43 Apologizing

Gu Shao who was watching from the side finally had enough of this. The tension in the air was really too much. He was amazed. Yu Mei was the first woman he knew to stand up to Pei Nan. He was about to say something when Yu Mei beat him to it. "If it's an apology you want, fine!"

Fei Ning stepped away from Pei Nan, ready for her apology. She tried to hide that smug smile of hers as well as possible.

"Consort Pan, if you don't want to apologize, it's okay. I don't mind." Fei Ning innocently spoke. Yu Mei didn't care to listen to her rubbish as she approached the white lotus woman. Pei Nan didn't say anything to stop her either.

Yu Mei stood in front of Fei Ning and looked at her harmlessly. "I apologize for THIS!" Her arms reached out and pushed Fei Ning ruthlessly. Yu Mei was too quick, even Fei Ning didn't read her intentions on time. As she began to fall, she screamed. Yu Mei was now satisfied. She felt if Pei Nan was going to blame her anyways, she might as well have committed the crime. That satisfaction only increased when Fei Ning's bottom hit the ground. "Ahh~" Fei Ning grit her teeth as she stared at Yu Mei. What made her even angrier was that arrogant smile on her face.

"Fei Ning." Gu Shao and Pei Nan both rushed over to her. Fei Ning looked at Gu Shao and then Pei Nan before she reached her hand out to Pei Nan.

Yu Mei crossed her hands and rolled her eyes when she saw the scene in front of her. These two males, do they know how pathetic they look. Yu Mei turned to leave. She had already apologized.

"Stop right there!" Pei Nan sternly commanded. Yu Mei clenched her jaw and cursed him before turning to face him. "Your highness, I have already apologized for pushing Fei Ning. What else do you want from me?" she was being sarcastic with him and Pei Nan could read it all over her face.

"You…you…" he stood up and pointed at her. He was so mad he couldn't even find the words to scold her.

Pei Nan took heavy strides over to her. Yu Mei didn't seem too intimidated by it. Whatever was going to happen was bound to happen regardless if she did push Fei Ning or not.

"What! You want to hit me? Go for it." Yu Mei lifted her chin, turning her left cheek next to him. "Hit me then." She dared him. This was the first time she was being so bold. He didn't know what to do. He could only do what he knew best…use force. Just like that, he grabbed her wrist and dragged her away.

"Your highness," Fei Ning called out. She wasn't expecting Pei Nan to actually leave with Yu Mei. She only wanted to make Yu Mei look like the villain in front of Pei Nan.

"Let go of me. Are you insane?" Yu Mei was screaming right and left but Pei Nan wasn't listening. He only let her go when they were in his study room.

Yu Mei was rubbing her wrist. "Aish. This is going to leave a bruise. Can't you be more gentle, you coldhearted tyrant." She screamed at him. *Click* her heart skipped a beat. He locked the door. He actually locked it. That was never a good thing.

Pei Nan turned to look at her. "Did I tell you to apologize?" he asked distantly.

"You didn't have to. I could tell just from looking at your face." Yu Mei felt the muscles in her neck tense up. Pei Nan was making her really mad. How could he try to turn the situation on her.

"Knowing your quick temper, I don't believe you didn't push Fei Ning." Yu Mei was so angry at his accusations; she couldn't stop herself from blurting out the next words. "Pei Nan, you are the most naive and stupid man I know. What did Yu Mei see in you?" She quickly covered her mouth shocked, anxiously trying to read his expression. Nothing. It was probably the most blank she's ever seen him.

These few seconds felt like minutes to the panicking Yu Mei. She only prayed he didn't question her identity.

Pei Nan quietly took large strides over to her. Yu Mei stood there like a statue, waiting for him to rage out against her. But it didn't happen like she imagined. Instead he walked passed her and took a seat. He crossed his feet and leaned on the chair comfortably. "Tell me your side of the story then." Yu Mei would never guess in a million years that the last line she spoke would have pricked him so bad.

When she wasn't speaking, he gestured her to begin. Yu Mei didn't know if she should feel grateful or annoyed at this abrupt "kindness" of his. It didn't matter; she was going to speak her mind.. "I didn't push her. Fei Ning insisted on holding my hand and suddenly she fell on her own. Who knows if she staged it in front of you or not. Whether you believe me or not, I don't care." Of course Yu Mei wanted to call Fei Ning out but she knew what Pei Nan was like. If she actually accused Fei Ning, he would probably blow up on her.

