《I Deserve A Second Chance》


 Chapter 1 - Run!

    She woke up late. Again! This was already the n-th time this week! What was going on with her??


    She quickly dressed herself and left her apartment in a hurry.


    She was waiting for the elevator to arrive and since she was staying on the 13th floor, the elevator would take a while to arrive.


    Suddenly her phone rang.


    She quickly fumbled around her purse to look for it and picked it up.


    .....


    "Xiao Yan Zi~!!"


    A crisp, clear voice sounded from her phone as she had to distant her phone a little bit away before she went deaf.


    Qi Ling, her childhood friend continued to roar on the phone, "I hope you''re already on the way? Remember!! The presentation for the Anniversary celebration is today. If you screwed it up, I will definitely come back this time and kill you myself!!"


    This is Qi Ling, her best friend. And her only friend in this country. Female, 32 years old, single, 1.75m tall (5.8 ft), 50 kg (110 lbs).


    She had short bob hair which she dyed light brown. "I want to look like Utada Hikaru on her glorious days, and no, don''t you dare give any comment on this. I have made up my mind". That''s what she said when she ambushed Shao Yan two years ago after coming back from country U.


    And ever since then, it became her trademark look.


    "Remember be confident!", her rant continued, "Always raise your chin by one inch when you presented the proposal, that''s how you gained more height for yourself!", and then she laughed out loud.


    Three blacklines appeared in Shao Yan''s head and she countered, "Hey! Tiny is mighty! I am already 1.55m (5.0 ft), it is the standard height for women all around the world! Don''t make fun of me!".


    The elevator had arrived so she stepped inside and continued her conversation with Qi Ling, "Xiao Ling, where are you this time? And when are you coming back? What should I do with all those flowers and gift from your boyfriends?".


    Qi Ling stopped laughing and sighed softly, "Singapore. I''m so tired~ Two more shows and I should be back next month. Just throw them away, or keep them, I don''t care."


    "And it''s not my boyfriends, okay! Who told me to be this gorgeous to have this many suitors. But too bad, none of them get into this Queen''s eye!".


    Shao Yan could only shake her head and say helplessly, "Don''t play with their hearts if you don''t want anything to do with them, just tell them right away and move on."


    She was now in the underground parking lot and walking to her car. When Qi Ling heard the car remote beeped, she closed the call, "Xiao Yan Yan, good luck! If you aced this promotion, I will come back bearing the gifts of your lifetime!!".


    Shao Yan said a few more words of advice to remind her to eat on time and so on, before finally hanging up. She started her white Mazda3 and slowly eased out of the parking garage.


    .....


    Sha had been staying in country U for eight years before coming back to China two years ago after her divorce.


    She met Qi Ling by accident when she was on a business trip to Paris a few months before coming back and when Qi Ling found out that Shao Yan was coming back, she offered to let her stay with her.


    Qi Ling was a model, so for job purposes, she purchased a condominium in the CBD area so she could move around easily for work.


    This was also a good option for Shao Yan whose new office was actually only fifteen minutes drive away.


    Traffic was considered light even though it''s already 8.30 in the Monday morning.


    Her proposal presentation was scheduled for 9.30 and she was driving like mad now.


    Shao Yan had a habit of reviewing everything before presenting her material and she had allocated 30 minutes for this time.


    IF she could make it to the office by 9. She softly sighed. Why did it had to happen today of all days~


    After a quick drive, a tall building with glasses showed upon her view.


    This 50 floor building was where she had been working for the past 2 years. The company that she was working at, Gold Crane publication, was the most popular publishing company in the country, occupying the most top 10 floors.


    She was lucky to get this job by referral from her previous boss who was having tea with an old friend. Mr. Lennar, her manager, praised her to high heaven to the point that her current boss, Mr. Wang, was sold right away and signed her on the spot.


    She was not used to being late so she was so frustrated looking at the fully loaded parking area. After a while, she finally found a spot and quickly parked.


    She gathered all her stuff from the backseat and sprinted to the office. She was walking really fast, while checking to make sure she had her badge and proposal inside the bag.


    One hand was holding her phone and the other hand was holding her bag while shifting through it.


    Along the way to the main lobby elevator, she kept bumping to people and thus kept apologizing.


    She also bumped into a man holding a cup of coffee that spilled and stained his gunmetal pants.


    She could only quickly turn her head around and yell, "Sorry~!! I''m rushing right now, meet me down here in 2 hours and I will buy you a new cup! I''m sorry!!" and hastily walk away.


    The man was stunned for a second before his cold eyes followed her rushing figure.


    He was about to turn and walk away when she suddenly turned around and shouted, "And your pants too!".


    And as if she realized what she just blurted, her face turned bright tomato red before waving and ran away again to chase the elevator.


    He paused and chuckled before giving a last look to her tiny figure and then walked out to the front lobby.

 Chapter 2 - Anniversary

    Shao Yan finally reached the elevator lobby and carefully keyed in her floor destination into the keypad.


    This building was the most advanced office building in City S. There were total of six elevators but none of them had any keys inside the elevator.


    In the elevator lobby there were two touch screens where people keyed in their floor destination before the screen would change to show the appointed elevator number.


    Shao Yan quickly keyed in ''56'' and then the screen showed that her elevator would be elevator C.


    She then walked to elevator C to wait. She checked her appearance through the reflective door panel and tied her shoulder length hair into a ponytail right when her assigned elevator arrived.


    Calming herself down, she unconsciously hummed to the tune inside elevator.


    .....


    Two years ago, she joined this company as a Project Manager. Today''s presentation would be showcasing her proposal on how to celebrate the company''s 50th anniversary in three months.


    Gold Crane president had announced that anyone could submit their proposal for this event and the winner would be rewarded handsomely.


    Rumor had it that the approved proposal would guarantee a promotion for the proposal''s owner.


    Exiting the elevator, Shao Yan greeted some familiar faces on her floor. She kept walking to the meeting room to start preparing for her presentation.


    It''s a rectangular shaped room with 20 seats capacity. There were each 10 seats on each side of the table. Shao Yan put her working bag on top of the desk and started to place the printed presentation folder to each assigned seats.


    Usually there will be 8-10 people present at each meeting. She invited 20 executives today but she wasn''t sure how many exactly would turn up.


    .....


    Knock knock.


    A cute, bubbly face female head popped in from the door and gave a big brightening smile at Shao Yan.


    "Yan jie, are you nervous?", while walking into the room, she also passed Shao Yan a cup of tea and a piece of salted caramel dark chocolate.


    "Thanks, Xiao Ying", Shao Yan cupped her hand around the mug and ate the chocolate, "This chocolate will definitely help my anxious heart. Are you going to sit in with us later?".


    Lee Ying shook her head, her short curly hair waved along with her movement, and pouted "Mr. Wang had me translated the new Japanese novel he just acquired".


    She quickly took the remaining folders from Shao Yan''s hand to help her and walked to the other side of table, "Yan jie, remember me when you have become the Project Director. I still want to work with you. Be cow be dog, I don''t mind." and she grinned again.


    Shao Yan gave a helpless smile and knocked on Lee Ying''s forehead and said "Nonsense. A girl as cute as you would definitely be a doll, instead of cow and dog. If you were dog or cow, you would have gotten kidnapped for sure!".


    Shao Yan turned her attention to her laptop and powered it on, she continued "Have you heard about the new consultant that Mr. Wang hire?"


    Lee Ying had finished distributing the folders and now was helping Shao Yan to check on the power cord for the projector.


    She looked up at her and cheekily replied, "En. Yan jie, rumor said that he is dropped dead gorgeous. A bit old I think around 40?" she put her fingers to her chin and pondered, "But who cares if he''s old, oldie but goldie, right, Yan jie! Hehe.. I heard that Madam Fu from Accounting already saw him last week and told everyone that he got a cute.." she paused for a while and looked around as if checking if anyone else was in the room, before whispering, "Cute ass!".


    Then she laughed out loud while putting her hand to cover her mouth.


    Shao Yan could only gave a small smile at her attitude and said, "Alright now. Stop playing around and help me brew some tea for the executives later. I will start practicing now, I only have 15 minutes left."


    Lee Ying stuck her little tongue out and gave her military salute before walked out the meeting room.


    Shao Yan could only shook her head helplessly at this intern of hers. Lee Ying would be graduated in two months. She had been helping her department with miscellaneous chores for 4 months now and she was like the sunshine for the team.


    Due to her cheerful personality, everyone quickly liked her and enjoyed her cheeky jokes. Lee Ying was a smart girl and Shao Yan really enjoyed mentoring her as well.


    .....


    Fifteen minutes went by really fast. The executives started to enter the room one by one.


    She was surprised that she had more than 20 executives attending her presentation today. She and Lee Ying had to run to the adjacent meeting room to get some extra chairs.


    Little that she knew, these top executives attended this meeting because they knew her by name but never really seen her face yet.


    All her successful projects gained her quite a reputation within the company so they were all looking forward to what she would bring for this anniversary as well.


    After settling down, Shao Yan quickly started her presentation. What the leaders like about her was because she knew how to engage people.


    She kept her presentation short but not forget to highlights all the interesting parts. She actively engaged with the audiences and answered the questions with light jokes and smart answers.


    "Very nice presentation, Shao Yan." Mr. Wang concluded the meeting and said, "You can go back to your desk now and we will keep in touch with you again."


    She tidied up her stuffs and exited the room. While slowly, all the executives looked at each other and gave silent nods at each other.


    .....


    Shao Yan went back to her desk and just as she sat down, she remembered she needed to buy the gunmetal guy a cup of coffee.


    She quickly got up again and dashed downstairs.


    Ugh!


    She really hated having to owe anyone, "He better showed up. I can''t even remember his face, I don''t want to keep owing him if he doesn''t show up", she grumbled.

 Chapter 3 - So Tiny!

    "Your double espresso, Sir!", the waiter placed the cup of coffee in front of him while flashing coquettish smile. He was typing away on his phone while saying "Mm thank you." The server''s smile froze and she walked away.


    Tsk! Just a polite thank you. But even so, the server blushed real hard and started gossiping with her coworker.


    "He is so good looking. I got to see him up close, his jaw oh so chiseled! He looked so elegant when he put his hand to support his chin. And he smelled so good too! Oh so masculine! When he was thinking, his cute brow just came up together, even that is also so handsome!"


    Her friend also joined in, "Those long legs!! Did you see those long legs!! Dayumm! Why so serious, cute guy? Two beauties here available for you!" And then they bursted out laughing happily.


    Li Xiqing couldn''t be bother by their shrieks and giggles. He wasn''t even listening. He was texting his team in Germany, and at the same time, talking to another team based in Japan. He needed to assign some items to them because he knew he would be occupied with Gold Crane for this month.


    He had been working since early morning, and had lost count of how many cups of coffee he had had. After he finished his last text, he looked up, just in time to see her looking around trying to find him.


    "Mr. Li, the company in Tokyo will be ready in May, just in time for the Golden Week holiday surprise." his team member, Tanaka Hideo reported to him in Japanese, "The acquisition will be finalized in April and then we can close the deal in May. We should be done by June and we can leave the country right away.", he concluded.


    Li Xiqing just gave a firm acknowledgement and he was about to say something when she finally saw him.


    They were looking at each other right now. He could see doubt in her eyes. She tore her eyes away and looked left and right again to make sure there''s only one possibility. It''s not even lunch time yet, so he was the only one sitting in the cafe. There should not be a mistake.


    He thought she looked different than this morning but he couldn''t figure it out. He kept thinking about it and finally he realized. Oh, she tied her hair up. This made her snowy neck more prominent.


    She wore a semi-casual collared cotton green dress which fall right on her knee. Accented with slim gold belt on her high waist, she looked elegant.


    The pleated at the bottom fell gracefully as she walked closer and then you could see dust of gold flakes in between the cloth as she moved.


    Dark green would have made her looked dull, but the gold dust gave her a lively feeling.


    Not gaudy, and at the same time, not boring.


    Hmm really interesting.


    .....


    She approached him hesitantly.


    Tanaka-san was still waiting for his boss''s instruction, "Boss, are you still there? Are you good with this schedule?".


    Li Xiqing was brought back from his pondering "Let''s do it this way. Email me the whole plan by tomorrow." and he ended the call right when she was standing in front of him.


    He slowly put away his wireless Bluetooth.


    He was waiting for her to say something. He looked amused as he could still felt that she was not sure if he was the one she bumped into this morning.


    "I''m sorry to bother you, are you the one I spilled coffee to this morning?", she asked hesitantly. He smiled and stood up.


    He then gestured his left side jacket that showed splashed of coffee which also has dripped to some parts of his pants.


    She look embarrassed and quickly said, "I''m sorry. I was rushing for an important meeting this morning." She opened her phone casing compartment and took out a name card, "This is my contact. Please send your laundry bill to me, I will definitely pay you back. This is my badge, as you can see, the name match, so I''m not lying to you."She flashed her badge for him to see before took it away and signaled the waiter.


    So her name was Shao Yan. And she wasn''t asking for his name. She didn''t need to know his? Hmm. This was the first time.


    He played around with her card on his fingertips. He sat back down and waited to see what she would do next.


    The waiters argued with each other to see who should serve the table. The one who commented on his long legs won the argument and quickly approached them while tidying her loose hair and wearing her ever best smile.


    But to her disappointment, he was not even looking at her, he was looking intensely at this green dress woman.


    "Excuse me, can you put his bill into my card, please." she handed over her credit card and added, "also, please add one chamomile tea to go, thank you."


    He was scrutinizing her now. She had really small face. You wouldn''t call her gorgeous, but she was not ugly. Even though it''s only a polite smile, she already looked pretty. He was wondering how she would looked like if she gave a genuine happy smile.


    After placing her order, she looked back at him. He didn''t show any change of expression even though he was surprised by her sudden turn.


    She was looking at his table where his laptop and phone were placed and decided he must be busy, "I will not disturb you any longer, I just wanted to let you know I didn''t mean to bump into you. I''m glad that you''re willing to wait for me even though you''re clearly busy."


    Before she stood up to leave, she heard him say, "Unfortunately," he paused for a while and then continued, "I have an urgent meeting this afternoon." He casually leaned back to his seat and lazily said, "So I can''t send this suit to laundry, and I may have to buy another one right away."


    She paused and looked confused now. She didn''t expect this at all. She was contemplating on what she should do, when he suddenly stood up and put his laptop into his bag and said, "There''s a shopping mall next door. Let''s go.".


    Before she replied him, he was already walking to the counter to take her cup of tea and turned around to look at her to show that he would be waiting patiently.


    She was stunned for a while, before she followed him.

 Chapter 4 - Smile

    This guy was so tall!!


    So you think you''re so tall that you can walk so fast. You''re so great ah! She sulked.


    She liked to wear wedge shoes. Her job required her to move around but she didn''t like flat shoes, so she collected a lot of wedges shoes. just so happened that today she wore a 3 inches shoes.


    And because of that, she had to walk slower because she was afraid that she would sprained her ankle if she rushed to him. She grumbled in her heart unhappily. To her surprise, he suddenly stop.


    She got a scare there for a while, she thought she accidentally said it out loud.


    But it turned out, he was only checking a message on his phone. She sighed a relief and walked closer to him.


    He locked his phone and look up at her and asked, "Are you an author?" She looked confused with the sudden question but quickly shook her head, "No, I''m a project manager. My company published all the good novels in the world. The sales team will travel around to look for good authors and after they signed with us, I am in charge in making sure they''re really published and paid." and then she gave a proud smile.


    Because he was asking her question, and she answered, they walked side by side like old friends. She was surprised that he asked a lot of questions about publishing industry.


    She thought a handsome guy would skimp on words to look cool. But she was wrong.


    He kept coming up with questions for her, and without her realizing, they have walked side by side to the shopping mall.


    .....


    He entered a store exclusively for suit and dress pants. He clearly was someone who wore this on a daily basis, for he was quick to locate what he was looking for, found his size and walked to the cashier to pay for it.


    When she saw him walking to the cashier, she wanted to pay for his suit to pay back her debt. But he refused and didn''t even let her fight for it. He didn''t need her help to pick the motif or color for the suit as well. So she just stood there waiting for him like a good little wife to conclude his transaction.


    Now, she was scratching her head. Why was she here then?


    After he was done, he went to her and said "It''s lunch time now, and I have occupied your time for a while, so let me buy you lunch. Do you eat soup dumplings?" she paused and said "Yes, but.." and before she finished, he already said "Then that''s great, let''s go". And he started walking to the exit door.


    She was confused. Was it not her debt to pay??


    .....


    She followed him out of the store and they walked to a famous soup dumpling restaurant on the second floor. It''s right on time for lunch break, so the restaurant got crowded quickly. Luckily it''s only the two of them, so they got a table right away.


    He ordered two classic items and let her order the rest. She was not a picky eater anyway and thought the two classic items were good enough, so she just added a tofu dish and vegetable dish.


    She was about to say something when suddenly her phone rang. She looked at the caller ID and noticed it came from the office. She signalled him that she needed to pick it up, and he nodded. She left their table and stepped outside the restaurant to pick it up.


    Lee Ying''s voice came through right away, "Yan jie, where are you? Let''s eat, I''m starving~"


    Shao Yan smiled at this childish behavior, "I''m at the shopping mall next door, I bumped into someone and spilled his coffee this morning, so I''m buying him lunch to pay it back."


    Right? It should be her who paid this lunch. Right, she would not let him pay for it again no matter what. And then she cupped her fist.


    Lee Ying heard that and so she halfheartedly resigned, "Alright then, I won''t disturb you. I know how you feel about owing someone" and then she perked up again, "Yan jie, is it a guy? Is he cute? Take a picture for me to see!" and then she kept chirping away about this topic.


    Shao Yan could not let the gentleman inside to wait for too long, so she quickly pacified Lee Ying before ended the call.


    .....


    She went back inside and apologized to him. He didn''t mind as he was checking his own work emails. The restaurant moved around so fast because it''s lunch time and soon their dishes were brought out.


    He has really good etiquette. He didn''t talk much while eating. He was also being so considerate, scooped some dishes to her plate every now and then.


    She couldn''t remember when was the last time she had a meal and not having to talk about work and just enjoyed herself of this rare break time. She gradually felt relax and unknowingly she ate more than her usual portion.


    She finished a whole bowl of rice! She was so surprised, because usually half bowl of rice was already enough to fill her up.


    She was convincing herself that true enough, eating with a good looking guy increased appetite for worldly food as well!!


    When the bill came, she finally won the race to offer her credit card to pay. She looked like a gangster for a while, so she embarrassingly said to him, "I really hate to owe people. So please just pretend you didn''t see my valiant act just now and let it be."


    She smiled sheepishly and turned back around to signed the paper.


    She didn''t look at how he was gazing at her intently and his eyes gradually turned warm. She was used to taking care of herself the past two years so she didn''t think too much about who was paying for what.


    But she didn''t know that this person in front of her was a very successful M&A (mergers and acquisition) icon.


    His name was known in country U, country G, country J and also here, and when women knew about his capability, they would gladly let him paid for everything.


    Without questions asked.


    So when he was faced with this kind of woman, he was baffled. Was she really so independent?

 Chapter 5 - See You Soon!

    "You don''t have to send me back. I''m sure I have taken a lot of your time today. The office is only next door anyway. I should go now. Take care!"


    After they walked out of the mall, she quickly said that to him. He paused on his steps and looked at her.


    She added again, "Although I paid for the lunch, I still think I have to compensate your suit as well. Please send the laundry bill to me when you got the chance." She gave a polite smile and without waiting for his reply, she walked away.


    She didn''t rush her steps, nor was she pretending to be busy with phone. She really didn''t do anything except for walking away while enjoying the beautiful day.


    Even until the end of lunch, she still didn''t ask for his name. As if, she didn''t need to know and didn''t have to know. She treated this encounter as a one time only and everyone would parted their ways happily.


    Oh she was so wrong.


    He just looked at her parting figure quietly and gave a small smile. He shook his head helplessly and chanted in his heart, ''We''ll meet again soon''.


    .....


    When she came to office on Wednesday, she got the surprise of her life. She won the proposal tender and on top of that, she would also be in charge for the celebration party. Everyone from her floor, and also from the other floors, all came to her to congratulate her.


    She credited her team for the winning. She didn''t do the material by herself. And she believed in awarding those who deserve to be awarded. So she always remembered to bring up her team members'' contribution to everyone who came.


    Because of the tight schedule, everyone worked hard right away, to get the best result for the party. Shao Yan had promised her team for a dinner to celebrate the win and all of them decided to go for hotpot on Friday.


    The mall next door had the famous lamb hotpot so it''s very convenient for everyone. They went after they finished their tasks for the day and happily went to the restaurant to eat to their hearts content.


    "Boss, how do you feel being a celebrity of Gold Crane?", one of her team member, Zhao Wenhai asked her, "Now, who doesn''t know Shao Yan of Project Team!"


    Other team member, Li Na, also chimed in "Boss, when you go bigger than this, remember to bring all of us with you!". They all chatted happily, and without restraint. All five of them had worked together for the past two years. They had grown from strangers to family during that time.


    Shao Yan ordered some beers to accompany their food. And they became rowdier. Wenhai and Li Na were around the same age as her. Other team members, Huo ge and Fan jie were both older than her but when alcohol was involved, no one was pretending to be little miss anymore.


    Shao Yan tried not to drink too much, and Lee Ying was also with them, so Shao Yan made sure at least there was one person who was sobered enough to control the situation.


    .....


    After dinner, because their heart were still so ecstatic, they decided to go to karaoke. She booked a medium room, and they quickly fought for song selection. Shao Yan just let them played around, this was their night anyway. She just sat on the side and sipped her fruit juice.


    Someone picked Zhang Xueyou (Jacky Cheung) song True Love (�氮). She was about to drink her juice and then her hand paused halfway when she heard the intro. Huo ge and Fan jie quickly took on the mic and sang confidently. Shao Yan put the glass back on the table and lost in her thoughts.


    Many years ago, someone also sang this song for her, declaring his love for her; telling her that they would be together forever, inseparable.


    But those were mere lies. She fell for those lies.


    She was deeply in love, fully devoted herself to him and agreed to marry him. She left all her friends and families here and moved to country U with him.


    It had been two years but everytime she thought of him, her heart still felt the pain. She could feel tears threatened to spill out.


    She took a deep breath and calmed herself down. She closed her eyes and tried to think of her project plan to distract her mind.


    She tried to spell out her plans one by one. But all the memories just came back to her. Flooded all her emotions at once. She''s drowning.


    .....


    They met at college 8 years ago and dated soon after. All her friends had warned her not to be with him. But she didn''t listen.


    They spent every single day together. She went to his classes and he went to hers. Soon, everybody knew that they''re an item. He was the idol in the university. He was smart and good looking. He was also the role model student for their batch.


    Every girls envied her. But if she could turned back time, she would have told her younger self to run away run far away, and escaped him.


    He proposed after they graduated. He was 23 and she was 22. Her parents against their decision so much, so they decided to elope. She was filled with excitement of living a new chapter with him that she turned blind to everything else.


    Their first few years together were full of bliss. The sex were blazing hot. They were always looking at each other, tried different positions at different places. They were adventurous!


    Then trouble came.


    They had to face the reality very soon after their third anniversary. He was an ambitious person. He worked really hard and became a director of a gaming company when he was only 25.


    He was busy with work and soon neglected her. They kept missing each other presence at home. He came home late when she was already asleep. They had less and less communication.


    And everytime they talked to each other, they would just argued and threw things at each other. She would ended up crying and he would left the house frustrated. And then the next day, they would pretend nothing had ever happened.


    The cycle continued for several years.


    Even when they tried to save their marriage by going on vacation, he would be occupied with calls and meetings. So she finally had enough.


    She decided to leave.

 Chapter 6 - He Likes Men!

    She couldn''t stop her mind from kept thinking about the past. All of her regrets, her sorrows and her sadness, all came together at once.


    She gave up trying to hold it in. She walked to the platform and grabbed the pad from Li Na, and quickly find her song. She needed to let loose!


    .....


    After searching for a while, she finally found it. ''I will Survive'' by Gloria Gaynor. Really classic.


    After living in country U for so long, her English was spoken really well. She jumped the queue and without apologizing to anyone, she quickly stood at the front and started singing he heart out.


    This was the first time the team saw Shao Yan sang. They went to karaoke many times before but Shao Yan would never touch the mic, let alone sing.


    So they were very surprised. She nailed all the lyrics perfectly, she''s not a singer so her tone was sometimes off here and there. She couldn''t reached the high notes either, but she didn''t care. She just kept screaming her lungs out


    She needed to survive!


    When she reached the final refrain, instead of a long drawl, she changed it to whisper, "I will survive" and big fat tears fell from her right eye.


    Only Fan jie and Li Na saw this and both of them were stupefied. Li Na quickly tried to distract the others while Fan jie slowly stood up, shoved Huo ge to take over the mic and sang the next song.


    Huo ge, sensing something was off, didn''t say anything. He instead quick to drag Wenhai to sing a song by the currently famous Korean group.


    .....


    Fan jie approached Shao Yan who seemed to have lost all her energy after only one song. They listlessly stepped outside to take a breather. Neither of them spoke a single word.


    Fan jie dragged Shao Yan outside. Shao Yan just sat on the road side, staring into the dark night. Fan jie took out a cigarette and started to light it. She blew a smoke ring while kept looking at Shao Yan to make sure she wouldn''t abruptly did something stupid.


    After smoking two cigarettes, while taking out the third one and lighted it, Fan jie started to say,


    "There are a lot of rumors in the company about you." She paused to inhale the third cigarette. "I''m sure you''ve heard about them too."


    Fan jie narrowed her eyes while inhaling the cigarette.


    Shao Yan looked at her and slowly chuckled, "You mean the stories about the groom left the bride on the altar, and then the bride ran back home heartbroken?" She paused and looked back deeply into the night.


    She took a deep breath and continued, "Or about how I was having an affair with a big boss in country U, pampered and spoiled rotten, and then the legitimate wife found out about us and chased me back home?".


    She peeked a look at Fan jie and then said, "Or about how I got married so young without my parent''s blessing, eloped and then karma came. My parents passed away on an accident, and cursed me to not having a good marital life? And then he cheated on me with a big customer''s daughter after signing on a $10 billion dollar deal?"


    Shao Yan stood up from the pavement and walked slowly to Fan jie, "What about you, Fan jie? Which one do you believe in?" Shao Yan looked at her intently, waiting for her answer


    Her shoulder length hair was moving along with the wind slowly. Her heart chilled while facing Fan jie''s challenging eyes. Fan jie just slowly stubbed out her cigarette, "Girl, no matter what I think, you just have to keep believing in yourself. All the male characters in those rumors are assholes. I''m sure you deserved someone better." she paused and then stood up and patted the dust off her posterior.


    She walked slowly to Shao Yan''s side and put on a very stern serious look. She took a deep breath before putting both hands on Shao Yan''s shoulder while saying,


    "Hey! Should I matchmake you with Wenhai? He got a house, a stable job, and he won''t cheat on you with other girls! This is already a very good deal" she raised her eyebrows up and down, trying to convince Shao Yan of her ''brilliant'' idea. Her attitude right now was very similar to vegetable auntie in the market trying to negotiate on a price.


    Shao Yan stunned before suddenly bursted out a giggle.


    She then gave a long deep sigh, "Fan jie, your taste is surely uh.. one of a kind! Of course Wenhai won''t cheat on me with girls! He likes men! Men!! How to compete with those balls~"


    Shao Yan sulked at her idea.


    Fan jie laughed and they laughed together for a while. The night wind blew slowly and only a distant noise of car horns accompanying them tonight.


    After a while, they were both tired of laughing, and leaned on the wall, still standing next to each other. Fan jie circled her on the shoulder, "Are you feeling better now? Let''s drink more tonight and forget all yesterday''s sorrow."


    "He had lost you, it''s really his lost. Now you, my girl, don''t you ever look at the past anymore and be hurt with it. Move on with your head high. You have beaten everyone at the Anniversary proposal. I''m sure you can beat this one too!"


    Fan jie showed off her biceps like some weight lifting athlete. Shao Yan looked at this gangster auntie attitude from her and felt warmth spreading slowly in her cold heart.


    Shao Yan smiled and nodded her head. They walked back to the karaoke room together with packs of beers.


    .....


    Fan jie entered the room while yelling, "Not drunk, not going home tonight! Comrades, let''s begin the night!


    Wenhai and Lee Ying were singing on Gangnam Style when Fan jie just walked in. Hearing what Fan jie just said, both of them just gave a blank look at her, while Psy was dancing happily in the background.


    Everyone started cheering after few seconds, agreeing to her motion and they resumed singing like nothing had happened before.


    Ah~ the night is indeed still young.

 Chapter 7 - Chance Meeting

    The next morning, Shao Yan woke up with a massive headache. She regretted drinking that many bottles. It had been a while for her to get loose like that.


    She got up slowly, her silky hair messily spread out, still sat on the bed while rubbing her temple. She searched around her blanket for her phone.


    When she found it, she powered it on and waited for a while. She stretched out her aching body before all the message notifications started pouring in.


    After a while, the notification sound stopped. She took her phone, unlocked it, and started checking it one by one.


    She kept rubbing her forehead while scrolling. The first few were from vendors for the Anniversary party confirming on her meeting requests for next week.


    Alright. She''s excited now, next week was going to be busy! She grinned happily.


    Next was from Qi Ling, she sent 8 messages?!! Must be about a new guy she just met. She sighed and promised herself she would come back to them later.


    She kept scrolling. She deleted few marketing messages. The next one was from an unknown number, she was about to delete it, before looking at the brief snippet: "$128 for the suit jacket..."


    Light bulb blinked on top of her head.


    And then she opened the text: "$128 for the suit jacket, $268 for the pants, $78 for the dress shirt and $58 for the tie. I am still waiting for the shoe cleaning bill. I will let you know where to transfer the money."


    !!!


    She was now fully awake and almost jumped off the bed. Was he crazy!! Which laundry did he go to?? This was super expensive! Did they wash them with diamond or something?!


    .....


    She took a super deep breath. Calm down, Shao Yan. Inhale and exhale. Inhale and exhale.


    She calmed herself down, before typing a reply. She kept typing and kept deleting, typing and deleting, before she finally able to form peaceful words: "Thanks for letting me know. Give me your account number, I will definitely pay them back. Don''t worry!"


    She looked at her message, and then she retyped the last part again: "I will definitely pay them back. Don''t worry :)"


    There! I put a smile. I''m not grumpy and I''m not upset and I''m definitely not a cheapskate.


    Sigh. Goodbye my heard earned money. Sob.


    She took a deep breath before hitting the send button.


    She threw her phone away and leaned back to bed sorrowfully. She regretted having praised him as good looking, handsome, cool guy. What cool guy! Clearly an extortionist! She rubbed her face and groaned grumpily.


    She was still wallowing in her sorrow when suddenly her phone rang. She lazily grabbed the phone back and saw that familiar unknown number was now calling her.


    She was contemplating if she should picked it up. After it rang for a while, she grudgingly swiped it up to accept the call.


    "I lied." and then he chuckled softly.


    A deep voice sounded in her ear. A very melodious voice, deep like the ocean, and unknowingly to her, it already calmed her agitated soul.


    She was stunned before she could registered what he was saying. "Uh? What did you say? Are you sure you''re calling the right number?" she was confused. What did he mean by lie?


    He was still chuckling softly, while helplessly shaking his head at her remarks. He could hear her confusion through the line, "I was just joking. I didn''t send them to the laundry. I forgot." He waved goodbyes to the people he met this morning for business meeting over coffee, and started walking to the exit.


    His light hearted reply tickled her ear, she could hear he was in a really good mood, She could hear he was saying all these words while laughing. Did he just played her!!


    She was dumfounded. She was about to retort back but he already said another words, "I''m sorry, it''s a silly joke" He sounded really sincere and serious. She was already thinking maybe she overreacted and should just let it go. He suddenly spoke gently, "Did I disturb your sleep?"


    His question brought another wave of confusion in her. How was this stranger started speaking to me this way? She was not an innocent young girl who couldn''t recognize when men were trying to be charming. But she didn''t want any mess in her life right now.


    "No, it''s fine. I have been awake for a while." she glanced at the clock on the wall, it''s already eleven in the morning. She sighed in her heart. Wow she''s late! "In fact I just came back from my morning run."


    The least she could do was salvaging her own dignity. She''s turning 30 soon, she couldn''t give him the impression that she''s lazy. "About the laundry, I''m serious so please don''t stand any ceremony with me." She started to get up and grabbed a glass of water. Her throat parched and she felt horrible.


    He paused and decided not to expose her lie. He could hear her still barely awake voice sounded so sexy over the phone. He just gave a small smile and put on his sunglasses before stepping outside.


    "I called because I needed your help." she could hear that he was currently outside, she could hear noises of people and cars.


    "I can''t explain through the phone, I am at shopping mall X right now, can we meet so I can explain more?"


    She had rules about meeting with strangers. It had to be on a daytime. And it had to be in public places. So in case she met with crazy dangerous person, she could escape right away and could see her direction clearly.


    She tried to remember her plans for today. She realized she didn''t have anything, so she agreed to meet him in one hour.


    "Take your time, it''s not urgent. But I really need your help." he found a bookstore and went inside. He was flipping around a best selling book about investment while saying this so she could hear the flipping papers.


    She assumed he needed her help about publications. They agreed on the meeting place and then she started to get ready.


    This headache is killing me! Let me take some medicine first.


    She groggily walked to the living room to get her medicine box and quickly popped in two tablets of aspirin before walking to the bathroom to shower.

 Chapter 8 - Daniel Li

    She was so gloomy. In just one night! Because of the alcohol, the smoke, the dust and the lack of sleep, now she got a pimple on her cheek.


    Her cheek!


    How to hide this thing when it''s so glaring in front of your eyes. She sighed and solemnly promised herself not to overdo it next time.


    Slowly combed through her wardrobe, she picked long sleeves, calf length beige color jumpsuit. It first overlapped at the front and then there''s a tiny ribbon belt.


    She wanted to wear a dress, but she checked the weather forecast just now, and it would be quite windy today. But it''s also sunny, so jumpsuit would be the perfect choice.


    She braided her hair loosely before swiped it to the side and tied it. Now her hair sat nicely on the right side of the neck and hopefully because her left side was open now, people would just notice her left cheek and not her right cheek.


    En. Good decision, Shao Yan.


    She studied her appearance one more time before nodded in satisfaction. She walked outside the hall to the shoe cabinet and carefully studied her wedges collection.


    She remember him being so tall, but she was afraid to have to walk a lot today, so she picked her Balinese woven 3 inches wedges shoes with a 1inch platform at the front side.


    She grabbed her sling bag and grabbed her keys. She went to parking garage and started the car.


    It stalled!


    She was surprised and quickly checked what might be the problem. And she found out her car battery had died! What luck!


    Headache. Pimple. And now this?!


    She looked at her watch and decided to just call a ride-sharing car. In 10 minutes her driver came, and she finally left her apartment to meet him.


    .....


    Luckily she was on time. She went to the book shop to look for him. She found him in the automotive section, looking at a car magazine reading very seriously.


    He was wearing a dark blue jeans with white shirt. And on the outside he had a dark grey light jacket. He was wearing a glasses with black rims and his serious look just attracted a lot of people right now. Girls would be whispering while looking at him, discussing with each other if they could approached him. But he just ignorant to his surrounding.


    She enjoyed her view for few seconds before stepping closer to him. He could sensed someone was approaching him, but he didn''t lift his head. When he saw her wedges and her soft perfume, then he finally looked up and stared directly into her eyes.


    He could see the appreciative look in her eyes. He tilted his head to the side and showed a small smile as if questioning her look.


    She quickly gathered herself and said, "You looked different in casual clothes, very good looking. You gathered some fans already."


    She pointed her chin to a side to show the group of girls who were still looking at him.


    He didn''t look at them, he smiled at her and took the magazine with him. He extended his arm and signalled her to walk out first.


    She started moving and he followed closely from behind. "Did you need my advise on something? My department frequently work with architecture and also romance thriller section chiefs. I could recommend some books on that area."


    He didn''t say anything so they kept walking to the cashier. He paid for his magazine and then turned around to look at her and started walking outside side by side.


    Once they''re outside, he then said, "I just moved back permanently to the country last month, and you''re the first friend that I made. It''s been many years since, and the city changed a lot. For my job purposes, I need to familiarize myself to the area. I was hoping you could be my guide for today."


    She stopped walking and looked at him. "I think you got the wrong person" she slowly said, "Even though I work and live here, my life was limited to work area and grocery shops nearby my apartment."


    He smiled, "Then that''s even better." He started to walk again to the parking garage. She was baffled but still followed him.


    "How was it better? I just said I couldn''t help you much." He slowed down his steps to match hers.


    He directed her to a much shady area since the sun was so bright this morning. "It''s better now that we are both not familiar with the area, so I can accompany you to explore as well."


    He turned around to look at her, "We can get lost together and then learned new stuff together. So that''s even better."


    He gave her a small smile.


    She carefully looked at him now. This guy spelled dangerous all over his self! She eyed him closely.


    He realized he might have missed a step here to caused her to be this alarmed. He was about to introduce himself, when his phone rang.


    He looked at the caller and showed her his index finger indicating he needed a minute. He picked up the phone in front of her and didn''t walk away, he suddenly spoke in English, "This is Daniel speaking." and then he paused to listen.


    Ah. His name is Daniel.


    She just realized she didn''t even know his name until now. She felt to stupid for being so careless now. You can''t be a good project manager if you acted like this, Shao Yan! She scolded herself.


    He then continued to speak in English fluently. The essence of his conversation was basically direction to his subordinate on what steps to be taken next. It seemed that the other side was facing a road block and was looking for him for suggestions.


    He quickly ended the call and then he looked at her, "I think I haven''t introduce myself. My name is Li Xiqing. You can call me Qing or Daniel. It''s up to you. I''m a consultant, specialized in Mergers and Acquisition."


    She was dumfounded. Bro! How can I call you Qing. That was usually reserved for your closed ones, okay! And as for Daniel. That''s even weird. She sighed. Nevermind, I''ll just call you Mr. Li.


    "Okay, now Mr. Li, what do you want to do next then?" She was looking left and right trying to remember what they could explored around this area.


    He didn''t argue with her calling him Mr. Li.


    That''s, fine, he thought, let''s give her time to adjust.


    .....


    "I will be working with developer company C to acquire a small architecture company. They want to develop the east region. Let''s go the shopping mall there to take a look at the area." he then walked to direction of parked cars.


    She followed him and saw him pointed his car remote to a dark blue Audi Q8 SUV car. He opened the passenger door for her, waited until she sat inside before closing the door and walked to the other side.

 Chapter 9 - Your Warmth

    The car cruised along the highway smoothly. You could still smell the new leather seats. He was driving with one hand on the steering wheel with his fingers sometimes tapping along the music, and another leaned in to the window, switching between holding the other side of steering wheel or supporting his chin every now and then.


    Some jazz instrumental music was playing in the background, a mix of saxophone and piano tunes accompanying their journey. Traffic was light, so their journey all along felt so peaceful.


    When she just arrived in the mall earlier, she already felt unwell. It seems the aspirin helped her headache.


    But she just realized, she took the aspirin while her stomach was empty. She just quietly leaned on to the window hoping she would get better soon.


    "Did you move from another province? And that''s why you''re not familiar with city S?" he suddenly asked. She was looking at the scenery outside the window and turned her head to meet his eyes.


    While he was driving, his phone kept receiving message notifications.


    His phone was connected to the car, so from the dashboard screen, she could see the sender name and some snippets of the content. The senders were mostly unknown numbers because he didn''t put any names to it. But the content were all almost similar.


    Basically asking him if he was around, or if he wanted to hang out, or if he wanted to grab lunch together. Shao Yan just pretended she didn''t see them.


    Clearly this guy had other friends! She didn''t understand why he had to drag her around today.


    "Not really. I grew up at city J, which is just 5 hour drive from here. I moved to country U around 8 years ago and just recently moved back." she casually replied him, which suddenly earned her his surprised look.


    "What a coincidence! I have been living there the past 10 years." he exclaimed before changed lanes and exited the highway.


    Soon they''re almost reaching the area. "Destiny is surely so funny, that we never met before, and we only meet now" he said while smiling at her.


    All of a sudden, she suddenly felt really queasy now. She looked so pale.


    He noticed something was wrong and was alarmed. "What''s wrong? Are you okay?". He quickly stopped at the road side, unbuckled his seatbelt and leaned over to take a good look at her. She had cold sweat now.


    "It''s nothing. I think I just need to eat something." She tried to answer casually, "I took some aspirin this morning."


    He understood now, and before she said more, he already stepped out of the car. He looked around as if looking for something and crossed the street hurriedly.


    She saw him disappeared into a convenience store and then 5 minutes later came out with a plastic bag.


    He jogged back to the car, and went to her side and opened the door. He handed a paper bag to her, "Here, eat this first."


    She could feel something warm was inside the bag, she peeked inside and saw a meat bun.


    He also took out a warm sweetened tea for her, "Drink this first, we should reach the mall in few minutes." he said while also passing napkin paper to her.


    She was still looking at him stunned with all of this chains of action. He looked at her questioningly, "What''s wrong? You don''t eat meat?" he probably was guessing that''s why she didn''t touch the bun.


    She felt so touched that she didn''t know what to do.


    She just shook her head and started to eat the bun. He watched her for a while, before closing the door, and walked back to the driver seat. He started the car and drove away.


    They were already near the shopping mall. He found a parking spot and when he turned off the engine, she was just done eating and was wiping her fingers.


    He took a look at her complexion, and after he was assured the color had come back, he gave a relief smile.


    "We will have lunch first before we explore the area." he took the plastic bag from her hand and stepped outside the car. She collected her things before opening the door, he was already standing next to her when she stepped down.


    "Is there anything you don''t eat? Do you have any allergy to any food?" he held the door for her and then closed it. They walked to the entrance slowly.


    "No, I''m actually quite adventurous in terms of eating food" she smiled at him. He was looking at her, "That''s great, we can do that next time. But for now, you need to eat something light."


    They were waiting for the elevator to go to the restaurant on the top floor. Supposedly, they served really good dim sum there.


    It didn''t take long for the elevator to come. But because it''s the weekend, the mall was really crowded.


    They stepped inside the elevator. He had stood really close to her but people still kept pushing on them to get inside. Afraid that he might hurt her, he stepped to the side a little and put both arms to her side to cage her in and protect her from others.


    He could feel that she stiffened up. Her top of head was now only inches away from his lips. If he turned a little, he could have kissed her forehead.


    Her hair smelled so good. And he could also see faint blush from her cheek. He was not sure if it was because of temperature, or because of their close proximity that was making her nervous. He smiled to himself a little.


    Shao Yan could feel her breathing hitched and she tried to stand as properly as possible. This guy smelled so good. But he''s too close!


    This was too big of a temptation. She could feel his hard chest in front of her and his strong arms wrapped her on her sides.


    She just didn''t know where she should keep her eyes at. She kept looking back at his arm''s muscle next to her.


    She looked up just when he was still looking down at her.


    For a moment, they were both stunned. His lips was very close to her forehead. If he wanted to, he could just brushed a light kiss on her.


    They just stood still, with eyes focusing on each other. They could see each other''s reflection in their own eyes.

 Chapter 10 - Flowers And Bees

    His eyes looked so mesmerizing. They were looking at her deeply. As if she was the only one in his world.


    Being this close with him, she could counted his eyelashes. His tall nose and beautiful face were right in front of her eyes. He was so handsome indeed.


    A one of a kind flower.


    Surely attracted a lot of bees.


    Shao Yan didn''t have the confidence to fight with those bees. She decided to just admire this beautiful flower from afar.


    Just as Li Xiqing was about to wrapped his arms tighter around her, she decided to be the one to break their eye contact and quickly looked down. She gulped and tried so hard to calm her restless heart.


    Her fingers kept twisting her sling bag and now she digged her fingernails even deeper to her palm.


    Dammit! Why was she so nervous! You''re an adult, Shao Yan! And it''s only an eye contact!


    She thought this must be because she had been alone for too long. She just missed the masculinity of a guy.


    Li Xiqing was disappointed when she looked away. His hands that were pressing the elevator wall unconsciously tightened up. But he kept his eyes trained on her.


    People coming in and out of the elevator would keep bumping into them. Shao Yan was squeezed in more into his embrace. She accidentally touched his chest.


    At the same time, he was surprised by the push from behind him, and reflexively cupped her head with his palm, pressing her cheek in his embrace. His other hand was pushing the elevator wall to keep them steady.


    He stiffened slightly, he was surprised. He felt weird as this sensation of him hugging her that felt so comfortable for him.


    After a while, he felt Shao Yan wriggled a little and then he let her go. Shao Yan did not dare to look at him, so she just looked at his white graphic shirt and tidied up her hair.


    Li Xiqing pretended that it was nothing and kept protecting her as much as he could.


    After what felt like forever, they finally arrived at the restaurant floor. He eased his stand, took her hand and walked out of the elevator with her. After they stepped out, Li Xiqing was still holding her hands. Shao Yan was looking at their clasp hands. He noticed her gaze and so he let them go.


    It''s lunch time so the restaurant were really crowded.


    They had to wait for a while before their table was ready. While waiting, he kept talking to her, asking her a lot of things about her past projects. He could feel that she was nervous being near him. So he tried to keep a reasonable distance with her.


    Shao Yan was very proud of her achievements. It came from hardwork and a lot of sacrifices over the years. So when Li Xiqing wanted to know more about what she had done, Shao Yan gladly talked to him. Soon, he also started to tell her about his work.


    Slowly, she forgot about her nervousness and she talked more comfortably.


    Thirty minutes waiting time went by in an instant. Soon, they were escorted to their table and started to order.


    He had met a lot of people from different nationalities and different job levels. So he was very knowledgeable.


    He could engaged her with variety of topics and kept her entertained. Their lunch time unknowingly stretched out to three hours!


    But neither of them were aware of that. Because they just enjoyed each other''s company.


    He knew how to make her laugh. He enjoyed seeing her every little expressions. He tried to remember every single gesture she made.


    When she laughed, or when she was confused. He didn''t want to miss a single thing from her.


    Li Xiqing had encountered a lot of women. He also had eaten meal with a lot of women. Most of them would limit themselves in front of him.


    They just wanted to shower him with praises or seductions. They would either smile so politely or seductively. They would laughed with over the top manners.


    He was tired of those fake gestures.


    Those women gave him ingratiating smiles. The way they looked at him made him felt like he was a big chunk of meat waited to be slaughtered and served to them on a silver platter.


    Well, they''re not wrong, actually! Women really wanted to devour him, but he just never gave them the chance to.


    While this one in front of him was different. From the moment Shao Yan approached him in the coffee shop, she didn''t have that fake attitude towards him.


    She would laughed happily without restraint. She would frowned when she was confused. She would teased him back when he made a mistake.


    Li Xiqing really enjoyed being with her.


    Shao Yan was not a talkative person. She was amazed at herself when she finally looked at her watch and noticed how long they had been talking to each other.


    Now she could understand, why those unknown numbers would not stopped looking for him.


    He was so charming!


    She sighed over their gap of attractiveness.


    This time, Li Xiqing insisted to pay for lunch. He mentioned that he was the one needed her help, so she was not allowed to fight for him on this one.


    She relented and just politely said thanks.


    "Can you not say this word ''thank you'' anymore? I thought we''re now friends?" he laughed and said that to her. She smiled back and then they walked outside together.


    This was fairly new mall, with a mix of indoor and outdoor shops. After lunch, both of them decided to explore the area. They went inside some shops to look around. They also walked outside where there''s a man-made pond with koi fish swimming around.


    Even though it''s crowded and hectic, but strangely, Shao Yan felt peaceful.


    Just before sunset, around golden hour, he asked if they could go to another place. He wanted to look at a piece of land that developer C wanted to use. He needed to analyze the distance between that land to this mall, since this mall would eventually be the point of attraction.


    Shao Yan didn''t have any plans for the rest of the day anyway, so she didn''t mind.


    They walked back to the car. He opened the door again for her, Shao Yan managed to stop herself from saying ''thank you'' this time and just smiled.


    Li Xiqing waited until she settled down before walking to the driver seat.


    He was not sure of the location of this land, so he was checking his phone for GPS location.


    While waiting for him, Shao Yan also checked her phone. She was browsing a website to check how to fix her car battery.


    Li Xiqing finally set the GPS in the car, and he started to drive away.


    Shao Yan was quiet along the way, she was too focus on her phone, digesting the information about car battery.


    He was looking at her every now and then, curious of what she was doing.

 Chapter 11 - Polo

    Oh no! She would be in so deep trouble. She didn''t understand what to do. This was simply alien language for her!


    She only started learning to drive a car around two years ago. When she was in country U, she didn''t have to drive any car there. The city she lived in, city N, had sufficient public transport so it''s not necessary to buy a car.


    She was scratching her head and was still struggling with all the terms from the website when suddenly she felt the car movement stopped. Only then Shao Yan remembered that she was with Li Xiqing and she had been ignoring him for a while.


    Felt so guilty, Shao Yan raised her head and looked around. Huh??


    "Why did we stop here?", she turned to him and asked him, "Didn''t you say you need to see a piece of land for corporation C?"


    They were now at a roadside, in the middle of the city. The sky just slightly turned orange. It would get dark soon.


    People was still walking around busily. The CBD area was never asleep. Stores were still bustling with crowds. Restaurants were always crowded. Soon, high rises building would lit up the night sky and city S would be showing off her mighty status proudly.


    And that was exactly the reason why she preferred to live in this area, because she wouldn''t have felt so lonely when Qi Ling was away.


    He parked the car and then turned to her.


    "Is something wrong? You looked like you were in a big trouble." He looked at her and she could see concern in his eyes. "Anything that I can help with?".


    She was considering if she needed to tell him the truth. But she was afraid he would looked down on her.


    Li Xiqing saw Shao Yan was debating with herself. His eyes twinkled and with amused smile, he gently touched her phone and paused for a while. He looked at her as if asking for permission. She wanted to take her phone away, but she decided to let it be. She slowly let her fingers off her phone.


    Shao Yan bit her lips and showed an embarrassed face while waiting for him to look through her phone.


    Li Xiqing took her phone and looked at the website that she was looking at.


    He quickly understood her issue. And he also guessed that she would be too courteous to ask for his help.


    Li Xiqing returned her phone to her, "What is the make of your car?" he asked while he unplugged his phone from the mobile charger.


    Shao Yan took her phone back and replied him, "Mazda3" and she quickly added, "But don''t worry, I can figure it out myself." and then she gave a sheepish smile.


    Li Xiqing didn''t say anything, he just unlocked his phone and browsed through his contacts. He found the person he was looking for, and dialed the number.


    "It''s me. I need a car battery for a Mazda3."


    Shao Yan wanted to stop him, but he shook her head and told her to wait for a while. The person he was talking to was rambling on the phone for so long, she couldn''t hear anything other than buzzing noises.


    After a while, Li Xiqing laughed and said "Alright. You can set it up. Let me know when and where. So do you have the battery now?" he looked relax so she figured he must be talking to an old friend.


    The person on the other side was grumbling again, and then Li Xiqing finally said, "No, it''s for a friend. That''s great then. I will pick it up now." he paused to listen to the friend''s next question.


    And then he laughed out loud, "Alright Alright. I''m already in the CBD area now. I should reach your place in about 30 minutes. See you." and then he quickly hung up.


    He buckled his seatbelt again, and started to drive away.


    Shao Yan felt so guilty. She was supposed to accompany him to look for the land. But it ended up to be him accompanying her to get a car battery.


    He drove to the suburb, and after a while, from afar, Shao Yan saw rows and rows of warehouses that were converted to car shops.


    They were lit up so bright that the area didn''t feel like a car shops at all. More like a futuristic game arcade center.


    She saw a lot of cars around the area. Some cars even had a weird exterior that she never had seen before.


    Li Xiqing drove around and he seemed to be familiar with the area. He stopped in front of a very busy shop that occupied three warehouses.


    There were a crowd of people who were standing in front of the shop while working on cars. Some were chatting so loudly, some were looking under the car hood. But they all suddenly stopped what they''re doing when they saw a car was approaching their shop.


    Li Xiqing parked and got out of the car. She quickly unbuckled her seatbelt too, and stepped out before he opened the car door for her.


    When the crowd finally saw who the owner of this car, they got so excited and started to fist bumped him and hugged him.


    "Qing ge!! Why only come now! Where have you been?"


    "Bro! You''ve forgotten your roots, huh!!"


    "A Qing, come come, place your bet here! Polo and Bo are going to race soon!"


    They treated him like their own, so it''s obvious to Shao Yan that these people were all his friends. No one had looked at her yet, when suddenly, someone poked her arm.


    "Hey! Pretty girl, you with A Qing?" suddenly a small face appeared next to Shao Yan.


    A girl with waist long black hair and smokey eye make up. She wore black short with cutout black T-shirt that showed off her toned midriff.


    She was really pretty.


    She had Dr. Marten boots on. Her look had a heavy influence of gothic culture but Shao Yan thought that she looked even more attractive this way.


    She tucked her hair behind her left ear. She circled Shao Yan. She was still scrutinizing Shao Yan.


    Shao Yan felt so awkward. She could see her left ear was full or earrings in different shapes. Shao Yan couldn''t helped to wonder if those were painful.


    Shao Yan was not sure what to reply her. Li Xiqing who was walking ahead of her, suddenly turned back to look at Shao Yan.


    He walked back to Shao Yan, and looked at the long hair girl. "Polo, where is the battery?"

 Chapter 12 - Bo The Koala Bear

    Polo, the long hair gothic girl, didn''t answer his question. She continued to circle Shao Yan while looking at her intently. Li Xiqing just smiled at her.


    Meanwhile Shao Yan was looking at him with a confused look. He just stood there, crossed his arms in front of his chest and nodded to Shao Yan.


    After a while, Polo tapped Shao Yan''s shoulder and said, "I''m Polo." and then Polo looked back at Li Xiqing, and then she cocked her head to the side, "This way" and walked away.


    Shao Yan lamented in her heart, ''she is really a woman with minimal words''. But was she not the one who was talking for so long with him on the phone just now?


    Li Xiqing closed in to Shao Yan and signalled her to follow Polo. Three of them walked pass the crowd of people from earlier, they were teasing him about Shao Yan.


    Li Xiqing just replied with a word, ''Later'' and tapped on the shoulder of the nearest guy to him, and continued his strides.


    Shao Yan just gave a polite smile to them and also continued following Polo to enter the shop.


    The main automatic glass door opened, and loud music was blaring cheerfully from the overhead speakers.


    The space was so large, since it was a combination of three warehouses into one. A lot of tools were hung around the wall and the whole area was surprisingly clean. A lot of people were inside, they were also busy with their own cars.


    The spaces were converted to two stories area. With the second floor area only occupying the sides of the wall, with railings on it.


    So people could go upstairs and stood by the railings, they could have a full view of the first floor. Second floor was the customer lounge area. They could play some games or just sat around, while waiting for their cars.


    Shao Yan could see comfortable couches and coffee table were set up on the second floor area. Classic arcade machines lined up neatly on the other side.


    There was also several jukeboxes available on one side, and next to them were several dart boards hung up on the wall.


    Shao Yan first view was to a man dressed up in red and yellow checkered pullover with night black sweatpants. He had cornrows braided hair that he had put up into a bun.


    He was standing on the second floor, leaning to the railing bars, facing the main glass door and was playing with his phone while chewing some gum.


    His feet was tapping along the music and his head nodded to the rhythm.


    He noticed that the glass door had opened, so he looked down at them. And then he whistled loudly and ran downstairs right away. All of a sudden, he gave a giant koala hug to Li Xiqing.


    Shao Yan was stunned looking at this, and went speechless for a moment.


    They were bantering in English for a while, before switching back to Chinese. The braided man turned to Shao Yan and gave her a big hug as well, "Hello, I''m Bo."


    Shao Yan was not used to this friendly gesture, but luckily it''s only a brief hug and then he let her go.


    "Hello, I''m Shao Yan." she smiled.


    She almost put her hand out to offer handshake as that was her habit, but she managed to stop herself since Bo already gave her a hug.


    Polo disappeared into somewhere before she came back carrying something with her. it''s a small carton box. She gave it to Li Xiqing, who took it over easily.


    "You''re not leaving right away, are you?" Bo suddenly spoke to them just when Li Xiqing took the box from Polo.


    "Polo and I were going to race in a bit. Stay and cheer for us!" Bo somehow assumed that the decision maker of this would be Shao Yan, so when he said the last part, he was looking at Shao Yan with a broad smile on his face.


    Shao Yan looked at Li Xiqing and let him decide. Li Xiqing saw her look, and replied Bo, "Let me put this into the car. Is it the usual track?"


    Bo grinned and nodded right away, "It''s going to be at 8. They''re preparing the area now."


    Li Xiqing looked at his watch and then just nodded at him, "Got it. I''ll take her to go there first. I''ll meet you there." and then he looked at Shao Yan and said to her gently, "Let''s go?"


    Shao Yan was confused. She wanted to pay for the battery first, so she turned to Polo and asked her, "How much do I owe you for the battery?"


    Polo was not expecting Shao Yan to talk to her, but before Polo said anything, Li Xiqing cut her off and said, "it''s okay, they owed me something, so it''s settled now. You don''t have to worry about it."


    Shao Yan saw Polo and Bo nodded, but she still felt uneasy. She just nodded anyway and said thank you to Bo and Polo before walking out with Li Xiqing.


    Bo waved back at her happily while Polo still maintained her cool self and just nodded.


    When they stepped out again, Li Xiqing introduced her to everyone, "This is Shao Yan" and then looked back at her and said, "This is everyone. Their individual names are not important, you don''t need to spend some brain juice to remember them."


    They started to attack him and also throw remarks on him when they heard him said that. But looking at how he was carrying something, they didn''t stop him for a long time, and Li Xiqing only promised to catch up later at the track.


    The mood was very warm and amicable.


    Li Xiqing and Shao Yan walked back to the car, and they left for the track. On the way there, Li Xiqing gave a brief introduction of the place to her.


    What they called ''track'' was actually a go-kart racing track, located behind the warehouses. During school years, he would often came to this area to play around with some friends. Polo and Bo were part of that group too.


    This area used to be much more simple. The warehouses were abandoned warehouses that the kids converted to trickle with cars and motorbikes.


    The track itself used to be only barren land with mud. Young kids who played around here before, started to develop the area.


    "You could say this place grew up with us too. Even though I left ten years ago, everytime I got the chance to visit the country, I would still come here to meet them", Li Xiqing said that before he pointed his chin to her right side.


    Similar to the warehouses area, the track was lit up brightly as well.

 Chapter 13 - With The Wind

    It''s a bright stadium area. It''s so huge and so lively. Shao Yan was still in the car and they were still quite far from the track, but she could already hear the revving noise.


    From here, she could see the bright lights and the high poles surrounding the stadium.


    A lot of cars and also motorbikes were parked in the surrounding area. Li Xiqing looked for available spot and parked as well.


    The barren muddy land that he was talking about, now had transformed to a developed and highly advanced facility.


    The road pavement was properly leveled and there was separated area for people to enter after they had parked their cars.


    There was no ticketing system, no parking payment machines, everything was available for everyone to use freely.


    But it was unwritten rule that the area could only be used by familiar faces only and that''s how everyone know each other and they became a big family.


    Li Xiqing brought Shao Yan to explore around. He explained that Bo and some friends helped to manage the overall movement to develop the area.


    The kids that he grew up with, would also contribute by transferring some money to Bo. Including Li Xiqing.


    Therefore everyone felt that this was their own place. Their second home.


    When Shao Yan entered the area, she could see the viewing and the actual track were separated by tall wire fences.


    Li Xiqing would greeted some people and talked for a while, but he also mentioned to her that there were new faces as well.


    Shao Yan was introduced to his friends as well. They walked around for a while before finally found a spot to stand while waiting for Bo and Polo to show up.


    Some people inside the track were already racing around playfully. the karts were decorated in many colors that mirror the owner''s personality.


    After a while, Li Xiqing pointed to a red and yellow kart who just entered the stadium and stopped in front of them.


    Bo stepped out in full uniform and wore a helmet. He gave them his signature arms-flaying-around wave. Polo also entered slowly after him. Her kart was painted in blazing red with some graphics resembling fire flames. Her suit was also flaming red.


    The race was not limited to just both of them. There were six more people participated with them.


    Li Xiqing told her to stay put, while he stepped away for a while. She was looking around curiously at this new environment, studying everything.


    Not long, he came back with two cups of soda and handed one to her. Because of the noise, he could only talked directly to her ears, "I couldn''t find anything warm. I got this in case you''re thirsty."


    She could feel her ear tip turned warm, and she quickly nodded and said her thanks. They returned their attention to the group inside the track who were now getting ready to race.


    The race started on time at 8.


    Karts started to lined up on one side. Their friends or supporter stood nearby to cheer on them.


    Few ladies bringing flags started to walk to the front of the karts. They cheered on them like highschool''s cheerleader, before walking out again.


    A man standing on the side was the one with the actual flag starter. He waved the flag to signal the start of the race.


    Karts slowly inched away from each other before took on more speed. The karts snaked along behind each other before separated and tried to overtake each other.


    The race would be for five laps. Everyone was all cheering for their racer. Loud screaming and also shouts were thrown at them to support them. Some people even went as far as slapping the fence when their racer drove past them.


    The atmosphere was really exciting! Shao Yan was confused at first, but slowly she was drifted along the crowd and started cheering when Polo or Bo overtook another racer.


    Li Xiqing was just looking at Shao Yan with his arms crossed in front of him. He had tinted on amusement in his eyes, looking at her warmly.


    Finally the race ended, with Polo won the race for tonight. She was so excited and spontaneously grabbed Li Xiqing''s arm and cheered with him.


    Shao Yan suddenly realized what she had done and quickly let go. Li Xiqing just smiled and patted her back, "I''m glad you''re having fun!"


    Shao Yan was so embarrassed, she just gave a small smile. Her face flushed red because of the excitement and also because of him. But after all, this was an amazing Saturday for her!


    The crowd went more wild after the race ended. Li Xiqing took his and her cups and threw them away, before walking back and took her hands with him.


    "Let''s go and meet the winner." he dragged Shao Yan along with him, while also watching her steps, afraid that she would bumped into anything.


    Shao Yan let him hold her because the crowd was so packed and they were trying to find a way out of there.


    They quickly found Polo and Bo. Bo asked them to walk to the other side, he then opened the fence and let them into the track.


    Shao Yan approached Polo and congratulated her. Bo was sulking on the side, "That last turn should have been mine! I''ve accelerated but you just had to turn without slowing down at all?! How crazy are you, sis!!"


    Shao Yan was surprised. She would have never thought that they were actually siblings. She gave a questioning look at Li Xiqing, who quickly understood her and nodded as acknowledgement.


    Polo gave him side eye, and said, "No risk no gain" and then she walked away. She went to the record timer to check her stats and chatted with some people over there.


    Shao Yan tried to relieve the tension and asked him carefully "So.. what is the prize for the winner anyway?"


    Bo perked up again and replied her with full of anguish, "Two vouchers for the water park~!! That should have been mine! I wanted to take my girlfriend there!" He threw disdainful look at his sister again.


    The night was not young anymore. But the crowd did not disperse at all.


    Bo and Polo asked them to stay for supper, but Li Xiqing refused.


    "Next time. It''s getting late and I still have to put in the car battery and tested it" Li Xiqing was about to say more before Bo interrupted him.


    "Don''t forget your promise to race with us next time, Bro. I will let you know when." he quickly patted Li Xiqing''s shoulder and then turned to Shao Yan.


    "I hope you will also come that day and cheer for him!" Bo grinned happily at the couple.


    Li Xiqing and Shao Yan walked back to their car and left the stadium.

 Chapter 14 - I Am Watching You

    Li Xiqing could see that Shao Yan was exhausted. This whole day must be too exciting for her. She was quiet on the way out of the suburb.


    "Where do you live? Can you keyed in your address here?" he handed his phone to her. He already had the map application opened and all she had to do was to enter her address.


    She took his phone silently and obediently started typing. After a while, it synced to the GPS in the car, and Li Xiqing followed the route.


    "Are you hungry?" he asked Shao Yan after she returned his phone to him. "It''s pretty late now, I remember there was a good beef noodle soup near your place. I think they open until midnight."


    Shao Yan didn''t think she was hungry. But as he mentioned beef noodle soup, Shao Yan could feel her mouth salivating. She nodded and said, "Sure, I think I know which one you meant. Is it the one by the corner near the school? Let me treat you this time alright?"


    And before he answered, she added, "Don''t fight with me on this." Shao Yan smiled cheekily as she was using his exact words to her from this afternoon.


    Li Xiqing just helplessly smiled and didn''t say anything.


    It was already pretty late. Traffic was not crowded but it was still more than usual because they were heading to the city.


    Li Xiqing drove to her neighborhood and true enough, the noodle shop was still opened. They parked and entered the shop together. This was a small shop and so the menu was limited.


    Li Xiqing and Shao Yan already knew what they wanted, so they ordered right away.


    "Auntie, one spicy and one not spicy, please". Li Xiqing started to order. Shao Yan was surprised that he knew she couldn''t eat spicy. "How did you know that I couldn''t eat spicy food?" she asked.


    Li Xiqing also ordered a plate of tofu and mushroom dumplings and sat down with her.


    "I kept adding chili oil to the dimsum this afternoon, while you didn''t even touch it. At first, I thought maybe you just didn''t like it."


    Li Xiqing tore open bamboo chopsticks packet for her and started to clean the teacup with warm water on the side.


    "And then, while we were walking around the market, you didn''t even pay any attention at the stalls selling spicy snacks, but only looked at those selling non spicy food".


    He poured tea for her and handed her the cup before pouring one for himself, "But I think I know your favourite food should be tofu." he smiled, "You ordered a lot of tofu dishes at the dimsum."


    "... Oh" Shao Yan only managed to say that and then she went silent.


    This guy!!


    Why do you have to do this to me!!


    I have already decided not to have any mess in my life!


    She could feel her face blushed so hard. With those statement, was he trying to tell me that he had been watching over me the whole time?!


    Li Xiqing was not aware of this argument inside her head. He was now cleaning the saucer to put the dumpling soy sauce.


    Shao Yan silently looked down and started to eat the dumplings to distract herself. Li Xiqing put a soy sauce plate in front of her, and he added sliced chilli to his own plate.


    There were only few people inside the shop at this hour. Li Xiqing and Shao Yan occupied the table near the exit. There was an uncle sitting alone near them. And then there was another young couple sat on the back.


    The beef noodle soup came quickly. Shao Yan was actually not a big fan of soup because it''s too hot for her. But she loved beef soup. So she ate extremely slow. Li Xiqing found this very cute, as he tried to match her speed.


    Shao Yan managed to pay for the meal this time. They went back to the car and Li Xiqing started to drive to her apartment.


    She directed him to her parking garage. Li Xiqing parked next to her car and Shao Yan quickly got down and open her car hood to help him.


    They worked together. Meaning that, he did most of the work, and she would just stood to the side watching and tried to remember everything.


    When he was done, he asked Shao Yan to try to start the car. She went inside and tried it successfully. Shao Yan was so relieved now.


    Li Xiqing checked everything once again. When he was done, he closed the car hood and Shao Yan noticed that his hands became so dirty. Some stains would not went away even though he had wiped it.


    She was debating with herself for a while, but then she decided it would not be a big issue, so she decided to just invited him to her place to clean up.


    "Umm.. If you don''t mind, since I just live upstairs, would you like to come up to clean your hands?", she asked hesitantly.


    Li Xiqing didn''t expect this from her. But he accepted her offer right away. He locked his car and walked together with her to the elevator.


    While they were waiting for the elevator, another couple also just came back.


    The girl kept looking at Li Xiqing, while the object of her fascination was busy replying to text messages. His phone had been ringing non-stop since lunch time, but he only had been looking at them every once in a while.


    Her boyfriend seemed to be aware about this, and purposely moved and stood in between them to block her view.


    The young girl realized what she had done, and tried to pacify him, acting spoiled and poking his arm. "Don''t think by doing this I''m not angry anymore? Don''t you see that he already got a girlfriend there? She''s that pretty, he wouldn''t even look at you!"


    He reprimanded her while trying to keep his voice down, "Didn''t we saw them earlier, he was fixing her car? You see, he''s willing to be that dirty for her sake, you stop dreaming already!"


    Since it''s already late at night, and only four of them were around, Shao Yan could hear everything, and definitely, Li Xiqing also had heard it.


    Shao Yan unknowingly claimed a guy who she just met for two times as her boyfriend!


    She felt so embarrassed, she wanted to hide away like a turtle!

 Chapter 15 - Honey

    This apartment was located right at the heart of the city. Qi Ling was earning pretty well as a top fashion model, and she rented this place right away when she came to view it for the first time.


    The whole area itself consisted of three buildings total. The development had their own dog park, man-made pond, playground for children and also sports park for the elderly.


    Families with children, or families with the elderly, usually stayed at the first building which was located near the sports park.


    Her building, building three, was the last one to open to the market. Due to the price and location, majority of the residents here were young couples or working adults. There were only one or two bedroom units here.


    Shao Yan was debating on what to do, or what to say when they were inside the elevator.


    Li Xiqing was not on his phone anymore. He just stood quietly next to Shao Yan with his hands on his side. He was looking at the jumping numbers, and sometimes glancing at Shao Yan.


    The young couple in front of them were still whispering to each other.


    Mr. Boyfriend''s hand was grabbing on to the young woman''s waist, while her hand was holding onto his shirt. Sometimes, his hand would traveled up to stroke her back, before going back to her waist. Other time, his fingers would curled around her hair and played with it.


    The young couple got out on the tenth floor. Mr. Boyfriend was saying something to her which made her giggled and then she slapped his chest playfully. They walked out while kissing each other.


    Shao Yan rolled her eyes and felt awkward now. She just looked to the side, away from Li Xiqing, and scratched her head absentmindedly.


    She sighed in her heart, luckily, they would reached her floor very soon.


    Shao Yan walked out and reached her front door. She punched in her pin code on to the door panel, scanned her finger and then opened the door.


    Qi Ling had been away for two weeks now. Luckily, both of them were neat freaks and always cleaned the house every week.


    Shao Yan was glad she just cleaned her apartment few days ago, at least the place was presentable to guests.


    She turned on the lights, and opened the shoe cabinet to take out the slippers for Li Xiqing.


    "Please come in, the place was a bit messy, I''m sorry about that."


    She took off her shoes and ran to turn on the lights in the bathroom.


    Li Xiqing saw her sprinting figure and chuckled softly. He bended down to take off his shoes and put on the slippers, before following her.


    He took his time slowly while looking around her place.


    To his right was the living room. Various magazines were on top of the coffee table. To his left was the kitchen. It seemed that she used the kitchen frequently as he could see few used appliances were stacked around neatly.


    Overall, she only used grey, white and gold color schemes. And all around, he could see that only female lived in here. He nodded approvingly.


    Li Xiqing reached the common bathroom, but Shao Yan was nowhere in sight. Then he heard a door opened. He peeked his head out and saw her walked out of another room with towel in her hand.


    "This is new towel. You can use it to wash up." she pointed him to the soap on top of the bathroom counter, and then she walked out.


    Li Xiqing took a while to clean up his hands. He carefully cleaned the dirt and stains under his fingertips as well.


    Shao Yan brew warm lemon water for both of them. She added a spoonful of honey for her mug. She was about to put the honey jar away, but then she changed her mind and left it on top of the kitchen table. She was not sure if Li Xiqing also wanted to add honey.


    After a while, Li Xiqing came out and was looking for her. He saw she was in the kitchen, scrolling at her phone while stirring her cup.


    She heard his solid steps coming closer to the kitchen area and then she looked up at him.


    "I left the towel on the counter. I''m not sure where I should put it, so I just left it there." he sat on the kitchen bar stool while she was still standing across from him.


    She pushed over a mug to his direction.


    "Counter is fine. Have some lemon water. Really thank you for your help today." she didn''t mention anything about the honey.


    He took the mug over and sipped it.


    "It''s nothing. You have my numbers now. Call me anytime if you need help with anything." Li Xiqing open the honey jar and added some to his lemon water.


    Shao Yan just nodded and said thank you again while watching his beautiful fingers stirring his mug. She watched him took another sip before he licked his lips and showed a satisfied look over the sweetness of the honey.


    She cleared her throat before taking another sip of her lemon water. She was wondering why the temperature was so hot tonight, she was now regretting having to drink a warm lemon water, instead of ice lemon.


    "You forgot again." he put down his mug, "Stop saying thanks. We are neighbors anyway. I live nearby."


    She looked at him with confused eyes.


    "The L development next to the school. That''s where I stay."


    He looked at her, finding her slightly blushing cheek was exceptionally pretty under the warm kitchen lights. He cupped his hands around his mug. His fingers were itchy, he wanted to touch that pink blush.


    Li Xiqing glanced at his watch and noticed it was already past midnight now. It''s been a long day for her. He looked at her tired eyes. And then he picked up the mug.


    He finished his drink and stood up. "It''s really late now, You should rest soon."


    He started to walk to the foyer.


    Shao Yan also put down her mug and walked behind him to send him out.


    Li Xiqing opened the door and stepped out. As Shao Yan was about to stepped out as well, he halted his steps and she bumped onto his back.


    He turned around and steadied Shao Yan while holding onto her shoulder.


    His left hand was holding her upper arm, "You don''t have to send me, it''s cold outside, just rest now."


    And then his right hand stroke her head, and then he walked outside and closed the door.

 Chapter 16 - Know What You Want

    Shao Yan was frozen on the spot. She didn''t know what to do. Liwei was her first ever boyfriend, who finally became her husband. And then ex-husband.


    She had very limited experience in relationship between male and female. She didn''t know what this mean. She didn''t know what Li Xiqing want.


    Should she started to think too much about it? Should she started to read the signs?


    Was it too early?


    Was she too eager?


    Was she being too narcissistic?!


    Or.. let''s just played it cool and acted like it''s nothing?


    But!! What was he trying to do? What was happening?


    Her brain just went malfunction and Shao Yan was utterly confused.


    She locked her door, and by habit, also checked all her windows even though she was on the thirteenth floor.


    She decided to just think about it tomorrow as her mind and body were too exhausted now.


    She washed the mugs, and then she took a long hot bath before going to sleep right away.


    On his way home, Li Xiqing was thinking about one thing. Li Xiqing knew exactly what he wanted.


    He wanted a woman named Shao Yan in his life.


    He didn''t think it was too soon to decide. Because he felt, that all of this was happening at the right time.


    Li Xiqing didn''t believe in love at first sight. But he did believe in attraction at first sight.


    Shao Yan did exactly that. She captured his attention.


    And yes, he doubted her before. But that''s just because he had seen a lot of kinds of women.


    Shao Yan was different. The more he talked to her, the more he understood her character, the more he could feel her charm.


    The more longing he felt.


    He smiled, propped his hand to the window and sped through the dark night.


    Shao Yan woke up early the next day. Her schedule for Sunday was usually relax. She would spend her morning doing grocery shopping for the week.


    She loved going to the S city farmer''s market. She could find all the freshest fruits, vegetables and meat easily there. She enjoyed exploring rows by rows and just looked at everything.


    In the afternoon, she would start preparing some ingredients for her meal for next week.


    Shao Yan usually worked until late during the days. There were times when she would be running around the whole day, and not even had any spare time for dinner.


    But when she did, she would have to whip something quickly when she arrived home. And that''s why, she had all the vegetables and meat prepared beforehand.


    In the evening, while waiting for the laundry to finish, she would just laze around in the living room. Either she would read some books, accompanied by her favorite tea. Or she would watch Chinese drama series while munching on sunflower seeds.


    Sunday was her cheat day. She declared that she would not be doing anything serious on Sundays.


    However, just like all good plans in the world, she could only PLAN all she wanted. But something would just came up to ruin it.


    First thing: Qi Ling.


    Shao Yan had totally forgotten that Qi Ling had sent a lot of text messages for her yesterday. She had not read them and Qi Ling called her on Sunday morning to wake her up.


    Qi Ling knew that Shao Yan always turned off her phone when she sleep. So she purposely called the house phone.


    Qi Ling was a dragon lady, and she wouldn''t give up until Shao Yan picked it up.


    "Good morning, sunshine! it''s only 6am here in Singapore and I''m sure you have a wonderful 6am there too!", Qi Ling greeted her with full of sarcasm.


    Shao Yan rubbed her eyes, and leaned back on the grey plush couch.


    "Qi Ling, I swear, once I hung up, I''ll empty your closet and throw everything away. I''m not even going to donate them. I''m throwing all your bags away!!", Shao Yan grumbled unhappily.


    Qi Ling just laughed, now that she got Shao Yan''s full attention.


    "I''m flying to Bali tonight for my last shoot so I won''t be able to call you for a while. That''s why I''m so furious, you haven''t checked my texts!"


    Shao Yan could hear Qi Ling was opening a package of plastic bag on her end. Soon, she could hear, Qi Ling started to munch on something.


    "Listen carefully. In the next few days, I don''t know, maybe it could even be today, it could be tomorrow. Someone called Zhang Wei, will contact you."


    Qi Ling stopped for a while to munch again.


    Shao Yan started to rub her forehead.


    Qi Ling''s world''s greatest hobbies, other than travelling around the world for her fashion shows, was to matchmake Shao Yan to any guys that she thought were cute.


    "He''s a doctor. Around 30 years old I think. Looks like Jacky Chan, but 20lbs (10kg) heavier." and before Shao Yan could say anything, Qi Ling continued, "But!! He''s loaded. I saw him three times already, and he wore three different watches everytime!"


    Shao Yan wasn''t paying attention to her ramblings anymore. She grabbed the white furry pillow on the couch, curled herself and hugged it.


    "I''m not talking about Casio kind. I''m talking Patek Phillippe, Audemars Piguet, and IWC Schaffhausen kinds!"


    Qi Ling kept going on and on. While Shao Yan''s mind was already drifted to the seven seas while mumbling "en" here and there to satisfy Qi Ling.


    "Anyway, Xiao Yan Yan, open your heart and open your legs, okay! it''s been two years. It''s time to move on." Qi Ling spoke very gentle here, and that brought surprise to Shao Yan because Qi Ling was never gentle.


    Shao Yan woke up right away.


    "Ling Ling, I''m fine."


    Shao Yan stifled a yawn, and stretched a little on the sofa.


    "Don''t worry. I aced the presentation, by the way. So I would be very busy for the next few months. I won''t have time to fool around."


    Shao Yan walked to the kitchen counter to pick up her glass and started drinking generously.


    They talked about more nonsense stuff for a while before she hung up and went back to bed.


    And then.. Second thing happened: her boss, dearest Mr. Wang.

 Chapter 17 - Deep Blue Sea

    Mr. Wang is a forty year old, short skinny man, with hair swiped to the left, gentle face and wore rimless glasses.


    For those who just saw him for the first time, would think that he was a teacher. The super kind teacher.


    He always dressed so formally. In the cold season, it would be long sleeves shirt, vest and dress pants. In the summer it would be short sleeves shirt and dress pants.


    That''s all.


    But as the old saying stated, don''t judge the book by its cover.


    Mr. Wang was nowhere near the kind teacher type. He was an avid sales person. Super tenacious.


    When Shao Yan first met him in city N, her first impression of Mr. Wang was a very warm person, because he always smiled. But after Shao Yan worked with him in the past two years, she realized that Mr. Wang was not warm at all! She was cheated!


    Shao Yan overslept after the call with Qi Ling, so she couldn''t go to the farmers market anymore. She moved her plans around and decided to do laundry first and then she would go to grocery store before dinner time.


    She was vacuuming the house while waiting for her laundry when she received his call.


    "Shao Yan, Miss author ''Deep Blue Sea'' refused to go to the signing party next week".


    No hi, no roundabout. Mr. Wang went straight to the point, as usual.


