593 The Secret About the Past 211 (1/2)
”There's no rush. It won't be too late to start tomorrow,” said Tuoba Gucheng, who thought that it would be alright even if things remained as they were.
Tuoba Rui looked at An Xiaoning and asked, ”I heard that you were the one who saved Gucheng on the mountains and even got wounded during the process. Is that true?”
”Yes,” An Xiaoning answered, looking down at the ground.
”Has Gucheng rewarded you yet?”
An Xiaoning glanced at Tuoba Gucheng and answered, ”Yes, he already has.”
”What did he reward you with?”
”Well…” An Xiaoning did not expect Tuoba Rui to ask for further details. Thus, she answered, ”He knows that I adore lilies so he gave me a pot of lilies.”
A look of astonishment formed on Tuoba Rui's face, and Shi Xiaoyu was just as bewildered.
”Didn't he reward you with money?”
”She said that she was merely performing her duties and thus did not want any money…” said Tuoba Gucheng.
Tuoba Rui took a few more glances at An Xiaoning and said, ”Oh, I see. Do stay by Gucheng's side and protect him well then.”
”I will.”
Tuoba Rui and Shi Xiaoyu left a short while later. Just as they stepped out of the door, Tuoba Danxue guffawed and mocked, ”Mu Ning, are you silly? Why would you pick a pot of lilies over money?”
An Xiaoning remained silent. How could she possibly expose Tuoba Gucheng for failing to reward her with money after she had sustained injuries for the sake of saving him?
The only time she turned his money down was when he gave her 50 thousand dollars in a bid to get her to undergo an abortion.
That happened ages ago.
Well, lilies could be taken as a reward too, I suppose, An Xiaoning thought to herself.
Lilies given by His Highness can't possibly be the same as those sold on the market.
That was the only way she could comfort herself.
She was called to his room as soon as she arrived upstairs.
They were the only ones in the room. ”That pot of lilies was a gift for you, not a reward,” he said.
”I know.”
”What would you like as a reward? I'll make it up to you.”
An Xiaoning could not think of an appropriate reward.
Since he could not afford to give her what she wanted, what was the point of asking for something she did not need?
”I don't need any compensation. Just like you said, it was only part of my duty. Thus, it was something I was supposed to do anyway.”
”You're really the strangest woman I've ever met.” He inched closer toward her and asked again, ”Is there really nothing you want in particular?”
An Xiaoning looked up at him abruptly and questioned, ”Can I really ask for anything?”
”Anything except me.”
An Xiaoning snorted with laughter. Why would he think that I would actually want him as a reward?
Was it really that obvious?
That idea has never crossed my mind, okay!
However, she felt a sudden urge to prank him. After all, if it weren't for him, there wouldn't be such a huge misunderstanding between her and Jin Qingyan, although he did not have intentions to sow discord between them.
What was the harm in teasing him a little?
An Xiaoning leaned closer toward him, leaving only inches between them. She raised her head and said, ”But I do want you, Your Highness.”
Tuoba Gucheng felt his breathing slow down.
”I already said anything except me.”
An Xiaoning reached a hand out to push him, causing him to fall onto the bed.
She then pounced on him and supported herself up with her arms. Staring at him from above, she said, ”Your Highness…”
Tuoba Gucheng was dumbfounded and froze in shock, not daring to look at her at all.
An Xiaoning initially thought he would push her away since she was invading his personal space.
Yet, to her surprise, he remained still as a statue.
They continued to stare at each other.
An Xiaoning began to feel a little awkward. After all, she knew that this man before him was her half-brother from another mother.
He was 26 years old while she was 29.
Forget it, I won't tease him anymore.
Just as she was about to get off of him, he grabbed her wrist all of a sudden, catching her off guard. She was thrown off balance and fell onto his chest.
She could hear his heart beating rapidly.
An Xiaoning regained her senses and said, ”Your Highness…”
”Yes… don't move,” he spluttered.
She ignored him and tried to sit up straight, but to no avail, for he pulled her into his arms once again.
Damn it, I've crossed the line this time by playing with fire and getting myself burned, An Xiaoning thought to herself.