chapter 5

"this is good !" Xingcgen looks at the white tassel boot in Zemin's hand.

Zemin grins. He gives the boot to the shopkeeper "I'll take this one."

The shopkeeper nods happily. At first he thought the emperor himself came to buy from his small shop until the second prince cleared his confusion.

But either the emperor or the second prince, they have the taste and money to buy the most expensive thing in his shop. That's why he showed them this expensive boot. He thought he would never sell this. "Is there anything else second prince wants to buy ?"

Zemin thinks for sometimes "yep ! Show me something in chief minister's size."

The shopkeeper beams with happiness "why not .. why not .. just give me a while."

"No need." Xingchen interrupts with a stern voice. "I don't want to buy anything."

"You don't need to buy. It's a gift from me." Zemin whines in a soft voice.

Xingchen was already upset about comming here with Zemin .. his face sours with the fake whine. "I don't need any gift from you."

The shopkeeper gulps. Why chief minister is talking like this ? Doesn't he have the fear of life?

"Why not ?" Zemin folds his arms front of his chest. "You accompanied me all the way to market, you took care of me when I was sick, you played chess with me everyday. Think of this as a gratitude gift."

"I didn't accompany you, you forced me to accompany you. I didn't take care of you. You forced me to. I didn't play chess with you, you blackmailed me to play with you. There is a huge difference.

You are giving me medicine whole stabbing me at the same time. So your gratitude is fictional. Don't bother to gift me anything. It doesn't sound real to me."

Zemin chuckles "You never let go a single chance to scold me .. huh ? Ok ok fine ! I wouldn't give you any gift. But can we have some food now ? I am really hungry."

"I will pay for my own food." Xingchen warns before walking away.

Zemin shakes his head with a soft smile before paying the shopkeeper for the white tassel boot - a birthday gift for father Tao.

***

In the restaurant Zemin sits beside Xingchen witha bowl of soup. Xingchen moves away "why are you here ?"

Zemin points at the bowl "to eat ?"

"Why are you sitting beside me ?"

"Come on , you want me to sit in a separate table? Are we strangers?" Zemin rolls his eyes.

"You can sit on the other side. Why beside me ?"

"What's the big deal ? I wouldn't eat from your bowl unless you offer me. Ok ?"

Xingchen lets out an irritated sigh "whatever.."

Zemin grins as Xingchen stops protesting "So, are you free tonight ?"

"I am not playing."

"Are you scared you will lose again ?"

Xingchen puts his spoon down with a clang sound "yes .. I lost everytime I played with you. So I wouldn't play with you again. Are you satisfied now ?"

"No ! I want to play. Let's play something else." Zemin argues.

Xingchen looks at Zemin directly in the eyes "What do you want from me ? Let's be clear.."

Zemin blinks "Why are you so annoyed today ?"

"What do you want from me ?" Xingchen repeats. "Don't pretend that you have no motive, because I already know your type. So, come clear."

Zemin puts his spoon down and turns to face Xingchen. His face is serious this time. "I want to be with you."

"Don't ...

"I am not pretending." Zemin cuts Xingchen's words "let me finish. I .. when Yang Xi stabbed me and I fell into coma ... I was in a sub-concious state. I could hear and feel what was happening around me. And somehow, I also had a vision of what would happen if my plans worked. Kind of a dream....

And in both places you were by my side. I know you took care of me everyday even when you hated me. Maybe, it was your loyalty towards my brother but .. I .. I couldn't ignore you were there. That's why, I wanted to correct my actions towards you.

I want to be with you. And I want you to be with me. As a friend and more than a friend if possible. You smell good... You feel like home.. a home that I never had.

Sounds weird but it's the truth. I never had a home. Both of my father loved me , for sure but they loved each other much more. I was just there as a responsibility with they couldn't avoid. Most of my life thought my biological mother was different. Maybe, she was the home.. and my brother snatched that. But after comming here, I don't know how to explain ...  Nobody has ever sat on my bedside when I got sick, except you.

I know that I cheated, I know it's not.easy for you to forgive me but I can try. And I am trying. You don't need to reply me anything. I am not proposing you. You wanted me to come clear. So I came clear." Zemin stops finally. He breaks the eye-contact and focuses on his soup without any other words.

Xingchen blinks. He places his left hand on his chest subconsciously. His heart beats fast. He tries to open his mouth but as Zemin said .. Zemin isn't waiting for his reply. He is almost done with his soup.

"Well , I will give you some space now. See you at night." Zemin stands up with his cheerful self again.

Xingchen frowns. He doesn't reply to Zemin. He stays glued to his seat until Zemin's back disappears in the crowd.

