Chapter 129 - The Song Of Sparrow

That night both teams sat together and had dinner. Though they came from two cities, their aim was the same and one or another way they helped each other. Hence, Su Wu and Han Guang made collective efforts to unify the teams and decided to conduct further research as one team.

As for the relics of the late Queen, Li Juan contacted her grandfather and asked him to discuss it with the rest of the clan members and elders.

Even though Bai Qi informed her that she is free to make a decision. However, Li Juan wished to know everyone's opinion about handing over the relics to the archaeological department for further studies.

Apart from that, everyone appeared delighted as they found the countless treasures of the Yu kingdom. 

With a song and a cup of wine, the rivalry between two teams came to an end. While the team members were drinking and enjoying the night with songs and dance, Li Juan sat in a corner and silently observed everyone's happiness, her heart filling with tranquillity.

What she looked forward to the most was a peaceful life like this, where there wasn't any heartbreaks and pain, a plain and simple with her loved ones, her family. 

"Are you okay, Li Juan?" Han Guang asked Li Juan once he came over to present the details he collected these days.

"Yes, professor." Li Juan said with a bright smile and stood up from her seat.

"I am sorry, professor. We are unable to handover her to you."

"Hey, it's alright. I can understand your sentiments. She is your ancestor and it is normal for you to react like that." Han Guang's eyes turned gentle and soft,

"But it is your PhD work and without solid proof, your thesis will not get an approval."

"I know professor, but I cannot make a decision alone,"

"Lilly," Cheng Tao who was already drunk, walked over and sat beside Li Juan, "Why are you sitting here, everyone is there, come come," He held her hand and lead to the bonfire where everyone was present.

"Sit here," Cheng Tao made her next to Zhang Zhi Jun, "We have so many doubts," He grinned and looked around, every single person present there was staring at Li Juan with anticipation. They all wanted to know how Li Juan knew about all those secrets of Yu palace.

"How did you know that there is a secret passage in the room and how did you find the exact location of remainings of the Queen?"

"It was just a mere guess. I saw the symbols on the wall, so I thought it is also a trap door." Her answer was simple.

"Hey Liar, tell me the truth," Cheng Tao took some peanuts and fed her as a bribe.

"Do you believe if I say the truth?" 

"Of course, try me." He confidently

"I saw it in a dream,"

"Really?" Su Wu who was drunk hiccuped and asked her. 

Li Juan nodded in agreement,

"What about that guy we found with the queen, who is that?"

"He is from Guan empire," 

"Huh, we have never found any links between Yu kingdom and Guan empire?" Cheng Tao raised his eyebrows in astonishment."Then how did you find out that he is from Guan kingdom?"

"When we went to collect the map from the monastery, the head monk told me that it was a map prepared by a princess for her partner. I had my doubts since Yu clan preferred marrying within their community, there is no point preparing a map. But I didn't press it too much until my grandpa mentioned about the alliances they had with Guan empire." Li Juan explained with an expressionless face.

"You are wicked Lily, seriously you connected all the hints and found a treasure." Cheng Tao punched her with his eyes glistening in admiration.

"Cheng, don't forget that she is a queen." Han Guang reminded him. "You cannot punch her,"

"Oh my, apologies majesty." Cheng Tao bowed respectfully and covered his mouth to stop his giggle.

Li Juan rolled her eyes and hit him back with a faint smile.

This was the reaction Li Juan wanted to avoid. She doesn't want anyone to change for her. Especially her teammates, they were her family and she doesn't want them to treat her differently because she belongs to a wealthy family.

"It is quite unbelievable, Li Juan. While we were fervently searching for golds we failed to recognize the diamond in our hands." Han Guang joined in the conversation.

"I felt the same professor. I couldn't believe that I belong to the Yu clan." Li Juan said sheepishly. "I am still not accustomed to my new title,"

"Well, not as much shocking as the news that your family is one of the biggest corporations in the mainland and the person you have been idolized so far, turned out to be your family." Cheng Tao suddenly dragged everyone's attention to Zhang Zhi Jun.

"Speaking of that, if Li Juan is your queen, then Zhang Zhi Jun should be," Han Guang paused for a moment.

"His parents are the current sovereign heads of Yu palace," Su Wu proudly said and patted his shoulder, "and my nephew."

"The crown prince?" Cheng Tao looked at him with bulged eyes. 

"No wonder he looked so amazing in the historical dramas. He was born as a king."

"No, no, I am not a king."Zhang Zhi Jun touched the tip of his nose and refused Cheng Tao's praises.

"Not yet!" Bai Yu who heard his brother's denial immediately added. "He will be a king once he marries the queen,"

"Holy cow! So those rumours were true?" Cheng Tao stood up from his seat and shook Li Juan's shoulders. "You guys are getting married? Like seriously you and Zhang Zhi Jun."

Cheng Tao's loud voice and actions gained attention from everyone and they glanced at Zhang Zhi Jun and Li Juan with a perplexed look on their face.

"Are you getting married, Xiao Juan?" Wang Shiwei asked her with a doting smile. "Congratulations,"

"No, Supervisor Wang, it is not like that." Li Juan tried to deny, he was her suitor but nothing was fixed and yet everyone is congratulating her. "We, we are only-"

"Aye, we all know how much you like him." Cheng Tao commented, 

"He is the firstborn male in this generation and I am the firstborn female." Li Juan scratched her head and said.

"The firstborn of every generation is considered as the royal couple and most of them end up getting married." Bai Yu notified them in an elated tone.

"Ahhh what about your Oppa?" Cheng Tao asked without any second thoughts. "What about-"

Hearing his words, Lee Tae Min kicked Cheng Tao's foot and signalled him to shut. Li Juan was chased by so many men and why this pea-brained senior blurts everything under the effect of alcohol.

