Silk Flags

DISCLAIMER: I don't own any of the characters, except for my original character.

Chapter #11: Renxian

Recap:

"Yeah. Rain's stopped though so…," she yawned. "Until tomorrow, then." Gan Ning nodded and she left.

That night, Gan Ning fell asleep with a smile for the first time in years.

He hit the ground rolling, making a speedy recovery. As the dust he kicked up cleared, Gan Ning circled his assailant. Their torso gave away his next attack. Gan Ning smirked and easily dodged, catching their wrist and twisting their arm behind their back in a smooth move. "Blew it," he remarked, letting his friend go.

"What'd I do this time?" asked Lü Meng, loosening and stretching his arm.

"You let your stomach give your motion away. Getting sloppy now, are we gramps?" teased Gan Ning.

Lü Meng glanced at his friend casually out of the corner of his eye. Gan Ning was visibly gloating. Swiftly crouching, he swept Gan Ning's feet out from beneath him with a dexterous kick. "It doesn't look like it. And stop calling me gramps. I'm not that much older than you."

Gan Ning rolled his eyes on the ground. "Hey have you seen Su Fei? He should be out here training too," he remarked accepting Lü Meng's hand to help him up.

Lü Meng shrugged noncommittally. "Honestly, he could be anywhere. He's mainly been holed up in the library looking for some naval stratagem or other. I should probably be helping him, but teaching you a lesson out in the fresh air was way too good to resist."

Gan Ning scowled, his back stiffening indignantly. "But I won."

"Says the boy who was flipped to the ground last," Lü Meng retorted smugly. Gan Ning grumbled incoherently to himself as his companion chortled in victory. "Come on, let's get ready. Our Lord will throw a tantrum if we show up like a couple of sweaty boars."

They walked in together, even looking forward to another banquet that evening. Gan Ning lost track of what it was for exactly. In his opinion, the past months had been filled with too many frivolous banquets and celebrations. Not that he minded much, however. These heavily-attended events garnered enough cover for him to slip away unnoticed for a short, chaste rendezvous with her.

Sun Shang Xiang mesmerized him entirely. Normally, he would enrapture a woman, be she prostitute or otherwise, and be done with her after a week-long affair at the most. Shang Xiang was much different.

Gan Ning spent his time getting ready thinking about her. What was it that made him insane enough to pursue her in secret? He was convinced it was the furtive, coy looks from afar she reserved only for him during any extending public meetings. Yes, that always made the dull business so much more enjoyable. Or perhaps it was the fiery, stubborn determination so innocently showcased on her face when they sparred together with wooden weapons. She was ever ridiculously endearing when a ferocious warrior. Even still, it was the stray brush of her fingertips during an easy hand-to-hand combat session. Her hand would reach to his face and caress it, if only for a second before resuming its aggressive motion fluidly. From that second on, he was in pure, unadulterated, complete, and utter bliss. It was hard for him to concentrate when someone like her was gently breaking a sweat, panting lightly, all the while her cheeks reddening with physical effort.

Gan Ning decided it was a bad idea to continue his train of thought. He was about to go bathe, after all.

That evening, they snuck from the banquet and strolled close to the banks of the Jiang Dong, remaining on palace grounds. Sitting atop a hill and watching the water, they were obscured by a group of trees and bushes from prying palace eyes. From afar, they seemed like just another couple taking a break from the festivities.

She sat against a tree, facing the water with her legs stretched before her. Gan Ning rested with his head in her lap, his eyes trained on the water. She smiled and began playing with his spiky locks. It was a soft moment, with waves gently washing over the banks a few yards away. "Shang?" asked Gan Ning softly, as though he would shatter their surroundings if he spoke too loudly.

"Hmm?" she murmured, ceasing her playing.

"Hold out your hand and close your eyes," he bid her gently.

"Why? What do you have up your sleeve?" she asked him quietly, a note of curiosity weaving throughout her words.

"Please?" he asked, his intense hazel eyes boring into her emerald ones. "It's a surprise for you." She regarded him with a cautious look, before grinning and obliging him. She felt his weight shift and his clothing rustle. His warm fingers brushed her palms as he placed something cool and metallic in her hands. "Okay, open them."

In her hands were gold earrings, studded with emeralds and rubies. "Gan Ning," she breathed, staring with wide green eyes at the gift in the palms of her hands. "How did you…?"

