Taming Tyrants III

Arc 7: Royal Deceit (207)

"You can't read that!" Gu Zixing's reaction was too late. He hastily stood up and strode to the bed, attempting to take the book from her hands. Hong Cha was able to bend down and not let him have it. She can see the embarrassment from his face. The thought of teasing him recurred in her mind.

"I can't, but you can? Sir Gu, I didn't know you have a secret hobby." Hong Cha continued and playfully grinned. Gu Zixing still tried to snatch it but she kept moving away.

"I wasn't reading that! It's Zhan Maio's!" He defended. He was brought up strictly, he didn't even grow curious what the forbidden book has but Zhan Miao dared to leave it behind!

Gu Zixing can't take the book with how she moved about. He held her wrists and pinned her down. Hong Cha dropped the book on the foot of the bed and it opened. They both paused to see a position where the man is behind and the woman is under him, her back facing him and he was holding her wrist on the sheets. Hong Cha shyly looked up to him since they were in the same position. Gu Zixing have no idea what to say, he was frustrated with her antics, he was no less ashamed as her. His feelings mixed and knotted his voice down.

"Hey, Xiaoyuan, what..." Zhan Miao lifted the curtain and was met with this scene, along with the book portraying their posture. "What the hell?!"

Gu Zixing opened his mouth to explain but his brain didn't function fast for an excuse. Suddenly, Hong Cha grunted beneath him.

"Commander, you're heavy." She glanced upwards with a blushing face. Gu Zixing was like pricked with needles, he nearly jumped off the bed as Hong Cha sat up. "Senior Zhan, what made you come here?"

"Xiaoyuan, are you really..." Zhan Miao ignored her question and faced Gu Zixing. This time, Gu Zixing covered his face with his hand to hide his thoughts.

"That, uhm..." If he says no, Zhan Miao won't believe him. The only way to clear this misunderstanding is that he exposed Hong Cha's real identity. However, if he does that, he is sure Zhan Miao will ask more questions until it leads to them being cornered. Worse, he will have to tell Zhan Miao he is a prince of Tian, the neighboring kingdom of the northern regimen, an enemy that infiltrated their troops. Bearing the shame, he stuttered, "I, Buddha... I like Young Song."

Zhan Miao's eyes cant be more wider while Hong Cha gasped in disbelief. She quickly covered her mouth and stifled her laughter. He just admitted he is gay, ah. She should at least help him save some face.

"Senior Zhan, I'm the one who's gay. Commander Nian is straight, believe me." Hong Cha acted guilty and occasionally pressed her fingertips, avoiding Zhan Miao's prying glares too.

"So the rumors are true." He crossed his arms and sighed in dismay. Zhan Miao despised this sort of relationship but he can do nothing if it was his old friend. "I will keep this a secret but you two, work this out and Xiaoyuan, don't let this matter cost you your military position."

Hong Cha nodded obediently with a cat-like smile but Gu Zixing's face was distorted the whole time. Once Zhan Miao left, Hong Cha cant hold it and bursted in a laughter.

"Don't worry, Sir Gu. We both know I'm a girl so they are the one's naive." Hong Cha tried to coax him, he just look so depraved. She picked the book and closed it before handing it to Gu Zixing.

"Miss Hong, please behave." He wryly smiled in turn. Gu Zixing took the book and firmly made a decision to burn it. He had seen enough.

Hong Cha stared at his countenance in awe. Though his brows are furrowed, his lips tugged down in dissatisfaction and his eyes contained complicated emotions, she must admit, he looks adorable.

"Sir Gu, you don't have a concubine, bed servant or wife, do you?"

"None." Gu Zixing simply answered. He is unaware Hong Cha had removed her makeup and approached him.

"Why? Are you not attracted to girls?" She curiously asked. Why is he so reserved? Why won't he be attracted to her?

"I guess." He stopped after hiding the red book in the desk's compartment. Since young, he was never moved with the prim daughters of high ranking ministers, or the innocent pretty little maidservants, or those girls with a strong personality like his master's daughter. None of them got his attention.

"Well, am I not beautiful enough?" Hong Cha thought of playing around and faintly traced her index finger on his arm, feeling the strong and tough muscle underneath.

"Stop joking." Gu Zixing faced her and held her unruly hands. He received a lovely bright smile from Hong Cha. Gu Zixing was stunned since it has been so long when he last saw her natural face. She looks very pretty, in truth. He also wonders if she is real human with her slender figure and seductive face. Which man who can marry her will surely be the proudest.

"Sir Gu, am I not that beautiful?" She repeated, tilting her head a bit. With a blink, her long lashes brushed past her porcelain cheeks, her round amber eyes coquettish towards him. Gu Zixing was struck with her beauty trap but he quickly recovered.

"Miss Hong is beautiful. But, a face like yours can bring trouble." Gu Zixing reminded her she is a catastrophic beauty, someone that can arouse danger from other men.

"Do I have to worry? You're here to protect me!" Hong Cha secretly ridiculed what he said and hugged him. This caught Gu Zixing off guard. She didn't mind his astonishment and gently rubbed her face on his chest. Hong Cha felt an unknown satisfaction feeling his warmth and sensing his cool fragrance. She does feel secured around him. "Sir Gu, will you be there to protect me?"

He hesitated on what to answer. Gu Zixing raised his arms and embraced her back. "I'll try, but first, you stop teasing me."

"Teasing? How?" She looked up with clear sparkling eyes though her other hand moved about his belt. Gu Zixing's lip twitched a bit.

"Your hand..."

"You're really cute!" She grinned and unexpectedly tiptoed to kiss his cheek. Gu Zixing froze on his place and by the time he recovered, Hong Cha had run off.

"I'm...cute?" He blankly asked. No girl ever dared to say he was cute or handsome with his presence. She's...she's really bold. It kept surprising him and taking him aback. "Cute, huh. How cute am I to her?"