Chapter 11 — Haunted by Nightmares (Part One)

　　That day Ruoshui was dozing behind the fake rock garden when Fuyi Jun stood above her and just watched.

　　She blinked awake, half-lost, then squinted at him and mumbled, “Gu Xiao’s over there,” pointing in the direction where Gu Xiao sat practicing.

　　“I came to find you,” Fuyi Jun said, crouching down.

　　“For what?” Ruoshui shrank back, guarded. “I don’t think I’ve offended you—have I?” (She wasn’t nearly as scrappy as Gu Xiao.)

　　“You’re worrying for nothing,” he chuckled. When it wasn’t about revenge, Ruoshui relaxed a little and asked, “So why did you come?”

　　“Do you keep having nightmares? Can’t sleep?” he asked.

　　“How did you know?” she sat up, surprised.

　　“I’m a doctor. I can tell.” He said it with a little pride.

　　“Can you fix it?” she asked.

　　“Nightmares have lots of causes — past lives, future worries, emotional knots, or just what you think about all day. You’ve got to trace the root before you can treat it.” He spoke like someone used to diagnosing people.

　　Ruoshui nodded. “Sounds sensible.”

　　“And which kind do you think you are?” he asked.

　　She shook her head. “I don’t know.”

　　“When did the nightmares start? Has it always been like this?”

　　She sighed. “It’s complicated.”

　　“If you don’t want to say, I can’t help.” He rose to leave.

　　“No—” Ruoshui grabbed his sleeve. “It’s not that I don’t want to tell you. I just don’t know where to begin.”

　　“Go ahead. I’ll listen.” He sat beside her.

　　She told him slowly: she didn’t know who she was or where she came from. She only remembered washing ashore, being rescued by someone, feeling safe when he was around — then he vanished without a word. Since then she hadn’t slept a single peaceful night.

　　“Why didn’t you go look for him?” he asked.

　　“I did. I tried so hard and finally found him — and then I somehow offended him so badly he may never wish to see me again.” She smiled through it, but her eyes were wet and hollow.

　　Fuyi hated seeing a girl like that — helpless and sad. “How about I help you find your family?” he offered. “Often nightmares come from not knowing: no roots, no safety. If you find someone familiar, that might set things right.”

　　“Really?” Her face lit up at the thought, then clouded immediately. She’d been tricked once already; charity often hides a motive. “Why are you helping me? Aren’t you using me for something?”

　　“Use you? What for? Look at you — where’s the value in that?” He glanced her up and down, half-annoyed, half-amused. “Don’t take yourself so seriously.”

　　His bluntness stung, but it wasn’t wrong; she had been naïve before. Still, she bristled.

　　“Do I look like a man with bad intentions?” he asked, a bit exasperated.

　　She stared at his face and, after a beat, answered honestly: “No.”

　　Before he could bask in that, she added, “But bad people don’t come labeled either. There are plenty of hypocrites.”

　　He was momentarily speechless — how dare she lump him in with pretenders? He was about to snap when she added, “By the way, who are you?”

　　He sighed and said, “I’m a physician — Feng Xinzi.” (He was also known among the sect as Fuyi Jun.) She shook her head; the name meant nothing to her.

　　He couldn’t contain himself. “You don’t know Feng Xinzi? The famed healer who wanders and cures people?”

　　A few people training nearby heard the name and turned. Yun Bumei, passing by, paused and walked over to see what was happening.

　　Ruoshui awkwardly tugged at her ear. “I told you — I really don’t know anything.”

　　Fuyi realized he’d overstepped. Yun Bumei, puzzled by the commotion, recognized the man and offered, “Feng Xinzi? That’s him — the famous doctor, healer on the road.”

　　Fuyi shot a smug look at Ruoshui. “You believe him now? If you don’t trust me, at least trust Yun Bumei.”

　　Yun Bumei, uncomfortable, tried to smooth things over. “You pick fights with Gu Xiao every day — it’s no wonder she’s wary. But yes, Feng Xinzi should take a look.”

　　After Yun left, Fuyi was left alone with Ruoshui. He was a little full of himself; she stammered an apology.

　　He leaned in teasingly, “What did you say just now?”

　　She mouthed into his ear slowly, “S-or-ry.” To show sincerity she added, “I got tricked recently — once bitten, twice shy. Please don’t hold it against me, Doctor.”

　　“Cut the honorifics. Just call me Feng Xinzi.” He softened. “What’s your name?”

　　She brightened and told him, “Ruoshuī — Ruoshui. Like the line ‘the highest good is like water’ — that ‘ruo’ (like) ‘shui’ (water).”

　　He thought she wasn’t bad-looking when she smiled. Then, to her surprise, he actually took her to look for relatives.

　　She thought about finding Gu Xiao to say goodbye, but learned Gu Xiao had left town on account of something at home.