Chapter 14: Mother’s Last Request
Xing joined Chenglie and walked towards her home. She imagined her mother’s reaction when she sees Chenglie.
Chenglie suddenly grabbed her hand and put on a jade bracelet on her hand. It was a clear green imperial jade bracelet. Xing didn’t know the value of that bracelet, but was really happy she received a gift from her beloved. It was later she learned the worth of the bracelet, which was said to be entire cities. But how a fallen Prince could afford it, well that remained a biggest mystery for long.
On the way home, as Xing recollected everything happened and how they kissed on the roof. But she felt something was off about everything. What was it?
Then it dawned on her lovestruck brain that had stopped working after she met her ’Prince ’ that he had recognised her rather easily. When they stayed together back then, her hair used to be jet black and she had really pale skin. But now, not only she had grown a lot, her hair had turned golden and she had applied makeup to make her look darker and she was dressed as a man. Even her mother wouldn’t recognise her if she saw her ten years later like him... And Chenglie as she knew, wouldn’t have just completely abandoned her this long.
If so...
"You! You stalker! You watched over me all these years, didn’t you?, she punched his arm hard and he grunted and looked at her confused.
" Haru.. Did Haru know? ", she shouted pushing him. He took two steps back to regain his balance and just gave an apologetic glance as he understood that he got found out too soon.
Xing snorted, " So you two were in contact all this time.. Did you even know how much I..", Missed you? Wished to know if you were well?
Wanted to at least have a glance at you? Hear your voice? Wondered how much your appearance had changed? And all this time both of you kept on lying to me? You two.. the people I trust most in this world, even more than myself, made me suffer, knowing how much I had suffered not knowing your whereabouts?
Xing wanted to cry but she was never a person who cried and her heart ached and the anger, disappointment and sadness she felt, made her throat close and her eyebrows flinched.
Chenglie knew she would find out everything even if he tried to hide it as she was smart and this would be her reaction. But actually seeing her sullen and lifeless look, his heart ached and he felt like dying. But all he did in the past was for her protection and he cannot explain it to her now as everything was complicated. He was in contact with Haru for seven years and that was mainly to get news about her. He would visit her village at least once a month to have a glance at her from far and would hide if she accidentally looked at his direction while all he wanted was to run to her and hug her. But he could not let himself lose his control as her wellbeing depended on it.
"Xing!", he cried and hugged her close. He wanted to merge her into him so she would be safe always and happy as he didn’t know what to say.