My Husband's Lover (25)

"Liqin! Why didn't you wake me up? It's almost noon already," I complained as I entered Liqin's room.

"That is not my responsibility, Yanyu," Liqin said. "And the emperor told me not to wake you up. He saw the two of you hugging each other on the bed. You really took Guowei's plan seriously."

"Speaking of that, did you know that Guowei had the same dream last night?"

"Why did you not tell me?"

"I was about to do that but he stopped me. He told me to stay then I know this seems stupid but I sang my song and it did the work. He stopped crying."

"You sang the song?"

I nodded. "Isn't it amazing how he can endure my voice? Even during dinner, he didn't laugh like you did. I think Guowei's more of a friend than you."

"The voice does not matter to Guowei as long as you can sing the song. When he has those dreams, he asks me to sing it."

"How does he know about it?"

"When we met in the military, we became close because I sang that song."

"This only confirms one thing. I'm a great composer."

Liqin snorted. "It is thanks to my beautiful voice that Guowei came to like your song. You are always welcome, Yanyu."

I gave him the disgusted look. "I don't know if you're speaking sarcasm or just being plain arrogant, Liqin."

"I am speaking the truth and being proud about it. Is there something wrong with that?"

"The truth doesn't sound so noble when it comes from your mouth. Just speak of lies. They suit your tongue the best."

"I only speak the truth," he said. "By the way, the emperor saw the two of you hugging on the bed. He was going to discuss something with Guowei but he chose not to. You really took Guowei's plan to the next level," he teased.

"Of course. When I do things, I do them properly."

Well, except denying my feelings. I always thought it was easy. I used to shout at characters who held onto their feelings for someone who didn't feel the same way. I would call them stupid. I never knew it was this hard to lie about the heart.

"You ought to." He looked at his watch. "You have not had your breakfast, right?"

"Breakfast and lunch," I replied.

"I am pretty sure your stomach is not happy right now. The food is ready already. Just go in the dining room. I have to prepare some things."

"That's a great idea. My stomach is really angry."

Tofu. It was tofu again. I looked at Jie while taking my seat. She knew what it meant.

"It is your favorite?" she said. She was not sure.

I nodded and dismissed her. I picked up my chopsticks and put the tofu in my mouth. It did stop my stomach from being angry. But it also made my tongue unhappy. And it made my heart ache.

"What is with your face?"

I looked to my right and saw the old man. I sighed. Wherever I went, there was Liqin. The tofu, the dress. Of course, he would be everywhere. He was in my heart.

I cringed inwardly. How cheesy could I get?

"Old man, you are the God of love, right?"

"I am. I know all matters regarding the heart."

"Then you know what it's in my heart, right? Surely, you can do something about it."

"What exactly do you want me to do about it?" he asked.

"Just stop my feelings for Liqin."

"Why should I?"

I smacked him. "Just do it."

"You are very brave. You just hit a God."

"Just do it or else I'll ruin this story. As you said, you know all the matters regarding the heart. Then you must know how strong my feelings are."

"In what way are you going to ruin this story?"

"Do I need to explain everything to you? You're not so smart for a God." I crossed my arms and my legs. "I'm falling for Liqin."

"You have fallen already."

I rolled my eyes and said, "Okay. Fallen. And that shouldn't happen."

"Why not?"

He ate a piece of tofu and sat beside me. If I killed this God, he wouldn't die, right? Should I try it?

"Because Yanyu isn't supposed to fall for Liqin."

"Says who?"

"Yanyu is supposed to have feelings for Guowei."

"Says who?"

I breathed heavily to calm myself down. If this old man was a character in a novel, I would spend hours cursing him.

"It's in the novel!"

"No need to shout. I am right beside you. Well, your feelings are also in the novel."

I gave him the I'm-so-done-with-you face.

"What you are feeling now is what Yanyu is feeling too," he continued. "Whatever feelings you have for Liqin are not breaking the original story."

"What do you mean?"

"Remember that you are Yanyu, not Jingyi. You are not carrying Jingyi's heart. Within you is Yanyu's heart."

"Then does that mean that Yanyu likes Liqin?"

"If that is what you feel now, then that is most probably true."

I scrunched my forehead and said, "But the novel says Yanyu is in love with Guowei."

"The novel? Oh right, the novel that missed many things. Are you talking about that one?"

"The novel might have missed many things but it couldn't have possibly missed such an important matter."

"But what if it did?"

I put down my chopsticks. What if the novel really missed this? It was only stated that they were married. But surely Yanyu loved Guowei for she forced to be married to him. But did she really force herself into this marriage?

I bit down my lower lip then said, "But Yanyu and Guowei are married."

"Do you think marriage is enough of a reason to say that someone loves another? The author can exclude the things she does not want, but she cannot remove the feelings in Yanyu's heart."

"Then whatever I feel right now isn't going to affect the original story, right?"

He nodded.

"What if I confess?" I asked.

He smiled and explained, "Whatever you do here goes in accordance to the original story because you are carrying Yanyu's heart - an important piece of the original story. You only carry your brain in this world. And if in case Jingyi's brain wins over Yanyu's heart, I will interfere. Before you get to do something that changes the course of the story, I have already stopped you."

"So it's okay if I confess, right?"