With a slap over his mouth, his eyes widened while shock was written all over his face. One of his trembling arms lifted up, his dark skinned index finger pointed at the two people he saw as if he accused them for something.
"Y-y-you two!.... What are my eyes seeing?... Don't tell me you... Oh heavens! To think such a day would come so soon!"
Lin Xinglan facepalmed over seeing Zaki Yaman's dramatic appearance, "Big brother Zaki, you're overthinking. This is not what you think it is."
Zaki Yaman squinted his eyes and finally put down his arm, but before Lin Xinglan could sigh in relief he lifted it up again and continued to accuse, "Don't try to trick me, little sister! An unmarried man and woman are being chained together, if this doesn't mean something immoral is going on then I don't know what is!"
How much Lin Xinglan would like to explain to this misunderstanding man but couldn't because he kept interrupting her.
"No! You don't have to say more. This big brother understands.... But... When did it start? How long has it been? Oh gosh, I need to prepare things. Ahh, so many things, I am going to get so busy... The ultimate date? When is it?!"
Her face was black, this foreigner was too quick to assume things, she considered to put a duct tape over his mouth to stop him from speaking nonsense but unfortunately, there were no such things as duct tape in this ancient world.
Knowing that his Lan was upset and seemed to be close to explode, Qiang Jingyi lifted his hand at Zaki Yaman, "Enough."
That one word was enough to stop Zaki Yaman from opening his mouth again to speak more about his assumption.
"Your highness?"
"This lordship did this to refrain her from leaving this lordship only to get herself in trouble later on."
When Lin Xinglan heard this, she slightly scratched her cheek with her index finger as a hint of guiltiness showed on her face. Honestly, she was that kind of person who would avoid as much trouble as possible, yet she ended up being the opposite. Maybe she had acted too willful despite the actual way she was as a person. She was never a willful person, she might had gone too far this time.
Instead of ending his dramatic act, Zaki Yaman became even more dramatic, he clutched his chest as if he was in real pain.
"How many months has it been? Years? Yet, there's no progression at all. Is this what the heaven wishes for? Ah, the two poor people... How long must we wait for the two of them to finally be one? This is so sad... "
Ending his speech, a crocodile tear escaped from one of his eyes as he wiped it with a white handkerchief.
Lin Xinglan tightened her lips, "Big brother Zaki..."
Zaki Yaman looked closely at Lin Xinglan before he took a deep breath and dropped his act. He didn't dare to continue to point out the obvious relationship between the little sister and his highness, although it was as clear as water, that girl still didn't realize it.
"Alright, alright."
"Does big brother Zaki have something to say to Jingyi?"
Nodding his head, Zaki Yaman replied, "Yes. Actually, I planned to discuss about the map with his highness."
The pair of doe eyes brightened up, Lin Xinglan became excited, "Tell us!"
After seeing how eager Lin Xinglan was, Zaki Yaman helplessly looked at Qiang Jingyi but he came to regret doing it as soon as he saw the cold eyes glaring at him. There was no doubt that Zaki Yaman knew the reason why Qiang Jingyi wasn't in a good mood. That man really didn't want his so called Lan to get involved but he had no choice but to give in.
They went to a more private place to discuss, not wanting other to listen in on them. It was a fact that they had collected all the map pieces, making it into a completed map. However, Zaki Yaman figured out that it was impossible for them to find their goal for a while.
According to the hidden messages written on the map, the objective would only reveal itself when a blood red moon appeared. As the moonlight would shine over the location, the thing people had searched for centuries would magically appear in front of the eyes of those who was in that location.
Hearing this, Lin Xinglan was skeptical, "Doesn't sound real..."
Zaki Yaman laughed, "This big brother would like to agree with little sister but I can't because, do you know how I found out the hidden messages?"
Lin Xinglan was very curious and asked, "Do you mind telling us?"
Lifting up his chin, he proudly said, "Of course not! I tell you, this big brother is really amazing. I tried my best to find clues within the maps but I couldn't so I drank instead but who would had known that when I fiddled around with the map, I suddenly saw additional details to the map as I had lifted it up towards the bright moon!"
Lin Xinglan was stunned and when Zaki Yaman saw that, he thought she would be proud of him and even compliment over his accomplishment but he was utterly wrong.
Anger showed in her face, she narrowed her eyes and yelled, "Big brother Zaki, how can you carelessly handle the map like that! What would happen if you accidentally ruined it because of how drunk you were! You could have wasted all of Jingyi's hard work!"
His mouth gaped as he started to panic, this wasn't what he expected things to go, "L-little sister... I.."
"I expected more of you! Really, how can you be so careless. Next time... There won't be next time for you!"
He wanted to explain but he didn't know what to say, and just as he was about to calm down her anger, he heard a bright laugh. He looked up to see a laughing expression that had already taken over her anger face.
