Chapter 221 - Olive Branch

Lei Xing's frown deepened and she asked, "So all that crap about having similar energies and stuff was all just part of a fun g-"

"No, no, that part was true. Very true indeed." Doctor Lou said nodding and holding onto his long beard, he squinted at her and reminded, "I've told you that I don't lie. If I said it, then it is true."

Lei Xing scoffed, "You lied about my transmigration being an 'accident'"

Doctor Lou blinked at her, seemingly confused and then he stroked his beard, "Ahhh, I get it now...You misunderstood."

{...I misunderstood?...}

Lei Xing irritatedly raised an eyebrow. This whole conversation was predicated on her being an idiot here who made one mistake or the other attracting unnecessary trouble. And now she misunderstood even this? 

{...I am starting to think you know nothing...Just making stuff up as you go and making me look like an idiot, denying crap...Annoying (≖_≖ )...}

Doctor Lou chuckled and made a circle with his hands as he explained, "I said that the whole scenario, the whole thing could be considered an accident of the universe, not the isolated incident of you being here...Those are obviously two very different things."

Lei Xing frowned at the condescending tone in his voice and Doctor Lou quickly cleared his throat, "It's like this. You and he share similar energies, so ideally you should have been in a situation to come together as one...But then you ended up in two separate worlds, that's the accident right there. Your transmigration was an act of the universe to right itself, balance things~ So it really could have gone either way, you come to his or he to yours...But the universe wanted you here, so here you are hehehe~" Doctor Lou finished with a satisfied chuckle.

Lei Xing just sat there blinking at him, at a loss for words. It was her mistake again. She held her forehead and closed her eyes and let out a breath. Most of her anger had ebbed, but now that the anger was gone, her mind was empty, numb. She did not know what to think of all this.

Doctor Lou stared at her head for a few moments and then said, "What is most important is that I am on your side always. I mean you absolutely no harm. I am a most useful companion~" Lei Xing still did not respond to him, Doctor Lou then sighed and said, "You can remove the bracelet whenever you want...To take it or leave it, it is your choice."  

Lei Xing looked up at him calmly sitting there, relaxed blinking at her. Then she glanced at Tung Mei, who still had her head lowered in a repentant position, then she looked down at her wrist and slipped off the bracelet and it easily came off. She blankly stared at her wrist for a bit and then she stared at the bracelet in her hand.

She was hesitating. She had wanted this moment for so long to say goodbye to this bracelet forever...but she was hesitating. Not because she would miss it, but because she felt she needed it.

The Empress dowager was racing back and Lei Xing could not help but be apprehensive of meeting that woman. She wanted her head a few days ago and now to hear that Lei Xing was going to be Empress. Lei Xing knew there was no way that news was well-received.

The bracelet was obviously an asset to her, she knew this...She would have long been lost without Doctor Lou's knowledge and aid. He had made a fool out of her...But in the end, her life was more important than her bruised ego. But some lines needed to be drawn.

Lei Xing looked up at Doctor Lou and saw a victorious smile on his face, he knew he had won. She narrowed her eyes at him and demanded, "I can take it off whenever I want."

Doctor Lou went, "Naturally, there is no need for that anymore~ You're getting married hehe~" 

Lei Xing did not share in his amus.e.m.e.nt. She stood up, slipped the bracelet back on and curtly said, "I am leaving then."

Doctor Lou still smiling, nodded and then as Lei Xing turned, he suddenly went, "Ah, wait, wait, wait!" Lei Xing frowned and turned around to find Doctor Lou jabbing Tung Mei, "You go with her."

Tung Mei sheepishly glanced up at Lei Xing and then looked at Doctor Lou and shook her head. Doctor Lou frowned, "Weren't you going to see Yong? Might as well go now. Hurry up, get up!" He said as he kicked her stool, Tung Mei swiftly got on her feet before she went down with the stool. Doctor Lou then squinted at her and then said, "Go, go, go. Make your mistakes and go back home. I'm tired, I need to sleep!" 

Tung Mei pouted and glared at him and Doctor Lou mirrored her expression. Then he turned to Lei Xing, "Do me a favor and take her with you but don't bully her! I will know if you do." He warned squinting at Lei Xing, "Now you two leave! You've long overstayed your welcome and make sure to take that little guard with you too~" He chuckled and then squinted at the two of them. And then he sent Bi Lu one last glare and then plopped down on the table, and just like that he went to sleep. 

Lei Xing glanced at Tung Mei, who was standing there with her head lowered. She let out a breath, did not say anything and simply turned and walked off. Tung Mei stood there watching her leave. It was only after Bi Lu disappeared into the storage room after Lei Xing that she finally dragged her feet to follow.

Before Lei Xing got on to the carriage, she turned back to see Tung Mei lingering at the edge of the group. "Get in." Lei Xing said to her and then climbed into the carriage. Tung Mei nodded in greeting to Ah Jin who was standing by the steps waiting for her to step up. Then she took a deep breath and climbed in and sat next to Lei Xing, both of them keeping to the opposite corners of the carriage. 

Shortly after, the carriage began rolling and the two sat in silence. Tung Mei glanced at Lei Xing who was resting on her hand with her eyes closed. Then she pouted and faced the wall, then began tapping on it. 

"Stop that." Lei Xing cooly said after a while of the incessant tapping. 

"Oh." Tung Mei immediately responded and sat up straight. Lei Xing opened her eyes and scrutinized the rigid Tung Mei. Tung Me glanced to the side and jumped when she saw Lei Xing looking at her, then she immediately lowered her head.

Lei Xing blinked and knit her brows.

