Today was the last day of the filming. After the Movie Premier, they will be back to their normal lives again.
Every maids dream was to enter the palace and have a life as a concubine. While Chu Liang was sold to become one of the maid.
Every night, she wished on living the palace to lead a normal life.
Until, Qing Zhiu, the emperor set his eyes on her, one day. Emperor Qing Zhiu is known to have many concubines who he abused daily.
Every day, she was treated gently. Everything about the rumour about him seems fake.
Although he was young and charming, he was a psychopath. Rumours has it that he was once an ordinary assassin before conquering the kingdom.
"I was once an assassin yes." Qing Zhiu a.k.a. Jing Xupei said with a gentle which caught her off guard.
"However... That bastard killed my beloved. I have no choice but to kill the emperor and become the next king." Qing Zhiu explained as if it was normal to bring to.
He uses his fan to raise Chu Liang's chin forcing her to look at him in the eye. "She looks so much like you. Even your movements. Sometimes I'm wondering..."
His smile turn into an expressionless face staring at deep into her soul. "Are you her?"
Chu Liang was caught off guard by the question that her face went pale. Suddenly series of events flooded on her mind.
She screamed in pain and hold her head painfully. Qing Zhiu panic and immediately went by her side. Tired of screaming, she lose her energy and fainted.
In her mind: General Chu's Manor
A hard slap landed on Chu Liang's face. "You are the daughter of the greatest general Chu! How dare you lose your viginity before marriage?"
"Not to mention to someone who is lowly and useless assassin like him?!"
"Having such a useless daughter... Didn't she deserve to die?" The emperor asked smiling viciously.
As if it was still not enough for her, her beloved the one who she loved all her life... Was completely ignoring her pleas and staring at like an empty soul.
Back to reality: Emperor's Chambers
She woke up sweating and gasping for air.
Chu Liang clench her fist and laugh coldly. "Beloved? What a good word for you to say in a normal way."
Qing Zhiu came and she acted normal. "You have recovered your memories?" He asked in a normal way. Chu Liang was frozen on the spot.
She laugh lowly and then loudly yet cold.
She drew the sword Qing Zhiu always kept on his bed and shouted. "Have you recovered your memories? Wow!" She pointed the edge of the sword on his neck and asked. "Qing Zhiu. Is it normal to you?!"
"I've suffered... I endured my family bullshitting about you, their torture and beating, I've endured it all... There was the time I wanted to give up. But at the end... you're the one who let go."
Her grip on the sword handle tighten. "Are you happy? Happy that you achieve your goals? Happy of betraying me and acted normal about it? I'm not a toy, nor an object. I'm a human!"
Qing Zhiu stayed still not stopping her. "Why're you not saying anything? You know what I want the most? To kill you."
This time, Qing Zhiu look at her smiling.
"Then, what's stopping you?" Chu Liang froze. "Kill me. Dig my eyeballs. Disable my face." He said normally and pointed his finger on the edge of the sword.
"If that's makes you to forgive me. Don't hesitate. My only wish is... For you to listen."
He said looking at her pleadingly. "I know I hurt you. I really meant it...all I wish was to see you again to make it up for you. So when I saw you again, I know it's you. I know I should've believed you back then."
"Hah."
Chu Liang laughed at him coldly. "Drop it!"
"Back then I pleaded you to believe me... Believe me that I didn't cheated. What's the point of saying it now? To change me?"
Chu Liang smile sadly at him. "You can't change me. I was already broken."
Qing Zhiu's eyes widen in shock as Chu Liang's body lay on his bed staining his white blanket into a bloody red color which is his favorite.
The assassin smirk triumphly. But then like a thunderbolt, Qing Zhiu appeared in front of him, holding the sword Chu Laing held earlier pointing it at the assassin's neck.
"How dare you..." He shouted even angrily when he saw Chu Liang's beloved brother, Chu Zhong.
Chu Zhong shrugged. "That woman resembles of my sister. Nobody, not even you, deserve her. You let her got killed! And now... You even brought someone resembled like her? How pathetic."
