Huan Zhu Ge Ge

(Love vs. Friendship)

By: Princess Pearl

(Fang Ci)

Chapter 3

In a dark place outside the cave came out a poison snake, the one that they try to get by the trap. It slowly crawls out and head toward Xiao Yan Zi. It getting near her but she didn’t notice, it crawls around her foot then get to her hand, she look down her hand and take a big gasp "There you are! I’ve been looking for you everywhere! How come you be so naughty!" she sigh, "You the only thing I have now. Oh! I miss Xiao Jain so much! I don’t like this place! It so dark! I want to go home. But I can’t. I ran away. If I come back he probably won’t let me in. Why does he have to change like that? Change to a mean person? Who would like to change to a mean person? Hey! Maybe I can come back and said that I’m sorry! No, everybody will laugh at me. But I don’t want to live here the rest of my life."

Out side the cave everybody is looking for her. Xiao Jain still doesn’t know what he did wrong. But he’s rally worried for her. Yong Qi was next to the cave and it starts raining he look around to find a spot to shelter from the rain. He saw the cave and goes in. It was dark and quiet, he can even hear the water dripping, but he can also hear someone crying. He follows the sound and saw Xiao Yan Zi’s crying.

"Xiao Yan Zi? Is that you?" He ask, not so sure because it was dark

"Who’s that?" she ask surprise and feel a little scare

"We’ve been looking for you everywhere. Are you crying?" Sit next to her; she didn’t answer, "Do you want to go home? Xiao Jain is really missing you!"

"H…he did?" she asks a light smile appear on her face then it fades away quickly, "No he’s not! He hates me! He always hit me!"

"He hit you because he want you to be good." Just then he saw the snake, he was about to kill it but Xiao Yan Zi stop him

"Please! Don’t kill it! Please!" she pleading

Actually she raises that snake, once she found it on the grass and it was injured. She save it, from that day it keep wandering around the house or sometime it follows her everywhere. She began to like it and feed it everyday. It very naughty, it keep eating the flowers that Xiao Yan Zi plant or sometime it goes to Xiao Jain room and eat his books. Xiao Jain hasn’t known anything about this. She loves it very much. She’s already got the poison out of it. It really listens to her sometime.

"So that’s why you push Ziwei down to the lake and hit my hand?" He ask

"Yeah. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to." She said feeling sorry

"That’s ok. Since it not poison then why don’t you show it to Xiao Jain?"

"I already did. After that he hit me for not telling him and make me kill it. I don’t want to so I got hit more. At last I have to catch another one that look like the one have and kill it." She said sadly

"Did he usually hit you?" he ask look concern

"Yeah. A lot of time, old bruise, new bruise, even sometime it bleeding."

"Why did he have to hit you like that? He uses to be so nice in the palace. When he talk about you, he look so caring." He confuse

"It my fault. I use to be stubborn and unreasonable. After our parent leave us he afraid that he can’t control me so he have to hard on me. He just didn’t know that I had changed. Even I surprise to myself." She said while crying, holding the snake closer

"Anyway, do you want to talk to him? He’s been worried about you."

"No I can’t. If I go home now he’ll hit me again! It really hurt!" she shouts

"But you can’t always hide in here. How about I promise to you that I won’t let him hit you."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

They both walk home; Xiao Jain looks at the painful face of his sister, he look at all the bruise and all the tears. In a sudden he realize what Qing’er pointing out. He feels so sad for what he did to her, he look at her sorrow eyes, "Look what I did to you! I’m a bad brother! How can I do this to you? I’m so sorry Xiao Yan Zi! It won’t ever happen again! I’m promise! I’ll change! I’ll be nice to you! I’ll bring all the happiness to you! I’m promise!"

"Oh!!! Xiao Jain! I’m so happy!" she was very touched by what he said

"Um, Xiao Yan Zi you forgot to tell him something." Yong Qi said try to remind her about the snake

"Oh I forget. I… I have something to tell you… well, first of all promise you won’t yell at me."

"Ok. I promise."

"You see. Once I told you that I want to have a s…snake, and um… I didn’t kill it like what you said. The one I kill is not the one that you tell me to kill. So…so c…can I have it n…now?" look at Xiao Jain fearfully "It not poison, I already get the poison stuff out."

