Chapter 17

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"Today this lord will treat you." Li Zhi Ming insisted while they went inside the restaurant.

Xu Ling Ai got so embarrassed when he accidentally found out that she got no money. She was literally salivating over foods and he happen to see it.

So when he invite her to a restaurant, she refuse by saying that she is full. But her stomach betrayed her by making hungry sounds.

"Next time I will treat you. I promise." It was not easy to accept Xiao Zhan's invitation as she got rules to follow.

She wanted to shake his hands. But she couldn't. Even in the fangirling things, we got rule.

Never touch your idol without his or her permission. Never overstep the boundaries between an idol and a fan.

But this time it is okay. She could use the card of being his sister in law even though she don't want to be regard as his sister in law.

"Sure." Li Zhi Ming then order some dishes. He was totally clueless why Xu Ling Ai once again look at him.

Whenever Li Zhi Ming look at her, she will pretend like she is just a normal girl. But when he look somewhere else, she would literally drool over him.

"What would you like to eat?" His question snapped her out of her fangirl thoughts.

"I will eat what you eat. I don't mind anything." Xu Ling Ai fear that she will get caught staring at him.

"How is your married life?" Li Zhi Ming suddenly asked her the question that she wanted to avoid the most.

"Just fine. I mean it's good of course." Even though she is not close to Li Zhao, she still feel the responsibility on taking care of his image.

"I know Second Brother might be hard to talk to. But he is actually not that bad." Li Zhi Ming knew his brother well.

He and Li Zhao don't really talk to each other but Li Zhi Ming know him because they have been staying together when they are a child.

This is the first time Li Zhao actually talked to a lady. Don't talk about living with a woman. His second brother don't even cast an eye on ladies.

"Sure. But he is just so annoying. At first, he is kind and then suddenly he turned cold. I keep wondering if he got bipolar disorder." Xu Ling Ai expresse her frustration with frowning visible on her face.

After their last visitation to Xu Ling Ai's house, Li Zhao had turned back to his normal cold self. Even when he accidentally meet Xu Ling Ai, he just walked passed by her.

Xu Ling Ai wanted to greet him but when she saw his distancing treatment is back, she got no choice but to do the same to him. He seems wanted nothing to do with her.

"Bi- what? Do you really live in the country side? Cause sometimes I can't quite catch your words." It is Li Zhi Ming turns to feel confused by her words.

"Of course! I live deep in the forest there so my language is a bit different from you." Xu Ling Ai panicking while trying to cover her mistakes with unlogic reason.

Fortunately, their food finally arrived. So Li Zhi Ming couldn't ask any further. Xu Ling Ai quickly pick up her chopsticks and shoves food in her mouth.

"Slow down. No one is going to steal your food." He chuckle at her full cheeks.

Xu Ling Ai only smile at him. The nervousness sitting with her favourite one had lessen up. She started to get comfortable.

Both of them eat in silence and comfortable. But a conversation on the next table attracted Xu Ling Ai's attention.

"His Majesty still did not give any decision about Duke Su's position as the general. People keep pushing him to step down." Her ears perk up when she heard their next table mention Second Prince.

This matter still hasn't go down. It might not as hot as before but still there. Li Zhao was right about let them talk until they shut their mouth on its own. However, this time it was Xu Ling Ai who accidentally heard it.

"But he definitely deserves it. How could he abuse his own consort even though he don't like her? His Highness should have fight the royal decree if he really doesn't want to get marry." The man replied in a very disapproval tone.

"What are they talking about? Li Zhao abuse his wife? But I am his wife? Right? Or he got another wife?" Xu Ling Ai muttered to herself.

"How did you manage to stay calm despite all of those rumour?" Li Zhi Ming suddenly speak when he saw Xu Ling Ai stay silent despite hearing the conversation about herself.

"What rumour?" She ask dead serious. Confusion plastered all over her face.

"About you and Second Brother." He casually said while slurping some noodles.

"Me and Li Zhao?" It was supposed to be on her mind not spoken out loud.

"You call Second Brother by his name? You are indeed brave." Li Zhi Ming smirked at Xu Ling Ai.

"Of course not. I wouldn't dare! But that's not the real problem. I want to know what is this about? Me and His Highness? What rumour?" She was very impatient.

"Rumour about you trying to suicide due to Second Brother has spread widely in Luoyang. Also he use violence on you" Li Zhi Ming shortly explain.

"Oh lord! This is so embarrassing! I did not! I only jump into the river because of some personal matter." Xu Ling Ai face palming herself. This matter again!

"So you did try to? Is it because of Second Brother?" Li Zhi Ming finally turn serious.

As far as he know his second brother did not hit a lady. But when Xu Ling Ai confirmed that she actually jump into a river surprise him.

He don't want to believe that his brother did something to a woman. Li Zhi Ming trust that he wouldn't do something so low.

"No! He got nothing to do with it! It happened before I marry him." She firmly denied it. Why would they relate him to her problem?

Li Zhi Ming finally be able to breath at ease. He was afraid that the old past will repeat again. The reason why everyone hate Li Zhao.

"Then it's fine."

"What's good? This is wrong! They're getting a very wrong picture of His Highness! He did not hit me. Why didn't he took any action?" Even though they are not in a good relationship like others couple but still she couldn't let anyone get the wrong idea because of her big mouth.

It was her fault that she accidentally said it in front of everyone. But why would they twist her words? Now he is the one who get punished by wrong accusations.

"Second brother is used to it. But this time it is a bit too much that they wanted him to step down from his post as general."

"What do you mean used to it? Did things like this happen a lot before? But why?" She just couldn't understand Li Zhao's personality.

Li Zhi Ming only nodded not wanting to talk further about it. It is not his place to tell her.

Xu Ling Ai and Li Zhi Ming end their conversation and head back immediately. She will ask Li Zhao to solve this whole misunderstanding things.

P.S.
She finally know about the rumours. What will she do?

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Thanks! 💖 - R

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