Chapter 93 - Promises Behind The Garden (3/3)

"Did you like that jade bracelet?" Yang Zheyan whispered, caressing Xiong Jingfei's hair. Imagining how the hairpin he designed would look on her. "I can get you a better one." 

She kept her arms around him, not wanting to let go. She missed the warmth she felt in his arms. In a quiet voice, she replied, "It's not about the value of the gift, but the meaning behind the gift given."

"Aren't you growing fast?" He laughed against her hair. Then brushed her hair strands away from her face, he said in a quieter voice, "It won't be long until we never need to part." 

While Yang Zheyan hairpin gift was already taking place. Xiong Jingfei began to think of a gift to give him. Her knowledge was mostly on medicine, herbs, and military information. She wasn't much use in other areas. 

She didn't learn embroidery like other noble ladies because Li Roulan wouldn't teach her. Her mother's side of the family was not the embroidery type, either. 

Then a loud cling was heard smashing against the stone wall opposite of them. Yang Zheyan pulled her closer and hid them in the shadow. Both of them became absolutely quiet until they felt it was safe again. They sneakily peered around the wall to see what that noise was all about. 

On the ground was the jaded white bracelet broken into many different pieces. You didn't need to be an expert to tell it was the one Feng Huan just gifted.

In the garden, Zhao Fan was the only person standing underneath the tree. The man was nowhere to be seen. He must have left during Yang Zheyan and her conversation. 

Zhao Fan coldly stared down at the broken pieces. She bent down and picked up the bigger pieces of the jade. Anything smaller, she used her foot to cover it up with the dirt. 

"Does he think this plain bracelet matches someone like me?" Zhao Fan sneered at the broken pieces she picked up. "Do I look like someone stupid enough to wait for you to get somewhere in life?"

"Miss!" Zhao Fan's right-hand maid loudly shouted, running towards her. "I heard a loud noise just now! Are you hurt anywhere?" 

"Stupid!" Zhao Fan glared at her and slapped her maid in the face. She hissed, "Why are you shouting so loud! Anyone nearby probably heard your annoying shouts." 

Her maid gripped onto her stinging left cheek, "M-miss... I was worried something happened to you." 

"Now, if I wasn't alright. Would I have the energy left to discipline you?" Zhao Fan pulled out a silk cloth and wiped the hand that touched her maid. 

The maid tried biting back her tears, but they fell. She forced herself to answer her master without crying, "N-no, Miss. I will remember your teaching for next time." 

"Hmph, do remember that for next time." Zhao Fan put the jade pieces into that piece of cloth and handed it over to her maid. "Go buy another bracelet that looks exactly like this one. Do you understand?" 

"Y-yes!" Zhao Fan's maid shakily took the silk cloth from Zhao Fan. Just as she was about to get up to do as her master ordered. 

"Wait!" Zhao Fan's chilling voice stopped her, "What are you going to tell others about that face of yours?" 

Her maid began trembling, "I-I fell down the stairs and hurt myself." 

"Good," Zhao Fan ruby red lips formed into a smirk. She gestured to her maid to move along now, "Go, find one before nightfall." 

"Yes!" 

The maid stood up and ran with the broken jade pieces tucked away in her sleeves. 

Xiong Jingfei watched everything unfold. Zhao Fan real self showing itself when she thinks others do not see. She can't believe that she actually felt happy for Feng Huan and Zhao Fan. Who knew Zhao Fan would trample his love for her like this. A real waste that he fell for someone like her. 

"Am I only worth a plain bracelet to you? I gave you one last chance, but all you gave me was a lousy promise and bracelet! I won't be waiting for you! " Zhao Fan began talking to herself and pounded her fist against the tree. 

Xiong Jingfei sighed, pitying this Feng Huan and the time he invested. She may not have seen his face, but his voice reflected his sincerity. He was not one to joke around. 

Zhao Fan slumped against the tree and cried, "In a few months, I will be married to someone more worthy than you. Can you bring me the happiness I need? That person promised to host the biggest and grandest wedding ever held."

What is the point of crying? Xiong Jingfei scolded Zhao Fan in her head. Obviously, his love for you is more than the one you returned. There is no way you will run off to marry another if you truly loved him. 

