Zhehan woke up pretty early the next day. Well, he always wakes up early.

He went out of his tent and stretched himself. It was still night, but the sun was slowly rising.

Zhehan's gaze automatically went to Simon's tent, and he walked towards it, not knowing what came over him. He just went inside the tent.

Only to see Simon sleeping peacefully.

Zhehan sighed and smiled a little when he saw him sleeping so peacefully, but that peace did not last long, since Zhehan heard whimpers and a deep frown covered Simon's peaceful sleep as he turned around on his bed.

"No...no...stop..." Simon spoke incoherent words, and Zhehan went near him. He sat down beside the bed and gently shook him. "Lord Simon? " When Simon did not wake up, Zhehan shook his more harshly, "Lord Simon! Wake up, Lord Simon!" Simon opened his eyes and sat up abruptly.

He took deep breaths, as he clutched his chest.

Zhehan got up and gave some water to him, Simon's hands were hovering so Zhehan helped him drink some water.

Simon drank the water before he turned his face to the side signaling that he was not thirsty, Zhehan kept the glass to the side and sat at the edge of the bed he gently kept his hand on Simon's shoulder, "are you okay Lord Simon?"

Simon wiped his forehead and then his mouth before he looked at Zhehan, he looked at him with worry and concern something that Simon thought that he will never get from Zhehan.

Zhehan was sitting beside him without his guard up while in his last life Zhehan had always avoided him like plague.

"Lord Simon?" Zhehan called out again, but instead of replying Simon grabbed Zhehan's hand that was kept on his shoulder and pulled him towards himself grabbing his hair harshly before attacking his lips.

Zhehan's eyes widened and for a moment he couldn't react taking advantage of the situation Simon pulled Zhehan and pushed him down on the bed as he hovered over him their lips still attached, Simon tried to push him back but Simon grabbed his hands and pressed them against the bed.

He bit Zhehan's lips making him groan and open his mouth, and Simon's tongue entered the sweet mouth.

Zhehan felt his heart was going to explode and to his horror, he was more or less excited.

The skin-to-skin contact was exhilarating and the way Simon's tongue danced inside his mouth and explode it as if he own it made Zhehan's stomach do a summersault.

And he was about to close his eyes and give in but then he felt Simon's hand between his legs, which brought him back to senses as his eyes opened and he bit Simon's tongue and used his strength to push him back.

Simon broke the kiss but refused to let Zhehan get up instead he looked at him with a straight face but his eyes were so intense that Zhehan gulped, "Lord Simon?"

"Zhang Zhehan." Simon said in a deep and cold voice that gave Zhehan shivers, "I didn't get the chance to say it in my last life and I nearly lost the chance to say it in this life as well.

But now that you are underneath me I will say this and you listen good," Simon said as he leaned down and came near Zhehan's ear, his hot breath made the hairs in Zhehan's neck stood up, "I love you Zhang Zhehan. And I want to marry you."

Zhehan froze and his body became stiff, Simon looked at him again, "I will wait for your reply... but just so you know you can only say yes, no is not an option." Simon said and was about to kiss him again but this time Zhehan pushed him back and quickly ran out of the tent.

While Simon saw the direction in which Zhehan ran before he bought his hands to his lips and smiled, in this life, he finally got the taste of this fruit he always wanted to have, and not that he had a taste how can he let him escape without devouring him.

Simon got another chance he would be a fool to let that go Zhang Zhehan will only be his and his, no one else can have him no matter what.

"Why is your face red?" May asked Zhehan, who looked at her and shook his head, "It's nothing."

May was not satisfied with this answer, "Whatever you say."

Zhehan sighed and drove ahead.

After that day he avoided Simon like plague.

Simon waited for Zhehan was one week after which he became restless but he still kept his patience.

Another week passed and he decided to go and meet Zhehan himself, but every time he went to meet him, he was told that Zhehan was not available, sometime he would be helping Wen Qing, other times he was out to see something, other times he was out catching criminals.

And like two weeks passed.

And Simon was getting angry now, his patience was getting thin.

During lunch and dinner, he didn't talk or smile and a very angry aura excluded him lie right now as he was having dinner stabbing pieces of meat before putting them in his mouth and had to eat in a hurry.

Eyes down and hands clenched, Yibo and Zhan looked at each other, even A-Xiang took this chance to keep the vegetable that she did not like on Simon's plate and he stuffed them in his mouth. Other times he would feed A-Xiang himself.

Yibo and Zhan looked at each other before Yibo spoke, "Is everything okay Simon?"

Simon nodded, Yibo sighed, "Are you sure? you don't look that well."

"It's nothing." Simon said as he finished his food, "I am done eating." he said and got up and left.

Yibo looked at Zhan who shrugged.

One and a half month passed and Simon couldn't take it anymore,  "WHAT THE HELL!" He yelled as he bashed his hand against the table.

"Simon, what's wrong?" Zhan was the one who came into the room and this time Simon exploded, "Everything is the wrong dad, my life sucks!"

Zhan's eyes widened at this as Simon continued, "I thought that If I confess and say that I love you then that will solve the misunderstanding, I have been craving him from the past life I have always loved him since my last life.

But that fool always avoids me, even in my last life he did that, this time I told him how I felt and now also he is avoiding me! why? am I that undesirable? what's wrong with me?! am I ugly? stupid?"

Simon's face was red and he was breathing heavily, while Zhan was speechless, his eyes wide and when Simon stopped Zhan blinked and looked around before his eyes went on a glass of water and he gave Simon water, "Drink."

Simon drank it in one go, "More."

Zhan gave him more water and he drank it as well, before Zhan said, "Shall we sit and talk?"

