Chapter 207 - Surreal Encounters

Lei Xing massaged her forehead and let out a sigh.

{...Well, this is disappointing...I thought I was finally done with this stu-...}

{...*Brilliant, you mean -_-)'...But I'll let it pass today, you did very, very good~...}

Lei Xing rolled her eyes and then looked at Ah Jin and said, "Stand up." 

Ah Jin stood up and quietly waited for a while until finally, Lei Xing let out another breath and asked, "Why didn't you mention that I had a bracelet just like this before? One which I apparently treasured..." 

Ah Jin knit her eyebrows and lowered her head, "I-I was initially surprised when I saw you wearing it...We thought you lost it, but then you said it was Tung Mei's so...I just thought it was a coincidence they appeared the same."

Lei Xing knit her brows.

{...Sounds reasonable, I guess -_-)...}

{...*Very reasonable! I like her ^_^)...}

{...Of course, you do (◔_◔)...}

"Did your mist- Did I ever tell you anything particular about the bracelet I had?" Lei Xing asked.

Lei Xing knew her original body's owner and Ah Jin had been close. Ah Jin found her when she ran away and Ah Jin and the girl even pulled a long-running artist scam, deceiving the entire family and world. If anyone would have known anything then, it would be Ah Jin.

Ah Jin frowned and then blinked a few times. She glanced up at Lei Xing and then looked back down. 

"Say it." Lei Xing ordered. 

{...The problem here is she never seems to want to talk...Or is there really nothing to it and I'm just a paranoid crazy person...Possibly...}

{...*I say paranoid and nosey, can't you let people have their own secrets? Hmph! Nosey paranoid ( ￣^￣ ) ...}

{...Like you're one to talk, do you even let me have my own peace of mind, much less have secrets? Annoying -_-)'...}

"Well...you did mention this thing..." Ah Jin paused and pursed her lips, seemingly having difficulty spitting out the words, but Lei Xing was not in a patient mood and sternly ordered, "Talk."

"Well, you once said...It was like a...a...aaah friend of sorts...?" Ah Jin glanced up Lei Xing again and then carefully added, "You seemed to...talk to it...sometimes...You never took it off...excoet when you got angry with it I suppose..." Ah Jin hesitantly informed and then added, "It was strange..."

Lei Xing blinked and went, "I see..."

{...Was it you then? Sounds just like you. You're plenty aggravating -_-)...}

{...*...}

{...Answer me -_-)...}

{...*My life is none of your business ( ￣^￣ )...}

{...And I'm pretty sure mine is also none of your business but yet, here we are, my very own peanut gallery -_-)...}

{...*You're very welcome ^_^)...}

Lei Xing rolled her eyes and then asked, "Do you know how I got this- that bracelet?" She was getting the feeling that it was the same bracelet that had returned to haunt her. But of course, she could not be sure since the bracelet never answers anything she wants. 

Ah Jin shook her head, "You already had it when I came to the manor."

{...*All this irrelevant! We should be celebrating. Don't you have great news for me? I think you do, I'm listening, go on hehe~...}

{...Like you need to be informed -_-)...}

{...*But I want MY official notification! Go on, tell me >◡

Lei Xing rolled her eyes and then narrowed her eyes at Ah Jin and then an idea came to mind, and she held out her wrist to Ah Jin and said, "Take it off."

Ah Jin blinked at Lei Xing's outstretched wrist and then looked up at her, seemingly confused. But Lei Xing simply motioned for her to the bracelet on her wrist.

Ah Jin silently let out a breath and then reached for the bracelet. She then frowned when the bracelet did not budge and then she tried with both hands. Her eyes went wide when it still did not move and she looked up at Lei Xing and she went, "How -?" 

{...*I did tell you that no one could take it off unless I want them to. Tsk, tsk, tsk, you never listen...}

Lei Xing frowned and withdrew her wrist and covered the bracelet up with her sleeve. Then she sighed and ran a hand through her hair as she said, "You've kept secrets before, no one is to know about this." And with that Lei Xing left the pavilion. As she took the slow steps back to her room, she let out another sigh.

{...Frustrating, here I thought I was finally free...}

{...*Hehe Don't worry, you'll probably be free soon~ Shouldn't be too long now ^_^)...}

{...So you allowed him to take it off last night. Why? I had not even said yes yet, why so "nice"? Or were you just happy trolling me? -_-)'..} 

{...*That reminds me! I have an issue to discuss with you...It's been getting on my nerves quite a bit the last few days. I tried not to say anything at first, but now it seems it's becoming a stinking habit! >-

Lei Xing raised an eyebrow.

