Chapter 374 - Floundering Knight (1/2)

”I see... So you're here to say goodbye then?” Lei Xing tentatively asked, tapping her finger on her desk in contemplation. She had been busy digging through some doc.u.ments when she was informed that her ”brother” urgently wanted to see her.

She was initially hesitant to accept this surprise visit, but Lei Yong was still considered her brother, and she felt a bit bad about attempting to kill him with flying wine bottles at his head the last time they met. She honestly had no idea what had come over her that day, alcohol was definitely not her friend.

Anyway, she thought she should probably apologize for her behavior that day so she invited him in.  But before she could even open her mouth to welcome him, he flared up at her asking her if she was aware Tung Mei had left.

To which she truthfully responded that she wasn't. He seemed to calm down a bit and without prompting, he launched into narrating his encounter with the Emperor and the bizarre ultimatum he was given. Lei Xing was surprised as well over the Emperor's intervention in the matter, but she was also quite confused as to why Lei Yong came to complain to her.

”No.” Lei Yong ill-humoredly said, ”I need you to go talk to him. Marriage is not a small matter that should be decided on a whim.” He dryly stated.

Lei Xing blinked a few times, then slowly nodded, ”I agree but...from what you said, he isn't exactly forcing you ei-”

Lei Yong quickly interjected, ”Xiao Ying has just recovered from a grave illness - In fact, she is still not completely recovered, you know this. She is especially vulnerable right now with her memory lapses so she needs protection from someone trustworthy. She should not even have been allowed to travel right now - Anyway, I need to go to see her, to ensure her welfare. I will not be able to live with it on conscience if anything happens to her and neither will you.” He added for good measure, staring her down for good measure.

Lei Xing wearily looked at him as she wondered exactly how this situation came to be her problem. She was certain Lei Yong was overreacting. After all, it was not as if Tung Mei ran away from home, she went with the approval of her guardian. If her escort was good enough to get her to the capital, they were good enough to get her back home. So what exactly was his problem?

{…More importantly, what is my nosy husband doing sticking his nose in other people's love lives? Since when did he get into the freaking matchmaking business?! Is he really that free?!...}

Still, looking at Lei Yong's anxiety-filled expression, Lei Xing swallowed her comments and sighed, ”Alright. Since you're so worried, I can send some imperial guards along to escort her h -”

Lei Yong interjected, ”I should go.”

”Why?” Lei Xing asked with knit eyebrows, ”The Imperial guards, in addition to the escorts which I'm sure she has, should be more than sufficient for safeguarding the one girl's life.” She dryly stated.

Lei Yong's eyes widened at her in exasperation and disappointment. How could Lei Xing be so dismissive?! He thought Li Xing being his sister and Tung Mei's friend would understand his concerns. He thought that perhaps Lei Xing would go reason with the Emperor on their behalf. But here she was also proving to be another stone wall, dismissing him.

Lei Yong clenched his fists, having his sister and his best friend gang up on him like this was indeed unexpected and uncalled for. It was not as if he was asking for too much here, just some time off! He was literally volunteering for work, so why were they being so difficult?!

Seeing as Lei Yong had gone silent, Lei Xing sighed again and dismissed him, ”Go home. Tung Mei will be fine.”

Rather than argue with her on the merit of his request, Lei Yong opted for a different approach, one greatly beneath him but one he took nonetheless, ”You owe me this.”

Lei Xing scoffed and readjusted in her seat, her interest slightly piqued, ”I owe you?”

Lei Yong swallowed and shamelessly pressed on, ”If not for me, you would not be in the position you are in today. Back then when you wanted to enter the palace, our parents refused and it was only me who stood with you and assisted you, betraying our parents' trust. I am really not asking for much here, am I?”

Lei Xing's face twitched as she blankly stared at him, comprehending the meaning of those words. She opened her mouth and closed it a few times, ”You – This. It was –” She took a deep breath, then let it out to rid herself of negative emotions.

{...It's okay, it's okay...We will pretend we didn't hear that admission of guilt. We are happy now and relatively content so it doesn't matter anymore… we're good… but how dare you try to blackmail me with that?! (≖_≖ )...}

”Look, Lei Yong -”

”You used to call me Yong ge.” Lei Yong pointed out with a clearly hurt expression in his eyes.

Lei Xing plastered on a sarcastic smile and amended, ”Yong ge...A word of advice. Tung Mei is not as simple as she seems. If you keep playing this game with her, you will get yourself in trouble-”

”What's that supposed to mean?” Lei Yong asked with a frown.

”You have asserted time and time again that you are not interested in the girl. So now that she has finally seen the light and left you alone, why do you want to go bother her again?” Lei Xing flatly asked.

Lei Yong knit his brows in thought for a few seconds before his eyes went wide with realization, ”Did you put him up to this?”

”What? Of course not.” Lei Xing retorted, a short laugh escaping her lips at the ridiculousness of this claim. Managing her own love life was already a handful, she had absolutely no interest in managing that of others, ”You're the one who barged in here to tell me this story. Although I have no idea what spurred his sudden interest in your love life, I can't deny that there is some merit to his words.”

Lei Yong frowned, ”So you're not going to talk to him then…” He stated rather than asking.