Xing joined Chenglie and walked towards her home. She imagined her mother's reaction when she sees Chenglie.
Chenglie suddenly grabbed her hand and put on a jade bracelet on her hand. It was a clear green imperial jade bracelet. Xing didn't know the value of that bracelet, but was really happy she received a gift from her beloved. It was later she learned the worth of the bracelet, which was said to be entire cities. But how a fallen Prince could afford it, well that remained a biggest mystery for long.
On the way home, as Xing recollected everything happened and how they kissed on the roof. But she felt something was off about everything. What was it?
Then it dawned on her lovestruck brain that had stopped working after she met her 'Prince ' that he had recognised her rather easily. When they stayed together back then, her hair used to be jet black and she had really pale skin. But now, not only she had grown a lot, her hair had turned golden and she had applied makeup to make her look darker and she was dressed as a man. Even her mother wouldn't recognise her if she saw her ten years later like him... And Chenglie as she knew, wouldn't have just completely abandoned her this long.
If so...
"You! You stalker! You watched over me all these years, didn't you?, she punched his arm hard and he grunted and looked at her confused.
" Haru.. Did Haru know? ", she shouted pushing him. He took two steps back to regain his balance and just gave an apologetic glance as he understood that he got found out too soon.
Xing snorted, " So you two were in contact all this time.. Did you even know how much I..", Missed you? Wished to know if you were well?
Wanted to at least have a glance at you? Hear your voice? Wondered how much your appearance had changed? And all this time both of you kept on lying to me? You two.. the people I trust most in this world, even more than myself, made me suffer, knowing how much I had suffered not knowing your whereabouts?
Xing wanted to cry but she was never a person who cried and her heart ached and the anger, disappointment and sadness she felt, made her throat close and her eyebrows flinched.
Chenglie knew she would find out everything even if he tried to hide it as she was smart and this would be her reaction. But actually seeing her sullen and lifeless look, his heart ached and he felt like dying. But all he did in the past was for her protection and he cannot explain it to her now as everything was complicated. He was in contact with Haru for seven years and that was mainly to get news about her. He would visit her village at least once a month to have a glance at her from far and would hide if she accidentally looked at his direction while all he wanted was to run to her and hug her. But he could not let himself lose his control as her wellbeing depended on it.
"Xing!", he cried and hugged her close. He wanted to merge her into him so she would be safe always and happy as he didn't know what to say.
Xing who was held tightly by him could hear his loud heartbeats as if he was in despair. She put aside the emotions she felt and started thinking rationally.
Haru was with her for more than ten years and he had never ever once hurt her even unintentionally despite calling her with various animal names. For him to hide that matter means there should be a proper reason, as Haru knew how much she wanted to hear news about Chenglie. Also Chenglie is neither apologising or explaining himself and that means he felt that he had to cut his contact with her for some reason. She knew that the 'Lone Wolf' people talked about was him and he would have made enemies as an assassin or as a Prince. She herself had many enemies too, so the reason must be something valid.
When she reached that conclusion, all her sadness flew away and she took a deep breath and got herself freed from his hug,
"So, there is a proper reason, right?", she said with her usual shine in her eyes.
Chenglie was surprised to see her in high spirits even before he did anything. Then again he didn't fell deeper in love with her and wanted her by his side for no reason. Even when she was young, she would be so understanding and clever than most people he knew.
"Yes, I'll explain later", he said patting her head. He cannot bear to distance himself from her anymore. He had already decided to face everything with her by his side.
"Fine then, let's go meet Mother! Wonder how she'd react!", she said with a smile and walked with a skip in her step in front of him.
Xing felt something amiss in the events recently happening around her but she did not want to rack her brain over it when it might be nothing. All she had to do is be happy that Chenglie had returned and take life one day at a time.
As they reached her home, Xing ran inside her home shouting, "Ming Ling, I'm home! Look who's back". Ming Ling who was arranging the table, saw Chenglie and dropped the bowl in her hand in surprise. Xing and Chenglie cleaned the spilled soup without noticing Ming Ling's face pale as a paper. She can't keep her daughter here with her anymore.
Xing started explaining everything that happened today when her mother asked them to sit for lunch. While eating lunch, Xing told her mother about the Imperial address, the edict, and the Ming brothers' punishment. She also informed Haru's marriage tonight. She also told her about how she met Chenglie and how she made him talk to his brother. All this time Chenglie was admiring his little moon whose red lips that won't stop talking and she even forgot she is eating in her enthusiasm for reporting and he was stuffing food in her mouth making Ming Ling smile. But there was a tinge of sorrow in her eyes too. She knew how much both of them loved each other but is love enough?