"Well," Xiao Jain tries to be angrily "since it not poison then you can have it."

"You not kidding are you? I can have it? What gotten into you? You’re definitely changed! So can you move back here and live with me? And um, can I have some more snakes, it really fun to have a snake as a pet. Or maybe a bear or even a tiger! So can I have them all?" She exclaim

"Don’t push it!" try to hole his laughing, but later he laugh and everyone laugh too, all she do is pout.

The next morning

While Ziwei and Qing’er playing, Xiao Yan Zi stands behind the tree and watching them. Admiring them, she remembers how Qing’er save Ziwei. She wishes she had a friend like them. She wants to be with them so badly. But she not dare to as she remembers of that girl. It was so hard to her to get over it; she’s still missed her so much. She’s live in a peace life now, she don’t want to be suffer again. At that time Yong Qi saw her and went to her.

"Xiao Yan Zi, what are you doing here? Do you want to play with Ziwei and Qing’er?" he ask friendly

"No, I got to go." Feel embarrassing

"You really want to play with them right?" he ask

"No! I have to go." Then she walk away but Yong Qi grabs her arm

"We can be your friends you know?"

"I don’t need a friend, now let me go!" feeling angry

"Come on! How can you stand on this lonely life?"

"Look. I know you all are trying to help me. But there’s nothing can help me, I don’t want to be suffer again. You understand? I’m a boring person. Who would like to be my friend? When you find out the boring side you’ll feel bothering when they with me."

"We would never leave you, you can trust us. See how Qing’er jump to the lake to save Ziwei? We can die for the other. We’ll never leave anyone behind. I promise!"

"Well, it because she her best friend, I’m nobody’s friend, anyone can leave me at anytime just like M…. never mind."

"No we are your friends. I’m sure you don’t like this lonely life. You’re really wanted to joint them it just because you didn’t trust anyone. We are trying to help you. If we not your friend then why do I have to stand here and talking to you, try to be your friend."

"A…are you sure that you want to be my friend?" She ask hoping him to say ‘yes’

"Yes! So now do you want to play with us?" She nod and the two of them went to Ziwei and Qing’er

For many days pass by they became great frind. Theey went to Hui Bing Lou. They were chatting happily. Liu Hong and Liu Quing didn’t expect that Xiao Yan Zi is so intelligent. It the happiest time she ever had. They eat some food there, Xiao Yan Zi go to the kitchen cook some food. The food she cook were delicious, they all impress. Then she playing flute, after that she playing qin and singing to all the customer. She makes Hui Bing Lou have more people come in. She even dances in front of them. After all that she feel tired and sit down playing chess with Yong Qi.

Outside she went to this store then the other, nobody could keep up with her. Yong Qi watch Xiao Yan Zi so cheerful and lively, a weird feeling came to him. He like to being with her, ‘she so intelligent, sweet, gentle and most of all she’s so attractive!’ he thought. Xiao Yan Zi and Yong Qi always being together, as Qing’er and Xiao Jain, Ziwei and Erkang need sometime for themselves.

At the lake

Ziwei, Xiao YanZi and Qing’er were picking flowers next to the guys who were chatting

"Xiao Yan Zi, you know lot about flowers right? Can you tell us about them?" Ziwei ask

"Um… there are many different kind of flowers. My favorite is jasmine; I love the smell of it. Did you know that some people make poison and medicine with flowers? Some of them mixed two or more different kind of flowers to make a poison. Well if somebody drink the poison make from the flowers, when they die the body will be intact for many years, maybe a hundred years or forever."

"Wow! That’s so cool!" Ziwei said

"Cool? It’s poison." Qing’er said

"Well, just before I die I can dink them so my body is intact. Isn’t that cool?" Ziwei said, the girl laugh

While Erkang and Xiao Jain were talking, Yong Qi wasn’t listening to them. He don’t know why but he like to hears Xiao Yan Zi talk, he listen to every single word she said. Her voice is so sweet! It always melts his heart. He look at her, she’s so pretty! He looks at her on every movement she makes. She’s so graceful! He staring at her couldn’t take his eyes of her.

Ziwei, Erkang, Qing’er and Xiao Jian saw that but not Xiao Yan Zi who so innocent not notice anything. Ziwei, Erkang, and Qing’er smile secretly, Xiao Jain doesn’t seem happy about it, he let out a sigh.

