Little White Lies

Pan Yu Mei was staring directly at the city gate. The hesitation on her face visible. The moment she stepped out, there was no turning back. She would leave everything behind.

Yu Mei turned back to look at the busy city once more. A cloud of emotions shown on her face as she thought about the last few months. [It's really over. This was all a dream. This is really the end for us.]

A firm hand touched her shoulder. "Little rascal, what are you thinking about?" Her master worriedly asked.

She shook her head. "Nothing."

And just like that, she left.

Four days had gone by before Old Man Wu and Yu Mei reached the foot of Mount Tianzi. Yu Mei didn't tell her master but she had felt this strange presence ever since they left the city days ago. It was this strange feeling like someone was watching her from a distance. Sometimes the presence was strong and then at times nothing.

That creepy feeling was coming back again. The tiny hair on her arm stood. She quickly gripped tightly onto her master's arm. "Shifu, I think something is following us." She managed to finally speak.

"Where?" The old man turned and scouted the whole area with his eyes. The only thing besides them were hundreds of forest trees. He knocked her forehead lightly. "When have you ever been a scaredy cat."

She only continued to hug his arm tighter. "If it's not a worldly thing, could it be a ghost?"

This time it was her master's hair that stood up. Just thinking about it was bad enough. He once again knocked her forehead. "Little rascal, if you don't stop spewing nonsense, the only ghost I'll be seeing is you."

Yu Mei let go of her master and pouted her lips. "If you have the heart to, I dare you." She spoke like a child. Old Man Wu could only shake his head. This was really his student Ju Ming. No one in this world could annoy him as much as his student.

Their few minutes of bantering abruptly ended with her master taking off the backpack on his back. He gave it to her. "Your punishment!"

With doe-like eyes, Yu Mei took the heavy backpack from him. "You expect me to carry this?" She asked in disbelief.

He didn't care. He simply proceeded to make his way towards the mountain.

*Hmph* She complained while carrying the bag.

A few hours had passed and Yu Mei was starting to feel as if they would never reach a stopping point. Her master was a good distance away from her. "Keep up with me. If you get eaten by a wolf, don't say it was my fault." The old man shouted her way.

"You worry about yourself old man!" She retorted.

Pan Yu Mei turned to look at the bottom of the mountain. They had come a long way and the height suddenly made her feel queasy. "Snap out of it Yu Mei." She lightly hit her cheek. As her foot went to take a step over the large rock in front of her, she somehow missed, sending her flailing in thin air.

"Whooahh….woaaa…shifuuuuuuuuuu!" Her high screech could be heard from miles while her arms swung madly.

[I'm gonna die again!] Yu Mei closed her eyes.

She had waited for what seemed like eternity. She hadn't fallen to her death yet? Or was this heaven? Yu Mei thought.

She slowly opened one eye. The blurry vision in front of her sudden cleared up. Pei Nan?

She shook her head. "Can't be possible." And she closed her eyes again. [Yu Mei! You must be really dead to be seeing Petty Nan.] She told herself. [Try again.]

1....2....3...This time she opened her other eye. His face was still right in front of her.

Again she closed her eyes. [I'm dead! I really died! Oh no! What to do?]

She finally felt the arm wrapped around her waist. It was muscular, well-built and warm? [Can dead people feel this?] She questioned once more. Suddenly she felt as if all the air in her lung had escaped.

She panicked.

She wasn't dead. He was really here in the flesh.

Both eyes widened at the realization. "Pei Nan!" She shouted from shock.

"That's me." He coolly answered to his name.

Without hesitation, Yu Mei put her hands on his chest to push him off her. "Let go you darn…darn…stupid man." She scolded him.

Hearing her call him names, he felt a ping of hurt.

"Ouch! You know that hurts my heart right? I would consider myself a rather intelligent man." He teased. But instead of her usual fun remarks, she rolled her eyes.

"Ju Ming…are you alright?" Old Man Wu ran towards her.

Feeling embarrassed by the presence of another person, Pei Nan immediately let her go. Yu Mei ran towards Old Man Wu and hugged him. "I almost died again!" she whimpered.

"You're okay now. Shifu is sorry for picking on you." He pat her head a few times. "Here. That bag must be heavy. Give it to me." Old Man Wu grabbed for the backpack but she refused. She wouldn't dare let her Shifu carry such a heavy backpack.

The two had been so busy worrying about one another that they forgot all about the savior standing across from them.

*AHEM* Pei Nan loudly cleared his throat.

"Who are you?" Old Man Wu turned hostile. Yu Mei almost wanted to give him a thumb up. She knew her master wouldn't be soft on a stranger like him.

But why was Pei Nan staring directly at her? This made Yu Mei take a step back, hiding behind her master.

"Forgive me for my rudeness." Pei Nan first apologized. "I am Prince Nan."

Old Man Wu's jaw almost dropped to the ground. Yu Mei couldn't believe it either. He straight up gave his identity just like that. "He's not really Prince Nan. He's just a pervert who grabbed me just now." Yu Mei blurted out.

"He WHAT!" Old Man Wu put his hands on his hips and made his chest look bigger. "You dare to take advantage of my student. I'll wring your neck." He was about to take another step closer when Pei Nan pulled out his royal seal.

Old Man Wu didn't need more than a second to realize he was the authentic Prince Nan. Without a second thought, he was on both knees. "It is this old man who could not tell the heavenly son apart. You are oozing of radiance. How could I be so blind. I have committed a grave sin." He apologized.

Yu Mei scrunched her nose from embarrassment as she tried her best to physically pull her master up.

It wasn't until Pei Nan placed his hand on the man's elbow did he get up. "No need for courtesy, I am just a normal man outside the palace walls."

"Your highness, I could never…" the old man quickly refused. He dared not offend the future emperor. "But if I may be so bold, may ask what your highness is doing here?"

Pei Nan once again looked at Yu Mei. His gaze was so intense it made her feel bare. She immediately crossed her hands to cover her chest. [Pervert!] She glared.

Then his gaze went back to the old man. "I don't mind telling you. My crazy consort ran away after we had a misunderstanding."

"What woman could be so hotheaded to run away like that? Misunderstandings are meant to be resolved as a couple." Old Man Wu added his input. Yu Mei squint her eyes and grit her teeth.

"That's exactly my thought. She's not just hotheaded but a naughty little one."

"Have you found her yet?" The old man asked curiously.

Pei Nan paused before an evil grin appeared on his face. His eyes met Yu Mei's for a split second.

"Not yet. I'm still chasing my wife."