(This is what occurred once Ah Si and Shancai met again after their hunger strike.)

"S-Shancai..." Dao Ming Si could barely whisper her name as she fainted before him, her face cushioned by his hand. Ah Si groaned in pain, unable to move or call out for help. He shifted to face the door and used his legs to project himself towards the bed. He was weak and couldn't get any closer. With a frustrated sigh, he slid down to the floor, resting his head next to Shancai's. His breathing became labored and his eyes closed. They both had drifted off to sleep from exhaustion, their bodies sprawled alongside the foot of his bed.

"We should check on them," Ximen stated, his face full of concern. "They haven't had anything to eat or drink for days!" Mei Zuo stood up and gestured for Lei to follow suit, however Lei was already headed up the stairs to Ah Si's room.

"YU SAO!" Dao Ming Zhuang yelled. Yu Sao ambled in on her cane, leading a line of servants pushing carts of food and bottled water. Yu Sao pulled off her glasses to polish them as the line of servants headed towards Ah Si's room. "Yes, Ah Zhuang?" she asked with an eyebrow raised before replacing her glasses.

"Yu Sao, you are always one step ahead of me." Ah Zhuang shook her head and smiled, then pointed in Yu Sao's direction in a familiar Dao Ming gesture. "This is why we get along so well!" She exclaimed with a small laugh before thanking Yu Sao with a slight bow. She then waved at Mei Zuo and Ximen urging them to follow Lei before walking off to speak with her mother.

Lei quickly approached Dao Ming Si's room. All of the guards had their heads bowed and looked earnest, almost ashamed. Lei's face grew cold as he entered Ah Si's room, immediately taking everything in. He stood still for a brief moment, his face registering so many emotions. Shock, disbelief, happiness, sadness, anger. He could not settle on one emotion.

Lei removed his coat and kneeled down on the ground beside Ah Si and Shancai. With great care, he began to separate their bodies. Lei lifted Shancai's head from Ah Si's hand and gently moved it away, placing his wool jacket under her head for temporary support.

"Lei! What are you doing?" Ximen asked upon entering Ah Si's room with Mei Zuo behind him.

Lei looked at them both with a blank stare. "What do you think I'm doing? We have to get them up and in bed." Lei pushed his hands under Shancai and gingerly lifted her up, bringing her in close to his chest, before standing up. He placed her on the right side of Ah Si's bed, strategically removing her coat in the process.

Ximen and Mei Zuo quickly followed suit, one on each side of Ah Si. They placed Ah Si's arms over their shoulders and lifted him up as softly as possible. Ah Si had no reaction, his body limp. They brought him over to the left side of the bed and lowered him next to Shancai.

Lei brought his hand up to Shancai's forehead to check for a temperature he already knew would be there. He frowned and looked over at Ah Si. His skin was pale, his eyes with noticeable purple bags. Lei had never seen his brother look so vulnerable.

Ximen palmed Ah Si's forehead, mirroring Lei but found no fever. Ah Si's skin was cool. Ximen and Lei shared a look as the Dao Ming servants began to enter the room. Lei gestured for them to split evenly on each side of the bed.

Mei Zuo spoke up, "Lei, should we wake them? Or let them rest?" For once, his voice was full of uncertainty. Mei Zuo grabbed two water bottles and popped open the tops, placing them on Ah Si's nightstand. He then grabbed two more to open and rounded the bed to place them on Shancai's nightstand. Mei Zuo blinked at the thought of labeling Ah Si's furniture as Shancai's property, then smiled warmly before cocking his head to the side waiting for Lei's response. Mei Zuo's smile began to falter after noting Lei's expressionless face.

Once again, Lei looked at Shancai and Ah Si, then to the window where the sunlight was pouring in. He was thankful that such sadness had ended on such a beautiful day. "They're exhausted, let them sleep for now." Lei brought his gaze back to his friends and suggested, "We can check on them in a few hours."

Mei Zuo smile in agreement and pushed a cart closer to Shancai's side of the bed. With a satisfied nod, he sauntered past Lei, excusing himself to the study.

