-||chapter twenty two - friends? (2)||-

"When the First Princess came to know about the gift that the Prince was blessed with she didn't believe him. But when the Crown Prince and the Grand Duke's family explained to the First Princess in detail about their family secret, this special gift they had, the First Princess had no reason to not believe them.

On Crown Prince's insistence and assurance that her sister, the Second Princess would lead a happy life with the Prince, the First Princess agreed to help. She agreed to create opportunities for the Prince to change the Second Princess's impression of him.

The Crown Prince was happy because this way his friend will be able to get together with his fated partner but the Crown Prince knew not that this event will also lead him to his own fated partner.

It wasn't a beginning but a step ahead towards the journey of love. A beautiful relationship called friendship."

****************

During the lunch, the Lin family members continued to tell the love stories of their ancestors and also answering all the questions that Lu Zhi asked them. Grandfather Lin answered each and every question that Lu Zhi asked with patience, no matter if she repeatedly ask a question again and again.

He knew that the young woman had never faced such an extraordinary thing in her entire life so it was natural that she would be curious and confused. Grandfather Lin knew who Lu Zhi was and all that she had accomplished in such a young age. He knew of her from the recent rumors as well but those rumors painted her in a negative light.

The young woman in front of him was nothing like the one the rumors talked about. Now that Grandfather Lin had met Lu Zhi, he thought of her as a sweet child. Not just Grandfather Lin but the whole Lin family had formed a positive opinion of Lu Zhi and were glad that she had agreed to help Ming Ze to form a relationship with Lu Ying.

"Woah! That's just amazing! I still can't believe that it is all true!" Lu Zhi was pleasantly shocked after hearing Grandfather Lin's stories.

The lunch was a happy event and Yi Chen enjoyed himself thoroughly. It wasn't because of the food he ate but because of the company he was with. It was the warmth that the Lin family and Lu Zhi radiated that had Yi Chen's heart feel full.

Lu Zhi enjoyed the lunch as well. This lunch helped her form a positive opinion about the Lin family, especially about Ming Ze. He seemed genuine and a nice guy. Moreover, Lu Zhi trusted Yi Chen's opinion and if he is vouching for Ming Ze, then he must be good.

After the lunch, all of them walked out of the restaurant with smiles on their faces as the meeting had been a success. As the Lin family got busy talking amongst themselves, Lu Zhi took the opportunity to talk to Yi Chen as they waited for their cars to arrive.

"Hi!" she came to stand beside Yi Chen.

"Hey!" Yi Chen responded, amused.

"What are we?" asked Lu Zhi as she stared at Yi Chen with a soft and sweet smile on her face.

"Excuse me?" her question confused Yi Chen.

"You know, since we have met, you have saved me like twice, we were rumored to be a couple, I am designing wedding outfits for your parents vows renewal ceremony and now I am helping your best friend woo my sister. What does all that makes us?" she explained her previously asked question.

"Are we acquaintances? How about business associates? Or perhaps, friends?" she pondered.

"Friends?" spoke Yi Chen. It was a question.

"Oh, yeah! We are friends." but Lu Zhi took it as an answer, "Well, kinda!" she added and chuckled.

"I mean, from where I stand I see you as my friend. But do you see me as a friend as well?" Lu Zhi looked at him with bright and wide eyes that had Yi Chen's heart skip a beat.

Her features were relaxed, and there was a softness in her expression that Yi Chen had never seen before. Her smile made his heart flutter. And her eyes, oh God, her eyes!

In the sunlight, Lu Zhi's brown eyes sparkled as if they were liquid caramel. It was the first time that he had noticed it and he found it very mesmerizing.

"Can I be your friend, Zhang Yi Chen?" asked Lu Zhi.

Yi Chen didn't know why Lu Zhi had this affect on him. He had felt it before during the gala night when he saw her in that dress after apologizing to her for his misbehavior. There was something magnetic about Lu Zhi that was slowly pulling him towards her but Yi Chen had no idea what this feeling, this emotion was.

"Yes." was all that Yi Chen could say as he continued to look into Lu Zhi's beautiful golden caramel colored eyes.

The two of them were lost in their own little world. From where Ming Ze was standing, the two looked like lovers who met each other after a long time so they just couldn't move their eyes off each other until their hearts were satisfied.

