Well, this certainly is not something that you come across every day.

 

That was the thought that ran through Murong Fei’s mind as she found herself frozen in the doorway to her humble home, her feet essentially glued to the floorboard beneath her. The day had started out normally enough; she had arisen early, just like she always did at the end of every week, and had gone to pick herbs from the mountain for her personal use. Some were for the wild animals she nursed back to health; others were for cooking; and others still were for maintaining personal health. Murong Fei had then sold some of the herbs to the traveling merchant, and then checked on the animals she had been treating before returning home to prepare for the morning meal. And that was where her the normality of her day had ended.

 

And now, here she was, kept frozen in place by the sight in front of her.

 

Or rather, by the unfamiliar man standing in front of her. 

 

Standing of course, was an overstatement. The man had half leapt to his feet from where he had fallen to the ground of Fei’s home, one hand swiftly lifting a sharp sword and pointing it at her neck in one fluid motion. One hand was pressed against a bleeding wound in his abdomen, and from the way he was leaning over, Fei could tell that he would have let himself fall over if her sudden arrival hadn’t kicked him into defensive mode. Fei swallowed hard, her gaze slowly flickering over to the sharp sword barely inches from her neck. She didn’t know much about the world of martial arts of course, but it was obvious the sword was made of fine material, its silver metal surface glittering in the morning sunlight. 

 

Her sudden guest was no ordinary man.

 

Taking a deep breath, Fei reached out slowly and placed her basket of herbs onto the table just within her reach. Then, she let her gaze run carefully over the wounded man in front of her. She wasn’t sure how he had gotten into her home; the gate was still locked, and nothing had seemed particularly disturbed when she had returned. The man was dressed from head to toe in black in tight fitting robes, effectively accenting his well toned figure. The fine material had been slashed in multiple places, leaving open wounds that were still red with blood. Fei could barely imagine what this man had been doing before he had broken into her home, likely in an attempt to hide from some sort of pursuers. His long black hair lay loose and fluttering down his back save for a small part tied up in the back. Fei swallowed hard. 

 

Yes, this was definitely someone from the jianghu world.

 

 Despite his injuries, the man’s gaze was sharp and narrowed with suspicion, his eyes taking in her every tiny motion. His body trembled as he tried to stay standing and conscious, his lips trembling with the effort it took to even breath. Under that suspicion though, Murong Fei could see something else going on behind the man’s cold exterior.

 

He’s afraid.

 

The look in his eyes was that of a trapped animal, one that had been hunted and chased into a corner by predators that simply wouldn’t let him go. It was obvious he had been through a lot before coming to Fei’s house.

 

 Fei took a deep breath as she decided on what she could do. Without her intervention, this man would certainly die. Before her death, Fei’s mother had been an exceptionally talented physician, and had made every effort to pass on her knowledge to her daughter since childhood. 

If only she could get this man to move his sword away from her neck.

 

Blowing out her breath slowly, Fei raised her hands to show the wounded man that they were empty. 

 

“I can help you, I’m a physician.” She said gently as she pointed at the herbs on the table, speaking as if talking to a wounded animal she had found in the forest, “You’re very heavily injured. You’ll die if you don’t let me treat you.” The man’s gaze barely wavered, and Fei felt go dry as he stepped closer to her until he was right in front of her, the edge of his sword stopping right next to her neck. Even while bleeding, he was highly capable of taking her life right then and there. One wrong movement, and Fei would be off to the next life. Still silent, the man’s gaze was both suspicious and thoughtful as he gazed at her. 

 

Why isn’t he saying anything? Fei wondered, Perhaps he doesn’t understand? He can’t talk?

 

Fei bit her lip as she tried to think of another way to convey her message besides speech. Sighing, she carefully placed a hand on her chest to indicate that she was referring to herself, then pointed at the herbs before mimicking bandaging the man’s wounds. He surveyed her with a skeptical, slightly amused look on his face, barely giving away anything about what he was thinking. Still, his sword didn’t move. Fei bit down a sigh of barely contained frustration.

 

What am I going to do?

 

_________________________________________________________________________

Xiao Zhan wasn’t sure what he was thinking when he had rushed headlong into the small house in the middle of the mountains. At that point, he had only had one goal in mind: get away from those who were pursuing him, looking to take his life in revenge for the ones he had taken the previous night. It was nothing he hadn’t faced before; Xiao Zhan was an assassin, one of the best in his trade and the best in Flowing Snow Pavilion, the secret organization that specialized in assassinating anyone as long as the requester paid enough. Thousands of people wanted his life. But this time, he had made a few wrong calculations in his escape plan, and had fallen right into the middle of a trap set by those who were looking to capture him for nearly singlehandedly wiping out an entire jianghu clan the night before. Somehow, Xiao Zhan had broken out from their grasp, and from then on, he had only one goal in mind.

