Sheng Li came to the chamber and saw Ying Lili was removing the hair accessories. Sheng Li laid down on the bed with the support of his belly. "Lili, I am waiting," Sheng Li said. Ying Lili put the hairpin on the dressing table and turned to go to the bed.
She went there and sat beside Sheng Li who was wearing a satin upper robe. "Don't do like the last time. Be gentle," Ying Lili heard Sheng Li. Tilting his head, Sheng Li asked, "Do I need to remove this upper robe for better access?"
"Your wish," Ying Lili replied.
Sheng Li sat up on the bed, facing Ying Lili. He removed the upper robe while gazing at Ying Lili who was also staring at him. Ying Lili's eyes again fell on the scar that was in the middle of Sheng Li's chest, but at the same time, she saw the mark of the hairpin when she for the first time tried killing Sheng Li.
"Is it hurting?" Ying Lili asked and lifted her hand. Extending her pointer finger out, she touched the mark, which Sheng Li got from the hairpin. She was moving her finger over the scar while looking at the scar and then moved it to the middle of Sheng Li's chest where a big scar could be seen.
"Would you like to tell me who did this?" Ying Lili searched for an answer into Sheng Li's eyes. "I believe we are close enough to share this," Ying Lili stated.
Sheng Li grabbed her hand and put it down. "No, we are not close enough to share this. Get back to work," Sheng Li commanded and laid on the support of his belly.
Ying Lili flattened her hands on Sheng Li's back. Using her thumbs and fingers, she applied pressure on his back muscles. During the massage, her entire focus was on the marks on Sheng Li's back. 'Who whipped him this badly?' Ying Lili thought. There were scars as well which were prominent but those whipping marks were grabbing more attention from her.
"Why are you slow?" Sheng Li questioned.
"Ahh, I am doing," replied Ying Lili, and again focused on the massage. After some time, gathering her courage Ying Lili said, "Sheng Li, why do you not share your personal matters with me? I mean not entirely but the things, which I am curious about. That way our relationship will get stronger."
"What do you want to know?" Sheng Li queried him who had closed his eyes.
"I want to know who tortured you this badly? You have whipping marks too on your back. It cannot be from an enemy but someone from the Palace. Was it the Empress? Did she use to beat you when you were young?" Ying Lili was curious to know. She was disheartened to see all that. This entire time she used to think that Sheng Li was the most merciless person she had seen, but as she got to know him, her perception started changing.
"You are not answering again. When you have to ask anything from me, you threaten me but when I ask you, then you turn silent," Ying Lili said in a dejected tone after not getting an answer from Sheng Li.
"It was a punishment," Sheng Li replied. Ying Lili stopped massaging upon hearing Sheng Li's answer.
"Who can punish you?" Ying Lili took that as a joke.
"I was 11 at that time. I touched the second brother's arrow set which his grandfather had sent. The bow broke down, so I was punished," Sheng Li answered her query. Ying Lili stopped blinking as it was hurtful to hear.
"You were whipped just because a bow was broken." Ying Lili could not believe that they punished him for such a petty thing. "What about father? Didn't he rescue you?" Ying Lili questioned Sheng Li.
"Some matters do not go out. I was not the type of kid who would complain about such a petty matter to father," Sheng Li asserted. Ying Lili's eyes turned watery.
"How could this be a petty matter? You were punished for nothing. How can the Empress whip you like this?" Ying Lili muttered and ran her fingers on Sheng Li's upper back.
"Second brother's mother ordered this. The Empress does not give such a simple punishment," Sheng Li proclaimed and chuckled.
What? Even the Noble Consort punished Sheng Li? How could she? And no one rescued him. What did he mean by that the Empress did not give such a simple punishment? Did she torture him more badly than this? Ying Lili could not believe that the person who was cruel to everyone suffered this much or more than that, which he did not even share with her. So, it was true he was always alone among those ruthless people.
Ying Lili's insides were raging, hearing all this. She asked Sheng Li, "What kind of punishment did the Empress give to you? Please tell me because" she stopped speaking as the tears in her eyes could not be held back which fell on Sheng Li's back.
Immediately, Sheng Li turned and sat up. "Why are you crying?" he asked, and then snickered. "You do not need to pity me," he remarked.
"Pity you!? Who is pitying you? If a person is crying that does not mean he pities you but it means that he is concerned for you and can feel your pain," Ying Lili pronounced.
"Who is telling you to feel my pain?" Sheng Li asked her with annoyance. Ying Lili turned her back towards Sheng Li. She was sobbing, which Sheng Li could hear. Now, he was feeling bad for talking that way with Ying Lili. He grabbed her arm and pulled her back such that her back hit against Sheng Li's bare chest.
"I was a kid back then that's why I endured this. Now they can't even raise a finger at me. Past is past so don't ask me about that ever. This was the first time someone cried for me, and it annoyed me instead of delighting me. Forgive me for raising my voice on you." His hand was caressing Ying Lili's arm to calm her down.