{...Something's getting on your nerves? I'm sorry, the question should be "you have nerves?" I hadn't noticed ╮( ˘､˘ )╭...}

{...*I'm being serious! Can you tell - No, stop him from touching my possessions! It's very annoying! >_

Lei Xing knit her brows as she arrived at her bedroom doors.

{...Possession? What are you talking about?...}

{...*My bracelet! Tell him to stop touching my precious bracelet! It gives me a headache and it is not a toy! What if you two ruin it?! T_T)...}

{...O_O)...Ruin it?...So you didn't allow him to?...}

{...*That's none of your business!... And as I said, I do what I want when I want, so I'm not going anywhere until I want to!... Know that ~ ^_^)...}

Lei Xing knit her brows in thought and returned to her bedroom just as the Emperor finished tying up his robe, it appeared he was about to leave.

When he saw Lei Xing, he immediately walked up to her and held her hands, "Where did you go?" He had woken up to find the bed empty, which was very odd. Lei Xing was never awake this early. He waited for a little bit for her return, but then eventually decided to just go find her and then she walked in on her own.

Lei Xing smiled and said, "Nowhere...I just went on a walk."

"This early? That's odd for you." The Emperor asked with a raised eyebrow. He noticed Lei Xing slightly purse her lips and then added. "You can tell me anything." As he gently caressed her cheek as he brushed her hair behind her ear with a hand. 

Lei Xing lightly shook her head and smiled, "I'm fine, it's just been an odd few days..." And before he could continue asking, Lei Xing changed the topic, "Are you going to get ready for Court now?"

"En. I was going to find you first." He informed with a smile as he scrutinized her expression and then he pulled her back to the bed and sat down with her. He looked at their joined hands and then smiled at her and said, "I was going to make the proclamation today..."

"Oh." Lei Xing simply responded as she blinked in surprise.

{...Already...Quite quick O_O)...}

"But..." The Emperor paused but then quickly continued, "I'm happy, very happy that you agreed but if you're not ready there is no need to rush the ceremony an-"

"No, no, no." Lei Xing immediately cut in, "Let's do it. The earlier, the better."

{...That way I can finally say goodbye to a certain arm terrorist -_-)'...And since we're going to do it anyway, why stall, right? Yeah hahaha...ha ¬‿¬ )...}

"Oh." It was now the Emperor's turn to blink in surprise, he did not expect such an excited response from her, but it helped to completely destroy whatever hesitation he had. He grinned at her and held her face and happily kissed her. "That's perfect." Then he stood up, still holding her hand and informed, "After Court, Eunuch Li will come by to read and present the edict to you along with the gifts. I'll have it scheduled for noon, so get more rest." He finished and then kissed her cheek and turned to leave.

Lei Xing suddenly grabbed his hand and stood up and hesitantly said, "Um, can you...take this off?" She said and then held up her wrist to him. Even if the bracelet did not give her an answer, it did say that "him" touching it was annoying. And the only him that has touched her or it recently was the Emperor. Therefore...

{...I figured it out, him touching you was annoying...so you let him take it off because he was annoying you, correct? (¬‿¬ )...Hm, quite a shocker, I thought you liked him...}

{...*...}

The Emperor blinked and raised an eyebrow at Lei Xing's odd request, but she smiled at him and added, "Please..."

The Emperor smirked in amus.e.m.e.nt, it was an odd but small request and so he could happily indulge her. So he went ahead.

{...Wait, but if it doesn't work, won't he think I'm crazy?! O_O)...}

Lei Xing gulped but before she could withdraw her hand from his, her worries were relieved when the bracelet easily slipped off with his fingers. Lei Xing knit her brows and blankly stared at the bracelet in his hand, perplexed.

{...This is really interesting...}

"Here." The Emperor said holding out to bracelet to her.

"Xing er'?" He called to her again when she just kept staring at the bracelet instead of taking it. 

"En?" Lei Xing blinked up at him, completely lost. "Here." He held up the bracelet.

"Oh, oh, yes. Thank you."Lei Xing said and took it with a smile. The Emperor nodded and then because he could not help it, he held her face and dropped a quick kiss on her lips, flashed her a smile which Lei Xing subconsciously returned. Satisfied, he finally turned and left the room with a happy smile on his face. Meanwhile, Lei Xing remained standing in place and returned her gaze to the bracelet in her palm.

{...What am I supposed to make of this?...}

{...*...}

And just as it had happened last night, the bracelet did not respond. But this time, Lei Xing was not in a gloating mood, she was just perplexed and intrigued by this discovery.

From the time of her drowning till this point, she has encountered one impossibility after another; a poison detecting ring that actually works, a wacky old man who speaks of different worlds, deja vu paintings, a talking bracelet...but yet watching this one mystery unravel before her eyes just felt different...a bit too surreal.