Tao Hua slowly opened his eyes. Each strained blink added more and more defined details to the sketch. This sketch revealed what looked like an ever-changing scene, becoming less and less blurry the more Tao Hua fluttered his lashes.
There were a few things he could make out while trying to manage his sleepiness. Trees, but not very much of them, and becoming more and more sparse which each that sauntered by.
Between them, there were a few notable details.
The first and most notable detail was that he was still in a wintry climate. This was easily deduced simply by judging how the snow weighed down most thin branches, either snapping them off completely, or snapping back in place with a low thud.
That was freshly packed snow, falling victim to the sun. It was loud enough to scare off the birds that chirped upon the branches, flapping into the blue skies as if not bothered by the cold one bit.
The second noticeable instance was just how vibrantly this sun now highlighted each tree individually—none of it was shadowed by the forest walls.
This was rather peculiar, and although Tao Hua hadn't fully woken, he still shifted his head toward the edge of whatever he was lying on, peeking at the ground.
What a pleasant surprise.
Ivory brick, as cool as jade. Pristine and well-maintained, and not at all similar to the chipped, dull brick of Siyue Town. Judging from the grout between each brick, and the light dust of white, someone had cleared off the snow that once sat atop this path.
Hm. That was also odd. It was as if Tao Hua was expecting to return home at any moment. He pressed his cheek back onto his so-called "pillow," furrowing his brows at how uncomfortable and hard it felt. One pat, and then another, and a few more, yet Tao Hua couldn't quite make himself comfortable.
While he did this, the groggy, peach eyes followed each passing tree as they trailed out of sight, and when they were no more, he'd move onto the next.
At the wiggle of his feet, Tao Hua made note of something even stranger. The world kept moving, and yet he remained stationary.
That didn't quite add up.
"…"
This continued for another few trees until Tao Hua let out a groan. He flipped to his other cheek, letting it squash into the uncomfortable pillow. Though he couldn't quite see past what looked to be a wall of black strands.
Now, of course, the first thing that typically should run through someone's head is investigating the situation; figure out what the fuck he was looking at.
Tao Hua didn't do that.
Instead, he had both arms tightly wrapped around whatever it was he called his bed. Tightly fastening one of those hands around the bundle of fabric and nearly pulling it out of the sash that kept it in place, Tao Hua lifted his other hand toward the black strands.
Intrusive thoughts always won against the morning mind.
Tao Hua gently placed his hand against it, gliding his fingers in between each bundle of strands and brushing along it with careful strokes.
It was exactly as he had imagined! Soft and silky! Like petting a cat.
It was rather enjoyable and almost trance-inducing, forming the smallest and most innocent smile ever. Tao Hua repeated this action a few times, enjoying the sensation that tickled between his fingers. Not once did he register that the trees had stopped moving and the thumps of vibration ceased.
Nope, Tao Hua was immersed in the black, and only when a voice spoke was he tugged back into reality. The voice was deep and sultry—like music to the ears.
It said, "Enjoying yourself?"
Tao Hua immediately stalled, his fingers frozen midway brush, and after a short moment, they curled into his palm like a dried-out starfish.
"Uh—" Tao Hua hesitated as his situation finally started to assemble, with Tao Hua's widening eyes being the missing piece to this puzzle.
Was he not supposed to do that?
He ripped his hand away from the black strands and shot up, straightening his back and shoulders. From left to right, he noticed that what he was lying on wasn't a pillow, but indeed a person.
Unlike anyone else in this situation, Tao Hua didn't immediately look at the source of the comment. This was unintentional, as something else had completely caught his attention.
Ahead stood a grand gate, taller than anything Tao Hua had ever witnessed in his twenty years. Buzhi Forest was no more, and it was as if he'd emerged from the darkness to find the very gate of heaven itself.
To put it into perspective—just how amazing this gate was to someone like Tao Hua—not even the Tao Esate's two established gates could ever compete with the amazing height and architecture of this one. If the gates back home were compared to a wall of magnificent lanterns magically lighting up the sky, then this gate was the golden dragon that lit each aflame.
Though it was only one story tall, that single story alone was sized higher than three buildings back in Siyue Town. The roof was a royal yellow and reflected the sun dazzlingly, as if the two were fated to cross paths. It curved elegantly, shaped like a boat with statues on both sides of the eaves.
They were the same colour as the roof, blending in perfectly. Too perfectly, rather. Even if Tao Hua squinted, he couldn't seem to make them out, so there was no point in exerting any more effort than he had available.
But wow, was it ever a sight to behold!
Tao Hua huffed, his lips parted as the gate approached closer and closer, and the gate's entrance more pronounced. It was open wide, offering Tao Hua a blurred picture of the town within. Due to the massive amount of snow, he couldn't make out much of anything, and thanks to the town's bright colours, it blindingly reflected and stung Tao Hua's eyes.
Thus, he'd have to wait until they'd moved past the gate, as it was clear that was their destination.
So, he just gave up. There were other matters at hand that needed his attention.
He whipped his head back to the black strands, following them toward the slight reveal of an ear, a jawline, and then the side-profile of a face.
Dazed, he studied that face, watching as the pale eyes focused on the gate ahead. It was handsome, and rather fun to look it, admittedly!
Tao Hua found himself in a daze just by staring at this beautiful piece of art.
Given that he was now sitting up, it only took him a moment to realize what situation he was in—the longer he stared at that beauty, the more the night, and the time adventuring in Buzhi Forest, started flooding back to him.
It happened all at once, offering Tao Hua not eleven a chance to breathe. He began recounting every emotional event, from the fire to face-planting into the snow repeatedly, to him breaking down crying.
