Chapter 236 - Conflicting Loyalties (1/2)

The Emperor watched Lei Xing's increasingly unhappy expression and his bad mood started to resurface again. He had not considered that this issue would have upset Lei Xing so much.

But now that he was confronted with it, he could understand how this revelation could be upsetting to her and how it could cast some doubts on their relationship. And the last thing he wanted was to give Lei Xing any reason to withdraw into her shell again.

So he tried to reassure her again, ”Xing er', there's nothing to worry about regarding this matter...It's just...” He paused and knit his brows, as he thought of words to explain away this revelation and to pacify her with.

But before he could find his words, Lei Xing looked up and waved it away, ”It's fine.” Then she leaned forward and seriously asked, ”Do you...by any chance, have any ornaments or jewelry you always wear or carry on your person? Something you've had with you since you were a child...You know, since that incident?”

The Emperor raised his eyebrows at her, it was an odd question, but he thought about it and responded, ”No.”

Lei Xing thought again and then rephrased the question, ”Any keepsakes you've had since you were a child?”

”No.”

lei Xing knit her brows in thought.

{...Then what could it be..his hair? Or his - *cough* obviously not, I can't believe I just thought of that, I am horrible! Crazy! >_

”Why are you asking those questions?” The Emperor asked with slightly knit eyebrows.

Lei Xing blinked at him and then decided to respond with some honesty, this way she may be able to make progress in this discussion.

So she said, ”Well, it's just this whole voice thing is quite fascinating and I was thinking that...Um, I read it in a book once, a long time ago, about something like this happening. I naturally assumed it was just a story but hearing about your case now I remembered it...Anyway, the character in the book experienced the same things as you but, this voice entity was linked to a stone the character carried with him...So I was wondering if you had a stone of some sort...”

”You found it in a book? What book?” The Emperor swiftly asked with keen interest. He had tried to find answers but had never found any clues.

”Oh, I, unfortunately, don't remember. I just know that I've heard about it before...I'm sorry...” Lei Xing apologetically responded and then she continued on to ask, ”So do you have a stone or something else that you've always had around you during these -...odd incidents?”

The Emperor let out a disappointed breath as he remembered her memory loss. It was truly unfortunate. He knit his brows in thought and then shook his head, ”Nothing of the sort.”

Lei Xing let out her own disappointed breath and then looked back down. She was mentally exhausted, it had been too long of a day.

{...So maybe not the quack then?... But then what is it? And what are the freaking odds of this?... No, I'm sure he definitely knows a thing or two about this...One said perfect pair and the other gave me some crap about similar energies and stuff. He would definitely know -_-)...}

The Emperor studied Lei Xing for a bit and then he went, ”Xing er'...”

”En?” Lei Xing absentmindedly responded without even looking up.

The Emperor was silent for a bit, still studying her and then he bluntly asked, ”Do you know more about this? You seem to be holding back...”

Lei Xing momentarily went rigid and then looked up at him with a blank expression.

Rather than give her a chance to dismiss his words, the Emperor spoke up first, ”...I'll be honest, I've always thought you were somehow linked to it. Simply because things with you have always seemed to be...different -” He paused and let out a sigh.

”...I would not be shocked or at all bothered if you told me you had ties to it... I wouldn't think you or it have any ill intent so you have nothing to be worried about. Tell me what you know...” The Emperor calmly expressed looking at Lei Xing with a leveled gaze.

Lei Xing stared back at him for a bit, gauging the situation. She could see from his demeanor that he seemed to be on to her. She must have been too eager in her questioning and too disappointed with his poor responses.

{...I mean anyone with a brain would figure something was up with that sort of behavior...I even pulled out a freaking questionnaire, so dumb (⇀︿↼‶)...}

He had opened up to her a lot and it probably was not easy for him. Lei Xing could feel the pressure now. If she lied now, she felt their newly budding relationship will take a huge hit. And frankly, she felt it was disrespectful to lie to him given how forthcoming he was with his secrets.

But at the same time, as annoying as Doctor Lou was sometimes, he nevertheless helped Lei Xing, even saved her life on a few occasions, kept her secrets and aided her. Therefore, it did not feel right for her to simply rat him out like this either.