Empress Of The Lost Kingdom

It was during Tang Wei Sheng's second year in senior high. He was in the prime of his teenage while his adolescent hormones started doing its magic. Wherever he goes, his manliness charm has made him the centre of attraction. Not to mention that Tang Wei Sheng and his friends were considered as the face of Silver Oak high school. Girls were crazy over their gang. Though rest of his gang enjoyed the attention from girls Tang Wei Sheng only cared about only one person- Li Juan.

Li Juan has already become inseparable with Tang Wei Lan. Tang Wei Lan always talked about her friend with Tang Wei Sheng which made him fond of Li Juan more and more.

Whenever Tang Wei Sheng saw Li Juan, He felt his heart is filled with unknown happiness. He was captivated by her big black eyes. There was something special about her.

Tang Wei Sheng believed that he is attracted to Li Juan only because she was silent and calm, unlike other girls. But the day Li Juan came to visit Tang mansion, he proved himself wrong.

It was the day of the annual board meeting of Tang corporations and all the elders in the family was busy and only the children stayed at the mansion. Tang Wei Lan was training for a piano recital and she invited Li Juan over.

For Li Juan, it was the first time she was visiting Tang Mansion.

Li Juan sat in the living room and looked around in amusement. She has never been to the household like this.

The living room was decorated in traditional style with boiserie, chandeliers, tufted settees, heavy swag curtains, warm colours and a fireplace.

The whole living room was organised elegantly.

"It was such a nice day to go out, but Miss Ning said that she will come, I am sorry lily." Tang Wei Lan said with an apologetic face. Tang Wei Lan planned to go out with her friend but unfortunately, her piano instructor informed that she will stop by to check upon Tang Wei Lan.

"It is alright Lanlan," Li Juan pacified her friend.

"Let's do something, I will practice now and let's go out in the afternoon." Tang Wei Lan suggested. She doesn't want to lose an opportunity like this.

Let's do that.

"Before Miss Ning arrives, shall I play what I have been practising?"

"Yes." Li Juan said excitedly.

"Let's go," Tang Wei Lan held Li Juan's hand and led her to the piano room. Piano room was like another cozy living room with a grand piano arranged in a corner but with soundproof walls.

"Go on," Li Juan sat in the sofa kept in the room and looked at Tang Wei Lan.

Tang Wei Lan sat in the padded piano stool and started playing. It was the classical piano piece "Dawn" by Dario Marianelli.

The entire room was filled with a breathtakingly beautiful song.

Li Juan was immersed in the song and suddenly felt a pain rising from her abdomen.

It was the first day of her periods. When Tang Wei Lan said that she is home alone Li Juan rushed to the mansion, despite her condition. But now she was regretting the decision because the pain was getting stronger.

"Lily, are you alright?" Tang Wei Lan asked Li Juan who appeared in pain.

"Yes, it is that time of the month."

"Huh?" Tang Wei Lan stopped playing and asked Li Juan. "Is it bad?"

"No, it is alright." Li Juan does not want to disturb Tang Wei Lan.

"What alright?" Tang Wei Lan stood up and came to check Li Juan's condition. "You look devasted. Let me ask the maids to prepare some medicines."

Within a few minutes, the maid came with the ginger water and a hot bag.

"Lily, take the medicine and rest in my room." Tang Wei Lan suggested. She was a girl and knew the pain Li Juan is going through.

"No, no, I don't want to lie down." Li Juan ate the medicine with water.

"How do you feel now? Can you walk now?" Tang Wei Lan was anxious.

"It's just a period cramp; you act like I am dying."

"This girl, you should've told me earlier, it must be painful for you," Tang Wei Lan was about to cry.

"I've had ginger water in the morning and I will be alright."

"Why don't you lie down for some time?"

"Hey, it's alright." Li Juan politely refused.

"Not, come" Tang Wei Lan held Li Juan's arm and led her to the living room.

"Young Miss, your teacher is here." A maid notified Tang Wei Lan.

"Oh no, tell her to wait for a minute."

"Lanlan, you go and practice," Li Juan assured her friend. "I will be alright."