    ''Deep Blue Sea'' was a pen-name of the currently best selling novel series that rocked the magic pugilistic world. She told a story about a baby that was destined to combine the dark and light but no one knows if the baby was a boy or a girl.


    The demon king would turned the world upside down to look for it. There were seven main characters in the novel and even until book four, no one knows yet which from the seven characters was actually the main one.


    Gold Crane had scheduled a meetup with her readers and also a signing party next week at city Q. ''Deep Blue Sea'' refused to attend because there was a protest going on right now at city Q about clean water movement.


    City Q was a port city and some young people thought that they should be the pioneer of environmental change for the next generation. And so they decided to ''educate'' the mass about clean water.


    And ''Deep Blue Sea'' was worried about her safety.


    However, after much persuasion from Mr. Wang, she finally agreed to go, under condition that a representative from Gold Crane had to accompany her.


    Usually, Gold Crane would arrange a local representative from the event location. If it was to be held at a shopping mall, then the representative would be from the mall corporate company.


    But ''Deep Blue Sea'' now demanded that Gold Crane had to also send their representative to accompany her.


    And that''s why Mr. Wang called her. He wanted Shao Yan to go to city Q tomorrow to meet Miss ''Deep Blue Sea''.


    Shao Yan did not have any valid reason to refuse to go. So she could only half-heartedly agreed.


    "We contracted Uncle Yang as your driver as usual. Once you have booked your ticket, text him your flight schedule so he can pick you up." Mr. Wang said that before he hung up the call.


    3 minutes and 14 seconds long.


    That''s all Mr. Wang needed to take to convince Shao Yan to go on a last minute trip.


    Shao Yan had no mood to clean the house anymore. She opened her laptop and checked her email. Mr. Wang had sent her the rundown schedule for Miss ''Deep Blue Sea'' and Shao Yan was supposed to match her schedule.


    Shao Yan quickly booked her ticket and texted Uncle Yang. She received his reply right away confirming the pick up plan.


    Shao Yan started to pack up her luggage. When she was done, she gave a passdown list for her team to take action on while she was away. And finally, she texted Qi Ling about her trip.


    When Shao Yan had settled everything, it was already dark. She boiled two eggs and while waiting for her eggs, she tidied up her laundry.


    Before she went to bed, she decided to just watch some news while eating her boiled eggs.


    Her flight was in the morning around 7 so she could arrive there around 10. Shao Yan planned to go to Miss Sea''s hotel right away.


    The first event was scheduled to be after lunch.


    So Shao Yan was planning to go through the day schedule with Miss Sea at lunch time before leaving for the event.


    When Shao Yan arrived in the hotel, she asked the receptionist to notify Miss Sea about her arrival. Miss Sea asked her to come up to her room.


    She rang the door and she could hear hurried steps coming towards her.


    "Who are you?", a tall woman with wavy hair, her perfume smelled so exquisite, currently was frowning at Shao Yan after she opened the door.


    Shao Yan had only met her once before. Mr. Wang had been the main contact person for this author. When Shao Yan notified the front desk just now, she only identified herself as "Gold Crane representative''.


    Shao Yan was dumbfounded, "Miss ''Deep Blue Sea'', hello, my name is Shao Yan, with Gold Crane." and she handed her name card.


    Miss Sea seemed to realized what had happened, she was upset but she still let Shao Yan into the room first.


    Shao Yan also saw another person was already in the room, Miss Sea''s manager.


    Miss Sea passed Shao Yan''s card to her manager, "I didn''t ask you to come. Who I asked for was Mr. Wang." Miss Sea took out a cigarette and went to the balcony to start smoking.


    Her manager just smiled embarrassingly at Shao Yan. Her manager then drew a ''lightning'' sign on her chest when she was facing Shao Yan, and then mouthed ''heartbroken'' to Shao Yan.


    Shao Yan could more or less guessed what''s going on.


    Big sis!!


    You wanted a rendezvous with your lover, why did you have to drag me to this?


    T_T

 Chapter 18 - Pick You Up

    After sulking for a while, Miss Sea was finally willing to come back into the room and they started to discuss the plan for the next two days.


    The event for today would be in a bookstore at a newly opened shopping malls. And the event for tomorrow would be outdoor, at an art festival.


    Despite their "unique" first impression, Miss Sea was actually a very dedicated writer that loved her readers so much.


    Miss Sea kept making sure that all tiny details, including gifts for the fans were properly discussed.


    In the middle of discussion, Mr. Wang called Shao Yan to check on the progress. Shao Yan, knowing that Miss Sea had taken interest on Mr. Wang, cheekily put the call on speaker so everyone could hear.


    "Mr. Wang, I''m with Miss ''Deep Blue Sea'' and her manager now." Shao Yan opened the conversation.


    "How is everything? Did you encounter any road block?" Mr. Wang was talking to her while reading some documents at the same time. They could hear rustling papers or scribbling pen noises. Shao Yan peeked at Miss Sea and carefully answered all his questions.


    Mr. Wang would asked more questions, and Shao Yan would answered, while Miss Sea and her manager would just listened in.


    After a while, Miss Sea suddenly chimed in, "You don''t have to keep calling me ''Deep Blue Sea'', Mr. Wang"


    She paused for a while and then continued, "Call me Shen Lan."


    **''Deep Blue Sea'' is ������-Shen Lan Hai and her name is ����-Shen Lan.


    Everyone went silent.


    Mr. Wang who was flipping papers earlier also paused his movement.


    Shao Yan didn''t know what to do next. She looked at the manager, and the manager just shrugged inconspicuously to her and then shook her head, mouthing ''I don''t know''.


    Miss Sea who was looking at the phone on top of the desk, then started to ask another questions about tomorrow''s event.


    Everyone slowly returned back to the working rhythm again.


    All three of them finally finished the meeting and was about to step out for the event now.


    Uncle Yang picked them up at the lobby and then drove them to the location.


    City Q central area looked similar to City S. High-rise buildings were all around. But somehow, the sky looked brighter and clearer here.


    The organizer from the mall was already waiting for them in front of the shopping mall lobby. He escorted them to the bookstore. Along the way, he kept talking to Miss Sea, it seemed that he was also her fan.


    "Miss "Deep Blue Sea'', are you able to give us a clue, who actually the baby is? Was it the village girl or the big guy with big sword?" he asked her eagerly.


    Miss Sea chuckled and looked at him, "Do you know that someone once offered me $8 million just to tell him who the baby is. How much are you willing to pay?" then she gave him a bewitching smile.


    The man looked stunned and missed a step behind. Miss Sea was already walking forward confidently.


    When they reached the bookstore, her fans were already lining so long.


    Some fans even purposely dressed up as the characters from her novel. And everytime they were finally standing in front of her, almost everyone would asked about the identity of the baby.


    Shao Yan was actually amazed that Miss Sea could be so patient in answering this same question over and over again. And she even had different answer everytime.


    Shao Yan was so busy today. She ran around the area with the store organizer, making sure all the items on Miss Sea request list had been prepared.


    She talked to the people that was supposed to deliver the gifts but they''re late. So Shao Yan had to ran downstairs to the lobby, and personally pick them up.


    After a while, things seemed to be in control. The event went smoothly.


    Looking at the line, Shao Yan predicted that the event should ended in about one hour.


    She decided to walk around the book store, maybe she should look at recipe books.


    She was reading through a book about Italian pasta, when she received a text message.


    She took out her phone and saw that it was from Li Xiqing.


    ''Was the drive okay?''


    She put down the book and started typing, ''I haven''t actually driven the car yet. I am currently out of town.''


    Within few seconds, she received a reply, ''Oh, when are you coming back?''


    She replied, ''If all goes well, I should be back in city S on Wednesday.''


    And then she received another quick reply, ''I can pick you up. Airport or train station?''


    She paused and just stared at her phone.


    After a while, she still didn''t know what to reply.


    She read and re-read his message again.


    She started typing, ''You don''t have to, I will just take a taxi.'' and then she sent it.


    All of a sudden, her phone rang, and she almost threw it away, because she was too surprised.


    it''s him!


    Her phone rang so loud, that everyone was looking at her with annoyed faces now.


    Shao Yan quickly picked it up and then she hid behind the book shelves to avoid those stares.


    "Are you busy?"


    The store was really quiet. She was able to listen to his voice clearly.


    His deep, magnetic voice.


    Unconsciously, she blushed when the image of him licking his lips from the night before came to her mind.


    "Not really, I''m on a signing event for one of my author. It should be done soon." she was looking down and was playing around with the books near her, and speaking softly. She was afraid she would disturb others around her.


    "Don''t feel burden about me picking you up. it''s on the way anyway."


    Shao Yan stayed silent, she was still thinking what to reply back.


    "Shao Yan?"


    When he called her name, her heart skipped a beat, suddenly she was picturing the him, who was sitting on her kitchen bar stool, looked up from his mug, and softly called her.


    "Airport or train station?"


    .....


    She debated and debated.


    .....


    And finally replied, "Airport."


    He smiled. He stood up and walked to the window to look outside, "Text me your flight number. I''ll call you again tomorrow."


    Li Xiqing waited for a while, and she still didn''t say anything.


    He looked down at the cars down below. His left hand was inside his pants pocket. His right hand was holding the phone closely to his ear. He kept smiling while patiently waiting for her response.


    They were each still holding on to their phone, but no one was talking. He could hear her soft breathing, she could hear his.


    In a moment of courage, Shao Yan finally said , "Okay."


    And then she quickly added, "Talk to you tomorrow."


    And she hung up first.


    .....


    And then she squatted down and put her hands to her face. She could feel that her face was so warm.


    Aargh! So embarrassing!

 Chapter 19 - Miss Sea

    Shao Yan stayed seated for a while. She tried to calm herself down, before she slowly stood up and took a deep breath.


    Another call came in. She thought it was Li Xiqing again.


    But when she looked at the caller ID, it was Miss Sea''s manager.


    Shao Yan sighed a relief and picked it up.


    She said ''hello'' but found that her voice was very hoarse. She cleared a few times before her voice came back normal.


    "Miss Shao, I think we are almost done here. About 10 people left. We can start tidying up and then we can leave for dinner afterwards~." Miss manager cheerfully told her on the phone.


    Shao Yan thanked her and quickly walked back to their area.


    The event was almost done. When Shao Yan reached the signing area, it was left with only two people. Therefore, the feeling was much friendlier.


    "Miss Deep Blue Sea, can we take a picture with you?" one of the fan asked her suddenly.


    "Yes ah, Miss Deep Blue Sea, none of our friends believed us when we told them that you are THIS beautiful!" His other friend also chimed in.


    Miss Sea agreed to take a group picture with those two people.


    "Here, give it to me", Shao Yan stepped forward and asked for the fan''s mobile phone, to help them took the picture.


    After all, Shao Yan had been taking a lot of pictures from today''s event for her report to the company.


    Taking one more was not an issue.


    The two fans didn''t stay behind for long. They saw that the group was already started to pack up, so they left soon after the picture was taken.


    Shao Yan left the area, together with Miss Sea and her manager. The shopping mall representative brought all of them to have seafood for dinner, the staple food of city Q.


    There were six of them: Shao Yan, Miss Sea, her manager, Uncle Yang, representative Huang from the shopping mall and representative Zhao from the book store.


    Shao Yan was a big fan of seafood. This was her first time in city Q so she was excited to try the local dishes.


    Garlic seafood noodle, sauteed clams, roasted squid, mackerel dumplings, braised sea cucumber, grilled shrimp, steamed oysters and finally whole fish cooked in clay pot.


    Everyone ate with gusto. They added more and more other dishes as they ate. They also ordered few bottles of beers to warm themselves.


    it''s still spring time. Although it''s not too cold, but it''s pretty windy at night time. The night was pretty, and Shao Yan felt content.


    The food seemed to be too much for them, but they inhaled them easily. Shao Yan looked at the empty plates dumbfounded.


    The atmosphere was very amicable. With good food and beers, they slowly opened up and joked around.


    The restaurant was within walking distance to their hotel, so Shao Yan, who initially did not want to drink alcohol, finally decided to order a beer too.


    After the sumptuous dinner, both representatives walked with them to their hotel. Before they parted ways, Shao Yan reminded uncle Yang that tomorrow''s event will be a bit far, so they would need to leave early.


    Shao Yan, Miss Sea and the manager, said good night to each other and headed back to their own hotel room.


    Shao Yan took a bath, and had gotten ready to slip under the blanket. But suddenly she jolted up.


    She just remembered that Mr. Wang was still waiting for her report.


    What he meant by report was actually the company blog. Shao Yan was in charge of this.


    She powered on her laptop, and started working on it.


    Everytime Shao Yan stayed in a hotel on her business trip, she always left the TV on to accompany her in the background so she wouldn''t feel so lonely.


    She left the balcony door slightly open for fresh air and she sat on the couch next to it to keep herself awake.


    With her laptop sitting on her lap, she was now ready to start writing her blog.


    After rounds of edit later...


    .....


    ''Q city, a touch of April''


    (Shao Yan uploaded a picture of Q city skyline here)


    ''Treasure seeker landed in this Port City to welcome a great writer who possessed the talent of pen and also poetry. Deep Blue Sea, as far as we can see, is the deep blue sea''


    (Several pictures of Deep Blue Sea the writer with all her fans from today''s event)


    ''Thou shalt welcome out fifth member of the family in the month of May.


    Everyone will soon begin the quest to look for the chosen one''


    (Shao Yan uploaded the poster from today''s meet and greet session, that also introduced the release for book volume five)


    ''For all the villagers that had gathered here, you will be pleasantly surprised!''


    (Shao Yan inserted a link for a limited time contest to win the fifth volume special edition)


    ''May the best winner be crowned as king on 30 May 20xx''


    .....


    Shao Yan kept this entry for today short, because the main point was to attract the readers to the competition website.


    She triple checked everything, before she sent it to Mr. Wang.


    Shao Yan also sent all original pictures that she had taken today. In the same file, she had also included few pictures of Miss Sea that she took closed up.


    Who knows, maybe Mr. Wang would change his mind! And then started chasing Miss Sea!


    As Shao Yan thought about this, she couldn''t help but giggled.


    Shao Yan closed her laptop, and sat there for a while admiring Q city night view from her window.


    Maybe because of the alcohol she had earlier, she felt a little bit mellow, and started to think about random stuff from the past.


    ''This is enough'', she concluded in her heart, ''I feel enough''.


    And then she stood up, closed all the windows and went to sleep.


    The next day was the second day of the event. It would be held in an art festival.


    The location was about two hour drive from their hotel.


    Since the event was at noon, the group decided to leave early.


    Shao Yan was having breakfast in the hotel when Miss Sea and her manager walked in.

 Chapter 20 - Be Proud Of Yourself

    "Can we join you?"


    Surprisingly, Miss Sea was the one who initiated the conversation this time.


    Shao Yan looked up and she was chewing her fruits, so she could only nodded and gestured for them to have a sit.


    After Shao Yan cleared her mouth, she said to her, "Did you sleep well, Miss Shen?"


    Miss Sea was slicing her tomato scrambled egg, and nodded, "Not bad. I thought I wouldn''t be able to sleep because I ate too much last night."


    She paused to smile at her.


    "But I slept like a baby when I touched the pillow" and then Miss Deep Blue Sea gave a soft chuckle.


    Sunshine shone through the glass ceiling on top of them. It gave a soft halo around Miss Sea.


    All of them engaged in light hearted talked while eating breakfast.


    Shao Yan received message notification from Uncle Yang that he would be there in 10 minutes.


    They started to walk together towards the lobby area to wait.


    On the way, Miss Sea suddenly stopped Shao Yan, she grabbed her wrist and whispered slightly, "I really need your help."


    Shao Yan was alarmed, thinking that she must had some sort of emergency.


    Miss Sea then continued after a while, "I need you to give me Mr. Wang''s phone number."


    Shao Yan was confused.


    "Mr. Wang was your point of contact with Gold Crane. How did you two communicate all these time?"


    Miss Sea released her hold, and slowly replied, "Only by emails." she frowned and looked upset.


    "I tried asking him for several times but he said that the number was for office purpose only. Anything related to authors, by company regulations, he had to use email."


    Miss Sea turned to Shao Yan and animatedly said to her, "I know etiquette by that much. I will always talk about work in email so that everything was properly recorded. But why can''t I have his phone number?"


    Shao Yan scratched her head, she tried to recall the company rules in her head but she couldn''t find the statement that Mr. Wang referred to.


    Shao Yan thought that it would be fine for her to pass Mr. Wang''s number. After all, Miss Sea and Mr. Wang had to work together.


    Communication with email would sometime not effective enough.


    "Sure, no problem" Shao Yan took out her phone and searched for Mr. Wang contact details and passed it to her.


    Miss Sea took down his number and then saved it.


    Uncle Yang arrived on time and they left the hotel right away.


    The journey to the art festival was smooth.


    It was a week long festival for anime. The organizers had booked a conference building for this purpose.


    Ever since the news came out that Deep Blue Sea was invited to this event, a lot of people had been speculating if the book would be turned into an anime series.


    Some people also asked Miss Sea about this yesterday, but she just smiled and asked them if it was really the case, to please continue to support her work.


    From afar, Shao Yan could see the scale for this meet up was much bigger than yesterday.


    She could see the mass that had been waiting for the door to open. More than few hundreds of them were standing in wait outside.


    Shao Yan went through her checklist again. She also made few calls to check the things on the other side.


    When they arrived, one of the organizer accompanied them to register. They were given an identification badge and then they were shown to their allocated spot.


    When the main door finally opened, the swarm of people started to enter in order.


    Today''s event for author Deep Blue Sea would be separated into two sections.


    The first one was a meet and greet and signing session, similar to yesterday. This was scheduled for three hours.


    People would came to her with their books, which Miss Sea would sign and also took selfie or group pictures with them.


    The crowd that came today was much younger than yesterday.


    And that''s why the way they dressed up were more complicated. They were willing to spend the effort.


    When one of her fans stood in front of her, Miss Sea showed a surprised look. Miss Sea slowly stood up, looked at the fans carefully.


    "Your costume today, did you make this yourself?" Miss Sea asked him with wide eyes.


    The man dropped his face a little and scratched his head. His face was blushing hard and said, "Yes, I couldn''t afford to buy anything outside because they were expensive, so I decided to stitch it myself"


    Miss Sea was even more surprised.


    She slowly walked over the table and approached him. She asked if she could touch it a little.


    The costume of this man, was the character of the demon king from her novel. When she did her research for this character, she took a model of ancient Aztec king as her reference.


    The kingdom symbol was also borrowed from Aztec and combined it with some of Amazonian and Egypt legends. She designed the symbol herself, with the intention to bring out the feeling of great power and majestic.


    She took months to finally come up with a satisfying design.


    The symbol was a complicated drawing. Yet this man, was able to stitch it onto his costume with amazing details. She was thoroughly impressed.


    The man looked at her face and misunderstood her as being angry. He kept apologizing.


    Miss Sea tried to soften her expression, "You did an amazing job here. Why are you apologizing." she smiled gently, "Are you studying fashion design or graphic design?"


    He nodded, "Graphic design. I am very good at what I do." He tried to sound proud of himself, but he said those words with little mouse voice, which she found actually amusing.


    Miss Sea patted his shoulder twice, "You will go far in the future. have some more confidence in yourself." she glanced at her manager.


    She quickly handed Miss Sea a gift bag prepared by the organizer.


    Miss Sea handed it to the man, "Thank you. For making my dream came true. I always wanted to see this costume at this level. You brought out Devil King aura perfectly."


    After some people heard their interaction, more and more people wanted to take pictures with him. He ended up became a little celebrity himself. Everyone started talking about his design in the social media.


    Shao Yan, who stood on the side, quietly captured all of these with her camera. She kept reminding herself to portray the warmth she felt right now properly through her words.

 Chapter 21 - Good Night

    The second section was a discussion panel.


    Miss Sea, along with several other authors would be discussing about ''The Future of Imagination''. This was scheduled for two hours.


    It was being held at a large conference room.


    Chairs were set up on the stage for the authors and there was also a tall table that was set up for the moderator.


    The conference room was soon filled with people. Each of the authors sitting here had accumulated huge numbers of fans on their own. So imagine the size of the crowd would be when all of these authors sat together.


    The crowd was so huge, that all the chairs were fully occupied. Some of them even had to stand on the side or sit at the front.


    The discussion progressed really well. The interactive session was full of fun and it even felt like a class room with a lot of close friends.


    They shared the same interests and had similar knowledge.


    They had a good laugh together.


    Unknowingly, some authors gave out different surprises due to the happy mood.


    One author broke the news about a sequel from her best selling novel from two years ago. The crowd went wild because they assumed she had retired.


    Another author also spilled a secret that her next novel would have two female characters served as lead, instead of only one.


    Overall, the people attending this panel discussion left with an abundance of secrets and new knowledge. They felt so energized!


    Shao Yan captured a lot of interesting expressions from them and she couldn''t wait to start working on the report for today.


    She was so excited!


    The whole event for Deep Blue Sea finally ended.


    It''s been a long day for all three of them. The adrenaline rush today was on a different level than yesterday.


    They took a quick nap during the drive back to the hotel.


    When they almost reached the hotel, Shao Yan asked Miss Sea what her plan was for dinner.


    Miss Sea looked exhausted so she just suggested to go to the market nearby to explore.


    Uncle Yang brought them to a local night market.


    Shao Yan took a lot of pictures here, that she forgot to eat her food. This brought laughter from the manager, calling her ''workaholic''.


    Shao Yan smiled embarrassingly, and kept her camera away for now, and she joined them to hunt for food.


    Despite it being weekdays, the night market was still bustling with activities.


    Q city was famous for being an old German town, seafood delicacies and their famous local beer.


    And that''s why, Q city always attracted a lot of tourists every year.


    The four of them spent few hours here, trying on many local delicacies.


    Shao Yan also bought several packages of Laoshan green tea to give out to some friends as gift. Laoshan green tea was supposedly the famous local tea that was very fragrant and considered as one of the best tea in the country.


    Being an avid tea drinker herself, Shao Yan also bought some packets for herself.


    Shao Yan felt that there were still many things in Q city that she wanted to explore.


    She promised herself that she would come back next time for a short vacation.


    When they went back to the hotel, uncle Yang asked about their flight schedules again. Fortunately, they would be sharing the same flight to city S, so uncle Yang only needed to take one trip.


    Shao Yan felt that she had forgotten something, but she couldn''t recall what it was. Until she went back to her hotel room and found out that her phone battery had died.


    Ah! That''s right!


    Shao Yan slapped her forehead. Usually, Mr. Wang would have called her many times to check on the situation.


    No wonder it was very quiet today.


    Shao Yan quickly charged her phone. While it was charging, she went to take a bath.


    Messages started coming in.


    Shao Yan finished her shower and came out with towel wrapped on her head.


    She sat cross legged on the bed and started to checked on her phone.


    Shao Yan had few voicemail messages. She started to listen to them one by one.


    The first one was from Mr. Wang.


    ''Miss Shao, how was the event today? I saw some live post online and it looked like the reception was really good. Oh and I''ve seen your email. Looks good. We can publish it tomorrow. Thank you for the pictures too."


    Shao Yan listened to it again especially on the last part. She didn''t hear any weird tone from him. Did he really have not seen the pictures of Miss Sea?


    The second voicemail was also from Mr. Wang.


    ''I forgot to ask you about your flight tomorrow. Since it will arrive in the afternoon, just take the rest of the day off. Come back to work the day after. Don''t forget to go through the next schedule with Deep Blue Sea.''


    Shao Yan was speechless. She was grateful for the break that he had given her. But why did Shao Yan has to go through Miss Sea next schedules, instead of him? Was he avoiding Miss Sea now?


    The third one was from Lee Ying.


    ''Yan jie~ How''s city Q? Did you meet any cute guys?? Are you coming back to the office tomorrow, Yan jie? Or are you going to skip it? Don''t forget to bring souvenirs for the company oh~''


    Shao Yan gave a helpless smile. This girl. -.-"


    All she could think about was food and cute guys. Shao Yan shook her head.


    The next one was from Li Xiqing.


    Shao Yan paused for a while, before clicked play to listen to it.


    ''I will be there on time tomorrow. Don''t forget to go through all your luggages again.''


    She could hear noises from the background, it seems that he was walking.


    ''You''ve been busy the whole day, make sure you drink a lot of water ''


    Shao Yan glanced at the glass next to her bed, and then she reached out to drink from it.


    ''Don''t sleep too late. I will see you tomorrow.''


    She leaned back to the headboard. She heard him paused for a while.


    ...


    ''Good night''


    ...


    He had not hang up yet.


    For a while, Shao Yan could only hear the bustling noise from the background.


    And then he lightly breathed in, ''Have a good rest now''.


    And then he hung up.


    Shao Yan was stunned for a while. All she could think about was when he stroke her head before he stepped out of her house that night.

 Chapter 22 - On The Way Home

    The next morning, Shao Yan woke up early.


    She groggily stretched out for a while before slowly got up and finished drinking a glass of water.


    She quickly washed up so she could tidy up her luggage.


    Shao Yan had agreed to meet Miss Sea for breakfast this morning. They would be discussing the overall experiences from the past two day events.


    Shao Yan also had a pending task from Mr. Wang to go through Miss Sea plans for the next 3 months.


    Shao Yan went through all of her stuff again to make sure she didn''t accidentally left anything behind. And then she took her room key card and dragged her luggage to exit the room.


    Shao Yan was waiting for the elevator when a message came in.


    ''Yan Yan, I will be back next week! I can''t wait to eat your braised spare pork ribs~''


    Shao Yan smiled. This roommate of hers, no matter how much she ate, Qi Ling just wouldn''t gained any weight. So hateful.


    Shao Yan replied, ''Alright, I know. I will go to the market this weekend to buy the spare ribs''.


    The elevator just arrived. Shao Yan stepped in, and keyed in the first floor.


    When Shao Yan reached the breakfast area, she could only see miss manager sitting alone.


    She was waiting for Shao Yan while eating her porridge.


    Shao Yan put her suitcase on the side and started to get her breakfast from the buffet table.


    Not long after Shao Yan arrived, Miss Sea also came down.


    The three of them decided to start with light breakfast before stopping for a while later to have a quick discussion.


    Shao Yan decided to go with porridge with century egg and Chinese deep fried dough stick.


    Miss Sea decided to just ate fruits because she felt she had been eating bad lately.


    They chatted while eating. And then they got into serious mode while discussing about work stuff.


    Shao Yan opened her laptop and showed Miss Sea the published blog post about the launch of fifth volume.


    "What do you think, Miss Shen?" Shao Yan asked before slowly sipping her Jasmine green tea.


    Miss Sea was scrutinizing the post now. She tilted her head to the side. Her wavy hair was swiped to the other side. Her fringe fell softly on her forehead.


    Her fingers were lightly tapping on the table.


    She was frowning because she was in a deep thoughts. But due to her overall aura, she still looked mesmerizing.


    Shao Yan couldn''t understand why Mr. Wang didn''t feel any interest towards this captivating woman.


    "I like your choices of words. It''s engaging and at the same time, mysterious. You captured the essence of my novel aura" Miss Sea said after a while and then she leaned back to her chair.


    Shao Yan secretly sighed. If Miss Sea disliked it, Shao Yan would have to rewrite the whole post.


    They started to move on to the next topic.


    Without them realizing, it was time for them to leave to the airport.


    Uncle Yang arrived on time and started to help them to load the luggage into the car.


    Shao Yan went to the front desk to check out while uncle Yang was busying around.


    Miss Sea and miss manager were talking seriously on the side about the plan for the rest of the week.


    City Q was busy today. Luckily they left early.


    There was an accident on the highway that caused a traffic jam. They were stuck for a while, before they were able to exit.


    They arrived at the airport just in time for check in process. When it was their turn, the airline crew announced that there would be a short delay for this flight because the crew for this flight was stuck on the road due to traffic jam.


    They would have to wait for about 2 hours.


    Shao Yan felt helpless. Her original plan was to go to the office right away after she landed because the original arrival time was only around 3 in the afternoon.


    But now, because of the delay, they would only arrived in the evening.


    Shao Yan needed to plan for the worst case. So she took out her laptop and started working while waiting.


    Shao Yan called Fan Jie to tell her about the flight delay. She also called Mr. Wang to update him on the latest news.


    And then she was debating if she should also notify Li Xiqing.


    Unexpectedly, Li Xiqing called her first.


    "I received notification that your flight was delayed? Are you okay?"


    It felt like she had not spoken to him for a long time. Shao Yan was caught off guard with his question.


    "Yes, I am fine. In fact, we are all already in the airport." Shao Yan slowly stood up to walk to the window.


    Miss Sea and miss manager sat next to her, and suddenly Shao Yan felt awkward to have to talk to Li Xiqing in front of them.


    "But on the way here, there was an accident on the highway. It seems that the crew for this flight was stuck in the jam." Shao Yan unconsciously spoke slowly.


    "They were not able to find any backup crews, so we have to wait for the original crew to arrive."


    Li Xiqing was listening attentively. It was noisy on her side, so he was paying extra attention to her every word.


    "Alright, it''s good that you''re fine. Don''t worry about the delay." Li Xiqing paused for a while seemingly talking to another person on his side.


    Shao Yan could hear murmurs and vague noises.


    "I have to go now. I will be there on time. I''ll see you soon." he waited for Shao Yan patiently to reply him.


    Shao Yan hurriedly reply, "You go do your things, you don''t have to worry about me."


    Before he hung up, Shao Yan remembered something and quickly call his name, "Li Xiqing"


    He was surprised for a second. This was the first time she called his name.


    Shao Yan didn''t think too much about it and continue, "If you''re busy, you don''t have to force it. I can go back by myself. I have my author and her manager with me, I can go back with them."


    Li Xiqing smiled to himself.


    This woman was too accustomed to do everything by herself, wasn''t she?


    Seems like he should work harder. To let her quickly adjust to start relying on him more.

 Chapter 23 - I Finally See You Again

    Li Xiqing didn''t reply to her. He just repeated ''I''ll see you soon''. And then he hung up.


    Shao Yan didn''t know what to do for a while. She walked back to her seat and started to work on her laptop again.


    Shao Yan saw that Miss manager walked away somewhere. She came back a while later with sandwiches and bottles of water for them.


    After few hours, the crew finally arrived. They prepared the plane, and then started to board the passengers.


    Shao Yan packed up her laptop and started to board along with them.


    The weather was clear so there was no turbulence.


    Miss Sea had put on sleeping eye mask, and took a nap on the flight. Miss manager was reading the inflight magazine.


    Shao Yan continued working on the new blog post.


    Soon, they finally landed in city S.


    Because the three of them had their bags checked in, they went to the carrousel to wait for it. Shao Yan turned on her phone.


    After a while, Shao Yan sent few text messages to Fan jie and Mr. Wang to tell them that she had arrived in city S.


    Shao Yan also sent a text message to Li Xiqing to let him know that she had landed and was waiting for the checked baggages now. And then she kept her phone away.


    Not long after, the baggages started to come out one by one. After they found their bags, they slowly walked to the exit.


    Shao Yan saw him right away.


    With his striking tall figure, Li Xiqing surely stood out amongst the crowd. Especially when he stood right in front of the door.


    Today, he put on a suit as usual.


    This time, it was navy blue color. He had white shirt inside his suit jacket paired, with light blue striped tie.


    With this preppy look and tall figure, a lot of women around couldn''t keep their eyes away from him.


    He also had his glasses on him. His left hand was holding on to a paper cup and his right hand was holding onto his phone.


    Shao Yan sighed softly in her heart.


    Shao Yan felt guilty for taking his time away just to pick her up. He was clearly busy.


    Li Xiqing was talking on the phone, but he was able to quickly spotted Shao Yan.


    Today, she had dark grey printed ankle length pants, with pure white shirt and yellow moto velvet jacket on the outside.


    Li Xiqing interrupted the person on his phone, "Martin, I will call you back later." and before Martin could reply, Li Xiqing already hung up the call.


    Li Xiqing took a long strides and reached Shao Yan''s side in an instant.


    Miss Sea and miss manager had also been looking at him.


    When Li Xiqing walked closer, all three of them had their eyes glued on his every actions.


    Li Xiqing smiled at Shao Yan, and many hearts just stopped beating in that instant.


    Including Shao Yan''s.


    Li Xiqing casually took her suitcase from her hand and passed her the cup that he had been holding.


    "Was the flight okay? Drink this to keep yourself warm."


    Li Xiqing was looking closely at her complexion and waiting for her to answer him.


    Shao Yan paused for a while, stunned at his action. "It''s fine, there''s no turbulence at all." Shao Yan gently waved the cup in her hand and smiled, "Thank you for this."


    Li Xiqing just smiled back at her. His eyes gazed warmly at her. He resisted the urge to pat her head.


    Shao Yan quickly turned to her side to hide the blushes on her face, "This is Deep Blue Sea, and her manager, Miss Lin."


    Li Xiqing finally turned to look at them. He offered his hand, and they quickly shook hands with him and greeted him.


    Li Xiqing turned back at Shao Yan, and took her laptop bag from her, and gently said, "Let''s go."


    He also turned to address Miss Sea and her manager, "Let me send both of you, too. The car is this way."


    Li Xiqing was standing next to Shao Yan and waited for them to say something.


    Both Miss Sea and miss manager were also admirer of beautiful men.


    Well.. Who isn''t?!


    They accepted his offer right away.


    Shao Yan was suddenly left with carrying only her purse and a cup of tea. She felt more guilty while looking at Li Xiqing who was carrying all her stuff.


    Li Xiqing didn''t really think too much about this. He was already thinking about other topics to talk to her about.


    "How was city Q? Do you like it? I have been there before, their food was amazing." He walked confidently by her side.


    "Yep. Their food was amazing. We got the chance to try many seafood dishes" Shao Yan grinned while remembering that night that was full of fun and lots of seafood.


    Li Xiqing saw that grin, and he was curious what that was about.


    He turned around and ask Miss Sea and her manager, "Do you have to go back soon? If not, why don''t we have dinner first?"


    Miss Sea and miss manager did not have anything plan for the rest of the day so they agreed to his suggestion.


    Shao Yan was eager to start working on the post again, but she decided to go along with the majority.


    Li Xiqing suggested a Chinese restaurant with specialty on duck meat. Everyone did not have any objections with it.


    They reached the parking lot and Li Xiqing loaded the baggages to the trunk and then they headed to the city.


    It''s already the end of the day, so people had started to leave for home. Traffic was congested but everyone was comfortable inside the car.


    Li Xiqing had the jazz music playing softly in the background. He also chatted along with everyone.


    Li Xiqing did not follow publishing industry that closely, so he was not familiar with Deep Blue Sea.


    Miss Sea proudly introduced her novels to him.


    Shao Yan was just sitting quietly in the passenger seat, she was replying to her work emails.


    After replying to few more emails, she was done, and then joined in their conversation as well.


    Traffic was pretty bad, but after driving for a while, they soon reached their destination.


    Li Xiqing led them inside the restaurant. The service was good despite the busy atmosphere. He ordered two dishes and let the other picked some too.


    After Miss Sea and miss manager each selected two more dishes, Shao Yan felt that they had ordered enough. So she didn''t add anything anymore.

 Chapter 24 - Lets Go

    City S was famous for their soup dumplings. But not many people know that city S had so many other options to offer that could make a great food adventure tour.


    This duck restaurant was one of them.


    Li Xiqing poured tea for everyone.


    "Miss Deep Blue Sea, so how many volumes do you plan for the this series in total?" he then distributed the cup for the ladies.


    Miss Sea took the cup, "You can call me Shen Lan, just like Miss Shao.", she took a sip before saying, "To be honest, I don''t know. Right now, the ideas just kept pouring in. So I will keep writing until I ran out of ideas." she shrugged.


    Miss manager chimed in, "Shen Lan, don''t scare me this way. I still haven''t found my golden tree to hug yet!" she emptied her cup in big gulps and then said, "I don''t care, you have to keep writing until I get married!"


    Shao Yan brought her hand close her mouth slightly, and then she laughed.


    Li Xiqing really liked this small gesture of hers.


    Every time he met Shao Yan, he would always found something new from her.


    He enjoyed this feeling. Very much.


    They chatted more for a while, and then the dishes came in one after another.


    Other than braised duck, Li Xiqing also ordered Peking Duck. Even though Peking Duck was the staple food from City B, but City S also had their own version of Peking duck.


    "Do you know that Peking Duck is now recognized as national dish of China?", manager Lin asked the table while picking a slice to her plate.


    This brought the discussion to move to different kinds of Peking Duck that existed. They also discussed which kind that they had tried before. And which one was the best.


    Li Xiqing paid more attention to which dishes that Shao Yan picked and what she avoided.


    He scooped some dishes for her as well, which gained him her gentle smile.


    Dinner time never felt so warm and comforting before.


    Li Xiqing paid for dinner. Shao Yan wanted to pay, she said that Gold Crane would covered for this; miss manager also said the same thing that her company would cover for it.


    But Li Xiqing simply replied, "Just take it as celebration of meeting new friends" and then he smiled politely.


    This smile brought another round of inner squeal from Miss Manager.


    After they exited the restaurant, Li Xiqing asked which area he should drive to.


    Miss Sea and miss manager both requested to be sent to the company as they had parked their cars there prior to leaving for city Q.


    Their company was located not far from their current location, it was near the old city district. Along the drive there, Shao Yan was able to see many old style building that had been converted to shops.


    Her eyes twinkled admiring the classic beauty within those vintage architecture.


    Li Xiqing noticed this as well. And silently made a mental note on this.


    Li Xiqing drove to the parking lot and helped Miss Sea and Miss manager to load the baggages into their car.


    Before leaving, Shao Yan told Miss Sea, "Miss Shen, I will finish the second blog post tonight and I will email it to you. I want to have your approval first before I sent it to Mr. Wang."


    And then she continued, "If you have any questions about my blog, Miss Shen, I would suggest you to talk to Mr. Wang directly," Shao Yan purposely paused here and looked at Miss Sea meaningfully, "What do you think of my idea, Miss Shen?"


    Miss Sea paused for a while, and then she showed a very gentle lovely smile.


    "We shall do as you said. Thank you" and then Miss Sea gave Shao Yan a brief hug.


    They parted ways and said good night to each other.


    Li Xiqing started driving to the direction of her apartment.


    Now that there were only left the two of them in the car, the calm that Shao Yan felt before had disappeared.


    Every single thing that Li Xiqing did, was now magnified in front of her eyes.


    .....


    When he crossed his arm to the steering wheel.


    Or when he adjusted the car temperature.


    When he leaned to the side, his hand supported his chin.


    When he hummed to the music.


    Or when he talked about small things every now and then.


    It''s really distracting for her!


    .....


    But somehow she didn''t feel awkward. In fact, she actually felt really... warm??


    Shao Yan was trying to distract her mind, so she started to think about what to write on the post tonight. And then she went quiet.


    Li Xiqing didn''t disturb her, he let her enjoy her own quiet time.


    Li Xiqing drove to her apartment and then entered the parking garage.


    He walked around to the back of the car to unload her bags. Shao Yan tried to take them away from him, but he held them still, and said, "You''re tired, let me help you. Let''s go." He patted her back and then started to walk to the elevator lobby.


    Shao Yan was really helpless now. She wasn''t used to rely on anyone. She could just follow him obediently from behind.


    "Are you going to the office tomorrow?" Li Xiqing asked her when they''ve entered the elevator. He pushed the button to her floor.


    Shao Yan took her phone out to check on her calendar.


    "Yes, I have to. There are some meetings that I need to attend tomorrow." Shao Yan remembered that she needed to give away the tea gifts for everyone in the office.


    "Oh, I bought some tea for you." and then she corrected herself, "I mean, I bought some for the office people, so I bought some for you too."


    Li Xiqing was pleased that at least she remembered him.


    They arrived on her apartment floor. Shao Yan opened the door and held it so Li Xiqing could carry the baggages in.


    He entered the foyer and turned on the lights.


    Li Xiqing settled her bags down in the living room. And then he walked to the bathroom direction to wash his hands.


    Shao Yan looked at the whole thing and wondered, ''Ho... Hold on, Mister!! Is this my place or is this your place??''


    @_@

 Chapter 25 - Must Stay Alert

    Shao Yan looked at his whole actions and was dumbfounded.


    This guy adapted too quickly, didn''t he??


    Sigh.. She decided to let it go. He had helped her anyway.


    Or maybe he just needed to pee that badly.


    Shao Yan entered her apartment and then went to the kitchen to prepare something for Li Xiqing to drink. First, she boil water. And then took out two cups from the cabinet.


    Shao Yan walked back to the living room, took off her yellow jacket and put it on the couch, off to the side of the coffee table.


    While waiting for the water to boil, she decided to unload her suitcase. Shao Yan took out all the green tea packages that she had bought from City Q and started to put them on the kitchen counter.


    Shao Yan was opening the windows to the patio when Li Xiqing came out.


    He had already taken off his suit jacket and tie. His white shirtsleeves were rolled up three quarter of his arm, and he had unbuttoned his shirt several buttons from the top.


    Li Xiqing walked slowly but steady to her direction.


    He looked relax.


    He should have looked like a cat. But instead, he looked like an elegant panther.


    Unconsciously, Shao Yan was really enjoying this view.


    Those silhouette of his chest muscle. His lean waist.


    His arms muscle.


    How can a man looked this manly..??


    Li Xiqing noticed her admiring eyes and felt extremely pleased. But he didn''t say anything.


    Shao Yan was really thirsty now. Why did the water take so long to boil...!!


    Li Xiqing saw the unpacked suitcase and then looked at the stuff on top of the kitchen counter.


    He sat down on the living room couch, and put his jacket next to her yellow jacket.


    "Where is your housemate?" he casually asked the question while watching her carrying the tea packets back and forth.


    Shao Yan looked at him, and then quickly looked away.


    Ugh! Too beautiful. Must. Stay. Alert.


    "She''s in Singapore right now. But she will come back next week. She''s a supermodel." Shao Yan paused, seemed to think about something.


    And then she added, "Very pretty and very tall. I will introduce the two of you next time."


    Shao Yan started to sort through the different packages and separated them based on who she wanted to give them to.


    Li Xiqing heard this, and just silently stared at her back view. He was contemplating.


    ''... What did she mean by this statement?''


    After a while, he said, "So she travels a lot and most of the time you would be alone." Li Xiqing stood up and walked to the patio and looked around.


    "How safe is this area at night? Didn''t you say you had to frequently worked until late?"


    He walked back into the living room and then to the kitchen.


    Li Xiqing stood near her. He leaned in to the kitchen counter. His left hand was next to her left hand, while his right hand just stayed on his side, next to her body but did not touch her. He just stood really close to her.


    From being this close, Li Xiqing could see Shao Yan more clearly. With his eyes, he slowly traced her face.


    From her peach blossom eyes, to her small nose. His eyes moved to her soft cheek and then her lips.


    He paused a long time on her lips, looking at that pinkish plum so seriously. He forced himself to tear his gaze away back to her soft hair.


    His hand that was near her, was really urging him to touch that hair.


    To touch her.


    "Always make sure to check your windows and your door before you sleep, alright?"


    He noticed her hands faltered for a moment when he said the last part.


    Li Xiqing kept looking at her closely, that even Shao Yan could feel his deep serious penetrating gaze on her.


    Shao Yan braved herself to look him in the eyes, "Uh huh, that''s my habit, thanks for your concern." she smiled and then walked around the kitchen counter, away from him.


    She chanted again.


    Must.


    Stay.


    Alert.


    Shao Yan fumbled around the sink, not sure what she was trying to do.


    "The area was actually pretty safe. It''s located by the main road too. So I think, any criminals would think twice before entering this neighborhood", she just rambled on.


    Shao Yan filled the cups with the Laoshan green tea that she just brought back, and then poured the boiled water halfway. She waited for the tea to steep for a while, before adding lukewarm water to fill the rest of the cup.


    Now, the tea would be at room temperature and could be drink right away.


    Shao Yan passed a cup to Li Xiqing, "Here you go. Try this. This is the tea that I was telling you before."


    She pointed at the packets next to him, "I bought some flavors back. See which one you like, and take them back with you."


    Li Xiqing accepted the cup, and tasted it.


    She brewed it light, but still could maintain the fragrance of the fresh tea leaves.


    Li Xiqing sipped his tea in silence. Shao Yan also stayed silent while savouring the smell of the fresh brewed tea in front of her.


    "Of all these flavors, which one do you recommend?" he asked while looking at the tea packages.


    Shao Yan answered right away, "The classic green tea. The rest are not the original flavor, but more to attract younger people to drink more tea."


    Li Xiqing took one packet of the classic green tea and read the label.


    Shao Yan glanced at the LED desk clock on top of the coffee table. She calculated how many hours she had left to work on the blog post.


    But she still sipped her tea slowly.


    Li Xiqing suddenly straightened back up, carrying the tea packet with him.


    "Thanks for the tea. I will leave now." he looked at her and waited.


    Shao Yan put down her cup and then walked closer.


    "Don''t sleep too late. You''ve been traveling the whole day." Li Xiqing stood still while watching her walking closer.


    "Thank you for picking me up and sending me back." Shao Yan gave a natural smile, she was really feeling indebted to him.


    Now they stood in front of each other at a safe distance from each other.


    Shao Yan tilted her head slightly to the side, wondering why he didn''t start walking to the foyer.


    Li Xiqing maintained eye contact with her while slowly moving even closer to her.


    Like a hunter, slowly walking to his prey.


    .....


    His right hand touched her left upper arm, and then started to slide down to her wrist.


    "In case you haven''t noticed.." he started to say.


    Shao Yan had stiffened up, started from his initial touch.


    "I''m officially pursuing you."


    Li Xiqing was still looking into her eyes, her face was frozen.


    He grabbed her hand and squeezed it, not too firm, but holding her hand still inside his palm.


    "You can run away all you want"


    He tugged her hand closer.


    "But I will always catch you."


    He kissed her forehead and smelled her fragrant hair.


    .....

 Chapter 26 - Busy Is Good

    Shao Yan stayed very still.


    She could feel his lips on her forehead. Li Xiqing was standing so close, she could smell his perfume.


    Her heart was beating so fast right now. It''s making her dizzy. Her hands felt so cold.


    Li Xiqing was still holding her hand. He was looking at her and saw her bright red face. And he could see her turning frozen.


    He gave a little squeeze.


    "I have decided and I won''t change my mind. You don''t have to say anything right now. Take your time to think about it."


    Shao Yan didn''t know where to look.


    She looked at his eyes. And then she drifted away.


    She looked at his chest. And then she looked away.


    Li Xiqing rubbed her hair lovingly, he cupped his large hand on the back of her head for a while.


    .....


    "Shao Yan?"


    Li Xiqing sounded like a whisper. He was talking very gently to her.


    Shao Yan was still standing on the spot. But she looked up at him.


    "Good night." he smiled.


    Shao Yan was certain her face turned one level redder now!


    He let go of his hand from the back of her head, and he slowly let her go.


    Li Xiqing was very much eager to do more. To kiss her more. To touch her more.


    But he didn''t want to scare her away.


    He had time.


    He didn''t mind to go slow at her pace.


    Because he was serious about her.


    Li Xiqing walked to the foyer, put on his shoes and then he walked out.


    .....


    Shao Yan''s mind was playing different kinds of fireworks.


    She was really confused right now.


    !!!!!


    Was this how adult romance work?


    This had never happened to Shao Yan before.


    Growing up, she was not the prettiest in the class. She was not the most sexy either. She was not the smartest top of the class.


    She felt that she was just... normal. Average.


    Shao Yan knew she didn''t look ugly. But how could she believe that she got this amazing, smart, gorgeous, sexy beyond belief man, who was now pursuing her?


    Was he just playing around? Maybe because he was bored, for just being back in the country?


    Maybe he missed all his girlfriends from country U and was looking for a one night stand to relieve his physical urge??


    Shao Yan was feeling like a mess right now.


    She locked her door and then aimlessly walked around.


    She tried to tidy up her suitcase, but she kept being so clumsy so she gave up.


    Shao Yan closed all the windows and went to have a shower. Yes, let''s shower. Maybe shower would calm her restless mind.


    She took a long hot bath. Trying to ease her tensed muscle.


    After she was done, Shao Yan started to turn on her laptop to work.


    She typed and deleted. Typed again and then deleted it again.


    She couldn''t find any smart catchy phrase after typing for a while.


    She kept on typing and kept on dazing off to the distance.


    She couldn''t concentrate at all..


    She dropped back to the bed feeling very frustrated!!


    For the first time in her life, she let her house still be in a mess after coming back from a trip, and left her work incomplete.


    Shao Yan sent an email to Miss Sea to apologize about not sending it on time. She also set up a new deadline for Miss Sea.


    Shao Yan went to sleep.


    .....


    Shao Yan woke up earlier than usual the next day. She groggily rubbed her eyes, she dreamed that she had run a marathon. She felt so tired.


    Shao Yan checked her phone for the schedules for today so she could picked the right outfit.


    She would have a full day today and she became so excited. Feeling energized, she quickly got ready to go to the office.


    Shao Yan would be meeting a lot of vendors today. She browsed through her wardrobe and decided on a simple black dress pants. She paired it with white blouse. And she completed the outfit with black and white striped jacket.


    Okay. Looks good. Back to basic. Shao Yan nodded approvingly on herself.


    Shao Yan walked out from her bedroom, to pour some water in the kitchen. When she walked past the living room, all of a sudden she paused.


    The memory from last night stormed through again.


    Shao Yan saw Li Xiqing''s jacket and tie laid proudly next to her yellow jacket. She could feel her face turning red.


    He must have done this on purpose!


    Shao Yan glared at the jackets.


    She felt more headache was coming. She quickly turned her face away. She would just dealt with it later.


    Shao Yan sighed and quickly took her laptop bag and her purse, and then walked to her shoe closet.


    For once, she skipped the wedges. She picked up a black pump heels.


    Break a leg, Shao Yan! He was probably only looking for a quick adrenaline rush. He would get bored soon.


    Shao Yan left the apartment and went to the parking garage and drove to the office.


    When she arrived, Wenhai came in to her office with some reports that she needed to review.


    Shao Yan spent the whole morning meeting with different people for the Anniversary project.


    All the vendors that her team contacted had come today to discuss the details of the event. The anniversary was coming soon, so everyone worked faster and more diligent than before.


    There would be a big meeting in the afternoon, which will be hosted by the executives. They called it Quarterly Kick Off meeting.


    Basically, it''s to discuss their strategy for next quarter and it was mandatory for everyone to attend.


    Shao Yan, Fan jie and Huo ge had to leave the office for an early lunch, to meet with an event organizer company.


    This event organizer company would be helping them to arrange all the specific details for the party on the day itself.


    The discussion was draining all their attention. Everyone was too focused with this meeting that they almost forgotten about the Quarter Kick Off meeting from the executives.


    The three of them sped up to go back to the office but they were still late by 15 minutes.


    The three of them were running to the meeting room now.


    "We are dead meat. Mr. Wang definitely will not let us go unharmed!" Huo ge lamented.


    Fan jie could only patted his back to cheer him up.


    And they continued to rush to the big meeting room.

 Chapter 27 - Late For Meeting!

    It was a big conference room which had taken the space of the whole floor 59, just right under the President''s office. This meeting room was purposely set up for a meeting that would have to involve attendance of the whole company.


    The meeting room was surrounded by clear glasses all around the sides. It was equiped with the best presentation system, as Gold Crane needed to do a lot of demo and presentation during product launch.


    Wenhai and Lee Ying were already seated inside. Both of them already busy looking for them, they kept messaging or calling to check where they were.


    When the three of them finally reached the meeting room, they saw that all the doors were already closed.


    They decided to sneak in from the side door to avoid any unnecessary attention.


    .....


    The meeting room was divided into three sections;, left, middle and right wings. With about 30 rows and 20 seats per row for each wings.


    Wenhai and Lee Ying were seated on the left wing, ten rows from the front, and they had reserved few seats for the three of them.


    Fan jie decided to go in first. And then Shao Yan would go in after that. The last one to enter would be Huo ge.


    After Shao Yan saw Fan jie disappeared through the door, she waited for a few minutes before she entered as well.


    Shao Yan looked for the seats that they were telling her about. She felt awkward and guilty as people around them were already looking at them because they were late.


    The room was dimmed to enable focus on the stage.


    Shao Yan finally found her team and she quickly sat down.


    Soon, Huo ge also came in and joined them.


    .....


    The meeting had already started.


    On the stage, there were six chairs arranged in a panel setting. These were for the executives to sit on.


    And on the audience front seats in the middle wing, Shao Yan could see some foreigners were sitting together with the executives. She was guessing that their presence here had something to do with this meeting today.


    The President and Vice President had sat on the middle of the stage and were discussing about earnings and expenses from last quarter.


    There were still few seats left empty on each of their sides.


    The Vice President, Zhuang Huifu, presented Gold Crane earning from last quarter. And how their earning compared from this year and last year for the same quarter period.


    "Next on the agenda is probably the most exciting part that I wanted to share with everyone here.", Gold Crane President, Huang Junjie, took over the discussion now.


    President Huang continued, "For the next three quarters, Gold Crane will be very busy."


    He paused.


    "For the past year, VP Zhuang and myself had actually had been working with our branch office in country U on something big." he was glowing with excitement, he stood up and started to walk around, seemed like he couldn''t contained the feelings anymore.


    "Today I presented to you: Gold Crane have officially acquired OnScience Publications!"


    President Huang tried so hard to sound calm. But his high tone at the end betrayed him.


    The crowd went silent.


    .....


    Before they went wild.


    Whoa!! This was big news!


    OnScience Publications was the leading publishing company focusing on science fiction and fantasy. They were THE number one player in the industry and always had the best selling books.


    All the followers were so loyal, they looked more like a cult. They would blindly supported whatever books that OnScience published. Because the books always turned out to be captivating.


    Many employees in Gold Crane were actually huge fans of their publications.


    So this news about Gold Crane acquiring OnScience was a huge deal for all of them.


    President Huang purposely stayed silent for a while to let the crowd drowned in their excitement.


    After a while, President Huang said, "This news will be officially released today. When all of you were sitting here with me right now, the news just hit the press."


    Everyone, including Shao Yan, took out their phone and logged in to social media. True enough, their company name was now the number one trending topic on social media.


    "Yan jie, our President is so cool!" Lee Ying was so excited, she kept shaking Shao Yan''s arm every now and then.


    Wenhai tried to stay calm but he started chattering excitedly after a while. "We are going bigger, Boss!"


    Shao Yan was so surprised! Gold Crane was already doing very well in this country.


    With OnScience now, they could go far!


    President Huang cleared his throat, and the crowd quickly resumed their order.


    "The deal was finalized three months ago. You may have seen few new faces around the company lately. They were representatives from the experts of the expert. They''re a consulting company that Gold Crane had hired to helped us with this acquisition."


    "They will come up here in a while to explain more of what you should expect to happen in the next few months"


    President Huang paused before continuing, "But don''t worry and don''t panic. Our value will still be gold, as precious as gold crane."


    And then he laughed at his own cold jokes.


    But the audiences were in high spirits, no one even noticed it and they laughed along with him and started cheering loudly.


    President Huang just stood in the middle for a while basking in glory.


    After a few moment, he raised his hand to calm the crowd.


    "Now, please welcome, AG International!" and then he extended his palm to his left side to welcome them to the stage before going back to his seat.


    Slowly three shadows walked to the stage.


    The stage lights started to focus on them.


    Three people started to enter everyone''s view walking on the stage towards President Huang and VP Zhuang.


    The leading person was a tall asian man, with two other tall men followed closely after.


    Shao Yan stiffened up and grabbed her phone tighter.


    Gasps and murmurs soon started to spread around the room.


    They walked steadily on the stage towards President Huang and VP Zhuang.


    President Huang and VP Zhuang both had risen up from their seats and shook hands with all the gentlemen.


    President Huang passed on the microphone to the first man who took it and started to introduce themselves.


    "Hello everyone. My name is Daniel Li."


    Shao Yan dropped her phone to the floor.


    !!!

 Chapter 28 - AG International

    Shao Yan''s eyes went round and wide. What was this?!


    Why.. Why was he here?!


    The man had a very sharp gaze. He had put on a very formal outfit.


    Black and white striped shirt pair with black silk tie.


    He had vest on a lighter shade of black color, and then his black suit jacket.


    He had a glass on with black frame. Clean cut face, with prominent jawline and tall sharp nose.


    Everything screamed over the top magnificence.


    Lee Ying saw Shao Yan reaction and started teasing, "Yan jie~ I finally live long enough to see your drooling face over handsome guy. Your eyes literally popped out just now", she chuckled happily.


    Shao Yan could only glared at her, but Lee Ying just stuck out her tongue and grinned even wider.


    .....


    Daniel started to introduce the other two men.


    "This is Karl Wegner."


    An employee silently passed another microphone to Karl.


    Foreign face with light blonde, short hair, sharp nose. He had blue eyes and cheerful face. He looked like he was in late thirties.


    "Hello everyone!" Karl said that in Mandarin with slightly out of accent.


    Everyone cheered him for trying.


    Daniel smiled and added, "Karl is a German. He just started to learn Mandarin for almost a year now. So please feel free to talk to him to help him practice."


    Karl gave a little bow and waved to everyone, who immediately liked this guy.


    Daniel continued, "Next one is Martin Anderson. He only speaks English and Japanese."


    The other guy was a mix heritage man. He had Caucasian facial features, but his hair and his eyes are both dark black.


    Karl passed his microphone to Martin, who took it and greeted, "Hello everyone!" in both English and Japanese.


    After the brief introduction, all five of them sat down.


    President Huang started the session by asking Daniel to give a little background on AG International.


    President Huang did this to give Gold Crane employees a sense of familiarity of the kind of people they would be working with.


    Daniel took the microphone, "AG International was founded fifteen years ago."


    "That time, it''s only a small company that we built when we were still in college. It''s only started within small scale, focusing in just our city and state."


    Daniel scanned the room.


    Shao Yan, who was paying close attention to him, unconsciously shrank back to her seat.


    "Our goal is to always move forward and push our limits. Avant Garde. That''s how we came up with AG International"


    "We slowly grew and expanded to other cities before finally, we set our strong foundation in country U. And then ten years ago, our focus shifted to Karl''s home country, Germany."


    "Our next focus is Asia. We entered China and Japan market five years ago and we are still growing."


    Daniel spoke clearly, not too fast and not too slow. He chose his words carefully. He didn''t use any big words that might be difficult for normal people to understand.


    VP Zhuang started to ask about the usual strategy when acquiring a company.


    Karl took over the microphone and started to explain briefly in English.


    Daniel deliberately scanned the meeting room again. It was a bit dimmed so it''s difficult to clearly see the faces of the audience.


    He couldn''t find the face that he was longing to see.


    .....


    The discussion soon shifted to what Gold Crane should expect in the future.


    Martin and Daniel each took turns to explain. Martin gave the general big summary. While Daniel went into more details.


    Basically, the employees should not worry. Even though it''s acquiring another company, to begin with, they were already a unique company on its own.


    So there will be no laid off. Everyone would still have their jobs to hold.


    Everyone applaud cheerfully.


    Thirty minutes before the meeting ended, was the question and answer session.


    .....


    To let the people on the stage see the person who asked questions clearly, the organizer decided to adjust the lights in the room to be little brighter.


    Daniel saw her right away.


    She was looking right at him too.


    VP Zhuang stood up and walked slightly to the front of the stage, "There is a standing microphone in the middle of the room here"


    VP Zhuang pointed to the area, before continuing, "Anyone that wanted to ask questions, either to me, or President Huang, or AG International, please step to the front. First begin by stating your name and department and then your question."


    A slightly chubby man slowly stepped forward, "My name is Fei Yang, from IT department. My question is for President Huang. Are you going to introduce cross department training? Can we invite OnScience to visit us for training?"


    Everyone cheered on this question, as they knew that this person must have personal interest in asking for this ''training''. He must be also a fan of OnScience books.


    President Huang answered diplomatically. Not saying yes, but also not saying no.


    Another person stepped forward asking about salary and commission. If there would be any adjustments now that they''re going bigger in scale.


    President Huang invited VP from Human Resources to answer to this question.


    Another person stepped forward, "My name is Lei Yijie, from Sales department. You can call me Cissy. My question is for Daniel."


    Daniel was not even listening to all the questions, as he was busy looking at the girl on the other side. He only started to listen when he saw his girl raised her eyebrows.


    Cissy the sales person paused for a while before continuing in mandarin, "I''m 26 years old and I have never been married."


    The room first went silent and then started to get rowdy.


    "I''m single. I earned very well. I don''t smoke, I drink occasionally for work purpose, and I don''t party around."


    She paused and gave a dazzling smile, and then she switched to fluent English, "I just bought my first investment, my apartment. And I''m interested in you. Can we get to know each other?"


    People were cheering for her. Everyone started to murmur around.


    Some girls were regretting why they didn''t have her courage. Now someone had stolen the start!

 Chapter 29 - Its Only You

    Lee Ying, who sat next to Shao Yan, exclaimed loud enough for the five of them to hear,


    "Wow! When did this become a blind date session now"


    Lee Ying stroked her chin and added,"Cissy was our best sales person. Now I can see why!"


    Fan jie replied her, "Well, look at her courage! I bet a lot of girls will started to follow her steps now."


    Huo ge just teased them back, "You mean the two of you, right?"


    "Now everytime that Daniel guy walks by, our employees will start confessing to him, he will be busy". Wenhai also joined in the fun.


    Fan jie added, "Why did everyone like that Chinese guy? We have a lot of them already! I prefer the blue eye blonde!"


    Fan jie then blew air kisses to the stage, "He''s cute!".


    The four of them laughed.


    While Shao Yan just smiled solemnly and stayed quiet all the time.


    .....


    Daniel sat calmly on his chair. His long legs were crossed. His right hand was resting on the arm rest, while his left hand was resting on his lap. He was concentrating on the other side of the room.


    Ever since the lights were turned on earlier, Daniel had found her easily.


    And he had been keeping a close attention to her ever since.


    She was smiling at her friends now, before she slowly looked back at the stage. He couldn''t read her expression.


    Who are you looking at, my dear? Are you looking at me?


    .....


    Karl whispered to Daniel excitedly, "Wow! Daniel! Are all Chinese women this straight forward? Even the country U women were not this brave".


    And then he gave Daniel a shoulder jab.


    Martin just laughed at both of his friends'' antics.


    President Huang and VP Zhuang were feeling conflicted. At one side, they felt proud that they had tenacious sales person. But at the same time, they also felt awkward at her courage.


    VP Zhuang embarrassingly passed a microphone to Daniel.


    "Mr. Li, you can choose not to answer, we will skip this one".


    But before VP Zhuang took it back, Daniel already grabbed it.


    "Miss Lei, thank you. I am in a serious commitment and I don''t want any misunderstanding with her. I believe there are others who are more qualified than I am."


    After he said that, he returned the microphone to VP Zhuang.


    Daniel looked back at the girl on the other side, and he could see the blush on her face, before she quickly brought her face down.


    She put both back of her hands to her cheek.


    Daniel put his elbow on the arm rest and brought his rounded fist in front of his mouth to hide his smile.


    .....


    Shao Yan was cursing Li Xiqing in her heart.


    What serious commitment..!!


    Who''s commiting with you..?!


    Annoying scoundrel, Li Xiqing!!


    .....


    Lee Ying was squeezing Shao Yan''s hand so tight now.


    "Yan jie~ Why are all good looking guys always got snatched away so fast~ I''m so sad".


    Shao Yan could only patted her head and smiled helplessly.


    The atmosphere surprisingly didn''t turn awkward. In fact, it became livelier.


    Another person stepped forward, "My name is Fu Hui, from accounting. My question is for Daniel."


    Lee Ying poked Shao Yan''s arm, "Try to guess what Madam Fu will ask now", she grinned happily.


    Fu Hui asked, "It''s too difficult to call your English name. I''m only an old lady. Do you have any Chinese name?"


    The crowd laughed out loud.


    Someone shouted from afar, "Lao Fu, nice try!"


    And then more laughter.


    Li Xiqing just smiled and took the microphone again, "I do have Chinese name, but I prefer everyone to call me ''Daniel'' at work. My apologies."


    Madam Fu did not get angry, she just gave him a big smile and returned to her seat.


    VP Zhuang felt headache was coming. He wanted to end the Q&A session soon.


    But before he stood up, another person had quickly stepped forward and hurriedly said:


    "Mr. Karl. What is your type?"


    ....


    Shao Yan was dumbfounded when she saw who was asking.


    She quickly looked to her side and found the person, who was just now was still sitting next to her, was indeed missing, and was standing at the front.


    Fan jie asked the question in broken English. But everyone could understand what she was trying to say.


    Lee Ying and Wenhai were shocked as well.


    They were discussing quietly now. Wenhai asked, "Boss, isn''t Fan jie is already almost 50 now?"


    Lee Ying smacked Wenhai''s head, "Stinky Zhou, you don''t talk about women''s age like that!!"


    Both of them started squabbling.


    Shao Yan made a mental calculation in her head. She thought Fan jie should be just around 39 or 40 now.


    But then, what does age had to do with love. If they loved each other, then that''s all that matters.


    Karl was initially excited that he finally got a question to answer.


    But when he heard of the question, he was really speechless. Karl turned to Daniel with sad face.


    "Daniel, I really admire these Chinese women." and shook his head helplessly.


    VP Zhao decided to put an end to the session, he didn''t even let Karl answer the question. He quickly told Fan jie to go back to her seat.


    VP Zhao made a summary of today''s meeting. And then he quickly let everyone out of the meeting room.


    .....


    Shao Yan quickly exited the meeting room with the others.


    Lee Ying and Wenhai were still arguing. Their argument now moved to why women like to order a lot of food while eating hotpot and then torture their boyfriend to finish it.


    Other people who walked with them were now teasing Fan jie for her question just now.


    Shao Yan just ignored them. She couldn''t remember what she needed to do after this meeting.


    She kept looking at her schedule and pondered.


    And finally she remembered that she needed to go to printing company to check on the material for an Architecture photo book that she sent in last month.


    The book would finish the first fifty copies today, and Shao Yan would need to pick it up and bring it back to the office to hand them out for internal reviews.


    If it passed internal reviews, then she would send in the order for more copies.


    Shao Yan decided to stop Lee Ying and Wenhai''s argument.

 Chapter 30 - You Are Everywhere

    "Alright now".


    Shao Yan decided to stop Lee Ying and Wenhai''s argument.


    Shao Yan looked at Lee Ying, "Xiao Ying, can you go to the design department and look for Su Yimeng".


    "I got the preliminary rundown from the event organizer this morning. I need Su Yimeng to come up with preliminary design for the invite."


    Shao Yan typed in her phone and quickly sent out the email to Lee Ying.


    "Wenhai, come with me to collect the architecture books from last month", she said that while typing her email.


    "You can drive, I will need to go back to my desk to take the guide document, I will meet you downstairs."


    Shao Yan kept giving instructions while they were walking back to their floor.


    "Fan jie, Huo ge, I will leave the rest of the item from this morning meeting for you to take care".


    Shao Yan turned around and looked at everyone, "Sounds good?"


    Everyone nodded and started to move.


    .....


    Inside the meeting room, President Huang and VP Zhuang were still talking to Li Xiqing and the others.


    They were discussing to do a quick break. Some people suggested to go to a teahouse next door.


    Gold Crane had set up one floor for AG international to sit while they worked on finalizing the acquisition process.


    AG International had three physical offices: in country U, country G and country J.


    But they had not set up anything here in this country yet.


    They had been working out of floor 58 for few months now.


    And this was how Li Xiqing was able to pay attention on Shao Yan ever since he first met her.


    .....


    Ever since the first time Shao Yan had bumped into him and knocked over his coffee, Li Xiqing had been seeing her face more frequently, everywhere in the Gold Crane building.


    When Shao Yan was walking with her teammate for a meeting, he had happened to see her from afar.


    Or when her group walked out of the office for lunch, Li Xiqing saw her from the coffee shop in the lobby.


    Li Xiqing had been more conscious of her presence ever since he thought Shao Yan was attractive.


    When Shao Yan was scolding an intern for a mistake that he made, that caused her to report a wrong number during a meeting, Li Xiqing was just walking out of a meeting room nearby, so he saw her again.


    He began to notice more of her facial expression.


    When Shao Yan was excited for lunch, her eyes sparkled.


    Or when she was nervous when she ran around looking for people, Shao Yan had a slight frown on her forehead.


    When she was happy during a discussion, Shao Yan had expressive, beautiful eyes.


    When she was clearly upset during a meeting, but she had to stay professional, she went stiff but she kept her mind clear.


    Li Xiqing became unconsciously started to search for her figure whenever he was visiting Gold Crane.


    And he wanted to get to know her more.


    .....


    Shao Yan went back to her desk and quickly grabbed the document that she needed for the printing house.


    She was waiting for the elevator to go down to the lobby when Wenhai texted her to tell her he was already waiting in front of the lobby.


    Shao Yan was typing a reply when the elevator door opened.


    Shao Yan took a step forward and lifted her head.


    She saw there were some people already inside the elevator, also heading to the lobby.


    VP Zhuang, VP of finance Madam Mei, Li Xiqing, Karl, Martin, Head of Sales Mr. Hong and Cissy, the supposedly top sales person of Gold Crane.


    She stopped on the spot.


    ???


    What was this!


    True enough.. When people said the more you wanted to avoid something, the more you would meet them!


    .....


    Uhh.. Should she get in?


    Shao Yan didn''t want to be in the same elevator space as these people.


    Step forward? Or avoid?


    Shao Yan stepped back from the elevator door, "All of you can go ahead, I will take the next one", finally she decided to avoid.


    As the elevator door was going to close, Li Xiqing held the door open with his hand, "Shao Yan, get in."


    All eyes were on her now. Shao Yan''s face went pale, she panicked.


    What was he doing!! He and she were supposed to be strangers!!


    Li Xiqing, on the other hand, didn''t think too much about it. He was just looking at her intently.


    Shao Yan could only helplessly stepped inside and stayed in the corner, trying to be invisible.


    Shao Yan really could feel a lot of eyes were on her back now. She tried to keep her cool.


    Shao Yan lamented in her heart, why did she had to be on floor 56.


    The elevator journey was too long ah~


    .....


    Li Xiqing and Martin were discussing something in Japanese now. They tried to keep their voice down, but the space was small, so everyone could hear them talking, although no one understood the language.


    Shao Yan wanted to play around with her phone, but there was not network connection.


    Mr. Hong noticed her folder and casually asked her about it, "Miss Shao, are you going to the printing house?"


    Shao Yan nodded, "The book for Architect Liu is done. I''m picking them up for internal review tomorrow".


    VP Zhuang suddenly spoke up, "You can pick them up later. We are all going for tea break now. Why don''t you join us?".


    All eyes were back on her again.


    Shao Yan gave a stiff smile. Her mouth twitched.


    "Thank you for the invite, VP Zhuang, but Wenhai was already waiting for me". Shao Yan quickly refused and left no room for negotiation.


    Shao Yan kept praying in her heart for the elevator to quickly descended down.


    Her prayer was answered, they finally reached the lobby area.


    Shao Yan quickly walked out of the elevator.


    She spotted Wenhai''s car already waiting for her in the lobby. She walked briskly and got it to the car.


    Wenhai saw her from afar and helped to open the car door from inside.


    Shao Yan hurriedly went in, and they left for the printing house.


    Along the way, Shao Yan was quiet and she was drowned in her own thoughts.

 Chapter 31 - Guard Your Heart

    They reached the printing house after a while.


    Traffic was fine this afternoon. They met with the printing manager in charge of their order, Mr. Luo.


    Mr. Luo was a sixty year old man, who owned the printing business. He started when he was young as an apprentice at a newspaper company. When he was finally adult, and had some savings, he opened this company from scratch. His first client was to help his previous newspaper company to print flyers.


    Even though he was very successful now, he came from a humble origin. He was known for being friendly and hardworking. The employees would still catch him running around the printing area, checking on the the prints.


    Shao Yan very much admired his spirit. Somehow, Mr. Luo always reminded her of her own father.


    "Mr. Luo, what do you think about this? Honestly?" Shao Yan opened a question.


    Mr. Luo took the book from her hand. He first touched the cover, and then slowly flipped through the pages. He paid really detail attention on every single crease, every single prints.


    After a while, Mr. Luo said, "This architect is really good. The photographer is especially good. They will go far if they kept working together". Mr. Luo returned the book to Shao Yan.


    .....


    Wenhai and Shao Yan accompanied Mr. Luo for a while more. They had tea and some afternoon snacks, and traded stories. The afternoon went by just like that.


    Unknowingly, it''s already dark, and they remembered, they still needed to drop the books back to the office for internal review tomorrow.


    They faced a bit of traffic when they drove back to the office. City S skylights were surrounding them, accompanying the lonely yet bustling nights.


    When Shao Yan and Wenhai arrived in the office, most of the people had left.


    Fan jie was about to leave when Shao Yan and Wenhai appeared on their floor. "So late? It''s almost 9 now!" Fan jie exclaimed.


    Wenhai and Shao Yan just smiled embarrassingly. Wenhai was telling Fan jie what they did with Mr. Luo.


    The three of them chatted for a while, before Fan jie had to leave.


    Shao Yan decided to do some work while she''s here, so she walked back to her desk and turned on her laptop.


    .....


    "Xiao Yan, let''s leave now. Just do it tomorrow?" Wenhai was already standing next to her desk, ready to go home.


    "You can go first, I''m almost done", Shao Yan was typing without even looking up at him.


    "Are you sure? Boss, we are at floor 56. If there''s a zombie apocalypse, you''ll be stuck here alone! Without cute guy like me!" Wenhai joked around to lighten her mood.


    That earned him a side stare look from Shao Yan.


    "Really? How old are you, still believing in zombies?" Shao Yan laughed lightly and chased him out.


    .....


    Her team was seated on floor 56. It''s a huge floor combined with other project teams. They adopted open space layout. There were no cube partitions between each other. All the desk were in white color, making the space even larger and peaceful as it also equipped with the bright lights.


    Shao Yan''s desk was facing the window, but prefer to not sit right next to it to avoid the sun glares.


    She typed a lot in her computer, so she preferred to face the window so she could rest her eyes every now and then.


    Shao Yan also keep some succulent plants. On her desk there was a mini plant displays in a shape of ladder. On it, there were several succulent plants with colorful shades to cheer her up.


    Knock knock.


    A brief knock was heard on their door.


    She was surprised, she turned around and saw a figure was standing by the door, he was blocking the lights that came in from behind. So she couldn''t see his face.


    He was glowing.


    Shao Yan blinked as the figure walked closer to her, and she finally clearly saw his face.


    "What are you doing here?" Shao Yan showed a very surprise face, and then she glanced at the bottom right of her computer and saw the time. "It''s already so late. You''re still working?"


    Li Xiqing was showing a very unhappy face. "I should be asking that question at you."


    Shao Yan looked back at him, and stunned for a while.


    "I was finishing up something, and then I remembered that I still owe Miss Sea the second draft. I''m working on it now".


    She looked up and then asked him back, "What are you doing here?"


    Li Xiqing was carrying a paper bag on his hand. He put the bag on her desk, pointing to it while saying, "I was about to leave, when I remember I got this for you. So I came to put this on your desk."


    Li Xiqing took a chair from the desk next to her, and dragged it over to sit near her.


    Shao Yan was confused, and reached out to the bag and opened it.


    From it, she took out a very delicate package wrapped in a soft paper. She lifted her eyes and peeked at him, showing puzzled look.


    Li Xiqing was leaning back on his chair and paying attention on her every move.


    Shao Yan opened the delicate paper, and found a soft dark grey cardigan wool jacket inside.


    She paused and just stared at it.


    She picked it up and spread it in front of her eyes and saw that it should reached her waist if she put it on. The material was so soft, and so warm. The size was perfect.


    "The weather is cold these days. It''s almost summer, I know, but it''s still windy at night" Li Xiqing explained. "The air-conditioned in the office are not stable too, I''m just worried you will be cold while working". He said that casually while crossing his legs and leaned back to sit more comfortably.


    Shao Yan was touched. She felt that this man was indeed very thoughtful. He was always warm towards her.


    She sighed inwardly.


    She didn''t know how much longer she could guard her heart.

 Chapter 32 - Stubborn!

    "Are you done with work?" Li Xiqing saw her lost in thought for a while, and he didn''t like her expression.


    Shao Yan came back to her senses. She put the cardigan jacket on the back of her chair, and tidied up the paper bag before putting it on the floor next to her feet.


    "Almost. I will leave after this one." She smiled at him, "Thank you for the jacket".


    She moved her mouse around to wake her laptop up from idle status.


    Li Xiqing didn''t move, and before she chased him away, he casually replied her, "Okay, I''ll wait for you here. Don''t mind me, I need to reply some emails as well".


    Li Xiqing was sitting at her desk, at the other corner. He took out his laptop, and started working. Totally ignoring her.


    Shao Yan looked at him for a while. And then she started to let him be, and went back to typing her draft.


    A moment later, Shao Yan reached out to her mug to drink some water. She realized she had drink it all up.


    Shao Yan stood up, and just realized that Li Xiqing was still here. He was leaning back on his chair, with his arms crossed and he had his eyes closed.


    Shao Yan felt like the world stopped moving for a while. Even his sleeping posture was so handsome.


    "Li Xiqing?" she softly called him.


    He didn''t budge.


    "Li Xiqing!" she called him a little louder now, but was still soft.


    He didn''t move at all.


    Shao Yan stood up and looked at him. She got closer and she had raised her hand and was about to shake him awake, but she paused.


    ''He must have been so tired, working until this late''


    Shao Yan looked around the room; checking if there''s anyone else around. And then she raised her index finger and just poked his forehead softly and said gently, "Stubborn!"


    She grumbled, "Already this tired, yet still sit here?".


    She took her mug and walked to the water dispenser to refill her water.


    Li Xiqing just pursed his lips and smiled.


    .....


    When he powered on his laptop earlier, Li Xiqing was really working on his emails.


    When he was done, he realized that she was still busy. So he just sat and waited on her patiently. He had been looking at her so engaged on her typing. Her side view was mesmerizing, he couldn''t look away. So he stared for a while.


    Shao Yan must have been so focused on her work that she didn''t feel his stare at all.


    When he just closed his eyes for a while, he heard her moved, but somehow he decided to keep his eyes closed.


    And then he heard her called him.


    Her voice was really soft. She called him twice.


    And then he could feel that she moved closer. He could smell her perfume and he was itching to grab her and hug her. But he tried so hard to stay still.


    He heard a soft sigh, and then he felt a cold finger tapped his forehead twice. ''Stubborn'', she said.


    Her voice was really nice.


    He heard grumbled of concern from her.


    He couldn''t hold it in anymore, he let go of a smile.


    She was so damn cute!


    .....


    After Shao Yan drank the water, she walked back to her desk, Li Xiqing was already awake and was looking around for her.


    "I''m done", she walked to her desk and put her mug to the side. "I''m sorry you had to wait for so long".


    Li Xiqing got up and helped her to tidy up her stuff. She took her purse and when she turned around to grab her laptop bag, she found it was no longer on top of her desk.


    Li Xiqing had carried it with him and he had already started walking to the door.


    She checked everything around her before turning off the desk lamp and walked out.


    Li Xiqing had keyed in the lobby floor on the elevator keypad screen. They stood side by side waiting for the elevator to arrive.


    It''s already midnight now. Everything around them was so quiet.


    "Have you been working in this building?" Shao Yan asked him.


    Li Xiqing gave her a confused look.


    "I mean, for this acquisition thing. Have you been sitting in this building when you''re working with us?" she clarified her question.


    Li Xiqing just nodded, "VP Zhuang set up floor 58 for us". And then he smiled at her, "So I can see you even more often now".


    Shao Yan was surprised. She blushed. "I see". And then she looked away.


    Even though she lived in country U before, where people were more liberal, but she was not used to this straightforwardness attitude from a guy.


    .....


    The elevator door opened, and they stepped inside.


