16 Final Date

There was a commotion at Shen Yue's family home. His father and the elders seem to believe the rumor about the city lord being fatally injured and they were all looking forward to the banquet. Shen Yue stayed by himself in his room until the evening when he was scheduled to meet Zi Yun.

When Shen Yue arrived at square earlier than usual, he already spotted Zi Yun standing at the same place. He greeted her when she spotted him with a smile and they went to the park arm in arm. They sat down on a park bench on a quiet area as usual.

"Your information about the monsters attack was very helpful. I thank you on behalf of my father and Glory city for your help. " Zi Yun said with a brilliant smile.

"I am glad I was useful. What about Ye Han? Did he try anything with your father?"

"I..that is. He…ahh..my father…" Zi Yun was very distressed as she didn't know how to answer. Her father had not given her permission to talk about his health.

"I understand. You don't need to speak anymore." Shenn Yue was angry, hurt and disappointed. He thought he had earned the trust of the city lord by now. Zi Yun's reaction convinced him that there was a plan like in the story to fool the Sacred Family with rumors of city lord's ill health and corner them during the banquet. But he will not be given that information from the city lord. If he had stayed at home as usual, he might be caught in the cross-fire during the raid so he thought he deserved at least some warning.

"Well, I don't have any special information. They are all buying the rumors of your father's injury and are looking forward to the banquet. Since I can't be useful to you anymore, let us go back." Shen Yue's tone was cold, bitter and hurt.

Zi Yun's face had become pale. How did it end up like this? What could she say to relieve his distress. It hurts her to see him in pain. She unconsciously leaned closer to him.

"Shen Yue, I…l think differently from my father." She wanted him to know that she trusts him even if her father didn't.

Shen Yue understood her meaning. He felt some relief from his emotions and whispered a soft thank you. They said there in silence before Zi Yun broke the silence.

"I feel so sorry for you. You have sacrificed a lot for Glory city and I can't imagine the pain you must be feeling."

"Please, I don't want your pity. A man would rather have a woman's hatred than her pity, especially the woman he admi… that is a lady's pity can hurt a man's self-confidence."

Zi Yun caught his unspoken word and trembled. She felt a burning sensation in her chest. Her heart was beating erratically.

"I don't pity you. I only worry for you. It hurts me to see you in pain. It's not pity. It's…" Zi Yun didn't know what she wanted to say so she just stopped speaking and tried to convey her feelings with her eyes and grabbed his right hand in her palms.

Shen Yue stared at Zi Yun's eyes for a long time and he saw deep concern for him. He felt touched and his earlier negative emotions all went away. He then looked at his right hand in her palms thinking how soft they felt. Zi Yun saw his gaze and retreated her hands abruptly with an embarrassed expression. Neither spoke for a moment as both seemed to absorbed in their own worlds. Some laughter and footsteps of some people from a distance broke the intimate atmosphere.

"We should go back." Shen Yue said softly.

"Yes. Let us go." Zi Yun took the offered arm and started walking back the way they came.

When they was about to reach the square, they saw a little girl crying in a corner of the street. They took her with them as whey found out she got separated by her mother. When they reached the square, they were spotted by a teary-eyed woman.

"I thank you for saving my daughter. Yaner thank the big brother and sister." The mother seemed very grateful.

"Big brother, big sister, thank you very much. Here it's a gift." The girl said with a cute voice shoved a small necklace into Chen Yue's hand. The mother and daughter duo then walked away.

The necklace was a very simple but unique design with a heart-shaped gemstone which was most likely not real. It was something you can get from street stalls during festivals.

"Zi Yun, take this necklace. I have no use for it."

Zi Yun hesitated but answered with a small nod.

"Here, let me put it on for you. You can throw it away later. It looks too cheap for you anyway." Shen Yue went around her back and tied the necklace on her neck. When his hand touched the skin on her neck, he thought he felt her tremble. When he came back around, he saw her blushing for a moment before saying. "Goodbye" and turning around to walk back. As expected, they didn't make any plans to meet again. Shen Yue stood there looking at her back for a while. After about twenty steps, Zi Yun turned back to only lock on to Shen Yue's gaze before hurriedly turning back and walking towards her home.