******

The two girls Ziwei and Qing’er gather in their room

"Ziwei, do you think Yong Qi likes Xiao Yan Zi?" Qing’er ask

"What do you think? He was staring at her! Wonder if Xiao Yan Zi likes him too." Ziwei said

Qing’er think for a while, "Maybe we can help! They can be a great couple!"

"Yeah! But Xiao Yan Zi has to go to the palace. Do you think she willing to?" Ziwei said seriously

"Well of course! To be with her lover she can do anything!" Qing’er jump up with joy

"But the life here is so peaceful, and she doesn’t have to obey any rules. She might feel sad in the palace." Ziwei feeling disappoint

"Remember that she did follow a lot of rule by Xiao Jain, and didn’t you doesn’t know any rules in the palace in the first time? Anyway she didn’t like the life here, she said it lonely."

"I can’t wait till she go to the palace. Huang Ah Ma will like her for sure!"

***********

"Yong Qi when will Huang Shan come here?" Erkang ask

"Um, in about a month time."

"Do you think Huang Shan will likes her?" Xiao Jain ask

"She an intelligent girl, he’ll like her a lot!" Yong Qi said with a big smile

"Yeah! And most of all is you Yong Qi." Erkang teasing

"What are you talking about?" Yong Qi asks confuse

"Aw, don’t tell me you didn’t have any feeling for her." Erkang said, mocking

"What? You mean I like her? No, we just friend."

"It always starts with the word ‘friend’, just like Qing’er and Xiao Jain, me and Ziwei."

Yong Qi about to protest, Xiao Jain who had been silence said, "Stop being nonsense. We have a lot to prepare."

"Come on! It getting fun! Your sister will be marry to an Ah Ge soon!" Erkang said loudly

"Will you low your voice? Don’t you afraid that Xiao Yan Zi will hears us?" Yong Qi said angrily

"That would be great! You can confess your love sooner!"

"Now I’m an Ah Ge and I tell you to be quiet! It an order!" Pretend to be angry

"Oh I’m so scare! Yong Qi I know you too well."

"I think I need to change or nobody listen to me."

"Go head! It’ll never work! Anyway if you change Xiao Yan Zi won’t like you."

"Oh be quiet!"

Xiao Jain stand aside feeling worry.

When Yong Qi all alone Xiao Yan Zi face always appear in his head. He feels so great when he think about her. ‘Am I really fall for her?’ the smile on his face suddenly fade ‘No that can’t be! I can’t be unfaithful to Mei Ling! It only two years since she die! How come I be so unfaithful!’ He tries to get her out of his mind but it useless.

"Yong Qi!" Xiao Yan Zi suddenly called his name some where, Yong Qi turn back and look at her ‘Gosh she so gorgeous!’ then she walk to him ‘She so graceful too!’

"What are you doing?" she ask softly, ‘And the voice are sweet also!’ he stare at her deeply, couldn’t take his eyes off her

"Hello! Earth to Yong Qi!" she said half laughing

"Oh sorry. Did you say something?" Get to reality

"What are you thinking?" ask innocently

"Why do I have to tell you?" He said playfully

"Be…cause, um, I don’t know yet. But why can’t you tell me?" sit down next to him, he feel uncomfortable and happy

"Because I don’t want to." He said look at her deeply, which cause she blush ‘She look so cute when she blush’ then he look away immediately

"Um, well, we will go the marketplace tomorrow. Just want to tell you first."

"Ok. Then we can go to Hui Bing Lou after that." He not really want to go as he don’t want to be with Xiao Yan Zi so much, he knows that Erkang will play the matchmaker game for sure ‘Mei Ling I can’t be unfaithful to you!’

********

At the morning in Xiao Jain room. Yong Qi knocks on her door and she went to open it.

"Yong Qi! Good morning! What so early?" He asks then closes the door

"I will to go back to the palace soon." He said sadly

"What? Why?" Xiao Jain asks confuse

"Before we came here Huang Ah Ma had given me some task. So I want to go back and finish it. When Huang Ah Ma comes here I’ll be here again. He said that I could finish it after this vacation. But if I do it after this vacation I will have short time to do it." Yong Qi lies

"Oh, ok." He said, let out a relief sigh

"But what about Xiao Yan Zi?" Xiao Jain ask, remember about Xiao Yan Zi

"Can you tell her that? I don’t think I can leave if I saw her crying." His heart so aching

"Then when you go?" he ask

"Tomorrow." Yong Qi said

"That soon!"