"It's a present for you. I know you have much nicer jewelry, but I wanted to give you something you can keep with you to remind you of me, I guess," he told her as she immediately fitted them to her ears. They hung about an inch or so, a small, glimmering token of his affection for her. She beamed.

"Oh, Gan Ning, they're perfect."

He hoped she would say that. "You're perfect."

She giggled and blushed. "No, I'm not. I don't have anything for you."

Gan Ning sat up and looked at her. "That's fine," he told her, scooting closer to her and putting an arm around her shoulder. He pulled her close to him, close enough that the deliciously clean scent of her skin wafted easily to his nose. He breathed in deep, never able to get enough of her.

"No it isn't. I want to give you something too," she insisted, pulling away from him.

"Why? Just because I give you a gift, it doesn't mean you have to give me one too. Don't worry about it," he soothed, already missing her warm curves against him.

Her face, so happy only moments before, twisted into a scowl. "You always do this to me," she told him crossly.

"Do what? You're going to have to be more specific, Shang Xiang," he huffed.

She stood and crossed her arms. "You know, the 'Don't worry about it'. 'Just relax.' 'I'll do it.' 'Stop fretting.' It's so frustrating!" she told him, tone hard and icy. "You treat me like I'll shatter sometimes."

Gan Ning got to his feet. "Well, I didn't realize you were offended by my attempts to be your gallant admirer. This'll be the last time I do anything nice for you," he spat.

She laughed hollowly. "Oh, yes. Please. Pour on the dramatics."

Gan Ning ignored her comment. "I give you a surprise and then you start yelling at me for it!" he hissed. "What do you expect?"

"You've got a lot of nerve to say that to me," she warned.

"What do you expect?" he challenged again, drawing himself up to full height and taking a step to her.

"I expect you to treat me like a human being. Not some doll like everyone else. I'm not defenseless!" Shang Xiang snarled. She stood up and threw her shoulders back, straightened her stance and puffed her chest forward. It didn't do much in the way of counter-intimidation. He still loomed over her, unconsciously throwing his masculinity in her face. Argue now; dream later, she reminded herself mentally, after her eyes flicked down to his torso. His brocade vest and silk shirt fit him well, covering the tanned and tattooed skin she adored. The hand that, only moments ago, held her strong and close to that muscled chest, was currently running through his hair in an agitated fashion.

"How should I know how to treat you? I've never done this before!" he growled before he could stop himself from saying it.

"Liar!" she snapped.

He grabbed her shoulders and looked directly at her eyes. "No! I've never done anything like this!" he insisted. Sighing in frustration, he made an attempt to clarify his statement, not entirely sure what he could call the relationship they shared, "I've never had this." He gestured vaguely between them in an attempt to clarify his point.

Looking into his eyes, he seemed to be asking her, begging her to believe him. She almost could. Almost. "How dare you lie to me," she spat. "You looked me right in the eyes and lied. I may not be a part of that male camaraderie you have in there, but you all are so loud when you've had too much alcohol. I've heard you raving about your adventures where women are concerned."

"What?" he asked, voice faltering. "I thought we settled that particular topic during our last fight!"

She glared at him and pushed herself away from him. "No, Gan Ning, we didn't," she told him, crossing her arms over her chest and looking away from him. "You just kissed me so I couldn't argue back."

He grinned. "I didn't think you minded me kissing you," he teased, tilting her head back up to catch his gaze. "Did you mind, Princess?"

She snarled at him, "Don't call me 'princess' when we're arguing. And stop grinning. Do you like making me angry with you?"

"Only when it gets me kisses from you," he smirked, delighting in the fact she didn't pull away.

"Oh, you are such a pig," she informed him, blushing and swatting at his hand.

"But I'm your pig?" he offered, spreading his arms and waiting for her reply. She looked at him reproachfully. He cocked his head and an eyebrow. "Please?"

Sun Shang Xiang wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face in his neck. "Yes," she murmured, lips teasing his skin. "But you're still a pig." He wrapped his arms around her and relished in her embrace.

"As long as I'm yours, I don't care what I am," he breathed, so quiet he could barely hear. Sun Shang Xiang made no motion that she heard.

After a moment, Shang Xiang pulled away. "I think it's time we head back," she told him softly, "They'll be wondering where we are by now, I'll bet."

Gan Ning nodded. "Good idea, princess," he told her as they began sneaking back to the palace.

She punched him playfully on his arm. "Don't call me princess," she mumbled.

