Circumventing Fate 83 - Generous Giver

Lei Xing spent the rest of the day trying to get the bracelet to talk, she even held out an inkstone above it to threaten it but it kept ignoring her. This lack of communication dampened her mood significantly.

Dinner came and she sat down and absentmindedly picked up her chopsticks.

{...Can you not be so petty?... I already said I will return it so just cooperate, so you can leave faster...}

{...*...}

No response.

Lei Xing pouted and disgruntedly ate her dinner. Later on that night, when she was drinking some tea, she saw Ah Jin looking at the bracelet on her wrist with knit eyebrows.

Lei Xing nervously laughed and explained, "Ah, it's Tung Mei's...We met earlier and she left this behind so I'm keeping it safe for her." She finished with a smile and put her hand down so her sleeves covered it.

"Anyway, you all can leave. I want to sleep." She then stood up, yawned and walked to the bed.

{..Why the hell am I feeling guilty? I didn't steal it...I'm just keeping it safe until further notice...Hey, how about this, let's talk and I'll take you to Tung Mei tomorrow, hm?...} 

{...*...}

Lei Xing sighed and plopped down on the bed, raised her hand up and frowned at the bracelet and then flicked it. Then she went to sleep gripping tightly onto the bracelet, so it could not escape while she was asleep. 

The next day she continued her efforts and even threatened it some more but it still didn't respond, so she just sat there pouting at it.

{...Hey, aren't you bored? Let's talk...}

{...*...}

{...Come onn...Oh, Tung Mei! What's she doing here?...}

{...*You think I'm stupid? Hmph!...}

{...Apparently not very smart either...}

{...*Hmph! What do you know?!...}

Lei Xing rolled her eyes.

{...Okay so, how long have you been with Tung Mei?...}

{...*...}

The bracelet stopped responding again, which irritated Lei Xing.

{...Do you have to be so difficult?!...}

{...*...}

While Lei Xing was poking at the bracelet trying to get a reaction again, the announcement came from outside, "The Emperor has arrived!"

Lei Xing groaned, got up, and bowed as the Emperor entered the room, followed by eunuchs carrying in three big trunks.

As Lei Xing curiously stared at the trunks, the Emperor looked at her and slightly smiled, then waved a hand and the eunuchs opened the trunks to reveal gold ingots.

Lei Xing's eyes went wide, then she frowned.

{...G-gold...Gold?!...Is that for me? No, no wait. What are you giving me money for?...}

The Emperor saw Lei Xing frowning and then frowned himself, "You don't like it?"

{...It said she would like this...}

Lei Xing regained her senses, looked at the Emperor, and gave a half-smile, "Well, everyone likes money...I'm just wondering why...?"

{...Money's great and all...But money with strings? Then it depends...}

The Emperor's frown deepened, and he seemed to be in deep contemplation, then he responded, "A gift."

Lei Xing raised an eyebrow.

{...Lazy gifting...but I'll accept it...Wait, what are you giving me a gift for again? The library is one thing, but taking cold hard cash from him is another - I know! It's compensation, compensation for all the stress. Yes! I've been through a lot! Yes, that's why hahaha So I can take it - Yes, we can!...}

"Since you don't like it then..." The Emperor waved his hand again, and the eunuchs closed the trunks and were about to lift them, when Lei Xing put out her hands and blurted, "I like it!"

Lei Xing blinked and quickly brought her hands back, bowed and amended, "Any gift from Your Majesty is something to be grateful for."

The Emperor raised an eyebrow and then smirked and smugly said, "That's good then." Lei Xing smiled and nodded, feeling a bit embarrassed.

{...I feel like an idiot >_<)...}

{...*You are an idiot -_-)...}

{...Shut Up!...}

After a while of the two standing there looking at each other in silence with the atmosphere becoming increasingly awkward, the Emperor frowned and then turned and left with the eunuchs following behind.

Lei Xing let out a sigh of relief as the doors closed and she was left alone with the trunks of gold, she grinned and slowly crept up to them and opened them. 

{...How much gold is in here? Maybe 300? 500? I should have asked...No, that'll make me look crazy...The suspense will make counting more fun hahahahaha...}

{...*Nothing to worry about there, you already seem crazy -_-)...}

Lei Xing ignored the bracelet and started digging to the bottom of one of the trunks to confirm it was all gold.

