LEGEND OF THE GOLDEN TIGRESS

"A walk," Lu Yuanjun replied cooly.

"Then I"ll book a cab. Bye" she turned to leave taking her mobile phone from her purse.

"A walk will help in digestion. Otherwise, you"ll get fat. I know you ate more than me," his voice was not faltering as he spoke and he stood lazily with one of his hand in his pocket.

Although it have been almost a decade since both of them met, they didn"t feel distant as strangers. They had such close relations.h.i.+p back then.

" You..., " Li Xueman turned to look at him trying to control her rage," Haven"t grown up yet, huh? Still that nasty high schooler who only knows to... "

" Come on, let"s take a walk to my mother"s rose garden. You still love roses, right?" he held out his hand. He remembered most of her outfits she used to wear in the past would have roses, she loved rose scented perfumes and even wearing one now and if she did not bother him while visiting their home, she"d be helping his mother in the garden, with the roses.

Xueman felt her heart skip a beat looking at that man in front of her.

"He remembers that I love roses? After all these years?"

Under that bright lamp, his face looked like the sun itself, yet his gentle eyes felt like a breeze with no trade of harshness.

"He grew up to be more handsome than he used to be, right?"

Dangerous!

She couldn"t help but sigh. As long as she remembered, she loved him. Everything she did, she did to at least have a little time with him. And yet, he hated her and her every act felt like nagging. He always acted like a lover and yet it never meant anything to him. His words always felt ambiguous to her making her go wild with fantasies, but for him those were some plain words that meant not much, with no complicated meaning.

Everytime she gets her heart excited by his words and deeds, it"ll all turn to something so meaningless by his next word. He will bring her to heaven one second and can push her to h.e.l.l the next.

"I should stay away from him" her rational mind said but her legs followed her heart and was already closer to him.

He held out his hand to hold her hands but she patted it off, "I can walk by myself," she said trying to control her heart. There were many a times they walked hand in hand and she had wild theories of romance about it. But for him it was nothing more than a casual thing, not at all romantic.

"Fine!" he rolled his eyes, "What a shrewd!" he mumbled.

"It"s not like this would be the first time we walk holding hands anyway. Why is she acting weird? Well, her hands used to be so soft... I wonder how it feels now... " He was in his own thoughts.

As they entered the garden, a nice fragrance of rose entered their sense making the place more romantic. Both of them,with silence as their guide walked side by side through the stone pavement.

He walked to the side and plucked a Victor Hugo rose that had bloomed perfectly and held out to her.

Seeing the man of her heart in front of her with a single red rose in his hand, her heart almost jumped out of her chest and if it were a cartoon, one would have clearly seen her iris turned heart-shaped. She stood there frozen not knowing what to do.

"Xueman, don"t let your heart get swayed by him. This is not the first time he is doing romantic gestures. But it means nothing to him. He"ll be here now but when you want him near you, he"ll disappear. So be careful!" her mind rang an alarm in her head.

Yuanjun didn"t know why she stood still. He casually fixed the rose in her neatly made bun and it contrasted with her dark hair making her look adorable.

He really didn"t think that what he is doing is making her heart flutter. He felt like taking a walk with her and when he saw that rose, he wanted to give it to her.

His slender fingers accidentally grazed over her earlobe making her ears hot and the hotness spread to her neck and to her entire body. She felt week in her knees just by an accidental touch. But he didn"t notice that.

"You climbed that high to get to my room? And... You must have been really lucky to have survived that fall with just scratches... Just to find something on me" Yuanjun stood by the same trellis she climbed when she was young and looked at her with a playful smile, shaking his head.

She really tried this hard to get him! And she did!

"As Expected!" Xueman"s eyes filled with tears. "He just does all these things carelessly not even considering my feelings"

"Why are you doing this?" she asked, trying to be composed but her voice trembled as her throat felt heavy.

She believed he loved her previously too. But when she wanted him near her, he wasn"t there and left her alone. Regret! All she had was regret. And even now, he is still the same... Doing whatever he does without care, swaying her heart, yet not giving what she wants....

"No more!" she wanted to scream but her throat closed as her eyes filled with tears.

"What?" Yuanjun couldn"t understand what she meant but she looked hurt... So hurt. And it hurt his heart too, deeply, like a sharp stab from a dagger.

