snippet – human–or man?

“I’m sorry it has to be this way. Your man—he’s your first? The first one is always special, to a woman. But you’re young. You can find another man,” the prisoner said, consolingly. Or maybe he was just being snide. I couldn’t really tell. Why be sarcastic if he wanted to convince me? Was he sincerely expecting me to let him go? Surely he couldn’t think I would. Or maybe he was just trying to distract me.

I couldn’t help an uneasy glance around. We were doubly concealed, in a steep-sided wash with rutted walls and a rocky  floor, thickly screened along the top with lobe-leaves and thorns, but no one being able to see us also meant that we—I—couldn’t see anyone outside.

Anyone sneaking up would have to get past both Jack and the captain, I reminded myself. For that matter, anyone sneaking out would, too.

“—a real man. He isn’t even human. He belongs to the Code.”

He had the beginnings of a point, and if we had been arguing in good faith I’d have told him so. Jack wasn’t human. He only lived like one. But the scout of the Green Legion wasn’t here in good faith—not to listen, or even judge. He was here to kill Jack.

I hunkered on my heels and looked him in the eye. There was a cold, resolute hatred in them, but he looked just a little too eagerly into mine.

So he wasn’t certain.

I let him look. I knew what he’d see.

“Listen,” I said, “—I know you won’t lie. It’s a dishonor to the Code, and to the Legion, if you lie.” And I let him consider that from his position: caught alive, without a scratch to either of the men he tried to kill, tied to a tree, with a girl standing guard over him. I wouldn’t lie, under the circumstances. It would be even more undignified. “If I let you go now, will you leave?

“Would you just try to kill us right away? Would you come back with Valoden? If Valoden didn’t kill us, would you keep trying on your own? Tell me. Please. If I let you go, would you leave me and m-m-my man—alone?”

And he—blinked.

And he didn’t say anything.

And there it was. Like the captain said, I wouldn’t understand it. Maybe it’s because I’m a woman and my heart is soft. Let time pass and I’ll ignore a hurt. Let some kind of understanding grow and I’ll forget a slight. Give me an excuse—a good one—and I’ll forgive a debt. Men are different in that, I guess.

But I’m not too soft to overlook a threat.

He came here for one reason only. He came here to kill Jack.

My throat was dry and my voice cracked. I said, “I’m sorry.”

The Romance of Hua Rong – Ep 17!!!!

(yeah, multiple exclaimation marks are the sign of a deranged mind. I don’t care, I love this show.)

Oh, Poor Mr. Jin. At this point, even he can see that Hua Rong is into Shang Cheng. And he’s drinking quite a lot of shots. But the last question: what is Hua Rong’s biggest dream? Shang Cheng replies instantly that it’s to marry him. But Mr. Jin answers that Hua Rong dreams of being a heroine who travels the world, helps others, defeats injustice, and uplifts the weak–he knows that Hua Rong has never changed.

Shang Cheng loses about eighty percent of his smugness at this point. Blue Bro tries to salve his wounds, but honestly, a little humble pie is going to do him a world of good.

Hua Rong, meanwhile, is venting–“even Brother Jin knows what I want,” but her own husband doesn’t! (And then she tries to boil her dinner “to death,” lol. Wanwan watches in trepidation.

Meanwhile, Shang Cheng is ruminating over HR’s desire to be a heroine side by side with a Hero and coming to exactly the wrong conclusion, considering that this whole plotline is a setup to capture Hero Yun He….I think……
The mysterious masked man, meanwhile, is listening to the report. They don’t think Shang Cheng’s fake identity is Hero Yun He, but they’re going to keep an eye on him anyway. A close eye.

Shang Cheng apologizes! He’s a pirate, so he can’t say it in fancy words! But he wants to support her being a heroine! He promises! Also, while he promised to protect her from bullies, he realized that he has been the one who has been bullying her. He doesn’t want to start the vicious cycle up again–of him being a bully, her being angry, and then him being puzzled, distressed and depressed….and a bully. (Heh, HR demands to know if someone else wrote his apology for him.) But they hug! She won’t answer whether or not she plans to marry him, since they really do need to lay plans for the future if they are going to get married and grow old together.

