32 Pei Nan the Ticking Bomb

Yu Mei couldn't wait to tell Ji Er the good news. Early the next day, she headed over.

"Sister Ji Er," Yu Mei happily called out, running over.

"Sister Yu Mei, you are here early. Did something good happen?" Ji Er could tell just from Yu Mei's smiling face. "Something very good," Yu Mei linked arms with Ji Er as they strolled around. "I've got good news to tell you,"

"Good news?" Even though Ji Er kept her calm and elegant attitude up, she was still a curious little girl at heart. "Petty Nan is coming to your place for dinner,"

"Really?" this time, Ji Er couldn't keep her calm composure any longer.

"I assure you of it," In fact, Pei Nan never said it himself but Yu Mei was sure he would have dinner with Ji Er tonight. That was how much faith she had in her perfume satchel."Also...If he asks about your perfume, you mustn't tell him that I gave it to you."

"Okay,"

"Promise,"

"I promise,"

Just like Yu Mei predicted, Pei Nan had shown up at Ji Er's Plum Blossom Pavilion.

"Your highness, I didn't know you were coming over," Ji Er "acted" surprised.

"I heard that you were sick. Are you feeling better?"

"Much better now, Ji Er thanks your highness for his concern," Ji Er replied shyly before leading him to the main room where the two of them sat down and talked for a bit. Ji Er looked at Pei Nan concernedly. He looked much paler than a few days ago. "Are you feeling okay?"

"I'm okay," he assured her. She didn't believe it. He did not look okay. She leaned over, placing the back of her hand on his forehead. "Your highness, you are burning up. Should I get the imperial doctor?" Ji Er was about to get up when he held her wrist, pulling her back down. "It's okay, I just need a little bit of rest," once again reassuring her that he was fine. The worried Ji Er suddenly became flustered when Pei Nan placed his head on her shoulder. Her heart was pounding hard. She even wondered if Pei Nan could hear it. "Ji Er, did you get a new perfume? It smells nice," he sweetly but randomly asked.

"If your highness likes it, I'll continue to wear it," Ji Er smiled.

That orange jasmine scent of hers, he could've sworn he had smelt it somewhere before. It was relaxing. He didn't know when he had fallen asleep on Ji Er's shoulder. As he fell deeper into a sleep, he dreamed of it.

In his dream, he was chasing a girl in pink around a flower meadow. He could only see her back at that time. He kept chasing and chasing as the girl kept giggling. Finally when he caught her by the wrist, he pulled her towards him. His pull was too rough as the girl tumbled on top of him. The two of them were rolling on the grass when her lips touched his. Pei Nan had his eyes closed in the dream but he could smell the faint scent of orange jasmine. As his eyes slowly opened, adjusting to the sun, he saw her. It was Yu Mei.

*Loud gasp* Pei Nan snapped out of his dream. He wasn't sure if seeing Pan Yu Mei in his dream was a nightmare or not. This also shocked Ji Er who had also fallen asleep. "Your highness, are you okay?" she frantically looked him over, making sure he wasn't catching a cold. "Your perfume, it's the same as Consort Pan's," Ji Er didn't know how to reply to that. Seeing her silence, he had guessed it right.

"When did the two of you become so close that you are even sharing the same perfume?" he began to interrogate her. Of course his voice was still calm and gentle unlike the voice he used with Yu Mei. But no matter what, it still started Ji Er. "Your highness, when did you start becoming curious about such trivial matters? I became close to Sister Yu Mei a while back,"

"You two are close enough to be having dinner together often too?"

"En," she nodded.

"Do you two practice calligraphy together? Eat together? Paint together?" she nodded yes to all his questions. "So she also told you that I like the scent of your perfume?"

"En," before Ji Er had caught herself, she already blurted out Yu Mei's secret. "Your highness, I didn't mean to say yes. I only found out that you liked my perfume tonight," Ji Er tried to explain. It was too late; Pei Nan had already stormed out of her palace. He had to admit, Yu Mei was smart. If he didn't remember her perfume, she would've gotten away with it. Pei Nan didn't understand one thing though, how did Yu Mei know that he liked the scent of orange jasmine? If he asked Yu Mei, she would have honestly said she didn't know. It was just by chance that her perfume pouch used orange jasmines. What he would never have figured out was that it wasn't the orange jasmine that made him addicted, it was a secret powder she mixed into the pouch that caused him to lose himself a while now.