"Chu Zhong! Do you know who you just killed?!"
Chu Zhong have no idea and nodded. "Of course. You're mistress? You know what Qing Zhiu... You deserve to suffer. My sister doesn't deserve you."
"She doesn't deserve you either!" He shouted loudly and pointed at Chu Liang's lifeless body. "She... You just killed your sister."
Chu Zhong froze before laughing loudly. "Hah! Her? Seriously? Stop making jokes..."
"I didn't! Have you ever? Chu Zhong have you ever seen me joke around? She didn't die... She didn't. But you... You...just killed her."
Chu Zhong drop his bow and arrow and slump on the ground. "You're lying... My sister died because of you... I saw her body being burned... It's not her. Not her..."
Another arrow hit Chu Zhong into his chest.
Qing Zhiu gasp and look as his beloved's brother fall down in front of him.
Just in time, the eunuch came rushing in. "You killed him?" The eunuch bowed respectfully.
"Your highness... This assassin tried to kill you. I have no choice."
Qing Zhiu's lips slowly curled into a sneer and he laugh emotionessly. "Did I tell you to? Nor did you see him harming me? Do you know who you just killed?"
Without letting the eunuch to speak, Qing Zhiu withdraw his sword and slit his throat.
His eyes turned into a bloodlust and he immediately attack everyone he saw. Soon, the palace turned upside down, painting the palace with blood.
He then return into his chambers and sat next to Chu Liang's lifeless body. "Will you wake up?"
He asked with teary eyes. "At least wake up. You still haven't killed me."
"Can your big ego resist it?"
"At least hear me out." He said and took Chu Liang's hand. "You're and will always remain in my heart. The king's first and last beloved."
For days, Qing Zhiu didn't eat nor sleep or even took a bath. He spent his days talking to her endlessly not caring what was happening outside.
Soon, the kingdom, including the palace burned down.
This is the story, Huang, an old and only surivivor of Qing Kingdom often tells. He believe the couple still hasn't been in good terms and even their souls are fighting.
His last words are also about them. "Since we have three more lives. I think their fate may happen again in different characters of themselves, different settings but the same settings."
"I hope they can at least reunited in that three lives. Hoping they could be together at least for awhile." Huang said happily and slowly closed his eyes.
As the screen turned black, Jing Xupei took a deep breath to prevent himself from crying.
Why does he really felt his character here are more relatable that to his other dramas and movies. [Why...? Why do I felt like this plot almost like my story...]
As the crew gave Jing Xupei and Anna Tang a clap. Leng Shishi on the other hand keep on biting her nails to prevent herself from making a scene. She turn to Anna Tang and saw her looking at her.
Anna Tang put on her signature smile and wink at her. [I hate playing around. But if that concerns me, I can try.]
She thought and waved at her in a friendly way.
"An actress who are younger than me." Anna Tang said and bend down to whisper. "You need more experience and practice."
Leng Shishi was startled and asked innocently. "Wh- What are you talking about?" Inside, she was boiling. [Why don't this bitch just leave me? It's annoying.]
"Whatever your scheming plot is... I kindly advise you on not continuing it. If you don't want your cute image to go downhill, you should follow what I say."
She whispered once again and struggled to get up.
Jing Xupei came back to his sense and went to carry her again in a bridal style. "How many times do I tell you? You shouldn't force yourself." He scolded frowning at her.
Anna Tang raise her eyebrow at him. "You're only months older than me. I'm not that fragile."
Jing Xupei gave her a small smile while inside was laughing like an idiot. [You call me, a 2,300 years old man a months younger than you? Its cute.]
"Anyways... Let's go."
Since the movie premier ended. They also needed to celebrate their success by drinking.
Anna Tang tried to break free from him as Leng Shishi was out of the sight, but he didn't budge. "You already walk pass my car. Hey."
Jing Xupei ignored her and put her on the driver help's seat, buckling her up.
"Who told you to drive at this injury? Wait here." Anna Tang watched as Jing Xupei make its way to the crew and talk to them.
