Huan Zhu Ge Ge

(Love vs. Friendship)

By: Princess Pearl

(Fang Ci)

Huang Shan was in his room alone, hand holding a book but his mind gone somewhere else. He think of what Xiao Yan Zi did this morning. Her beauty, her gentle, and her sweet voice no wonder Yong Qi loves her so much. The image of a stubborn girl had erase in his mind. She is a talent girl, she’s just like any other Ge Ges, and she cans be even better. Now he has no idea why she can't be together with Yong Qi, She's perfectly fit for him.

Busy thinking he didn't realize Xiao Yan Zi was at the door knocking. She wanted to bring Huang Shan some tea to drink. She knew that Huang Shan is in there, but why didn't open the door? Is it because he didn’t like her? She stopped knocking, thought it no use. Looked down sadly and disappointed, gave out a sad sigh. "Well, I did my best."

But then Huang Shan heard her, "Who's that?"

Xiao Yan Zi was startled, "Um, it's me, Xiao Yan Zi. Can, can I come in? I bought you some tea." Tried to use her sweetest voice

To her surprise Huang Shan opened the door, "Come in." That was the only word he said, then walked to the table and sat down, eyes looking at the other direction. Leave the door open for her to get in. Still, he still showed his coldness to her. Take the first step to the room, her eyes all widen, she looked around the room. The room was beautiful and elegant. Maybe Xiao Jain had it changed for Huang Shan. In her life she had never ever saw any room like this before. The room was very organizing, Xiao Jain using the most expensive cloth just for the blanket and the curtain. With all the rich decoration to help the room look more elegant: The room looked bigger, because Xiao Jain connected two rooms into one. And the smell, it was nice, not very strong, it smell so good. It is definitely the room for the king.

She walked to him and placed the tea on the table. "Would you like to try some now, Huang Shan?" He didn't say anything, she poured the tea on a cup and handed it to him, he took a small sip and said, "It taste very good." He sighed sadly

"Really? I made it by myself." she said innocently, she didn’t notice his sad face

"You’d... remind me of someone."

"Who?" She came and sat next to him

"My daughter, she's dead now. She used to make this kind of tea for me."

"I'm sorry."

"Did you know that Yong Qi is her boyfriend?" Looked at her to see how she would react

"Uh, but, but she's your daughter." Felt hurt, "So, do he still love her now?" worried

"She's not really my daughter, I adopted her." Ignored her question, "Yong Qi was very sad, but now I should be glad to see him happy again. He loves you now." Xiao Yan Zi blushed

"What your daughter look like?"

"Which one you want to know?"

"Uh?"

Huang Shan chuckled, "I ask which one you want to know?"

"Well, then how many do you have?"

"Um, that's is a hard question to me." He slowly took another sip

"What can of a father are you anyway?" Forgot of what Yong Qi told her, "Don't know how many daughter you got? Then how many wife you have?"

"What, you mocking me right now? Wife? That's even harder."

"You know what. Maybe you can only be a good king, but about the father and husband job, you are very tsk tsk tsk." Poured her a cup of tea

"Careful with your word, Xiao Yan Zi. Oh, and did you said that I can be a good king? So I win so far huh?" Said happily

"No you're not. I didn't say you a good king, I said MAYBE, MAYBE. Get it?" Placed the cup down, "Anyway, I just found your other bad side, you're not a good father and a good husband. You only thinking of how to rule your country, but you were so bad with your wives, sons, and daughters."

"What? I was bad with my wives, sons, and daughters? What are you talking about?" Raised his eyebrow

"Yong Qi and Ziwei said so." Crossed her arm

"What? They said that?" He stood up, his face look angry

"No, not really. They just said that time you spend with them is so, so, so little." Stood up using both hand press Huang Shan shoulder to force him sit down

He felt a little funny and strange as no one ever dares to do that to him but her, "I did? Why didn't they say so?"

"Cause you scare them. That's why. I bet you never sit down talking with them as father and children."

"What are you talking about? I did sit and talk to them. You're not in the palace, you don't know anything."

"Oh really. What I mean is. They can never speak out their heart. It just like you always put a knife on their neck," She deepen her voice, "If you dare to not to go the way I want, I'll cut your head off." then she laughed

"Oh be quiet! Oh, what did you up to this morning?" Tried to change the subject

"What?" confused

"You know, you were so nice. What, think I'm good? About to give up?"

