Broken Promise [P3Final]

The moment Rong Xiaoman entered the room, Qin Ruyan's gaze immediately came upon her.

"My beloved son! Have a seat, your breakfast is ready." Qin Ruyan chirped happily as she patted the seat next to her.

Rong Xiaoman was a little hesitant but sighed in defeat and took the seat beside Qin Ruyan.

Qin Zhenzhen noticed her brother's minute hesitance, an expression of pity formed on her face. When she found out about their relationship, she began to study her brother much more closely.

She always knew there was something a little odd about him but never paid it any real thought until that moment. Eventually she came upon the reason and shockingly discovered that he had two personalities, one who was noble, fair and upright. The other was distant, disrespectful and frankly scary.

Qin Zhenzhen likened them to the good and evil side of her brother and as she had expected, it was the evil side which had initiated the immoral relationship with her mother. The good side was completely in the dark about the matter from what she could tell.

[I mustn't blame him, well.. at least not the good side.] She thought sadly.

"You seem to grow more handsome by the day." Qin Ruyan chuckled as she stared at her son intensely.

Rong Xiaoman shifted in her seat uncomfortably, she smiled wryly and replied. "Uh.. you too mother, you seem to have become more beautiful over the years."

"Oh my, well aren't you a charmer." Qin Ruyan fluttered her long eyelashes playfully

Rong Xiaoman watched as the nearby servant served her breakfast, a couple of steaming meat buns and a bowl of noodles. She nibbled her food with a dazed expression.

Over the years her incarnation's mother had gotten progressively more clingy and stalkerish, she had absolutely no idea why. It wasn't so bad at first but recently it had become almost overwhelming.

She had an inkling that it had something to do with her Mistress Ariel but she wasn't so sure. After the nearby servant served her breakfast, a couple of steaming meat buns and a bowl of noodles, she began eating her food.

"Son, what realm is your cultivation at now?" Qin Ruyan inquired as she casually nibbled her breakfast.

"I have reached the peak of foundation building, I'm half a step away from the innate realm." Rong Xiaoman replied nonchalantly.

She could have far surpassed her current realm if she wanted to considering how much of a cheat her Mistresses incarnation was but saw no need. Living a uneventful life was quite enthralling to Rong Xiaoman, in fact she seemed to have gotten herself addicted to role-playing the life of Qin Tian.

Her Mistress also pointed it out, saying it was along the lines of a "video game addiction!" though she didn't know what that was.

Qin Ruyan gasped as her face flushed in happiness. "Such speed! As expected of my talented son." She remarked proudly.

Rong Xiaoman merely chuckled with a hint of embarrassment. She looked towards her older sister ho was sitting at the other end of the table, occasionally sending them a few covert glances.

"Big Sister, how have you been recently? I haven't seen you in months." Rong Xiaoman asked with a tinge of sadness in her voice.

Her sister had become quite distant with conversations between them only lasting a few short moments, although she had been meaning to find out what was bothering her the chance never came as her sister stayed cooped up in her room.

"Nothing much little brother, just been reading books and sometimes painting." Qin Zhenzhen muttered in reply.

Rong Xiaoman smiled. "It's good to read, knowledge is power and all."

Qin Zhenzhen nodded her head, a faint bush could be seen on her cheeks.

While the three, mother, son and daughter conversed; Qin Chen quickly came into the room with a note in her hand. Her breathing was rapid and worry could be seen in her eyes.

"Mistress! I have a letter from the Jiang family!" Qin Chen said in a panicked voice.

"Oh? What does it say?" Qin Ruyan's eyebrow raised.

Qin Chen hesitantly said. "The marriage has been cancelled."

Rong Xiaoman looked at Qin Chen in shock. [How could this happen!? Little Ying has been absolutely smitten with me over the years, although her family has kept her hidden for a while now.. could this be the reason?]

Qin Zhenzhen dropped her spoon. Although not as shocked as her younger brother, she was still feeling quite puzzled.

"Really? What was the reason?" Joy flashed in Qin Ruyan's eyes. [Of all the things I could have done, all I needed to do was just sit back and wait for them to break off the marriage? Truly ridiculous.] She chuckled inwardly.

"Uh.. Umm.." Qin Chen stuttered.

"Out with it girl." Qin Ruyan said impatiently.

"The Jiang family has decided that we are not worthy, that we are low hanging fruit.. They've already managed to secure a marriage with a powerful sect in the upper district. The young miss of the Jiang family has been set to marry the young master of the Silent Valley sect." She looked down at the floor, afraid that the Mistress would take out her anger on her.

Rong Xiaoman tightened her fist, anger slowly growing in her heart. [Those wretched scum.., they must be keeping litte Ying locked up until they can marry her off! She definitely wouldn't agree to this.]

"Low hanging fruit?" Qin Ruyan's eye twitched. Although she was angry at the disdain the Jiang showed them, she was also immensely happy now that the marriage had been called off.

"You may leave." Qin Ruyan waved her hand and Qin Chen sighed in relief as she briskly left the dining room.

The conflicting feelings she was having were silently buried. She sighed and turned her head towards Rong Xiaoman. "Don't take it too badly my son, they clearly don't know what they're missing."

A big smile appeared on her face. "Marriage is a hassle anyway, it's much better to be free as a leaf in the wind." She remarked enthusiastically.

Rong Xiaoman suddenly stood up, her handsome face was calm but it was obvious that there was a deep fury beneath the calm facade.

"Mother, I must go.. Little Ying would have never agreed to this! They must be forcing her!"

Qin Zhenzhen looked at her brother worriedly.

"Maybe she just changed her mind? It happens all the time." Qin Ruyan replied with an insistent tone.

Rong Xiaoman frowned, her mother didn't seem all that angry about the matter. She shook her head and pushed those thoughts to the back of her mind.

"No, you're wrong. We made a promise and the Little Ying I know would never break it!" She replied sternly.

Qin Ruyan was about to reply when she noticed her son's firm expression. She sighed in defeat and muttered. "Fine.. go."

Rong Xiaoman nodded, as she was about to leave she heard a voice from the end of the table.

"Little Brother! I-I'll come too." Qin Zhenzhen stood up and quickly said.

Rong Xiaoman was a little hesitant but in the end agreed. "Come along then Big Sister, I'm sure Little Ying would be happy to see you after so long."

Qin Zhenzhen nodded cheerfully as she followed her little brother out of the room.

"Qin Fei." Qin Ruyan said aloud.

Qin Fei appeared beside her and asked. "Your orders Mistress."

"Follow them, make sure they're safe and.. that they don't get into too much trouble." Qin Ruyan replied as she gestured with her hand.

"Yes Mistress." Qin Fei disappeared from the room leaving Qin Ruyan sitting alone at the dining table.

"Just my luck.. " Qin Ruyan muttered as she rubbed her temples tiredly.