12:30;

Xi Yuan drove in silence, as the girl made some phone calls. Most of them, to the Military Chief Office and the Hybrids. He did not mind her work, of course. She was going to rejoin the MCO shortly after their wedding, nonetheless. That was the plan. What worried him still was the fatigue across her face. She seemed alright, she really did. Then why was he worrying so much? He didn't know himself. 

It was certainly not due to the attack last night, of that he was sure. He had been feeling this darkness creep up to him for weeks now. Maybe because of the wedding preparations, he convinced himself. 

"Hey, you.", the girl turned to her darling, smiling at him softly, "What's on your mind?"

Xi Yuan shook his head, "Nothing much. Everything alright at work?"

"Yeah. Abram needed another 100 Million USD extorted from Country X. I was making arrangements for that.", Rong Xinghe explained.

"Oh.", the man said, his eyes on the road. 

"It looks like I will have to fly to Afghanistan sooner than expected.", the girl added next, letting out a heavy breath, "So to supervise the Hybrids."

"Be safe.", Xi Yuan said, knowing very well to not voice his concerns at the moment. It wasn't the right time. From what he'd gathered up until then, he could tell just how savage a beast Fadhil was, and that it was utterly indispensable for the woman to get to him before it was too late. It'd been months, years even since the mightiest of the armies across the globe began hunting for him; all their efforts in vain but. She could not be burdened with his worries in such a state. Be that as it may, they were to marry soon. He'd have plenty of opportunities to speak to her then, wouldn't he?

_______________

Xi Family Mansion, 13:00;

"It was Zhi Xi on the line.", Xi Chongkun returned to the living room, his phone in his hand, "Xiao Xinghe is alright.", he informed, smiling at his wife, relieved. Li Jungah's reaction was no different. It was a nightmare, the thought of anything happening to their to-be daughter-in-law. The old couple had been with their son when he'd received the unfortunate call from Ningtao. And even though they'd offered to accompany Xi Yuan to the sanatorium, the man had turned them down, for he was in a rush then. 

"What did the doctors say?", Luo Youyou walked in, anxiousness in her tone. Xi Chonglin followed her a moment later. 

"Nothing worrisome.", Li Jungah answered, her tone distant. As an awkward silence spread through the room, Xi Chongkun cleared his throat, focussing on his wife again, "Her brother also told me that Lu Wei would give her away at the wedding ceremony."

"Really?", the woman raised her brows, surprised. 

"Yes. Traditionally, fathers are supposed to do that. But since Rong Anguo is no longer among us, and the fact that Lu Wei has always been a father figure to her, the Superfamily found it the most appropriate to advance with that. What do you say?", the man stated with a satisfied smile across his mouth. 

"I have no objections, honestly.", Li Jungah laughed, impressed, "In fact, it would be endearing to watch, don't you think?"

It was now that Luo Youyou's phone rang up. As a name popped up onto its screen, the woman glanced at her husband and then at the couple in front of her cautiously, before she strode out of the room, bringing the device to her ear. "Hello. So... did you meet him?", she questioned, her voice barely audible.

"I am 'him', Mrs. Xi.", the man on the other side of the line chuckled, amused too, "And I thought nothing could break the invincible Xi family."

Taken aback by the young yet masculine voice, the woman sat down on a bench nearby, inhaling a shaky breath, "We have the same interests, I believe.", she said after calming down. 

"Not really.", the person replied with a laugh, "I don't care who replaces Xi Yuan on the throne. But yes, I think we can work together on this one, Madam."

"I have one condition, still.", Luo Youyou remarked earnestly, "I don't want my name coming up in any of this."

"Of course. The information you've provided me with is already enough on your part. I will handle the rest.", the man smiled, disconnecting the phone.

________________

The next morning, Xi Yuan woke up to find the girl playing with his fingers in a daze. Her wavy jet Black hair spreading like the branches of a tree, her cheeks and nose faintly Pink from the cold breeze approaching them through the window. 

"Good morning, Love.", he smiled, his voice generously impassioned, "Did you not sleep at all?"

Stunned slightly, the girl turned to him. Goodness, quite the dreamy voice he had, didn't he? And eyes, too. Everything, actually. "Morning.", she giggled, planting a kiss upon the back of his hand she was holding, leaning over him next, "I slept just fine.", she said assuringly, "Don't worry."

"Then why do you look... tired?", Xi Yuan asked, pulling the blanket to her shoulders.

"I felt uneasy, about an hour ago. I think it was the food last night.", she mumbled, confused.

"Let's visit the doctors. Come on.", the man suggested, as he attempted to get up only to be pinned down to the bed again, "No need.", Rong Xinghe said, "Stop being so paranoid, will you? It must be just the food. I'll be fine after a bowl of hot soup or something.

"Besides, we have much more essential tasks on our list today, you."

"Like what?", Xi Yuan leaned back a bit, resigning to the woman's enthusiasm. 

Rong Xinghe smirked, pecking the man on his forehead forehead. His nose then, followed by his chin and cheeks, her lips halting inches from his mouth in the end. "We are getting married tomorrow, Lover.", she whispered, a wave of intimacy wrapping around them gradually. 

"Uh...huh.", he managed, as the girl finally closed in on him, not allowing him to escape her. It wasn't as if he wished to, anyway.