'En, this shall do.'

Stuffing the wild herbs that she just sniffed into her clothes, Jae-in continues to bend on her knees to search for any medicinal herbs to tend to their wounds. Thinking that they might be staying in this rundown hut for at least 5 days, it's better to gather whatever they have to prepare for emergency.

Jae-in did not stray far from the hut, after leaving the hut to let Wang Xuan cool down, she then realized that she has no tools to assist her weakness. Shamelessly, she entered the hut again, ignoring Wang Xuan's shuttering name-calling as she was fumbling through the stuff to find something useful.

At last, she found a rope, and she ties it around her waist while attaching the other end to the wooden pole at the entrance. Using the rope as a guide for her to head back, she daringly ventures out into the wild with no fear of any incoming dangers. Probably, losing her sight made her calm in any situation.

Not able to see it, it shall never exist.

Just as she wanted to head back, her hand touch a wooden stick and it feels sturdy enough to support her if she ever needs to venture out alone again. Smiling with a small victory, she test out her new 'weapon' while keeping the ropes as she goes.

'Shriek'

The sound of the wooden door that barely keep the hut close caught Xuan Di's attention, and he finally sees her figure entering the hut. Throwing the ropes that she untied from the wooden pole onto the ground, she used the wooden stick to reach to the table, close to the bed where Xuan Di is at.

"Where did you go?"

"Search for herbs."

"It's dangerous for you to head outside ... in this state."

"Then am I supposed to wait till your knees are recovered?"

Xuan Di kept silent as he couldn't rebuke her statements. It is true, he is the most useless one out of all. Frustrated at how weak he is, stare at his bandaged kneecap and look over his bandaged arms.

'I, the son of the heavens of Xuan Kingdom, now have to rely on a woman to protect and feed him alive?'

Blushing with a red face with shameful feelings, Xuan Di pouted for the very first time. Turning his head to look at Jae-in slowly manoeuvring around the hut, he finally open his mouth again.

"Y-you ... can you come over here for a moment?"

Stopping her movement, Jae-in wrinkled her brows but still head towards his voice.

"What is it that you need?"

As she stops in front of him, Xuan Di adjusted his position so that his head is closer the edge of the wooden bed plank, stretching his neck as far as he can so to use his head to nuzzle at Jae-in's hand.

"Come closer, I can't reach you."

Still wondering why is Wang Xuan asking such favour in her head, yet she continues to follow his lead since she is the only one who can take care of him right now. Taking a step closer to him while using her hands to reach forward, her fingers touch his hair which gave her a gauge of his position. Leaving her hands onto the sides of his face, she bends downwards to match his height.

In the meanwhile, Xuan Di got Jae-in to be a step closer and he enjoyed the moment of her touch like a little dog being pet by their owner. Not going to admit that after he recovered from his breakdown with the short alone time given by Jae-in, he felt embarrassed and wants to dig a hole to bury his shameful acts.

Still, nothing is going to stop him from closing the gap between him and Jae-in. He owes her too much and the distance between them is too far for him to catch up to her. Not when she doesn't even know his true identity, and assume that he is just a random stranger. But, how will she react if she knew that Wang Xuan is Xuan Di? How will she treat him? How will she behave?

Will she start to run away, leaving a wider gap between them? Or will she achieve her goal of escaping to the Xuan border and reunite with her family? Then, will she slowly let go of her past and memories shared between them, and find someone to have a second-chance with? Move on with a new man in her life and once again marrying each other to live the second part of their life till old age?

No, this is not the outcome he wants.

The mood within him changed drastically with the thought of Jae-in moving on in her life with another disgusting man other than him, leaving him alone and removing his existence to pursue her happiness. He knew that she deserve whatever she wished for based on the way he mistreated her in the past, all his wrongdoings as a man, as her husband, but he cannot accept this.

He is not going to lie and doesn't want to deny that he is a selfish man.

Heavy and serious sentiments has been transmitted to Jae-in, even with her eyes closed. Jae-in shuddered with chills running down her back like a bad omen to be striking her any time right now. Something bad is brewing without her knowing and there is no way to stop it.

Thinking that it is due to the wind, she ignored the chills and continue to touch Xuan Di's face.

"What is that you need from me? Now that I am here, speak up."

Looking at the rope being tied around her waist, he quickly used his face to charge towards them and bite it down hard like an untamed dog, refusing to let go. This sudden action of Wang Xuan shocked Jae-in, and she used her hands to push his face away from her waist.

"What are you doing?! Let go of the rope! I said stop biting onto them!"

"n-u! I dwun- wan- yu- to- leef -me."

"What are you talking about?"

"P-lwease do-nt leef-me"

As Jae-in stood upright with Xuan Di's face closely planted to her waist and the rope in his mouth, he continues to stare at her face and wait for her to decipher the words he said. Jae-in stop and recall what he was trying to say.

"Did you say 'please don't leave me'?"

"En."

As she wondered why he said that, the conversation that they shared in one of the resting inn appeared in her mind. That's right, after all Wang Xuan is still a well-sheltered guy that has never ventured out into the world before. Someone so inexperience with situations like that must have scared him a little too much. Plus, he is heavily tortured that caused him to be disabled. It is not a surprise if he is feeling scared and unsure of what to do next.

Furthermore, Jae-in and him went through the ordeal together which makes him recognize and rely on Jae-in more than usual. Jae-in guessed that Wang Xuan has already marked her as his source of comfort. Earlier on, she ignored his pleas to not leave him alone in the hut, assuming that he needed his alone space to breakdown, but she forgotten the traumatic experience he went through made him much more vulnerable compared to an ordinary man.

