When Dong Fang Tang pushed the carved wooden door opened, he saw his younger sister who was supposed to be resting in bed, sitting up and it looks like she had waited for a long time.
"Third Elder Brother, you will not be taking me away, right?"
Hai Yao was able to know who was approaching by judging his footsteps and also was able to guess his decision. Or it should be said, from the very beginning when he knew she had been properly taken care of here, her Third Elder Brother did not plan to take her away.
"Younger Sister, you have always been smart and clever. If you have already guessed my decision then you should also know the reason."
Dong Fang Tang slowly came to her side, sat down and his hands caressed her pale, thin small face. Dressed in man"s clothes, she looked heroic, handsome and charming. Dressed in woman"s clothes, she looked refined and delicate and coupled with her fragility at the moment, she is delicate and gentle like a daffodil. She looked so pitiful, it is no wonder someone"s heart ached and felt distressed for her.
"Why do you feel so at ease in leaving me with him? What did Eldest Brother say?"
She must find out whether this was her Eldest Brother"s decision.
"Eldest Brother had said, if you are well taken care of here, then I"ve to let you continue to stay. No place else is better than with Long Hao Tian who is personally protecting you himself."
He is really worthy of being their Eldest Brother for being able to antic.i.p.ate taking this step. Indeed, with his younger sister faking her death, they must not expose any flaws. In addition, now she is seriously injured, she urgently needs a safe and secret place to heal. Under Long Hao Tian"s protection, even if the truth is exposed, he believes that if Long Hao Tian is willing, he will be able to protect her.
"Is this our Dong Fang Family"s deep brotherhood affection?"
She coldly sneered. There was resentment in her words. No one had even asked about her wishes. At least, they should have respected her as she was the one concerned, right?
"Younger sister, forgive us elder brothers for our selfishness. Stay here obediently to nurse your health."
Dong Fang Tang smiled to appease her and understood her dissatisfaction.
"Since all three of my elder brothers have decided for me, what can someone like me who has no strength, do now?" She mocked and said in a huff.
"Third Elder Brother has to leave. After a month, I"ll come back to check on your injuries. You can"t sit here for too long. You should lie down on the bed."
Dong Fang Tang gently lifted her by her waist and strode in big steps towards the bed. He placed her on the bed, helped her to lie down but was prevented by her delicate hands.
"Third Elder Brother, I and Long Hao Tian, do we really have a marriage agreement?"
For every day this matter is not cleared up, every day she would not be at ease.
"Regarding this matter, you have to ask Eldest Brother yourself. But is this very important? When did Dong Fang Family ever take a marriage agreement seriously? It only depends on whether you agree with it or not."
The father of these four brothers and sister had selected three wives for his three sons long before he had pa.s.sed away. It was stated that before they reach the age of twenty-five, if anyone came forward with a silver bracelet engraved with his name, the brother had to fulfill the promise and get married. But if they had pa.s.sed the age of twenty-five, the marriage contract would automatically be void.
Dong Fang Tang had initially thought his younger sister was the only one who was able to escape from these ridiculous marriage agreements but did not expect she could not escape this fate.
Hai Yao lowered her head and thought for a long time before she raised her head to seek a.s.surance from him.
"In the end, if I choose not to marry, will all my three brothers ignore me and leave me here?"
On hearing this, Dong Fang Tang laughed out loudly. Obviously, this time in her heart, she harbored dissatisfaction for her three brothers because he had refused to take her away from here.
"Don"t worry. You are our only sister. How can we as elder brothers abandon and ignore you?"
Dong Fang Tang pulled her into his arms to comfort her and stroked her black silky hair while he smiled lovingly.
"Is it? Let me remind you, my Third Elder Brother. This is the second time you have abandoned me."
Hai Yao weakly rebuked him. Such nice sounding words! Does he think I am still a three-year-old, so easy to deceive?
"Little sister, as you grow older, you have become less cute. Especially ever since you became Jade Face Hunter." He sighed and said to her.
After his younger sister had grown up, she had become smarter. He really missed the time when she was small, the young sister who had always followed behind the three of them clamoring to be carried.
"Dong Fang Tang, isn"t it time for you to leave?"
Long Hao Tian narrowed his dark eyes as he pushed the door open and entered. Again he saw the brother and sister hugging each other. The feelings between the two brother and sister were extremely good, so good that it made him jealous.
"I"m leaving. I"ve to trouble w.a.n.g-Ye to take good care of my sister."
Dong Fang Tang looked mischievously at the jealous expression on someone"s face. He got up and stepped away from the bed. As he brushed past Long Hao Tian, he clearly saw Long Hao Tian carrying a bowl of Jadeite Wonton in his hand. When he left, his lips curved into a meaningful deep smile.
"Third Elder Brother......" Hai Yao lightly called out, reluctant to let him go.
"He"s gone." The tall figure sat down by the side of the bed. He felt displeased when he saw her desolate expression.
"Open your mouth. You have not eaten much all day. If you carry on like this, your physical strength will deteriorate."
Hai Yao was too lazy to argue with him and opened her mouth. Instantly she was fed with a similar aroma, her eyebrows wrinkled, this..........
She was unable to hide her surprise and while her heart going through numerous emotions, the bowl of Jadeite wonton was finished. She did not want to evade anymore.
"Long Hao Tian, what kind of att.i.tude do you have towards me? Is it "want" or love?"
He put down the empty bowl in his hands and his fiery dark eyes watched her sightless eyes. His big hand lightly stroked her delicate, soft face and his deep low voice containing deep emotions sounded.
