Prince and His Fool

Two days had passed since the two men had left Ying Tie's village but their interaction was anything but harmonious. Rong Zian and Ying Tie were constantly bickering about everything and anything but unfortunately passing by melon seed eaters didn't get to witness a fistfight. Ying Tie was forced to yield every single time whenever he recalled the lifeless giant corpse on the ground with its cow-sized purple tongue sticking out.

Contrary to everyone's beliefs, Rong Zian wasn't an idiot as everyone presumed. How can a top university student be considered stupid? He had already taken notice of Ying Tie's pattern, the brawny man was actually afraid of him though he couldn't resist quarrelling with him but would cower as the conflict escalated.

Rong Zian poked the bear constantly not out of habit but mostly out of boredom. The one he wanted to talk to was giving him an icy shoulder not sparing him a single glance and if he said anything to him, Wu Yange would only respond with a chilly deadly stare. 'Shit, I must have gone too far this time,' he thought as he strolled forward preparing to aggravate the hornet's nest.

He innocently smiled at Ying Tie like an obedient child but his dark eyes harboured malicious intent. Unwilling to miss every slight change in expression on his victim, he turned and skilfully walked backwards facing Ying Tie. Sighing heavily a disgruntled Ying Tie turned his face away from Rong Zian anticipating the impending provocation.

"What now?" mumbled an aggrieved Ying Tie in a husky voice still looking away.

"Is that how you talk to your future brother in law?" he asked but Ying Tie remained silent refusing to indulge him.

Rong Zian lazily shrugged his shoulders and took out a mint green silk handkerchief with a peony flower embroiled on it. "Was just wondering if you know who this belongs too?" he asked all nonchalant with an innocent expression. Ying Tie had vowed not to indulge Rong Zian's immature taunts but when he saw the precious token, he blew his top off. This was his mother's handkerchief left to Ying Tianshi when she passed away and now it was in the hands of a facetious person who had no idea how precious that was. Before he could react, someone unexpectedly beat him to it.

Rong Zian was playfully flaunting the piece of cloth looking out for Ying Tie's response as the other took the bait seamlessly. He was prepared to make a break for it if things escalated but he didn't anticipate the retaliation would come from Wu Yange. The solemn prince gripped his hand tightly with great force and grabbed the handkerchief from him with his other hand. Stunned with his heart palpitating violently, Rong Zian's eyes met Wu Yange's glowering but dreamy eyes and desperately tried to free himself from the prince's grasp.

After failing several times, he finally gave in and looked at Wu Yang with a pleading expression but didn't expect to fall in a trance as though the prince's mesmerising eyes were hypnotising him. He felt trapped in an invisible barrier unable to break away as a tingling sensation travelled from where Wu Yange held his hand, spreading all over his body. His face suddenly felt hot jolting him from his trance, he couldn't believe it, he was blushing crimson like a young maiden. Panic-stricken, he turned to Ying Tie and explained, "Ah….this….don't be mad. Your sister gave it to me insisting that I should keep it."

Even though he was talking to Ying Tie, he could still feel Wu Yange's burning gaze burrowing through his skin like acid making him even more uncomfortable.

"Why did you accept it then? You always refuse her, does it mean you actually like her?" inquired Ying Tie holding on to the handkerchief, the prince had passed to him, as though his life depended on it. "You can't just accept this without knowing the meaning behind it!" said Ying Tie as he continued scolding the clueless offender. With every word Ying Tie spoke, the grip on Rong Zian's hand became tighter and tighter, he couldn't ignore the pain anymore.

He drew in cold air and tried to explain, "I tried to refuse but she threatened to drown herself in the river and blame me in her suicide note. Your sister is as bad shit crazy as you, what did you expect?" scorned Rong Zian though he didn't really mean too. He was deliberately trying to start a fight with Ying Tie so the prince would let go of his hand as though his words seemed to have some effect as Wu Yange softened his grip and gradually relaxed.

"You!!" yelled Ying Tie exploding with anger but as usual, he swallowed his burning rage and walked away. 'Fuck this is not how it should go!' he screamed in his head as he watched Ying Tie walk away. Left with no choice, he turned to Wu Yange with a stiff smile attempting to soften him up but to his surprise, that stern gaze suddenly had a hint of warmth that wasn't there before.

"Use this instead," said Wu Yange as he released Rong Zian's hand and handed him a handkerchief with twin dragons embroiled on them. Rong Zian was about to refute as he chose not to tangle himself with a lonesome prince ever since he discovered that this man had another supernatural ability. The ability to bend a straight man crooked with minimum effort. "You gave me this," said the prince showing him the tassel on the hilt of his sword, "so I give you this in return."

Rong Zian tilted his head slightly as though scrutinising the tassel which he didn't even remember giving him but could only nervously laugh and accept the handkerchief. "Thank you, Your Highness," he said and watched Wu Yange walk past him. He couldn't help being mesmerised by this striking aloof posh prince but with his mind stuck in a trance, it gave way for a mysterious opponent to take advantage of his vulnerability. Rong Zian only felt a cold skinny finger tap his forehead before everything went dark.

'Not this again,' thought Rong Zian as he woke in a stupor with an excruciating migraine as though someone had knocked him out with a hummer. He sat up on the bed rubbing his eyes hoping to be rid of his blurry vision when he heard a familiar intimidating voice say, "You are finally awake?"