"Are you crying? Why?" he got to her in long strides and tried to hold her cheek but she turned, showing him her back. She didn"t want him to see her in tears.

" You really thought I climbed up this unstable trellis, getting p.r.i.c.ked up by thorns, squas.h.i.+ng three beautiful roses along the way, just to find something on you to tattle?"

Her voice that seemed like she was deeply hurt made his heart clench.

Why? She was like this at her father"s funeral! Why is she this hurt for a joke?

"I joked... Don"t cry..." his voice softened and he tried to look at her but she strode out of the garden.

He ran behind her and soon caught her. She couldn"t run that fast with her shorter legs and heels.

He tried to look at her but she turned her face away from him and he stopped trying. He didn"t know what he did wrong.

Out of habit, he pulled out a cigarette and lighted it. As he took a puff, he felt a burning glare at him to see her big eyes slightly red, the tip of her nose bright pink and her red lips pouting.

"Since when did you start smoking? If you want to die, go die by yourself. Don"t drag me with you. Do you know how harmful second hand smoking is? How dumb are you to...."

She started her lecturing, quoting the results of every study regarding the effects of smoking, like a Wikipedia page.

"This is the Li Xueman I know," he couldn"t help but smile silently before stubbing the cigarette and she while lecturing him, didn"t even realise that he had opened the door for her and put the seat belt on for her and sat by the driver"s seat and started driving after wearing his seat belt. She was still continuing her lecture.

Standing by the window of their bedroom, Lu Kong watched his youngest son opening the door for Li Xueman and he was surprised.

"Fourth and Manman, is there something we don"t know about?" he asked his wife who was putting away the kerchief she finished embroidering. She liked to embroider magpies in his kerchief, his tie and even in his pajamas. It"s like her mark she puts on him and he loved it.

" What do you mean "don"t know about"? Those two always had something going on between them," Tang WeiHua hurriedly ran to the window to take a peek but the car has already left the courtyard by then.

" Really? So why did he think she liked third, dear wife? " Lu Kong hugged his wife from behind around her waist and placed his chin on her shoulder.

"Third?" Weihua was surprised, "Whatever made him think that?"

"Hmm..." Lu Kong went silent for a while in deep thoughts.

"If only Junjun is not stupid, he"d have married Manman by now," she said with a sigh. "I just want our youngest son to be happy too"

"Don"t worry yourself dear," Lu Kong didn"t want his wife to worry and brought her to the bed and fixed the pillow for her.

"He will find love too. Only if he struggled hard to find the treasure, will he protect it well," he consoled his wife.

"Then husband, we didn"t even struggle. Our marriage was arranged by our elders. How did you know to treasure me? I don"t want my son to suffer. Manman is a good girl and suitable for our family. Our other daughter-in-laws like her too. It would be better if those two get together. I"ll be only relieved when all my children are happy, " she sniffed and Lu Kong wiped the corner of her eyes.

"You know, one day when we went for drinks together with Li Zhen, I almost promised Manman for our fourth and he was happy with that arrangement too? But it is not in our hands, is it?" he tucked his wife in and lied by her side.

"Weihua, we might not have struggled to get together but the moment I saw you on our wedding day, I felt like I"ve found my treasure after an entire lifetime of separation. And that"s why I treasured you every day of our forty years of marriage" he placed a kiss in her cheek making her blush.

Lu Kong smiled by her reaction, "What did you feel when you met me?"

"Me?" Weihua was blus.h.i.+ng and the wrinkles in her face were accentuated by her content smile and she was attractive, "I thought nothing much at first. You were handsome, smart and rich. But as days pa.s.sed, I saw your care for me and my heart gradually moved. And that day when our twins were born... I received news that you were in an accident and holding the baby in my hand, I wanted to die. That"s when I realised how much I"ve fallen for you. I"m glad you were fine.. "she teared up. Right now, she couldn"t imagine a single day without him.

" Ah, don"t cry. I won"t leave you that easily... " he hugged her and the old couple gradually fell asleep.

They didn"t know that many generations ago, this same couple gave birth to a daughter and the mother raised her alone for the sake of her husband"s family and to protect her daughter. And later that daughter made a wish to the Heavenly Emperor for her parents to have a good fulfilled life in their next life.

In the night sky, there were many stars s.h.i.+ning. There are myths among many that the stars in the sky are their ancestors watching down on them. How much truth is there to it?

