Chapter 335 - Uninvited Spectator

"Um... A few years ago, I don't know if you remember but..." Prince Yi began and then paused, lowering his head, hesitating again as if unsure whether it was a good idea to proceed. 

"I remember..." Lei Xing quietly said and both Prince Yi and the Emperor promptly looked at her to find her looking up at Prince Yi with a slight smile, "You were the one at the lantern festival years back, weren't you? I never forget a face..."

Prince Yi nodded as his face lit up with a nervous smile, which only further incensed the Emperor, as much as it piqued his curiosity as to what incident warranted her smiling at him like that.

Lei Xing stood up with knit eyebrows and awkwardly explained, "Well, I didn't mention it because... Well, you didn't and well... It's not exactly a... Well... fond memory." She mumbled the last bit with a slight frown, obviously uncomfortable with the topic. 

Prince Yi's expression instantly fell, obviously disappointed with the revelation that it was not a "fond" memory. But still, he tried to maintain his smile and said, "I understand, you were little and being left alone in a foreign place, it's natural that you would have been frightened s-"

"Frightened, no. Annoyed, yes." The Lei Xing sharply cut in with a full frown, obviously annoyed at being labeled as "frightened".

This made Prince Yi fl.u.s.tered again, while the Emperor felt himself smirk again and inwardly scoffed,. But then the strangest thing happened and he thought he heard his own voice very quietly say: Idiot...Of course, it was nothing significant. If it was, I would naturally know about it

If he could move his head, he would have immediately looked around him to see if somehow his peripheral vision had missed a person next to him... a person who could somehow mimic his voice because he had clearly not spoken. 

Another odd thing, with an equally odd feeling. It was quite startling, but the Emperor quickly dismissed it. After all, this was already as odd as a dream could get, so what was one or two more oddities. 

Prince Yi found his tongue again and smiled, trying to backtrack, "Ah, of course, your parents - I mean, their maj-" 

"Ah, I haven't actually thanked you for that day..." Lei Xing cut in with an almost strained smile, obviously not wanting to discuss this. Prince Yi blinked at her and she brought up her hands, cupped them, and slightly bowed her head as she said, Thank you for your help -"

To the Emperor's great annoyance, Prince Yi swiftly closed the space between them with an insane speed and clasped onto one of her hands as he panickedly went, "Ah, you shouldn't bow, please... I - It was an honor to help you and...an-anyone would have been glad to. I - I just got lucky..." He said turning red as he blinked down at the hand he was holding. 

The Emperor felt his hands ball into fists with a wave of mounting anger as he watched all this unfold. Lei Xing, on the other hand, did not seem at all bothered. She slightly raised an eyebrow and with a slightly more genuine smile and frankly said, "Still, gratitude should be shown, I owe you a debt."

Prince Yi nervously smiled and looked down at the hand in his again, seemingly shocked and both glad that she was not pulling away. He took a deep breath and then looked up at her face again, where he was met with a now confused eyebrow.

Prince Yi became even more fl.u.s.tered when he met her inquisitive gaze but he persisted, "Xing er', I... Instead of that, I... Actually, I... Since that day, I've always...always -" He paused and nervously lowered his eyes, gulping hard, "I..." He suddenly stopped again and knit his brows as he stared at what seemed to be the bracelet on her wrist. 

At this point, the Emperor was absolutely mad with rage, and a good portion of it was directed at the Lei Xing who was stupidly just standing there allowing Prince Yi to do as he liked with her. Dream or not, the Emperor wanted to race over there, shove Prince Yi to the wall, not particularly caring if he got impaled by a crystal.

Then he would grab Lei Xing by the shoulders and shake her lost senses back into her... But his stupid body refused to move! Other than fist-clenching, glaring, and smirking, this body wanted to do nothing else.

"Is something wrong with my hand?" Lei Xing asked with a somewhat amused expression as she looked from her hand to the person in front of her.