    Li Xiqing saw her lost in her thoughts again. She was so quiet as she was thinking about the past.


    Liwei was the subtle type. They got together because they had mutual friends and those friends set them up too. Almost on all occasions, they would be paired together. And naturally, they just got together as a couple.


    She sighed. She had failed a relationship once. She didn''t have the courage to start another one.


    Even though, this guy was so amazing.


    Shao Yan didn''t realize that her own aura was gloomy and sad, and Li Xiqing could somehow felt that.


    He didn''t know what she was thinking about, but his face darkened, he didn''t like how she looked right now.


    "Tomorrow, let''s have lunch together." he interrupted her thoughts.


    He looked at her, "I want to introduce you to Karl and Martin".


    Shao Yan needed a moment to bring herself back to the present moment. She paused for a while to think about her schedule for tomorrow.


    "Karl and Martin may have questions related to your past projects too. It''s good meeting more new friends, right?"


    She relented and finally agreed.


    Li Xiqing walked with her to her car. He wanted to drive her back, but she refused, she still needed to come to the office tomorrow anyway.


    He opened the back passenger seat to put her laptop bag and then he walked over to the driver seat to see her.


    "Thank you, I''m leaving now", Shao Yan peeked her head out from the window.


    "Um, drive carefully", he caressed the top of her head and then he stepped away from the car.


    Shao Yan seemed to get used to him patting her head now, she didn''t say anything. She just smiled back at him and drove away.


    Li Xiqing waited until he couldn''t see her car anymore, and then started to drive home.

 Chapter 33 - Together, Together!

    Shao Yan had agreed to meet Li Xiqing and his friends at the lobby downstairs for lunch. Li Xiqing said that they would have to drive out, so they arranged it that way.


    What she didn''t know was that, Li Xiqing never actually agreed to this.


    The whole floor 56 was full of people, hustling around, talking on the phone, or just chatted with each other. The project office was always busy with activities. Some people in the corner were even playing dart games to relieve stress.


    But then it suddenly went quiet.


    Their attention was on the door, looking at the newcomers who walked in with confidence. Three great gods just descended from floor 58 to bestow them a visit??


    Shao Yan was arguing back and forth with a supplier on the phone. Suddenly, she felt shadows on the side covering her desk. She turned her head around and saw three gorgeous guys were looking at her and she lost her words.


    O_O What?


    Li Xiqing, now standing next to her, just stood silently with his hand behind her chair. He just smiled down at her.


    Karl and Martin waved at her with full of enthusiasm.


    And the whole project office just went crazy!


    .....


    Shao Yan glared at them but she still finished her call. She also decided to ignore the three of them while focusing to finish her other tasks.


    The three gods didn''t mind. They just stood around and talked with each other excitedly. Shao Yan could hear they were talking about the latest movie blockbuster now.


    Fan jie, Lee Ying and Li Na were staring at her. Shao Yan knew it. But she chose to pretend she didn''t see anything.


    Huo ge and Wenhai were out of the office, on site inspection. That meant less people would teased her today.


    Shao Yan just focused on finishing her work as fast as possible. So she could quickly get out from here!


    .....


    "Handsome brother!"


    Fan jie just decided to thickened her skin and walked over to Shao Yan''s desk. "Are you guys here to invite Xiao Yan for lunch?" Fan jie spoke ingratiatingly.


    Li Na and Lee Ying were looking at the three men in awe. Shao Yan could only helplessly looked away.


    Away from all of them!


    Karl, the friendly one, answered Fan jie in mandarin, "Hello, beauty!"


    Shao Yan seriously wanted to dig a hole and hide.


    .....


    "Yes. We are here to invite Yan Yan for lunch", Li Xiqing confirmed her guess earlier. His hands were still on the back of her chair.


    Shao Yan felt her heart squeezed and her cheek warmed up when she heard Li Xiqing called her ''Yan Yan'' so gently.


    Lee Ying was so shocked, her mouth just went wide open and looked at Shao Yan with wide eye. She was thinking, ''Yan jie!! You strike big fat lottery!!!''


    Fan jie tried to keep her cool, but she couldn''t.


    "Is that so?" She stroke her chin playfully, and then added, "Then, do you know that if you want to ask YAN YAN for lunch, you have to invite all three of us sisters as well?" Fan jie purposely enunciated her name when mentioning ''Yan Yan'' to tease both of them.


    Fan jie rounded Lee Ying and Li Na with her.


    And then Fan jie turned to Karl and Martin while pointing to themselves and said in English, "Together. Together." Signalling as if they four sisters had to go together.


    Li Xiqing didn''t mind. He just put his right palm on Shao Yan''s shoulder and stayed there, "Sure. Let''s go together". He gave a little squeeze.


    Shao Yan seriously couldn''t stand it anymore. She decided to just abandon whatever she was doing and stood up.


    "Let''s go. Let''s go now".


    She quickly grabbed her purse and then she walked out hurriedly.


    Shao Yan was so rushed, she even forgot her phone. Li Xiqing could only shook his head at her, and took her phone with him.


    And now, the lunch that was meant to be for four of them, had grown to a group of seven.


    .....


    Since there were seven of them, they decided to take two cars.


    Fan jie offered to drive, so she took Karl and Martin with her, and told Li Na and Lee Ying to go with Shao Yan and Li Xiqing. Li Xiqing told her where to go, and all of them started to drive there.


    Shao Yan got on the car. Li Xiqing looked at Shao Yan''s phone and saw that her battery now was left to half. He plugged it into the car charger. Shao Yan looked at it, and didn''t say anything. She felt that she had said too many ''thank you''s to him.


    On the way, Li Xiqing frequently talk to them, while Shao Yan was sometimes distracted with replying to her emails. She still had a lot of things to do ah~


    T_T


    After about thirty minutes, they arrived at their destination. It''s an old Chinese style house that had been converted to a restaurant.


    With 70% of the building still maintained it''s originality, despite the few modern features inside, this place was very charming. The place was huge with high ceiling. Everything was decorated with vintage style. Shao Yan could not stop looking around. She promised herself, next time she would bring her camera over and took a lot of pictures.


    Li Xiqing had made a reservation, and they were quickly brought to their table.


    Their menu was all classic Chinese dish that had maintained it''s authenticity. Li Xiqing had never been here before. He chose this place based on Shao Yan''s interest on old vintage building.


    He searched for a while and finally found this place with good reviews online, so he decided to try it.


    Each of them ordered a dish and started to chat while waiting for their food to come.


    After a deadly glare from Shao Yan, Fan jie did not dare to tease her at all. She decided to channel her excited heart to talk to Karl instead.


    With Fan jie limited English, and Karl limited mandarin, everyone was looking at chicken talking to a duck.


    .....


    Dishes were finally here. Everything was plated with artistic sense, they looked too pretty to be eaten.


    Li Xiqing, as usual, always paid attention to what Shao Yan liked to eat, and didn''t like to eat. He was scooping dishes every now and then. His doting behavior really made others envious.


    Shao Yan didn''t feel as awkward as before when he constantly taking care of her. Sometimes, she would also scooped some food to his bowl.


    Fan jie looking at them, while thinking:


    Ah~ Young couple in love were so fun to watch~

 Chapter 34 - Handsome Gold Fish

    After lunch, Li Xiqing sent Shao Yan, Li Na and Lee Ying back to the office.


    Li Xiqing stopped the car in front of the office building, "You go in first. I''m waiting for Karl and Martin". Shao Yan just nodded and then took off her seatbelt and got off the car.


    Just when they had gotten off the car, Karl and Martin walked over to their side. They got in to Li Xiqing''s car, and then surprisingly, they left again.


    Fan jie saw the other girls'' confused look, and said casually, "Oh, little Karl told me that they''re meeting another client now".


    And then she grabbed Shao Yan''s shoulder and dragged her back into the office, "Let''s go, pretty girl. Your prince already asked me to take care of you today".


    Shao Yan rolled her eyes and let go off Fan jie''s hand from her shoulder, "Stop fooling around~".


    All four of them walked back to their floor. None of the girls asked Shao Yan any question.


    They don''t need to. Li Xiqing''s extremely attentive and gentle behavior during lunch was already so obvious!


    The girls were giddy with excitement. Their own sister caught a precious whale! Big fat gold tree! They couldn''t even be more happier than this!


    .....


    The several weeks after that flew by just like that. Shao Yan had been so busy running here and there.


    The anniversary was only few weeks away! And she started to feel the panic. Her workload were already overwhelming her.


    To top it off, she had new headaches loomed over her.


    Shao Yan was already notorious from all those rumors around her past. She was upset the first time she heard the stories. But over time, she treated them as a joke, and Shao Yan just ignored them.


    There were so many rumors anyway, no one could have ever known the truth. No one here knew about her and Liwei.


    And now, she had a new rumor attacking her.


    This time, was more complicated, because the party in this rumor were both known to everyone.


    She was eating her lunch at her desk now. Shao Yan kept poking her fork at her noodle.


    This was because of that guy!


    Li Xiqing.


    Annoying Li Xiqing.


    Stupid Li Xiqing.


    Hateful Li Xiqing.


    Shao Yan just poked and poked her food. It was all because of that lunch!


    .....


    After that lunch with the three gods, Shao Yan was known to be "the girl with whom Daniel is having serious commitment with".


    Everywhere she went, people would definitely stared and then talked about her. Shao Yan was seriously very tired of this.


    Shao Yan went out less if not necessary, and just hid at her desk, even when eating lunch.


    Li Xiqing, on the other hand, felt good with all of this. He had heard of all her previous rumors in the past. He hated every single rumors about Shao Yan.


    But Li Xiqing exceptionally liked this one. He wanted Shao Yan to start adapting to his pursuit. And adapted herself of them being together.


    He knew there was still long way to go, but he was happy with this progress.


    Li Xiqing was going high profile now. Every time he got the chance to be with her, he would always look for her.


    For lunch. Or for dinner. Or even for tea break since she didn''t drink coffee.


    And now, it was time for him to implement the next strategy: to make her rely on him more.


    .....


    It had been almost two weeks since they last met. Both of them were occupied. Shao Yan said she needed to focus on finalizing the anniversary preparation. And Li Xiqing along with Karl and Martin had to go to city B for meeting with C corporation.


    Over these few days being apart, Li Xiqing never skipped a day without calling her.


    He would message and call her everyday even though it''s only a minute long just to ask what she was doing. But he would always made sure that he always talk to her.


    After being away for few weeks, Li Xiqing finally flew back this morning.


    Since it was still early, Li Xiqing decided to get some breakfast and then pick her up. He was planning to send her to the office, and then he would go home and rest.


    Li Xiqing was standing in front of her apartment, and rang the doorbell. He knew that her phone was always turned off when she was sleeping, so he couldn''t call her to let her know that he was outside the door.


    He waited for a while, and then rang the doorbell again. Li Xiqing finally heard the sound of dragged steps. He pursed his lips while trying to imagine her annoyed face.


    He heard the steps stopped in front of the door, so he guessed, she must be peeking at the door peephole trying to look at him.


    Smart girl.


    The door was opened. To his surprise, a tall, short hair woman was the one standing in front of him.


    Li Xiqing frowned. This was not his girl. Who was she?


    She had beige silk night gown with black laces accent on her chest. She was pretty and currently was scrutinizing him.


    "Handsome, are you lost?"


    He tried to remember, he guessed this must be the supermodel roommate that Shao Yan said very pretty and very tall.


    "No", Li Xiqing put on a cold face and answered her, "I''m here for Shao Yan".


    As if right on cue, Shao Yan''s still sleepy voice was heard from inside, "Ling Ling, who is it? If it''s marketing, just chased him away".


    Li Xiqing heard her approaching footstep. His expression went softer.


    Her small face peeked from behind the tall girl, she saw him and then her eyes went big and round.


    "What are you doing here?"


    Li Xiqing finally saw his girl.


    Trip to city B was too long, he missed her. But now she dared to ask him what he was doing here?!


    Shao Yan stepped aside to let Li Xiqing came in.


    Qi Ling was surprised. What happened here? How much gossip did she miss? How did Yan Yan catch this handsome gold fish?

 Chapter 35 - Happiness Is In Front Of Your Eyes

    Li Xiqing saw Shao Yan still in her sleep wear.


    She was in a white silk camisole with silk shorts. She still had her messy bed hair. Damn! So cute.


    His eyes trailed from her face, down to her snowy neck skin. And then he saw her soft lump underneath the white camisole, he paused, before His eyes went downwards and then to the silk white shorts. He saw her soft white thigh and her bare little feet.


    His throat felt so dry.


    He was really upset, how come she was always this careless! What if the one in front of the door just now was another guy and saw her like this?? So extremely alluring!


    Shao Yan felt his scorching gaze all over her body and she felt butterflies inside her. She wanted to hide away.


    Li Xiqing took off his jacket and put it on Shao Yan. He wrapped her tightly while saying, "I''m here to pick you up." while holding her shoulder and walking with her back inside the house.


    "You''re already late. Go get ready now", and then Li Xiqing let her go.


    Shao Yan was still looking at him perplexed. But then she glanced at the clock, and rushed back to her room.


    Li Xiqing just went to the kitchen and brew hot water to make her a cup of tea.


    .....


    Qi Ling was looking at the whole thing carefully.


    She was so confused.


    She was sleeping soundly this morning. And then she was alarmed, who was ringing a doorbell bright early in the morning!!


    The second she looked at the peephole, it was a very good looking guy.


    Qi Ling pondered for a while before decided to open the door, thinking that he might be at the wrong apartment unit.


    But she was so surprised when she found out that he was here for Yan Yan??


    When Yan Yan came out, and recognized him, Qi Ling could hear from her voice, that Shao Yan was nervous, yet at the same time, happy.


    Qi Ling was even more curious of their relationship. Qi Ling saw his stunned face when Yan Yan came out. Handsome guy took off his jacket, and scowled while he wrapped Yan Yan protectively in it.


    And then pushed her back inside for her to get ready for work.


    Now, Qi Ling was looking at the handsome guy, roaming around HER kitchen at HER own house, making tea for Yan Yan.


    Qi Ling suspected, could she was actually stuck in another time dimension now? What was happening here?


    She was away for only 2 months and Yan Yan already got a doting boyfriend??


    .....


    Shao Yan quickly showered and got ready. She put on light makeup as usual, and then shifted through her wardrobe for what to wear today.


    The weather was getting warmer. It''s already summer.


    She decided on knee-length light blue sleeveless dress. The material was soft and cool to the skin. Shao Yan decided to pair it with white skinny belt with gold seashells buckle.


    She tied her hair to a ponytail, sprayed her perfume and then she took Li Xiqing''s jacket from this morning before walking out.


    Shao Yan slapped her forehead. This reminded her, that the jacket and tie that he left at her place last month was still in the laundry and Shao Yan forgot to pick them up. She made a mental note to do that tomorrow.


    When Shao Yan walked out, Li Xiqing was already walking towards her and handed her a cup of fresh brewed jasmine green tea.


    Shao Yan handed him his jacket from this morning and then she took the cup from him. She found that the temperature was perfect.


    Shao Yan gave him a sweet smile and then drank it right away.


    The whole sequence of their silent interactions was so harmonious. As if they have stayed together for a very long time.


    .....


    All of a sudden, Shao Yan felt a cold killing stare from her side, and she reflexively turned to look. Shao Yan saw Qi Ling was frowning at her. She nearly choked.


    She forgot about Qi Ling!


    Shao Yan composed herself, and cleared her throat before saying, "Li Xiqing, this is my roommate, Qi Ling".


    Li Xiqing was looking at Shao Yan drinking her tea with her happy face. He turned to look at Qi Ling, and nodded, "Hello".


    Qi Ling nodded back silently.


    "Ling Ling, this is Li Xiqing", Shao Yan paused, "Uh, we worked in the same building for now". Shao Yan seriously didn''t know how to introduce this guy.


    Someone who she bumped into before, and then he tricked me on an expensive laundry bill, who then took me to watch a go-kart race and then picked me up from my trip and told me that he''s pursuing me..??


    .....


    After finishing her tea, Shao Yan quickly escaped from the apartment to avoid Qi Ling cold stares. Shao Yan knew that tonight, Qi Ling would not let her have a peaceful sleep, not until Shao Yan told her everything.


    "Bye, Qi Ling". Shao Yan put on her shoes, and quickly stepped outside.


    Li Xiqing just smiled at her rushing figure, and then nodded at Qi Ling. He followed Shao Yan before closing the door behind him.


    "When did you arrive? When you called yesterday, you''re still in city B?" Shao Yan asked him after pushing the elevator button.


    Li Xiqing took the laptop bag from her shoulder. He saw the sun was shining brightly on her face. He blocked the glares on her, "Yes, I just flew back this morning".


    He was looking at her face now, "I will send you to the office first, and then I''ll go home".


    Shao Yan nodded silently, and then she asked, "Everything is done over there?"


    The elevator just arrived and the door opened. Shao Yan stepped inside first.


    "Karl and Martin are still there. They will take care of it", Li Xiqing pressed the button going to the parking garage.


    Shao Yan just stayed still.


    He just flew back today, and he came here right away?


    Shao Yan was looking at him closely now.


    She started to realize a lot of things. She clenched her hand. All you need was to be a little brave, Shao Yan!


    The happiness was already in front of your eyes! Offered on a silver plate for you!


    .....


    They reached the parking garage and then walked to Li Xiqing''s car.


    Li Xiqing walked to the driver seat. From the back seat, he took out a plastic bag, and handed it to her.


    "Breakfast. Eat it while it''s warm" and then he started the car.


    He drove the car slowly, enjoying his morning with her, while talking to her all the time.


    Li Xiqing told her everything in detail about city B trip. What he did there. And who he met. Or what he ate.


    Huh? Why did this feel familiar?


    Wait a minute!


    Was he reporting his activities to her?


    Shao Yan blushed. She was not even his girlfriend!! Why did he has to do this??

 Chapter 36 - Cheesiest Date?

    Shao Yan listened to everything he was telling her while eating her meat bun on the side. It felt like it had been forever, but it was only few months ago that he bought that bun for her when she had upset stomach.


    She had always noticed this. Li Xiqing was always the one who blanketed her with warmth. Showered her with attention.


    Shao Yan looked at him again. Her heart was beating so fast. She was getting more and more confused by him.


    Li Xiqing noticed her staring intently at him, he looked back at her and smile, "What is it? Something on my face?" he started to touch his face.


    Shao Yan smiled so warmly and said, "Li Xiqing", she called him, before she paused for a while, seemed hesitated.


    "Let''s have a date tonight".


    She sighed inwardly. Li Xiqing, you deserved someone much better than me.


    .....


    Li Xiqing was pleasantly surprised.


    This was the first time Shao Yan took the initiative to invite him on a date. This was a great progress! He was ecstatic.


    He gave her a very gentle smile, "Sure! I will pick you up after work later".


    Li Xiqing then continued to talk to her about some other topics.


    When they arrived at the office, Li Xiqing parked in front of the lobby and then got down from the car. He picked up the laptop bag from the back seat, and walked to her side.


    Shao Yan was already standing outside the car, looking at his approaching figure.


    "Don''t forget to drink a lot of water", Li Xiqing handed her the bag, "The weather is getting warmer, don''t get sick" he continued to nag her.


    Shao Yan smiled helplessly. Sometimes, this guy was even more of a ''mother'' than a real mother.


    When she was about to step away, Li Xiqing called her again, "Shao Yan".


    She turned around and looked at him.


    "I will see you tonight?"


    Shao Yan paused for a while hesitated, but soon changed her mind, she nodded and smiled.


    Li Xiqing noticed her pause. But he didn''t want to think much about that. So he just smiled and waved at her.


    He watched her for a while until she disappeared into the lobby before he started the car and went back home to sleep.


    .....


    Because of the date that she initiated today, Shao Yan had been very distracted the whole day.


    She was supposed to call some suppliers, but she forgot. Shao Yan missed a floor when she went for a meeting today.


    People who saw her clumsiness today, teased her for missing Daniel and that was the reason why Shao Yan kept making mistakes.


    Shao Yan could only helplessly smiled, and ignored them.


    She kept thinking of how to bring up the topic with him. Shao Yan practiced her words carefully over and over again.


    Shao Yan forced herself to concentrate on work. And without her realizing, it''s already the end of the day.


    Shao Yan took out her phone, and saw there was no calls or message from Li Xiqing. Did he fall asleep?


    Shao Yan was debating if she should call him. She had never call him before. Her fingers were tapping on top of her desk, while she was playing around with her phone, flipping it upside down, over and over again, while she was thinking.


    After a while, she decided to just go for it, she hit the dial button.


    And suddenly she heard a ringtone from behind her, Shao Yan swiftly turned around, and saw him. He was leaning on the door frame, seemingly watching her.


    He straightened up and walked closer. Shao Yan hung up the call.


    .....


    Today, he looked handsome as usual. He had put on a matching outfits with her. Li Xiqing had white print shirt and dark blue pants.


    "When did you arrive?" She asked as he got closer. Shao Yan blushed a little.


    Li Xiqing paused before answering, "Just now. I was about to walk in when you called. Are you done with work?"


    Shao Yan nodded, "I''m ready, let''s go". She got up and started to get ready to leave.


    Li Xiqing took her laptop bag as usual, and then they walked out together.


    He had his hand inside his pants pocket.


    What Shao Yan didn''t know, Li Xiqing had been watching her for the last 30 minutes. He enjoyed looking at her serious face while working.


    So Li Xiqing saw when Shao Yan was hesitating to call him. Unconsciously, he clenched his fist and he couldn''t stop but feeling uneasy.


    Now that he thought about it, Shao Yan had been weird since this morning. She was restless and nervous. And she was unusually talkative.


    Li Xiqing knew there must be something that she wanted to do or say. That''s why she initiated this date. His face darkened. What was going on now in that little beautiful brain of hers?


    They walked to the parking garage, and then he drove out to the city.


    "Where are we going?" Shao Yan asked after she saw he exited the highway.


    Li Xiqing replied, "The cheesiest, most common date ever" and then he grinned "We''ll have dinner and then movie date".


    And suddenly he asked, "Do you skate?"


    Shao Yan was dumfounded. Was he taking her to ice skate??


    .....


    But Li Xiqing lied.


    He didn''t take her to ice skate. It was a quaint little garden. Surrounded by man-made pond with a lot of big fat koi fish swimming around and lush of bamboo trees.


    There were musician playing Chinese instruments on the side of the garden. There were also fireflies string lights surrounding the area.


    The dusk color sky, peaceful serenade, the sound of water fountain, beautiful scenery. This place was amazing and full of Zen.


    Shao Yan couldn''t believe that this kind of place even existed. it''s like a dream land.


    There were only several tables set up. Li Xiqing explained to her that this was a private dinner hosted by private food connoisseur who invited different chef every week.


    Li Xiqing just happened to know the host and when he knew Li Xiqing was going on a date, he invited Li Xiqing over.

 Chapter 37 - Be Brave, Shao Yan!

    Li Xiqing and Shao Yan walked around the garden for a while.


    They were soon escorted to their table. They were seated by the pond, a slight distant from the musician, so they could still talk to each other easily.


    There was no menu, as the chef would be the one who decided the course for the night. Their service attendant would only ask them if they were vegetarian or had any food allergies, and then they left.


    Shao Yan was still admiring the place. Li Xiqing poured tea into her cup, "Here, drink this first". He looked around, and asked her if she''s cold. Her dress today was a sleeveless so he was worried.


    Shao Yan took her cup and sipped it, "No, it''s comfortable". She smiled at him.


    The food started to arrive when they were talking. Shao Yan was telling him about the anniversary preparation that was almost done.


    She was complaining about VP of finance, Madam Mei strict budget rule that always challenging her expenses when the main course arrived.


    Li Xiqing was listening to her attentively. He also offered comments every now and then.


    After dinner, they decided to stay on their seat for a while, enjoying dessert, tea and also music.


    Shao Yan had never felt this relax before. She felt the past few months had been too hectic for her. This break was really precious for her.


    After dinner, they decided to have a quiet walk in the garden to digest their dinner.


    Shao Yan knew this was the time to talk to him.


    "Li Xiqing", she stopped at her step and looked at him in the eye,


    "Let''s talk".


    .....


    Li Xiqing knew this was coming.


    Shao Yan looked exceptionally calm. She was looking at him with her big round eyes.


    He had been waiting for what she wanted to say. It seemed that she needed the whole day to gather her courage.


    Li Xiqing gently brought her to the bench by the pond and sat down with her.


    Li Xiqing sat next to her, he crossed his legs and with his left arm resting on the bench behind her. Shao Yan didn''t notice this, she was choosing her words. Replaying possibilities in her mind.


    Shao Yan fidgeted for a while before she called him.


    "Li Xiqing", she sounded so soft.


    "Shao Yan", he interrupted, "Before you say anything, let me first say something".


    Li Xiqing took her hands and held it.


    "I like you, Shao Yan"


    He paused and still looked into her eyes, "I really like you a lot".


    Li Xiqing could feel that she was fidgeting under his grasp. He hold her still.


    "And I know you also have good impression of me", he spoke very gentle with her.


    Li Xiqing paused for a while there.


    Shao Yan opened her mouth to say something.


    He continued again, "I don''t know what has been weighing on your mind"


    His thumb caressed her hand.


    "But I need you", his left hand that was on the bench was now caressing the back of her head, "to give us a chance".


    .....


    .....


    "I need you to give us a chance."


    This kept echoing inside Shao Yan''s head. She didn''t know what to do now. Why was this man so amazingly perfect.


    She wriggled off her hand out of his grasp and pressed her hands onto her cheeks.


    Li Xiqing just smiled at her.


    After she calmed down, Shao Yan then started, "Li Xiqing, I don''t want to disappoint you", she braved herself to look at him, "But how much actually do you know about me?"


    Li Xiqing was about to reply, but Shao Yan put up her hand and stopped him, "Hold on, let me finish".


    Shao Yan cleared her throat, "You must have heard the rumors in the company", she peeked at him again.


    She took a deep breath.


    "What if I tell you, that one of those rumor is actually true?"


    Li Xiqing was scrutinizing her. He had a feeling that this was what had been holding her back from accepting him.


    "It doesn''t matter." he paused, and enunciated, "I don''t mind about your past", he was still caressing her hair.


    "As long as your present and future are with me", he gently hold her hands again.


    Shao Yan let him hold them, but she looked away.


    "I also have a past but it doesn''t matter anymore", he was searching for her eyes. "My present and my future belong to you".


    "Shao Yan" he called her softly.


    "Let''s walk together on this" he squeezed her hands a little.


    "Let me love you, alright?" he gently grabbed her chin to turn her face around.


    "Alright?" he asked her again.


    Shao Yan was just looking at him, she didn''t know what to say.


    He could see hesitant and doubt in her eyes. Li Xiqing sighed.


    He gently wrapped her shoulder and brought her to his embrace. He hugged her and kept her protected from the night wind.


    Shao Yan, with her ear now resting on his chest, could hear the vibration of his deep masculine voice.


    "Don''t be afraid. I will be with you. Always."


    His soothing voice gradually calmed her restless soul. Shao Yan felt that she could trust this man.


    His vow.


    She closed her eyes and let herself drowned in his warm embrace.


    .....


    After embracing her for a while, Li Xiqing could feel that Shao Yan tried to wriggle out her arms. He relaxed his hold on her a little, and then she took out her arms, and hold him back around his waist.


    He could hear Shao Yan''s timid voice softly said, "Alright, Li Xiqing, let''s be together".


    Li Xiqing stiffened slightly, but then he relaxed and buried his face in her hair.


    Li Xiqing was so happy, he couldn''t stop smiling. He knew he still had a long way to her heart. But this was a very good start.


    .....


    .....


    "Are you asleep?" he asked softly.


    "... no"


    "Are you cold?" he asked her again.


    "..." she moved a little to a more comfortable position "No".


    He could feel that Shao Yan put all of her weight, entirely leaning her body, on him now. Li Xiqing smiled, feeling that he was the happiest man.


    "Do you want to leave now?" he asked her again.


    "... okay"


    But no one moved, and no one let go off their embraces from each other.


    After a very long while, she finally let him go first.


    Shao Yan tidied her ponytail and avoided his gaze. Her face must have looked so red right now.


    Li Xiqing just smiled and didn''t say anything. He waited for her patiently. And then he stood up, grabbed her hand, and started to walk.


    Shao Yan didn''t try to wriggle her hands away, so he spread her fingers and then linked their fingers together.

 Chapter 38 - The Dragon Lady

    Shao Yan felt as if this was her first time dating a guy. Everything felt so surreal, she was once married! But now she acted like a shy teenager.


    Li Xiqing on the other didn''t feel any awkwardness. Instead, he felt so warm, so peaceful and content.


    Li Xiqing decided to drive home. It''s already late and tomorrow was still work day for her.


    He drove to her home and along the way, Li Xiqing just kept on smiling and kept stealing glances at Shao Yan.


    Shao Yan was so shy, she just refused to look back at him, and kept facing the window. But she could see his reflection from it.


    "Stop that", she exclaimed softly, "Just drive properly". Shao Yan really felt like hiding.


    This guy was too obvious!


    .....


    Shao Yan was staring at his reflection in the window.


    Shao Yan really could feel that this time, her face was really really red. It''s been a while since she felt this way. At the same time, she felt uneasy.


    She''s worried. What if this happiness would not last long? What if it''s only an illusion?


    But Li Xiqing''s words kept playing in her mind. That they would be in this together. That he would walk with her. Always.


    So she decided to calm her restless heart and decided to trust him. She decided to trust their feelings.


    Shao Yan wanted to be brave for once!


    .....


    Li Xiqing drove to the parking garage, and got down from the car with her. He carried her laptop bag and was holding her hands tight, walking to the elevator together.


    "I will pick you up tomorrow, alright". He said that while looking at her. His left hand was still holding her hand, so he used his right hand to press the elevator button.


    Shao Yan looked back and pondered for a while. She let go off his hand, and took out her phone to check her calendar.


    No business meeting. No customer visit. No inspection. Wow! How rare, she would be stuck in the building the whole day.


    Shao Yan looked back at him, nodded and gave him a really sweet grin.


    Li Xiqing''s heart turned so soft at her smile. She''s super cute!


    He caressed her head again, and then back to holding her hands.


    .....


    When they arrived in front of her door, Shao Yan asked him if he wanted to come in.


    Li Xiqing very much wanted to come inside, but it''s already so late. So he declined and just told her again that he would picked her up tomorrow and he would bring breakfast for her again.


    "What do you want to eat this time? Still want a meat bun?" he asked her with a really gentle voice. Shao Yan pondered for a while, "I want vegetable bun this time".


    Shao Yan started to exercise her rights as a girlfriend to make demand for the first time?


    Li Xiqing smiled.


    "Sure, I will get that for you. Don''t brew any tea tomorrow. I will also get soy milk for you".


    Shao Yan nodded and smiled at him.


    Li Xiqing moved closer to her, both of his hands were holding the sides of her head slowly embracing her. Shao Yan closed her eyelid, and she felt his lips was kissing her forehead gently.


    "Good night", she heard him whispered.


    Shao Yan opened her eyes and she gave him a really beautiful smile. She turned around and entered her passcode and scanned her fingerprint.


    .....


    When the door was opened, Shao Yan could hear the TV sound from the living room.


    Uh-Oh.


    She was in a HUGE problem.


    Qi Ling must have been waiting for her to come home to interrogate her.


    Shao Yan abruptly closed the door again. Li Xiqing looked at this and was puzzled.


    Shao Yan looked back at him with pitiful face. "Qi Ling is going to kill me. So don''t text me or call me tonight until I contact you, alright?"


    Li Xiqing wanted to laugh at this. So she also could have this kind of expressions?


    He smiled and gently grab hold of her hand, "Let''s go in together. Let me properly introduce myself this time", he pursed his lips and patted her head.


    Shao Yan now realized how much Li Xiqing liked touching her head. Was it because of her height??


    Shao Yan was debating for a while, when all of sudden, the door behind her opened again and Qi Ling, the dragon lady, came out.


    "You are home, but why didn''t you come inside, Miss Shao Yan?" she enunciated Shao Yan''s name with full of bitterness.


    Shao Yan was really scared of her fangs.


    Li Xiqing just grabbed Shao Yan around her shoulder protectively and said, "Let''s go, let''s talk inside" and then he looked at Qi Ling.


    Qi Ling stared at him for a while, before she stepped aside to let the couple came in.


    .....


    Shao Yan came in first, took off her shoes and quickly went to the living room to turned off the TV. Li Xiqing also followed her and then sat down next to her.


    Qi Ling sat on a chair in the corner with her arms crossed, Shao Yan and Li Xiqing occupied the couch. Qi Ling''s aura was so strong, Shao Yan felt worry for Li Xiqing.


    "I haven''t properly introduced myself to you. I am in a serious relationship with Yan Yan, so let''s be friendly with each other." Li Xiqing paused. "We care about the same person". Li Xiqing just went straight to the point.


    Shao Yan was shocked at his bluntness.


    She silently looked at Qi Ling and then she slowly stood up to go to the kitchen to boil some water.


    "Don''t bother to escape, young miss. I have boiled the water for you earlier. Just pour it and come back here", Qi Ling said that to Shao Yan.


    Shao Yan was amazed at Qi Ling''s timing. She quickly made two cups of warm lemon water with honey for Li Xiqing and herself.


    Qi Ling was still in a staring contest with Li Xiqing in the living room when Shao Yan came back.


    Li Xiqing saw Shao Yan was slowly walking closer, he stood up and grabbed the mugs from her hands.


    Qi Ling had noticed all of his actions and facial expressions ever since she opened the door just now. In her heart, Qi Ling had very much approved of this man dating her best friend.


    Qi Ling just sighed a relief. It was good that Shao Yan finally met someone that could touch her heart. She could worry less now.


    "I won''t talk too much. I can see you really care about Yan Yan", Qi Ling finally said after a while. "Yan Yan was hurt before, and it''s up to you to heal her heart".


    Qi Ling said again "If you hurt her, I can guarantee you, that I won''t let you see her again. Ever!".

 Chapter 39 - She Is Mine

    Li Xiqing was surprised at this.


    It''s not about her warning that surprised him; he had determined to do this from the start. What he was surprised about was Qi Ling saying this in front of Shao Yan.


    Li Xiqing looked back at Shao Yan and saw her stiffened up. He took her hand gently and held it.


    "Since you''re being honest, then let me be honest as well", Li Xiqing said to Qi Ling while squeezing Shao Yan''s hand.


    "I have said this to her, and I will say it again to you now", he paused and looked at Shao Yan who also looked back at him.


    "I don''t care about her past." he paused, "If she wanted to tell me, that''s fine. If she doesn''t want to, it doesn''t matter. It will not change my decision".


    Li Xiqing was really staring into Shao Yan''s eyes now while saying, "Whether she was a jilted bride, or a divorcee, or even a mistress, I don''t care".


    And then Li Xiqing looked back at Qi Ling, "Because she is mine now and I intend to keep it that way."


    He paused and said earnestly, "That''s all that matters".


    .....


    The room just went so quiet. They could only hear the humming sound of air conditioner, the refrigerator and the honking cars from the street downstairs.


    Qi Ling sighed. Alright, mister, you have convinced me.


    Qi Ling stayed quiet for a while just for the sake of giving Li Xiqing a pressure.


    After all, Shao Yan had no one in her family anymore. It was up to her now to protect Shao Yan. To be her mother figure. To make sure Shao Yan met the right person.


    Qi Ling saw it with her own eyes how Shao Yan was after the divorce. She was broken, desolated and dispirited.


    Even Qi Ling herself did not have the confidence that she could help Shao Yan to heal.


    But right now, looking at how Shao Yan was looking at a man with such a warm gaze, Qi Ling felt relief. She was happy for Shao Yan. She hoped this man really cared about Shao Yan.


    Li Xiqing words kept playing in her mind. But, what was these jilted bride and mistress about??


    .....


    Qi Ling looked at the two in the sofa, and then she stood up.


    "It''s late. You should go back now." and then Qi Ling walked back to her bedroom.


    Shao Yan was looking at Qi Ling until she closed her door. And then Shao Yan felt astonished. She looked surprised at Li Xiqing with her round eyes.


    "You tamed the dragon lady just like that?!"


    Shao Yan went silent for a while, and then she wriggled her hands away from his hold and threw his hand back at him, "You are really good with words, aren''t you!"


    And then she gave him side eye, "How many girls have you conned before me?"


    Li Xiqing hold her hands again and then smiled helplessly, "Well, it''s too late to back off now".


    He embraced her, and leaned back to the sofa, "I''ve told your guardian that you are mine. And I am a man of my own words". He peeked down at her face.


    Shao Yan just kept quiet and stayed still.


    Shao Yan gradually relaxed within his embrace. She was so tired, she almost fell asleep.


    Li Xiqing felt that her body was going softer, he looked at her and saw her tired eyes.


    He slowly let her go, "I should go now". He stood up, "You should rest soon, alright? And remember I will pick you up tomorrow."


    Li Xiqing caressed her hair again, and then walked out by himself.


    Shao Yan got up to the door and locked it.


    .....


    When Shao Yan was about to sleep, she heard a knock on her door before Qi Ling opened it and came inside.


    She sat on her bed next to Shao Yan. "Yan Yan, are you happy?" Shao Yan knew what Qi Ling meant with this question.


    Shao Yan thought for a while on how to reply her. "Ling, when I first met him, I only thought of him as someone who was really really good looking". She started to reminisce the first time they met at the coffee shop.


    "He was smart, very charming and very attractive. He knew how to carry himself and enchanted people " Shao Yan smiled when she thought of all their previous dates.


    Shao Yan turned to the side and looked at Qi Ling. "But Xiao Ling, over the time, he proved himself that he was more than that. And he was so warm. I never realized how cold I had been feeling, walking alone all this time."


    "Not until he came into my life".


    "At first, I really kept my guards around him. You see it yourself, how good looking he is. He must have had experiences with a lot of women around him".


    Shao Yan felt so tired when she thought of this.


    "But he showed me over and over again that he was not anything that I thought he would be".


    Shao Yan looked down and gave a helpless smile.


    "Ling, I am tired. I just want to be strong again." Shao Yan gave a sad smile and kept staring at the bedsheet.


    "This man, he didn''t promise that he will heal me. He didn''t promise me the grand love of the world either."


    Shao Yan looked at Qi Ling again, "But do you know what he promised me? He promised that we will walk on this journey together. That he will always be with me".


    Shao Yan paused.


    "And I think" she paused, "that''s when I knew that I want to keep this man in my life".


    .....


    When Shao Yan woke up the next day, she felt refreshed. She remembered that Li Xiqing would pick her up, so he should arrive soon.


    She quickly got up and showered. Shao Yan decided on light blue blouse, short sleeves with bow accent on each sleeve.


    Shao Yan paired it with short white skirt, with one inch silver lining around the bottom of the skirt. And she finished it with silver chain belt around her waist.


    Her phone chimed in with incoming message. Li Xiqing texted her that he was already downstairs waiting for the elevator.


    Shao Yan got out and walked to the foyer. Right after she put on her shoes, her doorbell rang.


    Shao Yan opened it right away, and saw him. "I''m ready, let''s go." She quickly stepped out, and then closed the door behind her.


    Li Xiqing was surprised, but he just smiled and then took the laptop bag from her. "How was your sleep last night?" he handed her the soymilk.


    Shao Yan took it and started to drink from it. "I slept like a baby, how about you?"


    Li Xiqing looked at her and said, "I couldn''t sleep." he then looked at her with a grin on his face, "I was too excited".


    Shao Yan knew what he meant, she blushed and just turned her face away and looked at the elevator numbers.


    He''s becoming more and more straightforward now!

 Chapter 40 - Scoundrel Li Xiqing!

    Dating life for Shao Yan this time could be categorized as ''calm and peaceful''.


    When Shao Yan was dating Liwei, it was about campus life. Both of them would be hanging out with friends. They would kissed around the campus area. They would sometimes skipped classes and played arcades. She would go with him to the basketball court to watch him play.


    However this time was different.


    Dating Li Xiqing was different.


    Both of them were busy. But Li Xiqing was exceptionally clingy. Shao Yan didn''t realize how clingy he was until now.


    .....


    They had been together for almost a week now. Ever since they got together, Li Xiqing started to gradually change her lifestyle. Starting from breakfast.


    Li Xiqing would pick up Shao Yan in the morning with breakfast. Shao Yan was not used to having breakfast before. But now, she would be excited everytime he brought it for her. Li Xiqing would always pick something different every morning.


    In the office during the day, they would be busy with their own work. If he had time, or when she was free, they would have lunch together.


    After they decided to be together, Li Xiqing no longer hesitant in approaching her in the public. He quickly claimed his rights to let people know that Shao Yan was his. Almost everyone in the office knew about their relationship now.


    Shao Yan was still reluctant to hold his hand when her co-workers were around. So he could only be satisfied with walking by her side.


    He would sometimes hold her waist but Shao Yan would stiffened up right away. Li Xiqing just smiled at this. She had to get used to it sooner or later. Luckily, he was really patient with her.


    Another thing that was changed in Shao Yan''s life was dinner time.


    Dinner was a must.


    Shao Yan who always skipped dinner was really not used to this.


    Li Xiqing always made sure that they had dinner together. According to his logic, "We are both so busy. I got to see you in the morning, but it''s not enough. We have to have one proper meal together everyday. So you choose, lunch or dinner?"


    Since his job was not only tied with Gold Crane, and sometimes Shao Yan would have to run around in the afternoon, Li Xiqing was right.


    They would be meeting less and less. And then before she knew it, history would be repeated again. She didn''t want that. So Shao Yan reluctantly replied ''dinner''.


    Shao Yan was not a good cook. The first time she cooked for him, she spent almost two hours just for the preparation. She was really not used to cooking.


    Li Xiqing felt his heart ached. She was already tired from working and running around the whole day and still had to spend two hours for cooking?


    Eating takeouts or eating outside every night was also not an option since it was not healthy.


    Li Xiqing then decided to take this matter to his own hand. They would be eating at his place and he would cook.


    .....


    Li Xiqing was not a chef, but he firmly believed that he was better than Shao Yan at the least.


    After they left the office, they decided to go to supermarket to buy some ingredients and then went to his place.


    His apartment was at L development, about ten minutes from her place.


    His unit was on floor 23. The area was more recent than hers. He was living in a two bedroom unit by himself.


    When Shao Yan entered the house, the first thing she saw was a very clean and simple arrangements. If her color scheme was mostly white and gold; his color scheme was more masculine with dark brown, dark silver and white.


    "The floor is cold. You wear this for now. I will get your slippers next time" he put his slippers next to her feet.


    Li Xiqing entered and then took off his jacket and put it on the beige leather sofa. He rolled up his sleeves.


    "Let me show you around" he smiled and then grab her hand.


    "That was my room, and this is the common bathroom." he walked around with her, "This one right here was another bedroom, but I converted it to an office."


    "My elder sister used to stay in this apartment before she got married last year. So don''t misunderstand me when you saw her stuff in the office room." he looked back at Shao Yan who was now looking around the office area.


    Shao Yan looked at him, "Oh. Is there any other siblings you have?" He smiled, "No, just me and my elder sister".


    "When we knew she was getting married, and I had decided to come back, she decided to renovate this place for me to stay."


    He paused and looked at her, "That''s why she was the one who decorated this place. But if you don''t like it, just change it however you want".


    Shao Yan blushed, and then she glared at him. Who wanted to touch your house!


    She just decided to ignore him, and walked away. Li Xiqing just chuckled behind her and followed her to the kitchen.


    .....


    Li Xiqing started preparing dinner and Shao Yan was just standing on the side watching him. He was preparing the vegetables now.


    "Are you sure you don''t need me to do anything?" she had tied her hair to a pony tail so she could help him with something. But to her surprise, he just got busy by himself and left her with nothing to do.


    "At lease I know how to cook rice but you won''t even let me do that" she complained.


    Shao Yan kept hovering around him, giving him headaches. Li Xiqing stopped and looked at her, "Why don''t you go out and watch TV for a while? Dinner will be ready soon."


    Shao Yan stood next to him and wanted to see what he was doing with the vegetables. Li Xiqing looked at her for a while.


    Since her hair was now tied up, he had a clear view of her face. Li Xiqing was looking at the shape of her nape. He didn''t realize it before, but it was so beautiful. He kept staring at her.


    He lowered his head and kissed the back of her neck. He lightly bit on the skin and then he said slowly in his deep voice "Yan Yan, you''re distracting me here."


    Shao Yan stiffened up and then reflexively put her hand on the spot that he just kissed while turning to look back at him with wide eyes. And then she swiftly escaped from there.


    Scoundrel!


    Annoying!


    Shameless!

 Chapter 41 - Hold Her Tight

    Shao Yan especially asked for something light as she was not used to eating dinner. So Li Xiqing decided on just vegetable and tofu.


    Li Xiqing moved really fast. In thirty minutes, he whipped up two vegetables dishes and a tofu soup.


    Since she was not allowed in the kitchen, Shao Yan decided to set up the dining table. After she was done, Shao Yan decided to watch TV while waiting for Li Xiqing.


    He came out with dishes after a while. Both of them sat down and started to eat.


    Shao Yan was not a picky eater so she didn''t have any complain about his cooking. Although not fancy, but his cooking was definitely better than hers.


    "I would say, that I''m confident that I cooked braised pork ribs better than you. That''s the only thing I know how to cook because I especially learned it from my grandmother." She proudly defending her lack of cooking skill, cheekily stick out her little tongue.


    Li Xiqing looked at her. He just smiled and agreed with her and did not argue back. "Then cook it for me next time."


    Shao Yan smiled back. "This Sunday, I''m going shopping with Qi Ling, alright? You go busy by yourself. I will still meet you for dinner." she said while drinking her tofu soup.


    After Qi Ling was back from her Asia trip, she had been busy with her pending photoshoots. These were the contracts that she had signed prior to her trip.


    Qi Ling would leave the house around noon and only came back after midnight. She had a very strict rules of not taking any job on Sunday so she could rest or run errands. And that was the only day when Shao Yan would be able to catch up with her.


    Li Xiqing pondered for a while. "Alright then, Karl and Martin have been bugging me for weeks to play golf. I will go with them."


    "But we will still meet for dinner, okay?" he looked at her.


    Shao Yan nodded, "Yes, I''ve told Qi Ling about this."


    .....


    They chatted while eating, and joking. Since Shao Yan didn''t contribute anything to dinner, she decided to wash the dishes.


    But even this was stolen from her. By the dishwasher machine!


    "Just put it there, I will run it later. There are already some other plates inside, so I can run them together." Li Xiqing helped her to put some of the plates into the sink. She briefly rinsed them before she put them into the dishwasher.


    When Shao Yan walked out, Li Xiqing was watching some news while lounging on the couch.


    He saw her came out and then reached out his hand. Shao Yan reached for it.


    After he got hold of her hand, all of a sudden, Li Xiqing pulled her onto him and she landed on his lap. He immediately embraced her from behind.


    Shao Yan was surprised, but she didn''t struggle.


    She laughed, "Let me go, I''m heavy," she hit his arm that was hugging around her waist.


    Li Xiqing put his chin on her shoulder, "Just stay like this for a while."


    Shao Yan was nervous. But she just stayed still, and let him hold her like this. She watched the news with him in this position.


    .....


    Her back was leaning against his chest. Shao Yan felt warm and comfortable. Li Xiqing would sometimes kiss her shoulder, or he would drew circles on her arm with his fingers.


    She really couldn''t understand any of the news in front of her since she was so distracted!


    Shao Yan was thinking of what she should do next, when she saw his hand left her waist, suddenly appear in front of her face. He touched her cheek and brushed it softly.


    Li Xiqing turned her face to look at him.


    He was staring deep into her eyes and not saying anything. He was looking intensely at her and then gently closing in.


    He saw her pupil widen in shock, but Shao Yan didn''t move away. He looked down at her and stared at her lips.


    And then he kissed her.


    .....


    It was only a light touch. Their first kiss.


    Shao Yan closed her eyes.


    She could hear him sighed softly, and then he put more pressure on her lips, tasting her.


    He breathed in her fragrance and slowly moved his lips to pry open her mouth.


    Shao Yan could feel he was nibbling on her lower lips now. He nibbled and then he kissed her softly, and then another taste. He kissed her like this for a while.


    He would softly touch her lips and then bit a little. He''s slowly torturing her.


    Shao Yan hesitantly kissed him back.


    And this was all Li Xiqing needed as a signal.


    He slipped in his tongue and started to kiss her deeply.


    Li Xiqing put more pressure on his arm around her waist to bring Shao Yan closer to him.


    She was wrapped tightly in his embrace now. Both of his hands were still holding around her waist. Shao Yan had both of her hands on his shoulder, deepening their kisses.


    Shao Yan was overwhelmed with his masculine smell and she circled her arms around his neck. When Li Xiqing felt her hands around his neck, he kissed her more aggressively.


    Shao Yan felt her body was melting and Li Xiqing stiffened up.


    He hold the back of her head and continue kissing her deeply. She drove him crazy!


    .....


    Her soft little bottom was sitting on his thigh. They were kissing so intimately now. Sometimes they would go slow and smiled. And then they would be more intense and more aggressive.


    She moved a little. When Shao Yan felt his body reaction beneath her, she suddenly froze.


    Li Xiqing let go off her lips slowly and just leaned his forehead to hers, while catching up their breaths.


    His hand stroke her back and she was also breathing hard, trying to catch some air.


    He looked at her face and saw her watery eyes and blushed cheeks. So pretty.


    He lightly trailed his fingers on her cheek, caressing her soft skin.


    .....


    Shao Yan was shocked at herself. It''s been a long time since she had this kind of aggressive kiss before. She felt light-headed.


    Shao Yan let Li Xiqing touched her face while she collected herself.


    And then she braved herself to look him in the eye.


    She saw a very gentle gaze from him, like million of stars blanketed her whole world.


    His smile was so gentle and then he gave a soft peck on her cheek.


    Li Xiqing brought her head to lean on the crook of his neck, her whole body was leaning on him. He cradled her on his lap as they calmed down.

 Chapter 42 - Dating Life

    "What are you thinking?"


    Shao Yan heard him asked her softly. He was cradling her, while also caressing her back every now and then.


    Shao Yan didn''t say anything for a while. She just laid there on his embrace, clutching on his shirt. Sometimes tracing her fingers on his chest.


    And then Li Xiqing heard her soft voice.


    "When I was young", she started to say, "My mother repeatedly told me not to trust man with good looking face".


    "She would told me ''You''ll get hurt from trusting a face!'' and told me repeatedly to find a guy with brain instead. So he could took care of me. But I would just laughed at her". She chuckled softly, and then she suddenly went quiet.


    And then after a while, she rubbed her face into his chest. Her clutch on his shirt was tighter.


    Li Xiqing was thinking while unconsciously he tightened his hold on her.


    They went silent and just embraced each other.


    .....


    After a while, Li Xiqing asked her, "Let''s go eat ice cream?"


    Shao Yan looked up at him, "Now?" she was confused, "It''s already so late."


    He straightened up, and then carried her down to stand on her feet, "Yeah, let''s go!" he grabbed her hand and then he dragged her out of the apartment.


    They walked to the convenience store nearby hand in hand like teenagers. Sometimes, they would teased each other. Sometimes they would just kissed.


    "Which one do you want?" He asked Shao Yan who was concentrating on the ice cream chiller, examining carefully.


    Shao Yan thought for a while and picked Haagen Dasz Rum and Raisin. Li Xiqing picked Belgian Chocolate.


    They continued their simple date at the convenience store just like a couple of young students.


    Feeding each other ice creams, and telling stories of their school years. They sat for a while on the plastic chairs outside the store and joked around with one another.


    Shao Yan was baffled. Why did Li Xiqing suddenly in the mood of reminiscing school years?


    Sometimes, she didn''t understand this man!


    .....


    Li Xiqing sighed again.


    Shao Yan glared at him, "Stop sighing anymore, this is already the hundredth time!"


    Li Xiqing continued driving, "It''s Saturday tomorrow, why do you have to leave so early" he sulked.


    Shao Yan rolled her eyes, they have talked about this.


    Along the way home, Li Xiqing was holding her hand the whole time he drove. He felt so reluctant to drive Shao Yan home, he really wanted to keep her in his embrace.


    But Li Xiqing knew she had not felt comfortable yet. He would plan for her to visit his place more frequently.


    After all, that would be her home one day. She had to adapt soon.


    When they arrived at her apartment, Shao Yan keyed in his fingerprint into the door keypad memory so Li Xiqing could enter her apartment easily.


    Li Xiqing felt like he was in cloud nine, now that Shao Yan started to trust him more. She also told him the pin code for the door.


    Li Xiqing stayed for a while, accompanied her while waiting for Qi Ling to come home.


    They were snuggling on the couch in the living room, and watched TV. Li Xiqing was sitting next to her. Shao Yan had her head leaned on his shoulder, his cheek was leaned on top of her head.


    Li Xiqing was holding her hand and playing with her fingers. Both of their feet were propped on top of the coffee table and sometimes they would purposely bumped into each other''s.


    When Qi Ling keyed in the keypad, Shao Yan quickly pushed Li Xiqing away from her.


    Qi Ling came in and saw her guilty face, Qi Ling could only snickered in her heart.


    Sigh, this best friend of hers sometimes was too naive!


    .....


    Shao Yan decided to cleaned the house today. Now that she had a boyfriend, and Li Xiqing frequently visited her as well, Shao Yan wanted him to feel comfortable whenever he was here.


    Everytime Li Xiqing brought her breakfast, he would also brought some for Qi Ling, and then the three of them would eat together.


    Since Li Xiqing came frequently now, Qi Ling and Shao Yan agreed to put on a ''more modest'' sleeping wear since they never know when Li Xiqing would stop by.


    Today, Li Xiqing bought chicken porridge with century egg, Chinese dough fritters, soymilk and grass jelly pudding for dessert.


    They were eating breakfast together. When all of a sudden, Li Xiqing had an incoming phone call.


    He looked at the caller ID, and then picked it up in front of them.


    Shao Yan didn''t mean to listen in, but the voice was so loud that both Qi Ling and Shao Yan could hear clearly.


    Martin was ranting in English and Japanese and both of them could more or less understood that Martin was in deep trouble.


    Li Xiqing just listened for a while, and then all of a sudden, he stopped eating and looked at Qi Ling.


    "How tall are you?", he suddenly asked Qi Ling.


    Qi Ling was eating her fritters and looked at him puzzled, "... 175. Why?"


    Li Xiqing said something to Martin, and didn''t answer her Qi Ling looked at Shao Yan, and Shao Yan just shrugged back.


    After a while, Li Xiqing hung up the phone and then he said, "I need a favor. Your day off is tomorrow, right? Our client is panicking now that their presentation to potential buyer may have to be cancelled because their model fell sick. It''s a jewelry company."


    Li Xiqing paused and drink his soymilk, "The male model is over 190cm, and the modelling company couldn''t find anyone at a last minute that is tall enough to match him. So I need your help."


    Qi Ling just stared at him, "I refused."


    And then she went back to eating her porridge.


    Li Xiqing felt headache was coming, "May I know why? If it''s about the pay, you won''t be disappointed. This is K jewelry. They wanted to sell their wedding business to a Taiwan company. You must have heard about that."


    Qi Ling just kept eating, "No reason. Tomorrow, is my date with Yan Yan." and then she looked up at him, "Not. Free."


    (��.��||��


    Li Xiqing felt three blacklines on his head. Shao Yan was also speechless.


    Shao Yan looked at Li Xiqing''s darkened face.


    She poked Qi Ling. "Ling, go help lah~ We can still have the date. I will accompany you tomorrow. Okay?"

 Chapter 43 - Best Friend Vs Man

    Li Xiqing was not happy.


    Did she just try to steal his wife? Shao Yan was his wife! His!


    Li Xiqing was glaring at Qi Ling.


    Qi Ling was challenging him back, while holding Shao Yan''s shoulder, "Yan Yan, you''ve said it. You have to accompany me tomorrow."


    Then Qi Ling threw a gloated look at Li Xiqing.


    "Just forget about it. We will find another model. We don''t need your help." and Li Xiqing was about to call Martin back.


    Shao Yan took his phone away, "Li Xiqing!"


    She frowned at him, "Don''t be petty. Call Martin back now. Qi Ling will go!" She frowned at him and pushed his phone onto his palm.


    Li Xiqing was upset. But he could only listen to Shao Yan and called Martin.


    Qi Ling also called her manager to let her know about the new job. Even though it''s only one time, Qi Ling still had to do everything properly by the rule of her modelling company.


    Around noon time, Martin called them back and told them that K corporation would be ready to sign the contract with Qi Ling in the evening.


    So Li Xiqing decided to just hang around at her place.


    .....


    Qi Ling usually spent her Saturday working on modelling jobs, but since she didn''t have anything today, Qi Ling decided to go to the gym.


    It''s been a while since she worked out, Qi Ling felt that her body was no longer toned, so she was so excited to go today.


    Qi Ling was trying to get Shao Yan to go with her, but Shao Yan refused. Shao Yan and Li Xiqing decided to stay home as Shao Yan needed to work for a while.


    Qi Ling left the house while grumbling, something along the line of, "Ungrateful best friend, appreciate beautiful men more than sisters" something like that.


    Shao Yan was speechless.


    .....


    Shao Yan went back to her room to start working for a while. Li Xiqing followed her in. He started to look around and saw that she preferred a simple setup for her room. The only decoration she had was a row of succulent plants by the window.


    Li Xiqing looked at her writing desk. Unlike other girls, she had no clutters, no picture frames, no colorful notes, no cutesy stuffs.


    He frowned. Something was off. There was no details of her life here.


    Shao Yan was sitting on her bed, with her legs crossed and she put her laptop on top of her lap. She was fully concentrating on typing her emails.


    Li Xiqing sat next to her, leaning back onto the headboard while navigating the TV remote. He was looking for news channel to watch while he accompanied her working.


    His right hand was playing with the TV remote, while his left hand unconsciously was playing with her hair.


    .....


    "How long more will you be staying in Gold Crane?" she suddenly asked.


    Li Xiqing turned to the side and looked at her.


    "We will leave after the anniversary celebration." he was still playing with her hair tips.


    "The celebration will also serve as an official send off party from Gold Crane to AG International."


    His hand traveled to her lower back, "Sometime next month, I will bring you to see our new office. We have started to hire more people in the past few weeks. We also hired some people back when we were at city B."


    He stroked her back, while saying, "Soon AG International China office will be fully operational." he said proudly.


    Shao Yan pondered for a while. And then she said, "But you will be left alone here. Martin will have to go back to Japan, and Karl has to go back to New York."


    Li Xiqing smiled, "We have always been working this way. Don''t worry, it''s going to be just fine." and then he winked at her, "It''s only adding one more country to it, no big deal."


    Shao Yan rolled her eyes. This guy arrogant attitude was sometimes charming, but a lot of times, hateful!


    He laughed and then scooted over closer to her, hugging her waist.


    "Then, if you''re really worried, come over to AG International and help me." he said in a seductive tone, "I can assure you the pay, the benefit, and the bonus will be more than what you can think of."


    Shao Yan couldn''t help to think about the kiss from yesterday. Her face gradually heated up. She slapped his arm and pushed him away.


    "Stop fooling around. I''m really busy here."


    He was still laughing. Li Xiqing didn''t move away, he stayed close to her now with his other arm still hugging around her waist. He went back to watch the news channel.


    .....


    After a while, he could feel Shao Yan was stretching, he turned to her. "Are you done?"


    She closed the laptop and put it on the bedside table. "For now. I hope Mr. Wang can really be with Miss Sea soon! So he will be occupied with Miss Sea on the weekend instead of sending emails to me." she grumbled.


    She moved over into his arms, both snuggled close watching the TV. Li Xiqing had his arm wrapped around her.


    His cheek was on top of her head. Sometimes Li Xiqing would delivered small kisses to her forehead. Or to her hair. His fingers would play with her fingers.


    Her natural fragrance was already so intoxicating. And now he was in her room. Her fragrance dominated all of his senses.


    He turned off the TV, and then he looked at her. Before suddenly he pushed her down to the bed, and just stayed on top of her, looking at her face.


    Shao Yan was smiling shyly, "What are you looking at!" she tried to hide her face away, but his face slowly bend down to her and kiss her forehead softly.


    Both of his hands, next to her head on the side, were propping him up


    Li Xiqing moved to kiss her eyelid, and then her nose tip.


    He moved really slow. Taking in all of her reactions.


    He lightly brushed his lips to the corner of her mouth, and then he kissed her.


    Her hands were clutching onto his shirt while kissing him back.


    Shao Yan could feel him trying to put a little distance between his lower body and hers. Trying to not suffocate her.


    They kissed slowly this time. Enjoying and tasting each other. Savoring every touch.


    After a while, he trailed his kisses to her cheek and then down to her chin, and then started to go downwards.

 Chapter 44 - His Beating Heart

    Shao Yan had her eyes closed. She was nervous. But she didn''t hate it.


    Li Xiqing kissed her slowly. He showered her face with little kisses here and there. And she gradually relaxed.


    He kissed her chin, and then moved to her earlobe, tracing her fragrance.


    He moved to her neck, and licked her skin a little and then sucked on it. He heard her whimpered softly.


    He kissed the warm spot on the side of her throat, and then going down again.


    .....


    Shao Yan could feel that he unbuttoned the top two button of her clothes, and she looked at him.


    Her vision was blurry with fog of ecstasy.


    He kissed her shoulder blade. Trailing kisses to her neckline. He nuzzled it and kissed it.


    He moved to her cleavage. He kissed it and then licked it. He heard her soft moan, and he almost lost it.


    He looked back to her face. Li Xiqing could see that she wanted more, but it''s not the right time yet.


    He moved back to her lips and slowly savouring her again. He brought his tongue to search for hers, he sucked and then nibbled on her lips. Their tongues would danced and tangled together.


    All this time, his hands were still propped up on the sides of her head, he didn''t use his fingers to touch her at all. And pampered her only with kisses from his lips.


    .....


    Li Xiqing used all of his might to stop himself.


    She was not emotionally ready. He needed more time.


    He didn''t want their first time together to be in here. He needed it to be special for both of them. Li Xiqing wanted to give the best for her.


    He slowly let her go. But he still stayed on top of her.


    Li Xiqing was looking into her eyes. Shao Yan was also looking into his eyes.


    For some time, they didn''t say anything.


    Li Xiqing saw that her eyes were hazy, they were so pretty. Her lips were now a little swollen after the intense kisses. She looked so adorable.


    Shao Yan could see his desire in his eyes. Her cheeks blushed at the thought of him wanting her.


    Li Xiqing could also see her desire. And he swelled with happiness at the thought of her wanting him.


    He rolled to the side and then grabbed her to hold her tight.


    Shao Yan leaned on his chest and listened to his rushing heartbeats.


    A moment later, they fell asleep while holding each other like that.


    .....


    When Qi Ling came home and didn''t hear any sound from any of them, she was debating if she needed to knock on Shao Yan''s door.


    What if she saw something she shouldn''t have?


    Qi Ling decided to just call Shao Yan on her mobile phone.


    Qi Ling pressed her ear to the door, and could hear Shao Yan''s phone was ringing now.


    She heard rustle noise from inside, and then Shao Yan sleepy voice came through, "En? Ling Ling?"


    Qi Ling stifled a laugh, "Put on your clothes! And get out. I bought spicy chicken feet. Let''s eat!" and she quickly hung up.


    Qi Ling went to the kitchen to take out some plates.


    Shao Yan and Li Xiqing came out soon after.


    Shao Yan still scratching her head and held back a yawn. Li Xiqing rubbed her head lovingly.


    Qi Ling rolled her eyes, these two kids really didn''t do anything. And just fell asleep? Really??


    "Come here, sit down. I bought non spicy chicken feet for you." Qi Ling was talking to Shao Yan and then she looked at Li Xiqing, "And a super duper spicy chicken feet for you."


    Li Xiqing pursed his lips. This rivalry with Qi Ling over Shao Yan was very interesting.


    They sat down, and started to eat the afternoon snack.


    "What time do we need to leave?" Shao Yan turned to look at Li Xiqing.


    He was pouring orange juice for Shao Yan and Qi Ling. "Maybe in an hour?" he looked up, "K corporation office is about thirty minutes from here."


    Shao Yan thought for a while. "Alright. I will go get ready after this." she smiled at Li Xiqing.


    And then turned to Qi Ling, "You just signed a new job because of me, so dinner tonight is your treat!" Shao Yan grinned "I want to eat hotpot."


    Qi Ling scowled at her.


    "No." both Qi Ling and Li Xiqing answered Shao Yan.


    Shao Yan looked blankly at them. Eh? They finally agreed on something?


    Qi Ling ignored Li Xiqing, and continued, "It''s already summer. Let''s eat something light."


    Qi Ling pondered for a while and then she said, "There''s a new vegetarian restaurant just opened near the temple by W street. Let''s go there."


    Li Xiqing agreed with Qi Ling''s suggestion, so Shao Yan had to reluctantly agreed as well.


    .....


    Li Xiqing went back to his place to change. He told Shao Yan that he will be back to pick them up in an hour.


    Qi Ling and Shao Yan went back to her room and started to clean up and get ready.


    Since it''s only contract signing, Qi Ling did not have to dress up. But her profession required her to dress stylishly. Qi Ling decided on white T-shirt, ripped black jeans and tennis shoes. She also put on biker hat. With her short hair, Qi Ling looked amazingly attractive.


    Shao Yan, on the other hand, liked to dress down on the weekend. She opted for a white summer dress. Qi Ling bought her a new pair of Balinese woven wedge sandals. Shao Yan was so excited to try it on today. Qi Ling also got her a round woven rattan bag, also from her trip to Bali.


    Shao Yan just got out from her room, when she heard the main door keypad sound and then the door was opened. She saw Li Xiqing came in on his own.


    "Are you ready?" he saw Shao Yan just came out of her room, and then took off his shoes.


    Shao Yan went to the kitchen to get some water, "Yes, Qi Ling should come out soon."


    Shao Yan wanted to drink ice water because the weather was so hot outside. But Li Xiqing gave her a stern glare, so she could only shifted her hand and drink a room temperature water.


    (???��???)


    Shao Yan lamented if not having a boyfriend was actually better?

 Chapter 45 - Yapping Blue Penguin

    Qi Ling came out soon after. Shao Yan was putting on her shoes and Li Xiqing was standing next to her, texting on his phone.


    All three of them left the house soon after.


    K corporation was located in another suburb. They owned their own office building, even though it''s small.


    It''s a five storey building, which looked like a rundown old office building from the outside. But when they walked in, they were thoroughly surprised.


    The interior was decorated lavishly. Everything looked elegant and sparkling. It really showed an identity of a jewelry company.


    They were welcomed by someone named "Jamie". Shao Yan was not sure if this Jamie was a female or was a male. Jamie was really pretty, and very tall. Almost as tall as Li Xiqing.


    Jamie had long black hair, even in this summer, Jamie had put on light scarf around the neck, dressed in the 70s style outfit.


    "You must be Qi Ling. Oh this outfit was by that new designer GX. Nice taste! No wonder you are a top supermodel." Jamie was circling Qi Ling now, "You can spot good talent right away!"


    "When Martin told me that you were the one we signed with, I couldn''t believe it! My.. My.. He''s not lying!"


    And Jamie just kept on rambling. Talked about a lot of other topics with Qi Ling.


    .....


    Qi Ling might have experience in meeting this kind of chatty person before. She handled the conversation very well.


    Shao Yan just stood on the side, looking at the two of them talk with each other. Li Xiqing stood next to her, accompanied her to talk about something else.


    Not long after, Martin finally arrived. And then shortly after that, Qi Ling''s manager also arrived.


    Li Xiqing and Martin accompanied Qi Ling and her manager to go upstairs to meet the director of the project.


    Shao Yan didn''t want to go with them, and chose to just sit in the lobby while waiting for them.


    .....


    Shao Yan was browsing her social media when she heard the lobby receptionist greeted someone, "Madam!"


    Shao Yan looked up and saw a familiar figure walked in.


    She froze.


    The other party was a woman. She had voluptuous figure, wrapped tightly in navy dress with beige gold kimono belt wrapped around her waist. Her perfume smelled so strong, even at this distance.


    She had long wavy hair that she dyed with maroon color. Her maroon color hair had been her signature look ever since.. forever. Shao Yan couldn''t even remember.


    She looked fiery hot!


    The other woman had reading glasses on and was looking at Shao Yan. The other woman was very surprised as well, she was contemplating if she needed to walked closer. And finally that woman decided to just said a quick hi.


    That woman approached Shao Yan who actually didn''t even want to talk to her.


    "Yo! Shao Yan?! What a small world! What are you doing here? Are you waiting for someone?"


    Shao Yan didn''t answer her. Shao Yan just looked at the other woman''s face and then looked down at the other woman''s finger that had multiple diamond rings decorated her slim fingers.


    The other woman noticed Shao Yan''s gaze and she lifted her fingers and waved them in front of Shao Yan.


    "Yes, I''m married. So what? Are you surprised? That a woman like me could get married too?" the other woman laughed. Shao Yan knew that this woman had been practicing her laugh to be so seductive like this.


    Shao Yan knew that that woman''s original laugh was nothing closed to this one.


    Shao Yan cringed at the noise.


    "So how are you? You didn''t change at all, I see." the woman put her manicured fingers on her chin and looked intently at Shao Yan.


    "I tried to look for you the past few years. But you just disappeared like that. How boring!" the woman decided to sit opposite Shao Yan.


    Since Shao Yan didn''t want to talk to her at all, Shao Yan just kept on playing with her phone.


    "I''m married to Cui Kai now. Do you understand? ''K'' from K corporation?" The woman spread her arms around to show that this whole office was hers.


    The woman looked at her manicured fingers now and kept on talking, "I have told you before right? I''m only aiming for the biggest of the richest!" the woman now was looking at Shao Yan with mocking smile. "The other men before were just playthings!"


    .....


    "Let''s not talk about me." the woman leaned back to her chair, "Let''s talk about you!"


    "Look at you!" the woman snorted "Do you think you''re at the beach or something? Dressed like this?" the woman moved her fingers up and down, belittling Shao Yan.


    The more Shao Yan ignored her, the more mean words came out of the woman.


    Shao Yan didn''t even get angry. She sighed and then she said, "You talked this much, aren''t you afraid your fake white teeth will come off?"


    And then Shao Yan looked at the other woman''s face, "How many jobs you did to achieve this..."


    Shao Yan paused and looked at her up and down


    "... this job. Does your dearest husband know?"


    The woman''s face turned green.


    "You..!" the woman stuttered, "Y.. You even learned how to mock people now?"


    Shao Yan raised her eyebrows, the eyes widen in shock, "Mock? No. No. No.. You misunderstood. I am only telling the truth."


    And then Shao Yan continued, "If mocking you, then I would say, what is this blue penguin doing here yapping around, no one understand what she was talking about? I don''t talk chicken language."


    She heard bursts of stifled giggles from the receptionists. The two receptionist quickly went silent when the woman glared at them.


    And then Shao Yan showed an innocent face, "So you say, am I right?"


    The woman was so angry, she couldn''t even retorted back.


    When Shao Yan was about to get up and walked out of the building, she saw Qi Ling and the others walked out from the elevator.


    When Qi Ling saw the woman, she was surpised! What a small world!


    Qi Ling quickly rushed over to Shao Yan. Qi Ling was looking worriedly at Shao Yan, and after she saw Shao Yan was unharmed, Qi Ling looked back at the woman and glared at her.

 Chapter 46 - Fake Melon

    Qi Ling looked back at the woman and glared at her.


    Damn it! What was this woman''s name again? Huifang? Meifang? Lifang..?


    "Hey Melon!"Qi Ling roared.


    "I see that your silicon breast are getting bigger now" Qi Ling raised her voice even louder. Qi Ling wouldn''t bother to try to remember her name anymore. She''s as round as melon. This nickname suited her!


    "You changed another new husband? Does this one know about your fake nose too?" Qi Ling stood slightly in front of Shao Yan to covered her


    Li Xiqing was walking with Martin. Their steps stopped when they saw Qi Ling was very aggressive with this woman and also saw her protective stance to Shao Yan. Li Xiqing frowned and quickly walked over.


    Shao Yan saw Li Xiqing, and her heart lurched.


    Shao Yan tried to calm Qi Ling down, she didn''t want any argument anymore, especially not in front of Li Xiqing. Shao Yan pulled the hem of Qi Ling''s shirt.


    "Qi Ling, it''s fine. No need to say so much. If you''re done, let''s us leave now?"


    Li Xiqing now stood next to her. He put his arm protectively on her waist. "Are you okay?"


    Shao Yan smiled embarrassingly at him, "Are you done? Shall we go now?"


    Qi Ling saw that now Li Xiqing was around, she decided to let this fake melon go. They started to leave.


    .....


    Fake melon suddenly screamed, "Bitch!! You came to my turf and insulted me! Who do you think allowed you to leave!"


    Fake melon didn''t care about people looking at her anymore. She was fuming with anger.


    Qi Ling turned around and looked at her, "Yes Yes Yes! it''s your turf. I return it to you. I will go now." Qi Ling put both hands up as if gesturing surrendered to her.


    Shao Yan tried hard not to laugh, she had to bit her lips to stifle her giggle.


    Fake melon tried hard to calm down her anger. The receptionist was debating if they should call on security.


    Not for the guests, but for their own madam. The receptionist was worried if their madam would start attacking people.


    They saw it themselves just now. How at first, that woman in white dress had been ignoring Madam Cui. But Madam Cui just kept on insulting her.


    And this was not the first time their madam was looking for trouble here.


    There was one time, Madam called in police to arrest a model who she claimed was seducing her husband.


    Her husband was already seventy years old! And filthy rich!


    He married a plastic woman like Madam Cui. Of course he would be itching to play with other similar women outside.


    .....


    Madam Cui laughed seductively. She turned to look at Li Xiqing and Martin.


    "Handsome. Did you guys even know your girlfriends? They had failed relationships but went around and insulted others. So shameful!"


    She gestured her own body, "All these are natural" and she moved her hips.


    "You don''t even know how many guys they''ve dated around. Both of you are just spare tires!" she pointed her manicured fingers at both Li Xiqing and Martin.


    Fake Melon seemed calmed down now. She walked over to their side.


    "Yes, I married two times before. But so what?" Fake Melon laughed.


    "They truly loved me until they passed away. You were just jealous of me" Fake Melon now moved like a lazy cat approaching Li Xiqing and Martin.


    Shao Yan stiffened up.


    Madam Cui trailed her fingers from her cheek to her neck and then down to her cleavage.


    She faced Li Xiqing and said, "Handsome, Isn''t Shao Yan good in bed?"


    Li Xiqing tightened his hold on Shao Yan''s waist.


    "Her husband left her because he caught her in bed with other man." she snorted, "Tsk.. Tsk.. Divorced woman in foreign country. Who knows how many men she had to sleep with to survive." She gave him a puppy eye.


    "She''s not pure anymore, are you sure you still want her?" Madam Cui laughed seductively again.


    .....


    Shao Yan looked horrified at her words. She staggered. Li Xiqing kept his hands at her waist, supporting her.


    Li Xiqing had no expression on his face. He slowly turned to Martin, and spoke in English, "Martin, cancel the contract with K corporation. We are not working with them."


    Martin was surpised, but he still took out his phone. Li Xiqing continued, "Also, cancel the contract for Qi Ling. AG International will pay the penalty fees for both."


    And then he turned to Fake Melon. Li Xiqing spoke slowly.


    "Madam Cui, you will be receiving a letter from my lawyer" Li Xiqing paused, "I will see you in court."


    "I dare you to call my girlfriend''s name again. If you ever so much just to whisper her name, I will not hesitate to raise the charges. Please contact your lawyer. We have a lot of witness here of you slandering my girlfriend."


    He paused because he could feel Shao Yan was shivering. He grabbed her closer.


    "As for your ''turf'' with K corporation, we will not help your husband to secure the deal anymore as I believe we have different principle."


    "I wish you good luck with finding another ... lucrative buyer ... that is willing to spend that much money to buy your company."


    Li Xiqing didn''t wait for fake melon to answer, he swiftly hold Shao Yan''s waist and walked out with her. Martin was on the phone to handle the request from Li Xiqing.


    .....


    When they got out of the building, Martin offered to take Qi Ling home. Qi Ling accepted the offer immediately because she knew Li Xiqing must have wanted to calm Shao Yan down.


    Li Xiqing brought Shao Yan back to their car. He was holding her, so he knew Shao Yan was shivering, her breathing was shaking. He opened the door for her and put the seat belt on for her.


    Li Xiqing swiftly drive the car away.


    On the way, Shao Yan didn''t say a single word. Li Xiqing also didn''t ask anything. He drove steadily to his house.


    On the way, Li Xiqing stopped by convenience store to buy some food for her, before coming back to the car and drove straight home.


    When he parked in the parking garage, Shao Yan was still out of it. Li Xiqing patiently held her hands and brought her inside.


    After they entered his apartment, Li Xiqing brought Shao Yan to his room, and laid her down. "Just rest here for a while? I will be right back." he tucked her in. Li Xiqing spoked softly, caressed her head and kissed her forehead.


    Before he left, Li Xiqing opened the curtain a little to let some sunlight into the room.


    .....


    Hours passed.


    Shao Yan tried to calm down. She tried to sleep. But she couldn''t.


    His bedroom was soundproofed, she couldn''t hear anything from the outside. She didn''t know what Li Xiqing was doing.


    Shao Yan wanted to go out, but she felt her strength had left her. She could only laid down and collected herself.


    She was scared.


    Li Xiqing must have guessed everything. What if he didn''t want her anymore? She''s not pure anymore. What if he was disgusted with her?


    Shao Yan whole body shook. Her newly found happiness could only lasted this long?


    Shao Yan''s mind kept thinking about the worst case. She curled up her body to a fetal position and just cried her heart out.

 Chapter 47 - I Was Scared

    He could feel that Shao Yan was breaking apart. He felt hurt seeing her hurt that much. But he needed to talk to his lawyer as soon as possible, so he let her rest for a while.


    Li Xiqing closed the bedroom door and he went to the study room. After a long while, he came out, took his car keys and left the apartment.


    During the drive back home just now, Li Xiqing was upset. He was furious. But he didn''t want Shao Yan to see this side of him. He tried so hard to control himself, he needed to calm down.


    But not because he found out about the past. Li Xiqing didn''t believe what that woman said was the truth. Maybe there were some truth mixed in, but looking at how Shao Yan and Qi Ling behaved, Li Xiqing knew better than to trust the woman.


    He was angry because she was hurting.


    He had been thinking. So what if she was married before. From when Li Xiqing first heard about the rumors about Shao Yan, he knew he wouldn''t care. He just wanted Shao Yan to only see him now.


    .....


    The door bell rang and Qi Ling went up to open it.


    Li Xiqing would not use the pincode and his access to enter the apartment if Shao Yan was not around. At the very least, he needed to respect Qi Ling as the other owner as well.


    "How''s she?" Qi Ling quickly asked Li Xiqing, her tone full of concern. At the same time, she moved to the side to allow Li Xiqing to come in.


    Li Xiqing stepped inside, and took off his shoes. "She''s upset. She''s at my place now. I told her to sleep for a while."


    And then he looked at Qi Ling, "Help me pack some of her stuff, like clothes and toiletries. So she can clean up later. Pack her clothes worth for few days."


    Qi Ling went silent for a while. She was hesitating. This guy was now ordering her around??


    Li Xiqing was already walking to the living room to sit down.


    "Li guy", Qi Ling was standing in front of him with her arms crossed. "I know you care about our Yan Yan. But I think it''s too soon for her to live with you."


    Li Xiqing cut her off, "Miss Qi, sooner or later than you realized, Yan Yan will be staying with me. Start adjusting yourself to that fact that she''s not alone anymore."


    He slowly said to her, "I''m not dating her for fun. I''m dating her with marriage in mind."


