When Yun Meiyi heard that voice, she was confused. She lifted up her face to look at the person. Her wine-ish pairs blinked at him, trying to figure out where did she had actually seen him. But the more she thought, the more her memories felt blurred. And in addition to it, the minimal lighting did no help.
Right now, the only thing she could see was the vague features of the man that was partially visible in the lights of the candle. His clothes were looking black; she wasn't sure if it was due to lack of light or, was he wearing totally black.
Yun Meiyi tried her best to recollect the memories with the man but when failed to do so, she opened her lips to ask him straight. "Did I kn…" But before she could say something, the man interrupted her reaching out to touch her sprained foot.
"You have been careless again and sprained your foot. Did I not ask you to stay careful until we meet next time?" He asked and Yun Meiyi's lips opened before she closed them again with indecision.
Has she met him before? Yun Meiyi frowned at the question. The more she questioned herself, the more she felt that she would not get the answer. His voice was very familiar in her memory. But how come his face wasn't anywhere? Could it be possible that she has just talked with him and has not seen him?
But then again how was that even possible? Why would she talk with someone and not see his face?
"Did I not ask you?" When the man didn't hear the woman replying to his words, he repeated his question again. His tone was soft but it was clearly magnetic enough to get words of reply even if the person was dumb.
Yun Meiyi hummed and nodded, looking into his eyes. Before she could even realize what she has done, the man interrupted her thoughts with another simple question that had hints of concern in it.
"Then why have you still been careless here?" He asked as reaching her ankle, he moved his fingers with little pressure to soothe the pain.
The touch was soft. Yun Meiyi didn't know why but that touch was oddly warm and satisfying as if with every move, the pain was shredding away.
"I didn't notice it coming. I tripped and couldn't control the fall when it came." She listed down the happening as any little kid would do when asked. Her tone was that of honesty and obedience. Even if Yun Meiyi was compliant with elders and people she knew, she had never been same with the strangers.
This explains only one thing – he was truly here for her and to Yun Meiyi, he wasn't a stranger.
People who were in doubt could no longer remain the same. Especially when everything has become very much clear. Whispers, which had died down before, started again. Although it was in the mildest pitch this time, every other person could guess what another person was thinking.
Yun Jiaqi's expression hardened. She wanted to slap Yun Meiyi with embarrassment today, but unknowingly, it has been her who has gotten more embarrassed. She wanted to be satisfied for finally ruining the life of her half-sister who had always remained better than her in everything. Yet, ironically, even after making her lose everything, she wasn't feeling the same satisfaction she was expecting.
Why have things not turned like she has expected them to turn? Why even after losing everything, was Yun Meiyi standing nonchalantly like she has lost nothing?
The more she thought it like that, the uglier her expression became. But right when the ugliness could become evident on her face, from the side the voice of Zhen Shu Ting brought her back to her composure.
"Jiaqi, what is this happening? Didn't you say that this country bumpkin never came out from the Yun mansion? Then how come today she has got someone to back her up like this?"
Yun Jiaqi's nails dug into her skin as she gave a small smile and shrugged her shoulder with little difficulty. "I never knew she was such a two-faced woman. All this time she has been at home, feigning all innocence. Only today we came to know her real face." She said in a tone of vexation, eyeing Yun Meiyi sharply.
While on the other side, after moving the fingers a few more times over her ankle, the man looked up at the face of Yun Meiyi to say, "Your skin has already turned red and there is also swelling, we should go and see the doctor first. It must not be comfortable for you." He said and once again, his magnetic voice took everything.
Was it enchantment of something else, Yun Meiyi didn't know? But right then what she needed was exactly what she was getting from the stranger. Something really like sincere love, care, and concern. She wasn't sure if it was sincere or not, but she could feel the pain of betrayal dissipating seeing him taking care of her.
Getting up back on his feet, the man looked down at her before offering his hand to her to say, "Let's go."
Yun Meiyi looked at him and blinked her eyes, and it was then something struck her. Her brows tugged in a frown as she looked up at the man. What was she doing? This man was still a stranger and she was letting him manipulate her and her thoughts.
Her eyes stared at the man first and then at the wide palm that he has offered to her. Then she looked around. As expected, people's eyes were staring at her. If it had been any other situation, she would not have thought twice before rejecting that hand. But today, after all that happened, there was no other choice for her than to accept it. Also, she couldn't forget the condition in which her foot was. Without anyone's help, she would not be able to move, she was sure of that.
Reluctantly, in the end, she reached out to give her hand to the man, before struggling to get back on her feet. But the moment she tried, wincing with the pain, she felt herself falling back. Her eyes closed, bracing herself for another fall.
But right at the moment, before she would have taken the fall, she was pulled up in the embrace of the man with a tug, getting all close to his muscled chest.
Yun Meiyi hadn't expected that to come but when she took a deep breath in accepting the happening, the cologne wafted into her nostril, bringing back some blurry images.
Her brows wrinkled as pulling back, she looked at the man. "You …"
"Are you alright?" He asked. His voice was all curt and resolute. Yun Meiyi nodded, before apologizing. "I am sorry."
"It's okay. Let's go." He said and the next moment, he scooped her up in his arms before turning to leave the hall at once.
People were awestruck at his swift and clean movements, but they didn't have the voice to say anything loud. Because from the moment, the man appeared, he didn't give any person any value to speak about him, even under their breath. Be it his indifference or his aura, but there was something that warned people about talking against him.