Black Moonlight - Till the End of the Moon

Arc I - Chapter V

The Ninth Princess mocked Susu behind her brother's back, unable to contain her glee. There was nothing more satisfying than to embarrass Ye Xiwu in front of Lin.

Susu scowled. 

Didn't Her Highness say she'd take full responsibility for this fight between them? Had they been at Mount Changze, the princess would have been beaten a thousand times over for breaking her word. 

Chuntao was mortified. Lady Xiwu cared little for what people thought of her except Prince Lin. His opinion mattered the most. The slightest criticism from him was enough to send her into tears and lose her temper.

Which is why Chuntao was puzzled to find her so calm.

Of course, Gongye wouldn't know me, Susu reminded herself. 

If Xiao Lin was Gongye's previous reincarnation, he would have no recollection of her. The only reality he knew was the one they were in now: where he was the Sixth Prince of the Xiao imperial family and she was Ye Xiwu. So perhaps he could be forgiven for his coldness; after all, he was only trying to protect his little sister.

She should have been happy to cross paths with Gongye again. He was not only her brother-in-arms but a hero among the Immortals. He had sacrificed his life to protect the Hengyang Sect from the Demon Lord.

At length, Susu ventured to say, "Whether Your Highness believes me or not, I didn't come here to start a fight with the princess or bully her. I came because the Dowager Empress summoned me to the palace."

Lin raised his brow. Ever since he had known her, Ye Xiwu had regarded him with grotesque, simpering obsessiveness. It was not like her to be humble. He was well aware of her infatuation with him and was repulsed by it.

Yet today, the woman standing before him was an entirely different person.

Her countenance was as clear and bright as the winter snow. Dressed in rosy pink robes for the occasion, she was startlingly pretty. Her shoes had only made the lightest of impressions on the ground as if she had walked on air. Her entire demeanor was changed too; there was a softness in her look now. A gentility that had been notably absent before.

Lin rounded on his sister.

"Zhaoyu, what have you done?" His voice was stern.

"Brother, I..." The Ninth Princess bit her lip. Guiltily, she pulled at his sleeves.

Lin however saw right through her antics and was disappointed. Unlike his siblings, the prince was a gentleman to the core and an honorable man. It was so obvious his sister had caused this mess that it would have been wrong to fix the blame on Xiwu.

"Forgive me, my lady." The prince bowed low. "I jumped to conclusions before I understood what happened."

Susu was stunned by how quick he was to apologize. "No, not at all..."