Deluded Plot

Lei Xing quietly laid there waiting for enough time to pass for the Emperor to have gotten ready and left for Court, and ended up falling asleep in the process. She woke up later and almost jumped out of the bed.

{...Shit! I'm still here! I am really not helping myself T_T)...}

She quickly got up, glanced around the room for her clothes. The doors opened and she froze in place for a moment then let out a sigh of relief when she saw Ah Jin and Xiao Ruo rush towards her. Lei Xing was so glad to see their familiar faces.

"Your highness, are you alright? How did you end up falling that badly?..." Xiao Ruo asked with concern looking at her bandaged neck.

Lei Xing raised an eyebrow, "Fall?"

"You don't remember what happened? We heard from the Imperial doctor that you had hurt yourself from a fall...I'm sorry we could not look after you, but the Emperor took you and did not allow anyone to come to see you, Noble consort Li even came yesterday but was turned away. We were only summoned here this morning. How are you feeling? Does it still hurt a lot? How did you manage to fall like that?"

Lei Xing's mind only focused on the "fall" and she did not pay attention to the rest of Xiao Ruo's rambling, and then she lightly scoffed.

{...Fall?...Well, I guess I did "fall" into her hands...Honestly, what was I expecting? It's not like anyone was going to go prosecute her or anything -_-)'...}

 Lei Xing frowned, "I'm fine. Get my clothes, let's leave."

"Leave? Don't you want to eat or bathe first?" Xiao Ruo asked, still concerned.

"No, I do-" Lei Xing paused when she saw Ah Jin come out from the corner holding her clothes. While Xiao Ruo was fussing over Lei Xing, Ah Jin had walked towards the corner after seeing she was alright. Lei Xing looked at Ah Jin and said, "Thank you."

{...I just love you T_T)...Someone who gets it!...}

 Lei Xing quickly got dressed, just as she was about finished, the doors opened again, and she froze once again, this time going completely stiff.

{...Wh-Why are you here now? I...I...I...What do you want from me?...}

 Lei Xing watched, completely stiff, as the Empress dowager, followed by Song mama sauntered into the room and stopped a few steps in front of her. Xiao Ruo and Ah Jin greeted her while Lei Xing just stood staring at the Empress dowager, who was lazily glancing about the room.

Her eyes then settled on Lei Xing, who flinched a little. The Empress dowager snorted and condescendingly said, "It seems you have forgotten your manners." 

Lei Xing blinked and then quickly bowed. 

{...Greeting? Yeah sure....I'll greet you a hundred times if that would get you to just leave me alone...}

 The Empress dowager then glanced at Xiao Ruo and Ah Jin, "Leave."

Lei Xing went wide-eyed and felt panicked.

{...No...Not this again!...Okay, calm down...It'll be okay, we can do this...}

 Lei Xing took a deep breath and braced herself for battle, eyes fixed on the Empress dowager. 

{...This time I'm ready for you, witch. If you try me again, I will drop-kick you so hard you will find yourself in space!... Don't ask me how that's possible, but it will happen!...}

 Xiao Ruo bowed and made her way towards the doors, only to turn back and see Ah Jin still standing there, so she came back and nudged Ah Jin.

Ah Jin looked from Lei Xing to the Empress dowager and then back to Lei Xing and just stood there holding onto Lei Xing's arm. The Empress dowager then narrowed her eyes at Ah Jin and Xiao Ruo, who were still there, "Did you not hear me?"

Xiao Ruo shrunk back a bit and pulled at Ah Jin, who knit her brows and then politely bowed her head towards the Empress dowager and explained, "Her highness is not feeling well..." Then she hesitated for a bit and addedd, "...so the Emperor ordered that she is not to be left alone."

The Empress dowager scoffed, "What? Does he think I am going to eat her?"

Lei Xing inwardly scoffed.

{...Now I wonder why the hell he would think that?... Such a mystery, isn't it? Ha. Ha. Ha. -_-)...}

 The Empress dowager looked Lei Xing up and down, "Yesterday I was plagued with a high fever and so some things..." Then she looked Lei Xing dead in the face with her eyebrows raised, "...are not worth mentioning, don't you think?"