"No way, look at you, you can barely stand." Tang Wei Lan refuted back.

"It is because you are holding me,"

"Shoo, you talk a lot, Li Juan. Shut up and let me bring you to my room." Tang Wei Lan pouted and put her hand on Li Juan's mouth to prevent from speaking.

"Is everything alright Tang Wei Lan?" Miss Ning, Tang Wei Lan's piano teacher walked into the living room.

"Miss Ning!" Tang Wei Lan bowed before here. "Can you wait for a moment, my friend is feeling sick, let me,"

Before Tang Wei Lan could finish her words, Li Juan stopped her.

"Lanlan, where is your room, I will go myself.

Please go and start practising." Li Juan said with a smile.

Tang Wei Lan looked at her with confused eyes.

"Your teacher is here, please don't make her wait, listen to me, please." Li Juan asked in a cute voice.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Okay then, my room is in the upstairs, left to the sunroom, Please take care of her." Tang Wei Lan instructed the maid.

"Miss, please come," the maid held Li Juan's hand.

"I am alright Lanlan, please go," Li Juan said to Tang Wei Lan who was still in stood in the living room looking at her.

"Okay, okay, Miss Ning, please come." Tang Wei Lan and her instructor walked towards the piano room.

Li Juan climbed the stairs slowly with the help of the maid. Suddenly the telephone in the room rang.

The maid stopped for a moment and looked in confusion.

"You can go and attend the call, I will go myself." Li Juan said.

"Please excuse me miss." Maid apologized to her and went downstairs.

Li Juan climbed the stairs and reached a corridor. There were so many rooms and how she can find the sunroom?

Li Juan opened the first room and found it was filled with books shelves. It must be a study room.

Since she climbed the stairs the pain was getting higher and Li Juan somehow dragged her body to the next room. The room had big French windows and bright sunlight lit the room. This time it was the sunroom.

The next room must be Tang Wei Lan's. Li Juan opened the room.

The room had a minimalistic decor with natural tones in the walls, lighting, monochromatic artworks and modern furniture.

And of course lots of rugs and fluffy animal skins and plushies.

This must be Tang Wei Lan's room.

Li Juan dragged her body towards the bed almost fell into the soft bed due to the pain. She felt a little bit awkward to lie down in someone else's bed.

Li Juan snuggled into the corner of the bed. The smooth and soft blanket was cold due to the air conditioner and Li Juan hesitantly covered her completely with the blanket and gradually fell into a deep slumber.

Tang Wei Sheng who came back from the basketball practice entered into his room looking at his phone.

He removed his sweaty jersey and went directly to the bathroom and without noticing the person lying in his bed.

Tang Wei Sheng came after the shower and took his mobile phone.

Huh! What is this new fragrance? Did the maids change the room freshener? Tang Wei Sheng looked around and found that there is a tiny teeny body was sleeping silently under his comforter.

Who is that? Tang Wei Sheng climbed into the bed to take a closer look.

It was Li Juan. She was sleeping quietly like a cat. How can someone be this cute?

How did she end up in his bed?

Tang Wei Sheng was in surprise, is he dreaming? Why is she here?

"Sweetheart!" Tang Wei Sheng touched her arm and called her in a low voice.

Li Juan who was cold due to the air conditioner involuntarily reacted to Tang Wei Sheng's warmth and snuggled into his arm.

Tang Wei Sheng looked at the girl with doting eyes. It was the first time he was seeing her close. The perfectly sculptured facial features with beautiful honey-coloured skin. Was she this pretty? She looks different from the Li Juan whom he knows.

Does she purposefully make herself look ugly in school uniform?

Li Juan moved closer to Tang Wei Sheng and held his arm as a pillow.

Li Juan's calm breath and the sweet fragrance was hitting Tang Wei Sheng.

How can someone smell so good? Her fragrance was like some wildflower he came across, it felt familiar and enchanting at the same time.

Tang Wei Sheng looked at her slightly red lips. He felt that his heartbeat was getting faster. He felt like kissing Li Juan.

