I really REALLY overdid this chapter! AYE! FINAL CHAPTER!

I must keep my word!

Ru Ying Sui Xing – Chapter 19 – Live and Learn

After Dai Xian left, I forgot all about crying. I had to go at least once more. Looking around for a useless rope, I was able to find one and climb down it and fell on my butt. Every time. The cold, freezing, arctic weather made it worse. I managed to get up and race to the stables; father always held my horse, Tetris in the second stall in the fourth row. I was able to find him but I could not lug him outside, because of the freezing weather. Then I found a carrot and convinced him to leave the stables. After he ate it, I mounted myself and kicked Tetris's side, causing him to run in the direction I forced him in. Although this would only be the third time I would be there, it was better than nothing. I had to go there, at least once more.

It was a long ride. When I finally reached the Peach Gardens, I un-mounted and pulled the rope on Tetris, forcing him to come in along with me. The exact location of the big peach tree was in my head: near a huge lake, with not another peach tree near it for about five meters. Surely enough, it was exactly where I thought it was. I looked up, slowly approaching it. I showed no emotion as I walked, but I did shiver when the wind blew.

Yes. This is the exact same peach tree Liang showed me yesterday. We're here. The Peach Gardens I remember him saying. Something special happened here. Father brought mother up here and proposed to her under that peach tree. Still staring up, I felt tears roll down my face. Before long I started crying. I lost him because of me. I'll never forgive myself. In no way possible can a soul live like this. Pain took another stab at me. I did my face and cried, wishing something could be restored and something now could be lost.

I continued crying throughout the cold, harsh weather. Wind roughly passed through my body. Goose bumps formed all over me. I really didn't care until I couldn't feel a single part of me. I shivered, still crying. My face felt second – to – coldest part of me, second to my heart. I was freeing, crying and devastated. I was feeling all of this until someone draped a robe over my shoulders. "You shouldn't be out here alone at this time, Yue Ying."

I turned around. Liang? Is this possible?

He had at least two more robes on, so there was nothing to worry about for him. Except one thing. "Zhuge Liang ... " I whispered.

Liang adjusted the robe he just put on me. "Are you feeling alright, Ying?"

I pulled both sides of the robe he just put on me with the opposite hand sides. "Not really." I sneezed.

"No doubt. You are freezing. We have to get you back to Lord Huang now. I refuse to make the same mistake twice." He said to me. Liang took off a useless belt and put it on the robe he gave me, clipped it and readjusted it on my waist.

"Not that ... I hate myself." I sighed. "Is it too much to ask for your forgiveness, Zhuge Liang?"

He didn't respond. I thought of this as an excuse. I sighed again and knew I deserved this. Obviously. Zhuge Liang put an arm around my waist and walked me back to Tetris. He mounted himself and helped me mount myself. When we started moving Tetris was running, not walking. My sad excuse for an expectation failed me. My head hit a branch; I fell off Tetris and grabbed the closest thing to me, which had just happened to be Tetris's butt hair. He neighed, stood on his front legs and kicked all riders on him off. I was thrusted quite a distance.My back hit the bark of a tree. Liang stood up and brushed himself off. Based on how he did it, I could tell he thought I was still on Tetris. He noticed soon that I was not there, so I gave him a hint of my location by getting up, only to fall again. Instantly, he ran toward me and assisted me getting up.

"Are you alright?"

"No," I sniffed.

He checked my back. "You're not bleeding."

"Still, I'm not feeling too good." I sniffed and mumbled.

"What hurts?" He mumbled, brushing me off.

"E-Everything ... " I whispered. At that moment, I saw him give a stern expression, and knew that he refused to answer my previous question.

So I decided to run, run back to the big peach tree, which was quite far away. I sank down there, crying my little heart out. Or whatever was left of it. Why deal with this tremendous pain? I felt empty, and a feeling of despair constantly flowed by me.

"Yue Ying!" I heard Liang shout out. Surely he was looking for me. "Yue Ying, where are you?" Unfortunately, his voice became louder and louder. He was walking in my direction. I sniffed once again. He saw me and before I had a chance of running again, he grabbed my arm. With every ounce of energy I used to try and get away, he used twice the energy to make sure I was in his grasp.

"Yue Ying! What's wrong with you?" he snapped. I tried to free myself, ignoring him. Tears rolled from my face, much of them falling on to the ground. I answered, "You'll never forgive me! Please, just let me shrink into a dark corner and die!"

"Ying, wait!" Remembering that not waiting was the cause of this, I stopped struggling and listened to what he had to say. "Alright, Yue Ying, thank you. Why would you say something like that though?"

I sniffed and responded, "You won't forgive me ... so why bother with life? What is left of me?" He gave me a cold glare and answered, "Are you so deeply in love with me that you would actually end your life because I wouldn't forgive you?"

I looked down and answered, "Yes, Liang. I would."

I heard him crouch down. "Well, don't worry about that, Yue Ying. I forgive you." He kissed the top of my head. In the softest tone ever, he said to me, "Ying, I love you."

I stopped crying and looked straight at him. Excitement, warmth, and romance filled the terrifyingly cold night weather. No longer was I depressed, no longer unloved. Zhuge Liang wrapped his arms around me and said, "How could you not forgive a lover, Yue Ying?"

