The man arched his brows and halted in his steps. 'One chivalrous deed, and the miss becomes clingy.'

"You do have to keep me safe, don't you? Won't you stay?" Teng Man Rui asked authoritatively.

"Do you want me to stay, Miss?" The man returned the question, equally controlling. He wasn't used to being asked the way he had been just a while ago, after all, he's a young master of a prominent family.

'He's insolent for a bodyguard.' She thought.

"Yes. Stay until it's time to close the store."

The man scratched his head. If he oblige, it could take an entire day. But it seemed it's more fun here than stare at landscapes with his group that's full of dogfood.

"Alright." He went back with her, and notified his tour guide of his whereabouts. He sent a message: 'I'm at the village. Please go ahead without me today.'

He sat in a chair beside her table full of ornate pots and vases. "Did you make all these?" He asked, trying to start a conversation with her.

"Yes."

"They're beautiful. How much does one vase cost?"

"Fifty yuans."

"I would have liked to buy all of them…" The man said.

Teng Man Rui cut him off in mid-sentence. "Listen. Just do your job quietly, please. I believe you're well-compensated for it."

"Oh, am I?" He murmured. He could guess that there's some sort of misunderstanding here.

Alas, the time for the stores to close finally arrived. It was sunset, and the villagers started to return to their homes one by one. Teng Man Rui and the man headed to her cottage in the middle of the woods.

'She lives in the forest? Alone?' He wondered quite surprisingly.

"You can take your leave. Stay hidden in the shadows. But tomorrow, I expect you to be near my stall, just in case those thugs return."

He was starting to get fascinated by this girl. She kept on ordering him around. He decided to ride on. "Understood, milady." He stared closely at her, trying to see behind the veil. "Milady, can you be so kind to this lowly being, and show your face to me?" He tried his luck.

Teng Man Rui weighed his request. She's inclined to concur, since she thinks it's proper for her bodyguard to confirm her ident.i.ty.

And so she went on slowly rolling her thick veil up, and when it was on the same level of her chin, she lifted her hat, finally removing it.

She combed her hair with her fingers gracefully. "There." She said to him.

The man's eyes widened in utter amazement. He went on his knees and bowed. "Milady, forgive my insolence."

"I know you. I know your true ident.i.ty." He spouted. 'She's the tennyo I saw on the hot springs. No doubt she's trying to hide her ident.i.ty. She's no mortal. She's a higher being. No wonder she talks down on me.'

"Of course, you do. Go now, I want my privacy." She said.

The helpful gentleman bowed slightly, respectfully, before taking his leave. He could not believe that he will see her again, and in close proximity. He could not believe that he would meet a celestial being during this vacation.

Even if he did not see the lady in the hotsprings clearly because of the fog, he could discern her features. It was like wearing spectacles and the world becomes sharper in resolution.

It's quite funny though, because Teng Man Rui was 100% human, no different from him. So much for being an idealist.

He found her so much more enchanting up close, without the fog of the hot spring's steam. She's undoubtedly beautiful. No one could compare to her beauty. Even if garbed with peasant clothes, her elegance exuded.

He went away while his mind was filled with these thoughts of great awe.

'The bodyguard is really weird. At least he's trustworthy and seems loyal.' She thought while retiring for the night.

The next day, as usual she was manning her store. The 'bodyguard' had returned as instructed. He appeared to be much more restrained in his actions around her.

'That's more fitting for a bodyguard.' She thought.

"I still don't know your name." Teng Man Rui asked.

"Zhu Li Qiang."

"I believe you know mine already." She smiled again. "I am entrusting you my safety."

"Please, milady. Please let me hear you mention your name." He begged, and was it shamelessly.

"It's Teng Man Rui."

'Teng Man Rui. Teng Man Rui. Copy.' His mind was working overtime with that extremely important information. It was on loop inside his head.

"It's almost lunch. Let's eat." Teng Man Rui invited him.

"You… eat?" Zhu Li Qiang asked her in disbelief.

Beyond the veil she was having a confused look. "Of course. Why?" The question was ridiculous.

He shook his head slightly with eyes closed, trying to clarify, "No, I mean, do you eat the food here?" Zhu Li Qiang revised his question.

"Of course. I mean, I know I'm not from here, but their food is delectable, and I'm also trying to blend in. What they do, I also try to do, like I'm no different. Sounds logical right? Come on, I'm hungry." Was her explanation.

"It's so rea.s.suring to know that there's someone who knows my true ident.i.ty and whom I can talk about it comfortably. I haven't been able to be myself for the past months. Perhaps you should have shown yourself a little earlier." She added.

They went inside a hut where they ate their food. Teng Man Rui temporarily removed her hat to eat comfortably.

'Yeah, I agree. We should have met a little earlier.'

He shook his head. 'It's not too difficult to get enthralled by her. She's special.'

The day went by uneventful. The thugs, fortunately, did not return today. They sauntered towards her cottage at sunset.

"How do you usually take your dinner? Do you always monitor me while keeping hidden? It must be tough."

"Why don't you eat dinner here before you leave?" She offered.

The man was exhilarated. He readily agreed. "Sure, Milady, if you insist."

"I don't have much but I have rice and some local fermented food."

"It more than enough." The man said.

Since they had reached their cottage, Teng Man Rui removed her veiled hat. "What a relief. It's hot wearing that thing." She combed her hair with her hand and styled it accordingly. Then she proceeded in setting up the table.

The table was made of bamboo. The cottage was made of stone but it was scantily decorated.

"May I ask, why do you choose to live this way?" The man asked.

Teng Man Rui studied his face for a while. The man could not help but blush from her scrutiny. He lowered his gaze. "Am I too nosy, Miss?"

'If I'm going to entrust my safety to him, might as well explain to him the situation so he can prepare as well.' She thought.

"This is temporary. I went off the grid because I'm hiding from someone. After this month, that someone will actively search for me. The goal is not to be found for as long as I can manage. I need your help to achieve this."

"You don't have to do anything, just keep me safe, and if you sense that there's someone following me, you have to tell me quickly." Teng Man Rui oriented her 'bodyguard' of the direness of the situation she was in.

"Miss, who's searching for you?"

"My boyfriend, the devil." She stared at his eyes solemnly. "I can't be caught."

Zhu Li Qiang gulped. 'The devil, she said. So, I'm caught up in the middle of two celestial beings chasing each other.' He gulped again.

"These past months were peaceful. It's the third month. After this month, we'll face the real challenge. I'm relying on you." She smiled at him.

Zhu Li Qiang was mind-blown by her smile. In his perspective it was the brightest smile in the whole universe, brighter than the brightest star. Her hair was dancing in the night wind when she smiled. He was completely conquered. The world was on slow motion, and nothing seemed to matter at this moment, except her. He clutched his d.a.m.ned heart.

'Hey, heart. I thought you love Xue Jinxu. What's that reaction just now? She's a celestial being. And the devil's woman. Don't beat for her. Cannot be.' He talked to his heart internally.