Chapter 246 - Unearthing a Star (2/2)

If he had to put words to his current state, he felt as if he had just met her for the first time. It was different, she was different. Perhaps, they were different?

The Emperor let out a sigh and then asked, ”So what is your real name then?”

Lei Xing blinked at him, ”Oh, it's still Lei Xing...”

”How convenient.” The Emperor remarked with slightly knit eyebrows.

Lei Xing gave a small nervous laugh and glanced off to the side, ”It really is...”

The Emperor silently contemplated again and then he frowned, ”Is this the real reason you want to leave the palace? To return to your world?”

Lei Xing looked back at him, to find the Emperor looking at her with a piercing gaze, she swallowed and then carefully responded, ”Well, um...At one time, I would have liked to, but it seems impossible...” Lei Xing sighed and lowered her eyes and quietly added, ”My body was most likely lost at sea, long devoured by fish...there's nothing to return to.”

As the Emperor watched Lei Xing's solemn expression, he could not help feeling upset at the knowledge that she wanted to leave him to go somewhere out of reach. In his mind, even if she ever left the palace, she would always be within his reach, where he could always find her if he wanted to.

He could understand that she might have left loved ones behind in this other world. Although, it might be selfish of him and he felt horrible looking at her despondent expression, but he felt relieved when she said that it was impossible.

Lei Xing sighed again and then looked up to find the Emperor looking at her with an obscure expression. He did not seem angry but Lei Xing could not properly read his expression. So she bit her inner lip, hesitated a bit, and then carefully, 'You...Are you angry?”

The Emperor raised an eyebrow at her, ”Should I be?”

Lei Xing let out a little nervous laugh, ”Noo...I think not?”

The Emperor looked at her awkward form for a bit and then let out a breath, ”I can understand you not wanting to talk about this...it's not an easy conversation to have and it is quite the strange tale. So withholding this is a perfectly rational decision. I would have done the same...Also, I wasn't exactly honest with you from the start either. It was only yesterday that I told you the truth about why I chose you...So I can't exactly criticize you for withholding information...”

Lei Xing blinked at him as she realized that she had greatly underestimated him. He had proven himself time and time again, to be quite the reasonable person, one with a broad mind and the patience to understand. She suddenly felt a bit foolish for thinking that he would actually blame her for a situation in which she clearly had no control of.

Lei Xing let out a breath and then smiled at him, ”I am not sure if I have ever said this, but you're an amazing person...I don't think I've met anyone quite like you before.” Lei Xing insightfully added.

The Emperor smiled back at her and simply said, ”When faced with bizarre situations, we can only do the best we can...”

Lei Xing let out a silent sigh of relief...They were fine, thankfully.

There was one more thing she needed to get off her chest, ”My fa - I mean, her family, the Lei family...Can you not tell them?” She tentatively asked. She did not want to have them go through the pain of losing a child. She could imagine they would find it much harder to understand than the Emperor. She would honestly rather spare them the pain.

”You keep my secrets, so I must naturally keep yours.” The Emperor simply responded with a smirk.

Lei Xing smiled, ”I guess that settles it...”

”It does.” The Emperor curtly said and the two of them sat there just staring at each other with strange, perplexed smiles on their faces. Lei Xing inwardly sighed.

{...I panicked over nothing...That was easy, so easy, too easy...He always makes everything too easy...}

The Emperor let out a breath, glanced around, and then stood up and walked over to Lei Xing and held out a hand for her with a smile, ”Now that this is settled, how about we return to your study? I can play the qin while you continue telling me about this world you come from...Perhaps with some wine?”

Lei Xing's smile brightened and she put her hand in his and said, ”Sounds amazing...”

The two then walked out of the room with small smiles and a renewed, better sense of each other.

Lei Xing glanced at the Emperor's face and then faced forward as her face reddened. She felt like a great load had just been lifted off her chest, light as a feather and gliding through the halls. Her heart was also feeling warm, weird and jittery...but in a good way.

Lei Xing glanced at the Emperor's face again and he looked at her with questioning gaze as his smile widened. Lei Xing promptly faced forward as her heart flew into a dancing frenzy, she brought up her hand up to her heated face and let out a shaky breath,

{...I think I -  I think this might just be...I mean, this could be...maybe love?...Perhaps?...}