Chapter 216 - At the night when the clock start to run (IV)

"You still have this?" Xiong Zhi murmured to Linfeng while looking at the brooch.

Linfeng looked down at the brooch pinned to his chest. He felt his cheeks warm up a bit.

"It's cute. And I think it did well as my personal brooch," he said. He had liked it at first glance when she first gave it to him. It had always reminded him of his first date with his Young Miss, his Zhi'er.

Xiong Zhi beamed at his words.

"I like the idea. Your personal brooch..." Xiong Zhi slowly uttered each word, making Linfeng self-conscious. Did she think he was weird saying those words?

Actually, Xiong Zhi was just teasing him a bit.

"Cough. Anyway. Congratulations, Zhi'er, Master Xiong finally acknowledged you as his heir. I am very happy for you." 

Xiong Zhi gazed up at Linfeng's sincere eyes with a smile. Since earlier during the party, the person she had wanted to share her happiness at this gift the most was with Linfeng. To her, his praise was the greatest encouragement to cheer her on.

"Thank you, Linfeng. Now that I'm one step nearer to my goal, my path is a lot clearer. I still have a long way to go, but I'm ready to face anything that would come my way." With all her preparations, giving her the official heir title was akin to putting wings on a tiger's back. She felt more confident, happier that everything was going well. It was a lot better than expected, though she knew that more enemies would appear soon.

However, she firmly believed that one day, she would be with Linfeng freely, proudly announcing their happiness to the world.

A breeze swept by after Xiong Zhi uttered those words. Her hair flowed freely with the wind, and a few locks brushed past her cheeks. Linfeng raised one hand and gently tucked her hair behind her ears. For a moment, Xiong Zhi thought she saw a glimpse of sadness in those gentle eyes. 

She felt unsettled for some reason by that look.

"What's the matter?" 

"Hmm?"

"Why do you look so sad?" Xiong Zhi did not want to see that look even just for a moment. She had seen too much of it in her past life.

Linfeng was caught off guard. Did he look sad? He did notice it.

"Perhaps… Maybe because I am worried that you will suffer a lot, just protecting your title alone." Linfeng smiled wryly. Being the main family line's young miss had already made Xiong Zhi a clear target for those greedy villains. Now that she was titled as the official heir, the most desirable position in the Xiong family, a lot more danger and threats surely would come to her. A lot of people would try to use her or gain her trust, and more people would scheme for her fall. 

Her life now was in greater danger. Thinking that his Young Miss would go through with all that made him worried. His hand gently rubbed her ears.

Xiong Zhi put her hand on top of Linfeng's hand on her ears and pressed her face against it lovingly.

"You don't have to worry about that. I am not that weak anymore. I've learned to be strong." Xiong Zhi said sincerely. She could see Linfeng's worries through his eyes.

"How strong?" Linfeng murmured reflexively, preoccupied with thoughts of Xiong Zhi's safety. If only he could carry that burden in her stead, he would willingly do so.

"Very strong. I will be strong. See?" Xiong Zhi, wanting to ease the atmosphere, playfully raised one arm and flexed her slender biceps. She did the action smoothly with a serious face.

Linfeng laughed at her non-existent muscles. His itchy hands wanted to pinch her nose again, but stopped mid-air when he remembered the redness he had caused earlier. So his hand changed its course and ended up touching her smooth rosy cheeks instead. The small face could easily fit into his one hand.

Xiong Zhi trembled at his warm caress, feeling the light calluses on his large palm brush against her skin.

Linfeng noticed this and reluctantly put down his hand. He had been a bit overboard in indulging himself tonight.

He distanced himself a bit from her. 

Linfeng admitted that he had been acting strange since earlier. It had been such a long time when he last seen her, and the overflowing longing in his heart made him reckless. He knew he was being reckless, but he still momentarily gave in to his instincts. He had touched his Young Miss intimately many times tonight, acting very impolitely. He had liked it. But would she?

Linfeng glanced at her. Xiong Zhi appeared to have not noticed his dilemma.

"And Linfeng, I will not be scared, because I have you by my side." She reached her hand out and caressed his cheek in return.

"I am not like I was before," she spoke with conviction.

It was Linfeng's turn to tremble. Her cold hand seemed to affect his senses as it sent shivers down his spine. But it was not uncomfortable. Her touch… left pleasant sensations to his skin. It felt wonderful. 

