41 Lan Qi's Father

The games continued on for a week but since Mingxia only signed up for archery she did not have to participate in the rest of the games. She had to sit in the balconies where the other contestants were.

Day three and day four of the games consisted of parkour, a hammer throw contest and dagger throwing. The other contestants were very interested in the games but Mingxia found it extremely boring. She fell asleep halfway through day three and could barely make it through day 4.

Her head was on her hand as she nodded off. Her eyes were fluttering open and close as she fought her sleepiness when someone approached her. "Wei Mingxia?"

She immediately perked up and looked up.

A woman wearing a yellow hanfu looked down at her. Her cheeks were unnaturally white with powder and a light pink shade was applied under her eyes to cover up the black bags. From afar no one would be able to see the bags and pink eyes but Mingxia could see it all.

"Lan Qi, nice to see you again." She smiled and patted at the seat next to her.

Lan Qi nodded and sat down at the seat and Xing poured a cup of chrysanthemum tea for the two ladies. Xing looked at Lan Qi then at Mingxia who placed her finger on her lips and Xing stood back at her spot behind them.

"Lan Qi, how have you been?" Mingxia asked. Lan Qi did not respond and kept her head down.

"Let's talk after this." Mingxia murmured and Lan Qi nodded. Mingxia and Lan Qi were exiting the venue when a man in a wheelchair and a fat woman approached them. "Lan Qi." The man called out her name harshly and Lan Qi flinched. A smirk appeared on the woman's face and then from behind her two young kids stepped out with the same smirk.

The man did not notice since they were behind him. "Come here." He ordered but Lan Qi did not. Lan Qi took a deep breath and looked at with a poker face but she kept a tight grip on the sleeve of Mingxia's robes. Mingxia studied the four people in front of her.

Lan Qi's father noticed that Mingxia was looking at him and snapped at her. "Did your parents teach you not to stare." Mingxia's eyes narrowed. "And you must be Lan Qi's father." She replied icily. Her tone irritated him and he had to look up at her to give her a glare. However Mingxia was looking down at him with a gaze that made him flinch. Never before had he seen a young girl with such darkness and coldness.

"Who are you." He hissed and gripped onto his wheelchair. The fat woman noticed this but was confused.

"Who am I?" Mingxia repeated and stated the obvious. "A girl."

Lan Qi's cousins chuckled but her father was not having. Never in his life had he ever met a girl with such an attitude! He may be injured but he was once a general, a person who was once highly respected. He kept a close eye on his daughter to make sure she doesn't attempt to do anything foolish again. Had it not been for the rule that all contestants are to be present at Games he would of kept her inside a room locked up to prevent her from attempting anything else.

He averted his eyes to his daughter. "Lan Qi! Come over here." He barked out. Mingxia raised her hand to protect Lan Qi but Lan Qi stood out. "Father, I'm going to my friend's house I will return before the sun before dusk."

"Oh really, are you sure you're not actually going out to seduce men." Her cousin, Hua Liang, commented with a sneer. The face on Lan Qi's father turned sour while Lan Qi's cousins had a triumphant smile.

"You two shush!" The fat woman said but the same smile was also on her face.

Mingxia narrowed her eyes and stood in front of Lan Qi. "Xia er." A gentle voice called and someone stood behind her. "Huh. Zong

Qiu? What are you doing here?" Mingxia asked.

Zong Qiu's lips curled up and his eyes softened. "Required to. What's happening here?" He turned around and studied the man in front of him. "Isn't this General Lan? What brings you here?"

Lan Qi's father quickly recognized Zong Qiu and his face paled. "T-this servant bows to the second prince." The woman behind him also became pale and the smile vanished when she heard Zong Qiu's title.

"No need for all that, now tell me what's happening here." Beads of sweat covered General Lan's forehead for he did not expect to meet the second prince here. "This servant was only trying to tell his daughter to come home."

"Your daughter?" Zong Qiu looked at Lan Qi who had was standing beside Mingxia. Lan Qi quickly placed her hand to her hips and curtsied. "Lan Qi greet the second prince." Zong Qiu merely nodded his head then brought his gaze to Mingxia.

"Xia er, tell me what happened." He asked and Mingxia shrugged her shoulders. "I was merely inviting my new friend to my house so we can have some girl talk."

"I see. General Lan you wouldn't be against your daughter going to her friend's house right?" General Lan furiously shook his head. "Of course not."

"Good. You are dismissed." Without waiting for their response, Zong Qiu waved his hand to send them off and two guard appeared beside them. "Wait-what." The guards carefully "escorted the two adult and two children out of the building even though the children were doing their best to kick their faces.

Lan Qi stared at her family being pulled away and did not miss the expression on her father's face. Her father used to adore her when she was much younger but after he became permanently injured he no longer showed any signs of affection towards her. In fact he began to hate her and would use extreme punishments that traumatized her.

She quickly shook her head to stop her from remembering those times. She focused on Mingxia who was bickering with the second prince.

"You didn't have to some, i had everything under control." Mingxia said.

Zong Qiu chuckled. "Under control? I'm pretty sure if I hadn't stepped in they would still be here right now."

"Zong Qiu, I advise you not to underestimate me." Mingxia threatened, but Zong Qiu only laughed at her threat. "Don't worry I never did."

Mingxia raised one of eyebrows. "Oh really."

Lan Qi laughter easily got both of their attention and ended their conversation.

"Well then, I need to leave early today see you later Xia er." Zong Qiu kissed Mingxia's forehead then went away.