He was making his way to the Southern Palace, unknown to Yu Mei. Yu Mei was lying in bed on her stomach. Her elbows were at the edge and her hands placed on her face as her legs were crossed in the air. She was smiling from ear to ear. By now, Ji Er and Pei Nan must have already done the deed. When she thought about it, Yu Mei squealed for Ji Er. Chu'mei who was dusting the room took a long sigh and shook her head a few times. Why did she even bother trying to fix this weird lady of hers?

*BANG*

A gust of wind blew into Yu Mei's room. Yu Mei was about to scold Chu'mei for not closing the door tight. The next thing she saw left her speechless. A terrifying Pei Nan. Yu Mei scrambled off her bed, quickly getting on her feet. "Your highness," Chu'mei greeted him.

"Leave," Chu'mei could only describe his voice in one word, terrifying. Chu'mei gave Yu Mei one last look, mouthing, "I'm sorry," before scurrying away.Yu Mei watched as he closed the door. *click* her heart almost jumped out when she realized he had actually locked the door. If she screamed, even Chu'mei couldn't save her. "Shouldn't your highness be at Consort Nuan's?" that was the nice way of her asking, [What the dumplings are you doing here? Don't you know I don't want to see you.]

Pei Nan's heavy steps made Yu Mei tremble with fear. His looks were so terrifying; they even made Yu Mei's feet freeze on the spot. Before she could even react, he had already made his way over to her. Clenched jaw, shaking fists, she didn't need to ask to know he was a mad. "Speak," one word from him was enough to make her almost pass out.

"Your highness, what is wrong? What have I done?" she innocently asked. Surely there was no way he could have found out, right? Pei Nan felt his whole body tense up. [You're not going to admit your faults? You purposely came to my palace for Ji Er's sake. Fine!] Pei Nan took a step closer to Yu Mei. Yu Mei stepped back. She kept backing away until the back of her legs hit the bed. She lost her balance, bottom hitting the edge of the bed with a thump. She placed both of her hands on the side; ready to get up when Pei Nan leaned forward, placing both his hands on top of hers. "Are you going to admit it or do you want me to force you to."

Yu Mei bit her lips. If she told him the truth, he would probably chop her up into a million little pieces. But if it came out from his mouth, it would be the same ending for her. Nothing was going right but she wanted to try her luck. "I don't know what you are talking about? I've been honest with you this whole time," she lifted her chin up, trying to act brave. Pei Nan clenched his jaw once more. "PAN YU MEI! You first tried to sell me to Princess Mu Yi. And now it's Ji Er?"

[Damnit, I'm caught. You big mouth Ji Er.] Yu Mei was still in the middle of mentally scolding Ji Er when Pei Nan leaned even closer to her. Their noses almost touching. Yu Mei arched her back. "Hehe…your highness shouldn't say it that way. It wasn't selling but matchmaking," she casually explained as if the issue wasn't such a big problem to begin with.

"Yu Mei, what are you thinking in that head of yours? Do you not see me as a man? Who are you to decide my life for me?" even if he was speaking softly, there was nothing soft about his words. Yu Mei arched her brow. [What a weird question. If you aren't a man, are you a girl?] Who knew Yu Mei could still laugh at this time. He was already a ticking bomb, who knew that the moment Yu Mei snickered, he would explode. "If you don't believe it, I'll prove to you that I am a man," Pei Nan leaned his body forward. The tiny Yu Mei couldn't hold his weight as she tumbled onto the bed with Pei Nan on top of her. "Umph!" Yu Mei made a painful noise. He was heavy, very heavy.

"Ahhhhh! Pei Nan you big jerk! Get off me," Yu Mei screamed and kicked her feet. After a few seconds, her little cry for help stopped. "Pei Nan?" Yu Mei got one of her hands free and poked him in the arm a few times. "Pei Nan? Are you alright?" No response…