AU: yeah~ i'm back people ! *giggles* here is the new chapie, as promised i updated fast for yah people ! XD
please review review ! thank you very much !
good luck on your exams .blossoms ... thank you for the review WangQiao ! i love your story "The Lonely" its so beautiful !
The young girl knelled in front of them, Da Qiao held her in the shoulders "You don't need to do this" concerned for the poor girl, Sun Ce watch this confused.
"Please forgive me, for I have betrayed your trust" Kouchou said, sobbing, trying not to crying.
"I don't understand, what have you done?" Da Qiao was trying to let her stand up but she won't budge.
"Stand up, and speak clearly" Sun Ce said, the young girl do what she was told but she was shaking.
"I … I was the one spreading rumors a-about La-lady Xiao" she sighs
"You what?" Da Qiao sighs in shock, Sun Ce fold his arms as his eyes narrowed staring at Kouchou
"But i-I didn't do that on purpose! I just- I have too!" she protest
"Why?" Sun Ce asked, Da Qiao was nervous and confused as well.
"I have to do it for Rei Xou! You may not understand, she is ill! She needs help!" Kouchou said as tears fall from her face
"Did Rei Xou order you to do this?" Da Qiao asked
"No, Lady Sun" she turn her attention to her and then sob "It is" turning back to Sun Ce "Lady Shin Shui"
"Shin Shui?" Sun Ce and Da Qiao repeated
Kouchou nods "Yes, in order for me gain extra income, I asked her for help, she was giving me money in return I will be her eyes and ears in the castle but it change when she entered here, she want me to spread bad rumors about Lady Xiao, I don't know what was her reasons but I do suspect that it is about Lord Zhou Yu"
"Why are you confessing right now?" Sun Ce asked, this time he was raging in anger, Xiao was like his young sibling, when she resembles Sun Shang Xiang at her stubbornness.
"The last thing was she order me to was … it was terrible!" she squeal
"Spit it out now!" Sun Ce yelled
"Ce!" Da Qiao said, trying to calm her husband
"W-when Lady Xiao was unconscious, she gave me dagger, to t-take Lady Xiao's life" she said shaking, staring at her bare hands "But I could not do it, I can't!" she fell on her knees, placing her face on her palms and started crying.
Sun Ce was confused; he didn't actually understand what just happened. Why Shin Shui was doing this to Xiao, what did Xiao do for her to go through in this? And why Zhou Yu didn't speak any of this to him.
Da Qiao was comforting Kouchou "There, there, its going to be alright now, we will have some doctors attend to Rei Xou for her condition"
"You will Milady?" Kouchou stopped crying hearing those words, Da Qiao nods and gave her a comforting smile "Oh thank you so much" wrapping her arms around her, crying at her chest "Thank you, thank you" she repeats while crying.
After a several minutes, Kouchou have calmed down, Da Qiao called of Rei Xou to discuss what her daughter did. Rei Xou was shock, she raised Kouchou not to be like this but she understands why the little girl has done this, and that was for her. Rei Xou bowed her head lower that before, apologizing, Da Qiao was very understanding and forgiving, she dismissed that both of them and order them not speak about this to anyone.
It was almost dinner time and Da Qiao has not seen her sister ever since the day started. She came back to Zhou Yu's room to see maybe she is still there, but to her surprise she wasn't there. There was no trace of her. Panicking runs to Sun Ce again, ordering him to search the entire castle and the city.
Sun Ce was getting pissed off in this whole situation. First Da Qiao's change of moods caused by her pregnancy, second Xiao's mental and emotional state, making the whole situation worse Zhou Yu run off to somewhere he didn't know where.
Trying to calm down while his wife was panicking and whining at him, he holds her on the shoulders pulling her close to him "Da Qiao, will you please calm down!" he said almost yelling at her, but that was not his intent "Let her go for a while, honestly I don't know how to deal with this anymore" his grip was getting a little tighter "Ce" she sighs "Please" he whispered.
Staring at his serious face, she has no idea that her husband was trying as well to fix this, but her whining and nagging wasn't helping at all, seeing her husband's tired face she felt guilty and bad. He was dealing with political problems and family problems at the same time, give him some slack.
Cupping his face "I'm sorry, please forgive me my Lord" she said kissing him in the forehead down to his cheek "I'm sorry" she repeated. Taking a deep breath "It's alright" returning the kiss.
A running court lady interrupted the couple "Milord, Milady, come quick!" she shouted at the door "What is it?" Sun Ce shouted back "It's Lady Zhou" Sun Ce and Da Qiao stare each other for a moment in disbelief that she committed suicide again.
They follow the court lady on where is Xiao Qiao is, Da Qiao was praying for her safety. Sun Ce asked her what happened "The people at a winery shop brought her here, she was passed out" the court lady explained while walking in pace.
Reaching the infirmary, Sun Ce whispered to the lady to call a doctor immediately while Da Qiao stepped inside, staring at her sister, sleeping.
A week have passed, Xiao was not going out of her room ever since she got conscious, everyone in at the castle were staring to worry, what is the hell going on with her. And not just her, all the people were wondering where Zhou Yu have gone too.
Rumours spread once more.
