Mama's Princess is Daddy's Beloved

"She is not an object that we could win over. Is it that hard for people to understand?" Jing Wei Jin sharply snapped as he turned to his side to look at his brother. His eyes were all cold, for once not holding any hint of easy playfulness which it always held in its depths. 

The sudden pitch of his snap took Jing Shaoqing off guard. Though he was not expecting some sweet talk to come after his tease, he also did not expect such a fierce glare from his brother. "But brother, I was …" His composure wavered as he tried some words out but the moment he started he was put to silence. 

"You are asking me to blame her for rejecting me, right? But have you ever thought that if I am really in the position to blame her?" Jing Wei jin asked as he erupted in a small mocking chuckle at the end. "She is the person that got ruined because of us. In the hands of me! What capability did I still hold to blame her?" 

"…" Jing Shaoqing was unable to say anything in the answer to those questions. The more he was hearing his brother say that the more he was getting confused with his words and the more he was able to hear the guilt evident in the sarcastic tone of his brother. 

"Heh! You are right. Given our power and force, we are all equal to Feng Shufen. But even if I am equal to him, do you think I could keep her captive by my side? She is not some bird that can be caged and kept under control. She is also a human who got destroyed in between unknowingly." 

Jing Wei Jin added, shaking his head, once again accepting all the wrongs he has done in the past. The wrongs that have brought the guilt that has made him lose all his hope and chance in love. "The rejection never came my way because I was never able to build up the strength to express my feelings to her. For more than a thousand times, I might have talked of her future being with me, but none of my such playful confessions held the passion to move her heart. But I can't complain because given to my wrongs that was the punishment I was bound to get in this life". 

He said. His voice, coming out firm on the surface but in reality, serving no less than the self-taunts. 

"Brother, why are you saying it like that? How can you take all the blame on yourself? There must be someone else as well. Because knowing you I am sure, you can never be so wrong in anything". Jing Shaoqing said, stepping forward to hold onto the hands of his brother. Same as he used to do at a young age when their parents have left them to struggle alone in this world. 

Jing Wei Jin looked down at his held hands and smiled. He could already understand the cozy gesture his brother was showing to him and to be honest, his touch still held a comforting nature that was able to relax his disrupted nerves. 

But since he has started to narrate his story to his brother, he would make sure he gets to hear all of it. So that later he would not commit the same mistake. 

He stared at Jing Shaoqing as heard him say again, "I will never believe that you are only to be blamed. There must be someone else as well. So don't blame everything on yourself". 

Jing Wei Jin smiled and nodded. "You are right, I was not alone to be blamed for all this. There is also someone. The person who used my loyalty to achieve his own aims and wishes. He never considered the guilt and regrets that would come my way later. Selfishly he just thought of ways to make me the puppet of his hands. And as he wanted, I became one for him, without using my brains". 

He said, looking at him. His expression, gaining back the ease and calmness from before. Looking at him at that moment, making it feel like the turbulent storm has passed away leaving behind its lingering effects. 

Jing Shaoqing's brows got knitted together as frowning he asked, "Who was he?" 

Hearing him ask that, Jing Wei Jin smiled, before looking away. "You are asking me when you already know who it can be? Do you think asking me will change the truth?" 

"Brother, Uncle Pan would never do that. He has always treated us as his own. He has always taken us as his son. He would never be insensitive to your feelings. You must have …" Not believing, the young boy strongly disagreed but deep within, seeing the firm expression of his brother he already knew his beliefs on the man might be wrong somewhere. 

"It's up to you. Believe it if you feel like. Or else, I have never forced you to think my way. You have grown and you also have the brain to perceive things around you. As your older brother, I would just want to not be me from the past. Neither allow me nor anyone else to make you the puppet. Because maybe you won't be alone to be blamed but the feeling of regret and guilt that would come later from your actions would strike you alone." 

"Also, next time, I don't want you to meddle with the little girl. Your action from today has disappointed me. It was fortunate I got to know it early because any later, I would not have forgiven you for your audacity." 

Jing Wei Jin said as patting understandingly over his shoulders, he began his steps to walk away. 

But before he could disappear properly in the dim-lit corridors, from behind Jing Shaoqing called to ask him one last thing for the night. "Brother, are you going to blame him for life. Will you not once consider the love and care he has given to us?" 

The man paused. Giving some time to his words he spoke all firm and clear. "I am still struggling to decide that. Because same as you, I have as well treated him to be one like our father. But even in this struggle, I am sure of one thing. Maybe I won't be able to decide on blaming him or not, but I am firm about one consideration. I will never let him again hurt her for his mean motives. Even if that means severing all the ties I shared with him". 

Jing Wei Jin said before walking away in silence.