 

Run. Escape. Get away. 

 

As long as he made it back to Flowing Snow Pavilion, no one would be able to touch him. 

 

But that of course, was easier said than done, and his wounds had increasingly become nearly impossible to bear. And so, when he had spotted the picturesque little house in the middle of the woods not long after he managed to get ahead of his pursuers, Xiao Zhan barely thought twice about hopping the fence and breaking inside the house. Lucky for him, the owner hadn’t been around.

 

That was, until now.

 

Xiao Zhan hadn’t known what to expect when he heard footsteps approaching the front door; but certainly, he hadn’t expected to see the figure that had opened the door and stopped short in shock as her gaze fell upon him bleeding on the floor, the song she had been humming fading quickly from her lips. The house’s owner was a tiny thing, a young woman who couldn’t have been more than 20 years old. On instinct, Xiao Zhan had lunged at her; he didn’t know who she was after all. Perhaps she was one of the spies that Flowing Snow Pavilion had placed in the community, or perhaps his attackers had followed his path closely enough to guess that he was hiding inside her home. Or perhaps, she was one of his attackers, but had just switched clothes. 

 

Whoever she was, Xiao Zhan was far too vulnerable at the moment to trust her too quickly.

 

The girl’s eyes danced cautiously across his body, taking stock of the wounds barely visible through his ripped clothing. She bit her lip, her breath catching as she seemed to realize just how seriously injured he was. 

 

“I can help you.” She finally said, pointing to the herbs she had cautiously placed on the table, “I’m a physician.” Xiao Zhan’s eyes narrowed as he took careful stock of what he could see of the herbs in her basket. Although he didn’t know much about helpful herbs, he knew enough to tell that the little green leaves weren’t poisonous. His gaze shifted slightly back over to the girl, who had barely dared to move. Slowly, he let his gaze take in the girl. She had a slender physique, but no sign of the well toned muscles and cat-like barely restrained cautious demeanor that marked someone who had been trained for years in the martial arts. Her stance was tense, but he could tell it was from the fact that he was holding a sword against her neck, not because she was looking for a chance to counterattack. 

 

Perhaps...she really was just an ordinary person who he had stumbled upon by chance. 

 

The girl’s expression was a mixture of curiosity and hesitance as she gazed at him. Slowly, she patted herself on the chest and pointed at the basket of herbs on the table.

 

“I...can help you.” She emphasized, shoving a finger towards the basket. Xiao Zhan could barely restrain the slight, amused smirk that tugged at the left corner of his lips.

 

She thinks I can’t speak.

 

It was a rational assumption; after all, Xiao Zhan had been careful not to say a single thing this entire time, out of fear of revealing too much. The girl peered at him as he didn’t move, checking to see if he had understood. 

 

What an interesting girl.

 

Most people were deathly afraid of him, moving away the moment he so much as walked by. But here was this girl, not having any clue who he was, peering curiously at him even though he had just been holding a sword to her neck. Xiao Zhan blew out his breath slowly as he took a step back from the girl, and slowly, he felt the last of his energy leave his body as the adrenaline of self protection faded from his limbs. The world spun around him as he leaned on his sword, desperately attempting to keep upright and conscious. 

 

“Sir!” The young woman put her hands on his shoulders, and as Xiao Zhan looked up, he saw concern written all over her face.

 

“Hey, don’t fall asleep!” She urged, her hands squeezing his shoulders tightly. Xiao Zhan knew she was right, but try as he might, he couldn’t do what she was telling him. Feeling weak, his body slumped forward against the young woman, eliciting a soft cry of surprise from her.

 

“My apologies.” He murmured softly. It wasn’t the most decent thing for him to do, but at the moment he felt like he could barely talk, much less move. His eyes falling closed, Xiao Zhan let darkness take over his consciousness.

 

“Sir? Sir!” The young woman’s voice echoed in the darkness, the soft voice tinged with worry. 

 

I hope...I can trust you…

 

____________________________________________________________________________

Xiao Zhan awoke to the sound of a soft voice singing. The voice was gentle and sweet, almost like the gentle sound of a babbling brook. He couldn’t pick out the words through the haze that had settled over his brain, but somehow, the gentle singing set Xiao Zhan’s heart at ease for a few long moments. Then, the events of the previous day rushed back into his memory, and it was all he could do not to jump up immediately as his training kicked in. The soft voice that had been singing trailed off and then spoke. 

 

“Hm...I’ve already used the right herbs. Why isn’t he awake yet?” The girl mused, her hand lightly pressing against his wrist. Xiao Zhan heard her sigh, followed by the light scraping sound of a chair moving against the floor. 

