Ting stood in place with his eyes closed. Darkness was all he could see but his ears were still listening to movements.
One....
Two....
Three....
.....
His brows burrow together. Wasn"t Liangcai"s lunch suppose to reach him by now? Or... can it be that he was punched so hard he died?
Feeling something is not right, he slowly open one eye and was dumbfounded.
"..."
Liangcai stood in the same spot, only difference was this time he had both his arms crossed over his chest. Acting like he didn"t Ting"s eye open, he nod his head.
"Now brothers! Get him!!"
*splaaaaaashhh!!!*
Ting: "..."
"Ahahahh—!!"
A bucket of ice cold water was poured on Ting, making him froze in place. Both his eyes open and he stare ahead of him loss of all words ever known to him.
Everyone burst into laughter. Jingxu looks at Ting and he shook his head.
Liangcai laughed so hard, he nearly fell but steadied himself. Clearing his throat, he walks up to Ting and headlocks him.
"Bro, did you honestly think I"d punch you over something so small? Haha!"
"....."
Ting"s expression held mix emotions of confusion and disbelief. He didn"t care that the water was freezing cold, he at this moment could put the pieces together.
Ye Fei walks up to Ting and Liangcai. Following behind him was Xie Yi. He laughs at how sorry Ting looked.
"Bro, even if you had doubted us, we could careless."
Xue Yi nods his head in agreement, "We"ve all been your shoes when we first came here."
Seeing Ting"s confused expression, Liangcai rubs the boy"s head and he laughs loudly.
"Here."
A sudden hand holding a towel appears in front of Ting. He takes the towel and turn his head to the person.
Jingxu sighed, "A simple thank you would be very generous."
Lowering his head, Ting faintly smiles, "Thanks."
Looking at the two boys, Liangcai laughs even more. He felt like he was watching a husband and wife quarrel about life.
Using the towel to dry his hair, Ting looks at each person standing beside him, "I"m really sorry for doubting everyone."
One of the older soldiers laughs and pats Ting on the back, "Sorry for what? We are brothers before we are soldiers. Things like this happen all the time."
Hearing these words, Ting lower his head more. He held in the urge to cry. He had really thought he was all alone, but now he understood.
He understood the reason why Yue Ling brought him here. Everyone here might have had different lives, but they all share one thing in common.
And that is, the feeling of wanting a family.
As he thought of this, he looks at everyone again. These people were strangers to him, yet, who would ever think that these strangers would end up being his brothers from now on...
Within time, everyone glance to one another. Thinking of foolish they must be looking right now, in a big roar all together, they laughed to their hearts content.
Some laughed until they cried, while others laughed until their stomach ached so much.
"It sure is lively today, did I miss out on something?"
"..."
A sudden angelic voice interrupts the laughing soldiers. Like a television put on mute, all heads turn in the direction of the voice.
Standing at the entrance was a tall woman. She stood gracefully and knew how to carry herself, except the aura around her made all the soldiers turn nervous.
Not because she was a beauty amongst beauty, but because her aura was on pair to their very great General Ji.
Jingxu sees the person and his eyes widen in surprise. He grinned foolishly and squeeze himself through as he runs to the person.
"Jie!!"
Yue Ling smiles at the sight of her brother. It was great to see him doing well and better.
Without any care of his own image, Jingxu hugs his older sister like a lost child finding his mother.
Ting: "....."
Liangcai: "...."
Ye Fei: "....."
Xue Yi: "....."
Everyone: "...."
Ignoring all the dumbfounded stares, Jingxu pulls away and stands next to Yue Ling.
"Jie, why are you here? Don"t you have work?"
"I took the day off." Yue Ling answered.
While she and Lu Tian were in the middle of their lunch date, Xu Long had called. She didn"t ask or know what happened, but Lu Tian had to rush to work.
When they left Rosewood Hotel, she asked to use his car. After dropping the man off at his company, she decided to come here.
Since her yeye"s birthday was around the corner, she wanted to make sure everything was properly prepare and secure.
