Warm Embrace

Chen Liqin drowned his face on the desk. Finally, he finished stamping all of the documents and immediately sent Shao Chen to give the documents to the guards.

He lifted up his head, looking at the folding wall inside his office, but then drowned his face back on the desk. "Why is he so slow?!" he groaned. He only stayed here so that he could make sure Shao Chen had done exactly as what he wanted. He did not want any mistake to arise again.

It was midnight now and he had not explained anything to Ming Yu. 'I hope he did not overthink the rumor.' He did not want to see the tears dirtied Ming Yu's face again.

"Sigh …."

Tap ….

Something was placed softly on the desk, waking Chen Liqin from the reverie. From the corner of his eyes, he could see something brown.

"What?" Chen Liqin lifted his head, finding a teapot and tea glass which was puffing smoke put on a brown tray. Chen Liqin's brows raised in wonder. 'I did not remember that I ask for tea ….'

"Tea …," someone mumbled in a soft and slightly hoarse voice. The voice tone was not too high but also not too low.

Chen Liqin rolled his eyes up to find Shao Chen standing in front of him. That voice was actually Shao Chen's. Chen Liqin was a bit shock.

'If I'm not wrong, her voice is not like that!' Shao Chen had a weird high voice which was very hard to the ear. Chen Liqin sweared that his blood pressure was higher every time he heard Shao Chen's voice. However, the short word uttered before was actually very pleasant and … calming ….

"What is happening to your voice?"

Shao Chen frowned. "My voice? What happened to my voice?" He still talked in that pleasant and calming tone.

Chen Liqin's eyes widen in shock. 'This … perhaps ….'

"Try to sing!"

Shao Chen was stunned for a while. "Why do you want me to sing?" 

To be honest, he had forgotten the only song he had ever learnt for the revenge plan. 'So …  I don't know what to sing ….'

"Just do it!"

Did not have any other choice, Shao Chen dig the oldest memory he had but still could not remember even one word from the lyrics. So, at last, he decided to sing whatever came to his mind. 

That was the beginning of a short concert that would make anyone passed out.

"STOP!" Chen Liqin covered Shao Chen's mouth with his two hands. He could not take any deathly attack after being drained a whole day.

Shao Chen stopped singing. Chen Liqin breathed a sigh of relief before releasing Shao Chen's mouth. 

"Your singing voice is really bad!" Chen Liqin grumbled. He still had a bit of headache.

Shao Chen sat down beside Chen Liqin, shrugged his shoulders. "I have never sing before."

Chen Liqin sighed. He thought that as Shao Chen's voice suddenly become pleasant, his singing voice would also be the same.

NO! Actually it was not the point.

Because of the sudden change, Chen Liqin thought that Shao Chen was making his voice before and remembering the weird wig this girl had used, he had some suspicion. But, maybe it was just him hallucinating. Shao Chen did not talk much and he had been terrorized by Shao Chen's singing for several days before. It made sense if the impact of the singing was too strong that Chen Liqin had this impression that Shao Chen's voice would be always bad and unpleasant.

'But if it is my imagination … what is the point of changing voice and suddenly reveal her real voice?' Chen Liqin thought deeply. He had to replenish his energy so unconsciously, he reached for the tea then gulped all at once.

Shao Chen's eyes sprakled in excitement. He observed Chen Liqin's expression, hoping it to show as describe in the book. However, he disappointed.

Chen Liqin did not have any response towards the tea. Honestly, he even filled the glass for three times more, thirsting for the sweetness in it.

Shao Chen pursed his lips. "Why you did not throw up?"

"Cough! Cough!" Chen Liqin choked on the tea. He totally forgot his plan!

"Th—that is because …." Chen Liqin rolled his eyes at all directions. "… because I had used to it! You brought me sweet tea everyday that I did not hate it anymore!"

'Sh*t! What reason is that?! Who in the world will believe that someone could like something they hate so much very quick?! No matter how stupid she was, she would feel suspicious.' He thought worriedly.

The answer to his question was there was actually someone who would believe that reason. He was Shao Chen.

"I see …." Shao Chen only pouted while nodding. 'I need new plan again!'

Chen Liqin blinked, could not believe his ears. 'She really believes that?!' He did not know whether to feel happy or amuse or even sad. He was happy that this girl was too stupid to realize the strangeness but he was also sad because it meant that he had to work very hard to accomplish on fixing Shao Chen's brain plan.

The worn out book that Shao Chen brought every day was brought out again. He then handed the book to Chen Liqin.

"What?" Chen Liqin did not understand why he had to receive that book in this situation.

"Read the next part for me!"

The corner of Chen Liqin's eyes twitched hearing that. 'You still want to get revenge on me?!'

It made sense if it was before. But now, Chen Liqin had promised to give Shao Chen money so he thought that the grudge between them had gone.

'Did she have other hidden agenda?'

"Read it yourself!" Chen Liqin refused.

"Read it for me!" Shao Chen insisted. Seeing Chen Liqin ignored him, Shao Chen got closer to Chen Liqin then stab the emperor's belly with all of his might.

"You! Stop!" However, Shao Chen kept stabbing Chen Liqin's belly until he had no other choice. "Alright! I will read it for you! Satisfied?" Chen Liqin finally received the book.

Shao Chen smiled, nodded as answer.

