"What are you looking at?" Chu Zhou forced his way past her.
Bai Ling stepped outside and scanned around before going back in and closing the door.
"Why are you here?" She asked.
She and Chu Zhou grew up together, they were basically like family already.
"Well… I thought you'd be angry, so I came over." He replied.
"Why would I be?" She asked.
He looks at her with an open mouth before saying, "For leaving you in the middle of the street. I promise I was going to come back, but everyone pushed me around so… I was late."
Chu Zhou always tried polishing his cowardice with nice explanations, not knowing that keeping quiet would've been the best solution.
"No worries", Bai Ling said.
"So, you're not angry?"
"I'm not."
"Okay then. Then I'll be going." He said in an unsure tone.
"Hm", Bai Ling answered.
She walked with him to the door.
"We'll get married in two days", he said when reaching the door.
"Okay", Bai Ling replied.
She closed the door, exhaling a heavy, quiet sigh.
She went to lie down on her back, staring at the ceiling.
"The cultivation word is so strange." She turned to her left side. "Why do you need to kill someone for cultivation?" She switched positions and turned to her right side. "So, he's also killing people for cultivation?"
She returned to her back again. "Lu Chang He", she said softly and slowly as if she consumed the letters one by one.
"What happens if they ascend? Do they become deities?" She said while her breathing slowed down, and she fell asleep.
**********************
"Buy one, get one free!"
Bai Ling walked down the busy streets. She wore a long white satin veil, covering her head.
"Quality items, buy now!"
Bai Ling wasn't sure where she was headed, but she just wanted to get out of the residence again. She had to disguise herself to get out, which she soon regretted, because it was so overwhelming.
Besides, she was only able to see that much from the veil, for the most part, she was half blind. She held her hands tightly, her eyes jumping nervously around.
She couldn't continue anymore, stopped, and made a quick U-turn, but only to bump into someone.
"Sorry, sorry", she said without looking up.
But she gets pushed back on her shoulder. She looked up at three men standing before her, realising only then that she had walked where no one else was in sight.
She tried pushing past them, only to be pushed back.
"Where are you going, little girl?" One asked, and the other two laughed.
"Please let me pass." Bai Ling said.
"Oh, she can speak?" He asked, lifting his hand to open her veil, but she stepped back.
"We only want to play a game, are you in?"
"What game?" She asked.
"Well, you give us something and we give you eternal freedom."
"Wh-what game is that?" She asked hesitantly.
"You're asking too many questions, little girl. It's time to start the game."
"I don't want to play." She snapped back.
"I don't think you have a choice." He said, curving his mouth down in a sad way.
"I…I don't have anything to give to you." She said, her shaky voice barely audible.
They walked closer. One took out a shiny thread and held it over to her.
"Please don't." She said, while her breathing sped up.
They threw the thread. She held her hand out, covering herself. She could feel her heartbeat in her throat, and her whole body was shaking. She didn't dare to look up.
The thoughts of the day before crawled up her mind, seeing the people getting killed right in front of her with no second chances.
But for a brief moment, she decided to just take a glimpse. She opened only one eye and glanced over her arm, but realised there was no one.
She stood straight, looked down, and all three men were lying on the ground.
She stepped back, slowly, horrified at what she was looking at.
Her gaze jumped around, but she couldn't see anyone. Her throat was dry, her lips were trembling, and her chest was heating up.
She looked around her, and her eyes met the gaze of Lu Chang He, who stood a far distance behind her. His whole face was painted with disbelief.
"I..I…" Bai Ling started, but turned and started running as quickly as she could. Her heart was pounding against her chest. A tear escaped her eye that she quickly wiped off.
She made it to the residence, headed straight to her courtyard, into her room and went to sit next to her bed. She hugged her legs tightly as her eyes were still wide from shock.
"My lady", the servant called. But Bai Ling didn't answer. The servant opened the door, and she turned her back to her.
"Leave me alone for a moment", she said, trying her best to sound normal.
"Yes", the servant said and closed the door.
"What happened?" She thought. "What did I do?" She asked softly.
"I didn't do it. I didn't kill them." She took a deep breath and stood up. "I didn't do it", she convinced herself.
"He was also there, he saw… right… he knows it wasn't me." She said, faking a smile.
The scene replayed in her head. "They wanted to kill me, then he killed them, just like before."
"Bai Ling." She flinched. Bai Yuan was calling outside her door.
She quickly wiped her eyes, pulled herself together and went to open the door. Smiling the way she would always do.
"Brother", she said.
He noticed something was off but just smiled to not make her feel uncomfortable.
"Would you like to go for a walk?" He asked.
"Sure", she said, knowing well that she didn't want to see the outside world ever again, but she had always agreed to everything Bai Yuan would ask. Rejecting him would've made it obvious that something was wrong.
They went outside. This time, she placed the black satin veil on her head. Well, it didn't stop her anxiety from going crazy.
She was quiet the whole time. Glancing around her and getting small heart attacks every time she saw someone who looked like Lu Chang He.
They had reached the shopping markets.
"… and that's what happened." Bai Yuan finished his story, but Bai Ling kept looking over her shoulder.
"Bai Ling", he called out, making her heart almost jump out of her body. "Are you okay?" He asked.
"Hm", she answered with a smile.
"If you're not in the mood today, we can come another time", he said.
She waved her hands, "I'm okay. I don't come out often, so I feel a little tense."
"Sorry, I wasn't being considerate." He said.
"No need, I …" she paused as Lu Chang He showed up behind him, buying something from the stall.
"Actually", she started, "I don't feel good today. Can we go now?"
Bai Yuan gave a soft giggle, "What's wrong, Bai Ling? Didn't you just say you were fine?"
Her gaze was steadfast on Lu Chang He.
"I just realised, I still have to go do something." She said, but sounded very unsure.
"What is that?" He asked.
Lu Chang He almost turned, making her heart jump.
"For the wedding", she quickly answered. "Let's go!"
Bai Yuan turned, following her gaze, but she jumped in front of him, so he couldn't look back.
"You're acting strange today", he said.
"I'm not. I'm always like this." She said, knowing well she isn't.
"Bai Yuan."
Bai Yuan looked over her head, seeing Lu Chang He.
"Lu Chang He", he said.
Bai Ling's heart dropped. Her posture froze, and she could feel the heavens coming down on her, consuming her alive.