"Silly, Meili. Do you really think I could ever hate you? You are my sworn sister." Tang Moyu sighed and patted Li Meili's head with a gentleness that only a few people could get from the cold empress.

  Li Meili snapped her head and looked at her in shock.

  "Moyu, you aren't mad? Are you sure you don't hate me?" She asked.

  Tang Moyu shook her head and dried her best friend's tears with a clean handkerchief.

  "No. Should I be?" She retorted back.

  Li Meili opened her mouth to say something but she was also rendered speechless from her best friend's reaction.

  "Meili, have you forgotten? Didn't you make a pact with me? Didn't you promise that you and I are sworn sisters? For the longest time, we have each other's backs. You should know better than not to trust me and my judgement." The empress started, her eyes softening as she looked at Li Meili.

  "Didn't you say we have a bond stronger than that of a husband and wife? That in this lifetime, for eternity, we are kindred sisters who would look after each other?"

  "I-I didn't forget, Moyu…" Li Meili stuttered in disbelief.

  When they were still in their teenage years, she found an interesting book entitled "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan" and recommended it to Tang Moyu to read in her spare time. Once she was done reading it, the two decided to watch the movie together.

  "Moyu, let's make a pact too!" young Li Meili grinned at her best friend. "Promise me that you will forever be my kindred sister!" She demanded.

  Young Tang Moyu's brows shot up at Li Meili's request. Was Li Meili sure she wanted to have a relationship like Laotong between them, just like Lily and Snow Flower from the book?

  Laotong is a lifelong relationship that was the strongest and most precious bond of female friendship. This was a more rare and formal relationship between women. A woman could only have one Laotong, and the intensely unbreakable bond was for life.

  So for Li Meili wanting to make the same pact, would that mean that she, Tang Moyu, could only be her kindred sister in this lifetime?

  Tang Moyu didn't think it was a bad idea at all and made a pact with Li Meili to be together forever as best friends, no matter where life takes them.

  "Then why can't you trust my judgement? Do you really think I would like to be the reason for your unhappiness, Meili? In this world, there's nothing I wish for you but be truly happy and content with your life."

  The empress sighed, remembering the first time she met Li Meili up to her darkest days when she'd lost everything. Li Meili was the only one who stood by her side through it all and had her back when everything seemed impossible for her.

  "You were there when everyone turned their backs on me. You were the only one who stood up for and protected me when no one bothered to help me. You supported me, love my little buns as if they are your own, help me without asking for anything in return. How can I ever repay you, Meili? I don't think I can ever."

  Li Meili sniffed and dried her tears.

  "I never expected anything in return, Moyu." She said.

  "I know, that is why you should also know better than anyone to place your trust in me as your sworn sister." Tang Moyu held the side of Li Meili's face. "I would never forsake you, Meili. Not ever."

  "Really?" Li Meili still couldn't believe how Tang Moyu still tried to understand her. She was really fortunate that she was able to meet and befriend someone like Tang Moyu. The empress didn't say much, but she always expressed her concern over her through her actions.

  "Really." The empress smiled at her genuinely. "Now, I have to know if you feel the same as my stupid brother. You do know this wouldn't be easy right? Not when we have a manipulative mother waiting for a chance to strike back at me using Beixuan."

  Li Meili's eyes widened in understanding. She had totally forgotten the ordeal between Tang Moyu and Zhang Wuying. And now that Tang Beixuan was back in the country, the old woman would sure try to break the ties of the siblings, forcing Tang Beixuan to go against the empress.

  "And do you really think I would be happy knowing that I am the reason why you and Beixuan couldn't be together?" Tang Moyu questioned her. "You didn't judge me when I confessed my growing feelings for Feng Tianyi. You never told me to leave him even after you found out who he is. This… Meili, you don't know how much your approval meant to me and Tianyi."

  "Meili, I love you like my own sister and I love Beixuan too. So please stop using me as an excuse to hurt yourself and Beixuan. I would alway wish happiness and the best for you."

  Li Meili stared down at her hands on her lap. What Tang Moyu said was right, and honestly, she was tired of fighting her own feelings. Listening to her best friend, she suddenly felt silly and immature for worrying too much. She should have faith in Tang Moyu. She should believe that she would understand her.

  "Well, you have to understand that it's a little awkward for me to say that I want to date your little brother." She muttered, a slight blush on her cheeks.

  Tang Moyu chuckled at that.

  "Whatever. Who am I to judge? As long as you love each other, nothing else should matter."