Chapter 280 - Relaying Minds (2/2)

The Emperor narrowed his eyes at her, he could imagine the nonsense going on her head, ”I woke up in the middle of the night, from that dream to find you burning up. I went to get the doctor and he said it was because there was still some of the toxins left in your system so instructed me to put you in the hot springs for a while to sweat it out...”

”...Obviously there were no maids so naturally, I had to take care of you myself and naturally, I had to sit in there with you to ensure sure you didn't drown...Didn't you wonder why you were dressed in the morning?” The Emperor asked with a raised eyebrow and a little smirk.

Lei Xing blinked at him and promptly looked away as her cheeks began to redden, ”W-well...it was a busy morning...I naturally couldn't be bothered...about clothes so...”

The Emperor snorted as he wrapped his arms around her and hugged before she could fly away. He pat her head and whispered, ”You can't seriously still be so shy after all this time?”

”I'm not shy...just a bit surpr - taken unawares...” Lei Xing said with a disgruntled pout.

”Ah, taken unawares...I see...”The Emperor said with a chuckle as he released her.

Lei Xing sent him a glare and then said, ”Back to the IMPORTANT topic...s-so you had the same dream?” She said, quickly changing the topic before the Emperor could gain more laughs at her expense.

The Emperor knit his brows in thought and responded, ”Well, it sounds like it was the same...But I don't remember seeing those celestial bodies in it though, but then again, my mind might have been focused on other matters...such as those bracelets...” The Emperor said with a sigh.

”...I don't know if you remember, but apparently the bracelets were meant to alert the other when one was in danger...I was thinking about how nice it would be to have them, that way I would know to go save you whenever you're in trouble...I was really worried that night and today -... I thought I would lose you...” He quietly said as he hugged her again.

The Emperor sighed and he remembered in the dream, the bracelet was a parting gift of sorts, he could truly understand the heart of the boy who had gotten this gift to ease his heart as he had to leave her behind.

{...Perhaps if we had something like that, I'd feel much better letting you go...}

The Emperor sighed.

Lei Xing also sighed and hugged him back, unsure what to say. She could not say she would never leave him as no one could tell what tomorrow will bring. If a situation ever came that made it so her presence here would hurt or destroy him, she would rather leave...She would never be able to live with herself otherwise.

”I was worried too...” She finally managed to say.

The Emperor released her and held her cheek, ”Xing er', I honestly don't care much about how all this happened -”

”You really don't care? Even when there's obviously-”

”Something more between us?” The Emperor finished with a smirk.

Lei Xing knit her brows and nodded, ”Aren't you curious? This isn't the only instance of these shared visions? Should I call them visions?”

Lei Xing knit her brows and hesitated for a moment but then proceeded, ”You know, I just asked if you saw into my head...It wasn't a random question. It's because I think I've seen into your head before. You know that dragon and phoenix painting you gifted me, you said it was from a dream but I have a memory of that view long before I ever set eyes on it, I even described it to others during the selection period...You drew it exactly how I imagined it.”

”...Also, remember that poem I wrote during the contest, you thought I was paying homage to the other painting you showed me but I really wasn't. I had never set eyes on that painting before nor had I ever heard of any of your battles at that time, much less hearing about how you were ambushed in your first war...I - I just had those images in my head...And now there's this dream and all this that happened today...It's obviously not normal, it's very strange...How can you not be curious about all this?”

The Emperor was not at all surprised by her string of revelations just now. After all, he had already had his own string of oddities pertaining to her. This just made her reaction in his study that day make more sense. The Emperor sighed, ”I am curious but...stranger things have happened.” Such as him seeing a future vision of his mother strangling Lei Xing.

{...Should I tell her about that?... It would probably just make her more worried...}

The Emperor sighed again, ”I have long learned that not all things should be questioned and not all questions will be answered...”

Lei Xing pursed her lips, ”But -”

”What should matter is how it worked out. This was in our favor, we should be grateful...” The Emperor calmly said.

Lei Xing pouted, ”I guess but...I'm sure that quack knows what's happening...”

”I'm sure he does...” The Emperor responded hugging her and stroking her hair.

Lei Xing hugged him back, ”He probably won't tell us though...”

”He probably won't...” The Emperor acknowledged.

”I don't like being played with...” Lei Xing irritatedly said

”Neither do I.” The Emperor calmly responded.

”I don't feel very grateful right now.” Lei Xing said with a disgruntled pout.

”I do...” The Emperor said with a light chuckle, closing his eyes and resting his cheek on top of her head. He was curious but for him but Doctor Lou's warning about the repercussions of uncovering the Voice's identity still resonated in his head. So for him, there were much more important things than satisfying curiosity.