▪This Lifetime ▪

十四▪Autumn Falls

《▪autumn falls▪》

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In the small but cozy manor of the Liu residence, the sky was getting dark but there was still sounds of laughter were sounding off the walls of the garden. The three figures of shadows were running around the grounds of the manor that were jumping heartily.

Liu Xia, Lin Ying, Xiao Jue were staying up to watch the mid autumn festival moon. The moon was supposed to be the brightest and roundest moon for the whole year. The moon was the only light source for them to find there ways around and also casting there shadows.

"I had never stayed up so late to watch the moon." Xiao Jue spoke while twiddling her thumbs around. 

"I haven't either." Lin Ying related. 

The innocent kids started at the sky while the orange leaves were falling around them. The moonlight illuminated every colors of the brown, orange, and yellow trees. A gust of wind had blew a bit harder and their clothing had flown with the winds, dancing around their figures and their hair also danced along too.

Liu Xia had snuck away for a bit into her room to grab her present to them. She had definitely stole these from the kitchen and probably got away with it. Xiao Jue noticed that Liu Xia had left, but she didn't want to say anything. Xiao Jue wanted to savor the moment alone with Lin Ying. She clearly didn't want Liu Xia there.

Liu Xia was steadily walking towards the two, making sure that none of the presents had fallen. Lin Ying had turned around to see his heart skip a beat.

Liu Xia happily yelled, "Surprise!" She held the Mooncakes out to have a good view of it.

Lin Ying was blushing and excited to have some mooncakes. Servants never got to have this magnificent designed mooncakes. Xiao Jue threw on her fake smile.

"How did you get these?! They are so gorgeous." Lin Ying smiled at Liu Xia, but deep down he know that Liu Xia was prettier than these mooncakes.

Liu Xia had raised her pointer finger to her lips, "Shh. I stole them." Liu Xia then cut up the mooncakes to share. "Come on, Let's eat!"

Lin Ying had just laughed which made Xiao Jue giggle. Liu Xia took this opportunity and grabbed two pieces of the mooncakes and put them in Lin Ying's mouth and Xiao Jue's mouth. 

The moon had shown the light on the three kids while their laughter were being heard outside their manor walls. The autumn leaves had fell as if they were so weightless, because right now, The kids feel weightless and carefree.

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Her long lashes had fluttered up and woke up from her memories of childhood with her dear sister-like maid, and her companion, Lin Ying. Liu Xia had felt it all just crumbling in front of her. Her best friend had betrayed her, Her first love had killed her father. What else is going to go wrong?

Singular tears had dripped from her eyes. each tear that fell from her face had made cracks in her heart.

Small innocent tears turns into violent sobbings. Liu Xia's tears turned into an ocean. Today was her birthday. She wanted a simple birthday to be spent with Xiao Jue and Lin Ying. She wanted to go back to those innocent moments of laughter and where everything was happy.

Her body was still bounded up by the rope that was restricting Liu Xia. Her body was numb from feelings. Both emotionally and physically numb.

A few male guard had barged into the room and aggressively grabbed Liu Xia's arm. "Take her away."

"Where are you guys taking me? Let me go!" Liu Xia struggled.

They had dragged her out into the darkness outside into the bloodied courtyard. In front of her was someone that she trusted.

Someone who she had looked up to as a child. He was a role model to her childhood lover, so she obviously respected him. The man the hovered over her, Lin Tianhai.

His greying hair had been tied into a bun while he stroked his dragon like beard. "Liu Xia. I have a few words to say to you."

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《▪autumn falls▪》