    He paused and enunciated everything, "And I''ve said it before, she''s mine. So please stop wasting our time. I want to go home soon, she needs me to be there now."


    Qi Ling went silent again. After a while, she was upset, but she still decided to say a piece of her mind, "In that case, you better know this. I don''t know how much she had told you about herself. But whatever that crazy woman said earlier is not the whole truth."


    Li Xiqing looked up at her, "I know." he paused and the he added "I could see from your protective stance when facing that woman. I know she''s bad news."


    He was thinking for a while and then he continued, "I have been in touch with my lawyer just now. I was not just scaring that woman. I will definitely let her pay for hurting Yan Yan like this."


    .....


    Shao Yan didn''t know how long she had been crying, her body and her mind felt so exhausted. She fell asleep.


    A moment later, Li Xiqing came back to the room, and found her sleeping. He saw the tear streak on her face and the wet area on the pillow, his heart sank. How much had she been crying!


    Li Xiqing was so angry, he very much wanted to throw that fake melon woman to hell right now. How dare she hurt his most beloved!


    He slowly climbed on to the bed and gently hold her from behind possessively.


    .....


    When Shao Yan woke up, she felt warm pressure on her back and pair of arms hugging her on her waist. Her body reflexively tensed, and gradually she relaxed as she realized it''s Li Xiqing.


    She tried to move, but he locked her tight. Shao Yan could only helplessly laid there, unmoving.


    Li Xiqing knew when she had woken up, but he didn''t let her go.


    He brought her closer to his chest.


    Li Xiqing nuzzled his face to her hair. He buried his face in her fragrance.


    "Why did you cry?"


    Shao Yan was surprised that he was not asleep.


    "If you cried because of him, I''m going to feel really sad." Li Xiqing said in a very small voice, unconsciously, he tightened his hold on her stomach. Buried his face deeper to her neck.


    Shao Yan realized, that Li Xiqing probably was feeling insecure.


    .....


    Shao Yan tears came out again, but this time, she chose to turn around to face him, and squeezed herself in his embrace. Their feet linked with each other.


    "I didn''t cry because of him. I cried because I was scared."


    Shao Yan paused for a while.


    "I have never felt so warm before, Li Xiqing, I''m scared that you will not want me anymore."


    Her voice was muffled because she was hugging him tight. But even though Li Xiqing couldn''t hear it clearly, her body language had told him everything he wanted to know.


    Li Xiqing peeled her slightly away from him, looked at her face. He wiped her tears and looked into her swollen red eyes.


    "I''ve said it before, why did you forget already?", he whispered, "I will always be with you."


    She blinked and her fat tears came out again.


    "We will walk on this road together", he wiped her tears again. "Do you remember now?" he cupped her face.


    Shao Yan nodded slowly. Her tears slowly came out of the corner of her eye.


    "Stop crying now. You look like a panda, you scared me away" But even though Li Xiqing said that, his tone was so gentle. His touch was so soft, and his smile was so captivating.


    Li Xiqing used his thumb to caressed her cheek. He slowly showered kisses all over her face. He kissed her tears away.


    His kisses were light, just like butterfly wings. Shao Yan gradually relaxed.


    They were snuggling closely on the bed now. Shao Yan was feeling much better.


    She realized that their feet were linked together, and his bulge was pressing on her lower stomach. She felt awkward, she didn''t dare to move a bit, but she didn''t try to get away.

 Chapter 48 - Zombie Is More Interesting!

    "Are you hungry?" Li Xiqing was now hugging her. Her cheek was pressed onto his heart, he was still stroking her back.


    Shao Yan slowly nodded "En."


    "Qi Ling packed some toiletries and clothes for you." he looked down at her, "Go wash up. I put them in the bathroom counter for you."


    Shao Yan looked up at him, puzzled.


    "You went back to my place just now?" Shao Yan was surprised. She thought Li Xiqing was angry and that''s why he left her alone. She thought he left because he needed some time alone.


    Li Xiqing looked down at her, and saw her questioning eyes. He sighed and then he flicked her forehead.


    "What were you thinking? That I had left you alone because I was upset?" he let her go, and then he sulked. Li Xiqing propped both his arms behind his head, facing the ceiling.


    Shao Yan felt guilty, she scooted closer, "I.. I didn''t mean it that way." She tried to say more, but she stuttered, "I.. Well.. "


    "... You left.. sigh"


    "Li Xiqing~" she shook his arm. "I got it. You''ve explained it earlier."


    She didn''t know what to say. So she tried to act spoiled at him, "Don''t be angry.. en?"


    Li Xiqing sighed, and looked at her, "Have some faith in me, alright?"


    With one hand still behind his head propping him to the pillow, he used his other hand to caress her face, and then he rubbed her hair, "Don''t compare me to the past anymore. Just live in the present, learn to trust me."


    Shao Yan gave a relief smile and nodded obediently, "Li Xiqing, give me a little more time" she whispered.


    "I promise you now, that I will tell you everything. But I''m nothing what that woman said to be. Trust me on this."


    They stared at each other for a while.


    Shao Yan took the initiative to kiss him softly. He wanted more but she swiftly got up and walked to the bathroom.


    .....


    His bathroom was huge!


    What was this?! (��?��)!


    What he called ''bathroom'' was actually a size of the original bathroom plus another portion of a one bedroom!


    So this house actually had three bedrooms and he converted to two?!


    Big sis, you were surely amazing!


    ?(>o<)??


    This was every woman''s dream bathroom!


    One side was the toilet and a double vanity counter from grey and white marbles. Alright, Shao Yan knew this, this was the ''His and Hers'' vanity counters, no big deal.


    Shao Yan saw a pure white marble soaking tub huge enough to fit three people. The wall next to it was covered in black night stone. When Shao Yan looked closer, it had some subtle glitters like the stars.


    The tub was facing a special modified night windows that occupied a whole side of a wall from ceiling to floor and was showcasing city S skyline. The view from floor 23 was unbelievable!


    You could soak while enjoying this view. Shao Yan admired his sister more and more!


    Next to the side, only separated with a glass partition, was shower area. It also had an open concept with waterfall rain shower. When someone actually showered underneath, they could choose to listen to calming music.


    And then there was a dimmed stone path leading to a small room.


    Shao Yan was curious, and walked over. When she entered, she realized this was the wardrobe area.


    She could see Li Xiqing''s clothes hung neatly on one side. On the other side was empty, but she saw few of her clothes were now hung up there; including her underwear folded neatly on the side.


    Shao Yan looked at this and she couldn''t help but blushed.


    Li Xiqing was a man of action.


    It''s only been few weeks! Was he trying to tell her that slowly she had to move in with him?


    .....


    After Shao Yan showered, she felt much refreshed.


    When she walked out of the bedroom, she found him sitting in the living room, waiting for her while watching TV.


    "I''m done. You can go have a shower now.", Shao Yan walked closer and sat next to him. Li Xiqing could smell his shampoo and his soap on her. He could feel his body reacted to this.


    "I''ve showered in the common bath just now." he reached his arm around her and hugged her close to himself, "I''ve ordered dinner, it should be delivered soon."


    Shao Yan adjusted to a more comfortable position, leaned in to his chest, and then she said "Okay" then she turned her attention to the TV, "What are you watching?"


    Li Xiqing brought his attention back to the TV, "It''s a TV series from country C. It''s a show about Korean immigrants family who opened a small convenience store in that country. It''s funny and entertaining."


    Shao Yan accompanied him to watch for a while, before their food finally arrived.


    While Li Xiqing went to open the door, Shao Yan helped to set the dining table.


    Li Xiqing seemed to be influenced with whatever he was watching, he ended up ordered Korean food for dinner.


    .....


    After dinner, Shao Yan and Li Xiqing decided to watch something. Shao Yan was a fan of zombie and apocalypse theme, so they decided on a newly released series about zombie attack in country K during ancient kingdom time.


    It was a short mini series so they guessed, they should be able to finish the whole series tonight.


    His living room was also the media room. One of the sofa that he had was actually a reclining sofa. They watched while also snuggled around.


    Li Xiqing was holding her close. They were laying down together while watching and kissing every now and then.


    "Stay here tonight." Li Xiqing whispered in her ears.


    Shao Yan pondered for a while. "But I''ve promised Qi Ling to go shopping tomorrow."


    She remembered something and swiftly turned to look at him, "Did you have to pay a lot for the penalty fees for Qi Ling?"


    Li Xiqing looked at her, "Don''t worry about that. You can drive my car tomorrow, or have Qi Ling pick you up." and then he gave a peck on her cheek.


    He tightened his hold on her, "Stay here tonight?"


    Shao Yan frowned a little.


    This guy! Sometimes, he was so flexible with his many topics to talk about. But most of the times, he was so persistent!


    Shao Yan didn''t answer him, and turned back to the TV to continue her watch. The zombie king was now feasting on a body of a palace maid. This was more interesting!


    .....


    At the end, Shao Yan did stay the night at Li Xiqing''s place.


    Li Xiqing was still in the bathroom. Shao Yan flipped open the blanket and climbed on to the bed first. She laid down and was thinking.


    ''Did Li Xiqing plan to do something later? What should I do? How should we do it? Is it too soon?''


    She checked her underwear. Okay, at least she put on matching colors tonight.


    Shao Yan was so nervous. It had been few years since she slept with a man. Liwei was her only man. Shao Yan wondered, if Li Xiqing would be disappointed with her lack of experience.


    She felt gloomy.

 Chapter 49 - On Or Off?

    Author''s word of the wise - please proceed with caution. If you''re not comfortable with any R scene, please stop here.


    =====


    "Do you sleep with lights on? Or off?"


    His question stopped her wandering thoughts.


    Li Xiqing came out of the bathroom, and had changed into his pajamas. It''s a white t-shirt with grey wool sleeping pants.


    He looked much younger. The fitted shirt shaped his chest muscle and showed off his toned arms perfectly. Shao Yan could not stopped staring.


    "Uh.. Lights off. But I don''t like it too dark, so usually I had a small light turned on somewhere in a corner."


    Li Xiqing nodded that he understood.He liked to sleep in a dark closed room. He even had light blocking curtains as well. But for Shao Yan, he turned on the bathroom vanity lights, and set the door slightly ajar, before he walked back to the bed and turned off the main bedroom lights from the remote by the bedside table.


    He lifted the blanket and he laid down next to her.


    Shao Yan kept her eyes on him, watching his every moves.


    He noticed that Shao Yan was looking at him, but Li Xiqing did not say anything. After he settled down, he scooped Shao Yan over and hold her from behind.


    "Good night", he kissed her earlobe softly and then tightened his hold.


    Shao Yan could feel Li Xiqing nuzzled on her nape and his breathing tickled her neck. She waited for a while, but he still did not do anything else.


    Shao Yan gradually relaxed and then started to fall asleep.


    Li Xiqing unconsciously smiled a little. He knew that she was tensed when he held her close. He needed Shao Yan to adjust to his presence around her first. Let her slowly accepted their intimacy.


    After all, he had a lifetime with her. He was not in a rush.


    .....


    Shao Yan had a habit to wake up early. When she woke up the next day, Li Xiqing was still hugging her close to him.


    She moved a little, trying to get off the bed.


    Li Xiqing felt her movement, and slightly relax his hold, "Where are you going?" he nudged her shoulder, and asked in his sleepy voice.


    Shao Yan was surprised at the sudden noise, "I need to pee, let go off me" she whispered back.


    Li Xiqing smiled, and let her go.


    When Shao Yan came back to bed, he was checking his phone. Li Xiqing saw her, and then put down the phone, and motioned her to come over.


    "Let''s sleep for a while more, it''s only six o''clock". He slide down back to bed. Shao Yan considered for a while, and then she walked over.


    Li Xiqing held her again. Shao Yan had one hand hugging his waist and buried her face in his embrace. He had one arm over her shoulder, and the other hand was caressing her arm on his waist.


    Their feet naturally searched and linked to each other.


    And then they slept for a few hours more.


    .....


    "... Li Xiqing?"


    Shao Yan asked hesitantly. She wanted to get off the bed, but he was locking her tight.


    Li Xiqing was still asleep. She called him softly again and finally he stirred, "En?"


    Shao Yan hesitated. She moved away a little.


    "Li Xiqing?" she whispered again.


    Li Xiqing answered her again, "En? What is it?" but still nuzzled on her back.


    "Y.. Your morning wood is p..poking me" she said in a very small timid voice.


    Still with his eyes closed, Li Xiqing smiled. He snuggled even closer.


    "En." he was still grinning behind her back. "Do you hate it?"


    Shao Yan could feel her face was burning hot.


    "... no" she was hesitating. "But.. umm.." she bit her lower lip. She couldn''t say it.


    She couldn''t say that it''s poking her real hard, and her bottom was a little painful because of the sharp pressure.


    Li Xiqing could somehow guessed what she wanted to say. He turned her around and then now was hugging her face to face.


    Shao Yan had her hands on his chest. Li Xiqing tangled their legs together. He had one arm hugging her small back, and another one was holding her small bottom.


    He pressed her closer onto him and now she could really feel his big erection nudging her.


    Shao Yan didn''t know what to do. Li Xiqing just rubbed his hardness and her softness together. He nuzzled on her neck now, drowning himself with her fragrance.


    He gently took her hand and slipped it inside his shirt, allowing her to hug his back. Shao Yan was hesitating, but she was curious. She started to caressed his toned muscles. When her fingers touched his stomach and chest, she felt his hot skin.


    He still kept his junior pressing on her softness, while he would rubbed his hand on her small bottom, feeling it''s roundness.


    He nuzzled her neck, tasting her skin. "Yan Yan" he gave a soft sigh. "You smell so good." He kissed her delicate skin.


    Shao Yan blushed. She was caressing his chest, tracing her fingers all over him, feeling his muscle and heat. She moved her hand to his back, stroking his back. Her face was slowly leaning to his embrace.


    "... Li Xiqing" she would die from embarrassment if she asked, but she still had to ask, "... uh.. do you need help?"


    Her voice was really soft.


    Li Xiqing didn''t answer her. His lips was busy exploring her throat now.


    He took her hand, slowly guided down to touch his erection. Her eyes widen in shock, her fingers trembled. She touched his tips.


    Li Xiqing unbuttoned her few top buttons to give him more area to explore. He gave soft kisses all over Shao Yan. Her jaw, her chin, her neck, her shoulder. While he kept his hand pressing and caressing her soft bottom.


    Shao Yan couldn''t help but to compare. She wrapped her fingers around it. His was so huge! Could this thing fit inside her??


    Shao Yan was not innocent virgin. She had tasted the sweet nectar of sex and she enjoyed it. With Li Xiqing constantly kissing, stroking and rubbing her all over, she was gradually turned on. And so she became more bold in her action.


    With her fingers wrapped around his hard rock erection, she slowly squeezed it. Li Xiqing groaned and lick her earlobe.


    "...Yan Yan" he sighed.


    Shao Yan moved her fingers, and touch his tip again. Li Xiqing searched her mouth and kissed her deeply.


    She started to massage him up and down. Shao Yan could feel his breathing was getting faster. His hand on her butt was squeezing her tight, closer to him.


    She could feel him getting harder and harder and his breathing heavier and hotter.


    He moved his hand to pull up her thigh to wrap his. And then he slowly stroke on soft skin under her thigh, down to under her knee. And just kept doing that while murmuring her name repeatedly.


    Li Xiqing buried his face to her neck, and enjoyed her delicate fingers slowly torturing him. He opened his eyes and looked at her.


    Shao Yan was looking at his big guy, and then she felt his scorching gaze. She looked up and saw the intense fire burning in his eyes.


    "Yan Yan.." he ravaged her mouth again, "You''re killing me."


    Shao Yan started to pump faster and she let him kissed her.


    They just kept kissing intensely for a long while. And he kept touching her all over.


    Until she felt him tensed up and then left her lips. Li Xiqing went back to burying his face on her neck and her hair and he released them all.

 Chapter 50 - That Woman

    "Did I scare you?"


    After he wiped her hands, Li Xiqing hugged her close while she buried her face at the hollow of his neck.


    Shao Yan didn''t say anything, she just shook her head, she was so shy.


    But after a while, she said "... no, I.. I can understand your needs." she could feel his arms around her tightened.


    "I''m sorry. I really wanted to take things slow between us. But waking up with you today in my arms, just felt so surreal." Li Xiqing looked down and then kissed her cheek.


    When she was helping him just now, he felt a surge of furious jealousy. She knew how to do it. And she knew it really damn well.


    Li Xiqing tried all his best not to think about her past, but he still felt so damn jealous. How he wanted to make her his soon!


    He snuggled with her for a while, trying to calm himself down.


    .....


    After a while, he slowly sat up and leaned back to the headboard. Still having Shao Yan in his embrace leaning onto his shoulder. He was rubbing her head and gently said,


    "Can you tell me why she wanted to hurt you?"


    Shao Yan paused for a while, trying to think who he was referring to. And then she remembered Fake Melon from yesterday.


    Shao Yan thought for a while how to tell him. She got out from his embrace, and leaned back to the headboard as well. Trying to distant herself away from him for a while. She brought them to what happened many years ago.


    .....


    "Pan Meifang, Qi Ling and I were neighbors. Qi Ling and I grew up together. I just started senior high when Pan Meifang moved to the neighborhood. She just graduated from high school."


    "Since our ages were pretty close, Mom thought, it would be great if we became friends."


    Shao Yan sighed.


    "But our personalities were two sides of the world. She loved it when guys pampered her. She loved getting a lot of gifts. Or driven around in expensive cars. Her boyfriends varied from poor to more and more rich. She craved for luxuries and power."


    "Her mother was a widow, she couldn''t afford sending her to college. So Pan Meifang started to work as a sales person in cosmetic store at the mall. Everytime someone sent her home, it would be different men; different cars."


    Shao Yan paused and started to reminisced more.


    "One summer, Mom sent me to city B to stay with my grandmother during summer holiday. My grandmother was not doing well, so Mom stayed with us for two weeks as well."


    Shao Yan paused and showed a sullen face.


    "That''s when everything changed."


    Her tears were pooling at the corner of her eye, threatening to fall.


    "Dad was a senior official in tax office and Mom was the accountant in the same office. They always left the house and came back together. So there was no issue with their relationship."


    "But Mom was suddenly away for two weeks. So it''s the oldest method of marriage destruction." her tears fell.


    "Pan Meifang started to seduce him. Dad, even though he was in his fifties, he still looked good. And he had secure job too."


    Shao Yan voice started to shake.


    "Mom couldn''t contact dad for few days, so she got worried and got back earlier. When Mom came back home, she found them together in her bedroom."


    .....


    Li Xiqing pulled her back to his embrace. She was looking more pale, and he didn''t like it.


    "That''s enough. I got it" he stopped her.


    Shao Yan shook her head. "No, please let me finish. I didn''t get the chance to let it out before. I need to do this for my sake." and then she looked up at him "And for both of us."


    Li Xiqing couldn''t understand her last statement, but he just kept quiet and let her continued while still holding her.


    "Mom was devastated. Dad tried to hold her back and explained but Mom didn''t want to hear at all."


    Shao Yan slightly raised her voice, "What was the use? The fact was that he had betrayed Mom. With someone who was around his daughter''s age?!"


    She paused and took a deep breath to calm herself down.


    "Mom decided to leave. She didn''t even ask for any alimony support. Pan Meifang moved in soon after. And that''s a huge insult for me and Mom. So we decided to move to city B."


    "Qi Ling moved to City S to pursue her modelling career. And I decided to stay at city B with Mom and enrolled in college there."


    "Ever since that incident, Mom would always nagged me about not to think of relying ourselves to men. Women should have our own career, our own savings. She always said I should not find a guy with looks." she gave a sad smile.


    Shao Yan looked at Li Xiqing and put her hand to his cheek, while continuing, "Because pretty flower attracted a lot of bees."


    Li Xiqing pursed his lips and teased her, "Are you trying to tell me that you''re the flower and I''m the bee? Yeah, I agree."


    Shao Yan slapped his arm, "Don''t pretend! Of course you''re the flower. I am just a small small bee in the whole bee world."


    (?_?)


    Li Xiqing circled his arm around her and coaxed her for a while.


    .....


    "After that, Mom refused to see Dad at all. But she didn''t keep me away from him, he could see me anytime he wanted to. Dad kept sending money to my account. I kept it for Mom. I didn''t want to use his money at all. I preferred to work in a convenience store."


    She went silent for a long while. Li Xiqing thought she was done.


    "After grandmother passed away, Mom worked even harder. She said it was for my sake. But I disagree. I still think it was to distract herself from pain. And from loneliness."


    More tears flowed down from her beautiful face.


    "One day, Mom collapsed at work and was rushed to the hospital. I was in the middle of my final exam. I could not pick up any calls."


    She hiccuped, while Li Xiqing pulled her to his embrace. He tightened his hold around her, soothed her back, trying to give her strength.


    "Doctor said it was heart attack. She was too exhausted and dehydrated. She passed away peacefully, as if she were only sleeping."


    "After that, Dad would come to city B to see me. That woman would came with him, looking prettier and prettier each time."


    "That''s when I knew that she must have spent all my Dad''s money to fix herself. I''m still so angry whenever I think about that."


    She went quiet for a while. And then she took a deep breath.


    "The last time I saw her was when I got marr.. when I graduated from college. Dad came to my graduation and I told him that I''ve decided to move to country U."


    "He tried to convince me not to go. But that time, all I could think of was to create a new life for myself."


    Li Xiqing noticed her misspoken words there. He could feel his jealousy and anger risen up again. He closed his eyes to calm himself down.


    He kept saying the past didn''t matter. but he underestimated her influence on him. He fell deeper and deeper to her charms.


    How one slip of words was able to hurt his feelings like this. What would happen if she finally told him about her marriage?

 Chapter 51 - Did You Do It?

    Shao Yan stayed quiet for a long while. Li Xiqing thought she had fallen asleep.


    But she suddenly continued, "Dad passed away three years ago." she suddenly clenched her fist.


    Li Xiqing looked at her face, her eyes were dull, her skin was pale. He wanted to kiss her sorrow away but he held back.


    "He got into an accident while driving back from a business trip." She suddenly felt so tired, she spoke so slowly, "The neighbor''s auntie called me, so I flew back. That woman was not even at his funeral."


    She snorted mockingly, "People said she was away in K country, fixing her nose and she didn''t want to fly back because she said.. she was bandaged and looked ugly."


    Shao Yan looked back at Li Xiqing, "That''s when I decided that I would never acknowledge that woman ever again in my life."


    .....


    "So? Did you end up doing it?"


    Qi Ling was looking at Shao Yan, waiting for her to answer. Shao Yan looked back at her with a blushing face, "Stop fooling around! Just get in and put on your seatbelt."


    Qi Ling complained, "Aw come on! Just answer me, yes or no, as simple as that!" Shao Yan changed the gear and started to drive out of the lobby.


    Today, Shao Yan had promised Qi Ling to go shopping together. Since, Li Xiqing had brought her back directly to his place yesterday, she didn''t have her car. Li Xiqing insisted for her to drive his car to pick up Qi Ling.


    Li Xiqing also told her, "Come back home tonight, alright? I will be waiting for you for dinner." before Martin and Karl picked him up to go to the golf course.


    Shao Yan just picked up Qi Ling, and the first question she asked Shao Yan after she got into the car, was if Shao Yan and Li Xiqing had done the deed.


    Qi Ling continued, "Both of you are currently passionately in love. I can see it in that pervert eyes that he can''t wait to eat you up!"


    Shao Yan just stayed silent and kept driving.


    "So don''t tell me nothing happened at all because I don''t believe it at all!" Qi Ling roared and then she continued to nag Shao Yan.


    Shao Yan really felt helpless, if she didn''t say anything, Qi Ling would not stop.


    Shao Yan finally said, "You were the one who told me, that it''s been two years. That I should open my heart and open my legs? Remember?" Shao Yan winked at Qi Ling, "I was just following your advice!"


    Qi Ling lost it, "So you guys did it??"


    "I swear, I''m going to kill him! Such a pervert! Savage beast!" and she kept on ranting.


    Shao Yan cut her off, "We didn''t do it. Stop cursing him." Shao Yan pleaded to her, "Don''t worry, he didn''t force me to do anything!"


    Qi Ling quieted down. She looked skeptical at Shao Yan. After a while, Qi Ling finally said, "Nothing really happened?"


    Shao Yan paused and didn''t answer. She was thinking how much exactly she could tell Qi Ling.


    "Well.." Shao Yan bit her lower lip, "It''s not that NOTHING happened." her voice gradually softened.


    "um.. well.." Shao Yan really couldn''t say it but her face just got redder and redder.


    Qi Ling couldn''t stand it anymore, "What? Just tell it straight to my face!"


    Qi Ling paused, seemed to think of something. And then she asked Shao Yan softly. "Did you give him a hand? Or a blow?"


    Shao Yan had her eyes opened wide and looked at Qi Ling mortified. Her mouth gaped but no words came out.


    Shao Yan looked back to the road. She bit her lips and went quiet for a long while. And then Shao Yan said in a very quiet small voice, ".... hand".


    Qi Ling couldn''t believe her hearing. She looked shocked at Shao Yan. My innocent Shao Yan!! Qi Ling swore she would kill that brute!


    (?_?)����?.*???


    But then, Shao Yan really needed to move on. Sigh. Qi Ling really need to keep her cool. Her friend was happy now. Qi Ling was tormented in between.


    "And then? How was it?" Qi Ling asked curiously.


    Shao Yan asked her back, "What do you mean? Nothing more, just that."


    Qi Ling continued, "I mean, who''s better? Don''t tell me you didn''t compare them!" Qi Ling jabbed her elbow at Shao Yan. "Who''s bigger?"


    "Qi Ling!!!"


    Shao Yan really looked at her speechless. She was not going to talk about that at all!


    .....


    They decided to go to the newly open mall at the South. Qi Ling did not actually look for anything. She was here for a sole purpose of accompanying Shao Yan to look for a dress for the anniversary party.


    Since Shao Yan was the main person in charge of the party, she didn''t want to wear something complicated or too long. She was looking for something at ankle length or shorter.


    After they circled few shops for a while, Shao Yan finally decided to try something on. Qi Ling picked few dresses for her. Since Shao Yan had light complexion, it''s easier to find good colors for her.


    "Here, try this one" Qi Ling handed her a silver grey Greek style dress. It''s a beaded dress at the top part. With silver buckles on both shoulders. The chest part had a deep V line.


    The back was even more amazing. It was backless with only two strings of Swarovski chain continuing from the front, to the spine all the way to the waist.


    Shao Yan looked at it, and was skeptical that she could pull it off. But she still took it from Qi Ling.


    Shao Yan herself had picked a maroon dress. It''s a one-shoulder dress, made from very light chiffon silk. It had gold leaves ornaments on the shoulder down to the chest area.


    Subtle sparkles could be seen from the bottom part of the dress from the gold flakes that was spread all around the dress, made it very classy and elegant.


    Qi Ling also approved this one, so Shao Yan decided to try both dresses.


    .....


    They spent the whole afternoon playing around. Shao Yan ended up with a lot of stuff. Qi Ling also bought several clothes and jewelries.


    When they were about to leave, Shao Yan received a call.


    "Where are you?"


    Li Xiqing deep calm voice rumbled through the receiver. Shao Yan was reminded of their activity this morning and she couldn''t help but blushed.


    "Still at the mall" she unconsciously spoke softer.


    "I will have Martin drop me there. Wait for me, we will go home together." Li Xiqing confirmed their meeting place and then he hung up.


    Qi Ling rolled her eyes, "Your man really can''t be separated from you for too long? It''s only been few hours!"


    ��( ?_?)��


    Shao Yan could only smile shyly.


    "You don''t understand. You should get a boyfriend soon too!" Shao Yan laughed cheekily, which earned her a smack on the head from Qi Ling.

 Chapter 52 - Its My Fault

    Ever since she stayed over that night, Li Xiqing had been gradually asking Shao Yan to stay over. But Shao Yan refused.


    Shao Yan liked her own freedom. And she was not ready to be tied down to live together with a boyfriend. For her, that''s a huge commitment.


    They even had their first argument because of this.


    Shao Yan was upset, so she locked herself inside his study room.


    "Yan Yan, let''s talk. Don''t lock the door" Li Xiqing was panicking, he didn''t know what to do. All he wanted was to spend more time with her. But it seemed that she felt restrained.


    "You are too controlling! We are not talking until you reflect on what you''ve done!" and then she went back to checking her emails and also browsing around her social media.


    She was upset. If she didn''t make things clear now, their relationship would be forever imbalance!


    Li Xiqing was not used to this. He tried to think of a way to appease her, but at the same time let her know what he wanted.


    Shao Yan locked herself inside for the whole day. Li Xiqing turned the house upside down, he couldn''t find the master key to open the door!


    He made a mental note to change all the doors tomorrow. No more locks!!


    .....


    Shao Yan accidentally fell asleep and finally got out around dinner time because she was hungry. Li Xiqing quickly approached her and hold her.


    "I''m sorry. I know I''m at fault." he was looking at her with puppy eyes, "Don''t be angry anymore, alright?"


    Shao Yan very much wanted to torture him longer, but her heart went soft at his pitiful eyes. She pretended to be fierce, "Try to restrain me one more time, I will definitely be angry. And it will be longer than this time." She pouted.


    She let go off his arm and looked at him in the eyes, "Li Xiqing, we are in this together. Side by side. But that doesn''t mean I will loose my freedom to do what I want." she waited for a moment for that to sink in.


    "I am not ready to live together with you." she chose her words carefully, "But that doesn''t mean I don''t want to be with you. I just need time."


    Shao Yan continued, "Why can''t we keep doing what we have been doing? Are we not happy now. Let''s date like other normal couple. En?"


    Li Xiqing kept her in his embrace, his arms were hugging her around her waist. He was quiet, he was thinking: No other normal couple not staying together!


    He very much wanted to sulk. Sigh.


    "Let''s do this way then," he finally said, "You can go back to your place on weekdays." he paused and then tightened his hold on her again.


    "But on the weekend, you will stay here with me." he looked into her eyes, "Alright?"


    At the end, both of them compromised.


    .....


    It''s finally the anniversary party tomorrow!


    Shao Yan had been working non stop for the past three months. Gold Crane celebrated their 50th anniversary and this was a huge accomplishment.


    Shao Yan had been burning overtime oil this week, making sure that all tiny little details were met. And Li Xiqing was really not happy with this. They only saw each other few times this week.


    To top it off, she had been missing their promised dinner dates. So he had to keep sending meals to her desk.


    After tomorrow, she could finally rest. So Li Xiqing was exceptionally happy today.


    His team had cleared out of floor 58. Li Xiqing, Martin and Karl had been busy with setting up AG International new office, and he could only came to Gold Crane at lunch time to eat with her once in a while.


    They were eating at a sandwich shop nearby. Shao Yan had to rush for another meeting after lunch, so she could only eat something quick.


    "I will pick you up tomorrow for the party?" he passed her tissue napkin.


    Shao Yan was chewing and could only shook her head and took the napkin from him. After she finished chewing, she finally said, "No, I will be at the hotel since morning, so I will just see you in the evening. Are Martin and Karl going to make it?"


    He just finished his lunch and was cleaning his wrapper now, "Yes, they will come after the meeting. What about your dress? You will carry them with you?"


    Shao Yan nodded again, "Wenhai had booked a room for all of us to use as a ''war room'' so we can put our stuff there."


    "Have you decided which one you will go with? The silver or the maroon?" he refilled the water for her.


    Shao Yan took the cup from him and drank it all. Li Xiqing moved to cleaning her wrapper.


    "Yes, the maroon. The silver was too.. sexy" she drank again, "I''m afraid it will not be comfortable for me to run around."


    "Drink slowly." and then he continued, "Alright, I know, I will match my tie with your dress" and then he gave her a lazy smile and then stared at her face adoringly.


    Shao Yan accidentally choked on her water. Her boyfriend was too charming! Why a simple lazy smile still made her heart beat so fast!!


    Li Xiqing frowned at her carelessness and nagged her again.


    .....


    When Li Xiqing dropped her off at the office, he held her wrist gently. "Hold on." and then he gave out his hand, "Give me your phone."


    Shao Yan looked at him, puzzled at what he wanted to do.


    "In case I could not find you tomorrow" he keyed in something in her phone, "Let me copy down your teams'' phone number."


    Shao Yan nodded that she understood.


    "I have turned on your GPS location too, " Li Xiqing put up both their phones together to show her, "So now, you can see my location, and I can see yours."


    Shao Yan let out a hearty laugh.


    "Li Xiqing, are you that afraid that I will run away from you?" she laughed again.


    Li Xiqing adored her happy face. He patted her head, "Yes yes, that beautiful head of yours are so careless. You always need me by your side." he softly pinched her cheek.


    Shao Yan pursed her lips and smiled at him shyly. Why was he so cute!!


    After he was done, Li Xiqing returned the phone to her. Shao Yan put it in her purse. She unbuckled her seatbelt, and open the door.


    But before she stepped out, suddenly Shao Yan pulled on Li Xiqing''s tie down to her and kissed the corner of his lips. "Don''t miss me too much!" and she swiftly run away before he caught her.


    (��^_^)��

 Chapter 53 - Golden Age

    Today was the day! She was so nervous, she couldn''t sleep well last night. Shao Yan kept tossing and turning the whole night before finally she gave up and called Li Xiqing.


    He had just finished a conference call with US office and was about to sleep. When Shao Yan called, he quickly picked up the call on the first ring.


    "Yan Yan? What is it? Are you alright?" Li Xiqing was worried because it was already two in the morning.


    "... I can''t sleep~" she sounded so miserable, so sad on the phone.


    Li Xiqing exhaled a relief. He thought there was an emergency!


    He accompanied her to talk on the phone for almost an hour, purposely slowed down his voice, and toned down his volume to lull her to sleep, before he finally didn''t hear any more sound from Shao Yan.


    He smiled on the silent phone, and sent her a text message to remind her to eat breakfast since she would be having a long day. And that he would definitely call to check on her!


    When she woke up in the morning, she saw his message and could not help to feel so happy.


    (*?��?*).?*?


    .....


    "Yan jie, the ice sculptures are here!"


    Lee Ying was shouting for Shao Yan who was talking to the food decorator. Shao Yan turned around and answered back at her "Bring it over here!" and then Shao Yan continued talking to kitchen staffs again.


    "Xiao Yan, I''ve talked to the emcee for tonight. Miss Li from accounting and Mr. Qu from IT. They''re doing their make up right now" Huo ge reported to her.


    Fan jie was outside, coordinating with the Event Organizer on the rundown schedules for the night.


    Li Na and Wenhai were upstairs in the ''war room'' talking to the executives who will be giving short speeches for later.


    Her team was on 110% mode tonight!


    For the Anniversary Party today, Gold Crane did not skimp on anything. Her proposal focused heavily on ''showing appreciation''. It was all about giving back.


    For this, the company had booked the Grand Ballroom of a five star hotel in downtown city S. Theme for tonight was "Everlasting".


    Shao Yan had specifically asked for the color scheme to be soft gold. The event organizer crew had been busying around the past 2 days. She was looking around at the result and she was happy with the result.


    All the pillars and the main walls were first covered in small sparkling lights. Then, a soft black curtains with small holes were hung over the lights, creating the effect of starry nights all around the room.


    All the round tables were covered in soft gold cloth. The lights from chandeliers had been adjusted to be a little dim. The whole effect was as what she had imagined.


    Centerpieces on each round table were twigs and branches that had been trimmed, and Shao Yan decided to keep them in their original wood material, without any paint. On those twigs and branches, five mini gold cranes were hung up there randomly.


    The room was transformed into a magical golden wonderland.


    She knew the party was now ready to begin.


    .....


    Lee Ying, who was now standing next to Shao Yan, said, "Yan jie, all done. You should go change now. It''s starting in one hour!"


    Lee Ying decided to put on a yellow dress tonight. It''s a halter neck, midi length dress, with blue poppies print. With her bubbly personality, she really looked more attractive than usual.


    Shao Yan looked at her watch, "Xiao Ying, you stay here with Huo ge and go through this list again." Shao Yan handed Lee Ying the checklist that she had been working on. "When Miss Li and Mr. Qu are here, bring them to meet the Event Organizer, alright?"


    Lee Ying nodded and chased her away, "Go! Go! Go! We are all already so pretty and handsome. Only you alone look like peasant!" and then she grinned.


    Shao Yan smiled and quickly went upstairs to change.


    On the way to the dressing room, she calculated all her personnel again. And only after she calculated twice, then she felt assured.


    .....


    Shao Yan just entered the hotel room when her phone rang. It was Li Xiqing.


    Shao Yan smiled. She was just thinking about him, and here he was already calling her.


    "Where are you?" his deep voice sounded very warm. Shao Yan could hear he was walking somewhere indoor. His solid steps on the tile were echoing on the phone.


    Shao Yan closed the door and walked to the dressing room. "I am going to get ready and change to my dress now. I just got into the hotel room."


    She grabbed her duffle bag from the dressing room, and brought it to the bed. She was rummaging her stuffs, and took them out one by one to put them on the bed. "Where are you? What time will you be here?"


    Shao Yan could hear Li Xiqing was pressing a button, as she heard a ding sound. "Which room are you now? I''m already here."


    Shao Yan paused. "Ah?" she was stunned for a while, and then she replied "Oh. Room 1810".


    .....


    Not long after, Li Xiqing rang the doorbell and Shao Yan quickly opened it for him.


    She was stunned. He looked so dapper!


    He was dressed in a three piece slim fitted suit in dark navy blue color. He had white dress shirt with a maroon tie. And then he had a fitted dark blue vest on the outside with maroon pocket square handkerchief. He also put on brown Italian leather shoes.


    A heavy cloud of overbearing attitude, combined with highly confident arrogant eyes!


    Shao Yan had never seen a man as outstanding as her man! She felt butterflies all over her.


    She was stunned for a while, and Li Xiqing could see her adoration all over her face. He only pursed his lips on this. He slowly moved closer to her ears and purposely said in low deep voice, "So? Do you like what you see?"


    Shao Yan blushed. She looked back at him in the eye. She leaned closer and gave a quick kiss on his lips, "En. Very much!"


    She turned around hastily and went inside, leaving the dumbstruck Li Xiqing to enter the room by himself and close the door behind him.


    He chuckled at her embarrassed fleeting figure.


    Shao Yan went to the dressing room to change to her dress, while still holding her cheek. Li Xiqing was sitting on the bed now, he was looking at her make up case and accessories that she had spread out on the bed.


    "How''s the crowd downstairs? Have people started to arrive yet?" Shao Yan shouted from the dressing room, to accompany him with a small talk.


    Li Xiqing was playing with her pocket mirror. When he heard her, he stood up and walked over to the dressing room.


    And then he saw her.

 Chapter 54 - Sexy As Hell

    Shao Yan was standing with her back against him. Only in her tiny maroon lace panties and nothing else. She was standing and her dress was pooled under her petite feet which she had put on a pair of black velvet heels with ribbon strap.


    Since the dress was designed with a very low back, Shao Yan had decided to not put on a bra. She had just undressed herself and was about to pull up the dress when she heard his footsteps behind her. She froze.


    Li Xiqing was staring at her; from her milky bare back to her soft round bottom, all the way down. She was already on her heels, so her bottom was perky, her whole figure looked so sexy and inviting.


    He walked over and then bended down. With his index fingers and thumb, he took the shoulder straps from under her feet and slid it all the way up.


    Slowly.


    His fingers were touching all over her skin as he went. Her ankle to her calf. The back of her knee and then her thigh. He touched her waist, and then his fingers grazed the side of her breast.


    Shao Yan could feel his scorching gaze on her. She wanted to move, but somehow she couldn''t. Her knees were weak.


    From the side of her breasts, he then continued to slid the straps over her shoulders. His fingers trailed from the shoulder straps down and then zipped the dress.


    Shao Yan could feel his cold fingers were tracing the edge of the zipper on the lower back, trailing up to her spine, and then all the way up to her nape.


    He swiped her hair to the side, and slowly lowered his head and kissed the area between her nape and shoulder.


    She shivered.


    His left hand which was holding her waist, slowly inched to the front. He spread his palm over her lower tummy; and then he pressed her onto himself. She was leaning on his chest and she could feel his large bulge inside his pants. Her eyelid fluttered.


    Shao Yan tilted her head to the side, she wanted to tell Li Xiqing not to mess around because she was already late.


    "Li.. Uhm"


    But before she got the chance to say anything, Li Xiqing had sealed all of her words away. His right hand was holding her chin, slightly tilted it back. While he already bended his head down so she could kissed him easily.


    He was sucking her lips, slipped his tongue with vigor and tasted hers, dancing with her tongue; devouring all of her kisses.


    She had reflexively put her hand on top of his. He grabbed it and linked her fingers.


    With their left hands linked together, he put more pressure onto her lower tummy, pressing her closer to him. She could feel the bulge was getting larger and harder behind her.


    They kissed for a long while.


    .....


    She had her eyes closed, and softly moaned over his deliberate tortures. His right hand left her chin and went down to her neck. He softly caressed her shoulder, down to her right arm.


    His right hand found her trembling fingers. He brought their hands together and locked them in front of her tummy.


    After he could feel that she was slowly losing her breath, he let go of her mouth. Shao Yan was kissed silly, she lost all of her strength. Luckily, his left hand was still holding on to her, supporting her against himself.


    Her knees were weak. She was looking back at him with glossy eyes. Her eyelashes fluttered. Her soft pink cheek were beet red now. She was so beautiful!


    His thumb was caressing her lower lip that had already been kissed swollen.


    They were both breathing hard. She heard his hoarse whisper, "That, my love, is your punishment for looking so sexy as hell."


    .....


    Shao Yan blushed so hard.


    How was this sexy! This dress was totally normal. She could not imagine what would have happened if she decided to put on the silver one instead?


    She didn''t know what to say. She was still feeling so weak, her back was leaning entirely onto his hard muscular chest. His palm that was spread open and pressed onto her lower tummy, was slowing caressing her tummy to calm her down.


    He smiled lazily. And gave her small kisses over her lips. So gently.


    With his smile and his caresses, she could not calm down! He was totally seducing her!


    .....


    When he bended his head, and wanted to kiss her deeply again, he heard the room keycard was inserted, and then the room door was opened from the outside.


    "Xiao Yan?"


    Fan jie had come into the room to check on her. "Do you need help with your dress? Or maybe your makeup?"


    Li Xiqing gave a soft chuckle and smiled silly at himself. What was he thinking? If he continued, would he really take her then and there right away?


    He was too reckless!


    He was amazed at himself that he actually didn''t feel annoyed after they were being interrupted.


    He breathed slowly while leaning his forehead against hers. His fingers slowly caressed her cheek. Shao Yan was still collecting herself.


    Seeing that Shao Yan was still in a daze and had no intention to reply Fan jie, Li Xiqing decided to be the one who replied instead.


    "We are in the dressing room. I am helping her to zip her dress." he paused. "We will come out soon."


    .....


    Shao Yan slowly came back to her senses. She could feel that her face was so warm. She didn''t have the courage to look at Li Xiqing.


    Everytime this man kissed her, it would always awaken something inside her. She had never thought of herself as a pervert. Not until she met Li Xiqing.


    His every single touch, every single stare and every single kiss was torturing her like mad.


    He was introducing all of these senses and let her experienced something that she had never known before. Even though she was not a stranger to a man''s physical need. But everytime Li Xiqing shamelessly made his desire for her known, she felt so weak, and she realized that she was actually hoping for it.


    Before she met him, she had always felt insecure. Liwei did not want her anymore, how would it be possible for other men to want her again. But everytime Shao Yan received Li Xiqing''s adoring gaze, or his attentive behavior, or his warmth; she felt that her confidence was returning.


    .....


    She slowly straightened up, and tidied her hair nervously, her hands were shaking. Li Xiqing also checked all over her, making sure that she was dressed properly.


    Shao Yan turned around, facing him. But she was too nervous to look at his face again. He rubbed her hair lovingly, "Are you alright?"


    Shao Yan could only bite her lower lip and nod, "En." He smiled and kissed her cheek gently.


    She didn''t know what else to say. She coughed lightly and then just decided to walk around him, and hurriedly escaped the dressing room.


    .....


    So shy!!


    Li Xiqing was becoming more and more shameless!!


    H.. He.. Just now.. He!!


    Sigh..


    He touched her all over!!


    Argh! This was so embarrassing!


    ?(? ???-??? ?)?

 Chapter 55 - Absolutely Stunning!

    When Shao Yan came out of the dressing room, Fan jie saw her red face right away, but she didn''t say anything.


    She pursed her lips, and just inwardly shook her head. She was thinking, ''Young people nowadays ah~ Please be considerate to this old single dog~''


    T_T so sad.. I want to be in love too!!


    Maybe she should bribed Li Xiqing with Shao Yan''s nude picture to get Karl''s phone number?!


    (~��?��)~


    Shao Yan took her make up pouch from the bed and then sat down on the writing desk, totally oblivious to Fan jie scheming minds. She started to take out her makeup and applied her skin care meticulously. Fan jie looked at her, and then decided to walk over to help.


    .....


    "Xiao Yan, your skin is already so good, I don''t think you need to put on a heavy make up. You already have a natural blush here." Fan jie was drawing her eyebrows.


    Shao Yan had her eyes closed, "En, Fan jie, I trust you. Just do as you see fit."


    Li Xiqing came out of the dressing room after he made sure his brother had calmed down. He saw the two women were busying around with make up. He just patiently sat on the bed and worked on his emails from his phone.


    Karl and Martin would also attend the party later. So he decided to send them a reminder not to be late.


    .....


    Tonight, Fan jie decided to put on a white suit, specially tailored for women''s figure. She had low cut white silk lace camisole which she paired with white ankle pants. And then she had white suit jacket on the outside and white heels.


    To add to the final touch, she combined her whole outfit with a chain of minimalist gold necklace. Fan jie looked so cool tonight.


    After about thirty minutes, Fan jie and Shao Yan were finally done with their make up. Shao Yan, who had been sitting with her back to Li Xiqing, finally stood up, and turned around.


    He had been patiently waiting for her. Although at the last 15 minutes, he did not work on his phone anymore. Instead, he was watching her.


    When Shao Yan stood up and turned around, his heart skipped a beat.


    She looked absolutely stunning!


    When she moved, her maroon gown which had speck of gold dust on it, also swayed along with her, made her sparkled beautifully.


    The gold leaf emblem on her shoulder highlighted her snowy neck and softened her face even more.


    Her skin was already creamy, so she opted for a light make up. Her eyebrows were drawn in simple brown color. For her eyeshadows, Fan jie and Shao Yan decided on light shimmer peach and light golden brown. For the tips of the inner eye, she dabbed soft golden glitters.


    Shao Yan nervously looked at Li Xiqing, she was curious at what his opinion would be.


    But she sighed a relief when she saw his burning gaze that paralyzed her; and then he gave a very gentle smile.


    He walked closer while kept staring into her eyes. He took both of her hands and brought them up to his lips. He gently kissed her hands, "Very pretty."


    Shao Yan blushed, and before she said thank you, Li Xiqing turned to Fan jie and said, "Thank you, for making Yan Yan even more stunning than before."


    Fan jie was surprised at his sudden turn. She could only laughed nervously, "Ha.. Ha.. D..Don''t mention it. Xiao Yan was already pretty to begin with. I did not do anything special. Ha.. Ha.."


    Shao Yan smiled at her reaction. She tugged on their hands, "Let''s go? I don''t want us to be late." she spoke so softly at him.


    He nodded and then held her hands and linked their fingers before walking out of the room with her.


    .....


    Guests had started to arrive and the crowd gradually grew bigger. Luckily Wenhai and Li Na were keeping things on hand.


    Once Fan jie, Shao Yan and Li Xiqing arrived downstairs, Fan jie quickly said, "Xiao Yan, you go with Daniel first. Just be a guest tonight." she patted her hand, "You''ve worked super hard these three months. Be a guest, enjoy the party and let us worry about the rest, alright?"


    And then, before Shao Yan got the chance to say anything, Fan jie pushed Shao Yan to Li Xiqing arm, and winked at him, "All yours, Mister. Please feed her, she hasn''t eaten at all." and then Fan jie swiftly walked away.


    Li Xiqing frowned, and then turned to Shao Yan, "Did you lie to me this afternoon when I called?"


    Shao Yan looked at him guiltily, "I was in a middle of something when you called, and then I got distracted" she gave him her best puppy eyes, "Don''t be angry alright? I''m hungry now. Let''s go eat"


    She swiftly linked his arm and dragged Li Xiqing to the lobby area. Along the way, she kept chanting to herself: Must calm him down! Must calm him down quickly!


    .....


    As this was a formal events, all the guests came dressed in formal gowns and formal suits. Everyone looked sparkling and fabulous.


    Outside of the Grand Ballroom, Gold Crane had set up a cocktail area. This was for the guests to enjoy before the main door opened.


    All the guests were treated to exquisite arrays of appetizer while waiting, a group of classical musician were sitting on the side, playing soft calming music with their instruments.


    Shao Yan was standing on the side, nibbling on some food. Li Xiqing had selected smoked salmon bruschetta, grilled shrimp, and zucchini salad for her. After he handed her the plate, he left again to grab some drinks for them.


    Li Xiqing always stood by her side tonight, and his figure was intimidating people to stay away. Seeing that Shao Yan was alone, some people would then approached her to have small talks every now and then.


    "Good job, Shao Yan, the party looks great so far."


    Shao Yan turned around and saw it was Cissy who was walking towards her.


    "I''m surprised you could actually pull it off. " she paused, "Even though you''re so busy dating around." she put her hands in front of her lips and chuckled softly.

 Chapter 56 - At The Party (1)

    Shao Yan raised her eyebrows slightly, but she tried to keep her face calm. Shao Yan was not sure why this cat had all its fur stood up now.


    Ever since she and Li Xiqing got together, Shao Yan would sometimes bumped into Cissy in the office. But all was calm. Both of them would pretend nothing was awkward. Cissy would still smile politely, and Shao Yan would just nodded, but they never really talked to each other.


    This would be their first conversation after that notorious ''confession'' in the meeting room during AG International introduction session.


    "Thank you. I hope you''re enjoying it so far", Shao Yan smiled brightly.


    Shao Yan purposely spoke in double meaning. Enjoyed the party? Or enjoyed watching her dating life?


    Pfft.


    She felt a little better when she saw Cissy curved lips was showing a stiff smile.


    Cissy actually looked so elegant today. She had put on champagne color silk Qipao, which elegantly hugged her whole figure. The Qipao highlighted all the right curves on her body. Beads of Swarovski crystals on her collar, and down from neckline to the waist, brought out the beauty of her skin and her face. In this kind of room decoration, it felt like time had stopped for her. She looked ethereal.


    From her face itself, Cissy was prettier than Shao Yan. Honestly, Shao Yan couldn''t figure out why Li Xiqing did not even look at this pretty woman, and instead chose her.


    .....


    They were chatting amicably, when both women saw Li Xiqing walked over with two glasses of white wine.


    Li Xiqing saw the two women were looking at him. He glanced at Cissy and then back to Shao Yan. He was scrutinizing her expression. But she had poker face on, so he couldn''t read anything.


    He then looked down at her plate. Ok good, she finished all of her food. He saw the dessert that she liked was available on the dessert table just now. He would bring her there after this.


    When Li Xiqing stood in front of them, he passed one glass to Shao Yan, and kept the other glass for himself. And then he took away the plate from her hand and said, "Just drink a little first, alright, since your stomach is still empty. Let''s get more food after this."


    Cissy raised her eyebrows. This man did not even bother to pretend to be a gentleman and passed her a drink??


    .....


    "Do you want to look at the dessert table now?" Li Xiqing spoke gently to her.


    Shao Yan sipped her white wine a little. The cold liquid entered her mouth, she tasted slight sweetness and tanginess from it. So refreshing.


    She was contemplating for a while. She surprised him by slipping her arm onto the crook of his arm and then leaned on him intimately, "No, let''s look at appetizers again," and then she cheekily stick out her tongue, "I''m still hungry."


    Li Xiqing rubbed her hair, and smiled back at her. He patted her arm and then peeled off her hand, but that''s because he wanted to hold her waist. His fingers lightly caressed her skin on the back.


    Shao Yan looked back at Cissy, "My apologies, let me go grab some food first; or he won''t stop nagging me." Shao Yan gave a polite smile and then walked away.


    Nope, she believed that she was not a jealous person. Yup, she''s definitely not!


    She was betrayed once and she was too stupid to not do anything before. But now, as long as this man was still showing his interest in her, she was determined to protect this happiness.


    Her happiness.


    ?( ? �� ~ �� ? )?


    .....


    The couple went to hunt for few different food. Along the way, they would stop and talk to some people. Other times, they would silently flirt with each other. He would whispered in her ears, kept her close by hugging her waist. He was telling her about some things about people that he learned when he was in Gold Crane.


    Shao Yan leaned on him, touched him here and there, while she was listening nosily. She never thought that executives had so many stories to tell!


    Shao Yan knew that Martin and Karl would be here tonight, so she told him that he should mingled and talked to the others too. Shao Yan wanted to talk to her friends as well.


    Li Xiqing agreed half-heartedly, but he wanted Shao Yan to also enjoy the night.


    Shao Yan walked around, while inspecting the items that her team might have missed. Along the way, she would nibbled on the snacks that she thought was cute.


    "Ladies and Gentlemen! We will start our celebration in thirty minutes. The door is open now, you are welcome to your seat."


    Shao Yan heard the announcement. But before she went to find her table, she decided to go to the ladies room first.


    .....


    She just entered the ladies room, and was about to do her business, when she heard chatter outside the cubicles. Three women just came in to the ladies room.


    "So do you think she was with him for the money?" one girl asked the others.


    Another giggled was heard, "He''s so handsome tonight!!"


    "Of course lah! She was single for two years. And then suddenly this amazing guy came in the picture. He''s so handsome and so rich! Who doesn''t want to be with him?!" another girl answered.


    "Actually~ I thought she liked women. Single for two years, but no scandal with men whatsoever. If not liking girls, then I didn''t know what else to think."


    And then the three of them giggled.


    .....


    Shao Yan just ignored them and just went on with her business. When she was done, and before she flushed the toilet, she heard them talking again.


    "Then, do you think she got this anniversary project because Daniel asked President Huang on her behalf?"


    Another girl chimed in, "She''s only been here for two years. What capabilities she had to get this on her own?" And then she slightly lowered down her voice, "I''m pretty sure it''s the pillow talk that worked the magic. Right? Right?"


    And then the three of them giggled again.


    Now, Shao Yan understood. So the ''girl'' and the ''guy'' in this story were actually her and Li Xiqing?


    Shao Yan sighed.


    This was what they called, even when sleeping, also got hit by a bus.


    .....


    Shao Yan tidied herself, flushed the toilet and then came out.


    There were only two women, as the other one was inside the cubicle.


    The two women saw Shao Yan and they were shocked. They froze and showed a guilty face. They elbowed each other, not knowing what to do.


    "H..Hello Senior" one of the girls greeted her.


    Shao Yan just calmly replied, "En", and washed her hand. Not looking at them.

 Chapter 57 - At The Party (2)

    Shao Yan stayed silent.


    The woman inside the cubicle, not knowing that Shao Yan was outside, still continued to talk, "So do you think.. she also slept with Wenhai and uncle Huo too?" And then she bursted to chuckles by herself.


    The two women outside were so embarrassed, they could only gave a stiff smile at Shao Yan who was glancing at them through the mirror.


    Shao Yan purposely took her time in washing her hands. She''s waiting for the third woman to come out. Hm.. Suddenly her fingers looked so interesting. Her fingernails were already so long. Maybe she should go for manicure tomorrow?


    .....


    After she heard a flush, Shao Yan took a paper napkin to wipe her fingers. One finger by one finger. She bid her time.


    When the third woman finally came out and saw Shao Yan, she was so surprised.


    "Oh my! Senior!!" and reflexively put her unwashed hand to cover her mouth. She staggered back to the wall, almost hit the other girls who were standing there unmoving.


    Shao Yan looked up and stared at the three women from the mirror. She did not say anything. They were feeling the pressure inside the restroom slowly rising high. Project Manager Shao was surprisingly scary ah~ What was this chilly air?


    Shao Yan soft voice suddenly echoed in the restroom. "En, are you girls... having fun tonight?" Shao Yan spoke so gentle, so demure like a little miss.


    They looked at her warily, "Hee.. Hee.. Yes! Yes! It is a really nice party, Senior!" one of the women tried to laugh, but she was feeling awkward.


    Shao Yan nodded while still looking down at her fingernails, "En. That''s good" she paused, "If there is anything you see that needs improvement, let me know immediately."


    Shao Yan looked up again and stared back at them from the mirror, "After all, I campaigned to be the project lead for a whole year. President Huang himself awarded me this project."


    She paused, and scrunched her eyebrows, "Hm.. Could it be because I speak four languages? Anyway, don''t feel bad to ask anything, alright?" and then she slowly broke to a smile.


    She threw the paper napkin away, and then turned around, finally looking at them face to face, "Oh! By the way, I remember that all of you are only 2 years younger than me, right?"


    The three women looked at her puzzled, what''s with the sudden age discussion now?


    Shao Yan smiled again, and then continued, "You young women ah~ Don''t just focus on working. Go out and find a boyfriend too. You should have lots of sex."


    Shao Yan then used one of her pinky finger to draw a curve line below her eye bag, and pointed to them, "You ladies need it more than I do" she lowered her voice, "... Orgasm actually make your skin looks brighter!"


    Their face went so pale at Shao Yan''s bluntness.


    D.. Did she just tell us that we look old?!


    That we did not have boyfriends?!


    The three women were shocked and unable to retort back.


    Shao Yan turned around and was about to walk out.


    She suddenly stopped and turned to them again, "Oh! Right! One more thing, Daniel was the one who chased me. So it''s not pillow talk. It is MY beauty that rule the world!"


    She swiped her hair dramatically, swung them to the back and then she walked out of the ladies room without looking back.


    .....


    When Shao Yan stepped out, her hands were shaking. She quickly turned to a corner and leaned her back to the cold marble wall. She took a deep breath and slowly exhaled.


    She gave herself a pat on the back, ''Good job, Shao Yan. You lifted your head up high!''


    Shao Yan always hated conflict, but she felt that she could not back down just now! Hopefully she acted like an adult!


    The her two years ago probably would have just came out after washing her hands, without saying anything. She realized, maybe she grew stronger because of Li Xiqing?


    She wallowed in her embarrassment for a while. She couldn''t believe she could even said those words out loud.


    .....


    "I didn''t know that orgasm actually make your skin brighter?"


    Shao Yan stiffened up and slowly looked back. She saw Li Xiqing was looking at her smirking. And then he walked closer and held her hand.


    "... You..."


    OH NO!! How much did he hear?!


    (;;;?_?)


    Shao Yan was speechless. She tried to search for words. And then tried to talk again. "You.. How much did you actually hear?" Shao Yan frowned and then grabbed his arm.


    Li Xiqing held her hand, and started to walk out. They needed to enter the ballroom now. Or they would be late.


    "Hm.. let''s see" he stroked his chin, while pretending to be thinking hard, "I know that it is YOUR beauty that rule the world", he pursed his lips trying not to laugh.


    Shao Yan was horrified! Mister! Basically you''ve heard everything!


    Argh!


    Li Xiqing was looking at her face that kept changing expressions. From stunned to horror, to now painful sorrow. Why did she has to be so cute. He could not help it and finally smiled at her.


    The night was too long. He wanted to just hug her and kiss her right now. Sigh.


    So he could only be satisfied with rubbing her hair and pinching her cheek for now.


    He moved closer to her ear and whispered, "But.. Yan Yan, I don''t remember about the sex and the orgasm part." he looked into her round big bright eyes, "When are we going to try that?"


    Shao Yan slapped his arm "We are late!", she trudged to the ballroom leaving him behind.


    .....


    Before they entered, Shao Yan checked her own appearance. "You look good. Don''t worry." Li Xiqing stroked her head.


    Shao Yan took a deep breath and then took his hand and walked with him.


    "How did you find me just now?" She finally asked him.


    "I couldn''t find you when I heard the announcement. I was looking around when I saw you entered the ladies room. So I decided to wait outside."


    Shao Yan nodded. She still couldn''t believe that her gangster act just now was caught by this man.


    "So what four languages do you actually speak?" he was holding her lower back, directed her to her table.


    Shao Yan looked at him, and cheekily said, "I lied" she stuck out her tongue, "I only know English".


    She shrugged, "But they won''t know it anyway" and then she grinned happily.


    Li Xiqing rubbed her hair and shook his head helplessly. His girl.. was sometimes so mischievous!


    .....


    Ninety nine round tables were set up inside the grand ballroom. Most of the guests were already seated.


    There was a small golden color gift bag placed on top of each chairs. Inside, there were some souvenirs for the guests. Gold Crane had put in five grams pure gold crane origami-shape accessory and twelve miniature of Chinese zodiac made from Swarovski crystals for each guests.


    Shao Yan sat on the same table as her team, while Li Xiqing sat with his team, President Huang and VP Zhuang.


    Mr. Qu stepped onto the stage to open the celebration, "Thank you everyone for celebrating with us today. Gold Crane is now 50 years old. Like excellent wine, we will blossom to be more appetizing and more mature as we walk together on this journey with us."


    Miss Li chimed in, "To start the night, please welcome to the stage, Gold Crane president and CEO, Huang Junjie!"


    And round of applauses finally marked the opening celebration of the night.

 Chapter 58 - At The Party (3)

    The party was going very well. After the opening speeches, many executives were also introduced and invited to the stage to give some celebratory words.


    The organizer had packed a lot of schedules to keep the stage busy, while the guests on the reception tables enjoyed their dinner.


    Hotel kitchen kept sending the meals out. Appetizers and light snack. And then the main course finally came in. And then more light snacks.


    Shao Yan had never been so full before, for the first time in her life, she was actually considering to skip dessert.


    �U ? o ? ��


    .....


    Before dessert, was the award ceremony.


    This was the first award ceremony that Gold Crane hosted. Usually, they showed appreciation to the authors by sending gifts to their agencies.


    Gold Crane had prepared some classic categories to be appreciated tonight. The first one was for Best Selling Author. VP Zhuang was now standing on the stage, and announcing the result.


    As everyone had expected, Deep Blue Sea won the award for Best Selling Author. Wrapped elegantly in a light blue dress, she walked elegantly to the stage and received her award.


    The light blue dress under the stage spotlight made Miss Sea looked so elegant like a fairy descended from heaven.


    "Thank you, everyone. I am honored to stand here tonight with all of you. This award will not be possible without the hardwork of Gold Crane people, yourself. So, I dedicate this award back to all the staffs that had worked hard."


    Round of exciting applause echoed though the ballroom. People was excited to see a highly respected author was actually showing a great appreciation towards Gold Crane employees.


    What surprised everyone again, was when she got back to her seat, Mr. Wang was actually seated next to her!


    He stood up to escort her back to their table. He even pulled the chair for her.


    Whoa! Juicy gossip!!


    Shao Yan almost choked on her drink. The others on her table were also looking at the same direction and they could not even speak a single word.


    Everyone was thinking how to kidnap Miss Sea to spill the beans!


    .....


    When the awards ceremony ended, suddenly the stage lights were dimmed.


    From behind, the ballroom double doors opened, and a group of ballerina dancers entered the ballroom. Around a hundred of tall female dancers, circled around the ballroom and entertained the guests.


    When they were moving to the side, suddenly, rows of server''s in black and white uniforms entered the area. Followed by chefs with their tall chef hats.


    Spotlights were following them as they walked. On the server''s hand were silver plate with pretty dessert lined up on the top.


    They went from table to table to deliver desserts.


    .....


    Shao Yan was gloomy, "I shouldn''t have sat here and be a guest. I really wanted to take all the pictures of tonight''s event."


    Lee Ying heard her and patted her arm, "Yan jie, but if you do that, you don''t get to eat this dessert! It''s your favorite!"


    And then she added, "You wouldn''t get to sit with me too." Lee Ying looked down, "My internship will end next week. I''m so sad."


    Shao Yan really didn''t know how to cheer people up. She was thinking of what to say when Fan jie joined in, "Don''t worry, Xiao Ying Ying. After you graduate, call me. I will get your Yan jie to hire you!"


    Lee Ying, heard this, her doggy ears quickly perked up. And then turned to Shao Yan while wagging her tail, "Really, Yan jie? Promise me ok! This is my spot! I am forever your intern!"


    Shao Yan laughed. She didn''t want to lose this super energetic girl too. Everyone on the table also laughed at her cheerfulness.


    .....


    The party ended close to midnight.


    Li Xiqing wanted to go home, but he didn''t see Shao Yan around. He was about to leave the ballroom, when President Huang held him back.


    "Daniel, we didn''t get to chat tonight. How is the new office set up?"


    Li Xiqing stopped on his track, and talked to him for a while. "It''s almost done. The new hires joined this week. Next week, we will have another batch joining."


    President Huang patted his shoulder, "Good. Good! Young men like you guys are really ambitious. I hope we can work together again in the future."


    Li Xiqing smiled "Are you sure, President Huang? Working with me means you will loose money again like last time."


    President Huang laughed heartily, "HA HA HA! But in return, I got OnScience, didn''t I? This is a very good deal." he patted his shoulder again. "They''re excited to enter our market too. Their representative will visit us next month."


    "That''s good", Li Xiqing was getting impatient, he glanced at his watch, he wanted to go find Shao Yan.


    On the other hand, President Huang just kept on talking. He was in a good mood. "I think you worked with the team before. It would be great if we can all meet together for a meal next month."


    Li Xiqing paused and thought for a while, "No, I don''t think I worked with OnScience before, President Huang." He took out his phone and open the application to see where Shao Yan was.


    "Not in country U, but they had large presence in Japan. They''re science fiction and fantasy publications anyway." President Huang was about to say more, but he saw that his wife was walking over.


    "Then, Daniel, let''s talk again next time. Come to Gold Crane next month. We will have a meeting with OnScience." President Huang patted Li Xiqing''s arm amicably, and then he walked away.


    Li Xiqing finally could go and find Shao Yan now, he was looking at his phone, trying to read the location.


    He was about to leave, when Karl and Martin walked closer "Why are you still here?" Martin was the one who asked him first.


    "Shao Yan is still somewhere, I could not find her." Li Xiqing was navigating the map around. He glanced up at his buddies, "Don''t forget we have the orientation meeting tomorrow with batch one."


    Karl and Martin shook their heads helplessly, "We know! You reminded us multiple times already!"


    .....


    "That''s all then. Thank you for tonight, Miss Gu." Shao Yan was wrapping things up with the organizer. She was so tired, she really wanted to go home, take a good long hot bath and then sleep. She felt her body was aching all over.


    She was about to go upstairs, when she saw Li Xiqing was walking to her direction. Shao Yan stopped and waited for him with a smile.

 Chapter 59 - * Guess What The Title Is *

    Li Xiqing saw her smile and tired look. When he stood in front of her, he crooked his fingers and caressed her cheek, "Look at you. Let''s just stay here tonight and rest? We can go back tomorrow."


    Shao Yan leaned in her cheek into his palm, "No, I''m fine. I just want to go home." and then she got closer to him and hold his front jacket, "My stuff is still upstairs. Let me go get it and then let''s go home."


    Li Xiqing held her waist and supported her, "Let''s go."


    They went back to the hotel room to pick up her clothes and make up bag. Fan jie and Li Na would stay for the night in the room.


    When she rang the doorbell, Li Na was the one who opened the door for them. Shao Yan quickly changed into her casual clothes and cleaned her makeup.


    After talking to Fan jie and Li Na for a little while, they left the room and went to the parking garage to go home.


    Li Xiqing held her hands all the way to the parking garage, and helped her buckled her seatbelt. The night was so quiet and peaceful. Beautiful full moon and serene dark blue night enveloped the couple who was driving home.


    .....


    Shao Yan fell asleep along the drive home. Li Xiqing scooped her into his arm and carried her back to the apartment.


    He put her on the bed, and then he went to the bathroom to fill in the tub. After it was filled with warm water, he poured essential oil into the tub to help Shao Yan relax her muscle. He undressed himself, and then he went back to the bedroom and gently undressed her.


    He carried her to the tub, so they could soak in the hot water for a while.


    When the water touched her skin, Shao Yan abruptly woke up, she thought she was dreaming that she drowned. To her surprise, the first thing she saw when she opened her eyes was his sturdy chest. Her lips slightly grazed his skin.


    He was about to lower her body when she woke up. "Shh.. It''s okay, it''s me." Li Xiqing was holding her princess style. He slowly eased her down to the water and then sat behind her, both were fully naked.


    He was caressing her back, scooping some water with his hands and poured them onto her shoulder. He was trying to calm her muscles. Shao Yan gradually relax, albeit feeling very shy. She slowly leaned back to his embrace and looked out of the window. City S skyline and starry night sky slowly calmed her down.


    .....


    They had been together for few months now, but this was the first time they saw each other naked. Shao Yan was so shy, she had never been naked in front of other guys other than Liwei.


    Li Xiqing gently massaged her nape. Her muscle was so tensed because she was so tired. He slowly moved his thumbs to massage her neck and at the same time, kissed her shoulder.


    She was leaning on him with her head bowed down. She held her hair to the side so he could move easier.


    No one was talking, they just slowly relaxed their muscles under the hot water. She loved being pampered by him. And he loved touching her soft skin.


    His hands slowly massaged her neck and then her arms and went down to her back.


    After he was done with her back, he moved to the front and cupped her breasts, gently squeezed them.


    .....


    Shao Yan slightly jolted, she could feel him gently kneaded her breasts while kissing her bare shoulder. She moaned softly when he touched her soft pink nipple. Her hand was trying to grab his hand, but his other hand stopped her and held them.


    "Yan Yan?" Li Xiqing slow and sexy voice was making love with her ears.


    His fingertips slowly caressed and softly pinched her nipple, causing her to gasp.


    Her body went softer in his embrace. He kept groping around her soft breasts. Intimately massaged her roundness.


    She moaned in pleasures.


    He kept one hand on her breast, while his other hand moved down to her thigh. He caressed her skin and then his fingers traced slowly back to her waist and then to her inner thigh.


    He separated her legs apart and touched the soft hair in her precious place. She reflexively tried to close her legs, but his legs were holding both of her ankles still. Shao Yan was trying hard to stay awake, but her body felt so hot, she felt so weak. She was so turned on.


    His fingers found her flower and opened the petals apart. He caressed her clitoris while his hoarse whispers seducing her, "Happy 100th days, Yan Yan.." Shao Yan bit her lower lip and moaned.


    Her fingers dug into his thighs that were caging her on both sides.


    He was teasing her clitoris back and forth. She was so wet. She bit her lower lip and let out a soft cry.


    Shao Yan breathed in his name, "Xiqing.." she was restless. She wanted more.


    He almost lost it when he heard Shao Yan called him so intimately for the first time. But this was not his night. It was hers.


    Shao Yan could feel his erection pressing behind her. But she was in euphoria, she couldn''t think of anything else.


    He stroke her clitoris softly. She moaned.. and gasped.. and sighed.. Li Xiqing loved to hear her voices, she sounded so.. erotic!


    His left hand was resting on her chest, hugging her from behind, and held onto her right shoulder. She leaned her face at the crook of his arm. She opened her legs further apart, allowing him to touch her more.


    "Xi.. Qing.." She could feel it coming soon.


    Her breath was blazing hot. And then she threw her head to the back when the ecstasy overcame her. He squeezed her breast softly. She let out a soft cry as she called out his name.


    .....


    She leaned weakly onto him and collected her whole self. He kissed her head gently. And then her earlobe. Her neck was open to his view, her skin had turned so pink. He could see her perky nipples. So sexy.


    He used his left fingers to softly pinched them and ran his tongue all over her earlobe and neck, tasting her skin and bit her lightly on the shoulder. His right hand was slowly caressing her - under the thigh, to her butt, calming her down. Or was he actually igniting her fire?


    After a while, his fingers slowly searched for her again. He touched her clitoris, and his fingers slid down, finding her wetness. He hesitated for a while before he slipped in his middle finger into her. She gasped in pleasure.


    He sucked her neck and then kissed it slow. His hand squeezed her breast again.


    His fingers slowly moving inside her, tormenting her in and out while his thumb stroke her clitoris gently.


    After a while, she felt she was on the edge of another orgasm. Her breathing grew heavier, she clutched onto his arm.


    Li Xiqing was still kissing her back, her shoulder, he was still kneading her breasts and still teasing her clitoris nonstop.


    "Xi.." she gasped.


    "No.."


    "Ah.." she moaned.


    Her body slowly shook. And then the tremor came again.


    Shao Yan bit into his arm that was now hugging her close while her body was shaking. Her soft cries while she came drove him mad.


    Before she got the chance to rest, his hand took her chin and brought her lips to him. He kissed her mouth hungrily.


    His hand did not stop fondling her breast and pinching her hardened nipples. His other fingers never left her clitoris that was still on fire, bringing her to orgasm after orgasm.


    Shao Yan came again and again while kissing him passionately.

 Chapter 60 - Be Patient

    Shao Yan was laying weakly in his embrace. The water was already cold. Li Xiqing picked her up, and put her to sit on the edge of the tub.


    She was leaning on his chest and he supported her while he picked up the towel on the side. He slowly started to wipe her body so she would not get cold.


    He wiped her face gently, and then he kissed her forehead.


    He wiped her neck, her breasts and then her arms. And he kissed her mouth. Nibbled her lips for a while, and danced with her tongue. He had to force himself to stop. If he continued, Shao Yan would get sick from exhaustion.


    He softly sighed.


    Li Xiqing propped her up. He continued to wipe her tummy. And then he bended on one knee and wiped her legs one by one. And then he turned her around and wiped her back, her bottom and her thighs. And then he kissed her butt cheek.


    After he was done, he picked her up, and walked back to the bedroom.


    .....


    Li Xiqing put her inside the blanket, and covered her. He softly kissed her forehead and stared gently into her eyes, before he strode to the bathroom to drain the tub.


    When he came back, he saw Shao Yan, who was wrapped inside the blanket, had peeked her head from the blanket and was looking at him.


    Her eyes still had traces of her passion and her cheek was blushing. Li Xiqing smiled at her and walked to the bed.


    Shao Yan saw him walking closer. His body was still fully naked, but she stared boldly. She only realized now, he had a very nice physique. His sculpted chest muscles, his lean waist, his sturdy long legs, and his strong.. umm.. brother, was looking proudly at her.


    Shao Yan gulped.


    She felt her face was so warm. She pulled the corner of the blanket slightly up to cover her cheek. But she still could not take her eyes off of his whole beautiful self.


    When he was closer, Shao Yan lifted the blanket a little for him. After he settled in, he scooped her into his embrace, and hold her before closing his eyes and relaxed himself to sleep.


    .....


    Ah??


    Just sleep like this??


    .....


    "Xiqing.." she called him softly.


    Li Xiqing opened his eyes and looked at her, "En? Are you cold?"


    Shao Yan shook her head, contemplating if she should say it. She debated for a while, and said, "You.. You are not done yet."


    Li Xiqing saw her face was blushing a shade deeper. He was turned on again. Damn it! Why did she has to be this seductive!


    Li Xiqing calmed himself down, "I''m fine. Let''s sleep. We are both so tired." he kissed her cheek.


    "Be patient. We have many more nights in the future" he smiled with his eyes already closed and snuggled to her hair.


    ...


    ...


    (��?��)!


    She''s not patient?!


    Shao Yan was dumbfounded. She was clearly already asleep. But he had to tease her like that until she.. She..


    (�s����㣩�s�� �ߩ���


    And multiple times too!!


    And now he said she''s not patient??


    Shao Yan was so angry, she slapped his arm and pinched his cheek.


    Li Xiqing laughed out loud, and held her hands in front of them, caging her down. He wanted to say something, but suddenly he stopped. He indeed had forgotten something.


    .....


    Li Xiqing slowly raised himself a little and reached out to the bedside drawer and took something out. It''s a long rectangular shaped box made of purple velvet.


    Shao Yan was looking at him, puzzled. He opened the box, and from it, Shao Yan could see a chain of necklace. It was a simple gold chain with a small pendant.


    The pendant was a cherub, she was half sitting and half standing on a crescent moon, looked like she was about to fly away with one hand stretched out to a star. The crescent moon had three diamonds at the bottom where she sat. On the cherub''s hand, she was holding a star, which was also made from diamond.


    Li Xiqing took the necklace out, and unclasped the hook. He put the necklace on her while she was still feeling confused. Uh.. why did he suddenly give this?


    After he was done, and swiped her hair back, he looked at her. His hand traced the chain on her neck and then held the pendant with his fingertips. The necklace now sat perfectly on her neck.


    "Behind the cherub, you will see one character engraved on it." he paused and then he looked up at her, "It''s ''Qing'', and I''m forever yours, Shao Yan".


    He smiled and then quickly kissed her forehead to hide his stiff smile. He was feeling really awkward. He was not used to saying such words to a woman. But today was special for them, he wanted her to remember their journey together.


    Shao Yan did not know what to say. This man kept offering himself shamelessly to her. She did not have any chance to refuse or to escape anymore.


    Shao Yan did not say anything for a while, so Li Xiqing thought she had fallen asleep. But all of a sudden, he heard her whispers, "Why did you give me a necklace today? It''s not even my birthday."


    Li Xiqing looked at her. The lights had been turned off, except for a small light from the bathroom. Her face was so soft and tender, and her sleepy round eyes were looking at him.


    He knocked his fingers onto her forehead, "You didn''t hear what I say in the tub just now, did you?"


    Shao Yan could feel her cheek slowly heated up again. She was so busy trying to hold herself together earlier, of course she could not pay attention to anything else!


    Li Xiqing did not continue to tease her, he softly chuckled, "It''s our 100 days together. I have had this cherub with me for a while. And now she finally found the right owner."


    He seemed to want to say something more, but he quickly continued, "I''ll tell you the story next time. Let''s sleep now. We are both so tired already."


    Shao Yan saw his eyes changed a little just now, and she wanted to ask more. But she was indeed so tired. After climaxing multiple times, her energy were all drained. She reluctantly agreed, and slowly relaxed back on the bed.


    She was much more relaxed now. No more tensed muscle and she slowly became drowsy. Not long after, accompanied by the steady breathing from the man beside her, Shao Yan swiftly fell asleep.


    He watched her sleep. His arms under her head and he ran his fingers through her hair, a gentle smile on his face.


    Perhaps, she was having a good dream; unconsciously, she scooted closer and smiled.


    .....


    When Shao Yan woke up the next day, the man beside her was no longer there. The space where he slept before, was already cold.


    She got up, and quickly went to bathroom to shower and get dressed.


    After the anniversary project was done, Shao Yan and her team were given two days off. For once, she didn''t know what to do. So while she was showering, she started to plan on her schedules for these two days.


    Shao Yan decided that first, she would clean his apartment. Then, she would go back and clean hers.


    Since the theme for her day off was ''cleaning'', she also decided to bring her camera for photoshoot outing. She wanted to ''clean'' her exhausted soul.


    Alright! Good plan, Shao Yan.


    ?( ? �� ~ �� ? )?


    ++


    A huge thank you to _MiniAce_ for some of the inspirations *wink*

 Chapter 61 - I Miss You

    It was already noon when she was done with cleaning his place. Shao Yan took her keys and left the house, to the parking garage.


    Li Xiqing brought her to his home frequently now, and she always didn''t get the chance to drive her own car anymore. She complained to Li Xiqing about this. But his solution was:


    "Here, take it." and Li Xiqing handed a set of car keys to her. Shao Yan looked at him puzzled. "If I drive your car, then what about you?"


    "That''s not mine. That''s my sister''s. After she got married, she followed her husband to move to London. I sent it to Polo for maintenance check last week. It is all good, and you can drive it."


    "But don''t get too pampered with it, alright," he rubbed her hair, and continued, "The car was bought by her husband when they got married, so she would have her own reliable vehicle when she''s visiting city S."


    ��..


