Chapter 156 - Third Wheel

Lei Xing could feel him standing behind her. Her heart was pounding erratically and she remained completely still as if she would somehow become invisible to him if she did.

The Emperor frowned at her back as he noticed the few red dots on her upper back. "Xing er'?"

"En." Lei Xing quietly responded.

"Do you have something you want to tell me?" The Emperor calmly asked.

Lei Xing knit her brow and looked.

{...Now is not the time for a bloody conversation. Go Away! T_T)...}

"No." Lei Xing swiftly responded.

The Emperor did not respond and the stretching silence made Lei Xing feel even more on the edge. She wanted to turn around but she really could not bring herself to. She also hated the fact that she was being such a coward about this...But this situation was really not ideal. 

{...Can you leave already? T_T) Let's talk over coffee or something...Don't tell me he's angry? Angry about what? It's not like I r.a.p.ed him or something -_-)...Did I? No, it was consensual! Seduction isn't - If you mention that seduction thing one more time, I will drown you in this pool! >_

"You should face a person when you speak." The Emperor calmly advised.

Lei Xing froze for a bit and her eyes darted around. Then she took a deep breath and slowly turned to her side, with one hand over her chest and the over shielding her face. Still pressing her body against the pool's rocky edge, she cast a quick side glance at him and then quickly faced forward.

{...He doesn't look happy...That's definitely a frown, an upset frown even T_T)...}

"You're going to hurt yourself." The Emperor advised, watching her molding herself to the rocks was irritating him. He took a step back and then he narrowed his eyes at her and signaled for her to move forward. When Lei Xing still did not move, he let out a breath and ordered, "Forward."

Lei Xing frowned and then begrudgingly took a little side step forward. Honestly, the rocks were digging into her skin and hurting quite a bit, but that was the least of her concerns. She was between a rock and a hard place, and she chose the rock. She cast a quick glare at the Emperor and then faced forward again. 

{...You know having a conversation when someone is n.a.k.e.d can be a form of humiliation...I will ignore the fact that you're also in here, n.a.k.e.d s -...}

"Do you have anything to say to me?" The Emperor inquired again.

Lei Xing gulped again as she quickly recalled the seriousness of her situation. Now was not the time for snide remarks. She thought for a bit and then took a deep breath and blurted out, "I was drugged..."

"I am aware." The Emperor responded and she nodded.

[...Of course, he knew that...Obviously...}

She gulped again, prepared herself and then shakily said, "I-I kis-sed...your brother." And then she squeezed her eyes shut. She reasoned it was better for her to tell him now than to it a secret. After all, it was a very public incident and she was certain she will be hearing from the conspirators soon.

"I am aware." The Emperor solemnly responded after a pause. His frown deepened on hearing this and he looked at the water's surface. He had honestly not been thinking about the incident with his brother since last night and this reminder dampened his mood. He obviously could not do anything to her, but he was not sure what to do with his brother yet. He could not publicly reprimand him as that would affect Lei Xing's reputation.

Announcing she was drugged would not help the matter and frankly, that would make it worse. It would create the opportunity for people to question her honor, especially considering there was that period where her whereabouts were unaccounted for. Even if he could attest to the fact that she was not defiled, there would still be doubts. And he would rather not have her name dragged in the mud. The Emperor sighed in annoyance.

{...This matter is quite delicate...}

Lei Xing glanced at the Emperor, feeling confused. 

{...You already know? O_O)...Um, then what else do you want me to say?...}

Lei Xing scrutinized the contemplating Emperor, puzzled. Her eyes subconsciously roamed down his neck, across his chest, his shoulders...before she quickly caught herself and looked away. She  shielded her face as she turned crimson and in a small voice went, "Sorry."

The Emperor blinked and looked at the top of her head, then he saw her peeking at his shoulder with a sorry expression. He raised an eyebrow and followed her gaze to see the healing bruises on his shoulder, one of the places she had dug her fingernails into last night. He turned back to her to find her shrinking back into the rocks again. He could not help breaking out in a small smile as he watched her, but then he caught himself and frowned.

{...It seems I have truly become a bit of a fool for her, I keep behaving like this... I should be upset but here I am smiling...I don't even know why I got in the water in the first place...To comfort her? comfort her when she wants t-...Does she still not trust me? Is that why?... Why won't she talk to me about these things? And why...}

Th Emperor let out a long sigh as he looked at the retreating Lei Xing. Then he grabbed the hand covering her face and gently pulled her rigid form to his chest and stroked her hair. Lei Xing immediately froze and went wide-eyed. 