Back at the feast, Su Fei was laughing at something Huang Gai had finished saying when Lü Meng rushed over, a worried look on his face. "May I speak to you privately?" he asked. Su Fei nodded and toasted the other officers before he left.

The two men walked outside the room, giving a wide berth to Zhou Yu and his wife. There was a circle where nobody stood or sat, leaving the two more or less in the center. Lady Qiao was complaining to him about one thing or another. Su Fei and Lü Meng vaguely heard something about Zhou Yu devoting too much of his time to the library before escaping out of earshot.

"What was it you needed to speak to me privately about? Why do you look so upset?" asked Su Fei casually, sipping more wine from his goblet.

"I can't find Gan Ning anywhere," Lü Meng informed him.

He laughed. "I'll bet he's off somewhere, up to no good no doubt," replied Su Fei. "Do you need to talk to him?"

Lü Meng ignored the question, elaborating, "The princess is missing as well."

Su Fei shrugged. "Is there a connection there?"

Lü Meng hesitated long enough for Su Fei to determine his friend's opinion. "You can't seriously think Gan Ning would be so stupid as to drag Lady Shang Xiang off to some secluded spot to have his drunken way with her?" he asked incredulously. "I mean, he thinks with his loins sometimes, but the princess? I don't think he has a death wish!"

Lü Meng pursed his lips. "What if he does?" he asked tersely. "What if he is off with her? I don't think Sun Quan would be too pleased to find out one of his officers dragged his younger sister off for some wine-induced encounter!"

Su Fei let out an exasperated sigh. "But we don't know they're even together! What if Lady Shang Xiang has retired for the evening? What if Gan Ning is drinking somewhere else? We have no proof until we find the two!"

"But…," began Lü Meng.

"Let's not jump to conclusions," continued Su Fei, barreling past Lü Meng's interruption. "If we find them, will you be at ease?" Lü Meng sighed and nodded. "Good. Let's get started. We'll just go from one end of the banquet to the other, checking every nook and cranny, asking servants and others if they've seen either one."

"Wait! That would be too obvious. Let's just ask for Gan Ning. It's a little less conspicuous," suggested Lü Meng. Su Fei nodded and they returned to the hall, eyes alert and scanning the crowds as they searched for their friend.

After searching individually, they returned to the corridor where they first discussed the whereabouts of their friends. Gan Ning was walking toward them.

"Gan Ning! Where have you been?" Lü Meng asked. Su Fei regarded the third man with an analyzing, calculating look.

"I heard you were looking for me," countered Gan Ning. "What is it you wanted?"

Lü Meng frowned. "Well…," his voice abating. "We have some interesting news for you."

Gan Ning crossed his arms, waiting. "What is it?"

Su Fei exchanged glances with Lü Meng, not quite sure where Meng was going. "Ling Tong has returned from border duty. Rumor has it he still wants your head to offer to his father's grave," informed Lü Meng

"Still?" Gan Ning asked incredulously. "Damn. The kid's tenacious, I'll give him that."

"Tenacious or not, you best watch yourself," warned Su Fei. "He means business."

Gan Ning waved his hand carelessly, as though the threat was a cobweb hanging limply before him. "I'm sure he does. I don't mean to be dying anytime soon, so I wish him the best of luck. Besides, how long can he keep this grudge going? How many fathers has he killed under this banner?"

Su Fei and Lü Meng looked at each other uncomfortably. Lü Meng replied hesitantly, "I'm not sure that's quite the point you should seek to make when you two finally, ah, settle your differences. He has taken it upon himself as a personal vendetta."

Gan Ning yawned mid-chuckle. He stretched and smiled at his two friends. "I think it's about time I take it upon myself to retire for the evening. If you will excuse me, then," he began walking to sleep before bidding them to have a good night. They nodded and exchanged glances once Gan Ning's back was turned.

While they informed Gan Ning of the recent arrival, neither one discovered anything about his prior whereabouts.

Sun Shang Xiang was waiting for him in the hallway to return to their respective bedchambers. He winked playfully and she blushed. Walking closely together, she asked quietly, "What did they want?"

"Ling Tong is back," he told her, yawning and wrapping an arm around her shoulders, bringing her close. "That's all."

She looked at him skeptically. "That's all? He doesn't hate you still?"

Gan Ning shrugged and checked around them. "Yeah, I guess. If he decides to confront me again, I figure I'll just try to talk some sense into him. He's been away for a while. That's got to have cooled him off a bit, right?"

