Just Like a Trophy.

"What did you say?" Mo Xi asked turning to her in confusion. She shifted her eyes from the people sitting with her brother before shaking her head. He was planning to show off just as she had suspected in the first place but what made her fume was his company. The prince who had visited her first, the guy she had beat up and some dumb-looking men all sat around him. She could tell they hated each other from the tension floating around the air and their extremely rigid postures. Even Mo Xi felt her misgivings and stopped in his tracks turning to her frozen form as she glanced at the group.

"Is it a must for me to..." she started before crinkling her brows and slowly approaching the table? If it was up to her should have run but she knew her half-brother would never let her leave without fulfilling whatever he had planned. They didn't seem to notice her and only looked up when she stood next to the group.

"Ah, you are here!" her brother exclaimed in an excited voice half the group seemed to relax at the sight of her while the others tensed up more than they had been earlier.

"I was told you asked for me" she acknowledged with a shy smile all the while cursing him to hell. She wondered what he was thinking after all he could admit she was his sister since it would ruin his entire strategy.

"Yes, I wanted you to meet my companions" he proceeded as everyone stared at him wondering what he would say next. The surrounding grew silent making everyone grow more apprehensive as they stared at her expectantly.

"Good afternoon," she greeted with a slight bow as she stood next to her crazy half-brother with her hands folded before her. The other prince stared at her questioningly while the man next to him glared at her furiously.

"Come on take a seat" he continued as if not aware of the fireworks going off around him. She nodded before taking a seat next to him but in between the two groups making her feel as if she was in the middle of a battleground. Her eyes only focused on him as she pretended not to see the eyes that were focused on her.

"What would you like to eat?" he asked in a caring tone that they both knew was fake. He was enjoying this whatever it was he was doing and she felt like slapping away his fake smile.

"Anything, " she answered lowly keeping her head and eyes lowered as she stared at her fingers. She had thought she could rest after the intense training she had undergone during the day but it seemed she was not that lucky. Instead, she had to spend the rest of her day trying to survive a war between egotistical men who did not care about her.

"Chen Li Ju, right? I remember meeting you in the Pavillion how do you know my brother?" the prince went in forthwith laying everything bare making her half-brother's happy smile slowly stiffen. She remained silent waiting for her half-brother to answer the question on her behalf since he was the one to plan all this. A single glance into his shifty eyes told her she had to fend for herself.

"Oh, he's my brother" she admitted making everyone turn to her in shock wondering whose side she was on exactly. She smiled at her previously quiet brother who was scowling his fake smile obliterated by her simple confession.

"His mom, adopted me when I was a kid and we sort of grew up together." she clarified turning to her half-brother with a gentle smile, he seemed to be confused as they stared into the eyes of each other. She had been willing to let him take the lead but since he was not she would slowly get herself out of the predicament. She had thought about what to do a while back and had come up with this explanation in case of anything happening and it seemed it had.

"What now?" one of the men asked in shock reacting to what she had said aloud. She could of course tell the rest of the made-up story but she kept mum about the details of her 'adoption'.

"Haven't you heard the rumors, that we are siblings?" she instead questioned diverting the question much to the chagrin of the crown prince and his compatriots.

"Yes but..." he started only to stop a frown marring his face. The table remained deadly silent until the crown prince started laughing she looked up at his skeptical expression.

"So you decided," he confirmed after his laughter had died down. She pretended not to hear and turned back to glancing down at her fingers silently.

"Good, I understand" he continued to mumble before standing up suddenly and walking away from the group. Everyone seemed to be shocked before the rest of the men on his side also stood except for the one she had beat up. They all left silently following behind him as he rushed away probably to come up with a solution.

"Why aren't you following them?" another one asked the one left glaring at him with contempt as he stared at her. He did not respond and only stared at her lowered head probably waiting for her to raise it. She stuck with her position for a while before looking up at his focused on her.

"You remember me?" he asked more like asserted looking at her expectantly.

"Mmh" she confirmed calmly looking into his eyes. She could see as they switched making her shiver at the promise of vengeance she could see within its depths. This place was getting more and more dangerous and she did not know what to do next. Ren had asked her to keep her head down but it seemed impossible with how everything was progressing so far.

'I am sorry Ren' she thought to herself as she stared into his eyes.

'You are not' she heard his voice scoff and froze before looking around in shock.

'I am not out there' he added and she could already imagine his deadpan expression due to her stupidity for looking around.

'You can speak inside my brain?" she inquired trying to keep her face calm despite her awe.

'Yes and no, it doesn't matter it seems like this place is no longer safe. Come back immediately we need to talk' He answered before going silent. She sat still and waited for any further instructions but gave up when she realized he had no intention of speaking further.

"Are you listening to me?" her brother asked drawing her out of her thoughts to the now empty table which was only left with her brother. She looked around wondering when everyone had left before focusing on his frustrated expression.

"Mmh, am listening" she acknowledged wondering what he wanted to talk about but just could not focus on him.

"You should have not said that to my brother I am the one who is supposed to be calling the shots am I clear." she could hear his voice buzz but did not care to listen.

"Sure, I am leaving see you later" she bidded before walking out of the restaurant forgetting all about Mo Xi. She couldn't wait to get back and ask Ren about his ability to communicate within her mind. He had told her the realm he stayed in was a separate entity that only she could access but did not belong to her. She had of course asked about the owner only for her question to be brushed off with the explanation that the realm was not in her consciousness as she had thought.

All these factors made her wonder how he was still able to communicate with her despite being completely separated. Many thoughts flitted through her mind as she tteaked her way back to the Peony only to collide with someone. She stopped and finally noticed the guy she had bumped into standing before her. He was tall and lean but looked slightly muscular from how his clothes framed his figure. His hands held on tightly to his scroll as he stared at her in shock probably not expecting to bump into anyone.

"Sorry, I am really sorry I was not looking where I was going" She apologised scanning him for any injuries.

"It's alright, are you fine?" he asked shocking her.She had not expected someone she had bumped into to care whomever she was hurt causing her to smile up at him.

"Miss, are you alright?" Mo Xi suddenly asked after catching up to her and noticing what had happened. She turned to him and noticed him glare towards the guy she had bumped into making her sigh.

"I am fine stop glaring at him it was my fault" she admonished rolling her eyes at his behaviour. She was sure it was not because he cared but more like he was forced to make sure nothing happened to her.

"Forgive him he doesn't know how to behave," she apologized once again feeling upset with Mo Xi and his master.

"Le t's go" she added before proceeding with her fast pace.