She also showed her mother the bracelet Chenglie had gifted. Ming Ling widened her eyes in surprise seeing that jade worth cities and looked at Chenglie. He just nodded and smiled like it was not a big deal.
After eating as Xing ran out of things to talk about, she started clearing the table and made tea for the three of them. She knew her mother loved her tea. Her mother helped her with the stove, because if Xing get nears a stove it will explode somehow as her affinity with fire was not that great.
After that Chenglie helped Xing in doing the dishes and Xing didn't stop him. You gotta work to eat and what's wrong in wanting to help your woman.
Ming Ling was watching them both and she felt an array of emotions. Suddenly she had a fit of cough. Chenglie immediately brought some hot water to her and her cough subsided momentarily . But Xing was not convinced and insisted on getting herbs for medicine. Her mother stopped her saying that she needed to tell her something important and she don't have to go out.
"It can wait Ming Ling, I'll get back soon, Snow Prince! Watch her properly! ", Xing ordered and ran out without delay.
Ming Ling shook her head smiling and motioned at Chenglie to sit. " Tell me dear boy, how are you doing these days?"
"I'm doing fine Auntie Ling. I go by the name, Huang Shengli now ", Chenglie replied politely. He had always considered her as his mother.
" Huang?", Ming Ling raised her eyebrows and her heart clenched.
"Ah yes! Lord Huang Feiye adopted me as his son six years back. I'm working as a personal guard of General Zhong."
Ming Ling smiled wryly thinking how the strings of fate tie people together. The boy who lived here who once was a prince is now the adopted son of her daughter's paternal uncle. Also she knew her husband became the Prime Minister from Haru. Now she can be rest assured that her daughter will be safe.
"Why are you here now?", Ming Ling asked knowing the answer.
" I'm here to ask your permission to marry Jia Xing. I know she won't leave here, so I'm willing to leave the city and settle here."
"That's nice of you", she paused and contemplated how to explain certain things, "But she still haven't gotten her.. Um.. I meant, she's still a little girl. She should be at least eighteen to marry. Also you should get her father's permission too"
"Her father? " Chenglie asked surprised. This is the first time he had heard of her father. He had always assumed he was dead since he was never mentioned in his year-long stay here.
"Promise me you won't wrong her in any way and you will marry her only after she is eighteen only with her father's permission", Ming Ling looked at Chenglie pleadingly.
Chenglie, who was about to ask her father's name understood what Ming Ling meant - she didn't want him to touch her daughter before marriage or take any concubines before or after marriage that would hurt Xing.
"I will abide by your wishes", he replied earnestly. He was a conservationist himself and he believed in marriage and he had no interest in anyone except Xing.
Just as he promised this, Xing came back with a bunch of herbs and walked towards the kitchen. "I'll prepare the medicine now" she said trying to light the stove. She looked flustered.
"Stop her, she'll burn the house", Ming Ling shouted . Seeing her panicked expression, Chenglie rushed and grabbed everything from Xing's hand and said "I'll prepare it. You go look after your mother".
Xing agreed and came to her mother and sat beside her while Chenglie started preparing medicine.
" Xing, Dear! listen to me carefully and promise me you'll do what I say", Ming Ling said caressing Xing's hair.
"Ming Ling, why are you talking weird? You've been weird since yesterday. The medicine will be ready soon. Drink it and sleep. You'll be fine", Xing said with her voice shaking. For some reason her heart felt uneasy as she felt her mother was acting weird since yesterday. She's been sick for a while but why is she acting weird now? She always gets better in a day or two.
"Promise me, you'll listen to everything I have to say without interrupting", Ming Ling said pleadingly.
"Fine, fine! I'll listen", Xing said while Chenglie was listening from the kitchen.
" Xing, you are not sixteen years old as you believe because mother lied about your age. You were born on new year's day seventeen years ago. I'm telling you this now because you have to go to the Imperial Capital City to find your father."
"What?.. Why... ? But why now? What about you? How?.. ", while the shocked Xing was stuttering , Ming Ling took a white jade phoenix hairpin and gave it to her, " Here, take this. Your father gave it to me. Show it to him and he will know", while saying this she started breathing heavily.