{...I'm rich! Rich! I should buy a building...Start a business maybe? Is this even enough to? I need to look into that...}

{...*I'd hate to be the poor guy who just tried to get your attention with money...You completely discount his existence and only focus on the money...You're a horrible person!...}

[...And I'd hate to be the poor bracelet who's in my grasp with a big mouth...What's it to you? I deserve this! You have no clue what I've been through because of him... And I said thank you!... What do you expect me to do? Throw myself at him? I'm not for sale! -_-)...}

{...*Your thoughts express otherwise...}

{...I'm starting to see why she tossed you -_-)'...}

{...*Xiao Ying is an impetuous child, I'm great and you're horrible!...}

{...Are you always this cranky?... Why are you trying to ruin my day? -_-)...}

{...*Because you ruined mine! You're basically keeping me hostage!...}

Lei Xing sighed in annoyance, dropped the gold and went to sit down, and leaned back in the chair.

{...Okay, since we both dislike each other. Let's get this over with...Just a few questions, then I'll toss you to the wind...What are you?...}

{...*...}

{...Fine, next question then...How long have you been with Tu-Xiao Ying?...}

{...*All her life!... Well, most of it...There were a few baby moments I missed before taking her...}

{...Wait, you took a baby?...}

{...*How else am I supposed to get a baby?!...}

{...Make one? It sounds like you kidnapp-...}

{...*It's none of your business! Why don't you make your own?!...}

{...Okay, moving on -_-)...So you're a person or were a person? I mean you have to have existed outside the bracelet to have taken a baby, right? With you being so weak, you cou-...}

{...*I'm not weak! Do you know who I am?!...}

{...No, you skipped the introduction -_-)...}

{...*Well, it's none of your business!...}

{...Fine, I'll ask what is my business then...Three years ago, Tung Mei and I spent some time together, I want to know what happened then...}

{...*Do I seem like an archive to you?...}

{...Didn't you just say you've been with her since she was a baby?...}

{...*So? I'm not some pervert!...}

{...And we're back to weird -_-)...}

{...*It's her job to record her life! So go return this bracelet and ask her!...}

{...So you don't know?...}

{...*What I know is none of your business!...}

{...Stupid ass bracelet -_-)...}

{...*Stupid ass idiot...}

{...-_-)'...I don't like you...}

{...*And I don't like thieves -_-)...}

{...Says the one who "took" a baby...}

{...*...}

Lei Xing sighed in annoyance, this is not how she imagined things going. The bracelet went back to ignoring her again.

This time it seemed that Lei Xing had greatly upset it because it ignored her even after she apologized, threatened it and tried to trick it, and days passed like that.

Lei Xing sighed as she glanced at the bracelet. 

"Are you tired?"

She looked up at the Emperor, "No, I'm good." Then she put her chess piece on a random spot on the board. They were currently in the middle of a chess game. 

This recent pastime began three weeks ago. While Lei Xing was lazing around brooding over the bracelet, the Emperor had randomly come by in the evening after not bothering her for a few days. He had dinner with her and then asked if she knew how to play chess. She said no, and so he took it upon himself to teach her.

Lei Xing was reluctant and tried to dissuade him by saying it will be a waste of his valuable time, to which he simply responded, "It is of no issue."

She then tried suggesting that she could get Li Ru or someone else to teach her instead, just so he could leave. But he said, "That's good, you'll improve faster with more opportunity to practice."

So, Lei Xing begrudgingly sat down, and the lesson proceeded. Lei Xing initially thought it was some stupid ploy so he could stay the night. She already acquired her contraception, but she really was not in a good mood. She irritatedly went through the motions while dreading the approaching bedtime, thinking of a viable excuse she could give.

In the end, after an hour or so of playing, the Emperor got up, told her to sleep well, and to Lei Xing's surprise, he left her sitting there, staring after him in confusion.

The next evening he came again. They played for a bit, then ate dinner together, and then he left again.

The same happened over and over again, he came and always left, which confused Lei Xing, but she reigned herself in and went with the flow and actually began to pay attention to the lessons.

Today he was here again. They had just finished dinner and returned to their game. Lei Xing looked at the Emperor, who was scrutinizing the game board on his turn.

{...What exactly is he playing at?...}

{...*Isn't it obvious? He's pursuing you!... Even I can see that, and I don't have eyes there. But I also can't understand why anyone would want to, so your disbelief is understandable...}

{...-_-)...}

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NOTE: The NEXT chapter is an 🐜 side STORy, so SKIP if you will~ Thank you...

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