Chapter 112 - 3.8

Their eyes interlocked with each other. No one was willing to lose. They kept staring, and staring, until Xie Yongrui lifted the girl up and made sure that she sat properly. It seemed like he had detected Xu Jiaqi's expressions and deduced that she was not liking the position, so he made adjustments. 

"You're not going to turn away? That's new." Xie Yongrui chuckled. He was someone who was perfectly aware of his charms and blessed looks, so it wasn't anything surprising to him when people who came near him began to fluster up. It boosted his confidence. He could even be categorized as a narcissist, albeit having all the qualifications to act as such.

"Why should I turn away? I did nothing wrong, and it was you that started all of this." Xu Jiaqi replied, wanting to show a feisty character to match Xie Yongrui's actions. She contained her emotions until not a single trace of blushing was present on her face.

Xie Yongrui did not take offense to what Xu Jiaqi said, but instead broke into a fit of laughter.

"You.. What it is about you that's so special? It's so strange.. You almost have a mystical effect surrounding you. Something I can't bring myself to describe. Almost like.." Xie Yongrui was about to continue his speech, but he stopped himself. However, his hand didn't stop. He continued to caress Xu Jiaqi's hair, enjoying it greatly.

Xie Yongrui had no restraints as he hugged the young girl that was in his embrace, shocked at the situation unfolding right now. However, he didn't pay attention to her reaction.

All that he knew was that there was a huge sense of longing accompanied by sadness brewing inside his heart, making it hard for him to breathe. Hugging her calmed down the turbulent emotions by a lot, so he chose to forsake everything else to relish in the current moment, where the girl was in his arm's reach.

What on Earth was so special about this girl, that he seemed to never want to be separated from her?

With a curious mindset, he conducted experiments, doting over her in ways that he theorized could make him realize exactly what was going on. But by the time of their bonding session, he was still unable to decipher anything, and was left with more questions than he started.

However, the girl's presence was comforting. It was a like a warm spring breeze that hit him out of nowhere. It was his first time feeling like this. He, who had been forced to grow up and mature much earlier than anybody from his peers due to his heartwrenching background.

Witnessing his entire family be murdered in front of his eyes while he was hidden away by an attendant when he was four years old was only one of his grievances. Although he didn't love his family members, those people were the ones who he had seen while he grew up. People who he was taught to respect, as they were members of the family with the highest social standing in the Empire.

He was not the eldest child, he had a lot of siblings. Even before he was able to talk, his mother would constantly whisper for him to not do anything rash, and just stay out of the fight for the throne. His mother was not the Empress, and was just a trivial mistress who the Emperor kept due to his debauchery.

The Emperor, the palace's harem members including his mother, his siblings, and many officials were gathered in the throne room. There, they were slaughtered one by one. Their heads detached from their necks and rolled down the floor, spurting blood everywhere. Out of all of them, he was the only one who managed to survive.

The incident didn't scar him, but it was definitely one of the incidents that made him steel his heart to the point of no return. He thought that he would no longer have the chance to face others without wearing the mask that he had been putting for all these years to get to where he was.

But why was it that.. this girl seemed to make his heart shake so much? Why was she able to make him want to take his mask off and show her his true self? This girl who he had only seen for mere seconds when they first met in an unorthodox way, to the point where he wanted to chase after her and take her home without much thought.

This girl who was now being treated by no one else but him, who was renowned for being cold and unfeeling.

Xu Jiaqi, on the other hand, was having heart palpitations for a completely separate reason.

'System? Are you there? This man, isn't he...' Xu Jiaqi was slightly frustrated. Her heart itched. She was baffled, at a loss of words.

If there was one thing that she learned after spending a lot of time with her man in the previous world, Zenith Ahgren.. It would be his distinctive scent.

Unlike other people, he always carried a fresh bamboo scent that was special to only him. A bit minty, and relieving to the nose. She always liked burying herself in his embrace as they hugged, because the scent calmed her down whenever she was feeling pressured or stressed when she waited for her plans to revolve.

This same bamboo scent, which she had been smelling for years, was now present on the man before her. It was not a common bamboo scent. Rather, it had a kick to it that made her recognize the scent wherever she went. It was so deeply ingrained in her mind after being exposed to it for so long.

Xie Yongrui. This man had the same scent.

'System?! Hurry and come out! It couldn't be, right? It.. This, everything, it doesn't make any sense! System!' With each passing second, she became even more distressed.

Could she be mistaken? The scent was exactly the same. She didn't doubt this. Their appearances were both appealing to the eyes, but completely different from one another. If Zenith embodied a puppy who was at her beck and call, Xie Yongrui was akin to a clever and cunning fox who eyed his prey with a conniving smile.

Contrary to the two's confused states, the System was extremely calm as he spectated everything from above.