Xiao bai's manor
Entering his bedroom, Xiao Bai put the bouquet in his bed and went to take a long relaxing bath.
Xiao Bai was still in deep thought and was trying to guess why XuWei wanted him to unwrap the flowers. Is he afraid that the store owner cheated on them? It's fine though since it was for free.
As confused as he is, in the end he just shrugged it off and put it in the back of his mind.
He rinsed his body and wore his underclothes and went out, sitting at his bed while drying his hair. While doing so, he glanced at the bouquet with an intense look.
He suddenly wondered why Xuwei's action towards him is gettinga little bit weird. His words are also very ambiguous.
Xiao bai immediately shook the idea. XuWei is a prince, in the future he would surely fill his backyard with beauties reaching 3 digits.
'Whatever', he thought. But their was some disappointment brewing in his heart.
1...2...3...4...5....10.....16...29...100.
It turns out that the flowers are really a hundred in total, Xiao Bai thought that they only sent 99, it seems like the last add on was the mixed one.
Xiao Bai adoringly stared at it, it was really beautiful. All china roses are beautiful.
What was the meaning of white rose again? Purity and innocence. The meaning of red is love. If you mix white and red then wouldn't it mean pure love?
However Xiao Bai didn't even think of this possibility and just carefully put it away on his table then tucked on his quilt, taking a rest.
And the poem that was suppose to be Xuwei's love confession was ignored and unseen.
The academy.
XuWei was nervous packing back and forth in front of the room. It was 2 days since he hid the letter on the bouquet, and Xiao Bai must have read it already.
He was getting anxious on his he will face Xiao Bai today. He is even nervous of what Xiao bai's response will be. He knew that he should have waited for a while longer but he felt that the longer he cower the more people will notice Xiao Bai and he won't have any chance at all.
"Ming-xiong! You're here, good morning! You too, Xiao Bai." Ruo lan, who was beside him, shouted while waving. XuWei nearly got a heart attack on hearing that they're here.
As a young general who fought countless battles, he can't believe that when it comes to Xiao Bai he immediately and easily lost his cool all the time.
"Ruo lan, good morning! You too XuWei." Since Mingxue is the silent and aloof type, Xiao Bai took the initiative to greet Ruo Lan and XuWei back. Although saying Xuwei's name is a taboo, there was no one around and he said it in a low voice so it's safe.
Knowing Xuwei's real name, he feels kinda weird to call him Weixu now.
"Xiao Bai can I talk to you alone?" XuWei absent-mindedly said. He was confused at how Xiao bai was acting.
"You mean right now?" Xiao Bai asked. XuWei nodded while ming xue also took the hint and pulled Ruo Lan away and went together to the room first.
"What is it?" Xiao Bai asked as soon as the the two was out of sight. He also felt that XuWei was acting a little weird since they got here.
"Have you..Ahherm...About the roses two days ago." XuWei was hesitant whether he should just directly ask him or not.
"Ow.. The roses? Actually the roses are exactly 100 pieces!" Xiao Bai answered confidently.
"You didn't see anything else?" XuWei asked. Xiao Bai counted the roses? Then that means he should have seen it right?
"Is there something I should see?" Xiao Bai asked pretty confused. You could literally see a big question mark written on his face.
"No, nothing. I want to ask, if you made up your mind in meeting my father?" XuWei just shrugged it off and changed the topic. It might actually be good that Xiao Bai didn't get to see that letter, if he did they won't be able to talk like this today.
XuWei suddenly had the impulse to hit himself. Since when did he became a desperate kind of person? He was always confident in everything he did but when it comes to this man, he loses it all.
He felt like he would disappear in the wind if he won't hold onto him tightly.
Xiao bai, "Sure, when do you think is the right time?"
"Today after class is fine." XuWei smiled bitterly.
Xiao bai didn't noticed anything weird at all, "Okay."
Xiao bai was about to send a message to his uncle zhao only to know that Mingxue had already informed him since a while ago. Xiao Bai even got into a childish fight with ming xue because of this.
Saying that Mingxue and his uncle are having a secret and not telling him at all. Mingxue immediately redeemed himself telling that the information gathering and sending intel to general zhao was his job as Xiao Bai guard and servant.
And that he disn't mean to keep it a secret that he has long since knew about Ruo Lan and XuWei , it's just that it was all a hunch that time, and was still waiting to confirm it before telling Xiao bai.