Chen Liqin could only sigh. 'Did not she realize that by doing this was equal to announcing her plan to her enemy?'

Of course, Shao Chen did not realize that. He still positive that his plan was perfectly hidden.

Opening the book, Chen Liqin thought hard. It was too sudden that he did not prepare any new idea to deceive Shao Chen. However, he could never read the original script from the book as Chen Liqin could remember that except for one or two revenge plan in the beginning, the later parts were full of gore. 

His hand kept flipping the pages until he almost reached the last part of the book but Chen Liqin was still silent. His eyes empty and his thought had ran from how to create new unsuspicious revenge plan to Ming Yu.

It was a sign that he was really tired. He was never lost his focus and lower his alertness in front of someone untrusted like Shao Chen. However, he really did it now, unconsciously.

Thinking about Ming Yu evaporated the exhaustion inside his body. 'Hah … I want to feel his warm,' he thought.

"A hug will be nice," Chen Liqin accidentally spoke his inner thought.

'I really miss his hug … I want to sleep while embracing him ….' His tiredness would be cure instant—

"?!" Chen Liqin was stunned. His eyes widen because of two arms that suddenly embracing his head. The hand pulled his head until it sink into very flat chest.

"Wha—?!"

Shao Chen suddenly hug Chen Liqin, making him speechless. The hug was too tight that the emperor felt a bit suffocated.

'What is this crazy girl doing?!' Chen Liqin shouted inside. Yes, he really wanted a hug but not from Shao Chen!!

Chen Liqin struggled to free himself several times but because of this reaction, Shao Chen thought that the revenge plan was a success so instead of releasing him, Shao Chen tighter his embrace so that Chen Liqin could feel more of it.

'Sh*t! what is the meaning of this?!' Chen Liqin exploded in anger. He did not realize that he had said something that mislead Shao Chen and the unfortunate part was, this was really a torture for him.

Chen Liqin kept struggling but his energy had depleted a lot until he could not exert any strength to shook off a girl like Shao Chen. After a while, he finally gave up, leaning his head sluggishly on Shao Chen's chest.

'Her chest … why is it so flat?!' He wanted to slap himself for thinking like that. Never had he thought that this kind of rude thought would appear inside his mind.

However, Shao Chen's chest was really too flat, almost like … 'a man's body … or there are some women with this kind of body structure?' Actually, Chen Liqin did not know as the only woman had ever embraced him was his mother when he was still a child and as long as he remember, it never felt like this.

Even though, it was as flat as a wall, Chen Liqin could not help being comforted. His eyelids became heavier. Warmth flew from Shao Chen's touch, calming his nerves.

'Oh yeah … I forget about this … but … Shao Chen's face … I think I … had … seen … it … before ….' Chen Liqin could not keep his consciousness anymore and instantly fell into dream world.

Shao Chen did not know whether he could release Chen Liqin or not. Until when did he have to keep embracing Chen Liqin so that the revenge plan could be stated as a success? He did not realize that the emperor had fallen asleep.

Today was really a tiring day, not only for Chen Liqin, but also for Shao Chen. His eyelids became heavier too. His head tilted then fell on Chen Liqin's crown, completely fallen asleep. The emperor groaned because of the movement but then back to his sleep a second later.

No one realized a movement of the office door opening then closing again.

*****

A pot full of tea fell down then broke into pieces. The liquid inside was absorbed into the expensive carpet, producing a big stain.

Ming Yu was standing beside the pieces, panting with darken face. The maidservant immediately collected the broken pieces before it injured her master.

"You b*tch!" The flame inside his heart still burning brightly. Not only the teapot, every furniture surrounding him were swept into the floor to vent his anger. Still not enough, he shouted frustratedly.

"Young Miss! If His Majesty find about this, he will suspe—ah!"

Ming Yu pushed the maidservant who was trying to stop him. The girl fell on the floor on her butt. However, Ming Yu did not apologize. He only stared coldly at her.

"No … he won't suspect me! This is even better!" A big smile suddenly bloom. His eyes bend like a crescent moon, made him look like a mad man.

The maidservant trembled while standing up. "Wh—What do you mean, Young Miss?"

"Don't stop me and don't clean up the mess!" Ming Yu then continued to vent his emotion. He pulled every decorations hanging on the wall until they torn apart, shattered every glasses, smashed anything that he could lift and reach. Not long after that, the room had turn into a big mess.

The frightened maidservant had ran out of the room, replaced by the one that was closest to Ming Yu. She only watched everything in poker face as if it was something usual.

"Did Young Miss' plan finish?" she asked after Ming Yu finally stopped.

Ming Yu smiled in satisfaction. "Not yet! This is only the set up. I still have other work for you to do."

"What is your order?"

"Come here!"

The maidservant went closer then bowed until her ears was in front of Ming Yu's lips. Ming Yu whispered something then suddenly, he licked her ears, giving the poker face a tinge of redness.

"Do it well and I will give you a better present than this."

She nodded. Inside her hand was a small white pack from Ming Yu. She left the room, leaving Ming Yu who was smiling cynically.

"You have stolen my man. Of course, you are deserved to be punished!"

That night, the sky full of heavy cloud. The wind blew stronger than the other night, bringing freezing coldness by the end of summer.

One drop … two drops …. Water began to spill from the sky. 

That night, heavy rain covered all over Xin Kingdom ….