Reminiscing their earlier heated session made her blush. It was something totally unexpected. She was there to give him soaps but it led to intimacy.
"Does this mean we're now official?" She is currently laying down on her bed. Xu Ling Ai giggle with her legs kicking the air.
"Princess Consort are you that happy after meeting His Highness?" Gu Mama tease her. She could sense that something happen between both of them.
"What are you talking about? Of course not! I'm just happy that I successfully made the soap." Xu Ling Ai respond a bit flabbergasted.
"Also what are you doing here Gu Mama? Didn't you say you have work to do?" She added trying to divert Gu Mama's attention.
"Aiya! This old woman forgot to tell you! Someone has come to visit you." Gu Mama hit her own forehead. She had totally forgot about the guest presence.
"Who?" Xu Ling Ai titled her head trying to remember if there is anyone she had make a meeting with.
"It's mister Chanyu. That young man we met in the market!" Gu Mama surprise her.
"Chanyu? Oh really! My one and only friend?" His attractive face instantly popped up in her mind.
"Gu Mama you invite him inside first. I will change my clothes." Xu Ling Ai pushed Gu Mama out of her chamber. She then rushed to change her clothes.
Main Hall
"Wow. You're getting to look more like a local now!" Xu Ling Ai exclaimed while approaching him. Even from afar, she could see his appearance has changed.
"I will take that as a compliment." Chanyu smirked at Xu Ling Ai.
"Where did you get money? Did you do some illegal work?" Xu Ling Ai whispered at him while looking around.
Chanyu was totally caught of guard that he laughed wholeheartedly. She is so funny that he is totally amused by her.
"No. I just opened a restaurant in the capital. And it somehow succeeded." He stop laughing when he sees that she is glaring at him.
"Really?! Then you should treat me a meal since you've work now." Xu Ling Ai excitedly talking to Chanyu.
"Anytime." Chanyu smile at her excitement.
He keep wanting to see her and spend time with her. He loved every moment when they are together. But for his tribe he needed to pull himself together.
He decided to overcome his own feelings and sacrifice it for his tribe. Chanyu planned to kidnapped her and bring Han country down.
Chanyu had promised himself that he would never hurt her but he needed to do what is supposed to be done in the first place.
He has been waiting for her to come out of the manor. But she still hasn't until one week. So Chanyu decided to visit Duke Su manor even though it might risk his identity.
"Oh wait! I've something to show you. Come follow me!" Xu Ling Ai drag him by his sleeves.
Her excitement about her new creation still hasn't went away. If it is possible, she want to brag about it to whole world. She always thought that she is very stupid and only know how to fangirling.
On the other hand, Chanyu look at their hand. He felt like his world stop moving. Her bright face is the only thing that stuck in his mind.
The way she turn around to check if he is okay. Before it could get any worse, Chanyu snapped out of his thoughts.
'I'm here to take revenge for my family.' He try to put some sense into his head.
"Look! I made some soap on my own. Since you're here, I will gift you some." Xu Ling Ai explain but when she saw him daydreaming. She slapped his arms.
"Chanyu stop daydreaming! You don't want my homemade soap?" She pretend to be sad.
"No! Of course I want!" Chanyu don't know why he is so panicked when he saw her mood turning cloudy.
"I'm just joking! I know you will support me whenever I need help right?" Xu Ling Ai smile at him. She just feel so comfortable befriended with him. And she love teasing him. The way he react remind her of Li Zhao.
"Of course." Chanyu murmured.
"Hey! Stop daydreaming!" Her naughty self couldn't stay away from trouble for one day. She throw a bunch of flour that she bought for the soap towards Chanyu.
In a matter of seconds, his face and outfit was drown by the ocean of flour. Xu Ling Ai who did that freeze, she thought he is going to avoid but he didn't.
"Sorry! I didn't mean to.." She approach him with a cloth feeling guilty.
However, she did not notice that he was also holding a flour on his back hand. Once Xu Ling Ai near him, Chanyu throw it back on her. The running and chasing session started to take place.
'Xu Ling Ai I'm gonna miss our happy moments together. I'm so sorry but I couldn't let my tribe down.' Chanyu thought smiling sadly.
And they spend the whole day laughing their ass off. Gu Mama who look at them shake her head at their playful attitude.
Wu Xi saw all the moments but he couldn't do anything. He is just going to wait for Li Zhao's decision.
Before this, Wu Xi had run background check on him but he found nothing except the fact that he is a mongolian.
He also thought their relationship as friends will only end right there but he didn't expect that Chanyu will visit Duke Su manor. One thing for sure, Chanyu is fearless.