{...Is she blushing? O_O)...}

Tung Mei fiddled with her fingers for a bit and then looked at Lei Xing and said, "Xing jie - Ah, is it okay if I still call you that? I'm used to it..." Tung Mei said with an awkward, nervous smile.

Lei Xing raised an eyebrow and watched as Tung Mei's smile transformed into a miserable pout, then she slowly nodded. She honestly did not care what she called her. 

Tung Mei lit up and continued with a renewed sense of confidence, "Actually Xing jie, you know, I've always admired you...That's why when I saw you at the lantern festival...I couldn't help rushing over to you...stupidly..." She mumbled while nervously plucking at her fingers.

Lei Xing looked down at Tung Mei plucking her fingers. It was a habit of hers to do that when she was nervous. The fact that Tung Mei shared this habit was a bit endearing. But still...Lei Xing let out a sigh and offhandedly commented, "You admired someone you barely knew simply because of that qua- Doctor's words? You must hold him in very high esteem..."

{...Character-wise there's a major lot to be desired...But I guess he has his moments -_-)'...}

"It's definitely not because of him. He always calls you a brat and says you're a bad influence... Well, he says that about everyone." Tung Mei said with a light chuckle.

{...Of course, he does (◔_◔)...}

Lei Xing rolled her eyes and let out a breath. They rode quietly for a while and the awkward atmosphere returned, then Lei Xing said, "I doubt I did anything during the selection to warrant such admiration..."

{...Especially not from you, given what happened...}

Tung Mei shook her head and said with conviction, "You have always been admirable..."

Lei Xing blinked at her but did not say anything. Tung Mei then sighed, "As for my father, he-"

"Father?" Lei Xing asked with knit eyebrows, wondering why her father was being brought into the mix now.

"God-father." Tung Mei corrected and then let out a short laugh, "It's easier to just call him father, he's like a second father to me...Anyway, he really means no harm. He's picked up the habit of matching couples and watching their romance bloom and for some reason, you're his latest target is all. But you don't have to worry about his motivations, he's just a great meddler with too much free time..." She finished with a chuckle.

Lei Xing inwardly sighed and slightly nodded in agreement.

{...I can definitely see that...A jobless people minder...Honestly, boredom should have its limits. People's lives aren't video games -_-)'...}

"Please don't tell him I said that. He can be quite sensitive...sometimes." Tung Mei said looking at Lei Xing beseechingly.

Lei Xing raised an eyebrow and lightly snorted, "It might be too late for that." 

"Oh, he's not listening right now."

"He could be, you never know." Lei Xing said with a frown. He even confessed to quietly lingering like a creep. The thought was even more disconcerting to imagine that old man lurking in her mind.

"Oh, I can tell. He's not." Tung Mei said cutting into Lei Xing's thoughts.

"You can?" Lei Xing asked in surprise.

Tung Mei smiled at her, seeing her opportunity to get back on Lei Xing's good side and explained, "While he might have made it, I've had it since I was little. Therefore, I am naturally most familiar with it." She smugly said.

{...Must be nice -_-)'...}

Lei Xing knit her brows in annoyance, she was obviously jealous of this luxury. Seeing a dip in Lei Xing's mood, Tung Mei quickly enlightened her, "When he's listening, the gems get brighter."

Lei Xing knit her brows and studied the bracelet.

{...Light up? It never lights up?... Or have I not been paying attention? No, I would notice...}

"It's very, very subtle so you might not notice..." Tung Mei added and Lei Xing dropped her hand with a defeated sigh.

Tung Mei lit up and then suggested, "But I can help~ May I?" She raised a hand towards the bracelet. Lei Xing lightly shrugged and wanted to take it off, but Tung Mei stopped her, "No, you need to keep it on. Just give me your wrist..." She smilingly said to Lei Xing.

Lei Xing hesitated and scrutinized her, but then held out her wrist. Tung Mei happily smiled and put her hand over the bracelet for a few seconds and then went, "Done! There~" She happily said and removed her hand to reveal a rainbow array of colors coursing through the gems.

Lei Xing blinked at it and then at Tung Mei, who moved her hand over the bracelet again and it went back to its original clear appearance. Then she looked up to see Lei Xing's surprised expression and explained, "He's a great teacher~"

"You're his student." Lei Xing said with an amused eyebrow.

{...That explains a whole lot -_-)...}

"En, among other things. I'm not really a good student though. It can be quite boring but I know a thing or two, useful tricks." She said with a mischievious smile and then she explained, "Now the bracelet will show a rainbow hue whenever he's listening~ He won't know, but you'll know. And don't worry, only you can see the rainbow hue, it'll appear normal to everyone else~ Useful, isn't it?" Tung Mei asked, fishing for praise.

Lei Xing showed a small smiled and nodded, "Most useful." 

Tung Mei beamed and smugly chuckled. Lei Xing studied her puppy-like demeanor, it was obvious she was trying to kiss up to her and so Lei Xing decided to use the opportunity and asked, "He's not a regular human, is he?"

Tung Mei blinked, hesitated and then said, "No."

"What is he then?"

Tung Mei lightly shrugged, "He's mostly just a bored old man." She said with a smile and then faced the other way, opened the window and focused her attention to the streets and the passing pedestrians. Clearly not wanting to talk anymore.

Lei Xing sighed and then went back to resting back and closing her eyes. She was also not in the mood for a conversation, as amusing as it was. And she was not someone to push someone when they clearly did not want to talk to her, especially not when they have been so helpful.

{...Helpful, if it works...Can't test it out until that sleepy old man wakes up...But this Tung Mei isn't too bad, effort counts...Unless she's fooling me too with a crap magic trick...Still can't believe I got played like that  >_