"Why do you always wear this?" Prince Yi asked with a frown

Lei Xing slightly stiffened and then lightly shrugged, "No reason...Just a habit I guess."

Prince Yi obviously did not like the answer, he looked up at her with a disgruntled frown and said, "It doesn't suit you..."

Lei Xing raised a questioning eyebrow, with slightly narrowed her eyebrows and he immediately realized he had spoken out of turn and backtracked, "I mean, it suits you... It's just, well...If you want I can take it off for you." He fumbled and then looked at her with a determined and expectant gaze as he waited for her answer.

Lei Xing lightly snorted and then removed raised her hand, "It's fine..." She dismissively said. before turning to the side and nonchalantly sweeping a glance about the beautiful cave room with a little smile.

When Lei Xing raised her hand, the Emperor had gotten a good look at the bracelet that was the point of discussion. Not that he was really expecting anything. It was just that he assumed that if he would be dreaming about a bracelet, it would be the one she used to wear, the one that she claimed terrorized her. 

But it was not that bracelet, this one was very different. It was a bracelet made of pearls, with a rhombus-shaped midnight gemstone that looked like it held the starry night sky as the centerpiece. The Emperor could not place it but he was sure that he had seen it before.

The Emperor was distracted when he heard himself snort as his fixed on Prince Yi, who was intently staring at Lei Xing with a disgruntled pout, while Lei Xing stared everywhere but at him. He could not be sure whether Lei Xing was ignoring him on purpose, but whichever it was, he was amused watching his brother squirm in her presence. 

Prince Yi finally found his tongue, "But -"

"Hehe~"

The three people froze when they heard that light feathery snicker, which disappeared so soon that it made one unsure if they actually heard it. Lei Xing and Prince Yi looked at each other questioningly, obviously, neither of them had done that. And the Emperor knew he did not either.

Before the three could collect their thoughts, a voice suddenly exclaimed, "Ow! Who's the brat who put this rock here?!"

They immediately looked at one of the few large crystal boulders near the entrance and next thing, a familiar form walked out from behind it, a form that surprised the Emperor.

Doctor Lou came out from behind the crystal boulder, squinting at it, "You better watch yourself or I'll grind you to dust!" He warned, then he turned to the two people at the center and blinked in innocent surprise, "Ohh... You're still here?"

"Were you eavesdropping on us?!" Prince Yi exclaimed in surprise, visibly taken aback.

Doctor Lou squinted at Prince Yi and then haughtily raised his head, "Nooo... I was proudly listening, I do not eavesdrop...unlike some people." He finished, turning his head to the side and squinting at where the Emperor stood.

The Emperor immediately felt himself freeze, feeling a slight pang of guilt. The old man could see him, he had to be. It could not simply be a coincidence that the old man cast an accusing gaze his way when he said that.

"Of course..." Lei Xing sarcastically mumbled and Doctor Lou turned his accusing gaze on her, "You were the ones who ruined my nap... And I was simply being considerate. You should thank me." He indignantly stated as he strolled over to where the Emperor "invisibly" stood in slow deliberate steps with a curiously raised eyebrow.

The Emperor felt himself gulp, feeling a bit nervous as Doctor Lou stopped in front of him. The old man then squinted up at his face and the Emperor knew for sure that he was about to get exposed.

The Emperor felt himself worriedly glance up at Lei Xing and then frown down at the old man, who now had a mischievous smile on his face as he slowly stretched out an index finger towards the Emperor's c.h.e.s.t. The Emperor gulped again, he wanted to move out of the way but his body was still not responding, it stood firm and simply frowned down at the old man, who was clearly messing with him at this point.

"Xing Xing, did you know..." The old man intentionally dragged out the words, "Ah?" He went with a frown as his finger went through the Emperor's body. Doctor Lou c.o.c.ked his head and then used both arms to wave through the Emperor's body, wading through nothing but air.

"What are you doing?" Lei Xing asked with a confused eyebrow as she watched the old man flapping his arms like a bird.