AAAAAND the vicious cycle starts up again when Shang Chang drags in Mr. Jin’s name. Damnit, boy, you just ruined it. SHEESH. Hua Rong announces her complete independence and ability to realize her dreams on her own with no help from anybody, and marches off, and incidentally, DON’T FOLLOW ME THIS TIME. Incredibly, he doesn’t. Brooding is a solitary occupation anyway.

SO. On to the next contest–the martial arts round. It’s archery….in one week?
Hua Rong completely snubs Shang Cheng (and Sidekick is backing her up with maximum rudeness)–and it is she who is going to enter the contest, not Mr. Jin, who is ill. Nonetheless! the best archery master in the county is going to coach her….except that all of them suddenly report in ill. Wanwan storms off to take Shang Cheng to task.

This Wanwan does. And SC gets an idea.

Hua Rong, meanwhile, is practicing on her own. With some, though limited success.

So Hero Yun He arrives. BUT THE GUY WAS SPYING ON THEM AND NOW HE DOES KNOW! UH OH!

Heh, SC points out that he is technically now the best archery master in the province. Commence the hands-on instruction….Meanwhile, HR is giggling and getting hugely turned on….and heh, when she says it’s the heat, Shang Cheng/Yun He helpfully suggests she take off some of her clothes. But he’s at least going through the entire lesson without smirking, and, THANK YOU SHOW: Hua Rong thinks to herself about how irresistable SC is when he’s serious and working hard.

Also, that she needs to focus. LOL AND THEN HE DOES IT ALL OVER AGAIN.
So while he’s in serious Yun He mode, Shang Cheng tells her that he’s thought it over and he’ll throw the match for her. But Hua Rong scorns this–as we knew she would–and keeps on practicing. She demands respect and equality, and if he’s not willing to let them compete fairly, then….

Shang Cheng, meanwhile, isn’t sure why this attempt to help her “realize her dream” failed. Again. OH LOL, SC is forcing the Bros to come up with ideas. Because this has worked so well in the past. Blue Bro thinks that women know women best, and they should try brainstorming in the brothel rather than on the riverbank…..CUT TO: GUESS WHAT.

(and intercut with HR and Wanwan’s conversation.)

Hua Rong, bless her heart, at least doesn’t find the idea credible. ((((YET.)))
(So Shang Cheng picks ALL THE GIRLS.)

Heh: constancy is “one of his advantages, which is not saying much.” You said it, girl. HR is merely fretting over the fact that SC is dense as two planks.
And it is true–Shang Cheng is merely trying to find some women to actually talk to. It turns out there is at least one independent-minded girl there, who advises that couples should have good communication and mutual respect.

For her part, Wanwan sympathizes with the density of men and counsels patience.

MEANWHILE! Mr. Jin needs his medicine. He doesn’t want it. But Sidekick a) knows that the cure for his illness is Hua Rong, b) has a plan.

MEANWHILE! Shang Cheng is apparently making Hua Rong a new bow?….except that Hua Rong is now practicing archery with Mr. Jin. AAAAAAND Mr. Jin has had a dozen bows made for her selection.

HR has a giggle-flashback.

OH MY GOSH ARE YOU SHOWING OFF AGAIN SHANG CHENG. He shows up in front of the target and, with an arrow flying at him, does a backflip to avoid it. He and Mr. Jin exchange sneers, but, remarkablg, SC manages not to be smug as he gives HR his bow. And this time she hits the actual target. Oh, and that’s laying it on thick: SC kneels down to slide a protective thumb ring onto HR’s hand. Hua Rong definitely approves of Serious Shang Cheng instead of Smug.

(Poor Mr. Jin.) But lol, having that many servants to pamper Hua Rong with is definitely cheating.

And yet! Blue Bro and Shaggy Bro still have one more ace up their sleeve.
…
…Is it the Crane Stance???

Rated: for a show with good production values, they couldn’t even teach their main actress to hold a bow convincingly?