-||chapter fourteen - the panic||-

"The Crown Prince had been successful in maintaining no contact with the First Princess for over four days but who has even won a game when the fate's at play?! He didn't knew that the First Princess' name had already been written in his destiny and it was all fate's complicated play to lead the Crown Prince to his destiny.

And this time, the fate had chose the Crown Prince's best friend as it's pawn.

The Prince who was trying to woo the Second Princess ended up scaring her with his overzealous attitude which the Second Princess perceived off as stalker and creepy. The Second Princess was also influenced by the gossip about the Prince and considered him to be philanderer.

So, in order to woo his one true love, the Prince ended up asking the Crown Prince for help but he did not knew that by this way he was also helping his best friend reach his destiny."

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"What did you say?" Zhang Yi Chen asked again to confirm that Ming Ze was indeed asking him to contact Lu Zhi to help him woo her twin sister.

"I said that I need your help to contact Lu Zhi and ask about my Ying Ying's likes and dislikes, everything about her so that I can impress my sweetheart and have her fall in love with me. So, please help me!" Ming Ze pleaded

Zhang Yi Chen felt an intense pressure build up inside his head. He could feel the telltale sign of an headache and was frustrated that once again he would have to be in contact with Lu Zhi. Here, he was trying to stay away from her but always ended up stepping closer.

"Why should I contact Lu Zhi? Why can't you? And why do you think Lu Zhi will help you pursue her sister?" Yi Chen questioned as he rubbed his temples to ease of the sudden pain.

Ming Ze went to sit at the corner of Zhang Yi Chen's desk and explained, "See, I have already tried to pursue Lu Ying directly, by myself but it ended up horribly." he sounded embarrassed about it.

Yi Chen raised his brows in curiosity, "What did you do?" he asked leaning back on his chair.

"Well....." he drawled.

"Well?" repeated Yi Chen.

"I messed up." confessed Ming Ze, "I thought that I would be able to impress her and win her over with my usual ways but -"

"What happened to the flowers?" asked Yi Chen. He was very well aware of the tactics that his best friend often used to flirt and date.

"She turned out to be allergic." told Ming Ze, "Which girl in the world is allergic to roses?!"

"The luxury handbag?" that was Yi Chen's next question.

Ming Ze huffed out a breath as he answered this question, "I bought the latest, the most luxurious handbag from Fantasy's Moon & Star's collection, but -"

Yi Chen knew were this was going and he couldn't help but chuckle and Ming Ze finished his sentence, "Fantasy belongs to her sister and Ying Ying already had that bag."

"What about jewelry?" seeing how Ming Ze covered his face with his hand and let out a groan, Yi Chen couldn't control his laughter any longer.

"Tell, tell!" Yi Chen was curious and excited to know what Lu Ying must have done in response to his best friend's incessant flirting.

"I got the her the Blooming Sapphire necklace from Galaxy Jewels." told Ming Ze.

"And?"

"I had forgotten that Galaxy Jewels belongs to an ex-girlfriend of mine and that day when I was there to gift the necklace to Ying Ying, she was in a meeting with her friend who turned to be my ex." at this point Ming Ze wanted to burry himself in a hole.

"Please continue!" Yi Chen was laughing loudly at this point, causing Ming Ze to be more miserable.

"Ying Ying got furious when her friend and my ex told her about how I ghosted her after two dates so Ying Ying took the necklace from me and gave it to her friend so that she could sell that necklace again. And I lost 60 million US dollars because of that." told Ming Ze.

"Good lord!" Yi Chen cackled, "This is gold!" his eyes got misty because of how hard he was laughing.

Ming Ze wanted to smack the cackling idiot but he was too busy wallowing in his own misery.

It took Yi Chen a few minutes to gather himself. Once he was no longer bursting into peals of laughter, he said, "It's still hard to believe about this special gift of yours but I have no reason to no believe you either." it was because Ming Ze had never lied to him about anything and same goes for Yi Chen. The two best friends knew everything about each and other.

"Are you really serious about Lu Ying?" asked Yi Chen.

"I am. She is truly my one and only true love for whom I am going to devote my life for." Ming Ze professed.

"Then why not ask Lu Zhi by yourself? Why me?"

"Because she trusts you." explained Ming Ze, "After that incident, Lu Zhi clearly trusts you. She will help if you will take my side and explain my situation to her."

Yi Chen let out a deep sigh, "Fine, I will talk to her."