    Shao Yan just reached the parking garage, and looked for the car that Li Xiqing told her about. She pressed the remote around, and finally a sound rang from her left corner. Shao Yan walked over.


    It''s a Jaguar F-pace SUV in white color.


    Shao Yan walked around the car and stared for a while.


    Very luxurious! She was excited. Now she knew why Li Xiqing told her not to get too pampered. Whoa! Big Sis! You''re amazing! Who was this man that you''re married to! Just for a spare car, yet he got you a Jaguar?!


    She got in and adjusted the mirrors, and she was ready to drive back to her apartment.


    When she reached her apartment, Shao Yan quickly did her laundry.


    Qi Ling was on the road again; she would be away for almost two months this time. She flew to Tokyo last night. And then it would be Madrid, Paris, London, Delhi and New York. Shao Yan really could not figure out how she could live a life so hectic like that.


    She cleaned the whole house. When she was finally done, she cooked a simple omelette for lunch. Around late afternoon, she finally decided to leave the house to hunt for some pictures.


    Shao Yan put on her hat, and carried her camera bag and left the house.


    .....


    The sun was shining so brightly today, not even a speck of cloud could be seen in the blue sky. It''s very rare to have such a clear weather.


    City S on weekdays and Shao Yan was not working. She actually felt so refreshed being amongst the normal people.


    She decided to take her camera to the riverside. The last time she went there was around sunset, and she saw many kids were running around with colorful balls. So she thought this time would be interesting as well.


    When Shao Yan reached the riverside, from afar she saw a crowd of people and many colorful banners. There was a sports event going on there. She saw colorful posters and some students were walking around and approaching people to tell them about the event. Shao Yan was intrigued by the lively atmosphere and quickly strode over.


    .....


    It''s a ''Summer and Sports Festival'' hosted by the local university nearby, and it''s open to the public.


    Shao Yan decided to explore around. She wanted to take a lot of pictures and also snack on a lot of things. As she was exploring around, Li Xiqing''s call came in.


    "I miss you" his soft gentle voice suddenly sounded in her ears, making her blushed. Her hand unconsciously held her necklace, and her fingertips played around the little cherub.


    Shao Yan instantly smiled, and she just bowed her head down and nodded. She realized that he couldn''t see her, so she answered, "En." she paused for a while. And then she still decided to add, "I miss you too" she spoke so so soft.


    "Have you eaten?" he spoke to her so gently.


    Shao Yan was walking around the food stands now, "Uh huh. I cooked an omelette before I left the house. What about you?" Shao Yan subconsciously spoke softer as well.


    Li Xiqing could hear she was somewhere outside. "Tempura bento. Where are you now?"


    He had been busy with new employee training and his office set up today and he only had a short break before the next meeting would begin. So he quickly took the chance to call her.


    "I was walking around with my camera, and then I saw this festival was going on by the riverside. So I just got curious and now I''m here wandering around" she laughed.


    Her joy was transmitted over the phone, tickled his hear softly and Li Xiqing smiled too. Shao Yan could hear his deep chuckles in her ears.


    "Alright, be careful okay? I will come home earlier for dinner." and then he paused for a while, seemed wanting to say something, but he held it back.


    Shao Yan didn''t notice this, and just said goodbye and hung up.


    She held her cheeks for a moment.


    Alright, Shao Yan, let''s continue your adventure here!


    .....


    Shao Yan was having fun, taking a lot of pictures and also snacking around. she even participated in some games - that she failed miserably.


    Shao Yan quickly decided that she was not lucky in games, and would just continue with picture hunting and food hunting.


    Kids ran around her, and they were carrying their trophies from winning the games. Shao Yan also wandered around them and captured their happy moments with her camera.


    She also saw a lot of seniors today. Old couple walked hand in hand while accompanying their grandkids, and she managed to capture their gentle eyes that basked with warmth.


    The next path she walked on was an open field with man-made walls from paper board. She approached the crowd in front of the board and saw a wall full of doodles.


    She stopped on her track and reached for her cameras. Shao Yan started to take pictures of some of the drawings and writings closed up. Girls would write love confession on the wall, hoping that their crush would see them. Guys would also wrote love confession here under the threats of their girlfriend to declare their love to each other.


    Shao Yan laughed while reading some of the contents and drawings. Kids nowadays were so cute! Some of the words were too cringy to read out loud! Everyone was very much straightforward compared to her generation.


    She was smiling happily when suddenly some of the past memories fleeted by, haunting her.

 Chapter 62 - Stupid Shao Yan

    Liwei loved to draw and study. Those were the two hobbies he had. He was a model student with straight A marks. He spent his days hanging out with some of his friends with similar hobbies, instead of creating ruckus on the street.


    On his spare times, he would tutor students with weak performance and helped teachers with some tasks.


    His brain and his hobbies earned him a reputation of being the golden child of the campus. The role model student who was so pure and was idolized by many female students.


    His look was decent and he was the teachers'' favorite student. The so called ''ideal boyfriend'' gradually was labelled on his back.


    Shao Yan was lucky because her roommate''s brother who was Liwei''s roommate. When Liwei courted her, it was the most traditional method ever. He would sent drawings and love letters to her.


    Shao Yan smiled bitterly.


    Ever since she decided to leave him four years ago, she tried her best not to mourn and not to think of anything from the past anymore.


    That''s why she burned everything she had gotten from Liwei before she came back. What she couldn''t burn, she threw them away. She cut her relationships with all their mutual friends too, and decided to move back to the country. She did not go back to their old city, city B. Instead, she decided to move to a totally new city, city S.


    That''s why she didn''t even have any pictures or anything from the past to put on her desk at her apartment or office. She simply wanted to start a new blank page.


    But today''s event brought a lot of memories back.


    The air and the festivities reminded her of her university days. Her days with Liwei.


    .....


    !! PLAK PLAK !!


    Shao Yan patted her face loudly. Stupid Shao Yan!! Move on! You have a new life now!


    She scolded herself, and then took a deep breath. After taking several deep breaths, she decided to leave the area. She didn''t want to ruin the happiness that she currently had by visiting the useless past.


    Maybe she should go to the night market next door to cheer up her sullen mood. Shao Yan looked at her watch and see that it''s almost five, so the market would open soon.


    She took out her phone and texted Li Xiqing, telling him of her new plan.


    Li Xiqing replied right away that his meeting was almost done, and he would meet her there at the night market.


    Unbeknownst to her, a pair of eyes had been following her ever since she was spotted entering the festival area. And kept following her all day, until she decided to leave for the night market.


    ��..


    Before she left the festival, Shao Yan accidentally saw something interesting.


    It was a carving from candle. It was of a couple; a tall man with black hair in suit, sitting on a chair arrogantly like a king on his majestic throne. One hand rested on the arm of the chair, while the other hand was hugging a waist of a woman.


    A woman with shoulder length hair in yellow dress was sitting on his lap, with her arms around his neck, acted like a haughty pampered miss.


    Her eyes twinkled. This figurine''s physiques looked exactly like Li Xiqing and her.


    Shao Yan approached the artist and asked if she could buy it from her.


    "I''m sorry miss, but this was supposed to be a sample for display. If you want, I can create a new one for you. You can pick it up tomorrow."


    Shao Yan was delighted, so she agreed right away. They finalized the transaction. The artist told Shao Yan that she could come to collect it tomorrow after lunch time as she would only be here at noon.


    Shao Yan nodded and then started to walk to the entrance of the night festival.


    .....


    Shao Yan walked leisurely from the festival venue to the night market. Along the way, she took a lot of pictures of scenery.


    When she arrived at the gate of the night market, Li Xiqing call came in.


    "I''m leaving the office now, I should be there in twenty minutes. Wait for me near the entrance gate, alright?"


    Shao Yan could hear his hurried solid steps through the phone.


    "Alright. Don''t rush. I just arrived here as well."


    ��..


    Shao Yan obediently stood near the entrance of the night market while waiting for him. She was playing with her phone, happily browsing around her social media. She posted some pictures that she took today, while ignoring all the other people bustling around her.


    All of a sudden, an arm held her waist and pulled her closer. Shao Yan yelped. She bumped into his solid chest and saw his gentle eyes right away.


    "I''m sorry, I''m late" Li Xiqing kissed her cheek and smiled.


    Shao Yan blushed, and tried to wriggle out of his arms, "You''re not late. I don''t think I waited for a long time."


    She grabbed his fingers and started to drag him, "Let''s go, it''s just started." They walked hand in hand, and strolled deeper into the market.


    .....


    The market was bustling with a lot of different carts. Each cart would have colorful poster hung around it to attract customers. Most of them would sell finger foods or snacks. Others would sell dessert or beverages or just prepackaged souvenirs.


    There were some tents for people to sit down, and also some tents that were set up for games.


    A lot of families with kids were exploring the area. Children would run around while looking at interesting snacks. Shao Yan and Li Xiqing enjoyed the hustle and bustle of the night in high spirits.


    Some of the sellers would be yelling out the food name or giving out samples to entice the hungry people. Shao Yan happily sampled some. She did not forget to also dragged Li Xiqing to try them along the way.


    Li Xiqing had eaten with Shao Yan almost every day now, and he knew how she loved foods. But the Shao Yan tonight really surprised him. Apparently, she really loved to snack!


    She was always attracted to foods that looked appetizing, and she would not hesitate to buy them.


    She kept trying different snacks along the way. She would buy and eat while they were walking around to explore the area. He would sometimes stole a bite from her skewers or wiped the corner of her mouth while she was distracted.


    After snacking for a while, they finally decided to have chuan chuan for dinner.


    They ordered a pot of spicy and non spicy bone broth and also several plates of side dishes. Since Shao Yan and Li Xiqing both loved innards, so they ordered varieties of cow intestines, chicken gizzards, chicken gristle, chicken liver, beef tongue, and lots of mushrooms and vegetables.


    "Are you sure you can eat all these?" Li Xiqing opened the wrapper of a wet paper napkins, and passed it to her.


    She took it and looked at him puzzled, "Why? I love innards. Don''t you?" She tried to remember what they ordered just now, while wiping her hands.


    Li Xiqing poured some tea into her cup and passed it to her, "I do. But we have been snacking on a lot of things just now." He rubbed her hair, "I''m just worried that you will be too stuffed."


    Shao Yan grinned, "I don''t know why but my appetite is so good today. I didn''t eat a lot of snacks actually" she stuck out her tongue, "You were the one who actually ate them all" and then she chuckled.


    Li Xiqing was stunned. And then he realized that he had indeed been eating a lot today. He sighed inwardly. This girl must be on a mission to fatten him up!


    He slowly touched his waist. Wife! Will you leave me if I became fat??


    (??_??)


    +++


    chuan chuan is another version of hotpot where the food was put on bamboo sticks and dipped into the pot of broth.

 Chapter 63 - Breakfast For Him

    After they finished all the food, Li Xiqing went up to pay, while Shao Yan stepped out of the tent for a fresh air.


    She saw the crowds were still busy around her even though it was already late at night.


    When Li Xiqing stepped out, he saw she was standing quietly on the side, just watching the people walking passed her.


    He was watching her, while she was watching others. Her eyes would sometimes curved, showing her light mood. Her lips would pucker at the sights of mischievous kids. Everything looked tranquil. But something about her solemn expression made him feel uneasy. He hastily strolled over.


    "What are you doing?" He rubbed her hair. She looked up at him, and grabbed his hand, "Nothing. I''m just feeling very happy. Very content." She gave him a soft smile.


    Li Xiqing linked their fingers together, he leaned closer and kissed the top of her head, "As long as you''re happy, that is enough." He looked down into her eyes, and returned her smile.


    Shao Yan took a deep breath and slowly exhaled.


    And then suddenly she was pumped up, "Xiqing, let''s walk another round, to that side. Let''s explore that area." She poked his tummy, "You have eaten a lot, Mister."


    He caught her fingers, brought them up and kissed them, "And whose fault do you think that is?"


    She grinned at him cheekily.


    But before she answered, he continued, "So.. How do you think you should pay me back?" His lips were still kissing her fingertips, while his eyes stared deeply into hers.


    She called his name multiple times when she came. Now, everytime she called him, his inner beast somehow would... wake up.


    Shao Yan could feel his scorching touch going all over her skin even though he was only staring at her. A blush crept up to her cheek and she was getting restless, "D.. Don''t joke around. Let''s go!"


    ��..


    Shao Yan woke up early the next day. She wanted to make a simple breakfast for Li Xiqing. Although she couldn''t cook anything fancy, at least she knew how to prepare toast and fried egg for him.


    Shao Yan hustled about in the kitchen for a while. When she was done, Li Xiqing just came out of the bedroom, all dressed up and was ready to go to the office.


    He was surprised when he saw the dining table was set up with breakfast.


    He walked over to her, his eyebrows were raised, and he looked at her, "For me?"


    He was pleasantly surprised. Shao Yan woke up early to prepare breakfast for him. Li Xiqing was speechless for a while, he crossed the distance between them in a quick steps and wrapped her in his arms, he hugged her tightly.


    "Thank you, wifey" he planted a soft kiss on her cheek.


    Shao Yan''s cheek turned so red, she slapped his chest, "Who''s your wife!!"


    She wriggled out but Li Xiqing locked her tight and still grinning.


    She was exhausted, she relented "Alright, I know" she sighed, "Let''s eat now, you''ll be late.", this man was so strong! She couldn''t even move a single of his muscles.


    Li Xiqing kissed her cheek again, and finally let her go. He held her hand and he sat down, and then he pulled Shao Yan to sit on his lap.


    "Don''t fool around, come on let me go", Shao Yan got up and tried to leave, but he pulled her back, hugged her waist and locked her on his lap.


    "I''ve missed you so much lately. Let me do this once, alright?" And then he started eating while holding her with one arm.


    Shao Yan really felt helpless. Li Xiqing was really clingy lately. And shameless!


    .....


    When she walked with him to the foyer, he suddenly stopped and turned around, "What is your plan for today?"


    Shao Yan was holding his mug, "I need to go back to the festival from yesterday. I bought something, and it will be ready later in the afternoon." she was standing on the side while he was putting on his shoes.


    "Alright, after that, do you want to come to the office?" and then he quickly clarified, "I mean AG International". He took his mug from her hands and sipped from it.


    Shao Yan contemplated for a while, and then she nodded, "Alright, text me the address, I will drive there after I''m done".


    Li Xiqing shook his head, "Just take the taxi, we will go home together anyway". Shao Yan took the mug back from his hand and she nodded.


    And then he pulled her hand, and kissed her lips, "Remember to miss me a lot today" and then he kissed her deeply, while pulling her waist onto his body. His broad palm was pressing her head close, keeping her still.


    Two tongues danced intimately for a long while, before she could feel his erection started to poke on her tummy, only then he slowly let her go.


    "I''m going now?" he was looking at her while he ran his hands over her hair. She was looking down at his bulge, her cheek was hot, and she just nodded. Unable to say anything else.


    Li Xiqing caressed her cheek softly, and then he stepped outside the door.


    ��..


    Shao Yan left the apartment slightly before lunch time and went straight to the festival to collect her candle.


    She remembered there was a lake nearby the festival that she forgot to take pictures from. So she brought her camera along with her again today.


    It was almost noon when she reached the lake side. Shao Yan was walking to the pavilion area in front of it for a better view, when suddenly a lot of kids ran towards her direction.


    !! BAMM !!

 Chapter 64 - Eternity Frame

    !! BAMM !!


    Shao Yan was knocked over and fell down to the ground.


    She felt her bottom was so painful after landed on the rough gravel. As she tried to get up, she hissed and winced as she realized that both of her palms were badly scraped.


    People nearby all stopped and was looking at her.


    Shao Yan saw someone walked to her, wanted to help her to get up. But suddenly, a pair of strong hands were already pulling her arm and helped her to stand up.


    "Are you alright?" a very rich baritone voice rang in her ears.


    Shao Yan dusted off her pants carefully, and blew slightly on her bloody palms. Then she lifted her face and looked at the person who just helped her.


    Very young face. Very skinny and very tall. His hair was dyed in light brown color, and he had earrings on both side of his ears.


    Shao Yan raised her eyebrows, his voice and his face did not match at all.


    "I''m fine, thank you." Shao Yan gave a polite smile.


    "Come with me. I will bring you to the medical team to clean your hands"


    Shao Yan saw that this guy was actually part of the organizer here. He had a lanyard with "Committee" sign on it. She wanted to refuse, but she saw her palms started to bleed again. So she reluctantly agreed.


    "Here, this way"


    He helped to gather her stuff that had fallen off from her purse. As she began to pick up her stuff, Shao Yan saw that her camera was broken. She was holding it while taking pictures of the pavilion just now.


    She looked down and felt so dispirited, thinking about how much she had to spend to fix it.


    After the man took everything with him, he walked ahead of Shao Yan while showing the direction.


    .....


    "Yu ge"


    A couple of medical students under a tent, greeted the tall young man. He nodded at them, and moved to the side, and they could see a young woman walk behind him.


    "Some kids knocked into her just now. She scraped her hands. Can you help to take a look?"


    One of the medical students smiled at Shao Yan, and showed her to a stool on the side, "Please sit down here, let me take a look at your hand"


    Shao Yan smiled back at her and sat down. She offered her palm to her, and the female student took it gently.


    The female student started to clean and dress her wound. While the other medical student, a male, started chatting with the skinny tall guy.


    "Senior, did you just come from the inspection area?" he offered him a cup of water.


    The tall guy nodded. He was playing around with Shao Yan''s camera, "Tell Big Dao that the south fence need more ropes. I saw some kids were playing with it just now. I''m afraid the fence would fall down soon" he told the student without lifting his head.


    The male student also gave Shao Yan a cup of water, "Please drink. It''s hot outside."


    After the male student passed the water to Shao Yan, he took out his phone and dialed someone named Big Dao and relayed the message about the fence.


    .....


    Shao Yan was looking at the skinny guy who was playing with her camera. She was worried that he would make the broken part to be worsen.


    "Um.. Can you please not touch it carelessly. It''s fragile, I will bring it for repair later. Don''t worry about it" it was her first camera that she owned. She was particularly attached to this one as it had sentimental value.


    The tall man looked up at her and paused for a while. He seemed to want to say something. He opened his mouth, but then he hesitated. He closed it again.


    After a while he looked down again at the camera and said, "You won''t be able to. ''Eternity Frame'' closed this week. My dad is visiting relatives in Q city."


    Shao Yan nodded, "Oh, I see." and then she thought for a while.


    ...


    ...


    Huh?


    Shao Yan was confused. "How did you know about Eternity Frame?"


    The tall guy put the camera on the table, and then walked to the sink to wash his hands. He walked to another side of the tent that were piled with bags, and opened one of it. He took out a bottle of liquid and a cloth. And then he started to clean her camera.


    Shao Yan was looking at him, and started to pay more attention. His face looked familiar, but where did she see him before?


    He knew Eternity Frame and Eternity Frame was a camera shop owned by Liwei''s friend...


    ��


    ...


    Oh!


    Zhong Yu??


    Shao Yan big round eyes were looking at the tall guy now. She remembered him now.


    Zhong Yu. Liwei''s roommate.


    She remembered Zhong Yu as Liwei''s tall and nerdy friend who did not speak much whenever they met for meals. But he looked so different now. He didn''t have any glasses anymore, and his hair was much shorter than before. And dyed light color! Wait.. and he had earrings too?


    ��..


    After a while, Zhong Yu finally spoke up, "I''ve cleaned the body, but there are some parts that you will need to replace."


    The female medical student just finished dressing her hands, and stood up to keep the medications away.


    Shao Yan looked at him, and he was typing on his phone, "Let me order those parts for you. If all goes well, they should arrive from Hong Kong next week."


    And then he suddenly looked up and stared at her. "So.. Do you remember me now?"


    .....


    Shao Yan paused for a while and then she shook her head. "I''m sorry, but I''m really bad with faces and names." she did not even want to pretend to ask if they had met before.


    Zhong Yu was looking intently at her. He did not move his gaze away, seemingly thinking of something.


    Shao Yan thought she saw a glimpse of disappointment from his eyes just now, before he looked down to her camera again.


    He sighed softly and then stood up. He went around several tables and was searching for something. He opened all the drawers near him.


    Shao Yan bit her lower lips, she felt awkward, she felt she might have offended him. But she had decided to cut all the past. There was no use to grief over it anymore.


    Zhong Yu finally found a piece of paper, and started to write something.


    When he finished, he put it on the table near her, "These are the parts that I just ordered for you. You can come to Eternity Frame next week to repair your camera."


    He stood up and refill his water cup. Shao Yan took the paper that he left on the table and started reading.

 Chapter 65 - Her Home

    Shao Yan stared at the piece of paper. After reading for a moment, she quickly tidied up her stuff, and stood up. She turned around and grabbed her purse that she had put behind her. She hastily shoved the paper inside one of the pocket, and swiftly picked it up.


    She turned back to the female student, "Thank you again for your help today. I have to leave now." She nodded to the other male student, and then she turned to face Zhong Yu. She seemed wanting to say something, but then she changed her mind. Zhong Yu raised his brows, and was about to say something, before she just nodded and quickly left the medical tent.


    .....


    After she exited the medical tent, Shao Yan was trying to figure out her way to the candle artist. Her mind kept thinking about the piece of paper, and she lost her way multiple times.


    She sighed and exhaled loudly and then she looked down. Some students saw her squatting down and was worried. They quickly approached her.


    "Miss, are you alright?" the three students looked at Shao Yan, their face were filled with worry. She looked up, and gave a small smile, "I''m fine. I''m just frustrated, I can''t find the candle artist." she smiled apologetically.


    "Oh!" one of the student exclaimed loudly, "I know the way. Let us walk with you there."


    Shao Yan slowly stood up, and put her hands up, "No, No, it''s okay, just tell me where to go, I can go there by myself." The student patiently explained the direction for her. After she confirmed the correct way, Shao Yan gave a little bow to say thank you, and then she left.


    After walking around for a while, Shao Yan finally found the candle artist right away. She collected her candle, and then walked to the exit. There was a taxi that just stopped in front of the entrance, and Shao Yan got into it. She gave him the address that Li Xiqing had texted her, and they slowly drove away.


    Gradually, her restless heart finally settled down.


    .....


    After about twenty minutes ride, Shao Yan finally arrived in the new office of AG International.


    It was a fairly new building compared to the building that housed Gold Crane publications. With a total of 30 floors, this building was the tallest building in South city area. Li Xiqing leased three floors from this building; floor 15 to 17.


    Floor 15 was reception area, break room and meeting rooms. Floor 16 was for local personnel, and Floor 17 was the offices for executives from other branches to use when they visited the country.


    Shao Yan got out of the taxi and looked up at the building. The sky was clear today and the sun was shining brightly. Shao Yan squinted her eyes, and smiled slightly. Li Xiqing worked really hard to this day. She was feeling an immense pride in her heart.


    She happily walked inside the building and looked for the elevator lobby area.


    .....


    Li Xiqing had told Shao Yan to go straight to floor 15 as he would be having a meeting with his employees there.


    When Shao Yan arrived at floor 15, she saw the company sign right away.


    Big, bold and so majestic. The signage was displayed with marvel of arrogance. She smiled in her heart, it really reflected Li Xiqing''s attitude here. As she gave more thoughts into it, she could not help but released a little chuckle.


    Shao Yan kept smiling. Somehow she felt like she''s in a safe place. She felt like ... she''s home.


    That''s right. She had Li Xiqing now. He was her happiness. He was her home.


    She took a deep breathe and exhaled slowly. And then she entered the lobby.


    .....


    A woman was sitting behind a clear desk in the reception area. She had put on a modest outfit of light grey jacket and white blouse. Paired with light grey dress pants, and black pump heels, she represented the image that AG International wanted to portray: Casual yet all about business.


    She happened to look up from her computer when Shao Yan pressed the bell. She pushed the button that opened the door for Shao Yan, and gave a polite smile.


    When Shao Yan stepped in, she gave a quick glance around the reception area.


    It was a small room, mainly decorated in white. Few white plush sofas were placed in the middle of the room with white coffee table. The table was covered in thin glass, and on top of it, was a pot of pink Azalea plants. On the side of the wall stood a miniature of water fountain. An abstract painting with symphony of grey and white was hung on another side of the room with gold frame.


    The white room, along with the soft pink flower and sound of ripples of water brought in a serene and peaceful feeling to whoever was sitting here.


    The receptionist stood up when Shao Yan just walked in. Shao Yan didn''t know what to say, so she said, "Uhm, I''m here to see Li.. Ah, I mean Daniel. I''m here to see Daniel Li."


    The receptionist smiled politely at her, "My apology, Miss, may I know if you have any appointment with us? Mr. Li''s schedule is actually full today, and he is not expecting anyone." The receptionist was typing on her computer, trying to find out the company events calendar.


    Before Shao Yan replied her, the clear glass door that separated the lobby and the inner office area suddenly was opened from the inside. Li Xiqing strode out. He saw her right away.


    He was about to check if Shao Yan had arrived, but he was surprised to see that she was already standing here in front of him.


    "Why didn''t you call me?" he quickly walked closer, and he spoke so gently at Shao Yan.


    Receptionist lady was stunned, she had never heard her boss speaking so softly before. But she kept a polite smile plastered on her face.

 Chapter 66 - Mother Hen Boyfriend

    Ms. Receptionist inner self had her jaw dropped when she was looking at how Mr. Li treated this lady.


    Mr. Li was so handsome, so charming and so smart. But ''gentle'' was not what everyone would have described him as.


    Ever since Mr. Li interviewed her for the job, until today, he was only stern and strict to his employees. He was famous for being a no nonsense leader. All the employees had also met Martin and Karl, who were the other owner of AG International. But Mr. Li was the only one that the employees were most revered of.


    Mr. Li was not a cold leader. He would engage in conversations with other employees. He would also go out to lunch with them. But as everyone had testified, all of the conversations with him would be strictly about work and business; and he would not answer to any personal questions - no matter how generic they were.


    He did not rule by fear. The employees were not scared of him, but instead, they felt a deep sense of respect towards him.


    ....


    Ms. Receptionist looked at Shao Yan carefully, scrutinizing her from head to toe. She somewhat could guess what their relationship is.


    This lady was looking at Mr. Li who was walking closer to her. His eyes were looking at the lady with such a gentle look. This lady gave him a small smile and blushed slightly, and answered him in soft voice, "I also just arrived and was about to call you. I''m afraid that you are busy, so I changed my mind."


    Mr. Li was standing in front of the lady. He put his hand gently on her head and rubbed her hair. He looked down at her eyes and then he smiled, "You should have called me".


    He motioned her to start walking. He put his hand on the small of her back and then they walked together to enter the inner office area, "I will still pick it up no matter how busy I am. Remember that, alright?"


    The lady looked up at him, she gave a little nod and smiled back. And then they disappeared behind the glass door.


    Ms. Receptionist now understood that this was their future lady boss. Or maybe she was already her lady boss?!


    Not to be trifled with ah~ !!


    She quickly returned to her desk and logged into the office chat group, and spread the news to everyone.


    .....


    Li Xiqing brought her to his office on floor 17. It was a spacious room with mainly white and silver color scheme. Very clean and simple.


    When Shao Yan entered the room, she saw a huge contemporary glass desk and a comfortable white chair greeted her view.


    The table had a wooden base, with clear thick glass on top. Behind it, was a huge floor to ceiling windows; spread throughout the wall from one end to another end.


    To her left, was a seating area. Three chairs from white velvet cloth and another three chairs from grey velvet cloth were arranged in circle and faced another wall with windows that were spreading tall from the floor to ceiling. Everyone could have a good view of City S South side.


    To her right was a simple bar area. Arrays of rare whiskey, wine and Japanese sake bottles filled her view immediately.


    Li Xiqing walked over to the bar area and opened the fridge. He took out a mineral water bottle. He also grabbed two white mugs from the bar counter and then poured the water into the mug. He handed the mug to her, and Shao Yan reached out to take it. But before her hand touched the mug, he had put down the mugs. His hand had reached out and held her wrist. He frowned, "What happened? You''re hurt?"


    Li Xiqing pulled her to the sitting area to sit down. He sat next to her and held both of her palms. He was looking carefully at the bandages and then he looked up, "What happened?" he frowned slightly.


    Shao Yan saw his worry state, she felt guilty inside, "I went back to the festival. I told you I had to pick up something?" He did not respond to her question, and kept his stern gaze on her.


    She bit her lower lip, and slowly continued, "I was walking by the lake to take picture of the area, and then suddenly I was knocked over by bunch of kids." Shao Yan saw Li Xiqing''s face darkened in a second, his eyebrow was scrunched so tight, he looked so scary.


    "But!!" She quickly said, "But the medical team there helped me to clean my hands right away and they also put medication on it." she flipped her hands to show him "Here. Look. They''re fine."


    She put her hands down and covered his hands instead. She patted his hand, "I''m fine now." and then she added, "It doesn''t hurt anymore. Really." she waved her hands around in front of him, and smiled.


    Li Xiqing took her hands again, and looked all over them again. He was making sure everything was really fine. He felt heartache that he was not there for her. After he was convinced that her hands had been treated properly, he stood up, and walked over to the bar to bring the mugs back to the table.


    Shao Yan looked at his back view, and pursed her lips. Her mother hen boyfriend was really cute!


    Even now, while he walking, his back still looked so grumpy!


    (>0<;)


    .....


    Li Xiqing put the mug gently in her hands, and watched her finish her drink.


    Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. A head suddenly peeked from behind it. Karl had a big smile on his face, but he had both of his hands covered his eyes, "Am I disturbing anything? Any PG15 scene?"


    Shao Yan burst in laugh and looked at Li Xiqing. He helplessly shook his head, "Just come in already."


    Karl lowered his hands and grinned back, and then he opened the door wider before stepping inside. "Oh hey! Shao Yan!" Karl walked over with a big smile, and gave Shao Yan a brief hug.


    Shao Yan secretly felt relief that Karl was here, so Li Xiqing would not nag her anymore. At least for now.


    Karl sat down in front of the couple, and casually chatted with them about how his day had been. Not long after, Martin also entered the room.


    Li Xiqing had his hand on her thigh all this while. He turned to Shao Yan and squeezed the skin underneath his palm a little, "Go sit at my desk for a while. We are going to have a short discussion here. You can go have fun by yourself for a while, alright?"


    Shao Yan nodded, and patted the back of his hand, "En.. Don''t mind me, you guys continue." she stood up and smiled at Karl and Martin.


    She took her purse and then walked over to the huge clear desk, and sat behind it.

 Chapter 67 - Her Restless Heart

    Shao Yan sat behind the desk, and looked around his computer desk. Similar to his office at home, he did not like any clutter on his desk. Everything was arranged so neatly.


    She did not want to be nosy and look around his stuff, so she decided to keep herself busy with her phone.


    Li Xiqing looked up at her time to time. He saw she was so engaged with her tiny phone. He put his hand up to signal Karl and Martin to pause, and then he walked to her side.


    She saw a shadow was gradually approaching her, and Shao Yan looked up, only to see Li Xiqing was towering beside her.


    He smiled, and then opened his laptop and turned it on, "Use this, don''t just stare at your tiny screen"


    He rapped his knuckle on her forehead and then rubbed her head.


    Shao Yan smiled and whispered, "Thank you".


    Li Xiqing smiled back at her and kept his hand on the back of her head for a while, and then he went back to his seat and continued the discussion with Karl and Martin.


    .....


    The three of them were discussing seriously. She was listening every now and then. It seemed that the three of them were talking about how to manage three offices now that they have a new one.


    Sometimes they would unconsciously raise their voice because they get too excited. But most of the times, they were just talking normally, as if they were back to university days, and were just discussing normal college assignment over food in cafeteria.


    Shao Yan watched them for a while, they really looked like college kids now. She smiled.


    Very handsome three college kids.


    She propped both of her hands to support her chin and paid attention to Li Xiqing every single expression. They said men would look most handsome while concentrating.


    She blushed, it seemed that the saying was true after all. At least her man was the most dazzling of all.


    (��o?o��)?


    .....


    After watching for a while, Shao Yan was bored. She had browsed all of her social media, so she just sat around, and looked at the scenery outside.


    Occasionally, her sight would land back to her purse. And she would look away.


    And then she unconsciously would drift back and just stare at her purse for a while. Then she would look away.


    But she could not contain this curiosity that have been eating her mind.


    Shao Yan peeked at Li Xiqing, and saw that he was not paying attention to her. She moved slowly, and opened her purse.


    She took out the paper that she received from Zhong Yu earlier and opened it. She looked at it, read and re-read the content over and over again. It was a list of all the parts that she needed to buy to fix her camera.


    Shao Yan felt a headache was coming. Maybe she should not fix her camera after all? She did not want to go back to Eternity Frame.


    She took a deep breath and slowly let it out. Okay. She had decided. She would just let this camera go. It had been too old anyway. She gave a little nod to herself and then folded the paper back and put it inside her purse.


    She turned her chair around, decided to hide away from her purse and stared at the window behind her. Shao Yan lost in her thoughts.


    .....


    Li Xiqing was paying attention to all the things that she was doing. He saw her looked restless most of the time. He saw she was looking at the scenery and then dazed out of it.


    He also saw that she kept looking at her bag over and over again.


    And now, he saw that she was frowning at a piece of paper.


    His face darkened. What exactly had happened in the last few days? Who did she meet at the festival? And what was that paper about, to make her so restless like this!


    His jaw hardened and his eyebrow slightly scrunched. He had a feeling that something bad was coming.


    Karl and Martin sensed the change in his demeanor. Daniel''s eyes were showing a scary glint of coldness. They exchanged subtle glances at each other and then decided to keep neutral stance for now.


    .....


    "So when do you have to go back to New York?"


    Shao Yan was chewing on her braised pork, while asking Martin the question.


    After the meeting was done, Li Xiqing brought all of them to go to dinner together. There was a small restaurant nearby, opened by an old couple that had been in business for many years now.


    The four of them ordered all of the star dishes; steamed whole fish, braised pork in soy sauce and preserved vegetables, sea cucumber and mushrooms with garlic, salt and pepper stir fry squid, dry chili Chongqing style chicken, Mongolian stir fry beef, steamed tofu with soy minced pork, and hot plate mapo tofu.


    Martin looked back at Shao Yan and replied, "In about two weeks. We are wrapping up all the things here, so it should not be longer than that."


    Karl was busy with eating. His palate was adjusting well to Chinese food. Now, he knew some words of his favorite food. And whenever food was involved, it was easier to make conversation with the employees here.


    Li Xiqing ate in silence. He would still scoop some food to her plate every now and then. Shao Yan was also concentrating on their dinner, so she was in a happier mood, compared to before.


    Suddenly, Martin asked Shao Yan, "I heard, that you also live in city N before?" he used his chopsticks to take some salt pepper squid to his bowl.


    Shao Yan nodded, "En.. I lived there for few years." she was scooping the hot plate tofu for Li Xiqing.


    Their discussion now moved to what good food they could find in city N. Martin was a foodie, so he was interested to find new places to eat.


    .....


    Li Xiqing and Shao Yan decided to go home after dinner. Usually, Shao Yan would have told Li Xiqing to drive to her place. But she kept quiet this time.


    His hand was on top of the steering wheel, while she was staring outside the window. He turned to look at her, could not help himself from asking, "We''re going home now?" he asked her.


    Shao Yan who was looking at the view outside, turned to him and then she slowly nodded, "En.. Why? Do you have to stop somewhere first?"


    Li Xiqing didn''t answer, and just smiled at her. He took her hand and held it.


    Shao Yan squeezed his hand back, and they rode home in silence.

 Chapter 68 - His Restless Heart

    When they arrived home, Shao Yan took out the candle carving and gave it to Li Xiqing.


    Li Xiqing was puzzled when he took it from he hands, and then he opened it. Inside the box, was an intricate carving made from scented candle in shape of a couple.


    He lifted his gaze from the box and looked at her face, he tilted his head to the side. Shao Yan just kept smiling, and urged him to take it out.


    He opened the box and took out the candles and then he saw clearly how the figurine looked like.


    He smirked, "So.. Missus.. In your heart, I actually look like this?" he frowned unhappily.


    Li Xiqing poked at the figurine head, "This guy was not handsome, and looked grumpy. The only thing that was right from this was his possessiveness." he grinned and pointed to the figurine hand over the woman''s waist.


    Shao Yan rolled her eyes, and walked to the bedroom, "Just put it in the living room. They''re pretty and smell good"


    Li Xiqing smiled at her departing figure. He looked around and picked a spot in the living room. He kept staring at it like a fool, before he looked down to his feet and smiled at himself. He gave a little chuckles and then he walked to the bedroom as well.


    .....


    Shao Yan was taking a shower when Li Xiqing came in. He saw her stuff was lying around on the writing desk. He paused in his step, and then he walked over.


    He saw the paper was crumpled next to her purse, and he unruffled it.


    It was a list of camera accessories. And then at the bottom, there was a name of a shop and address scribbled at the end.


    And a signed off.


    Zhong Yu. Eternity Frame.


    Li Xiqing frowned. Why did Shao Yan seem so troubled because of this?


    He took out his phone and searched for ''Zhong Yu'' and ''Eternity Frame''.


    There was no picture of Zhong Yu. But Eternity Frame had been around for almost twenty years. It was an old camera shop , about forty minutes drive from here.


    .....


    Li Xiqing put the paper back, and opened her camera case. He was surprised to find a broken camera inside. He remembered that Shao Yan told him that she was knocked over.


    When he took the camera out, Shao Yan just finished the shower and was walking out in her pajamas.


    Li Xiqing turned around, "How did it become like this? Because those kids bumped into you?"


    Shao Yan walked over and nodded sadly, "Yes, but I think I don''t want to repair it. I will just buy a new one. This one is too old anyway."


    She saw the paper was fold neatly on the side, so she knew Li Xiqing must have seen it. She pointed to the paper, "You saw the list, the accessories must be expensive."


    Shao Yan turned around and walked to the bed and flipped open the blanket to climb in.


    "And after I think about it, the money spent for the accessories may be equal to buying a new one". After she leaned on the headboard, she smiled at him, "Don''t you think so?"


    Li Xiqing put the camera back inside, and he walked to her side. He kneeled on the floor and took her hands "They''re only scratches?"


    Shao Yan had took off the bandages from her palms, and he saw the scratches from the fall. He stood up, and walked out of the room. Shao Yan was puzzled. What was he doing? Where did he go?


    After a while, he came back with the first aid kit and back to kneeling on the floor by the bedside.


    "It may only be scratches, but don''t forget to put ointment on them." he reprimanded her gently. Shao Yan looked at him and smiled. She saw his tired face and she saw he was still in his working suit.


    But this man always put her as first priority over everything. She felt so touched.


    After he was done, he closed the box again and put it to the side. He stood up "Wait for me for a while. Let me take a shower first"


    She smiled back and nodded, and then he walked to the bathroom while undressing himself.


    .....


    Li Xiqing came out a while later, Shao Yan was playing a game on her phone.


    Li Xiqing got inside the blanket, and scooped her to lean in his embrace. He hugged her from behind, while she was still playing her game.


    "Give me a second, I''m almost done with this stage." she was concentrating and she let him did whatever he wanted to.


    Li Xiqing let her leaned on him. He had both of his hands wrapped around her waist and he put his chin on her shoulder, watching her game.


    He couldn''t resist to kiss her cheek, and then kiss another one.


    And then back to put his chin on her shoulder again.


    And then he kissed her cheek again. And her character in the game died.


    She turned and glared at him "You did that on purpose, didn''t you?"


    Li Xiqing gave her an innocent look, "What did I do? I didn''t do anything" and then he slowly closed in, and kissed the corner of her mouth, while taking her phone away and threw it somewhere.


    .....


    He closed in deeper, kept their lips linked together, brought her down until she laid on the bed underneath him.


    Shao Yan responded to his kisses, she circled her arms around his neck and kissed him back. He tightened his grip on her waist, and was more aggressive in kissing her tonight.


    He moved to her chin and lightly bit it. He kissed her jaw and then moved to her earlobe. He was searching for her fragrance. Searching for her warmth. Trying to assure himself of her presence.


    His arms tightened around her, and he buried his head in her neck, and snuggled in her hair. He could not resist to bite her neck a little, and then he trailed his kisses from her neck to her jaw and back to her mouth again.


    "Xiqing.." Shao Yan breathed softly against his face, her fingertips traced his lips. He caught her tips with his teeth and lightly bit into it. He licked it a little, and then kissed her lips again.


    Li Xiqing slowly let her go and stared at her glistening and swollen pink lips and then he looked up into her eyes, his eyes were dark and raging with desires.


    Her hands left his shoulders and moved down to his body, and to his waist. She slipped her hand inside his shirt and touched his scorching skin


    and then she pulled him closer to her, "Let''s do it?"

 Chapter 69 - His Pain, Her Courage

    Li Xiqing continued kissing her. But he didn''t take anything further. His erection was pressing hard on her tummy, and that was making Shao Yan more restless.


    Her body was burning. She wanted him.


    His kisses suddenly slowed down and left her lips. She was laying down under him, looking at him with a blushing face and swollen pink lips. She looked so inviting, so turned on.


    He loomed on top of her, and gently caressed her cheek, tracing the soft skin with his fingertips. He controlled his breathing, trying to calm down.


    Her big round eyes were looking at him, questioning his abrupt halt. He saw her eyes were searching for his, and he saw that she was disappointed.


    He softly sighed. She must have misunderstood.


    "Yan Yan"


    He murmured her name, while trying with all his might to control his growing beast.


    He leaned his forehead on hers, "I am not in a good mood today. I am not happy" she heard Li Xiqing said that with his ever soothing voice.


    .....


    Shao Yan was surprised. She did not dare to move, she wanted him to continue his words. His words were laced with something that she did not understand... sulk? Pain? Loneliness?


    Her arms were wrapped around his waist. He could feel that she want to have a little distance between them so that she can see his face. She gave a little nudge to push him, but he stopped her.


    "Let me finish first, alright?" he held her still while still leaning on her forehead.


    He closed his eyes and just stayed silent for a while, before he finally whispered.


    "Yan Yan, I care so much about you."


    He did not lean in anymore, but instead, he looked right into her eyes. One arm was propped next to her head, while other hand was tracing her face, caressing her hair.


    "Maybe I was just thinking too much, but what is it with the paper?" he searched her eyes, "You were so distracted because of it the whole day."


    He saw her eyes gradually cleared up, and she slightly furrowed the soft area between her eyebrows. She lightly bit on her lower lip.


    His heart squeezed. He was right. It had something to do with the past.


    .....


    Shao Yan''s heart lurched when she heard him said that he was not in a good mood, that he was not happy. She was even more surprised that he knew it was because of the paper.


    She slowly took a deep breath. One of her hands that were hugging his waist, slowly left his skin from the back. She touched his face. Her fingertips were tracing his eyebrows, she was choosing her words.


    Li Xiqing patiently waited for her. He never left his sight from her face. He took in everything he saw. He did not want to miss every single expressions.


    He saw all of her inner struggles within her. Her surprise when he said that. Her pain, that came gradually after that.


    And then he saw her doubt. He saw she was debating on her words in her mind. He saw a light came through her darkness. And finally.. Her sprouting courage.


    .....


    ".... Xiqing.." she opened her mouth, and then she paused, she closed it again. She slowly chose her words before opened to say, "I met someone from the past today."


    She found her little courage was gradually growing stronger. She did not want to stop.


    "He was a friend from university" she looked into his eyes and then said, "He was that guy''s roommate".


    Li Xiqing did not know if he should feel relieve or not. He thought Zhong Yu was that guy. But apparently he was not -- so it''s good. Right?


    But for him to distract Yan Yan a lot .... He was not sure how to feel about that.


    Shao Yan did not see any change in Li Xiqing''s face, so she continued.


    "... I.. I was distracted because I was angry."


    She left his eyes, and looked down, at his chin, and then down to his Adam''s apple and finally his neckline.


    "When Liwei courted me in the past, he would send me his drawings and write me love letters."


    She paused, and he could feel her eyelashes slightly trembling. This was the first time he heard Yan Yan mentioned that guy''s name.


    His hand unconsciously clenched, and his heart felt so uncomfortable. He could feel his possessiveness over her was taking over his calmness.


    Shao Yan slowly continued, "I was angry because... " She was controlling her breathing and her chaotic emotions, "Because today I realized, that it was a lie."


    Her sight left his Adam''s apple and back to his eyes.


    "It was his handwriting" she paused, searching for his reaction. But he did not give any, he was still looking at her so gently and urged her to continue. She gradually calmed down.


    "Apparently, Zhong Yu was the one who sent those letters in the past."


    .....


    Li Xiqing slowly got up, and pulled her up with him. He leaned back to the headboard with her wrapped in his embrace.


    Shao Yan let him do everything, all she did was to wrap her arms around his waist too, and held him tight.


    Her head was resting on the crook of his neck, her soft breaths tickled his neckline. He leaned in his cheek on the top of her head. He was waiting for her to continue.


    Shao Yan did not know what else to say, but she knew this man was feeling insecure right now.


    She tightened her hold around him.


    "I was angry because I felt cheated. I felt I was being lied to. That the whole past was only a lie."


    She looked up, "But Xiqing, it will never affect the present me."


    She lifted her hand and touched his face. She put her hand on his cheek and looked into his eyes, "I am sorry that it made you feel insecure. But you have to know that my happiness is you. My home... is you, Li Xiqing."


    She waited for his stiff jaw to soften. She closed in and lightly brushed her lips on the corner of his lips.


    It was just a soft touch. But he could feel all of her emotions within that simple kiss. She wanted to reassure him. She knew words could be useless. So she chose to show it through her actions.

 Chapter 70 - Decided On Him

    She took the lead and started to kiss him slow. After that talk, she was engulfed with various emotions. She did not want to lose him. She wanted this happiness and she would not let anything get in their way.


    Li Xiqing could sense her change in emotion, so he let her be.


    At first, it started with small pecks all over his lips. She brushed her lips slightly over his mouth, teasing him. She licked his lips a little and then looked into his eyes, and smirked.


    She lowered her lips again and caught his lower lips and slowly nibbled it. His hands were initially only holding her waist, but he slowly wrapped around her and pulled her closer.


    .....


    As they were nibbling on each other, Shao Yan climbed onto him, and straddled him.


    She sat on his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck and deepened the kiss. His hands moved lower and supported her soft bottom that was snuggling comfortably on top of his manhood.


    She slipped her tongue into his mouth. Once or twice, her tongue would caress the roof of his mouth, driving him crazy.


    He started to take over the lead, and ferociously kissed her back. His hands started to trail from her bottom, to the sides of her body.


    He controlled the pace now. He moved slower, tasting each of her kisses. His hands gently stroke her up and down, slowly torturing her. Sometimes he would graze the side of her breasts, seducing her. Shao Yan could not help but moan.


    She could feel him poke her softness, growing harder and harder. She moved a little - provoking it further. His hands grabbed her bottom and squeezed them, he groaned, "Don''t move further, Yan Yan" his hoarse whispers caressed her swollen lips.


    Li Xiqing bit her lower lips and moved to kissing her jaw, and trailing down to her neck. He pulled her closer, crushing her to his embrace. She leaned on him, and he could feel her tender breasts were pressing on him.


    His muffled groan were buried in her hair, and he breathed in her seductive fragrance. Her view was growing cloudy and she could not think clearly anymore.


    .....


    Li Xiqing paused, trying to catch on his breath.


    "Not now, Yan Yan" he breathed out hot air onto her neck, and kissed the skin between her jaw and her neckline.


    He lifted his gaze, and looked into her eyes, "I want your whole heart, Yan Yan" he stared at her swollen lips, "And not just because of momentary lust."


    His darkened gaze bore into her. He traced his thumb over her bottom lips, "So really start to think about it. Are you ready to give your whole self to me?" he was still trying to catch his breath.


    Her round glossy eyes were looking back at him, she looked so beautiful with the slight blush on her cheeks.


    "Because I won''t let you go."


    Li Xiqing could see her face turn one shade redder. He smiled and kept locking their eyes together, "And because of that, I''m willing to wait." he kissed her cheek.


    "For as long as you need."


    .....


    Shao Yan was stunned, she buried her face on the crook of his neck. Her heart was rushing like mad. She didn''t know what to say.


    Li Xiqing had never once hid his desire from wanting her. This man clearly had a painful erection every time they kissed. Every time they snuggled, she felt that he was always at the losing end. She knew how much he wanted her.


    Shao Yan helped him several times, but that must be not enough for him.


    But now, no matter how painful he was, he told her that he would wait for her. That he would give her time. That all he wanted was not only her body, but also, her whole heart.


    This man was too amazing. She still could not believe that she met this kind of man in her life.


    She was glad that she had decided on him. She knew she would not regret this decision. For the rest of her life.


    And she would show him that.


    ?( ? �� ~ �� ? )?


    .....


    Their off days were spent just like that. Shao Yan and her team had to come back to work again. Li Xiqing had been sending her to the office everyday now. If she went back to her own apartment, he would pick her up in the morning.


    He brought breakfast everyday and they would eat together in the car. He drove, while she fed him.


    Karl and Martin had gone back to their own offices. Shao Yan felt heartache looking at Li Xiqing who was already so busy, but yet, he still insisted on picking her up, and bringing her breakfast everyday.


    .....


    Today, he brought Shaobing for breakfast. They were on their way to her office. Shao Yan was feeding him a bite, while they stopped at the traffic light.


    "Don''t pick me up anymore. I can drive by myself. You''re already busy enough, you need more sleep" she complained softly while wiping his mouth of the sesame crumbs.


    Li Xiqing smiled and finished his food before saying, "Move in with me then. It''s your place too."


    Shao Yan was in a middle of drinking her soymilk, and she almost choked, "Qi Ling will kill me" her eyes went so round and huge; and stared at him flabbergasted.


    Li Xiqing sighed softly, "Sooner or later you will leave that place. She will have her own boyfriend too." he paused when he had to make a U-turn to her office.


    "Besides, I don''t feel comfortable leaving you to stay by yourself everytime she travels. Take your time to think about it."


    Shao Yan did not say anything and continued to drink her soymilk.


    .....


    They finally arrived at her office building. Li Xiqing parked the car in front of the lobby and then turned around to look at her.


    "Don''t feel pressured from what I said just now. Take your time to think about it."


    "I will only ask for one thing, Yan Yan" he paused and held both of her hands, "Please don''t ever change your mind about us."


    She went quiet and squeezed his hands back, "Li Xiqing, I won''t change my mind. You don''t have to worry about that." she gave a very gentle smile at him.


    ++++++


    **Shaobing is a flat bread with sesame seeds. Sometimes it has fillings of sesame paste or mung beans, or sometimes it could be meat or egg.

 Chapter 71 - Eternity Frame (2)

    Li Xiqing came out of the car, and walked to the backseat to take her laptop bag. He passed it to her, "Work is only work, don''t forget to eat, alright?" He caressed her head.


    Shao Yan smiled and nodded. She tiptoed and kissed his cheek before she walked to the building lobby.


    Li Xiqing waited until he couldn''t see her anymore. He went back in to the car and drove to his office.


    On the way, he received a call from his assistant, notifying him that the meeting scheduled for that morning was cancelled. Li Xiqing all of a sudden had an extra time until noon.


    He was going over his to-do list, when he drove past the G district. He remembered that the camera shop, Eternity Frame, was located here.


    Li Xiqing made an impulse change in his schedules, swerved his car and took the exit to G district. He decided to buy a new camera for Shao Yan to surprise her.


    .....


    Li Xiqing found the address easily. He parked the car and then he walked to the shop. It was an old building in a redeveloped neighborhood. All the buildings around were painted in white and had colonial style windows on them.


    In front of the buildings, were potted plants that stretched from one end to another end of the street. Tall tress on the roadside provided good shades to the shops area and pedestrians. When Li Xiqing walked in, he felt that the time had turned to 50 years ago.


    He saw a plump middle aged man was standing behind the counter. His head was full of grey hair, and he had glasses on. The old man was cleaning on a camera lens so carefully.


    Without looking up to see who just entered his store, the old man exclaimed, "Look around by yourself first. I will be right with you shortly." he said to Li Xiqing.


    Li Xiqing took off his sunglasses and started to look around. It was an old camera shop, with glass counters around the sides of the wall.


    He saw arrays of accessories and cameras inside the counters. Li Xiqing suddenly got a headache, he really had no knowledge in this area.


    He was secretly glad that he came to the right place; this old man seemed to know what he was doing. He should be able to recommend something for Shao Yan.


    The old man was not only selling cameras and accessories. Li Xiqing saw signage that Eternity Frame also had a photo studio at the back of the shop, where he employed some staffs.


    From the pictures on the wall, Li Xiqing could see that his shop accept job offer to do any independent photoshoot - either for family events, weddings or graduation.


    .....


    Li Xiqing was looking around at the pictures, when suddenly, one picture frame grabbed his attention. This frame material was different from the others. If others were hung on a standard simple black picture frame, this one was a silver frame. So it was particularly stood out amongst the crowd.


    It was a picture of seven people. Three girls and four boys. University students, he thought, judging by their looks and clothing styles.


    He saw the first two girls at the front were making funny faces at the camera. The third girl in the middle with very short hair stood next to a boy and they were holding hands. Three more boys stood behind them with smiles.


    Li Xiqing saw the date stamp in the corner, it was around eight years ago.


    There were names printed at the bottom part of the picture:


    [Front] Xie Liying, Lu Feifei, Shao Yan, Fu Liwei


    [Back] Lu Qian, Zhong Yu, Du Guangwei


    .....


    "Oh!! Young man, do you know them too?"


    Without him realizing, all of a sudden, the old man had walked over and stood next to Li Xiqing. Li Xiqing turned to look at him. The old man had a proud face and was smiling at the picture frame.


    Li Xiqing turned his gaze back to the picture. "No. Do you know them, Sir?" Li Xiqing asked him.


    Old man beamed at him, "Of course! This one right here is my son" Old man was pointing at Zhong Yu, the boy who stood behind Shao Yan.


    "This was taken when they graduated from T university in city B." he softly sighed, "Haaa.. Time moves so fast. It was eight years ago."


    He was still smiling so proudly, "Ah Yu got a full scholarship from T university, that''s why I allowed him to leave city S to go to city B."


    He nodded at himself, "Such a smart kid" and he smiled again "Just like his mother."


    Li Xiqing did not say anything and just looked at the picture, particularly at Shao Yan .... and that Fu Liwei.


    He looked at the old man again, "Do these people ever come here to your shop?"


    Old man propped one hand in front of his chest, while the other hand stroke his chin, he pondered for a while, "Hm.. Let me think... I don''t think so."


    "After they graduated, they moved to different places. Ah Yu stay here with me now. He''s a software engineer, he earns good money now."


    He pointed at the boy next to Shao Yan, "Liwei was Ah Yu''s dorm mate. Many years ago... I think it was the year they graduated? He brought his wife, this one here" he pointed at Shao Yan, "To visit city S and came to this shop. He bought a camera from me."


    Old Zhong paused, and thought for a while, "I think that time was right before they emigrated. The boy got a job in country U and then they moved there for good."


    .....


    Li Xiqing kept quiet. His hands were clenching tightly by his side. He was not sure if he wanted to know more, or should he stop here.


    Old Zhong walked back to the counter, "So young man, what do you need today?"


    Li Xiqing snapped back from his wandering thoughts, and then he coughed lightly, "I''m here to buy a camera for my girlfriend. She loves to take pictures of scenery and of people."


    He approached the counter and stood in front of Old Zhong "I''m looking for something light, because her shoulder hurts easily. The one that she has right now was a bit heavy....."


    He paused and then he realized. That camera that broke yesterday must be the one from that Liwei guy.


    His hands unconsciously clenched again and he frowned slightly. His heart felt so sour.


    This damn thing called jealousy was starting to irritate him!

 Chapter 72 - Whos The Wifey?

    Old Zhong shifted through his catalog books. He also looked through his inventory, and finally found two cameras that he could recommend. He walked around the counter and took them out for Li Xiqing to choose.


    One was a black Canon DSLR camera and the other one was a silver Pentax DSLR camera.


    Li Xiqing picked them up one by one and tested the weight with his hands. He also tried to hold them in a position to shoot pictures to see which one would feel more comfortable for her.


    After choosing for a while, he finally decided on the silver Pentax. Old Zhong showed him some tricks to taking good pictures. Li Xiqing was listening intently, as he was planning to tell Shao Yan later.


    Old Zhong recommended some accessories for maximum result. So Li Xiqing bought them as well. Old Zhong was very pleased with his purchases, he kept talking to Li Xiqing about cameras and good spot for picture hunting around city S.


    Li Xiqing took some notes, and started to plan the location for their next date. He would bring her out to take some pictures.


    By the time he walked out of the shop, it was almost lunch time.


    Li Xiqing put the camera stuffs in the trunk, and then he drove back to the office.


    .....


    When he arrived in the office, he was occupied with work right away, and he totally forgot about his restless mind.


    After the news of OnScience acquisition was released to the public, AG International also gained a good size of exposure which kept the whole company busy.


    Gold Crane Publication and AG International also received a lot of media coverage and their social media accounts were invaded with new followers.


    More exposure also meant more business.


    Li Xiqing felt so refreshed. He had always loved challenges; and right now, it felt like how it had been when he just built AG International in the beginning.


    .....


    The meeting today was to go over strategy with the Media Relations department. Li Xiqing was in a middle of the meeting, when Shao Yan''s call came in.


    "Yan Yan?" he picked it up and swiftly walked out, leaving behind a room of people who was exhausted after the meeting for a whole day!


    "I''m fine. I just wanted to tell you, that you don''t have to pick me up. Wenhai and I will need to go to printing house, and then he will send me back to my apartment."


    He could hear that she was walking somewhere outdoor. The sound of wind and the noise of the street were in the background.


    Li Xiqing walked back to his office. He picked up his mug and sipped a little, "Alright. I will come after I''m done here."


    Shao Yan was walking to the parking lot with Wenhai, "Alright, I''ll wait for you."


    And then they talked for a few more minutes before they hung up.


    .....


    The second meeting of the day was with the Strategic Planning department. They were brainstorming their ideas over how to ride the wave of fame to increase their market value further.


    The discussion went on stagnant after some people started to argue about the current market situation according to a private survey company.


    Li Xiqing glanced at his watch and realized that it was already this late. He decided not to continue with the meeting anymore, so he told everyone to wrap things up and continue tomorrow.


    On the way home, he stopped at a grocery store, before going back to Shao Yan''s apartment. He was certain that Shao Yan would be too tired to cook, so he decided that he would cook instead.


    .....


    When Shao Yan entered her apartment, the fragrance of jasmine rice attacked her nostrils right away, and her stomach growled voluntarily.


    Li Xiqing walked out of the kitchen, and he peeked at the front door. Shao Yan saw him, still in his blue dress shirt from this morning. He had put on her yellow apron, and was wiping his hands with napkin.


    He gave her a dazzling smile, "You''re home. Are you hungry?" he walked closer to her while untying the apron, "Your timing was perfect, dinner is just ready".


    Shao Yan was dumbfounded. Why was the role seemed to be reversed now? Who was actually the wife in the family?


    (?_?;)


    .....


    Shao Yan walked around him and untied the apron. She hugged him from behind, and placed her cheek on his back "Thank you for cooking, wifey!"


    Her voice was muffled, but he heard her clearly. He put his hands on top of hers and patted her hands lightly.


    He turned around, and held her cheeks with both of his hands, and gave a light kiss to the corner of her lips.


    He gave several more pecks and sure enough, he was rewarded with her happy smile. He let her go and then kissed her forehead, "Anytime, hubby".


    Shao Yan bursted out a laugh and then let him go, "Let''s eat, I''m starving." She grabbed his hand and they walked to the dining table together.


    "You won''t believe what happened today! Mr. Wang just tortured us all day."


    She scooped a bowl of rice for him, and put it in front of him. And then she took her own bowl, and started to scoop for herself.


    "I have been having meetings the whole day. Mr, Wang had us reviewed what OnScience has been planning for their projects, and how we should divide them."


    She closed the rice cooker lid, and walked back to the dining table, "Tell me, how is it possible? They are OnScience projects, we won''t have any control over it."


    She sat down and started to eat and talk with her mouth full of food. Shao Yan was ranting, "The whole executives for OnScience will only be here in two weeks. But Mr. Wang already stole the start to divide the work now? What is he in rush for? I really don''t understand..."


    Li Xiqing just smiled and listened to her rants. He would occasionally picked some food and put it in her bowl.


    She was grumpy today. She just wanted to vent and complain to Li Xiqing.


    It''s, okay, wifey. Just pour your heart out. Hubby was here to listen.


    ?? .? ??

 Chapter 73 - You Are Always Amazing

    After they were done with dinner, Li Xiqing and Shao Yan decided to wash the dishes together. Shao Yan was telling him about the visit to printing house with Wenhai in the afternoon and the story of the owner, Mr. Luo.


    Shao Yan was really impressed with his humble background, so she was very animated when telling Li Xiqing his story.


    "You know... There was one time, I went there to print architecture guide book. Few months prior, I was managing the photoshoot project anyway."


    She was rinsing the plate that Li Xiqing had washed with soap, "So, few months ago, I got the chance to work with the photographer. And on the shooting day itself, I took several pictures" she grinned.


    "To my surprise, my picture was selected as the cover of the book! I was so happy!" she looked at Li Xiqing with her big, round, lively eyes.


    "And guess what Mr. Luo said?" she lifted her chin a little to brag.


    Li Xiqing was staring at her adoringly. His woman was so cute. So enchanting. He really wanted to pat her head, but he had soap all over his hands.


    "Mr. Luo said, that the photographer of the cover was talented and could go far!! He he.." she smiled shyly at herself.


    "But, Mr. Luo also said that it was under condition that the photographer had to keep working with the architect. Because that photographer, which was me, understand the element that the architect wanted to portray to the audience." Shao Yan just finished washing all the plates, and was wiping her hand to a napkin.


    She bumped her fist on her chest, and smiled so proudly at him, "Aren''t I amazing, wife?"


    Li Xiqing looked at her, and shook his head. His lips curved up and his eyes gazed at her lovingly. He leaned in closer and pecked her cheek, "En, you are always amazing."


    .....


    Li Xiqing went to the fridge to pour orange juice for them. They walked to the living room together, and sat down on the grey sofa.


    He put both mugs on the side table, and then sat next to her. He put his arm behind her back.


    "Do you want to make this a full time career? I mean... To be a photographer?" Li Xiqing gathered her close to him, as they sat side by side, snuggled on the sofa. Shao Yan grabbed the TV remote to turn it on.


    "Honestly, I don''t know." she kept changing the TV channel, and finally settled on a cooking show. She turned down the volume and put the remote on the table.


    "This photography thing..." She softly sighed, "It was actually started as a hobby when Mom passed away..."


    She paused and looked at the corner of the room, seeming lost in her thoughts, "I needed to do something or I would have been drown in all the negativity."


    She paused and snuggled closer to him. She was seeking his warmth for comfort and also his sturdy chest for strength. She leaned all her body onto him, folded her legs under her bottom on the sofa to one side, and pressed her cheek on his chest.


    He rested his hand on her waist, unconsciously rubbing her dotingly like a kitten. His other hand was holding the mug, and slowly sipped on the orange juice.


    "At first, it was only started as a curiosity. I followed some friends to a local photography workshop. And then before I knew it, I bought my first camera."


    She looked up and beamed at him, "I worked all summer to earn that money myself" her eyes twinkled and the corner of her lips were smirking. She looked so proud of herself.


    Her voice was so soft. In the tranquility of the night, she spoke so gentle while reminiscing the past. She was glad that she did not have to walk that lonely path anymore. She had found him; her strength and her joy.


    She took a deep breath.


    And then she looked at him with a very sad face, "But I broke it yesterday." the corner of her lips, that were lifted so arrogantly just now, had slanted down, and then she sulked. "It had accompanied me for almost ten years, Xiqing~" she wailed and then she rubbed her cheek on his chest "And now it finally rest in peace"


    Li Xiqing frowned a little. So... That camera was not the one that Fu guy bought for her?


    He put down the mug on the side table. He felt a burst of happy bubbles inside him. He could not help but let out a silly grin on his face.


    And luckily she did not see it.


    .....


    Shao Yan moved to hug Li Xiqing''s waist tighter. His hand was now patting her waist in a slow rhythm. He bended down and kissed the crown of her head.


    "I found a lot of joy just from taking pictures. And then when I developed the result, I couldn''t stop staring at them"


    She tilted her head and peeked at him. She put her chin on his chest, while looking up, "Xiqing..." she hesitated for a while, "Uhm.. If I decided to be a photographer.. What do you think?" She bit her lower lip while waiting for him to answer.


    Li Xiqing was looking down at her. His fingers swiped her hair that was covering her eyes, and slipped it behind her ear, "As long as you''re happy, just do whatever you want".


    Li Xiqing raised his index finger to touch the tip of her nose and smiled, "I can take care of you for the rest of your life. So you don''t have to worry about anything else."


    Shao Yan, who was smiling so wide at his first sentence, suddenly went stiff after Li Xiqing said the second sentence.


    W.. What was that..??!!


    ��.��


    A proposal??


    Li Xiqing looked at her stunned expression and laughed. He crooked his index finger and gently knocked on her forehead, "Don''t think too much! I''m not that lousy, alright? It''s not a marriage proposal." He pinched her nose gently.


    Shao Yan scrunched her eyebrows and hit him on the chest lightly. He laughed heartily and rubbed her hair, "Rest assured... When the time comes, it won''t be this simple, Miss Shao."


    Li Xiqing leaned in close to her lips, he brushed his lips on top of hers like a feather, "When it comes... Just hope that your heart can take it... and just remember, all you need to say... is yes" and then he pressed his lips firmly onto hers.

 Chapter 74 - He Will Protect Them

    "I bought" smooch..


    "Something" smooch..


    "For you" another smooch..


    Li Xiqing left her lips, but his hands were still holding onto her face, and smiled at her. His face was so close to hers. She could count his eyelashes and he could easily breath in her fragrance.


    She looked into his dark brown eyes, finding solace of stars were staring back at her. He was happy to find that Shao Yan was getting used to his kisses and their intimacy now. He could even see that sometimes, she was actually expecting it. And that swelled his pride.


    "It''s inside those bags" his chin pointed to the several paper bags on the other side of the sofa.


    Shao Yan turned to look at that direction, and saw the bags were piled neatly on the side. She turned back to Li Xiqing with excited gaze. "Those are for me?"


    Li Xiqing laughed and nodded, "En. Open them."


    .....


    Shao Yan let go of her hold on him, and reached out to grab the bags and dragged them closer to her. She began ruffling inside the bags.


    Her eyes lit up when she saw the content. She looked back at Li Xiqing, and flashed him a very dazzling smile.


    "Li Xiqing! You''re very sneaky, aren''t you. I told you all those stories just now, and suddenly you bought this camera for me?" she was speechless. "You''re timing is just...."


    Li Xiqing smiled back at her.


    "That means, you picked the right guy. I know what you need, what you want, at the right time."


    He rubbed her hair gently, "Just trust yourself to me from now on. Alright?"


    Li Xiqing leaned back on the sofa with his hands were casually propped behind her. He was watching her intently, she kept showing an expression like a kid while opening their Christmas presents.


    Shao Yan took the contents out one by one, and began assembling the accessories that he got for her.


    She sighed, and turned to him, "Xiqing, you pamper me too much. These are all the stuffs with good reviews."


    She turned around and grabbed his hands, "Did the camera shop owner talked you into buying all of these??"


    Her big round eyes were looking deeply into him. Her eyebrows slightly scrunched, she felt upset for him.


    He smiled and patted her head, "He did not. He recommended some for me, and all came with different price ranges. I simply want to get the best for you." he shrugged nonchalantly.


    She beamed at him and pecked his cheek.


    .....


    After she assembled them, she wanted to try her first shot. Shao Yan picked up the camera and then aimed the lense at Li Xiqing, "Smile for me, handsome".


    Li Xiqing was surprised. And slowly, he smirked for her, and gave her a very... lazy... seductive smile.


    He lifted his eyebrow a little, the corner of his mouth slowly perked up. He kept his eyes staring deeply at her. He slowly leaned back to the sofa, and posed for her. He crossed one leg over the other, and said, "Is this okay?"


    Shao Yan was stunned, she forgot to click the shutter.


    Her heart was beating so fast. Her man, this gorgeous creature, was posing only for her. She was looking at his eyes, his tall sharp nose. She eyed his sexy chiseled jaw, and down to his sturdy chest muscles. Her eyes traveled along to his long legs and stopped at his thigh muscles. She unconsciously gulped.


    She saw him moved, and gradually leaned in closer to her, and whispered, "You''re drooling, Yan Yan".


    Shao Yan snapped back and hit his arm, "Li Xiqing!!"


    He thundered out a hearty laugh, while she kept hitting his arm. After a while, he grabbed her waist to hold her. "On a serious note... Do you like it?"


    Shao Yan pouted at him for teasing her. But she put the camera aside, and leaned back to his embrace. She nuzzled into his chest, and he heard her muffled sound, "En... Veryyy!"


    She stayed quiet for a while, her hands slowly crept to hold him around his waist, "I''m very happy, Xiqing." she paused again for a while. And then she added.


    "Thank you."


    She tightened her hold around him. Li Xiqing ran his hands along her back, and rubbed her back up and down gently. He encircled his arms around her tighter.


    Li Xiqing smiled, he felt content. This was enough.


    Fuck all the past. He would protect this present moment, and he would shape their future together.


    Nothing AND no one would tear them apart.


    This is his vow for both of them. For their future.


    .....


    "Are you staying over tonight?"


    Shao Yan was laying on top of Li Xiqing on the sofa. Her soft body was pressed down on top of his. Both of her hands were folded on his chest.


    She propped her chin on top of her arms and looked up to him.


    Li Xiqing, rested on the arm of the couch, had his one hand behind his head. Another hand was holding around her waist, he kept her steady because he was afraid that she might fall from on top of him.


    "Do you want me to?" he asked the question back to her.


    Usually, Shao Yan would not answer and just blush. But this time, she surprised him.


    "En."


    After a while, she nodded, "I want you to." and then she felt so shy, she pressed her cheek back onto his chest and just quietly listened to the calming heartbeat beneath her.


    His warmth slowly seeped onto her blushing skin, turning her even more nervous than before.


    Shao Yan hesitated for a moment before saying again, "But, what about your clothes?" her voice was so soft, tickling his heart.


    She looked up at him, "Uhm.. I only have your jacket from last time." She got up from him slowly and then leaned back on the sofa.


    Li Xiqing sat back up, "Don''t worry, I have a change of clothes in the car".


    Shao Yan looked at him, puzzled.


    "In case I need to stay back for meetings" he explained, "I have a habit of carrying a set of casual clothes and a set of formal clothes."


    He got up, and walked to the kitchen counter to grab his car keys, "They are in the car. I will go and get it. You can wash up first." He rubbed her hair again and then kissed her forehead.


    Shao Yan nodded and then after she heard the door closed, she got up and went back to her bedroom to shower.

 Chapter 75 - Youre Seducing Me

    When Shao Yan had finished her shower, Li Xiqing was already in the bedroom. He was taking out his stuffs from a duffle bag, and hung them inside her closet.


    Li Xiqing heard the bathroom door was opened and her fragrance soon filled up the bedroom. "Are you done?" he said without turning his head.


    Shao Yan walked out and sat on the bed, "Yes, you can go and shower now. Let me put them up for you."


    His hands were in the middle of hanging the clothes, he paused, and finally turned to look at her.


    Shao Yan had just finished showering. Her snowy skin, was now pink and dewy like a baby. Her soft hair, hung lushly on her shoulder. Li Xiqing put down the clothes in his hand, and walked over to her. He stood next to her, he covered her cheek with his palm; happy to find her supple skin was warm to his touch, "Wait for me, I will shower now."


    Shao Yan smiled into his eyes, and leaned her cheek into his palm, "En."


    She lifted her hand to cover his, "Li Xiqing, do you want to know a secret?"


    Li Xiqing was staring deeply at her. She was looking up at him while still sitting on the bed. She had put on the white pajamas that he saw her with the first time.


    White silk camisole with lace accent on the cleavage area, white silk short that fell right in the middle of her thigh.


    From his angle, he could see her beautiful mounds. Shao Yan did not put on any bra, so Li Xiqing could also see the shapes of her nipples which tantalized all of his senses. He couldn''t stop staring at her and he could feel that his body gradually responded.


    Shao Yan grabbed his other hand and squeezed it lightly, "I am now addicted to sleep on the same bed as you" her voice fell softly into his heart, tickled him like a butterfly.


    Shao Yan saw his Adam''s apple bobbed up and down, and his gaze darkened. She pretended that she did not see it, and continued, "I couldn''t sleep alone anymore..."


    She used her index finger to lightly graze his inner palm, "I need your warmth; with your arms holding around me."


    Li Xiqing was trying so hard to hold himself, "Yan Yan, you''re seducing me right now" Shao Yan could hear his deep hoarse voice was suppressed. He caressed her hair, down to her cheek and to her chin. His thumb slowly grazed her lower lip.


    Shao Yan cheekily stuck out her tongue, and touched her tip of tongue to his thumb. And then she lightly bit it. He squinted his eyes, and his gaze darkened even more. She laughed and pushed him away, "Go.. Go shower now."


    Li Xiqing lifted the corner of his mouth and pinched her cheek softly. Shao Yan just kept grinning at him. He then walked to the bathroom while shaking his head helplessly.


    So cheeky. Let''s see how he punished her in the future!


    .....


    With Qi Ling was not around, Shao Yan and Li Xiqing took turns on staying over. His clothes at her place was growing more and more. Her clothes in his closet was getting full as well. Shao Yan decided that she should also took control of her lives occasionally. So after a week of Li Xiqing driving her everywhere, she decided to drive next week and be the one who sent Li Xiqing to the office instead.


    She told him her idea over breakfast.


    Li Xiqing was in a middle of scooping porridge into his bowl, and then he paused and put the spoon down, "Hubby.. You want to send me to the office?"


    Shao Yan burst out giggles, and quickly resume her cool. She lightly coughed, "En, wifey. Let your mighty hubby, me, send you to the office." and she put on a show of patting her own chest like some rogue barbarian.


    Li Xiqing pursed his lips and smiled, "Are you sure? You have to remember to pick me up again at night." he sat down and started to eat, "Or else, other women may kidnap me away."


    Shao Yan gave him side eyes, "Sure. That''s what you want, isn''t it. Look at you, aren''t you happy now, having so many fans chasing you around"


    (??_?)


    He pursed his lips, and slightly lowered his head and hid his smile behind his spoon, "Don''t slander me. My heart, my body and my soul belongs to you alone, Your Highness"


    Shao Yan gaped at him. He was getting more poetic lately. She squinted her eyes, and pouted at him, "Since when did you learn all these mushy words?" her face gradually turned red; she was not sure if it was from embarrassment or from anger.


    .....


    Li Xiqing got up and went to the kitchen sink to put down his bowl. He went to the fridge and pour out soymilk for her. Suddenly he turned to her, "Oh! Don''t make any plans for Saturday." he said while placing her mug on the table. Shao Yan also just finished eating her porridge and got up to put her bowl in the kitchen sink. She then started to wash both bowls.


    She looked up at him, and slightly tilted her head to the side, and asked "Why?"


    Li Xiqing sat down in the living room, patiently waiting for her running about in his kitchen. "I want to bring you somewhere. Old Zhong told me some good places to hunt pictures."


    He winked at her and gave her a very gentle smile. "It''s a date"


    Shao Yan smiled back at him, but a moment later, she was confused. She scrunched her eyebrows while looking back at him, "Old Zhong? Who is Old Zhong?"


    Li Xiqing was about to get a TV remote from the coffee table, but he paused, and then looked back at her. He paid a close attention to her facial expression, while slowly said, "..... Old Zhong... The old man who owns the Eternity Frame camera shop" he saw her face showed a surprise look, and then she froze.


    "You showed me that note before, so I went there and bought your new camera from that shop as well."


    Shao Yan blinked and slowly returned to her senses, "Oh... That shop... I see." she paused, "That old man..."


    And then Li Xiqing saw her lost in her thoughts while biting her lower lip.


    !! CRASH !!


    Li Xiqing abruptly stood up and hurried over to her side. "Are you hurt?"


    Shao Yan accidentally dropped the bowl on the floor, "Uh.. My hands were slippery." She tried to look up to him yet all she could do is stare at the ceramic pieces in sadness; guilt slowly engulfed her heart as she gripped the napkin in her hands, "I... I''m sorry, Let me..."


    "Just stay put. Don''t move" Before she finished her sentences, Li Xiqing already cut her off.


    He looked at her in silence before he turned his head and walked to the storage. He took out a broom to sweep the ceramic pieces while Shao Yan just stood still at the side; watching him.

 Chapter 76 - Two Hands To Clap

    Li Xiqing patiently swept everything. He paid attention to every corner, not wanting to miss any tiny pieces. He also grabbed some bread and bent down on four legs on the floor; he started to look for those small pieces. He didn''t want them to accidentally prick her feet in case she didn''t wear any slippers.


    After he was done, he looked around and found Shao Yan was still standing still, not moving.


    He walked closer to her, and knocked his knuckle gently on her forehead, "What were you thinking just now? So careless."


    Shao Yan returned to her senses and lifted her head to look at him. "When you were there, did you see�� did you happen to see a picture of me on the wall?"


    Li Xiqing paused; he was debating if he should admit or pretend he did not see anything.


    But sooner or later they would have to talk about this. So he nodded, "En... I think it was from your university days?"


    Shao Yan went quiet for a while, and then she took his hand, "Li Xiqing.. let''s talk" without waiting for him to answer, she held their hands together and dragged him to the living room.


    She gently pushed him to the sofa first before she settled down next to him. "T...That old man.. He... I knew him before" She paused for a while. Li Xiqing didn''t rush her nor cut her off; he just let her ease down and continue when she was ready.


    "I went there a few years ago to buy a camera from him. His son also went to the same university as I did."


    She was still holding onto his hands, "I told you about him before, do you remember? His son is Zhong Yu."


    Shao Yan tried to think about how and what to say next.


    "Uh... Li..Liwei was the one who brought me there. He also bought a camera for me, Xiqing. But after I left him, I donated the camera away." she unconsciously squeezed his hands tighter.


    As if she realized what she had done, she let them go, and then leaned back to the sofa.


    ��..


    Her face was pale. Li Xiqing could see her worry was written all over her face. She gnawed her bottom lips, and her head was tilted down; her fingers were pulling at each other. She opened her mouth slightly, but no words came out of it.


    She closed it again, and took a deep breath; before slowly breathed them out.


    "Xiqing, I have been hiding something from you." her voice started to quiver. But she took a deep breath to calm herself down. "I have been lying to you, and I feel so guilty about it." she paused for a while.


    She slowly lifted her face and stared deep into his eyes "I''m sorry, Xiqing.."


    "....I was married once before" she lightly scrunched her eyebrows, her eyes were showing so much pain ".....To Liwei..."


    He did not show any emotions on his face. He slowly leaned back on the sofa and patiently waited for her to continue. His jaw went stiff, and she could see his pupil went dark for a moment.


    After that one word "Married" came out of her mouth, she felt that all gates of truth were finally opened, and she started to tell him more.


    "We met at the university through my roommate. Her brother was a friend of Liwei" she looked down at her joint fingers again. "We dated for about ten months and got married after graduation, and then moved to country U...."


    And then all of a sudden, she went silent for a while. Her mind was wandering off, trying to piece the story for him.


    "It started fine. We adjusted to the hectic life easily. But as he got more successful, things got busier, and we slowly drifted apart."


    .....


    Subconsciously, Shao Yan was becoming more and more afraid of losing Li Xiqing.


    She kept thinking of how much she wanted to forget the past. But the fact was, the past was indeed a part of her. And he had every right to know what that was.


    Every time she wanted to tell him, an inner voice kept nagging her not to ruin the happiness in her hands. And Shao Yan was torn in between.


