Empress Of The Lost Kingdom

"Noona!"

Lee Tae Min called Li Juan in an alarmed voice. His cold eyes contained displeasure and annoyance towards Tang Wei Sheng, made him appear more tsundere than his usual self.

"What is he doing here?"

"He," Li Juan felt like her tongue got tied for a moment. What should she say?

For others, Tang Wei Sheng is her boss and a senior from school. Lee Tae Min knows that they are friends, but how is she going to explain why Tang Wei Sheng is at her home at this late hour?

"Noona, I'm asking you something?" Lee Tae Min called Li Juan who remained silent.

"Noona,"

Li Juan looked at him with red and moist eyes.

"Why did you cry? Did anything happen here?" Lee Tae Min examined her puffy face.

"Nothing happened." Li Juan tried to avoid his scrutinizing eyes.

Lee Tae Min can easily see through her lies. It is better to change his attention to something else, Li Juan decided in her mind.

"CEO Tang just came to visit me."

"You sit, I'll back in a minute." Li Juan turned to walk towards the washroom.

Suddenly Lee Tae Min grabbed her wrist and stopped her.

There were some red marks on her wrists and neck.

"What is this Noona?

What happened here?

Why did you cry?" Lee Tae Min started questioning her rapidly.

"It is nothing." Li Juan replied as if she is trying to elude from his questions.

"Nothing? What is this mean?" Lee Tae Min held her arms and looked at the marks in her wrists.

"Take off your hands from her," Tang Wei Sheng who remained silent till now, ordered in an imperative voice.

Lee Tae Min glared at the man in sitting in the couch and returned his eyes towards Li Juan.

"Noona," Lee Tae Min lifted her chin. There were some reddened marks on her cheeks and neck.

"Did he do anything to you?" Li Juan didn't answer any of his questions.

"Why aren't you saying anything?" Lee Tae Min raised his voice.

"Lee Tae Min, get your hands off from my woman." Tang Wei Sheng warned him again.

"As far as I know, CEO Tang is engaged to some other women. Why are you here at this late hour?" Lee Tae Min refuted back face with fierce eyes.

"Do I owe you an answer?" Tang Wei Sheng stood up from the sofa and walked towards Li Juan.

"Let me ask you why are you here at this late hour?" Tang Wei Sheng repeated the question to Lee Tae Min.

"Noona," Lee Tae Min ignored him and turned back to Li Juan once.

"Do you have anything to say?"

"Tae Min, he is …" Li Juan hesitated for a moment.

"Boyfriend," Tang Wei Sheng declared.

"I am her boyfriend."

"Is that true?" Lee Tae Min's eyes widened in shock.

Both of them are in a relationship! since when?

But Tang Wei Sheng is engaged to another woman, and still, Lee Tae Min controlled his line of thoughts and shook Li Juan's shoulders.

"Noona, Is that true?"

"I told you already," Tang Wei Sheng grabbed Lee Tae Min's arms and removed it from Li Juan's shoulder.

"She is mine and I don't like it when others touch what is mine."

Tang Wei Sheng moved towards Li Juan and pulled her from Lee Tae Min's side.

"Mine, my ass," Lee Tae Min snarled.

"Noona, I am asking you? Is this man is your boyfriend as he proclaims?" Lee Tae Min asked Li Juan.

Li Juan felt a numbing pain in her temples. Why it is difficult to answer his question?

She decided to give Tang Wei Sheng a second chance, but still why is she hesitating?

"Oh, you don't believe my words, Good, Sweetheart, answer him." Tang Wei Sheng ordered Li Juan.

Li Juan looked at both of them in confusion.

"Wei Sheng Ge, please."

"Why are you hesitating, sweetheart? One day everyone will know that you are mine, so why don't we start with your precious brother?"

Tang Wei Sheng grabbed Li Juan's waist and pulled her closer.

Lee Tae Min looked at them, appalled.

"Noona, he is an engaged man,"

"So what?" Tang Wei Sheng refuted back.

Lee Tae Min looked at Li Juan who is muddled by the actions of the men surrounded by her.

"Noona, his voice sounded sorrowful. Why?"

"She loves me, " Tang Wei Sheng replied casually.

Li Juan loves him! Li Juan loves Tang Wei Sheng.

"Noona, you disappoint me," Lee Tae Min scorned. "I'm leaving." Lee Tae Min said with a grief-stricken face.

Even though Li Juan did not utter a word, Lee Tae Min understood that Li Juan had feelings for Tang Wei Sheng. But he is an engaged man.

Li Juan having an illicit relationship with him was shocking for Lee Tae Min.

His precious Noona whom he cherished and loved- did she remained single all these years, for this man?

"Tae Minah," Li Juan called him. It was unbearable for her to see Lee Tae Min's sorrowful face. He treated her as his sister, he cared for her and How did she repay his love and care? By betraying him? She didn't want to betray Lee Tae Min.

"Why are you explaining to him? He is just your junior." Tang Wei Sheng smirked in triumph. On the other hand, Lee Tae Min was losing his temper over Tang Wei Sheng's actions.

"Wei Sheng Ge, please, he is my brother." Li Juan said in a low voice.

"I don't think so, sweetheart." Tang Wei Sheng said in distress.

"You may treat him as a brother, but does he treat you the same?"

"What did you say"? Lee Tae Min took a step towards Tang Wei Sheng, ready to argue.

"Stop it," Li Juan came in between and stopped them from arguing.

"Tae Minah please, I beg you, don't complicate things."

"Noona, he is … "Lee Tae Min glared at Tang Wei Sheng with fierce eyes.

"Tae Min, please go now." Li Juan told him.