"What you are saying is that Fei Ning fell on her own?" He sounded as if he didn't believe her. Yu Mei gave up. Why did she even bother talking to this Fei Ning obsessed idiot. "I'll investigate this matter myself then." [Huh? Did I hear you wrong?] Yu Mei blinked a few times dumbfounded.He didn't blow up at her?

"Answer my one question and you can go." Pei Nan got up and walked towards her. Yu Mei thought he was being too much. If he was just going to sit for no more than a few minutes, why bother sitting. He stopped in front of her. "Why did you come over?" The whole time Pei Nan was walking towards her, he didn't know if he should ask or not. It was as if he was expecting something. Something like...to see him. Or to annoy him.

"It's your fault I'm here." Yu Mei suddenly blurted out. Speaking to him as if he was just another person and not a prince nor her husband. *Growl* Yu Mei's stomach suddenly growled out of nowhere. Pei Nan arched his brow amused. "You're clearly bullying me. Hmph!." She spoke as if she was wronged. Which she was. Yu Mei held her belly like she was pregnant. "My stomach is crying because you bullied me."

"Bullied you?"

"How can you play ignorant like that? I've starved all morning because you refused to give me food. How can I grow if I only eat rice porridge?" Yu Mei finally let out all the injustice she felt this morning. Now that they were talking about food, she had completely disregarded the issue with Fei Ning. Why? Because she had ways to deal with the white lotus.

Pei Nan didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He was not expecting her to come over this early for this matter. He really didn't have any intentions when he requested she only ate rice porridge. Pei Nan actually thought about her well-being. She had caught so many rashes in the past few weeks; he wanted to limit what she ate for her safety. Of course he would never tell her though.

Yu Mei scrunched her brows when Pei Nan was giving her a strange look. "What are you looking at?" she asked annoyed.

"Nothing. I'm trying to figure out why you are acting so strange lately. You were never this way. Did you really lose your memory?" He rubbed his chin, wondering about it. If this was the old Pan Yu Mei, she would be throwing a fit and blaming Fei Ning left and right. But now, she casually shrugged the issue away as if it was no big deal.

That day, even though Pei Nan didn't physically visit Yu Mei when she fell in the water, he did ask the physician. He was told that she suffered a minor head injury and it could affect her. Now that he thought about it, this was the only reasonable explanation for her sudden change.

"Of course I am different. How do you want someone who has lost all their memories to act like?" She nervously spoke, raising her voice. Surely he wouldn't have caught on to her, right? Jus thinking about it, Yu Mei could feel the sweat on her forehead slowly form.

Pei Nan had enough of her raising her voice at him. This had to stop, he thought.

Yu Mei gasped in horror when Pei Nan wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her in. "Raise your voice again and see what'll happen." He threatened her. He recalled the first time they kissed. Just remembering the disgust on her face was enough to make him angry. But what better way to threaten her than to do something she hated. Even if it offended her.

"Pei Nan, you dare?" She huffed and puffed at him.

"I dare." Yu Mei rolled her eyes at him. She was still mad at him, so why was he provoking her.

"Can you let go now?"

"Not yet. Promise me that you will take care of my mother's birthday celebration first." Yu Mei darted her eyes at him. [Are you insane? Your mother and I are like long time enemies.]

He was clearly trying to kill her. Just thinking about it, Yu Mei clenched her jaw. Trying to hold back the fist that wanted to go through his face.

"Don't want to." She bluntly refused.

"Don't want?" he arched his brow.

"Don't want." She firmly declined once more. Pei Nan leaned his body forward, inching closer and closer to her face. "Don't want?" he asked once more. Yu Mei arched backwards."Don't want?" he asked again, this time their noses touched.

"I'll do it." Pei Nan let out a sinister smile before letting her go. "Much better. This could have been avoided if you had just said yes to begin with."

"Hmph!" Yu Mei pushed him away and left. All he knew how to do was use force with her. As she stormed out of his room, she was already brewing up a plan to get even with him.