I have decided to let you go [Bonus chapter]

Xuanzi frowned to hear her unsatisfactory answer about staying with Licheng. "I don't know why my brother wants to keep you with him. Mother is upset with my Elder Brother. You told me you did not intend to marry my brother. That means, you lied to Miss Ji Anning," he caught her lie and asked her questions about that.

Xiana fiddled with her fingers as she realized she foolishly answered Xuanzi earlier. She got angry when he said Licheng deserved someone better than her.

"I said that in anger. Of course, your brother intends to marry me in the future," Xiana said with a confident tone.

"Say this lie to someone else," Xuanzi affirmed.

"Ask Licheng then," Xiana said and thought to go away. She stood up and went ahead of him when she heard him speak.

"Xiana, my brother never tells any of us anything. We try hard. I hope you can change him," Xuanzi stated. She turned to face him and told him she could not change the ideologies of any person.

"I mean the habits," Xuanzi asserted.

"You all grew up together. So, it is easier for you all than for me. Licheng gets on my nerves too and it makes me want to punch him and sometimes even kick him," she asserted.

"That is why you can change Brother Licheng's habits. While we are his younger ones, we cannot do that. Brother Licheng prefers to stay silent with us about his work, his thoughts, etc. I am one and a half years younger than him, but I could never read my brother. When he left suddenly, I felt what could go wrong which he did not even share with me," Xuanzi said. He could not complain about those things to Licheng either because he would stay silent on those questions too.

Xiana empathized with Xuanzi. As a sibling, he had a lot of questions from Licheng, but he respected his elder brother so much that he could not either ask him about it. She knew the answers that Licheng was hiding from all of them. But she did not know why Licheng did not want to share them with his family.

"Licheng does not listen to me either," Xiana asserted.

"Elder Brother does," Xuanzi replied.

Xiana gazed at him with inquisitiveness wondering when that happened.

"I have seen the way he finds comfort in talking with you," Xuanzi asserted.

"I will try," Xiana assured him. "I cannot promise you because Licheng gives a headache when one has to talk with him. I mostly end up arguing with him," Xiana said and recalled how their argument turned into an awkwardness now.

"So, why did you lie to Miss Ji Anning?" Xuanzi asked her. "You can tell me. I will not tell anyone," he said.

"How can I trust you? You already dislike me," Xiana said and squinted her eyes in suspicion.

"Well, you can trust me. I do not dislike you. I just did not like to be looked down," Xuanzi gave the reason.

"Licheng told me to lie. I do not know why," Xiana said the half-truth and the half-lie to Xuanzi. Before he could ask her more questions, she took his leave.

Upon reaching the manor of the Crown Prince, she headed to her room. Pushing the door open, she walked in. "You?" Her feet halted at her place to see Licheng there. She decided to act normal and slowly walked up to him.

"Where were you?" Licheng asked her.

"I-I was strolling around," Xiana stated.

"Have a seat," Licheng said.

Xiana bit her bottom lip and slowly went toward the floor chair. She sat on the floor chair. She decided to apologize to him for her earlier mistake, instead of acting ignorant about it.

"Licheng, it was an accident. I didn't mean to do it. I swear," Xiana said, but she did not look into his eyes.

"I want you to stay away from me," Licheng said. "Also, I want you not to act as if we are friends," he stated.

Xiana gazed at him with a perplexed look on her face. She should be happy about it, but she was not. Why? It was a minor accident which she did not know might happen.

"I understand," Xiana replied without any argument.

"We don't need to have meals together. Let's keep it a relationship between a creditor and a debtor. I have decided to let you go after I achieve my aim. Till then, we need to be bound to each other," Licheng asserted.

Xiana was astonished to hear him. He would let her go. That was something she desired for. However, again, she felt something was odd. Licheng was adamant about keeping her with him.

"Are you sure, Licheng?" Xiana wanted to confirm it. "Your decisions change fast," she remarked.

"I am sure, Xiana. I would not have said it if I had a doubt," Licheng stated.

"Thank you, Prince Licheng," Xiana said. She changed her tone of speaking. Now, they were no longer in a relationship of calling each other's name, so she decided to remain formal with him.

Licheng found it strange, but it sounded better. He rose to his feet to leave when he heard Xiana say, "Xuanzi asked me why I lied to Ji Anning. I told him because you asked me to. I hope you will handle it."

"I told you to stay away from my siblings," Licheng said with an annoyed tone.

"We encountered each other. I am not debited to lie along with you. You should not force me to lie for you," Xiana sounded angry. It was not because she told a lie but because Licheng suddenly decided to keep her as a stranger. It was a mere accident where her lips landed on his neck.

"I brought you as a servant here. Then, from tomorrow onward, clean the entire yard in the manor, and help the other servants. You are supposed to do that work daily," Licheng said, and he walked out of the room without listening to her.