Meanwhile,

The brothers have started to drink already. Xu Bixuan, wife of Lu Weizhe, returned after putting all the children to bed and pouring herself a gla.s.s of wine she sat beside her husband and he pulled her closer by his embrace. Leaning on his shoulders, she slowly sipped that nicely aged wine.

The children have all slept already after playing the whole evening and this is the time where they can be free.

Su Yuemeng, after tactfully making Gao Weiye wait for her, went in the room where her husband was and shook her head seeing him already with a gla.s.s of whisky. She couldn"t help but admire her husband who was thirty eight already and yet his charm was undeniable. In a neatly tailored grey suit and black leather shoes, he really looked his part as the Foreign Affairs Minister of their country. Many are astonished by his accomplishments in such an young age. But he s deserves it. He speaks twelve languages fluently and he has that charm and resourcefulness that is needed to be a politician.

"It"s no surprise there, is it?" she smiled, "After all, he used to be the Emperor"

He was laughing and teasing his younger brothers. He is only like this at home. At work he is a dragon, no one can oppose. He wasn"t this jovial before, in his previous life as she remembered.

Yeah, all of the three brothers and their wives, remembered their previous lives for some reason, six months ago. It was after one day after they all went for a date together, just the adults and the next morning each of them had their own story to tell. How or why, no one could guess. But all of them could remember that there is one person who connected them all,

MINGXIA!

All they could conclude was that their presence together especially those brothers whom Mingxia considered her brothers, being born together only meant that there is her influence or interference somehow.

Or could there be some more purpose to it..?

Well... Whatever!

She smiled seeing her husband waving his hand asking her to sit by his side.

May be since the environment he grew up changed with doting parents and loving brothers, his character developed into this jovial way, she guessed.

Anyhow, the love she has for him never reduced no matter how he is.

"Honey, shall we leave?" he asked her as she walked to his side. The way he looked at her never changed then or now. There will be admiration, pampering and gentleness all mixed in there with l.u.s.t.

"I thought we are staying here. Aren"t the kids asleep?" she asked raising her brows.

"They can sleep here and we"ll have the apartment for ourselves," he smiled suggestively and she slapped his shoulder playfully.

They cannot dump their kids with the in-laws all the time, can they?

"I"m taking Gao Weiye to the hospital now. I"ll get back to our apartment after her checkup then," she waved her hand and bent and kissed his lips and he wrapped his hand around her slender waist and pulled her to a deeper kiss.

"Eeew! Get a room guys! It is not attractive to see two old people kissing!" Lu WeiYuan sneered and WeiZhe glared at his little brother who is just five years younger than him.
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"Look who is salty!" he bit back. "He is acting this way because he is not getting his "some". Who asked him to make his wife pregnant then?"

Ming Lihan who just entered the room holding her protruding belly, saw one couple kissing deeply and the other in each others embrace.

"Ah, I really want to drink wine. But I can"t ," she said rubbing her belly and Lu WeiYuan who was glaring at his second brother, got up immediately and helped his wife to take a seat, hearing her voice. She is already nine months pregnant and the baby might arrive at anytime.

"I think I can start designing the wedding gown for our little Sister-in-law! You two got married in the gown I designed and I bet our younger sister will not object wearing my design either! " her voice shrilled out of excitement.

"Alright, alright! Calm down... Tell us what happened, patiently " her husband patted her back. "Don"t hurt yourself or the baby"

"I saw fourth bringing her to the Rose garden and he even gave her a red rose. Guess what! She accepted it!" she was so excited.

"Ah, that"s it?" the other"s enthusiasm dwindled.

"You know how many times our younger brother did something misleading? He is such a coward. Poor girl!" the second Lu brother sighed.

"Really?" Ming Lihan"s smile froze in her face.

"He thinks Manman is in love with me for some reason when I consider her my little sister," Lu WeiYuan sighed, " I feel bad for Yuanjun and want to tell him the truth but my big brothers aren"t letting me," he complained.

"Oh, they should figure it out by themselves," Ming Lihan answered. Her tone expressed more worry for her little brother and she didn"t even care that her husband is being misunderstood or there might be some truth to her little brother"s suspicions.

That"s how much they all loved this little brother of theirs. And they know their love is returned by him too.

"Lihan, go to sleep soon. And I"ll leave now, bye everyone. I need to know how much that Weiye knows, " Su Yuemeng waved to everyone and left.