She had a lot to say but she really couldn't. She had made a deal with the gods and she must keep her end of the deal. She has an entire family to protect.
This hairpin will lead her to her father. She is smart and he is so close to her father, they will find him easily. She really couldn't say his name.
Both of them helped Ming Ling to bed and Xing kept saying, "Please take deep breaths, Mother! ".
Chenglie came with the hot medicine. He then blowed it and started to feed her with a spoon.
Seeing Xing frightened but keeping a cool face before her mother, her mother asked her to bring her some cold water from the kitchen after drinking some. As Xing came back, she saw the medicine bowl empty and she was relieved a bit. The medicines she picked always worked.
Ming Ling's breathing got better when she looked at Chenglie and said, "Take her to the capital. Take care of her till she finds her father. Stay by her side and protect her heart. She is too kind. Her heart cannot be darkened. Since... ", Ming Ling gave a meaningful glance at Shengli and he understood and nodded,
"I definitely will, Auntie Ling. Rest assured", he patted her hand.
Xing felt her entire body go numb as she saw them interacting. She felt like someone punched her in the gut and she felt breathless. She felt her mother slowly drifting away from her. But, she didn't want her mother to leave her. She wanted her mother by her side always.
"Mother..", Xing said her voice shaking and her icy cold fingers trembling. " Mother, you know, I really love you"
" You called me Mother", Ming Ling caressed her cheek, smiling, " My dear daughter, my sweet Jia Xing, I'm happy I got to be your mother. I'm thankful you grew up amazing. I'm so proud of you. And, remember not to hold anything against your father. It was my decision not to tell him about you and also never hate anyone related to you by blood",saying this she slowly closed her eyes with a smile in her lips.
Ming Ling remembered the happiest spring in her life when she was fourteen . How the noble boy who was a year older than her got mad for her for the way her own family treated her even though he himself was bullied. How Ao Tian, who was meant to be a topper in that year's imperial court exams was willing to leave everything to protect her from her family and wanted to elope. He vowed to protect her and secretly married her. But, She didn't want to spoil his growth when she learned she was pregnant and of course for another important reason. Some creepy soothsayer said her child will be a divine ruler. This made her already wavering mind make a decision . Although she knew she's doing something cruel to the man she loves and the one who loves her, she had to leave him. She heard that he never took another wife or concubines even though he is a powerful man in the kingdom and is still young. She asked for his forgiveness in her heart.
'Ao Tian, my love, I did something unforgivable and that guilt is still eating me. But I poured all my love for you in raising our daughter and now I'm sending her to you. I hope her presence eases your heart. I wish may be in the next life we have different fates and live together till our hair greys'
Ming Ling's heart stopped beating. She died peacefully.
Xing saw her mother lying in bed with her face pale and lips slightly curved upwards and motionless. She shook her and called her, " Mother! Mother! … Don't sleep…! , Wake up…! , I'll call you mother every time from now on…, please wake up… Mother…! ", her cries filled the entire room.
Chenglie stood motionless and spaced out. The only woman he thought highly of had left this world. The only one who showed motherly love and treated him as a kid is lying motionless. He thought about his mother's last words and Ming Ling's last words. He could still hear how her mother shouted at him to die, how her face looked full of hatred and anger. He still have nightmares about that day. One really can't choose their parents. His hands began to tremble.
Chenglie came back from his thoughts when he heard Xing's trembling voice and pulled himself together. She would be the most devastated one as he knew how much Xing loved her mother. But how can he comfort her? When he saw her shaking her mother to wake up, his eyes flooded. I have to say something. But what should I say? Would words be enough to quell this sorrow?
He reached his shaking hands out and placed it on her shoulder, "Xing..", he paused. She turned and a pair of empty eyes stared back at him. There was no expression in her face. She pushed his hands off and stood up.
"Watch over her, I'm taking these herbs to the village pharmacy. The owner asked for these medicinal herbs before", she said and picked all the herbs and walked out.
"Pengpeng, guard my home", she shouted in the Guyu language and the wolf came running. Then she left ignoring everything. Chenglie stood motionless for a while seeing her reaction and tried to get out of the door to stop her but was stopped by the wolf.
Haru had to be informed, but isn't he getting married today? Sigh! Is that why she left?
Chenglie sat in a chair with a hand rubbing his forehead not knowing what to do. In his twenty three years of life, he had never felt as helpless as today and he had been through a lot too.