Ming Ze visibly brightened on hearing that.

"But I won't push her to help if she says no. Is that okay with you?" asked Yi Chen.

Yi Chen's condition didn't dim Ming Ze's brightened mood, "It is! I am completely fine by that. If Lu Zhi agrees that it would be of great help but if she didn't then I would have to look for other ways to woo my Ying Ying."

"Okay."

****************

Once satisfied with her first draft sketch for her The Bird With Nine Heads dress, Lu Zhi began working on another sketch inspired by the same tale but this time the dress will focus on the union of the Princess and the man who saved her from the nine headed bird.

She had just finished outlining the silhouette for her sketch when her landline office phone began ringing, "Yes."

"Ma'am there's a call for you from Mr. Zhang." replied Dai Xi.

Lu Zhi's eyebrows furrowed, "Mr. Zhang Dong? What is he calling for now?"

"It's his son this time, Ma'am." answered Dai Xi, "Mr. Zhang Yi Chen wants to talk to you."

"Oh, okay. Transfer his call to me, I'll speak to him." ordered Lu Zhi.

"In a minute, ma'am." was Dai Xi's response before forwarding Yi Chen's call to Lu Zhi's phone.

"Hello." greeted Yi Chen.

"Hello to you too, Mr. Zhang." smiled Lu Zhi.

"I hope that I didn't disturb you."

"You didn't." Lu Zhi replied instantly, "I was just working on some sketches. They can wait."

"So, why did you call?" she asked.

"Actually, I wanted to talk to you regarding something important." began Yi Chen but was interrupted by Lu Zhi.

"Is it about your parents' upcoming 33rd wedding anniversary? Do you too want me to design the attire that your mother would wear at her vows renewal ceremony?" asked Lu Zhi.

"Wait, what? A vows renewal ceremony? And why did you say 'too'? Who else wants you to do that?" Yi Chen was close to panicking.

"Yeah. Your father came to my office today with the proposal of creating the entire wedding ensemble for your mother as a gift for their upcoming wedding anniversary. He told me that he and your mother are planning on recreating their wedding and renewing their vows so he wanted me to design your mother's outfit because she loves my work." explained Lu Zhi and Yi Chen went into full panic mode.

"He told me that your mother is sick and requested that I visit your place for consultations and meetings." added Lu Zhi.

His heart started breathing faster, beads of sweat forming over his forehead. He looked as white as ghost and it scared Ming Ze who was still in Yi Chen's office.

"My father did that?" when Yi Chen asked this question, even Ming Ze grew concerned as he knew what Zhang Dong was truly capable of.

"Yeah, he did." replied Lu Zhi, "Is there some problem?" she couldn't help but ask.

"NO!" his response was too loud, "I'll call you back later. Something just came up. Bye." Yi Chen hurriedly disconnected the call.

"What? What happened?" Ming Ze steadied his shaking friend.

"Father went to meet Lu Zhi and told her to design a wedding outfit for Mother which he wants to gift to her and have her wear at their vows renewal ceremony." Yi Chen's voice was breaking as he told Ming Ze what his father was upto.

Ming Ze could understand why his friend was panicking.

Zhang Dong didn't care at all about his wife who was nothing but a trophy for him. He had only married Huo Mei because of money. After the marriage, Zhang Dong had merged the Huo family business after taking control over them and reconstructed them as a part of the Zhang Kingdom.

During their more than 32 years of marriage, Zhang Dong have had numerous affairs, uncountable mistresses. He didn't just abuse Huo Mei physically but had her weakened emotionally and mentally as well. He took advantage of the unconditional and blind love that his wife had and still has for him.

That man doesn't even care if his wife lives or dies. That man, the same man went over to meet Lu Zhi to have her design stuff for his wife as he was planning on having a vows renewal ceremony?!

It just didn't make sense.

The only reason Zhang Dong could have behind his visit to Lu Zhi was if he -

"Shit!" the moment Ming Ze realized what Yi Chen's so called father was upto, he couldn't help but worry as well.

"He is trying to set you up with Lu Zhi. And, good lord! She is the perfect candidate to be the next Mrs. Zhang." Ming Ze ran a hand through his hair while Yi Chen drank a glass of water in an effort to calm his nerves.

"You know he will not stop until he gets what he wants, right?" Ming Ze didn't want to cause more anxiety to his friend but this was serious because both of then knew what lengths could Zhang Dong cross once he sets his mind on something.