    But one thing that she learned from her past, was that honesty and trust were the essences in a relationship.


    She did not want to keep hiding this thing from him. It was not fair to him. And she wanted to be able to lift herself again and be confident in her relationship with him.


    .....


    "We saw each other less and less. And when we finally faced one another, we would only argue"


    Her voice was so soft. She had decided to tell him everything now, and she would face the consequences from her lies later.


    As she reminisced the past, all her pain and heartache started to come back. "I fought so hard to keep it together. But it took two hands to clap" she clenched her fist, "and I couldn''t do it on my own"


    "After so much fights and argument, we finally decided to have a vacation together." She slowly raised her lips and showed a bitter smile, "To give ourselves second chance."


    She snorted softly, "But even when we were away, he would still be occupied with his phone" She slowly shook her head, "I had to face the hard truths. His body and his heart were no longer mine".


    She took a deep breath and slowly breathed out, "The last straw was three years ago..."


    She bit her lower lip so hard, and when she let it go, Li Xiqing could see her tooth marks even from this distance. His hands unconsciously clenched, and he wanted to pull her to his embrace and stop her. But he stopped himself. They had to go through this together.


    Her voice was shaking, she was holding firm to continue, "I came back home earlier from work. I still remember that it was raining that day..."


    She was staring at the corner of the living room and lost herself to three years ago.

 Chapter 77 - Three Years Ago

    Shao Yan climbed the stairs and finally exited the subway station. A gush of cold wind hit her in the face right away. She reflexively grabbed the lapels of her windbreaker jacket and fasten them tighter to herself.


    The weather had started to change. It was no longer the hot summer. It was drizzling today, and it was already around eight at night. The gloomy weather should have hide most people away inside their homes.


    But this city was never asleep. Traffic was still bustling and some people still ran around the street trying to get back home quickly.


    Shao Yan was carrying a transparent plastic bag in one hand containing her dinner, while the other hand was holding on to an umbrella.


    She buried herself deep into the thin jacket as she fought her way for the rest of her cold and windy journey to walk back home.


    She had been working overtime this whole week and only came home at midnight. For once, she could finally leave the office early. She walked slowly, sometimes she had to skip to avoid the water puddles. Her fingers unconsciously counted the chores that she needed to do tonight.


    She brought her wrist up to glance at the time. Liwei was probably still in the office right now. When she arrived home, she would quickly do laundry first. Liwei would be travelling to Japan in two days, and he would need fresh clothes.


    Oh. They also ran out of bread and Liwei always ate breakfast in the morning. She would have to stop by the bakery to get something later. She started to walk faster.


    .....


    She and Liwei had been living here for almost three years now. Around one week after her graduation ceremony, they registered for a marriage license and they moved here to settle down.


    At the time, everything was so exciting. Everything was new for both of them. When Liwei was working during the day, she would go to the community centre to practice her English.


    On the weekend, they would go to the farmers market or explore the restaurants together. They would walk around to talk to people. They would be holding hands, kissing each other; just enjoying each other''s company.


    Liwei would also accompany her to go to new places together. Shao Yan liked to get on the train, and randomly picked a station to stop at. And then both of them would walk around the area, and tour around like some lost tourists.


    Every time they met new people, Liwei would put his arms over her shoulder, and proudly declare "This is my wife, my lovely wife" and grin happily.


    They would spend nights full of love. He loved pampering her. He loved showering her with kisses. Despite owning so little, he would still try to give her little gifts every now and then to surprise her.


    Their lives as newlywed was comfortable; and she was content and happy.


    ��..


    After few months of playing around and practising her English, Shao Yan started to look for a job. Surviving on a single income in this city was too tight for both of them. She wanted them to at least able to live comfortably.


    She sent out her resumes dilligently and she would also go around to look for any jobs that pay decently. Shao Yan knew she was not the straight A student who would get a job easily. Especially being a foreigner here.


    But she could not help to feel sad whenever she received rejection. She would not have any appetite to eat for few days and she would just keep thinking of getting a job as quickly as she can. She lost some sleeps, and she got thinner. She felt dejected and disappointed.


    After looking for some time, she finally secured a position as an intern in a newspaper company. It was only an intern, but alas, she felt accomplished and so excited to start immediately.


    Every morning, she had to read different kinds of newspaper. She had to do paper clipping in the afternoon based on the theme of the day; and the theme changed daily based on headline news.


    After that, she had to copy the clippings and distribute them to all the people in the office before the day ended.


    Her fingers would be stained with ink for the whole day. She would be on her feet most of the time and have to run around to talk to a lot of people. Her only chance to rest was when she was on the train on the way back home.


    To own a house in City N was so expensive. They could not afford to live near the city, so they had to rent at the outskirt. Every day, she had to travel for two hours by switching on multiple trains before reaching her office. She had to leave the house before sunrise and only arrived home around nine every night.


    She was exhausted, but she continued doing this for two years.


    ��..


    Liwei had always been a smart student in the university. He studied Engineering, and he secured a job with a gaming company in country U even before he graduated from university.


    It was only a start-up company, so Liwei had to do almost everything on his own. And it was not easy to start from the beginning in a foreign country. People would make fun of his English. His pronunciation, his mannerism, and even his clothes; they would keep finding stuff to laugh about no matter what he do.


    Being a minority brought a different level of stress to both Shao Yan and Liwei. But they continued strong because both of them had something to achieve for. Liwei had ambitions and dreams. Shao Yan was determined to be here to support him to make his dreams came true.


    So they persevered. All of their hard work gradually paid off after two years. Liwei climbed the professional ladder steadily; and finally sat at a comfortable position. And Shao Yan was able to get a new job that gave her more stability.


    He charmed all the people around him. Those that he worked with were impressed by his skills. He also started to learn the local jokes and adjust his mannerism. Soon, he was able to hang out with them like old friends.


    He was promoted to a manager within two years time. And on the third year, Liwei was promoted again. This time, was to be a director.


    All of these achievements gained within a short period of time sounded so glorious. But it came with a huge price to pay.


    Their happiness.

 Chapter 78 - Warm Hearts Turned Cold

    Shao Yan was the quiet one in their relationship. She always stepped back to allow Liwei to step forward. She would not hesitate to hide in the shadow to let Liwei shone in limelight.


    When Liwei had to spend more hours in the office, she did not complain. She had set up a comfortable reading corner to spend her time when he was busy. She would listen to calming music, sipping her tea while reading and glancing at the time. She would always wait for him.


    She kept her phone close to her in case he called. But the call never came. Never did a text message. She would go to the library to look for new books, or spent her time in bookstore; leafing through new book collections of game and tech industry to buy for Liwei.


    When he had to travel for work and left her alone for weeks, she did not say a word of grievance. She would volunteer her time in community center, or take free project management classes online to get certification. She tried to keep herself occupied even though she was lonely and did not have any friends to talk to.


    People who listened to this might blame her for not speaking up. Might even call her stupid.


    But she believed in partnership. All she wanted to do was to be a supportive partner; to go through thick and thin with him. To be allowed to stay by his side.


    For as long as he allowed her to be.


    .....


    In the same year Liwei was promoted, Shao Yan got a new job as a project assistant in a publication company. Her commute time turned to be slightly better after that. The office was located about forty minutes away from their apartment. So she could have a little bit more time to sleep.


    Although she still had to change multiple trains, and also a bus this time, but her salary was higher than when she was an intern. What made her happy was also because her responsibility was bigger too.


    As she got busier with her new job, Liwei was also busy with his projects. He spent more overtime in the office and traveled more frequently.


    Every time she sulked on the phone because she missed him, he would lose his patience and yell at her. She would feel pain, and she would yell back at him. They continued to fight and argue over small matters. They would stop talking for days. And when they met again, they would pretend nothing happened and just talk to each other like usual.


    They stopped eating together. They stopped sharing little stories. They stopped caring about each other. When she left for business trips, he did not ask how long she would be away, because he would not remember the details.


    No more hugs. No more kisses. No more sparks in their love life. They stayed in the same house, slept on the same bed, but they were no more than strangers.


    Warm hearts once fated together, split by a slight breeze of wind...and went cold.


    She had no friends here. Liwei was her only friend and her only family.


    She tried her very best for them to stay together. She very much wanted to make this work.


    ��..


    Rain was pouring without mercy. Together with the wind, it drenched her pants so bad. Her light jacket did not help to keep her warm either. With chattering teeth and empty stomach, she climbed the stairs to floor 10, where their apartment unit was at.


    It was an old building. The elevator itself had no door. On each floor of the building, a metal gate was installed to secure the empty space that was meant to be the elevator door, to keep people from accidentally falling down to the gap.


    Today just happened to be maintenance day so the elevator was shut down for the whole day.


    Shao Yan could feel that her feet had swollen, but she kept her mind on thoughts about her warm, safe place; she could not wait to go home. She gritted her teeth, dragged her feet, and gently climbed each step of the stairs.


    The umbrella was dripping with water, and wet the carpeted stairs. Floor creaked beneath her as she put her whole weight down on each step. The heating system did not work on public space, so the whole stair area was so cold.


    She felt betrayed by the world; tired she was, but saddened by the reality, she really wanted to cry.


    .....


    Shao Yan ruffled through her bags and took out her keys. She unlocked her door, only to find that her door was not locked.


    Huh? A robbery?


    She paused in her steps, debating if she should still come inside. She opened the door slowly, and peeked inside. If there was really an intruder, she did not want to alarm them.


    Once she saw Liwei''s shoes were at the front door, she breathed out relief, and quickly walked in. She saw the lights were on in the living room.


    Shao Yan just put her purse on the kitchen island, when she heard muffled noise from the bedroom.


    She got curious and started to walk over closer to the noise.


    Her bedroom door was slightly ajar. Shao Yan could see that Liwei was talking on the phone while packing his duffel bag. He was facing the bed, and Shao Yan could see his back was hunched a little while he was trying to fold his clothes with one hand.


    Right as she was about to step inside to offer her help, she heard muffled noises on the phone and then Liwei slowly chuckled.


    "Patience. I will see you tomorrow. I have changed the flight. Alright?"


    She scrunched her eyebrow and her heart thumped. An ugly restlessness sprouted in her mind. Liwei did not speak a gentle word like this to her anymore. It felt like it had been forever for her to hear his warm tone.


    Shao Yan felt her head ached and staggered a little; she had to lean on the wall to keep her steady. She accidentally touched her forehead before she abruptly put her hand away. Her hand was so cold.


    Ugh! She must had been too hungry, she should eat now.


    Liwei laughed again. He still had his back against the door, so he did not see Shao Yan. He raised his wrist a little to glance at the time, and replied, "No, I have not tell her yet. She should be home late again today."


    Shao Yan slowly straightened up and left her spot; she walked back to the kitchen.


    Her whole body was shivering and she was shaking a little. She decided to eat first and had a warm shower after this.

 Chapter 79 - Price To Pay

    Shao Yan gingerly walked back to the kitchen while holding her hands along the wall to support her weak self. She found her previously warm dinner, had turned cold. She picked up the food container and went to the kitchen. She put it into the microwave and started to heat her food.


    While waiting, she was lost in her thoughts. A nagging feeling inside of her kept eating her mind to go back to the bedroom and talk to Liwei. But a separate voice told her that it was nothing; that it could be just a business associate and she was reading into it too much.


    After heating up for two minutes, the microwave rang a loud beep noise and shattered her thoughts.


    Other than the loud hum of heating system inside the apartment, Shao Yan could not hear anything else. She had just sat down and opened the container lid when Liwei walked in to the dining room. He was surprised to see Shao Yan was already home.


    He paused in his step and stood still in the corridor between the bedroom and kitchen, gaping at her.


    "Oh! Yan Yan?"


    "Uh, when did you come home?"


    Shao Yan could see him stuttering and hesitating. Her hands unconsciously tensed as she opened her mouth to reply, ''A while ago. I wanted to help you fold the clothes but you were on the phone'' but what came out of her mouth was...


    "Just now. Have you eaten?"


    Liwei slowly got back to his senses and walked closer to her, "Yes, I ate before coming back home." He went to fridge to take some water, and seemed to only remember to add, "I did not know what time you will be home tonight, so I did not buy any dinner for you."


    He slowly drank from his cup, seemingly lost in thoughts. Shao Yan opened her mouth to reply him, but closed it again, and stayed silent.


    Shao Yan was eating slowly. She had taken off her light jacket and put it on the back of a chair next to her. Her umbrella was left opened by the foyer to let it dry. But Liwei did not pay a single attention to her disheveled look nor the wet umbrella.


    She felt disappointed, her food tasted bitter and her head pounded heavier. She quickly shoved the food into her mouth to fill her stomach so she could take some medicine later. This damn headache was killing her!


    .....


    Once he finished his water, he rinsed his cup and turned to see Shao Yan was still eating. He put his hands on the back of a chair in front of her.


    "Uh. My trip is changed to tomorrow. And I will be away for 2 weeks, instead of 1 week now."


    Shao Yan had just stabbed on a piece of broccoli and was about to bite it. She paused and slowly put her fork down to her plate, and lifted her head.


    "Oh."


    She was thinking of what to say. She just looked at his shirt collar, afraid to look into his eyes. She was afraid of what she would find in his gaze.


    "So. Uh. What changed?" Shao Yan tried so hard to act oblivious and normal. But her voice was strained and shaky. She coughed lightly to clear her voice.


    "I mean...Why did you change it?" She was not confident in finding the answer.


    Liwei shifted his weight from one foot to another, and he did not reply her right away. Shao Yan looked down to her plate, and picked up her fork again. When she thought that he would not answer, Liwei finally say, "The customer demanded it. I have to follow their demand."


    He was waiting for her to say something. Shao Yan played with her broccoli and did not put it into her mouth. She just kept stabbing at it.


    Liwei waited for a while, and after she let out a soft "Oh. Okay.", he quickly left her and strode back to their bedroom.


    Shao Yan was still stabbing at her broccoli. This sesame chicken tasted so bad. I should not have this for dinner again!


    She slowly got up from her chair, and went to the living room to look for an Aspirin. She combed through all drawers and cabinets and could not find anything. She could not remember where she kept all the medicines. It seemed that she was getting older and more forgetful lately.


    She stood in the middle of the living room, seemed lost. She did not know what to do. When did this house become so cold? Did Liwei not turn on the heater?


    She closed her eyes and squeezed them tight. Suddenly she felt so drained, so exhausted.


    Shao Yan took a deep breath and slowly released it. She opened her eyes, and her first sight landed on her keys and jacket; she walked towards them.


    Absentmindedly, she put on her wet jacket, took her keys and umbrella, and opened the front door.


    .....


    It was still raining when she stepped out of the apartment building. She looked around, trying to remember where the nearest pharmacy was. She was betting on it being somewhere at the left side of the neighborhood, so she decided to follow her instinct and started to walk into that direction.


    She walked for a while, but she still could not find any pharmacy. Shao Yan was walking under the canopies of buildings and people were running at her side, trying to get through. They would often bump into her, and ignored her squeal of surprises.


    She was getting really agitated. Her head was really pounding and she was feeling so cold. Her body was quivering, as she lightly bit her trembling lips, before she felt her face was drenched.


    She lowered her head, her jet black hairs fell down covering her snowy, pale face. She did not know what to feel. Was it the rain drops that were falling down her face?


    She slowly lifted her hands to wipe her face; before she realized that it was not the water from the rain. Her fingertips were tracing the side of her own cheek. She unconsciously bit her quivering lips, trying to hide her pain.


    They were her tears. She was crying.


    .....


    Shao Yan was shocked. The last time she cried was when her Mom passed away. Why did she cry now? Was it because of the bad tasting dinner? Or was it because she could not find any pharmacy?


    She was lost in her thoughts; unconsciously she stepped outside of the pedestrian pavement to the roadside.


    She stood wobbly and slowly let go of the umbrella in her hand. It fell to the gravel as she lifted her face and looked up to the sky.


    Her tears, mixed with rain drops, were painting her face with sorrow and agony. Two feelings that were foreign to her. She felt lost, she felt as if the world itself was rejecting her. Why did she cry??


    Some people were watching this petite girl, willingly drenching herself under the pouring rain. She looked up to the heaven and started to sob her heart out. She did not wail. She did not scream. She did not create any ruckus.


    She was just crying silently. Tearing her heart out.

 Chapter 80 - Darkness Of A Fool

    It was already late at night. In a quiet part of the street, Shao Yan stood silently in the middle of the road. Her heart was repeatedly whispering ''why'' to the gods.


    Flashbacks started to haunt her sights.


    ''Are you tired? Here, drink this, Yan Yan.''


    Liwei was standing suavely in front of her, grinning like a fool. In his hands were two cups of bubble tea. He just chased her down after her Business Administration class, and she was about to go home. While she stood in the shadow looking at this foolish couple, she saw her younger self was smiling coquettishly at him.


    However, the curve of her lips right now was not the shyness of a teenager. It was a smile of bitter sadness.


    ''Trust me, Yan Yan''


    Liwei had his arms over her shoulders, kept her close to his embrace; giving her warmth. They were sitting in front of her house, on the roadside while looking at the stars. He just told her about his acceptance letter to go to country U.


    It was so warm then; yet it is so cold now. She unconsciously raised one hand and touched her own shoulder, searching for the warmth that she was longing to find.


    ''You are my happiness, Yan Yan.''


    Looking down surprised, Shao Yan gasped at how Liwei was on one knee, he was smiling as he was holding onto a solitaire ring. He was proposing to her. She was stuttering and her face was blushing so hard that night.


    But the redness in her cheek right now, was because of misery and despair.


    Darkness surrounded her. She turned her head to the right and she saw him smiling so warmly while holding white roses in his hands. She wanted to smile back at him but she slowly turned her head to the left. She saw him there, standing with his back against her, laughing so warmly with another person. Her spirit and her mind were spent and she did not know what to do.


    .....


    People would stop and watch her for a while, before walking away. A kind person who was passing by; he saw the drenched girl under the rain. He finally decided to approach her. He covered her with his umbrella and then led her back to the sheltered area. He saw that her wet hair was sticking onto her face; her big round eyes were dull and lifeless.


    He took off his jacket and handed it to her, before walking away. She reflexively took it and just stared at it absentmindedly. She took a deep breath and slowly put on the jacket to keep herself warm. She groggily scanned her surrounding with her cold gaze and finally realized where she was. She sighed and laughed at her own sad self. She walked by herself this far? How did she even ended up here. It was 30 minutes away from home.


    She decided to flag down a taxi to go home.


    .....


    ## Back to present ##


    His fingers suddenly wrapped around her upper arm, and tugged her into his embrace. Her nose bumped into his sturdy chest and she could feel his other arm swiftly wrap around her body and squeeze her tight. His deep voice growled above her, "That''s enough! Don''t say anymore."


    His eyebrows were scrunched so tight. Li Xiqing was angry. He was beyond angry, he was enraged.


    Shao Yan could hear his strained voice. He was holding back his anger, while trying to hold her gently in his embrace.


    He was afraid that she was remembering too much and eventually drown herself in another sorrow. Unconsciously, he wrapped his arms around her too tight. But the next second, he realized that he was hurting her, so he slowly relaxed.


    It took her a while to bring herself back to the present.


    She was remembering three years ago; she could feel all her pain and heartache from that day slowly consuming her.


    When she was finally fully aware of the present, she realized that she was actually crying. And this was exactly the reason why Li Xiqing went livid and stopped her. Shao Yan slowly responded to his hug, she circled her arms around his waist. She pressed her wet cheek onto his chest and gradually calmed herself down.


    She was listening to his steady heartbeat. She took in all his scent and warmth. ''That''s right, Shao Yan. It was all in the past, stop torturing yourself'' She thought silently.


    She slowly took a deep breath while leaning in his embrace. After a while, she slowly said, "Xiqing, this is my past. I am not some pure maiden. I ..."


    "That''s enough!" He cut her off before she said any further. "I have said that the past does not matter." He wrapped her closer and leaned his cheek on top of her crown, "And in the future, it will not matter."


    He was leaning back on the sofa with Shao Yan wrapped securely in his embrace. Both of them did not say anything further. Her train of thought was interrupted by his burst of anger. She had lost all desire to remember anymore. She had to focus to calm his agitated heart first.


    .....


    Li Xiqing could feel that Shao Yan gradually relax. He put a little distant between them, and then he cupped her face. He stared into her eyes, and then he gently touched his lips on her forehead. She slowly closed her eyes, and felt his warm lips touched her skin. She softly sighed and gave a little smile.


    When she was about to open her eyes, she felt that his lips had left her forehead, and was now gently kissing each of her eyelids. Each kiss was so light, touching her skin like the wings of a butterfly.


    "Yan Yan" he murmured while kissing each corner of her eyes. His lips accidentally tasted her tears. He could feel a sting of pain from her despair. "Promise me," he said gently while moving down to kiss her cheeks and then kiss the tip of her nose, "That this will be the last time you cry over him."


    She slowly opened her eyes, and he was staring deep into her fragile soul.


    Shao Yan saw her own reflection in his eyes. She felt a blanket of security was wrapped around her, keeping her safe from the storm and turbulent.


    She had never felt so calm and peaceful before.


    At first, she nodded slowly. And then, as if to reassure him, and to reassure herself, she nodded vigorously and gave him a loud, "En! I promise" and then she let out a gentle grin. The corner of her mouth curved. Her dewy eyes, stained with residual tears, were sparkling like stars in a lonely night.


    So bright and so mesmerizing.


    Li Xiqing smiled along with her, and then he moved his face closer to her again. As he got closer, Shao Yan slowly closed her eyes again before his lips took her lower lip and started to suck on it. She kissed him back right away, while leaning her whole self into him, she circled both of her arms onto his neck. He wrapped his arms around her once more, and started to deepen their kiss.


    His longing, his passion and his jealousy were all reflected in the kiss. He could not stop tasting her. Her heartache, her sorrow and her pain were all engulfed by him. She surrendered all of her self onto him.

 Chapter 81 - Pampering You

    He was cradling her like a baby, while kissing like a lover. A jealous, possessive sensation crept into his heart.


    He had mixed feelings when she was narrating her story just now. Ever since he met her, she had been so fragile, and scared of starting a new adventure, let alone diving into a relationship again. He was really curious of what actually had happened that shattered her soul and broke her to that extent of darkness.


    But at the same time, he was unwilling to hear, as it had no meaning of talking about the past anymore because she had moved on. And that was what mattered the most out of all things.


    Initially, they were only kissing at slow pace. He was consoling her, sucking the pain of past. When he felt her arms circled around his neck, he pulled her closer and started to kiss her deeper, thrusting his lips onto her. His palm was caressing her cheek, while he started his attack on her body, drugging all of her senses.


    His lips were devouring her, his tongue searched for hers, exploring every corner of her mouth and they kissed sloppily. His mind was solely focusing on conquering her soul.


    She was not shy responding in kissing him back. They had kissed many times up till now. But she felt something different this time. Was he... angry?


    His one hand slipped to her waist and was pressing her silhouette close to him, as if he wanted her to melt into his embrace, mingling into one by the warmth of his love. His palm tracing her cheek kept guiding her to kiss him more passionately.


    She could feel his desperation, his insecurity, his jealousy through his rough attempt and heat of sudden passion. She did not know how to calm him down, so all she could do was to surrender to him completely, letting him engulf her darkest part.


    His palm now moved from her cheek, to grab a hold the side of her neck. He tilted his head a little and started to bite her lower lip gently, pulling the pink flesh a little. His hungry lips then traveled towards her jaw, sucking beneath her cheek. As his body intensity was increasing making his hot breath towering.


    His lips crawled to her neck, breathing heavily and started kissing her skin; making her moan under his assault. He was looking for her warmth and her tranquilizing fragrance. He explored her neck and found his favorite spot just right beneath her earlobe; and he sucked on the flesh intending to leave a glaring red mark.


    She felt that she had bequeathed an oasis for her thirsty soul. Unconsciously she rubbed her body on his, and a bashful smile escaped her lips when she felt him responding to her touch. He growled and moved from beneath her earlobe to her clavicle, and gently bit her.


    He rested his forehead on her shoulder and started to breathe slowly.


    .....


    He would hate himself if he take advantage of her in her most fragile state now. He had promised himself to give her the utmost happiness. He had planned his next steps carefully; it was not the time to ruin it now.


    And he would do anything to fulfill that happiness.


    He slowly let her go. Both of them were still trying to catch on their breath and trying to control themselves. After those intense kisses, somehow he ended up laying down on the sofa with her laying on top of him. He cupped his palm on the back of her head and led her to lie down on his chest.


    "I want you so much, Yan Yan" his husky voice was tickling her blushing ear "And you know that".


    "But I will hate myself more if I take you now," he whispered softly above her. His hand was unconsciously rubbing her back, trying to calm both of them.


    They stayed silent for a while, only enjoying each other''s presence. She was enjoying his hold around her. He was trying to bring back his rationality.


    "Yan Yan"


    He suddenly stopped rubbing her back, and held her upper arm to prop her up. She crossed her arm over his chest and leaned her chin on top of her crossed arms.


    "Clear five days for me next month. After I am done with the office set up, let''s go on vacation" he said while running his fingers through her hair. He traced his fingers along her cheek, "I have prepared a surprise for you".


    Shao Yan looked at him quizzically. She pursed her lips and her eyebrows gently brought together. Her round eyes gave him undivided attention. A lot of questions ran through her mind and she was itching to ask. But in the end, she still chose to follow his suggestion and nodded her head in agreement, "Alright".


    A little surprise would not harm her. On the other hand, she was actually looking forward to it!


    He put his palm on top of her head, "Go and shower first? Let me prepare dinner. I''m sure you''re already tired".


    A tender smile formed on her swollen lips. She laid her cheek back onto his chest, "Let me stay like this for a while. And then I''ll go shower".


    He stared at the crown of her head and smiled helplessly, but still conceded to her wish.


    .....


    While Shao Yan was showering, Li Xiqing was busying about in his kitchen. He took out two pieces of 6 ounce meat to grill. They would be having steak for dinner tonight.


    He also took out asparagus and carrots. He tossed them in olive oil, salt and pepper; before he put them in the oven to grill.


    He walked to the wine cellar next to the kitchen and picked a Cabernet Sauvignon bottle from his collections.


    Indeed, he had something to celebrate. He was celebrating her trust on him. He was celebrating her surrendering herself to him. And he was celebrating their commitment to each other. From now onwards, she would have more faith in him. And he in her.

 Chapter 82 - Beyond Charming

    Li Xiqing went back to the kitchen, took out a wine opener and started to work on the bottle. Yan Yan had been too stressed out and tired from travelling back to the painful past. He was hoping the wine would help her to feel more relaxed, fading away that gruesome memory for some time.


    He glanced at the clock on the wall, and mentally calculated the time that she needed to shower. He put on his apron, and started to roam around the kitchen. He also started to prepare the ingredients that he would need: butter, pearl onions, garlic, thyme, olive oil, Himalayan pink salt and fresh cracked peppers. And now, he was ready to start to cook, implementing his expertise in this regard.


    When Shao Yan came out of the bedroom, a hint of peppery meat hit her nostrils. She reflexively hunted down the source, and saw Li Xiqing was basting the steak with the fragrant garlic butter.


    She saw that tall, enigmatic man, stood there towering over the sizzling pan. With apron tied around his waist, holding a spoon in his hand, he oozed an intense expertise that scaled up high beyond charming.


    A foolish gentle grin escaped her lips.


    .....


    Crackle of the charred meat and the smooth aromatic thyme and garlic butter filled the room. Shao Yan leaned on the door frame by the kitchen and decided to watch that bewitching man who was cooking for her.


    Smiling from time to time, he kept basting the meat until he covered the whole meat. After two minutes on each side of the meat, he turned off the heat off and removed the pan away.


    With a pursed smile, he took a pair of tongs and transferred the meat onto the chopping board to let it rest. He looked over the charred and leaned in closer to inhale the savory flavor. Satisfied with the result, he grinned and straightened back up while wiping his hands with a sea blue kitchen towel. He folded the kitchen towel and put it on top of the counter. He walked to the cabinet and took out two clean, white ceramic plates.


    .....


    A piece of slow, hypnotizing jazz music was playing in the background. His every move, every gesture, was so captivating. Shao Yan could not tear her sight away.


    While waiting for the steak to rest, the grilled vegetables were also done. He took them out and started to plate them carefully. Each vegetables were scooped with the utmost attention.


    Shao Yan watched him wiped the kitchen knife with the blue towel, and started to slice the steak. Every slice was done so meticulously, as if he was a professional chef hired to prepare a meal for the queen.


    She suddenly remembered of the famous foul-mouthed British chef from a cooking show that she often watched on TV.


    She let out soft, tiny giggles.


    Li Xiqing turned around and saw her leaning by the door frame, smiling at him. He returned her smile and asked her, "Share the joke, love."


    Shao Yan blushed from being caught, she strode over to his side, and stared on the two plates.


    "Well, when you were slicing the meat just now, I just suddenly remember the famous chef." she looked up at him, and grinned again while standing next to him.


    Li Xiqing saw her glittering eyes, and he could smell her soap. He suddenly closed in and stole a peck on her lips.


    "Are you saying that I like to curse, Missus?" He pecked her once more, "Or are you saying that I am as great of a chef as him?" he slowly raised the corner of his lips, and smirked at her.


    Shao Yan burst out a laugh and returned his kisses with a couple more pecks. She quickly separated herself from him before he took things further. She was really hungry.


    For steak. Not for him.


    (????-)?


    .....


    Li Xiqing continued to plate their meals, and Shao Yan decided to pour the wine for them. She carried the two glasses outside, and helped him to set up the dining table.


    When he was done with the meat, he cleaned his knife with the towel. Satisfied with the perfect looking plate, he smiled proudly at himself and flung the towel over his shoulder. He picked up the two plates and walked out.


    Shao Yan kept the jazz music in the background as it helped to calm her down. It was also the perfect music for tonight.


    Li Xiqing placed the plates in front of them before he went back to the kitchen to take off his apron and the towel.


    Shao Yan stared at her perfect looking plate. The steak was cooked medium rare, just what she liked. The meat was sliced evenly on each slice and displayed neatly next to the grilled vegetables. The grilled vegetables on the side had a balanced ratio between carrots and asparagus.


    When Li Xiqing came out again, he saw that she had a blank look on her face, her pretty pink lips were slightly opened as she looked at him stunned.


    "Xiqing, this..this is amazing!" she looked down at her plate again, "I felt like I''m in a professional steakhouse now." she gave him a bright smile, lighting up her whole aura.


    Li Xiqing smiled back at him, while he sat down on his chair. He picked up his wine glass, and gestured it to her direction. "Yan Yan, here is for our new chapter. Thank you, for allowing me to stay by your side"


    Shao Yan looked at him foolishly, and swiftly picked up her glass. She opened her mouth to say something, but she did not know what to say, she closed it in again. She could feel tears started to pool in her eyes again, and she quickly looked up.


    She hurriedly clinked her glass to his, "En. Me too" she was gnawing her bottom lip, she wanted to say more. But nothing else could come out of her, so she repeated, "Me too, Xiqing. Thank you" and a single tear dropped from the corner of her eyes, trickled down her blushing cheek.


    She quickly swiped the tear away with her other hand, and brought the glass to her lips and started sipping on her wine.


    Li Xiqing who was sitting next to her, held out his palm to cup her tear stained cheek. He gently rubbed her cheek with his thumb while giving her a warm, reassuring smile.


    +++


    edited by: DKQ ll Aysel_Inara

 Chapter 83 - Calm Heart

    "What was your dream when you were little?"


    After dinner, Shao Yan dragged him downstairs. She wanted to have a quiet night stroll to digest the food. Both of them drank the whole bottle of wine, and she felt so bloated. Li Xiqing happily complied with her request.


    With their fingers intertwined, they were strolling around the apartment area, while enjoying the night breeze. The garden in his neighborhood felt more peaceful and soothing for her.


    Once in a while, they would meet senior couples or even kids still running around the area.


    Shao Yan scrunched her eyebrows, and tilted her head to the side, "Hm. Let me think. I had always wanted to be a doctor" and then she laughed at herself, before turning her head to the side and stared at Li Xiqing.


    "But you know what? I am actually scared of blood" she shrugged, and softly sighed, "So, there goes my dream" she looked down and watched their overlapped shadows on the pathway.


    After smiling at the dancing shadows for a while, she looked up again and gave him a gentle smile, "What about you? What was your dream?"


    Li Xiqing was paying attention to every single thing that she did. The way she scrunched her soft eyebrows when she was thinking. The way she lightly squeezed her nose and grimaced when she laughed at herself. Or the way she would sway their joint hands together every now and then.


    He was staring back at her, looking deep into her twinkling eyes; and then smiled.


    "Believe it or not" he winked at her, "I, too, wanted to be a doctor" and then he gave her a silly grin when her eyes went so round, and her mouth shaped like an "O" at his answer. And then he turned his head back to look at the road in front of them.


    "Both of my parents are actually doctors. So growing up, I really wanted to be like them" he matched her pace while walking beside her. His broad palm kept her tiny hand warm. He was also paying attention on the wind breeze and once in a while, he would stay ahead of her to protect her from the cold.


    "Mandy, my sister, actually started to study to be a nurse in the university" he turned his head back to look at her, "But destiny said otherwise. She fell in love with literature, and went to Germany to study for a while."


    He smiled at her, "That was where she met her husband, Yufeng" and then he squeezed her hand lightly, "You will get to meet them next year. They are planning to open an office here".


    Shao Yan was so excited, this was the first time Li Xiqing had spoken so much about himself. She shook her head saying yes, "I would love to" and then she let go off their linked fingers, and her hand wrapped around his upper arm, and held onto it.


    "Xiqing, do you think, we would make a good team of doctors if we decided to go through with our dreams many years ago?"


    He saw her childish attitude and his eyes were emitting a tenderness that could rival the clouds. He raised his other hand and patted her arm, "I would definitely be a good doctor. As for you," he paused and looked as if he was contemplating, "Hm. I think you would just be a wife of a doctor, that''s enough."


    "HEY!" she slapped his arm, earning his hearty laugh that roared through the tranquil night.


    Both of them ended up laughing for a while, before he finally held her waist and pulled her close, "Let''s go back? You must be so tired now, let''s sleep early tonight?"


    Shao Yan looked up and docilely answered him, "En" and then she leaned her head in his embrace.


    .....


    When Li Xiqing and Shao Yan arrived back in their apartment, he told her to quickly wash up, and prepare to go to sleep.


    He himself actually went back to the kitchen to clean up. After all the cooking just now, he wanted to quickly wash all the dishes from the grease.


    After he put all the plates into the dishwasher, he turned off all the lights and walked back to their bedroom.


    Shao Yan had just climbed into the bed when he stepped in.


    "Go wash up now. I''m feeling so tired" a yawn escaped her as she was saying this, she stretched a little before quickly laid down on the pillow, "I think I''m going to fall asleep soon".


    Li Xiqing chuckled at her drowsy state. He walked over and tucked her inside the blanket. He sat on the bedside and patted her arm, "En, you sleep now. I will go and wash up, you don''t have to wait for me".


    He leaned over and kissed her forehead, and let his lips lingered on her soft skin for a while.


    When his lips left her, her eyes were still closed, but her lips were curved up and she softly sighed.


    "Sleep now." his fingertips lightly tapped her nose tip and then he reached over to the bedside table, and turned off the desk lamp.


    Shao Yan searched for a comfortable position to sleep, and she quickly drifted to cloud nine.


    .....


    After he was done washing up and walked out of the bathroom, he saw Shao Yan was already sound asleep.


    He wiped his wet hair lightly, and tried to keep the noise down. He walked back to the bathroom and hung his towel back before walking out again.


    He watched her sleep for a while. He might have looked so calm when he was faced with all those stories about her past.


    His face slowly darkened before he stood up from her bedside, and walked out of the bedroom. When all was still and quiet now, he started to recall all the words that she had told him today while walking to the study room.


    He took the whiskey decanter and a glass before sitting down behind his mahogany desk.


    He was enraged and full of jealousy. He very much wanted to hurt that bastard. But he had decided to hold his emotion back to not scare her.


    His priority had always been her. He had to calm her down first, he had to make her forget about her turbulent heart, and that was why he was pretending to be calm.


    But no one but him knew how vex he was feeling right now.

 Chapter 84 - Another Busy Bee

    Bright early morning, the birds were chirping joyfully outside. The sun was shining so brightly and a slight ray of sunshine seeped through the curtains.


    Ever since Shao Yan slept over frequently, Li Xiqing no longer used the light blocking curtains in the room.


    Shao Yan had difficulty in waking up early, unless there was sunlight in the room. And Shao Yan loved her job so much. So Li Xiqing tried to be as supportive as possible. He very much wanted to let her sleep more, but he relented to her wish.


    After the talk yesterday, Shao Yan had expected to wake up tired, but surprisingly she slept like a baby. She slept so sound that she even missed her alarm clock notification.


    Shao Yan was running out of the bedroom when Li Xiqing was standing patiently by the foyer with her laptop bag and breakfast in his hands.


    "Don''t run like that, I''m scared that you will fall down" he reprimanded her. His voice sounded strict but his face betrayed his intention. He always looked at her tenderly that sometimes Shao Yan would tease him instead.


    But she could not do it this time. She could not think of a good comeback and just give him a shy smile.


    She quickly put on her shoes, and then walked out of the apartment while still tidying up her hair. She left a mental note to herself: no more wine on working days! And no more steak!


    She paused and thought for a while.


    ''Well. Scratch that. She loved the steak'' she sighed helplessly ''She would love to have it anytime!'' Shao Yan silently pondered.


    .....


    When she arrived in the office, Shao Yan rushed to the meeting room immediately. When she entered, all eyes were looking at her direction because of the sudden interruption.


    Mr. Wang was not happy. He had told her multiple times that this week was critical. They needed to prepare themselves to welcome OnScience team that would visit their office soon. So Mr. Wang wanted them to go through the daily schedules that they arranged for OnScience team.


    "Now that Miss Shao had granted us her presence, let''s start from the top. Lao Huo, start over from 9am Day 1."


    A lot of sighs and complains murmured around the room. They had discussed Day 1 for thirty minutes now! Thus, almost all of them subtly turned their head to Shao Yan and sent her a hate look.


    Their gazes were screaming ''It''s all you fault!'' at her face.


    Shao Yan could only laughed guiltily at them. She scratched her head, and gave sheepish smile. Mr. Wang was in bad mood now, how was it her fault.


    She felt she had been wrongly accused.


    (���n��)


    .....


    Project Team spent the whole morning discussing 3-day worth of schedule for OnScience team.


    And Mr. Wang really did not let them go easily. He decided to order lunch, and had them sit through lunch break. They had to continue the discussion to Day 4.


    By the end of the day, the whole team only managed to finalize schedules worth for seven days.


    Shao Yan wanted to scream out loud. The OnScience team would only stay here for six months! So why did they have to go through this level of details, if they would end up working closely together anyway?


    How were they going to survive the next two weeks; were they going to just to be in meetings the whole day to discuss on schedules?


    (�`_�`")


    .....


    After the sun had set, Shao Yan finally went back to her desk. She was so exhausted after a whole day of meetings. Her face had sunken and she felt so dispirited. Her shoulder was aching for being strained for too long and her fingers were stiff from too much typing. She slumped down on her chair and just rested herself. She leaned her head back to the headrest and closed her eyes for a while.


    Lee Ying, her intern, was no longer around to help them, as her internship had been completed. The timing for losing one resource was really bad. At this time, when they needed help the most, but they were down by one person, was really challenging for the whole team to work efficiently.


    Since Shao Yan was stuck in that ''useless meeting'' the whole day, she had not gotten the chance to do her actual work.


    Before she actually started to work, she abruptly straightened herself and took out her mobile phone to send Li Xiqing a message. She sent him a brief message ''I will be home late, I have to work overtime tonight. Don''t wait for me''. She sighed softly. Hopefully, he did not spend his time waiting for her again.


    After she finished typing, she put her phone to the side and started working on her emails.


    ��..


    Her emails were piling up. As she started reading through them, she scolded Mr. Wang in her heart. She created a priority list and just in thirty minutes,she had filled her A4 size document with list of things to do.


    She felt a headache was coming. She reminded herself to talk to Li Xiqing about this, that she might have to do a lot of overtime starting from next month.


    She sighed softly as she kept typing on her computer. The noise around her was unconsciously subdued. She could not bother to listen to other things around her. She focused on what she was tasked on for the day.


    Fan jie was on the phone arguing with a supplier. It was already after business hour, so her call was deemed rude by the supplier. They kept arguing back and forth.


    But who was Fan jie? She didn''t take the customer''s nonsense down. So they started arguing, starting from a sarcastic remarks about ''work etiquette'' and then ''acceptable working hours'' to the topic of ''profitable project'' and finally ''it''s a good deal whether you want it or not, you can go to hell!''.


    At first, people did not pay any attention to her and the customer''s loud voice which transmitted over the phone receiver.


    But gradually, people started to gather at her desk, which was adjacent to Shao Yan''s.


    People around them was listening to their banter amusingly. With so many people standing around her, Shao Yan could not help but get distracted as well. Looking at their ruckus around her, her mood was lifted for a bit.


    Suddenly, Shao Yan''s desk phone rang.

 Chapter 85 - Dinner With Love

    "Miss Shao, this is the front desk. We have your food delivery here. Can we send them up to your floor?"


    Shao Yan was confused. She didn''t order any delivery. She turned around and asked her teammates, "Anyone ordered food delivery? They''re here downstairs." After she finished, her eyes went around the room, scanning everyone.


    Everyone looked at her and shook their head. Shao Yan became even more confused. She returns back to the receptionist who was still waiting on the phone and answered "Uh. Did it specify that they are for me?"


    The receptionist answered her politely, "Yes, Miss Shao. This food has your name on it"


    Shao Yan could probably guess who send this.  She slightly smiled and replied to her, "Alright. Just send them up. Thank you."


    ��..


    The delivery boy quickly arrived on their floor, and he scanned his head around, trying to look for Shao Yan. She saw him right away and raised her hand to signal him to come over.


    He saw her and briskly walked to her direction, carrying several bags of food in his hands.


    When he finally stood next to her desk, he started to take the food out one by one, and then placed them neatly on the table.


    Beef noodle soup, boiled peanuts, stir-fry garlic vegetables, braised tofu in soy sauce, salt pepper fried beef, chicken dumplings, and two types of dessert for her: grass jelly pudding and almond pudding.


    Shao Yan was staring at the portion that could feed about ten people. She turned her to the delivery boy with a quizzical look, "Uh. Do you know who ordered this?" Now Shao Yan had her doubt if this was really Li Xiqing. She thought the food would only be for one person.


    The delivery boy patted his pockets around for the invoice. He finally he found it, and quickly handed a piece of paper to Shao Yan.


    The boy added while passing her the paper, "I picked up the call myself. The caller identified himself as ''Mr. Li'' and he ordered the food for ten people."


    Shao Yan suddenly stayed silent and squinted her eyes; so delivery boy thought something was wrong. He quickly asked her,"I''m sorry, Miss, is something wrong with the order? S-should I bring them back?"


    His stuttering brought her surprise, and Shao Yan quickly adjusted her expression. She hastily waved her hands in front of her and swiftly gave him a polite smile, "No no, don''t worry, everything is fine. Thank you."


    Shao Yan was pleasantly surprised. Her complexion was very cheery and her eyes were brighter than usual. She quickly looked for her phone, and unlocked it. She saw there was a text reply from Li Xiqing that she had missed, ''Alright, I know. Have you eaten?''.


    It was sent 30 minutes ago.


    .....


    He must have guessed Shao Yan was too busy to reply. Ergo, she was too busy to eat. He then took matters to his own hand and delivered the dinner to her, instead of waiting for her to find her own food when she was hungry.


    Because she was still working, to make others stop for her to eat was inappropriate. So Li Xiqing could be thinking that in order for everyone to also take a break, he will bait all of them with food.


    Unconsciously, she gnawed on her bottom lip. Shao Yan felt a surge of guilt. She had been too busy today to pay a single attention to him, yet he never failed to shower her with everything she needed. His attention to this aspect never failed to warm her heart.


    Her train of thought was broken by a sudden ruckus.


    Her team quickly surrounded her desk because of the smell of good food, "Boss, I love you so much. I love you 3000! Can we start eating?" Wenhai was already pulling the chopsticks from its sleeves while rattling a bunch of flowery words at her.


    Shao Yan laughed and replied, "Alright. Stop with the fake praises. Go on and eat now" she also turned around and addressed the other team members that were still working at this hour, "All of you, let''s eat together too, there are enough portions here for all of us".


    Everyone quickly came over and picked up their pair of chopsticks and started to ravage on the take out boxes.


    Shao Yan stared at the hungry vultures and chuckled softly. She grabbed her phone and stood up; she walked to the window while smiling and staring at her phone.


    She decided to send another quick text to him, ''Wifey, thank you for the surprise dinner. Make sure you also eat alright?'' she playfully reversed their role. Her lips pursed as she was holding her own chuckle, she hit the send button.


    Not a few seconds later, Shao Yan received a reply, ''Hubby, I am eating now.''


    She saw that he also sent a picture along with the text, and when she clicked to open it, it was showing the same food that he had ordered for her, but in a smaller portion for one person.


    She giggled foolishly and quickly replied him, ''En, good wife. *Kiss emoji* I''ll reward you handsomely later.''


    .....


    The whole Gold Crane Publication Project Team had been working late for the past few weeks. With OnScience acquisition, the sales team in Gold Crane worked even harder than before and successfully signed a lot of new authors.


    Because of the messy schedules, Li Xiqing insisted for them to start living together more frequently until things calmed down. He wanted to make sure they still spent a lot of quality time together.


    Clatter of plates and bowls were heard in the middle of this tranquil night. A handsome man was standing tall by the kitchen sink, his hands were covered by dish soap as he was rinsing a plate under a running water.


    "All those saying about ''absence make the heart grow fonder'' is simply a bull. It''s only a lame excuse created by the lazy people to keep meeting each other too much because, you guessed it, they are lazy"


    He lifted up his face and looked at her, he added, "But guess what? I am not lazy and we shall meet frequently."


    Tonight, Shao Yan finally cooked the braised pork ribs that she had promised him for ages. She was accompanying him in the kitchen, while she was sitting obediently on the bar stool and Li Xiqing was washing the plates.


    "Distance only allow third party to crawl into the relationship. So.." he looked up at her, "whether you like it or not, I am going to stick around you like an annoying piece of gum"


    Shao Yan first stunned at his words, before she abruptly burst out a laugh. His analogy was totally wrong, but she understood his meaning.

 Chapter 86 - His Childhood

    "Yan Yan, let''s start adjusting to this whole concept of living together, alright."


    He added more, "I will not hold you down, or control you. You can still do whatever you want, meet whoever you want."


    He put down the clean plate in his hands on the drying rack at the side of the sink "All I''m asking is our commitment to each other. I am going to be really busy. You are definitely busy too."


    Li Xiqing wiped his hand with a kitchen towel, and then he walked over and stand in front of her. He gently held her hand and pulled her up from her seat "Let me tell you something" he squeezed her hand lightly and smiled.


    Together, they walked to the living room. Li Xiqing sat down first, and then he pulled her to sit on his lap.


    He wrapped both arms around her waist and leaned his chin on her shoulder. He spoke in a low voice, and his breath was tickling her cheek.


    Shao Yan squirmed, but his arms tightened around her, she heard him said, "My parents, many many years ago, they were almost divorced."


    Shao Yan was surprised at this revelation, she went totally still in his embrace.


    ��..


    All this time they were in a relationship, both of them had never talked about families or the past. Both of them had a tacit understanding of only focusing on the present and worked together to build the future.


    However, it seemed that things started to change ever since she opened up to him and told him about Liwei. It seemed that this man was now ready to welcome her to his world.


    Shao Yan gradually relaxed, she leaned back into his embrace, listening to his story.


    "Both of my parents were doctors. They are living in country U now. And my dad just retired last year, actually." Shao Yan could hear Li Xiqing was smiling as he said this.


    "My mom is only taking care of her existing patients, she is no longer accepting any new patient because she is planning to retire soon to accompany my dad." He leaned back, and slowly told her his story.


    "When I was in Junior High, they had a huge fight." he paused, "My sister and I stayed inside the room while they were throwing things at each other downstairs." he sounded so dejected and sullen, that Shao Yan could feel that her heart pricked.


    Initially, Shao Yan had both of her hands rested on her lap while leaning onto his embrace. But she slowly brought her arms to cover over his that were still wrapped around her waist.


    "The reason was because my mom suspected my dad to have an affair with one of his patient."


    Shao Yan sharply inhaled. Li Xiqing looked at her and patted her hands, "Don''t worry. Later on we found out that the whole thing was only a misunderstanding." He gently smiled at her, and rubbed her hair. She gradually relaxed again and returned his smile.


    "They fought a lot because they seldom saw each other, they didn''t know what each other had been up to anymore. Distance is so powerful, It can transform two intimate people into strangers."


    "They already had Mandy and I sat down together to discuss about divorce and what would come after it. They also told us that they were attending marriage counseling." his voice suddenly went softer, a sullen mood blanketed over him in an instant.


    Shao Yan''s heart felt painful for him. He was still so young then, she wondered how he had felt during that time.


    He lightly shrugged, "They were both so busy, but they still attended the counseling sessions religiously" Li Xiqing softly sighed. Shao Yan slightly turned her head around to check on him.


    He gave her a gentle smile "And that worked out. Although they had to spend three years of counseling before finally the dark clouds left our family, but it all eventually worked out."


    He stared at her face. Her soft features were trying to give him comfort. But he thought he saw a look of pity. And he did not want that.


    He slid his hand under her knee and slightly picked her up and turned her to the side. His left arm was resting on her waist, while his right palm was holding her head, bringing her to lean into his embrace; cradling her "Let me hold you for a while."


    Both of them stayed quiet and just listened to each other''s presence and warmth.


    "What I''m trying to say here is, I don''t want excuses of ''work'' or ''busy'' or ''no time'' were to be the reason of us growing apart." he enunciated every word slowly for her.


    "That is also why I said that all I need from you is your commitment to this relationship."


    He ran his hand over her hair, she could hear his warm, husky voice over her head, "Yan Yan, as long as we both have our heart set on making this work, no matter how busy we are, we will still be in love for a very long time."


    Shao Yan paused and slightly lifted her face to look up at him. She realized something.


    This man, had been through a hell of marriage life, by looking at what his parents had gone through. He had to learn it the hard way so he would not take anything for granted.


    Ever.


    Whilst she and Liwei, they just grew more and more apart from each other; no one wanted to fight for it anymore, until they finally separated. She, of all people, should also understand this. That she should not take anything for granted.


    Shao Yan lifted her hand and put it on his chest. She stared deeply into his eyes and slowly said, "I want to make this work, Xiqing. Trust me. I will listen to you."


    It was really not fair for him to be fighting alone on this relationship. She had to take a fair part in it too. And she would make it work this time.


    Together.

 Chapter 87 - Honey Trap

    The arrangements for a ''probation'' of living together - that was what Shao Yan called it; surprisingly came natural to both of them.


    She decided not to bring this topic up whenever Qi Ling called. Shao Yan was thinking to let Qi Ling know in person when she''s back from her trip.


    Since her house was closer to the office, everytime Li Xiqing picked her up from work, they would end up going back to her place. On the weekend, she would go back to his place.


    On a quiet apartment floor, series of beeping sound was heard coming from the outermost unit of floor 23.


    Shao Yan was entering her own passcode to unlock Li Xiqing''s apartment door. After a few tries, she finally managed to open the door and walk in. Li Xiqing was trailing behind her, carrying bags of grocery with him.


    She sighed softly while taking her shoes off, "This is what happened if I never use my own passcode. I forgot about it"


    Li Xiqing had already walked in to the kitchen, he paused, before he looked back at her, "That''s why I will stop opening the door for you, you have to use your own passcode from now on" he smiled and then turned back to keep walking.


    Shao Yan was still lamenting on her small failures when she picked herself up from her seat, and walked over to the kitchen to help him cook.


    She was grumbling softly, and then suddenly stopped her track. A bright light bulb had just switched on over her head. Her lips slowly perked up.


    Shao Yan gave a light cough, and quickly adjusted her expression, before she continued walking to the kitchen.


    .....


    Li Xiqing was chopping on vegetables when she walked in. Tonight''s menu would be a simple three vegetarian dishes. He planned to stir fry some snap peas with garlic and mushroom, boil a tofu soup and also whip up the sweet and sour button mushroom with carrots and brussel sprouts.


    Shao Yan watched him skillfully used the knife in action for a while. She slowly tiptoed to his side and then wrapped her hands around his waist from behind and leaned her cheek on his back.


    "Xiqing, my head hurts"


    He felt her hands wrapped around him, he kept himself still and let her hugged him. he could hear her dejected voice from behind him.


    He put down his knife, and wanted to turn around to face her. But she kept her hold firm, and said "No, don''t move, I feel more dizzy if you move. Let me hug you like this for a while"


    He was confused. She looked fine the whole day, and even just now, she was still energetic. What happened here, why did she suddenly feel sick? But he listened to her and did not move.


    "Go to the bed and rest for a while. I''ll call you when the dinner is ready. Maybe you''re too hungry that your head hurts" he spoke so gently at her.


    His hand moved to pick up the knife again, but she quickly said, "No, it''s a different headache"


    Hi hand paused mid air, he was feeling more confused now. And then he felt Shao Yan tightened her hold around him and continued, "But I think I know how to cure this, Xiqing" she pursed her lips to keep herself calm, and not just burst out laughing.


    He patted her arms, "Just tell me. I''ll listen to you"


    She rubbed her cheek on his back, "Then you promise me, okay?"


    He chuckled lightly and patted her arms again, "Just tell me first, and if I can do it, I promise I''ll do it for you" he kept his palms over hers. His head was turned slightly to the side to look down at her, while still talking with his back on her.


    She did not say anything for a while, and bid her time to allow the suspense to kick in. And then, he heard her soft voice rang again.


    "Xiqing, let''s agree to drive on our own from now. You don''t have to keep driving me around anymore"


    Li Xiqing paused and then gradually, he was baffled. He lightly turned his head to the side, while squinting his eyes and opened his mouth to say something. However, he closed it right away, and then pursed his lips.


    Did she just play a trick on him?


    .....


    He decided not to answer her and then picked up his knife and started to work on the vegetables again.


    Huh? Did he not hear what she said? She nudged him, and then she peaked from the side and looked up to his face.


    "Xiqing?"


    "En?" he answered her.


    "Did you hear what I just said?"


    And he answered again, "En" and then he stayed silent.


    It was now her turn to feel anxious. He still did not say anything more after a while. So she could not take it anymore. She let go off her arms around him, and turned him around.


    .....


    Li Xiqing saw her confused face and held back his smile. He gave her a blank look on his face, before asking "What is it? What do you want to say?"


    Shao Yan had her soft eyebrow scrunched and looked up at him, "Why did you not answer me?"


    He crossed his arms in front of his chest, "And how is driving your own car can help your headache now?"


    Shao Yan stated her well prepared answer, "Because I keep forgetting my passcode, and you even told me just now that I should keep using it, so, let me drive my own car so I can start using my own passcode when I exit or enter the house" she rattled on.


    His pursed lips could not stifle the laugh anymore. He let out a soft chuckle "I really can''t follow your reasoning, Yan Yan" and he was about to turn his body around, before her small hands grabbed both of his arms and held him still.


    "Li Xiqing! You know what I mean!" she pouted her lips and was now scowling at him. She stubbornly held her ground and looked up at him.


    His eyes gradually curved and then he gave her a warm, gentle smile. He peeled her hands off, and held hers instead.


    "Alright, I understand" he patted her arms, "You can do whatever you want. I was only teasing you just now," he lightly tapped his knuckle on her forehead, "You were using honey trap on me to negotiate your terms just now"


    He slowly leaned down and lightly pecked her lips, "I was just returning a favor, Missus," and then he laughed again and turned around.


    She blinked and blinked. Did she just get her request granted? That easily?


    And at the same time, he was playing a trick on her?

 Chapter 88 - More People, More Fun

    Shao Yan pouted, and lightly hit his back, "Li Xiqing! You tricked me! I was so anxious just now~"


    And then she watched his body lightly shook and she heard his laughs.


    "Alright, go on now, let me finish this, and we can start eating, alright? We arrived home a little late tonight. I don''t want you to starve any longer."


    Shao Yan reluctantly agreed, and walked out of the kitchen while still sulking at his pranks.


    .....


    Today, Shao Yan had left early to go to the printing house to pick up the marketing materials for OnScience introduction meeting. Tomorrow, the long awaited honorable guest, OnScience team, would finally be here.


    VP Zhuang had set up a one hour meeting for each department to introduce them to Gold Crane. Her project department slot time was tomorrow morning 9 AM.


    Shao Yan was not sure how many people from OnScience would come. VP Zhuang only mentioned that each department had sent out three people as representative to visit Gold Crane.


    She did quick calculations in her head. If let''s say there were ten departments in OnScience company, that already equaled to thirty people!


    Shao Yan scowled. She felt sour in her heart, this was just wasting the company''s money!


    .....


    She arrived early at the printing house and started to supervise the work. When she arrived, the last batch of prints were in the process and Shao Yan approached the printing machine eagerly to watch the whole process.


    After she collected and inspected the printed materials, it was already almost lunch time. Shao Yan decided to quickly drive back to the office.


    When she reached the parking garage, she took out her phone and called Wenhai to ask him to come down to help her carry the boxes up.


    Wenhai was about to answer her request when suddenly Fan jie grabbed hold of his phone, "Just leave them there for now, Xiao Yan. Why don''t you wait for us in the lobby, we are going to lunch first


    "After lunch, all of us can help you carry the boxes up. Sounds good?"


    .....


    The group decided to go the mall next door for lunch. Of all good days before today, the gods decided that today was the perfect day to rain.


    It''s already September! Was it not only raining in Spring?! Why today!


    The group decided on a soup dumpling restaurant today. It was located on the first floor of the mall, and one side of the restaurant was facing the street outside. On a sunny day, people can actually opted to sit outside at the patio to enjoy their meal.


    Shao Yan was looking outside the glass door window; she was admiring how the rain drop on the glass slowly trickled down and decorated the view in front of her. She didn''t bring any umbrella today. None of her team did. All of them looked dejectedly at the pouring rain outside.


    Gloomy weather always brought the sadness in people. The grey clouds and pouring rain made the traffic a little quiet today. People outside who was walking under the rain walked really slow as if time just stopped.


    .....


    They were waiting to settle the bill now, so everyone was so busy chatting, speculating on the big group tomorrow.


    "Do you really think they will send 30 people?" Li Na suddenly raised the topic, while drinking her sour plum lemonade drink.


    Wenhai, who was passing the wet napkins to everyone to wipe their hands, suddenly chimed in, "That''s good! More people equals to more good view to see. More good looking ones, please!" and then he gave a lopsided grin to everyone.


    Fan jie who was sipping on her coke also nodded along his comment, "En. Agree. More young''uns for this sister, please."


    And everyone just burst out laughing.


    After they settled the bill, everyone decided to leave the restaurant. They needed to go back to the office now or they would be late.


    Shao Yan and Li Na decided to share an umbrella. There were some souvenirs shops on the first floor, so the group decided to go there so Shao Yan and Li Na could purchase one.


    Arrays of pretty umbrella were lining up on the side of the stores. Li Na and Shao Yan saw them right away, and they quickly walked towards them.


    Li Na was contemplating on bright colors, she kept giving ''hm'' and ''oh'' when she saw different kinds of umbrellas; while Shao Yan did not really care about the choices. She just stood next to her, giving comments here and there.


    Suddenly, a hand tapped her shoulder. Shao Yan swiftly turned around and saw a familiar face.


    .....


    Zhong Yu was walking down the escalator with his friends, when he saw Shao Yan and her coworker were choosing an umbrella. He paused on his steps and suddenly remembered that she was supposed to pick up the accessories that he had ordered for her, but she never came to the shop.


    He wanted to call her, but he didn''t have her number. So he knew that this was his only chance. Just as he lifted his foot, but before he stepped forward, he saw another figure had already rushed towards her and tapped her shoulder.


    Shao Yan turned around. First, he saw her blank face. And then her eyes went round and big, she gradually looked surprised and gave a bright smile. She suddenly exclaimed, "Feifei.?!"


    Lu Feifei broke out into a huge grin, "It''s really you, Xiao Yan!" Feifei abruptly wrapped her arms around Shao Yan and gave her a big hug, "I thought you won''t recognize me anymore" she wailed while squeezing Shao Yan with her bear hug.


    Feifei let her go and held both of Shao Yan''s hands, "I saw you from afar just now, but I''m not sure if it''s really you."


    Feifei touched Shao Yan''s hair tips, "Your hair is much longer now! I have always remembered you with short hair only."


    Shao Yan smiled and grabbed Feifei''s hands and lightly squeezed them, "Feifei, what are you doing in City S?"


    Feifei smiled, and then she slightly turned her body to the side, and pointed to few people behind her, "I was having lunch with them."


    Shao Yan looked at the direction she pointed, and she saw two tall men were standing quietly on the side. The men saw both women were looking at them, so they decided to walk towards them.

 Chapter 89 - Rainy Day

    As she watched the two tall men walked towards her directions, Shao Yan unconsciously stiffened up. All the memories came back flooding her brain, as if time had returned to many years ago. When the same four people were meeting for lunch in the university canteen.


    When Shao Yan was dating Liwei, she did not hang around his friends so much. Probably during the one-two years they were together, she only met his roommate a couple of times.


    From physical appearance itself, the most memorable one was definitely Lu Qian. Lu Qian was not as charismatic as Liwei, or as tall as Zhong Yu. His point of attraction was similar to Feifei, both of them had prominent dimples when they speak or smile.


    He was also the reason why Shao Yan was introduced to Liwei in the first place. Because Shao Yan''s roommate, Lu Feifei, was Lu Qian''s younger sister.


    As Shao Yan and Feifei were looking at them as Lu Qian and Zhong Yu walked towards them slowly, before finally, both men were standing right in front of them.


    .....


    "What are you doing here?" Zhong Yu opened the question first.


    Shao Yan who had never hung out with other people except for her co-workers, suddenly had three new friends talking to her. Her co-workers'' curious eyes were hovering all over Shao Yan and her companions.


    "Ah?" Shao Yan was surprised, and didn''t say anything for a while. Her mind was still tracing the memories she had with these three people from few years back.


    She gradually came back and answered him "Oh, my office is just next door. And I just finished lunch with my co-workers" she slightly turned her body and pointed to the group of people behind her.


    Two sides of people were looking at each other, and smiled. From a distant, everyone raised their hands and nodded their heads as form of greetings to each other.


    .....


    Feifei hooked her arm onto Shao Yan''s and lightly clung onto her "Yan Yan, I didn''t know you guys had come back. Give me your phone number," she swiftly let go of her arm and then took out her phone from her purse and handed it over to Shao Yan.


    Shao Yan helplessly smiled. This cheerful attitude of hers indeed never changed. Included with the ever so eye-catching dimples, Feifei always had her charms to make her way with everyone.


    "Let''s arrange for all of us to meet for dinner, shall we? Brother Qian and I are moving to City S soon. He got a job here and I am going to open my own cake shop"


    Shao Yan was typing her numbers, when Feifei continued, "Oh Yan Yan, put in Liwei''s number as well. So if we can''t reach you, we can call him instead."


    Shao Yan''s fingers suddenly stopped typing.


    .....


    When she left Liwei, she did not bother to inform any of their university friends about their separation. Because she felt that it was embarrassing for her.


    Shao Yan was contemplating on how to tell Feifei, Lu Qian and Zhong Yu about this; when Zhong Yu suddenly chimed in.


    "Feifei, Liwei did not come back with Shao Yan. He chose to stay in country U."


    Feifei seemed to have guessed what that was implied. At first, she felt awkward and did not know what to do. She looked a little lost before she tactfully said something else.


    "Hey! Ambitious men are troublesome. Let''s not talk about him" Feifei huffed a dramatic sigh and then clicked her tongue while scowling, "That''s fine, Yan Yan, we can just go for dinner ourselves!" her cheerful attitude automatically went overdrive and took over the awkward silence.


    She hooked her arm around Shao Yan''s shoulder, "How about tonight? And then we go to karaoke as well. Okay okay?" Feifei lightly shook Shao Yan again, "Okay?"


    Shao Yan laughed, "Hold on, let me check" she patted her arm to Feifei and then she took out her phone and opened her calendar to check her schedules. She had customer meeting tonight, from five until seven o''clock. Hopefully she could finish the meeting on time.


    Shao Yan locked the phone again and looked up at Feifei "After seven should be fine, let''s eat Korean BBQ?" Shao Yan suggested.


    Lu Feifei turned to Lu Qian and Zhong Yu for their opinion. Lu Qian just shrugged and Zhong Yu just nodded his head to answer yes "Sure, that''s actually a good idea in a cold weather like this."


    .....


    After chatted for a little while more, Shao Yan decided to head back to the office as her lunch time was almost over. Shao Yan peeked at the sky outside. The drizzle seemed to have slowed down.


    After saying their goodbyes at the front entrance of the mall, Shao Yan was about to run back to the office with her co-workers; when she felt a hand on her shoulder that kept her still.


    Zhong Yu turned to Lu Qian and Lu Feifei saying, "Lu Qian, lend me your umbrella. You guys wait here. Let me walk her back to the office first" and he turned around and looked at Shao Yan.


    "Let''s go, I have an umbrella." he let go off his hand on her shoulder. Only now did she notice that Zhong Yu had been carrying a big umbrella in his hand. So now, added on the newly acquired umbrella from Lu Qian, Zhong Yu got two umbrellas in his hand.


    Zhong Yu started to walk to the exit, and met her other co-workers, he nodded at them as greetings.


    "Hello, I''m Zhong Yu, Shao Yan''s university friend. I will walk Shao Yan back to the office." he addressed everyone politely and then he turned to Fan jie and Li Na, "I have an extra umbrella here, pretty ladies, you are welcome to use it" and then he casted a charming smile.


    Fan jie was fangirling when this cute, young man spoke to her. She quickly took the umbrella that he was offering in front of them, "Handsome brother, thanks!"


    Shao Yan just caught up to Zhong Yu when she heard Fan jie said her thanks.

 Chapter 90 - Old Friend

    "Thank you"


    Shao Yan was walking side by side with Zhong Yu "And also, I''m sorry I didn''t recognize you at the art festival. When I saw Feifei and Lu Qian just now, finally, I remembered you."


    She looked up at the tall, skinny man, "I''m sorry." Shao Yan tried to keep her words as simple as possible. She was hoping Zhong Yu did not catch her bluff.


    Zhong Yu was walking next to her, he leaned most of the umbrella to her side to cover her from the raindrops. Luckily it''s only a slight drizzle, so his arm sleeves outside the umbrella was not soaked too much.


    They were walking slowly towards her office building. Although it was only a slight drizzle, but few hours ago, a heavy rain just poured and water puddles were everywhere. He was worried that they would get their feet soaked.


    Shao Yan was paying extra attention on her every step as well. Zhong Yu silently matched her pace as he walked so he would not miss the umbrella over her head.


    He waved his hand, "That''s alright. I figured you probably didn''t recognize me. I have different hairstyle anyway" he paused, before he added, "And I look more handsome now" he grinned at her while his fingers brushed his own hair and gave it a light ruffle on the top of his crown.


    Shao Yan saw his childish grin, and returned his smile.


    Of course she remembered Zhong Yu. She just chose to not acknowledge him at the art festival. For her own selfish reason.


    .....


    Zhong Yu, Lu Qian, Du Guangwei and Liwei were roommates in university.


    Shao Yan usually hung out with her own roommates: Xie Liying and Lu Feifei; who sometimes also met up with her brother, Lu Qian. It was inevitable that Shao Yan finally met Liwei as well.


    There was one time, Shao Yan and Feifei were eating dinner in the cafeteria, and coincidentally, Liwei and Zhong Yu were there too. The four of them ended up eating lunch together.


    At the time, Liwei had not court Shao Yan yet.


    During that lunch, Liwei was busy talking to both Shao Yan and Feifei. Since Liwei had met Feifei before, he was aware that Feifei was Lu Qian''s sister. He was excited to share embarrassing stories of Lu Qian to the both of them; while Zhong Yu just sat silently on the side.


    But Shao Yan noticed that Zhong Yu had been paying attention to both of their needs ever since Feifei and her had sat down with them.


    He picked up the cutleries for them. He also passed out the tissue napkins to wipe their hands. In the middle of lunch, he left for a bit to fetch some drinks for all of them. Apparently, he noticed that Feifei had been eating spicy tofu dish and her face was getting redder.


    So, ever since that lunch, even though they did not share any words, Shao Yan started to see Zhong Yu everywhere.


    .....


    Lu Feifei was the only one in the group who always got bored easily. She liked to arrange a lot of activities to do. And most of the times, the takers were Lu Qian; which Shao Yan believed was under his sister''s threats. Other takers were Liwei and Guangwei.


    Somehow, Zhong Yu seldom joined their activities anymore. He got busier and busier ever since he decided to transfer to another major.


    That was how Shao Yan ended up spending more time with Liwei; to eventually started a relationship with him.


    However somehow, after Liwei and her started the relationship, Zhong Yu started to hangout with them again.


    Now that she thought about it, it seemed that this was the first time, that both of them could talk normally without other people around them. Other than the art festival, this was also the first time she heard Zhong Yu to utter so many words.


    Shao Yan was still curious over why the handwriting on the letters were Zhong Yu''s and not Liwei''s. But ever since her talk with Li Xiqing about her past, and after her decision not to cry over Liwei anymore, Shao Yan slowly realized that she did not need to travel back to the past anymore.


    She had decided to close that chapter for good and move on.


    .....


    "Did you keep in touch with your other roommate as well?" Shao Yan suddenly asked.


    Zhong Yu was looking upfront. And when he heard her question, he turned his head and looked down at her. He just stared at her and did not reply for a while. Shao Yan felt so awkward, she decided to be the one to break off their staring contest.


    She just turned her face away, when she heard him said, "I never keep in touch with either Liwei or Guangwei."


    "When you left New York, Liwei thought that you might have flown back" he paused, and then Shao Yan could hear him softly sighed, "So he asked me to keep a lookout if you contacted Feifei" Zhong Yu turned his head back to look upfront but his grip on the umbrella unconsciously tightened.


    Zhong Yu turned around to look at her again, "But after three years, you still chose to not contact anyone."


    Shao Yan just kept quiet. She did not look back at him, but also did not show any different expressions. However her eyes turned cold and distant. Her hands that were holding on to her purse reflexively tightened.


    She slowly said, "What''s the use of talking about it now. If he happened to ask you about anything, please tell him that I have moved on."


    .....


    After a short walk, they finally arrived at her office building. Shao Yan sighed a relief and hastened her steps to the canopy of her building.


    "Thank you again for walking me back. I will see you guys tonight" and after she said that, she swiftly turned around and walked back inside; leaving Zhong Yu who was staring at her back solemnly.


    The rain drops kept pattering on his shoes and the sky was so gloomy. No bright sun was around, no slight breeze either; it was only grey clouds and humidity surrounded his figure.


    Zhong Yu clenched his fist and kept staring at her back until she was out of his sight. He stayed put for a while, contemplating on things; before he started to walk back to the mall.

 Chapter 91 - Lighthouse And Oasis

    Once Shao Yan was inside her office lobby, she quickly walked to the elevator lobby without looking back at all.


    Zhong Yu and her had walked so slow from the mall to her office building; and all of her co-workers had walked much faster than them. She was now left alone at the office lobby.


    Shao Yan stood in front of the elevator and keyed in her floor number on the keypad directory. With her feet tapping on the marble floor, she took out her mobile phone. Shao Yan dialed the number one speed dial on her phone, and the call was quickly connected.


    "Yan Yan?"


    When she heard his voice, Shao Yan breathed out a relief slowly. She did not know since when, but Li Xiqing had become her anchor. He was her source of strength. Her compass.


    Her lighthouse.


    .....


    Whenever she had doubt or felt insecure, she would always remember his promises and his words. And then her restless heart would calm down.


    Shao Yan did not know how she was feeling right now. It seemed that the shadow of the past would not leave her. She was suddenly faced with three friends that would remind her of Liwei. And she needed Li Xiqing to lend her strength and self-confidence.


    "Xiqing, I miss you."


    Li Xiqing was holding onto the phone with one hand, while navigating around his computer using his mouse with another hand. But as he heard Shao Yan said that, he paused everything that he was doing.


    He quickly recognized her lonely, downcast voice, and he knew something was wrong.


    He lifted his fingers from his mouse and motioned to his assistant, who was standing next to him, to take a break. And then he swiftly stood up and walked over to the window.


    "I miss you, too," his tender words traveled to her side while he said that with a smile.


    Li Xiqing had been in an intense discussion with Japan office since early morning, and he even had not eaten his lunch yet. He was irritated and hungry. But he forgot all of those feelings when his phone screen started to illuminate and he saw Shao Yan''s name calling for him.


    He could feel it - despite her forlorn feelings, her words give him the injection that he need to fuel the rest of his day.


    She was his oasis.


    .....


    She smiled and did not say anything for a while. She was just enjoying his presence around her.


    "Xiqing, I met some old friends from university just now," she finally said.


    He furrowed his brows, and he calmly waited for her to continue.


    "And I have promised them to go for some BBQ tonight," she took a deep breath, "So I was just calling to let you know that I can''t meet you for dinner."


    Li Xiqing waited for a while more. He was looking outside the window, talking to her on the phone with one hand propped on his waist. The weather today had suddenly turned dark and cold, and he hated this atmosphere. It casted gloomy feeling over him.


    He took a deep breath and looked up to the ceiling; he slowly said, "Don''t drive tonight. I will pick you up after dinner. Just go there with a taxi or the car-sharing ride." Despite how he was feeling, he never failed to show tenderness in all his actions. His gentle voice soothed her heart.


    He paused, and then he asked her answer again, "Alright?"


    Shao Yan smiled a little and nodded her answer, "Yes, I understand". She was staring down at her feet while enjoying his masculine voice caressing her ears; and when she heard a ''ding'' sound, she lifted her head up. Her elevator had just arrived.


    "I have to go now, the elevator is here. I will text you when I leave the office," and after she heard a reply from Li Xiqing, she hung up the phone and walked into the elevator.


    .....


    Shao Yan worked non-stop for the rest of the day, she had so many things to follow up before the OnScience meeting tomorrow.


    All the phones just kept on taking turns to ring. People hovered around each other, asking questions and chasing items. Others would run around everywhere; trying to finish the list that are tasked on them. It was a chaos on floor 56.


    After around 8 PM, Shao Yan was finally able to sit back and relax. She just got back from a meeting with Mr. Wang and immediately, she slumped back on her chair. She leaned her head back to the headrest, closed her eyes and tried to relax her aching shoulders.


    She lightly massaged her temple using her fingertips while trying to relax. Unconsciously, she isolated all the noises around her, and just focused on inhaling and exhaling slowly.


    She lifted both of her arms and stretched for a bit when suddenly she heard a familiar ringtone. It took her a while to realize that it was her phone call; it got disconnected before ringing once again.


    She searched around lazily and finally found her phone somewhere in the corner of her desk. She straightened up a little and glimpsed at the caller ID.


    She suddenly jolted up from her seat. Shoot! She forgot about the dinner! She quickly answered the call.


    "Xiao Yan, are you on the way? Did you get lost?" Feifei''s sad voice came through the phone, "I''m already hungry~"


    Shao Yan quickly stood up and grabbed her purse. She started to walk out of her area, "Sorry sorry, Feifei, I''m leaving the office now, I totally forgot about dinner."


    .....


    It was already late when she was finally done with all of her tasks. She was so occupied for the whole day and she did not even have time to check on time. She held her hands on her forehead helplessly. How forgetful. Feifei was supposed to be her best friend, and yet she totally forgot about her.


    (�s��t,)


    "It is about fifteen minutes from my office to the restaurant. I think you can start ordering now. I''m so sorry, Feifei," Shao Yan was waiting for the elevator as she said this in a dejected tone. She tried to pacify this sulking Feifei.


    Feifei grumbled for a while before she hung up. Feifei relayed what Shao Yan just told her to everyone on the table. They agreed to order the food while waiting for Shao Yan to arrive.


    Feifei signaled the waiter to come to their table, and she started to rattle out her orders.

 Chapter 92 - Reunion Dinner

    Once her elevator landed on the ground lobby area, she hastily walked out to the exit to join the queue line for taxi. Shao Yan had to wait for a while. After all it was after office hours, and traffic would be busy.


    She kept looking left and right anxiously, waiting for one to show up. A hungry and irritated woman was a different person, and she was always scared of this Feifei.


    About ten minutes, a taxi finally arrived. She quickly got inside. After she had settled down on her seat, instead of sending him a text, Shao Yan decided to just give Li Xiqing a quick call.


    .....


    "Are you still in the office?" she said after she heard the call was picked up on the first ring.


    Over the phone, she could hear clatters of bowl and spoon being put down on the table. "No, I was already at home since six o''clock. I just made an oatmeal for dinner and eating it now."


    He knew she would start nagging on his choice for dinner, so he quickly added, "I need to have a conference call in ten minutes with Karl and Martin so I just fixed something really quick. We have a problem with Japan office."


    Shao Yan could hear his fingers danced skilfully over the keyboard plastic keys from her phone. It seemed that he was really busy. She pursed her lips. She had furrowed her eyebrows and was about to start nagging him. But she decided to hold herself back.


    .....


    After the call from Yan Yan in the afternoon, Li Xiqing swiftly settled all of his other tasks for the day and came back home earlier than usual.


    He was sitting down in the living room, still in his office attire from this morning: light blue shirt and dark blue striped pants, minus his yellow and blue striped tie. His dark navy blue jacket was laying on the side. He was trying to get some work done while waiting for his Yan Yan.


    He was working on his emails when she called again to let him know that she was on the way to the restaurant. He picked up the Bluetooth wireless earbud and immediately picked up her call, while slowly leaning back on the sofa.


    He lifted his left hand to glance at the time, "Did you just leave the office now? Are you not late for the dinner?" He straightened up and reached out to the bowl that he just placed on the coffee table. He picked up the spoon, and scooped a spoonful of oatmeal.


    Shao Yan heard him chewing and she smiled, finally she could not hold herself back anymore, "Why are you only eating oatmeal? Don''t we still have the pork ribs in the fridge?"


    She looked at her watch, "And you only eat now, when you are already home since six o''clock? Are you not hungry?"


    Li Xiqing smiled at her rapid questions and lightly shook his head helplessly, "I was on another call and just finished. And I wanted to eat the pork ribs with you," with pursed lips, he told her, "It''s fine, if I get hungry again tonight, let''s eat some midnight snacks after I pick you up, alright?"


    Shao Yan nodded lightly and answered with a simple "En" and then she quickly added, "Alright, I will let you know when I am done."


    She lifted up her head and started to look around the area, "I am almost there now. It''s the D restaurant by the second junction."


    Li Xiqing put down the spoon and stood up to bring the bowl to the kitchen sink, "Alright I know. Remember what I said. Don''t drink alcohol."


    Shao Yan smiled and they talked casually for a little while before she hung up because she needed to pay the taxi fare.


    .....


    When Shao Yan arrived at the restaurant, she saw that they had started to grill the meat.


    She walked briskly to their table,"Sorry sorry, I''m late," she quickly lifted the seat cover and put her purse inside her chair and sat down.


    This BBQ restaurant had a storage for purse and jacket underneath the chair, so customers would not have to worry about their belongings while they eat. Their purses or jackets would be stored inside securely and away from the smell of smokes.


    They also provided bib and gloves in case the customer needed them.


    Shao Yan saw plates of food displayed in front of her. Three plates of beef brisket bulgogi, two plates of chicken bulgogi, two plates of pork belly, two plates of beef short ribs, spicy seafood soup, grilled yellow fish, kimchi pancake, seafood pancake and Korean army soup. Plus, there were still some varieties of kimchi from cabbage, soybean sprout and radish.


