2 Chapter 2: Proposal

Coming out, Jiang Xi found a beautiful white dress on the newly made bed and wore it before going out to meet Li Chen at the dinning table.

"Sit," said Li Chen. "Have breakfast. I hope you don't mind that it's a western breakfast."

"I don't mind," said Jiang Xi. "Thank you."

"My pleasure." Everyone said that Li Chen smile was like the warmth of an angle, but for some reason, facing that enchanting smile of his right now, Jiang Xi wanted to shiver. "So, shall we calculate last night's affairs, miss Rong?"

"You know my name?" Jiang Xi was surprised.

"Of course, you told me yourself." Li Chen took a sip of coffee.

"About last night… shall we just count it as a one-night stand?"

"…A one-night stand? My precious daughter saw you and identified you as her mother, you think I will let you go so easily?"

"That… I won't tell anyone?" After all, this news was rather big. The always scandal free actor Li Chen has a hidden daughter. How much would this news sell, especially since it'll be the first piece of private life news for Li Chen, who rarely gives interviews or appear on talk shows.

"Also, I'm sure that the child was mistaken. I can't possibly be her mother. I've never given birth!"

"Just because you don't remember doesn't mean that it never happened," Li Chen countered.

"I really never gave birth!" Jiang Xi insisted. "And I've never personally met you before in my life. I can't possibly be your child's mother."

"You're not Luna's mother."

"Of course not."

"But you do greatly resemble my late wife."

Jiang Xi went still as another bomb was dropped on her. "… You're not going to tell me that I'm your wife's lost sister or something along that line, are you? I mean, I know I'm an orphan, but this is too much. Even if I'm easily manipulated, I'm not going to be someone's replacement!"

"You're not her replacement, you won't be. Though I admit that last night was because of familiarity, but I'm not a man who gets rid of responsibilities, even if you were the one who started it." Jiang Xi blushed in embarrassment thinking about last night.

The night before, April 24, was Jiang Xi's 22nd birthday. After celebrating with her bosses at the restaurant, Jiang Xi brought another cake and ran to her boyfriend, the upcoming youth singer Yu Xiang's, condo only to catch him bedding another woman. In the end, the cake was thrown on the floor and was destroyed along with her heart as the man whom she had loved since the age of 5 confessed that he was only using her and would never love a plane woman like her.

Upset at herself for being used by him since youth, and even gave up her own future for his idol career, Jiang Xi found herself sitting at a pub for the first time, drunk and cussing out at all the men in the world. She remembered lamenting about her stupidity for giving up college to work and support Yu Xiang's dream, wishfully thinking that he'll be her prince on a white horse, and they'll live happily once he's famous.

Then she began thinking about losing her virginity, wanting to prove to Yu Xiang that she's not a plane, old fashion woman and this thought led her to hooking the next man closest to her, who happened to be Li Chen.

After that, Jiang Xi only remembered saddling him and being bullied by him until late into the night.

"So, what do you want than?" Jiang Xi questioned.

"Let's get married," Li Chen proposed.

"…Hah?"

"Luna needs a mother, and she identified you."

"But… but, we don't love each other."

"Marriage doesn't necessarily need love, as long as there is enough trust and understanding, it'll be even better than love."

"…What if I don't want to marry?"

"Miss Rong, are you saying you won't be responsible for what you started?"

"That- I… It's obviously me who's at a disadvantage! I was thoroughly eaten by you!"

"So you're really not going to be responsible?"

He made it sound as though she's the bad guy here when it was obviously him who wouldn't let go last night. "It's just a one-night stand. I'm taking it as a one-night stand. I won't be responsible, what are you going to do about it?"

"Legally… probably not much."

The way he said that sounded strange, was he really just an actor without a background? Jiang Xi wondered if she had stumbled upon another secret of Li Chen. If this keeps up, she feels that she really can't get away.

It seems she'll have to resort to that, but she really didn't want to. Such a thing, as a half-breed, she's very weak at it. 'But against a mortal, it should be enough to escape,' she decided.

Jiang Xi held out her hand, making Li Chen raise his eyebrow, and commanded, "Sleep and forget everything that happened between us today."

Li Chen's eyes closed, and he fell asleep on the chair.

Jiang Xi let out a relieved breath and went to get her bag to leave. Worried that she would be seen, Jiang Xi casted an invisible spell on herself and slipped out the door, trying as much as possible to avoid suspicions and took the stairs down from the 5th floor.

Walking out the door, Jiang Xi found a small alley to go into before releasing the spell and walked out to look for a cab. She didn't have to wait long as a taxi pulled up and she happily got into the backseat, thinking that she'd finally escape.

"Mister, xxx place, please," she told the driver her apartment address.

"A simple memory erasing spell? Miss Rong, are you a demon or a witch?"

Jiang Xi was startled as a human form mesmerized next to her to reveal Li Chen.

"Li Chen! Why-! How-?"

Li Chen sighed. "It seems you really won't cooperate." He held up a purple colored jade bracelet that made Jiang Xi's eyes widen.

Jiang Xi made a grab for it, but Li Chen hide it before she could take it back. "That's mine, give it back," she glared at him.

"Oh? You seem to treasure this bracelet very much? Was it given to you by someone important?"

The image of a young boy by the rushing river appeared briefly in Jiang Xi's memory. "That's none of your business, give it back."

"Let me guess, is it that cheating ex-boyfriend? If so, then something like this, you don't need it."

"No! Don't destroy the bracelet that Ah Ren gave me!"

Hearing the name seemed to have shocked Li Chen, as he went still for a moment and Jiang Xi took the opportunity to grab the bracelet out of his hand and scooted as far away from him as possible, taking care to guard her precious treasure.

Li Chen smiled. "It seems it's really precious." He waved his hand and the bracelet once again appeared in his grasp, shocking Jiang Xi as she cautiously watched him hold her jade bracelet. "So, Miss Rong, will you marry me honesty or would you like for me to use force?"

For some reason, Jiang Xi felt like shaking to that. Facing him up close, she couldn't see where he got the nickname of a gentleman. She obviously felt like she was making a deal with the devil.

"You-you, who are you?"

"I believe I asked you that question first, Miss Rong. So please do tell me, are you a demon or a witch?"

"I'm… not a demon. I'm a cultivator."

Li Chen raised his eyebrows.

"Don't look at me like that, I can fight! I just generally don't want to!" Jiang Xi scowled, thinking back to all the bruises she used to get from training back in the days.

Jiang Xi is actually very good at kung fu, but because Yu Xiang once said that he liked delicate girls, she never fought back and often let others bully her. Oh, she was really naive back then.

Li Chen nodded. "xxx place right? Go, get your documents and go to the Civil Affairs Bureau. And Miss Rong, I advise you not to test my patience anymore, I'm not fond of emotionless puppets."

Li Chen handed Jiang Xi back her bracelet and Jiang Xi shivered. The smile he directed at her really looked like a demon.

And thus, Rong Jiang Xi found herself holding a red book in front of the Civil Affairs Bureau later that day.