Ming Ze placed a hand on his heart and wished, "I hope you get your share of happiness as well, Yi Chen. It's been long due. You and Lu Zhi are helping me to be with my one and only and I am going to help you two get together as well. Think of it as a return gift." he grinned widely and clicked a picture of the two who were still locked in an eye contact before he left.

The two were brought to the real world when Lu Zhi's driver arrived with the car, "Shall we leave, Ma'am?"

"Hhmm." Lu Zhi hummed and began walking towards her car while Yi Chen didn't move from his spot.

While walking Lu Zhi kept on looking back at Yi Chen who also couldn't move his gaze away from her.

It was when the people around them began yelling that Yi Chen and Lu Zhi spotted an overspeed car going in Lu Zhi's direction. Their eyes widened in horror. While the driver ran away, Lu Zhi was so struck by fear that she froze.

Yi Chen rushed over and pulled Lu Zhi out of harms way right before the uncontrollable car crashed into Lu Zhi's car. The two fell on the ground and winced in pain but Yi Chen kept his arms tight around Lu Zhi.

"Are you okay?" he asked frantically. They were soon surrounded by people who helped them stand up. "Lu Zhi, are you okay?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I am okay." said Lu Zhi in a low voice, "Are you okay?"

As the crowd noticed that the two seemed alright, they all rushed over to check on the driver of the uncontrollable car.

"What was that? Why didn't you move when you had the time to?!" yelled Yi Chen. He was suddenly overcome by a sudden bout of protectiveness towards Lu Zhi that made him feel furious over the fact that Lu Zhi just froze on spot instead of saving herself.

Lu Zhi took in a few deep breaths before telling Yi Chen, "Past trauma. I had an accident when I was in school and this reminded me -" she was sobbing by now.

Running a hand through his hair, Yi Chen forced himself to calm down before pulling Lu Zhi in for a hug. He just couldn't stand seeing her cry like that, "I am sorry for yelling at you. I didn't know."

Lu Zhi didn't say anything. She wrapped her arms around Yi Chen and clutched onto his shoulders tightly as she cried.

"Hush. It's okay now. You are safe." Yi Chen kept on chanting it like a mantra as he ran his hand up and down Lu Zhi's back, gently and in a comforting manner.

Lu Zhi buried her head in the crook of his neck and tightened her hold on him. She held onto him like her life depended on it and Yi Chen let her do that. Unconsciously, while trying to console Lu Zhi, Yi Chen kissed her on the top of her head while hugging her just as tight as she was hugging him.

After about another minute, Lu Zhi broke the hug and looked up at Yi Chen, "Thank you. You saved me once again."

"You're really okay?" Yi Chen couldn't ease the worry inside his heart. He cradled Lu Zhi's face in his hands as he wiped her tears with his thumbs.

Leaning into his touch, Lu Zhi muttered a soft, "Yeah, I am fine."

"Did nobody teach you that it is dangerous to drive while being drunk!" a loud yell broke the moment that Lu Zhi and Yi Chen were sharing.

Yi Chen's anger flared as he watched the drunk driver being reprimanded by the crowd. He felt an urge to go and beat the life out the guy because of whom Lu Zhi could have been injured severely. It was only because Lu Zhi held onto his hand that he didn't go to beat the man.

"Don't go." somehow she knew what he was thinking, "Let's call the police."

Yi Chen stared at her for a moment before nodding. He took out his phone and informed the police about the accident. He had decided to wait for the police to arrive so that he could make sure that the man gets the maximum possible sentence but Yi Chen changed his mind when he noticed the bruise on Lu Zhi's knee.

From the rip of her jeans, Yi Chen could notice the bloody bruise, "You are hurt." was all he said before picking up Lu Zhi in his arms in bridal style, startling her.

"What?" Lu Zhi mumbled while hooking her arms around Yi Chen's neck.

"You hurt your knee and I am taking you to the hospital to get the wound treated." he said and carried Lu Zhi to his car. His driver readily opened the car door. Yi Chen sat Lu Zhi down on the backseat and closed the door. He then went around the car and opened the other side door to the backseat and sat beside Lu Zhi.

"Take us to the nearest hospital." Yi Chen instructed the driver while Lu Zhi moved closer to him and laid her head on his shoulder. She felt exhausted due to lack of proper sleep and then this accident. The exhaustion and the warmth radiating from Yi Chen's body lulled her to sleep.