Second Flame Of Romance

Chapter 14 - We are poor and unable to be charitable

WT 14 - We are poor and unable to be charitable
 
Immediately after Wan Ting met her mother, she took her to the side and asked with a low voice, "Mother, did Prince Heng say anything yesterday?" 
 
"He is worried about your mind and even asked us to look after you. Luckily you are fine.” Madam Wan eyed her daughter. “Maybe you should rest more. Your eyes look horrible."
 
Hearing that Prince Heng cared about her made her delighted, but when her mother said her eyes looked horrible thanks to her not sleeping but reading the book, Wan Ting winced and touched her eye bags.
 
Perhaps she will rest and visit Prince Heng tomorrow. A maiden in love will always be conscious of their looks when meeting their crush. Even if Wan Ting knew that she and Prince Heng would not have a future, she still wanted to look her best in his eyes.  
 
"That little boy…” Madam Wan began tentatively. “Prince Heng offered him a shelter but he refused."
 
"Bao Hai?" Wan Ting blinked. "Mother, is it alright for Bao Hai to stay with us until he gets better? I will be making some pills for him to recover."
 
"We could afford feeding one more mouth… oh no, we still have the same amount of people." Madam Wan frowned in disgust when she remembered that servant that dared to target her daughter's life.
 
With Chu Jin dead and adding Bao Hai into the family, it remained the same number. 
 
"What of Chu Jin's body?" Wan Ting asked.
 
"In the magistrate's hand. Prince Heng is also helping us to find out who that kidnapper is and bring him to the court for trial on his crimes."
 
"... Is that so.” The magistrate will surely ask her many questions if she says she wants to search Chu Jin’s body. “Mother, I will be visiting Prince Heng with Bao Hai."
 
Tomorrow might be a little too late. 
 
"Now?"
 
"...After my meal?" Wan Ting amended and touched her empty stomach. It was only now did she start to feel hungry after she was done planning for her day. 
 
Madam Wan laughed at her silly and ushered her to return to the dining room. Greeting them was Bao Hai, who was already halfway eating, dressed in a servant's attire that was a little larger on his small, slender frame. Mister Wan had already left to open his store in the early morning. His lunch will be sent over by a servant from the house.
 
"Why do you want to visit Prince Heng?" Madam Wan asked as she placed her daughter’s favourite food on her bowl.
 
"I believe he will have questions about me, such as the kidnapper's appearance. It would be useful in sketching out that man’s appearance. But Bao Hai will definitely be more useful in providing the details of his appearance that I likely missed."
 
Bao Hai's chewing paused for a few seconds before resumed, his eyes glanced at Wan Ting, considering.
 
Madam Wan nodded, accepting her daughter’s reasoning. "Have two servants follow you."
 
"No need," Wan Ting refused. "While Bao Hai is staying with us, he will be acting as my personal servant."
 
Bao Hai completely stopped his chewing and stared at Wan Ting with a very reluctant gaze. 
 
Wan Ting sighed. "We are poor and unable to be charitable. Being my servant won't overexert you. I'm working from morning to late afternoon, nearly evening, so you are free during that time.”
 
Bao Hai's reluctance eased. "I will follow you to work."
 
"I cannot allow that. There is no staff that brings a servant to work with them. The owner will be angry."
 
"But-"
 
"Bao Hai," Madam Wan interrupted gently, smiling maternally. "You will only part with Wan Ting less than half a day's time. Whenever it's time for Wan Ting to go to work, you will accompany her there. You will also be accompanying her back home after work. Can you do that?"
 
"It will be more convenient for me to go to work with her than walking back and forth," Bao Hai reasoned.
 
"But you will give trouble for Wan Ting by being there. Her co-workers will think she is being proud by bringing her servant there when they do not have a servant. Besides, you will be bothering Wan Ting there when she is working. The owner will think you are working instead behind the closed door and sack her for not working."
 
Bao Hai's mouth twitched at the reasoning but stopped insisting under Wan Ting's silent glare where Madam Wan could not see.
 