 

Who is that? The homeowner? 

 

The soft sound of slippered feet padded against the floor, followed by the clink of a spoon hitting against the edge of a bowl. The same footsteps padded back to Xiao Zhan’s side, followed by the sound of soft blowing. 

 

“Alright, it shouldn’t be too hot now.” There was a slight movement from Xiao Zhan’s left, and then he felt something wet against his lips. Warm liquid filled his mouth and down his throat, bitter to the taste yet leaving a slightly golden aftertaste on his tongue. 

 

Medicine. What medicine is this? 

 

His self-defense instincts kicking in at the taste of the unfamiliar liquid, Xiao Zhan opened his eyes, and in one fluid motion he rose from the bed he was lying on, his hand coming to rest against the mysterious girl’s throat. The girl gasped in surprise at the sudden movement, a wooden bowl slipping from her hands and crashing onto the ground next to her. For a long moment, the two froze in place, Xiao Zhan’s suspicious narrow gaze staring directly at the girl’s wide startled eyes. Then, the girl swallowed hard before speaking, her voice growing tight from lack of air. 

 

“It’s okay.” She gasped, her hand reaching up to pat him on the wrist lightly, “It’s alright. This is my home, don’t you remember? I’m not going to harm you.” Xiao Zhan slowly let his gaze travel around the room, his hand still resting against menacingly. It seemed that the girl had placed him on the sole bed in the little house, and with his other hand he could feel bandages tightly bound across his chest and waist. It seemed like she hadn’t been lying.

 

“What...did you give me to drink?” He asked, his voice a low growl. The girl pointed a finger at his injuries.

 

“Medicine.” She responded, “For your injuries.” Xiao Zhan thought for a long moment. It had already been more than a few moments since she had given him the supposed medicine to drink. If it had been poison, surely it would have shown its effects by now. Slowly, his gaze still narrowed, he let his hand move away from the girl’s throat. The girl turned away from him quickly, coughing and gasping for air as he finally let go. 

 

“Get another bowl.”  Xiao Zhan growled, “Drink it in front of me.” The girl sighed and shook her head after she had caught her breath.

 

“I was going to do that anyway.” She said, rising to her feet and brushing off her dress with a huff. Xiao Zhan watched as the girl disappeared into a room in the back of the house, and reappeared a few moments later with a steaming bowl of liquid and a spoon in her hands. Returning to her seat next to him, she carefully took one spoonful of medicine and drank it in front of Xiao Zhan. Then, she held out the bowl to him.

 

“If you’re strong enough to attack me, then certainly you are strong enough to drink it yourself.” She stated. Xiao Zhan observed her carefully for a long moment, and upon seeing that nothing happened, he took the bowl from her hands and downed the bowl of medicine. 

 

If this girl wanted to kill me, she wouldn’t have bothered dressing my wounds and feeding me medicine, he concluded. Still, he would be keeping a careful eye on this mysterious healer. Slowly, he turned his gaze to his left and saw the girl watching him. After a moment’s hesitation, she reached down and laid her fingers against his wrist to take his pulse. 

 

“Finally.” She concluded, “It seems like your pulse is finally getting back to normal. I was beginning to think you’d never wake up!” 

 

“How long have I been unconscious?” Xiao Zhan asked. The girl thought for a moment before responding.

 

“About four days.” She replied. Xiao Zhan’s eyes widened. 

 

Four days! 

 

The Master certainly was going to think he was dead! Either that, or he would be sending out people to be searching for Xiao Zhan. He was going to have a lot of explaining to do if they found him in a house with an unknown woman. Xiao Zhan pushed aside the blankets covering him and quickly hopped out of bed, only to stumble backwards as the world spun around him. 

 

“Hey!” The girl’s hands closed on his shoulders and pushed him promptly back into bed, her nimble fingers tucking the sheets around him before he could so much as protest.

 

“What do you think you’re doing?” She scolded, “Don’t you know you lost a lot of blood? Don’t even think of going anywhere!” Xiao Zhan closed his eyes for a moment to let the world stop spinning, then opened them again to peer at the young woman next to him. She was a slender, small thing, dressed in a simple green and white robe, her hair tied up partially into braids for convenience. And yet, he could see a slight fire in her eyes, one that made it clear that she wasn’t going to let him have his way if he insisted on leaving. 

 

How interesting.

 

“You’re not...afraid of me?” Xiao Zhan finally asked. Even after he had attacked her, this girl’s primary concern had been his health and safety. If it had been anyone else he had come across, they would surely have run away long ago. The young woman tapped a finger against her cheek thoughtfully.

 

“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t.” She replied, “But you are my patient. Since fate brought you into my home, I’m not going to sit back and watch you die. And besides…” She leaned forward, a small, mischievous grin on her face. 

