Zhao Xinyi clenched his fist as he took a deep breath before approaching her. It's been years since he last saw her, but her beauty in his eyes has not changed at all.

"Yifie."

"Xinyi, what are you doing here?" Liu Yifie confusedly looked at the man in front of her thinking of whether she was dreaming or not.

"I'm here on a vacation with my family," he replied as he stood a few steps away from her.

"I see," she said whilst averting her eyes from him, "By the way, Lizzy is here with her family as well. Have you seen her?"

"I have," he replied who can't help but looked away as well, "I haven't seen you since high school."

"Yeah, time sure flies…" she smiled as she accidentally faced him and her face soon blushed. "I heard you went to the army and now hold a high rank."

Zhao Xinyi smiled embarra.s.singly admitting his achievements, "Yeah, I did."

"You finally reached your dream," she said with such a desperate look in her eyes.

"Almost."

"Still hoping for a higher rank then?"

"Nope," he answered her as he gazed at the sea with a smile.

"So what's missing?" she turned around to face the man curiously as to what could be missing in his life dream.

"You," his low voice answered her as he reached out his hands and grabbed hold of hers, "Yifie, I've missed you."

"Xinyi, what are you saying?" she anxiously said as her face turned all red.

Zhao Xinyi suddenly recalled the words the monk he encountered said. He looked at the girl directly in the eyes and expressed himself.

"Yifie, I've always liked you and I'm hoping you have the slightest feeling for me too."

"Xi- Xinyi, I..."

Liu Yifie didn't know what to say as her chest started beating at such a rapid pace. Her eyes were all fixed onto the man who was expressing himself wholeheartedly, but her emotions inside were all mixed up and she didn't know what to do.

"Yifie, I promise I'll work hard in order to give you a great life and promise to only love you."

"Xinyi, hold on…" she raised her voice as she pushed him aside, "Xinyi, what are you talking about?"

"Liu Yifie, I'm not asking you to be my girlfriend for I want you to be my wife. I want to spend the rest of my life with you…"

Liu Yifie face turned all red after hearing the man blurted out "wife", her mind kept repeating what he just said all over again. She started feeling dizzy as she lost focus and stumbled over.

Zhao Xinyi caught the girl who was in a daze and lost her balance, "Yifie, is something wrong?"

"Xinyi, what did you just say?" she questioned him as she looked him in the eye again.

"I'm asking you to marry me?"

Liu Yifie saw how sincerely the man was in asking her to marry him. But who was she to say yes to someone like him? The joy she felt inside soon turned to sorrow as tears rolled down her face. "Xinyi, do you even know who my family are?"

"I don't care about your family, I only care about you."

"Xinyi, your a respectable military officer while I'm just an employee at a resort, I haven't even finished my studies, my mother is a mistress and my father is an addict and gambler who just pa.s.sed away and left me so much debt."

"Then let me share all those burdens, Yifie… I've always liked you. Since the first day, I meet you."

"Xinyi, but..."

No one expected what happened next, Zhao Xinyi who been a coward all his life when it comes to the girl gather his wit as he pressed his lips against hers. He placed his hand around her cheeks while the other holding her waist tightly. Both of them didn't realize that they were both sharing such a pa.s.sionate kiss for each other. She even wrapped her arms around the man's neck as she continued pressing her lips deeper to his.

As the man slowly let go of the girl, he stared in her eyes and said, "Yifie, I love you and I hope you can love me too."

"Xinyi, I do." a single tear rolled down her face as she smiled in joy.

"You do?"

Liu Yifie releases her arms around the man's neck and nodded her head. "Since the day you protected me."

"Yifie, I promise I'll always be here for you."

"And I will too."

"Yifie, here…" he said as he put out a simple jade ring. "I'll get you a better ring, I wasn't prepared I just…"

Before he could finish his explanation, she took him by surprise and kissed him on the lips. "I love it."

He smiled as he then kissed her back on her forehead, "Yifie, I have something to tell you."

"What is it?" she asked as he noticed the anxiousness in his eyes.

"Yifie, what am about to say it the whole truth, I didn't want to keep secrets from you…"

"What is it?"

"Yifie, you see, I'm actually…" he hesitated but was surprised when Yifie answered for him.

"The son of General Zhao."

Zhao Xinyi was lost for words at the moment at he looked at the girl, surprisingly. "You knew?"

"I haven't meet General Zhao before but today when I went fis.h.i.+ng with Lizzy, I notice you and General Zhao really looked alike. Also, your family we're talking about you and seeing Lizzy reacted suspiciously...." she explained everything as she giggled at the same time recalling how ridiculous the girl looked trying her best to cover up his ident.i.ty.

"Oh?"

"When you and Lizzy came to visit me once, I've known she was your cousin despite you kept telling me she just your friend and you'll be her future guard."

"And?"

"Back then, I felt ashamed that you two came to me and saw how my situation was. After knowing who you were I decide to move away since I felt I was not right for you."

"You what?" Zhao Xinyi raised his voice as he grabbed hold of the girl by her arms from the shock he just received.

"I realized then that I have fallen for you but I know you were meant for someone else."

Tears started rolling down her face again as she rejected her decision before. But now that things turned out this way, she has no more rejects.

"Yifie," he comforted her as he embraced her tightly, "I'm sorry, I've always wondered why you left all of a sudden."

"Xinyi, I'm sorry."

"It's fine, just promise me you won't run away again."

As the two continued to embrace each other, someone suddenly jumps in front of them.

"So I'm guessing she said yes."

"Lizzy?"

"Lili?"

Both of them turned around shyly as they released each other as they faced the girl.

"Sis Yifie, I'm so happy to have you as a big sister," she said as she pushed her brother aside and embrace the girl.

"Lizzy, you planned all of this right?" she suspiciously asked thinking Xinyi isn't that quick-witted when it comes to something like this.

"Sorry, Sis Yifie, big brother can be quite a chicken sometimes."

Liu Yifie laughed as he watches the duo teased and quarrel with each other, she then gazed at the ring on her finger. She smiled so brightly, which caught the duo attention. They smiled seeing how happy she was.

The three of them turned around to face the sun that way saying goodbye to them. It turned out that facing one fear can really make a person strong. Like they said; 'All for one and one for all'. With the help of his sister, he was able to face his fear and gain his true happiness.

Zhao Xinyi looked at the two girls wrapped in his arms. He finally got the girl he loves, but the journey ahead does not end there. He still needs to face the judge ahead. He can't simply let his sister's efforts go to waste. 'Don't worry, I won't let go of you this time.'