He Loves Me

Su Kang and Bai Yunxi chatted over dinner. Afterward, he excused himself, leaving Bai Yunxi to return to her rooms.

As she strolled through the moonlit corridors, a maid, Xian'er, walked respectfully beside her.

"What's your name?" Bai Yunxi asked, making polite conversation.

"Reporting to Young Lady, this servant is Xian'er. If you need anything, you can call me out anytime."

"Young lady?" Bai Yunxi echoed, surprised.

"Yes, Young Lady," Xian'er confirmed.

"The servants are saying Young Master Su Kang brought the young lady back to the manor."

Bai Yunxi's heart skipped a beat. He hadn't mentioned anything about this. Perhaps he didn't even know about this as well, she thought.

She'd faced such situations many times during their travels. Su Kang would surely correct this, she thought. She decided to let it go for now.

"How is your young master?" Bai Yunxi asked, steering the conversation elsewhere.

"Young master is a gentleman who is humble and carefree. He is friends with genius Li Fang. Young master's vision is beyond ordinary."

"When Li Fang was struggling with many enemies, it was the young master who helped him and even convinced the Su family to help him."

"Now Li Fang is the youngest pill formation expert of Jiang state. Everyone knows that without Young Master, Li Fang's journey to the current stage is impossible." Xian'er said.

Bai Yunxi listened, her mind replaying Su Kang's stories of their adventures—the treasure hunts, the secret realms, the dangerous battles.

He'd never explicitly mentioned the extent of his help to Li Fang, but Xian'er's words… they painted a different picture.

"Does..your young master have a fiancée?" Bai Yunxi asked hesitantly, the question she'd been avoiding now unavoidable.

"Reporting to Young Lady, Young Master doesn't have any fiancée yet. But now that he has you."

"Perhaps you should decide together about your engagement or marriage in the future."

Xian'er thought since Bai Yunxi didn't mind her calling 'Young lady' or denied the rumors, it must be true.

Bai Yunxi's face flushed crimson.

She'd been caught off guard. "I… I'm tired," she stammered, escaping into her room, Xian'er's words echoing in her ears.

The room was grand, elegant, but it felt… empty. This was the first time she'd lived in such luxury, and it was unsettling.

Alone in the silence, Xian'er's words and Su Kang's earlier confession about his crush swirled in her mind.

"Was he talking about me? He didn't clearly say anything; maybe it's someone else? What should I do about it?"

She drifted to sleep, her thoughts a tangled mess of confusion and… something else, something she couldn't quite name.

After falling asleep, dreams came, one after another, each more vivid than the last.

In the final dream, Su Kang stood bloodied and bruised, a sword in one hand, a halberd in the other, his breath coming in ragged gasps.

Li Fang emerged from a cave, a triumphant grin on his face. "Brother Su! I didn't think you'd actually kill it! That wasn't the plan!"

"It was too dangerous. It guessed our intentions and started attacking ferociously. It was becoming difficult to defend, so I went all out." Su Kang said with a smile while wiping his lips with his left back palm.

"This Eagle-Winged Lion," Li Fang exclaimed, his eyes gleaming, "its body is a treasure! We're rich!"

"You can keep it yourself," Su Kang said, his voice tired but firm, a small smile touching his lips as he straightened despite his injuries.

...

Bai Yunxi woke with a pounding headache.

"These dreams… they're getting stranger. I'm taking on too much stress. I need to relax and calm my nerves." She thought.

She dressed simply, in a blue and white robe, small gold earrings, her hair loose, a single white ornament holding it back from her face.

The maids brought breakfast, but she couldn't bring herself to eat alone. She'd grown accustomed to Su Kang's company, his quiet presence across the table. She didn't eat much for now.

She wandered into the courtyard, seeking distraction in Xian'er's chatter. The maid still called her "Young Lady." When will Su Kang say something? she wondered.

"I need to talk to him about this." She thought.

But Su Kang didn't visit her. At night Bai Yunxi was thinking about her day in this mansion.

She has nothing to do except eat, wander in the garden, or soak in the hotspring. She somehow missed her chatting with Su Kang.

