Murong Chi can't get rid of the empress' words in her mind. Does she mean to say that she loves Xu Zhengming? Well, she's somehow concerned about him since he's her friend but...
Now that she thinks about it, Xu Zhengming is always treating her well. Although he's forced to come with her at first, he willingly sneaks out with her later on. From their first hunting 'together', she figured out that Xu Zhengming isn't into hunting but he's still willing to follow her.
Then she just figured out how he follows him around wherever she wants to go. Whenever she climbs trees, he's always reminding her to be careful not to fall and watch for insects. Whenever she's trying to catch fish in the river, he's always following her with their shoes in his hands. Whenever she's running across the woods, he tries his best to catch up and match her pace.
And most of all, he's the one who can bring out her real self. With him, she can be careless, be free, be herself. He saw right through her. It's as if he understands her more than anything else.
He's not only good-looking but he's also exceptionally kind. He's thoughtful, caring, and a good company. Sometimes, it makes her wonder if he got no other friends. If he does, then why does he keep on accompanying her? It's not that she's forcing him to go with her every time she wants to sneak out so he has his choices.
"Maiden Murong?" Xu Zhengming slightly tilted his head while staring at the spacing out Murong Chi.
"What?" Maiden Murong finally got herself out of her flooding thoughts.
Xu Zhengming, "Are you even listening? I said I saw a rabbit hopping in that direction."
"Oh."
His face shows his sincere concern. He asks the maiden, "Are you not feeling well? Should we head back to the palace now?"
"NO!"
Xu Zhengming flinched but recovers his composure right after. He scratches the back of his head and asks, "Maiden Murong, are you mad now?"
Murong Chi failed to calculate the volume of her voice. She didn't mean to yell at him. It's just she really doesn't want to go back yet because she knows that once they'll go back to the imperial palace, they'll become strangers again. This time, strangers for good.
"I  mean, the sun is still high up in the sky. We can still catch a rabbit or two." She immediately replied. This time, she made sure she's using her usual tone. The maiden forced a smile but Xu Zhengming didn't buy it at all.
Still, with a worried facial expression, he asks, "Maiden Murong, is there something bothering you? If it troubles you so much, you can tell me about it. I'll try to help as much as I can."
"Well... actually..." Murong Chi hesitated for a while. Is it fine to ask him about this? She scratches her cheek with her index finger and thinks for a while. In the end, she decided to tell him but not in a direct manner.  "Actually I have a friend."
"Me?" Xu Zhenming pointed at himself.
Murong Chi looks at him with a complicated face. "No! What makes you think it's you?"
Xu Zhengming then replied casually. "Well, aside from me, I don't think you have other friends inside the imperial palace."
The young lady quickly reasoned out. "It's my friend back in my hometown. Letter... Yes, she sent me a letter!"
"Oh, okay. Then what about it?" Xu Zhengming seems he believed her. Only then did Maiden Murong silently let out a sigh of relief.
"You see, Ming'er, it's like this." She continued, "Let's call this friend of mine Friend A." Her fingers are restless, and keep on fidgeting. Good thing, Xu Zhengming is focused on her half-covered face. Otherwise, he'll notice that something is off.
She added, "So Friend A doesn't have many friends because most of her time is spent studying."
"Sounds like you." Xu Zhengming interrupted again.
"It's not me!" Murong Chi denied sternly. She's wondering if she made it too obvious that she's talking about herself.
Xu Zhengming replied. "I know. I'm just telling you she's similar to you. You're always studying too."
"Well, yes..." By then, Murong Chi finally relaxed a little. "Anyway, this Friend A actually doesn't like studying. She wants to fool around and have fun all day."
"Sounds like you too." For the third time, Xu Zhengming interrupted her.
Murong Chi raises her right eyebrow. "Are you saying I actually hate studying?"
She won't deny to herself that she's too lazy to study. She's only studying hard because she's obliged to do so and can't do anything about it. But hearing it from other people somehow makes her feel annoyed.
Xu Zhengming quickly clears the misunderstanding. "No, not that point. But don't you want to fool around and have fun all day?"
"Oh." So Xu Zhengming actually means it that way! Murong Chi feels a little embarrassed for overreacting but of course, her pride and strong personality won't allow her to make it obvious.
She continues, "I do not know if I should take it as an insult but... never mind. So, yes. You see, this Friend A isn't actually someone to look up to but she's trying her best to reach her dreams."
"I see." Xu Zhengming nods. He's very attentive now. Well, he's always been attentive to Murong Chi. This isn't something new.
Murong Chi, "Friend A is so poor and she wants to lift her poor family from poverty. She thinks that she can only do that if she managed to raise her status. Like passing the imperial examination and become a scholar."
"Okay, and?" Xu Zhengming patiently waits for her next words.
Without any further ado, Murong Chi added, "And then Friend A met a guy. Let's call this guy Friend B."
The young man looks like he's trying to create a male figure in his head. "Uh-huh. And then?"
Murong Chi, "So this Friend B is so annoying and likes to pester people but he's kind and fun to be with."
