Zhao Ming looked at the desperate expressions on Ji Cheng's face and said, " I don't hate you."

  A relieved smile appeared on his face as he breathed out.

  But before he could say anything, Zhao Ming continued, " Ji Cheng, I don't hate you because I don't know anything. However, it is true that you lost your chance to apologise to the right person."

  " This apology should have belonged to the person who has bear all the cruelties of this palace just for you. For the sake to be with you."

  " I am not the one who waited for you neither was it me who had to experience all the humiliation because of you . " she said on the behalf of Zhao Ming.

  She felt that it was unfair for her to forgive him because it should be the choice left to the real Zhao Ming.

  What right does she have to forgive him so easily? It was not her who has experienced all this.

  Ji Cheng was confused and worried at the same time. He didn't know what she was talking about yet he was waiting for her to complete her words.

  " Zhao Ming,…… I" Ji Cheng wanted to say something when she raised her hand to stop him.

  " Let me complete."

  Ji Cheng nodded and waited for her……

  " Ji Cheng, I know it's been hard on you as well. You had a palace to manage and had to experience the war after effects as well. But all of this cannot be an excuse for you to mistreat someone else. "

  " You got married to Zhao Ming and brought her to the palace knowing the reality of the palace. Yet you never asked her if she was fine or needed a shoulder to cry on? "

  " Ji Cheng, sometimes people don't want someone to fight for them but to support them. If you couldn't do anything to help them, you can at least help them morally. I am sure, the Zhao Ming in the past wouldn't have blamed you if you had shown her this side of you. " she said gently as she looked at him.

  She saw his puzzled expression as she pursed her lips.

  Ji Cheng couldn't understand why she was talking like a person who doesn't have anything to do with it. She was talking as if she was talking about someone else.

  " Ji Cheng, since I don't remember anything and don't have my memories, I can easily say that I forgive you. But I don't think that I have the right to say this, since I was not the one who experienced all this."

  Ji Cheng looked at her seriously as he started to understand her meaning. From her words, it looked like she was talking like this because she doesn't have her memories.

  Zhao Ming saw his disappointmented expression and sighed.

  " I can't forgive you for your past deeds…" she paused before continuing, "But I won't judge you for that either. Since I wasn't the one who experienced all this, I won't blame you for that." she said as she looked at him.

  She knows that her words might seem strange to him but it's a truth for her. She has no right to give him forgiveness nor to punish him when he treats her so well.

  Ji Cheng looked at her with seriousness as he tried to read her thoughts. He couldn't understand if she is ready to give their relationship another chance or not?

  " And about giving the new start to our relationship, I think I need to tell you this thing before." Zhao Ming continued as she held her head down.

  " Ji Cheng, I am not the same Zhao Ming. Since the day I woke up from the coma, I have changed. I am not the same Zhao Ming who loved you crazily or not the one who could bear the insults from Empress Dowager or others."

  " I believe in give and take. I will respect you only in return if you respect me as well. If you're fine with me being clumsy, sharp tongued and outgoing, then I think we can get along with each other".

  She thought that she needed to inform him about this thing. She has noticed that there was a huge difference between her and real Zhao Ming's personalities.

  So she needs to make him clear that this is her, not Zhao Ming. Although, she didn't tell him that she was not Zhao Ming but Xie Ming.

  However, she has vaguely told him that she is the different person from before and she won't let anyone insult her for the sake of someone else's respect.

  Ji Cheng looked at her as a gentle smile appeared on his face. He has seen that she has changed alot since she woke up from the coma.

  She doesn't even have her memories, however she has become more brave and bold than before.

  Truthfully, he really liked this change in her. She looked like a true Empress with her cold and sharp tongued personality.

  He believed that all her words sounded like this because she has no recollection of the past which resulted in a change in her attitude and personality.

  " I know that I might have missed my opportunity to apologize to you since you don't remember any of it. But I promise, I will not repeat my mistake and will make you fall for me over again." he smiled as he looked at her.

  " You're quite self confident. Aren't you? " Zhao Ming joked as she looked at him.

  Ji Cheng smiled as he felt the burden in his heart reducing since they have talked about this issue.

  " I like this side of you more. I won't ask you to hold back and you can do whatever you want. After all, you're the Empress of the Ji Dynasty, no one can stop you to do whatever you want. Also, if anything happens in the future you just simply need to inform me, I will deal with it. " he said as he tightened his grip on her hand which was on her lap.

  Zhao Ming's smile widened when she heard his words. Especially, ' I like this side of you more', touched her heart.

  It was the first time who said that they liked her, and her ' rude' personality. Generally, everyone? called her rude but he said that he liked it.

  Zhao Ming pursed her lips as she said, " So…"

  Ji Cheng raised his brows as he waited for her to speak.

  " So…… Should we eat now?"-

  _-

  Ji Cheng was speechless when she talked about food at this moment. He was expecting her to say something serious.

  He chuckled and nodded." We should definitely eat."

  Ji Cheng smiled as he looked at her. She is really different.

  Her way of changing topic is really unique.

  Zhao? Ming sighed as she felt comfortable speaking her mind. Now she can at least be herself in front of him.

  Though she has not told him about her coming from the other world because she was not sure if she should talk about it or not.

  She needs to know the reason she came to this world before telling it to anyone.

  ##

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