"Yes, leave." Tang Wei Sheng repeated after her. Li Juan looked at him helplessly.

"You too Wei Sheng ge, Leave me alone."

"I will leave," Tang Wei Sheng flashed a smug smile. "I got what I came for,"

Tang Wei Sheng took his Jacket from the sofa and threw it over his shoulders.

"Let's meet tomorrow," he touched Li Juan's cheeks gently and smiled.

"And you, leave right now." Tang Wei Sheng ordered Lee Tae Min.

"You pay for our research, but that doesn't give you any authority to interfere in our personal lives." Lee Tae Min looked ferocious.

"Ah, that's right, I can't interfere in your personal life." Tang Wei Sheng explained. "But I can interfere in her life- and I, clearly dislike you, following my woman like a lost puppy."

"Do you think I adore you? I hate you the moment I saw you lurking around my Noona,"

"Noona, Whose Noona, She is mine only." Tang Wei Sheng declared.

"She is not a thing to make claim, she is a human being who is capable enough to take decisions for herself."

"Please don't argue." Li Juan pleaded.

She didn't want to create a conflict between them.

"Sweet Heart," Tang Wei Sheng called Li Juan.

"I am not in a state to argue with both of you." Li Juan held her palm on her forehead. Her headache is getting worse. Just leave.

Lee Tae Min sighed, "I'm leaving," he took a look at Tang Wei Sheng and went outside.

"He is a loyal kid, but his temper is too bad." Tang Wei Sheng commented.

"Wei Sheng Ge," please, Li Juan folded her palms and begged.

"Okay, okay I'll leave."

"So what is your decision? Can we apply for a marriage certificate?" Tang Wei Sheng asked her.

"Wei Sheng Ge, let's think about it later." Li Juan said in a firm voice.

"Sweetheart," Tang Wei Sheng called her in dismay. He thought he convinced her.

"We can't afford to take such rash decisions right now." Li Juan tried to negotiate.

"Either we can apply for the marriage certificate as soon as possible, or do you need some more time?" Tang Wei Sheng asked her.

Li Juan didn't know what to say to him.

"I will let you know."

Li Juan knew that he is asking her out for a suicidal mission. She needs to rethink and check the pros and cons- she doesn't have anything to lose, but she must make sure that she will gain something if she takes a decision on a whim.

"Okay then, see you tomorrow." Tang Wei Sheng placed a kiss on her cheeks and went outside.

On Monday, Li Juan reached the university earlier than usual time. They were conducting a meeting with the archaeologists and other workers who are going for the site expedition.

Since Professor Han Guang was the team leader, he assigned different tasks related to the expedition for the assistants.

Site exploration and detailing was Li Juan's task. Excavation workers and their supervising duty was given to Cheng Tao. And Lee Tae Min was assigned with transport and navigation.

They were in the middle of the meeting When Chairman Tang's secretary Ahn came looking for Han Guang.

"Professor Han, Chairman has a request for you."

"What is it?" Han Guang was curious.

"Miss Ning Jing wants to join in the expedition."

"Ning Jing, CEO Tang's fiancée?" Cheng Tao exclaimed.

"Why do they need to accompany a film star to the expedition?"

"Yes. Will that be a trouble for you?" Secretary Ahn asked in concern. Bringing Ning Jing between Li Juan and Tang Wei Sheng was the easiest way to separate the couple.

"It is always better to have an extra hand, Han Guang hesitated for a moment, but since it is Miss Ning, I don't think it will be a smooth journey for her."

"Chairman doesn't want you to feel pressurized." Secretary Ahn said calmly.

"Why don't you have a chat with Miss Ning? I think talking to her in person will help you to choose a decision." Secretary Ahn suggested.

Han Guang looked at his scholars for answers.

"We will discuss it among selves and let you know."

"Yes. Thank you." Secretary Ahn left immediately after the conversation.

"Professor, don't you think it is weird? Why do we need to bring some celebrity with us?" Lee Tae Min was the first one to ask the question.

"I know they pay for us, but don't you think this is too much?"

Lee Tae Min somehow totally disliked the idea of bringing Ning Jing with them.

"I agree with him, professor." Cheng Tao agreed with Tae Min. "It is a difficult journey; there won't be any proper facilities on our way to the lost city. Including a woman on the expedition will only make us weaker."

Cheng Tao suddenly felt an ice-cold piercing gaze on him; he turned and met Li Juan's ferocious eyes.

"He had forgotten about Li Juan."

"Hey, I didn't mean you, you're an exceptional case. lily, you are one of us." Cheng Tao tried to mollify her.

"It is just Ning Jing, which, you know she can't," he tried to find excuses.

"Enough," Han Guang stopped him. "Li Juan, you talk to Miss Ning."

"Professor!" Li Juan looked at him in doubt.

"I don't have a problem with her," Han Guang shared his opinion. "But she must be aware of the difficulties she has to face throughout the journey."

Li Juan was uncomfortable to meet the woman who is engaged to the person whom she loves. Both of them is the third person in each other lives.

"What will they happen when they meet each other?"

"Yes, professor." Li Juan replied half-heartedly.

"You talk to her in person and convince her how bad the expedition can be."

Han Guang immediately called Secretary Ahn to convey their decision and asked him to get an appointment with Ning Jing.

After ten minutes, Professor Han Guang got a call from Ning Jing's manager.

Since Ning Jing is busy shooting, her manager asked Li Juan to come directly to the filming set.

Lee Tae Min looked at Li Juan who is packing her bag ready to leave.

Is she going to meet Ning Jing, whose life she is about to ruin?

How will Ning Jing react when she meets the one who is going to ruin her life?

The fight for the mate is an animal nature, Does that apply to humans also?