Simon sat down with a huff and Zhan beside him on the sofa, "So... who is this person you are talking about?"

Simon looked at him, "Zhehan."

Zhan nodded, "I see...wait you kissed him?"

Simon nodded.

Zhan smiled, "Why are you laughing?" Simon asked.

"I am just glad that my son has grown up." Zhan said, "Anyways...maybe he is flustered."

"Flustered?"

Zhan nodded, "I have seen that kid, and I can tell that even after all these days he still harbors the fact that he is from lower case deep inside his heart.

I have seen people badmouthing him or saying stuff to him although no one dared to raise his hand on him, he still gave them a humble smile when one day I asked why he lets people walk over him.

He said that he already got so much in life, for example first the fact he survived was a huge thing second he was saved by Yibo the duke himself, and then taken by the first princess a royal and then he served under me, and then he has you as a friend.

He feels blessed and he feels that he is too lucky, and he shouldn't fight for anything for himself anymore he thinks that would be too greedy, so maybe when you said that you love him he got scared and flustered.

Simon, you are the son of duke the next duke next more powerful person in the kingdom being your partner is not something everyone can handle, it's a huge responsibility and a huge position maybe that's why Zhehan got scared because he thinks he is a lower caste does not deserve to be by your side. Not because you are bad but because you are too good for him."

Simon let that sink in, before he closed his eyes and sighed, "He is a fool a total idiot."

Zhan smiled, "So what are you planning to do?"

Simon looked at him, "what should I do?"

"Perhaps sneak into his room?"

Simon laughed, "That's a great idea thanks, dad."

"Anytime." Zhan spoke, "But if you are going to follow this advice don't tell your father."

"Done."

~~~~~~

"Why are you avoiding, lord Simon?" May asked Zhehan as they were in the palace garden, Zhehan sighed, "Well...um..."

"Did he do something?"

"Well...um...he kissed me."

May's eyes widened, "Oh wow, he sure moved fast, so... you liked it? or did not like it?"

"I don't know it was my first kiss... am I supposed to feel any different?"

May nodded, "Hmm... so you don't understand the difference between a normal kiss and a kiss with someone you love." she said and suddenly moved forward, "Let's try." she said and suddenly grabbed Zhehan's face and kissed him he was shocked and pushed her back.

"What are you doing?"

"Did you feel anything? something in your heart or stomach?"

Now that Zhehan thinks he feels nothing compared to what he felt with Simon.

"Nothing," Zhehan mumbled, but he did not notice a pair of angry eyes looking at them before the owner of the eyes left.

May smiled she was about to say something but she stopped when she looked behind Zhehan who did not bother to look behind and started speaking, "But... how can he like me? I mean there is nothing si good about me I am jsut someone from the lower caste an orphan.

And moreover he is teh next duke, I already have queen as my master, and general as my mentor, Duke is nice to me as well and even Prince consort treats me like his son. It will to selfish to ask for more especially for a low born like me...." Zhehan finally looked at May and found that her face was pale as he looked ahead and her eyes wide.

Zhehan frowned, "Hey what's wrong?" he mumbled and then looked back only to recieve a tight slap on his face.

His face flew to the side and May flinched, as she saw the Queen Wen Qing with red eyes filled with anger looking at Zhehan.

Zhehan's eyes widned as well as he placed his hand on his cheek and looked at Wen Qing this was the frist time Wen Qing had raised her hand on him. 

"Mas...ter?" Zhehan said but Wen Qing raised her hand and Zhehan closed his eyes waiting for the impact but after sometime when he felt nothing he saw Wen Qing glaring at him.

May gulped and bowed her head, and very quietly left.

"What did you say?" Wen Qing said, "Repeat it!" she yelled Zhehan flinched.

"I am..."

"What? sorry?" Wen Qing said, "Even all these years my love and trust wasn't enough? like everything flushed down the drain, and everything that mattered is your background that does not even exist anymore!"

Zhenhan's head was down, "Caste system had been abolished! but I think I failed because my own disciple believes in it how can I make the people understand, I think I failed as a teacher and monarch as well!"

Zhehan's eyes widened, "No master please it's not like that..."

"It is Zhehan it is! it's must be my fault I must have lacked somewhere."

"No master, its not your fault it's my fault... It's just that I..."

"What? too lucky? well then let tell you how unlucky you are, your parents were tortured and killed before your eyes, you were used as an animal in a hunting game... you were injured and had a weak body in childhood, you have suffered so much, and your trauma is still there.

All these things make all of us cherish you and be protective of you, is that wrong?"

Zhehan was quiet, he felt bad for making his master feel like this, Wen Qing was right the caste system was abolished then why did he care about his background?

Why did is he ashamed of it?

Wen Qing sighed, "You are not lucky, Zhehan you are just worthy. Now tell me in your life till now did your background play any part?

I took you in as my disciple because I knew you were talented, Yibo saved you becuase you are a human just like you, general cares for you because you are capable, and my husband loves you as well because you have shown him how mature and responsible you are. And in all of these, your background did nothing."

Zhehan sighed when he heard that, it was indeed true. Maybe he was really wrong this time 

"You are right master, I am sorry." Zhehan said, not realizing all of this till now.

Wen Qing sighed, "you better be." she placed her hand on Zhehan's cheeks, "I am sorry for slapping."

"No, master.  it's alright I deserved it." The two smiled before they took a stroll in the garden.

~~~~~~~

That day he made up his mind to go Simon and  talk to him, with that thought he came back to his room.

He smiled when he thought about Simon.

But as soon as he entered his room he realized that there was someone else in the room as well.

Author's note: Oh boy... somebody is pissed.