To Love You Again

Old Xiong stayed silent, urging Linfeng to speak more.

"Right now, aside from the three of us present here," Linfeng gestured at himself, Xiong Zhi, and Old Xiong, "the only people who knew about this are the Zhou elders. If we all don't speak about this, then the rest of the Zhou family would never know."

"So... are you suggesting to keep it silent?" Old Xiong snorted, unconvinced. If they keep silent about it, how would the rest of the Zhou family members get their freedom back? They would still have the same mindset as before as the most loyal and devoted subordinates of the Xiong family.

"Yes and no. For now, I am planning to keep it quiet. Though, breaking the treaty would still inevitably happen."

"...Keeping it quiet. Do you think the elders will allow you to do that?"

"I believe they will," Linfeng confidently said. 

Old Xiong raised a brow, signaling him to continue.

"If we break our ties with the Xiong family at this moment, both of our families will suffer. So I suggest for us to stay in a truce for at least two more years. During the upcoming two years, the Zhou family will prepare for the possible repercussions of breaking away from the Xiong family and establish our own green pasture. And as for the Xiong family, you can use this time strengthen and stabilize the Xiong Empire, so that when the Zhou's assistance is gone, your family can handle it yourself. It can also serve as the buffer time to find and train new subordinates to replace the core positions currently occupied by Zhou members in the Xiong Empire."

"The Xiong family is not weak."

"So is the Zhou family."

"You do know that shifting powers and responsibilities will still affect the two families, don't you?"

Xiong Zhi silently agreed to the old man's concern. But she still stayed on Linfeng's side.

"That will still be within a controllable range. Also, the results far surpass these tiny side effects."

Linfeng had considered this as well. Most likely, once the ignorant Zhou members realize that the Xiong family seemed to depend on them less and less, and that they were slowly being displaced from their duties, they would likely feel uneasy and think that the Xiong family no longer trusted them.

This was why Linfeng wanted the Zhou elders to know of this, too. With Old Xiong and the Zhou elders' cooperation, they could divert the Zhou members' attention towards building the Zhou family's independent green pasture from scratch. 

They could hide this easily, saying that it was the Master's intention for the Zhou members to temporarily focus their efforts on these new businesses. The Zhou members would think that they were still handling the Xiong's business, and only when their financial sources and Linfeng's own project stabilized... would they come to know that they were actually managing their own family's independent business.

Old Xiong snorted. "It seems you have considered this as well?"

"Naturally, Master Xiong. I am very serious about this after all."

Old Xiong and Linfeng stared at each other for a while. One had a grim face, the other had calm politeness. 

No one was backing down.

Finally, Old Xiong spoke.

"Just mere two years... How can it solve everything?"

Once everyone knew of the truth, even with sufficient preparations, the Xiong family's reputation would still be impacted.

People would point their fingers and call them liars, greedy, and selfish tyrants.

As a Xiong, Xiong Zhi would still be affected negatively.

Linfeng lowered his lashes, looking at his and his Young Miss's intertwined hands.

"...Master Xiong, aside from the preparations, there is also a way to lower the repercussions when telling everyone the truth."

"There is?" Old Xiong's interest was piqued.

Xiong Zhi also looked at Linfeng with curiosity.

"After two years, the Xiong family will publicize that you wish to break the treaty between the Xiong and the Zhou families."

"!!!" 

Old Xiong and Xiong Zhi were stunned.

Linfeng did not them a chance to speak and continued his explanation.

"The public will only know that the Xiong family took the initiative to break the treaty."

Linfeng looked up calmly at the elder's shocked eyes. "'The Xiong family recognized the Zhou family's hard work for all these years, thus, decided to free them from the treaty as a sign of their friendship and appreciation. Any Zhou family members can step down from their designated posts if they wish to. The Xiong family will respect their decisions.' Isn't it a great excuse?"

"..."

"You will grant us our freedom, with no ill intentions posed to us afterwards. If Master Xiong is willing to do that, I will not let anyone else know of this doc.u.ment. You just have to continue what the Second Xiong Patriarch had wanted to do."

Old Xiong still could not speak.

'Rather than ask whether I am willing to do that, I should be the one asking you!'

Was Linfeng truly willing to let go of the chance to get justice for the wrongs that his family suffered?

If the Xiong family did what Linfeng said, then the disadvantage would certainly be less. Rather, it would put the Xiong family to an even brighter spot with a better reputation.

With this, the two family could still live in harmony and friendship.

But would the Zhou butlers serving them intimately still work under them after breaking the treaty? 

