Suddenly, the sky sounded with a thunderous explosion and without warning, it was followed by a thunderstorm.
"Xiang Yin, quick, let's go!"
Upon seeing the situation, Dong Fang Tang quickly took her hand and the two used their martial skills to rush down the mountain. With difficulty, they managed to find an abandoned empty house at the foot of the mountain and when they eventually arrived, they were already drenched to the skin.
"It looks like this thunderstorm will not be over quickly."
Looking at the rain outside the house that was getting heavier, Dong Fang Tang lifted his eyebrows slightly and when he turned around to look back, he saw her hugging her cold and trembling body. Hastily he searched the house for something with which he could start a fire with. Fortunately, there was still some firewood in the house and in the shortest time possible, he lit a fire. Facing the person sitting opposite him who was trying to warm herself and was still trembling, he said.
"Xiang Yin, it looks like we have to take off our wet clothes to dry them otherwise when night falls, it will even be colder and we will definitely catch a cold." While Dong Fang Tang was talking, he had taken off his robe.
When she saw the situation, she lowered her head and pulled her already wet clothes even more tightly around her.
"No need. I'll just dry myself like this."
In fact, it was her wet clothes that made her feel cold and her body shiver and no matter how near she sits by the fire, she would not be able to warm herself. But she could not take off her clothes in front of him just because of this reason. Dong Fang Tang frowned deeply when he heard a light cough spurted from her lips.
"Xiang Yin!"
Dong Fang Tang looked at her with worry and understood her reluctance. But being in this empty house, it was already very fortunate they could find this firewood. After looking around, there was really no other things in the house and if this carried on, she would definitely catch a cold.
He understood her insistence and no longer spoke. He busied himself with drying his robe and at the same time, looked at her pale white face. He kept on turning the robe until it was half dry and then hurriedly said to her. "Xiang Yin, I'll turn away and you should take off your wet clothes to put on this robe."
Ruan Xiang Yin stared at the robe in his hand. She hesitated for a moment before she nodded in agreement and then stretched out her hand to take the robe from him. At the same time, Dong Fang Tang also turned his back to her.
Watching his back, she slowly took off her wet clothes until she was down to her underwear. She struggled to decide whether she should take them all off. After a while, she gritted her teeth and decided to take them off and put on his robe. Even though his robe was only half-dry, but it was still better than her wet clothes. After she had tied the robe properly, she opened her mouth.
"Dong Fang Tang, you can turn around now."
When he heard, Dong Fang Tang turned around and saw she had changed out of her wet clothes and had put on his robe. He heaved a sigh of relief. Then he noticed he was still wearing his wet clothes and he threw a glance at the person opposite him who had her head lowered. He quickly took off his wet clothes to reveal a naked hard chest.
Afterward that, the two kept themselves busy drying their clothes and no longer spoke. An unspeakable ambiguous atmosphere was quietly spreading in the empty room.
Outside the house, the rain did not seem to lighten but instead had gradually become heavier. Both of them unanimously looked worriedly at the dull sky and it seems the both of them would be trapped here for the night.
In the night after the rain had stopped, in the empty house at the foot of the mountain, it felt particularly cold especially with their clothes still wet. Even with the fire lit, it could not drive away the chill that surrounded them. Ruan Xiang Yin involuntarily trembled with cold again.
Dong Fang Tang who had been watching her the whole time, could not help but lift up his eyebrows. He looked at her continuously shivering body, finally made a decision and gently asked.
"Xiang Yin, do you trust me?"
On hearing his words, she lifted her head in confusion and after her bright eyes clashed with his smoldering black eyes flickering with flames, her chest involuntarily tightened.
"Trust you?"
A soft light flickered in his black eyes as he looked at her with her flushed and uncomfortable appearance. His warm voice was filled with intoxicating gentleness when he said.
"Trust me in my promise to you that I, Dong Fang Tang, will only want you, Ruan Xiang Yin as the only woman in my life."
"Are you not tired of repeating the same words?"
Ruan Xiang Yin's cheeks had turned crimson and felt so shameful that she dared not meet his fiery gaze. She felt as if something was about to happen and her heart felt uneasy.
Dong Fang Tang gave a low laugh, his laughter made her heart beat faster and she was even more afraid to look at him.
"Xiang Yin, then I'm sorry, I will have to offend you."
She was about to ask him what he meant by his words when she saw him, with his chest bare, walking towards her in big strides.
"Dong Fang Tang, what do you want to do?!"
She screamed and pulled the robe tightly around her. She subconsciously wanted to escape but she was still a step too slow. Her waist was grabbed tightly by him and she immediately slammed into his bare chest.
"Xiang Yin, this empty house will become even colder as the night progress. The heat from the fire is not enough and the only thing that can help us pass this night is our body heat."
His warm breath blew behind her ears. Dong Fang Tang knew he had frightened her but he also knew that this was the only way they could spend this freezing night. Since he had already decided she would be his future wife and she also had feelings for him, so he did not have any more worries.
"What you mean is......."
