10. Intrigued

Meng Huo sat like a statue, feeling too conscious under Han Xin's piercing gaze. As the queen and the little prince left a day ago, he was left alone with Han Xin, who was acting so nice without a reason. Now, they were sitting in the dining hall, sporadic voices of the utensils and Han Xin's filling the air.

"Try this one, it is good for the stomach."

"..."

"Eat more, you are too skinny."

"..."

"Does the East have this dish?"

Okay, an answer was needed, so Meng Huo shook his head. Well, even if the East had it, he had never seen or eaten it.

"Who did your hair today?"

Hearing the random question, Meng Huo tilted his head a bit up to check Han Xin's expression. His gaze was wondering yet his tone harboured a certain level of annoyance. Lowering his gaze back, Meng Huo replied "Z-Zhu Lei."

"Hmm," Han Xin gritted his teeth, "didn't she tell you to put some golden ornament on the half-bun you are wearing? I remember clearly that I gifted you a box of golden ornaments, yet you have a simple silver hair slide. I wonder why..."

Clenching his hands with anxiety, Meng Huo clarified "s-she said it, but... I thought it was... inappropriate." How could a mere slave wear a golden ornament?! It would be outrageous!

"Why? Didn't you like the pieces I chose?" Han Xin pressed as he had no idea what Meng Huo meant by being inappropriate.

"N-No!" Meng Huo almost shouted, fearing to cause a misunderstanding.

"Then?"

"T-The ornaments are really beautiful, but... I can't accept such valuable gifts." I deserve neither the gifts nor the kindness was the omitted part.

As Han Xin didn't expect such a reason, he was highly taken aback. He stared at the man in front of him intently, but didn't see anything other than sincerity. Who knew, maybe he had a small bit of conscience not to receive anything valuable as it was all a plot.

With that possibility, a strong desire to do something nice for him engulfed him. But what? Obviously he wouldn't like anything valuable, so Han Xin had to come up with something more abstract or simple.

"I-Is the prince angry?" Meng Huo asked, mustering his courage as Han Xin was silent for a while with a far-off look on his eyes.

"Which prince?" Han Xin asked absent-mindedly before he realised Meng Huo was talking about him. As expected, Meng Huo got confused and Han Xin let out a chuckle. "I am sorry, I just forgot that you were being formal unlike me. Seriously though, you can call me by my name or simply as 'you'."

Meng Huo remained silent, thinking how regretful Han Xin would get to say those words once he learned he was a despicable slave. Sighing heavily, he looked out of the oval window and thought how nice it would be to disappear in the forest, never to be found again.

His lack of response didn't irritate Han Xin much as he was way too busy watching him looking out with longing. Under the yellow beam of the sun slanting in through the window, his black hair looked so shiny and his small face so ethereal. Meng Huo was indeed a beautiful man even though he always had a dolorous aura around him.

"Do you want to visit the winter garden again?" he asked in an attempt to cheer him up a bit.

"Can we?" Suddenly, he looked more bright as his eyes twinkled with expectancy.

Damn it, he is too beautiful... even for an enemy...

Dismissing the abject thought, Han Xin nodded and rose to his feet elegantly. Meng Huo followed his suit and the duo walked to the winter garden in silence.

As Meng Huo was sick the first time they visited the garden, he couldn't appreciate the beauty of the garden deservedly. Now, he was fine and determined to enjoy the garden fully when he had the chance. He started to stroll around the small garden, his eyes touching every single plant. Like a good guard, Han Xin followed his baby steps from behind, providing him with the plant names and their use.

"Aren't you cold?" Han Xin had to ask when they were half way through. Although there was a bit of sunlight, it didn't give any warmth to the frosty weather. For him, it was okay as it was the usual weather in the North, but for someone coming from the warm East, it must have been freezing.

Fearing Han Xin would take him back before he saw it all, Meng Huo turned around and shook his head vigorously. However, his action enabled the prince to see his frostbitten cheeks and quivering purplish lips.

"Don't lie, you look like freezing," the prince reprimanded Meng Huo and grabbed his arm to take him back.

"B-But I haven't seen it all," the sad slave mumbled with a hoarse voice as he refused to move.

"The garden doesn't go anywhere, we can come later."

Indeed, Han Xin's argument was logical, but for Meng Huo, everyday had to be treated as the last. What if they learnt who he was tomorrow?

Although Han Xin had no idea about Meng Huo's fearful thoughts, he could still see the dejected expression his black eyes held within and he didn't like that expression any. Therefore, raising Meng Huo's head with his cold fingers, he said "let's do it like this; we will go in and have some hot tea, then I will give you a thicker cloak and we will continue from where we left, okay?"

Meng Huo's mood changed immediately. With a grateful smile, he nodded his head and even looked Han Xin in the eye for a second. Satisfied by the progress they made, Han Xin dragged Meng Huo in. After the tea, the duo went back to the garden as Han Xin promised and completed their tour.

That night Meng Huo fell asleep with a huge smile on his lips and Han Xin's face in his mind while Han Xin was trying to convince himself that the reason for his actions was to make Meng Huo spill the beans... not because he was intrigued by the strange man.