Gifted Bride of the Sinned Prince

"You took a lot of days to return," Jingfei said, who handed Feng Lao a glass of water.

"Thank you," Feng Lao drank the water first before answering, "The work extended. So, it took me many days to return."

Jingfei placed the glass on the tray and the servant left the pavilion.

"Is anything going on? How is the Queen Dowager doing?" Xu Zifan inquired. Jingfei was also curious to know about her mother.

"Nothing suspicious is going on. The Queen Dowager is well in terms of health. She is usually quiet and stays always inside her room," Feng Lao said. He and Xu Zifan gazed at Jingfei, who was a bit upset to hear about this regarding her mother.

"I will ask my elder brother to free Mother," Jingfei said.

"The Queen Dowager tried to kill the King," Xu Zifan stated.

Jingfei\'s eyes turned teary. Why did her mother do that? She always loved Xiaoming more than anything. How could she lose her conscience at that time?

Xu Zifan placed his hand on the back of Jingfei\'s head and made it rest on his chest. "I know she is your mother. She should be in the palace. I bet His Majesty also thinks the same. But it must be difficult for him to take a decision, where his life can again fall into danger," Xu Zifan explained to Jingfei.

She hummed and pulled away after a while. Feng Lao smiled to see how compatible Jingfei had become with Xu Zifan. She changed a lot right from the day she married Xu Zifan.

They both turned to look at Feng Lao when Xu Zifan continued, "Miaoran came thrice here to see you. Did you not tell her where you have gone?" he asked.

"I didn\'t. I thought it would be the best," Feng Lao replied. "How is she doing? Is her family nice to her?" he asked.

"Miaoran looks better than before," Jingfei stated. "She has turned into such a beautiful lady. She is now happy in her life all because of you, Feng Lao," she complimented Feng Lao\'s effort.

"I guess, we all have helped her in this," Feng Lao stated. "I will go and see her in a while," he informed them.

"It\'s already evening. When will you return home then? You should take a rest today," Jingfei opined.

"I don\'t feel tired," Feng Lao said and smiled at them. "I had taken rest in the day in a local rest house," he asserted.

"Don\'t tell me you missed Miaoran," Xu Zifan said.

"I missed everyone around me," Feng Lao chuckled and asked him what he wanted to say.

"That Miaoran seems to be in love with you. You succeeded in swaying a woman\'s heart!" Xu Zifan said with a teasing look on his face.

"Don\'t joke, Xu Zifan," Feng Lao said.

"He is not. Miaoran does look in love with you," Jingfei affirmed.

"Now, you have to believe. Two people cannot lie," Xu Zifan stated. "We will be happy to see you two together," he added. Jingfei readily agreed with her husband.

However, Feng Lao did not feel good to hear about it. Miaoran wasn\'t supposed to fall for him. He frowned and his facial expressions didn\'t go unnoticed by Xu Zifan and Jingfei.

"Don\'t tell me you will reject her feelings," Xu Zifan said.

"You want me to accept them!?" Feng Lao arched his eyebrow at him.

"Of course. You don\'t need to roam like a lone man anymore. Get married and have a beautiful life ahead with your wife, your kids," Xu Zifan said.

Feng Lao sighed and chuckled at the same time. "That won\'t happen, Xu Zifan," he said.

"Why?" Jingfei was a bit confused.

"Because I-I a-am scared," Feng Lao stuttered while speaking the truth to them.

"What are you scared of? Don\'t tell me you think you will lose her too," Xu Zifan muttered.

"I am scared of losing. I will tell Miaoran not to do so," Feng Lao stated.

Xu Zifan stood close to Feng Lao and placed his hand on his arm. "You won\'t do it. We both know you also need someone, Feng Lao. You don\'t say it to anyone, but as a friend, I know well about you. You loved Li Hua once, yet you never made an effort to find her. You gave up too easily. Don\'t do such a thing this time. You have to fight for your happiness, Feng Lao."

Xu Zifan could not see his friend staying in a dark past, in some terrible memories. "I was also there where you are today. You know this well, Feng Lao. You, me, and Li Hua, the three of us shared all those things in common. However, we both have moved ahead. It is your turn and I want you to see you happy. I want your happiness, Feng Lao."

Xu Zifan did his best to convince Feng Lao not to reject Miaoran feelings based on his past. Past was gone and he had to move on from that.

"Feng Lao, you also found comfort in her, right?" Jingfei asked him. "We are not insisting you marry her only. We only want you to not reject Miaoran instantly," she said in her soft tone.

Feng Lao understood what they both wanted. "Fine. I will try doing that too. I also do not want to dwell on the past. But it\'s difficult sometimes," Feng Lao stated.

"We understand. You should look around you, Feng Lao. Xiwan, Chang Shi, and Prince Lóng Wei had worst lives than us. The three of them grew up alone. However, today they are happy. They also have let the fear go off their minds which they carried from their pasts. Life has given you a new chance and you must not kick it away. You don\'t know how happy we will be to see you happy," Xu Zifan said and he withdrew his hand from his arm.

Feng Lao understood Xu Zifan\'s words. He decided to find first if Miaoran truly liked him. Sometimes, people also took the wrong meanings of a woman\'s concern toward a man. If he found out she had feelings for him, he would proceed accordingly.