Yang Zheyan was getting this annoying feeling again after seeing Xiong Jingfei's scrunching up eyebrows. He could tell what she was thinking of, and even if she was pitying Feng Huan. That still means that she was thinking of another man. 

She backed away from watching Zhao Fan crying because it was no longer enjoyable. Zhao Fan will always be the Zhao Fan she knows. Just as she moved away, Zhao Fan began cursing her name. 

"Xiong Jingfei! Why do you always get better things? If not for your mother and father, a marriage agreement between you and Yang Zheyan will never happen!" Zhao Fan clenched the tree bark and peeled it off. "Why am I losing out to you? Your partner had to be someone who has wealth and status!" 

Oh? Xiong Jingfei doesn't know how her marriage arrangement has anything to do with Zhao Fan. However, she admits that without her parents. There wouldn't be any promises with the Yang family. 

Yang Zheyan narrowed his eyes. Does she really think she was a better fit than Xiong Jingfei? 

In the past eighteen years of his life, he never met someone to move his heart like Xiong Jingfei. He met a lot of beautiful and bewitching women along his journey. Never once did anyone catch his eyes like her. She was able to capture everything that was his. He didn't have any more space for anyone else to enter. 

"Do you think she has it to capture my attention?" Yang Zheyan asked, testing Xiong Jingfei's trust in him. He really wanted to get a jealous reaction out of her. 

"No, you wouldn't even look twice at someone like Zhao Fan." Xiong Jingfei answered right away. Surely not after witnessing this side of her.  

It was like she didn't think twice about his question. A smile was placed on Yang Zheyan's face. He pulled Xiong Jingfei away from Zhao Fan and turned her around. His fingers gripped her chin as he stared into her eyes, "Then who is that always makes me look more than twice?"

She felt her cheeks grow warmer with him inching closer, "That, I wouldn't know." 

"Then, should I mark the person so they won't ever forget?" Yang Zheyan teased as he drew closer to her lips. 

A loud crackle in the fire woke Xiong Jingfei from her flashback. She began fanning away the flame building up in her cheeks. Why would she be thinking of something like that at the crack of dawn! She hoped Feng Huan wouldn't see the difference in her face color with her veil on. 

"That bracelet I threw away. It wasn't even the one given by my friend." 

What? Xiong Jingfei stopped fanning herself. Was Feng Huan talking to her this whole time, and she didn't listen? Wait, he just said it wasn't the bracelet he gave her that day. Does he know? How?

This perked her curiosity, so she asked, "How do you know?" 

For the first time outside of his cold appearance, a sense of sadness was displayed openly. His throat and lung became sore as he said, "Inside the bracelet, there was an engravement with her and my friend's name." 

Xiong Jingfei gripped onto her dress with downcast eyes. Zhao Fan, you bought a replacement thinking he wouldn't know. 

"My friend knew it wasn't the same one the moment she returned it. It's just, he wasn't strong enough to throw it away." Feng Huan laughed, the kind to keep yourself from crying. "What a fool he is making out of himself." 

"I think your friend is strong." Xiong Jingfei stretched out her arms and legs. The sun was starting to show itself, so that means that others were bound to wake up soon. "The bracelet is gone now. Hmm, think of it as a lesson and time to have a fresh start with someone new."

Feng Huan was lost for words. When Xiong Jingfei mentioned a fresh start with someone new. She popped into his head. Maybe this was what Xu Song saw and warned him to not have any feelings for her. 

"Xiong Guang, I think it's best to postpone our training." Feng Huan said, turning his head away from her. "It is best to stay alert for the rest of the way." 

Xiong Jingfei was stunned Feng Huan proposed the idea first. That was the second thing she was about to get into for Xu Song's sake. She nodded her head, "I agree. Oh, by chance, do you have my ribbon?" 

"No," Feng Huan returned back to his emotionless voice. 

"It must have been blown away by now," Xiong Jingfei patted her hand to get rid of the dirt. She mumbled, "I only have a few too." 

Feng Huan watched as she walked back to the carriage. Once her figure disappeared inside, he took out the blue ribbon snagged by his armor. It was best to create a distance between them.