Chapter 8 

“Everything is a total.” Mei Ying mumbled. 

“A total what?” Yun Hao asked, as he shamelessly took off his clothing and jumped into the lake, whistling happily to himself, much to Mei Ying's embarrassment as she turned away immediately. 

“A total mess.” 

“I don’t get it. What are you talking about?” Yun Hao asked confusedly, as Mei Ying blushed and gather her courage to look at Yun Hao who’s already in the lake, cleaning himself. Mei Ying's face, needless to say, is burning like the campfire by now. Perhaps the temperature of her body is higher than the temperature of boiling water, over 100 degrees. 

“Huh?” Mei Ying asked; as she was quite blurred herself. 

“Mei Lin, what are you talking about? You have been blabbering nonsense.” Yun Hao laughed at her, causing the poor girl to blush even more. 

“You are so insensitive.” She said helplessly, causing Yun Hao to stare at her intently again. 

“Huh?” Yun Hao asked, looking at her bewilderedly, trying to figured out what she’s talking about. 

“Just...Just forget about it.” She sighed in despair and hope that everything will be alright. 

“Aren’t you going to join me in here?” He asked, and started to splashed water around. Mei Ying's face turned blue. Perhaps as blue as the sky above. 

“No.” She mumbled, and looked away immediately as he looked at her rather comically. 

“Why not? The water is just fine. Don’t tell me that you are afraid of the water?” He teased, causing her to rolled her eyes heavenward. She prayed for a savor, she prayed that he will stop doing this to her and she somehow wished that she never did run away from the palace. Perhaps marriage with the prince or whatever he is wasn't as bad as this. 

“I’m going to help my sister with breakfast.” She sighed without turning around to look at him. 

“Huh? Breakfast is ready. I prepared them.” He said, and swam to the shore, climbed up and stood behind her. Before he can say anything to Mei Ying, he was interrupted by... 

“Argh! What are you doing?!” Zhu Xian yelled helplessly, at the sight of him. 

“I’m sorry, Zhu Xian. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to scared you like that, honest. I wasn’t aware that you were there.” He said, apologizing repeatedly to Zhu Xian whose face was turning as red as Mei Ying's. 

“Really, I didn’t mean to.” He said, looking at Zhu Xian comically as she frowned. 

“But then, why did you...I mean, why did you shamelessly take off your clothing in front of my...in front of my...” She said, receiving a good pinched from Mei Ying. 

“In front of my Da Ge.” She sighed and looked at him. 

“Aw, Zhu Xian, your Da Ge is a guy just like me. I’m sure he won’t mind.” Yun Hao laughed ceaselessly while Mei Ying blushed. 

“I do mind.” She whispered, but thank god that what she uttered was inaudible to Yun Hao. 

“You shouldn’t, really.” Zhu Xian mumbled incoherently, and Mei Ying was hoping that he would agree with Zhu Xian. 

“Tell me one good reason why I shouldn’t do that in front of him? I mean, that’s a normal thing for guys, right, Mei Lin?” He smiled. 

“Because...Because...Because.” She mumbled, while Yun Hao laughed. 

“Just say it, Zhu Xian. You looked so funny.” He laughed. 

“I don’t know.” She said helplessly, and quickly munch onto her bread and drank some tea elegantly, causing Yun Hao to look at her adoringly. 

“Your sister is so funny.” Yun Hao laughed and looked deep into Mei Ying's eyes, causing her to blush slightly. 

“You bet.” She muttered, and drank some tea gracefully and this time, his eyes was fully stuck to her. He wondered and pondered something at the way that Mei Ying and Zhu Xian drank tea. The way that they drank tea somehow reminded him of his sister back in Beijing. Graceful and elegant, compact with manners which amuses him. They are not like commoners at all but then, he killed his thoughts by turning to looked at the lake. 

“Yun Hao Ge.” 

“Yes?” 

“Where is our next stop?” Zhu Xian asked, all of a sudden. 

Someone pushed Xiu Yan against the wall as he kissed her neck hungrily and lustfully, causing her heart to skip a beat. She was about to scream but as soon as she thought on how embarrassing it would be if every single population in the palace knew about this, she stopped herself from screaming out loud immediately. Xiu Yan pushed the person away in horror instantaneously as soon as she recovered from her shocked. 

“Chui Da Ren! Mind your manners! I’m a Ge Ge! How dare you approached me like that?!” Xiu Yan fumed, as the person in front of her let out a sinister laughed. 

“It’s a pity that such a beauty like you are wasted.” He whispered deceitfully. 

“By what?” Xiu Yan mumbled incoherently, as she looked at Chui Min Hao bewilderedly. 

“Ge Ge, you shouldn’t have rejected the proposal.” He laughed and pushed her onto the ground. There was no one there, not even Xiu Yan’s maid as she was alone in the darkness of the old library. Xiu Yan’s eyes started to swelled up with tears as she twisted her ankle accidentally. She tried to stand back up on her own feet but her ankle betrayed her. 

“I will make you pay for this, Chui Min Hao!” She yelled. 

“A Ge Ge shouldn’t come here in the middle of the night and all alone.” He said, laughing out loud and got on top of her as she struggled in despair. 

“Get away from me, you filthy animal!” She yelled. Needless to say, she’s far weaker than him and it seems that he was enjoying seeing her hitting him violently. 

“An animal, huh?! Then I shall be an animal to you!” He said angrily, as soon as she bit him in effort to free herself. He pulled away the navy silk dress that she was wearing and much to his disappointment, she kicked him violently, using her weak Wu Gong and stood up immediately. 

“Stay away from me if you want to live!” She yelled angrily, and tried to balance herself. 

“Ge Ge. I meant no harm. You are the one who rejected me.” 

“I will say it a thousand times no to your proposal. You are nothing but a unscrupulous minister. One day I will make sure you are thrown into the darkest jail.” She said, and rushed away. 

“You will pay for this, Xiu Yan Ge Ge! You will for rejecting me and I swear that I will make you mine! You will see!” He swore angrily, as Xiu Yan made her escape lousily and clumsily. Unknown to her, there was a dark shadow following her. She wasn't aware of the existence of the shadow, of course, as she was too busy attending to her mixed emotions. All she wanted to do as go back to her resident and get a good rest and make an effort to forget about everything. 

A/N: i'm sure you guys know who is the new character, right? :)