AU: i am back ! after a long long time ! sorry for the super late update ! okay enough with the chit chat XD here is the new chapter ! enjoy ! please do leave a review ! thank you thank you so much !

Da and Xiao Qiao were making infant clothes at the garden when Xiao noticed a messenger in a hurry, holding a scrool, she thought that maybe it might be another battle, she excuse herself to her sister, using the excuse "Sis I'll get us some tea!" Da Qiao nods and smile. Closing the door behind her she ran quickly in Sun Ce's office, leaning her ears to the door.

"So his finally going back huh" it was Sun Ce's voice

"Milord, he said that he will be back here after I deliver this message"

"So you mean his on his way back now?"

"Yes milord"

With that Xiao stops listening, she guested that the person they were talking about was "Zhou Yu ..." she sighs.

"Shin what are you doing?!" Zhou Yu yelled in terror seeing Shin place a dagger at Ryu's tiny neck, threatening him to slice the young boy's trough.

"My plan worked ..." she murmured and then laughs.

Xing was begging her for mercy, spare the innocent child for he doesn't know what were his clan have done long time ago.

"Please Shin, don't do it!" Zhou Yu said calmly, trying to read her next move. As I thought, that child was never mine, but whom? Why he looks like me? Is he my? He asked himself.

Slowly he walks closer to her "Do not think of taking another step Yu" Shin tighten her grip on the child, pulling the both of them near the open window "Please Milady stop this!" Xing yelled "Shut up you piece of trash!" preoccupied Zhou Yu took this as a opportunity.

He ran to her, taking the dagger out of her hand as he pushed Ryu out of the way, it was a good thing Xing caught him before he fell violently on the floor. Zhou Yu pinned Shin down, knocking out the dagger on her hand, it fell outside, and luckily no one get hurt.

"Let go of me!" she barked "Why did you do that?!" he asked her forcibly, she smile and chuckles "A life for a life" she simply said "What the heck does it mean?" he got more confuse and puzzled at the whole situation "Stop acting like you don't know anything!" tears were forming from her eyes "I trusted you, but you betrayed me!" tears were falling from her face "I don't understand" he said calmly, he really doesn't.

Zhou Yu ordered Xing to rent a carriage for two days, which she did, while Shin was knocked out from crying, Zhou Yu carried her to the carriage. Ryu was terrified at the woman; he can't get even get close or near her after what happened.

A few people from the city have seen him before he leave Jiang Dong for a while, but he didn't care for a moment. He started hitting the horse to move, at his side was Ryu, the young boy was clutching his robe, he didn't mind but it reminds him of Xiao Qiao when they first drove together, her grip on him was so tight, she was so scared of falling but in the end she manage to maintain balance on the horse and thank him by kissing him on the cheek.

"Papa" Ryu said out of the blue, hesitating to respond he just held him close to him "Are you really my papa?" he asked as he looked up to him, Zhou Yu was shocked but manage not to show emotion "I am sorry but I'm not your father" he said straight to the child.

"Then why you look like my papa?"

"That is I want to know as well"

"Where are we going?" Ryu asked looking around.

"In Lujiang ... Do you know it?"

Ryu suddenly feel all jumpy and excited "Were going home!"

Zhou Yu still knows his route home, the 'Zhou clan manor' he said to himself. Ryu ran inside excitedly. Xing opens the door, when she felt that the carriage stop "So ... where finally here" Shin said like she was so disgraced, Xing looks at her with pity.

Yan Shui was still mourning about her first son, Zhou Ryu, she doesn't know who took him. The morning was so peaceful, as she thought, waking up with her husband Zhou Tou on her side, moving slowly not wanting to wake him wake up. She hurried to Ryu's room to see if he was still asleep but he wasn't there. Searching the whole Zhou manner up and down and every corner of it, but they can't find him. The only information they were holding, thinking that he maybe still alive was a witness, seeing Ryu was with a woman, going out of the manner.