The image of Su Kang from her dream, bloodied but smiling with torn robes, filled her mind.

"He's Fang'er's friend. I shouldn't…" Bai stopped her thoughts.

She tossed and turned, sleep eluding her.

Su Kang, wise enough to sense her unease, didn't intrude upon her dreams. He knew pushing too hard would only make her withdraw further. He would wait. He was very patient.

Three days passed. Bai Yunxi spent her time cultivating, wandering the gardens, and chatting with the maids.

Finally, she decided. If he wouldn't come to her, she would go to him.

She ate a light lunch, then cultivated until evening.

Emerging from her cultivation chamber, she asked Xian'er to take her to Su Kang's residence. The maid, surprisingly enthusiastic, readily agreed.

As they walked, servants bowed, their whispers following her like shadows. Young Lady. The title made her increasingly nervous.

Reaching Su Kang's courtyard, she asked a servant to announce her. He led her to the garden, explaining that Su Kang was in seclusion.

Bai Yunxi almost turned to leave, but then the servant spoke again.

"Young Master left instructions. If Young Lady Bai visits, we are to inform him immediately."

"He really cares for you, Young Lady," Xian'er added, her voice filled with genuine warmth.

Bai Yunxi blushed, a mixture of shyness and… something else, something that made her heart beat a little faster.

Soon, Su Kang appeared, his hair damp, wearing a loose robe. He seemed surprised, but pleased, to see her.

"Miss Bai," he greeted her, a gentle smile touching his lips. "Would you like to eat something?"

Bai Yunxi almost declined, but her stomach rumbled, betraying her. He insisted on a light snack before dinner, and she relented.

"How are you finding the manor, Miss Bai?" he asked, his voice warm and inviting.

He started asking about her life in the Su manor. She told him about her daily activities.

Then she asked, looking embarrassed, "What are you going to do about rumors around us?

He looked genuinely puzzled. "Rumors? What rumors?"

"About… me. Being your… woman," she mumbled, her gaze dropping to her hands.

"Oh," he said, understanding dawning in his eyes. "That. I hadn't thought much about it. What would you like me to do?"

"Your reputation…" she began, her voice soft. "People will talk. It could… hurt you. You should deny it."

"My reputation?" He chuckled, a genuine, carefree sound.

"But Miss Bai, here nobody knows about you. Moreover, if I can guarantee your safety, even if it means doing something like this. I'm perfectly fine with it."

He looked at her, his gaze intense, his eyes filled with… something… that made her heart skip a beat.

Bai Yunxi hesitated. Then, almost against her will, she asked, "But… what about the woman… the one you… like?"

"Her?" A shadow flickered across his face, a mix of sadness and… longing.

"Don't worry about her, Miss Bai. I'll handle it."

"But… I want to know," she insisted, her curiosity piqued, her own feelings a tangled mess she couldn't quite unravel.

"Tell me about her." She needed to know. Was it her? Could it be? She had to be sure.

Su Kang sighed, his gaze distant, as if he were seeing a memory unfold before his eyes.

"At first it was nothing, but she somehow always appeared in my thoughts. Then curiously I investigated her and found out more about her."

He paused, his eyes meeting hers, his gaze intense, filled with… something… that made her breath catch in her throat.

"Her husband died decades ago, soon after their marriage. She has a son. She has raised her son in very difficult situations." He continued, his voice soft, laced with sadness.

"She used to be… vibrant, full of life. But the burden… it changed her. She's… closed off now. Her son… he's her whole world."

He looked away, his gaze distant.

"Many times I risked my life for her son. Helping her son was like directly bringing smiles to her face, but I wasn't able to witness those moments myself."

Bai Yunxi's heart ached. He was talking about her. She knew it. The widow, the son, the hardships… It was her story.

A wave of emotion washed over her heart. She couldn't speak, couldn't breathe, her mind reeling from the sudden realization of… everything.

He truly cared. He had risked his life, time and again, for Li Fang, for her.

He loved her. He truly loved her. And she… she didn't know what to do.