 

“I’ve treated all sorts of wild animals before out here. You’re not that different from some of the eagles I’ve treated. A little suspicious and wary at first, self defensive and prone to lash out, but that’s only normal. I can’t expect you to trust me right away, now can I?” She said. Xiao Zhan stared at the girl in surprise. 

 

Is she comparing me to a wild animal?

 

 Never in his entire life had anyone dared to speak that way to Xiao Zhan before. 

At least she had the intelligence to pick one of the more majestic and reliable creatures in the world.

 

This girl is just a bundle of firsts, isn’t she?

 

The young woman took the empty medicine bowl from Xiao Zhan’s hands and turned to go before pausing midstep.

 

“Wait a moment.” She turned, her eyes wide with realization. 

 

“You can talk!” She exclaimed. Xiao Zhan raised an eyebrow and nodded.

 

“Do you have a habit of making note of the obvious?” He asked. The girl laughed incredulously.

 

“Why didn’t you say anything when we first met?” She asked, “I thought you were mute!” Xiao Zhan leveled his gaze at her.

 

“It was unnecessary.” He replied simply. The girl laughed again and shook her head as she headed back towards what must have been the kitchen.

 

“I really don’t understand the members of jianghu sometimes.” She called, her voice rising over the clink of tossing the bowl into what must have been warm water to prepare for washing. Returning to his side a few moments later, she ripped off a piece from the green onion pancake she was holding and ate it before handing it to him.

 

She catches on fast.

 

“You’re not going to ask what happened to me?” Xiao Zhan asked, nibbling hesitantly at the pancake after running his eyes carefully over it. The girl smiled faintly before shaking her head.

 

“Sir, I may just be a commoner, but my mother taught me more than enough about jianghu. If you wanted to tell me, you would. For martial arts heroes like you, if you didn’t want to say something, nothing I could do would pry it from your lips.” She replied, “And so, I will not ask.”

 

She understands more than I thought. 

 

“But there is one thing I’d like to ask.” The girl noted after taking a moment to think. Xiao Zhan looked at her inquisitively, wondering what the question was. 

 

“What is your name?” The young woman asked with a small smile, “I can’t just keep calling you ‘Sir’ all the time, now can I?” Xiao Zhan frowned slightly.

 

“I think ‘Sir’ is an entirely proper salutation.” He replied evasively. The girl frowned and placed her hands on her hips.

 

“Is that how you treat someone who saved your life?” She demanded with a huff, “Let’s not even start talking about how you attacked me twice!” Xiao Zhan gazed at the girl for another long moment.

 

She does have a point. Certainly...a girl who lives all the way out here surely hasn’t heard of Flowing Snow Pavilion, much less the names of its members, right?

 

 As he continued to stay silent, the girl huffed and rose to her feet, turning towards the front door. 

 

“So this is what I get for saving your life!” She grumbled. 

 

“Xiao Zhan.” Xiao Zhan finally replied, “My name is Xiao Zhan.” The girl paused and turned to look back at him, a smile on her face.

 

“Which Zhan?” She asked curiously. Looking at the bright smile on her face, the way her eyes glittered with curiosity, somehow Xiao Zhan couldn’t say no to her question.

 

“War.” He replied simply. The girl mused over his answer for a moment.

 

“A fitting name for a hero of jianghu.” She declared. Xiao Zhan didn’t know whether to laugh or sigh at her misunderstanding.

 

Young Miss, I’m no hero. If only you knew what I did for a living.

 

“Then, what is your name?” He asked as she turned to go again, “It is only fair if you tell me your name too.” The young woman grinned as she looked back at him.

 

“Murong Fei.” She replied, “My name is Murong Fei.”

____________________________________________________________________________

The days that followed the fateful meeting between Xiao Zhan and Murong Fei felt like a dream. Never had Xiao Zhan ever felt so free, so unhampered to do whatever he liked without having to be cautious of his every move. While he was at Flowing Snow Pavilion, his every mission meant that his life could be lost in a moment’s notice. Even if he was captured alive, he and the other assassins were expected to swallow poison in the end to prevent the organization’s information from being leaked. It was an exhausting life, to say the least. The only few reprieves that Xiao Zhan ever got were the short periods from one mission to the next, but even then he was expected to keep training and maintain his skills. Relaxation didn’t exist in his dictionary. 

 

But next to Murong Fei, in that little house in the middle of the woods, Flowing Snow Pavilion felt like an entire world away.