Sun Shang Xiang glanced quickly around them before tugging him gently to a stop, pulling him to face her by grabbing the cloth on his chest. "Be careful, okay? I don't know what I would do if you got hurt over this," she told him quietly. "If he came at you like the first day…." Her voice trailed off. "Please, don't say or do anything rash where Ling Tong is concerned. For my sake." She looked up at him, concerned.

He stared back. "Okay," he breathed, voice husky, "But for your sake." He reached to her, cradling and turning her head to kiss her.

She pulled back slightly, giggling. "But what if someone sees?" she asked, blushing.

"I'll make it quick, I promise," he assured.

Sun Shang Xiang rolled her eyes. "Okay, but no kiss later," she told him. He chuckled and leaned to her, pleased that she moved to meet his lips.

The kiss, meant to be sweet and short, soon became charged with emotion as Sun Shang Xiang pulled him closer to her, her hands buried in the fabric of his clothing. Before she could stop herself, she was pressing her hands to his chest, feeling the rigid muscles beneath. He began backing up, pulling her with him, or was she pushing him against the wall? Shang Xiang couldn't tell who was leading who anymore. When his hands let go of her head, shifting to her waist, she pulled her head away.

Gan Ning opened his eyes to find her flushed and her green eyes hazy. His earrings in her ears caught the light as she shook her head, grinning. "What happened to quick?" she asked, crossing her arms.

He laughed. "I could ask you the same question," he told her, grinning from ear to ear. He dropped his hands from her waist back to his sides.

She punched him on the arm and started walking back to her room, bringing herself up to full height once again. She threw her shoulders back and her chest foreword again as she announced, "Good night, you pig."

He grinned and chased after her, his catlike form behind her in only a few steps. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her against him. He corrected her softly, "I'm your pig, remember?" His warm breath teased past her cheek. Shang Xiang only sighed and wrapped her arms around his. "Hmm?" he hummed into her neck, dotting kisses on the creamy expanse of neck she exposed to him. He could feel the heat rushing to her face.

Oh, goodness. Here they were, out in the open, for anyone with eyes and ears to notice. While the circular room between the two hallways leading to the bedchambers was currently occupied by only the two of them, Gan Ning was certain someone would stumble in at any moment. As terrifying as the prospect was, it made his heart pound to no end. And her throaty whimpers were invoking a not-so-surprising reaction from him too. He struggled to contain himself.

She turned in his embrace, locking eyes with him. Her skin was rosy, eyes hazy, biting her lower lip. "Gan Ning," she paused, not quite sure what to say, blinking. "I…," her voice trembled.

He was too afraid to hear what she was about to say next, so he cut her off hurriedly. "I agree. We do need to rest," he told her, smiling weakly. Neither of them moved.

She put her hands back on his chest, looking down at them. "Rest," her voice sounded far-off, detached almost, as though it was coming from an echo in the room. The silence that followed was oppressing. It matched the silly fluttering in her stomach and the pounding of her chest.

Shang Xiang wanted to speak. She wanted to tell him so dearly. I do not wish to rest tonight. They were caught, jumbled in her throat. Instead, they became something different entirely. "Goodnight then, Gan Ning."

"Goodnight, Sun Shang Xiang." They released each other and he watched her leave, keeping his hazel eyes trained longingly on her until he could no longer see her. He sighed and began walking back to his bedchambers. It was going to be a long night.

After attending to certain things, he tried to convince himself he was doing the right thing as he lay himself down to sleep. He could not go down that certain path with her, no matter how much either of them wanted it. What if she became promised to some other man? She probably would be. He imagined what her future husband would be like. He would probably be much older than her, with some sort of claim to power. He would have wives and mistresses abound. The pompous bastard probably would not even care to love her the way she deserved. Gan Ning growled with jealousy, his face drawn into a sneer.

He then began to consider what would happen if he did bed her and she was swept away from him to the lucky man. On the wedding night, her husband would doubtless discover his virgin wife was not as innocent as he supposed. He shuddered at the thought of her being ridiculed and sent away like some common whore.

And what of him? He would be executed, no doubt, once it was discovered that he was the one who first took her. The execution would occur after being tortured, of course, so that his spirit may never forget his deed, to feel his offense with every punishment. He would deserve every one, but regret the act? Gan Ning almost laughed out loud. He loved her enough to never regret anything with her.