She scan the faces of the soldiers then her eyes landed on Ting. Seeing how disheveled and wet he was, she coughs to hide her laugh.
"What happened to him?"
Jingxu looks at Ting and he laughs while scratching the back of his head, "We kind of poured water on him to wake him up."
Hearing the words, Ting"s cheek flush red in embarra.s.sment. He lightly nudge Ye Fei, "I"m going to go change."
"Mm mm." Ye Fei didn"t look at Ting but nod his head and wave his hand to shoo the boy away.
Ting turns around to leave, however, he didn"t forget to glance one more time at his savior. Without her, he would have been dead. Without her, he would have been alone.
A young soldier glance at Yue Ling and his brows furrow together. He"s been in the military for 2 years now, why is it that he"s never seen this woman before?
She even looks like the supermodel who suddenly retired and went back to living as a commoner....
Seeing this, Liangcai walks up to Yue Ling, he bows to her with respect then turns around. His figure covering her from view and his eyes glaring at the young soldier.
"Any weird thoughts, I will send you up the mountains to train for three months."
"..."
Ye Fei"s eyes narrow as he stare at Yue Ling. He touch his chin and ponder in thought as he felt Yue Ling looked very familiar.
Standing at the side, Xue Yi subconsciously touch the necklace around his neck. His thumb and index finger caressing the pendant. He couldn"t help but swore inside that he has seen her somewhere, but he can"t remember when or where....
Suddenly, his eyes shot open and his jaw dropped to the ground. He nudge Ye Fei when he finally remembers.
"Ye Fei, she"s... she"s—"
"Ah hah!!!"
Ye Fei snaps his finger and remembers. He smiles and walks up to Yue Ling.
"I know who you are! You"re Han Yue Ling! Am I right?"
Hearing this, all the soldiers" eyes lit up. Now that Ye Fei mentioned it, it is true. The woman standing in front of them is the famous supermodel who retired recently!
"She is Han Yue Ling!"
"Is today a special day we get to see our idol?!"
*smack!!!!*
"..."
Feeling a the sudden intense pain on the back of his head, Ye Fei turn his head to the person who smack his head, "Liangcai, what did I do?"
Liangcai glares at Ye Fei for being a big mouth, then to everyone else, "Don"t act like a bunch of idiot fans, she is our miss!"
"....."
Ye Fei"s jaw dropped to the ground including everyone else. Well, except for the older soldiers. They stood with straighten postures at the side like they were in formation. None had spoken out because they knew who Yue Ling was.
Xue Yi shook his head and sighed. He had tried to tell Ye Fei, but the guy never listens. Was it his fault Ye Fei got hit? Nope.
Used to the uproar of others finding out her ident.i.ty, Yue Ling smiles to the soldiers.
"It"s nice to know you all are familiar with me, but I"m just Han Yue Ling now."
Hearing this, everyone"s excitement turn into an uproar of pure joy. Never in their life would they ever think someone like Yue Ling to be their miss.
Everyone gathered around Yue Ling, but no one pushed or shoved. Questions and cheers echoed into the clear blue sky.
Seeing the googling eyes and excitement of the soldiers, Jingxu frown. It"s no wonder his older sister keeps a low profile, she must be tired of all the eyes she receives from people. How he feels sorry for the man who is brave enough to marry his sister....
"Achoo-"
In another part of Imperial, Lu Tian suddenly sneezed while walking to a room. He furrow his brows and rub his nose. Was someone talking ill about him?
"Boss, are you alright?"
Xu Long asks from behind. It wasn"t everyday that his boss sneezes, unless....
"Let"s go."
Lu Tian quickly orders his a.s.sistant. He knew that if allowed Xu Long to wonder more, the man"s imagination would roam too far into who knows what kind world.
And exactly as Lu Tian had thought, Xu Long"s head turned left and right. His movements were as if trying to see who is nearby and whether they were talking about his handsome boss. However, seeing no one, he frown and scratch his head.
The evil witch is gone with her evil spirits, so who could it be....?