 

Murong Fei was a breath of fresh air that Xiao Zhan didn’t realize he needed. Her kind smiles met his gaze every morning after he woke up, and her gentle hands somehow barely made his wounds sting as she changed his bandages every day. Sometimes, Xiao Zhan could hear her soft singing coming from the front yard as she tended to the injured animals that she had brought back from the forest for treatment. It was a sweet, soothing song, and made him feel at ease every morning when he awoke in that unfamiliar house. And true to her word, Murong Fei never asked what he did for a living, or what had led him to be injured in this way, and Xiao Zhan appreciated her silent understanding. He was a man of jianghu. If she knew too much, it would only bring danger onto herself.

 

As Xiao Zhan’s body healed, he took it upon himself to help Murong Fei with her chores; it was the least he could do to repay her for saving his life. It started out with some small things; wiping the table, carrying things in and out of the house. As his condition improved, Xiao Zhan began to follow Murong Fei on her trips through the hillside to collect herbs, sometimes helping her carry the weave basket that she used to hold the plants she found. She was surprisingly willing to tell him about the medicinal arts, pointing to each plant with a smile on her face to tell him what it was and what it could be used for. 

 

As much as Xiao Zhan didn’t want to admit it, he found his life slowly falling into a new steady rhythm around Murong Fei and her life. It was a simple life, that was certain. From the moment the sun rose to the moment when they retired to rest for the night, neither typically wandered far from the house except for the few times when they went to the town to sell herbs and buy some essential items. 

 

And yet, Xiao Zhan didn’t mind. 

Being with Murong Fei filled him with emotions he had never experienced before, nor had realized he was capable of feeling. Her kindness filled him with warmth, an unconditional kindness that he had never faced before outside of the woman he treated as a sister back in the organization. The master of Flowing Snow Pavilion treated him well, but that was only because Xiao Zhan had made himself become the strongest assassin in the entire organization. The unspoken requirement was clear; maintain your worth, and you will be valued.

 

Whenever Murong Fei went out alone and was late coming back to the little house in the woods, Xiao Zhan’s chest felt tight with worry and concern, and he would stand near the wooden gate outside the house, watching and waiting until she appeared around the winding path leading up to the house. And when she did, he would silently walk up, take the woven basket from her and walk next to her into the house. When he did, her smile of gratitude was enough to fill him with joy, although he was careful never to let it show. It was enough for him just to be by her side, to listen to her soft singing as they walked along the well trodden dirt path through the forest. 

 

During some nights, when Xiao Zhan dreamed of being chased by his enemies, of watching Flowing Snow Pavilion burn to the ground, and the hellish days he had spent in training when he was younger, he would awake to the soft touch of Murong Fei’s hand on his shoulder, her fingers gripping his shoulder urgently to wake him up. The first time, he nearly attacked her, his hand stopping inches from her neck while the other reached for his sword before his eyes met her wide eyed shocked expression. Xiao Zhan had expected that she would flee from him, the trust that they had built up broken within that one moment. But instead, Murong Fei had hesitated for only a moment before pulling him into a warm hug, one hand patting him lightly on the back. Xiao Zhan had felt her trembling then; no doubt she had been startled by what had happened. But still, her focus was entirely on soothing away his nightmares, her gentle voice singing a soothing lullaby that soon lulled him back into sleep. Ever since that night, the same pattern would recur when Xiao Zhan had nightmares, and suddenly, he wasn’t as afraid of having them anymore.

 

As they became closer and more comfortable around each other, Murong Fei began to call him “Ah-Zhan.” It was something that few dared to call him, yet the endearment rolled off her tongue so easily. The first time Xiao Zhan heard it, he froze in his tracks, thinking he had surely heard wrong. But as he turned and looked at Murong Fei, she said the name again, the same warm and bright smile on her face. 

 

“You don’t like me calling you that?” She had asked, “It’s more intimate than your full name. We’ve already known each other for so long already!” Swallowing hard, Xiao Zhan had shaken his head.

 

“No.” He replied, “Call me whatever you’d like.”

 

The days blurred into weeks, weeks blurred into months, and soon Xiao Zhan lost track of how long he had been in that little house with Murong Fei. She never asked him to leave, even long after his body had healed, and Xiao Zhan found himself happy to stay. 

 

For a short time, Xiao Zhan allowed himself to imagine what life would be like with this girl, Murong Fei, if he spent the rest of his years with her. Never going back to Flowing Snow Pavilion, hidden within this forest, shielded from the chaos of jianghu. It would be the peaceful life that he would never have dared to even dream having, with the little songbird by his side forever.

 

And yet, Xiao Zhan knew it couldn’t happen. Flowing Snow Pavilion didn’t stop looking for their assassins until they found a body; with his status in the organization, they were sure to still be looking. He had escaped detection so far, but when they did find him...Xiao Zhan’s gaze wandered over to where Murong Fei stood cooking at the stove, humming a song under her breath. The organization maintained the utmost secrecy about what they did and their membership. If they realized that this outsider had interacted so closely with him for so long...there was no way he could expect her to survive. At some point, he would have to leave. 

