"I see... So you're here to say goodbye then?" Lei Xing tentatively asked, tapping her finger on her desk in contemplation. She had been busy digging through some doc.u.ments when she was informed that her "brother" urgently wanted to see her.

She was initially hesitant to accept this surprise visit, but Lei Yong was still considered her brother, and she felt a bit bad about attempting to kill him with flying wine bottles at his head the last time they met. She honestly had no idea what had come over her that day, alcohol was definitely not her friend.

Anyway, she thought she should probably apologize for her behavior that day so she invited him in.? But before she could even open her mouth to welcome him, he flared up at her asking her if she was aware Tung Mei had left.

To which she truthfully responded that she wasn't. He seemed to calm down a bit and without prompting, he launched into narrating his encounter with the Emperor and the bizarre ultimatum he was given. Lei Xing was surprised as well over the Emperor's intervention in the matter, but she was also quite confused as to why Lei Yong came to complain to her.

"No." Lei Yong ill-humoredly said, "I need you to go talk to him. Marriage is not a small matter that should be decided on a whim." He dryly stated.

Lei Xing blinked a few times, then slowly nodded, "I agree but...from what you said, he isn't exactly forcing you ei-"

Lei Yong quickly interjected, "Xiao Ying has just recovered from a grave illness - In fact, she is still not completely recovered, you know this. She is especially vulnerable right now with her memory lapses so she needs protection from someone trustworthy. She should not even have been allowed to travel right now - Anyway, I need to go to see her, to ensure her welfare. I will not be able to live with it on conscience if anything happens to her and neither will you." He added for good measure, staring her down for good measure.

Lei Xing wearily looked at him as she wondered exactly how this situation came to be her problem. She was certain Lei Yong was overreacting. After all, it was not as if Tung Mei ran away from home, she went with the approval of her guardian. If her escort was good enough to get her to the capital, they were good enough to get her back home. So what exactly was his problem?

{..More importantly, what is my nosy husband doing sticking his nose in other people's love lives? Since when did he get into the freaking matchmaking business?! Is he really that free?!...}

Still, looking at Lei Yong's anxiety-filled expression, Lei Xing swallowed her comments and sighed, "Alright. Since you're so worried, I can send some imperial guards along to escort her h -"

Lei Yong interjected, "I should go."

"Why?" Lei Xing asked with knit eyebrows, "The Imperial guards, in addition to the escorts which I'm sure she has, should be more than sufficient for safeguarding the one girl's life." She dryly stated.

Lei Yong's eyes widened at her in exasperation and disappointment. How could Lei Xing be so dismissive?! He thought Li Xing being his sister and Tung Mei's friend would understand his concerns. He thought that perhaps Lei Xing would go reason with the Emperor on their behalf. But here she was also proving to be another stone wall, dismissing him.

Lei Yong clenched his fists, having his sister and his best friend gang up on him like this was indeed unexpected and uncalled for. It was not as if he was asking for too much here, just some time off! He was literally volunteering for work, so why were they being so difficult?!

Seeing as Lei Yong had gone silent, Lei Xing sighed again and dismissed him, "Go home. Tung Mei will be fine."

Rather than argue with her on the merit of his request, Lei Yong opted for a different approach, one greatly beneath him but one he took nonetheless, "You owe me this."

Lei Xing scoffed and readjusted in her seat, her interest slightly piqued, "I owe you?"

Lei Yong swallowed and shamelessly pressed on, "If not for me, you would not be in the position you are in today. Back then when you wanted to enter the palace, our parents refused and it was only me who stood with you and assisted you, betraying our parents' trust. I am really not asking for much here, am I?"

Lei Xing's face twitched as she blankly stared at him, comprehending the meaning of those words. She opened her mouth and closed it a few times, "You – This. It was –" She took a deep breath, then let it out to rid herself of negative emotions.

{...It's okay, it's okay...We will pretend we didn't hear that admission of guilt. We are happy now and relatively content so it doesn't matter anymore.. we're good.. but how dare you try to blackmail me with that?! (?_? )...}

"Look, Lei Yong -"

"You used to call me Yong ge." Lei Yong pointed out with a clearly hurt expression in his eyes.

Lei Xing plastered on a sarcastic smile and amended, "Yong ge...A word of advice. Tung Mei is not as simple as she seems. If you keep playing this game with her, you will get yourself in trouble-"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Lei Yong asked with a frown.

"You have asserted time and time again that you are not interested in the girl. So now that she has finally seen the light and left you alone, why do you want to go bother her again?" Lei Xing flatly asked.

Lei Yong knit his brows in thought for a few seconds before his eyes went wide with realization, "Did you put him up to this?"

"What? Of course not." Lei Xing retorted, a short laugh escaping her lips at the ridiculousness of this claim. Managing her own love life was already a handful, she had absolutely no interest in managing that of others, "You're the one who barged in here to tell me this story. Although I have no idea what spurred his sudden interest in your love life, I can't deny that there is some merit to his words."

Lei Yong frowned, "So you're not going to talk to him then.." He stated rather than asking.

