Taming Tyrants III

Arc 7: Royal Deceit (216)

Hong Cha can't remove what she saw. She even had the thought Gu Zixing isn't really interested with women, but men! What should she do? What can she do? If he likes Alexander, then that's the end of her. He can't be his because he's after a man! Does he hate girls? Does he hate whatever she has? How can she know? How should she know? She can't think!

"Miss Hong." Gu Zixing caused her to flinch. Hong Cha froze before slowly facing him.

"Hey..." She doesn't know how to respond properly. They were locked in awkward silence when they heard the door open. Both of them looked at Alexander who is trying to leave.

"Uh... Kong is eating the dried herbs outside, you two make up-, I mean, clean this place." Alexander hurriedly left and closed the door. Kong flew to his shoulder and looked at him accusingly. "What? I have to leave, they need privacy."

"He's right. We should clean, I still have to cook." Hong Cha turned her back, not able to see Gu Zixing's expression change. She tried to focus on the task, taking a towel on the side and wiping the table when Gu Zixing held her hand. Hong Cha held her gasp.

"Miss Hong, I..." Gu Zixing hesitated but seeing her look at him intently, he held her hand tighter. "It's my wrong for pushing you around. I was just paranoid, en. I didn't mean to insult you, I was just thinking, you are the one for Jiaoyue. I thought it would be better too if you stay reserved for him. Sorry..."

Gu Zixing became nervous when she said nothing. After a moment, Hong Cha covered her mouth and stopped her laughter.

"Sir Gu, why do you sound like my mother?" She laughingly asked. Without a word, Hong Cha hugged him which stunned Gu Zixing. "Oh, Sir Gu, don't be so hard on yourself. I'm not that bad not to forgive you!"

Gu Zixing sighed and cautiously embraced her too. "So, we're good?"

"Nope."

"Huh? But I thought-"

"Sir Gu, you should know, I'm a girl." Hong Cha tittered and let go. She raised her three fingers for him to see. "I forgive you, but you owe me three conditions!"

"Damn, Old White was right." Gu Zixing thought. "Alright, so what are they?"

"Hm... I haven't thought of it yet. My first condition, you can't call me formally." Hong Cha added. She only wanted to take advantage of him, ah.

"Then what can I call you?"

Hong Cha became silent. She thought of it and an idea came in her head, "Camellia."

"Kah, what?" His brows furrowed in confusion. Is this one of Alexander's strange voodoo language?

"Camellia. You are the only person I allow to call me casually by my English name, Camellia." Hong Cha smiled brightly. Her happiness caused Gu Zixing to surrender.

"Camellia." He called gently. Hong Cha was stunned but she quickly recovered.

"Gu Zixing." She cheerfully said but she noticed his expression is not good. "Oh, sorry, sorry. You, uhm, you're a second rank prince. I shouldn't have-"

"No, it's fine." Gu Zixing chuckled. She reminds him of someone. When they discovered he is a prince, they will quickly formally address him due to fear. He got tired being called 'your highness' and 'Prince Yun'. Those words are heavy for him. He have to act perfectly because every time they refer to him formally, he represents the royal family. This made him wonder once, what would it be like to be a nobody?

"Gu Zixing, Gu Zixing." Hong Cha chanted. Gu Zixing smiled and ruffled her hair.

"Are you slandering my name or what?"

"Slander? Even if I use your name in a horrible sentence, it would stand out! Your name is just like you, beautiful." Hong Cha's tone changed from playful to soft. She looked at Gu Zixing and helped cleaning the table. "I'll teach you how to cook. If you want. You're a prince so you wouldn't need anyone to do that..."

"Well, Alexander is a quack, maybe you can be a better teacher?" Gu Zixing turned to Hong Cha. She faced Gu Zixing and nodded happily. It made him sigh in his heart. She's still the same. He didn't lose her.

Once Gu Zixing recovered, they bid their farewell to Kong and Alexander. He is fine on his own and will soon return to House Gu. Without any more worries, Gu Zixing left with Hong Cha.

It was dark. The moonlight shone over the eerie forest. Hong Cha stood there with her heart beating loudly. She felt the fear of death freezing her body. That's when someone shouted her name and pushed her to a ridge. Hong Cha stumbled upon the bushes. She looked up to see her brother running above the ridge. It was him who pushed her and there are armored people coming after him. Hong Cha was terrified but what scared her the most was to hear her brother scream in pain, then there was silence. Her grief added up to hear those armored men laugh at his death. She became so afraid she hid behind a bush till dawn.

The first ray of sunlight made her look up. Hong Cha awakened from her dream. The sunlight brimming brightly over her face. She found herself in a new room. She came to recall they arrived in a town closer to the capital city and Gu Zixing booked a room for each of them in an inn.

They had traveled so far. The journey is about to end...