"Master, Miss Yan has turned strange."
Strange? It seems his little hermit was creating havoc again. And just right after the last one too. Yan Qing Shan's escape attempt caught Zi Jue by surprise. It was quite well thought out, if it weren't for the vigilant security he had strictly set for her, she might have really gotten away.
He was livid with the thought of her leaving him. Zi Jue remembered what he did and his heart clenched. He was shocked by himself as well. He was known to be cruel and ruthless. Smiling gently as he torture his enemies to their death. This was the reason that he was known as the smiling devil. But he was, in the end, still human. Zi Jue grew up with the principle of family coming first. His parents taught him that as much as he is merciless to those who cross him, he must cherish even more those he holds dear.
The day Zi Jue saw Yan Qing Shan again, he had already counted her as his family, his wife. And yet he broke his iron-clad principle. He lost control of himself that night and hurt her. His very hands were used to inflict pain to her. It was already too late when Zi Jue's came to. He couldn't bear to see her bruises. He couldn't bear to see her accusing eyes. So much so that he moved his business trip in advance and left that very night.
Zi Jue knew that what he did was cowardly. He should have apologized. But he was also aware that no degree of apology is going to change what he did to her. This fact was eating him, he tried to drown himself in work. It did little help though. So instead of wallowing in guilt, he thought of what he could do to make up to her.
"Master?"
Lui Ying's voice brought Zi Jue back from his thoughts.
"Explain. What did she do this time?"
Silence.
Lui Ying hesitated to tell his master his observation. It was only that Miss Yan's behavior was a complete deviation from her usual one.
Liu Ying cleared his throat before proceeding, reluctance obvious in his tone.
"It's this Master. You know that Miss Yan usually stays in her library or her room here at home. But since the day she woke up after her escape attempt, she acted out of the ordinary. After she woke up, the first thing she did was go around the mansion. Then for the rest of the days she stayed in the garden. She even tended to the plants after a lengthy discussion with the gardener. Miss Yan has also started to chat occasionally with the servants and has become quite close with Nanny Rong. Master, as you know she had always been indifferent to us, so her action were unprecedented. The last thing master is, she has been frequently asking about you."
Zi Jue's heart ached when he was reminded of Qing Shan's escape attempt. However, it all vanished as he continued to listen to Liu Ying. The last part particularly stunned him.
'Qing Shan was asking about me? Frequently?'
"Do you mean to say that she should not be asking about me?"
Liu Ying's heart was bleeding. His master has a totally different focus.
'Master ah, why are you only concerned with that part? Isn't it true that she's being weird? Isn't it true that she never asks about you previously?'
A certain housekeeper could only swallow his grievances and pacify his devil of a master.
"No, master. I- I certainly do not mean that." he refuted.
Zi Jue contained the happiness and excitement at the fact that his wife was finally starting to be concerned about him.
'Time out, Zi Jue. Don't get ahead of yourself. Do not forget, you have done something unforgivable to her.'
His mood sank at that thought. Still, he couldn't help but be curious of what Qing Shan asked.
"What about me was she asking?" Zi Jue asked coolly.
"Miss Yan asked where you were, when you would be back. She also asked Nanny Rong about your preferences, Master. Like what you prefer to eat, your favorite color, and such things."
When he hear Liu Ying's answer, Zi Jue was again stunned. Well, she really did turn strange. The Yan Qing Shan he knew would never inquire about his favorites. As much as it hurts Zi Jue to admit, Yan Qing Shan did not care much for him. He knew that in her heart he was merely her captor. Still, no matter how much he suppressed it he hopes that he could be much more than that.
"I've already finished my business here. I'm only waiting for a parcel before I fly back home. But don't tell her that."
Zi Jue instructed Liu Ying before ending the call. He pinched the gap between his brows. After a long pause, he took out a polaroid picture from his wallet.
"Qing Shan, I'm sorry for being selfish. But I can't let you go again this time."