    Shao Yan turned to Feifei, her round eyes were staring at the woman sitting next to her with a surprise, "Did all of you not eat lunch just now? This is so much food!"


    Lu Feifei scoffed, "Don''t worry, Xiao Yan" she patted Shao Yan''s shoulder, "We will finish all of them. Let''s start to eat now." She picked up some cooked BBQ beef and put them on Shao Yan''s plate.


    Shao Yan absentmindedly picked up her chopsticks and scooped some brown rice and started to eat.


    .....


    The four of them ate with gusto. Feifei, who was in a really good mood, called the waiter over and ordered some Soju.


    The waiter came back, with a bottle of Soju and four cups. Shao Yan had just finished chewing her meat before she said, "I''m sorry, I have to pass" she put her palm on top of her cup when Feifei wanted to pour some Soju for her.


    "Xiao Yan~ why do you have to be a party pooper. Just drink a little."


    Shao Yan still refused and did not budge her hand, "I really can''t. You know that I am not good with alcohol, so I don''t drink alcohol anymore." She quickly picked up her cup of brown rice tea, "In exchange, I will drink this to represent my apology, alright?" and then she clinked her cup with everyone.


    Zhong Yu just looked at her quietly, but did not say anything.

 Chapter 93 - Numb From Sadness

    Zhong Yu just looked at her quietly, but did not say anything.


    He was just focused on grilling the meat for everyone. Every now and then, he would pick up the meat scissors and cut the meat to pieces. He would always put some to Shao Yan''s plate first, and then he start to distribute the rest to Feifei and Lu Qian.


    This small action might not be easily noticable to anyone. But Lu Qian, who was sitting next to him and knew what happened back in university, saw his actions right away.


    Lu Qian paused his chopsticks when he saw Zhong Yu passed the meat first to Shao Yan, but he did not say anything to him. He continued to pick up his chopsticks to eat and drink happily with his sister.


    .....


    Feifei really could eat a lot!


    Shao Yan was staring at how her little mouth just kept on inhaling all the food. One by one, she would pick up this and that, and then they would disappear instantly.


    Shao Yan was shocked!


    "Feifei, why didn''t I remember you as a glutton?" Shao Yan finally could not help herself to ask, "In the university last time, you were so demure and so...how do I say it?" Shao Yan was speechless, she lost all of her capability to come up with the right words to describe what she was feeling right now.


    Lu Qian suddenly burst out in laughs, "Xiao Yan, you did not see the whole truth! That time she was crazy in love with Zhong Yu, of course she would act so reserve and innocent!" his body shook lightly because of his laughter, while he pointed his finger at Zhong Yu who was sitting next to him.


    Feifei hastily stood up from her chair and leaned over to her brother who was sitting across from her. His comment was rewarded with a smack on his head from Feifei, "Stinky brother! I was not!" And after saying that, she hastily turned her head around to look at Zhong Yu, "Don''t trust him! Don''t ever trust him!"


    Feifei said a bunch of words in panic and her face was a little tinted with redness creeping from her neck to her cheek. No one in the table actually believe her words that she was denying. Everyone was siding more to what Lu Qian had revealed. But Zhong Yu and Shao Yan tactfully pretended otherwise.


    .....


    Zhong Yu was genuinely surpised. He had never thought of Feifei that way before. He had always looked at her as his ''best friend''s sister''; which technically he considered as his own sister too. In the past, he had never looked at other woman. His eyes had been fixed on someone, who then belonged to another man at that time.


    He saw how this someone and her beautiful face lit up every time her friends told her some jokes. He saw how she fell in love with his own best friend. He saw how her gentle eyes would twinkle when they are looking at his best friend adoringly.


    And he saw how she left everything behind to elope with his own best friend. He did not know when she finally came back, until his best friend called him three years ago to check on her. He started to look for her again, not wanting to miss his chance.


    He went back to city B, but she was nowhere to be found. He contacted few other friends, but nothing came out as well. He was not able to find her anywhere and slowly, he grew numb from all the sadness and pain of being cast to the side.


    .....


    Shao Yan giggled at the siblings who were arguing back and forth now. On certain aspects, people''s character would stay the same, for this case with Lu Qian and Lu Feifei was their siblings'' playful discussion.


    Lu Qian would not hesitate to give up the world for his sister, and she for him. They were each other best friends, yet also biggest enemies. Their playful banter had always successfully drew laughs from all of their friends during university days.


    She remembered that Liwei would always tease Lu Qian on this. All of a sudden, Shao Yan could feel that she consciously pause herself from thinking about more Liwei and all the sad stuffs.


    Ever since her talk with Li Xiqing, every time she thought about Liwei now, unconsciously, she would also see Li Xiqing and what he had said that morning when she told him about her past.


    ''Promise me that this will be the last time you cry for him'' - and she always remembered that in her heart.


    She tilted her head down, and smiled embarrassedly by herself. She would have never thought that this day will come. The day when she would voluntarily stop herself to plunge to more sadness from disappointment; because she had found her happiness.


    .....


    She subtly glanced at her watch, and noticed that it was almost midnight. Realization hit her. Why did Li Xiqing not call her yet?


    Shao Yan put down her tea cup and then she reached out to her phone that was laying on the side. She unlocked it, and saw that there was no single message or any missed call from him.


    She tilted her head to the side and felt confused.


    Her fingers swiftly open a text messaging app and started typing, ''Are you asleep? I am almost done here.''


    Li Xiqing''s reply came right away, ''No, of course not. I am waiting for you. I''m watching a TV series. I will leave now, and should be there in 10 minutes.''


    Shao Yan smiled and texted back ''OK, drive safe, don''t rush, I can wait''.


    After she put her phone down, she looked around the table and saw that everyone had stopped eating. They just chatted casually now while sipping on their Soju. Shao Yan lifted her hand and signaled the server to ask for the restaurant bill.


    .....


    When the bill arrived, the four of them argued among each other on who should pay. After some time, they finally agree to just split it equally between the four of them.


    The waiter came by again to leave a plate of fresh cut fruits for dessert. Shao Yan had just stabbed her fork onto a piece of honeydew melon when she heard Lu Qian asked her, "Xiao Yan, let us drive you back. Where do you stay?"


    She raised her other hand to him, with a gesture of rejecting while shaking her head, "No need, thank you," She paused for a while, seeming to want to say more so Lu Qian patiently waited for her.


    "My boyfriend is already on the way to pick me up," she finally said it out loud.


    And then an awkward silence suddenly blanketed all of them.

 Chapter 94 - Question Of Trust

    No one brought up Liwei at all during dinner. They talked a lot about the past and their university day. About what happened after they graduated and what they did for work, and many other things.


    But somehow, all of them tacitly avoided the name ''Liwei'' in their conversation.


    Zhong Yu was looking intently at her. His eyebrows were slightly furrowed, his eyes sunken instantly. Lu Qian could only stayed silent for a long while, before he finally replied with a plain ''Oh'' and Feifei just stayed unusually quiet, not saying anything at all.


    Shao Yan felt awkward, but she did not have any other choice. Because sooner or later, she had to say it out anyway. This was her new life now. She would not take anything for granted anymore. And she would definitely not hide Li Xiqing away from her friends.


    She was happy with this new relationship and she wanted her friends to know about them.


    She was about to say something when she saw the glass door opened and a familiar figure walked in.


    He saw her right away. Shao Yan had already opened her mouth to say something to the people on the table about her new relationship, but she quickly closed it when she spotted him.


    She let out a very gentle smile, and the three of them who saw her smile, swiftly turned their head to the direction she was smiling at.


    .....


    Li Xiqing had been restless ever since he finished his conference call with Martin and Karl. Once his focus was back to the present, he looked around his living room and remembered Yan Yan. He remembered that she was meeting her university friends for dinner now. He glanced at the time. 10 o''clock. Perhaps it was still too early to pick her up.


    He softly sighed and leaned back on the couch for a while. He stared at the ceiling, and felt bored, he did not know what to do now. He stretched his neck from side to side, and slowly stood up. He decided to take a shower to calm himself down.


    After shower, he walked to the kitchen to grab some water, and he saw her cup from this morning was still laying there on the kitchen counter with its lid still uncovered. He had nagged her this morning to cover it up. He softly sighed again, and walked over to place the lid back on top of the cup.


    .....


    But even after cold drinks and cold shower, he was still feeling anxious. He walked around his apartment, while looking for things to keep him distracted. He turned on the TV and kept switching the channels around, but he could not find anything interesting to watch.


    He threw the remote on the side and leaned back lazily on the sofa. He looked up to the ceiling and softly sighed. Unconsciously, his eyesight drifted to the candle figurines that Yan Yan had ordered for them. She had placed it neatly on the bookshelf next to the TV. He stared at the little lady who was sitting on the lap of the guy, she was leaning on him with full of trust.


    Suddenly, he got up from the sofa and walked to the kitchen counter. He took his car keys and decided to drive to where Yan Yan was.


    .....


    When he arrived, he parked his car right outside the restaurant, and turned to look inside the restaurant from the glass windows, searching for her.


    He saw her right away.


    His Yan Yan was smiling and chatting happily with her friends. She was laughing while showing that gesture again. Whenever his Yan Yan laughed, she would slightly lift her hand to cover her mouth, and her head would tilt to the side a little.


    He saw his Yan Yan''s eyes curved and sometimes, she would chuckle or grin at whatever the girl next to her say to the table.


    He could not see who else were sitting with her; and he was feeling so anxious.


    He kept telling himself to trust her. He kept reminding himself of her commitment to their relationship; her promise to him. And then, his agitated heart gradually calmed down.


    .....


    He put both hands on top of the steering wheel and slowly leaned his forehead on them and breathed in and out slowly.


    He tried to distract himself; he started to think about the issues with Japan office, to think about what to do with her this weekend, where to bring her to hunt pictures next week, or many other things.


    He took out his phone and tried to read his work emails. But in the end, his gaze would keep returning back to Yan Yan. He kept missing her, wanting to see more of her.


    ''Her smile was so different tonight. She looked younger. Perhaps...more youthful?'' he silently thought.


    Probably because she was talking to her university friends, she was unconsciously brought back to those years, and her demeanor was also changed.


    Should he be worried that her heart would change as well?


    He was f-ing restless!


    Was that guy also with her tonight?


    What did they talk about?


    How did she feel about it?


    Did they reminisce about the past?


    Will her feelings changed?


    Li Xiqing was reminded of her past, and his anger slowly surged again. He squinted his eyes while scanning the people around Yan Yan. If Liwei was really there, what should he do, how should he protect her? How much hurt he should inflict on the bastard?


    .....


    How nice it would have been if they have met earlier. She was so pretty in that picture he saw at Eternity Frame. With her short hair, she looked so cute. Would they end up together, if they have met earlier? How would their relationship be?


    He softly sighed again, and decided to watched some TV dramas by streaming online from his phone. He didn''t know how long had it been, when he finally able to concentrate on doing something else to distract himself. When suddenly her text message came in, and he opened it right away.


    ''Are you asleep? I am almost done here."

 Chapter 95 - Stunned Silly

    The restaurant was almost empty. There were only few people left, who were still drinking and chatting joyfully.


    Yan Yan let out a very gentle smile at him, and then he saw the three of her friends harmoniously turned their head around to the direction she was smiling at.


    The air surrounding the four people on the table was full of silence as they watched this tall man walked towards their direction.


    Li Xiqing swept a glance around everyone on the table, while maintaining his neutral expression. More or less, he could recognize their faces from the picture he saw back in Eternity Frame shop.


    But the only face he wanted to meet was not here. Li Xiqing was not sure if he should feel relief or disappointment.


    .....


    The second person that he saw was looking at him, was the girl next to Yan Yan.


    Feifei eyes went so big and round in shock. She was ogling at this tall, handsome man who was walking in full confidence towards their table. His whole bearing was on a totally different level than Liwei.


    Dressed in a plain blue and white striped shirt and black jeans, the man looked so simple yet stunning. He looked to be only in his mid thirties. Dark hair, very neatly styled and the texture seemed to be soft to touch. It triggered any women''s fantasy to run their fingers through his hair.


    Cleanly shaven; he had tall, sharp nose, with chiseled jaw. He was blessed with deep, dark eyes that could drown people into abyss of mystery when he stared at you. Long legs with lean waist; sculpted with all the right muscles in his body. He was not thin, and yet not bulky. Just the most perfect shape.


    Actually, Liwei was already good looking. Liwei also had a tall physique and he was skinny. But if both of them were to stand side by side to compare, this man would totally outshined Liwei.


    Liwei had a friendly face, so everyone was easily drawn to him, and Liwei had a friendly personality so he would easily make conversation with anyone and entertain them all day with his jokes and charm.


    While this man - he seemed to have built a sharp and strong barrier around him that caused others to unconsciously steer away despite of his good looking face. No nonsense attitude, even when he did not do anything right now, automatically pulled people''s attention into him.


    He was looking at Shao Yan with his eyes slightly curved. His gentle eyes radiated his face with more charisma than expected. Feifei was stunned silly.


    Feifei saw his adonis face became more and more tender as he walked closer, and finally broke a small smile at Shao Yan. And her jaw dropped.


    .....


    He placed his palm lovingly behind her head and gently rubbed her hair, "Sorry I''m late. Are you done eating?"


    Shao Yan gave a very gentle smile at him, she nodded docilely, "Yes" and then she gestured to her side, and then moved around the table clockwise, "Oh let me introduce you, these are my friends from university. Lu Feifei. Her brother, Lu Qian, and Zhong Yu."


    Li Xiqing turned to look at everyone, and started to introduce himself, "Hello. Nice to meet you. I''m Li Xiqing."


    He shook hands with everyone, who was looking at him distractedly; but he only received a strong grip from Zhong Yu. Li Xiqing was ready to cast his eyes away but turned to look at him again and returned the gesture with a more firm grip.


    Li Xiqing looked at their hands, he reflexively clenched his jaw while lazily released a smirk, "You must be Zhong Yu."


    Both men decided to intently stare at each other, while testing one''s patience through the grip.


    .....


    Lu Qian kicked his sister''s foot under the table, and Feifei slowly came back from her bold stare. She glared at her brother, before exclaiming, "Oh. Mister Boyfriend, sit here for a while and chat with us. It has been few years since we last saw Xiao Yan anyway."


    Feifei was thinking of a word to describe Li Xiqing. She was a pastry chef, but ''delicious'' or ''exquisite'' were all she could think of. She ran out of words.


    Shao Yan swiftly replied her, "Next time, Feifei. Let''s meet again next time. I have early morning meeting tomorrow," she decided to answer Feifei on behalf of Li Xiqing while slowly standing up from her seat.


    She knew Li Xiqing would hesitate in order to give her a face in front of her friends. So she decided to lead the pace for once.


    When Shao Yan stood up, the two men swiftly let go of their intense handshakes. Li Xiqing brought his focus back to Shao Yan right away, he put his hand on the small of her back and stepped back a little to give her some room to move around.


    Shao Yan opened the cover of her chair, and before her hand even touched it, Li Xiqing had bended down and took out her purse. He held it in his hand and then smiled at Yan Yan.


    She returned his smile and swiftly turned around, and looked at Feifei and then Lu Qian and Zhong Yu, "Then, we shall take our leave first. I will see all of you again next time."


    Li Xiqing nodded to everyone and then he stepped to the side, naturally grabbed hold of her hand. Shao Yan followed beside him; she spread their fingers and linked them. Together they walked hand in hand to the exit.


    .....


    Because it was almost midnight, and the restaurant was already almost empty, all of them could hear what Shao Yan say to her boyfriend, "Xiqing, are you hungry? Where should we go to have the midnight snack?"


    They also heard him chuckled softly while he poked at her tummy playfully with his index finger, "Aren''t you full already? Can you still eat? Let''s just go home, and cook me your killer noodle, alright?"


    Shao Yan swatted his arm away while feigning annoyance, "It''s delicious, not killer! Then maybe you should cook it yourself, I''m going to sleep right away, I''m dead tired." and then she stuck out her little tongue cheekily towards him.


    All of them heard her adorable sulking voice and his thundering laughs as they exited the door.


    (��.��")


    She was in a rush to leave her friends who she had not met for a long time; because she was worried that her boyfriend was hungry?!


    Spread out dog food even when she was leaving.


    ''What a friend, Shao Yan!'' - Feifei complained inwardly.

 Chapter 96 - As Long As Youre Happy

    When they finally settled down on the bed, it was already 1 o''clock in the morning. Shao Yan was so tired, she just wanted to sleep right away. She still had to wake up at early tomorrow, because of the morning meeting with OnScience.


    And now when she thought of that, she involuntarily stifled a groan. It would be a very challenging meeting, she thought inwardly.


    She almost drifted to sleep when she felt Li Xiqing laid down next to her. His arm went under her head, scooped her and then held her to his embrace. He could feel that she was almost asleep. He slowly traced his fingers on her upper arm, gently rubbing up and down to keep her warm.


    "Are you happy today?" his soft voice traveled to her ear.


    Shao Yan drowsily registered his voice, she somewhat knew why he asked this question. He wanted to know how she was feeling right now after people from the past started to appear in front of her.


    Her eyes were closed, but slowly her lips curved and showed a relaxed smile. She nuggled closer into him, "I''m happy to meet Feifei again. She was my roommate after all, we were close like sisters. And it''s been a few years, I miss her." She spoke so slow and her drowsy voice sounded so cute, he could not help but to rub his cheek on her hair.


    She was leaning in his embrace, with her head on the hollow of his neck and she stayed quiet for a while. Li Xiqing thought she was already asleep.


    "But, in the future, I don''t want to meet them too frequently. They remind me too much of a painful past," she tightened her hold around his waist and snuggled closer, she needed to feel his warmth. "What I have right now, right here, I am already very content with it."


    Li Xiqing pressed his lips on to the side of her head gently and said, "I know, I feel the same way too."


    He patted her back rhythmically, coaxing her to sleep, "Do whatever you want to do in the future, as long as you''re happy, I will always support your decision."


    He run his hand on her back. Her soft body was pressing onto his front. Her drowsy eyes were staring at his Adam''s apple, lost in her thoughts.


    .....


    She blinked slowly, and then lifted her fingers to trace the bobbling nugget. Her absentminded action triggered his soft chuckles. He caught her trailing fingers, and nudged her head with his chin, "Sleep now, aren''t you tired?"


    Shao Yan lazily looked up into his eyes, her mouth pouted a little, "En. But I haven''t gotten my good night kiss yet?"


    Li Xiqing stared into her blushing face, his lips curled tenderly. He let out a helpless smile at her, before leaning close. He hovered above her lips slightly, teasing her with touches as light as a feather. As she was getting impatient and was about to protest, he locked their lips and kissed her.


    He could hear her soft sigh as he caught her bottom lips, sucking it gently. She felt his burning palm as he clasp her hand on his chest, and start to nibble on her lips. His hand then moved to caress her waist; bringing her closer to his sturdy chest, while deepening their kisses.


    As he was tilting his head to the side to deepen their kiss, she slipped in her tongue first and started to tease his senses. Her sneaky attack ignited his dormant desires, he groaned and tightened his hold around her body; making her soft breasts boldly imprinted on his chest. He flipped her around to lay underneath him.


    He had one hand propped on the side to keep his weight off from crushing her. His other hand decided to explore the soft skin underneath her clothes, while his hungry lips were showering her with kisses all over her face.


    His fingertips crawled from her waist to her tummy, leaving trails of blazing desire along the way. She could feel him caressing her skin above her ribcage. While still kissing her, he softly cupped her tender breasts and lightly squeezed them. She let out a soft moan that was quickly swallowed by his hungry mouth.


    His thumb caressed her nipples, teasing the twin peaks to hardened, and he could feel her shuddering under him. His bulging desire was erecting bigger, he reflexively rubbed his stiff rod on her tender petals; gradually sparking the slow, burning flame between them.


    "Yan Yan.." he breathed her name softly while he buried his face on the crook of her neck, longing for her fragrance.


    .....


    He lifted her clothes higher, exposing more of her blushing skin. He trailed scorching kisses wherever his fingers traveled along.


    His fingers first grazed her waist. He skimmed light kisses over it. He slowly moved up to her belly button, she could feel his searing breaths as he dropped another kiss on it.


    He was still teasing her nipples, using only his thumb and index fingers to lightly pinch on it. She squirmed under his touches.


    His tongue trailed from her belly button up, she saw he was staring at her tender peaks adoringly. He skimmed his curious tongue over each breast, lightly biting on the plump skin.


    He loomed over her and stared deep into her glossy eyes. He moved his face downwards, distracted by the alluring view of his beloved woman that was laying under him.


    He lifted his fingers away as his tongue slowly took over. He circled around her pink nipples gently while still locking their eyes together. He saw her beautiful face gradually soften and her lips curved for him.


    Her breathing was heavy, she was waiting. He ran his tongue over the twin peaks slowly, and she lightly bit her bottom lip. She buried her fingers into his soft hair and dragged him closer.


    He gently smiled at her.


    His hand trailed down underneath her pants and cupped her butt. He rubbed her softness to his erection, and she rewarded him with another soft moan. His mouth started to feast on her breasts as he started to suck and bite each mound like a hungry baby.


    .....


    When Shao Yan woke up the next day, Li Xiqing had prepared breakfast for her. "Come over, let''s eat quickly. You have early morning meeting, you need to eat first." he said when he heard noise from behind him as he was setting the dining table.


    She just walked out of the bedroom, with her beautiful face sulking at him, "Look at what you did!"

 Chapter 97 - Welcome, OnScience!

    She just walked out of the bedroom, with her beautiful face sulking at him, "Look at what you did!" She walked over while pointing at her own self.


    Li Xiqing turned around and saw where she was pointing at. Upon closer look, he saw her fingers were holding onto her collar, and she was showing him the pink bruises on her collarbone.


    Two glaring hickeys were on her collarbone and also behind her ear.


    He slowly let out a silly grin, as he caught on her hand and gently pulled her to sit down at the dining chair. She tried to wriggle off while still pouting at him, "It''s difficult for me to find the clothes that can cover this. I don''t want OnScience people to keep staring at me."


    Li Xiqing rubbed her hair slowly, "I can''t see it, so you covered it good, don''t worry. Here, drink this first." He passed a glass of orange juice to her, trying to pacify his sulking wife.


    .....


    Li Xiqing prepared a simple omelette, grilled tomatoes with a dash of black pepper, and steamed vegetables for breakfast. He also poured a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice for Shao Yan, while he had a cup of coffee for himself.


    She stabbed her fork to her egg while glancing at him who was sipping his coffee, "Why are you not eating?" Shao Yan brought her fork to his mouth and fed him a slice of omelette.


    Li Xiqing smiled and opened his mouth to receive it, "I will have a brunch meeting with Chairman of L Corporation later. They are thinking of another deal with a Japanese company." He picked up a few tissue napkins, and put them beside her, "I may have to go there next month."


    "By the way, I spoke to Martin yesterday. VP Zhuang sent us the list of OnScience people that came as representatives" he was helping her to slice the omelette so she could eat faster.


    "I have taken a look at the list. Some of them have worked with Martin back in Japan, so he said he will call you later to tell you more about their work personalities."


    She nodded and then she brought her fork to her plate. She fed him another omelette; this time with a little bit of tomato, "En. I got it. Here is a reward for you. Thank you."


    Li Xiqing smiled and rubbed her hair.


    ''Life like this is enough. As long as she is happy.'' he thought to himself.


    He felt content.


    .....


    It was only 8.30 AM in the morning when Shao Yan arrived on the office floor 59. Mr. Wang had requested that each Project team to send three people as representatives for this meeting; and she had decided to send Fan jie, uncle Huo and herself.


    When Shao Yan walked in, she saw that an intern from another team, was handing out printed materials that she had collected yesterday, along with one additional paper attached to it.


    The intern, He Ming, saw Shao Yan entered the room, and he quickly rushed over to talk to her.


    "Project Manager Shao, there is a last minute update to the brochure. The original Team Lead from OnScience had a family emergency and another team lead will have to replace her."


    Shao Yan nodded at him, "Oh alright. Do you need help to distribute those?" She pointed at the stack of papers in his hand.


    He Ming quickly shook his head and was about to step away, "No it''s alright. I''m almost done."


    Shao Yan gave him a smile and then walked over to Fan jie and sat down next to her, "Have you read through the materials?" Shao Yan picked up the materials that was placed on her chair.


    Fan jie was leafing through the materials and shook her head, "Why do we need to remember all these people''s name and title, it doesn''t make any sense" she sighed and then jabbed her fingers on the materials, "I''m old now, how do you expect me to memorize this?"


    She threw the brochures to the side. Mr. Wang saw the whole thing and he quickly gave her a side eye. Fan jie gulped and smiled embarrassed, she picked up the brochure again and pretended to read solemnly. No longer sounding any complains.


    Not long after, more people from the Project Team started to arrive and fill up the empty seats. Right when the clock hit 9 AM, several new faces started to enter the door. They occupied the empty seats provided for them, sitting opposite the Gold Crane Project Team.


    .....


    A woman in her mid 30s occupied the seat at the head of the table, next to Mr. Wang. Dressed in honey color long sleeved satin shirt with a bow accent at the front of her chest, she paired it with ankle length beige fitted slim pencil pants. Her silky, long black hair was tied to a ponytail. Overall, she emitted an elegant, yet strictly independent aura.


    Speaking fluently in Japanese with Mr. Wang, she was explaining the whole schedules that she had planned for the day.


    After she finished, she turned her head back to face the rest of the team in the room, and started to introduce herself in English.


    "Hello, my name is Risa Yamaguchi. I will be working alongside everyone here for the next three months. Thank you for your guidance."


    Shao Yan slowly turned the page of the booklet to look for her biography introduction. She saw that the original booklet was dedicated for Helen Kanagawa. The page for Helen was a short one, it was only mentioning her age and background education. No list of achievement or past projects.


    Shao Yan tilted her head to the side, her eyebrow softly crunched together. ''A Team Lead without any past projects? That''s weird'' - she thought inwardly.


    She turned over to the single page that was added today, it was the biography page for Risa.


    35 year old Risa was an MBA graduate from UCLA and she had been working for OnScience for five years now. The page also listed down her most accomplished projects to date. Her list of achievement was astounding enough that rendered Shao Yan speechless.


    Shao Yan looked back at the head of the table with a newly found respect for her. ''Now, she, on the other hand, is the real deal. These three months would be interesting.'' Shao Yan slowly smile excitedly.

 Chapter 98 - Iron Lady

    Risa lifted her long, slender fingers and started to shift through the papers in front of her, "First in schedule, is to let everyone from my team here know the rule of thumb," she turned her small, beautiful face and looked at the rows on her left where her team sat.


    "Everyone will still report to me, but I will start reporting to Mr. Wang here," she turned to the side and lifted her right hand with palm side up to Mr. Wang.


    She scanned the faces of her team one by one, "We will work side by side with his team, but rest assured, no one will be clashing with anyone. We have two different sets of customers, enough to occupy all of your time." Her crisp, clear voice resonated throughout the meeting room.


    She slightly leaned forward onto the table, brought her hands together and clasped them. She tilted her head slightly to the side and smiled at the audiences, "Feel free to knock on my door when you still have time to spare. I will gladly pass you more tasks of mine," and everyone started to laugh nervously.


    She''s not someone they could treat so lightly! They should not let her beautiful face fool anyone here.


    Fan jie stole a glimpse at Shao Yan, and when the latter looked at her, Fan jie subtly rolled her eyes. ''She''s an iron lady, huh?'' - Shao Yan could capture her loud thinking right away.


    She tried so hard to restrain her giggles. She kept a poker face on and replied with a strained smile, her lips were barely lifted to show that she was not amused.


    Thinking back to their discussion earlier, and how Risa treated her own team, Shao Yan inwardly sighed a relief. Luckily, no one from her team would have to report to Risa.


    .....


    After she had set down the ground rules for both teams to follow, Risa went on to discuss the projects to focus for the next 18 months. A strain of her hair fell down on her forehead. She casually lifted a finger to swipe it to the side.


    Her whole actions from this morning until now had captivated everyone''s attention. Her whole beautiful figure along with her arrogant attitude were like a double edge sword. She emitted sharp and soft aura at the same time; confusing everyone in the room.


    The meeting ran over until lunch time and everyone was already so exhausted and famished by then.


    Before he closed the meeting, Mr. Wang stood up from his chair and said, "We will have our first official team lunch tomorrow. I know it''s Friday, but don''t plan on skipping work." The people in the room started to let out awkward laughs and chuckles at his words, before they slowly got up from their seats.


    Shao Yan also got up from her seat and started to follow the crowd to walk out  of the meeting room with Fan jie and Uncle Huo. The three of them tacitly stayed quiet along the walk back to their floor. Even when they were climbing down the stairs, no one said anything for fear that someone might be listening.


    When they reached their own desks, Fan jie quickly slumped on her chair and let out a dramatic sigh.


    "Our peaceful day is now over, the red door of destiny is finally knocking in front of me," Fan jie was sitting dejectedly on her chair and spoke gibberish words of random poems. And when Li Na sauntered over, Fan jie swiftly grabbed her arm and clung onto her.


    "Li Na! Li Na~"


    Li Na jolted at her actions, and casted a confused look at Shao Yan, who was smiling helplessly at their antics. One was a drama queen, the other was a lost snail. They made quiet an attractive duo. Shao Yan secretly thought, ''It''s good that everyone is still on high spirits''.


    Shao Yan then turned her head to Uncle Huo, "Uncle Huo, please help to let everyone know about what we talked about in the meeting today. I want to make sure everyone is aware of the priority here."


    She cupped her fist excitedly,"Let''s not give any chance to OnScience to look down on us for being unprepared."


    .....


    After the meeting ended, Shao Yan pulled all of her team for a mini huddle, to let them know what they should expect to see happening in the future.


    They were not sure whether Risa was good news or bad news. So they had to stay cautious.


    Looking at how busy and occupied everyone was, Li Na quietly sent instant messages to everyone''s computer, "What do you want to eat for lunch? I will order the food." Everyone quickly place their order, and Li Na helped to organize everything to be delivered as soon as possible.


    When the lunch orders just arrived, and Shao Yan was about to start eating, her mobile phone suddenly rang.


    She reached out to look at the caller ID, and saw it was Martin who was calling her.


    Right on time. She remembered this morning, Li Xiqing had told her that Martin would call to talk about OnScience team.


    She slide the screen up to accept the call with her right thumb, and then moved it to her left hand to hold the phone.


    She picked up her chopsticks again to continue eating.


    .....


    She could hear static noise come first, before a deep, masculine voice ring through, "Shao Yan, this is Martin. I believe Daniel has told you about this call?"


    She could also hear noisy background from his side, it seems that Martin is walking while also talking to her on the phone. Car horns on the background masked his voice.


    "Yes, but I can''t really hear you right now. Do you want to call back again later?" Shao Yan unconsciously raised her voice to speak to him.


    She did not hear anything for some time, only the hustle and bustle noise behind him. All of a sudden, she heard a ''thud'' sound and then her surroundings was quiet.


    "How about now? I just left the office and was walking to my car. I''m already inside the car now. Hopefully it''s much better?" Martin''s voice sounded clearer and louder this time.

 Chapter 99 - His Attentiveness

    Shao Yan unconsciously nodded, before saying "Yes, it is actually better now. Thank you." She put down her chopsticks and continued, "And that''s right, Xi - I mean Daniel told me that you are going to call. Thank you for taking the time. I know you must be busy, Daniel told me there''s an issue with Japan office."


    Martin quickly replied her, "No big deal. Daniel is helping with that issue, so I have time." Shao Yan heard he was shifting in his seat, she could hear squeaking leather seats as he moves around.


    "So I saw the list that VP Zhuang sent over. Daniel also saw the names. I have worked with some of them, and everyone seems fine."


    Shao Yan could hear jiggle of keys and then Martin starts the car engine, she quickly cut him off, "Martin, just drive first, we can talk later, there is no rush." She picked up her mug and took sips of water to moisten her lips. Ever since the morning meeting ended, it seemed that she had not had enough drink to hydrate herself.


    Martin put on his seatbelt, and then replied to her, "I am actually already near your office. I should arrive in about five minutes. Let''s talk more when I have reached there. I will be meeting Daniel for coffee in the cafe downstairs your lobby, so everything works out just fine."


    Shao Yan quickly nodded, "Alright, that is great then. Let me know when you have arrived, I will come down to see you." And then the call ended.


    .....


    She picked up her chopsticks again to continue eating. She chewed her food slowly, at the same time, she was also browsing the news section from her phone.


    On a habit, her thumb expertly navigated around to the finance and business section. She had her news section tagged to keywords for "AG International" and "Gold Crane Publications" so she could quickly get a real-time update.


    The local news was reporting that there were talks about AG International going to sign a working agreement with L corporation to engage them as their consultant. Shao Yan remembered that this should be the brunch meeting that Li Xiqing was talking about when she was eating her breakfast with him this morning.


    She clicked her tongue, while thinking, ''Business news and media paparazzi really travel very fast. They only just finished their brunch but the news has come out not even an hour later.'' She inwardly sighed, ''It''s either this is a very big news or that we are lacking of business news right now?''


    L Corporation was a big deal in the country nowadays. The company became a trending topic in the mainstream news and also social media trending search due to their International reach. Owned by businessmen from Europe and Middle East, L Corporation was considered as new conglomerate, as they were only established around two years ago. And yet, their list of ongoing projects were impressive enough to lure in more players that wanted to work together with them.


    The news started to elaborate more on the key figures of the two companies: Axel Chen, representing L Corporation and Daniel Li, from AG International. They went to discuss in detail about their family background, education history, and list of achievements.


    Shao Yan was reading with the utmost attention, she even forgot what she was doing. She was gnawing on her chopsticks while admiring the pictures of the two outstanding men that the media had taken from the brunch meeting today.


    After she went through the news twice, she continued to scroll down the news page, while biting into a sweet corn. Li Na had ordered a beef bowl rice for her today. Shao Yan was supposed to sit together with Fan jie and Li Na, when Martin''s call came in. So she just decided to keep eating at her desk while talking to him.


    When she wanted to keep reading more news, Martin had sent in text message telling her that he was already downstairs. Shao Yan quickly packed up her lunch, and then rinsed her mouth; before she started to walk to the elevator lobby.


    When she arrived downstairs, she saw Martin had sat down on a table fit for four people. Shao Yan briskly strode over, "Hello, have you been waiting for a while?"


    Martin slowly risen up from his seat when he saw Shao Yan was walking over. He slightly stepped out from the chair, buttoned his suit jacket, and walked to the other side of the table. When Shao Yan was finally standing in front of him, he swiftly pull out a chair for her to sit down.


    Shao Yan embarrassedly said her thank you. She was still not accustomed to this treatment from Li Xiqing and his friends. Each of his friends, Karl and Martin, would treat Shao Yan so politely, even when Li Xiqing is not around.


    "Thank you," she slightly tilted her head to the side, to look at him face to face, "Have you been waiting long?" Shao Yan noticed that there was already a cup of freshly brewed coffee in front of him.


    Martin went back to his seat. He slowly smoothed down his lapel and unbuttoned his jacket before sitting down comfortably across from her.


    "Not really, I called you after I placed the order," he crossed his legs as a waiter brought in another cup to their table and put it in front of Shao Yan.


    She looked confused, and risen up her face and was about to say something to the waiter, when Martin quickly interrupted her, "Daniel told me to order a cup of Matcha Latte for you. I heard it was your favorite", and then he gave her a small, reassuring smile.


    Shao Yan peeked at her mug, and saw a milky green beverage was served in a quaint white ceramic mug. A whiff of almond milk could be detected from the mug. She returned his smile, her eyes slightly squinted as she smiled, "Thank you."


    She lifted the mug a little, and brought it closer to her lips. She lightly touched her upper lip to the rim of the cup, to test the temperature of the mug. After finding that the temperature and milk to tea ratio were just as she liked, she could not help but unconsciously praised Li Xiqing for his attentiveness towards her needs without she even realizing it.


    Suddenly, she missed him so much.

 Chapter 100 - Who Is She?

    "So are you busy today? I heard that it is your first meeting with the OnScience team?" Martin leaned back slightly while bringing the coffee mug with him. He lifted it up and took a sip.


    Shao Yan also adjusted herself on her seat, while bringing both of her hands and wrapped them around her mug.


    The weather was getting cooler. The building management had adjusted the indoor temperature to be slightly warm inside, but Shao Yan had always been averse to cold.


    Even on a nice weather like today, it was around 22 degrees* outside, with bright blue sky and scattered white clouds; Shao Yan was wrapped in soft pink loose turtle neck, made from cashmere wool material. She paired the demure looking attire with dark blue jeans. She had also put on Dr. Marten boots with 3.5 inches block heels, in case there was a sudden rain.


    Her side fringe had gotten longer, and was slightly covering her cheek. She lifted her fingers to swipe it behind her ear, "Not bad. We had morning meeting today with their project team," she paused to take a sip of her tea. She slowly put it down and kept her hands wrapped around the warmth.


    Martin nodded at her statement. He was still holding onto his cup while crossing one leg over the other.


    "So, as I was saying just now. I have taken a look at the list of names. Daniel has read it too. There are some familiar names that we worked with before, but rest assured, they are really capable in this industry. They know what they are doing-"


    He paused in the middle of his sentence to put his mug on the table, and then he clasped his hands together and rested them on his lap.


    "My only concern for now is Helen Kanagawa," he paused and let her digest his words for a while. Shao Yan was baffled upon his statement. She tilted her head to the side, trying to recall the words that were described inn the handout from this morning. She did not seem to catch anything unusual from her biography; she brought her gaze back to Martin.


    Martin slightly curved his lips, while saying, "Helen is the heiress of Kanagawa Industries. Her father is a great businessman. Very smart, very hardworking, very successful. But unfortunately, those traits are not inherited to Helen."


    "All her brothers are great figures as well. The eldest, Hiroyuki, is a government official. The second, Hideki, is a big music producer. So Mr. Kanagawa left with no other choice but to train his youngest, Helen, to inherit the company."


    He switched his crossed legs from one to another, and picked up his mug to have another sip of his coffee.


    Shao Yan patiently waited for Martin to continue. She just nodded at his words just now, and tried to remember what he was saying.


    Surrounding people were chattering among themselves. It was few hours past noon time, people were mostly getting their share of coffee and tea to keep them awake after the fulfilling lunch. This was the only cafe in this building, so the business was always good.


    "The problem about Helen is that she spends more than she earns. She is the youngest in the family and it is natural for her family to dote on her. But this is their biggest mistake. And Mr. Kanagawa knew that, that''s why he sent her to work at OnScience to gain experience."


    "So my concern is that her inexperience may actually bring your team down. Do you know what I mean?"


    Shao Yan had been staying quiet the whole time. She was just listening to Martin intently. When he was done, she was hesitating for a while, before saying "Yes, I understand. Thank you for your worry."


    She gave a simple smile at him, and then she looked at her surrounding, to make sure no one from On Science was actually near her proximity.


    She slightly leaned closer while turning down her voice a little, "But I should have started this by telling you, that Helen is no longer in the picture. I''m not sure what has happened, but OnScience changed their Team Lead. It is now Risa Yamaguchi."


    She straightened back, and looked at Martin, while chuckling softly, "So now, my question will be, what do you know about Risa? Who is she?"


    .....


    !! CRASHHHH !!


    "That bitch!"


    Clatters of multi colors ceramic were swiped off the table, and landed unceremoniously on the marble floor.


    All the butlers that were standing around, wisely kept their eyes glued to the floor. They did not even wince when the crisp sound echoed all over the room, and the sharp projectiles were scattered all over the corner of the room.


    The waist long, wavy brunette was clenching her hands so tight, her perfectly manicured fingernails dug deep into her palm; both of her fists were shaking. No one knew if she was shaking from anger from within, or from the pain induced by own fingertips.


    Some of the blonde highlighted hair strands swayed along with her body when she abruptly turned around and faced a petite servant standing fearfully behind her. The servant tried so hard to appear so small, she scrunched herself deeper.


    But she could only bend so little, as she was holding a silver tray in front of her, with her mistress'' mobile phone placed regally on it.


    All of a sudden, the servant saw a glimpse of a shadow approaching her fast, and before she knew, it smacked the side of her head. The impact was so hard, the servant lost her balance and fell down straight to the cold ground.


    Her ears were ringing and she felt a liquid started to trickle from her forehead down to her nose. She did not dare to lift her trembling fingertips to touch it, before she finally saw a drip on the floor next to her face. It was her own blood.


    The servant did not have the courage to lift up her head, and just kept her body in fetal position and tried to stay as still as possible; she did not even let out a whimper.


    From the corner of her eyes, she saw the lady boss was now walking towards her direction. The click-clack sound from her red pointy high heels was so terrifying, that the servant even had nightmares for a few months after that.


    The lady boss stopped just right in front of her. She could hear her tender, lazy voice above her head, "Book a ticket to Shanghai."


    The lady took off a ring from her right hand and threw it to the ground. The star-shaped diamond ring had a faint red blood on it. She slightly waved her bare hand to the side, and her cold voice continued, "Now, get this flea out of my face."

 Chapter 101 - Worthy

    Two gentlemen were standing by the hallway, listening intently on the chaos inside the greenhouse, yet they did not step inside.


    "Are you not going to pacify her?" a man in his mid fifties asked the younger man in a harsh voice. The elder man was standing tall, with his back straight. Dressed in blue and white kimono, he looked peaceful and unassuming, yet his voice was strict and stern like a military general.


    Ido Kanagawa was looking at a view of a beautiful Japanese garden which spread out in acres behind his main residence. The lush, tranquil greenery was dedicated to his beloved, Ayane, who passed away few years ago. From his line of sight, he could see bonsai trees that stand majestically on top of showcasing pillars. The ancient looking plants were lined up perfectly on the outer side of the garden. They circled around the garden and elevated the harmony of the whole area.


    To the right side, there were stone paths over pebbled stones, leading up to a small pond that was surrounded by fake mountains structures. Numerous koi fish and lotus flowers were decorating the pond abundantly. Ido Kanagawa was standing by a sliding door frame made from bamboo and was facing the pond right in front of him.


    The peaceful surrounding was accompanied by a symphony of waterfalls on his left side, that created a small stream that traveled all around the garden. From afar, one could see a stepping stone paths that lead the way from the entrance to a small tea house. The stone paths were decorated with lanterns made from stone that provided lighting along the way.


    The scenery should be a perfect place to be appreciated, whenever he need an escape from his strenuous daily life. But this serene and secluded peace had to be tainted by his youngest offspring.


    .....


    He sighed inwardly while thinking about the child inside the greenhouse. He and his wife had pampered her too much, that she became ungrateful. He tilted his head slightly downward to the left, and disdainfully clicked his tongue so softly. This son in law of his was a great disappointment as well. He could not understand why his daughter was so adamant in being with this guy. There were so many other overqualified Japanese men that he wanted to marry his daughter to.


    But she had to threaten her whole family with her dearest life just to be with this man. His wife had cried and begged him to relent. Finally, he had to take a step back because his wife was also threatening him with her life.


    "My apologies, father" the younger man, Charles, finally spoken up. He bowed his body ever so slightly at the direction of his father in law. "I will talk to her again," he paused and hesitated for a while; he was debating if he should tell the truth to his father in law. But if he did not, and if his father in law found out by himself, both he and his wife would be in deep trouble.


    Charles felt uncomfortable while standing this way. He had to remember to maintain his manner and body language all the time. In front of the elderly, he should bow his body a little to show a sign of respect. He was expected to be presentable and looked regal in front of his wife. It was a cool and breezy weather today, however Charles was already sweating inside his dark grey suit. He could feel that his white shirt is already drenched and sticking to his skin.


    But he still tried to keep his posture and voice tone to be as orderly and elegant as possible. He had to show Ido Kanagawa that he was worthy to be his son in law.


    "To tell you the truth, father, we received news that our biggest investor was actually based in Shanghai. She wanted to meet him to ask him why he pulled his investment." When he finished, Charles raised his body a little because he was not accustomed to keep bowing down. And right away, he received a stern glare from a burly man who had been standing silently by his father in law''s side.


    Ido Kanagawa was a prominent figure in this country, and had received many death threats, either from his fellow business associates or even from his families and friends. That was why he had hired this bodyguard, who was also acted as his personal assistant.


    A loud crash was heard from inside the greenhouse. Something made from metal had fallen down and clanged loudly on the floor. Charles swiftly bend his body a little more, "Let me talk to her again, father," he paused and then he bent deeper, "Please appease your anger, father. Remember your health."


    Ido Kanagawa had both of his arms folded in front of him, hidden inside the wide sleeves of his kimono. Without acknowledging any of his son in law''s words, he started to walk away. The wooden sandals thumped softly on the floor like a velvet. Outsiders would be easily able to judge from the way he walk, he showcases a trademark of a properly raised gentleman; that had gone through centuries old of tradition being imprinted on himself.


    Charles kept his body slightly bowed when his father started to take his leave. He could hear a soft snort from the bodyguard, a sign of looking down at him. Charles decided to ignore the insult, and did not show any sign of disrespect from his side until the elderly turned a corner and disappeared from his line of sight.


    ''Hmph! Soon, you shall see who will be standing on the top.'' he mumbled to himself, ''Such a lowlife yet you dare to insult me!''


    He slowly straightened his body and his facial expression changed abruptly. He was looking like a lost little lamb before, trying hard to look innocent and humble in front of his father in law. But now, he lifted his head higher, lazily looking around and arrogantly patted off the imaginary dust from his suit.


    ''This annoying woman started to jeopardize all of my plan, and this is not looking good.'' he scolded her in his mind while started to walk towards the direction of the greenhouse.

 Chapter 102 - Like A Korean Drama

    "My question will be, who is Risa Yamaguchi?"


    Martin heard her question, but he did not reply right away. He slowly leaned back to his chair and tilted his head slightly. Shao Yan could see he scrunches his eyebrow, seems like he is trying to think of how to say or what to say.


    Slowly, he put one hand to support his chin, while saying, "I have never met her, but her name is very famous in the company. I remember that some of the people that I worked with actually praised her to high heavens."


    His hand left his chin and he folded both arms in front of him, "Very capable. Very smart. She worked for a top finance company in Taiwan. She was already a top director there. And then suddenly she quit around 5 years ago and moved to OnScience New York." He shifted in his seat and continued, "However, to be honest with you, I am not surprised if the management decided to replace Helen with Risa. She was a much better Team Lead."


    Shao Yan stifled a giggle before asking him, "You have never met her, and yet you praised her this much?" she gently cupped her hands on the mug again and slowly sipped from it.


    Martin could not help but also chuckle at her tease. He looked at her while slowly shrugging and pretended to be helpless, "I am weak against women who are both beautiful and actually have brain."


    Shao Yan laughed. Both she and Martin casually chatted more for a while. One was sipping coffee and acted as a good host, while the other was happily drinking tea; both people were just enjoying each other''s company.


    .....


    She slowly glanced at her watch, "Uh, I think I better go now. I have been away from my desk for too long." As she said that, she slowly got up from her chair. Martin, being the usual gentleman that he was, also slowly got up from his chair.


    "We are in a battle mode against OnScience anyway," she cheekily stuck out her tongue and then quickly said, "I''m kidding, we are not really competing against each other. I know the acquisition will actually do both companies more good in the future. I''m sure Daniel and yourself have worked hard to see all of us to be more successful," she smiled.


    Martin nodded along with her words, and just smiled, "Are you sure you don''t want to wait for a little longer? Daniel should arrive shortly." he said while lifting his wrist to look at the time.


    Shao Yan picked up her phone and wallet from the table, and hold them in front of her. "No, it''s okay, I will see him tonight anyway. I will leave now. I''ll see you next time." She gave a little nod to Martin, before she turned around and walked to the direction of elevator lobby.


    She entered the floor number to the keypad, and then she turned around to look at where Martin was seated. She saw that he was talking to someone on the phone and just happened to also saw her. He gave her a little wave of hand. Her lips pursed and gave a soft smile and then she turned her face back around; just in time when the elevator chimed in and alerted her of its arrival.


    Shao Yan had just stepped in to the elevator, when Li Xiqing walked in to the building lobby area. He quickly spotted Martin who was sitting in the cafe and briskly strode over.


    Martin lifted his head and saw Li Xiqing was walking over, and he reflexively turned his head over to the elevator lobby direction again, but he saw Shao Yan was no longer there. He softly chuckled while he shook his head; regretting on their amazingly bad timing. When Li Xiqing sat down opposite him, Martin ended his call.


    .....


    "What took you so long, man!" Martin greeted her while he put his phone on top of the table, and raised his other hand to call the waiter. Li Xiqing had just sat down, and was about to unbutton his suit jacket. His outfit today had been grey striped suit jacket, with crisp white shirt on the inside. He also paired it with dark grey tie and striped grey dress pants.


    Li Xiqing looked up at him, and slowly curved his lips, "What? We agreed on 3 PM, and I am actually 10 minutes early, alright?" The waiter had just arrived at their table, and Li Xiqing placed his order for a cup of black coffee with no sugar; before he turned his attention back to this friend of his.


    Martin heaved a dramatic sigh at Li Xiqing, "What I''m trying to say is, Mr. Punctual, that your wife was here just now," and then he pointed to the seat opposite him, which Li Xiqing was sitting on, "And she even sat just right there." He then spread out all five fingers in front of him while saying, "If only you were here earlier by five minutes, man! Five minutes!"


    Li Xiqing spontaneously looked around and searched for her figure, but all he got was a chuckle from his best friend. He turned around and faced an innocent looking Martin, and saw the latter was pointing at the elevator lobby, "She''s gone. I was like watching a Korean drama just now. She stepped into that elevator door," and then Martin changed his pointing finger to the building lobby direction, "And then you handsomely walked in from that door. Both of you were just barely missing each other."


    Martin slowly bent his head down, and chuckled. His deep voice made the arriving waiter blushed, her face slowly turned pink and her hand shook a little when she put the cup of coffee on the table.


    She was initially thanking so many gods for her good luck today. She was able to see two good looking men at the same time. She even promised she would go to the temple to offer a lot of incense.


    But she miscalculated herself and their charms. She lamented how could the girl just now be able to sit properly in front of the handsome man while drinking her tea ever so calmly.


    The server was thinking, if it were her in that seat, she would have been so nervous even to speak a word, and just kept looking down.

 Chapter 103 - Addicted

    When Shao Yan finished for the day, the sun had set for a little while. It was already dark blanketed all over her surrounding, wrapped her in a cocoon. The window blinds had been lifted during the day to give more sunlight to the people inside the room. The outside view would also lift up the spirit and the mood when they work.


    On a night like this, when Shao Yan lifted her head and looked outside the window, she could see all the lights from the skyscrapers, dancing in the sky like fireflies in the deep abundant forest.


    She looked at the time and realized that it was already late for dinner. Shao Yan quickly tidied up the papers on her desk. Her team had been working on new design for multiple book covers and the brochures were spread out all over their desks. She turned off the laptop and put all her stuff inside her purse. Slowly got up from the chair and switched off the desk lamp, Shao Yan then started to walk out.


    When she finally arrived in the lobby downstairs, a pleasant surprise overwhelmed her to see Li Xiqing was waiting for her in the lobby. He was sitting on the sofa, seriously typing away on his laptop. He did not even realize that she was only steps away from him. The saying that ''men are the most charming while concentrating'' was so true.


    Her steps were halted as she stood still and just watched him; the way he was reading seriously on the screen, or how he would tilt his head slightly when he starts typing on the keyboard. When he would looked up slightly every now and then to check on the spellings; or when he pause to think and just stare at the plastic keys for few seconds.


    Every single movement was so adorable in her eyes.


    Shao Yan slowly walked over and then she lifted her fingers to lightly tap on his shoulder. Li Xiqing stopped typing and looked up, to find her tender face was looking down at him. Her eyes were glittering like the starry sky, her red lips were slightly curved up and graced him with a tender smile.


    Two apple cheeks greeted his sight, and he unconsciously returned her smile. His eyes turned warm, and he closed his laptop immediately. Li Xiqing reached out his hand, and she lifted her hand and placed it on top of his open palm.


    .....


    His palm reflexively held on her hand gently and gently tugged her closer. "How long have you been waiting?" She asked while his hand guiding her to sit next to him. Li Xiqing let go off his hold when she sat down. He patiently tidied up his laptop to put it back into his bag.


    "I met Martin for coffee just now and we talked for a bit about work. And then after we were done, I was about to go back to the office." He scanned her face, taking in her expression and her mood.


    "But then I checked the time and saw that your office was about to be done for the day, so I decided to wait. I also need to work on some emails."


    Once he was done, he lifted his hand and his palm tenderly rubbed her hair, "I took a cab here to meet Martin, and the weather is actually very nice outside. How about, we walk home?"


    His other hand grabbed hold of her hand again and linked their fingers. "Are you tired? If you are, then I''ll drive and let''s just go home. If you are not, let''s walk instead and we can find something to eat along the way."


    With his eyes locked into hers, he slowly lifted their linked hands to his lips and kissed the back of her hand, "What do you say?"


    .....


    Shao Yan had been looking attentively on each of his actions. Her eyes were glued to their linked fingers and then when his lips touched her hand, her eyes grew warm, and her cheek gradually warmed up. She could not let go off her sight at his lips that are still lingering on her skin.


    She unconsciously nodded her head yes, "I''m not tired. A night walk sounds like a good idea." She tilted her head to the side, her hair softly fell on her shoulder and cheekbone. The luscious hair framed her petite face perfectly, giving a softer feature to her already stunning face.


    "Actually, I was just thinking that the weather outside must be really nice; cool and breezy." Unconsciously, she tightened the hold of their linked hands and then said, "Let''s go! From here to my apartment should be only around forty five minutes walk," she beamed at him.


    Li Xiqing could not help but to lift his fingers to swipe the hair on her cheek. He curled his fingers and tucked the naughty strands behind her ear; his knuckles brushed her cheek and his fingers were addicted to the softness of her skin.


    "Okay, let''s go now?" his gentle words felt like a tender summer and brought her warmth in this cool season. She nodded her head and started to get up from her seat.


    They were about to walk out of the lobby area, when Shao Yan saw a familiar figure had just stepped out of the elevator. Risa was carrying her laptop briefcase on one hand, and on the other hand, her slender hand was holding onto her mobile phone and she was scrolling up on the phone screen.


    All of a sudden, Risa could feel that someone is staring at her. Without halting her dainty steps, she lifted up her face to look around. And when she did, her eyes were directly set at Shao Yan.


    Shao Yan was startled at the sudden eye contact, and reflexively she tightened her hold on her hands. Li Xiqing had just stood up and was about to walk out. He felt the change in the pressure of their linked fingers, so he turned his head around to check on the face of his beloved. When he saw her stunned face, he wanted to ask her what was wrong. But then, he also saw that her eyes were fixed on somewhere else.


    He slowly turned his face around and saw a woman was walking towards their direction.

 Chapter 104 - My Name Is Risa

    Even after a whole day of work and meetings, Risa Yamaguchi still looked as elegant as this morning. Her honey color satin blouse still looked crisp. Her ponytail was still tidy in place, without a single of loose hair escaped its bond. She emitted the magnificent aura of an elegant lady and her face looked so fresh with the impeccable make up.


    Her almond-shaped eyes were paying a close attention at Shao Yan and Li Xiqing.


    She slowly lowered her hand with the phone in her grip, and her steps faltered; no one noticed it but herself. She fixed her own expression, and slowly released a lazy smile at the couple, and then she approached them. "Shao Yan, right?" Risa offered her slender hand in front of Shao Yan while keeping an amicable smile, "Mr. Wang talked about you a lot."


    Shao Yan gingerly offered her hand, and said her greetings. Risa shook it firmly while looking at Shao Yan intently. While scrutinizing her, Risa did not realize that her eyes turned warm for a second and then quickly went away. Shao Yan felt that her hand was let go almost immediately, and then she saw that Risa already shifted her line of sight to the her man.


    Risa slowly tilted her chin up and released a slow smile. Her soft eyebrow arched a little, and the corner of her lips curved up showing a very attractive smile, "Daniel Li. Li Xiqing. What a pleasant surprise. I finally get to meet you in person. My name is Risa." And she offered her hand to shake his.


    Li Xiqing did not take her hand right away. He slowly turned his head to the side to look at Shao Yan first. And only after he confirmed that nothing was unusual from her expression, then he turned his face back to Risa.


    His right hand was holding both of their laptop bags, while his left hand was holding onto her waist. He slowly let her go, and placed the laptop bags to his left hand, before he extended his hand and shook Risa''s hand firmly.


    As his hand was broader, his palm enveloped her hand in one grasp. After a customary handshake, he released her, and only said, "Nice to meet you, too".


    Risa was surprised at his good manners and inwardly praised him more. ''It seems that the rumor is true. He got the looks and attitude that I have heard off. ''


    .....


    Risa took a deep breath and relaxed herself; slowly pursed her lips. She exchanged look at Shao Yan and Li Xiqing, "Well, it was already late, it seems that our publishing company is really lucky to have you as a dedicated employee, Miss Shao."


    As she was about to say something more, her phone suddenly chimed in to alert her of a new incoming text message. Risa glanced on the screen, and then she raised her soft eyebrow, before she turned back to the couple to say, "My apologies, I have to make a call. I believe we will meet more often in the future. Let''s have some tea one day."


    Without waiting for either Shao Yan or Li Xiqing to reply her, Risa briskly stepped away. She typed series of number on her phone, and then Risa raised it to her ear to listen as she made a phone call.


    Shao Yan was confused at the brief encounter. She wanted to say something, but when she opened her mouth, she did not know what to say. And so she just stood there, looking at Li Xiqing dumbfounded.


    Li Xiqing chuckled softly at how silly she looked right now. He did not think much about it and just place his hand on the small of her back, "It''s getting late. Let''s go find something to eat now."


    Shao Yan nodded slowly, and started to walk out of the seating area. Hand in hand they walked out of the building and to the direction of her apartment.


    .....


    The silver moon tonight was exceptionally big and round. The brightness of it really spread magnificently throughout the night. Shao Yan admired it so much; she could not help to keep staring at the sky every now and then.


    Li Xiqing was right. The autumn weather had started to kick in, the night was cool and breezy. She had been cooped in the office the whole day. A breath of fresh air lifted up her mood and she felt so happy. She took a deep breath, and slowly released them. And she repeated this multiple times.


    Gradually, she felt so excited and her feelings were lighter. Shao Yan turned her head to him and saw he was also admiring the moon. Her glittery eyes could rival the starry skies at the moment, it''s too bad that Li Xiqing missed to see them.


    Her lips gradually curved up and she tugged their linked hands to bring his body slightly lower. When he least expected it, all of a sudden, her warm lips grazed his cold cheek. Shao Yan surprised him with a soft kiss, and it stunned him silly.


    He looked up into her big round eyes; and he could see his own reflection in the deep pool. He felt he was drowning in all of her feelings for him. He felt sweetness all over his body, wrapped him tight.


    Li Xiqing saw her innocent smile and a smug look; as if she was saying ''What? I am kissing my boyfriend, do you have any complain?''


    He softly chuckled and shook his head, while thinking, ''No, wife, of course there is no complain at all.'' He lifted his face back up while still smiling so wide and looked at her face. He slowly leaned down and kissed her forehead gently and lingered for a while.


    ''In fact, I shall welcome your kisses anytime, love. Anytime.''


    .....


    "So? Have you thought of what you wanted to eat?" Li Xiqing grabbed her hand, and brought their linked hands onto his chest to bring them closer. Shao Yan walked next to him and hummed.


    "Hm, I was thinking, should we eat hotpot?" she tilted her head and peeked at him, "Cool weather, pretty sky and hotpot. Don''t think we are so romantic?" and then she released a wide smile at him.

 Chapter 105 - Caring And Selfless

    On the way, the couple encountered a lot of things. Shao Yan had never noticed that there was a grandmother who had been selling fresh cut flowers near the corner from her office building. The weather had changed from hot summer to cool autumn, and yet the old grandmother only had a thin sweater on her, as well as a worn-out wool hat.


    Shao Yan decided to buy the rest of her flowers; around five bouquets total, in order to let the grandmother to retire early for the night. The old grandmother was so happy; that she kept thanking her, and wrapped the bouquets prettily with more care than usual.


    The next person she met was an old man who was pushing a cart across the street from them. It seemed that he had just wrapped up for the day; Shao Yan could see it was a cart to sell noodles. Three plastic chairs were stacked and tied up on top of the cart. A bucket made from an old biscuit tin was hanged by the side of the cart; which she assumed this tin was to keep the money that he received during the day whenever he served the noodle, so people could just drop the money inside.


    Shao Yan turned to the side and looked at Li Xiqing, who was also staring at the old man. She squeezed her hand within his warm palm, and Li Xiqing swiftly turned to look at her.


    "Do you mind having late dinner? Let''s help him for a while," she said to him while looking around at the traffic road, looking for a chance to cross the road.


    Li Xiqing was surprised at her initiative, he did not answer her, but instead, he pulled her hand gently and started to walk to the old man. Caring, selfless wife, beautiful moon, and a happy heart. What more could he ask for.


    .....


    They finally reached the hotpot restaurant around nine in the evening. It was a simple home-based establishment. The owner was an old husband and wife couple who had been running the restaurant for almost twenty years. It was still using the most traditional method of hotpot.


    Meaning, there was no fancy broth selection, only one was available. Pork bone broth was personally cooked overnight by the wife. Thin layers of meat were freshly sliced by the husband upon every order. Mushrooms, vegetables and other side dishes were also prepared by the husband and wife. They even prepared fried garlic oil for condiments. Overall, every ingredients was prepared fresh and with the utmost attention to detail.


    "What should we order?" Shao Yan was wiping her hands using the warm cloth that was given by the restaurant''s lady boss. Li Xiqing was wiping the saucers and chopsticks for both of them to use. "You can decide, but don''t order too much, it''s already late, let''s not eat too full," he said without lifting up his head.


    He prepared two small plates for condiments to dip the meat in; one with chili pepper for himself, and one without for her. After he was done, he was about to say something to Shao Yan, when he felt a gentle cool breeze blew pass him.


    Li Xiqing was already seated with his back against the door to let Shao Yan sat further inside, so that she was shielded by his body. When he felt the cool wind, he lifted up his face to look at her, "Wait for me for a while," and then he stood up and walked to the lady boss who was standing near the door to the kitchen area, "Auntie, can I also order one cup of hot ginger tea?"


    Lady boss was preparing their bowl of rice when Li Xiqing spoke to her; she beamed at him, and quickly said, "Of course, of course you can. Aiyah~ Your girlfriend is cold, isn''t she? You are so attentive. It is so cold outside, ginger tea will indeed keep her warm." She quickly put down the rice bowl in her hand, and reached out to take a clean teapot to brew some hot water. "Young people nowadays, they do not know much about ginger tea and its benefit anymore. Young man, how did you know these things?"


    Li Xiqing slowly smiled at her, at the same time, he also helped her to get the two teacups that were a little out of her reach. While passing the cups to her, he said, "My mother had repeatedly told me in the past, that women''s body tends to be cold. So she taught me how to brew ginger tea for her and my sister."


    Lady boss heard his reply, and her already smiling face, had an even more joyful look. She laughed and patted his hand repeatedly, "Wise mother. So fortunate. She''s so lucky to have you as a son. You go back to your girlfriend. Once this is done, i''ll deliver this to your table, alright?"


    When Li Xiqing sat down again, Shao Yan was looking at him quizzically. His lips slowly curved up, and nodded at her, "It''s nothing, don''t worry."


    Shao Yan pursed her lips and wanted to ask more but she decided to drop the topic. She grabbed her glass of water and started to sip on it.


    .....


    Not long after, their table was quickly crowded with all the ingredients that Shao Yan had ordered. Shao Yan was not a fan of lamb meat, so she only ordered beef brisket and fish fillet. She ordered a lot of vegetables because she knew Li Xiqing loved them.


    When he put in the order to the lady boss, he saw that Shao Yan only ordered everything that he loved to eat, and nothing for herself. So he also added mushroom and tofu because he knew how much Shao Yan loved to eat them. At the end, their order came to a table full of fresh food, which could feed the entire army camp.


    Shao Yan looked up at Li Xiqing, dumbfounded. Her mouth gaped open and her eyes was so surprised, they went so big and round, "How are we supposed to finish all of these, Xiqing~" she felt like she wanted to cry.

 Chapter 106 - Like One Family

    Since the day was already over, the husband and wife couple were also getting ready to close their small eatery. Shao Yan and Li Xiqing happened to be their last customer so they took their time while slowly cleaning up.


    "Just take your time eating, it is fine. Don''t mind us busying around, alright?" lady boss approached their table when they were about to start to eat.


    In a moment of spontaneity, Shao Yan quickly reached out and grabbed her hand, "Lady boss, why don''t you and you husband join us for dinner?" she casted a glance at Li Xiqing who was about to dip a slice of meat to the pot. He looked back at her, and gave her a reassuring smile.


    Shao Yan turned back to the lady boss and continued, "To be honest, lady boss, look at all this food," she spread both of her hands over the table, "Both of us will not be able to finish them, and it will be a waste to throw them away, don''t you think so? Come and join us."


    Lady boss quickly shook both of her hands in front of her, "No no! How could we! It''s okay, don''t feel bad for us, you just eat with ease, alright?" she softly sighed.


    This girl was so naive. ''Your boyfriend will only want to spend the night to enjoy the meal with you, silly girl,'' the lady boss said inwardly.


    Li Xiqing saw the two women started to talk more, while persuading each other to eat; he shook his head helplessly. At this rate, his own wife would be starving and Yan Yan could fall sick with empty stomach and the wind.


    Slowly, he got up from his seat, and walked over to the self-serving table. He took two bowls and two more chopsticks, and brought them back to their table, "Lady boss, come and join us. It''s late, please think about your own health. You don''t want to get sick and can''t run the shop anymore, do you?"


    Li Xiqing casted his charm with his warm smile, causing lady boss to look at him silly. Lady boss quickly nodded her head yes, and yelled for her husband.


    "Old man! Come here! The couple invited us to eat with them, else the food will be wasted. Come here now," lady boss quickly strode over to her husband who was stacking the empty chairs on top of the tables. She grabbed her husband''s arms and dragged him to eat with Shao Yan and Li Xiqing.


    "Why do we have to disturb the young kids. Let them eat, why do you have to be so nosy," the restaurant boss started to nag at his wife. The old couple bantered with each other for a while, but at the end, lady boss won the battle.


    The four of them ended up eating together. Li Xiqing took the initiative to cook for everyone. While Lady boss and her husband unconsciously also acted like a part of the family, they slowly relaxed and ate happily with them.


    Lady boss would keep going to the kitchen to add more stuff to their table. Pickled vegetables, more rice, or different meatballs. Shao Yan looked at her helplessly. She also turned her head to peek at the old man, but he was busy chatting with Li Xiqing, while telling him about the journey of his cooking life.


    Shao Yan decided that she had to stop the lady boss from cleaning out her kitchen and let her sat down to eat. Else, how would she feel if lady boss end up emptying her fridge because of her and Li Xiqing?


    She slowly got up, and started to chase the lady boss who just left the table to go the kitchen again.


    .....


    When they finally arrived home, it was close to midnight, and Shao Yan was so exhausted. Her muscles were aching all over and she could not wait to have a hot bath.


    "Go and shower first, I need to reply to some emails." Li Xiqing took out his laptop from his bag and walked to the living room to settle down. Shao Yan dragged her tired self and started to freshen up.


    When she was done, she opened a delicate box by the dressing table, where she stored all of her beauty skin care products. Shao Yan took her time to go through the different face masks that she had. Finally decided on moisturizing packet, she tore the packaging apart and slowly put the delicate sheet on her face.


    She walked to the bed and sat down, and slowly leaning back onto the headboard. She started to relax and play with her mobile phone.


    When Li Xiqing was done, he walked back to the bedroom. As he opened the door, he paused his steps and stunned. He was speechless while looking at Yan Yan with the transparent face mask covering her face. He blinked and slowly collected himself; he closed the door behind him without saying anything.


    All this time they were together, this was the first time Yan Yan would do any skin care treatment on her face. He was surprised for a bit.


    Shao Yan could not help but giggle at his reaction as she could not speak at the moment. She raised one hand at him and waved him to go to shower.


    .....


    When he was done, Li Xiqing walked out of the bathroom while rubbing on both of his palm, he had just put on a hand lotion. Right after he closed the door, he found Yan Yan was standing in front of him while her lips curved up so cheekily. She did not have any face mask on anymore and her face was glowing at him while smiling so brightly.


    Li Xiqing scrunched his eyebrows and felt goosebumps on his back; this girl was up to no good. He squinted his eyes and looked at her suspiciously, "What are you doing?"


    Shao Yan did not say anything, she approached him while still chuckling and then held on his wrist. She pulled him along and had him sat on the bed. As she pushed him down to sit, he was scrutinizing her facial expressions. She looked so happy, as happy as a child when they found a secret candy that was hidden under their bed.


    She was standing in front of him, in between his knees. His hands were on his lap, waiting on to see what she was planning to do. She reached out to the bedside table and took a packet of something.


    Shao Yan reached inside the packet and pulled out a moist paper and slowly unfolded it. Li Xiqing could feel that his forehead scruches hard. He did not like where this is going.

 Chapter 107 - Power Glue

    Li Xiqing was sitting on the bed docilely; letting the wife did everything she wanted.


    Shao Yan was giddy with excitement. She giggled and started to say, "Xiqing, you see, the weather has changed, right? And you need to take care of your skin. I''ll put this on your face so we can keep your skin moisturized, alright?" she tried to calm down but the rush of adrenaline overrode everything. Without waiting for him to answer, Shao Yan gradually leaned in close to his face.


    As her face slowly came near him, he unconsciously closed his eyelid. And then on the next second, he could feel a cool sensation on his face as the wet paper landed on his skin.


    He could smell a calming floral scent. Maybe a little hint of rose? And then on the next second, he felt really light touches were skimmed over his face. Yan Yan had her fingers slowly ran on his skin, smoothed out the paper all over the surface, and gently patted his face so lightly. It was barely like a touch, so he guessed it must have been from using her fingertips.


    Li Xiqing unconsciously relaxed. Her fingers moved slowly on his skin; circling around lightly and fleeting like a feather. Sometimes she massaged it. Sometimes, it would be light, irregular taps. She went around the whole face, paying attention to every creases and every corner.


    His hands left his lap, and slowly traveled up her body to hold on to her waist and brought her closer. He could feel her breathing near him. He could also smell her scent mix in with the soap and the mask fragrance.


    ''Actually, being pampered by the wife was really not bad,'' he thought.


    After fifteen minutes was done, Shao Yan slowly peeled up the mask from his chin and moved gradually upwards. "Wait! Don''t move yet," she quickly said when she saw Li Xiqing was about to open his eyes.


    She threw away the mask, and again patted on his face lightly. When she was done, Shao Yan slowly separated herself from him, and propped one hand on top of another, while standing there in front of him and looking at his face. She was admiring her ''hard work''.


    "Hmm," she slowly nodded, "Not bad, looking very handsome now." Lu Xiqing opened his eyes slowly, and he reflexively squinted as lights traveled onto his sight. Before he could see clearly, Shao Yan lean in closer and peck him in the mouth with a loud smooch, "We have to do this every week, Xiqing."


    And then she happily hopped away, turning around the bed and settled down on her side of the bed.


    Li Xiqing did not say anything, but he was thinking, ''As long as I get to be pampered like this, I am down with anything, wife! Bring it on!''


    .....


    "Remember, I told you about the five days vacation next month?"


    They were laying down on the bed, getting ready to sleep now. He had one arm under her head, serving as her pillow. She was laying down next to him, with her head leaning on his shoulder, and her hands were kept still by her side.


    "Uh huh," she replied him absentmindedly, she could feel sleepiness slowly come to her, "What about it?"


    He wrapped his other arm around her and brought her closer. He needed her warmth, "I''ll start to arrange something for both of us, alright? We are going to Japan."


    He turned her around and then hugged Yan Yan from behind, spooned her close to him. He buried his face on her neck and let her fragrance hypnotized him to sleep.


    "I may have to go there earlier, to settle on some stuff in the office. But let me plan on the trip so you can go only few days after me, alright?" he nudged her neck and dropped a kiss on her nape, "I don''t think I want to be separated from you for a long time." His voice was muffled, but she could feel his emotions.


    Shao Yan slowly grinned, and nodded drowsily, "En. I''ll leave it to you, then" and then she snuggled deeper into his arm and slowly lost herself to sleep.


    .....


    The next day was hectic as usual. Shao Yan was always occupied on the phone and people just kept stopping by at her desk with questions.


    Few hours before lunch time, suddenly she received an incoming text message. Shao Yan glanced at her beeping phone. She saw Feifei''s name and she opened the text message.


    ''Xiao Yan, let''s go to lunch today? I''ll show you the place that will be my new cake shop!''


    Feifei had been texting her a lot these two days, after she knew Shao Yan was back in the country. At first, Shao Yan was so busy that she forgot to reply, but Lu Feifei would not be called ''Power glue Feifei'' in college for nothing. She kept sending Shao Yan text after text until Shao Yan finally relented and replied.


    The nickname first came for being unbelievably dependant on her brother. When the Lu siblings just started university and Feifei did not have any friends. She was his brother shadow, and kept tailing Lu Qian wherever he went.


    On their freshman year, their family driver still drove them back and forth from their home to the university. After few months, Lu Qian finally decided to live in the dormitory, and Feifei followed suit.


    When Lu Feifei finally had some friends, however most people who had known her by the nickname, were still calling her by that. The second reason was because, Feifei kept her friends real close. To Shao Yan, the so called ''good luck'' was because Feifei close friends were none other than her own roommates.


    Wherever Shao Yan was, you would see Feifei. And thus, Feifei was not able to shake that nickname off her whole college life.


    And today, Shao Yan was in a middle of a sales call when Feifei texted. So, she quickly typed ''Im sorry, Feifei, I have team lunch today. Let''s meet tomorrow.'' and then she locked the phone back and concentrated on her supplier on the other end of the call.

 Chapter 108 - Gold X OnScience

    When the two clock hands hit noon time, everyone was already too excited to take a break and have a feast.


    Shao Yan just got up from her desk, and lifted both of her arms. She stretched her shoulders muscle, and then suddenly she felt a tap on her left shoulder. Swiftly, she turned her head around, thinking that it was one of her teammates. To her surprise, it was not them, and instead, Risa was standing there behind Shao Yan with a smile while staring at her.


    "Are you ready for lunch?" she asked Shao Yan while slowly put both hands in front of her in a relaxed stance. One palm on top another palm, just like a well-mannered Japanese lady. Risa looked as elegant as usual today. She had a baby blue and white floral ankle pants with gold belt; and she paired them with soft white blouse with chiffon accent on the chest area. To perfect the look, she covered herself in a navy blue suit jacket. Her long, black hair was tied in ponytail as usual.


    Shao Yan blinked and blinked and felt slight pressure to answer, "Uh. Yes. I- " she was taken in surprise by the sudden appearance of Risa at her floor. "Let me get my stuff," she then swiftly turned around and grabbed her purse and mobile phone.


    Shao Yan gave her a polite yet reserved smile, "Let''s go. I''m ready."


    Risa tilted her head slightly to the side while smiling. Her right arm swiftly stretched out across from her, pointing to the exit door with her palm side up; she was signaling to Shao Yan to walk ahead after her, "After you."


    Shao Yan nodded and felt slightly awkward with all the politeness. She gingerly lifted her hand and tucked some strands of hair behind her ear and started to walk ahead of Risa towards the elevator.


    .....


    When they were in the elevator just now, there were so many people surrounded them, so Risa did not get the chance to ask a lot of questions. But once they arrived at the ground floor, and all of them walked together to the restaurant, Risa started to make small talks with Shao Yan.


    "What is the recommendation for lunch in this area?"


    "What are your hobbies?"


    "Do you like to travel?"


    "How long have you been working here?"


    It was supposed to be awkward to talk with a new acquaintance. But Risa was able to keep her engaged in many topics. "So, how do you like working here so far? I heard this is your third year?"


    They were walking side by side. Shao Yan turned her head to the side to look into her eyes. "I like it here. And I definitely like what I''m doing, too," She watched Risa slowly nodded her head while pursing her lips.


    "That''s good," she replied Shao Yan, "I have read all of your past projects, and I think you can do an even better job. But, that''s okay. We''ll work on that in the future." Risa then patted Shao Yan on her shoulder lightly, "I am honored to be your mentor. Let''s work together to improve yourself. "


    Both of them turned silent at a moment, and just watched the people around them conversing loudly. The walk to the restaurant would be around fifteen minutes. Shao Yan was hungry, she was hoping they would reach soon.


    "So, how long have you been in a relationship with Daniel? Is it serious or is it just a fling?"


    She was surprised with the sudden turn of questions. Shao Yan did a quick calculation in her mind and then she said, "It is a serious relationship. It''s been going on for few months," and she saw Risa slowly nodded her head again. Risa stayed silent for a while, before she said, "A man like Daniel sure is charming. I hope you can trust him being busy and all that."


    Shao Yan was surprised at her remarks. She was about to say something back to Risa, before an arm suddenly circled around her shoulder, and pulled her close.


    "Why didn''t you wait for me, Xiao Yan," Fan jie loud voice boomed in her ear, and her face suddenly appeared by her side, "I was looking for you upstairs, but I didn''t you see at your desk. Luckily I quickly came down and caught up with the group." She playfully nudged Shao Yan.


    Fan jie just kept on talking and rambling, and just being so noisy all the way to the restaurant. She quickly took over all of Shao Yan''s attention. Risa saw that Shao Yan was occupied, so she slowed down her steps and decided to walk alone; no longer talking to her.


    .....


    Both project teams decided to go to a Sichuan restaurant about three blocks from their office building. There were around thirty people and Mr. Wang had booked a private room in advanced. When the whole group arrived at the restaurant, they were quickly escorted to their room.


    Mr. Wang had also ordered all the food upfront, so when they arrived, almost all the food had come out and were placed neatly on their table.


    Both teams decided to sit in a mix so they got the chance to know one another better. Risa and Shao Yan happened to sit on the same table. Fan jie, who had been sticking close to Shao Yan, also sat with them.


    They started to eat right away. Shao Yan was about to scoop some boiled fish cooked in pickled mustard greens into her bowl, when the person who sat next to her, about to place spicy stir fried deep fried chicken to her plate.


    Shao Yan saw it coming, but she did not get the chance to react. Fan jie was about to say something, but all of a sudden, Risa spoke up.


    "Motoki, Shao Yan can not handle spicy food. Don''t give her that."


    And the whole table turned their faces to stare at Risa dumfounded.

 Chapter 109 - Challenge

    Realizing that everyone was looking at her, Risa scrunched her eyebrows and looked annoyed, "I was just guessing that maybe she can''t eat spicy food. So ask her first, before you place anything for her." Risa looked down at her bowl and started to eat like nothing had happened.


    Motoki, just stood there dumbfounded. His one hand was still holding the dish spoon. He turned his head to Shao Yan, and before he spoke any word, Shao Yan quickly said, "Thank you so much. But, I can''t eat spicy food, so you can have it for yourself." She flashed him an amicable smile, but deep down inside, she was thinking, was it really coincidental that Risa know about that? Motoki gingerly sat down, and placed the food on to his own plate; and then he started to eat quietly.


    .....


    After lunch, Risa had scheduled a training session with Shao Yan and her team. All of them were in the room and started to discuss the plan for the year.


    It was Risa who requested to go through the whole schedules together, and specifically asked Shao Yan to prepare the presentation. Shao Yan stood in front of the meeting room and started to speak.


    "The goal for the end of year plan is to invite more new writers that we have not exposed to. My idea is to hold an exhibition of our best selling author, and at the same time, we will invite artists as the anchor*," she paused and then scanned her eyes around the room, "I''ll stop here to take any questions."


    Risa was reading through her presentation material in her hand, and then she slowly shook her head from side to side. She lifted her head and stared at Shao Yan.


