Hu Li and whisper

"Just lie to me. Say that you like me best."

"I like you best."

"Lier ... but i like to hear that." He laugh bitterly and chew the apple hard. After that he throw the core of the apple and stand up.

"I will go check out the tiger den. If i don't make it out alive, i blame you."

"No Hei."

She got up and hold his hand. He look at her tenderly. 

"I have more experience in this human world than you do. I know what to do. Let me go scout around first. "

Hu Li watch him leap off into the night. She not sure when she will see him again. Hu Li is very sure he will get around. If he can survive the hits from Di Jun, he can do the same with a tiger. 

The next two days, Hu Li help the ladies to harvest the corps. They keep some of it and the others are sold in the market. It seems that they are finally earning a bit more and able to buy more meat. For the first time Hu Li see a live fish. She is fascinated by it. She keep playing with it in the huge vat on the courtyard. 

"You shouldn't be so friendly with the fish. It will eventually end up in our stomach."

"You can see the fish?"

"No. I can see its a vat. Vat usually have fishes in it. The ladies wants fresh fish for food. That's what they do." 

"Are you done with your copy of books?"

"Almost. My wrist is about to break."She walk up and take his wrist. She massage them gently. He look at her and smile. He never realise having a girl around is so sweet. He never seen his parents around so he have no ideal how a relationship of a couple works. The old city lord is a widower when he is living in his mansion. There are no couples around him thus he never interested in know what couple relationship is like. Now he got a taste of it, he feels that he shouldn't let it go. 

"When i have more money. Can you stay?"

"Stay? Well i will stay till the business is settle. After that i will go home.."

"Will you stay with me till the end of my life?"

"End of your life? How long is it? I can't stay too long, you know."

"I would like you to stay as long as i live. As my wife would you like to?"

"What is that? Wife?"

"What means we stay together for a life time."

Hu Li look up and wonder what is he talking about. She is confused. 

"I still need to go back..."

"You still can go back home anytime. I would not stop you. How long or how short the duration, you will decide. I won't hinder you. I promise you. "

"Well if you can do that, i don't think it's any issue."

"So you will marry me?!"

Hu Li slowly nod her head. Even though she doesn't understand the concept of it, she understands that they are just staying together it's fine with her. As long as she can go home when she decided on it. While Sheng Qin knows that she doesn't understand but he feels greedy and shouldn't explain to her more. He will let her know slowly day by day what it means. For now, her innocent ways to learn to live with other people is what he wants.