'Once I finish paying off the 2 favours, the two of us shall never meet once we split up at the Kai border.' That was what she thought previously, but now, it is not the time to abandon him like this.

'Oh well, I shall take this as paying off my 2nd favours to him. I shall heal him as much as I can till we separate our ways at the Kai border.'

Finally, Jae-in understood his worries and concerns which automatically changed her attitude towards him. It is an in born female instinct to care for someone who is weaker and vulnerable than them. Reaching out to pet Wang Xuan's head, she wants to make him feel less worried.

"I am not going to leave you for now. Don't worry about this. We will survive this together. Okay?"

Though she is as weak as Wang Xuan, but someone like her whom been through worst situation in her past life, forgotten how it feels like for others to experience the tough moments for the very first time. Sighing in her breath, she felt guilty for treating Wang Xuan harshly as she often has an overlapping feeling whenever she interacts with him, as if she is talking to Xuan Di. This feeling makes her feel so repulsive and guarded like a porcupine extending their thorns. Thus, her attitude and treatment came off harsh towards him.

'Geez, what am I thinking? Obviously they are different people and it's just my imagination.'

Jae-in shake her head to clear her thought, from now on, her duty will be taking care of Wang Xuan till he is able to walk out of the trauma caused in the village. She shall not treat him harshly like how she did previously.

With her verbal promise, Xuan Di looks at her with happiness and nodded to show signs that he accepted what she had said. Pulling the rope in his mouth, Jae-in slowly remove the rope bitten from Wang Xuan and tied the end of the rope to his hands.

"I understand why you are feeling this way. Don't worry, I will not leave you alone anymore. Previously, I wasn't aware of your fears and insecurities. I will let you know wherever I am heading to and you can hold onto the ropes that is binding me. I will help you to heal from the trauma you had."

Xuan Di looks down at the rope that Jae-in tied to his wrist and stare at her face with confusion.

What trauma did he had? Other than the fear of losing her and not getting her back, he doesn't remember what trauma he could possibly have. Wait, did she misunderstood the reason why he is behaving this way is due to the torture he endured in the village? Ha ... What an opportunity! It's alright, he can be the most pathetic man on earth just to get her sympathy. As long as she is not pushing him away.

He shall put up this vulnerable act as long as he can till he gets her forgiveness. Smiling with a genuine smile, Xuan Di drown himself with the illusionary future that he wants to get.

*** ***

It has been 3 days since Jae-in and Xuan Di got stuck in the hut at the forested hill near Death City. Jae-in has been the one heading out to source for fruits and water while tending to Xuan Di's injuries. In just 3 days, Xuan Di experienced warmth and care that he had never received before. With no status burden, he accepted genuine feelings with no ill intention and scheming thoughts.

But one thing he did not know is that Jae-in is just treating him like a little brother who is injured, actions that will be carried out to whoever faced the same thing as him.

Xuan Di is definitely sinking deeper into the illusion that he created for him and Jae-in. Despite the limited days to recover from his injuries, Xuan Di has noticed an improvement in his broken kneecap. Though it hurts, but he still forcefully move his legs with the aim to heal faster. Everyday he faces hell and heaven each time Jae-in's soft touch caressing his face and his body, pushing him to the limits and driving his determination to quicken his healing pace.

He can't wait to hold Jae-in into his arms like he did before. To feel her and trap her into the cage he has been slowly building since the day he become aware of his feelings.

Jae-in endured the discomfort on her back as she took care of Xuan Di during their stay in the hut as she viewed herself as an older sister, thinking Wang Xuan is younger than her based on their looks. Though she is slowly adapting to the life here, but she can't help to worry about Chen Jue's safety.

'Why isn't Chen Jue here? And I wonder how is Yu-ji and Ai Le doing ...'

With the thought of Ai Le, Jae-in's heart sank as she piece up all the information gathered from Wang Xuan and Qi Zheng. The ordeal between Qi Yuan and Ai Le is a tough one to defeat. Shaking her head, she knew from the start that their path of love is going to be a tideous one since there is an imbalance of love given out by both parties. Jae-in could only pray that their love will have a decent ending, hopefully Ai Le will wake up from the trance and pursue her own happiness.

"Wang Xuan, I am back!"

Jae-in enters the hut and used her wooden stick to guide her to the table. Laying the fruits there, Jae-in wipe her sweat off her neck using her the back of her hands. Xuan Di's eyes lit up as she return home and the simple exchange between them makes him feels like an ordinary husband and wife living a simple life together.

"Y-you are fi-"

Before he could finish his sentence, someone else interrupted his sentence.

"I am back."

Turning behind, Jae-in felt a new presence near her and the voice sounds familiar.

"Chen Jue?"

"En. Sorry that I took awhile to come back."

"It's nothing, I am glad that you are safe!"

Reaching out her hands to touch his face and shoulder to ensure that he is not severely injured, a smile plastered on her face. However this interaction between them did not go well with Xuan Di, the speechless reaction he had when he saw Jae-in naturally use her delicate fingers to touch an unknown man other him makes him feel angry and utterly betrayed.

"Now that I am back, I shall be the one taking care of both of you."

"You shouldn't! I can ta-"

"You are also a patient, it has been hard for you to take of Wang Xuan when you are also heavily injured..."

"Then, I shall trouble you Chen Jue."

Smiling as Chen Jue carefully place her hands onto his and guided her to the nearest chair like a servant butler attending to their noble lady. The acceptance of this close proximity dropped a bomb onto Xuan Di's head and his whole body is on fire.