FRIVOLOUS SNOW

43|Pink

Zi Xin was bedridden for almost a day before he regained his strength after eating properly and drinking a lot of water and Min Shen's disgusting concoction of herbal medicine.

Zi Xin was itching to take a bath. Jianhua helped him fill the tub with warm water and Zi Xin was surprised when Jinghua offered to help him with his bath afraid that his body wasn't strong enough to do it.

"I-I can manage." Zi Xin said.

"Don't be shy. I've seen everything. I was the one who changed your clothes the first day father brought you here." Jianhua said making Zi Xin blush from embarrassment.

"Y-you!" Zi Xin exclaimed and glared at the man while crossing his arms on his chest, guarding his chastity.

Not even his dear Yong Xian saw him naked!

Jianhua couldn't help but laugh breaking his cold face as he looked at Cheng Xin. The man's every small action was cute like a maiden.

"Okay. I'll leave you with your bath. I will fetch fresh clothes for you." Jianhua said and turned around.

"Jianhua!" Zi Xin called making Jianhua turned to him. "Can you find robes of light colors? I don't want to wear black anymore." He said and Jianhua cracked a small smile.

So interesting. Jianhua thought. It was his first time seeing a man wanting to wear bright garments.

"I will look." Jianhua said and Zi Xin watched him leave the room before letting a sigh of relief.

×××

Zi Xin recovered after two days of drinking bitter bowls of medicines. Min Zhe owned an apothecary shop in front of their house located in Xiāng Liao country and the shop was known for the best quality of herbal plants and any other medicinal kinds of stuff, they even have succulents.

Zi Xin was so thankful that Min Zhe found and brought him from Shan Guo to Xiāng Liao decreasing the distance he needed to travel to Dashan. For a week, Zi Xin helped in the store as p*****t for the Min's kindness and Zi Xin has been planning when to continue traveling to Dashan.

Another morning came and Zi Xin woke up early to water the herbs in the backyard garden. He already got used to the scent of different herbs in the house. Min Jianhua was there first and he already did watering almost half of the garden.

"Xiao An!" Zi Xin called. He liked to tease Jianhua by calling him with the nickname Zi Xin made.

Jianhua glared at the grinning Zi Xin.

Zi Xin pouted. "Xiao An-gege is doing my job!"

"Go and help father in the shop then." Jianhua said and Zi Xin remained watching Jianhua watering the plants.

Zi Xin crossed his arms on his chest as he stubbornly stared at Jianhua who bent down to cup water in the bowl and splashed it to Zi Xin's direction making Zi Xin screamed as he dodges the water.

"You!" Zi Xin exclaimed as he ran towards Jianhua who had a small smile in his face. They ran around the garden, one cashing and one running away from his chaser. Zi Xin gave up running then laughed while he catches his breath. Jianhua smiled then let Zi Xin continued watering the herbs.

×××

Zi Xin changed his robes after sweating so much from running and watering the herbs. Jianhua gave him his older sister's robes that were left idle in their house for years since his older sister married and already lived separately from them. Zi Xin was glad Jianhua's elder sister had a similar taste of Zi Xin. He happily chooses to wear the only pink robes on that day and Zi Xin went to the shop to help arrange things.

Zi Xin arranged the succulents on the lower rack, crouching down and he was careful not to dirty the robes. It was his favorite.

Zi Xin heard the door opened but didn't pay any attention to the first customer that morning. He just continued arranging the cute succulents in every species. He never entertains costumers.

"Young master, is Uncle Min Zhe here today?" The customer asked and Zi Xin didn't turn to the customer but looked at the door where it leads to the house.

"Xiao An!" Zi Xin called as he stood up. "A young master is looking for uncle Min—"

Zi Xin froze on his feet with his mouth left open.

"Young master Yong Xian!" Min Zhe appeared from the door and was surprised to see Yong Xian of Dashan in his store that day and he was alone.

Yong Xian turned away from Zi Xin and faced Min Zhe. The man still looked the same the last time he stepped into that store and he was glad the old man hired a new staff so he didn't have to do all the job in the store alone if his son is away.

"Uncle Min Zhe, physician Fang made a list of herbs he needed." Yong Xian slipped his hand in his sleeve and fetched a yellow paper then handed it to Min Zhe.

Zi Xin, on the other hand, couldn't stop his body from trembling. Yong Xian was so near yet so far. Yong Xian didn't recognize him, of course, since he was in the wrong body. Zi Xin stared at Yong Xian's broad back and wondered if Yong Xian mourned for him when he knew that Zi Xin died from drowning. Or did his body went missing after getting swept by the current? He didn't know what happened to his body.

Zi Xin wished to be held by those warm arms again but he couldn't shout and said that he was Zi Xin. That his soul transmigrated to this new body. As if they would believe him. Zi Xin recognized that Yong Xian was wearing not his usual robes. He was wearing all black, from his shoes up to the ribbon on his hair. He wanted to see his face. Even just once again.

"Xiao Xin, help me gather these herbs for young master Yong Xian." Min Zhe said and handed him the lists.

Yong Xian was surprised to hear what uncle Min Zhe called the young man behind him. He scanned the small man who was busy reading the list and Yong Xian's heartbeat went fast for no reason.

The man had similarities with his Zi Xin. The kind of robes he was wearing, especially that very color. His heart ached remembering Zi Xin's face in the hands of that Fennu.

"Xiao Xin." Yong Xian muttered and Zi Xin raised his head from the list with his eyes wide open hearing Yong Xian called him.

××××××