Jun Xiqing’s heart gave a sudden jolt. His gaze was soft and warm. One could easily lose oneself in them. She took out a pen and a piece of paper and slowly wrote: I wish to leave the palace.
Lu Yeming’s deep, almond-shaped eyes were mild as he read her writing. He raised his brows and the amorous energy in the room dissipated.
Twisting his lips, he said in a low voice, “Give me a reason.”
You know I am under a spell. If I am around you, you will be in constant danger. This is the wisest decision.
Lu Yeming gazed upon the veil on Jun Xiqing’s face and he smirked. “Qingqing, do you dare to take off your face veil? Are you afraid that I will treat you differently because of your current appearance?”
His words were sharp and instantly penetrated the unease and hesitation swirling about Jun Xiqing’s heart.
After all, she was already disfigured.
He had wanted to take off her veil several times, but she had refused. She didn’t want him to see her face in its current state.
I want to leave the palace. We can be together after the issue with Yuan Ming is resolved.
Suddenly, Lu Yeming got up, standing erect by the bed with one hand in the pocket. From that vantage point, he easily looked down at her. “Jun Xiqing, leave if you wish to, I won’t stop you. Do you think that I am the sort of man that you can just throw aside or take back when you please?”
He turned to leave.
Lu Yeming!
Jun Xiqing hurried over and hugged his firm waist from behind. She pressed her face against his straight back and gently shook her head: Don’t go!
That wasn’t it! She didn’t mean it like that.
Lu Yeming stopped. He gripped Jun Xiqing’s slender wrists and pushed her against the wall forcefully.
Ah! It was quite painful when her back hit the wall, and tears sprang up in her eyes. She gazed up at the man in front of her. His handsome face was malevolent and held traces of cold mockery.
He was so tall that he blocked her entire view. His powerful aura was overwhelming.
Lu Yeming caressed her face. “Yuan Ming has never been an issue between us. Nothing in life is always smooth-sailing. When we encounter a problem, you and I can resolve it together. Jun Xiqing, the issue is that you don’t trust me. You have been constantly wandering off from this relationship of ours.”
Jun Xiqing’s eyes glittered as she wrote on his palm: Lu Yeming, do you love me?
Love?
He had never said that he loved her.
Even his confession, heartfelt as it was, did not contain the word “love”.
He was domineering and tyrannical, but he liked her very much. Her intelligence was peerless. In his eyes, in Sister Mo’er’s eyes, and in the eyes of the entire world, she was the only woman who could match him.
But did he love her?
Love was the world’s most indomitable power.
Without love, how could there be trust?
Lu Yeming’s face dimmed. He drew back his hand, while his eyes were calm and placid.
“Qingqing, you are too greedy,” he said slowly.
Oh.
Jun Xiqing lowered her eyes at his words. She glanced down at her own toes.
Holding her delicate little chin with his long fingers, Lu Yeming narrowed his eyes, as he said in a low voice full of affection, “I said before that I like you and am willing to give you the rest of my life. I can give you the best pampering in this world, and can even promise you that I will never have another woman apart from you. Everything I have, I can give it to you.
“The love that you seek, we might have in the future. Three years ago, I already wanted to have this possibility with you.
“But now, you are asking for returns even though you have not invested anything. Yes, I have never said the word ‘love’ to you before, and never promised you that either. You didn’t mind it in the past, but now that I have invested all my energy and feelings in you, you start to nitpick on this?”
“Qingqing, you cannot be too greedy. Greediness makes one… tiresome.”
He didn’t emphasize on the word ‘tiresome’ but instead said it in a lackadaisical manner. It wasn’t that he meant to be cold, but his words still chilled one to the bone.
The redness in Jun Xiqing’s face faded away, leaving her completely pale. Yes, she had been too greedy.
He only said before that he missed her… he liked her… he had her in his heart…
He had never said the word “love” to her before.
He said that was enough.
Enough to move her heart.
Enough to make her want to be with him.
But was it?
She was well aware of his deep feelings for Sister Mo’er. What then made her become so greedy? When had she started wanting more, expecting more from him?
Lu Yeming once again held her face and stroked her soft flesh with his finger. He rested his forehead against her face in a very affectionate gesture.
“Qingqing, stop messing around, alright? Love… we might have that in the future. I will not scorn you just because of your current appearance. Yuan Ming is also not an issue. Come to me and stay by my side.
“I will never meet another person as moving as you. I won’t have any extra time to waste on other women either. Let’s spend the rest of our lives together like this. Bear me two children. I will be a good husband and a good father. You will be the most blissful woman on earth.”
He hadn’t changed.
Jun Xiqing knew now. He hadn’t changed at all.
His confession was still powerful and moving. If she wasn’t that tiny bit more greedy, if she didn’t hanker after his love, she would have really been doted on by him for the rest of her days and led a blissful life.
But she also knew now, more clearly than ever before, he didn’t love her yet.
He didn’t love her, nor did he not love her.
“Qingqing.” Lu Yeming held her soft hands as he caressed her ring finger softly. “Let’s get married, okay?”
Get married…
Marry him.
That phrase kept reverberating in Jun Xiqing’s heart. She slowly but firmly drew back her own hands.
No.
She rejected him.
She rejected him once again.
Lu Yeming let go of her for real this time and took a step back. “Ha.” Now his chuckle was beyond frosty.
“Jun Xiqing, I know now that you are truly, tiresomely greedy.”
With that, he strode away and left the room without even giving her a second glance. He couldn’t be bothered anymore.
…
The air surrounding her ears felt clear and the entire world seemed to have gone quiet. Jun Xiqing leaned against the wall all alone. She felt very cold and so wrapped her arms around herself.
She stayed this way for a while before she descended the stairs.
A banquet was going on downstairs to welcome Leader Mu and his daughter Mu Yanyan.
Jun Xiqing immediately noticed Lu Yeming standing in the middle of all those dazzling lights. He had showered and was wearing a fresh outfit of white shirt and black pants. The handmade material was ironed smooth, accentuating his imperious aura.
