The Ageless Dream

7.5 A Reason to Claim (29)

"Seriously? You can eat all that?" Huang Zhao mocked, watching her consume the tanghulu in a fast pace while he barely took a bite at his own candied fruit.

"This tanghulu is for today. The candies I have will be consumed slowly. Unless I want to have diabetes, I'll eat all of them." Dong Li Hua responded. The carriage suddenly moved which made her bite her tongue instead of the candied hawthorn. "Ow!" her eyes turned watery from the pain, making her cute as ever.

"Diabetes?" Huang Zhao thought to himself. He is unable to perceive Dong Li Hua is in pain while he remained calm, gazing outside as dusk settled. How much does 'Dong Lizi' knows that he doesn't?

With that question in mind, he realized another point. "Hey, why is the bracelet so important? Who gave it to you?" Huang Zhao asked as he turned to Dong Li Hua who stopped fanning her mouth. She pursed her lips and the carefree mood around her slowly turned serious.

"The bracelet is... My fiance gave it to me. It's a sign he is serious about our arranged marriage." she softly said, her voice turning weak and seemingly fragile.

"Oh." he half-heartedly replied. Huang Zhao did not expect that answer. "Where is he then?"

"Somewhere- uhm... Outside the seven states. There is a country called Japan across the sea. He is out there." Dong Li Hua saw him frown. Its expected since the current era lacked information.

"So, where do you live? Will you go there to marry him?"

"I live, uhm... I live far from here but I won't follow my fiance. He prioritizes his business more than me, his future wife. Besides, I was forced in this marriage." she started being open to Huang Zhao. Her burden should be shared, Dong Li Hua is starting to get anxious about this matter. She doesn't want to marry the first young master of Zhao Family after he returns. That is what the Zhao Family said since she will turn eighteen next year on the very same year her fiance will arrive. Only Huang Zhao can keep her secret since he is not part of the modern era.

"Does that mean you ran away that day we met?" Huang Zhao found it funny. She escaped her engagement but now she will act as his lover and the fake marriage will happen soon.

"Yes...?" Dong Li Hua reluctantly answered. She is unsure what to say.

"Since you ran away, why do you still want the bracelet back?" he knew there is something amiss. From what she spilled, she is forced and is not willing to marry her fiance. How come she wants the bracelet returned when it is a gift from that man?

"You ask too much." Dong Li Hua shrugged her shoulder and avoided his gaze. She became quiet, silently consuming the tanghulu in her hand.

"Because you're too secretive." Huang Zhao rubbed his nose while sneering. "Can I ask one more question?"

"As long as its not about my private life." she used the empty wooden stick to point at Huang Zhao. In only few seconds, she finished a row of candied hawthorn.

"Those at your age are not childish. You seemed to favor sweets?"

"Mhmm." Dong Li Hua nodded. "It sometimes alleviate my mood. The sweet taste wash away the bitterness that is being felt." with a reason to claim, Huang Zhao got to know her more.

However, the familiar feeling inside him deepened. Huang Zhao frowned as he lowered his gaze, eyelashes fanning over his silver mask. Since the first time he saw her, the pair of green eyes are giving him a sense of familiarity he can't pique. "Have we met before?" he thought to himself.

"Sir General, will you still eat that?" Dong Li Hua asked, throwing the empty stick outside the carriage. She is staring at the tanghulu in Huang Zhao's hand. Ever since they got in the carriage, he hadn't taken a single bite.

Huang Zhao lightly smiled. He gave Dong Li Hua a false hope before bringing the candied hawthorn to his mouth. "This is good." he muttered, ignoring the dark expression of the young girl.

"Hmph!" she snorted and went out of the carriage first. Just as she stepped out, a white lump lunged on her. Dong Li Hua screamed in fright; she fell on the cold pavement that her derriere hurts. The white tiger called Lan Hu is pressing her down, l*****g her face that made her have the urge to cry. She is not a food, ah. Why does Lan Hu have to cover her face with his drool? Wuwu (ಥ_ಥ)

"It seems like Lan Hu favors you." Huang Zhao watched Lan Hu cover Dong Li Hua's clothes with dirt and ruined her hair. Once Lan Hu went to him, Dong Li Hua sat up and wiped her face with grievances. She glanced behind her to see that naughty tiger acting obediently towards Huang Zhao.

"You two are totally mean!" she harrumphed. Dong Li Hua used her handkerchief to wipe the saliva off her face but noticing the messy dirt over her clothes, she barely held herself on extracting revenge on the white beast.

"Here." a white robe was thrown to her head. She knew it was Huang Zhao's outer robe and she admits, the faint sandalwood scent can be distinguished from it. Dong Li Hua took advantage of the opportunity and used his robe to remove every dirt and saliva on her before blowing her nose as the final touch.

"Thanks." Dong Li Hua gave the robe back to Huang Zhao. He stared on his white robe with an unreadable expression. There is a great difference from when he has worn it a moment ago and now that its all messy. The robe was tampered with dirt, drool and snots. He won't wear that!

"Dong Lizi!" he gritted his teeth but the perpetrator has long retreated to her courtyard. Huang Zhao helplessly glanced at Lan Hu then threw the robe to a soldier standing behind the carriage.