Connected 4

Ling Xiaochen's heart sank. She tried to lift the corner of her lips and urged him softly. "Why? Just…five minutes. No, one minute is enough." She didn't realize the tremble in her voice and her balled fists that had been clenching her dress tightly.

But An Zhengnan still repeated. "I'm sorry."

Hot tears welled up in her eyes as she choked. Her heart squeezed painfully in her chest and her throat felt constricted. She wanted to cling on him, to urge him to stay for just a moment, yet at that moment, her body was rigid and frozen.

An Zhengnan sighed softly and said as he turned. "I will return another day for your appointment with The Princess. Sorry, I need to go now. Princess…she needs me now."

When she saw his figure started to walk away, Ling Xiaochen let her instinct took over her body as she hugged him from behind and sobbed. "I love you, Zhengnan. I love you, I really love you." She poured all her heart and soul onto that three words of confession.

He felt warm under her touch, yet at this moment Ling Xiaochen felt cold all over as shiver running down her body like a bucket of cold water had just been poured over her head.

An Zhengnan tightened his jaw as he forced himself to be cruel and pried those pair of soft and dainty arms away from his body. "I'm sorry, for…everything that I can't be."

Ling Xiaochen's arms fell limply on her sides as she felt all her strength leaving her. Huge droplets of tears fell continuously on her cheeks but she didn't even wipe them away. His back was blurred, but at the moment, Ling Xiaochen still felt so much affection for him even though she was clearly rejected.

She had known that he was a kind person…

Even though his reputation as a playboy was spread all over the mainland, Ling Xiaochen knew that it was those women that threw themselves to him. He had always rejected them politely, sometimes bantering with them jokingly because of his cheeky and playful demeanor.

He had always taken every feelings toward him seriously. He spared no effort to nip their feelings in the bud because clear rejection was always better than false hope.

She had always admire that side of him, yet when she herself was in those women's position, she found herself wishing…she had wished that he could give her a little bit of hope, even if it's false, she wouldn't mind. She just wanted him to look at her.

But An Zhengnan was An Zhengnan, it was how he was. Firm and decisive.

Ling Xiaochen bit her lips hard to prevent herself from sobbing out loud when the man stopped on his track. He didn't turn around when he said. "About your question…"

Ling Xiaochen was stunned for a moment before she registered what he meant. He was talking about her question at the Princess' birthday banquet. At that time she had asked him: The Princess have always been the one in you could ever see, huh?

Before waiting for any answer, she had fled because she was afraid. She was afraid that he would confirm the doubt that was in her heart. She wanted to run away from the truth, to turn a blind eye to the fact that was clearly in front of her to see…

But this time, she couldn't run away anymore.

He cleared all of her doubts in a single sentence. "You're right."

Just like that, he strode forward, leaving her without looking back. Without any hesitation nor delay. His back was as straight and dashing as ever.

Ling Xiaochen broke down the moment he disappeared from her sight. Her step faltered as she fell crouching on the ground and clasped her mouth tightly. Broken sobs and cries were slipping from her mouth as she wailed softly.

She felt as if all the oxygen around her dissipated and she couldn't breathe. Her throat was burning and she seemed to have wasted years of tears for this few minutes as it fell uncontrollably and trailed down her cheeks nonstop.

She knew it…she had always known the truth…

But knowing and hearing it directly was two different things.

Even though she had known it deep inside her, but hearing him confirm it himself…the pain was akin to digging her heart out and sliced it to pieces.

At that moment she felt so envious, very very envious of the Princess that received his love.

Why couldn't it be her?

Why…she should have prepared herself.

But why did it still hurt so much?

***

Ouyang Xueqing have been feeling under the weather since the chest pain incident.

She didn't know why, but she just had this kind of bad feeling, like something dreadful would happened. She had rarely doubted her own instinct, it had saved her countless times in the past.

For all afternoon, she had checked all the person that was closest to her. Her mother, father, grandfather, Imperial Father…they're all fine.

An Zhengnan came back not long after with a slightly down aura but it quickly changed when he met her. He had acted just like usual, annoying and cheeky to his core. He was as fit as a fiddle. Not him either…

Then, could it be Ren Yupei?

Ouyang Xueqing was so anxious that she pestered her Imperial Father during his work which rarely happened because she was such a sensible and adorable girl. But this time, she felt like she should do something, anything to stop it from happening.

She then found out from her continuous coaxing that Imperial Father had sent Ren Yupei to the Ghost Town! It was the place that was plagued with evil spirits and people was dying one after another mysteriously with fear and horror on their faces even as a corpse!

Ouyang Xueqing was so distressed that the corner of her eyes reddened.

She would have cried if not for Wang Ze finally conceded and contacted Ren Yupei through communication device.

The voice that transmitted sounded gentle and calm as usual. "Is there something wrong, My Lord?"

Wang Ze glanced helplessly at Ouyang Xueqing whose eyes were still glistening with tears. "Qing'er wants to talk to you." He handed her the device yet he didn't leave, shamelessly plopped himself down beside her and eavesdropped.

Ouyang Xueqing couldn't care less and cried out. "Brother Ren, are you okay?!"

Ren Yupei was stunned at her anxious tone before answering. "Of course I am. Is there something wrong, Princess? Why are you so anxious?"

Listening to his steady voice that she was so familiar with was making Ouyang Xueqing felt slightly better. She shook her head. "Nothing. Just afraid that something will happen to you."

He chuckled. "What can happen to me?"

"It's good if there's none." Ouyang Xueqing could finally mustered up a smile. "How are you, Brother Ren? When are you coming home?" She whined in a spoiled manner.

His laugh was soft, slightly tickling her ear. "Miss me already?"

Wang Ze cleared his throat.

Ren Yupei was choked. "U—Um, it seems like I can't go back that fast."

"Really?" Ouyang Xueqing's shoulder dropped down in disappointment.

On the other line, Ren Yupei gulped nervously. His heart had almost jumped out from his throat at the sound of His Lord's warning. He never expected him to stay and listened on to their conversation! It had really caught him off guard. Even now, he could somehow felt a cold aura permeating from the communication device and he chuckled dryly.

"Yes. I'm so sorry for breaking our promise. I will make it up for you when I return okay?"

"Hmm!" Ouyang Xueqing nodded obediently. "Good luck on your mission, Brother Ren. Take care of yourself and don't get hurt."

"Thank you, Princess."

They hanged up afterward. Ouyang Xueqing returned the communication device to Wang Ze and frowned slightly. Not Ren Yupei either…

Then, who?

"What promise did you make with him?"

"Huh?" Ouyang Xueqing jolted back to her senses. "Oh, Brother Ren had promised Qing'er to shop together and buy Qing'er her birthday gift. But it seems like he's really busy and can't make it back." She sighed.

Wang Ze sneered tauntingly. Busy? Yeah right, I will make him busier until he can't even get some sleep!

If Ren Yupei had known that a certain someone's jealousy had caused his mission's difficulty to suddenly risen up, causing him to be so overwhelmed and couldn't even get enough rest, he would certainly bang his head against the wall.

He was really aggrieved ah! It was really an innocent promise! He never had any intention to seduce the Princess at all! Yet The Lord saw him as the greatest enemy, some kind of bug that needed to be disposed of...TT