344 Don’t let me stop caring for you

“I am doing well, Elder Brother. There’s nothing more to worry about me,” Li Hua told Xu Zifan and then asked him if he could help her.

“Help you in?” Xu Zifan was bewildered.

“I want to contact His Highness’ mother’s brothers,” Li Hua told him.

“Why?” Xu Zifan wondered what Li Hua was up to.

“Elder Brother, I cannot tell you everything at the moment. However, I want you to find out about Prince Lóng Wei’s uncles. I want to meet them.” Xu Zifan could not refuse Li Hua’s request and assured her that he would find out about them. However, he asked her to make sure to tell him whatever she was up to.

“Sure,” Li Hua said and asked him if he was taking care of himself.

Xu Zifan nodded his head. “You look troubled. I hope you are not hiding anything from me,” he asserted.

historical

Li Hua shook her head. “I am not troubled, Elder Brother. I am only a little concerned for my brother. I do not know if he is eating and sleeping well,” she said and pouted her lips. “Should I contact a matchmaking agency for my brother?” She asked.

Xu Zifan laughed to hear his sister. He refused her and told her that he didn’t want to get married at that age.

.....

“Why?” “Elder Brother had promised our mother that he would marry after my marriage,” Li Hua reminded him. Xu Zifan recalled An Niao, who died an unfortunate death. “Is it because Elder Brother still has feelings for An Niao?” She asked.

Xu Zifan refused. “I am not in a state to fall in love with anyone, Li Hua,” he said. The statement was enough for Li Hua to understand everything. Xu Zifan told her that he should leave when Li Hua accompanied him outside.

Li Hua and Xu Zifan got down the stairs and saw Lóng Wei and Feng Lao.

“You are leaving early,” Lóng Wei said when Xu Zifan greeted him.

“I was here to see if Li Hua is good,” he said and glanced at Li Hua. “We will take our leave,” he stated and got down the stairs. Feng Lao looked at Li Hua, but she didn’t gaze in his direction. He felt terrible because Li Hua ignored his presence. His hold tightened around the sheath of the sword that he had carried in his left hand.

Lóng Wei stood next to Li Hua and looked at Feng Lao. “Speak,” he told Feng Lao, who came out of his thoughts and confusedly looked at him.

“What do you want to say to Li Hua?” Lóng Wei clarified to Feng Lao. “Nothing?” He arched his eyebrows and then told Li Hua that they should walk in when Feng Lao stopped them.

“I-I want to know if Her Highness is fine,” Feng Lao finally said while looking at Li Hua. She also peered at him and hummed.

“He is way too concerned for you,” Lóng Wei informed Li Hua. “I don’t like it. Tell him to stop troubling me,” he stated.

Li Hua was bewildered to hear Lóng Wei’s words and asked Feng Lao what he said this time to her husband.

“I-I w-was,” Feng Lao was unable to speak and he blinked his eyes a few times.

“I never knew you are scared of Li Hua,” Lóng Wei remarked.

“Your Highness, can I talk with Feng Lao for a few minutes in private? If you allow,” Li Hua requested.

Xu Zifan glanced at Lóng Wei in amusement thinking about what would he reply.

“Sure,” Lóng Wei said and got down the stairs. He hung his arm around Xu Zifan’s shoulder and took him in the other direction, thus giving them a private space.

“Follow me,” Li Hua said and walked ahead. Feng Lao silently walked behind her and his feet came to a halt when they reached the guest chamber. Li Hua settled on the chaise and asked him to take a seat across from her.

Feng Lao stepped up and sat across her. He had put the sword beside him. Now, they both were facing each other.

“I admired you for a long time and in my eyes, you were an ideal man. I am thankful to you for saving my life twice. However, I cannot give you anything in return. As much as I admired you, my heart slowly filled with hatred for you, Feng Lao. I am sounding like a selfish woman, but it should not have happened. I know for every man, his family is important, but you were an ideal man. You were supposed to bring the truth out not hide it,” Li Hua said everything which was in her mind for a long time. Also, she wanted Feng Lao not to love her anymore.

“Forgive me, Li Hua. I am regretful about my decision,” Feng Lao dropped honorifics because they were alone.

“What’s the use to regret now? You also lost your family. My Elder Brother and I relate to your pain, that’s why we don’t want to hold any more grudges against you,” Li Hua stated.

“You have matured,” Feng Lao said. “Li Hua, I am finding the enemy. I asked His Highness to make a plan regarding the same, but he reprimanded me and didn’t agree to it,” he informed her.

“Feng Lao, don’t do anything,” Li Hua told him which confounded him. “I love Prince Lóng Wei and I do not want anything to happen to him. He is my everything.” She gulped and her eyes turned misty.

“What if he harms you in the future? I cannot let it happen. You are my—” Li Hua didn’t let him complete the words and said,

“Forget me. I am no longer yours, Feng Lao. We both have different destinies to fulfill. I want you to move ahead in your life. This was the last conversation we did privately. I don’t want you to hold any more feelings for me. Move on with your life. I will be happier to see you have your own family than thinking about me,” Li Hua affirmed. This was important. She could clearly feel Feng Lao’s strong feelings for her and before they could turn into jealousy, she wanted him to end them.

“That’s going to be difficult,” Feng Lao said with a chuckle and lowered his head.

“But not impossible, Feng Lao,” Li Hua stated. “You have every right to live a happy life and the more you hold onto me, the more difficult it will become for you. I don’t want you to fight for me in the future with my husband. In short, I don’t want you to be dead. I have forgiven you,” she proclaimed.

Feng Lao was surprised to find the similarities between Li Hua’s and Lóng Wei’s thoughts. Lóng Wei had also told him similar kinds of words. Also, he was glad to find that she forgave him. He understood Li Hua and assured her that he would no longer see her as a woman.

“However, Li Hua, don’t let me stop caring for you. You are still my best friend’s sister. I am glad that you found your happiness and I respect your decision,” Feng Lao said and smiled at her.