Empress Of The Lost Kingdom

Li Juan opened her eyes into the mundane warmth of homely feeling.

The familiar briny scent of the ocean along with the loud siren of fishing boats and voices of seagulls lingered in the room, bringing a cosy warmth to Li Juan as she snuggled on to the blanket drenched with a soothing scent.

Why is it smells so good? 

She rubbed her nose on the soft and fluffy pillow, breathing the pleasant smell the corners of her soft lips perched up into a bright smile. 

"Mamma, coffee!!!!"

She opened her eyes and stretched her body with a groan.

"Mamma!!!!" Li Juan called out and rubbed her eyes to sweep a glance across the room.

The whistling of sea breeze and the mewing of seagulls responded to her morning hoarse voice. 

The sight of the luxurious interior of the hotel room snapped her back to reality.

When the realization hit her, the smile vanished from Li Juan's face.

For a moment she subconsciously believed that it was her home. 

Those days when she used to live in S city with her mother in their tiny rooftop rental house. By the time Li Juan wakes up from her sleep her mother would have reached home after finishing her night shifts. Li Juan's mornings always began with a cup of a coffee and a kiss from her mother.

It felt like the old days...

Li Juan stared at the patch of blue sky in silence. It has been eight years since she left S city, her mother is no longer in this world and yet this morning brought back her beautiful memory,

"Should I grieve or be glad for this overwhelming feeling?" She was confused for a moment,

"Pa and Mamma... thanks for bringing to this world," 

Li Juan smiled and leaned on to the headrest to take a look at the room.

Why the hell did she leave the balcony door open all night?

Li Juan tried to recollect last night's events,

How did she get back to her room? She does not even remember leaving the bar.

"You dumb lily, when will you learn?" Li Juan cursed herself, "Thank God, you safely returned,"

Suddenly her line of thoughts was broken by a mobile ring tone, Li Juan turned around and stretched her arm to pick up her mobile placed on the bedside table.

"Heh," the phone did not ring then where is this voice is coming?

Li Juan looked around and found that ringtone was coming from the dressing room,

All of sudden, the ringtone got ceased and replaced with a deep masculine voice rendering words which are foreign to her ears.

It is a man!

Did she bring a man to her room? 

"It is not just a man, a foreigner...she made love with a foreigner,"

Li Juan felt like she has fallen into the depth of the hell. 

Tae Yang stepped out of the dressing room, neatly buttoning his shirt while having a phone conversation through his Bluetooth headphone. He inclined his head to look over in the direction of the bedroom and met with Li Juan who was wide awake on the bed.

The corners of his lips curled up into an alluring smile as he walked over to the balcony and poured out of a cup of coffee from a thermos flask.

Shrouded in the warm morning rays, the man before her appeared more attractive than anything that Li Juan witnessed until now,

Even though the pure shirt was buttoned up to his chest, the symmetrically balanced muscles on his chest and abs were evidently visible to Li Juan's scrutinizing eyes.

With the rising sun in the background, his white jade-like skin and damp stygian hair gave him an aura of celestial god,

Wait a minute, what are those purplish-green bruise marks on God's neck and collars?

"lovebites!!!!" Li Juan screamed internally. "Did she really eat him up last night?"

She lowered her gaze and found a loose white shirt on her body.

The bruises on the bare skin above her breasts appeared like an eyesore.

As he continued the phone conversation, Tae Yang made his way to the bed and handed over the coffee cup to her. 

Li Juan stared with bedazzled eyes as she reached out for the coffee cup, under the spell of his manly voice.

Under her naked stare, Tae Yang sweetly smiled and lowered his head to place a kiss on her pouting lips.

When her senses where attacked simultaneously with the devilishly handsome man, Li Juan felt her nerves exploding in ecstasy.

Tae Yang ended his conversation and patted Li Juan's messy hair, "Good morning sunshine," 

Li Juan stared back in bewilderment. "Out of all the men in the world, why did she spent the night with him?"

"I need to go home, would you like to join?" He took out his phone from the pocket.

"Young master Guan," Li Juan called him in a low voice.

"Hmm," He hummed and sat on the bed with his eyes glued on the cell phone screen.

"Can we..... can we...consider this as a one night stand?" She reluctantly spoke out the words.

Tae Yang averted his curious gaze to her.

"Whatever happened last night, can we just forget and move on?"

"What if I refuse?" His face adorned with a cold smirk as he elaborated,

"I acknowledge that you are the young miss of the Bai family, the queen. But majesty, there are a few things which you are supposed to-" 

"I was drugged," She interrupted him and gulped, "by you.."

"Me?" He scoffed and leaned closer to Li Juan, trapping her, " it was you who dragged me here. Miss Bai, you need to take responsibilities for your actions,"

"But it is not entirely my fault," She hesitantly agreed to his claims," you also involved-,"

"It was you who came and seduced me," Tae Yang flicked his collar and indirectly showing her the bruises on his fair neck,

"What!!! No, I don't believe you,"

"Do you want evidence? I can ask for the CCTV footages or you can directly ask the hotel employees how you kissed me in front of-" Li Juan abruptly covered his mouth, she doesn't want to hear the smutty things they did last night.

Looking at Li Juan's startling actions, Tae Yang pressed his lips onto her palm, which made her retrace the arm like she has touched a smouldering iron.

"What do you want me to do?"

"Meet my family,"

"What!!!!" Li Juan jumped in horror, " No that's impossible. I have already told you about my decision," she flapped her free arm indicating her strong denial, "No way I'm going to meet-"

Tae Yang grabbed her arm, "Let me complete," He gasped and continued,

"Did I tell you that I am planning to settle down? since you rejected me, my family started to arrange blind dates for me. I was supposed to meet a woman last night. But you dragged me here and ruined that date. So you should come and explain it to my family," He demanded as if she has wronged him.