"I"ll be waiting for you in our bed," Lu Weisheng waved his hand and she left sending a flying kiss to her husband.

Their relations.h.i.+p has always been harmonious. He visited a foreign dignitary in the hospital owned by her Su family and that"s when he first met her. Both of them had a good opinion about each other and soon after going on dates, they got their parents permission which was easy since both of their families were compatible and here they are... Twelve years of marriage and two children. Life is blissful!

"You are not going to rest?" Weisheng asked Ming Lihan and she shook her head, "I want to know what happened between those two"

Her interest in gossip was higher and she didn"t feel tired. So she decided to wait till Yuanjun returns. They needed to extract his story. In fact everyone had the same interest too and they decided to wait.

---

"Shall we go?" Su Yuemeng asked Gao Weiye who was staring out the window, gritting her teeth. The sound of the car engine was heard and Yuemeng could a.s.sume that Yuanjun is leaving with Manman only now.

"Oh, spare me of your fake concern," Weiye turned to look at Yuemeng with her expression devilish and Yuemeng sat on a single seater couch with her legs crossed and a gotchsmile in her lips.

"We both know I am not sick," Weiye continued.

"Oh?" Yuemeng raised her eyebrows, intrigued. It is always fun to watch evil unravel.

"Your att.i.tude towards me... It is not so good, is it?" Yuemeng smirked. It is a way to provoke Weiye by implying her lower status.

"Do you know, my husband will not appreciate you talking in this tone with me?"

"Your husband?" Weiye sneered and Yuemeng was surprised. It will only take a snap of a finger for them to destroy the Gao family and for the Lu family, it would only take the effort one would take to blink their eyes to wand the Gao family.

With what support is she this arrogant? Or is she still plain stupid? It should be the latter.

"He is just one of the sons of the Lus. Me... I am.. Was an Empress! What do you know?" Weiye looked down at Yuemeng with her chin up.

"Pfft!" Yuemeng could not hold back her laughter. "Was an Empress? When? Where?" she sneered. She really is stupid.

How could one"s previous life have any impact on this life?

"You...." Weiye fisted her hand, " You"ll see," she turned to leave.

" Gao family is not that strong and has literally no connections in this city. You even changed the Li name that still has clout. What gives you the right to be arrogant? Do you even know the power the Lu family holds or the respect the Li family holds?" Yuemeng didn"t even have the mood to smile anymore.

" Hmpf! Whatever! I will destroy that woman"s family. The Li family will be no more. My sister is the last and will be the last of the original Li line. Let that golden haired b*tch now my "sister" suffer for every injustices I suffered previously" Weiye picked up her purse and walked to the door.

" Was it fun living in the cold Palace, Chu Weiye? With no servants, losing your mind like a crazy person?" Yuemeng asked as she stood up from her seat and Weiye stood frozen.

She has the memories from the past too? Who is she then?

" That"s not being an Empress, is it? Being an Empress is like.... How Mingxia lived and me too. I was an Empress. And then I was the dowager Empress and when I died, I was buried with my husband, the Shengma Emperor of the Fire Kingdom" Yuemeng walked towards Weiye and seeing her looking pale, she was relieved.

But why does she think Manman is Mingxia"s reincarnation? She doesn"t have another incarnation as she mentioned.... Is she misunderstanding something? Whatever! Let her think what she wants.

"Then or now, Chu Weiye, you are nothing and you have no power against Mingxia!" Su Yuemeng shouted as Weiye slammed the door shut.

"Tell the security to not let this sc.u.m inside our premises anymore," she ordered the butler who stood by her side and he nodded.

He didn"t understand what they spoke, but this miss is very rude and made even the eldest daughter-in-law mad. She must not be a good person.

Su Yuemeng went back to the room her husband was in and gulping an entire gla.s.s of wine, sat beside her husband and hugged him by his waist.

"What did she say?" Weisheng"s voice emitted dangerous aura and she shook her head.

"I"ll deal with her. She is nothing. Don"t waste your energy for her"

"We should save the Li family. Yuanjun and Xueman should get together. Maybe that"s why we suddenly remembered the past. It is Mingxia"s way of saying... "I saved you before, now is your turn to repay me. Save my bloodline". Li Xueman is the last of the descendants of Mingxia and Lu Chenglei. I really think so" Yuemeng said and everyone"s gaze turned sharp.

It is possible!