"Ahhh, you know, that friend of yours?" Lee Tae Min quickly asked.

"Are you talking about me?" Liang suddenly raised his voice, for the first time in the night. He was sitting in the group without making a single effort to get incorporated into joyous celebration.

To be honest, everyone in the Jing city team was intrigued by this fine young man who always stood beside Li Juan. Before Cheng Tao called Li Juan and Zhang Zhi Jun as a couple, all of them believed that Liang was her boyfriend.

"Ah, brother Liang," Bai Yu shook his head and grinned, "He is Jie's friend and her doctor,"

"How come I've never seen you before?" Cheng Tao asked in doubt.

"I don't live in Jing city," Liang flatly said, "But researcher Cheng, we've talked once, over the phone."

"Ohhh really," Cheng Tao somehow tried to get over the awkward conversation that he has started, "Anyway this calls for a celebration." He looked at the group members who were singing merrily, "In order to congratulate the couples, who is going to sing?"

"Miss Ning is also here, why don't you sing a song congratulating Li Juan, after all both of you used to be really close in the beginning?" Cheng Tao suggested with a fake smile.

He has witnessed how Ning Jing tried to wrong Li Juan every single time, however, today her tongue got tied after hearing Li Juan's real identity. Ning Jing, Mei Lin and Tang Wei Sheng, these three were almost forgotten by everyone and faded by Li Juan's glow in this night.

"Did you forget that she is engaged to CEO Tang? So why don't you let them sing together?" Mei Lin tried to retaliate.

Ning Jing glared at her assistant with murderous eyes.

Asking Tang Wei Sheng to sing with her? Everyone knew that her so-called fiance hates her and yet her assistant suggested such a hideous thing to humiliate her.

"I am really sorry to turn you down. I have a sore throat, and I don't think I can sing-" Ning Jing tried to get herself out the situation before Tang Wei Sheng humiliates her before everyone.

"Since miss Ning backed off, that leaves Zhang Zhi Jun." Cheng Tao grinned and turned to Zhang Zhi Jun who remained with a flustered face.

"Zhang Zhi Jun, you have no idea how much Lilly likes you. She is the biggest fan of yours."

"Senior Cheng," Li Juan called his name in a warning tone.

"Whenever we go to karaoke, she only sings your songs. Even the cover versions of songs which you've sung."

"Jie?" Bai Yu's eyes widened in surprise, "then you guys should sing together,"

"No, no let him sing..."

"The singer in Juan only comes out only when she is drunk." Cheng Tao chuckled and continued," She has three epic songs. I will be your side, are you crazy, I don't love you." 

"Shoo," li Juan tried to stop Cheng Tao by keeping her palm over his mouth. 

"It is alright, I will sing then," Zhang Zhi Jun volunteered. One of the team members who brought a guitar walked over and gave it to him.

Within a few moments, Zhang Zhi Jun's deep baritone voice filled the entire place, setting up a mesmerizing environment over the campsite.

"Lily, wipe off the drool from your face." Cheng Tao foolishly said to Li Juan only to get punched by her.

"Spare me, majesty," He faked a painful expression and glanced around,"so who is going to sing next?

Few of the workers started singing and the atmosphere became more lively.

Somehow Li Juan was uncomfortable. Even in the middle of the group, she could feel someone's penetrating gaze on her. 

On the other side, Tang Wei Sheng stared at Li Juan while sipping his drink.

His woman was sitting next to a bunch of men and they were congratulating her for getting married. 

Getting married? who says so?

Even though Li Juan acted tough in front Tang Wei Sheng, she was scared of his unpredictable character. Nobody knows when he will turn into the monster she scared.

"How about you, Dr Liang? You look like an idol too, why don't you sing a song?

What do you think Lily?" Cheng Tao's voice woke Li Juan from her thoughts.

Li Juan looked at Liang with a confused look.

"I will sing," Liang took the guitar from Lee Tae Min and started to play a chord,

"The song's name is "The song of a sparrow," He smiled and continued,

"This song is written by someone who is special to me,"

"Ooooh!!!!" The group cheered for him.

With a soulful voice, he started singing,

The moment the song started Li Juan felt like she has been captivated by his voice but in the middle of the song, she felt something amiss.

The lyrics of the song felt vaguely familiar. The song was about a conversation between a sparrow and a human. The sparrow was in search for someone which meant the world for her and she came across with the human while searching. Within a short period, they became friends and parted their ways. The sparrow has left, but the human was unable to forget the sparrow and he kept yearning for her companionship.

"Oh my God, no wonder you agreed so soon." Cheng Tao praised Liang as soon as he finished the song.

Li Juan's eyes were fixed on Liang.

Why this song feels so familiar? Why his voice feels so familiar?

"Now our majesty will sing a song for us," Cheng Tao suggested,

"Senior Cheng, enough with teasing." Lee Tae Min talked on behalf of Li Juan.

"I will stop if you sing a song."

"No," Li Juan said in a steady voice. "I don't sing,"

"Liar," Tang Wei Sheng's magnetic voice laced with drunken stupor rang there,

"She used to sing well... back in school,"

Everyone glanced at both of them, CEO Tang and Li Juan they went to the same school?

"Ah, don't be like that, you can even call anyone from the audience and sing a duet." Lee Tae Min immediately meddled, he doesn't want anyone to contemplate over Tang Wei Sheng's words. "Noona, I will sing with you,"

Li Juan bit her lips and subconsciously glanced over Liang as if she asking permission from him,

When their eyes met, a warm smile bloomed in his lips as an encouragement. Those doting and indulgent eyes, unless she was blind or she would not be able to miss the tender lovingness showering upon her.

This smile!!!! She has seen it somewhere, but where?