She quickly turned around in his arms and her panic-stricken bright eyes saw the fiery steady light glowing in his black eyes. Strangely, her heart no longer felt scared. Intoxicated with the gentle affection is his eyes, she was unable to tear her eyes away.
"Xiang Yin......"
With his big hands gently holding her little face, tenderly he planted light kisses on her face. Finally, his warm lips found her soft pink lips, his big hands lightly pulled away her robe and lay her gently down on it. When his hard body pressed down on her soft delicate body, Ruan Xiang Yin, who was dizzily lost in the dense fog, finally came to her senses.
"Dong Fang Tang......" She was completely at a loss and was overwhelmed with fear.
Dong Fang Tang calmly and steadily gazed at her then in a low voice he whispered against her lips tenderly and affectionately.
"Xiang Yin, I love you."
Ruan Xiang Yin's heart trembled and excited emotions rose up and down in her heart. She gazed at the gentleness in his eyes and all her uneasiness were swept away. A whispered sigh, a pair of arms encircled around his neck and soft lips took the initiative to meet him.
Desire filled his black eyes and he kissed her lips once again. His pair of hands caressed her beautiful soft body to thoroughly implement what he was determined to do......that she would no longer feel cold.
***#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#***
Early in the morning, in the backyard of Long Feng Restaurant, there was already a long line of people waiting to see the doctor. However, this time around, the doctor responsible for treating the patients had changed to Ruan Xiang Yin. From the beginning, the people were not used to her and there were even some people who were scared of the cold expression on her face, unlike Dong Fang Tang who always had a warm smile for them. But finally, after realizing that she was actually not a cold-hearted girl, they did not feel scared of her anymore. On the contrary, sometimes they would ignore her cold face and also joke with her, like now.......
"Auntie Wang, didn't I tell you that your body system is cold and advised you not to eat cold food or food like melons? Why don't you listen to me?"
After Ruan Xiang Yin had checked Auntie Wang's pulse, with a cold expression on her face, Ruan Xiang Yin looked at the person next to her who did not even show a tinge of remorse but instead, she was smiling.
"Xiang Yin, ah......don't be angry! Because the weather was a bit hot these few days, so I could not control myself and ate a few slices of watermelon. I will not dare to do it again."
Auntie Wang ignored her cold expression and chuckled. At the same time, she also tried to placate her.
Ruan Xiang Yin felt angry and also found her amusing. She really could not do anything to her and so handed over the prescription and warned her.
"If you are disobedient again, I will not see you the next time."
She really hated patients who were uncooperative.
"Yes, yes, yes!" Auntie Wang quickly nodded her head and from the side of her feet, she lifted up a bag of red bean buns.
"Xiang Yin, my son said that you and Doctor Dong Fang had bought red bean buns from him some time ago. So knowing that you like to eat these buns, I've brought some for you."
It turned out that the last time, the hawker who refused to accept their money after they had bought red bean buns from him, was actually the son of Auntie Wang.
"This......thank you."
Ruan Xiang Yin was startled and took the large bag of buns from her. In the bag, there were at least ten pieces of buns. That warm unfamiliar emotion rose in her heart and made her throat constrict. For a moment, she could not speak. Finally, she understood the reason for Dong Fang Tang's persistence. The people's true heartfelt warm feelings could never be bought with money.
The following patients who also received the same reproach and cold expression from her also did not mind and also chuckled without bad feelings. In the end, Ruan Xiang Yin also did not know what to do with these warm-hearted good-natured people.
At one side, Dong Mei who was responsible for preparing Shi Shen Tang for the people's consumption was gratified and comforted to see Ruan Xiang Yin slowly changing little by little. Initially from being someone who was cold and proud, one who did not like to be close to other people, although now, she is still not as approachable as one would wish, at least her habit of alienating people had diminished a lot. The enthusiasm of the people showered on Third Young Master had also fallen on Xiang Yin and this change was mainly due to Third Young Master's effort.
After seeing all the patients for the day, the exhausted Ruan Xiang Yin breathed a sigh of relief. Suddenly she discovered a bowl of Shi Shen Tang on the table in front of her.
"You've worked hard. Come, drink a bowl of soup."
Dong Mei sat down beside her as she spoke. During this period of time while Third Young Master was absent, fortunately, Ruan Xiang Yin was here to help out.
"Is Auntie Li helping to look after your child?"
Ruan Xiang Yin asked in a light voice while she scooped a spoonful of soup into her mouth. Dong Mei was here to take over Zhang Sheng's work and also to assist her.
"That's right! If Auntie Li had not volunteered to help, I really can't come to the backyard to assist you. Did Third Young Master mention when he will be coming back in the letter?"
"No."
Half a month ago, the two people were trapped in the mountains overnight due to a severe thunderstorm.
The next day, when the two came down from the mountains, he immediately received an urgent letter from a servant sent by Second Young Master. After Third Young Master had read the letter, his face became serious. Before he left, in front of everyone, he had held Xiang Yin's hands and told her to wait for him. Xiang Yin had also agreed and so she substituted Third Young Master to see his patients. But just the day before yesterday, Third Young Master had sent someone to come for Zhang Zhen and Zhang Sheng and took them both away. The person who came only said that Third Young Master needed the help of the two brothers. With this reason, the person took the brothers away but before they left, the person handed over a letter to Xiang Yin.
