This story may not be anywhere near a cla.s.sic, but I like its many unexpected twists and turns. After a blue moon in the first chapter, we have 2 racing-oxens next. I"m looking forward to what other enchantment Feng Jin can cast but we learn today that he is not that all-powerful and his magic can backfire on him.

I inserted a b.l.o.o.d.y picture (I meant it literally) at the end of the post and if you are adverse to blood, please do not scroll to the end. Hope you enjoy today"s update.

Chapter 2 (Part 2 of 2)

Feng Jin watches in veiled amus.e.m.e.nt as Shang Guan Jing scuttles busily between the farmer and his oxens. She has been forced to tend to the farmer when the latter fainted and she is now patting his face anxiously to wake him, worried concern written all over her face. When the farmer remains unconscious, Feng Jin takes some mint form his basket and offers them to her helpfully so that she can whiff the leaves under the farmer"s nose.

"Stay where you are!" It is quite obvious that the farmer has fainted when he saw Feng Jin and she does not want to risk the man fainting again the moment he wakes up and sees Feng Jin standing right in front of him. However, she regrets her rash tone the moment the words left her – lord knows she does not want to hurt his already vulnerable feelings – and mentally berates herself for her insensitivity.

After knowing her for 2 weeks, Feng Jing can guess the source of her consternation. Thinking that he should not let her good intentions go to waste, he nods with resigned acceptance. "Alright, I will stay where I am. I know… I will not come near…."

Thinking that she has indeed hurt his feelings, Shang Guan Jing tries to repair the damage but Feng Jin steps away with a forced smile (he nearly had st.i.tches as he held back laughing at her torn face). "You need not explain. I … truly understand."

He is careful not to sound overly dejected and mentally congratulates himself for pulling off his great acting with just the right mix of regret, remorse and self-pity.

Shang Guan Jing would love to make further amends but with her hands full, she has no choice but to turn back to the more important matters at hand. Taking some mint leaves from her sachet, she crushes them between her fingers and holds it beneath the unconscious farmer"s nose.   After she has finally roused the farmer, she hurries over to tend to the next.

After a long time scrubbing their tough backs, the oxens finally cease their woeful, reproaching looks from under their big, innocent eyes and stumbles back to their feet. They whisk their tails, turned a half circle, and freeze as they spot Feng Jin. Like the farmer, their eyes widen with fear and they backed a step..

Ok, thinks Feng Jin, maybe I went a teeny-whiney bit overboard with you guys today.

Ruefully, he remembers that today is the 15th and knows that there will be h.e.l.l to pay later. When the moon is at his fullest, his powers are at his weakest and Feng Jin usually would avoid casting spells on this day.

Still, ha-ha, who cares? He can afford the price if he can rattle Shang Guan Jing into losing her cool, and watch her internal battles between doing what is right and doing what is kind. Deep down, he likes the way she tries to suppress her pity towards him and her concern for him. Even though he knows that her concern stems from pity, he does not really care. She has great potential to become his "medicine" and if she cares for him - regardless of reason – the medicinal effect will last longer.

When she first started shadowing him this evening, he has not noticed her presence because she makes no sound when walking. But when she sighed when the 2 children has burst out crying, he has caught on to her presence. This woman, thinks Feng Jin, is a true-blue maverick. She has seen with her own eyes how the villagers avoid him like the plague. Doesn"t she question the reason for their fear, or at least raise her guard against him?

Should he applaud her kind-heartedness, or mock her lack of self-preservation?

When both farmer and oxens are back on their feet and ready to leave, the farmer tries to warn Shang Guan Jing. His trepidation is obvious as his eyes dart nervously between Feng Jin and Shang Guan Jing. "Miss, you…. you be careful."

Shang Guan Jing knows that he is referring to Feng Jin and a.s.sures him firmly. "Lao Die, do take care of yourself too. I am very sorry for what happened today. It is my fault for hurting your oxens and not someone else."

Feng Jin mentally shakes his head at the moron and sighs. He has not meant to sigh out loud but the sound has escaped and is interpreted quite differently by Shang Guan Jing. She is shaken by the unfairness of the discrimination towards him and to makes up for it by being more friendly towards him as they walk back to the bamboo house.

"I have always thought that oxens are gentle creatures but I have learnt something new today. Not only did I see 1, I saw 2 aggressive oxens!"

He smiles innocently. "Yes, this is strange indeed. Now you know how aggressive our Nan Man oxens can be when they are in heat."

"You mean these 2 oxens are in heat?"

"You have to believe me. What other reason can cause 2 male oxens to suddenly turn aggressive?"

"But spring is nearly over!"