As stumped as he was, he couldn't let out a word from his mouth as he switched his gaze from the laughing Lin Xinglan to the cold prince who leisurely drank his tea as if he only minded his own business.
Switching his gaze back to Lin Xinglan, he put a grievous face, "Little sister, how could you trick your big brother!"
Lin Xinglan laughed harder and apologized, "Sorry." I just wanted to destroy your proud face.
Zaki Yaman helplessly sighed, he didn't know when she had turned into a person who could joke around like that. He felt that the little sister he knew became less distant and more carefree around people.
"Anyways," Lin Xinglan continued, "if it is what big brother Zaki has said then... When will the blood red moon appear?"
"The blood red moon will appear in two months. We are really lucky, if we hadn't found all the map pieces before the blood red moon and missed the opportunity then it would be over for us."
Lin Xinglan was confused, "Over? But..." This won't be the last time a blood red moon will appear.
Fortunately, Zaki Yaman understood what Lin Xinglan meant, "Our objective will only reveal itself the moment the blood red moon appears and as soon as the night ends, our last chance would be over because there won't be a next time. Strangely enough, the map mentioned that our objective will only show up this year."
Lin Xinglan furrowed her brows, no matter how much she thought, it didn't make any sense at all. Did that mean the previous people from centuries ago who had searched for the treasure never had the chance to begin with?
Qiang Jingyi finally placed down his tea cup and glanced over Lin Xinglan who seemed to be in deep thoughts, he slightly tapped on the table with his finger a few times. How could he not know what she was thinking? In fact, Qiang Jingyi also felt it was strange but... They had the completed map now and it wouldn't take long before they would find the so called treasure, and when they did that...
Qiang Jingyi continued to look at Lin Xinglan, making her unavoidably look up to meet his eyes.
Tilting her head, she asked, "Jingyi, what is it?"
"It's time for us to leave."
"What?" Lin Xinglan was startled, "We aren't even done with discussing about the map."
Qiang Jingyi leisurely replied, "There's nothing to worry. Zaki Yaman has everything in control. He knows what to do."
However, Zaki Yaman himself didn't know that he had everything in control and wanted to open his mouth but stopped mid-way when he was shot by a pair of warning eyes from Qiang Jingyi.
Squinting her eyes, she doubtingly looked at Zaki Yaman, "Really...?"
He nervously laughed and reassured her, "Ahaha... Of course, little sister! This big brother is very amazing!"
"But-"
Not able to finish her sentence, she got dragged out from the place by Qiang Jingyi, his hand intertwined with hers.
"Hey, Jingyi!" She called his name out, still feeling unsatisfied over how they ended the discussion. There were so many questions she wanted to ask Zaki Yaman regarding the map.
"Hm?"
"Why do we even have to leave?"
"Pastries."
"Huh?"
"Do you want to eat them?"
Lin Xinglan was startled, she wasn't sure why he mentioned it but nonetheless she quietly nodded her head.
"I heard they opened a new pastry shop recently. Do you want to go?"
She could feel the excitement run in her blood, she loved sweets so there was no way she would refuse him. Qiang Jingyi chuckled softly, somehow she looked like a cute bunny. Knowing that she was going to eat some wonderful pastries from a new place, she unwittingly forgot about the map discussion and only focused on eating.
There were tons of plates full of different types of pastries on a squared table, Lin Xinglan couldn't hold back and drooled at the sight. Qiang Jingyi took out a handkerchief and wiped off the saliva that ran out of her mouth.
"Eat as you please, everything is for you. Just... Don't eat too much, it's not good for your health."
Lin Xinglan was so happy, she wrapped her arms around Qiang Jingyi's firm waist, "Thank you, Jingyi. You're really the best!"
Her bright smile full of happiness made his cold heart go purely warm, he was surprised that she hugged him but he fully savored every single second of it until she let go of him and began to eat. There was a strange feeling that made him want to bring her back to embrace her and never stop. However, he knew he needed to take it slowly... He had to wait until he had gotten the treasure in his hands. Only then would it be a perfect timing...
He was snapped back to reality when he felt something on his lips. Staring at the young girl in front of him holding a piece of pastry towards his lips, he raised his eyebrow quizzically.
"C'mon, take a bite. It's very good."
Lin Xinglan thought he wouldn't eat it because he stayed quiet and didn't move, but then he suddenly unsealed his lips and took a small bite. She didn't know if it was intentional or not but when Qiang Jingyi took a bite, his lips somewhat touched her finger, making her go numb for a short moment before returning back as if nothing had happened.
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I'm such a liar when it comes to updating. I'll try to update more often from now on, it is just... I'm kind of having a writer's block and it's so painful.