"I'm not really wanted to give up, it just because of your son. He don't want me to arguing with you." Rolled her eye up

"Ha! So there's someone who can control you. I thought you were so stubborn that you never listen to anyone."

She stuck her tongue out, "I'm not that bad. Well, just a little stubborn. That's all. But I'm a good girl."

"Snobby." Used his finger push her head not so hard just a playful one

"A least I have a good father, I feel sorry for your children, tsk, don't know what a good father is. Being blind all their life." giggled

"Hey, that's enough. You know nothing."

"You're losing Mr. King. Oh, and now I want to know what your daughter look like."

"Why?" knowing it time to revenge

"Because!"

"Because why?"

"Because I want to know what she look like!" Getting angry

"Well, why you want to know?"

"Because I want to know." Said angrily

"Ok, which one you want to know."

"Oh Mr. King, don't tell me you don't know which one I'm talking about."

"I don't know which you talking about." Shaking his head

"Aw! Come on! The one we just talk a bout!"

"Which one? I don't remember." Pretended to think hard

Xiao Yan Zi whining, "The one that..." she lowered her voice, "Yong Qi love?"

"Oh! That one!"

"Thank you!"

"She... um... you know what, I don't remember." laughed

"What? You're kidding! I know you know. Please tell me! Tell me or I bugging you all day!" saying like a child, "Please tell me, please!" kneeled down, pulling his sleeve

"Why do I have to tell you?" Looked down at her

"Arghhhh! Be...cause... Fine! I ask Yong Qi then!" About to get up but Huang Shan pulled her down

"I don't think that would be a good thing to do." Said seriously

"Why?"

"Because my son had been suffer a lot about her death. And don't you remind him bout it again."

"He does? He never talk to me about it before."

"Aw come on! Wake up! How can he talk to you about that? Aren't you going to get jealous?" Knocking on her head

"Um, I-I won't" Lift her chin up

"You won't? What if I tell you that he's still love her very much. He always remember her, even when you with him."

"How dare him! He said he only love me!" Looking out the door

"Oops! Someone getting jealous!"

"This is different! He did suffer and love her. But all of that is the past!" After she said, taking a deep breath trying not to cry but it all just pretending, to make Huang Shan tell her. Huang Shan saw that.

"Whoa! I'm just kidding! Don't cry! I'm, I'm just kidding! He's love you now! Don't cry. I hate to see anyone cry! Look, he loves you now. You the only one he loves." Said tenderly, "How about I tell you about her. Ok?"

Surprised to his tenderness, but she’s really like it, "Yong Qi said that you couldn’t tell lie. You not suppose to. But you did. What kind of king are you anyway?"

"Now you still can...." Looked at her cute face, somehow, he felt he really like her, "oh never mind. My daughter is smart, well, she is MATURE, and always can read people mind, and she RESPECT me."

"Well, I did respect you too."

"You do?"

"What she looks like?"

"Pretty."

"Pretty?"

"I would say you look more pretty than her." Said truly

"Really? What her attitude?"

"She's sometime very wild, she's caring and kind."

"What's her name?"

"Her name is Mei Ling."

"Mei Ling? Ha, I have a friend name Mei Ling too. She's my best friend. But she'd gone somewhere now. I don't even know where is she."

"Why?"

"She left me when I'm wounded. Saying that that someone adopted her so she have to leave..." In the sudden she remember something "Huan Shan don't tell me the one I'm talking about is your daughter."

"I'm afraid so."

"So, so she's, she's dead?" Put her cheek on his knee

"Yes. (Sigh) Xiao Yan Zi its fate. Yong Qi lost Mei Ling now her friend come to him. It's all fates. You shouldn't be so sad of her death. But there's one thing I have to tell you, which is what Mei Ling want to tell you to know. Mei Ling is really waiting for you, even when it's raining. When she's in the palace, she keeps blaming herself. She thought you were dead. She never talks to anyone about this but me. And when she ask me to let her to go back to her home to visit her friend, the main point is she want to find you, she want to know the answer, she's hate guessing of what happen to you. And that's is the reason why I let her go, I know that if she have to guessing all her life she can gone mad some day. (Another sighs) She will be very glad if she knows you're ok. And she'll be more happy to know that you've replace her, making Yong Qi happy again."

