*Han Jun POV*

Han Jun scurried away, hoping to find the flower. He went out on the streets and went to a flower stand. After inspecting the many bouquets of flowers, he was not able to find a black flower. He asked the owner, "Hey, do you have a black flower?"

The owner of the stand was busy with another customer but glanced at him and replied, "Black flowers? No."

"Oh okay," Han Jun said a little disappointed. He went to the next flower stand and asked the same question. Same answer.

Seeing that there were no more flower stands, he sighed and returned to Lan Hua Lou. Though Han Jun never went out much, he did do a little research on Chang Long and found out that up until recently, Chang Long was a small, quiet town. However, because of the raids in the south, many people were forced to move through Chang Long and guards were put to check the identities of the refugees so that peace could be maintained. Because of the sudden visitation of many refugees, businesses sprung up overnight. Despite only having one long street that went through the town, Han Jun could see the development of other buildings in the surrounding areas.

When Han Jun arrived back at Lan Hua Lou, he ascended the steps and walked to the room that he last saw Li Qing in. He was about to go in when a waiter hurried up to him and blocked his way, saying, "Sir, I'm afraid you can't go in there right now."

"Why?"

The man glanced at the door and replied, "They are rather...busy."

"Busy? Busy doing what? Get out of my way," Han Jun said as he tried to brush past the waiter. The waiter used his body to shield the door and held up his arms.

"I-I'm afraid for you to barge in would be highly inappropriate, especially because they are doing THAT."

"What?"

"You know...the thing husband and wives do..."

"Ohhhh," Han Jun's face turned red as he realized what he meant. Taking out his fan (thank goodness he didn't loose it), he started to fan himself.

"Since that is the case, tell him tomorrow I will come back," Han Jun ordered.

"En. I got it. Please," the man said as he spread out his arm to show Han Jun out.

Han Jun nodded and strode away. The woman who served him, upon seeing he was about to leave, caught up with him and stopped him. "Sir, this is your food box," she said as she handed him a basket woven by grass.

He took it with his left hand and nodded. "Thanks," he said.

She nodded and said, "If there's nothing else, I have to go now."

"Go ahead."

She scurried away.

Han Jun set the basket down on a table and removed the lid. All ten dishes were inside. Satisfied, he put the lid back on and started on his way to the medicine store.

*Luo Xiao Zhao POV*

Luo Xiao Zhao woke up to find himself staring at a net a couple of feet above his head. His joints hurt so much he felt like he was paralyzed, but this time, the pain felt different. Not only did his joints hurt, but he felt a burning on both his legs. He remembered he had injured himself when the wolves were chasing him and a deep gash ran along his left leg, but it was only one of his legs. How come his other leg was in just as much pain if he didn't even do anything?

He glanced down but saw nothing. After getting himself into a sitting position, he threw the blankets aside. On his right leg, was a piece of wood that was tied around his leg. He knew immediately it was broken. Oh, my leg is broken. He looked away. WAIT A MINUTE! MY LEG IS BROKEN? Xiao Zhao looked at his leg in surprise mingled with confusion. How could his leg be broken? He didn't really do–

Just then, a knock came at the door.

Xiao Zhao sighed. "Come in," he answered.

In walked a man wearing all white and his garments flowed gracefully around him. His face was clean shaven and he had a metal band that held his hair in a bun. In his left hand he held a woven basket and in his right hand, he held a fan.

"Who are you?" Xiao Zhao asked.

"Me? You don't recognize me?"

Xiao Zhao just looked at him quizzically.

"Did you bump your head and become stupid?" The man asked. He then turned, slid the two doors closed, and beelined to Xiao Zhao. Setting the basket down on the table, he then walked toward Xiao Zhao and sat down.

"You really don't remember me?"

"Remind me."

The man gave a thoughtful look before answering. "My name is Fang Han Jun. We are best friends."

Xiao Zhao looked at him doubtfully. Han Jun was currently fidgeting with the fan in his hand and seemed to be nervous. Are we really best friends? How can I be friends with THIS man? Wait a second, I never had a best friend. WHO IS THIS MAN??

Xiao Zhao cleared his throat.

Han Jun looked up from fidgeting with his fan.

"You said we were best friends?"

"Yes."

"Liar."

"Huh?"

"I said liar."

"What do you mean liar?! Have you really forgotten me?!!" Han Jun cried indignantly.

"You're not going to trick me so easily," Xiao Zhao told him.

"Well fine, we may not be best friends, but we are friends."

"Friends?"

"Yeah, friends."

"I don't remember making any friends."

"You made friends with me," Han Jun said as he used his thumb to point at himself with pride. He was grinning.

"What?"

