Chapter 68 - Promise Me,
Unedited version.
"So you grew up with officer Wan in Novaria?"Kousuke asked when he found it unable to accept the truth bomb dropped by Ming Yue a minute ago. Well, no one could believe that their beloved Nechan, whom they trusted the most, respected the most, was living under a fake identity all these years.
"But Nechan, how did you end up in Daisun, and where are your parents?" He curiously inquired to confirm his doubt whether Ming Yue's even though there was a slight doubt that Ming Yue's parents were no more alive. He couldn't come up with any other reason for her to live under a fake identity and get herself associated with the underworld.
"My parents came to the imperial city with Wan family, years ago. They were scientists and used to work together with Wan Yi Jun's father. And when I was in school, both my parents lost their lives in arson, leaving me alone. I had few relatives back in Novaria, but nobody wanted to take my responsibility, and my only option was Daisun. So I came there." Ming Yue monotonously explained as if she was talking about someone else. And those who listened to her emotionless, ice-cold voice couldn't help but wonder whether she was a human being or some robot without no emotions.
No matter how better Hiroki and others have treated her, she lost her parents and basically got abandoned by everyone in childhood. It would have become a traumatic memory for her.
"Is that when Big brother took you home?" Kousuke probed again in an empathetic voice.
"No. I came to Daisun on my own and started looking for someone from the Terada family. Someone who knew about my mother's existence and fortunately happened to run into Tora in Kiyama." Ming Yue paused for a moment as if she was reminiscing the first time she met Tora as a high school student. Even without him, she would have found the Terada family, but meeting Tora had made her journey much easier and changed her life. "He is the one who brought me to Hiro Chan and gave me a family. So I'm kind of indebted to him." Ming Yue said with an honest smile that illuminated her face as she looked at the ring resting inside a small jewellery box.
"Does elders of the clan know that you are Big brother's niece, not sister?"
"Hmm. The elders knew, and some of them even asked Hiro chan to send me back to the place from where I came from, quoting that I'm a foreigner. But Hiro chan didn't budge, saying that I'm the only family who shares his bloodline. Since we hadn't much age difference, I just started to address him brother, and he didn't correct me either."
"But does officer Wan knows that you are his childhood friend or you are the clan leader?"
"Not yet."
"Do you have any special feelings for him?"
"What?"
"You don't have any feelings for him, nor he has recognized you. Then why are you taking this huge risk? Didn't I tell you before that he is looking into the Daisunese mafia?"
"Yes. Captain Wan has been investigating Daisunese mafia clans, especially the White tiger. And that's enough for a reason for me to stay and save my family from the imperial police force."
"What if you get caught?"
"He is a law-abiding officer, unlike others. He will never kill me without a court trial.
"Are you crazy, Nechan? Do you have any idea what the hell did you just said?"
"I have only one request. Take out some time and talk to Tora every day. Otherwise, he would call us and figure out that you have already left this place."
"Yaa...are you allowing her to leave?"
"She has already made her mind."
"Thanks, Yoji."
"Nope, what I want is a word in return."
"What?"
"I will be tracking your each and every action, and you are not allowed to take it down...never...ever. If you are willing to do it, I will stay loyal to you. Otherwise, I will inform Tora and Big brother."
"I agree."
"You can't just agree...Every morning and night, you should call us and assure us that you are safe over there."
"Agree. I will call you every morning and night."
"Hmm. When are you leaving?"
"He said that he will pick me up from the central square."
As per Wan Yi Jun's order's, Ming Yue waited for him in the central square of the imperial city.
Since Kousuke and Yojiro got to know about her real identity, it was a bit easy for her to make them convince why she must move into Wisteria gardens.
"I hope I didn't make you wait for so long."
"No, not at all."
"Give it to me."
And the best part of working in a group was not limited to the construction workers, but it affected the only girl in the mansion, too.
Since Ming Yue stayed in the mansion all day long, supervising the renovation, most of the young men among the construction workers were excited to work as if they drank some high energy potion.
Indeed, a beautiful woman's company made them forget their fears at least when they were next to her.
"I still can't believe we all mistook an angel-like girl as a ghost?" Qian Fan, One of the workers, said as he waited in front of the huge iron gate of the wisteria gardens. "How can Miss Ming be a ghost? She is an absolute beauty."
Workers who were once scared to come to the mansion even changed their working schedule to interact with Ming Yue a little bit more.
Some of her hardcore fans even came early to the mansion before others, so they could talk and impress the beauty.
Even though few of the workers were evidently interested in Ming Yue, none of them dared to confess their feelings simply because they lacked the courage to confront the ice queen, who always ignored their advances.
sual invitation, Qian Fan and Chao Xiong looked at each other in confusion. They couldn't even figure out whether she was joking or not.
Through the very short period they have spent in the mansion, Qian Fan understood that the girl in this house was not just a maid, but something more.
Even if she cooks and cleans and take care of the house chores like a loyal maid, his mind couldn't digest the fact that a strong and capable young woman like her would choose to become a maid.
There was something off.
"Don't want it? Okay, fine." Ming Yue shrugged her shoulders and continued sweeping the living room's marble floors. "It's better that I don't have to share the profit. I'm too bad at mathematics."
"Ming Yue...cough...do you mind If I ask how do you get to know about the treasure hidden in this place?" Chao Xiong, who stood silent till now, finally decided to meddle in the conversation when he sensed something amiss about Ming Yue.
"I lived here long enough to learn about the treasure." She answered in a slightly elated voice as if she was reminiscing good old days.
"You lived here? When?" Qian Fan was too quick to respond when he heard her words. As far as he knew, this mansion remained closed for nearly fifteen years, and if he believes this girl who was barely in her mid-twenties, that means she must be speaking the truth.
"In my previous life." Ming Yue stated, rather in a strong and resilient voice, "I was the beloved young miss of wisteria garden who was loved and cherished by everyone, until the day they tagged me as a traitor."
"Oh God, I never knew that you got a humourous side, miss." Chao Xiong broke into a peal of laughter when he finally realized that she was just fooling around with their curious minds.
"I wasn't joking. I'm here to kill the so-called young master of this mansion and retrieve what was originally mine." Though she sounded as if she was joking, whomever noticed the murderous glint in her dark eyes would believe that she was being honest.
"Oh please, you can fool us once, but not twice." Even Qian Fan was getting bit
"Do you need anything? I'm going to prepare breakfast for young master. He is finally coming home."
"We don't need anything."
"Then, work hard."
"Do you believe her now? She doesn't have any ulterior motives."
"Just, wait until her young master comes home. Then we will decide."
"You wait here, I will go and tell Ming Yue how do I feel."
"Miss Ming."
"Yes, do you need anything?"
"No...actually, I have something to tell you."
"Hmm..."
"I like you. "
"Thank you."
"Thank you?"
"For liking me...You know I don't have a likeable personality or face. So thank you."
"No...I think I have romantic feelings for you. I want to marry you."
"It's barely a week since we met, and you have already thought about marriage?"
"Why waste time?"
"I'm sorry, Chao Xiong. I have someone else."
"Someone else means...are you in a relationship or-"
"I'm engaged."
"Engaged? With whom?"
"Well, you won't know him even if I tell his name."
"But does your fiance knows that you are living with a man?"
"No."
"Huh? He is not even worried that you will cheat him?"
"Is that all?"
"Yes,"