And then, if that wasn't already bad enough, he'd recall every weirdly intimate and touchy moment between the two—from what had actually happened to what hadn't.
How shameful. Tao Hua's cheeks flushed a vibrant red, and he shamefully sank into his own shoulders, wishing to nook himself back into Shan Si's shoulders.
When he looked back at the man, he saw that the pale-white eyes were no longer on the tall red gate before them, but now on Tao Hua.
Tao Hua stared back.
They stayed that way for a while. One was at ease, his eyes half-lidded and rimmed with dark circles, while the other's face brightened red and well-rested.
Of course, Shan Si was the first, and Tao Hua was the second.
Removing his gaze first, Tao Hua looked away and smiled clumsily, refusing to look back in Shan Si's direction.
"M-Morning…" he whispered, sounding rather guilty for some who was simply admiring another.
"Sleep well?"
Tao Hua did as he wished and pressed his forehead against Shan Si's shoulders. How embarrassing. A grown man falling asleep on the shoulder of someone he'd just met that week. Regardless of this fact, Tao Hua still had to admit that he'd rested rather well on Shan Si's back.
So, he nodded slowly, still refusing to look in the other's direction, only peeking up
occasionally, watching as the entrance of the gate grew larger and larger.
"I could tell," Shan Si quipped, turning back to the gate that now stood before them. He tipped his head, looking at the door. "You're a loud sleeper, how couldn't I?"
Tao Hua's face nearly burst into flames. He glanced down at the brick, his lips pressed against the shoulder fabric and slightly dampening it.
Very embarrassing—not an optimal way to wake up. But it was the first he'd properly awoken to someone other than a book.
How was he supposed to feel? He couldn't tell if it was anxiety or butterflies that fucked up his stomach so.
Lifting his head, Tao Hua turned to look at Shan Si, whose eyebrows wrinkled the longer he stared at the door. Before Tao Hua could respond to him, however, he said, "Oh, what now?"
Tao Hua just blinked at the sound of Shan Si sighing. Then, his left arm started to vibrate, extbesinf into his torso. Glancing down at it, he noticed Shan Si nudging his shoulder as if trying to stretch it out.
Was he supposed to move?
"Grab it."
"Huh…?" Tao Hua watched the shoulder bounce, then looked back at Shan Si who was merely focused on the gate's door. Everything in his complexion transpired from playful to utterly sour! This man was grimacing so hard, Tao Hua feared his own eyebrows would pop off.
Though a part of Tao Hua's heightened with anxiety. He wasn't sure if it was something he had done, judging by how annoyed Shan Si sounded. However, with another nudge, Shan Si merely barked, "The door, Tao Hua! Toward the door!"
Jolting, he whipped his head toward the heavy red door. On it were lines of gold, and it wasn't the fake gold used at the Tao Estate. This was authentic gold, judging by the quality alone.
But despite its beautifully crafted and simple design, that's not what caught either Tao Hua's or Shan Si's attention.
On that beautiful and large door hung a piece of wrinkled paper.
"Fucking idiot," Shan Si muttered. "Rip it off. Crumple it, but don't throw it out."
Shan Si moved closer to the door and stood on the tips of his toes. Sure, he was an abnormally tall man, but whoever pinned this paper to the door seemed to know that. It was at least two heads taller than Shan Si.
Whoever placed it there intended to make Shan Si struggle.
Pressing one of his hands to Shan Si's shoulders, Tao Hua pushed himself taller, reaching up for the note. The black and gold sleeves, sized far bigger than Tao Hua, nearly slapped him in the face as he tried to grab the note. His fingers skimmed across the bottom, and upon further investigation, he noticed something written on it.
Though it was hard NOT to notice something written on it. Every line was drawn thickly and made to be read from a mile away.
As soon as Tao Hua had it in his grasp, he let his body collapse back onto Shan Si, and wrapped a hand around his shoulders as if already comfortable with their dynamic. It came off with ease, and when he turned it around, he noticed there was nothing holding it in place.
It was as if the note simply hung there, magically.
He flipped it back around to grab another look at it's contents, but amid this curiosity, Tao Hua had to press his lips tightly together and try not to laugh.
It didn't go unnoticed by Shan Si, as he just said, "Crumple it already. It's a worthless piece of junk."
It was a piece of paper?
Tao Hua didn't listen; he was far too immersed in the terribly written note to care about what reaction it would solicit from Shan Si.
Lips curling upward, Tao Hua's thumb brushed against the paper. It was a simple note, garnished with a small drawing of a man, tucked in the corner.
A single word took most of page, and it was underlined thrice, each stroke more immediate than the next, beaming with whimsy trails of vigour.
That oh-so important word?
LATE!!!
That was it. Someone's clearly expecting Shan Si much earlier than the afternoon. Is that why he was desperate back in the forest?
Under it, to the right of the tea-stained paper, was the little drawing of a man's face. It wasn't a spectacle by any means—a blind man could have drawn something better.
On his head were horns, and his mouth had fangs. If Tao Hua had his way, he'd also add in a bit of fire-breathing to complete the picture.
As he scanned the drawing, he noticed something.
Two things stood out as familiar. The first was how straight and indented the eyebrows were; rather angry! The second familiarity was the gold ornament that tied this man's hair up into a half-ponytail.
Tao Hua could have sworn he'd seen it before.
That's when he turned to look at Shan Si, who was simply glaring at him impatiently. But never mind that, his eyes trailed up the man's face, and to the gold ornament that kept his hair neatly tied up.
It was hard not to laugh.
Chapter end.