With Mei Zuo gone, Ximen studied Lei's expression and asked him "Do you love Shancai?"

Lei's gaze quickly met Ximen's and held. He tilted his head to the side and also studied Ximen. "Why do you ask?"

"Genuine curiosity. Nothing more. Nothing less," Ximen returned, averting his gaze to cover Ah Si and Shancai with a thin blanket. He checked to see if there were any signs of coherency. None. He held a finger under Ah Si's nose, almost comically, to check for breathing. Present. He looked back to Lei, waiting for a reply.

After being lost in thought, Lei finally replied, "I do."

Ximen raised a brow, crossing his arms, waiting for the longer answer he knew was inevitable.

"...however, it is not the same love they share." Lei looked over to Ah Si and Shancai before continuing. "I love Shancai as a lifelong companion. As if she were family. There is no lust. I merely feel the need to protect her. If soulmates exist, then she belongs to more than one person." Lei looked back to Ximen with a secretive smile.

Ximen uncrossed his arms, his brows reaching his hairline. "You have got to be joking!" he exclaimed, not sure whether to be indignant for Ah Si's sake or concerned for Lei's thought process. Ximen held his hands up and gestured for Lei to further explain himself.

"Xiiiiimen," Lei dragged his name out in disapproval, "I merely meant that Shancai would be my soulmate in terms of friendship. They are obviously meant to be together." Lei rolled his eyes and considered the conversation to be done. He turned to leave.

"Lei! You...you really are an interesting individual," Ximen stated with squinted eyes. He shook his head in disbelief and let out a small chuckle. Ximen then followed Lei to join Mei Zuo in the study.

"Ahhh..." Ah Si groaned in pain. He forced himself to open his eyes and looked down at his body. His toes jerked and he stretched his leg a little, feeling as if he were 90 years old. His body felt as if it weighed a ton and every movement he made was slow and painful. Ah Si groaned again, closing his eyes then immediately jerked them open in realization.

It was over, his mother agreed to let him be with Shancai. They could finally be together.

He had been on the ground at the foot of his bed when Shancai fainted in front of him. His eyes quickly darted around the room. Someone had brought him to bed. There were trays and carts scattered around his bed containing food or water.

He looked to the left to find Shancai asleep next to him. Someone had brought them to bed. He let out a relieved sigh and shifted his hip so he could reach over to her side. Ah Si pushed the hair from Shancai's face and smiled lovingly. He didn't see the exhaustion on her face nor in her body. Nor the disheveled hair or uneven parlor. "She is the most beautiful woman I've ever seen," he thought to himself. He caressed her cheek and struggled to say her name.

Clearing his throat, he took a deep breath and exhaled before managing one word, "Shancai..." He rubbed her cheek, just under her eye, as tears welled in his. A single tear rolled down Ah Si's cheek as he smiled, his face full of love and admiration. She didn't respond, but her breathing was stable and she didn't seem to have a fever. He stroked her cheek a few more times before forcing himself to focus.

Ah Si gingerly pushed himself into a sitting position, his body aching with every move. He rested his head against the headboard and closed his eyes for a moment, willing his body to cooperate. Opening his eyes, he then reached out for a bottle of water and began guzzling it as if he'd never drink again. He forced himself to slow down, as it took less than a minute for him to drink one bottle. All of a sudden, he'd downed four bottles of water. He peered at the nearest food cart as if he were trying to use telekinesis to project it forward within his reach. With a sigh he pushed himself away from the headboard and sat up to get readjusted to his weight.

He launched himself forward holding onto the bed for stability. He grabbed the closest cart and jerked it towards the bed, his body giving out. Ah Si landed against his bed and pushed himself into a sitting position again. He opened the tray and began to shove spoonful after spoonful of soup into his mouth. He broke apart a piece of bread and moaned as he began to chew it. The taste was out of this world.

It was just a regular piece of toasted white bread.