"..." Xu Zhengming didn't say anything and just nodded his head as if he's trying to visualize a mischievous young man.
Murong Chi waited for a while but Xu Zhengming remained silent. She asks, "Aren't you going to tell me that Friend B sounds like you?"
"No. Why would I?" He asked with a confused expression. "I don't think I'm annoying. I don't pester people too. Also, I don't think I'm kind of fun to be with either. And besides, this Friend B is not described as good-looking unlike me."
"..." Murong Chi looks at him with a complex expression. Disbelief, disappointment, and sarcasm mixed into one facial expression
Shocked, his eyes widen and looks at Murong Chi with disbelief. "What? Maiden Murong, don't tell me I really am annoying and pester people?"
"..." Still, Murong Chi didn't say anything and her complex facial expression barely changes.
"Chi'er." He calls but he still got no response even after changing the way he calls her. His eyebrows knitted and form pouty lips.
"Pfft... fine, you're not annoying and you don't pester others." Murong Chi can't help but laugh at him, Really, this Xu Zhengming is just too funny and adorable.
Xu Zhengming still looks at her as if she just betrayed him. Still pouting, he asks, "Why can't I feel your sincerity?"
"Aiyah, don't change the topic. Where are we again?" Murong Chi continues, "Ah, right! Yes, about Friend B. This Friend B makes Friend A feel free and doesn't complain about what Friend A does at all. He cares for her, he's treating her nicely, and he follows her wherever she goes---"
Mingming stops her halfway to give his 'sincere' advice, "Maiden Murong, be careful around this Friend B. I think he's a stalker. Why would he even follow a lady wherever she goes? Isn't it disturbing?"
Murong Chi bursts into laughter again. "Oh, Ming'er, Ming'er, you don't know what you're talking about."
"Hmm?" Xu Zhengming tilted his head with a puzzled look on his face.
It took Murong Chi some time to collect her composure while Xu Zhengming patiently waits for her to stop laughing. She finds him so silly. She wonders what would be his reaction if he learned that he just called himself a stalker.
With a tear in the edge of her eye, she finally managed to speak again. "Nothing. Let's continue. Okay, so Friend B is a very good friend of Friend A. But for some reason, being together with Friend B would hinder Friend A's ambitions. Ming'er what should Friend A do? Will she continue their friendship or will she prioritize her ambitions in life?"
"Let's put it like this, Maiden Murong. If Friend A chooses her ambitions, there will be no problem in achieving her goals. But if she chooses their friendship, of course, it would make both of them feel great but aside from their friendship it wouldn't bring her any good."
After hearing his response, Murong Chi remembered what her highness told her back in the empress' hall.
"Ah-Chi, get rid of that unnecessary feelings. It won't bring you any good."
Xu Zhengming added, "Don't get me wrong, Maiden Murong, I'm not against friendship. In fact, it's just a choice between being practical and being sentimental. This friend may be able to help her in the future but that's not an assurance. I think, if they truly value their friendship, I think Friend B could understand that Friend A has her personal reasons."
Without realizing it, Murong Chi feels bad for 'Friend B'. She didn't know why she has the urge to defend this guy. She explains, "This Friend B has been trying to understand Friend A since the very beginning.  He is still a human after all. Of course, there's a possibility that he'll feel upset that his friend would suddenly leave him mid-air. What if he gets tired of understanding her?"
It took Xu Zhengming some time to respond. He thinks about it all over again. He tried to put himself in this man's shoes but he doesn't know what will he do or what will he feel if this Friend B is him.
After thinking for some time, he responds, "I couldn't really say what would happen by then."
Hearing those words from the person beside her, Murong Chi isn't certain how is she feeling right now. She has mixed emotions inside her chest. She's upset for not knowing what would he feel beforehand. The very reason why she opened this to Xu Zhengming is that she wants to have an idea of what would he feel after severing their friendship. Now, this whole conversation doesn't have a purpose. And for some unknown reason, she feels bad for him. She also feels relieved that he didn't suspect anything up to this point. However, she's also somehow annoyed at him for not finding out she's actually talking about them.
But one thing is for sure, she'll wrong him. She knows it but she can't do anything to avoid that. This connection they have is unnecessary for her in becoming the destined highness.
If she could turn back the time, she won't involve herself with Xu Zhengming. She'd rather remain lonely for the rest of her life than going with him and leaves him in the end.
"Maiden Murong?" Xu Zhengming noticed that the maiden who's noisy just now suddenly turned silent.
She looks at him and gives him a lazy smile. She asks, "What if Friend A has complicated feelings for Friend B?"
"What complicated feelings?" The sixteen-year-old Xu Zhengming asked.
At this period of time, Xu Zhengming is still an innocent and pure child. He doesn't know much about this little thing called 'love'. And during this time, he's still not a Casanova and hasn't been chased by ladies yet.
Murong Chi, "What if Friend A is starting to like Friend B?"
"..." Xu Zhengming has now an idea or two of what she meant to say. "Okay, make it more simple for your friend. Let friend A choose between her family and Friend B."
