Watch Out!

"Miss Ruo Lan!", Sera called out as Ethan and she reached to her side.

Xia Ruo Lan was in a daze, thinking back to the conversation she had with Lucifer coupled with Ethan's cold behavior she was feeling rather drained.

"We're going out for lunch!", she smiled trying to ease the invisible tension between Ethan and her.

Sera's voice fell on her ears, snapping back she turned around instinctively and took a step forward.

"Oh!", her voice low when looking at Sera and Ethan who were approaching her.

All of a sudden she felt something tugg at her feet resulting in her falling forward almost twisting her ankle failing to notice the root of a tree sticking out of the ground amidst the twigs and grass.

"Aagh!", listening to her scream Sera's eyes bulged out while Ethan felt his heart drop in an instant.

Ethan rushed forward, Xia Ruo Lan's hands reached forward clutching onto his shoulders reflexively trying to balance herself.

"Watch out!", the loud and clear thumping of heartbeats resounded in the silence along with Sera's shrill call of caution.

Sera heaved a sigh in relief when Ethan turned up beside Xia Ruo Lan preventing her hazardous fall.

It was hard to discern whose heartbeat was racing faster cause both Ethan and Xia Ruo Lan were equally flustered.

Ethan was at a loss for words, his throat went dry as he tried opening his mouth to say something.

While she had her head lowered in alarm afraid to meet his gaze whereas his eyes, deep and dark were fixed on her.

Internally sighing, relieved that she didn't hurt herself he finally reached his hand to pat her head.

The moment his hand came in contact with her silky soft hair she bit her lip, a lone tear fell onto the ground that seemed to have lost itself into the wet grass.

She was on the verge of collapsing in his arms and sobbing.

Pulling herself together she stepped back hastily startling him greatly. Her hair cascading the sides of her face like a veil hiding it from his view.

As though enchanted he took his hand to brush her hair off to have an unobstructed look at her when Sera treaded towards them in light steps. Flustered he stepped back as well.

"Are you okay..?", a concerned Sera asked Xia Ruo Lan who had her face tilted to the side.

Surreptitiously wiping the string of tear on her face as she turned to look at Sera, a meek smile on her lips.

"I'm fine..", she trailed off, her eyes met Ethan's. They had a hint of worry in them.

Xia Ruo Lan looked away seemingly unsettled by his gaze. Her action made him feel squeasy, overthinkingly his eyes travelled to her slightly red ankle.

"I'll take you to the hospital..", Ethan looked back at her whitewashed face and said calmly, his voice was softer than usual.

"No.. I'm, I'm really fine!", she waved her hand nervously forcing a smile.

"But Xia Ruo Lan your ankle..", Sera mumbled looking at her feet.

Following her worried eyes Xia Ruo Lan glanced at her feet, it wasn't swollen but slightly red in color.

"Oh! Aah..", attempting to walk she winced in pain, Ethan held her wrist firmly and looked at her with uncertainty.

"Are you still going to insist that you're okay?", Ethan's deep voice resounded, stern as usual. Raising her head she looked at him and shook her head guilty.

Ethan held her hand trying to help her in walking, limping she tried to move alas, the pain was overwhelming her as she hissed.

Clutching his sleeve with her other hand she looked at him with her hazy eyes. His heart nipped at the sight of her pitiful eyes, he sighed inwardly.

"Wait!", he stopped her, bending slightly he scooped her in his arms and strolled towards his car.

"I can walk.. really! Let me down..", she whispered scared that Sera will feel awkward because of them.

"Shut up!!", he sputtered seemingly annoyed by her tantrums.

Here he was trying to help her and she's whining like this. He felt really unhappy about it.

"Hmmph!", she turned away from his handsome and cold face harrumphing angrily. He rolled his eyes dramatically.

"Heh..", a stifled giggling sound was heard, they turned around to see a blank faced Sera. She bit her lip and looked away.

Sera who was witnessing their interactions from the sidelines was feeling rather amused, the day was nothing less than a rollercoaster for her. She had seen their cold war, their bickering and now flirting.

Ethan carried Xia Ruo Lan carefully before settling her inside his car, he saw Sera's car with a driver beside his black Maybach.

"Thank you..", Xia Ruo Lan muttered softly when his hands reached to buckle up her seatbelt, he smiled faintly in response.

"I'm sorry Sera, Ethan.. because of me..", she then looked at Sera and trailed off feeling discomfited.

"It's okay.. We can always have lunch together some other time!", Sera smiled brightly at her trying to comfort her.

"That's right.. Why are you fussing over something like this?", Ethan furrowed his eyebrows. Xia Ruo Lan bit her lips at his sudden change in behavior.

"Let's go now.. It's getting late and once the sky turns darker it will be difficult to travel..", Ethan spoke while looking at both Xia Ruo Lan and Sera.

"Hmm.. Bye, we'll see each other soon", Xia Ruo Lan smiled at her. Ethan nodded his head at her words.

"Yes! Take care Miss Ruo Lan! See you..", Sera waved her hand before turning around.

After seeing her car vanish in a distance Ethan turned around and sat inside, his eyes landed on Xia Ruo Lan's pale face.

"Are you feeling uncomfortable?", he asked revving up the engine.

"No.. but", she was feeling conflicted inside thinking about something.

"What is it?", he asked again, this time a bit patiently.

"I don't want to go to the hospital!", she mumbled softly, her voice almost a whisper.

Ethan remembered how she would cry at the name of hospitals in the past and chuckled, his face softened.

"Fine! I'll take you home..", he said reassuringly, she looked at him and smiled before slowly drifting into sleep.