46. In the Shilian Tower (1)

At night, the two laid on the bed but had different thoughts. Chai Jin held Ran Xia and became firmer to show her his determination.

On the next day, Chai Jin disappeared early in the morning. Ran Xia felt so upset for the whole day. She stood in front of the window and was in a daze at night.

Chai Jin came back and held her excitedly, "Let's get married, Xia!"

"Get married?" How come he still remembered his promise?! Ran Xia looked at Chai Jin confusedly.

Chai Jin took out a small box and handed it to Ran Xia. He gave her a gesture to open it, so Ran Xia opened it confusedly. She saw a jade ring with hollow carving flowers. It was so pretty. She liked the style and color. He was so serious, "I will marry you! I promise I’ll marry you!"

He said incoherently and even excitedly took out the delicate ring with hollow carving flowers. He liked them all.

He said so seriously, "I promise, I will marry you! I will marry you only! That’s why I just did that for you..." But she didn't know what to do. Anyway, he was scared and flustered.

But she didn't want it. Chai Jin was handsome and smart. He had a perfect family and a high social rank.

He was one of the best among people, no matter what. He was a golden boy, but she was just an insignificant dancer. To put it crudely, she could be bullied by anyone.

Besides, could he give up his whole family for her?

She couldn't believe this. She had heard of stories like this and knew to her heart that what people were capable of. How could a man of high born, living a wealthy life, endure the poverty and suffer for her?! She knew. She knew it deep in her heart.

However, knowing was one thing, and action was another. Often, things wouldn't go as one wished.

Ran Xia answered vaguely. She knew that the family of her lover wouldn't allow a dancer to be the wife of their precious son. Their marriage would become a shame of this family, a stain on their reputation.

Chai Jin couldn't make sense with his parents. He argued that this was all his fault. It was he who forced Ran Xia, forcing her to marry him. It was all his fault. Ran Xia was perfect in his mind, no matter what.

Though he claimed it was his fault, the biased look in the eyes of his parents told Ran Xia they didn’t like her.

Ran Xia knew better, but she couldn't resist to fell for his love, to taste the bitterness of this forbidden love. What else could she say? Nothing! In this love affair, the two of them had nothing but pure love. They did not need money or power.

Apart from a handsome appearance, he had nothing. This was when Chai Jin's elder brother came in with a solution. He said to Ran Xia in confidence, "What you need to do is just flirting with a guest in front of him. Then all these valuables will be yours."

Ran Xia was stunned. She knew that people could be sinister, but she didn't know that they could reach this low.

"No, I won't do it. I love him. I am really in love with him."

"Hum! You just love his money. If he was a beggar with a prettier face, would you love him then? I am afraid that you won't even enter this door!" Chai Jin's brother said to her in undisguised contempt, "Have you made up your mind? You are just a dancer. And we will not accept a dancer in our family. "Again, he stopped and said, "It doesn't matter if you are innocent, as Chai Jin described, whether you have sold your body or not. You can only stay here! I know that age matters in your line of work. You are only 15 years old now but in ten years or even twenty years, when you are old and gray, do you seriously think that he is going to continue loving you then? I think, let along ten years, he can't love you for the next three years. I have known him from an infant. I knew him. So, you better take this offer now. Take this money and valuables and be done with him. And in the future, we go our separate ways. Understand?"

Staring at these valuables, she didn't know what to do. She knew that what his brother said was true. And his words left no room for her refusal. In a stun, she just stood there, at a loss.

The brother's patience has been worn out. He tapped on the table with his finger, "Don't play with fire, little girl. Here, you are in our territory. If we want to hurt you, you know what could happen! It's just that our mother is kind-hearted and doesn't want bloodshed. That is the sole reason that we are here offering a choice, a way out. If you insisted on staying here, you should know what could happen."

He was indeed a master of negotiation. You could see his threats from his eyes, even between his eyebrows. Ran Xia became anxious by his looks. She knew, of course, she knew the consequences. However, now she could understand why those sisters would rather take their chances. This feeling really makes people addicted.

"I think you are smart enough to understand this. So, why keep cornering us until we have no choice left?" The brother had finished his words. Now it was up to Ran Xia, "Okay, I have said all there is to say. I hope that you can think it through. I will leave now."

Sitting blankly on her bed, Ran Xia froze, not knowing what to do. "If I get cold-feet about our relationships, or if I am over him, by sending him away, I can gain enough money to live a good life in peace, maybe even marrying a normal guy. But what about Chai Jin? I really don't want to leave him!"