Zhou Tou was in the middle of a meeting, maintain peace and order at Lujiang. Since Zhou Yi died, he had already clean up all the other influential clan, and that was the time when he set up a gambling event, trapping all the head of the clans as they arrested he cleans his hand saying "He was not gambling" this happening made him as the governor of Lujiang. Which Zhou Tou succeeded him, when he was assassinated gruesomely.

Zhou Yu knew everything what was happening in his hometown ever since he left; Zhou Tou was sending him letters. The day before his marriage to Xiao Qiao he sent a letter to his brother, but he didn't get any reply. It didn't matter to him at some point, but when Xiao asked him about his family, he felt hurt, Tou was the only family he have left and he didn't even came on his memorable day.

But now he will face him again, don't know what actually to feel but he feels scared at something he can't point out what.

Xing and Shin showed up behind him "This is the ... Zhou m-manner?" Xing asked in disbelief, this was her fist time seeing such a luxurious manner, Zhou Yu just nod in respond. Shin Shui was staring around the place, as if she was reminiscing some of her childhood.

Zhou Yu stepped in, servants were astonished on how handsome he was.

"Who is he?"

"He looks like Lord Zhou Tou"

"Is he is younger brother?"

Servants were making a fuss over him but he just ignores it, he go straight to his previous room. Opening the door slowly as he looks around the place, he remembers when he was a still a child, how he plays alone, learn an instrument alone and study alone. It was pretty boring but those were his own ways to his little happiness. His mother Zhou Shin often visit him in his room, talk to him, asking if he is doing okay in this situation, she knew this was not right thing to do, raising a child by isolating him in the world.

Zhou Yi ordered her to keep his youngest son for protection, he was clever to think that his enemies might use his family against him or use them to bring him down. Even his older brother visits him as well. There were only two people in his life at those times and that was his mother and brother.

Zhou Yu's flash back was interrupted when Yan came in his room "So it was true, you're back Yu" she greeted him with a welcoming smile "Not exactly" he simply said as he turn around to face her "What do you mean by that?" he looked at her from head to toe as if reading her, her noticed that she was getting a bit chubby "May I asked something personal " his voice was full "Hmm sure" she responded not knowing what might be his question "Are you having a child?" Yan chuckles "Oh I see, so your brother did tell you after all" she walks closer to him "Oh look at you, you've grown tall and so handsome like your brother" cupping his face "Sister Yan, I need to tell you something" Yan blinks puzzled.

"The meeting is adjourn" Zhou Tou said as he stood up from his seat, on his way to his room to meet up with an inspector, wanted to hear an update on finding Ryu but a servant stopped him, letting him know that his brother was back and he was with some friends. Excited to see his young brother once again he rushed to the main hall where he spotted a young boy eating peach.

He pause examining the child from behind "Ryu?" he sighs. He noticed that someone was watching his back so he turn slowly, his eyes widen and ran towards Tou, opening his arms and yelled "Papa!" hugging him tightly. Zhou Tou could not believe it, his son was back safe and sound "Oh Ryu my child! Where have you been? Huh?" kneeling in front of him cupping and brushing Ryu's face and then hug tightly.

At the right moment Zhou Yu and Yan Shui just arrived at the main hall, Yan gasp in seeing his child once again "RYU!" screaming his name as she approached him "Oh my dear! This will never happen again! I promise you this" hugging him tightly. The little family hugged each other in a small reunion they had, while Zhou Yu was standing there watching them.

Xiao Qiao suddenly popped on his mind, imagining her and him having a child, he imagined his brother's position as his. He felt something ache in his chest; he remembered as well that she gave the ring back to him. Reaching on his pocket, taking out the ring, he stared at it in is palm, it perfectly matches the one he was wearing. Zhou Yu's eyes narrowed, he felt he wanted to hurt somebody 'This will not happened if she didn't done this' he thought.

"Yu? Is, Is that you?" Tou stood up walking towards him.

"Yes brother, it is me"

"My, My you've grown up!" he said smiling.

