Chapter 43 - 43 - Is this a departing gift? (3/3)

A smile appeared on her face, he pulled her hair up into a simple ponytail. It was more comfortable to travel this way if they were heading towards the border.

She touched the side of her hair and moved upward towards what is holding her hair in place. Beside a silk ribbon, there was something else in her hair. 

It wasn't heavy, nor was it light. 

Xiong Jingfei's fingers brushed against it, and a soft ding was heard. Grabbing the end of it, she pulled it out and brought it near the candlelight for a better view.

It was a silver hairpin with two butterflies chasing one another. It wasn't a plain silver hairpin with only two butterflies, it had engraved design of flowers and vines running through it. At the end of it, hung two tiny pink jade balls hanging onto two small chains.

"Do you like it?" Yang Zheyan asked, having heard her say nothing after seeing it. Was it not to her liking? Did she not think the design was beautiful?

Xiong Jingfei turned around to look at the real Yang Zheyan, and not just the reflection him. 

"It's beautiful," She smiled, holding onto it tighter than she did with her almonds. "I love it." 

A tiny sigh escaped from Yang Zheyan. He was just so happy that she liked the hairpin. He wouldn't know what to say if she didn't. He was the person who designed it just for her, after all. It took him months to create a design to his liking, and to match the person who is going to wear it.

Each stroke he made on the piece of paper, he thought of her. Each dot he created, he thought of her smile. In the end, the hairpin had her being pinned on it. 

Although he didn't produce the hairpin himself. He was right to have trusted Wei Weimin to take care of the rest. He wasn't sure who Wei Weimin asked because the person prefers to keep his identity hidden. But the person who made it followed his designed exceptionally well.

The only request the unknown person had for Yang Zheyan was that he wanted to keep the original design of the hairpin. He promised to never produce another one like it but wanted to keep it with his other collections. Yang Zheyan, of course, agreed, it wasn't a hard request to not fulfill.

Xiong Jingfei put the hairpin back into her ponytail. From far away, it appears to look like nothing more than a plain silver hairpin. However, on closer inspection, it was more than just any regular hairpin. It was one of a kind.

Especially when the person who gave it to her was the person she plans to spend the rest of her life with. 

Her smile slowly began to fade. She blinked her eyes to hold back her tears. Swallowing the saliva built up at the back of her throat, she asked, "Is this a departing gift?"

Yang Zheyan cupped her face in his hands. He couldn't plaster his usual warm smile on his face, but there a fire burning in his eyes. That the next words coming out of his mouth will hold no lies, but the truth only.

"Silly girl. This hairpin of ours is to hold our hopes and dreams. Our promises." Yang Zheyan wiped away the tears on her face. "It is so you won't forget about me."

Xiong Jingfei shook her head, "Never! I will never forget you, I promise."

"I also promise you're the only for me." Yang Zheyan smiled, placing his lips on her salty cheeks. "We will never depart from one another. I will always be right behind you, I promise." 

Xiong Jingfei's face went up in flame. She had pale milky skin, so she couldn't hide the redness spreading on her face and neck. Getting up quickly from her seat, she almost knocked Yang Zheyan over. 

"I-I need to start packing before Songsong finishes first. Or else, my lies will be discovered." Xiong Jingfei began making her way towards her clothes. "Y-you should also leave before someone sees you."

Yang Zheyan stood up and grabbed her by the arm. Spinning her around to face him, he smiled mischievously, "No need. I already did it for you." 

He tilted his head towards her bed, and on it was a piece of cloth wrapping something inside. It was, without a doubt, her belongings for the journey. 

Yang Zheyan playful smiled melted away, and his face turned deadly serious.

"You must be careful. You must never show that you are wavering. You must not fear when danger approaches." Yang Zheyan looked deep into Xiong Jingfei's eyes. It was as if he was carving these words into her heart and head. Slamming her into his chest and tightly held onto her. "First and foremost, you must return safe and sound, my bride."

Xiong Jingfei could only nod her head in his embrace. She must never forget these survival words of his. Wrapping her arms around his, she laid her head in his chest and felt his tense muscle relaxing.

"I promise to return back safely to you." 

Warm droplets of water began to drop and spread on Xiong Jingfei's right shoulder. Unable to hold herself back anymore, she cried along, one hard last time. Until she returns back into these arms, she wouldn't shed a tear for anyone or anything. 

"I promise."