"Yeah, you saved me remember? And then you took care of me for a couple days."

"I did?" Xiao Zhao's memory was slowly returning. He did recall taking care of someone for three days. His name was...What was his name again?

"What's your name again?" Xiao Zhao asked.

"Fang Han Jun," he said coolly.

That name triggered so many emotions within Xiao Zhao. The predominant emotion was anger. But why am I angry? He looked at his broken leg and then he remembered everything.

"IT WAS YOU!" He said very loudly and angrily. He glanced at Han Jun's face.

There was a look of confusion. "What was me?" Han Jun asked.

"YOU BROKE MY LEG!"

"What do you mean?"

"THAT'S WHAT I MEAN!"

"I didn't break your leg, you rolled off the mountain. Now you have the audacity to blame me?"

"Well I wouldn't be hurt if it weren't for you!"

"Hey," Han Jun held up his palms. "It's not my fault we rolled off the mountain. The way down was already slippery and if anything, it shouldn't have been slippery in the first place. Not my problem."

"I literally warned you to be careful! You oaf! You slid RIGHT into me! It's all your fault!"

Han Jun looked at Xiao Zhao and continued to fidget. Then he said, "You must be hungry," he walked to the table and glanced at Xiao Zhao. He glanced back at the table. Putting the basket on the ground, he started to slide the table across the floor. The table started to make screeching sounds.

Xiao Zhao covered his ears. "What are you doing?!"

"There," Han Jun said as slapped his hands together. He had moved the table to Xiao Zhao's bed side.

"Why did you move it?"

"I thought it would be easier for you to eat if I moved the table over," Han Jun answered.

Xiao Zhao dangled his legs over the side of the bed and watched Han Jun.

Han Jun strode over to the basket, bent down swiftly, and picked it up. Bringing it to the table he set it down. He took out his cloth and wiped the table, then the whole basket. After finishing, he took out the first dish and wiped the bottom of the dish. He took out the second dish and did the same thing. By the time Han Jun was done wiping the seventh dish, Xiao Zhao had run out of patience.

"Can we just eat?!" Xiao Zhao asked frustrated.

Han Jun looked up from the dish he was just cleaning. "NO," he said as he continued.

Xiao Zhao got so annoyed he just grabbed the pair of chopsticks in Han Jun's hands and seized a bowl nearby.

"Hey!" Han Jun cried. "I didn't wipe that yet!"

"Well live with it," Xiao Zhao growled.

"How can you be so rude?"

"So what if I am rude? What can you do about it?" Xiao Zhao was fed up with always being so tolerant toward other people. He was going to stand up for himself and not be pushed around like he was with Wang Jing Ling or with his grandfather.

"You!" Han Jun was angry.

Xiao Zhao pretended not notice and started to eat.

Han Jun took a deep breath and let it out slowly, "Fine. It doesn't matter." After he had wiped everything, he picked up his chopsticks and looked at the table. Half the dishes were already gone.

"Hey! Where'd all the food go?"

Han Jun glanced at Xiao Zhao who had his mouth stuffed full and was currently shoving more food into his mouth.

"Hey, slow down. There's enough food. My goodness, you eat like you haven't ever had a good meal."

Xiao Zhao slammed the bowl down on the table angrily. "I'm full!" He said as he quickly swung his legs on the bed and lay down. He turned so that his back faced Han Jun.

*Shi Han Jun POV*

Han Jun stared at Xiao Zhao's back. Why did he get so angry all of a sudden? Whatever, he's just being moody. Han Jun continued to eat as if nothing happened. After he had finished eating, he looked around to see what he should do with the dishes. Usually, he didn't clear the table or do the dishes. He got up and put the dishes in the basket and started to look around. He walked to and fro throughout the room. He had been making noise for a bit when Xiao Zhao asked, "Can you stop? What are you even doing?"

Han Jun glanced at Xiao Zhao who by now was staring at him.

"I'm trying to decide where to put the dishes."

"You don't know where to do the dishes?"

"I've never had to."

"Well, that explains why you are so helpless. It suits you lazy rich people just well."

Han Jun felt anger rise but he repressed it and tried to ignore it.

"You rich people just take advantage of the poor. You filthy rich people like to harm innocent people and then you expect everyone to bow to you."

Han Jun had enough. He glared at Xiao Zhao and said, "Do you have a problem with me?"

"A problem? Huh! If it weren't for you rich people always making trouble for us commoners, our lives wouldn't be so harsh."

"What do you mean?"

"I know people who have worked hard their whole lives and yet, when they make a small mistake, they are forced to give up half their wages. I know people who've done nothing wrong and yet are beaten just because they have no power."

"You've experienced it before?"

