Mystery Woman

   Bending down LiMei checks Wong Kai’s breath then opens the cloth bag. When she smells the herbs for some reason she feels the scent is familiar. He must be poisoned . She hurries back to where Rui is standing by the stream. Grabbing his arm she says, ”  Come with me, Baobei’s friend is lying on the ground by the bushes.” 

   “What friend?”

  “Baobei called him Old Hermit.”

  Rui puts down the sharpened branch and follows LiMei, expecting to see an old man. When he sees Wong Kai a flash of anger crosses his face. His voice sounds cold, “I can’t help him.”

  LiMei’s eyes are wide, “Rui! You have to help him! He could die!”

   “When did you meet him?”

  “Last night in the cave.”

  Rui grabs her arm and his cold eyes are filled with killing intent, “He spent the night in the cave?”

  “Well..yes..it was storming.”

  He drags her away, “Let’s go.”

  “NO! Rui! He is a good person, he gave me clothes and a medicinal fruit to fight the cold. He is Baobei’s friend!”

 “Naive! That man doesn’t do anything without a purpose!” Rui pictures the small cave and LiMei changing clothes in front of Wang Kai.  His dark eyes have rolling flames thinking about when she mumbled ‘Old Hermit’ when he was touching her earlier. Did they sleep in the same bed? He lowers his head and pinches her chin, his icy voice sends chills down her spine “Did he touch you?”

   She quivers, “Of course not! Rui…don’t be like this. You are a doctor, you can’t leave him like this he will die!” She wraps her arms around his neck and stands on her tiptoes then kisses him. Afterwards she gazes into his eyes trying to coax him, “Husband, you are the most handsome when you save someone.”

  He can see his reflection in her clear eyes full of admiration and love. Rui softens his tone, “Baby, if I help him Master will be very angry.”

 “Why?”

  “It is complicated.”

“He said he was leaving the island, Master Wong doesn’t need to know. If he didn’t give me the medicinal fruit…well…I would have been cold and miserable. It is repaying my debt to him.”

 Rui knows if the old man finds out he helped him he might not cure LiMei. He sees LiMei’s worried expression and nods unable to refuse her plea, “You can’t mention this when we return to the Compound.” 

 “I won’t.”

Rui lifts Wong Kai onto his back and LiMei picks up the cloth bag. When they enter the cave Rui throws Wang Kai on the small bed. He orders LiMei, “Wait for me by the stream.”

 “I could help. Do you want me to grind the herbs?”

 “No. I need to give him acupuncture first.” I need to take off his shirt and I don’t want you looking at another man!

“Okay. I saw some wild mushrooms I will go pick them.”

“Don’t go far.”

LiMei hugs him, “Rui…thank you.”

He brushes the loose strands of her hair behind her ear then caresses her cheek, “I don’t like you thanking me for another man.”

She smiles exposing her cute dimples, “You are the only man in my eyes. No one is more handsome than my husband.”

 Rui tightens his embrace and kisses LiMei until they are both breathless. When he finally lets her go his voice is hoarse, “Baby, you can’t ever forget you are my wife. You are mine.” 

 Her eyes bend into a crescent shape, “Husband…say that again.”

His lips curl up into a satisfied smile, “Wife…You are mine” He gently licks and sucks on her lips and LiMei softly moans, “Husband…”

 Rui reluctantly loosens his arms around her thin waist and reminds her, “Don’t wander too far away, don’t go into the forest.”

 “I won’t.

Rui watches her leave then takes the silver needles from the black backpack by the table. He sneers, “Wong Kai you are lucky my wife is soft hearted or I would leave you to die.”

  He walks over to the bed and lifts Wong Kai’s shirt. His chest is covered in scars and Rui recalls the scene when Wong Hu punished him then banished him from his sight. You certainly have balls to come to the Island. Even though you are his son he didn’t hold back when he whipped you within an inch of your life.

  Rui sticks two needles into Wong Kai’s chest close to his heart to stop the poison. Then he inserts several more needles, when he finishes he walks over to the cloth bag. Removing the medicinal herbs he breaks open a pod and several small red seeds fall onto the table. He wonders who would poison Wong Kai with such an insidious poison that requires fire seeds as part of the antidote.

  Beyond the cave LiMei picks wild mushrooms while happily humming a song. I should have trusted Rui instead of immediately jumping to conclusions. Suddenly a voice sounds behind her, “Qin Daiyu, what a surprise.” This is an unexpected windfall I came looking for that prick Wong Kai and stumbled across this treasure. I should rake in the cash, killing him then deivering Qin Daiyu to Kuang Fu.

 LiMei turns around, “Huh?”

  The woman notices her bewildered appearance, “It hasn’t been that long…you have forgotten me?”

LiMei has a confused expression, “You must have me mistaken for someone else. My name is Feng LiMei.”

Luz laughs, I would never forget you. If it weren’t for you Kuang Bo would be mine. Luz bends down and kneels in front of LiMei studying her expression then has an idea. She has a malicious gleam in her brown eyes, “Oh…sorry you aren’t my friend.”

 LiMei smiles, “Are you one of Master Wong’s disciples?”

 “Yes.”

 “Do you know my husband, Qiao Rui? He is in…” LiMei remembers Rui said not to let anyone know about Wong Kai.

 “…” Qin Daiyu got married? Who is this Qiao Rui? Does Kuang Bo know?

 LiMei quickly stands up, “I should get back to the Compound.” She walks the opposite direction of the cave and Luz doesn’t follow.

 Luz watches her leave, I will kill Wong Kai first then grab the bitch. He should be around here somewhere if my information is correct. 

 After she walks into the forest LiMei nervously glances back to see if the woman is following. She breathes a sigh of relief, good… She wrinkles her forehead,Qin Daiyu..why does that name sound familiar? 

Rui finishes feeding Wong Kai the decoction then leaves the cave to find LiMei. Looking around the stream he doesn’t see her and has a worried expression. I told her not to go into the forest!

 LiMei is digging bamboo shoots out of the ground when a tall shadow appears in front of her. She looks up and meets Rui’s eyes that are as pitch black as a bottomless abyss. He lifts her up into his embrace, “Don’t you know how to listen? I said don’t go into the forest!” 

 “I..I saw these bamboo trees and thought bamboo shoots sounded good.” I forgot because I wanted to get away from that female disciple.

 He hugs her tighter, “You could have waited for me. There are beasts in this forest.’ He kisses her forehead, “Well let’s go back You must be hungry.”

 LiMei is scooped up into his arms and he briskly strides back to the stream. He sets LiMei down on the large rock, “Don’t move.”

 She giggles, “I want to wash the mushrooms and bamboo shoots.”

  He takes the basket, “I will.”

 LiMei’s green eyes are sparkling as she watches him takee the sharpened branch and easily spear a large fish. She claps her hands, “That was so fast!”

  He smiles as he tosses the fat rainbow colored fish into a bucket. Continuing to fish he catches three more then washes the vegetables. 

   LiMei quietly gazes at Rui as he grills the fish and place the vegetables wrapped in banana leaves on the fire.  She walks over and hugs him from behind, “Husband, you are so amazing!”

   Feeling her warm body pressed on his back he hopes Wong Kai wakes up soon and leaves. The medicine should take effect by the time we finish eating lunch then I can be alone with LiMei