"Remember?!" Chen Liqin asked for nth times. His lips pursed in irritation.
Chen Liqin was teaching Shao Chen how to transport the new report documents from the postman to the imperial office. Usually, the postman would deliver them through the back gate and would be guarded by the emperor's trusted guards until it was retrieved by his aide every morning. However, because of Liang Hu's injury, he had to bother the guards to deliver the documents into the office even though they had other tasks to be attended. It was the great time to teach Shao Chen the tasks so that it could be returned to the original workflow.
Unfortunately, Shao Chen could not remember the route. They had repeated walking from Shao Chen's pavilion towards the back gate then stopped at the imperial office for nth time now!
At first, Shao Chen nodded towards Chen Liqin's question, like now. Then, after a second, he would said, "I have remembered."
Chen Liqin rolled his eyes. He had lose any hope towards that three words as he had heard them several times but the result was always the same, Shao Chen could not remember anything. With expression as flat as a wall, Chen Liqin ordered, "Then, try to walk back to the back gate, then your pavilion. After that, from your pavilion, you walked to the back door again then stopped here at my office." He had repeated the same order too much that he felt the irritation inside him grew bigger and bigger every time he utter a word.
Shao Chen nodded. He did not utter any protest but Chen Liqin could see smoke puffing above his head.
Shao Chen started to walk. Chen Liqin followed him but he had sighed inside his heart. He knew the result instantly. It will be a failure again!
But, unexpectedly, Shao Chen managed to arrive at the back gate. Chen Liqin was taken aback but he was sure that this was only coincidence. 'Yes … It must be coincidence!' He did not want to have any expectation anymore so he restraint his happiness before he got the final answer.
Chen Liqin continued to follow Shao Chen. He could not help widen his eyes when they arrived at the stone pavilion. A speck of happiness began to bloom when Shao Chen managed to go back to the back gate again and he was really moved when Shao Chen finally … YES! FINALLY! He could bring Chen Liqin back to the front of his office without getting lost!
"You did it!" Chen Liqin was too happy for this accomplishment that he reflexively ruffled Shao Chen's hair. His smile expanded from ear to ear, like a mother that was very proud of her daughter.
Shao Chen did not give any response. He had exploited his brain that it did not have any energy to think of any response. He even did not aware of his wig that had become messy and almost changed position.
"Ahem!" Finally realizing that he had touched a girl without any permission, Chen Liqin was a bit embarrassed. Even though he was happy, he had lost control of himself which was very unlike him. Usually, whether he felt sad or happy, he could maintain his poker face. Indeed, he had lost his composure since this girl appear. Maybe because of her free and unrestrained act, Chen Liqin almost affected by it too.
'Chen Liqin! You are the emperor! You had someone you want to be your wife too! Get back to your senses!!'
"Then … let's go back inside," he said after organizing his thought.
However, Shao Chen was still standing like a statue. His eyes was empty and Chen Liqin was afraid that Shao Chen was not breathing. Actually, Shao Chen was breathing as usual. He was only in a brain resting mode so his brain had automatically declined any input from outside world.
What was weird was that Chen Liqin almost knew what was happening inside Shao Chen now. He was about to wake Shao Chen up when he caught something weird. Shao Chen's hair position was not right! At first, he thought it was because of his act before.
Feeling guilty that he had messed up a girls' hair, he extended his hand to organize Shao Chen's hair. But ….
"Hm?" Chen Liqin frowned deeply. He rubbed his eyes several times but it did not change. 'This hair … the shape is really weird!'
Suspicion towards Shao Chen which was beginning to fade suddenly went back.
Nervously, he adjusted the position of the hair and as he had expected, the hair really moved a slightly from the scalp!
'This is a wig?!!'
The suspicion grew thicker.
In Xin Kingdom, wig was not very common. The only reason for using it was to cover the shame of having a cut hair. 'What criminal act had she done? Why is she inside the palace?'
Chen Liqin was about to remove the wig when he felt Shao Chen's head moved a bit. He hurriedly stopped.
"Hm?" Shao Chen raised his head until he met Chen Liqin's eyes. The pupils shrinked in shocked then became full of questions. He did not know when and why Chen Liqin stood very close.
Meanwhile, Chen Liqin was stunned. A rounded and pretty face had a tinge of red blush. A pair of orange iris that was so clear that even Chen Liqin could see his reflection inside them. A familiar feeling was lurking inside him.
'I know this face … these eyes ….'
"Oh my! What a sight! The rumor is true, is not it? I express my condolences to your empress-to-be because she had tricked by your so called faithful reputation." A voice that had some unique swinging on several words exclaimed mockingly, followed by laughter.
Chen Liqin was pulled back to reality, immediately took several steps to put some distance from Shao Chen. He turned around, instantly met the pair of arrogant eyes. He was Third Prince, Chen Jingguo, followed by other princes that had been Chen Jingguo's supporter.
Sighed …. Chen Liqin was about to ignore them as he did not want to waste energy to argue with the Third Prince, but Chen Jingguo pulled his arm. Behind the beautiful fan, his mouth smiled wickedly.
"Be prepared! I will make sure you are dethroned without any dignity left!"
Chen Liqin smiled back, provocatively. "Try it if you can." He pulled his hand back roughly then went inside the office.
Shao Chen immediately follow Chen Liqin, leaving Chen Jingguo with ashen face. "I warned you, in the near future, I will tear that arrogant face of yours!"
Among the group, there was one follower who left the group stealthily ….