At this, Xiao Zhao looked away and didn't reply.

Han Jun suddenly remembered his early days in the palace. "I know what you mean," Han Jun said softly.

Xiao Zhao met Han Jun's gaze. " You do?" he asked.

Han Jun nodded. "Yeah. When I was a kid, my older brother used to bring me out to 'play' with his friends. Whenever the adults weren't around, he and his friends would beat me up. They told me that if I dared ratted them out, they would make my life a living hell. I knew that because Ge Ge was the first born and his mother was the legitimate wife, there was nothing I could do. Even if I did complain, no one would help me because no one would want to offend his mother. So I kept quiet and put up with it. I always hated how in the family, we still have to bend a knee to those 'higher' than us even when they do wrong."

Han Jun looked at Xiao Zhao. There was a thoughtful look on Xiao Zhao's face. "I misjudged you. I'm sorry you had to go through that."

Han Jun looked down at his clenched hands. "Well, it doesn't matter anyhow. What's in the past is in the past."

He looked at Xiao Zhao who then said, "I had a similar experience. I got beat up all the time. Every Tuesday, when I was allowed to go into town and buy supplies, I always felt dread. A group of boys would be waiting to hit me at the bottom of the mountain. The leader of the boys was a boy named Wen Ya and his father was in charge of keeping the town in order. If we were to report Wen Ya, maybe the ones who were punished was not Wen Ya, but us. I hated that boy. He used his wealth and his father's position to oppress people." 

"That's so unjust! I hate those kinds of people!" Han Jun declared.

"So do I."

Silence hung over them as they seethed in anger for injustice.

Then Xiao Zhao said, "You can put those bowls in the back kitchen."

Han Jun blinked twice. "Huh?"

"In your hands."

Han Jun glanced down. He was clutching the basket tightly. "How do you know where the kitchen is?"

"I used to sneak in here all the time."

"Why?"

"Don't ask."

"Alright, thanks." Han Jun exited the room. He found his way to the back kitchen. He saw a dirty basin full of water and he looked at his hands. Taking a deep breath, he said, "Han Jun, you can do this." He took out the dirty dishes and closed his eyes as he dipped them in the basin. The water was lukewarm. Having finished cleaning the dishes, Han Jun went to the bathroom and filled a tub with warm water.

He went back to the room and grabbed his new set of clothing he had bought. They were all white, like the clothing he was wearing now, except they were more course and common looking. He had bought them on his way back to the medicine store.

Xiao Zhao, when he heard Han Jun come in, asked, "What are you doing?"

"I'm going to take a shower."

"Again?"

"What do you mean, again?"

"I know you showered earlier this morning."

"Yeah and so?"

"I've never known someone who takes a shower twice a day."

"I normally wouldn't its just that I washed the dishes."

Xiao Zhao turned his head slowly toward Han Jun. " You're kidding."

"No," Han Jun said seriously.

Xiao Zhao suddenly burst out laughing.

"Why are you laughing?" Han Jun asked.

Xiao Zhao just shook his head and said, "You're crazy! You just need to wash your hands. Why do you want to take a whole shower? You're crazy!"

"Ha.. ha...ha...Mind your own business okay?" Han Jun said as he stormed out of the room.

As Han Jun bathed, he looked at a birth mark on the left side of his chest and rubbed it.

When he was younger, he was told to never let anyone see him bathe. If anyone saw the mark, Han Jun might get in trouble or worse, loose his life. Once, he had bathed in the day and an unassuming servant walked in on him. The servant's eyes landed on the mark and his eyes flew open as he gasped. The servant rushed out before Han Jun could do anything. Han Jun thought something bad would happen, but the next day, he was told that the servant was dismissed from his position. Han Jun was relieved but felt like it was too much of a close call. Because of this, Han Jun was always afraid to bathe in the day and preferred instead to bathe at night. He felt like he was guarding some secret, but he didn't understand what the mark was or why he couldn't show it. It didn't matter though. As long as he hid it, no harm would come to him. Having bathed enough, he stepped out of the tub and quickly slung his robes on. Soon he was on his way back to the room.

Once inside the room, he looked underneath the bed and saw a very thin mattress. Pulling it out, he prepared his bed and soon, he was ready. He stood up and blew the candle and then made his way back to his bed. Then he glanced at Xiao Zhao's sleeping form and sighed. I wonder what other hardships he had as he grew up? I have a feeling his life was very hard. I can't explain it, but I think Xiao Zhao and I meeting each other is no accident. I have a feeling we will be good friends. With that thought in mind, Han Jun slowly drifted off into oblivion.

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En (嗯）：it is a sound people make when they acknowledge something. It's like when people say Mmm in English.