"Yeah." He said and head to the garden

He wants to leave soon because he doesn’t want to be so close with Xiao Yan Zi. His feeling toward her so strong, he wants to stop it before he couldn’t anymore. ‘I’ll be miss you a lot Xiao Yan Zi.’ He thought, ‘Gosh! How can I get you out of my mind? You so beautiful, so kind and so intelligent!’

After Xiao Yan Zi, Ziwei, Qing’er… all of them get ready to go outside. Yong Qi saw Xiao Yan Zi talking cheerfully, he feel so bad inside. Then she smiles at him and walk toward him.

"Yong Qi. Are you ready? I’m so happy today!" she said with a cute smile on her face

All day long Yong Qi always feels sad, but he tries to forget about it and have a best time with Xiao Yan Zi. It was the best time he had in his life, the time spending with the one he loves. He more he get close to her the more he love her. She was like a part of his body now. After the long happy day he feel so regret, so regret to have such a great memory. He should do that; he’ll be leaving soon, now he has to bring that memory with him, a memory that he couldn’t forget. He doesn’t want to be unfaithful with Mei Ling. She just die two years ago and now he in love with another lady, a lovely lady.

******

A note from the author: Ziwei, Qing’er and Erkang already know this but no one can stop Yong Qi. They all know that he leave because of Xiao Yan Zi but he didn’t listen to anyone. Xiao Jain didn’t say anything about his leaving.

******

The next morning

Xiao jain went to Xiao Yan Zi to tell her about Yong Qi’s leaving

"Xiao Yan Zi, I want to talk to you about something." Xiao Jain said

"Sure. What is it?" smiling

"Yong Qi will be leaving soon."

"What? When? And w… why?" she ask try to not cry

"Because he has to finish some task. And he’ll be leaving today."

"No! He can’t leave, he’s already promise to me!" then she run out of the room crying and looking for Yong Qi

She found Yong Qi sitting next to the tree with a deep thought. No matter how deep it is Xiao Yan Zi’s voice will always wake him up. He saw her crying his heart hurt painfully.

"Xioa Yan Zi. What are you doing here?"

"Are you leaving today?" while crying

"You know already uh?" raise his hand and wipe her tears

"Please don’t go!" she pleading and sobbing

"I have to. I’m sorry." Look at her sadly

"You can bring it here and do it."

"No I can’t, there are so much beautiful thing here, and I don’t think I can’t concentrate." He said look in her eye deeply

"Like what? Of course you can concentrate, I won’t let anyone bother you." She said innocently

"Like you, you’re so beautiful." he said

"It no time to kidding. Please don’t go. You promise, you the one promise and now you the one that leave me?" she shout, and Yong Qi pull her close to him and hug her tightly, she was shock in the first time but then she hug him back. She feels so safe in his embrace. In her mind Yong Qi is always like a brother to him or even than a brother? We’ll find out.

"Xiao Yan Zi please don’t cry. I’ll be back."

"But it would be a month time!" She was too despair and almost fall down but she is in his embrace and he held her up

"It only one month, it won’t be long." Hug her tighter

"But I don’t want you to go! I want you to stay here with me, please stay here." crying and lean her head on his chest

"I can’t. Look Ziwei is still here, Qing’er is still here and Erkang is still here. And like I said I’ll be back." He feels like a million needle poke through his heart

"Are they gonna leave me too? Will they go back in the palace and leave me here all alone? I knew this day would come. Then one by one will leave me; first is you then who’s next? How come you so cruel? You want to play on me? You want to see how I suffer? You so cruel! Please stay! I’ll be good! Just don’t leave me! Please! Just don’t leave me!" She cry uncontrollable and close her eyes, Yong Qi feel so hurt by those word he couldn’t control himself but bend his head down…

**************

Actually I want to write more on the part Xiao Yan Zi run away and how badly Xiao Jain treat her but I think so boring so I jump ahead I write on the part where Xiao Yan Zi and Yong Qi start their love.