The thought scared him before he recoiled into anger. How dare he? Love? No. He was not quite sure what this was, but love? Love was not meant to happen for him. He had too much blood on his hands, too many lives taken by his blade. There was no place in this world or the next where he deserved to love and be loved by her.

Tossing and turning, he sighed. Yes, it was definitely going to be a long night.

Sun Shang Xiang entered her room to find Lin Nuan and her other handmaidens waiting for her. Her handmaidens stood as she entered the room. Lin Nuan looked worried and furious at the same time.

"We have been worried about you! We lost sight of where you were. Has anyone hurt you? Are you alright?" she asked worriedly. "You're flushed, do you feel well?"

Sun Shang Xiang pressed a hand to her own face, "I am fine. I simply need to rest."

Lin Nuan frowned but did not challenge her. Despite Lin Nuan's silence, Sun Shang Xiang realized her handmaiden had her own theories as to where she ran off to this night.

Once Sun Shang Xiang was ready to sleep, she dismissed her other handmaidens except for Lin Nuan. "Yes, my lady?" the older woman asked.

Sun Shang Xiang looked out her window before turning to face Lin Nuan, arms crossed. "I know you have your ideas. Doubtless, the others are gossiping amongst themselves. I would rather do away with outlandish rumors. What are they saying?"

Lin Nuan shifted her gaze away from Sun Shang Xiang. "Some think you ran off to the city. Some think you went off for a ride on the grounds."

Sun Shang Xiang laughed. She asked with a sardonic smile, "Ride what? I doubt it's a horse, the way they talk." Lin Nuan chuckled. "What do you think?"

The handmaiden paused, collecting her thoughts. "I think you should be careful." Sun Shang Xiang bit her lip before turning to her bed.

"Goodnight Lin Nuan," she replied quietly. Lin Nuan bowed and left the room, her mistress alone with her own feelings. Shang Xiang watched her go.

Certain the door was closed tight; she turned back to the window, looking out again. It seemed so peaceful compared to the whirlwind of emotions coursing through her body. She was not quite sure what to make of her predicament.

It was her fault of course, she thought. Walking back to her bed, she sat down and hugged her knees to her chest. How naïve she was to feel this way about him.

She drew herself in tighter, scowling at herself. "You will never get anywhere thinking like that," she scolded her knees. "Honestly, who has not been seduced in some way by him? If anyone is at fault, it is him."

Of course it was he who was the one causing all this distress. Before him, her life was just fine. The dramatics were significantly less draining, of course. Significantly less…about her. Significantly less . Significantly less whirlwinds like the ones that had taken to plaguing her as of late. Fear and joy. Confusion and adoration. Hate and love.

Love? Feh. She was getting ahead of herself…right? Sun Shang Xiang convinced herself she never felt hate or love for him. Hate implied severe bodily harm. And love…well…she reasoned she was too young and inexperienced to know love. He just confused her, that's it.

How could one person do this to her? Gan Ning was only one man, after all. He had her feeling anxious and excited at the same time and she couldn't figure out why.

He was ridiculously frustrating at times, too. Sometimes she wanted to punch him or something. Just clock him right as he smirked smugly when he sparred with her. Did he like to see her so angry? Sun Shang Xiang balled her fists at the memory of his grinning face above her after he tripped her today. Does he do that at the enemy when he knocks them down too? If he just stood there admiring his handiwork, it's a wonder he hasn't been cut down before. She shuddered involuntarily at the thought.

Her mind jumped into cycling of its own will through her memory of his expressions. She tried to stop herself, but Sun Shang Xiang wasn't sure if she wanted to do that quite yet. She loved his endearing smile when he surprised her with an extra sweet bun or something small like that during a meal. The way his brow crinkled together when he was really focused on something made her smile. Sometimes she caught the faintest trace of a blush when she lightly brushed her hand against his hand or face during particularly brutal meetings. She wondered to herself if perhaps these gestures were too blatant an indication of their relationship, but nobody else seemed to notice them. If they did, they didn't care enough to mention anything. Besides, she tried to make it seem like she was stirring him from a daydream. Knowing Gan Ning, She probably was.

Sun Shang Xiang blushed, remembering their departure that night. How much they risked for their little interlude, she will never be sure. The scandal of it all was almost too much. Almost. Honestly, it gave her a bit of a thrill to be that indecent in public. The giddy buzz of being discovered at any moment was satisfying to no end.

