章 40: Operation-Seducing Linfeng: The Date (V)

Xiong Zhi took a deep breath.

In this second chance, she was more courageous. She would get Linfeng no matter what, just like how he never left her in the past when all people turned their backs onto her.

She reached out for her phone, pretended to read something, and then held it out for Linfeng to read a message.

[Zhi, I have something to do! It is an emergency, Gu Zhen was called by his father. We will go first. Sorry, let's hang out next time again. *hugs* *kisses* *pat*]

- Song Xuantin

After letting him read it, Xiong Zhi put back the phone into her purse. Then she looked at Linfeng to see his reaction.

"It seems they already left us behind," Xiong Zhi said.

"Oh... Then do you want to go home, Young Miss? I will call Mister Ji—"

"No need. We are already here and there is still so much time. I haven't been here before, so I want to try new things. Can you accompany me? Please?" Xiong Zhi asked, looking into his eyes directly.

Linfeng also looked at her blankly. He was debating with himself.

If he accompanied his Young Miss, his heart whose defenses were already in tatters would be in greater danger.

He knew well that this day would change a lot of his personal views and may affect his goal. He did not need a distraction right now, especially a Xiong at that.

He knew that his guarded heart was becoming weak to this girl. This girl was slowly taking away his armor with her strange antics, piece by piece, and if he let her, he would be left with no defense, fragile, and maybe in the future, he would just surrender totally to her.

And he did not want that! He has aspirations! Goals!

His instincts warned him that there was danger ahead.

So he smiled politely.

"Young Miss, I think it is better if you are with your friends when trying out new things, so you can create a more intimate bond with them."

Xiong Zhi's eyes narrowed a little, and a glint passed quickly in them.

'Linfeng is being so stubborn ...How come he chose me in the past if he was so stubborn at this age? What made him change his mind later?'

Her mind wondered. It was so obvious that Linfeng had great plans for his future, but he still stayed with her in the end. He even sacrificed his life for her. Getting to know Linfeng more in this lifetime, she understood that this man has a strong will and his goals were unbreakable.

So what changed his mind and he chose her in the end?

Then suddenly, an image appeared in her mind. To be precise, it was a person's image.

'The beast...'

Xiong Zhi's eyes widened slightly, then her brows furrowed.

'Then, did he break his wall and choose to stay with me when the beast appeared in my life? But... that's too far in the future. And if I avoid the beast and my fate with him, Linfeng might continue with his goal. He will be more guarded towards me, and his feelings will be far away from me... He might not even fall in love with me in this lifetime... He will not choose to stay with me...'

Realizing this, Xiong Zhi paled, an unprecedented fear suddenly surged. She was more afraid of this thought than the beast himself.

'No!'

Her mind screamed.

She did not want to lose Linfeng! What's the purpose of her second lifetime?!

She wanted Linfeng to achieve his goal, and if she could, she would probably assist him. However, she did not want to be far away from him, to become a stranger. She wanted to stay by his side. To be his strength, and be his other half in the future.

And to achieve that position in Linfeng's heart, she must start today. Knowing how stubborn Linfeng was, it might take long, and she would need a lot of effort to overcome his defenses.

"...Young Miss?"

Xiong Zhi's eyes slowly firmed up, her hands clenched tightly.

She must not back down! She summoned her courage back.

She really needed Song Xuantin and her plans. Good thing. They discussed this already. It was alright to be shameless. Shameless people were invincible.

'It might work.'

Xiong Zhi then bit her lips. She tried to think of her saddest times, like Song Xuantin said.

Then a scene came to her mind. It was her last minutes with Linfeng, in the dark, rainy night. Dead bodies on an empty road, blood pools...and a certain figure soaked by the rain, lying on her lap. Pale and lifeless...

Thinking of this, her vision blurred, tears forming in the corners of her eyes. She did not want to feel that loss again. Her eyes and her entire aura became lonely and full of sorrow. She looked at Linfeng with tears threatening to fall from her eyes.

She sniffled.

"I-I just want...to—" a teardrop rolled down on her cheek.

'To stay with you...'

"—to not be alone..." She lowered her head after saying that.

She really hoped that this move would work on Linfeng. She did not want to think of that night. She hoped this sacrifice would not be in vain.

'If this works, I swear to help Xuantin with Gu Zhen...'

Linfeng saw her blank face morph into sadness, and when her tears fell down, he received a huge shock. He felt like he was thunderstruck and then hit with a big stone.

Flustered, he watched as Xiong Zhi lowered her head, her entire figure screaming with sadness. She looked dejected and lonely. His hand raised, and he did not know how to put it down.

He almost shouted 'Alright, alright, I agree!'

Linfeng swallowed hard. He felt like there was big lump in his throat. He could not bear to say no to Xiong Zhi. Thinking that this lonesome girl finally wished to experience being a normal teenager for once, needing a company, his heart slowly began to give in. His body screamed to accompany the girl, to let her enjoy the day, and stay with her.

His heart that he just guarded earlier was now betraying him.

Receiving only silence, Xiong Zhi looked up at him again, with a pleading look on her teary eyes and her softest tone, she asked him again.

"Please? Will you accompany me, Linfeng?"

She sniffled.

His heart's defenses were crumbling down.

"I-I..." Linfeng started. He wanted to... badly. His heart surrendered.

But what would happened if his feelings for the girl grew? Or if she became more attached to him?

He knew that he would be up against the Xiongs in the future. If he became attached to the girl, he might hesitate to fight against the Xiong in the future, and the girl would be eventually hurt if he did.

Especially now that the more he investigated, more secrets were revealed... There was more between the treaty of Xiong and Zhou families. His reason was telling him that it was better to distance himself. However, looking at her dejected expression, he could not help but feel distressed for her.

She has been alone for all her life. She might be a Xiong, but she had not done anything guilty, right? She was innocent, and only a girl, a teenager at that. She needed someone to stay with her.

He looked aflutter at her watery eyes and at the teardrops falling like pearls.

And if she needed someone... Linfeng's heart wanted to be that someone.

Ah! What did he just thought about? He was confused! What should he do?!

"Please..." A pleading, sad yet sweet voice completely shattered everything.

'Fine!'

"...If Young Miss wants me to stay, what else can this aide should do? Yes, I shall accompany you," Linfeng said with a rather helpless smile.

So please, I beg you, don't cry.

Oh, finally! How much efforts Xiong Zhi had put to hear those words!

It was the same with Linfeng. How much war he had with himself, in the end, he still lost!

Xiong Zhi was elated. Her watery eyes brightened again with a shimmering light, and she smiled warmly.

"Just call me Zhi'er," she sniffled. "Just for today, I want to be a normal girl, not a Xiong."

Seeing the warm smile, Linfeng felt the heavy feelings for losing himself over his emotions were lifted. His heart felt more comfortable and he was feeling warm inside.

Just this girl's warm smile already has such a big effect on him. Somehow, it felt both dangerous yet right.

So complicated. He put all those thoughts at the back of his mind. Since he surrendered today, let his heart enjoy it to the fullest.

"Yes, Zhi'er. Let's enjoy ourselves today."

'Just today... Only today'.