"Mine! " Someone said in Tang Wei Sheng's mind.

"AHHH, no," Tang Wei Sheng shut his eyes and opened again.

He slowly removed Li Juan's hand from his arm and kept a pillow beside Li Juan.

Tang Wei Sheng rose from the bed and adjusted the heater and left the room immediately.

"What did you do?" Tang Wei Sheng cursed himself and rushed outside.

Even though he went outside Li Juan's bewitching fragrance was still lingering on his body.

Soon after that incident, Tang Wei Sheng realized that his heart was growing fond of Li Juan. Tang Wei Sheng silently followed her everywhere.

Every time Li Juan came first in the rank, he applauded for her. He beat up those boys who bullied her. He secretly watched her playing the piano while singing. He secretly admired and loved her.

He waited to take a step further, to confess his feelings and soon enough he got a chance.

A week later,

Li Juan sitting the classroom immersed in textbooks.

"Lily," Tang Wei Lan called Li Juan cheerfully. Drama club is conducting an audition. "Let's go and watch it?"

Li Juan closed her books and walked with Tang Wei Lan.

Every year silver oak high school conducted an interschool fest where students from different schools participated and showcased their talents.

"This is time they are performing Romeo and Juliet. I don't know why these people are obsessed with the cringey love story of two teenagers?" Tang Wei Lan asked Li Juan.

"Oh My God, Lanlan you must be the first person to call a classic work cringey." Li Juan was flabbergasted.

" I don't know. What bothers me is, they are looking for someone who can speak English." Tang Wei Lan looked at Li Juan.

"Are you interested?"

"Me!" Li Juan looked at Tang Wei Lan ask she heard something terrible. "No."

"Why? I bet no one in this school can speak English better than you." Tang Wei Lan was a fan of Li Juan's English speaking skills.

"Well, there is your brother." Li Juan said casually.

"Aye, I said in girls."

" I don't want it Lanlan. There are people who wanted to act, let them act." Though Li Juan liked plays and musicals, she was not interested in performing them, especially in front of the students at Silver Oak.

"At least attend the audition for singing," Tang Wei Lan compelled her.

"Oh please, you know how bad my singing is? Do you want our school to fail in the competition? I will sit among the audience and cheer for you." Li Juan refused it smooth;y.

"But you sing well," Tang Wei Lan tried once again.

"No, not good enough to sing in the stage." Li Juan tried to get away from Tang Wei Lan's demanding nature.

"I am going to register your name for drama auditions." Tang Wei Lan declared.

"Don't you dare?" Li Juan rolled her eyes.

"I dare, let the world know the true colours of the school topper."

"I will kill you." Li Juan showed her finger across her neck with a serious expression.

"Oh, I am scared!!! " Tang Wei Lan acted like she is scared for a moment and clasped Li Juan's hand and entered into the audition hall.

There were a lot of girls who came for the audition.

"How come none of you can speak a complete sentence in English?"

The teacher in charge, for drama club, was complaining in a loud voice.

"Having a pretty face is not everything. There is something called talent. Talent has to be there." He was annoyed by the fact that none of the participants is good enough to play the character of Juliet.

"You stay here, let me go and check what is happening over there." Tang Wei Lan told her and walked towards the organisers.

Li Juan simply stood in the corner looking at the girls.

"Why is she here?" A girl from the participant group noticed Li Juan.

"Who?"

"That black cat!"

"Don't tell me she is here for the audition."

"Did she ever look at her face in the mirror? Country bumpkin!"

"What is wrong if she auditions for the role?" Tang Wei Lan who heard their words retorted quickly.

"She is more genuine than you, plastic dolls.

What did you call me?" The girl who started the conversation shouted at Tang Wei Lan.

"You didn't hear it? Do you want me to announce it through the microphone?"

"How dare you? I will show you, " The girl was furious.

"What your makeup-free face? No thanks," Tang Wei Lan walked away from the girls and went towards Li Juan.

" That wench, how dare she? Let me show her who I am." The mean-looking girl walked towards the main area where the audience was sitting.

