Chapter 15 Brother’s Unexpected Arrival
"Rong Yao—"
Someone called my name, the voice drawing nearer. I turned around quickly and saw Xie Ning rushing toward me. He stopped when he saw Rong Che. He was stunned for a moment, his gaze falling on Rong Che's hand still holding mine.
Rong Che let go lightly and clasped his hands behind his back as if to hide the gesture.
"What a coincidence. So the Young Valley Lord is here too."
He chuckled. I was taken aback and looked at Rong Che. "You know each other?"
Xie Ning ignored Rong Che completely. He strode forward, pulled me close, and checked me over.
"Are you all right?"
Worry filled his eyes. "I turned around and you were gone."
I shook my head at him and forced a smile. "I'm fine. I just had a headache a moment ago."
Xie Ning frowned at me and reached out to wipe my face. "Why so much sweat."
"Imperial Princess—"
A Li squeezed past Xie Ning and handed me a medicine bottle. "Is it because you didn't take your medicine yesterday that your head ailment flared up again?"
Rong Che fiddled with the beads in his hand and laughed softly.
"Yao Yao, why didn't you take your medicine?"
His voice was gentle. "Don't you know your brother searched everywhere for doctors to treat your head ailment?"
I lowered my eyes and said softly, "I know."
"But the medicine is bitter and astringent. I don't like it."
I told a lie. Rong Che still didn't know I had died once and already knew his every move. Since he wanted me dead, that medicine was probably no good medicine either.
Xie Ning draped his cloak over my shoulders and wrapped me inside it.
"Let's go. We'll rest at the inn first."
Rong Che suddenly spoke up.
"Xie Ning, I heard you intend to marry Yao Yao. Is that true?"
Xie Ning paused but didn't turn around. I looked up at him nervously. The atmosphere stayed silent for a long while.
Finally Xie Ning spoke, his thin lips parting.
"Yes."
He tightened his arm around my waist and glanced at Rong Che. "What about it?"
In that instant I felt a moment of disorientation. When he first learned Xie Ning and I were to marry, Rong Che had asked the same question. Back then he had thrust his sword straight at Xie Ning, missing his chest by a hair.
I clutched Xie Ning's sleeve tightly.
Yet the expected clash never happened. Rong Che only smiled.
"So that's how it is. I didn't even know when my sister met the Young Valley Lord."
"Since the two of you are in love, how could I, as your brother, stand in the way?"
"But Yao Yao is still the Imperial Princess of the demon realm. The marriage should be handled by Yun Tai Palace."
"Xie Ning, why don't you return to Yu Jing with us? We can discuss the marriage there."
Rong Che still wore that smile as he spoke. I stood frozen.
Something was wrong. Rong Che's reaction was completely outside my expectations.
"What, so happy you're stunned?"
Seeing me dazed, Rong Che smiled helplessly and pinched my earlobe affectionately like a brother.
"Did you think your brother would oppose your marriage?"
A Li could barely contain her joy and tugged my sleeve secretly. "Imperial Princess, it seems you misunderstood the Young Valley Lord."
I hesitated and looked at Xie Ning. He was looking at me too, but his eyes grew darker. Our gazes met, then he looked away.
"Though I don't know why Yao Yao won't let her brother take her back to Yu Jing, there is one thing she must remember."
Rong Che leaned down, trying to touch my cheek. Xie Ning suddenly pulled me behind him, so Rong Che's fingertips only brushed my ear. They were ice-cold, like frost.
He didn't get angry. He sighed and chuckled.
"We are siblings. We must never let outsiders create a rift between us."
"Everything your brother does is for Yao Yao. Don't let it chill my heart."
That night I tossed and turned in the guest room.
Xie Ning's people had already reached Lan Shan and were waiting outside the inn, ready to escort us back to Yu Jing.
I could see the courtyard full of guards whose robes bore the Rong family mark when I pushed the window open.
They had the inn surrounded tightly, with quite the armed display.
News that Xie Ning was about to become the Imperial Princess's consort made everyone treat him with utmost respect. Even Xuan Ming looked proud.
But unease lingered in my heart. While A Li was fast asleep, I quietly dressed and slipped outside, intending to tell Xie Ning my worries.
The moment I opened the door, I saw two figures walking slowly toward the upper floor. One wore wide-sleeved white robes—it was Rong Che. The other's face was hidden in shadow and hard to make out.
While I was still guessing the second person's identity, he turned his head. The clouds overhead parted just then, and moonlight fell on his shoulders. The man seemed to sense my presence and looked up at me.
I quickly hid behind the door, brows furrowed.
It couldn't be Xie Ning.