A thought occurred to her. What if I snuck into his room? We could finish what we started, she contemplated, giggling a bit. She was nineteen years old after all. Her mother was younger when she bore Quan and younger still when married to Sun Jian. These sorts of thoughts couldn't be out of place…could they?

Sun Shang Xiang rolled on her back, trying to get comfortable enough to get to sleep. When it finally arrived, she awoke the next morning with weird dreams.

A few weeks later found Sun Shang Xiang during a humid afternoon. It was difficult to do anything. She and Gan Ning went for a ride until their horses were panting as heavily as they were from the heat. Finding a secluded and sufficient patch of shade, Gan Ning flopped on the ground after dismounting and grabbing a small sack from his saddle. He laid back and pulled out two fuzzy peaches, tossing one to her as she dismounted. "What? Where did you get these?" she asked incredulously. Sun Shang Xiang laid on her back, perpendicular to his abdomen so she could use his stomach as a pillow.

He grinned, pleased for some reason, and looked down to her. Waggling his eyebrows, he asked, "How do you think I got them?"

"You'll hate my answer."

"Try me."

"You stole—"

"Found!" he cut her off quickly. She took a bit e and some of the juices dribbled accidentally out of the corner of her mouth. She quickly wiped it away. "Is it any good?"

"Delicious!" she gushed, eagerly taking another generous bite. As an afterthought, she added, "For stolen fruit, of course."

Gan Ning snorted into his peach, causing her to giggle. "Not stolen!" he announced indignantly. "You know, I should be more offended that you dare to impugn my honor!"

"Honor?" she mocked him playfully, crawling up to lay beside him. He nodded as he watched her, chewing his bite of peach thoughtfully. "You're running around with me behind everyone's backs."

"That's unfair!" he cried. She shushed him, barely able to contain her laughter at his incensed expression. "How can you accuse me of the same thing you are doing and not expect me to be upset?" he demanded, looking straight into her eyes.

"Because you're older. You should know better," she teased, rubbing her nose against his shoulder affectionately. He adjusted so he could put his arm around her. She snuggled up to him and rested her head on his shoulder as he pulled her up against him.

Gan Ning looked back up at the sunlight filtering down through the leaves. "If I should know better, you should too! You're the princess here," he chided, squeezing her. Before she could object, he kissed her forehead. "Whether you like it or not." She quietly finished her peach, tossing the pit over her shoulder. He did the same. They laid there quietly, simply listening. Their horses grazed somewhere nearby as their riders dozed off together, slipping in and out of sleep.

After their catnap, they remained cuddling on the ground at the base of the tree. "Have you heard about dialogue with Shu?" asked Gan Ning.

Sun Shang Xiang shook her head lazily. "What about it? What's going on?" she yawned, more interested in napping again more than discussing politics at the moment.

"Apparently we will be entering into an alliance with them. The only thing I figure we have in common with them is we both want to beat Cao Cao," he told her.

"It'll never work," she replied automatically.

"Why not? Zhou Yu seems excited to get a chance to talk with Zhuge Liang and Liu Bei," he asked.

"We have been fighting with them since my father was in power. And we have never been close politically either."

"Times change, Renxian, and you of all people should know this." He smiled gently at her.

"Yes but…wait. Did you just call me Renxian?" she asked, alarmed. "Who is Renxian?"

Gan Ning blushed. "Renxian is just a nickname I thought up for you a while ago. I didn't actually mean to use it," he admitted bashfully. He looked at her to see how she reacted.

She was looking at their horses, who were wandering back toward them after their little excursion. When she finally looked back at him, a broad smile spread across her face. "Sun Renxian. Sun Ren. I like it," she told him.

"Really?" he asked incredulously, sitting up. His mouth was ajar in pleasant surprise.

She sat up. "Really, Xingba," Sun Shang Xiang affirmed, blushing. "If you call me Renxian…well…." Her voice trailed off and she looked away, self-conscious.

Gan Ning gently turned her to face him. Beaming, he replied, "My style has never sounded sweeter." He brushed hair from her face and tenderly kissed her mouth.

Wow. This chapter took an inexcusable amount of time to finish! My schedule has not been conducive to typing and uploading this chapter. I feel like it ends abruptly, but this story deserves to be updated. Hopefully I will have an easier time writing and uploading the next chapter. Thank you so much for reading! I cannot express how much I appreciate it other than THANK YOU!!! :)