"At first, it was "want". I wanted the world famous Jade Face Hunter"s exquisite beauty to belong solely to me alone. Until the moment, you fell off the cliff and your life or death unknown, then only did I realized that as early as the night of the full moon, in the hot spring pool, you have already left your mark in my heart. That"s right, I have fallen in love with you, Dong Fang Hai Yao. Regardless of my ident.i.ty or my pride, I will not accept any rejection from you. In this life, you are destined never to be able to escape from me."
His declaration was arrogant, fierce, direct, not accepting any rejection, straight to the heart, was nothing but the views of the highly regarded Jing w.a.n.g. However, it is time someone teaches him that it is not enough for him to only firmly believe in his own feelings.
Hai Yao"s pink lips curved upwards. Since she could not escape from here, then she would have to face it.
"I don"t know how I feel about you but since now I can"t escape, I will set a deadline for myself. If before my injuries recover, you are able to make me fall in love with you then I"ll be willing to be your Jing w.a.n.g-Fei. If I still can"t fall in love with you then you will have to let me go. You will not make it difficult for me or any member of my Dong Fang Family. Jing w.a.n.g, are you willing to accept this challenge?"
In actual fact, she is giving both of them a chance and also stopping herself from all thoughts of escape.
There was an unpredictable smile on Long Hao Tian"s face. He stared at her black eyes and saw a crafty expression on her face. She had laid out her plans so meticulously thinking he did not know. On the surface, she was willing to accept his feelings but in reality, she was arranging for her own retreat. That is a good move, Dong Fang Hai Yao!
"I accept."
As the words were spoken, his lips and tongue caught her pink lips at the same time. His tall figure pressed down on her soft delicate body and in the depths of his dark eyes, a feeling of possessiveness rose within him.
It was alright. If this can help to relax her wariness temporarily, he did not mind playing a game with her but he will let her know, regardless of the outcome, she would never escape from him. Except for being in his embrace, she will never be able to go anywhere else.
***#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#***
Hai Yao was awakened by an unusual rhythm. Opening her sleepy eyes, she felt herself leaning into a broad chest and a pair of iron arms were gripping her firmly. Suddenly her mind cleared up.
"Where are you taking me?"
At this moment, the two of them were sitting in a carriage and the swaying of the carriage had woke her up. Why was it that the moment she woke up, she was in a carriage? And this man did not even mention anything about this before.
"I have news from the palace and it was imperative that I return to the palace."
His handsome face was placed next to her temple and he mumbled into her ear. His big hand stroked her silky black hair. Fortunately, her recovery had progressed well therefore, she was able to withstand the b.u.mpy journey.
"What about the two brothers, Zhang Zhen and Zhang Sheng?"
"I"ve arranged for someone to send them back to Long Feng Restaurant."
This was to avoid allowing the two brothers be a hindrance. He wanted her to concentrate on nursing her health and on him only. The two rascals were really eyesores.
Knowing that the two brothers were safe, she felt relieved. She closed her eyes and rested her head in the curve of his neck and no longer spoke.
Suddenly the carriage slowly stopped. Liu Yong opened the curtains, stretched his neck and whispered.
"w.a.n.g-Ye, we have reached the Inn."
Long Hao Tian nodded his head. He picked up the person in his arms and turned her face inwards facing him. He did not want anyone to see her exquisite beauty. He followed the shopkeeper to a quiet reserved room and waited until all the dishes were served before he released the person in his arms.
"Eat something and rest for a while. We still have to continue our journey."
He personally picked up some food and fed her a few mouthfuls before he started to eat. His black eyes watched her tenderly, made sure the food in her mouth was swallowed before he started to feed her again. It seems he took tremendous pleasure in personally serving her.
"What had happened in the palace to make you so anxious to rush back to the palace?" She asked curiously.
"It"s nothing. I can handle the matter myself. You don"t have to worry. Just concentrate on nursing your body back to health."
Again he fed her a spoonful of chicken soup and her smile deepened. Could it be she was starting to care for him?
Suddenly the paper door of the reserved room was pushed open. Liu Yong walked in and whispered a few words into Long Hao Tian"s ear, then his handsome face abruptly sank. He put a bowl of hot soup between Hai Yao"s hands and in her ear, he reminded her and gave her a warning.
"I have to go out for a while. Drink the chicken soup. I"ll be back right away. You should know the present condition of your body. Obediently eat your meal and don"t try to take this opportunity to escape."
After they left, a while later, the paper door was pushed open again and a burly figure entered.
"Shi-mei?"
"Shi-xiong....."
Hai Yao was startled and felt surprised. She put down the bowl of soup in her hands and groped towards the direction of the sound.
"I came to take you away."
Cheng Gang stared at his Shi-mei whom he had always pampered and his heart ached to see her in this condition. He felt so sad that he did not know what to say.
Just now, he was sitting in a corner of the Inn and saw Long Hao Tian entered carrying someone in his arms. By looking at the back view, he already knew the person was his Shi-mei. He did not know how his Shi-mei had landed in the hands of Long Hao Tian because he had clearly heard Dong Fang Ling said Shi-mei was recuperating in Ming Yue Villa. So he had come to the conclusion that Long Hao Tian must have captured her. So he took the opportunity when the local county magistrate is here to see Long Hao Tian, to rescue his Shi-mei.
"What? No........"
Before Hai Yao was able to finish her words, she was picked up quickly and the figure rapidly left the Inn.