To Love You Again

Xiong Zhi's anxious heart slowed down. Based on the current situation, it looked like the elders would not necessarily side on her grandfather today.

"After that time, we, the elders, took extra care of him. My grandson never said out loud what he really feels. Even when he was hurt, or in pain, or even when he was unwilling." Grandma Zhou sniffled.

"I know this trait is very suitable for a butler, but this very character might destroy the person soon… or even the person's master." Grandma Zhou looked at Old Xiong with beseeching emotions in her eyes. 

"Master Xiong, you always ask for the best from us. And we always want to give it to you. My grandson… finally grew up. He knew now how to express his feelings well. I believe this one would help his master in the future, compared to an unfeeling machine no different than a puppet." 

Old Xiong's heart which had already calmed down started to rage again after hearing Grandma Zhou's tone change, obviously siding with the young man.

"And how would this help Zhi'er in the future? Can you tell me how would not marrying Gaiyu help my granddaughter in the future? I am just trying to prevent my granddaughter and your grandson from committing a.d.u.l.terous acts! This grandson of yours, who just newly discovered how to express his feelings as you say, would bring down the whole Xiong Family's reputation with him! He even dared to attempt to break the treaty!" Old Xiong erupted, no longer mincing his words.

"…!"

The elders were taken aback. They did not know any of this.

Their grandson and the Young Miss… had that kind of relationship with each other? This was...

…Unacceptable.

Linfeng's eyes suddenly turned wide as he belatedly realized.

The reason why Old Xiong had arranged him a fiancée, of all things. 

So he knew!

Master Xiong had already known that there was something going on between him and the Young Miss. Linfeng was careful, but it was not careful enough as Old Xiong was still able to trace something on his end.

"So it's all about me. Don't you think, Grandpa, that I have more say in this matter?" Xiong Zhi's cold voice echoed in the room.

Everyone dazedly glanced at her. 

Linfeng's turbulent eyes finally gazed at her. But when she glanced to look back at him, he looked away. He was clearly ashamed of the situation right now.

Xiong Zhi kept down the grievances she felt. She would talk to him later about this. Right now, this damned grandfather of hers need to be settled first.

Xiong Zhi looked straight at her grandfather. "Since it was all about me, don't you all think it would be wiser to talk it out with me? What if I found out that these two people's future had been decided against their will, because of me? You intend to let me carry that guilty conscience all my life? They have to endure and suffer for the rest of their life just because of a decision you made today. Do you think I will be grateful for that? " 

Old Xiong's eyes squinted. "Don't misunderstand me. I did not make this decision for you. It's for the future of the Xiong Empire."

"So it's because I am the heiress? Is that it?" 

Old Xiong harrumphed. "What else other than that? In order to be a proper ruler of the empire, you should know what line you should not cross. You should know when you have to hold back your foolish feelings and think properly. Zhi'er, as an heiress, and the future head of the Xiong family, you must know that superficial feelings would only bring down the family. Don't be foolish. As the heiress, you must make proper decisions," Old Xiong somberly expressed. He believed in his granddaughter's abilities. But his granddaughter was still too young.

She was too young and mistook puppy love as true love. They needed to correct her mistakes and teach her the proper way of their world. There was no true love, that was some bullshit weak people made up. The only true love in this world was familial love. 

Yet even that love might not last until the end, as opposing interests could always destroy any relationsh.i.p.s. 

On the other hand, power and authority were the ones that truly ruled the world. With that, one's life would become smooth and flourishing.

Linfeng heard Old Xiong's response. He looked down, his lashes covering the complex tangle of emotions within his eyes. 

What Old Xiong said was not a lie. His Young Miss had a great status, so being interested in a mere butler would certainly pull her reputation and name down. Linfeng had always known this. 

It was the reason why he had been hesitating all these while, why he tried to ignore his feelings before… and why he felt such inferiority in front of the Young Miss.

Because his low status would only pull her down with him. He would be the reason why people who should marvel at the Young Miss point their fingers at her instead.

He did not deserve the excellent Young Miss with his current status. 

…That was why, he must change his fate as a mere butler.

Linfeng dared not look at Xiong Zhi. He was afraid to hear her reply. What if she realized Old Xiong's words made sense? What if she realized that the love she felt for him was just mere attraction, an infatuation only. 

Linfeng swallowed, trying to calm down his increasingly agitated nerves. Yes, it made sense. His Young Miss liked him without reason, it was too sudden, as if at first sight.

Honestly, it was not surprising if it was because she found him novel. 

She spoke ambiguous words that one could easily misunderstand. His Young Miss's charm was so strong that a single smile from her could put his mind in chaos.

Linfeng knew that he had fallen for her charms, and there was no way backing down from it. He had already opened his heart and allowed her to become a part of his future.

He did not care about the banishment since he had so many ways to escape from it. But if he was banished, meeting his Young Miss would become difficult. 

They would be far away from each other. And his existence might eventually be forgotten. That was the reason why he did not want to be expelled, until the treaty was broken. What he needed was a bit more time.

But hearing Old Xiong persuade Xiong Zhi, Linfeng's stable and calm heart became more and more agitated with every passing second.

He suddenly got scared. 

What if she found it reasonable? What if she suddenly realized he was not worth it?

What if she woke up from the realization that she was too way above his league-- a mere butler, just a rather handsome teen who had caught her attention on a whim?

Linfeng's eyelashes trembled. He realized, he had already fallen way too deep for his Young Miss in such a short amount of time.

So deep that he had, in fact, become very afraid of his Zhi'er possibly following Master Xiong's advice, and leave him.

Linfeng asked himself, could he bear it?