He stop walking in front of the screen. For a while we did not talk but to hear the night cricket singing.
"Why aren't you asleep? Do you need a lullaby?"
"What about you? Why are you here? Did you lost your way?"
"You enjoy talking back to me, don't you?"
He walk around the screen and to my bed. No man have ever come near my bed, unexpectedly he makes me feel nervous. Prince Xian sits on the left side of my bed while i huddle on the right side of the bed.
After a while, he open his mouth but there are no words. I can momentary hear the sound of his breathing from his mouth.
"You are different from childhood. Is it because of your legs?"
My mind is racing at that. He knows Yu'er? Where did they meet? Why didn't she tell me about this?
"Maybe…"
"So many years have passed. Yet you did not mentioned about that accident. I still think about it. I never forget those days. If you aren't so quick thinking, we won't be here."
"Are you the one who asked for the decree of marriage?"
He nod his head. He then moved his body to face me.
"However i did not expect you to be such a mess. Where did that gentle thoughtful girl gone? Did something happened."
I shake my head and keep thinking of what to ask Yu'er on the next letter to her. I can't understand what he said next. instead, i find him preparing to lay down on the bed. i yell at him. Prince Xian open his eyes wide and look at me.
"This is my bedroom too. I am going to sleep. If you are not going to sleep then keep quiet. I can sleep at any condition except woman chatting non stop or screaming or crying. I hate those."
"i have been sleeping in this bed alone for along time! How can you say it's your bed? This mansion have many rooms, you can choose any of those rooms! "
"You are my wife! I have the rights to sleep here. Besides that if i sleep in another room, the royal palace will come to know. We will get lecture by the empress. I don't want to be in that position. Now either you lay down beside me or you sit there quietly! I promise you as i said on the day after our wedding day. I will not touch you. Now i sleep!"
Angrily he pull up the blanket up and roll to face away. i sit there for quite awhile. Once again I'm looking at his back. He have such broad shoulders. Even thought he is a solider, he have clear skin. I wonder if he have any scar somewhere. He turn around to sleep on his side. I lay down on my side to take a close look at his face. He have full thick eyebrows with long dark eye lashes. Unlike the typical Chinese nose, he have a long thin nose. A thin lips that goes along with his mean words that comes out from that mouth.
I raise my fist up and pretend wanting to hit his mouth. Unexpectedly he caught my fist and open his eyes. He smile in a wick way.
"Not planning to sleep? Too much energy? Do you want to do something to expel the energy you have?"HIs eyes hinted a strange light. It frightens me.
"No. I will try to sleep. I do it now."
He let go off my hand quickly i shut my eyes and pretend to sleep. Somehow i can still feel his stare at me. After awhile, darkness sweep over me.
In my dream, i see my favourite place where i climb the highest peak along with my best friend, Cheng'er. We are laughing and talking. Somehow things change his face slowly becomes Prince Xian. He suddenly chock me by holding my throat and press me on the tree. i scream and cry till granny Li wakes me up It feels so real but yet unreal. That man won't kill me but someday he will kill me in another way if he finds out I'm not my sister.