The Inconceivable Flame: A Fallen Angel“s Disguise

Xiao Zhiren’s eyes wandered towards the lone figure sitting at the bar counter gulping down whatever drinks there ware like water. He frowned as he looked at Adrian. "Where is Alev Knight?"

"Mate, there is only one person at the bar counter in the middle of the day." Then he looked down and saw another person taking a seat beside Ru and he added, "Well, now there are two."

Xiao Zhiren’s fists clenched on instinct as he said, "But that’s Xie Rong. From Metrix Consortium."

Adrian gave him a chuckle as he added, "What do you expect? Do you think Alev Knight would actually enter Asia with his real identity? Bloody! I don’t even think Alev Knight is his real identity. That guy is too complicated for simple people like us." Adrian was shaking his head because of how difficult it was for him to figure out Ru or anything related to her.

"He came as Xie Rong to investigate some case for my Grandmother. But I heard that he said it’d be his last mission with the Royal Family." Adrian rubbed his chin as he continued, "Now that I think about it... Last time, he clearly said that if he managed to accomplish his goal this time, I’ll never have to see him again. It makes one wonder... What is he planning?"

Xiao Zhiren wasn’t really listening but yet his mind could make sense of whatever Adrian said. He was lost in his own world and thoughts as he looked at Ru. His feelings were complicated. Hurt, betrayal, lies, and the game of hide and seek. Why did all of this feel familiar?

Oh, right! He had gone through all this when he found out that his sworn brother Xie Rong was actually a woman; none other than the one whom he was yearning for. And today, he was told that the woman that resided in his heart was actually Alev Knight whom he had been considering as his love rival.

Fuck!

Last time, when he said all that about Ru to Alev Knight, she heard his confession. Wow! That girl really knew how to act. She still acted dumb before him all this while.

Adrian was still talking, "Can you see the deathly aura around him? Even while drinking he seems like a Grim Reaper. He gave me a fright downstairs with his growl. I really can’t understand this animal-like human being."

Unclenching his fists, Xiao Zhiren laughed out loudly taking Adrian by surprise. ’Oh my dearest little chili, you had fun watching me being jealous.’

True enough, even Xiao Zhiren could feel the deathly vibes around Ru even from his position. It was weird but he was sure that she was upset over something.

"You alright, mate?" Adrian questioned as he saw Xiao Zhiren’s weird behavior. The latter one took his seat again.

"That’s a million-dollar question." Xiao Zhiren answered with a snort.

"And the answer is..." Adrian drawled a bit.

"The answer is I don’t know." Adrian frowned at his reply as he continued, "Because I want to get angry. But I can’t. I know I’ll look into her eyes and my anger will be thrown out the window like the caution that was hit by a truck when she came into my life unannounced." Adrian was yet again amused to hear Xiao Zhiren’s words. "I want to feel hurt that she lied. But then again, technically, she didn’t lie. She just hid some facts. I also want to feel betrayed for being left clueless but I can’t even do that. It’s not like she has completely reciprocated my feelings that I’d expect her to share everything with me."

Adrian pursed his lips as their lunch was served.

"Zoran, are we still on the same page?"

Xiao Zhiren arched his brow inquisitively. "What do you mean?"

"I just don’t feel like we are. Because I was talking about Alev Knight and somehow you went back to talking about my future sister-in-law. I’m confused here." Adrian elaborated with as much patience as he could muster up.

Xiao Zhiren pinched the space between his brows and said, "Sorry. My mind drifted off to somewhere else."

"Glad to see you’re back. Stay with me lest I start feeling like an invisible person." Adrian said playfully making Xiao Zhiren smile a bit which was forced.

Internally, Xiao Zhiren was conflicted. Was he supposed to be happy that Alev Knight wasn’t his love rival? Or was he supposed to be even more worried considering what kind of dangers awaited Alev Knight at every corner? Why was his little chili involved in dangerous waters? Couldn’t she just stay as a spicy little chili? Why did she have to become a fire-breathing little chili?

But then again, if she wasn’t breathing fire, she wouldn’t be the little chili who made her way into his heart. Xiao Zhiren was infuriated; not with Ru. With his own mind which couldn’t decide what to do. Yet again, he blamed himself. If he had made her trust him sooner, she’d have opened up to him. But still, his courting ways were lacking. I need to up my game.

It was not her fault that she was too guarded. It was a necessity for her. He really couldn’t blame her at all.

Meanwhile...

Ru was busy mixing up every hard liquor that was placed before her on the marble counter. Except for a headache, she wasn’t feeling drunk at all. But the headache was an indication that there was too much alcohol in her system and she should stop. However, she wasn’t very keen on taking that warning.

She felt someone’s eyes on herself but really wasn’t in the mood to see who it was. Besides, who wouldn’t look back at such a handsome lad, right? One look at that drop-dead gorgeous face couldn’t possibly be enough for people’s greedy hearts. With these narcissistic thoughts, Ru focused back on mixing soju with baijiu.

"That’s a very strange combination you got there."

Ru heard a pleasantly husky voice beside her as someone sat beside her. She didn’t pay any attention to him and went back to drinking.

"You should eat something as well. This much booze is not very healthy."

She heard that husky voice again making her frown. Placing her glass on the counter with a bit force, she mumbled, "It doesn’t have anything to do with you."

She heard a soft chuckle as the voice again rang in her ear, "You’re right. It has nothing to do with me. Or... Maybe it does."

That playful tone of his made Ru want to slap him but she held in her violent tendencies. She was feeling tired, not lightheaded but maybe the sleep of past days was finally catching up to her. She really wanted to close her eyes.

But she had to give this stranger an answer as well.

"Stranger, stranger, stranger. I’m a bloody psycho major. Don’t try too hard to strike a conversation. This lord’s temper is rather impatient. Shoo away from my sight. Before this Knight gives you a fright." Ru’s voice was deep but it was coated with a dramatic sarcasm and the hint of her anger that she was trying to repress.

"Oh My God! That actually rhymed. It did. It really did." Ru could hear the surprise and excitement in that husky voice making her frown in confusion. She turned to look at him and found him mumbling to himself with his head lowered and a cap over his head. "That was a first. A very first. I can’t believe he managed to rhyme something properly."

Ru’s confusion intensified as she heard a couple of his words. "Do you know me?" She asked trying to see his face but the other person was busy typing something on his cellphone. Ru placed her hand on his jacket-clad shoulder and repeated, "I asked do you know this young master?"

Suddenly, the man raised his head and Ru came face to face with a smirking young man. But Ru’s focus was stuck on his brown eyes. Those familiar brown eyes.

Those brown eyes seemed to be smiling back at her as he touched her hand with his own to pry it off his shoulder. Ru was stunned by the sensation that went through her body. The young man placed a white porcelain bottle before Ru and said, "Try this wine. Trust me it’ll taste better than the rest." With that, the young man smirked again and walked away from her.

Ru was left dazed as she kept her eyes on the porcelain bottle. There was a golden feather tree carved on its sleek surface which made her eyes widen in shock. She opened the lid of the bottle and as soon as the aroma of that peach wine hit her nostrils, Ru lost herself to nostalgia.

She looked back towards the direction where the young man disappeared and immediately sprinted after him. Of course, not forgetting her life-saving wine bottle.