The soft rays of the morning sun shone in through the unlatched curtains. The man on the wide and soft bed slowly opened his eyes.
Looking at the familiar ceiling and decoration of the room, he sat up from the bed, pinching his eyebrows with his slender fingers.
Last night, he had gone out for a drink and had asked the chauffeur to bring him back. Instead of returning to his bedroom, he seemed to have gone somewhere…
Where was he?
For a moment, he could not remember where he had gone. A dark face appeared in his mind.
Getting up from the bed, he went to the bathroom to take a bath.
By the time he came out of the room, he had already changed into a tailored shirt and pants.
He strode down the stairs.
Walking to the dining room, Long Ming narrowed his eyes when he saw the slender figure busy in the kitchen.
Long Mei had also come downstairs. Seeing Long Ming staring at Xiao Ying’s back, she pretended to be unaware and asked, “Brother, what are you looking at?”
Long Ming pursed his lips tightly and said nothing.
The butler came over to report. “Your Majesty, the Second Prince is here. He said that he searched for some fun places here last night and wants to ask Miss Long for a day off for Little Blackie.”
Long Ming’s handsome face darkened.
Could it be that this Second Prince had really taken a liking to an ordinary-looking maid?
Before Long Ming could say anything, he heard Long Mei say generously, “Okay, it’s a good thing that the Little Blackie has a Prince to take her out to play. I can approve her leave anytime.”
Long Mei was about to go into the kitchen to call Xiao Ying when Long Ming said coldly, “No need. I have something for her to do today.”
Long Ming walked toward the living room.
Long Mei did not know what Long Ming had said to the Second Prince, but the Second Prince left in a huff.
After the Second Prince left, Long Ming called Xiao Ying to the side. “Send food to my office in the afternoon. Make something I like.”
After Long Ming left, Xiao Ying grabbed Long Mei’s hand and said excitedly, “Mei’er, he asked me to deliver food to his office. Does that mean that there’s progress?”
“Yes, my brother’s expression changed when he saw the Second Prince coming. He might be jealous!”
If he was jealous, he should have guessed that she was number 21!
Why was he suddenly asking her to bring him lunch?
…
In the afternoon.
Xiao Ying carried the thermos flask to the towering office building.
Perhaps, Long Ming had given the receptionists some instructions. The staff at the front desk only asked Xiao Ying a few questions when they saw her coming over before pressing the elevator button for her.
Xiao Ying took the elevator to the top floor.
Mo Tian was waiting at the elevator door and brought Xiao Ying to Long Ming’s office.
“The King is still in a meeting. Please wait a moment, Miss Ying.”
“Alright.”
Xiao Ying went into the clean and cold office. She put the thermos box on the coffee table and looked around.
Walking to Long Ming’s desk, her pupils constricted slightly when she saw a photo on the table.
The photo was of a girl in her early twenties, with long hair that fell over her shoulders. She was wearing a feminine dress and had a sweet smile. There was a line of information under the photo. She was the daughter of the Zhou family, one of the four most prominent families.
Xiao Ying stared at the photo and did not notice that the office door had been pushed open from the outside.
A tall man strode in.
“Who gave you the right to touch my things?”
Hearing his cold voice, Xiao Ying put down the photo with a dark expression.
Long Ming walked up to Xiao Ying, staring at her sharply. “Raise your head.”
Xiao Ying looked up slowly.
Long Ming suddenly approached her and Xiao Ying was about to step back when her arm was grabbed by his large palm.
He pulled her toward the lounge.
Xiao Ying tried to struggle free, but his large hands were like chains, holding her tightly.
“Your Majesty, what are you doing?”
Long Ming pushed the lounge door open and pulled her into the bathroom.
He turned on the shower head and placed it over her head.
Seeing his actions, Xiao Ying struggled to avoid him. But on second thought, since he had already done this, he must already know whom she was.
Xiao Ying shook off his hand and took the showerhead from him. “What are you doing?”
Long Ming narrowed his eyes, his face expressionless. “What do you think? I want to see how much longer you plan to disguise yourself.”
Xiao Ying met his eyes for a few seconds before she gave up arguing. “Go out first. I’ll remove my makeup myself.”
Long Ming glanced at her with dark eyes and said nothing more, turning to leave the bathroom.
Xiao Ying removed her makeup and regained her beautiful appearance.
Coming out of the lounge, Xiao Ying took a deep breath and walked toward the man who was smoking in front of the French windows.
Hearing footsteps, Long Ming looked over at Xiao Ying.
Seeing her fair and flawless face, Long Ming narrowed his eyes, his gaze sharp and cold. “What other purpose do you have for approaching me?”
Xiao Ying looked at his dark eyes that seemed to want to swallow her and she said word by word, “I want you to fall in love with me.”
As if he had heard the biggest joke in the world, he scoffed. “Fall in love with you? I’m not blind!”
He approached her step by step, his long fingers pinching her chin as he pushed her against the floor-to-ceiling windows. His eyes were filled with hatred. “Number 21, how confident are you in yourself? Do you think I will still fall in love with you? Do you believe that I’ll take your life right now?”
Xiao Ying closed her eyes, letting him pinch her.
However, Long Ming suddenly leaned down, his lips close to Xiao Ying’s ear as he whispered.
Xiao Ying looked at him.
…
Coming out of the office building, Xiao Ying looked at the sun above her head and tears filled her eyes.
She looked at the bracelet in her hand and muttered to herself, “I lost. It’s only been ten days and I’ve already lost.”
She squatted beside the flower bed outside the office building and sobbed. “He will only hate me. I can’t get his love.”
…
Back in the palace.
Xiao Ying tendered her resignation to Long Mei.
Long Mei was surprised. “Because my brother recognized you, he won’t let you continue working here? I’ll talk to him!”
Xiao Ying grabbed Long Mei’s hand and shook her head. “Don’t talk to him anymore. I can only accept my fate now.”
Tears welled up in Long Mei’s eyes. “Sister-in-law, you can’t give up. Don’t give up. My brother needs you…”
Xiao Ying closed her eyes and let out a long sigh. “Mei’er, maybe this is the fate between us. We’ve hurt each other too much in the past, so it’s hard for us to be together.”
No matter how Long Mei tried to keep Xiao Ying, she could not do so.
After Xiao Ying left the palace, she went to the .
When the Duke’s wife found out that Xiao Ying was leaving Burma, she furrowed her eyebrows. “Where are you going if you leave? Ying’er, you still have Dad and Mom. Do you really want to leave?”
Xiao Ying looked at the Duke’s wife, who really doted on her like she was her daughter, and felt terrible. She hugged the Duke’s wife tightly and said with a slightly hoarse voice, “Mom, if I have time, I’ll come back to visit you and Dad.”