He thinks further about it and tried to be rational. He then added, "But if it's me, maybe I'd choose family? Blood is thicker than water after all."
Murong Chi stares at him straight in the eyes. Those pair of narrow eyes are just as lovely as ever. Before, this young lady doesn't dare to stare at him in the eyes for too long. She's afraid that she'll be lost in these eyes and won't be able to avert her gaze away from him. However, she thinks, this time is fine. It probably would be her first and last attempt anyway. As she stares at him, she can't help but notice the small spot placed in his handsome face near his eye. The mole under his left eye added to the overall charm of his perfectly chiseled face.
While admiring his beauty silently, a thought pops up in her mind. If they were to exchange their situation with each other, would Xu Zhengming abandon her too?
She thinks, maybe she's just thinking too much. Why would he be sad if they won't be able to fool around together again? He's friendly, he must have a lot of friends. Maybe it wouldn't really matter to him if he lost a friend or two.
After a long while, the maiden finally responded to him. She nods and says in a soft voice, "Mn. You're right."
"Ming'er." She called out using a gentle voice.
"Yes?" He attentively looks at her, waiting for her next words.
She smiled, "Nothing."
"Okay?" Xu Zhengming finds it weird but he didn't mind it.
"Ming'er." She calls out again.
With a hint of indifference, he asks, "What is it this time?"
"Nothing." She smiles slightly.
"Ming'er." For the third time, she calls again.
Xu Zhengming turns his head opposite her. "I'm not looking."
"Ming'er, pay attention to me." She smiles mischievously.
Still not looking back at her, he sternly says, "No, you'll just say nothing."
"Ming'er." This time, her voice has a hint of pleading.
"..."
But Xu Zhengming doesn't seem to sense it at all.
She waits for a while but Xu Zhengming still won't look her way, not even a quick glimpse. Her mischievous smile gradually turns into a weak one. She subconsciously lowers her head and speaks in a low voice, "You're right. It's nothing. I just feel like calling you like that."
Xu Zhengming finally turns to look at her so she quickly fixed herself and had her chin up. She beams a wide smile on him.
The young man on the other hand finds her somehow weird. "You're acting strange."
"Am I?" Murong Chi got startled for a while but recovered immediately. "You're just imagining things. Let's not waste time any further. Every second counts!"
She turns her back on him and started to run. She runs as fast as he could.
"Ah? Maiden Murong, wait for me!" Xu Zhengming runs after her. However, unlike Maiden Murong, his body built isn't very good for active physical activities so he runs slower than her. Now that she runs as fast as she could, he won't be able to catch up to her unless she intentionally slows her pace.
But how can she let him catch up to her? She doesn't want him to see her with a pair of teary eyes.
***
"Maiden Murong."
"Murong Chi."
"Murong jiejie."
"Chi'er?"
No matter how Xu Zhengming calls her, she never looks back at him again.
Same place, same people, same sunny day, but it feels different. Murong Chi and Xu Zhengming sit underneath the tree near the imperial academy.
One reading a book, one pestering the other.
It's been a couple of months since the last time they went hunting in the woods. For the last two months, Murong Chi has been ignoring Xu Zhengming's very existence.
"Won't you pay attention to me?" He looks at her but her eyes are fixed on her book.
"..."
"It's fine if you don't say anything too." Xu Zhengming forced a smile. Still, the young lady stayed silent.
"I've been wondering but I'm always afraid to ask. Do you hate me? How did I anger you? Why aren't you hanging with me again? Are you tired of hunting already?"
"..."
"Won't you really talk to me again?" A hint of sadness can be traced in his voice.
"..."
"If you don't say anything, I'll take it as a yes."
"..."
He waited but he got nothing in return. He slowly closes his eyes and sighs.
"I wonder if you truly treated me as your friend... because I do."
Maiden Chi's lips quivered. She wants to say something but she's afraid that she won't be able to stop herself from talking once she starts.
He continues, "If I have only known that the last time we snuck out would be the last time you'll talk to me, I should have talked more."
He slowly opens his eyes. Truth to be told, he's hoping that the maiden would finally look back at him the moment he opens his eyes... but she didn't.
He smiled. "You should have told me that it would be the last time. I could've enjoyed and cherish every moment back then."
"..."
Murong Chi closes her book and rises on her feet. She turns her back on him and started walking away.
"Maiden Chi!" He calls out and she stops but she never looks back at him.
He continued, "I've always liked you."
Xu Zhengming didn't receive any response, not even a glance. Instead of giving a reply, Murong Chi started to walk further again.
How can she respond to him? Her voice would surely break. How can she look back at him when tears are already flowing onto her cheeks.
In the end, she can only whisper in the thin air. "Sorry, Ming'er but I have to turn you down. I have to turn our feelings down."
Then she slowly opens her eyes and finds herself laying down in a bed inside the Empress' Hall. It's just a dream but it still hurts. It all happened in the past but her heart still aches.
She whispers to herself, "Aiyah, Empress Xue Chi is a crybaby."
She laughs softly as she wipes the tears in her eyes.