"Why do you look so irritated?", Asked Lu Xin Yin as she chewed some fluffy cakes.

"No, I'm not", Li Xi Rui tried to look natural but her expression just looked awkward.

"Don't tell me it's because a certain someone hasn't been going home and another certain someone has been spending her time alone. For three whole nights!", said Lu Xin Yin as she sips some honeyed tea.

"Don't tell me there is another rumour spreading around the city? Honestly, they just cannot stop!", Li xi Rui is mad. Why can't these people just leave her alone? Why are they so interested in her life? Can't they just concentrate on their own life?!

Lu Xin Yin could sense Li Xi Rui's anger, "Furthermore, your three green eyed maids has been giving us weird looks. Li Xi Rui, I thought you would already handled these insignificant maids".

"Don't bother. Sometimes, those who can be seen as insignificant, someone powerful is backing them up", replied Li Xi Rui. When it's time, those three would be send back to their owner.

Lu Xin Yin eyed her friend. After her broken engagement with her childhood sweetheart, she quickly moved on with the second prince. She has hesitation whether Li Xi Rui really has forgotten about the crown prince. "Are you still in love with that man? Tell me honestly", asked Lu Xin Yin.

"I don't know. Me and him has been betrothed since I was a child. Frankly, I don't know anyone besides him. I didn't try to get to know anyone besides him. I didn't try to love anyone besides him", replied Li Xi Rui. After their engagement, Li Xi Rui had done nothing but giving her whole heart to the crown prince. So she knew nothing but loving that man. She had done everything to please him.

" And now? How did you feel when you see him? Don't tell me that you didn't have a change of heart? Then how about the second prince?", asked Lu Xin Yin. Her eyes widen. "I saw how he looked at you. I saw how you interact toward him. Don't tell me that it was all a lie?!", Lu Xin Yin shrieked. How can she believed that their sweet actions towards one another was just a lie. She won't believe it!

"Me and Long Jie is the one thing I didn't expect", Li Xi Rui gave a wry smile. "Did you remember how we were arguing? Maybe you didn't know, but his words hurt me the most. Time after time, his words left scars and time after time, I was starting to doubt myself. Maybe I really am the shrew he had been talking about. Maybe, I really am a bad person. But every time I want to listen to him, my stubbornness didn't want to let him win", replied Li Xi Rui. Li Xi Rui looked at the tea leaf in her cup. The leaf is standing up indicating her luck is good.

Lu Xin Yin glance at her friend. After they resume their friendships, this is the first time she saw how sombre and melancholy Li Xi Rui's eyes are. Maybe she didn't realize how much her friend had change.

"And now, I really don't know what to feel. And bcause we're husband and wife, I couldn't help but feeling perplexed when he hurt himself or being angry when he concealed something from me", said Li Xi Rui. To tell the truth, Li Xi Rui never stop and try to think calmly about Long Jie. Even before she had been reincarnated, Long Jie had manage to control her surge of emotions. When she love, she loves dearly and when she hate, she hates deeply. Long Jie belong to the latter.

'Are you sure it's just because you're husband and wife?', thought Lu Xin Yin. In particular, Li Xi Rui is not a bad person. She is just a bit impulsive. But thinking about it again, Li Xi Rui had been impulsive when it comes to the matter regarding the second prince and Mu Jiu Jiu. She could understand why Li Xi Rui hated Mu Jiu Jiu, but towards the second prince; she should not be that fierce and incurred Long Jie's wrath. All in all, she should behave and get along with him. Long Jie is still the crown prince's brother. Wasn't it common sense to get along with your fiancé's brother?

"Every time we met, he has something bad to say. Why couldn't he just be nice? I don't understand him", confessed Li Xi Rui. She is just complaining about Long Jie's initial attitude towards her. "He just make me mad sometimes", said Li Xi Rui in a soft tone. She twisted her fingers together. Her head is hanging low.

"Ah... confessing your discontent to miss Lu is it?", Rui Sheng came and sat down on the chair besides Li Xi Rui.

"Old man, why are you here? If you are here to make fun of me, the door is just over there", said Li Xi Rui without looking at him.

Lu Xin Yin nudges her friend.

With a smile on his face, Rui Sheng nods at Lu Xin Yin and greets her, "How are you miss Lu?". Lu Xin Yin blushes. With a deity like man smiling at her, Lu Xin Yin could do nothing but staring at him. When Rui Sheng notice the familiar look, he turns his head to Li Xi Rui's direction, "There is trouble in paradise? Then, this should be enough for you. But remember to be cautious".

Li Xi Rui turns her head to Rui Sheng's direction. 'What is he talking about?', she was lost for a moment

.

"Take a look", said Rui Sheng. He could see Li Xi Rui's emotion from her face. 'The self proclaimed villainess with her true emotions written all over her face; will never be a true villain', thought Rui Sheng. In Rui Sheng's eyes, Li Xi Rui is just a small animal brandishing her own little claws. "A little lotus is eyeing a dragon in the sky. So, the little lioness should guard her territory tightly", said Rui Sheng nonchalantly.

Li Xi Rui is even more puzzled. But after thinking about it for a few minutes, she could grasps the hidden meaning in Rui Sheng's words. Dragon should be referring to Long Jie and lioness should be her. Then lotus? Is there another lotus than that heroine? Lotus here, and lotus there, she just hate that flower! Li Xi Rui wanted to ask which lotus Rui Sheng had mentioned, but when she turns to Rui Sheng's direction, he has gone. 'What a rotten manner!', thought Li Xi Rui. That old man just come and go as he likes!

She could never truly like Rui Sheng. She has this nagging feeling that Rui Sheng is concealing something from her. After a while, she turns to look at the silent Lu Xin Yin.

"Xin Yin, you...", her word stops when she saw, her friend looked like she is in a trance. "Xin Yin, Xin Yin!", Li Xi Rui shakes Lu Xin Yin's body. "Wake up!"

"Xi Rui? Why are you shaking me? Don't tell me that you are too hungry that you wanted to eat this grandma? Even if you're willing, this grandma still isn't willing ah!", shouted Lu Xin Yin.

Black lines appears on Li Xi Rui's forehead. "What are you talking about, I have a strong, handsome man waiting for me on my bed, why would I want you? Don't say nonsensical things!", replied Li Xi Rui.

' Wasn't the strong, handsome man hasn't been home for three days now?', thought Lu Xin Yin. "Then, is that for him?", asked Lu Xin Yin as she points to the book Rui Sheng had given Li Xi Rui.

"You know what is this?",Li Xi Rui raised her eyebrow.

"Of course, which woman didn't know the sacred book? You... don't tell me, you didn't know! Xi Rui, as a married woman, you should learn all the moves by heart!", said Lu Xin Yin as she grabbed Li Xi Rui's hand. "I won't take your time, here, study all the moves. This is the secret to bind your husband to you forever. Even Madam Shu has given her own approval!".

"Xin Yin... You...", Li Xi Rui couldn't believe her ears. Madam Shu was a famous courtesans in the flower house. After she had gotten married, her husband continue to dilly dally with many other women. It's not until the madam has gotten a hold of a book. A book that is said to be very erotic, that even the devil will blush. "Don't tell me, it's that kind of book?!", exclaimed Li Xi Rui.

"Who cares what kind of book is it as long as it beneficial!", Lu Xin Yin flashed a wicked smile.

"...", Li Xi Rui could not said anything. She never thought that someday, she would resolve to study that kind of book. But as she keeps thinking about it, a thought come across her mind, 'Maybe this book could give her ideas on how to punish that missing second prince!'.