“You’re crying…”
“No, something fell in my eyes.”
Zhuo Fan turned towards the cute voice, to see Yun Shuang and Yongning. He then looked away and blinked the lonely tear away and made a rushed excuse.
Yun Shuang giggled and Yongning covered her smile, all while their fondness for him grew.
Even this obnoxious and tyrannical steward had a hidden face.
“What are you two doing here? Shuang’er, as the Yun Clan Head, weren’t you saying you’d take your clan around Blackwind Mountain to establish an observatory?” Angry, the two girls saw something unmanly, Zhuo Fan snorted.
To these two though, he looked like pouting and they laughed.
Yun Shuang had a soft gaze, “You saved the people and you took revenge for my grandfather. Now that you are leaving, I must see you off and give my gratitude.”
“No need. It was all in passing, just by chance.” Zhuo Fan shook his hand and mocked, “I was never someone to do good, only thinking about ruining my enemy. If it were a righteous and benevolent ruler standing in my way, I might be the one throwing these people in chaos. My eyes only see my opponent and nothing else.”
Yun Shuang frowned, but shook her head, “You always call yourself evil, and maybe consider yourself to be heinous, but unlike all those twisted people, you have a sliver of conscience. You’re redeemable, that’s why…”
Yun Shuang blushed and came up to him to whisper in his ear, these sweet words, “I shall follow grandfather’s wish and will always be in Luo clan, waiting for you to save you from eternal damnation and become a good man. Even if you aren’t willing, I’ll just stick with you forever.”
Zhuo Fan shook, his face taking an odd expression. He saw Yun Shuang blush harder, her clear eyes filled with unspeakable softness.
Yun Shuang avoided his gaze and muttered, “No matter if you want to or not, remember our promise. You must come back.”
Yun Shuang skipped away while hugging her face, though now her ears were red.
Zhuo Fan blinked in a daze, “What promise? You decided all by yourself without asking me. Just who could’ve taught her how to behave so rudely? Why does it feel like me though… “
Pff!
Yongning giggled and presented a green bracelet with tender eyes, “Zhuo Fan, look after it. My mother left it for me. We will be worlds apart now, but never forget me. ”
“Save it. There’s no reason why I should take your bracelet, let alone always remember you. What the hell are you up to?” Zhuo Fan glared.
Glum, Yongning resorted to stomping, “Are you dense as a brick or what? I can’t be any more obvious than that. You’re not happy unless I spit it out?”
Zhuo Fan raised a suspicious eyebrow.
Yongning shouted in annoyance, “Zhuo Fan, I shall inform you today that this princess has taken a liking to you. I have made the trip to Blackwind Mountain to be around you more and grow closer. Yet just as I’ve arrived, you plan on leaving. No choice but to use the last resort, exchanging vows through keepsakes in hope that you will never forget me…”
“Wait, wait, hold your horses!”
Zhuo Fan waved all over the place, “Your Highness, are you high? We barely know each other. There’s nothing between us. Isn’t it a bit sudden dumping this on me now? “
“Not one bit. Haven’t you heard of love at first sight?”
Yongning blinked her purdy eyes, “Mom used to tell me as a child that no matter the danger, never fear. Because prince charming will come from the heavens, holding me in his safe embrace and keeping the danger at bay. On that day, outside the Imperial Palace, the same moment my life was at peril, you appeared. It’s just like mom said. You’re my destiny!”
Face twitching, Zhuo Fan sighed, “Uh, princess, that’s just a fairy tale for children. You’re too old to be reading those!”
“No, this is my mother’s will that I must honor. Just like Shuang’er’ grandfather’s will. Besides, you accepted Shuang’er, so why not me as well? I do not care for being second since we’re close as sisters.”
“Uh, when did I do that?” Zhuo Fan was confused.
“Didn’t she just say she’ll be with you for life? Not refusing is accepting. Someone like her, so kind and shy, taking the initiative is remarkable. And I too, shall lower my status by throwing myself in your arms, willing to share you with others. That’s even more remarkable. “
Grinning, Yongning noticed the stars in his eyes, presenting the bracelet like a nice alluring auntie to a sweet little boy, “Zhuo Fan, take it and we will be together forever in happiness.”
Gulping, the once fearless Steward Zhuo crumbled in sweat on the battlefield of love with such a mighty adversary like general Yongning.
[They were right, women are just like tigers!]
“P-p-princess, calm down now. I am but a nobody with even my life uncertain. You need to be cautious before being with me. Your end will be bitter.”
“I am cautious. A wife follows her husband, she’ll remain a widow for life, but I am more than happy to walk this path. Like you always say, follow your heart. This is what I’m doing, listening to your words!” Yongning giggled with her eyes tinted with desire.
Zhuo Fan grimaced and felt like slapping his rotten mouth. [That’s what I get from spewing crap. Now I have to answer for it.]
“Princess, take it easy. You, a glorious Princess, should have a better future. Like the four tigers, yes, they are renowned generals, always crying for a wife. Think them over.”
“Don’t want to. I only need you in my life, I am dead serious!” Yongning blinked her charming eyes at him, “Even our tempers match.”
[Match your head!]
[I felt sorry for leaving Luo clan but now I see that I need to get out of here fast…]
Thinking so, he then jerked his head and pointed behind her, “Shuang’er, did you come back for princess?”
“Shuang’er?” Yongning turned.
It was the window he desperately desired and Zhuo Fan grasped it like his life depended on it. Yongning did look back at him, only to find him gone.
Stomping, Yongning looked bitterly at the bracelet, her eyes clouded with anger, “I only wanted you to take my keepsake to remember me by. I’m no tiger so why did you run off? Humph, stinker…”
A chilly wind passed by her legs. Standing there, she had lost her lively spirit, now turned desolate with tears streaming down her face.
She, a great princess, had just made her first confession only to be… rejected like that.
Somewhere else, Zhuo Fan appeared a mile away from Blackwind Mountain filled with trepidation.
He didn’t hate the ladies, but no way was he going to accept them. [Their sincerity is touching enough, but… I am a demon.]
He wouldn’t fall in love out of principle. He had been like this all his life and it had turned into natural behavior.
His heart was too heavy for it to contain love. While that made dealing with hypocrites a breeze…
“Wait!”
Another soft voice stopped him and all he could do was look at the sky with a long drawn out sigh.
[For the love of all that’s holy on this god’s green earth, am I the only man alive here? What are all these girls coming at me for?]
Zhuo Fan turned around lazily, only to jerk at the sight of her. It was Veiled Dragon Pavilion’s Long Kui.
The lass never liked him and every time they talked, they always ended up bickering, just like enemies.
When Luo clan was still a no-name clan, this girl looked down on these hicks. For the same reason, he made the ten year promise in anger.
That Luo clan would rise above all the houses.
Zhuo Fan almost forgot it had been that long. But on seeing her, an evil fire lit up in his heart.
[He-he-he, damn lass, right on time. I’m gonna show off till you drop…]
Long Kui noticed him jerk at her call, then a trepidation, and lastly confusion.
But right now, he had turned evil, putting on a haughty look, his nose way high. She was lost to what came on to him.
[What’s with him changing tunes in a split second? Did he hit his head or something…]
