Test of Fate (DongFeng Fanfiction)

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Marry Me

Donghua suddenly woke up in the middle of the night. He waved his hand lightly to light up the lamps in his room. His hand froze when his eyes rested on the familiar form lying beside him. A small red nine-tailed fox was sleeping soundly beside him. Donghua felt like he was dreaming so he reached out to touch the sleeping fox.

In his dreams, Fengjiu always disappeared before he could touch her but he liked trying anyway. His hand reached out to pat the head of the fox. When his hand touched her soft fur, he was alarmed. This wasn't a dream. Fengjiu was really sleeping beside him in her fox form. He felt like his head was stuck in a fog. What was she doing here? How did she get in? Why was she in her fox form? Did something happen in Qingqiu? Many questions filled his head as he watched the sleeping fox until sunlight started spilling through the windows.

Fengjiu snuck into Taichen Palace and Dijun's room eight days after the earthshaking news was delivered to her and her family. Like she expected, they were all very supportive of whatever she wanted to do but she knew they haven't accepted the fact that she was going to die soon. Although her father had already begged Dijun to marry her before, he wasn't afraid or ashamed to do it a second time just fulfill his dying daughter's wish but Fengjiu stopped him before he could set foot in Taichen Palace.

She didn't want Dijun to know she was dying. She resolved that she would spend her days by his side before her Heavenly Trial and tell him she was going on a trip somewhere faraway after so that he would just forget about her in a few centuries. She knew Dijun didn't love her but he didn't despise her either. It hurt to acknowledge the fact that he didn't love her. But she knew he was at least fond of her to some point. Why else would he allow her to stay by his side all those years?

When she opened her eyes the next morning, the first thing she saw was Dijun's handsome face. Sigh, Dijun why are you so handsome? She complained in her heart before transforming to her human form and smiling brightly at him.

Donghua was dumbfounded when he saw the person he's been missing the past 200 years smiling so brightly at him. Jiu'er, why are you so beautiful. His heart felt stifled as he watched her smile like she did those years ago. He knew she must have come for something important. She's successfully kept her distance for 200 years, why is she here now?

"Jiu'er... What are you doing here? Did something happen in Qingqiu?" Donghua asked the woman lying down on his bed smiling like a crazy person. "Dijun...." Fengjiu murmured as she played with a bunch of his silver hair that had fallen messily on his side. Donghua suddenly felt like they were back in the mortal realm. When she was his consort... his wife. If only he hadn't- what was the use of regretting that now? He thought bitterly as he watched Fengjiu try to say something before closing her mouth again.

"What is it?" He murmured as he allowed her to play with his hair as much as she liked. He would allow himself to enjoy this temporary moment before he had to send her away again. He closed his eyes to cherish the feeling until his eyes flew open at what she said next.

"Donghua... Will you marry me?"

She rarely called him by his name. Calling him that now made her blush as she lowered her head to avoid his shocked gaze. She knew he probably thought she was crazy. She also thinks what she's about to do is crazy but she was dying... Maybe it was alright to be crazy.

"Jiu'er, quickly tell me what's wrong. I already told you that we can't be together forever because if we fight fate, there will be consequences."

Fengjiu flinched when he said forever but Donghua only thought she as flinching at his harsh words. He needed to be harsh to make her understand that nothing good will come out of them staying together and defying fate.

"But we don't need to stay together forever..."

Donghua was confused. What did she mean? Before he could ask, Fengjiu raised her hand to cover his mouth. Donghua raised his eyebrows at her bold move but Fenjiu only smiled softly at him.

"Dijun, will you marry me? We don't need to stay together forever- just until my heavenly trial." Fengjiu explained and gave him a big smile hoping he won't see through her intentions. Donghua took her hand that was covering his mouth and removed it. He held her wrist as he narrowed his eyes at her smile.

"Jiu'er tell me what's wrong right now," He commanded as he stared at her intensely. Fengjiu's smile faltered a little before she recovered and broke free from his grasp. She wrapped her arms around his neck while she was lying on her side and looked up at Donghua's icy face that she adored so much. Looking at his face made her want to cry but she held back.

Donghua saw her watery eyes and his expression instantly turned murderous. "Jiu'er who bullied you? Tell me right now!" He questioned as he watched her close her eyes. Inwardly, he was very surprised. She was holding back her tears. She never did that before. She would cry all she liked in front of him, but she was trying to not cry. Donghua felt so angry that he could kill someone. He wanted to know who had made his Jiu'er like this but before he could ask her again, Fengjiu buried her head in his chest and hugged him tightly.

"Donghua you know I'll only love you in this life. I can't bear to marry someone else. My father wants me to get married so my prince consort can help me with my responsibilities, but I don't want to marry someone that's not you."

Donghua froze at her words. He had heard her confess countless times before, but why did this one feel different from the others? He was about to pull away to look at her, but she just held him tighter.

"Donghua will you marry me? We only need to be together until my Heavenly Trial, not forever. After I pass my trial, my father will be convinced I can live without a prince consort. We can separate then.... Then I would keep my father from worrying and we won't need to stay together forever so.... That.... That's not defying fate is it?"