31 CHAPTER 31 : Clenching your fist tight and not letting go

Long Jie had never imagine the most difficult thing he had to do is letting Li Xi Rui go from his embrace. 'It's not enough!', he suddenly had an urge to stomp his feet on the ground and pull her again. Clenching his fist and gritting his teeth, he tried to tame his beast. Every time he's close to her he would be like a raging bull.

Stepping out from the tight embrace, Li Xi Rui looked up to the man. Just a while ago, that man looked haggard but now he looked... mad?. 'This 2nd prince is not right in the head', she just made her own conclusions.

Meanwhile, the said prince caught her looking at him, his ears turned red.

'See, he is so mad that his ears turned red. Why is this man so hard to read?', Li Xi Rui is now thinking if her decision is a bad one afterall.

*cough* "Let us sit first. Steward Wang will be coming with the tea in a while", grasping her small slender hand in his, he gently pull her to the stone table in the garden. 'This hand is so soft~', he swallowed his saliva. He try hard to composed himself.

'Why is this prince so touchy? Is he always like this?', Li Xi Rui is lost in her thought that she didn't realised they already walked hand in hand to the garden. Of course she also didn't see the maids and servants gaping mouths seeing the lovey-dovey scene.

'His highness is holding a woman's hand! Someone quickly pinch me!'

'His highness is smiling! Quickly slap me!'

'His highness is holding Miss Li! I want to cry!'

The maids all have been stunned with the unbelievable scene. Furthermore it's with miss Li. The number one controversional lady in the capital.

When steward Wang saw these maids and servants, he shooed them away. How could he not known. The maids and servant just like to gossip.

After Long Jie and Li Xi Rui sat on the bench overlooking the koi pond, steward Wang and Xiao Xi come with refreshments. Reluctantly, Long Jie release his hold on her. The tofu he ate is not enough. Glancing at that pale, beautiful face, he could just admire the beauty in front of him. Straight brows, chestnut long hair, pink pale lips, straight nose and that enchanting beautiful pair of eyes. Why is he so blind before? He ought to smack his head!

He remembered the first time he saw her, 2 years ago. He already knew his brother the crown prince has a fiancee called Li Xi Rui but he had never seen her before. Afterall he is not interested in woman. One day, his sister, the 8th princess wanted to go to the market. And of course, being a princess, she couldn't just go out casually to the market. So the princess disguised herself as another noble lady and followed her brother to one of the clothing shop. Just when they are about to step down from the carriage, they heard a commotion in the shop. He forbids his sister to step down from the carriage and he entered the shop alone.

What greeted him is a beautiful lady with flushed cheeks and wide eyes with her hand high in the air. After slapping another lady, that beautiful lady hastily left the shop. From the commotion, he heard she is the crown prince's fiancee. After he heard the name, Li Xi Rui, he went cold. It's like he had been doused with a bucket of cold water. Thus from that day on began their bickering with each other.

If he must confessed, it's true he tried to deliberately met her 'accidentally' when she was caught in conflicts. But he couldn't be sure as to why he did that. His jealousy caused him to lash out on her. 'I am really stupid', he could just cursed himself.

"..so can you help me?", Li Xi Rui has been talking half a day but Long Jie had yet to answer her.

Realizing the lady in front of him is asking question, he could just do what a man in love could do, "Yes". He could just agree. But what ever it is, is not important to him. He will do whatever Li Xi Rui wanted him to do.

As Li Xi Rui wanted to thank him, he opened his mouth again, "But you will owe me a favor". His mischievous self had just been awaken.

"Well, it seems reasonable", thinking for a while, Li Xi Rui agreed. It's not a big deal anyway. A favor in exchange of her family's life? It is a bargain. Never would she had thought this decision of her will bind her with him for life. But that is the case in the future of course.

"Good...", Long Jie hide his smile behind his tea cup.

The team of shadow guards around him are now shivering. They could just pray for the safety of the young lady sitting in front of their master. That sly smile is the one they're familiar with. It is the smile he showed when his plan is going in a direction he wanted.