'Please don't say that you want to cut the ties with me.'
Yu Wen
***
I tried opening my eyes and the image of Xia De Ming hurts me even more. I saw how he physically transformed into a different form. I shockingly witnessed how his short hair started growing fast, making him look so beautiful. Inside the blue smoke, I weakly reached out to touch his face, just trying to make sure he is real. Xia De Ming, this arrogant boss of mine, other people will never know if he is human at all if they see him in this appearance. There have been changes in his clothes as well as he is now into ancient clothing. He is clad beautifully with that gradation of blue and green layers that clings to his body perfectly. While he carries me in a bridal way, I can sense something different. Eventually, the bluish smoke disappears, and raindrops touch our bodies. Each drop feels like sharp daggers piercing unto my skin.
"Ahh!" I tried bearing the torturing pain of those raindrops.
"Bai He Lian, please hold on." Xia De Ming said soothingly, almost like begging, but he looks so desperate as well. Tears started flowing from his eyes, blending in the rain, and made my heart ache for him.
A burst of multiple rays of colors seems to surround me and Xia De Ming and eventually, four girls appeared before us. It is like I am in a fantasy world. It seems I do not have enough time as well because those girls standing in front of us have swords in their hands. The angel of death is perhaps waiting for me and taking away my spirit? More so, their resentment toward Xia De Ming is apparent on their faces.
"How dare you come here!" The girl in yellow clothing shouted at him and in a split second, the edge of her sword reached Xia De Ming neck, threatening to cut through with just one wrong move.
What? Who are they?
A lot of questions run through my head now and I am bewildered with my current predicament. I am startled when Xia De Ming, who is kneeling in front of those girls, still manages to carry my weak body into his arms. He looks defiant, like someone who is not afraid to die. It pains me to see him like this and I don't like him to kneel.
"I am begging you, please save her." He asserted again.
"What?! How can you be so shameless?!"
"I beg you right now." He pleaded once more, and his appearance is quite heart wrenching; it makes me sick.
"No---", I tried to stop him from begging but my voice is hoarse and I'm afraid he can't hear me. I attempted to touch his face instead to catch his attention, but I have no more strength left in me to do it.
We have been under the rain for quite some time now and our bodies are completely soaked. I am so weak that I already thought to myself that I am ready to die now. Surrendering completely as I can no longer bear the pain, I closed my eyes.
Xia De Ming, just let me die here. Please don't kneel anymore
***
I suddenly find myself standing in a tall fortress near a border wall, in a valley. Basing on the sky, it was already dawn and then I saw a man being stabbed by a sword. His smile, when the sword penetrated his chest, made my chest ache for him. The man looks like he is protecting a couple who stands behind him, and the man who stabbed him still holds onto the sword. Based on his gold armor, I think he must be a great general, but I cannot see his face because I find myself standing behind the general.
"General, let them go, as you promised. I will pay for the promise." The stabbed man breathes heavily. "I will do whatever you want in my next life. General, please consider my death as a substitute for General Cheng Zhou Wen's death. Please consider me as the one who killed your brother. But I beg you to save them."
The general steps backward while removing his hold from the sword. He's still shaking when they were attacked again and arrows started to gush over targeting the couple but the stupid dying man still protected them from the flying arrows.
"Stopped!!!!!" The general yelled to his army.
"Young Master, I am sorry."
The man cried but the Young Master who was dying still gave him a genuine smile with his bloody face, then the Young Master stepped backward until he fell over from a guardrail separating the valley. The general attempted catching the young master's arm, but it's too late.
"No!!!!!!!!!!!!!" I screamed. I was so shocked that my legs became numb and I fell on the ground. Such a terrifying scene that I've ever witnessed.
When the general turns around, I am stunned to see his face – it was Chen Sheng Lin!
"Miss...Miss...Miss."
Someone's calling me?
I slowly opened my eyes, heeding to the voice. I silently hoped that what I've seen is just a nightmare. I checked on my surroundings and I realized that I am in an ancient bedroom. Though still feeling weak, I managed to sit on the bed. This time, I saw a girl in pink clothing. I wonder if Xia De Ming had brought me here.
"Where is Xia De Ming?" I asked her. The last time, I remember he was kneeling on behalf of me.
"Who is Xia De Ming?" She asked me back.
"The man who brought me here. Where is he?" I urge her to give me the answer soon.
She took a deep breath. Her gestures exude elegance but it's apparent that she looked not so happy when I asked about Xia De Ming. She holds onto my shoulder and pushes me to lay back on the bed.
"Please take a rest. Your body is still weak."
"Where is he?" I asked again. "Is he fine? Is he alright?!"
"Yes. Miss, don't need to worry. Please, go back and lie on the bed."
After hearing her answer that Xia De Ming is alright, I calmed down.
"Miss, what's your name?" She asked.
"My name is Bai He Lian." I answered.
"Could you please tell me how did you get the lotus tattoo on your back?"
What?! I don't have a tattoo.
"I don't have a tattoo." I answered but she looked more confused after hearing me. "What happened to me?"
"Miss, what do you wish to know?" She asked me.
I don't understand about the tattoo that she mentioned before. "Why would you ask me about a tattoo since I never have it put there?"
"Because, as of now, Miss has our lotus tattoo and Chen family mark on your back. I don't know what happened with Miss and Prince Wang Lin, but I hope it's not like what I'm thinking now."
"I don't understand."
"Miss, did Miss make an oath with Prince Wang Lin?" She asked me.
"I never met this Prince Wang Lin and I don't know about him either."
The girl inhaled deeply again.
"By the way, can you please tell me where he is and who are you?"
"Right now, Miss is inside Huang Manor. Miss can call me Xiao Ran." She smilingly said.
"Miss Xiao Ran, thank you for helping me, but can you tell me what really happened to me?" I still can't make sense of my predicament but I sense that this girl is a good person. "I want to go home. Please let me go."
"Miss cannot go back to her place without Prince Wang Lin." She said.
Her words give a stabbing pain in my heart. I really don't know about him and how can I find him since I don't have any clue about him? I want to go back to my apartment and now, she said I can not go back?
"What do you mean?"
"Miss now, you are different."
"I don't think that I am different. Well, maybe in this Manor, yes - I am different from all of you."
"Miss Bai He Lian, you now belong to him. You belong to Prince Wang Lin."
Wait?! Who is Prince Wang Lin? Is he that popular in this place? "How can I belong to him since I have never met him?"
"But the tattoo and Chen family's mark is on Miss' body."
"I don't think so. You must be kidding, right?", I nervously laugh.
"I never play tricks with our Miss. I think Miss must be tired. From now on Xiao Ran will assist you."
"NO! I WANT TO GO BACK HOME! I DON'T WANT TO STAY HERE!"
I tried standing up as I wanted to leave this place immediately, but my body is just too weak. Can someone help me? Xia De Ming, where are you?
That painful heat burning sensation recurred again and it caused me to scream because of the excruciating pain.
"Miss, please don't think of another man."
It was not my intention to think about Xia De Ming but the scene of him kneeling was embedded in my heart and I cannot forget about him. Can I say that I admire him?
"Let me go home."
My vision became blurry again and darkness surrounded me. I think dying is better, instead of someone forcing me not to think of Xia De Ming.