"I heard someone saw Lord Zhou Yu ran away with a woman"
"Oh my poor Lady Xiao Qiao"
"No wonder she is staying in her room"
"Was she crying the whole time?"
"Owh poor child"
"Hmm I knew it; Lord Zhou Yu was hiding some dirt"
Many court ladies have change of heart and not them also the people of the city. They pity Xiao Qiao, thinking that she was a victim of a Casanova, but no one really knows where the hell he is and what have really happened.
Da Qiao was visiting Xiao every now and then, nothing is changing and Xiao is numb and depressed at everything.
One day Sun Shang Xiang came to visit her previous home, like Xiao Qiao before the people of the city and the court ladies have talked about her. Da Qiao sent her a letter to visit Xiao, maybe she will return to her usual self after seeing her best friend. Shang Xiang and Xiao were closest friends before but because of her marriage to Liu Bei she has to move with him, in Shu Empire.
Da Qiao explained to her everything, Shang Xiang just gave it a grin and frowning "Hmm that Zhou Yu could have a piece of me when I saw him somewhere" clenching her fist, showing it to her "Shang Xiang, could you speak to her" Da Qiao changed the topic "Me?" pointing at herself.
"Yes" Da nods
"But Da, she is your sister, why not you talk to her"
"I already did, several times now, but she is just nodding at me, staring so far at nothing" Da Qiao holds her hand in desperation "Please Shang Xiang" begging
"I understand, I'll see what I can do"
Sun Shang Xiang have heard the news, she thought it was just a lousy rumour on what have happened to Xiao, but after receiving a letter she didn't hesitate to think about it. It was a bit hard convincing everyone at Shu that her visit in Jiang dong was not political purpose but to visit a friend, Zhuge Liang was eyeing her, observing her keenly, for him to know if she is lying or not.
Shang Xiang knocks on the door and peeks, the room was clean, looks like no one was using it, opening the door wide she sighted Xiao was staring at the window, lying in the bed. She stepped inside not yet announcing her arrival "My God! Xiao is that you?!" Shang Xiang said.
Xiao have grown some hair, her face become paler, now she has an eye bags and her collar bone were showing, it wasn't the cheerful and lively Xiao Qiao everyone knew before.
Xiao Qiao turns her attention to hers "Shang Xiang" she sighs
"Xiao w-what in the world happened?" walking closer to her as she sat beside her at the bed
Xiao didn't said a word
"Xiao, Da has told me everything, why are you doing this to yourself?"
"Did my sister ask you to come here?"
"Hmm, yes but that is not the issue"
"Yes it is, Wu is at war with Shu, you shouldn't come here"
"Xiao I came here for you" she held her hand and hold it tight "You're like a sister to me now; I can't just sit around while this is happening to you"
"I don't need pity" Xiao's tone changed
"I do not pity you, I am here for you"
"Oh please stop!" shoving her hand away from hers "I heard that before, I am here for you, I won't leave your side but eventually you will!" glaring at her
"Xiao" Shang Xiang sighs
"Shang Xiang … please ... stop … everyone … stop …" tears once again forming from her eyes "I can't do this anymore … its tarring me apart" whimpering
Shang Xiang finally understands what Xiao Qiao is feeling. Pulling her into a hug and caress her hair while she cries on her chest "Let it all out" letting Xiao release all her pain from inside.
Who knows how long she was keeping it, ever since she was a child, she was compared to her sister, trying to climb from the same level but everyone seems to be rejecting her immediately. Hoping for something but there is nothing. Many people have given her false hopes. She was the master at her emotions, she was confident that the façade mask she was wearing was thinks but every time her heart aches the mask turn thin, and not it was broken, and her feelings were bursting and she can't control them anymore.
Several moments later, Xiao stopped crying but she is still on Shang Xiang's chest "Are you all good now?" she asked while pulling her slowly away from her, trying to peek at her face, her bangs have grown too, covering her eyes.
Shang Xiang smiled in relief as Xiao nods "The next time this happened, don't keep it all to yourself, Da is here, Ce and me, we are ready to listen" letting her feel that she was wrong, she wasn't alone, they were here for her.
I am Xiao Qiao, the proud young Qiao, the daughter of Qiao Yuan. Many have known me for my childish actions, lively attitude and being cheerful, but am I really that? I was wearing this mask for a long time now, was this the right time for me not to wear it anymore? Will they accept me? The real me that was not that very childish and cheerful? For the moment, after crying for a long time, some part of me fell lightly, like a knife pulled out in me. Maybe Shang Xiang was right, I should not keep my feelings to myself anymore, I'm just making myself more stupid and foolish. Guess this is the time to stop this.
I trip, maybe now this the time for me to stand.
The next day came, Da Qiao was making sure that Xiao will have her breakfast, for her to eat, but the servants were stun seeing Xiao Qiao standing in the door of the kitchen "Lady Zhou?" they sighs in shock, Da Qiao was puzzled seeing them shock at freezing at their positions, she turn around "Xiao?" her as well was shock "Yes, sis it is me" for the first time after two weeks finally Xiao Qiao smiled.
AU: there you have it ! *laughs* the next chapie will be published on April ... its holy week ... so see yah in a few days ! review review thank you so much !