"Why should I? it is your problem," Li Juan scoffed,

"Fine," Tae Yang shrugged his shoulders and rose into his feet, "I will tell them that the young miss of Bai family seduced me and took advantage of me. Let them talk to your grandpa,"

Li Juan was left dumbfounded with his threat,

She somehow persuaded her family to postpone her betrothal and he is going to ruin that?

"Young master Guan, why are you behaving like this? Let's be civil and act like responsible adults,"

"That's what I told you. Be responsible for your actions," He retorted in the same tone and waited for her reply.

Unable to withstand his anticipated eyes, Li Juan let out a sigh and said in a yielding tone.

"What do you want now? I should come with you and explain it to your family. Is that all?"

"Be my girlfriend," He added with an expressionless face.

"What?"

"Act like one."

"No way, I am not acting like your girlfriend,"

"Then let me inform your family," he picked up his phone and searched the phone numbers, "Whom should I call, your grandpa or my grandpa?"

"Young master Guan, you can't just threaten and force me," Li Juan pouted her lips in anger,

"Look, Miss Bai, my family is forcing me to get married and I want you to act like my girlfriend. If you help me now, I will definitely treat last night as non-existent,"

"But your family knows me," Li Juan bit her lips in doubt,

"They only heard about a young miss of Bai family and miss, you have another identity. You can use that," He suggested and waited for a moment.

After contemplating the issue for some time, Li Juan finally broke the silence,

"Okay, I will come with you. But you need to promise me that, this will remain as a secret between us," Li Juan offered a fair deal,

"Deal," Tae Yang tidied his cuffs and continued, "Then we will leave after breakfast,"

"I need to inform my brother," Li Juan bit her nails in worry, "Hold this," She unknowingly shoved the coffee cup to his hands and took her phone to dial Bai Mu Chuan's number. Her grandpa has strictly notified her to get help from her cousins who volunteered as her bodyguards.

After a moment, the call got connected and Li Juan started to speak in a mellow voice.

"Ah Chuan, yesterday I met my friend and...." She abruptly stopped and widened her eyes in shock, "He told you?????"

Li Juan threw a murderous glare at the man who sat beside her, sipping the coffee. "Ahhh...I will call you later, take care," She ended the phone call and roared out,

" Who gave you permission to attend my calls?" Her nose flaring in anger.

"It was ringing very loud, last night we slept really late and you were tired due-"

" Aiiii-" Li Juan almost cussed. But when she saw a glimpse of a smile on Tae Yang's face, she immediately swallowed the curse word and snatched the coffee cup from him. 

There is no way she can win against this demon. If the word of young miss of Yu palace lost her virginity before her marriage, then that's it...Then she will be forced to spend her life with this arrogant, scheming man who stole her innocence.

"So what is our plan?" She took a sip from the coffee cup and asked him,

"You just have to come with me, I will take care of the rest,"

"And,"

"And that's it," Tae Yang asserted, to which Li Juan responded with a glare,

"I just want to show them that I have a girlfriend so that they stop setting me up with women,"

"You told me that you are planning to settle, so isn't it better if you agree with your family? Why are you dragging me into this mess?" Her face shown utter disinterest.

"I was planning to settle with you...if you are interested-" A haughty smirk lingering on his charming face, tempting Li Juan to agree to his demands.

"When are we leaving?" Li Juan immediately changed the topic.

"Whenever you are ready."

Li Juan finished drinking the coffee and rose from the bed, with a bemused face,

Her body felt light and energized, instead of feeling tired... The first time is supposed to be painful, isn't it? Then why there is- Li Juan halted in her steps and looked at Tae Yang,

He raised his eyebrows in question,

"We didn't do it...did we?" She asked and let out a peal of mocking laughter, "You lied,"

"Do you want me to prove it again?" Tae Yang took a step towards her with unbuttoning his shirt and Li Juan who got panicked by his enthusiasm, ran away from the room with her life.

----------------------------

When Li Juan opened the door of her suite room, she was welcomed by the sight of a well-dressed gentleman.

Tae Yang stood in front of her room, waiting for Li Juan with a big fat smile plastered on his face.

"Are you going to wear this?" He sized her up and down with a faint smile.

"Do you have any problems with my clothes?" Li Juan looked at the simple white sweater and beige skirt she paired with a pair of sneakers,

"What I meant is, it is too cold out there," Tae Yang tried to explain to Li Juan who has dressed way more casually and thin.

"Oh please, tell me a more convincing excuse." Li Juan snapped back at him, "If you can't introduce Li Juan, a research scholar who barely meets her living expenses as your girlfriend. Then why don't you get a new girlfriend?" 

"Hey, hey are you going back on your word?"

"Seriously dude, how long are you going to judge a person with their external appearances," Li Juan placed her arm on her hip and asked him with a serious tone,

"I just want to remind you to wear something warm," 

"Why this sweater is not warm enough?" She retorted,

"You are going to meet your in-laws who-" Tae Yang swallowed his words when he met with Li Juan's fierce eyes,

"Oh I got it, the first impression is the best, but I am really sorry young master Guan, I cannot change,"

"Why are you arguing? I am just saying for your good,"

"Two reasons," Li Juan counted with her fingers as she explained,

"first of all, I don't like those fancy dresses. Secondly, we are just pretending to be a couple. If I dressed as a well-bred lady, your family might like me. What if they ask me to marry you?

"Say yes,"