Authoress Wang Shu

Chapter 9 The Feelings

After the meeting I slumped out of the office and I felt someone take my hand. I looked up and seen Kang Xi smiling down at me.

"It's going to be okay."

I sighed, "I hope so."

"You wanna hang out?"

I rolled my eyes, "Don't you need to hang out with your new girlfriend?"

He raised an eyebrow at me, "Wang Shu, what's wrong?"

I wanted to scream but I dragged him into the storage room at the end of the hall.

I locked the door and glared at him, "You stand there and ask 'If I'm okay?' Of course I'm not fucking okay! You said you liked me but you're still dating someone else."

"I can't help it! It's my job."

"Job? Ah! Whatever." I went to reach for the doornob but he slapped my hand away from it.

"Don't you just yell at me then leave."

I rolled my eyes, "What do you want?"

He glared down at me, "Wang Shu, I told you I liked you. We can make it work."

"But I don't want to be in a secret relationship. I don't want to hide."

He grabbed my shoulders, "Wang Shu, there's nothing we can do though."

"I know! That's why I'm so angry. I should have never took this job in the first place. I hate it here!"

He quickly shook his head, "Please don't say that, you know I care for you."

I sighed, "I know, but is it worth it?"

He looked at me dead in the eyes, "Yes, you have no idea how long I've been waiting for someone like you. Please don't leave me like this."

"I... I just don't know what to do."

He pulled me into a hug and I rested my head on his chest. "I feel like there's more to us than just us liking each other." He said.

I nodded, "I know what you mean. I keep... seeing things and I don't know what they mean."

"Well, I know it's a long shot, but... I found one of your books in the library the other day."

"Really? Which one?"

"Empress Wang Shu."

My eyes went wide, "That one, really?"

He nodded, "Yes. At first glance I just thought it was some book where with you played with you name, but the more I looked... it made me realize... you know more than you're saying."

"But I truly don't know. I was born with these memories and I don't even know whose they were, but eventually I wrote a book depicting every last detail of it. In my everyday life I never really thought about it... until now. Now that I've met you."

"What kind of memories do you have, are they from a long time ago?"

I nodded, "Yes, in the sixteen hundreds."

He pressed his fingers to his temples and took a deep breath, but I looked confused, "Kang Xi, are you okay?"

"I've been having those weird memories ever since I met you. That's why I want to read your book, maybe there's a link."

My eyes went wide, "Oh my god. You know, don't bother reading the book. Come to my apartment tonight and I'll tell you everything."

He nodded, "I will."

"Good." I turned to leave but he grabbed me again. Before I could say anything he pressed a kiss against my lips and smiled.

"We'll figure this out together."

I chuckled and pulled him into a hug. "I'm sorry for getting upset."

"It's okay, I knew didn't mean those things."

-Later that night-

I asked Hayoon if I could be alone tonight and she said she would stay with a friend. 

When we stepped inside Kang Xi smiled, "You've got a cute apartment."

I chuckled, "You don't have to lie. I know it's tiny and outdated."

"That's some bullshit."

I rolled my eyes and flopped onto the bed then patted the spot beside me, "Just sit down."

When he did I reached to my shelf and grabbed my book Empress Wang Shu. "I guess it starts in 1654 when Wang Shu was born. He didn't know his father and he grew up quite poor with his mother. But in 1662 the current emperor demanded that all young unmarried women be rounded up and be sent as concubines to neighboring countries. If they had any kids they would be sent as servants."

His eyes went wide, "That's horrible."

I nodded, "And that's also when his mother died."

"How'd she die?"

I sighed, "The crowned prince... Kang Xi released them from the shed they were staying in. But the imperial guards seen the whole thing and shot them all down except for one, Wang Shu."

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry."

"It's fine, but after that Wang Shu concealed himself as a woman because he got a job at a courtesan house. By the time he was eighteen he was used to being a woman and that's even what they preferred."

His eyes went wide, "Wow."

"Not long after Wang Shu was taken into the palace. She took a series of tests that would determine her rank in the palace, but the current empress Zhao Ren didn't care that she passed all the tests. She hated Wang Shu from the moment she seen her. So she gave her the title of a maid."

He chuckled, "That do be something Zhao Ren would do."

I nodded, "Shortly after was when she first seen the emperor. She was wash-"

"You were washing clothes in the river, it was the most beautiful day but it couldn't compare to your beauty. While I stood on the bride it was like love at first sight, that's why I promoted you. I wanted you closer to me, so I could see you more."

I looked at Kang Xi with wide eyes, "How'd you know, have you read some of my book?"

He shook his head, "Nope."

"Then how did you know?"

He shrugged, "I don't know. I guess the same way you know this story"

"I... well what happens next?"

He closed his eyes for a moment, "After you were promoted I seen you sitting on the river bank crying. I felt horrible so I sat down by you. Apparently the other court ladies were being cruel to you. So I had all of the women sent away."

"This is amazing, how do you know these things." I said to myself.

A moment went on then his eyes went wide, "Wait. Do you remember what happens next?"

I nodded, "Hayoon gets taken in as your consort- wait a minute... Hayoon was just taken in to be your fake girlfriend."

"This is fucking weird. It's like this story is coming to life or something."

"Not only is it weird, but if this story comes to life. We could be in danger."

"Surely Zhao Ren wouldn't hurt anyone, would she?"

"I have no idea. I'm afraid to find out."

Kang Xi took a deep breath, "What if this isn't just a story."

"What are you saying?"

"It's just, how could we both possibly have the same memories when we never met before this and I never read your book?"

"I... I don't know."

"I think these things happened. They're just too real to simply be a dream. I think they actually are our memories."

I quickly shook my head, "Impossible."