Jingting was staring at the dark sky with stars in it. He was standing by the open window in the clinic because he was the one here tonight in case of an emergency. Normally, the clinic was closed during the night, but if someone needed them. There was always one healer present, and he could open the door and just practice. So tonight it was Jingting's turn.
But somehow he felt bad. Something was hanging heavily on his chest, making him feel weird. But he did not know what it was. And he didn't know what to do to make himself feel better.
Jingting pushed himself away from the open window, but he left it open. That way he could hear if someone was knocking, and that way fresh air could come in and make the stuffy room feel a bit better. He was on the second floor, so whoever would climb up deserved the fight Jingting would put up.
He sat by the small table and poured himself a cup of tea. It wasn't the herbal mix he usually drank, but something he got from Xicheng that was apparently very popular among the upper class nowadays. He did not like it at all. It was bland, tasted like mud, and left a weird taste at the back of his throat.
But somehow Jingting had a feeling it wasn't the tea's fault. Since he got to know that Liu Sheng got shot by an arrow and did not mention it to him at all, he felt like nothing tasted that good. He frowned and sighed. Maybe someone could knock on the door and make him stop thinking about the ungrateful general who wasn't even able to tell him such an important thing.
He made another bunch of tea, now the herbal one he used to drink all the time, but it was also not good, too aromatic, too bitter. He put the teacup away and took the incense holder he had by his right hand and started to prepare the base for the incense powder. Somehow it made him relax, and the process of putting the incense powder, cleaning it up, and then lighting it was so perfectly perfect it made him feel really satisfied.
The streets were quiet, he could not hear a thing. Except somewhere in the dark far away was someone walking a horse, because he could hear the faint clattering of the horse's hooves. It was getting closer and closer. Jingting tensed up. Normal people were not rich enough to buy a horse. But far enough, the sound stopped.
Moments passed by and nothing happened.
Jingting went to lie down on the bed that was for the night watchers and lay down looking at the ceiling. He kept the candles lit, so if he had to go for an emergency, he wouldn't kill himself over a table or something… He learned the hard way. Just like everything else.
He closed his eyes and decided to have something that would resemble sleep. At least partially.
A faint sound could be heard. Something close. Jingting was ready to spring up if needed. But nothing happened, so he relaxed a bit. Or at least he wanted to relax. But he couldn't.
Time went by, and Jingting drifted off into a light slumber. Ready to jump up if someone knocked on the downstairs door. Then, suddenly, something touched his lips. It was a slight pressure, a hot skin-like feeling. He opened his eyes and saw the ungrateful person's face hovering above his, the pressure still on his lips. Jingting's eyebrows were almost by his hairline; he couldn't breathe. Even his face was reddening. But then Liu Sheng moved.
"Shush. Not a word," Liu Sheng whispered into his ear; he was so close, Jingting could feel his hot breath on his earlobe. A shock came right through him, through his entire body, and made him feel hot down there.
He slapped Liu Sheng's hand and moved it aside from his mouth. Cautiously, he looked around, but there was no danger, nothing. So Jingting decided to inspect how nicely Liu Sheng's army doctor had patched him up. He started opening his robes, while Liu Sheng just stared at him, red in his face, but let the doctor's work.
Jingting finally found it, a fresh scar among many other older ones. It was on his arm. It just barely scratched him, that probably did not even need stitches. No wonder Liu Sheng did not mention it. It really wasn't needed.
"Why are we hiding?" He whispered while putting Liu Sheng's clothes back on. Xiao Yi burst into the room at that moment, his short dagger drawn out, ready to kill. Yet when he saw Liu Sheng leaning over Jingting, who was still lying in his bed, he was just now putting the clothes back on Liu Sheng. Well, it definitely looked a bit… interesting.
"Because of him…" Liu Sheng said aloud while staring at Xiao Yi. Jingting pursed his lips, and with his face in the color of blood, he turned to Xiao Yi.
"It's okay, he is my guest," Jingting said and smiled.
"I noticed that…" Xiao Yi said and closed the door. Jingting hid his face in Liu Sheng's clothes he was still holding and started shaking.
"Are you okay?" Sheng asked. Jingting shook his head and looked at him with tears in his eyes. He started laughing quietly, and Sheng's heart finally started beating again. He pushed himself up from Jingting and sat at the edge of the bed. Jingting pulled himself up too while still laughing and leaned against the wall, his legs pushed to his chest.
"I will never be able to explain this," Jingting said between his quiet chuckles. But Sheng just shrugged. Just now, Jingting noticed how sad Sheng looked. Not only that, but older- not more mature, but older, ragged; his eyes were framed by dark circles. His skin was darker from the sun he spent his time in, and the stubble that could be seen even from further away just added to the illusion of older age. And also the dust from the way did not help much.
"Should I fetch you a bath?" he asked. Sheng did not say anything; he just stared at him. And Jingting knew something was wrong. Now the only thing remaining was to get out of Sheng, what it was. What worried him so much was that he aged by ten years in two months.