Blood Bonds And Golden Ties

Chapter 15: The Wedlock

[Quan Mo Ran]

Mo Ran glared at the man in black and threw his arm upward while simultaneously pushing the other man out of the way. The swords broke contact as the black man's arm flew backward. The black man whirled around and seeing that he was outmatched, quickly turned and fled. Mo Ran turned to go back into the room.

The man Mo Ran had just saved cried out indignantly, "Chase him! Why are you going into the room?"

Mo Ran threw a glare at him.

The other man backdown a bit.

Mo Ran turned to go. But the man stepped in front of him, blocking his way. "Eh? You can't go yet."

Mo Ran merely looked at him and tried to side step the man. The man moved with him and still blocked the way.

Mo Ran glared at the other man. "What do you want?"

"You just saved my life. I have to return a favor."

"No need," he tried to move past him.

"There is a need," the man said as he crossed his arms. "Tell me, what do you want? Money?"

This man isn't going to leave me alone if I don't let him do something for me. Stubborn man. Mo Ran thought.

Before he could say anything, the man said, "Oh! I just realized! I didn't introduce myself! I'm Fang Han Jun. Call me Han Jun for short."

Mo Ran shook his head in disbelief.

"And you are?" Han Jun asked.

Mo Ran glared at him, hoping he would get the cue. He didn't.

"Li Qing."

"Nice to meet you Li Qing! How can I repay you?"

He's going to insist on doing something for me. I have to think of something. A memory crossed his mind then. It was when Rui Ming and him were little. They had gone to their mansion in the hills and leaves were falling all around them. Suddenly, Rui Ming hit Mo Ran and dashed away. There was a mountain of rocks that towered over them, and Rui Ming started to climb it. Mo Ran followed her as he yelled, "Come back here! Rui Ming!" Rui Ming was giggling as she kept climbing the rocks. She suddenly stopped her ascent and clung to the rock ledge.

"What's going on?" Mo Ran asked as he pulled himself up to her side.

In a hole, not far from where they were standing, was a black flower. Sunlight shone on it from the top and it glistened, dazzling with it's obsidian color. Mo Ran glanced at his sister who was staring at it with wide, shocked eyes.

"So pretty..." She said, mesmerized.

"You want it?"

She looked at him with those big eyes and said, "Yes! Yes!"

"If Jie Jie wants it, I'll get it for you," he said as he reached for the flower in the hole.

"Your Highnesses!" A voice suddenly exclaimed.

Rui Ming jumped in surprise and accidentally let go of the ledge of the rock. She fell and hit the ground with a thud. Mo Ran quickly climbed down and rushed to her side. "Rui Ming! Rui Ming!" She was not responding.

The next few hours Mo Ran waited outside her bedroom door as the doctor tried desperately to save her. When he had finally emerged, Mo Ran hurried to him and asked, "How is she?"

He sighed. "She will be fine."

Mo Ran met his eyes and knew he wasn't saying everything. "There's more, isn't there?"