Lei Xing slightly narrowed her eyes and was not sure how to respond.

{...Are you threatening me right now?... Is that what you're doing? So you're only going to kill me if I talk? But I didn't do anything before - I am so confused by this woman...and a high fever? Really? That's you with a high fever?...Definitely will never be paying you any more sick visits, NEVER!...In fact, when you're dead, I'll only show up when you're in the ground!...}

 The Empress dowager slowly walked about, glancing around the room.

Lei Xing also slowly turned along with her, with Ah Jin and Xiao Ruo following along, ensuring she always had the Empress dowager in her line of sight. 

The Empress dowager glanced at Lei Xing, lightly scoffed, and looked away, "Hm, it hasn't changed much...He really should redecorate." Then she stopped and looked at Lei Xing and smiled, "Perhaps you can do that for him..."

Lei Xing knit her brows in confusion.

{...What the hell are you going on about now?... Can you just leave? Actually, can I leave? You can stay and troop down memory lane if you want...by yourself! Without me -_-)...}

 "...This plot seems to have worked out very well for you, hasn't it?... You even made it all the way here."

Lei Xing blinked and was in disbelief.

{...Plot? What do you mean plot? Did I arrange with you in your dreams to choke me to death? Ah, I see...Now I understand you have a problem, you can't separate your dreams from reality, is that it?... You should get help...Or you can go jump off a cliff in your "dreams"...

...Okay, that sounds harsh if you truly do have a prob- You know what, I don't care! Why should she get a chance to kill me?... I guess I could stay away from her, BUT I never go looking for her anyway, she's the one looking for me, prime example right here, right now!...

...technically, you can argue I went looking for you yesterday, but that is Chen You's technicality, and next time you want to choke someone, I recommend her!...}

"You must be very pleased with yourself." The Empress dowager continued, "...But I must advise, one should know not to overstep, and some things should not be done. So while enjoying your newfound..."

She paused, scoffed, then continued, "...grace, you should be sure not to test the patience of others, things can change quite quickly in the palace, as you know."

Lei Xing narrowed her eyes in irritation.

{...Lady, can you get lost now? Because now you're just insulting me...In your mind, I somehow - I am not sure how one would pull this off, orchestrated a plot that involved you choking me till I pass out or till certain death JUST SO I could get in here to cuddle your son, which in your mind is what I was doing last night and you're wrong...but that's what you're saying, isn't it?...

...And with the add-on of "Don't ever do it again." -_-)...

...Even if I was desperate, I could never EVER be that desperate, EVER! I don't care how handsome, rich or powerful the as**ole is, okay?... So go figure out your life story because I don't understand how you think that I could have done that to you...What? With magic? I'm really innocent!...}

Before the Empress dowager could continue imparting wisdom, the doors opened and the Emperor strutted in, and Lei Xing was very glad for this interruption.

{...Good, you're here. Welcome! Please cart off your crazy -_-)...}

 The Emperor came up and stood next to Lei Xing, while narrowing his eyes at the Empress dowager. 

The Empress dowager smiled at him, "Ah, I did not expect you to be so quick. Xing er' and I did not even get a chance to begin a proper conversation."

Lei Xing inwardly groaned.

{...No one here wants to start a conversation with you...and I personally will be very glad if I never have to see or speak to you ever again in my entire life, so keep your conversation to yourself -_-)...}

 The Emperor did not say anything and just stood there blankly staring at the Empress dowager, who was looking back at him with an obviously fake smile.

Lei Xing glanced between the two of them and awkwardly excused herself, "I will leave you two to discuss." She bowed with Ah Jin and Xiao Ruo, ready to flee the scene.

The Emperor suddenly held her arm, "You stay." Then he said to the Empress dowager, "You should be leaving now."

Lei Xing stood there with her eyes wide open and her mouth hanging slightly open, as she watched the Empress dowager's smile slowly vanish from her face, and her expression changed into a scowl.

{...Now, what the HELL did you do that for?!...}