"I don't know." I whispered. At that moment, I let it all out. Liang held me throughout the whole process. "It's alright. There's no need to keep your emotions bottled up any more."

I sniffed, and blew my nose on a handkerchief. "Same with you."

"I suppose ... " he answered. "You don't hate yourself anymore, do you?"

"No, I'm loved now." I cleared my throat.

"Perfect. There's just one more thing to test." Said Zhuge. We both sat up straight.

"Test? Explain?"

He kissed me. "Trust me, if you know what your true emotions are, you'll never fail."

That is one of the things I like about Zhuge Liang. He always had something to say ... if you know what to do, you'll succeed. ...There is no such thing as failure to him. Never fail, only make incorrect acceptable choice. It is confusing, yes, but you'll get used to it.

"Alrighty. I'm ready."

Zhuge let go. "here goes nothing ... " he started. After a deep breath, he continued, "It has only been three days counting today, so I'm a little afraid ... "

"There is no need." I supported. "Remember, love has-" "No time limit." We both finished. I giggled, and he continued, "OK then, just give me a second."

I nodded. He looked down, and mouthed out something to himself. After a minute or so, he looked up and our eyes met. "H-Huang Yue Ying, will you be my wife?"

I nearly fainted when he said that. Luckily, Liang caught me and helped me balance.

"I knew it! I knew it was too soon!" He whacked his head against the big tree. It was a big surprise he didn't get a concussion from this!

"Stop in the name of love!" I said, holding out my arm in a dramatic pose.

"Aye," he said, ceasing whacking his head.

"Liang, please understand this: It's not too early." I said. I walked up to him and held his hands in mine. "It feels like I spent an eternity with you. I like it. I love it. I love you." I smiled. "Liang do not be surprised by my next words ... I am surprised I can express them myself ... "

Zhuge Liang looked at me. In the most gentle tine ever, he said to me, "Yes, Ying?"

"Zhuge Liang," I said, still gazing at his eyes. "I...I-I want to live a free life, with someone who loves and cares and supports me throughout it, for better or worse. And I want that someone to be you."

Liang took my hands and then kissed me. "You don't know how happy you have made me feel. Thank you."

"No need for thanks," said I. "I fell in love with you."

Liang smiled and then frowned. "I am afraid that through my family's poverty I have nothing to offer you."

I smiled. "Do possessions show happiness? Remember?"

"But I want to do something for you." I could tell an idea struck him. He swept me off my feet and walked toward Tetris. I held on to his neck. When we got to Tetris, he let me down and mounted himself. When he held out his hand, I remembered father told me to be more feminine and so I accepted this and sat side saddled, my left hand holding on Liang, my right a rope attached to Tetris.

We started running and I laid my head on Liang's shoulder. I saw him turn around and smile at me. "Ying?" he said as he took my left hand.

"Yes?"

He kissed my hand. "Please tell me this engagement is true."

"Obviously." I said. "Do you want me to be honest about something, my husband?"

He chuckled. "Three things. One, yes, I would. Two, we aren't married yet. Three, you're not joking, are you?"

I giggled. "I know we're not married yet, but still. I'm not joking, and to be on the honest side ... I've always knew that you were the one for me since I laid eyes on you, Liang; your relaxed way of talking, your style, your creepily calm nature, and your personality. I love it."

He kissed my hand again. "I figured that out. And do you want to know what I love about you, Yue Ying?"

"Yes, I really would." I said smiling. I snuggled closer to him.

"I really don't understand why people call you plain. You're much more than that." He whispered. I knew where he was going at and I didn't want to hear the rest. "You're beautiful, Ying." I knew it. A lie, waiting to lunge out and murder me.

I frowned. "Really, stay honest Liang. Do not lie."

He said, "I am not lying, Yue Ying. Why? You don't think the same about your appearances?"

I shook my head. "Not really. Plain describes me more."

Zhuge Liang kissed my hand again. I blushed this time. "Not true. You are more than that. You are more than you think. You'd be surprised what I feel for you."

I blushed. "You flatter me."

Tetris grew to a stop. We were in front of the mansion, father and Dai Xian standing in front of it. Liang and I un-mounted. Father chuckled and Dai smiled.

"Just where were you, Yue Ying?" father asked.

"With Liang in the Peach gardens. Guess what!"

"What?" asked father and Dai at the same time.

I grabbed Zhuge's neck and pulled myself up. "We're getting married!" I let go and stood alongside Liang.

"That quick?" said Dai. I smiled and said to Xian, "that quick? I think it's about time Liang and I got married! Zhuge Liang wrapped his arms around me. "Me too." Dai Xian squealed. "You two! You're so cute together!"

"Ru Ying Sui Xing," said father. "Inseparable, just like each other's shadows." The maid nodded.

I turned my attention back to Liang. "Zhuge Liang ... " I began. "Can we live a life full of twisted and pleasant surprises ... together?"

Zhuge Liang kissed me. Not the response I wanted, but I explained it before. Father smiled and Dai Xian cheered. When Liang let go, I was gazing at him like crazy, romance written all over my face.

"Never shall we not, Yue Ying ... my wife."

THE END

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