Xingchen lets out a deep breath.

"My son ... If you don't mind ..."

Xingchen looks up. He noticed the middle age woman before. She was listening to their conversation from the leftside table. "Yes ?"

"I happened to listen what your partner said." The woman joins Xingchen's table without any invitation.

"He is not my partner." Xingchen corrects.

"Oh .. he shouldn't be. I am telling you as an experienced and wise lady. Always remember .. Once a cheater, always a cheater. Don't be fooled by him again."

***

"So ?" Zemin jumps on Xingchen's bed at night.

Xingchen stands in front of Zemin. "Why are you here ? Leave my bed."

"I am here for your answer. Tell me."

Xingchen frowns "you said that you wouldn't force me for any answer."

"I said that but knowing your nature.. you have already come down to a decision. So just let me know." Zemin tilts his head.

"My nature shouldn't be your concern. You said what you said and if you don't follow your words then you are breaking your vows."

"What vow ?" Zemin laughes "Don't talk like sixty years old grandpa."

Xingchen looks at Zemin's laughing face. A sentence rings in his ear 'once a cheater, always a cheater.'

Could it be possible that Zemin is the one who released Yang Xi and he is planning to scheme again. If it's a probability then Zemin needs to know whereabouts of his brother.

Last time Yang Xi fooled him for the information. Now he knows. Yang Xi's truth.. So this time, Zemin himself wants to fool him ?

"What if I say no ?" Xingchen asks finally.

"Then I will try harder. I will be a leech to you." Zemin replies with a grin.

'once a cheater, always a cheater. Don't be fooled by him again.' Xingchen tries to close his ringing ears.

"So ?" Zemin asks again.

"So what?"

"Make it easy. Say yes." Zemin takes Xingchen's hands in his hands. "Hmm ?"

Xingchen stays silent. "You are going to regret this." He finally replies after sometimes.

"Is that a yes ?" Zemin ignores Xingchen's warning. He is too happy to care about any warnings.

********

Xingchen looks at Zemin dead in the eyes. The crowd seems to disappear into nothing as their eyes met. Xingchen looks away with a scoff. "Now you remember, don't you ? I gave you a clear warning that you will regret it."

Zemin grits his teeth. "You are not serious, are you ?"

Xingchen tilts his head without looking at Zemin "What do you think ?"

Zemin grips Xingchen's wrist to grab his attention "I can't think anything right now, Xingchen... I can't. Everything you said , everything you did .. is flashing in front of my eyes , running all over my head. And you are telling me .. all of these were lie ?"

Xingchen releases his arm with a jerk "I learned from you. Aren't you the one who started all the drama?"

A slight hint of pain flashes across Zemin's eyes "Drama.. is it ? All this time , Xingchen ? For one fucking year ?"

Xingchen gets the satisfaction he expected he would get after revealing the truth. "It was a drama. All this time. I never loved you. Not for once. Love is very far, I never even liked you to begin with."

Zemin panics a little "Xingchen, I am taking over half of the Zi, today. You know what it means, right ? I need to take a partner today. Please, don't joke ."

"I am not joking."

"THE HELL YOU ARE." Zemin pulls Xingchen by his waist forcefully. He leans down to kiss Xingchen...

Xingchen struggles to avoid the kiss. "Let me go.."

Empress Yuzu looks at the lovey dovey couple from far. He smirks and shows the scene to his personal servant, Meimei . "There .... I have a feeling Zemin would marry someone soon."

Meimei blushes seeing the scene. "Master, shouldn't we stop them ?"

"Stop what ?" Emperor Zixuan joins the conversation from behind.

Meimei gasps and runs away seeing his highness.

Yuzu laughes and tilts his head towards the lovey dovey pair.

Zixuan frowns as soon as his eyes falls on Xingchen and Zemin "oh my god, what is happening there ?"

Yuzu pouts "What doesn't happen here !"

Zixuan tilts his head "really ?" He hugs his one and only empress from the back "doesn't happen here .. huh ?"

Yuzu giggles "hushh ...hush .. let me go."

"Now what happened ?"

Yuzu hits Zixuan's hands that are hugging his waist. "Stop it and listen na .... "

"What ?" Zixuan places his chin on Yuzu's shoulder.

"Why don't we arrange Zemin's marriage along with his coronation? I mean, he already needs to choose a partner. Rather than taking a concubine, he can have Xingchen as his consort."

Zixuan tilts his head "Hmm ... That's a good idea. Should I announce his marriage now ?"

Yuzu nods happily "As soon as possible"

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(A/n : now this is the time zone where Scum consort finishes and Guard dog actually starts. Now, we are talking 🙈

Update timing : Every Friday )