XiaoRue and ManQi
After being left behind by Prince Li, ManQi carefully examined the bodies while XiaoRue gathered the belongings that needed to be taken with them.
Within minutes, XiaoRue had finished her work and was left waiting for ManQi. Examining all ten corpses took time. She waited patiently, watching as ManQi moved from one body to another. However, he seemed dissatisfied with whatever he found.
At last, after examining the final corpse, he stood up.
"Well, what did you find?" XiaoRue asked curiously.
ManQi didn't even look at her. He seemed to be ignoring her completely as he began digging a large hole.
XiaoRue had hardly ever spoken to ManQi during the time she had lived with Hua MuTan at Li Mansion. From what she had heard about him, he was indeed a mysterious man.
She walked closer and repeated her question.
"Did you find anything on the bodies? Any marks? Any clues?"
ManQi still didn't respond.
So XiaoRue continued asking questions, squatting beside him as he worked hard to dig the hole.
"Who do you think they are? Why did they attack us? If they were robbers, shouldn't we leave this place as soon as possible? Who knows? They might have other companions nearby. What do you think?"
ManQi kept digging.
A single word suddenly popped into his mind.
Noisy!
The hole was finally ready. ManQi glanced at XiaoRue, as if expecting her to do something. But XiaoRue had no idea what he wanted.
"What? Why are you staring at me like that? You know, we really should leave now and return to Li Mansion. I'm so worried about XiaoJie. She... um..."
ManQi had no intention of listening to any more unnecessary chatter. He covered XiaoRue's mouth with one hand and pointed toward the corpses with the other.
Finally, he spoke.
"The bodies... Pull them all over here."
XiaoRue couldn't believe what she had just heard. Was this man seriously asking a delicate young girl like her to drag all those dead bodies?
And she couldn't believe that he had dared to cover her mouth with his bare hand!
Having grown up alongside Hua MuTan, XiaoRue had learned proper manners between men and women. A gentleman should never lay his hands on a maiden, especially not by covering her mouth like that!
How rude!
XiaoRue's face turned red with anger. She widened her eyes and glared at ManQi in protest.
ManQi gave her a teasing smile.
"If you can't help, then stop talking. Be quiet and sit there like a good little girl, all right? As soon as I finish burying them, we'll return to Li Mansion. Do you understand?"
XiaoRue obediently nodded.
ManQi removed his hand from her mouth, and at that very moment, XiaoRue seized her chance and bit him hard.
"Ouch!!! You...!"
ManQi glared angrily at her.
"I'm not a little girl! How rude!" XiaoRue snapped.
She walked away from him and stopped beside one of the corpses. At first, she hesitated, but then she steeled herself and began dragging the body toward the hole.
"You said we could return as soon as we buried them, right? I'll help you so we can get back sooner."
With that, she started pulling another body.
Well, turns out this girl is quite brave...
ManQi watched her actions with amusement. He was still standing there when XiaoRue noticed that he hadn't started moving.
"Well? What are you waiting for?!" she shouted angrily.
After they had finished the unpleasant task, ManQi and XiaoRue offered a prayer, hoping the dead would receive a proper burial.
Then ManQi led the remaining horse away from the chariot and mounted it. He guided the horse closer to XiaoRue before reaching down to offer her his hand, like a gentleman helping a lady onto a horse.
XiaoRue hesitated.
"Why don't we use the chariot?"
"The wheels are broken. It's useless now. There are only two of us, so travelling by horse will be faster. Didn't you say you wanted to return quickly?"
"That's right..."
XiaoRue finally accepted his hand and climbed onto the horse, settling behind him. She tried her best not to touch his back.
"Hold on tightly. Don't fall. Hyaah!"
"What?! Whoaaa...!"
As soon as the horse started galloping, XiaoRue nearly lost her balance. Instinctively, she grabbed ManQi's wrist tightly to keep herself from falling.
Throughout the journey, she could feel her heart pounding wildly.
It must be because the horse is running so fast. I've never ridden a horse like this before... XiaoJie, please be all right. XiaoRue is coming!