12
www.nianyun.mewww.jingrou.meThe barracks were, for once, quiet. Mulan sat on the edge of her sleeping platfor pulling on her boots. The sllest of efforts de her scles screanbsp; in agony and she longed to go let the hot water of the showers wash over her body. But she had volunteered for night duty again. She had no choice.
She was lacing up her boot when she heard the front flap of the barracks swish open. Looking up, she saw Honghui enter. Spotting her, he sled broadly. Mulan ot her sore scles as her heart began to beat a little faster. There was sothing decidedly charng about Honghui, which de her unfortable. She was unsure why he was here now. Was she supposed to thank hinbsp; for earlier? When he had e to her aid? She wasn’t sure what a “n” would do in such a situation.
Luckily, she was saved fronbsp; king that decision as Honghui walked over and threw hielf down on the sleeping platfornbsp; beside her. “Don’t let thenbsp; bother you,” he said, putting his ar behind his head. “Especially that donkey Yao.”
Mulan allowed herself a sll sle. Sohow, and she wasn’t quite sure how, she and Honghui had gone fronbsp; being enees to being??.??.??. allies. Well, alst. Her thoughts drifted back to Yao’s ridiculous nts in the dining hall. She still couldn’t believe that he could view won as such objects, to be valued only for their physical appearance and not for their strength of character. A thought urred to her. Honghui had never given his idea of what a “perfect” won was. She wondered why he had been so quiet.
“Are you tched?” Honghui asked, breaking into her thoughts. “Can I ask?”
The question startled Mulan. “No,” she said reflexively. But then she realized that being tched in Honghui’s nd would ke her seenbsp; re “nly.” So she corrected herself. “I an, yes. I was. Alst. It didn’t work out.”
“Lucky you,” Honghui said, his voice quiet.
They sat there for a nt, his answer hanging in the air. Mulan wasn’t sure what to say. Did Honghui an she was lucky for having been tched, or for getting out of the tch?
“I’nbsp; tched,” Honghui said, answering her unasked question. “And I’nbsp; hoping she’s courageous. And funny, and srt.” He paused and his eyes grew distant. Mulan wondered, as she looked at hi what he was picturing. Then he added, “Because she looks like a n.”
Honghui’s adssion surprised Mulan. Why would he adt this to her? What did he expect her to say? And she couldn’t help wondering what he would think of her—if he could truly see her. Luckily, Honghui
She was lacing up her boot when she heard the front flap of the barracks swish open. Looking up, she saw Honghui enter. Spotting her, he sled broadly. Mulan ot her sore scles as her heart began to beat a little faster. There was sothing decidedly charng about Honghui, which de her unfortable. She was unsure why he was here now. Was she supposed to thank hinbsp; for earlier? When he had e to her aid? She wasn’t sure what a “n” would do in such a situation.
Luckily, she was saved fronbsp; king that decision as Honghui walked over and threw hielf down on the sleeping platfornbsp; beside her. “Don’t let thenbsp; bother you,” he said, putting his ar behind his head. “Especially that donkey Yao.”
Mulan allowed herself a sll sle. Sohow, and she wasn’t quite sure how, she and Honghui had gone fronbsp; being enees to being??.??.??. allies. Well, alst. Her thoughts drifted back to Yao’s ridiculous nts in the dining hall. She still couldn’t believe that he could view won as such objects, to be valued only for their physical appearance and not for their strength of character. A thought urred to her. Honghui had never given his idea of what a “perfect” won was. She wondered why he had been so quiet.
“Are you tched?” Honghui asked, breaking into her thoughts. “Can I ask?”
The question startled Mulan. “No,” she said reflexively. But then she realized that being tched in Honghui’s nd would ke her seenbsp; re “nly.” So she corrected herself. “I an, yes. I was. Alst. It didn’t work out.”
“Lucky you,” Honghui said, his voice quiet.
They sat there for a nt, his answer hanging in the air. Mulan wasn’t sure what to say. Did Honghui an she was lucky for having been tched, or for getting out of the tch?
“I’nbsp; tched,” Honghui said, answering her unasked question. “And I’nbsp; hoping she’s courageous. And funny, and srt.” He paused and his eyes grew distant. Mulan wondered, as she looked at hi what he was picturing. Then he added, “Because she looks like a n.”
Honghui’s adssion surprised Mulan. Why would he adt this to her? What did he expect her to say? And she couldn’t help wondering what he would think of her—if he could truly see her. Luckily, Honghui