{...Too close! Too close! Too cl-...}

"Don't worry, I'll protect you...just trust me." The Emperor softly said. Lei Xing blinked and her mind felt empty, she did not know what to think and so thought nothing.

The Emperor felt her body relax a little and he smiled a bit and after a while more of petting her, Lei Xing completely relaxed. He released her and then looked at her with a little smile. Lei Xing looked at him and then quickly looked down as she went even redder. 

The Emperor's face bloomed into a full smile and he gently raised her face up as he leaned down to kiss her. Lei Xing closed her eyes and braced herself for the impact, but instead, the Emperor forcefully pushed her away. Lei Xing immediately opened her eyes to witness a sandal flying right through where her head was. The sandal directly broke the wooden wall behind them and wedged itself halfway in. 

"I said no frolicking in my hot springs!" The pair heard the shout and turned around to see Doctor Lou standing there glaring at them with a sandal missing on his foot. The Emperor swiftly moved in front of Lei Xing to shield her from Doctor Lou's eyes and glared back at him, "You could have seriously hurt her."

" Tch!  She would have moved." Doctor Lou defended frowning off to the side.

"I would have moved?! You almost killed me, you Freaking old quack!" Lei Xing barked from behind the Emperor, raising herself up with a hand on his shoulder. The Emperor raised his eyebrows and blinked at her. Lei Xing froze and quickly removed her hand, then shrunk back behind him, feeling embarrassed. 

The Emperor snorted but Doctor Lou did not share in the amus.e.m.e.nt. And it seemed seeing this little show further incensed him and he barked, "Separate! No frolicking allowed! SEPERATE!" 

Doctor Lou seemed to be really triggered by this and was hopping mad. Lei Xing blinked and subconsciously moved to comply, but the Emperor swiftly grabbed her and stuck her to his back. Then he narrowed his eyes at Doctor Lou, "You leave first."

Doctor Lou glared at the unflinching Emperor for a bit and then went, "Fine...I will give you ten seconds and one of you better come out. Otherwise, I will come sit in-between the two of you and I'll see how you will frolic with me watching. Hmph!" Doctor Lou finished and then stormed out of the room as he mumbled, "Little brats want to desecrate my hot springs too..."

Lei Xing let out a sigh as Doctor Lou left. The Emperor then separated from her but instead of heading out like she thought he would, he went to go settle down in the corner of the pool and coolly looked at her. 

Lei Xing blinked at him and then at the door, she turned back to him and asked, "Aren't you leaving?"

"I just got here..." The Emperor informed with a small smirk, "You, on the other hand, have soaked long enough. Staying too long won't be good for your health. Hurry out." 

"9!...8!...7!...6!..." Doctor Lou shouted from outside, "I don't hear anybody getting out yet!"

Lei Xing knit her brows and pouted at the Emperor, who simply ignored her. He relaxed into the pool, sighed and then closed his eyes. 

"5! It's 5 now! Still no one getting out?! I didn't know you two were so eager to share a bath with this old man!" Doctor Lou continued to shout.

Lei Xing looked between the relaxing Emperor and the door, weighing her options. She knew Doctor Lou was really crazy enough to jump in with them and she really did not want to witness the scene. Not to mention, she knew the Emperor would go crazy as well despite his cool demeanor now. She really was not in the mood for such chaos, her morning was already eventful enough.

{...His eyes are closed...Just run, he won't see...Plus I'm pretty sure he alrea- Shut Up! >_

"4! Don't worry I'll try to keep my shorts on for the sake of decency! I can't make any promises but I'll try hehe~" Doctor Lou snickered and now seemed to be excited at the possibility of bathing with them.

Lei Xing bit her lip, cast the unseeing Emperor one last aggrieved look and then made a dash for it. As she ran out, she glanced at the Emperor to his eyes trailing after her with that unnerving smirk on his face. She groaned loudly as she dashed behind the curtain, grabbed her clothes and ran behind the screen. She frowned as she quickly got dressed as the Emperor's laughter rolled into her ears and dyed them crimson.

{...All these freaking as***les! Too many humiliations in one 24-hour period! I'll get you all one day! Especially you, as***le in the water! >_

"Much better." Doctor Lou happily said through the door, "Hurry up! Time to eat~"

Lei Xing finished, came out and cast a quick glare at the hot springs and then ran out of the room. The Emperor's smile then vanished and he sighed to himself. He looked at the sandal wedged in the wall and went up to it and pulled it free. As he did, the area of the wall around the sandal broke apart and crumbled down. The Emperor blinked in surprise and then scrutinized the hole and then looked down at the sandal with a frown.

{...He might as well have thrown a knife and even with that...quite the peculiar old man...}