96 Old Lovers Mee (1/2)

”What's taking her so long,” the boy complained. ”The portal's been up since this morning. It's taking her a whole day to decide?”

Nian Zhen smiled, not saying anything. He was sipping tea, his tenth cup for the night. He had not eaten anything since this morning. He had been that nervous, that terrified, all though looking at him no one would have believed it.

The boy Ban Chao sneaked a peek at him again. His highness looked cool and unruffled as usual but he had not gone out that day, not participated in any activity as he always did each morning. That is, until he surprised everyone with the announcement that he had opened the portal and that an important guest will be coming soon and that everyone should get ready and respectfully meet the person.

But that had been hours ago. Before breakfast actually and everyone had waited and were still waiting for this person to arrive.And his highness had not moved from his spot. Had instead drank cups of hot tea that in anyone else would have already given them the shivers of a drunkard.

Still, they waited. The portal remained open and the person was nowhere to be seen.

When the clock struck the hour of ten, Nian Zhen was already deliberating whether to come after her or not.

Ban Chao looked at him like he was a loser. Why wait for that person when the person obviously didn't want to be here anyway? All these waiting for nothing. Besides, he was hungry and just want to go home and have a nice meal. He stayed by the person's side the whole day out of concern. Who knew that other person would play a trick like this? Making them wait without food like they were on a fast? Honestly, how cruel.

He opened his mouth to speak but the portal started to churn and shine, the blue waves of the water shimmering like a ghost until the person appeared, tall and grim-faced, like an avenging goddess about to release her wrath.

The girl stepped out of the portal and into the room, her stormy eyes unerringly finding the boy standing by the window who gazed back at her with an equally stormy expression on his beautiful face.

The two of them stared at each other like enemies reunited. Nian Zhen was tense and nervous. The empress of Yuqui cucumber cool and haughty.

”Where's Gu Sheng?” she asked, without preamble. ”Take me to him.”

Ban Chao was taken aback. His glance at Nian Zhen who glowered at the young girl like he wanted to eat and beat her at the same time.

Nian Zhen took a threatening step forward. The empress stood her ground and smiled without amusement.

”It's been a long time,” Nian Zhen said. ”How are you, my dear An Ning?”

”What do you call yourself nowadays, Richard?” she asked coolly. ”Not the devil, I hope?”

”Seriously...,” Ban Chao said but was cut dead by a pair of eyes who speared him where he was with a baleful glare.

”Where's Gu Sheng? I want to see him,” the empress repeated.

”Why so impatient? Don't you have nice words to say to your husband?”

”Ex husband,” the empress corrected. ”And you're not him. As far as I know, he died a long time ago.”

Nian Zhen's lips thinned in anger.

”That's what you wished for, didn't you? Sorry to disappoint you but I'm still alive. In a different body but still alive.”

”That doesn't concern me. What you do with your life has nothing to do with me.”

”Aren't you even curious how I came to be like this?”

”Who cares? You died a long time ago. If I remember correctly, we actually gave you a military sendoff. It was under the name of your brother but you were dead anyway, or your soul was, so it was the same.”

”An Ning!”

”Don't try my patience, Richard. Where's Gu Sheng?”

”Get out!” Nian Zhen suddenly turned to Ban Chao and ordered. ”Leave!”

”But, your highness...,” Ban Chao stammered, glaring at the empress. ”What if something happened?”

”I told you to get out!”

Ban Chao resentfully got out.

”Now that we're alone...”

Nian Zhen didn't even finish the words when the empress moved and attacked him with her sword. Nian Zhen stepped back agilely, almost gliding in the air. He didn't take out his sword, his hands were bare, even relaxed at his sides. The empress again lunged forward but quick as lightning Nian Zhen caught her in his arms, squeezing her arm until she released the sword and his lips bent down and took her lips in a hungry kiss.

An Ning was so surprised that she didn't even blink as she looked at the lashes and closed eyes very close to hers. The boy's face was unfamiliar to her yet she could see some traces of the man she remembered, the man who left her for another woman. That man had been tall and handsome, the man who pretended he was Richard but was actually Han. But she didn't remember Han. All she remembered was Richard, regardless of whose soul he was, and he wasn't like this, as if he would sear her mouth to his so she would forever remember him, Richard, her husband.

An Ning opened her mouth to breath and immediately Nian Zhen's tongue twined with hers in a deep kiss as old as time. She could feel his body trembling, the arms imprisoning her to his hard body racked with shivers. And she could feel the salt of his tears on her tongue as he buried his face on her neck and wept.

Nian Zhen held the empress plastered to his body for what seemed like hours, until his body stopped its shivering and her warmth gradually seeped into his very bones and calmed his beating heart.

An Ning allowed herself to be held by him without protest. When he kissed her again, and his hands started to touch her body hungrily as if she ignited a sleeping fire within him that only she can sate, she squirmed and tried to get away. But Nian Zhen by then had succumbed to madness and he once more pulled her tightly in his arms as his mouth again ravished the sweetness of her lips.

An Ning tried to kick and scream but Nian Zhen held her fast. He dragged her to his bed, pulled the clothes from her body and kissed and tortured her sweetly until she gasped and tried to pull away.

”Let go of me,” she cried, twisting from his lips that was branding her naked skin like scorching fire.

”An Ning, I've missed you so,” he cried hoarsely. ”You're mine, An Ning. You've always been mine.”