Under the Bamboo Parasol

The stew was just about finished as a fragrance of chives permeated the air. There was a sea of white steam that settled around the room, touching everything and giving its scent to the hut.

Ru An was tidying the hut as she couldn't help but become captivated by the smell. It seems that making a stew out of simple ingredients was not so bad after all.

"Ru An, come try my masterpiece cooking. Not too shabby is it?" Madam Lin asked, spooning a few ladles into a small bowl and handing it to Ru An who took it with both hands.

Ru An took a spoonful and put it into her slightly dry lips. Her taste buds instantly feeling a gratification. Why didn't she know that Madam Lin cooked so well?

"How is it?" Madam Lin asked on as she carefully watched Ru An sip up every drop.

"It's very good." Ru An answered truthfully with a strangely drunken smile on her tender lips that had been moisturized.

Madam lin did not say anything as she poured some for herself, "You know what would make this even better?" She gently askes, taking a deep sip of what she cooked.

"A few taels of rice, would just give it the perfect thickness." She answered herself.

There was now a dusty light outdoors, for the sun had begun to set. There were a few estranged particles of dust that floated around the hut, yet madam Lin did not seem to care about soiling her beautiful dress, sitting directly on the floor.

~

Outside, as the sun was beginning to set, with each of its beautiful orange rays touching down upon its earth, almost intertwined, shining brightly upon the freezing air.

There were two figures walking slowly almost out of breath. Their breaths were heavily frosted, seemingly as though nature itself wanted them dead, drawing every warm breath from their heavy bodies.

One was dressed in the finest of brocades, and the other, dressed in black, seemingly wanting to blend into the darkest of nights. The two young men were as different as night and day, yet they were together almost as friends, without worrying for who held a higher status in society.

Upon seeing a small hut not so far off in the distance with a steam of smoke from it, the man in brocade's eyes lit up, "Look, Xiao Wu, we can ask for help over there." He said pointing towards the little hut.

Perhaps if it was a normal day, he would not have put such a decrepit looking place in his eyes, but now in such a situation, it was hard not to think of how cozy it might be.

"Your Highness, what if it's a trap?" The young man called Xiao Wu asked.

"Who cares, If we're going to die out here, we might as well be in a place that is warm." The man in brocade said with a smile, as he slowly supported Xiao Wu, as they slowly walked toward the hut.

"I think they're coming." Madam Lin slowly said.

Ru An nodded. It seems that she had heard it too.

In all honesty, she believed that Madam Lin did not care whether they lived or survived. It was merely a comment that she had made on the carriage.

Soon, as expected, there was a knock at the door, and Ru An, played the dutiful role of a servant, opening the door, to be met with suspicion.

"Who's there?" A voice called out.

There was no need to call out, they could all see her and she could see them, there was no need to say a word at all.

[This was clearly a small hut, yet there was a maidservant here, along with her mistress who is dressed in the finest clothes imported from the south.]

Seeing the two lost in thought, Ru An frowned. It was fine allowing her to stand there, but how could she continue allowing the cold wind to seep into the hut.

"Who are you?' She asked.

The young man dressed in brocade let out a cough: "This young lady, we are merchants, and were unfortunate enough to get robbed on our way to the capital, would you be so kind as to allow us to stay the night?"

It was truly an awkward feeling for him to explain to a maid, yet he knew that she would be at the door until she deemed that he would not be a threat to her mistress.

"Ru An, let them in." Madam Lin said with a gentle smile.

"Thank you." The man dressed in brocade said as he pulled his wounded guard into the warm hut.

Madam Lin's gentle smile froze as she saw the young man's face and those eyes. She could feel her breathing speed up as she immediately tried to calm herself down.

Once again, an amiable smile graced her lips as she offered them some delicious stew.

"Young man, we were just in the middle of having dinner, would you care for some?" She asked with a raised eyebrow, kindly gesturing towards the pot that was still warm, over the dying fire.

"It's kind of you." The young man nodded and agreed to eat some.

Madam Lin smiled a gentle smile full of motherly love, carefully laddeling some into two plain wooden bowls and giving it to the two men.

Xiao Wu looked at his master, preparing to caution him, when he saw his young master take the bowl and put it up to his lips, downing the bowl completely.

Once he saw his master completely drink the contents of the bowl without question, he placed the bowl up to his lips and drank it too.

To his surprise, it was not as crude as he expected from a hut in the forest, the stew was fragrant and the meat, tender and chewy when it entered his mouth. The wild vegetables made for good compliments to each other, with neither too overtaking.