Act 4: Risk of return?

Li Xiao awoke the next morning and noticed that Ai was not next to him and grew slightly concerned but he checked downstairs in case she wondered off for breakfast but she was also not there and then he called the guards.

“GUARDS!!” he screamed and then Lian and Jun woke up devastated and after they came down they noticed Ai was missing but Lian told Jun to retreat in case they are held responsible for no reason.the guards finally came and then Li Xiao was furious and then enquired then about Ai’s whereabouts but they had no answer that was of use to him and he then told them to leave hardshly.

“Where did you go Yan Xiaoyu?” he felt more enraged, he then noticed a woman walk in and she was slightly injured but was stable, it was Ai.

“Yan!” he approached her and then he felt isolated when she kept mum whenever he would go near her and then decided to throw her to the dungeon instead.

“You have no answer to my question well then be my guest in the dungeon!” he yelled and stretched her hair and then she helplessly followed him.

“I’m sorry Yan I need to do this to knew your true intentions no one else should ever learn of how we really are” he thought to himself and then pushed her inside.

“Ah\~!” he feet were swollen and he could not bear to see her injured but still kept his disguise. He was going to lock her up and then she made a shocking revelation.

“Let me go! I’m innocent I just went to the fountain! I wanted to make a prayer for my home I didn’t try to escape!” she grew stubborn and tried to break the bars.

“Ugh let me ouuuuuuut!!!” she whined and that irritated him.

“Alright fine don’t ever do this again without asking!” he warned her. She nodded and he released but Lian was not very fond of his decision.

“Yan Xiaoyu I’ll teach you a lesson..” she spoke quietly

Meanwhile Ai was getting dressed for an evening dinner which was unexpected and then she wore a traditional gown and thenest jewellery along with the finest makeup. Li Xiao noticed her mesmerising beauty and then Ai was very shy but decided to deal with it. The two of them left whilst Lian devised a plan and tell immediately told Jun.

“Jun!” she forced the doors open and Jun was painting her nails.

“What?!” she folded her arms.

“Ugh you - I finally know how to get rid of that Yan Xiaoyu!” she cheered and Jun was curious.

“Oh and how is that?” she smiled

“Bao Mei” she said and Jun agreed. Meanwhile Li Xiao and Ai were in a restaurant and they have finished eating.

“Bao Mei” he said and Ai grew anxious when she saw a slender woman who was so beautiful except she wasn’t a princess but a maiden of a nearby area.

“Pleased to meet you Yan Xiaoyu I am Zhen Li Xiao’s fiancé” she kissed his forehead.

“Eh..” Ai did not know how to respond to that and thought that she was joking.

“It is true Yan meet my fiancé” Li Xiao also kissed her forehead and then Ai trembled and then thought to herself that she was nothing but a concubine of his.

“I’m happy for the two of you” she had a heartbreaking smile and Li Xiao saw it and Bao also realised how she felt.

“Excuse me I need to go to the bathroom” she added and then left rapidly.

“Bao why make such an entrance now?” he asked her warmly.

“Ahh I wanted to see her reaction but of course I was kidding and don’t forget you played along” she admitted.

“I too wanted to know her reaction be it seemed as though it was too much for her” he sighed.

“The truth is you’re a cousin of mine without any royalty for several reasons and you are spending some days at the palace”

he told her

“Of course” she accepted his words.

Ai was in the bathroom and then started to miss Zhenbai really badly and wanted to leave this world as soon as possible.

“I don’t want to be here anymore” she shaked her fists and was also afraid by then she decided something.

“If I can’t exist there then I won’t exist at all” she stated confidently

“Goodbye everyone and Goodbye Zhen Li Xiao your temporary kindness was well appreciated, stay happy whilst I fade away.

Ai decided to smash her head against the wall and continued to hit her head until she would lose conscious and die, she then bled quite a lot and then the news spread very quickly.

“Your highness the princess committed suicide!!

He and Bao immediately got up and then covered their mouth in shock and in guilt.

“Suicide?!” He yelled and Bao was also in shock and then he found Ai lying on the floor and then regretted everything, there was a lot of blood and he felt incredibly uneasy.

“Nooooo!!!!! Yan wake up you can’t leave me!!” He emrbaced her cold and lifeless body

“Someone is calling me

A soft voice

Such concern “

“AHHHHH!!!!!” Ai immediately woke up and noticed a change of environment.

“Oh Ai I was so worried about you!!!” A man held her hand and she felt warmer and then she squinted her eyes until she was fully awake and noticed Zhenbai was there.

“Z...Zhenbai?!” she had tears in her eyes and he immediately felt sad after that.

“I thought I was in the Zhen kingdom as a concubine” she told him and then he laughed.

“Ahaha some crazy dream the palace is way over there” Ai was startled and looked out the window and realised she did not travel through time but was transported there instead.

“Ahh yes indeed but it’s great to be back” she was relieved and then thought that none of it was a dream and then noticed the bandage on her head.

“What happened to me?” she enquired.

“You passed out cold and was in a deep sleep I couldn’t wake you”

“Was I always here?” she asked and he gave her an honest response.

“Yes you were and we spent our time here happily”

Ai was confused but was really happy to be back, she stays with Zhenbai and was raised without any parents.

“I still feel so scared Zhenbai I missed you so much” she trembled and he held her close

“You will always have me Ai” he spoke gently and she was relieved to hear her real name being called. Ai got up from the bed and noticed her outfit was different and her hair was back to normal as though nothing had happened .

“Zhenbai I have a question”

“What is it?” he stroked her hair gently

“Who is Yan Xiaoyu?” he put down his glass of water and then replied.

“She’s the crown prince’s destined bride but she committed suicide a day ago” Ai felt uneasy as though as she was choked.

“Ai be careful!” he gave her the glass of water and she continuously started coughing and he grew perturbed.

“How is this possible I thought I travelled through time?!” Ai was devastated and wanted to see an image of her just to be sure.

“Show me an image of her please” she begged and he patted her head.

“Okay” he browsed through the web and found the headlines.

“Here she looks a lot like you except for the hair and she wears fancy clothing” he blushed and Ai was dumbstruck.

“Ah I see” But either way I’m not going back to that dream do you mind me here with you Zhenbai?

“No of course not don’t ever feel like you’re a burden to me” he tightly hugged her and wanted to kiss but Ai kindly backed away and told him that she needed rest and he understood but he felt slightly down due to it and then Ai apologised to him and he accepted her regardless and then he went down whilst she was in bed and then suddenly Ai felt uncomfortable once again and then she felt a pain in her heart and heard a familiar voice and it sounded like the crown prince himself and Ai wanted to escape from his clutches.

“No I don’t want to go back!! NOO!!” Ai was tossing and turning and her heart ached even more and then noticed herself feeling more drawn to the crown prince.

“I beg you let me be !!”

Too late the spell was cast and she felt weak.

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