Now that Butler Zhou Min knew of this truth, would he continue serving him? Would the other butlers working under the other Xiong masters stay without the shackles of the treaty?

It was such a blurry future.

Linfeng smiled with a hint of irony. "If you are worried that the Zhou family will truly abandon the Xiong family after all that, then you don't have anything to worry about. A lot of my family members had set their goals to stay under the Xiong's wings, to become the most trusted aide of the Xiong family. Perhaps, there are others like me who have lofty ambitions and dreams. But I assure you, a lot will certainly stay."

The centuries-old brainwashing was not for nothing. Many Zhou member who had reached the legal age had been brainwashed into thinking that serving the Xiong family was the greatest achievement of all, what more of those butlers serving the Zhou masters now.

If they break the treaty this way, the Zhou members would only feel more gratitude.

...Perhaps, the Zhou family would be truly free, only when the next generation who grew up in a free environment without their wings clipped on their backs appeared in the future.

"..." Old Xiong was silent. 

"Moreover, after that day, I will pledge my loyalty to work as my Young Miss's official aide."

"!!!" 

The two was stunned once more.

Xiong Zhi wanted to protest. "Linfeng..."

"You—you are still going to work for us?!" Old Xiong could not believe it.

"Yes. I wish to assist my Young Miss."

???

Old Xiong had disbelief and confusion on his face.

His face had 'are you sick in the head' written all over it.

"You already succeeded. You can break the treaty as you wish and you even showed sympathy to us, thinking up of various solutions. Yet you still say you are going to work under us? What's the point of your insistence in breaking the treaty then?"

Linfeng smiled and squeezed Xiong Zhi's hand.

Linfeng...

Xiong Zhi looked dazedly at the handsome profile of the young man beside her. 

"Can't you tell? I am breaking the treaty so I can build my own future. So I can choose the people whom I wanted to become part of my future." 

He gently glanced at Xiong Zhi. His meaningful eyes were clear.

"..." Xiong Zhi who initially wanted to protest lost her voice.

Warmth slowly seeped into her heart. In fact, she wanted to tell him that there was no need for him to do so, yet in the end, her selfishness won over.

Just like him, she also wanted to be able to stay with him with every chance she could get.

Her eyes inevitably misted over. If Linfeng was willing to do so, she would not stop him.

She had promised to support Linfeng's decision.

"..." 

Old Xiong fell silent. His eyes looked complicatedly at the young couple who bravely exchanged loving looks in front of him.

This two brats, did they forget he was still here?

For this young man to bravely face Old Xiong, and to sacrifice so much just to stay with his beloved...

This young man's courage... how he wished he had it too when he was young.

He closed his eyes. Those were useless thoughts. The past could not be changed.

There were other things that needed more attention.

The elder calmed his heart and thought of many possible outcomes once the treaty was broken. 

It took him a long time.

Finally, Old Xiong opened his eyes and tiredly sighed. His face appeared paler, the wrinkles seemed deeper.

He spoke in a solemn voice.

"Fine. You win, young man." 

Linfeng's and Xiong Zhi's eyes brightened.

"I can't think of a better solution except for your suggestion. Once I confirmed if this doc.u.ment is true, I will tell everyone that the matter of your marriage will be postponed. You have two years."

Old Xiong for the first time accepted defeat. He still had a bottom line though.

"But don't get me wrong. It doesn't mean I approve of you for my granddaughter."

Linfeng nodded with enthusiasm. His eyes were shining with determination.

"I know. I will show you in the future that I am worthy of her."

Xiong Zhi did not want to be left out. She did not need anyone's approval.

"Grandfather, with or without your permission, I—"

"Don't speak. Let me rest." Old Xiong stopped his stubborn granddaughter from saying more foolishness. He did not want to get a heart attack just yet. He turned to look at Linfeng again. "How about the elders? They should be here now."

Linfeng observed the old man's face. The old master looked truly tired at the moment. He did not want to risk arousing the old man's impatience again after his acquiescence.

"The Zhou elders... Please allow me to handle them. I think it is best if I speak to them first and explain."

"Are you confident that you can handle the elders alone?"

"Of course, Master Xiong." 'I managed to convince you, the hardest nut to crack, so what more of them?' he inwardly added.

Old Xiong scrutinized his face for a moment. He nodded. He tapped his cane on the ground and headed to the doors, ignoring Xiong Zhi at the side. 

Before he went out, he suddenly spoke.

"You can tell Zhou Min to take two days off."

His slightly stooping back as he stepped out of the door looked lonely and tired.