Lei Xing sighed, "I will not. But I'll make it easier for you. I will send as many Imperial guards as you wish so you can rest easy and stay put. How's thirty?...fifty?... A hundred then? Two hundred even, whatever you need." Lei Xing went on when her offers were met with stone-cold silence.

Lei Yong lowered his head, a scowl forming on his face as he tightly clenched his fists obviously battling with his own thoughts.

"If anything happens to her, I won't forgive you..either of you." Lei Yong slowly bit out, looking up at her with fierce daggers for eyes.

Lei Xing looked at him with weary eyes and could not help poking, "Says the man who doesn't want her..Regardless, nothing will happen to her. it seems you think she is helpless without you but she's quite capable, more so than most people.." Lei Xing reassured.

Lei Yong glared at her but said nothing more. Having nothing more to say herself, Lei Xing quietly met his gaze until he finally turned and stormed out, visibly seething.

Lei Xing watched his departing back, somewhat amused. Tung Mei was definitely not in any danger, yet Lei Yong was behaving as if he had just uncovered a secret plot to behead her - If he did, she was sure he would announce it. His silence and evasion of the question only meant that he had no good reason to insist, but it seemed he could not help himself.

Tung Mei could handle herself and if that somehow failed, there was still her troublesome "godfather" to come to her rescue. That old man was already such a handful on friendly terms, one could only imagine what a nightmare he would be when angered. Speaking of the devil, Doctor Lou has surprisingly been ignoring Lei Yong's existence so far.

He was certainly aware that Tung Mei has been chasing after him and the fact that Lei Yong has been proving difficult. Whenever Lei Xing had brought him up in conversation with the bracelet, he simply brushed it off like it was irrelevant. Perhaps then he was too busy, for reasons beyond her, fixated on getting her with the Emperor. But now that he had the free time, Lei Yong definitely had to be on his radar now, right?

Lei Xing stroked her chin in thought,

{...Perhaps it was actually the old man spurring on this nonsense now...}

It made sense, if Doctor Lou asked, more like threatened, the Emperor to grant the marriage, the Emperor would likely comply. The old man could even be the one pushing Lei Yong on this fool's journey, the guy didn't seem like himself at all, he even had dark circles and looked like he had not slept well in days.

"That old man's torturing can definitely do that to someone..." Lei Xing thought out loud with a sigh, remembering her early days with the bracelet. He used to drive her crazy, funny that she missed him now that he was gone - but it was definitely for the best.

If all this was not happening and Lei Yong was just being a confused puppy chasing trouble, then he was truly an idiot. Instead of being grateful that he managed to escape this troublesome family unscathed, here he was trying really hard to push his luck. Doctor Lou might not have bothered with him in the past, but she was certain that now that the bracelet had returned to Tung Mei, the old man's fixation would follow.

Lei Xing sighed, "Some people have no idea what's good for them..."

***

At this point, Lei Yong was feeling like he was being mocked.

As Lei Xing promised, the next morning Imperial guards were dispatched on the mission, the entourage actually stopped by at the Lei manor. On Lei Xing's orders, the captain came to reassure Lei Yong of his capabilities, telling him not to worry and even asked him if he had any specific instructions for them to follow.

Lei Yong, of course, had nothing to say, especially not when his family was in attendance, all looking at him with varying degrees of judgment - in his mind, but he could be wrong. He had not been feeling like himself lately and Tung Mei's disappearance was not helping matters. He was stressed.

To further his annoyance, the captain then insisted that Lei Yong must survey the group to ensure that everything was to his liking - this one was apparently the Emperor's order. If there was anything out of place or if he found anything to be lacking, such as the number of guards, it would be rectified immediately. They were really trying hard to "work with him".

In order not to make any irritating situation any worse, Lei Yong quietly went through the motions. After he gave a stiff nod of approval, the Imperial guards then loudly reassured him that the "lady" will be properly looked after, turning a few more curious heads their way.

Lei Yong took a deep breath to calm himself. It was definitely clear to him now that those two royal brats were using his situation for their own personal entertainment, trying to goad a reaction out of him.

Well, they were going to be disappointed. He had embarrassed himself enough, he was not going to put on any further shows. Lei Xing was right, Xiao Ying was not easy to bully, she could definitely handle herself. Moreover, he had thought it through overnight and come to this conclusion once again, they were right, he should leave her alone.

After all, if she needed him, she would not have left like that - Although if she truly did lose her memory then she would not exactly know him, and - Lei Yong stopped himself.

{...She is fine...that captain looked competent and she has people...she doesn't need me...at all...I have other things to do...}

"Ge, what exactly is going on?" Lei Yong turned to find Xiao Ting pulling on his sleeve looking up at him with a disgruntled pout, "They say you have a lady, since when? Who is she?"

Lei Yong shrugged her off, "Not now." He said with a frown as he walked back into the manor, not all in the mood for a conversation.

But Xiao Ting could not be so easily avoided, "Ge! What about Ying jie?" She cried, following after him. Lei Yong quickened his steps, but Xiao Ting picked up her dress and ran after him to Lei Yong's exasperation to let him know they will not accept anyone but Ying jie!