"You....indiscipline girl! You broke the First Lord favourite cup!" The crude voice of the lady reached Hong Liu's ears as she flinched at the burning sensation in her hands. She looks up a lady.
"Forgive me, I wasn't watching where I was going," Hong Liu apologises, looking at down on her hands that were turning red, she blows on them flinching.
"You didn't even bow properly is this how you apologise?!" She exclaimed rudely, Hong Liu frowned at the lady and thought in heart shape pretty face the rude expression doesn't suit but she fuming at her for no reason she just apologises didn't she? Form her clothes she looks like of the noble family.
"I said I am sorry, now you are being rude for no reason," Hong Liu said blowing on her hand.
"Rude? How dare you, do you know who I am? A maid like you had no right even to breathe the same air as me!" She rebuked Hong Liu
"Maid? Me?" Hong Liu gave out a shocked snort. Then her eyes land on the simple white broken teacup, its pieces scattered around just one piece was whole and it had a red lily print on it. For some reason, it made her smile, she bent to get it. 'She said the teacup was his favourite,' Hong Liu grimace inside thinking that.
"Good! you should clean it up," the lady storm passes her towards the study area but Hong Liu just picks up the piece to look at the lily, it was badly painted but the spirit of it was still alive. She likes red lilies a lot they brighten the atmosphere and they are many under her aunt's cocoon, it made her think of home. She sighs, the anger and annoyance were drained as the feeling of homesickness settle in.
"What is this ruckus? It is giving me a headache," Dong Hai come out tapping his fist on his forehead, his voice drained the warmth from the atmosphere making the lady in the pale green robes stop and bow to him nervously.
"First Lord, Its nothing. I was coming to serve you and Uncle Huang Ling tea when this maid had collided with me," She whined
Hong Liu cleans the dust off from the broken teacup piece, Dong Hai ignored the young lady walk towards Hong Liu looking at her as she gazes the piece in her hand at the same time Huang Ling come out curiously, looking at the lady in a little surprise.
"Zi Jie, what are you doing?" Huang Ling asked.
"I heard you have returned, Second Uncle and here, so come here to see you," Zi Jie's eyes, however, was on the First Lord when she said it. Huang Ling knew very well who she comes to see and snorted. Zi Jie was the daughter of his elder brother from his second consort and Crown Prince Xian Yu's half-sister.
"What happened?" He asked. Dong Hai's cool voice made Hong Liu come out of her thoughts and look at him. Her previous annoyance comes back to her a little bit, she looks away with a scowl.
"I didn't realize where I was going and collide with her, I am sorry in the process I broke your favourite teacups," the last part was said with true remorse.
Dong Hai look down at the mess, his lips pressed in a thin line.
"No worries, I will add it up to your debt," He said.
"Huh?" She looks up at him in shock.
"No debt, I own you nothing! First, give me my-" before she could say 'hairpin'. Dong Hai took her wrist in his hand started to draw circles on her pulse point, making her calm instantly but her heart...it raced faster at his gentle touch. Every vein in her body loosens up immediately. He looks at her hands noticing the redness.
"Why your hands are red?" He asked in the same cool voice.
"The tea spilled on my hands," she answered without any pause like she was in trance. She looks up at him thinking about what he is doing to her? she felt so warm and fuzzy, soon the little burning sensation that was left evaporated soon. She now completely facing him, gazing at him dazed as he just looks at her wrist where he was drawing soothing circles.
For a second Huang Ling look at those two people like he has never seen any unlike pair, it was odd to see this side of his old friend that he never thought could exist and he doesn't care mostly about anybody privacy but looking at them even he felt like he was an intrusion, he looked away but then he met Dong Hai eyes. Dong Hai indicate from his eyes for him to go and it had an icy look that says it was a command to take Zi Jie away.
Zi Jie meaning while was throwing daggers at Hong Liu.
"Who is she? Second Uncle, why he is paying so much attention to her?"
"She is the princess of Green Forest, she is guest here," Huang Ling said.
"Princess of Green Forest, the red fairy! She shouldn't be here! What is the First Lord thinking about keeping her here? What if grandfather found out? He would be very displeased, I will take her out right now. She can't make him lose his face like this!" Zi Jie charged towards Hong Liu.
Huang Ling grabbed her by the elbow before she could move forward.
"Don't even think about it! Come with me!" Huang Ling dragged her, leaving Dong Hai and Hong Liu alone.
"Fear the edge of Liu Hun sword, Zi Jie, disrespecting the First Lord's guest! If He got angry, nobody in the three realms can save you,"
"Why she can stay there? and I can't!"
"Whatever he does, he does it for the three realms. Don't question his actions and stop dreaming about him! How many times I have warned you? He has a stone for a heart," He reasoned with her in a kind voice while they walk away from the ocean of bliss palace.
This time Huang Ling conscious narrowed its eyes as his own last statement.