15 CHAPTER 15 : Someone who didn't have anything to begin with doesn't have anything to lose

The man is looking at her with a frown. Mu Jiu Jiu couldn't decipher that look. Usually she can guess what is on Long Jie's mind but now... 'Why is he frowning?', she asked herself.

Looking away from Mu Jiu Jiu, Long Jie felt a bit frustrated with this woman. 'How could she insults Xi Rui?!', Long Jie is fuming. Princess Anping is insulting to Li Xi Rui. When Mu Jiu Jiu called Li Xi Rui with that title, she just reminded her of the broken engagement. Now the woman who is the catalyst of the disaster is openly insulting the victim, made Long Jie nearly break Mu Jiu Jiu's neck.

Giving a fake smile to the pair, Li Xi Rui excuse herself. 'This heroine is really such a white lotus. Didn't she know she just insulted someone?'. "Young master, this miss prefer to be called Miss Li in public. Then, excuse me young master and 2nd prince", Li Xi Rui left without a glance.

Mu Jiu Jiu had wanted to give her fake name to Li Xi Rui but when she left just like that, she stay rooted in her place. She couldn't help but saying, "Miss Li Xi Rui is really beautiful but there's nothing worthy beside her looks".

Beside her, Long Jie nearly burst out of anger. If not because his brother love this woman, he has long smack this woman. Trying to control his temper, he didn't say anything to Mu Jiu Jiu. 'Will any sane woman be friends with the woman who take her fiancee?'. Why hasn't he noticed before how impetuous this woman is?.

"Modern-day woman doesn't need to rely on look as the face can be shaped however they want. It's knowledge and attitudes is the most important thing!", Mu Jiu Jiu said to Long Jie.

Long Jie has long since ignoring Mu Jiu Jiu when she started to talk about 'modern' time. Only his crown prince brother will get sweep away with make up story like that. When his brother first heard the things Mu Jiu Jiu had said, he also didn't believe it. But as time passes by, he started to believe it. Mu Jiu Jiu after all has been his advisor in the military. Due to her unusual military strategy, they managed to destroy the enemy. She also know a bit of weird medicine practice. Even if it so, Long Jie is still not convinced enough.

As for Li Xi Rui, she had been lamenting to herself and ignoring Xiao Xi. 'The heroine is supposed to be on her way outside the capital by now, but why is she still here? Is it because 2nd prince didn't escort her? Why has the story change? Is it because her? Because she had change?' But that 2nd prince, she just met him at princess Long's residence and now they met at the market. She really couldn't shake him off even in this lifetime. She didn't mind the insult Mu Jiu Jiu had thrown to her. She didn't even remember Long Jie hasn't greeted her as it was better than them throwing insult at each other. Absent mindedly, she walked to her carriage.

"Miss?!", Xiao Xi shouted.

"Miss, why didn't you retaliate when that woman insulted miss?", Xiao Xi is really mad.

"Xiao Xi, my goal is only to live for my family now. It's best to let go if the things are not meant for you", she advised.

"But miss, it's unfair...", Xiao Xi feels sorry for her miss.

"Xiao Xi, in life, someone who didn't have anything to begin with doesn't have anything to lose. While someone who have everything will always feel fear from losing what he have", Li Xi Rui look at Xiao Xi.

Entering the carriage, Li Xi Rui said to herself, 'I didn't have his heart in the first place, but why did I feel hurt losing something I didn't actually have? Truly laughable- she is truly laughable'.

As Xiao Xi sat beside her miss, she looked at her miss. She thought her miss has changed for the better. She hope her miss can forget the crown prince and find someone who loves her back.

***

That night at Jian Palace~

"Master!", Jie san greeted Long Jie.

"Report!", as Long Jie read some scrolls on his desk.

"Master, Miss Li asked me to investigate a future event. She said she didn't know who, why and what, but she is sure a robbery in her house might occur in a few days", Jie San said. This Jie San is non other than Mr. Mask.

Long Jie looked at Jie San, " Jie San, investigate properly and do what she told you to do".

"Yes master", Jie San is gone as fast as the wind.

"Jie Yi!", Long jie called.

"Master!", Jie Yi came.

"Surround the Li household and send guards to protect them secretly. Remember no error is permitted!", Long Jie warned the chief shadow guard.

"Yes master!", he disappeared.

"Xi Rui, I wouldn't let anything happen to you. Mark my words", Long Jie swears.

"Oh my!! What an ambition!", Rui Sheng make his way into the study.

"Sheng! You're still here?", Long Jie is not happy. This cousin of his should be back at the Qilin Sect HQ. If they're both is not there, who will make important decision if an emergency occured?

"They could've just send letters. Say, Jie about Mu Jiu Jiu", Rui Sheng said as he reached for the pot of tea in front of them.

Snatching the tea pot, Long Jie said, "She? That woman didn't want to go if I'm not the one escorting. She didn't believe anyone else's ability".

"Well, well, it seems like this time around, there will be some changes in her fate", Rui sheng eyed the chrysanthemum tea. Rui Sheng is curious what will happen to Li Xi Rui this time around. Will she die again? Will Long Jie be lonely again? 'Curiousity killed the cat', he thought. So he will be waiting to see what will happen later on.

"If her fate changed, it's on her", Long Jie thought Rui Sheng is talking about Mu Jiu Jiu's fate. "And this tea is off limits! I'll compensate with the Vermilion's Cry later", he had rather parted with his sword than Li Xi Rui's tea.

Getting up, Rui Sheng walked to the door and said, "Send to my room". Vermilion's Cry is a red color swords which had been created by the Vermilion bird's feather. It is fiery in nature and has high spiritual power. Any tea is not as worthy as the sword.

After Rui Sheng is no longer seen, Long Jie look at the tea in his hand. He knew he had been contradicting himself. He said he hated her high and mighty attitude, but now he wanted to hit himself for Li Xi Rui's change. Sometimes when he looked at her, he could only see the dead look in her eyes. Breaking them up is partly his fault. But his brother seems to fall for Mu Jiu Jiu after spending 3 years together. At first, he wanted to compensate Li Xi Rui by finding her a much more suitable man, but after seeing how heart broken she is, suddenly he feels guilty.

He still remembered the first time he met her. She had been arguing with another young miss. He hated women who can't conduct themselves in public. That time there were 2 ladies physically abusing each other, but his eyes had been drawn to Li Xi Rui. From that day onward, he noticed everything she had done and heard every gossips regarding her. So, he hated her more than the other women. What he didn't noticed is how he put more attention to Li xi Rui than the other.

"Jie, love and hate go hand in hand. There's a fine line between love and hate. You hate just as much as you love her", Long Jie remembered what Rui Sheng had said to him.

True he remembers all her misdeed while he usually wouldn't remembered what the other women did. He really is slow in recognizing his heart. But now with Rui Sheng's help, he realized he has long fell in love with her. It might be love at the first sight. It might also be why he was eager to separate Li Xi Rui and his brother. He realized, he had been jealous when Li Xi Rui showered his brother with affection while the latter rarely reciprocate.

"I really am an idiot", he muttered to himself.