Taming Tyrants I

Arc 1: Beauty and the Beast (28)

Nian Xiaoyuan have a routine making Song Cha Hua cry everyday. With Lin Xingjin suddenly intruding, he kept defending Song Cha Hua. Their secret argument against each other spiked up. But once Song Cha Hua stopped crying, they avoided causing a fuss again. Lin Xingjin almost told Song Yue on how Nian Xiaoyuan make his daughter cry. Thus, Nian Xiaoyuan has to make up for it and give Song Cha Hua a satchel of caramel candies.

"Mean Xiaoyuan?" Song Cha Hua sneaked into the study but she found no one other than Lin Xingjin. Its been a week since he last attended a class. Lin Xingjin stopped writing and looked at her. "Hm? Where's Father? Where's Mean Xiaoyuan?"

"Ehm... He is absent again, I guess." Lin Xingjin reluctantly answered. The young girl pouted in dismay and sat on the pillow where Nian Xiaoyuan sits before. She lazily toyed with the xuan papers and ink sticks that Nian Xiaoyuan had left.

"He didn't even send any candies." she complained and pressed her face on the table. Song Cha Hua has been used with his presence. Even if he always make her cry. He got some good treats with him which she missed. She turned to Lin Xingjin and took a good look at his face. "Your Highness, are you married?"

"Ah? N-no. Im... Im not planning yet." Lin Xingjin blushed lightly. His brothers already have wives except for him and Lin Siji.

"Oh. That's good. Because if you have to replace Mean Xiaoyuan, that means you also have to marry me. In truth, I've been betrothed to Mean Xiaoyuan before I was even born. I also hoped to marry him in the future but Im still a kid. I even promised to be the best wife for him. Was I imagining too much?" Song Cha Hua gazed at the brush and tapped it on the desk. "Sigh, he's seventeen, Im five. I don't have any assets like my grown up maids."

"Young Miss, you will grow up soon." Lin Xingjin listened in amusement. She's really too adorable to resist.

"When? He said he likes groping melons. I don't have one. He said he likes my maids since they have a pair each." she leaned off the table before looking down to her flat chest. Lin Xingjin coughed fervently. Really, Nian Xiaoyuan tells a young girl about those affairs? "Your Highness, has Father told you we will get engaged?"

"Hmm... Master did say. I do want to see how Young Miss will look on the day of the wedding." he reached out and rubbed her head gently. Song Cha Hua is still a bit sad. "Young Miss, don't worry. I promise to be a good husband in the future as well. As long as Young Miss no longer seeks Senior, it make me feel inferior that Young Miss likes him more than me."

"Its good you promised. Mean Xiaoyuan wouldn't even promise. He often looks unhappy if I mentioned it to him. Because, I said that if we marry, he should give me a mountain of candies. His mother makes the best treats actually. That is why I cry, Your Highness defends me and Mean Xiaoyuan has to give me a satchel for compensation." she cheekily smiled. Lin Xingjin helplessly sighed.

"I haven't left the capital yet but you're already seeing him as your husband?" a cold voice asked from outside. The two looked back to see Nian Xiaoyuan. He was wearing an armor and a red cape, the front of his hair tied back while he holds a helmet.

"Senior, you will leave today?" Lin Xingjin ignored Nian Xiaoyuan's deadly gaze.

"You will leave anyway. Who knows if you survive in the battlefield. I don't want to be a widow." Song Cha Hua scoffed. Nian Xiaoyuan regretted that time from teaching her how to talk like him.

"Here." Nian Xiaoyuan tossed a pink satchel to Song Cha Hua. Her eyes brimmed to see the candies inside. "Im leaving today. Lin Xingjin, watch her for me. If she gets in trouble, I'll come back and you have to face the consequences."

"Young Miss is in good hands. As her fiance, I cant let her be hurt." he answered back with a provocative look.

"Remember that well, Lin Xingjin." Nian Xiaoyuan grinned deviously.

"Mean Xiaoyuan, make sure you come back when my hairpin ceremony comes. So that you'll regret choosing the battlefield than me, hmph!" the young girl said even though she was nibbling on the candies.

"Alright. Little girl, I have one last gift. Here's a pet from the east. You can call him Kong." after saying so, a Scarlet Macaw flew to his shoulder. It looked at Song Cha Hua with curiosity. "Kong, this is your Little Master Cha Hua."

"Little Master Cha Hua." Kong repeated. Song Cha Hua had never seen a bird talking before and was amazed.

"I like it!" Song Cha Hua stood up in excitement. Kong settled on her shoulder as Nian Xiaoyuan knelt down.

"Hey, little girl, can I have a goodbye kiss here?" he pointed on his cheek. Since Song Cha Hua is in a good mood, she complied. After that, she left with Kong and bid farewell. Nian Xiaoyuan chuckled. "Lin Xingjin, she's quite an obedient girl. She only get mean if you cross her limit. Well then, Im leaving her to you. If I cant survive, she's officially yours."

"Senior, be careful. Condolence to Grand General's death a week ago." Lin Xingjin bowed in respect. The reason Nian Xiaoyuan didn't attend was because of his father's funeral.

"You're not half bad." he nudged Lin Xingjin a bit. Nian Xiaoyuan sighed heavily and left.

Things have been better for two more years when Nian Xiaoyuan's mother was assassinated in the capital. He was so infuriated that he left his post on the border and raced back to seek his mother's assassin. This panicked Zhou since Nian Xiaoyuan is the only capable person nearby the border. Lin Xingjin was sent to the battlefield that year.

"Prince Brother, you will come back, right?" Song Cha Hua tugged at his sleeve. Lin Xingjin nodded.

"En. Be good while Im gone. Don't forget to feed Kong." Lin Xingjin tucked a few hair strands behind her ear. "Prince Brother will be back. I will keep my promise and be your best husband. We will not be separated. What about you?"

"I will be good and be your future best wife!" she highly hoped. But if she hadn't hoped, her life wouldn't have been ruined.