His Rui

Sitting inside the study room, Xi Ying stared at nothing in particular.

His cold and deep black eyes were emotionless making anyone looking into them unable to find out whether the owner of those eyes was thinking anything or not.

The five shadow guards stood in a horizontal line as they looked at their master with confused eyes.

'Should not their master be happy after hearing the good news from Plum Courtyard?'

At this moment, standing amidst them, An Ju suddenly stepped forward and kneeled on the ground.

"Master, this servant had lost Lady Li on the second day of the banquet but hid this thing from Master because this servant was afraid to face the punishment."

"This servant is ready to get any punishment for hiding things from Master."

The kneeling female shadow guard, An Ju, said firmly

The female shadow guard had finally accepted in front of Xi Ying that she had lost Lady Li for a few minutes during the banquet in the Imperial Palace.

Previously, her master had only known about Li Rui getting drenched in the rain. She and Lady Li had not told him that Lady Li was without her for some time in the Imperial Palace.

An Ju tried hard to hide as she had found 'not getting any punishment as said by Lady Li' very tempting. However, in the end, she remained unsuccessful in her attempts.

It had been instilled in her mind that hiding something from her master was a sin…that An Ju was not ready to do.

Although Lady Li was fine …after hearing the news of Lady Li getting pregnant, the guilt of hiding something like this became only big in her heart.

Lady Li was pregnant and she had not been careful. Letting her get drenched in the cold rain when the winter was just about to come ….what if something happened to their new unborn young master or young lady.

The thought made An Ju accept her mistakes in front of her master.

Now looking at the cold and emotionless face of her master, An Ju could only gulp in fear.

A thought that had occupied her mind since she had seen her master become firm and the female shadow guard finally let out.

"Master, is Lady Li not fine? Is there anything wrong with Lady Li's health?"

The question made the other shadow guards also worried and they looked at their master awaiting his answer.

However, the answer never came.

Xi Ying looked at An Ju and asked coldly.

"Why didn't you tell me this before?"

If she had then he would have easily guessed the reason behind Li Rui's sudden change of behavior. Because it only came after that day.

An Ju lowered her head in guilt and Xi Ying sighed as the pair of cold black eyes flashed in his mind … again.

He looked at An Ping and said

"You know what to do with her?"

An Ping immediately said 'Yes Master' and after that Xi Ying dismissed all of his shadow guards.

The shadow guards were although worried about their master, could only follow his order obediently.

After the study room was empty, Xi Ying finally leaned back on his chair. Exhaustion lingered on his face.

Three days of the banquet …he had never lowered down his guard fearing that someone would harm Li Rui and after reaching Xi Manor …all this happened.

In the end, he was also a human who could feel exhausted.

In fact, not only physically, but he was mentally exhausted also. No longer able to know what he should do.

In the silence of the study room, a whisper fell in his ears suddenly.

'She does not deserve your selfless love. You did so much for her but she …she didn't even take a second in deciding to kill you.'

At this moment, Xi Ying sat unmoving on his chair as he heard the whispers that no one knew where they were coming from.

Even his eyes didn't blink and the whispers continued

' She didn't appreciate your efforts when you did so much for her…Xi Ying, she does not deserve your love.'

The black eyes narrowed for an infinitesimal second and the heart that had been filled with the love for a woman was now starting to get mould according to those whispers.

'Yes, she doesn't.? She didn't appreciate his efforts in saving Li Clan. She doesn't trust him. She thinks that he was using her.'

The black eyes started to get colder as a trace of hatred flashed through them.

The heart sang the rhythm of those whispers and the whispers continued their work.

'Yes…it always has been who had thought of using you...Remember four years ago, how she had drugged you. Remember…"

Unfortunately, the effect of the whispers continued only this moment.

'No…she didn't drug me.'

In front of Xi Ying's eyes flashed the scene where Li Rui had threatened Li Na and Li Caihong to reveal everything about their deeds.

'She never thought of using me.'

'She did.'

The whisper came with more force this time making Xi Ying clutch his head as he murmured.

'No …Rui didn't. Rui …Rui…'

He chanted the name of the woman he loved …he loved not hated.

'I love her. I love Rui. She is my wife. I don't wish to hate her …just like those four years. No…stop. I love Rui. I never hated her.'

..and Xi Ying's whole body jerked suddenly.

The study room became just like before.

Silent.

And Xi Ying continued to lean on his chair just like before.

A mild trace of confusion surely flashed through his eyes as he looked at the sky outside the window.

The sky was bright now.

Just a moment ago, when he had looked outside, the sun was just starting to rise.

What happened in the past half shichen?

He didn't remember anything.

The next moment, he suddenly started to feel very restless. He leaned back on his chair and closed his eyes.

A pair of clean black eyes again flashed in front of his closed eyes.

This time…free of any coldness…just fixed on him.

And Xi Ying stood up from his chair …to go to Plum Courtyard.