 

And so, exactly one year after he had stumbled into that little house in the middle of the woods, Xiao Zhan prepared to leave the little haven of peace that had sheltered him for so long. When Murong Fei returned from checking on the animals in the morning, she found him standing near the front door, a small parcel holding his meager belongings slung over his shoulder. Slowly, her gaze shifted from the parcel to the sword gripped in his hand, to the solemn look on Xiao Zhan’s face. Sighing softly, she nodded and placed the little plate of berries she had been holding on the table. Silently, Xiao Zhan watched as she walked into the kitchen and returned a few moments later, a small wrapped package in her hands. 

 

“For the road.” Murong Fei said softly, handing it to him. Flipping open one corner of the cloth, Xiao Zhan spotted the edge of a small stack of green onion pancakes, still fresh from when Murong Fei had made them that morning.

 

“You’re not going to ask why?” He queried. Murong Fei sighed again and shook her head, a faint smile on her lips. 

 

“You are a man of jianghu.” She said softly, “People like you are meant to wander the world and do great things. You have already stayed still for much longer than you should.” Xiao Zhan swallowed hard as he took in the look in Murong Fei’s eyes. She clearly didn’t want him to leave; unlike him, she was an open book, her emotions written all over her face. Tears bubbled to her eyes and pooled at their edges as she gazed up at him. Turning away, she sniffled softly as she rubbed at her eyes. 

 

“Go on now.” Murong Fei said softly, keeping her back to him. Xiao Zhan swallowed, a lump rising in his throat. It was no use to keep hesitating. Tightening his grip on his sword, Xiao Zhan walked to the doorway and was about to step out when Murong Fei’s voice stopped him.

 

“Ah-Zhan.” She called softly. Xiao Zhan’s chest tightened as if being gripped by a vise; her voice sounded so plaintive, so sad, so unwilling to see him go. 

 

“Yes?” He asked, keeping his gaze forward, lest he be swayed and give up on any notion of leaving. Murong Fei was silent for a long moment before speaking.

 

“Don’t get injured like that again.” She said softly, “I won’t be around to help you next time.” Xiao Zhan took a deep breath and blew it out softly. With those words, he almost felt like he had been glued to the floor beneath him. 

 

“Murong Fei.” He replied, “I’m not worth your worries.” Without waiting for another word, he walked out of the door, into the sunlight, and left behind the little house in the woods. 

____________________________________________________________________________

In the days that followed, Murong Fei didn’t know how to feel. From the moment Xiao Zhan had begun to heal, she had known that one day he would leave. In fact, he had already stayed for far longer than she had expected. But still...it was strange. She had grown so accustomed to having his presence with her in her home, it was difficult to remember that he was no longer there. She had long grown used to living alone, but the house felt oddly empty now, particularly at night after the sun set.On multiple occasions, she found herself cooking for two, only to remember as she set the table that she was the only one who would be eating. Or sometimes, she would hold out her hand and ask Xiao Zhan to hand her something, only to be met with complete silence before she sighed and went to get it herself. Every time Murong Fei headed home from wandering through the hillside to gather herbs, she still expected to see Xiao Zhan waiting for her near the house, his eyes lighting up ever so slightly when he saw her coming.

 

Those days are gone.

 

It shouldn’t have felt that different; Murong Fei had spent many years alone after her mother died before Xiao Zhan had come crashing into her life. Things were just going back to the way they had been before.

 

And yet, it couldn’t.

 

Somehow, in the year that Xiao Zhan had been a constant presence in her life, he had become a staple in Murong Fei’s life. His presence by her side gave her a newfound sense of safety and happiness. If he was there, Murong Fei knew she could depend on him to help her and protect her if it became necessary. His tiniest smiles were enough to make her forget about what she had been worrying about.

 

And now, he was gone.

 

You’re in love, a tiny voice whispered in her ear every time she grew melancholy thinking about Xiao Zhan, but she would shake her head and brush the thought away.

 

How could I fall in love with a man who is destined to live a life completely different from mine? A man so mysterious, I can barely see through him sometimes?

 

And yet, she knew she couldn’t deny the attraction she had felt to the mysterious man that had crashed into her home, and the tiny bits of his true self that had begun to peek through his cold protective shell in the time they had been together.

 

But what use is it thinking about this now? He’s long gone.

 

One day, Murong Fei stood in front of a rack of drying herbs, fiddling with a few to turn them more towards the sun. Looking around for a moment, she realized she had forgotten one basket on the other rack and held out her hand behind her.

