Chapter 28: Valley of flowers
"Am going to tell you this one last time, hand over what you took."
The man sauntered closer to Tsun and glared into his eyes.
"What if I don't? What are you going to do?"
Tsun smiled a small smile before returning the leader's glare," I was serious about avoiding a blood bath but it seems you don't care about yourself and your men."
"What does that.."
In a swift motion, the leader's head fell to the ground with a saft thud.
"Goodness, he was blabbering too much nonsense," Ding said wiping a drop of blood from his cheek.
"Look at you killing before he finished talking. You should've let him finish what he was saying. What if he was about to say something important?"
Ding shook his head and kicked the headless body causing it to roll and hit the table.
"Kill them!"
The men shouted and lunged to attack. Tsun looked at Ding and he immediately sprung into action killing the men in less that five minutes. Tsun headed towards the suitcase placed on a table in the furthest corner and picked it. As he turned to leave, he saw two women hiding under the table and their shaking shoulders indicated how frightened they were. Feeling a tinge of concern, he walked towards the table and tapped the top.
"Isn't it too cramped under there?" he asked the concern in his voice inevitable and the ladies refused to look up to him.
"Please don't hurt us... don't kill us..."
Tsun flicked his nose with his index finger at their requests and grabbed one of the ladies effortlessly pulling her from under the table.
"Come now, I told you it's too cramped down there."
He easily pulled the other lady out too and they hugged each other shoulders still shaking. Tsun let out a sigh and walked past the trembling ladies and towards Ding who stood over the dead bodies.
"We got what we came for, let's get going. Am up for some food," he said, hand swung over Ding's shoulder.
"Didn't you just have a quick snack before we came here?"
Tsun shrugged his shoulders at his grumbling and they made their way out. After their voices faded into the distance, the two ladies looked around them terrified at the sight. Quickly, they walked over the bodies and ran down the path leading to town. With his back rested on the bark of a tree, Ding crossed his hands over his chest and turned to Tsun.
"Why did we let them go?"
"Who? Those ladies? Don't you think they were too pretty to die?"
"Those ladies will obviously rant about what happened here to anyone."
Tsun shrugged, picked his phone, keyed in a few numbers and brought it to his ear," Baby, how are you? I missed you so."
"Huh? You called me just for this?" Asahi asked and Tsun pout his lips.
"I missed you and wanted to hear your voice. Am I wrong to want that?"
Asahi sighed on the other side of the line and not wanting to be part of the conversation, Ding excused himself and walked down the path. Lost in thoughts and with no destination in mind, he walked on for what seemed like ages. He came to a stop on a cliff overlooking a valley full of flowers and a gentle breeze blew the petals up and into the sky. Ding captivated by this sat on the green grass with his legs crossed and allowed himself to feel the sweet scent which cleared his mind and calmed him, reminding him of his late mother.
Ding did not even know when the last time was that he felt so calm and at peace. His eyelids slowly closed and soon he drifted off to sleep. After a while, he could hear footsteps approaching him. He waited quietly and once the footsteps came to a halt, he could hear a faint voice speaking. Acting on instinct, he immediately tackled the person and had him pinned under him with the blade of his dagger pressed on his skin within seconds.
"Urk!"
He looked at the person below him only to find it was no other than Lian himself.
"Would you mind... getting off? Can't feel my... legs."
Ding tightened his grip on his neck, the blade sinking deeper into his flesh. Lian looked up to Ding and the aura radiating from his eyes made him gulp.
"Sir?"
"What do you think you're doing?"
"Huh? What am I.. argh!"
Ding looked at Lian and slowly, he raised the dagger from his neck and moved away from him. Lian sat up coughing and rubbed his neck feeling for any wounds which he did not have. After confirming he was okay aside from the bruises from Ding's grip, he stood up and turned to Ding hands on his waist.
"Hey! Is it a habit of yours attacking someome out of the blue?"
Ding turned and looked at him and this caused him to freeze.
(Wow! That background just made him look more handsome.)
Noticing he was staring too much, Lian slapped his cheeks and covered his face with his hands.
"What was that? Why did my thoughts just..."
Ignoring his inaudible mumbles, Ding lay back down with his eyes closed. Lian walked towards him and sat beside him. Ding opened his right eye and looked at him.
"What?"
"Aren't you being too comfortable with someone who's 'habit is attacking?' "
Lian chuckled nervously and rubbed the back of his head.
"Sorry."
"Why?"
"Well..."
"Stop! I don't need your apology," he stated and closed his eye.
"Sir?"
Lian studied him and after a few minutes, Ding's even breathing indicated he was fast asleep. Lian moved closer to him, leaned his head on his palm and watched him sleeping.
"Hmm, when he's asleep he doesn't seem scary at all, instead... he looks kinda cute," he whispered to himself," am sure a lot of girls were drawn to him when he was in school. His eyelashes are really long and thick."
He unconsciously stretched out his hand but stopped himself a few inches from Ding's face. He immediately withdrew his hand and fell back surprised by himself.
"Was I about to..."
His voice trailed off and he let out a sigh. He watched him sleep and soon, the sky grew dark and he shook Ding's shoulder gently waking him up. Ding blinked wearily, his eyes adjusting to the faint light and his surroundings.
"Wake up sir, it's already dusk."
Ding instantly sat up surprised that he managed to sleep through half the day and with Lian by his side at that. He ran a frustrated hand across his face and stood up stretching his limbs. Lian watched the tall figure shadowing him amazed by his build. The two walked down the path and once in a while Lian stole glances at Ding. Ding however, ignored Lian's glares on him brushing him off as curious and annoying. As Lian was walking paying no attention to the path, he tripped on an overgrown root and fell to the ground with a loud thud.
"Ouch!"