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In Qionglan Palace
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Cheng Xiao has dinner with Xin Ye. Xin Ye ate delicious food and her hunger vanished. He rubbed her tummy and licked her lips. Cheng Xiao only admired her.
"Do you want to eat more?", Cheng Xiao asked.
"No. I am full. I can't eat anything. Thanks for this delicious dinner.", Xin Ye said.
"It's my duty to take your responsibility. Don't say thank you. But in return I want your friendship.", Cheng Xiao said.
Xin Ye extended her hand for handshake. Cheng Xiao backed away because he thought Xin Ye was attacking him. For a moment, he felt like his idea of friendship was about to endanger his life. He gulped.
"Have I scared him. Handshake doesn't work here.", Xin Ye thought.
Xin Ye grabbed the cup and drank water to avoid the awkward situation.
"Yes. I will be greatful to have a friend like you. You are helping me. I needed a person who could help me and you are the one.", Xin Ye said with a warm smile.
All the tension from Cheng Xiao's forehead disappeared and he smiled.
Xin Ye's eyes were getting heavy. She wanted rest.
"Let me show you a room.", Cheng Xiao said.
Cheng Xiao brought Xin Ye in front of a room. Xin Ye looked at the room and she likes it. She couldn't believe that she would get a chance to live in this room.
Xin Ye bowed and showed gratitude to the prince. Cheng Xiao let her go inside the room.
"Everything is here. If you will face any problem at night then just call the guard.", Cheng Xiao said.
"Hmm.", Xin Ye replied.
Cheng Xiao returned to his room.
Xin Ye lay on the bed and closed her eyes. But suddenly her heavy eyes widened up due to shock when she remembered about her best friends' death.
Xin Ye's eyes turned wet and she couldn't hold her emotions. Now she had to succeed in her mission to make the future safe from the rule of a demon. So no chaos would happen in the future and she would be able to meet her friends again.
"Will I die here? Will I be able to go to my original home?", Xin Ye thought.
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The next day Xin Ye woke up when she heard knock on her room's door. She got up and opened the door and saw that many maids were there. Two had broom and dusting clothes in their hands. Others were holding food trays, water and clothes.
"You all can come in.", Xin Ye said.
All the maids came inside the room. They started cleaning the room. One maid gave clothes to Xin Ye.
Xin Ye took the clothes and went inside the bathroom. When she left inside the bathroom then all the maids looked at the door. Then they all started gossiping.
"Who is she? I have seen her for the first time?"
"First time I have seen a lady in prince's room. Why did he let her stay here?"
"Where has she come from?"
"I don't know anything."
Xin Ye heard everything from inside the bathroom. She turned more alert to listen to everything.
"Do you know what happened in the emperor's residence?"
"What happened there?"
"A maid was found in a room and she was wearing royal robes. It's illegal for any maid to wear royal clothes. But she said she didn't wear them. Someone attacked her and stole her robes."
"Who can be the person who is so interested in maid's clothes?"
"Does the emperor know about it?"
"Maybe no. But today he will get to know somehow."
Xin Ye immediately took bath. She wore new clothes and came out from the bathroom. Water dripped from her open hairs but she didn't take attention on them.
Xin Ye walked towards the door. All the maids looked at her but no one stopped her. They all looked confusingly at each other. Xin Ye stopped and turned behind to look at those maids.
"If the prince will ask about me then tell him that I am in emperor's residence.", Xin Ye said.
"If I will got into any trouble then he will help me. I can't bother him at this time. I have to solve my own problem. My clothes are still there under the bed. I have to take them out and hide them in the safe place. If someone will see those clothes then they will tell the emperor. Chao Xiang knows that I was wearing those clothes and he will recognize them easily. He will get to know that I am here. No.. I can't let this happen.", Xin Ye thought. Her heartbeat was fast because she was taking the risk to enter into the emperor's palace.
Xin Ye walked quickly. Everyone looked at her because she was new there that's why everyone took a glance of her to know who's she. She absolutely felt the gaze of everyone but she didn't mind it.
When Xin Ye felt that she could be caught by them she started hiding from everyone and she secretly walked towards the emperor's residence.
Xin Ye finally reached there. She hides from the guards. When the guards left for a few seconds from the main entrance then she ran inside the palace.
Xin Ye walked in the corridor and searched the room. Whenever she saw any servent or maid then she hid behind curtains or the pillars.
At this time the maids and servants are cleaning the rooms. At any cost Xin Ye needed to get her clothes before any maid found them.
Xin Ye saw the room and came inside it. She took a relief breath. No one was cleaning that room. She closed the door and came near the bed, After bending down she took out her clothes from under the bed.
Xin Ye looked around to find a bag so she could hide her clothes there. She opened the cupboard and finally she found a small bag. She kept her clothes inside it.
Xin Ye opened the door and stepped out. Xin Ye walked secretly in the corridor. When she saw a guard then she hid behind a curtain. When the guard left then she walked slowly.
"Who's there?", Chao Xiang said in his dominant voice.
Xin Ye's feet froze in place. Her grip tightened on the bag. She could hear his footsteps which were heading towards her.
"Run!", Xin Ye mumbled.
Xin Ye started running. The curtains were falling on her face whenever she was running near the window side.
"Stop!", Chao Xiang said.
Xin Ye didn't stop. Chao Xiang disappeared from his place. A curtain came on Xin Ye's face. She was trying to slide it away but then suddenly Chao Xiang appeared there.
Xin Ye saw Chao Xiang's blurry face through the curtain. She turned back and tried to run but the emperor's strong hand grabbed her arm tightly and didn't let her run away.
To Be Continued...