370 SAYING GOODBYE

Recently her sense was getting sharp and it almost like effortless for her to use her ability now. But, along with that her speculation and assumption were getting wild, it seemed her mind was venturing all the possibilities.

This strange situation gave Senja a headache and she didn't know how to handle it.

If this feeling was left too long, Senja probably would be overwhelmed by the information that she received.

Unable to understand with what had troubled herself, Senja changed their topic. "Qianru, tell me… how did you first meet Xiao Jun?"

She surprised by Senja's sudden question, but answered her. "We are childhood friends." Qianru's eyes wandered around, seemingly relived the memory of the past. "He is my first love." She said in a whispered.

"Really? That's great! You are married your childhood sweetheart."

"Hmm, fortunate for me..." Qianru looked at Senja in the eyes, despite smile on her lips there was sadness flashed on her eyes. "But, unfortunately he didn't think the same."

"He like someone else?"

Qianru nodded. There was something inside Senja that made Qianru very relax around her, like they had known each other for lifetime.

She had never talked about this to anyone else before, but now all she wanted was to tell Senja what she felt. "Her name is Riana and she was his junior sister in martial arts when they were still in Mountain Sui Sword Sect."

Senja almost choked on her tea when she heard this.

**My God! I don't know how I supposed to feel.** Only now she knew that Xiao Jun had that feeling toward Granny Riana. Internally, she relief that Xiao Jun would never meet Riana, he would be too shock to see how old she was now.

"So…" Senja drawled, "Why they were not together?"

"It's so complicated Senja…" Qianru shoved another cookie into her mouth, she looked nervous but Senja knew she would tell her, so she waited for Qianru to settle her internal struggle.

With another cup of tea moisten her throat, Qianru started. "I don't know if you ever heard about this, but there is a rule for the royal family that mentioned; when you married a commoner, even if you are the crown prince, you are forbidden to ascend the throne."

"I have heard that." Senja murmured. "But, you mean Xiao Jun had been using you all this time for his own plan? You are part of his plan?" Senja asked her in disbelief. She would have never thought that Xiao Jun would stoop that low.

Qianru understand what Senja implied, but she shook her head. "No, he didn't use me, he came to me with this plan very clear from the beginning. He didn't force me, he gave me an option to back down from this, but it was me who chose to be with him."

Senja could feel the sincerity in Qianru's voice and her selfishness and that wane her argumentations. Feeling was a complicated thing that bound in every aspect of human life after all and Senja couldn't judge Qianru by her choice. "It wasn't fair for you. You deserve someone better."

Qianru chuckled as the sadness in her eyes deepened. "He is the best person that I could ask." She looked at Senja intently. "Actually I am the one who don't deserve him. Senja, you didn't know what had happened to me after our engagement."

"What happened?" Senja grew curious when she sensed the self disgusted from Qianru.

But, she shook her head. "I will tell you some other time."

........

The sun hasn't risen when Senja and Xiao Tianyao was about to leave the Greenhill Mountain. Qianru, Xiao Mugi, Qi Xunyi and Leader Jingguo were there to see both of them off.

While Xiao Tianyao was talking with Leader Jingguo, Senja approached Qi Xunyi to ask about his mother.

"She is fine…" Qi Xunyi said, but his voice wavered.

"What happened?" Senja asked in concern, it was her who had opened Concubine Qi's memory. If there were another damaged, then it would be her fault.

However, Qi Xunyi was reluctant to tell her and only shook his head. "Nothing, nothing happened."

"I know something had happened, why don't you tell me?" Senja insisted, because she could feel that from him.

"I am not sure, but I will tell you later when you came back."

Qi Xunyi strange behavior and dithered answered made Senja grew uneasy. But, she didn't want to make a scene by forcing him to tell her something that he didn't want to talk about, so she took his word. "Alright, you have to tell me when I come back."

Senja concluded and Qi Xunyi gave her a big smiled.

"We will go now…" Xiao Tianyao approached Senja and put his hand on her shoulder to get her attention.

"Alright," Senja nodded and followed Xiao Tianyao to the two horses that had been waiting for them at the exit gate of the Greenhill Mountain.

All of them waved the couple goodbye and good luck, Senja needed the last the most.

But, before Senja mounted her horse, she caught a glance of Xiao Mugi who was waving them goodbye reluctantly.

His expressionless face was a copy of Xiao Tianyao and this reminded Senja that she never watched the interaction between the two of them, so she approached him and pulled him back to get down from his horse.

"What?" Xiao Tianyao asked as dismounted his horse, he looked at Senja intently with confusion.

"You are not saying goodbye to Xiao Mugi yet." She reminded him.