In the letter, Dong Fang Tang only mentioned that one of his brothers met with an accident and during this short period of time, he was needed to be there to take care of his brother and thus he was unable to come back. He also needed the help of the two brothers and again reminded her to wait for him. He wanted to take her back to Dong Fang Residence to meet his two elder brothers first before they will travel back to Le Mountain to meet her parents to propose marriage.
"Xiang Yin, what had actually happened when you and Third Young Master were trapped in the mountains that night?"
Dong Mei's eyes were crystal clear. She had wondered and endured for half a month and now is just the right time, since there is no one around at this time, so she asked in curiosity.
The reason she asked this question was that when the two people returned from the mountains that day and after Third Young Master had read the letter, he had looked at Xiang Yin with sadness and his eyes showed his reluctance to part with her. He was unwilling to leave by himself and had waited for Xiang Yin to promise she would stay and wait until he returns before he was willing to leave. He also instructed Wang Qin to take good care of Xiang Yin.
She had never seen Third Young Master being so attached to someone like this.....his reluctance to leave, his reluctance to let go. Even the indifferent Xiang Yin had also looked at Third Young Master with eyes that were full of sadness and reluctance. The both of them really made other people wondered.
"Xiang Yin......Xiang Yin......."
Ruan Xiang Yin did not expect Dong Mei to ask her this question. She was shocked, then suddenly choked and coughed lightly a few times. Her reaction made Dong Mei's heart became suspicious.
"How can anything happen? It was because the rain was too heavy and we were trapped in the mountains overnight only."
Ruan Xiang Yin said casually but her bright eyes did not dare to look at Dong Mei's questioning eyes.
"Nothing happened?"
Dong Mei asked suspiciously and did not force her again. A man and a woman stayed together for a night and the two people also had mutual good feelings for each other.......if nothing happened, that would be strange. In any case, she truly blessed the two of them.
"Xiang Yin, Third Young Master is true to you. I've known him for a few years and although he has always been good to people, I've never seen him so deeply worried about anyone other than you. He had always come and goes as he pleases and had never been so reluctant to leave like this time."
Third Young Master was committed to helping people and did not usually stay in one place for too long. Even if everyone did not want him to leave but they also would not make it difficult for him. After all, there were still many people in the world who were waiting for him to help.
But half a month ago, she saw with her own eyes, the difficult situation Third Young Master was in and she believed if he could, Third Young Master would have taken Xiang Yin with him instead of letting her stay back here alone to wait for him.
"I know."
This was also the reason why Ruan Xiang Yin had repeatedly made exceptions for him. She who had always been indifferent but now she was concerned for him and no longer acted whimsically, all this was due to him.
She really did not like the feeling of waiting and could not help but let out a low sigh. Looking into the distance, she thought of the man and wondered where he was at the moment.
Dong Fang Tang, don't make me wait too long for you.
***#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#***
This day, Ruan Xiang Yin had finished seeing the last patient and was about to go to the mountains to gather herbs when suddenly two unexpected guests arrived.
"Miss Ruan, can you please let me go with you?" Liu Cai Lian blocked her path and asked.
That day when she watched Dong Fang Tang and Ruan Xiang Yin's back view as they left for the mountains to gather herbs, she had felt very envious. Even if she understood that they were already a couple but as long as she could watch Dong Fang Tang at the side, she was already satisfied. And if she were to learn more about some herbs, maybe she could also help him. This was the flimsy hope in her heart.
"Miss Ruan, will you agree?"
Liu Cai Lian's maid, Ping Er also tried to persuade Ruan Xiang Yin. Although Ping Er did not understand why her Young Miss insisted on going to the mountains to pick herbs but since her Young Miss insisted on going, she had followed suit.
Ruang Xiang Yin wrinkled her fine eyebrows, her bright eyes looked coldly at Liu Cai Lian and ignored her plea and said indifferently.
"Miss Liu, you are naturally born weaker than ordinary people and even if your health is good now but you still should not overexert yourself. Just from here to the foot of Luo Yun Mountains, you will have to walk 10 li*, not to mention you still have to climb the mountains to pick the herbs. Miss Liu, it's better for you to return."
(Li is a Chinese measurement of distance. 1 li = 500mtrs.)
"Miss Ruan, don't worry. I've got a carriage waiting for me and it can take us to the foot of the mountain. When I reach there, I will climb up the mountain and if I'm really exhausted during the climb, I'll leave immediately. I will not make it troublesome for you."
Liu Cai Lian had already planned everything. And whatever she wanted to do, she would never take risks with her health.
"Miss Ruan, please I beg you to agree! I will follow tightly beside my Young Miss and take care of her. If there are any changes to my Young Miss's condition, I'll take her back right away." Ping Er assured.
Ruan Xiang Yin looked at the pair of Mistress and maid impatiently. She really did not understand why they still insist when it was obviously an impossible task. Why did they want to take such risks and cause trouble for her?