Forgotten Legend of the Bloodied Flower

I have no right to decide who she could meet.

That was what Feng Ao Kuai said inside his mind. Thankfully, Long Qian Xing didn't have any ability to read what other people had inside his mind or he would have realized Feng Ao Kuai and Nan Hua's real relationship with each other.

They were not mere cousins.

They were also master and subordinate.

From the very moment Feng Ao Kuai and Nan Hua made the promise with each other when they were young, this relationship had been established. And Feng Ao Kuai was also willing to put himself lower than Nan Hua because he knew how capable his younger cousin was.

This plan was not perfect, but Feng Ao Kuai could guess what Nan Hua wanted from her 'fake' death. The fewer people who knew that Nan Hua is still alive the better it would be. At the very least, this would give her enough freedom to do what she wanted to do for the next few years.

As for her plan afterwards…

That was not something that Feng Ao Kuai need to worry about. He was sure that Nan Hua would surely prepare something for herself.

Long Qian Xing sighed and it was then he finally realized why she asked to him whether he would wait for her or not. At that time, he felt that her question was strange, but it seemed that Nan Hua had already known that this would happen.

To the outside world, Nan Hua is dead.

But in truth, she's still alive.

Sighing deeply, Long Qian Xing really wanted to be able to meet with Nan Hua and asked her what she had in her mind. For who know how many years in the future… he wouldn't be able to see her anymore.

'Can I meet with her again?'

Long Qian Xing turned around so that his back was facing Feng Ao Kuai. "When you see her again, tell her: I'll always be here."

Feng Ao Kuai didn't answer and watched as Long Qian Xing walked away. He had seen the young man's ruthlessness, but right now, Long Qian Xing's back looked so desolate as if he had lost the entire world.

He pursed his lips and shook his head internally.

It was time to return.

They had settled the most troublesome Tu Family and avenged Nan Hua's mother. With this, it should have settled somehow.

"Let's go back," Long Qian Xing said to his soldiers as he walked out.

…

<Long Family Residence>

Even after Long Qian Xing reached his own residence again, he still felt that everything was surreal. At the same time, he felt a great sense of loss.

In that burning carriage… who knew how many stabs he felt inside his heart and how much pain it actually felt.

"Not a single one of you is to say a word to Grandmother."

"Yes, Young Master."

Long Qian Xing knew how much Nan Hua meant for Old Madam Long. His grandmother was already old, so hearing this kind of news would only hurt her even more. He didn't want anything to happen to her.

The servants all bowed down and didn't dare to do anything as they watched Long Qian Xing walked back to his quarter.

They all had seen the mess today and knew the commotion would have alarmed many people.

However, Old Madam Long was resting because of the medicine and didn't really like to pay attention to the outside world. She wouldn't know what had happened outside if no one told her.

And Long Qian Xing didn't want his grandmother to be sad and worried.

Thus, he issued the gag order.

The servants didn't dare to say anything and decided to follow what Long Qian Xing said. They all moved quietly so as not to disturb the young master.

Even though Long Qian Xing looked calm…

They all knew that it was just the surface appearance.

No one would dare to provoke him in this juncture.

Thus, Long Qian Xing's quarter became a red zone where the servants were walking very carefully to avoid alarming the young master.

'You're so ruthless, Little Lass.'

Entering his room, Long Qian Xing sat on his bed and covered his face with his hand. He really felt it back then that if he truly loses her, he wouldn't be able to accept it. If he were to lose her, how would he live the rest of his life?

And even now, he wouldn't be able to hear anything about her.

Whether she was fine.

Whether she was hurt or sick.

Whether something happened to her or was there anyone who dared to bother her.

There wouldn't be any Nan Hua again among the pieces of news that his subordinates sent to him from time to time.

Long Qian Xing laid on his bed and closed his eyes. He knew that he wouldn't be able to sleep. With his insomnia and now losing his fiancée, he finally realized how much he valued the seemingly thin relationship.

They only met each other occasionally and even very rarely.

But he enjoyed each and every one of them.

If only it was possible… he just wanted to see her right now.

When he saw her again, he would never let her go anymore. The girl is very ruthless, leaving him alone like this without knowing how much pain it brought to him.

Truly…

That was just like how Nan Hua is.

And Long Qian Xing knew that the words he said to her was useless. The girl was not one to trust other people easily. He had seen it for himself when he saw her clear gaze that didn't seem to contain any kind of emotion at all.

But he didn't think about it too much.

He thought that just a few words would be more than enough for him to explain about his action to her.

He thought that by showing her a bit of warmth, she would learn to open herself up to him.

He had seen her starting to trust him.

But he realized that it was not enough.

Countless years of pain and suffering had caused her to close up and what he had shown her was not enough for her to completely trust him and allowed her to let him know what the Nan Family was planning. Or to be exact, what his little girl was planning.

And it might be the reason why this drama was staged today.

Her 'death' allowed them to finish the clean up faster.

But she would also disappear.

When Long Qian Xing first decided to keep the engagement, he only found the young girl to be somewhat pleasing to the eye. He didn't mind keeping her entertained and behaved as how a gentleman would.

But now…

He realized that his feeling was not as shallow as he thought.

He just never realized it before.

'Do you not like this engagement or is there something else inside your mind, Hua'er?' Long Qian Xing thought internally. The last sentence that Nan Hua mentioned to him rang inside his mind.

[Would you wait for me, Brother Long?]

No matter how long he had to wait, Long Qian Xing would wait for her.

He looked at the ceiling.

At this time, he was reminded of his study partner, Emperor Yang Zhou. When he first become the latter's study partner, he hadn't gotten his memory yet. Emperor Yang Zhou was someone who also didn't trust Long Qian Xing and kept his distance from him.

The two of them were originally treating each other politely on the surface.

And Long Qian Xing had long realized the marks of abuse that couldn't be fully covered with clothes.

It was only when he returned from the frontline did things started to change.

He made a deal.

Even with that, Emperor Yang Zhou never fully trusted him in the beginning.

And they slowly built their trust over countless life and death experience. Without those, Long Qian Xing knew that Emperor Yang Zhou would never let him get close and treated him as if he was Emperor Yang Zhou's brother.

"Trusting someone is not easy, Qian Xing. Not when you're in a position like me or when you have experienced having your trust broken over and over again." Emperor Yang Zhou once left that sentence to him.

And it was only now Long Qian Xing truly contemplated about it.

The way men and women looked at things were usually different and Long Qian Xing knew that in order to gain Nan Hua's trust, words and his polite gestures were not enough. In her eyes, he might not be more than her fiancé that was bound with an Imperial Edict.

But it was nothing more than that.

They treated each other politely and never interacted more than that.

'She's still alive.'

That was the one and only consolation for Long Qian Xing. He knew that as long as Nan Family didn't do any burial, it meant that they actually wanted to have Nan Hua return in the future.

When?

He didn't know.

And he silently vowed inside his heart.

No matter how hard it is… he will find her.

And when he found her, he will never let her go.