The night that changed everything [✔]

Chapter 14

They haven't even finished breakfast and Wei can already sense something's up; Yezun has that determined expression that Wei knows all too well.

It means that he's set his mind to something and no heaven or hell will be able to stand in his way. Normally he would just leave him alone, but he wants to be sure of something so he asks, “Whatever you're planning to do, it doesn't involve Yunlan, does it?"

Yezun chuckles eerily. "Don't worry princess, your idiot prince is safe from me."

Wei starts yelling, "STOP..." then he's hit by a thought and smirks. Yezun frowns, that's not normal Wei's behaviour, what is he up to?

"I should warn my sister-in-law that she needs to leave the lights on at night, she probably doesn't know that you used to cry and cling to me because you were afraid of the dark."

Yezun's frown deepens. "You wouldn't..."

"Does she know that you used to hang on my arm and cry ‘I'm scared WeiWei, I’m scared!’ until you were fourteen?"

"I was thirteen, and it's not like you liked the dark..."

"But I didn't cry, I think she needs to know..."

"Fine!" Yezun throws his arms in the air. "I won't touch your precious idiot, and I will stop calling you princess, happy now?"

Wei grins. "Love you, brother, thank you."

Yezun grunts but lets Wei hug him before he runs off to work.

After the door closes after Wei, Yezun looks up and murmurs, in a voice that nobody ever heard and probably never will. "But you'll always be my princess, just wait and I’ll give you the castle you deserve."

~~~~~

Yezun works at Hong's portrait all day, with sporadic breaks for a glass of water or a much-needed kiss, with the intention of finishing it; her father knows that she's posing for a portrait, he wasn't exactly enthusiastic but she was so happy and glowing that he agreed.

Sometimes Mr Zhu spends the time in the house reading or smoking, other times he goes out for the whole day, but he always insists that Yezun leaves the house before dinner time so he can dine with his daughter.

Hong is about to say goodbye when they hear her father entering the house and going to his study to take off his jacket and get ready for dinner.

Yezun softly says, "You love me, don't you?"

Hong blushes and murmurs, "Yes."

He says, "Then wait for me." He kisses her, takes the finished painting and walks towards her father's study. She watches his direction with wide eyes, alarmed.

He knocks on the door and waits. Not hearing anything, he knocks again, and the door is opened by Hong's father with a grave expression on his face.
"Who are you? what do you want?"

Yezun shows him the painting. "I've been doing this these last few days, and I’d like you to keep it."

Mr Zhu says, without even looking at it: "Of course, how much do we owe you?"

Yezun frowns.
"No sir, you keep it for free, I'd rather have the live version."

The old soldier looks at him with ferocious eyes. "WHAT? How dare you!"

"I dare, sir, and since she reciprocates my feelings, I intend to keep her, sir."

"Nonsense! She’s already engaged."

"To someone she doesn't love and, let me tell you, I know for a fact that the groom does not love her either."

"What makes you say that?"

"The fact that he slept with my brother was the definite clue, sir."

"Your... brother? Yunlan is..."

"Very much in love with my twin brother? Yes, sir, I believe so."

Yezun's voice has become scarier than the old man's while saying this. Daring this man or the whole world to insult his twin brother!

Then he adds in a slightly lower voice, "At least he'd better be because if he hurts him I'll erase his existence."

Hong's father tilts his head, narrows his eyes and asks him, "Who are you? what do you do?"

Yezun clears his throat. "I'm Shen Yezun, sir, and if you look at this you'll see for yourself that I'm a painter."

"How many paintings have you sold?"

Yezun's voice doesn't falter. "Nothing yet sir."

"So basically you’re unemployed?"

"Yes sir, I'm living on my brother's money."

"Are you serious? I don't understand how can you dare talking to me like that, what can you offer my daughter?"

"Other than a happy life? If you cared to finally look at this, sir, maybe you'd understand."

The old man is taken aback, not many people dare talking to him like that, especially not young men like the one in front of him. He takes the painting and really looks at it.

It's beautiful. More than that, it's enchanting, he stares at it as if Yezun had put a spell on him.

It shows Hong from the waist up, wearing a normal, everyday shirt, her elbows bent, her hands up, she is smiling with her red, perfect lips, her eyes are shining while she looks up, and a soft rain of daisies comes down on her.

The painting looks so alive, it fills whoever is watching it with a sense of marvel and serenity, and it's the best thing he ever painted.

The old man finds his voice again and says, "It’s... good."

Yezun doesn't let it get to him because he has a precise aim in mind.
"As I said, I haven't sold anything, yet, but that's about to change. I'll repay my brother and provide for your daughter."

"You sound so sure about that, why?"

"Because I found my muse."

"..."

"And with all due respect I intend to keep her with me, so if you don't mind I'd like you to forget that stupid idea of giving her like a packet to some random idiot who actually likes my face more than hers. Sir."
Than Yezun seems to think about it and after a second he adds: "Please."

Hong's father takes out a cigar and asks, "Do you mind if I smoke?"

Yezun grins. "My brother would give you a lecture on how unhealthy that is, but I'm not him and honestly I don't care."

The soldier studies this young man's face for a while before going to the door and shouting, "HONG!"

She comes running and stops looking at her two men, then says, "Yes daddy?" in her sweetest I'm-your-little-girl voice.

Yezun tries to hide a chuckle.

Her father booms, "It's true what this one just told me? You love him and not Yunlan?"

She appears to be scared but then Yezun winks at her and she smiles, keeping her gaze on him she simply says, "Yes."

Her father stays silent for a moment then says, "You're staying for dinner. I'll talk to Zhao tomorrow."