"Yes, but there are occasionally some laggards who gets into heat later." They continue their discussion on spring all the way home and after a while, he brings up the topic of the Diaos. "Have Miss Shang Guan found more information on the Diao family?"

Her brows furrow in consternation. "This is a problem. I have asked everyone who lives around here but no one can tell me anything more beyond the fact that they have heard about them."

"You mean they may know more than what they are telling you?" He shakes his head and sighs. "I have been a burden to you."

"What do you mean?"

"Am I right to say that no one will give you the time of the day once you mention that you are my guest at the bamboo house?"

Her conscious p.r.i.c.ks at her and she thinks that now may be a good chance to persuade him to open up more to improve the situation with the villagers. "If you interact more with the villages, they will come to realize that you are a very nice man. Really, the rumor that your looks are caused by some evil spirit is a misunderstanding as big as the sky! Have you ever tried to explain?"

He is amused by her earnestness. "In your opinion, why do I look like this?"

Relieved that he is not offended by her suggestion, she flushes. "You mentioned that this is natural so I guess you are born like this. Am I correct?"

He nods. "Yes. But have you considered that my mother could have encountered some evils spirits while pregnant which gave me my abnormal looks? Besides, who knows if this evil could have seep into her blood before being pa.s.sed on to me? The villagers may not be wrong to keep their distance. Perhaps, you should follow suit and keep your distance. In fact, I think… you should leave soon. Stay as far away from me as possible."

His reverse psychology has the desired effect of making her more determined to befriend him. They continue their argument about friendship they until they reach his bamboo house. Just as the sun sets, Feng Jin exhales sharply and drops to one knee.

"Master Feng!" She kneels besides him and listens intently to his breathing. "Where are you feeling hurt? Can you tell me - gosh!" She has placed a finger under his nose and is surprised to feel a drop of red fluid on her finger.

Blood?

"I"m fine. Just leave." He grits his teeth and to her shock, she sees blood starting to flow down from his eyes and ears.

Leave? He expects her to leave when blood is flowing from his eyes and ears …. and nose and mouth?! As he continues to bleed, the red patches on his face starts to pale until at last, his face is a consistent shade of grey.

He is asking her to leave when his condition is this serious?

"Leave? Where do you expect me to go? I just barely got here from thousands of miles away!" Annoyed beyond measure, she pushes his basket away and helps him to his feet. Throwing one of his hands over her shoulder, she starts to walk him towards the bamboo house.

"Let go of me." More blood gushes from his mouth. "My basket, herbs…."

"Shut up!"

Wrapping a hand firmly around his waist and holding his hand firmly with her other hand, she uses her qinggong once more and speeds back to the bamboo house with him in tow.

Chapter 3 (Part 1 of 2)

Feng Jin knows that he may appear childish by rejecting help when no other sources of help are available. However, he has never aspired to be a true man (literally) so he is not concern if anyone thinks that he acting like a kid.

Besides, no one has ever told him to shut up - very fiercely, no less - and the feeling is pretty novel.

He is strangely elated by her concern, harsh though it sounds, and he can feel his blood coursing energetically through his veins. He has not felt this excited for a long time and it goes a long way to distract him from his physical pain.

"Master Feng? Master Feng? Are you awake?" Even with his eyes close, the concern in her voice is audible and he can imagine her worried face. "Feng Jin, Feng Jin!"

He likes the way she calls his name and tries to open his eyes. When he sees that he is lying on his bed with her at the bedside, he muses that she must have brought him back afterall. Unfortunately, she has caught some of his mud and blood in the process and is looking rather frumpy at the moment.

"Go away. I do not need you to stay by my bedside. I will …. not… die." He can taste the blood in his throat and his chest is aching badly. But other than the discomfort, he is happily soaking up her concern.

She takes his hand and measures his pulse. "I am not leaving until you tell me what is happening!"

"Don"t worry. My pulse rate is normal. I have not gone over the edge…. My mind is clear and …. I am still lucid. It is just that every 15th day of the lunar month, I will…. bleed. It has been like that for as long as I can …. remember and I am used to it. I will be fine after a good rest."

"Your mean you bleed through your orifices once every month?"

"Yes." A corner of his mouth curls up sardonically. "Once a month without fail… since the day I was born. My clan elders said that this is a blood curse. There is an evil spirit who has followed me from the womb which gave me in my strange looks …. and this weird illness.." Although a bit breathless, he manages firmly. "Now please leave. Take it as if I"m begging you…. I will only bring you misfortune. Leave."

He closes his eyes tiredly and to his shock, he hears footsteps leading to the door.

Did she just leave?

He has been quite sure that she is going to stick to his side like glue and his blood rushes up his head at the unexpected turn of events.