Feeling helpless, Ran Xia knew that her lover was only a young man, still relying on his family. He had nothing to fight the family's decision. He had nothing! And she couldn't allow him to make that choice. She couldn't bear to see her lover standing against his family. She couldn't ruin his future. She loved him too much to be the person stopping his blooming future. She could do anything for him.

At night, Chai Jin came back as lost as Ran Xia was. He saw Ran Xia sitting blankly and a table of gold and silver treasures, confused.

Chai Jin knew what was happening. On the same day, his parents persuaded him and also sent a lobbyist to his home. Just as Chai Jin entered the room, Ran Xia didn't know what to do, and she rushed to Chai Jin's arms with tears bursting out from her eyes. But what could they do?

Holding Ran Xia in his arms, Chai Jin raised his hand to fondle her hair. With touches of her hair, he remembered the conservation he had with his father early that afternoon, "A woman like that will never become a part of this family. If you insist on marrying her, then you do not have me as your father anymore. If you insist on marrying her, then you are not part of this family anymore! You think about it, son. She is only a dancer. If she wants to join our family, she must get rid of her identity as a slave, and then she can be carried in this family as a servant. Forget about being the wife or even a concubine in our family! We are a family with good traditions, and we will not accept a dancer to be a wife or concubine in this family! Don't even think about it! You will be kneeling right here today and reflect on yourself."

Furious, he smashed a few cups on the floor and walked away with his beard trembling in fury.

"No! I want to marry her! I will marry her!"

"Don't even think about it, you bastard! Are you seriously disobeying me now?!"

"My boy, don't be stubborn. Just listen to your father. The dancer loves only your wealth, fame, and social status. She didn't love you for who you are. She only loves money, our money, our fortune..." Mrs. Chai persuaded, crying with tears all over her face. But her words were stopped by Chai Jin shouts. "No! She loves me!"

Mrs. Chai resumed her persuasion, "If she succeeds, she can turn her life around from a slave to a wife in a wealthy family. Just think about this. I have already arranged a nice girl to be your wife-the daughter of family Ye. Lady Ye is warm and gentle, beautiful as a fairy, and she is much better than that dancer, ok? Don't be intertwined anymore. Just admit your mistake to your father and be done with her. Let your brother deal with her. You will be a free man after this."

"No, mother. I won't marry that lady from Family Ye. I will marry, Ran Xia, and Ran Xia only."

His stubbornness only exchanged for a beating. Master Chai punished him for kneeling outside the room. And no food and water to be delivered without her permission. But Chai Jin was never the obedient type from his childhood, and he would not stay and wait. Bearing injuries from the beating, he jumped out of the wall at night. He was determined not to marry the daughter of family Ye. No matter how beautiful and kind she was, he only loved Ran Xia.

Chai Jin returned to the reality, looking at Ran Xia weeping in his arms, and he said, "Xia, let's just go! Let's elope!"

"Ah?" Ran Xia was shocked by Chai Jin's sudden words, frowned, and looked at Chai Jin.

With gleaming eyes, Chai Jin said firmly, "Yes, elope! My elder brother has found you anyway. No one will help us here. The only way left is for us to leave. So, let's just go! I will take you to the ends of the earth where no one can find us!"

"Really?" Ran Xia frowned, deeply tangled with thoughts.

"Yes, believe me, I'll take you with me to find a paradise away from all the troubles. And we can build a happy life together. Xia, are you willing to go with me?" Chai Jin looked at Ran Xia respectfully. He respected her. It was his respect that made her trust him so much.

"I do. Of course, I do." After Ran Xia saw the respectful look in his eye, she stopped her struggles. With Chai Jin by her side, she was afraid of nothing. Even wars and flames ahead, she would go with him.

She smiled and said, "Of course I am willing to. I am willing to go anywhere with you by my side."

The two of them packed their bags that night and left the village. They were both accustomed to a fancy lifestyle. Even for a man, Chai Jin had suffered a lot to ride the horse. But he could endure.

The couple rode on the same horse. They had just run for hundreds of miles for an entire day.

Suffering too much on the horse, Ran Xia couldn't endure the suffering anymore, feeling groggy and dizzy. Chai Jin held her in his arms to comfort her, "Xia, just hold on for a moment. We're almost there." "Ok, ok." She leaned on his chest and thought to herself, "I am afraid of nothing if you are here." However, the two of them finally got too tired. Even they still had the strength, the horse had to rest.