Not long later, he came back and started the engine. When Anna Tang notice the way's not into the place where they would meet, she asked.
"Hey. Where are we going? We're in the wrong path, do you know?" Jing Xupei nodded. "I know."
"Your ankle needs to be treated."
Anna Tang took a deep breath and explained. "I'm not a glass. This will recover soon. I don't need to go to the hospital. Now..."
She said smiling at him completely showing her anger. "Can we go back?" Jing Xupei narrowed his eyes, so did she. Anna Tang raise her eyebrow at him challenging. Jing Xupei sighed defeatedly and u- turn.
Hilton Hotel
Anna Tang immediately step out of the car but flinch once again.
"See? I told you. Let's just go to the hospital."
Anna Tang laughed. For a woman that was trained since child, this was nothing to her at all. She twisted her foot which made Jing Xupei's eyes wide.
She walk around normally and look at Jing Xupei innocently. "See? I guess it heals pretty fast."
Jing Xupei shook his head amused. "Well... You're hard headed. Suit yourself."
They both walk to the private room together.
When Leng Shishi saw Jing Xupei, her eyes brighten.
But it was cut off short, when Anna Tang showed behind him. She clenched her fist angrily and lowered her head.
As they were happily chatting and some of them are already drunk. Leng Shishi excused herself and Anna Tang volunteer on helping her. When they arrived in the bathroom, Anna Tang sneered.
"You can walk... Why bothering wasting your money on wheelchair?"
Leng Shishi froze as her secret was exposed, so she chuckled nervously. "W- What was Manager Tang talking about?"
Anna Tang scoff. "Come on. You called yourself an actress?"
"If you really can't walk. Why did you use wheelchair, when you know we were in the beach instead of walking stick? Surely you can walk properly and doesn't know how to pretend on not able to."
"Secondly. I purposely trip over to see whether you can stumble with me. As I saw back then, you use force on your legs to keep you steady. A patient who can't walk, can't use enough force as you did. But you seem weak..."
She shook her head and continued. "Third, You excused yourself without a helper. How can you pee when no one's helping you? The wheelchair? Or the ghost?"
Leng Shishi's face went dark and then she began laughing.
"Not bad. Not bad, at all. So what if you found out about it? Brother Xupei still didn't know about it. He treats me like a princess, he loves and care about me more than you."
Anna Tang also laugh with her but hers are colder. "Leng Shishi! Stop with your fairytale dream. He think of you as his sister nothing else! You think he cares about your injury? He just felt guilty. I know him more than you."
Leng Shishi's face curled into a scheming smile when she saw a shadow coming. She took Anna Tang's one hand and push herself using Anna's hand.
At the same time, Jing Xupei came rushing.
"Shishi! Are you alright?" When he help her back to her wheelchair a voice came playing from their earlier's talk.
Leng Shishi froze. Jing Xupei on the other hand has a smirk on his face. He knew earlier what was happening before even seeing the text. But...
"B- Brother Xupei. Listen, I can explain."
Jing Xupei shook his head, then look at Anna Tang. "Can you give us a moment?"
Anna Tang shrugged and do as what he asked. Jing Xupei kneel down at Leng Shishi's level and took her hand. "Shishi."
"Why didn't you tell us?" Jing Xupei asked desperately. Leng Shishi lowered her head and tears flowing her cheeks. "What's the point? Everybody saw me as a cute princess not the real me."
Jing Xupei went to hug her as a comfort. "It's time." She whispered with tears.
He went wipe her tears and gave her a sad small smile. "Rest well..." As he said, Leng Shishi's body's weakened and she slowly close her eyes.
Jing Xupei gritted his teeth and tears flowing his cheeks. Seeing people died in front of him, especially the innocent ones made him mad. He sometimes wondered why world's so unfair.
Anna Tang came inside and was taken aback. "She's gone."
Anna Tang took a deep breath and manage to say. "I'll call the ambulance." When she was out, tears forming into her cheeks. Although she is cold and emotionless outside, she has a soft heart.
That was what her father hated so she was force into becoming cold blooded.