One Lifetime Is Never Enough

1.63 Memories (3)

The morning of the new day was once again, bright and beautiful - without a single cloud in the sky. The autumn chill was still there, but the sun god bestowed warm sunlight to the citizens of Da Lang.

Zhang GuoFu found himself already in front of the front gates of Liu YangHuan's residence. After everything he had heard last night, he wanted to see Ji LanBai. Therefore this morning, as soon as he freshened up, he took a horse from his personal stable to go to Liu YangHuan's estate. He actually did not have too much sleep due to a lot of thinking, but he could no longer think anyway - he was sure his brain was fried from the overload of new information.

The servants quickly ushered him in. Inside, in the living room, he was greeted by the two Ji Madams, and Ji ChanFang.

The General merely said his greeting courteously, sighed loudly, and patted his shoulder before he disappeared towards the inner residence - presumably to his room.

First Madam Wu JianRui wrung the handkerchief in her hands as the Second Madam tried to console her by patting her hand softly. 

First Madam almost dropped to a kneel, but Zhang GuoFu was quick to intercept as he hastily stepped forward to stop her from dropping down,

"Madam Wu! Don't be like this. If there is anything you need to ask, just say it. I am your junior. How can I accept your humility?"

But this made Wu JianRui actually cry. She slightly leaned herself against Hai FenChu's body as she sniffed amidst her tears,

"Third Prince. Please talk to Bai-er. That child... has not eaten or drunk anything at all since she came back from the Palace yesterday... ."

"As soon as she found out YuLan was gone... ."

Zhang GuoFu did not need to hear anything further, "Where?"

Wu JianRui sniffed softly, holding back her hiccups. Second Madam Hai FenChu was the one to answer, "She is in her room. Xiao Lin will take you there."

The maid called Xiao Lin - one of the maids from the same orphanage as YuLan and Xiao Hui - curtsied politely at him before leading the way.

"Third Prince... Young Miss has refused to eat, to drink, even to talk to her own parents. She is blaming them for YuLan-jie's departure."

The concern in her voice was apparent. Zhang GuoFu sighed.

Before long, he was already in front of LanBai's room. The room was shut, but Xiao Lin opened it for him and called inside,

"Young Miss?"

A raspy weak voice was heard very faintly from inside, almost like a whisper, "Go... away...!"

Xiao Lin glanced nervously at Zhang GuoFu, and he lifted his hand to stop her from saying anything further. He stepped inside the room. All the curtains were drawn shut, causing the room to be dark. Beyond several feet after the opened door, the sunlight could no longer brighten the room.

He squinted his eyes, darting his gaze around the room to see where she was, then he could faintly see a silhoutte huddling at one corner.

Zhang GuoFu walked towards the closest window and started to pry the curtains open. Then he did the same to every window he could see.

As he turned his head to the same corner where he saw the silhouette, he saw the person he was looking for - Ji LanBai was sitting on the floor in a self embrace, as she leaned her body against the wall. Her head was buried inside her arms.

Now that he could see clearly the bedroom, he saw broken porcelains and spilled water in on the floor, fortunately not close to where LanBai was to possibly hurt her accidentally. She must have spent quite some time throwing a fit. The canopy bed was unkempt as well, blankets and linen were thrown off the bed.