Madam Wan prepared some snacks for them to give to Prince Heng when they paid him a visit. Wan Ting planned to walk there, but once they stepped out their door, a familiar face of Prince Heng's guard approached them. 
 
"Sir Lan Yan," Wan Ting greeted respectfully. There was no sign of guilt or embarrassment of how she had acted before them from yesterday. 
 
"Miss Wan," Lan Yan returned the greeting politely. "My master had assigned me to your side to protect you until the case closed."
 
"I will have to thank Prince Heng and Sir Lan Yan's kindness." Wan Ting bowed, allowing worry with traces of fear to be seen on her face. "I will have to trouble Sir Lan Yan and certainly repay your gesture. If there is anything I can do, please tell me."
 
Lan Yan swiftly avoided Wan Ting's bow. "Miss Wan, I'm only doing what my master told me as his servant."
 
"I understand. I will have to pay back Prince Heng greatly."
 
Lan Yan eyed Bao Hai standing beside Wan Ting, looking like an obedient boy. "May I inquire where Miss Wan will be heading to?"
 
Wan Ting smiled brightly, her heart beating faster from anticipation. "I'm heading to Prince Heng's residence. May I request for Sir Lan Yan's assistance?"
 
She had said those words just to ask Sir Lan Yan for some help in getting them to meet Prince Heng. She never expected him to bring over a carriage and have them use it as their transport.
 
Wan Ting happily got into the carriage but Bao Hai was a little reluctant to get in. His eyes were the same state as the first time she had met him, afraid and haunted by his horrible experience. 
 
"... You are uncomfortable with carriage rides?" 
 
Bao Hai eyed Wan Ting with distrustful eyes, but a moment later, he closed his eyes and shook his head. He had nearly allowed his fear to attack the wrong person. He opened his eyes again, and his fear was mostly cleared from his gaze. He stepped into the carriage and Wan Ting moved back to accommodate him.
 
"If you want, you can sit beside Sir Lan Yan in the front." Wan Ting was afraid he would suddenly vomit inside the carriage with how pale his face was getting.
 
"No. I have something to say to you."
 
"Something that is urgent to be told?”
 
Bao Hai nodded, but then later shook his head. "I just want you to know that I got kidnapped because I trusted the wrong person with my secret. I want you to think more about your decision to trust Prince Heng with that book."
 
Having someone questioning your decision was certainly not pleasant, but it was not something to be angry with. Having someone questioning you helps in rethinking your decision and making sure you did not accidentally make the wrong decision.
 
Wan Ting knew Bao Hai was saying so for her sake because he had experienced it and he does not want her to suffer the same thing he did. If he does not care about her, he would not even advise her. 

His traumatic experience had Bao Hai mature faster than his peers, which Wan Ting could see from the way he speaks. The initial dependency and child-like action when he begged her to save him had already hidden deep in him now that his life was saved. The safe environment allowed his real self to emerge slowly from his shell.
 
"I still trust Prince Heng." Her eyes flashed with deep conviction.
 
That book had revealed what Flame Spirit could do, as well as a way to control. But Wan Ting trusted Prince Heng to never use them on her, and it might not work on her anyway since the Flame Spirit was in her body, not a flower. The book had only mentioned different types of flowers being a Flame Spirit’s favourite host, but never other living beings, including humans.

The weakness belonged to flowers, not humans.
 
Wan Ting knew her own limits when it came to thinking and hence sought Prince Heng for guidance. He might have the capability to help solve the problem and also one she could trust.
 
Bao Hai pursed his lips and then nodded. "Alright." If she trusts him, he will not say anything further as someone that does not know them well, including their relationship.
 
When Wan Ting exited the carriage, she was surprised to see Sir Liu Bing standing at the gate, clearly waiting for her arrival. She was a little flustered in facing him since her mother told her about asking him for marriage in hand on her behalf.
 
Had her mother asked him?
 
"Miss Wan. My teacher is waiting for you in his study." Liu Bing did not act oddly, so she guessed her mother had not done so.
 
Wan Ting was a little surprised at how quick the information of her arrival had reached Prince Heng’s ears. She bowed in greeting. "I will be bothering you, Sir Liu Bing."