Dinner At Duke Su Manor
In the dining room, there served different kind of food and dessert. It was their first time having dinner together because Li Zhao always get home late.
However, today out of nowhere he told Gu Mama to cook for dinner and tell Xu Ling Ai eat together with him.
"Stay away from him." While devouring the food, Li Zhao suddenly put down his chopsticks. And Xu Ling Ai lift her head to look at him. She hate it when someone ruined her eating session.
"Who?" She continues to pick another fried chicken using her bare hand. It was very improper but that's how a modern girl eat so who cares?
'Which guy is he talking about?' Xu Ling Ai then bite the chicken.
"That mongolian man." Li Zhao drop the bomb. He just don't feel good about that guy. Even though Wu Xi already investigated him and it came out clean, he still feel there's a hole somewhere.
Also, Han people was nurtured to hate mongolian so do him as the general of the country. Because the mongolians killed a lot of Han's people. Bloods have been shed with no end. They wanted to ruled portions and eventually all of China.
Emperor Wu has to be very careful of all the mongolian even though some of them is innocent and only try to earn money in Han. There might be spy among them so they can't help but be on guard.
"Chanyu? He is my friend." Xu Ling Ai mumbling unclear with her mouth full of food. Surprisingly, Li Zhao can understand it.
"He might have bad attention. He is a mongolian." Li Zhao sternly said.
"What was that supposed to mean? Do someone need a reason to be friends with me? Also being a mongolian is not his fault, he did not chose to be one." She try to reason him out.
At first, she thought he is just jealous but it was actually because of his identity as a mongolian. Her dad nurtured her not to be racist so she befriended everyone. Xu Ling Ai know the history, not all mongolian is bad.
Unknown to them, a full black outfit of a man sit on top of their roofs. It took a long time for him to hide properly there because Duke Su Manor were surrounded by guards so he had to pretend as one of the guards.
A warm feeling slip into his heart hearing her arguing for his sake. He keep listening to their conversation.
"Xu Ling Ai." Li Zhao called her out when he feel that she is angry. He did not mean that everyone is insincere towards her. It's just that he is scared for her safety.
"Don't Xu Ling Ai me. I can understand if you're jealous and you have the right to do so. But he is my friend. My one and only a friend. If he wanted to harm me, he would do it from the first time he met me. Why would he wait?" Xu Ling Ai explain. Even in the modern world, she don't mind befriending with a guy or a girl.
"I also don't mind if you have any girl as a friend because I will understand. So I really hope you will understand me. Chanyu has been nothing but kind towards me." Once she is done saying it, she left him alone on the table.
Bloom Pavilion's Chamber
Xu Ling Ai keep turning all over the place. She keep thinking if she had overreacting. Li Zhao's disappointment face when she defended Chanyu flow in her mind.
"Did I went overboard?" She muttered to herself. Somehow feeling guilty for not giving Li Zhao a chance to explain himself.
"Will he not like me anymore? Hurmm. I'm just gonna sleep and apologise tomorrow!" Again with her overthinking mind.
Xu Ling Ai was about to drift off to her own dreamland but the sound of her door being open made her half conscious. She thought it was Gu Mama so she don't bothered turning around.
"Gu Mama you can go rest early today. If I need anything, I will do it on my own. Good night and love you." Xu Ling Ai said with her eyes close trying to drift off to sleep.
A sudden dip on her bed indicating thaf someone is laying beside her. She was too sleepy so she ignored it. However, a hand suddenly snake around her waist. Her eyes widen up in instant.
"I'm sorry." A deep husky voice whispered into her ears.
She finally relaxed her tense body. So it was him. Keep pretending to sleep, she don't know how to respond.
"Me too." After a moment of silence, Xu Ling Ai finally spoke up.
"Thank you for forgiving me." Li Zhao said. He will respect her decision.
"I have it fixed the other day." He suddenly put the old jade in front of her. He was so angry when she threw it away. Like she refused his given.
"I was angry that day. I didn't mean any of the words." Xu Ling Ai turn her body around and look up at him. Even when laying down, his figure is still huge and tall.
"I know." Li Zhao give her a small smile. He knew she did not mean any of the words but it really pierce into his heart when she said those.
"That time.. I saw everything. However, I will wait until you're ready to tell me." She added remembering his weird colour of eyes. Xu Ling Ai could feel his body turn tense and freeze.
"When the time comes, you will tell me right? Pinky promise?" Xu Ling Ai held out her pinky finger. Li Zhao look at her hand weirdly. And she pick his huge one and tangled it around hers.
She smile feeling relieved that they are good now. Just like that she drove off to sleep with him hugging her to his chest.
P.S.
I think I want to end this book but I don't know how... 😂
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Thanks! 💖 - R