▪This Lifetime ▪

二十二▪︎Hope

《▪hope▪》

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Outside of the Crown Prince's grand manor, the four guards regained consciousness and tried to recall what had just happened and why they were knocked out.

"Why does my head hurt? Ah-"

"Did we all get poisoned or something?" One of the guards was confused.

The smaller build started shivering in his shoe. "W-what if it's a spirit?"

Goosebumps covered all of the guard's body. Of course, they have killed people before, but they have always feared that their spirit would haunt them in vengeance. It's the fear of how powerful someone's grudge could become.

"Pshh. No way..." the other guard tried to brush it off and they anxiously waited for the other guards to switch shifts with them. 

Quietly above Zhao Xuan smirks at the cowardly guards who were supposed to be guarding the future son of the heavens.

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The dark sky on the roof tiles of the palace sits three people; Liu Xia, Jin Guangming, and Zhao Xuan. The wind blows across the roof leaving their clothing to flutter within the wind but dangle alongside their torso. 

Among three of them, one has bitterness written all over her facial features. Liu Xia did not want someone to intervene with her own business. She truly wanted to see the great Crown Prince and his Crown princess suffer. 

Guangming can sense her mood and determination to seek revenge. "Hey, think about this. What were you going to do if we didn't intervene? Were you just going to walk in there and kill?"

Liu Xia realized she never really had a plan. How could she have not thought about that? but on the downside, what could Liu Xia really do? She has no money nor the strength to get revenge as she wanted. "I haven't thought about that..." She pouted.

"Haha! You haven't even thought about it? I thought you would be brighter!" Zhao Xuan teased Liu Xia. She glared at him but realized he wasn't wrong so she decided to stay quiet.

"I have no money. No political power. No strength. I really can't win against him." She stared at the dark sky above them. 

Without hesitation, Guangming eagerly speaks, "How about this, Become my disciple and I'll teach you how to become stronger. I'll teach you how to earn money and political power."

He stares at Liu Xia and watches her eyes gleam with hope. A warm feeling expands in his chest and he experiences that feeling again. 

"Wait, really? You would help me?" Liu Xia felt hope. It's been a while since she has felt this way.

Zhao Xuan watches the two fated people talk before him. Seeing his closest person to him find his happiness makes Zhao Xuan feel the warmth. Zhao Xuan can already see the difference between Lei Mengxiang and Liu Xia. However, to Zhao Xuan, he would still care for her as the dear friend he once had before.

"Of course." Jin Guangming said with hesitation. 

The little girl's eyes began to become teary. A stranger was willing to help her while the people she grew up with betrayed her and forced her to die. Liu Xia sucked up her tears and attempted to brush off her sadness. The two gods understood that she was feeling touched, but also sadness so they both stayed silent underneath the dark sky. 

"I guess I should call you master now haha." Liu Xia tried to awkwardly throw some humor into the conversation. 

"Tomorrow we should start training. I'll take you back to my study room to teach you some knowledge." Jin Guangming spoke and smiled at her. 

He felt as if he needs to make her fulfill this lifetime and take out the sorrow. and those sorrow are the future tyrant Empress and Emperor. The gods can easily conclude that the next reign for this new country won't be easy since of the unstable power in court. He can only hope that it would be able to ease Liu Xia's pain.

Within the sky, little speckle of lights appeared as if it was also the hope in her eyes.

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《▪hope▪》