Ah Si finished the bowl of soup and two sandwiches before settling himself back against the headboard. His body still felt weak but at this point, it was manageable. He wiped his mouth with one hand and glanced over at Shancai. She was sleeping so soundly. He pondered if he could actually call it "peaceful" after what had recently transpired. Probably not. The only peaceful moment that had been shared was against his bedroom door. Ah Si recalled their previous conversation held against that door and how utterly adorable Shancai had been lying through her teeth. He smiled at the thought and looked back to her. He was so lucky to have her on his side. This is the happiest and strongest he's ever felt, despite his current physical state. And it was all because of Dong Shancai. His life.

Watching her sleep began to make him feel sleepy again. He lowered his body and pushed himself directly next to her. Ah Si softly lifted her head, sliding his arm under so she could use him as a pillow. He hummed at the contact. He pushed his body closer, pulling Shancai's left leg over his hip, his right hand was splayed across her back holding her against his chest. Ah Si rested his head on hers and drifted into a peaceful sleep.

Shancai began to rouse. She sighed and cuddled in closer to Ah Si, her head against his chest. She could hear a steady heartbeat and the smell was like no other. She breathed in, the scent making her feel safe and loved. With a smile, she rubbed her cheek against his chest and moved her left hand upward. Her hand was touching skin. She caressed that skin up and down, feeling beyond content, not realizing her hand was under Ah Si's shirt.

GRUMBLE

She froze. Her stomach betrayed her for the first time.

"It really wasn't me this time," said a soft voice from above. Shancai went to move her hand and froze again, finally realizing the placement of it. She was in Dao Ming Si's bed. She was in his bed...groping him! She slowly began to remove her hand from under Ah Si's shirt when he spoke up. "Please don't," he pleaded. She obliged, the full realization of her position and the past few day's events running through her head.

"Dao Ming Si," her voice was muffled by his chest, "why am I in your bed?" She didn't bother trying to move or look around. The embarrassment was too much for her to handle right now, so Shancai kept her face hidden against Ah Si's chest.

"You need to eat, not ask stupid questions. Stupid girl," Ah Si replied, the arm against her back inched towards her butt, pulling her even closer.

Shancai nervously cleared her throat now realizing the placement of her thigh and leg thrown across Ah Si's hip. She closed her eyes and rested her right hand against his chest, then placed her head against that hand. For once she was so exhausted she completely gave up on retorts and trying to run away from the situation.

Her eyes hurt. Her stomach hurt. Her face hurt. Everything hurt.

Pushing the pain and exhaustion aside, she took a few moments to gather herself and her thoughts. Shancai remembered Yu Sao and Xiao Zi confirming that Ah Si's mother had finally given up, allowing her to be with him. She remembered the long walk to his room, slapping the body guard's hand away and smiling upon entering the bedroom and seeing Ah Si's handsome, tired face. Is it really over? She felt a happiness consume her that she'd never felt before. Shancai smiled against Ah Si's chest. For the first time ever, she could envision their future as happy and fulfilling. Is it truly over?

GRUMBLE

"If you won't listen to me, then you should listen to your stomach," Ah Si laughed and rubbed her back. He pulled away just enough to look down at her. Shancai sighed, all thoughts of their future temporarily postponed, and looked up to meet his gaze for the first time since she fainted. She immediately felt as if she couldn't breathe. She didn't see the exhaustion on his face nor in his body. Nor the disheveled hair or uneven parlor. "Dao Ming Si is the most beautiful man I've ever seen," she thought to herself.

"You're so beautiful." She was shocked to hear the words actually come out of her mouth. But for once, she didn't instantly regret it. She also didn't bother covering her mouth in embarrassment or hiding her face. Shancai could only stare at Ah Si, watching his expression change from amused to complete happiness, followed by complete vanity. She took a mental picture of each expression. She was in awe of this man. She was in awe of how much she loved this man.

"Of course. I told you that I was dashing," he said with a shit-eating grin. Shancai couldn't help but mirror his grin, though she felt the tears coming. She pursed her lips and tried to hold them in. She was unsuccessful. Ah Si brushed away the tears and leaned forward to place a sweet kiss against her forehead. "Okay, okay. Let's get up," he squeezed her hip, then patted it before pulling away.