"Shishi, your sister in law is being too mean"

"My sister in law?" Ye Shishi, who was playing with her mobile looked up and asked. Ye Shishi was Li Juan's classmate.

"Tang Wei Lan?" The girl who sat next to Ye shishi asked.

"Who else? She called us plastic dolls. She used to be a crack head and"

"And?" Ye Shishi asked as if she uninterested in the topic.

" And my ass, what are you doing shishi? Why can't you keep that little sis law of yours at her place? She is fighting on behalf of that blacky."

" Blacky is here for the audition! Is she crazy?" The girl who sat next to Ye Shishi asked them.

"Yeah, we said the same thing and that Tang Wei Lan bashed out us".

"First, she took your class topper and then Tang Wei Lan. Why don't you teach her, her place? She is acting almighty because of Wei Lan," The girls tried to emotionally provoke Ye Shishi.

" I am tolerating her only because of you."

"JingJing, do I look like a pushover to you?" Ye Shishi looked at the girl who was trying to provoke her.

"I like Tang Wei Sheng, not his sister. If you have a problem with her solve it on your own, don't drag me in to your mess. And That Li Juan, I don't care about her."

Ye Shishi replied and went back to her online game.

The girl was left speechless.

Ye Shishi was the topper of their class and the renowned beauty queen of Silver Oak. By the arrival of Li Juan, she was pushed to second place. And on the top of that Tang Wei Lan, whom she tried to befriend only because of Tang Wei Sheng became friends with Li Juan. Within the first semester itself, Li Juan became the first name in Ye Shishi's enemy list.

"Is there anyone left for the role of Juliet?" Teacher in charge asked.

"Yes, there is one more person, Li Juan," someone named called out the name.

"Li Juan!" There was a whisper among the students.

"Lanlan what did you do?" Li Juan looked at Tang Wei Lan in panic. "I am not going for the audition."

"Li Juan is here sir," Tang Wei Lan called out.

"Li Juan, the teacher called her name, come forward."

Tang Wei Lan pushed Li Juan forward. Li Juan walked to the stage hesitantly with Tang Wei Lan.

"Are you prepared?" The teacher asked her.

"Teacher I am no-" Li Juan paused and tried to find an excuse.

"Yes, she is," Tang Wei Lan replied. "You can do it, Lily!" Tang Wei Lan cheered for Li Juan.

"When you are ready," the teacher said to her.

"Okay, there is no way she can back off now, let's go for it." Li Juan repeated in her mind.

She was confident that she will not qualify.

Li Juan took a deep breath. She was familiar with the dialogues in the play.

She chose the climax scene where Juliet finds about Romeo's death and decides to kill herself.

Li Juan purposefully selected this scene because of the intensity of the scenes. If she performs poorly she will be kicked out immediately.

But to everyone's surprise, she got selected.

"Brilliant! Li Juan will play Juliet." The teacher in charge announced. He was impressed by Li Juan.

"No," a strong male voice heard from the students. It was Mo Yan, the student who was selected for the role of Romeo. Mo Yan was one of the heartthrobs in the school and he was already an idol trainee.

"Teacher, if she plays as the main lead, then I won't act against her."

"What are you saying?" Teacher in charge was shocked.

"Yes teacher, how can someone ugly like her play the role of the beautiful Juliet?" Mo Yan said in an arrogant voice and looked at Li Juan as if he is disgusted by her.

"Where are your manners, Mo Yan? How can you talk to your junior like this?" The teacher in charge was furious.

"Mo Yan, if you want to be the part of skit team, then you have to listen to me.

Li Juan will be playing Juliet and that is final. Do you understand? All those who have a different opinion are free to leave this hall."

No one uttered a single every one stood there itself.

"Then good, let's meet tomorrow at 5 pm for the first rehearsals." Teacher in charge left the room.

The news of Li Juan selected as the female lead of the drama was spread like a wildfire among students. Everyone especially the one who was the fans of Mo Yan was totally against the decision. In their opinion, Juliet has to be pretty and lovable and Li Juan wasn't eligible for the role.

They felt that it was unfair and dishonour for Mo Yan.