Just as Jin Yan Heng places both his hands on her waist, he feels a presence charging at them and quickly spins her around so that he is now standing between her and their attacker. “Who are you?!”
Lou Chen immediately recognizes the man in black, Ming, her brother’s bodyguard. His sudden appearance is a surprise and she does not know why he is fighting with Jin Yan Heng but she did not order him to stop. On second thought, this sparring opportunity may be good for Jin Yan Heng now that his internal injuries have healed. As for Ming, he may be a martial arts expert, but he is also a sensible man and is unlikely to maim Jin Yan Heng.
As Lou Chen watches them fight, Jin Yan Heng has gathered the following information about his attacker. One, he is someone with strong internal powers. His fists are powerful but his movements are very agile. Two, although he did not pull his punches, his strokes are not deadly. Since internal strength is something he is least afraid to compare at this moment, Jin Yan Heng starts to pummel his attacker with renewed vigor.
After about half a joss-stick time , Lou Chen finally orders. “Ming, that is enough. Stop.”
At her command, Ming quickly pull his punches and takes 2 steps back. In the next moment, he has retreated behind Lou Chen while Jin Yan Heng finally connects the dots. “You guys know each other?”
He knows the answer even as he asks the question and mentally berates himself for the unnecessary question. He takes a good look at his attacker – a handsome young man in his twenties– and feels a sense of danger. His peach-blossom eyes glints as he asks slowly. “Chen’er, what did you just call him?”
“Ming.” is her clam reply.
The look he shoots her is so unbelieving; he nearly succeeds in surprising her. “You have never called me Heng! How can you call another man so intimately?”
The way he is acting now reminds her of a cat whose tail has been trodden upon. Although Lou Chen feels like rolling her eyes at his thought process, his question makes her feel surprising light-hearted. “His name is really just that – Ming.”
Jin Yan Heng checks out the other man once more. His body language towards Lou Chen speaks of respect and Lou Chen has not look at him since he has stepped behind her. Although these two are not strangers, they are definitely not close either. Even though he is now sure that the new-comer is not potential a love-rival, he has no intention to let this opportunity slip and miss correcting his term of address. Eyes sorrowful, he says levelly. “From henceforth, I have decided that my name is only ‘Heng’. In future, Chen’er can just call me ‘Heng’.”
Ming narrows his eyes. To prevent Miss from detecting his presence, he has kept a safe distance and has thus missed how sly this man is although he has known about this character. And from the way Miss seems to be condoning him, he can tell that he is going to have an uphill task completing the mission that Master has entrusted him.
As for Lou Chen, she can feel a small muscle twitching at the corner of his eye. Really, this kind of “I am jealous! I am jealous! Quick, give in to my request” is really too childish for her likeing. Deciding to ignore him, she throws him a “Have an early rest” and walks to her room.
“Chen’er!” Jin Yan Heng tries to follow but a muscled arm blocks his way. Feeling magnanimous, Ming decides to say a few more words than he normally would. “It is best that Master Yan rest early. If you are keen to fight some more, I will be more than happy to oblige.”
Looking at her disappearing back, Jin Yan Heng can only stare after her longingly. He has guessed the relationship between Chen’er and Ming and is secretly glad that she now has an able body guard in this moment of peril. Still, that does not mean that the sour bubbles in his heart are going to stop popping anytime soon. Just how many obedient and highly-skilled men are there in the Lou family? If there is a “Ming” (light) today, is there going to be another “Yin” (dark) who is going to pop up tomorrow?
He can almost see the day when he finally get to hold her little hand growing further and further away.
Ay, his future – it is really going to be light-less future!