"She's dead?" Couldn't except the truth

"Xiao Yan Zi calm down." Stroked her hair

"Wh, why? H, how? How she dies?" Looked up at him

"She's drowned, she fall into the lake and we can't find her body."

"Th … There’s no way she can be drown." Shaking her head

"Xiao Yan Zi, face the truth."

"No, the truth is.... she.... a very strong person and a very good swimmer too, there's no way she can be drown." Her voice breaking

"We can't find her body, Xiao Yan Zi."

"That because she's not dead! She's still alive. He can be any where now!"

"Yes, she can be any where now ON the ocean."

"No, you, you don't understand. She can swim very good. She can be alive. You got to look for her."

"We did, everywhere."

"But, she can't drown. Was it storming or something?"

"No the weather is fine..."

"See? There's no storm! There's nothing can harm her. I-I-I remember once it storming while she's sailing, I was worry about her but all she said is "nothing can harm her. The storm can't harm her neither?" that's what she said"

"She was lucky!"

"No! She'd been sailing many times in the storm. She was like a, a professional!"

"Good at swimming doesn't mean she can never die in the water. Some great sailing can die while they sailing too."

"But, but."

"There's no but."

"She can't die."

"You got to listen to me! Mei Ling is dead! Get it? If she not dead then when she not return?"

"She doesn’t know the way?"

"Xiao Yan Zi, you know her, there's nothing she can't do. Don't know the way? That's just a very, very small matter to her."

All Xiao Yan Zi is cry, cry for what she always thought Mei Ling abandon her. Cry for thinking Mei Ling choose the rich way leaving the friendship behind. And Cry for her death. Huang Shan was hurt to see her crying like that. She leaning against him, he patted on her back. But that didn't help much, she know only one person can help her feel better, but she just can't come to him now. Didn't want to make him feel sad too. She didn't know what to do now, she can't be better than Mei Ling, she can't even compare to Mei Ling. Mei Ling always can make someone happy, she was very smart, she can make Xiao Yan Zi happy whenever she feel sad. Mei Ling can do anything for Yong Qi. But Xiao Yan Zi can't, Xiao Yan Zi always look up on Mei Ling, hoping someday she can me smart like her, hoping someday people like her like they like Mei Ling. But to Xiao Yan Zi it’s very far for her. There was no way she can be like Mei Ling.

"Xiao Yan Zi." Huang Shan finally said, lift her face up

"Huh?" Said softly

"You have to hide all those tears in front of other. Don't tell this to Yong Qi."

"I know, but I afraid I can't do it." Wiped her tears

"You got to try."

"You got to help me, I don't like to be with a lot of people now."

"Ok, I help. Now stop crying."

"I don't want she to die, I want to see her now!" She burst out

"I know, I know you feel very sad now, you miss her. Don't you."

"I miss her so much! It been a long time I haven't see her! When the time I most feel lonely she always there with me. I don't know what I can do without her."

"Hey, don't say that. You can do everything without her all these year. And now you got Yong Qi too."

"Yeah, I really need him now."

"Too bad you can't go find him. No matter what."

"Can I just make up something? So, so I can come to him and cry?"

"Make up something?" He laugh "Well, then what you gonna say to him?"

"I don't know, I haven't thought of one yet."

"I don't think you should do that."

"I don't think so either."

"Hm, it like the first time you agree with what I said." Tried to make her smile

"You not seem not to be very bad though, But I still think you not a good father, husband and or maybe King."

"Still not huh?"

"Huang Shan, whenever I want to cry to got to find the way to get me out of the crowd."

"Is it an order?"

"Yes." Nodded her head

"Let me get this straight. You, a commoner girl order me, a king?"

"Yes." giggle

"You're so naughty, this is the first time I met a girl like you."

"Well, it calls your lucky day."

"Lucky day? Or I can say it my bad day. The first time I met you, you throw a rock at me. The first time I heard about you, you make my son suffer."

"What?"

"Girl, it your lucky day you met me, if you met any other king. You can't see the light till now."

"Let change the subject. How the cooking day this morning?"

"Don't even mention about it."

"Why? Terrible?"

"Worse than that. Is, is that one of your trick?"

"Nope. I did say you don't have to cook. And later I did cook for you."

"You girl are sure is something."

"We intelligent."

"How came you're so snobby?"

"Me? Snobby? You..." Suddenly there's a knock on the door

"Who's that?" Huang Shan said

"It's me! Yong Qi!"