It made Xiao Bai look through everything and find Mingxue a bit reasonable. Ruo Lan may be an emperial guard but that doesn't directly mean that he is directly serving under the prince. So he forgave him but warned him to not let him out of things in the future.
He also received a letter from uncle Zhao and Xiao ling making his mood a little better. As usual, Xiao Ling was still very worried about him although it was only a few weeks since then.
Uncle zhao also said that he shouldn't stay idle every time and at least meditate every now and then, he also reminded Xiao Bai of the Li's current movement.
Although they are safe inside the academy, who knows if the enemy just waits for the right time to take action? Uncle zhao reminded him to always be vigilant since he was the only family he had left on this world.
Xiao Bai felt pity for his uncle, only if he knew that his original nephew was already gone, he's sure that uncle zhao would be in deep sorrow.
Inside the peace and tranquility room.
Teacher Xin lectured them about instruments. It ranges from stringed instruments to flutes and many more. They also lectured about famous performers and composers.
When the half day of class is nearing to it's end, teacher Xin announced, "I won't be here later so you are free to either go home or wander around, but remember that you'll have to perform tomorrow so I suggest that you practice with your free time. You know? My ears are very hard to please."
Everyone said yes in response and they were finally able to go. Dingwu as usual, went to eat with Xiao about and mingxue while ruo lan was pulled by XuWei somewhere else.
"Father." XuWei cupped his hands then bowed.
"Lift up your face. Why do you want to talk to me?" Emperor Xin asked his son. They were currently in the head master's office so no one was here.
"I want you to meet someone later." XuWei said.
Emperor Xin, "Who?"
XuWei, "Xiao..I mean Wang bai."
Emperor Xin, "That one who sits beside you?"
XuWei, "yes."
Emperor Xin, "Why would you want me to meet him? Did he saw through your disguise?"
XuWei, "Yes. But it was because Mingxue and Ruo lan are past acquaintance who knew that he was a knight in the palace. Anyway, wang bai's identity is far more than what you see. So I want emperial father's permission to discuss the matter with you."
Emperor Xin, "okay, I'm free later. Just bring him to your manor later."
XuWei, "Why in my manor? You have your own given especially by the headmaster right?"
Emperor Xin, "It will be more troublesome if he came to my manor, so we'll just go with yours. I'll be there, don't worry."
Xuwei, "okay then."
Emperor Xin, "By the way, that Xiao Bai is really something."
XuWei, "he is." Then he bid his farewell to his father and went to find Xiao baia nd inform him.
"Xiao Bai, do you have plans this afternoon?" XuWei asked as soon as he walked over Xiao bai's group.
"Nothing, I'll probably practice for tomorrow. Why?" Xiao Bai said while looking up to XuWei.
XuWei, "Then that's good. I'll send Ruo Lan to come pick you up later."
Xiao Bai immediately understood what he meant by that, "of course."
XuWei, "Then I'll go first."
Xiao bai smiled at him.
"Hey. What was that?" Dingwu whispered to Xiao bai.
"None of your business." Xiao Bai pushed Dingwu's face away from him.
"What? It's not like you're going to a date or something." Dingwu made a random statement with a sulking face.
Xiao bai hurriedly answered, "Of course not!"
Dingwu just stared at him for a good while and continued eating his lunch.
.....................
Author has something to say: anotjer chapter done! Thank you for still staying with me until now!
Anyway, I'm really really sorry for being unable to update last Monday. I got sruff to finish for school😊 see u on the next chapter!
☘Mini theater☘
Author: what?
XuWei: he didn't get to read it.
Author: not my fault.
XuWei: where did it go wrong?
Author: when you didn't emphasize that he have to dissect that boquet no matter what.
XuWei: oh.
Author: oh?
XuWei: Not my fault. I got really nervous that time that I didn't thought about it carefully.
Author: it's not my fault, and you're saying it's not your fault, so it should be Xiao bai's fault?.
XuWei: definitely not!
Author: ....
XuWei: well it's fine, when I think it through. I think it's not yet the right time also.
Author: It's not! Our readers won't get the chance to read your poem at all.
Xuwei: then should I reveal a little?
Author: go ahead.
Xuwei: "The red rose whispers of passion,
And the white rose breathes of love;
O, the red rose is a falcon,
And the white rose is a dove."
Author: that's nice.
Xuwei: Yeah. The matter if we could see the second verse will be in Xiao bai's hand.
Author: indeed *nods then sighs*.