ETERNAL LOVE : A LOVE STORY

Everyone drank their tea and chatted a bit when a maid entered the room and announced that Lu shi has come to see the Empress.

Zhao Ming looked at the maid and said, " Send her in."

When Lu shi came into the study while carrying a tray covered with a silky red-colored fabric. Everyone looked at the item that Lu shi was carrying.

Xiao Li was also confused to see the item that Lu shi has brought with her. They had seen the items that Zhao Ming has made to gift the Empress Dowager which later distributed among the other consorts.

However, at that time, she had refused to take the colored sticks which she regarded as Lipsticks. But later, she heard the praises of the colored stick from other consorts and felt bad for letting go of such an unusual item which could maintain the color on lips for a longer period.

Lu shi came inside and greeted everyone in the room and walked towards Zhao Ming and politely said, " Miss, I have brought the thing that you have asked for."

Zhao Ming and nodded, " Very good."

Ji Cheng turned to look at Zhao Ming and asked, " What is this? What did you ask her to bring here?"

He was confused because it seems that they had made an impromptu plan to come here, so how come she asked Lu shi to bring something?

Wen Ru was curiously looking at the tray in Lu shi's hand and was wondering what could it be?

Zhao Ming looked at Ji Cheng and then glanced at Wen Ru and said with a smile on her face, " Ah. This? This is a small gift for Brother Wen. I met him outside the palace and he treated me just like his sister. So I thought it would not be polite if I didn't give him anything for our first encounter."

Ji Cheng's brows furrowed when Zhao Ming talked about giving a gift to Wen Ru and also called him, ' Brother'.

He doesn't like whenever she calls Wen Ru so intimately however, he tried not to show his unhappiness on his face and tried to control the uncomfortable feeling inside him.

But he couldn't help but feel uncomfortable when he saw Zhao Ming smiling brightly at Wen Ru and he could see that Wen Ru's expressions were different.

He knows that Wen Ru does not like Xiao Li as his other friends and cousins do. However, Wen Ru's attitude towards Zhao Ming very different.

He looked at Zhao Ming with a questionable gaze and asked, " GIft? What gift?" he said in a cold and low voice.

Zhao Ming didn't noticed his cold expressions and stood up and went to Lu shi's side and looked at everyone and said, " When I met Brother Wen, I realized that he has to travel a lot for work purposes and because of that he gets exposed to different kinds of weather and environment."

Everyone looked at Zhao Ming with their curious gazes and was trying to understand what was going on in her head especially Xiao Li.

She was keenly observing Zhao Ming and was trying to understand what item she could have?

Zhao Ming could see everyone's curious gazes and smiled lightly. 

Zhao Ming right now was not Empress Zhao Ming but she was in her real character, Xie Ming and was speaking like she was giving a presentation and was pitching for her product.

" Due to being exposed to different environments, his naturally white skin has been tanned and has lost its moisture and dirt can be filled in the skin pores which may result in skin problems like acne and blackheads. This might not seem to be a problem now because your skin is in great condition." Zhao Ming said while looking at Wen Ru

" But in later times, when he will no longer be young, the condition of the skin will worsen resulting in marks and wrinkles on the face if he does not take care of his food habits and skin at this crucial point."

Everyone was looking at her with their mouth open, because of her confident way in which she was speaking.

Some words seemed to be unfamiliar to them but from her behavior, it seems it's something good. So they're trying to hear what she wanted to say.

Though Xiao Li at first was not interested to see her gift but just wanted to see it so that she could mock her later, however, when Zhao Ming started to talk about her gift, Xiao Li also became concentrated and was listening to Zhao Ming's words.

Wen Ru looked at Zhao Ming not understanding even a single word of hers and asked, " Exactly what are you talking about?"

Zhao Ming raised her brows at him and sighed lightly. She did not continue her empty words and removed the cloth from the tray which showed three silver-coated small round boxes.

Everyone looked at it with amusement and confusion.

Xiao Li also squirmed on her seat to see the item, because, in the banquet, she rejected the gift that Zhao Ming was distributing among the consorts but her gift was fascinating and attractive.

As a woman, she also loves to dress up prettily and wants new things which can help her look more young and beautiful.

The cosmetics in ancient times were very rare and people did not have much information on the resources that they had and could be used to make cosmetic items. 

Many things can be used for cosmetics and it will not cause allergies or side effects because it's natural. But due to their lack of knowledge, they could not get the full use of their resources.

When Zhao Ming removed the cloth, everyone looked at the three boxes placed on the tray and was trying to understand what could it be inside these mysterious boxes.

Ji Cheng, who was silently watching from aside with a foul expression on his face because Zhao Ming has prepared a gift for Wen Ru also got curious seeing the three boxes on the table and asked, " Zhao Ming, what is this?"

Zhao Ming looked at him and a smile spread onto her face and said, " This is my gift to you all. I wanted to gift Brother Wen a gift because of our first meeting. I mean as I don't remember anything, so I will take it as my first proper meeting."

" And also I considered him as my brother, so please take it as a humble gift from your sister." she smiled lightly at Wen Ru.

Wen Ru frowned when he heard her words. He was just wanted her to call him brother because he wanted to remove formalities and wanted to be closer to her and wanted to know her more.

But calling herself his sister, she has drawn a clear line between them. Though Zhao Ming has no idea what he was thinking about.

Ji Cheng's mood which has been down all this while elevated and smiled when he heard her words.

Zhao Ming looked at their faces and continued, " At first, I was thinking to gift it to Brother Wen only but then we decided to come here and have a tea and also Xiao Li was also accompanying us, so I thought that it would be better idea to gift this to you all."

Zhao Ming looked at Xiao Li and said, " Consort Xiao Li, I hope you won't reject my humble gift this time like you did at the banquet." she smiled lightly at her as if there is no enmity between them.

Xiao Li was flabbergasted when Zhao Ming suddenly became so humble and gentle towards her.

She smiled awkwardly sensing the strange gaze from Ji Cheng.

Xiao Li looked at Zhao Ming and said, " Sister, I will be glad to accept a gift from you. It will be my honor. But I am curious what is inside these boxes? " she said while her eyes were fixated on the boxes.

Wen Ru and Ji Cheng also nodded when they heard Xiao Li's words. They also wanted to know what is inside the box.

Zhao Ming smiled and said, " This? This is aloe vera gel which is made of the gel extracted from the aloe vera plant. It is a kind of cosmetic which can be applied on the face to moisturize it and it helps to cleanse the skin and removes impurities from the skin making it more soft and glowing."

" It has antioxidants and also helps to reduce acne and also removes dirt from the skin. It is especially good for oily skin like Brother Wen and his highness has. And for Xiao Li, though her skin is not oily but  it's good for your skin as well as it has antibacterial properties and also removes impurities from the skin making it more glowing and beautiful."

" I made this for myself but I wanted to give it to the people close to me as it is good to share good items with others as well. And we are all family, what's the use of fighting and bickering when we can spend our lives in peace and spread love." she finished her long speech with a smile leaving everyone in the room stunned.

Wen Ru: " -_- "

Ji Cheng: " -_- "

Xiao Li:  " -_- "