Next Plan

Tan Xiuying looked at Zhu Longwei and asked, "Master, who are you? How did we end up stranded here together?"

"I'm Zhu Longwei. I just happened to be there. At the beginning I was just watching when you fought against the men and never intended to interfere. However, when I saw you fell into the sea and engulfed by the vortex, I waited for the right time to pull you out of the water. But it's too late. Even though the vortex wasn't that tremendous, you're already drowned deep into the raging sea. That's how we're both stranded at this beach."

In the modern era, she often watched fantasy movies that the vortex was always depicted as portals to other dimensions. Objects that happen to be engulfed by the vortex will be drowned and drifted away by the tide to the depths of the sea, after which they will be thrown far away.

"I only gave you the necessary effort to flush water out of your lungs. However, when I saw you weren't breathing and there was no pulse, I thought you're already dead."

Tan Xiuying was flabbergasted for a moment, trying to sort out the original memories of the host, then let out a heavy sigh. "It seems that I can vaguely remember things. That woman was Peng Liling, the Emperor's niece who married the Fourth Prince, Liu Junjie."

"Why did she say that you've ruined her family? What actions of yours can be considered against the emperor?"

"Master Zhu, what do you think I've done?" She asked reciprocally. Her red rosy lips twitched slightly into an enigmatic smirk.

Zhu Longwei kept looking at her, and his heart skipped a beat when he saw her beaming smile! He noticed that she was actually nice-looking girl.

"You've been pestering their family. You're playing with fire. To be more precise, you're flirting with her husband." He replied straightforwardly after pausing for a moment. "What else can a beautiful young girl do? After all, as the saying goes, men don't stumble by mountains, but by mounds of earth that lies before their very eyes."

She smirked again. "You mustn't presume how it goes, Master Zhu."

"I can't believe you've got such a lot of nerve!" He replied as he took another glance at her.

She had a twine-thin sculpted figure with decanter-shaped waist and a gleaming complexion. A pair of arched eyebrows looked down on sweeping eyelashes. Her delicate ears framed a dainty nose. A set of dazzling, snow-white teeth gleamed as she broke into a bright smile.

It was a pleasure to see her flowing, obsidian-black hair which was still slightly wet and plunged naturally over her shoulders, gently brushing her emerald green clothes.

Her enticing, virility-brown eyes stared off into the distance over her puffy, heart shaped lips. She also had a bouncy personality and a melodious voice.

She was indeed gorgeous, but anyone would find it hard to believe that such a young girl could flirt with a prince to the point of destroying his household. He had no idea of what else she was capable to do that she even dared to challenge the Emperor's will.

"So what's your plan now?"

Tan Xiuying sighed, then shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. I haven't figured it out."

"If I may give you a suggestion, I think you should just go back to your residence in Jiujiang. Only then can you think of your next plan."

"Yeah, it seems like a good idea."

After all, Tan Xiuying had to take responsibility for all her wrongdoings and stand in front of her family instead of wandering around aimlessly. However, she had to be vigilant this time that her return should not discovered by anyone beforehand. Everything had to be done clandestinely because in the eyes of Peng Liling and her people, the real Tan Xiuying was dead.

"I promise I'll take you home safely."

He seemed to see through her reluctance when she paused for a moment and stared at him blankly.

"What are you worried about? You don't believe me?"

"No, that's not it. You've been very benevolent to me and helped me out. But for Peng Liling and his people, I'm already dead. What if they found out that I'm still alive? Wouldn't it cause an even bigger fuss?"

He paused for a moment and then said, "I think there's no other way. We must disguise ourselves as ordinary villagers to keep our low profile. The clothes we're wearing now will draw too much attention."

Thus far, Tan Xiuying had not even seen her own appearance. She just looked over her lavish emerald green clothes she was wearing now. Wherever she went by wearing this outfit will certainly attract too much attention, including criminals.

Finally she nodded in agreement with him. Her pair of sparkling eyes seemed to be silently conveying a thousand words.

He said, "If you think you're better, you can get up now."

She got up slowly, as if she would collapse at any moment. Seeing her standing wobblingly, Zhu Longwei hastily stretched out his hand and helped her stand up straight, instinctively noticing her flawless, soft hands.

Her hands felt abnormally warm. She wanted to voice her disapproval but instead she bit her lip hardly.

"Are you still hurt?" asked Zhu Longwei gently.

Tan Xiuying shook her head quickly, trying to hold back her tears. She had spent a quite long time alone with this strange man she barely even knew. Although her past experience as Sharon Lin was quite traumatic, she had never been happier hearing the brief compassionate question he had just asked her.

Those words were more than enough to comfort her.

Zhu Longwei found himself staring stupidly at her adorable dimples as she smiled faintly. Within the hollow of her dimples was a source of genuine joy, a glimmer of hope for a future of renewed vigour.

Once again, he was enthralled and amazed by this sight. He had failed to notice everything about his mission and where he had left behind his guardian, Meng Jie, on the cliff.