Taming Tyrants III

Arc 7: Royal Deceit (214)

After that little fight, Hong Cha tend to ignore Gu Zixing. She knew what he will say again. Gu Zixing will just reprimand her to keep a distance when it comes to Alexander. She will gladly do so if it was caused by jealousy but he is not green-eyed. Rather, it was all for Gu Jiaoyue. Speaking of which, she last saw her Prince Brother when she was thirteen, it was four years ago. He is stoic and maybe because he is part of the royal family, he guarded himself by suppressing his emotions. Thus, he acts very strange for her. He doesn't know how to show his concern for her or how to express his emotions, except for anger. He rarely smiles. She just doesn't know why the women around them will find his indifference very compelling.

For her, Gu Zixing is still better. He smiles in a comforting way, cheerful and often ongoing. She prefers him. But, it has been four years, she had almost forgotten how her Prince Brother looks like. She though remembered he is an indifferent handsome man. However, Gu Zixing will never get overshadowed in her heart. He will always be second to none.

"What's making you think so deep?" Alexander asked upon noticing her unmoving on her spot. They are overseeing the dried herbs outside and Hong Cha seems to be more preoccupied than usual.

"Sir Alex, did you ever like a girl? And that she likes you too?" Hong Cha can't help but question him. Alexander stopped and nodded.

"Why do you ask?" He gestured for her to stay under the shade of a tree. He followed after her as Hong Cha squatted down the ground and plucked dewy grasses.

"How did she make you like her back?" She mumbled her next question and it made Alexander laugh.

"What are they talking about?" Gu Zixing was keenly spying on them from the window of his room. He had recovered a bit but he doesn't know how to approach Hong Cha again. Moreover, after witnessing their interaction for a couple of times, Gu Zixing concluded she may be in love to Alexander. He really wants to strangle someone...

"Why is it you ask?" Alexander recovered from his laughter. No wonder she can't focus well, Gu Zixing has been in her head.

"Well... I'm not really Sir Gu's lover. He's only looking after me because he was tasked to. But I like him, I know he's not a bad person. So, I, I like him. Though I do, he doesn't seem to feel the same way to me. He had mentioned a lot of times that I'm like a sister to him. I don't want to stay as his sister." Hong Cha lowered her head further. "Just how can a girl make the boy they like to feel the same too? How did she do it to you?"

"It happens if it's meant." He sat down to be on the same height as her. Alexander gently ruffled her untied hair and gave her an enlightenment, "You can't force someone to like you back. It only happens if they wanted to. Do you really know what love is?"

"Isn't it attraction? Because, whenever I look at Sir Gu, I can't keep my eyes off him. I'm ashamed I'm becoming a pervert." Her words made Alexander chuckle. He lowered his hand and looked at her intently.

"Attraction is not love. Love happens when one deceives themselves for attention. You are seeking for his attention because maybe, by the time you met him, you were vulnerable and no one is there for you aside from him. Thus, you came to rely on him and slowly believed you like him. Then, you fall in love you can't go back." Alexander said which confused her a bit. He smiled faintly and leaned on the tree. "You see, I only came to understand this when I met this girl I love. I had no one with me. My father just died, my mother is away from our town, so there was only her to help me realize my dream. Soon enough, I found out I only want most her attention on me."

"I still don't get it." Hong Cha shook her head.

"An example, the romance books. Have you read one?" Seeing her nod, Alexander continued. "All the main characters in the book have a vulnerable side, specially women. When they are down, the male main character comes in rescue. With them being so lonely, they need the care and attention. The more they interact, the further they depend on each other. And soon, they get confused but in the end, they started believing they like one another. You may not understand now but when you get a little older, you will surely know."

"No, I get it." Hong Cha looked away, her head propped on her folded arms above her knees. "I deceived myself first. Then the other one gets affected if they also think the same."

"Don't get too down. Love is not always a bad thing." He stood up to proceed with their work. Hong Cha raised her head and a question popped in her head again.

"Sir Alex, where's your lover then?"

"... Sadly, she passed away years ago due to a plague. Still, I hadn't move on from her. I can never turn back." Alexander answered without facing her.

Hong Cha thought for a moment and asked once more, "Did you regret?"

"Regret always comes in the end. However, right now, I haven't regretted loving her, or missing her dearly."

"Sir Alex, you're still young. You can surely find someone." Hong Cha took a stand and smiled playfully. "But for me, Sir Gu is incomparable. Uhm, is there really no way to make him love me quick? Are there no medicines for it?"

"You little girl. Don't be impatient, ah." Alexander laughed at her silly questions.

"This can't go on. I must do something." Gu Zixing thought while eyeing at the two. But...

Does Hong Cha like Alexander because of his looks?

Hair like silk threads of gold, and eyes as pale as the sky blue horizon. Alexander is a foreign man with unique ravishing looks.

Gu Zixing suddenly felt downcast. He's no foreigner, and his brown eyes are common, his dark hair not too attractive like Alexander's.

"Why am I getting conscious with my looks? I'm a prince, I'm House Gu's heir! I'm definitely better than Alexander." He unhappily got back on the bed and frowned to himself. "Since when did I want her attention...?"