In the past two months, he had been thinking of her. How was she doing? What had she been eating these days? Had she been eating Lu Yin Ze's cheesecake? Was she teased by her friends? What would her expression be once she saw her Aunt Mai and Uncle Nuen Zai? Would she quickly realize the riddle from Litte Ryu? He had many questions and thoughts about her occupying his mind. 

Did admitting to himself that he liked her made him fall deeper for her?

Linfeng did not know that liking someone could make him long for their touch this much. He gave in to his urge once again. He pressed her cold hand to his face and leaned against it, his eyes narrowing in satisfaction.

He had missed her. He had missed her teasing every morning. That simple 'you look great' comment that had become her habit, made his day complete with it and incomplete without it.

After he no longer denied his feelings, he was becoming more obsessed with her presence. 

This rare sight of Linfeng acting like a cat was a feast to Xiong Zhi's eyes. She appreciatively stared as she repeated her words again.

"I am not afraid of anything since I have you by my side." As long as she had Linfeng, she could face anything. The scariest situation for her had already happened in her past life, when she lost Linfeng. In this lifetime, what she was scared of the most was Linfeng giving up on her and leaving her.

Linfeng, hearing her words, looked at those trusting eyes. He felt torn. He was happy and guilty at the same time. He did not know what to do with these feelings.

"Zhi'er."

"Hmm?"

"If… if I..." Linfeng hesitated. Yet he felt the need to ask this. He wanted to hear her answer, but at the same time, he was afraid of it.

"Go on," Xiong Zhi encouraged him.

Linfeng took a deep breath.

"If I become a villain in your eyes in the future. Would you hate me?" Linfeng was most afraid of when that time comes. He did not want Xiong Zhi to look at him with loathing. Just thinking about it and he could feel panic and fear rising from within.

"…"

Xiong Zhi eyes stayed on his face for a long time. Then, biting her lips, she threw herself at him, hugging him tightly, and burying her face in his chest. She knew. She knew what would happen. She hated it too. But that would be inevitable in the future. And no matter how much she racked her brain, it was the only way for her and Linfeng to grow. The only thing that they could do at that time was to trust their strong sentiments for each other.

"I am not ever going to hate you. No matter what," Xiong Zhi declared firmly as she hugged him. How could she hate him? That did not exist and would not ever exist in her dictionary.

"As long as you promise me that once you're done playing villain, you will come back to me." 

".."

Linfeng blanked out.

It took a moment for her words to completely register in his mind. Suddenly, a wave of surprise and joy hit Linfeng. 

Trembling, he took deep breaths. He had to forcefully calm himself.

"I'm glad to." The burden he was feeling in his chest disappeared slowly. Her understanding, as well as the words of promise she spoke of, invigorated him. He could move without restraint now. Even if the world came to hate him for what was about to happen, as long as his Young Miss, his Zhi'er, understood him, that was the only thing that mattered.

He no longer cared for recklessness and restraint. He drowned himself in this fleeting moment, wrapping his arms around her tightly, inhaling her scent.

They hugged for a while. One was greedily savoring the moment as they had never done this in the past, the other was enjoying it until the time for separation came.

Thud. Thud.

Linfeng's trained sharp ears suddenly heard footsteps coming near.

His eyes flashed. He had prepared for everything so that no one would come here. Still coming here despite all that, Linfeng got the notion of who it was. He whispered to Xiong Zhi's ear. 

"Someone is coming. Let's hide for a while."

Xiong Zhi nodded.

A few seconds later, Butler Zhou Min walked into the East Wing Garden.

He looked around for a while. 

Moments later, the sound of a ringing phone made him stop. He picked up the call.

"Yes, Master. I am on my way." 

He glanced one more time at the seemingly empty garden. After confirming something, he sighed.

As he turned back to leave, he imperceptibly gestured something with his hands.

Linfeng, who was watching him in the distance, saw it.

After Butler Zhou was out of sight, Linfeng looked back to Xiong Zhi. 

"My father almost sniffed me out," he said jokingly. However, Xiong Zhi had a rather solemn face on. She looked back at him, feeling a bit sorry. 

"In the future, we won't hide like this." 

Linfeng's smile halted. He was suddenly feeling embarrassed.

He gently held Xiong Zhi's hand. 

"I should be the one promising you that. In the future, we definitely won't need to hide," Linfeng swore with his heart on the line. 

Beep. Beep. Linfeng turned off the alarm quickly.

It was now midnight. Sadly, their time was so short.

He then reached into his pocket and pulled out a rectangular box.

He needed to give his gift to her now and leave straight away. The gesture that his father had shown to him was precisely that—'leave immediately.'

Linfeng clenched his hand that was holding the box.