Hung Meifeng was fuming. Yuming tried to calm her down as they reached the palace. Bingwen was just shocked. All four took a seat in the main hall, asking all maids and servants to leave them. Hung Meifeng rested her hand on her forehead, sighing. "Susu, it really isn't a big deal.." Yuming said, trying to assure Hung Meifeng.
"But it is, Yuming. You don't understand that we could get in trouble." Hung Meifeng argued back, "And it's all because of my dolt of a brother." Bingwen spoke up, in a subtle voice, calm and collective.
"So..You two are in a relationship? Such as a romantic one?" Yuming looked away as if she had been hurt. But she nodded.
"There's nothing you should be ashamed of," Jinghua suddenly blurted out, "If it's true, it doesn't matter. If you love each other…that's all that matters in the end." Under the table that they sat at, Jinghua reached for Bingwen's hand, secretly. Bingwen glanced at Jinghua and blushed. It meant something. Was this going too quickly?
Their mother suddenly entered the hall. She had been out for a while to collect herself. It seemed she had been crying. Jinghua let go of Bingwen's hand quickly. Yuming perked up. "Mother," she said, "Has there been any news about Lanying?" Yusheng Min looked away.
"No," she answered sadly, walking in the main hall all the way to her throne. She ordered her maids to get her tea. Everyone sat silently. Yusheng Min stared at Jinghua. "But I have a feeling it has something to do with you, master Ning." but another voice declined her assumptions. The voice entered the main hall. The voice of her husband who had returned home. "That is untrue."
"Father!" Yuming exclaimed, getting up to welcome her father home. He was covered in cuts and bruises. His left arm was in a sling.
"There's a war that started in the south region. My disciples got stuck in it and we had to fight our way out." he said, Yusheng Min burst out in tears. She walked over to her husband and hugged him. Bingwen smiled. He knew his parents argued and disliked each other but this was something that never happened. His mother needed someone to hold her and she chose her husband. Yuming smiled too. Seeing her parents care for eachother was a once in while thing, something rare. Yusheng Fu smiled at Hung Meifeng and Jinghua, greeting them as he walked in and took a seat, his wife following him. "This has nothing to do with young master Ning. If anything it is his father. He's trying to get rid of all the nations and take them for himself. He wants to rule the whole northern region." Yuming didn't move. She clenched her dress as tears streamed from her face. "So…" She trembled. "Lanying still hasn't been found?" Bingwen got up. He had to walk out of the room. He didn't want his family to see him cry. He was supposed to be like his father, cold, unemotional. But he couldn't. He went back to his room. And as expected by him, Jinghua followed.
Memories of people bullying and commenting on Bingwen's emotions flooded his head. "That child cries too much, he isn't a girl!" "Why is he so weak?" "He's too emotional! As the brother in the family, he should stand up for his sisters." He couldn't. For one sibling, maybe. Only one. He wanted to lock himself in his room, away from everything. He wanted to pretend like his sister was okay and alive still. That his sister would somehow come back.
He had locked himself in. Jinghua stood outside his door. "Bingwen, please, it will be alright."
"It won't!" Bingwen exclaimed, he threw his sword onto the ground. "How can it be alright!? My sister is gone!" So Jinghua waited. Waited.
He sat outside of Bingwen's room, listening to him sob for hours. Until dinner had passed and night was beginning to fall upon the palace. Bingwen's crying had ended.
Jinghua got up and knocked on the door. He didn't have to say anything and the door slid open. His eyes were red and his face was wet. Bingwen apologized to Jinghua for yelling at him. With that, Jinghua wrapped his arms around Bingwen. They both had stepped foot into the room now, closing the door and locking it. Jinghua locked it. Bingwen hadn't even noticed. He was dazed, he hadn't been thinking straight. "Ning Cheng, I-" Bingwen had been pushed onto his bed, his body pinned onto the purple and white sheets. The two stared at each other, their heavy breathing the only sound in the room.
Bingwen wanted to go to sleep but couldn't help but just lay there, shielded by Jinghua. He had a strict sleep schedule he usually stuck to. He would go to bed every night at six and wake up at ten or earlier if needed.
Their gazes slipped away as Jinghua went in for another kiss. But Bingwen covered Jinghua's mouth. "It's late.." Bingwen muttered nervously. Jinghua realized that Bingwen wasn't saying no or rejecting anything he was doing. Jinghua chuckled.
"It's only nine. Your little bedtime schedule is silly, Bingwen!" Bingwen thought he almost wanted Jinghua to kiss him. He raised his hand to touch the red streak in Jinghua's hair. But before he could, Jinghua grabbed his wrist. Jinghua's mood changed quickly. He seemed angry.
"I'm sorry…" Bingwen said, trying to release his hand.
"I don't like my red streaks. They remind me too much of my father."
Jinghua still didn't let go of Bingwen's wrist. Instead, he started to inch closer to Bingwen's face. His temple touched Bingwen's. But before Jinghua could kiss him again, Bingwen put his free hand over Jinghua's mouth again.
"If you're going to do this, let's at least move into my bed properly." Jinghua let go of Bingwen, quickly moving away from him. He was obviously embarrassed. Bingwen sighed, calming himself and lighting a candle since the room was dark. Jinghua was surprised when Bingwen started to undress into his sleepwear. Jinghua stared at the scars on Bingwen's back. He felt guilty even if it was the fault of his father's men. Now Bingwen's scars would forever hold a similar memory to Jinghua's past.