 

“Ah-Zhan, hand me the basket of lotus roots, will you?” She asked absentmindedly. Catching herself a moment later, she sighed and shook her head.

 

“Dummy.” She grumbled, “Here you go again.”

 

Then, something suddenly bumped against her elbow, and when Murong Fei turned she found herself staring down at a basket of dried lotus roots.

 

“Is it this one?” A soft, hesitant voice asked. Murong Fei’s eyes traveled up slowly, her gaze slowly taking in every inch of the person standing in front of her. Dark, closed fitting simple robes, a dark brown sword clenched in a slender hand, a handsome face and dark, hesitant eyes. 

 

It was a face that she knew very well.

 

Murong Fei reached out slowly and took the basket of lotus roots from her visitor’s hand in disbelief, then turned silently and placed it on an empty spot on her drying rack. 

 

I must be seeing things.

 

Then, she turned again and looked at the man standing in front of her. No, he was still there, unlike a mirage which surely would have disappeared by then. A tiny, hesitant smile turned up one corner of her visitor’s lips. 

 

“Murong Fei?” He asked, his voice like music to her ears. Taking one step forward, Murong Fei reached out and ran one hand cautiously down the side of the man’s face. Yes, he was definitely real. Finally, she let herself laugh and threw her arms around the man’s neck in a tight embrace.

 

“Ah-Zhan!” She breathed, “It really is you!” Xiao Zhan stumbled slightly from her sudden embrace, then chuckled softly before allowing himself to wrap his arms around her waist.

 

“Murong Fei.” He said softly, “Will you let me stay for a little longer?” Murong Fei laughed.

 

“You can stay for as long as you’d like!” She declared in delight, “But I don’t understand! Why did you turn back?” Xiao Zhan hesitated for a long moment, seeming to fumble around with a million words that he was having trouble stringing into a sentence.

 

“I missed your singing, little songbird.” He replied at last. Murong Fei raised an eyebrow, although her heart leapt slightly at the sound of the new endearment. 

 

“Just my singing?” She asked. A minor look of panic flashed through Xiao Zhan’s eyes as he shook his head quickly.

 

“No.” He replied simply, “Everything.” 

 

“Everything?” Murong Fei queried, tilting her head slightly. Xiao Zhan thought for a moment before nodding firmly.

 

“Everything.” He repeated affirmatively, seeming to be completely certain of his answer. Murong Fei turned her head to hide a small grin. Xiao Zhan was a man of few words, but the little that he had said was enough to make her heart soar. It was enough; she knew what he meant.

 

“You...really don’t mind if I stay?” He asked hesitantly. Murong Fei smiled and shook her head.

 

“Of course not.” She replied. Xiao Zhan’s eyes lit up slightly, but still he hesitated.

 

“Why?” He asked softly, “You still barely know anything about me. You never asked, and I never told you.” Murong Fei thought for a moment, then beckoned him closer. As he leaned down towards her, Murong Fei tilted her head up and pressed her lips quickly against his cheek. She heard him in his breath, clearly startled at the sudden movement. Then, she pulled away from him and ducked her head shyly.

 

“I’m saying yes because...I like you.” She answered, letting the words rush out of before she could mentally talk herself out of it. After a few long moments of silence, Murong Fei looked up, curious about the silence coming from Xiao Zhan. As she lifted her head, she realized why she hadn’t gotten a response.

Xiao Zhan had all but frozen in place, one hand pressed lightly against his cheek where she had kissed him. His eyes were wide with shock, as if he had no idea what to do or how to react to the sudden peck. Blinking slowly, he turned to look at Murong Fei.

 

“What does it mean to like someone?” He asked. Murong Fei stared at him for a long moment.

 

“You don’t know?” She replied, genuinely surprised. Xiao Zhan shook his head.

 

“I’ve never been taught how.” He replied. 

____________________________________________________________________________

 

“I’ve never been taught how.” The moment the words left his lips, Xiao Zhan knew he sounded silly. He was a grown man, well out of the unknowing years of immature youth, and here he was saying that he didn’t know how it felt to like someone. But in fact, it was true. He had grown up being taught to kill, to take lives as fast as possible, and then escape with his own life intact. Love was only something the woman he thought of as a sister told him about occasionally, when she would sneak romance novels into her room that she had secretly bought on the street to read when the Master wasn’t watching. Xiao Zhan understood the concept, but how it was to actually feel love...that was something he had never understood.

 

She’s going to think I’m a fool.

 

Murong Fei paused for a moment, then a small smile turned up the corner of her lips. 