"Brother, we need to talk" serious filled Yu's face as Tou's smile fades.

"She did what?!" Tou slam the desk violently after hearing what happened "How could she do this!" Yu tries to keep him calm "She is with me; she's in her old room together with her lady in waiting" Tou shove Yu away in front of him. So the Zhou clan has temper issues, looks like it runs in the blood.

"Get out of my way"

"She said something about a life for a life"

Tou pause, remembering something and then he turn around.

"Brother, please tell me, what really happened when Lord Li Shui died, did he really killed himself or someone killed him"

Letting out a deep sighs, Tou taps his shoulder "Guess the blame is on me"

Zhou Tou told everything to Zhou Yu, everything. The day he was born, the reason why he was isolated from yhe outside world, why he was arranged marriage to Shin Shui, why their mother left and mostly why their father planned all this.

"This was the last place I wanted to be" Shin declared as she entered her old room "But milady this room is so huge!" Xing complimented. Shin Shui walked around her whole room, remembering her childhood "Milady?" Xing called her but she didn't turn, instead she cries on her palm and fell on her knees.

The door opened violently, it was Yan, her eyes were tearing "SHIN!" she called. Shin recognizes her voice and looks up to her "Yan?" she sighs. Yan ran towards her, kneeling in front of her and then slap her "Why did you do it?! Why did you take my son?! Shin answer me!" she was hitting her, Shin just cried and didn't defend herself. Xing tried to stop Yan but she was too powerful and she was pushed back.

The commotion was heard by other servant and stopped Yan, the sisters were crying "I-I'm so-sorry!" Shin said coldly, as her tears fell she hugged herself.

The main Zhou clan had a closed door meeting, trying to fix the effects of the turbulent past were. Yan Shui was hurt as a mother and as a sister, she had never thought her own sister will try to take the life of her first son; it was truly an unpleasant view.

"Shin Shui, how are you doing?" Zhou Tou started; trying not let his anger swallow him instead he wanted to fix this. He was like in the same place as Sun Ce, in the middle of the family problem.

Shin didn't answer but she manages to curl up smile, keeping her head down. She had never thought of this event. Kidnaping her sister's son and use him to her plan, getting revenge on the Zhou brother, just to avenge her father's death.

"I don't want to be here!" Yan stood up slamming her hands on the table "Please Yan calm down" her husband said "I am not ready to face this wrench!" pointing at Shin. Xing was outside, Yan's voice was loud she heard it "Oh poor Lady Shin" she sighs.

"This wrench is your own flesh and blood, she is your sister" Tou said to Yan, trying to fix the bond that the sisters used to have. Zhou Yu just stayed quit on his seat. "My sister was kind hearted ... not a killer!" Yan yelled again "Please hear Lady Shin out first before judging her please!" Xing burst in the room, she can't take it anymore.

In the carriage earlier

"Milady, why? ... Why have you done this?" gathering all the courage she have just to ask her this. Xing always thought of Shin as a role model, that's why she could not believe this was happening, convincing herself that Shin was a nice person, it just something triggered her to be like this.

"Xing" Shin looks up and stare straight to her eyes "Why are you still here? Weren't you afraid that I might do the same to you?" testing the young girl.

She bit her lips and held her tears "I do believe that you're a kind person ... y-you must have a reason why you have done this!"

Shin chuckles "You really are something Xing ... I done this because of one reason" she turn to the window "Father, is your soul at peace?" she asked.

Xing could not understand but calling her father gave her a hint, she was doing this for her father.

As Xing stepped in, Yan turn quietly in shock and then her brow frowned "What the hell are you doing here! This is a private meeting!" yelling at the young girl.

AU: there you have it ! its not a long one .. sorry ! Yan was really angry ! but how will you feel if you were on her feet? please leave a review !

ohh and by the way i have written a one shot lemon ! yes a lemon .. my second time ! please to check it out ! its a XQ x ZY pairing

here's the link s/9279738/1/Affection thank you very much !