"What do you mean no more job?!"

"The higher-ups say you should take care of your own emotions before you take on any photoshoot or show. They don't want anymore crying scene due to breakups," Shanshan lazily replied as her hands swiftly gathered all the papers scattered around the dining table that had become her work table. She stuffed all of them in her file and dumped it into her large black tote bag before turning a stern eye on her model she was managing.

"You better don't go anywhere during this time and create anymore scandal.  I'll talk to them. Just stay at home and wait for my news." When Yu Ji heard the sound of doors being closed, she laid lifelessly on her bed, groaning as loud as possible and messing up her hair with her hands. With her face still buried in the sheets, she stretched out her hand, groping around for her phone.

She pulled her hand back and lifted her head, staring into the bright screen and scrolled through her call log until she found Bro.

"Where're you? What're you doing?" She rolled her body over, her back down and her eyes staring into the empty spot on the ceilings.

"Business trip? Can I come along? I'll do my own things and only stay next to your room. I won't bother you."

---

Same as usual, she had on a black cap and mask, though this time round she added a pair of sunglasses. She paired her plain white t-shirt with a tight-fitting denim then wore a pair of white sneakers. When she saw her brother standing near the concierge, she lifted her hand high, waving furiously while her other hand pulled her luggage. Mengyi immediately ran towards her and snatched the luggage from her, pushed the handle back to its place and carried it in his hand.

"Quick, quick! We're running late! We still have to take the train!" They ran off in the direction of the train that travelled between domestic and international departures.

"Why must your agency be so ruthless, though?" Mengyi stepped into the cabin, gently pushing his sister to the corner and made her have her back facing the crowd behind them.

"I don't know, but whatever. I need some holiday anyways, after so long. Suzhou? Should be fun." Several minutes later, they alighted at the stop for all the domestic departures. They had all their immigration procedures done and headed straight to the departure lounge. Mengyi looked around then looked down on the watch on his hand.

"I think my boss must be in the plane already. I say if I get fired it's all thanks to you, then we'll both be jobless." They entered the queue for the business class, showed their boarding passes to the flight attendants, before being ushered to their seats. When the curtains towards the business class was lifted, her heart began to race rapidly again, for some unknown reason. She wanted to know what was it with the tear and the clenching sensation in her heart.

Mengyi bowed his body slightly when he approached a man, talked to him whisperingly while she looked from the side until her brother pointed at her again and the man turned around. For a moment, she felt a rush of familiar feelings coming back to her as if...it was first love. However, she was sure that the squeezing of her heart was not just her imagination, she could not take her eyes off him, even when her eyes began to well up again. A tear successfully rolled down her cheek and was absorbed by the mask she wore. However from behind her sunglasses, she was sure she saw him tearing as well.

"Are you crying again?" Mengyi asked.

"No! No, I just...sleepy! Yes, I'm sleepy," she answered, not taking her eyes away from him who turned around and wiped the tear off his face.

---

The eatery in the inn was packed with soldiers who had just come back from endless string of military campaigns. They were all rowdy men who seemed like barbarians, their looks alone were enough to scare the sixteen year old girl tiptoeing past them, ensuring that she would not bump into any of them.

"What are you doing here, pretty girl?" One of them drunkenly called out on her.

"I...I am looking for General Yu."

"He is inside!" Another man pointed his finger towards the closed wooden doors. She followed the direction of his fingers and stopped right before the door nervously, tightly holding onto the wrapped package containing pork buns. Her brother had been away from home for so long, she just wanted to give him some of her homemade cooking.

All of a sudden, the doors were opened and she dropped the package in surprise. She saw a person dressed in black robes, layered with armed plates stopping right in front of her. She looked up at him, he looked down at her. That was their first encounter ever, the two souls that were entwined in cruel strings of fate.

“King Xiang!” 

That was what she heard the people behind her called him.