 

“Ah-Zhan.” She said softly, taking his hand, “To like someone means you have carved a place for them in your heart that no one can replace. When you’re away from them, you wonder what they’re doing. Are they eating well? Are they sleeping enough? Is that person safe in whatever they’re doing? You want to return to that person’s side as soon as possible, and once you’re there, you never want to leave again. You always put that person first in your heart, and want to make them happy no matter what it is you’re doing. You want to spend the rest of your life with that person, protecting that person with your life.”  Murong Fei hesitated for a moment before wrapping her hands around his.

 

“That is what it means to like someone.” She said softly, “And at some point, that like becomes so strong that it becomes love. And once that happens, there is no going back.” Xiao Zhan gazed at Murong Fei for a long moment, thinking over what she said and how he had felt while he was with her and during the days he had been away from her side. 

 

And then, he understood. 

 

Slowly, he reached out and cupped his free hand around Murong Fei’s cheek. 

 

“Murong Fei.” He said, his voice low in his throat, “I don’t want to wander the world anymore.” Murong Fei’s breath caught slightly at the motion, her eyes wide.

 

“Oh?” She said, her voice trembling slightly, “Then where will you go?” Xiao Zhan took a deep breath before responding.

 

“I want to stay here.” He said softly, “For the rest of my life, protecting you. That is, if you will have me.” Murong Fei’s eyes widened, then her gaze lit up as she realized what he was trying to say. Laughing, she nodded in delight. 

 

“Of course you can!” She replied, her face shining with happiness, “And I will sing for you for the rest of your life, as long as you are willing to listen.” Xiao Zhan felt like a weight had been lifted from his chest, and for the first time in front of Murong Fei, he let himself smile broadly, an uncontrollable smile that spread  across his face. His thumb brushed against her lip, and he leaned down towards Murong Fei.

 

“I’d like that.” He replied, before claiming her lips as his. He felt her gasp slightly against the sudden kiss, but then she relaxed, her arms wrapping around his waist to bring them closer together. 

 

In that moment, under the bright shining sunlight, nothing felt more right than being there in that little house, Murong Fei tucked in his arms, their mutual feelings out in the open. Xiao Zhan felt a sense of joy that he had never felt before rush through his entire being, and at that moment he knew that he had made the right choice in coming back. 

 

Murong Fei, I love you.

 

____________________________________________________________________________

The next few months passed in pure bliss for both Xiao Zhan and Murong Fei. To be able to spend every day in each other’s company, living a simple life, was enough to keep both happy. For Xiao Zhan, it was more than he could ask for. It was nothing like the life he had led before, but being in that little house, surrounded by Murong Fei’s love, was more than enough for him. Her gentle kiss greeted him every morning when he opened his eyes, her soft singing welcomed him when he walked in the door, and she never failed to greet him with a warm smile. She taught him how to love, and how it felt to be loved. In his heart, he wished desperately that this life could keep going forever. 

 

But unfortunately, all good things were bound to come to an end. 

 

One day, Murong Fei headed out the door to pick herbs as usual. Xiao Zhan heard the door open, but it never closed. A few seconds later, he heard Murong Fei’s voice call out, sounding bewildered.

 

“Ah-Zhan?” Her voice sounded tight in , barely suppressed fear showing through her trembling voice. 

 

“What’s wrong?” Xiao Zhan asked, looking out from the back room where he had been building a new drying rack for her. His eyes widened at what he saw, and his hands immediately closed around his sword. Even now, he barely let the sword leave his side; it was always no more than a few steps away from him. He had made so many enemies in the world, after all. 

 

Murong Fei stood frozen in the doorway, her eyes wide. In front of her stood a dark clothed figure, a hood and mask covering the newcomer’s head and face. Whoever they were, they had a sword held in their hand, the tip of which was currently barely an inch away from Murong Fei’s neck. In a few strides, Xiao Zhan was by her side, and he quickly moved Murong Fei behind him protectively. His body tense, he unsheathed his sword and pointed it at the newcomer. 

 

“Who are you?” He demanded. The newcomer stared at him for a few long moments, then to Xiao Zhan’s surprise, chuckled ever so slightly.

 

“It’s been a while, Ah-Zhan.” They said, “Have you forgotten about me already?” Xiao Zhan frowned at the newcomer, then slowly, the sound of the voice sunk in. His eyes widened as he recognized the voice that had spoken from under the mask.

 

“Lu jie.” He breathed, his eyes widening in surprise. 

 

Xuan Lu smiled as she pulled off her mask and pushed back her dark cloak.

 

“It’s been a while, Ah-Zhan.” She said, “I’ve found you at last.”

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Author's note: Hello! It's been a while since I've properly written something, real life caught up and has been keeping me busy. I thought that the best way for me to ease back into writing would be a little short romance fic, so here we go with the first part! If you read this and enjoy it, please leave a nice comment for me!