    "Hm, I don''t see any budget calculation to invite these artists. Who do you have in mind?"


    Shao Yan nodded, and confidently answered her, "It is because the situation is dynamic right now. And I am thinking of Eli G��nther, who is currently a rising pop singer.."


    "Pfft.." suddenly a soft snort was heard in the room. And all eyes were searching for the source of the sound, and then they landed back on Risa again.


    "Ah," Risa paused for a while to chuckle, and then she slowly leaned back to her chair, "Let me think on how to say this politely," she paused again, but she quickly continued, "But I can''t," she shrugged.


    "Miss Shao, are you an amateur? What is wrong with this plan? Why are you presenting a half-baked plan? This is garbage." She slapped the stack of papers on the desk.


    Her own team members were looking at her; embarrassed. Their team lead had been straightforward and opinionated, but she was never rude. She was a good mentor and senior in this field, but this was the first time they saw a fierce side of her.


    .....


    Risa leaned back on her chair and crossed her arms in front of her, "First of all, the budget was not consistent. You could argue that this is a dynamic situation. Fine. But what about this -" Risa flipped the papers until she found the section that she was looking for. "Outdoor concert?? In a freaking November weather?"


    Risa looked up at Shao Yan, her face was cold and stern, "Are you trying to get everyone sick?"


    Silence shrouded the room. Shao Yan was dumbfounded; no one had ever been so straightforward as this to her. She was about to explain more, but Risa cut her off, "You know what? Don''t bother explaining this to me. Let''s not waste everybody''s time with this unsatisfactory deck."


    Once she finished saying that, Risa swiftly stood up and threw the stack pf papers on the table, "Correct this. We will meet again next Monday to review. And on that day, I am expecting a stellar presentation, Project Manager Shao."


    Risa looked at Shao Yan with a cold, stern face before she turned her body around and started to leave the room. Shao Yan clenched her fist and her forehead slowly frowned. Her eyes squinted and she tilted her head to the side. She was trying to remember the points that Risa brought up as issues.


    ''If only she gave me the chance to explain,'' Shao Yan sighed inwardly.


    And all of a sudden, she snapped her head back up, and started to sprint to the door.


    .....


    Shao Yan just reached the meeting room door, and managed to catch up with Risa. She briskly walk to her side while calling her, "Miss Yamaguchi, please hold on." Risa paused her steps and slowly turned around. She did not look pleased. Shao Yan could not care less, but she needed to explain herself, or she would be forever be misunderstood.


    Shao Yan stood in front of Risa and slowly controlled her irregular breathing due to the sudden sprint.


    "First of all, please know that it is not a half-baked plan. My team worked on it for weeks, and we did proper reviews on all the places listed on this presentation." Shao Yan was holding on to her presentation papers and waved them in between them. "We visited each places and scouted the whole area one by one personally."


    Shao Yan brought her hand down and continued, "You are a foreigner in this country, what do you know about the stage that we have selected? Allow me to tell you more."


    Shao Yan knew if she continued, she would offend this superior of hers, but she had to. This was her team hardwork, she would not back down easily.


    So, she gathered her courage and looked at Risa in the eyes, "That place is a semi covered theater. They do have outdoor section, but they are famous to host many Jazz concert during winter."


    Shao Yan paused to let Risa digested her words; she also scanned the people around them. She slowly brought her eye contact back to Risa and continued, "And that is precisely the reason why, my team and I highly recommended that concert stage. I don''t know what kind of music do you listen to. But Jazz require a special set of arrangement and not all concert hall can support that."


    Shao Yan slowly straightened up her posture, and then she slowly enunciated, "Now, are you ready to listen more?"

 Chapter 110 - Welcoming

    As the metal bird slowly landed on the tarmac, the sun was shining shyly, as clouds were seen covering the glowing might.


    A man in black overcoat emerged from the opened door. He ran both hands in front of his lapels downwards as he smoothed out the creases. He puffed out his chest proudly and lifted his chin; and snorted at the gloomy weather. Large aviator glasses were covering his dark brown eyes as he scanned the surrounding area.


    ''Tsk! No welcoming party for us? Those people have been slacking, huh'', he scowled inwardly.


    He ran his fingers on his slightly wavy hair before he slowly turned around and offered his hand to the lady behind him.


    Two slender long legs stepped out of the airplane door. A pair of jet black stiletto heels descended on each steps of the ladder as the large, masculine palm enveloped her hand and walked ahead of her. The shiny, red-lacquered soles clicked and clacked softly on the metal stairs as he guided her to step down from the plane and finally landed firmly on the dusty tarmac. Her brunette hair slightly swayed from the soft breeze around her.


    Few men in black suits followed behind them as they exited the plane while carrying brown and gold monogram suitcases. Trunks of luggage case were brought out from the plane. They were transferred into the awaiting rows of black SUV cars.


    Leading at the front was a dazzling black Chrysler 300 series limousine. Upon seeing his master stepped down from the plane, a poised, middle aged man in black uniform held the car door opened and patiently waited for his master and mistress. One hand covered in white glove was holding the door while he put his other hand on his abdomen and slightly bowed his body when the man and wife entered the car one after another.


    .....


    Charles and Helen slowly relaxed themselves once they were seated inside the luxurious car which could fit twelve people. Charles went to the middle section of the limousine and sat on the quilted leather seat. He was facing a built-in mini bar and an interactive 24 inch LCD monitor. He reached out his hand and opened a champagne bottle that was on the wooden table in front of him. He poured the golden sparkling liquid into two crystal glasses and passed one to his wife.


    Helen was seated near the door. She slowly stretched out her legs and took off her shoes. A quilted leather purse with two metal buckle at the front at the shape of overlapping ''C'' letter was thrown carelessly on the seat next to her. As her husband offered the glass of champagne, she lazily reached out a hand to receive it, while the other hand was taking off her sunglasses and also threw them to the side of the sofa.


    "Where are we going now?" Helen''s signature low and husky voice slowly asked her husband the question, before her lips touched the rim of the crystal glass and sipped a little.


    Charles leaned back on the sofa and crossed his legs. One hand was holding the glass, while another hand was unbuttoning his dark blue suit jacket. "Let''s go back to the penthouse first. I''m sure you want to freshen up after that flight," he answered while lifting the glass to face the skylights on the car ceiling. He softly sighed while he was admiring the sparkling bubbles lazily.


    She was staring down at her perfectly manicured fingers, and when she heard his replies, she lifted up her face and looked at him, "No. I want to meet them right away!"


    Charles finally left his gaze from the ceiling. He tilted his head while giving her a tired look. He slowly turned his head to look at Helen, he squinted his eyes and sighed while saying, "Dear, they will not go anywhere soon, what are you rushing for? We argued with father the whole night. I am tired, you are tired. Can we PLEASE rest for a while?"


    He spoke each words slowly, as if he was talking to a five-year old kid. He especially stressed his tone on the word ''please'' as he locked his eyes with Helen''s.


    Upon hearing his words, she snorted softly and Helen turned her face away in disgust to look outside the window. From afar, she could see the iconic landmark of this city, the Oriental Pearl Tower gradually appeared in her sight.


    He waited for a while. When he did not hear any further argument from his dearest wife, Charles slowly stretched out his hand to grab the cordless phone on the bar. He dialed a button, and the call was quickly picked up by the driver.


    "To the penthouse," he said curtly and then he hung up right away after finishing his words.


    The long, black limousine slowly cruised the highway towards the concrete jungle, with the man and woman inside who barely spoken any words to each other anymore.


    .....


    Pairs of eyes were looking at the two women who were in a staring contest. Shao Yan stood her ground while waiting for Risa to respond. She promised herself and also her team that she would not back down easily.


    Her beautiful cheekbones slowly relaxed. Risa could feel that her gaze is warming up to Shao Yan and her attitude. Her lips slowly curved up, "Very well, project manager Shao. You got my attention." She raised her wrist and looked at the time, "I will give you fifteen minutes. And if you can not convince me during these fifteen minutes, please redo the deck," she lifted her face and looked at Shao Yan, "You have to redo the whole thing." She tilted her head and threw a challenge look at Shao Yan, while raising up her soft eyebrows, "Deal?"


    Shao Yan slowly curved her lips and her round eyes shone brightly. She then pursed her lips and gave a firm nod, "You will not be disappointed," and then she stepped to the side, and stretched out her arm to behind her. All five fingers were pointing towards the direction of where she came from, "After you, Miss Yamaguchi."

 Chapter 111 - That Woman

    The promised fifteen minutes, turned to twenty, and then to thirty. Before they knew it, the discussion turned to an hour, and not even one person in the room wanted to leave.


    It was first started as very tense. But slowly, Shao Yan got the rhythm going and started to lead the meeting pace. After close to two hours, the other participants in the room were already exhausted, except for Shao Yan and Risa.


    Risa leaned back to her chair, crossing her arms in front of her and then she slowly nodded. "Hm. Still need a lot of improvement. But I think this is good enough. We can wrap this up now," she turned to her team members who were sitting to her right. "Make a copy of the final report, and start to study the material." And then she turned back to Shao Yan.


    "I have scheduled a meeting with your team tomorrow. But after this discussion, I think we can cancel that. Let''s meet again next week once you finalized the report and added all the inputs we discussed just now."


    After she finished saying that, Risa got up from her chair, and started to walk to the exit. But she remembered something, and then she turned around again. "Good job," and then she turned back around and resumed her walk.


    When Shao Yan heard the soft click of the closed meeting room door, she exhaled a relief. Fan jie and Wenhai who had been sitting on an edge and holding their breath anxiously throughout the meeting, gradually slouched back, and relaxed.


    .....


    "THAT WOMAN!" Fan jie raised her voice slightly, before Shao Yan quickly gave her a look, and then swiftly turned to look at the meeting door to check if Risa had heard that. Fan jie raised both hands to quickly cover her mouth; her eyes went big and round and were also staring at the door.


    After all of them made sure that Risa did not hear her exclaim just now, Fan jie continued again, "Xiao Yan~ That undoubtedly is the longest torture of my life." She spread out her forearm to Shao Yan, "Look at this, all my hairs had been standing out like this for the past two hours. I''m so stressed out." Her lament drew laughs from the five or so people in the meeting room.


    Wenhai smiled at her helplessly. He patted Fan jie on her back slowly and rubbed her shoulder to calm her down, "It''s okay, it has ended. See how capable our team lead is. We received a ''good enough'' from the Iron Lady. I think we should pat ourselves at the back for doing such a good job," he said while chuckling at himself.


    Shao Yan shook her head and also smiled. In the meeting just now, she might sounded full of confidence, but that was solely because Shao Yan kept thinking about how to be a good leader in front of her team.


    She kept chanting inside her mind ''Do not back down'' all the while she defended her case in front of Risa. The discussion with Risa was definitely challenging for her. She slowly commented, "Actually, I hold a deep respect for her."


    Once her words fell, all of her teammates turned to look at Shao Yan with shocked eyes, sending messages of ''Are you crazy?'' through their piercing gazes.


    She let out a soft chuckle, and softly sighed. Shao Yan pursed her smiling lips and tilted her head to side, trying to come up with better words, "Let''s see. What I meant was. All of you must have also agree that Risa Yamaguchi is a very smart woman. Look at just now. All of her feedback are correct. We did not even think of that."


    She scanned her eyes around the room, "All of us have been working on this deck for weeks; and yet Risa was able to see through the holes in the plan in five minutes. We still have so much learning to do now. Her level is definitely way above all of us combined." Shao Yan said dejectedly.


    .....


    Once she stepped out of the meeting room, Risa briskly walked to the direction of the elevator lobby. She was about to say something, when she heard a soft exclaim came out of the meeting room. She paused her steps and turned her head slightly.


    She thought, she heard someone said ''That woman'' loudly? Risa slowly looked down at her feet, and chuckled. ''She has some good friends protecting her,'' Risa thought inwardly. And then she resumed her walk while still smiling.


    Once she reached the elevator lobby, she lifted her wrist to glance at the time. Risa turned to face her team members, while saying, "All of you can go back to your desk first. I still have to make some phone calls." And then she turned around, and went to the outdoor garden.


    The office building had allocated a small outdoor garden on each floor to bring fresh air for their tenants. The purpose was not only to give excuse for the tenants to take small breaks, but also to encourage social meetup. Some floors actually had a mini pond with fish and some benches to sit down. Other floors only equipped with benches and some floors did not even have anything to sit on.


    Risa pushed the glass door open, and stepped out. The weather was slightly windy today, but it was still comfortable to stand outside without having to feel too cold. She found an empty bench, and sat down. She looked around and found that she was alone, so she quickly unlocked her phone and selected a number on her speed dial contact.


    The call was picked up right away.


    "En. It''s me," she paused while listening to the other person to reply. "En. I have met her and I totally pushed her limit just now. I think she may even hate me a little," Risa let out a sad chuckle and then she paused again while listening.


    "Yes, I am meeting him soon. I will let you know how it goes. Please remember to take care of your health. The weather is getting cold, don''t get sick."

 Chapter 112 - Grow Up

    Shao Yan had spent more overtime in the office lately. She poured all of her free time to finalize the presentation and all the planning. The end of year celebration was a big event, especially now with OnScience on board. She had never manage something at this scale before, so Shao Yan really involved herself into every single thing.


    "Don''t ever get the idea that you had learned everything in the three years you spent here. It''s only three years."


    Risa was lecturing Shao Yan as she was being stubborn on using the template she already had perfected from the anniversary celebration; and then both of them got into arguments again.


    These past few days, Risa had been pushing Shao Yan more and more. Shao Yan was so busy that she barely had time for Li Xiqing anymore.


    In her dark grey suit, white ribbon blouse and black dress pants, Risa had her arms crossed in front of her, while standing tall and intimidating in front of Shao Yan and glaring down at her.


    "A project manager will always learn new things. All the time. There is no such word as ''enough''. Please remember that in your mind!"


    Shao Yan contemplated on the words that registered into her brain. Part of her realized the volume and challenges that she was facing right now had proven to her that Risa was right. But another part of her was being so stubborn, she did not want to admit that.


    "You are still as stubborn as ever! Grow up! Think about what I said today, and go through the whole schedules again."


    Risa said with a slight harsh tone and then she turned around and started to walk out of their cubicles.


    .....


    To enable themselves to focus more, Fan jie, Li Na and the rest of her team had set up a meeting room for all of them to huddle. Wenhai and uncle Huo were in charge of transportation in case any member of the team needed to go for a last minute survey to the sites or vendors. They had to make sure not a single detail would be left behind or forgotten again.


    Shao Yan mostly stayed inside the office, while coordinating everything through emails and phone calls. After the outburst with each other in front of the meeting room few days ago, Shao Yan had felt more comfortable while talking to Risa.


    Her OnScience team had sat two floors below her. Shao Yan had been climbing the stairs up and down more frequently now whenever she had questions; and Risa had been patiently mentoring her all the steps all the way.


    Shao Yan had just climbed the stairs down again and looked for her. She wanted to show Risa the revised budget calculations that she had been working overnight. Risa took the laptop from Shao Yan and started to go through each numbers meticulously, not missing every zero and commas.


    She softly sighed, and tapped her index fingers softly on the laptop surface, "What did I say about basic?" Risa was sitting while leaning back on her chair and facing Shao Yan who was standing in front of her, "Always and always remember: Go. Back. To. Basic."


    "You have to go through the events starting from ''Day minus 3 months'' which is now. What kind of budget you need to prepare, what kind of activities you will have. All of these will fall under indirect cost."


    Risa sighed again, "Come here and look at this. What is this transportation cost for? You have to list them in details. Break them down on a separate tab, so you manage every single details."


    Risa lifted her face and looked at Shao Yan, "I am telling you this so you can cover yourself, in case you get audited in the future. The amount of money that was given to you is large enough to trigger any audit. You need to record every single thing, including taxi fare or even outside printing cost."


    She enunciated every single word carefully to Shao Yan again, "Keep every receipt, every record of all the things that your team do. Do not trust anyone but yourself. Do you hear me?"


    Risa waved her hand in front of Shao Yan, "You can go now, work on that again, and let''s talk tomorrow."


    As Shao Yan walked away, Risa sighed and mumbled to herself softly, ''What will happen to you when I''m not around. I want you to be able to stand tall and proud with everybody around you respecting you.''


    Unbeknownst to her, Shao Yan heard everything. Shao Yan felt surprised as she could hear a warm, friendly tone for the first time ever from Risa. She thought she heard wrongly, but she decided not to say anything.


    .....


    The past few days had been spent with work and more work. Shao Yan felt immense guilt for ignoring Li Xiqing on the side. So she decided to visit him today to go and have lunch together.


    Shao Yan had just stepped out of the taxi in front of his office building when she saw Karl walking into the lobby area and saw her as well. He waved at her and gave her a wide smile; and then he walked closer.


    Her face slowly lit up, and her lips curved up into a big, warm smile, "When did you arrive? It has been a while!" Karl laughed and gave her a brief hug, "Indeed. The last time I think was the anniversary party? Geez, it has been forever, huh!" Karl walked by her side, and both of them strode to the elevator lobby.


    "Did Daniel know that you are here?" Karl asked while pressing the elevator button.


    Shao Yan shook her head, while giving a soft chuckle, "I don''t think so. I told him that I will contact him for any lunch plan, but I did not specifically tell him that I will be coming over instead," she brought her hand to cover her mouth while her eyes slowly arched into a beautiful, dazzling smile.


    "How was Frankfurt?" Shao Yan asked when they were inside the elevator.

 Chapter 113 - The Storm

    "How was Frankfurt?" Shao Yan asked when they were inside the elevator.


    After pressing the button for Li Xiqing''s office, Karl had both hands inside his dress pants pocket. He did not stand too far, and not too close either. He respected Shao Yan as his good sister anyway, and not as a stranger.


    "Very good. The office runs well as usual. I got to know Axel Chen when I was there, and that was how I introduced him to AG International," he turned his head to face Shao Yan, "Ah that reminds me, I have to apologize to you."


    "Because of that, Daniel and Martin are so occupied now. L Corporation just swallowed all of their time." He showed a very guilty look and smiled helplessly, "But rest assured, that is also the reason I am back in the country. I need to help them too."


    Shao Yan returned his smile, "Don''t worry, I am also busy myself. Let me tell you a secret," she lowered down her voice purposely, as if she was about to tell Karl a very guarded information.


    "I am in charge of Gold Crane New Year celebration!" she said giddily at him.


    His eyes slowly lit up and widened in surprise, "Whoa! That''s a good news! Congratulations!"


    Shao Yan tilted her head slightly down, while smiling embarrassingly, "Thank you. I have been learning a lot lately." She lifted her face up, and beamed at Karl, "I think I got myself a mentor."


    Shao Yan put on arm in front of her to support a hand that was stroking her chin, "Although I think I pissed her off many many times with my stubbornness. Her words are rude and harsh, but I can feel that she is actually guiding me all the time."


    .....


    The elevator suddenly stopped, and the door opened. Karl extended his hand to show Shao Yan to walk first in front of him, "After you."


    They walked together to the office lobby, and Karl tapped his own badge to open the glass door. This was the assigned floor for all the executives, including Li Xiqing. There was no receptionist to welcome any guests, as it was expected that all employees that sat on this floor already had their own badge to tap in.


    Karl held the door opened for Shao Yan, and she walked inside. She had visited this office a couple of times, and Li Xiqing even offered to make her own badge so she could come in anytime. But Shao Yan stubbornly refused him. She wanted to respect all the other employees, and she did not mind to be treated as another normal guest.


    "Daniel should be in his office, I''ll walk with you there," Karl was still smiling while looking at Shao Yan. She nodded, "I know where his office is. I am sure you''re busy, I can go by myself, Karl."


    Karl chuckled softly, "Don''t worry, my office is just next to his. It''s on the way," he shrugged and then they kept walking along the brightly lit office lobby.


    When they arrived in front of Li Xiqing''s office, Karl lifted up one hand to give a courtesy knock on the door to notify their presence. He opened the door right away without waiting for Daniel to answer.


    Right when the door was opened, Karl and Shao Yan saw that a woman had both of her arms wrapped around Li Xiqing on his shoulder with her body stood so close in front of him. Her face was leaning so close to his chin, as if she was trying to kiss him.


    Upon hearing the noise behind them, the woman slowly turned around and when she saw Shao Yan, she gave a smirk, before slowly let go off both of her arms and her fingers twirled around her ponytail.


    "Oh! Look who we have here!" she said with a very seductive voice.


    .....


    Li Xiqing had been stuck in a meeting with US office since morning to catch their business time. He had just sat down on his chair, when the receptionist dialed his phone, "Mr. Li, there is someone by the name of Risa Yamaguchi here to see you."


    Li Xiqing slowly scrunched his eyebrow, and replied right away, "I don''t have any appointment with anyone today. If she needs to talk to me, let her schedule something. But make it next week, and not today."


    He was about to hang up, when the phone seemed to change hand, and another voice rang through the receiver, "Daniel, you may want to talk to me, since this is about Yan Yan." And once she said that, she hung up the phone right away.


    Li Xiqing scowled even deeper as he did not like being baited like this. But anything related to his Yan Yan, always meant to be his priority.


    He took a deep breath and slowly pinched his thumb and index fingers on the bridge of his nose and then he softly sighed. He paused to think for a while, before he picked up his mobile phone and texted Karl, ''Come over right now''.


    Few minutes later, he received a reply ''On my way. Five minutes''. And after he read that, Li Xiqing picked up his desk phone and dialed the front desk.


    When the receptionist answered on the first ring, Li Xiqing quickly said, "You can bring Miss Yamaguchi to my office." Miss receptionist acknowledged his order right away, and then he hung up the phone.


    .....


    Risa strode into his office with highlighted confidence. Her eyes scanned around the room admiring and also talking all the details in.


    "Not bad, Daniel, really good taste!" she looked at the man who was standing in front of his desk, leaning against the table with his arms crossed in front of his chest.


    She let out a small smile, and put down a paper bag on the sofa. "Just that, your taste in women is not as good as your taste in interior design." Risa sashayed towards him, flaunting her tall figure and voluptuous body.


    "I am here to offer you the partnership of a lifetime." Risa ran her index fingers on his lapel, but before her fingertips went downwards, Li Xiqing caught her wrist and kept a distance from her.


    "Stop this nonsense. You''re here about Yan Yan. What is it?"

 Chapter 114 - Nonsense

    Her lips slowly curved into a seductive smile. Long, adorable eyelashes blinked at him innocently. She had put on a sultry make up today, a very attractive eye liner curved around her eyelid, a bright red lipstick was drawn on her plump lips. She even put on colored contact lenses to bring out more of her attractive eyes.


    Risa dressed in a soft beige silky dress with orchid flower design on the bottom part. The dress started with overlapping material on her chest area; dipped low to show a mouthwatering view of her mounds.


    The bottom part of the dress was pleated all around her waist and fell elegantly from her waist to her knees. The soft material, along with her long torso and slim legs, really portrayed her as an alluring and demure princess.


    When she moved, the dress swayed along her body and she looked like an elegant flower, waiting to be plucked by a possessive lover.


    "Daniel dear, are you only looking for an excuse to hold my hand?" her eyes looked at his hand which was still gripping on her wrist.


    Li Xiqing felt disgusted with her sensual tone, he let go off her hand immediately and stepped away from his desk.


    Risa slowly arched her beautiful eyebrows and chuckled, "Yo! Are you being shy now?" she walked closer to him. She had put on a bewitching perfume today, she knew no man could resist this smell.


    .....


    The air in the room became really cold. Li Xiqing crossed his arms in front his chest, he was looking at her with his stern, unamused face, "Start talking." His forehead was scrunched, he really wanted to call a security on this woman.


    She saw that he was looking at her, so she lifted her index finger, and slowly bit onto the fingernail. She eyed him from head to toe, dragging her eyesight to travel all over him slowly while her white teeth was nibbling playfully on her fingertips.


    "What did I want to say? Uh, oh no!" her eyebrows slowly drooped, she suddenly looked so sad and pitiful like a frail young woman.


    "What to do? Suddenly, I forgot what I wanted to say to you. You are so handsome, you took my breath away, cutie." Risa slowly lifted her fingers and traced her own glossy lips and smiled helplessly, "I think I need some time to remember what I need to say. Let me sit down for a while."


    Li Xiqing had enough; he could feel his veins on his forehead about to pop out. He ran out of patience.


    "You can take all the time that you need," as he said that, her face beamed and Risa was about to wrap her arms around his biceps, but he continued right away, "I''m calling security right now to escort you out." He started to walk back to his desk.


    Risa panicked, and she hastily hold up both arms around his neck to stop him. Everything happened so quickly. Before Li Xiqing could react to peel her away, the door to his office is opened. To his horror, Yan Yan and Karl were standing there with a blank face.


    ''Dammit! I do not need this kind of misunderstanding,'' Li Xiqing cursed inwardly while clenching his hands to fists.


    .....


    Talked about timing, Karl had never felt so awkward. He first looked at the gorgeous woman in front of Daniel, and then he turned his head to the side to look at Shao Yan.


    Shao Yan paused her steps and her eyes went so big, she was so surprised. ''What kind of joke is this?'' she thought to herself.


    She quickly collected herself, and looked at the woman carefully. She ran her eyes all over Risa while thinking, ''What is she trying to do by dressing up like this?''


    Shao Yan had been spending a lot of time with Risa this week, she could more or less understand her personality. The way Risa dressed today was not like her at all.


    ''Could it be that all this time, Risa has been trying to build relationship with me, so I won''t suspect anything?'' Shao Yan contemplated quietly.


    To Risa''s surprise, Shao Yan was so calm, she did not scream or yell or behave like an angry girlfriend. Instead, she just stood there quietly; all calm and peaceful.


    Risa saw her shocked face first went so big and round, and then her face went to pale. Slowly, she furrowed her eyebrows and then the color of her cheek went back to normal luscious pink again.


    .....


    "Xiqing," Shao Yan called out. Her voice seemed calm, but everyone could hear a trace of shakiness in it.


    Li Xiqing walked over and quickly grabbed hold of her hand, and once his palm enveloped her tiny hands, he scowled. Both of her hands were cold. He was upset and swore he would not forgive whoever this woman is.


    Shao Yan was scrutinizing his face. He looked angry and his eyes were searching for hers; worrying about her being. Two hands were grabbing her hands tightly, and she could feel the security from within his grasp. And that was all she needed as assurance.


    "I- I am here to have lunch with you," Shao Yan forced out a natural smile, "I hope your meeting with US team is done?" Li Xiqing scanned her face, and squeezed her hands again, "En, we can go now." he answered her with his normal tender and doting tone.


    Shao Yan unconsciously squeezed back, her face gradually returned to normal. Karl and Li Xiqing thought that Shao Yan would choose to ignore the presence of the other woman in the room. But to their surprise, Shao Yan suddenly turned to look at Risa.


    "I don''t know what you''re trying to do here. This is your last chance that I am letting you off. I respect you as my mentor but do not ever get close to my man again. Please get out of this room, you are not welcome here."

 Chapter 115 - Complain

    Li Xiqing was surprised when hearing her polite yet angry words. He quietly looked at her fierce side, and his lips slowly let out a small smile.


    After smiling foolishly for a second, he quickly adjusted his expression back. Li Xiqing then turned his head and faced Karl while pointing at Risa, "Please make sure she''s out of here and do not let her touch anything," and then he grabbed Yan Yan''s hand and walked out of the room.


    Karl looked at the couple dumbfounded. He then turned to look at Risa, who surprisingly was smiling while looking at the couple''s back. Her smile was so warm, and so tender, Karl could hear his heart thump so loud. He lost his focus for a second, and was just staring at her glowing face.


    .....


    Risa saw that Karl was looking at her. She quickly collected herself and walked over to the large grey sofa. She grabbed the paper bag that she had put there earlier and from inside, she took out a bundle of cloths.


    When she spread it out, Karl noticed that it was a coat. Risa quickly wrapped it around herself, and then she sat down on the sofa and crossed her legs comfortably.


    "Uh, you know I should be chasing you out right now, don''t you?" Karl walked closer and sat across from her.


    Risa took out her mobile phone while nodding at him, "Uh huh. Give me a second, let me make a call real quick." And then her fingers swiped her phone screen and pressed the dial button. The call was quickly connected.


    "It''s me. Have you eaten? I saw the weather forecast, it''s raining there, please stay warm and don''t get sick," Risa started to nag to the person on the other line.


    "Oh! I have met him alright! And he is so fierce," Risa complained on the phone. She spread out her fingers and started to look at each nails while talking, "That Li guy wanted to chase me out right away. OH! But guess what?" Risa was telling the story giddily, "It''s actually Yan Yan that scolded me and told me to back off!" and then she chuckled softly.


    To Karl''s surprise, Risa was talking so soft, and so polite; like a kid that was telling her mother what had happened at school. Her tone was warm and childish, while she was talking to whoever on the other side of the phone.


    She spoke with mix languages. Sometimes she would prattle in English. When she cursed, she would use Japanese. But most of the time, she was speaking in Mandarin. Karl was confused, who this woman really was.


    "I have booked a ticket for you, it''s next week. You should come quickly and see her yourself. I have been sticking close to Yan Yan now, I think that Li guy will kill me soon if you don''t come and save me! Alright?"


    Karl heard a laughter from the phone, sounded like an older woman. The other person said something before Risa replied, "I will pick you up, don''t worry. I can''t wait to see her face when she meet you."


    .....


    As they were walking out, Shao Yan practically was dragging Li Xiqing by hand. She was walking really fast. She was upset and confused at the same time.


    The person she trusted as her mentor; the one she looked up to, the one she idolized; she was actually eyeing her man!


    She turned her head around and glared at Li Xiqing; who kept his eyes trained on her back.


    ''And also this man! This hateful man, not even doing anything and letting her to hug him like that. So annoying. Hmph!'' she complained inwardly and then she turned around and looked back to the front again.


    Li Xiqing saw all the changes on her face, from being sad, to confused, and then upset, and now angry and annoyed. He pursed his lips, trying to hold himself from grinning.


    She was so damn cute!


    .....


    His Yan Yan had been ignoring him the whole time they were walking from his office to the elevator lobby. And Li Xiqing was not pleased. When they were finally inside the elevator, Li Xiqing suddenly tugged her hands and brought all of herself into his embrace.


    Shao Yan saw his face closing in, and before she recognized his masculine breath, his lips found hers right away and locked them in immediately.


    Shao Yan reflexively put both hands on his chest, while he swiftly wrapped both arms around her. His lips were tasting her endlessly, he kept changing the angle, deepening their kiss and not letting her go, no matter how much she pushed him. He did not budge a muscle.


    Instead, he moved and pressed her body on the wall, and his hands slowly rubbed her back, coaxing her to kiss him back. Shao Yan gradually relented to his touch, and her tongue started to search for his, taking control their kisses.


    As she was responding to him, Li Xiqing had both arms circled around the small of her back and pulled her closer to him. Her hands slowly crawled on his shirt and went around his neck.


    She missed him.


    So much.


    All she wanted was to be drown in his warmth and showered with his kisses.


    .....


    One hand left her waist and caressed her head. He cupped her cheek and then he whispered over her swollen lips, "Yan Yan, no matter how upset you are, don''t ever ignore me like that," he caught her lower lip again and kissed her again.


    Shao Yan moaned and kissed him back with equal ferociousness. His hand went to cup the back of her head; keeping her steady.


    He let go off her tempting lips to catch on some air. He breathed slowly while saying, "Always talk everything out, alright?" he leaned his forehead on hers and continued, "I don''t want any useless misunderstanding."


    Shao Yan absentmindedly nodded along his words, while kept staring at his lips.


    Li Xiqing saw that she wanted them to kiss again, but he held himself back. He slowly let her go, and hugged her instead; one hand was cupping her head, and another hand wrapped her securely on her back. Li Xiqing kissed the crown of her head and then he peeked at the camera at the corner of the elevator ceiling.


    If they continued, he was so sure that the building security would send him a complain letter tomorrow.


    .


    .


    .


    ++++


    Webnovel Gift section is now open! Yay!


    Let me dance for a bit


    ��(��0��)��

 Chapter 116 - I Adore You

    Risa rose up from her seat and was about to walk out of Li Xiqing''s office. She saw that Karl also stood up and started to walk with her. She eyed him suspiciously.


    "What are you doing?" She asked him while grabbing the paper bag and her purse in one hand.


    Karl smirked, while swiping his blonde wavy hair with one hand, "I am in charge of escorting you out, milady."


    Risa looked at him suspiciously. She squinted her eyes while saying, "You don''t have to, I know the way out. And besides, aren''t you supposed to check the room and see if I take anything?" She smirked back at him and turned around to open the door. He thought her ponytail swayed cheekily at him.


    Karl quickly walked over to her side and held the door for her, "Sweetheart, I had my eyes on you the whole time. I know every single detail of what you were doing. Pfft.. the only thing you stole from here is my heart." And then he winked at her cheekily, causing Risa to go speechless.


    Sherolled her eyes dramatically, and she quickly turned around to walk further.


    ''Why oh why did I have to meet another crazy dude in my life,'' she lamented as both of them walked together to the elevator lobby.


    .....


    "So what is your angle here, beauty?" Karl asked as he pressed the elevator button. He put both hands into his pants pocket and tilted his head to look at her.


    "I know that you''re not evil," his calm blue eyes stared at her intently, "and I definitely know when you''re actually only testing them in there." He pointed his chin to the direction of Li Xiqing''s office, he was referring the the ''show'' just now.


    Risa tilted her head and squinted her eyes at Karl, "You''re smart, huh? No wonder Daniel appreciates you a lot."


    Karl grinned, "It''s easy to see, well, at least for me. You went from a Holly Molly seductive fox with revealing dress to a..." he ran his eyes up and down all over her, "to an attractive elegant angel, all polite and covered."


    She smiled and then she continued, "You''ll find out soon. Next week, all of you will get the answer that you have been waiting for."


    Karl suddenly was thrown into an amused laughter. He crossed both arms in front of him and looked at her, "Risa Yamaguchi. Very interesting character." And then he swiftly offered his hand out, "Let''s be friend, Risa Yamaguchi."


    Risa was utterly surprised by this very straightforward and cheerful person. She eyed him skeptically, but still offered her hand and only briefly touched his hand before she quickly retracted it back.


    .....


    Li Xiqing drove for a while, and they finally arrived at a quaint Japanese restaurant. The restaurant was actually occupying a building that was formerly a Japanese consulate. When the owner of the restaurant purchased the building, he tried to keep the original structure as much as possible, to get the original Japanese vibe. The original signboard of the consulate was even still there; the metal plate was hung securely on the stone wall with words carved in Japanese, Mandarin and English.


    From the outside, people would not know that this building is actually an eatery. The architecture resembled an old house, with its unique display of arched stone roof and sliding wooden doors at the front.


    Huge, but properly trimmed Japanese trees were lined up neatly at the left and right of each sides of the building, creating a false sense of greenery gate that welcomed the guest to another realm.


    .....


    Once Shao Yan stepped into the building, a server dressed in a white and purple Japanese kimono was greeting them at the entrance. She gave a little bow to the couple, "Welcome, before you enter, please take off your shoes and store it in the locker room over here," both of her hands were palms up and extended to the right side, showing the direction of the lockers. She had a very warm smile all the time she was speaking to them with broken Mandarin.


    The locker room itself was actually multiple shelves just big enough as shoe compartment with a door that was secured with a unique wooden key. Each door had each own key and none was alike. The lady came over to place two pairs of Japanese sandals for them to put on.


    Shao Yan was curious on the whole thing, she tried to remember every single detail of the interior and exterior layout, and also the mannerism of the lady. She beamed at Li Xiqing, "Now, I can''t wait to go to Japan next month," she smiled brightly at him, her big round eyes sparkled attractively and her lips slowly curved into a childish soft grin; melting his heart.


    .....


    He requested for a private room, and they were quickly escorted to a section beside a small garden. The whole flooring from the front door all the way to their room were covered in dark shade hard wood flooring. Shao Yan whispered slowly while tugging onto his hand, "Xiqing, the owner of this place is amazing, they really paid attention to every single details."


    Li Xiqing was holding her hand while walking along the corridor. He was smiling at her while his eyes were tracing every line of her face. They were walking by rows of bamboo sliding doors separating the dining room and the courtyard.


    The sun rays shone in through the ruffles of leaves and the wooden frames, casting a soft light over her features. One side of herself glittered like the morning dew basked under the glowing sun and he got distracted for few seconds.


    "Uh yeah, um" he gave a soft cough, "Let me introduce you to the owner next time she''s here, alright?" And then he pointed to the garden with his other hand, "After lunch, let''s walk out there, I can show you some of their collections. You can actually see some rare Japanese trees." He then turned his face to look at Yan Yan, "My mother planted them herself when she visited here last time."

 Chapter 117 - She Surely Is Lucky

    The sliding door was opened, and Shao Yan had her view displayed to a very spacious room with little decorations. Minimalist tatami covered the whole area. A low section of display panels stretched out on one side of the room, with flower vase and ceramic pots and plates were placed on it to bring more colors to the room.


    Four bamboo lamps stood on each corner of the room, and a wooden table sat in the middle of the room with four Japanese chairs all around it.


    "This is the best seat in the whole garden," the hostess started to explain the room to Shao Yan and Li Xiqing, "The view is facing the koi fish pond directly, and you also get to hear the mini river stream while you eat."


    As she was explaining more things, Li Xiqing turned his head to look at Yan Yan. He noticed that she was wearing a light blue jean dress with knitted flower belt wrapped around her waist. Without her signature wedges, she looked tinier than how she used to when she stood next to him; and he could not help to purse his lips in amusement.


    He turned his head back to the hostess, "We are not sitting here. Let''s go to the Horigotatsu room."


    Shao Yan looked at him in confusion, "Horigotatsu?"


    He smiled back at her, "You''ll get to see it soon," and then he crooked his arm, and offered it for Yan Yan to hook her arm around his, "Shall we?" As they started to walk, the hostess just bowed her body a little to show respect for Li Xiqing''s decision.


    .....


    They walked to a room just right next door. What he meant with ''Horigotatsu'' was actually a smaller room, with similar decoration as the previous one. The room still came with a wide wooden table in the middle that was placed inside a recessed floor.


    Li Xiqing led Shao Yan to the table, and as they got closer, she gradually saw what he meant. The surfaced of the floor in front of her was dipped lower than the ground. She looked back at him, and saw his encouraging smile. Shao Yan then stepped down and slowly sat on the cushion. The recessed floor allowed Shao Yan to stretch out her feet.


    The hostess who was standing on the side then understood, this gentleman was only taking care of his girlfriend, and he saw her wearing a dress and might be difficult to sit on a normal tatami floor. That was why he requested for this room. She slowly put her head down, and smiled, ''Such an understanding man. His girlfriend surely is lucky,'' the hostess praised inwardly.


    .....


    She slowly straightened up, and then walked over to the couple who had sat down on the cushion. The hostess then slowly lowered her knees and crouched down; she started to prepare a pot of green tea for the couple.


    "We have two sets of lunch menu today. The first one is vegetarian. We just received a fresh shipment of tofu skin Yuba from Kyoto. The second menu will be charcoal grill eel or salmon in soy sauce. Our shipment is from Tokyo."


    Shao Yan curiously looked around the room before she brought her eyes back to Li Xiqing, "I will go with the vegetarian."


    Li Xiqing nodded and smiled at her, "I know you will choose that, it''s your favorite tofu," and then he turned his head back to the hostess, "Then please give us one set of Yuba, and one set of grilled eel. Thank you."


    The hostess did not say anything, and just nodded. After the tea was prepared, she poured the fragrant green liquid onto two ceramic cups and handed each one to them. She swiftly straightened up, and slowly walked out of the room. Her steps were dainty and soundless. After she stepped out, she closed the sliding doors; leaving the couple to enjoy the warm tea and feast their eyes with greeneries before they started their meal.


    Just before the door panels were closed, the hostess thought that she had the best looking view of her lifetime. In front of her eyes were a couple of lovers who were sitting facing each other. Each of them was holding a ceramic cup in their hands. The woman was blowing onto the hot cup slowly, while she kept her eyes looking at her man. Her lips moved, and engaged him in her chattering.


    The man was just holding the cup in his hands, his eyes were showing such a tender smile, adoringly looking at his woman. He was intently listening to each words that she was saying animatedly. To the woman''s left side, and his right side, the window was opened to a full view of peaceful looking garden, with an orchestra of streaming water in the background.


    .....


    After lunch and a short walk around the garden, Li Xiqing drove Yan Yan back to her office.


    As she sat down at her desk, and checked her email, she saw that Risa had sent an invite for next week. It was for a lunch with ''potential customer'' and that Shao Yan should and must attend no matter what.


    She squinted her eyes while staring at the email and kept reading it over and over again. Shao Yan was still upset at what she saw in the afternoon, she click ''delete'' on the email invite right away. She took a deep breath and started to work through all the pending emails she had received while she was away.


    But a sense of guilt kept eating inside her.


    While she worked, Shao Yan kept ignoring the nagging feeling to check the ''trash''. She pushed the guilt deeper and started to concentrate more on her pending items.


    .....


    The sun had set, and people started to leave to go home, but Shao Yan was still on the phone with her suppliers.


    Suddenly, she received a tap on her shoulder. Shao Yan turned around reflexively. Her eyes went big and round and exclaimed in surprise.

 Chapter 118 - Be Strong

    "Boo!"


    A mask of black cat with red eyes suddenly appeared in front of Shao Yan''s face.


    Shao Yan got the shock of her life, she reflexively leaned back to her seat and almost screamed out loud before she noticed Fan jie from her peripheral views and could guess a little who the person behind the mask is.


    She quickly excused herself from the phone, "My apologies, Uncle Xie, let me call you back tomorrow." And then she quickly hung up the phone.


    Wenhai felt so guilty and he slowly took off the mask, "Ah, Xiao Yan, I''m sorry, I didn''t know you''re on the phone." And then he swiftly turned around and looked at Fan jie who was giggling, "It''s all your fault, big sis! Xiao Yan will scold me mad now!"


    Fan jie walked over to both Wenhai and Shao Yan, "Xiao Yan, sorry, we were trying around our costume for our office Halloween party. Ah! You won''t be here, are you?"


    Shao Yan shyly nodded and smiled, "En, you guys have fun. Daniel and I will be in Japan during those week."


    Fan jie jokingly elbowed Shao Yan, while giggling, she said, "Ah! I''m so jealous! You''re going for couple holiday so soon! I heard you already applied for your vacation days, it''s in two weeks right?"


    Wenhai quickly chimed in and shoved Fan jie to the side. He held out one hand, "Whoa Xiao Yan, don''t forget to bring a lot of banana cake and chocolates from there, alright!"


    Shao Yan laughed along with them, "Yes yes, I will definitely bring a lot of snacks home."


    .....


    The week passed by in instant. Shao Yan and her team had to cram a lot of tasks while she was still around. She only applied for a week of vacation, but she wanted to be able to spend her time with Li Xiqing to the fullest without having to worry about work. That was why she insisted to clear as much pending items as possible so she could leave in peaceful mind.


    Shao Yan just came out of the meeting room, when she saw Risa was walking over. In her signature confident stride, Risa was watching Shao Yan intently, not allowing Shao Yan to escape. Risa had put on white blouse and red dress pants. She also had black biker jacket over her blouse; she looked amazing as usual.


    The whole week after the incident in Li Xiqing''s office, Shao Yan had tried not to engage with Risa as much as before. If she did not understand anything, she would prefer to send her an email, instead of looking for Risa directly at her desk like how she used to.


    Shao Yan was not scared of her, but she did not trust herself that she would not be rude towards Risa. So she thought that it would be better for everyone if she kept a little distance.


    Today, it seemed that it was her unlucky day.


    .....


    "Miss Shao. You''re a very difficult person to find. You have been avoiding me the whole week, I see." Risa quickly called Shao Yan when she saw Shao Yan was about to turn around to escape.


    Before Shao Yan got the chance to reply, Risa hurriedly continued, "We have a lunch appointment with a potential customer, remember? Let''s go. We should leave now, or we will be late."


    Risa had walked over to Shao Yan and now was standing in front of her, "You have to put these back at your desk, right? Let me walk with you." Risa did not give Shao Yan any chance to back track or give any excuse. Shao Yan was cornered with all of her words being spoken out loud in front of her own team, as well as Mr. Wang, who gave a rare smile when he heard the word ''potential customer''.


    Shao Yan was watching Risa''s retreating back as she walked towards the direction of Shao Yan''s office area.


    Shao Yan softly sighed, and stood still on her track. She totally forgot about this ''lunch invite'' that Risa was talking about. On one side, she was really curious who this ''potential customer'' was. On the other side, Shao Yan really did not feel like she want to have any sort of connection with Risa anymore.


    Shao Yan slowly lifted her chin up. Without looking around at the faces of her teammates, she walked ahead, following Risa behind her steps.


    ''Fine. Who is scared of who? Just bring it on!'' Shao Yan chanted in her mind to flame her fighting spirit.


    .....


    "I will drive my own car"


    Shao Yan and Risa were standing in front of the elevator after they stepped out of it and walked together to the parking garage. Along the ride down the elevator, Risa tried to engage in small talks, but Shao Yan was not as friendly as she used to be. Shao Yan only gave short replies and her behavior was not as warm as before.


    "I am more convenient with driving my own car instead of sitting with a stranger inside a cramped space. Just text me the address and I will be there." And without waiting for Risa to answer, Shao Yan quickly walked over to her car. She unlocked it, and got inside.


    After she put on her seatbelt, a ringtone chimed in indicating that she just got a new text message. Shao Yan swiped the screen and saw a string of words for the location of the meetup. Shao Yan lifted her head to look at where Risa was standing earlier, but she could not see her anymore. She turned her head to the side, and saw Risa had walked over to her own car.


    Shao Yan took a deep breath, ''Don''t feel guilty, Shao Yan. That woman is eyeing your man. Don''t get softhearted!'' she thought inwardly while nodding repeatedly and convinced herself that she did the right thing.


    Shao Yan inserted the car keys, started the engine, and drove out of the parking garage.

 Chapter 119 - Like An Empress

    From afar, Shao Yan saw that the address she was heading to was an old Chinese tea shop. She had never been to this area before, so she did not know that there was actually a traditional tea shop existed here.


    Shao Yan was really impressed with the building. It was unassuming from the outside. A humble signage in wood carving spelled, ''Wu Tea House'' was hung outside the shop. Nothing else was displayed to show that this place was opened for business.


    Shao Yan parked her car in front of the shop and stepped out. Few minutes later, she saw another car pulled up from the corner, and Risa stepped out from it.


    She approached Shao Yan, "Let''s go, she must have been waiting for us inside." And then Risa briskly walked ahead of her and entered the shop


    ...


    When Shao Yan walked closer, the first thing that greeted her was wooden double doors painted in red. The door handle was a rustic lion head-shaped made from metal.


    As she stepped over the door frame into the shop area, Shao Yan realized, this was a courtyard style house that was converted to a business.


    The outer courtyard had been transformed as the welcoming area, filled with scrolls and pictures about the history of this shop and the sources of their tea.


    The middle courtyard was where the actual shop located. Shelves and drawers of tea leaves were placed all around the five or six different rooms in the courtyard. Customers could walk from room to room to have a smell or a sip to try the tea that they want.


    The final courtyard, inner courtyard, was dedicated as the enjoyment place. All the rooms were converted to an open space sitting area separated by silk cloths and wooden panels with ancient calligraphy painting.


    It reminded Shao Yan of ancient kingdom drama that she watched where an emperor was sitting by a lake, laying on top of a chaise with his concubines surrounding him with big feather fans


    ...


    Shao Yan saw Risa was approaching a gazebo by the man-made lake. A woman was sitting on the wooden chair next to a stone table. She was dressed in Chinese Qipao dress in dark green color with golden flower stitches stretched along one side of the dress, making her look so elegant. A soft golden beige shawl was draped over her shoulder.


    The woman looked to be around seventy or maybe eighty years old. She had beautiful medium length hair, styled neatly with short curls. From afar, she reminded Shao Yan of the legendary singer Teresa Teng.


    As Shao Yan walked closer, she noticed that the elderly only put on jewelry from jade. Simple jade stud earrings, jade bracelets on both of her wrists, two double jade rings on her right hand and jade strings necklace.


    This was the first time, Shao Yan had ever encountered such a classy and elegant woman. She looked like an empress that had stepped out of the movie drama and came to live in the modern world. Her demeanor was so perfect.


    The way she tilted her head when Risa walked closer, the way she slowly curved her lips to smile and extended one hand to welcome Risa. The way she nodded her head multiple times when Risa called her ''Grandma''. The way she turned around and finally locked her eyes at Shao Yan.


    Shao Yan paused on her track.


    Those eyes. Looked so familiar


    ...


    Shao Yan was finally standing at the entrance of the mini gazebo. The weather was cold, but there was a charcoal heater with incense to warm the small space. There were bamboo blinds hung on one side of the gazebo to keep the wind out.


    The elderly woman spoke up first, "You called yourself Shao Yan, right? Come, sit right here." She patted another chair adjacent to her, indicating to Shao Yan to sit there.


    Risa was standing docilely behind the elderly, with both hands on the back of her chair. Sometimes, Risa would correct the shawl position on the elderly''s shoulder to make sure she is warm.


    Shao Yan walked closer and sat down. She kept her eyes focused on the elderly. Shao Yan kept thinking that she looked familiar, she slowly said, "My apologies for being rude, you* are..? Uh I mean, how should I address you*?"


    The elderly slowly took Shao Yan''s hand. Shao Yan saw that although her hands were wrinkled, but the textures were still soft like teenagers. The elderly used both hands to capture Shao Yan by her left hand; she felt warmth instantly blanketed her cold skin.


    Shao Yan saw the elderly was looking at her fingers carefully, and patted them. She looked up and scrutinized Shao Yan and her face; gradually her eyes turned moist and single tear was threatening to fall down.


    "Yan Yan," the elderly tried to speak but she was choked up with emotions, her voice was hoarse, and the single tear finally trickled down her cheek.


    She was still patting and gently rubbing Shao Yan at the back of her hand, not sure what else to say, she was just slowly trying to collect herself as her tears kept flowing down.


    The elderly tried again, she softly cleared her throat but did not bother to wipe her tears; letting it fell to her chin, "Yan Yan, I am Grandma. All this time, I only got to see your pictures, I am so happy that now I get to see the real you, my grandchild."


    Her tears kept falling down more, Risa quietly passed a silk handkerchief to the elderly. Grandma was too focused on watching Shao Yan and anxiously waiting on how she would react; she did not reach out for the handkerchief.


    Shao Yan was confused by her words, but her heart softened when she saw the elderly kept crying. Shao Yan reached out to take the handkerchief and she gently wiped Grandma''s tears away.


    "Uh, don''t cry anymore. Hm, what do you mean Grandma, my Grandma..."


    And realization hit Shao Yan right away.


    Those eyes.


    They''re father''s eyes.

 Chapter 120 - Dandelion

    Her hand that was wiping the elderly''s tears was paused, and started to tremble slightly. Shao Yan looked at the elderly silently. She began to stutter, "You*... could not possibly be.. Grandma Wu?"


    Shao Yan felt turmoil in her heart. The grandmother that she had always known, was only from her mother''s side. But there was one picture that her mother showed her before.


    Shao Yan began to recall her mother''s words, "Yan Yan, always remember, this is Grandma Wu. One day, when she finally forgives us, you have to call her loudly ''Grandma Wu'', alright?"


    ��..


    Every Chinese New Year or Reunion festival, or any other big holidays, Mother would never fail to call or send her greeting cards over. The calls were never received but the cards were never returned.


    Mother would always send in family pictures along with the greeting cards, and Shao Yan assumed, the cards would be just lost on the way since there were no replies. After all, they were mailed from China to Taiwan.


    As she got older, Shao Yan finally understood why Grandma Wu was so angry. The reason was really simple. Her mother told her once before that Grandpa Wu was someone who was really patriotic.


    Because of the political tension and history between the two countries, he would never accept any bride from China. The bride had to be Taiwanese, born and raised in Taiwan.


    Father and Mother had met when they were exchange students abroad, and they quickly fell in love. But when her father brought her mother back to meet the parents, Grandpa Wu rejected the marriage right away. Father then decided to leave the house and build a new family with mother.


    All those time until she passed away, Mother had always felt guilty towards the family. That was also the reason why mother had always made sure that Shao Yan would never forget the elders, and the elders to never forget them


    .....


    Grandma Wu slowly nodded, and let go off Shao Yan''s hand. She reached out to a velvet box that had been sitting on the stone table. Grandma Wu opened it, and Shao Yan saw that inside of it were those letters, cards and pictures that Mother had mailed to them.


    Eachletters and pictures had signs of being handled so many times. Shao Yan could see that the letters must have been read multiple times, and pictures must have been stared at many times as well.


    ShaoYan could feel her tears start to fall as well. Her trembling fingers reached out for the box as she recognized her own mother''s handwriting.


    "We are two stubborn oldies. Until he passed away, your grandfather still refused to visit China," Grandma Wu softly sighed, "You have to forgive us, Yan Yan, we have wasted so much time being partial, we lost all the precious time we would have had with you."


    Shao Yan was tearing up while shifting through the content inside the velvet box. Once she heard the guilt and sorrow from Grandma''s voice, Shao Yan quickly put the box on the table again and grabbed the elderly by her hands, "Grandma! Grandma, don''t say that!" And she quickly wrapped her hands around her frail body and hugged her.


    "Grandma~" Shao Yan wailed, "Don''t leave me anymore, I- I��" Shao Yan tried to say more but she just kept sobbing and crying and could not form any words.


    Allthis time, she thought she was alone with no family and no relatives anymore. After her father passed away, Shao Yan felt really lonely and was ready to just be on her own.


    But Qi Ling stayed with her. And then Li Xiqing came into her life. And now, her Grandmother showed up.


    She finally had a family to call her own. She wasn''t the same young girl who''s naivety had caused her deception at the whims of the ones she thought cared for her.


    Nolonger was she a dandelion to be swept away by the brisk winds of the world.


    She was firmly rooted, a great oak standing tall in the face of the unending storm


    .....


    Three women sat on wooden chairs by the stone tables. All three of them had all their make-up smudged; their eyes were swollen and their nose tips were red.


    ShaoYan never let go off Grandmother''s hand. Both of them were looking at each other with warm eyes, and with longing comfort after finding each other''s lost soul.


    After Shao Yan calmed down a bit, she finally said, "I am sorry, Grandma, I did not recognize you. Mother would have been so angry," her lips curved into a sad, disappointed smile, "Mother had always drilled into my mind to always remember you and Grandpa. But looked at what I''ve done." Shao Yan slowly let out a bitter smile and then she softly sighed.


    Grandma Wu smiled so tenderly and patted the back of her hand, "Silly child, you have never seen us before, of course we will not blame you," she turned to look at Risa, "but your cousin may be angry at you because you forgot about her, even though you have met many years ago."


    .....


    Shao Yan was surprised to hear that, she turned her head swiftly to Risa right away, "Cousin?"


    Her eyebrows were scrunched and she was confused, "Wait, wh- you''re my cousin? But.. you''re Japanese! Grandpa would never.."


    Risa chuckled at Shao Yan. She refilled their empty cups with more tea and also passed a sweet almond cookie to Grandma Wu, "My Chinese name is Wu Shaoying."


    And then Risa also passed an almond cookie to Shao Yan, "after Grandpa passed away, I met a fabulous guy and then got married to him shortly after. I have to thank you actually," Risa smiled bitterly, "after what happened to your family, Grandma was easier to talk to about multicultural marriage."


    She turned and patted the elderly''s arm, "Right, Grandma?" And Risa slowly chuckled childishly at her.


    "And you already know my English name is Marissa, so after I married Kei, my name became Risa Yamaguchi."

 Chapter 121 - He Found Me

    Shao Yan was overwhelmed with all of this information. She not only met one family member, but two! She was looking at Grandma and then at Risa back and forth.


    "B-But, Karl.. he thought you were single! How could you do that to him."


    Risa choked on her tea, and Grandma Wu was looking at her with questioning gaze, "Karl?" While looking at Shao Yan and Risa back and forth.


    "It''s - it''s actually nothing, Grandma, don''t worry," Risa quickly said, and then threw a conspiring look at Shao Yan, "Let''s talk later, okay, sis?"


    Shao Yan was still confused while processing all the information in her head. She just slowly sipped her tea, while trying to sort everything out.


    .....


    "Grandma, so are you visiting this time, just to check on me?" Shao Yan slowly put down her cup before asking the question.


    Grandma Wu leaned back to her chair and stared at the tranquil lake in front of her. She did not say anything for a moment, and was just staring at the birds who were flying over the water.


    She took a deep breath, before slowly said, "After Old Man passed away, none of those grudges between countries actually matter anymore."


    Her eyes were looking at the distant, "I wanted to tie all loose ends. I tried to travel a lot while I can," she looked down, and twirled the edge of the handkerchief in her hands, "I opened another branch of our family business tea shop here." Grandma spread out her hands around the area, and sighed, "If Old Man had found out, he would jump out of his grave and be very angry, but he would also agree with me at the same time. This small tea house will be your inheritance in the future anyway."


    Grandma Wu slowly chuckled while patting Shao Yan on the back of her hand, "Yan Yan, our family may not be rich or powerful, but I still want to give you at least a chance to live comfortably." Her eyes curved like a crescent moon, and her lips slowly showed a tender smile, "We have lost a lot of chances to watch you grow up to be this amazing woman you are today. You have suffered a lot without us around, Yan Yan. Not anymore, Grandma is here now."


    .....


    Shao Yan was overwhelmed with emotions; she was not able to say anything other than crying and nodding at her words.


    "I tried to find you," Grandma Wu turned her head to look at Shao Yan, she grabbed hold of Shao Yan''s hands again and held them securely inside both of her palms. "You saw the box and what was inside it. Your mother, may she rest in peace. Your mother had never failed to update us on your being."


    Grandma Wu gave a soft sigh and then she said, "One day, the letters and pictures suddenly stopped. And I got worried. I was not able to travel because at that time, your grandfather was sick and had to be hospitalized."


    Grandma Wu turned around to look at Risa, and then back at Shao Yan, "That''s why I asked Shaoying to hire a private investigator to look into your news because I could not leave the hospital."


    .....


    Grandma Wu paused and slowly picked up her teacup and drank slowly. Risa continued on her behalf, "Grandma finally found all of you after searching for some time. We almost lost track of your mother and yourself after your parents divorced and both of you moved to Beijing. The investigator finally found news about you moving to America, and I was about to search again, but, Daniel contacted Grandma first."


    Surprised at this piece of news, Shao Yan was looking at Risa dumbfounded, "Daniel?"


    She swiftly turned to look at Grandma Wu, "Li Xiqing? He was looking for you?"


    Grandma Wu slowly nodded, "Not really," she clasped both hands on her lap, and then she said, "a few months ago, I received a phone call from my lawyer, asking me if I know someone by the name of Li Xiqing."


    Grandma Wu paused to sip her tea, and then she slowly continued, "He said, because this man was trying to bring the widow of Wu Geping," she turned to look at Shao Yan, "my son and your father; to the court."


    .....


    "Imagine this old lady''s surprise," Grandma Wu chuckled softly, "Widow? I was so confused. My son had passed away? And why would this Li Xiqing wanted to sue your mother?"


    Grandma Wu softly sighed again, this time with heavier heave than before, "I only found out about your parents'' divorce, after I investigated all of you myself. Your mother had never even once complained about your father to me."


    Grandma Wu suddenly slammed her hand on the table and hit on it multiple times to show her frustration, "And then imagine my anger when I found out that your mother had passed away and my useless son was married again."


    She brought her hands up to rub her chest, "I was furious when I saw how his second wife looked like!" Grandma Wu raised her voice, causing Risa to quickly stand up and rubbed her hand over the elderly''s back.


    "Grandma, remember your blood pressure, Yan Yan is fine now. Don''t be angry. Don''t be angry anymore." Risa kept repeating the words, trying to coax Grandma to calm down.


    Shao Yan also quickly poured new cup of tea for her, and blew on the cup to lower the temperature so Grandma could drink it right away.


    .....


    Grandma Wu started to cry again, "My son died alone and I was not even notified. Other than your mother, no other people actually know about me and your grandfather."


    She sighed and slowly wiped her trickling tears, "The old have to send the young to the grave, that is not the way it supposed to be." Grandma Wu turned to look at Shao Yan; she covered both of her hands with hers, "My poor child. How angry you must have been at your father."


    She sighed and then she paused for a long while, as if she was trying to recall something.


    Grandma Wu continued, "I know now, that I lost your track was because you dropped your family name, and just go with ''Shao Yan'' as your name," she paused, and rubbed her hand on the back of Shao Yan''s hand, "you are not alone anymore. Grandma and Shaoying will not leave you anymore."

 Chapter 122 - That Boy

    Shao Yan just stayed silent, as Grandma kept patting her hands. A lot of unspoken emotions actually flowed through every single action that she had. It had been a while since Shao Yan felt a warmth of a family member.


    She was filtering all the information in her head. What Grandma Wu had said, what Risa had said. And then the story about her family; and every single details was too overwhelming.


    .....


    "Hold on," Shao Yan suddenly spoke up. She had both her palms raised and her face was tilted to the side, while looking at Risa.


    Her soft eyebrows slowly scrunched together, "So you''re married? Then, what was that last week in Xiqing''s office? Even if you''re my cousin, I will never forgive you."


    Grandma Wu raised her eyebrow and then she turned to look at Risa, "You see, what have I told you? She would be angry," and then Grandma playfully hit Risa on her arm, "you apologize now."


    Risa could have avoided the playful hit, but she let Grandma scold her.


    She grinned and then clung childishly on Grandma''s arm, "I know, I know, don''t scold me anymore. You have scolded me enough last week, Grandma."


    Risa quickly turned to Shao Yan, "Yan Yan, I''m so sorry, it was only a test. Grandma and I learned so much about you and your past from the Private Investigator. And we were worried about you."


    Risa peeked at Grandma who was still glaring at her. Risa slowly continued, "I only wanted to make sure that this guy is really good for you. I even wanted to do a background check on him. BUT, Grandma already put a stop on it, don''t worry" she hurriedly said the last sentence when Risa saw that Shao Yan''s eyes went so big and she had opened her mouth to say something.


    When she was done, Risa puffed her cheek and sulked at Grandma Wu.


    Grandma patted Risa on her cheek and laughed, "You. How old are you already. And you''re still sulking like this. I know you care for your sister. I talked to Xiqing through his lawyer already. From how he delivered his questions and how he answered mine, more or less, I know how his personality is."


    "Oh that''s right!" Grandma Wu suddenly turned to Shao Yan, "Yan Yan, arrange for both of us to meet this weekend. Both of you have been dating for so long, and now even living together. That boy needs to answer to me now," Grandma said while poking her index finger on the surface of the table to stress her point, "He thinks he can bully a woman from our Wu family?"


    ��..


    The whole afternoon, Shao Yan spent her time to catch up with Grandma and Risa.


    Shao Yan slowly learned about her family. Her father''s childhood. Her mother''s secret phone calls and letters to them.


    She even found out that when she was about five or six years old, she had met the twelve year old Risa.


    "Yan Yan, you kept running around the house, chasing her and calling her ''bro.. bro..'' all the time and even cried when Shaoying had to leave." Grandma laughed out loud.


    "Your mother told us a good story, your grandpa especially liked to read about your antics. Ha ha" and she laughed heartily again.


    Risa chimed in, "I was a tomboy, and I had a very short hair. I don''t blame you, Yan Yan. I know I must have looked so cute back then, you couldn''t resist." Risa smirked at Shao Yan while refilling their cups. Shao Yan could not help but roll her eyes silently at this narcistic sister of hers.


    Risa signalled the waiter to change the water, "I was visiting your house with my parents back then, trying to persuade your father to come visit Grandpa and Grandma, but he stubbornly refused. And you also so stubborn, not letting go off your hold on my shirt," she grinned, "I guess stubborness really runs in the family."


    Shao Yan smiled embarrassedly, "Let''s not talk about that anymore, Grandma, Y- Ying jie."


    Even though she had found out that she was actually related to Risa, Shao Yan still felt so awkward to suddenly call someone so intimate as a sister.


    But sooner or later, she had to call her own family, so Shao Yan forced herself to adjust quickly.


    ''Ying jie - sis Ying. Hm. Actually it doesn''t sound so bad,'' Shao Yan thought to herself.


    ��..


    When both of them decided to go back to the office, the day was almost over. Risa and Shao Yan then decided to just call it a day, and not going back to the office anymore.


    "Grandma, let me know where you are staying while you are in Shanghai. I want to spend more time with you," Shao Yan was holding onto Grandma''s arm while the three of them were walking out of the tea house.


    Grandma Wu patted her back, "You don''t have to worry about me. I bought a small villa nearby, so I can come visit the store frequently. You can come look for me when you''re free. Shaoying told me that your work is really busy."


    They were standing at the gate of the tea house now. Grandma Wu was holding onto Shao Yan''s hand and was looking at her complexion carefully; she started to nag, "Don''t work too hard until you forgot to sleep or eat. Look at you, you are not even thirty yet, but your eye bags are already bigger than mine," she patted Yan Yan on her cheek, "and then what? When you''re forty, you will be going back and forth to Korea to fix your face? Tsk!" she clicked her tongue disapprovingly.


    Grandma Wu swiftly turned to Risa, "You''re staying here for three months, right? You make sure Yan Yan is taken care of. Do your job as her elder sister."


    Risa slowly nodded at her words, "Don''t worry, Grandma, Yan Yan is smart, I just need to mentor her a little bit more, and she is set for promotion."

 Chapter 123 - Warm Meal

    When Shao Yan arrived home that night, Li Xiqing had just finished cooking dinner for them.


    He heard the door was opened, and he peeked from the kitchen door. He saw Shao Yan just entered the foyer, and was hunched down and was about to take off her shoes, "Oh you''re home. Go wash your hands now, let''s eat," and then he walked over to her.


    He saw a glimpse of her face, and then he rubbed both of his hands on both of her upper arms, "Your cheek and nose tip are red. Is it that cold out there?" Li Xiqing kept rubbing her arms up and down, hoping it could warm her.


    Shao Yan was initially looking down at her feet because she was about to take off her shoes. When she finally lifted her face up to him, then Li Xiqing saw both of her eyes were glossy and swollen.


    He abruptly stopped rubbing, and quickly cupped both of his palms on her cheek, "Yan Yan, what''s wrong? You were crying?" His eyebrows were scrunched and his eyes were searching for hers, while at the same time, his hand stayed on her cheek; worrying over his beloved.


    Shao Yan gave a sheepish smile, she placed her hand over his on her cheek, "Xiqing, I''m hungry. Let''s eat first? And then I''ll tell you later. Don''t worry I''m fine. These are tears of happiness," she quickly said when she saw his forehead was scrunched deeper and he already opened his mouth and was about to say something.


    Shao Yan saw that he was still looking skeptically at her. She suddenly laughed, and then she quickly took off her shoes and then hooked her arm around his, "I''m not lying, Xiqing. Come on now, I''m really starving," she dragged Li Xiqing to the dining room.


    .....


    "So you''re saying, you just met your grandma?" he said and then he started to munch on a chicken.


    Li Xiqing cooked a three meal course tonight. The weather suddenly turned colder today, so he cooked winter melon soup with minced pork in pork bone peppery broth. He also stir fried some bean sprouts with garlic and dried shrimp and lastly, he also whipped up some sweet and sour chicken.


    Shao Yan was slowly munching on her rice and nodded slowly, "En. Risa brought me to her to finally meet her today. Oh and guess what? Risa is actually my cousin, too," and then she reached out and picked up some bean sprouts and put them into his bowl, "here, eat more vegetables."


    Li Xiqing had just picked up some chicken and put it into her bowl, and then he paused, "Hold on. So.. You''re saying that this is your first time ever that you''re meeting Grandma?"


    Li Xiqing put down his chopsticks slowly while looking carefully at Shao Yan, "Yan Yan, I did not know that you have never met Grandma Wu before. I''m sorry."


    Shao Yan was biting on her chopsticks tips and tilted her head to the side, "Why are you apologizing? I didn''t know about her existance at all and so I never told you. How are you at the fault now?"


    Li Xiqing slowly leaned back to his chair, and was thinking what to say to her, "After the incident with that woman a few months ago, do you remember what I have promised you? That I will definitely settle some score with her at the court?"


    Shao Yan was confused who he was referring to. She slowly thought of the events that had happened over the past few months, and then she finally remembered, "Er? I think so? Xiqing, are you referring to Pan Meifang?"


    .....


    That time, she was accompanying Qi Ling to K jewelry office to help Xiqing and AG International on one of their client''s case.


    On that day, all of them had met Pan Meifang, who was actually Shao Yan''s neighbour who then turned to be her stepmother by law. When they saw each other again, Shao Yan had been trying to ignore her, but, Pan Meifang kept insulting her and even trying to accuse her of prostituting herself.


    That time, Shao Yan remember Li Xiqing was really angry and promised to bring her to court to sue her over false accusations and slandering.


    Li Xiqing nodded, and continued, "En. So, I have been working with my lawyers to really settle her good this time. They already have evidences, and some witnesses that are willing to testify, but we still need more," he peeked at Shao Yan to check on her reaction.


    But he did not see that Shao Yan was upset at all, so he continued, "They told me to look for people who can testify over her character. The lawyers suggested that I started with family, because those usually are the easiest. They want to find someone who can testify that your father might be tricked into the marriage."


    Shao Yan understood, and she slowly put down her chopsticks on the table, and pondered a little. Li Xiqing placed his hand on top of hers, "Yan Yan, I really didn''t know that you have never met your grandmother before," he squeezed her hand lightly, "I didn''t mean to investigate your background at all."


    Shao Yan kept shaking her head from side to side, "It''s really fine, Xiqing, I actually have to thank you for that. Grandma was able to find me because of what you did."


    .....


    Shao Yan quickly finished her story so that Li Xiqing would stop worrying.


    As she told her story, Li Xiqing kept his hand covering over hers. Sometimes he would squeeze lightly. Sometimes, his thumb would absentmindedly caress her skin. But never once he showed any impatience.


    He kept listening attentively.


    When they were done with dinner, she went to the kitchen sink to start loading the dirty plates into the dishwasher, all the while she was still telling the story to Li Xiqing.


    He stood next to her and helped her with the plates; watching all of her little expressions. He caught her smiling eyes, or her sheepish smile. He didn''t want to miss any single giggle.


    All of this was to show her that he was there for her, he would keep walking the road with her, no matter how rocky it will be, they will face it together.

 Chapter 124 - Tea Time

    Shao Yan closed the dishwasher door, and then turned it on.


    She took a clean cloth and then sprayed some cleaning solution to the cloth. She wanted to clean the marble kitchen island. "So that''s how my afternoon went," before she started to wipe, Li Xiqing had taken the cloth from her hand, "here, let me do it. You can go prepare some tea for us."


    Shao Yan slowly released a smile, and then nodded. She was about to walk away when suddenly she turned around, "Oh!" Shao Yan suddenly exclaimed and grabbed Li Xiqing on his bicep, "I almost forgot. Grandma knows that we are living together. She wants to meet you this weekend."


    Shao Yan shook his arm a little, "Xiqing, what should we do? Grandma will be very angry at you. At us!" She bit her lower lip, and her eyes drooped. She was worried if Grandma would make things difficult for Li Xiqing.


    He paused, and then he patted her hand back, "Don''t worry. Sooner or later we have to meet her. It''s only normal for the junior to greet the senior. Don''t think too much, alright? Let me handle it."


    .....


    When Li Xiqing finished showering and walked into the bedroom, he did not see Shao Yan anywehere in the room.


    He was wiping his hair with his towel, while looking around the room. He saw from the gap underneath the door that the living room lights were on. He walked back to the bathroom, and hung his towel, before he walked out to the living room to find Shao Yan.


    When he walked out, he heard a soft intrumental music was playing in the background.


    As he was walking along the corridor, he heard a soft hum coming from the balcony. He slowly frowned. ''This girl, it''s so windy, and yet she sat outside?'' he scolded her inwardly.


    He walked closer and then he saw her.


    Shao Yan was sitting on a lounge chair at the patio. Li Xiqing had put that tiffany blue chaise in the balcony for her to relax. She had put on a navy blue pajamas, the silky material had shaped her figure so perfectly.


    She had her hair swiped to the side, while she was reading on a tablet on her lap. Shao Yan heard his steady footsteps, and then she turned her head around.


    Her lips slowly curved up, she patted the space next to her, "Here, join me for some tea."


    .....


    Li Xiqing walked closer, and then he sat on the velvet cushion. As he sat down, Shao Yan slightly risen up her body, and Li Xiqing slipped a hand behind her back, so she could lean on him.


    "What are you reading?" he asked, while one hand was reaching out to the coffee table by his side and poured a new cup of tea for himself. A hint of chrysanthemum flower quickly spread around the room.


    Shao Yan was leaning on his embrace, with both of her hands swiping around the computer tablet.


    "Xiqing, look at this blog. I am thinking, should we go climb mount Fuji? This blogger recommended either we go there for sunrise or sunset," she showed him the page that she was looking at.


    Li Xiqing had his left hand hugging her waist, and another hand was holding a teacup and taking a couple of sips of the flower tea. He looked at what Shao Yan wanted to show him. "I don''t think we have time. Maybe next time, we can go back to Japan again for another trip. I have everything planned out for the five days that we have."


    He put down his tea cup, and then picked up hers. "Drink this first, it''s getting colder," he handed the cup to her. Shao Yan gingerly took it, and then Li Xiqing took the tablet from her lap, and put it on his lap, and he started to read the page that she was looking at.


    .....


    Shao Yan wrapped her hands around the teacup, "Xiqing, where should we bring Grandma for lunch?" She asked while leaning closer in his embrace.


    Li Xiqing locked the tablet and then put it to the side, and then with one hand, he picked up his tea cup again, "I know a vegetarian restaurant that taste really good. I was thinking maybe we can bring her there, what do you think?"


    Shao Yan pondered for a while, "To be honest, I''m not sure either, you can decide," with both of her hands on the cup, she blew the liquid slowly while hovering her lips over the cup slightly; moving to the left and right of the surface.


    Li Xiqing put his teacup back on the table, "Then, don''t worry about it anymore, just leave it to me to arrange it."


    .....


    With his free hand, he swiped her hair that had fallen over her forehead as she was looking down on her cup. Shao Yan lifted up her eyes to look right back at him.


    She was about to say something, when Shao Yan saw his face was moving closer. She stayed still until she felt his nose tips was touching hers, and her sight automatically fell on his lips.


    Because she had just drank some tea, Li Xiqing was also looking at her glistening lips, and then he slowly touched his lips onto hers.


    Her hands trembled, but she felt Li Xiqing had covered his hand over her tea cup. He grabbed it from her hands and then he put it to the side. His lips was slowly kissing hers; slowly teasing, and then let go. And then he would give small pecks, and then let go.


    Shao Yan''s hands reflexively clutched onto the front of his pajamas, wanting to have more taste.


    More of him.


    .....


    His left hand grabbed hold of her waist and brought her closer to him. Shao Yan docilely leaned into his chest. His right hand was still caressing her hair, and then slowly moved down to her cheek.

 Chapter 125 - Sweet Baby

    Shao Yan slowly let go off their kisses a little to catch some air, but Li Xiqing caught her lips back, thrusting his lips onto hers and deepened their kisses.


    He slipped in the tip of his tongue into her mouth and started to demand more of her. He wrapped both of his hands around Shao Yan tenderly, and held her tightly as his naughty tip rolled inside her mouth and laced with hers.


    She locked their legs together as she responded to his request. Her hands were still on his sturdy chest, looking for comfort and warmth from this man who had sworn to protect her in this life time.


    .....


    As they kissed, and they tasted each other''s breath, he ended up underneath her, and Shao Yan laid on top of him on the velvet chaise.


    Her long hair fell down on his face, tickling his cheek. Li Xiqing looked up at her, and saw Shao Yan as her glittering eyes were looking down at him. Her gaze stirred his longing heart. With his right hand, he cupped the back of her nape and traced her burning skin.


    "Yan Yan," he called her softly.


    He brought her head closer to him, down to his face as his raspy and warm breath brushed her. They both locked their gazes together as he leaned in slowly and his fresh breath tranquilized her senses and he kissed her again.


    Shao Yan willingly got closer. She closed her eyes and surrendered herself to him.


    .....


    His left hand gradually left her waist, and slipped into her silk pajama pants which made her flushed with his sensuality.


    His fingers traveled along her curve and cupped her butt. His fingertips slowly caressed her butt cheek while still assaulted her tempting mouth with his restless tongue.


    Her twin mounds were pressed softly onto his chest muscles. Li Xiqing could feel her twin peaks were teasing all of his senses as he slowly rubbed her butt cheek, while still making love with her mouth passionately.


    As their heads moved from side to side, longing for more of each other, his other hand traveled from her nape, down to her back. Li Xiqing lifted her pajamas shirt a little, and his hand slipped onto her back; caressing her milky skin along the way.


    She was like his drugs, his addiction, he just had to touch all of her. And he was hers.


    Passion was a crazy thing. Shao Yan had never felt like this before.


    Shao Yan slowly raised both of her hands from his chest muscles, and buried her fingers on his soft hair. She pulled his head closer as they kissed; she started to stake her claim.


    .....


    She softly bit onto his lower lip, causing Li Xiqing to groan and grab her butt tighter onto his hardness.


    "Yan Yan," he sighed onto her lips that had started to get swollen after his attack, "My sweet baby".


    She slowly opened her eyes, and he saw a layer of fog clouded her eyes and Shao Yan was staring back at him. She saw a blazing hot gaze from Li Xiqing, she slowly gulped and then her eyesight fell onto his Adam''s apple which bobbed up and down impatiently.


    She looked up at Li Xiqing. Her trembled fingers hesitatingly left his hair, and then she traveled down to his forehead, tracing his tall nose. Her index fingers grazed his moist lips. Right when Li Xiqing opened his mouth to bite her fingers, her fingers continued down to his chin.


    Shao Yan saw that the man was grounding his jaw, trying to hold on to his beast. She smiled sweetly at him, and then she brought her head down, and started to kiss his face.


    .....


    Shao Yan started from his jaw. First, she kissed his right side of the jaw, and then she traveled slowly,  brushing her lips from the right jaw to the chin, and then settled down on his left jaw.


    She gave a small peck to his left cheek, and then she bit lightly into his left jaw.


    The bite was a surprise for him. Li Xiqing was trying to lay very still under her. But this little bunny seemed to be not just playing around anymore.


    Her fingers traveled to his neck. She hesitatingly touched his Adam''s apple and felt the shape of it. She circled her fingertips on it.  Her eyes were following wherever her fingers went. He very much wanted to catch her hands and trapped her under him.


    Her fingers were toying with his pajamas buttons; making him nervous.


    ''No way, wifey, don''t tell me you will��'' before he finished his thought, Shao Yan looked up again and locked her gaze into his. Her lips slowly curved into a smirk, as she started to unbutton his pajamas.


    ''Yep! I''m doomed, wife...''


    .....


    The first button, and then the second. Both of his hands on her butt and on her back, started to press on her to be molded deeper to him. Li Xiqing started to feel impatient.


    As her hand slide down intentionally tickling his chest to his sculpted abs, Shao Yan brought her head down, and slowly kissed the skin that was gradually exposed open. She started to touch her lips from his Adam''s apple, and then down to the crook of his neck.


    Her lips brushed over his upper chest muscles, and then she barely touched her nose tip and skimmed on top of his skin; trying to inhale his masculine scent.


    The touch of her lips felt like a dragonfly that was flying over water; just slightly trickle over it, tempting the water to give a chase.


    As she was teasing him with her soft kisses, her fingers kept unbuttoning his shirt; causing Li Xiqing to be tensed under her hovering foxy silhouette.


    Her tummy was pressed on his manhood, Shao Yan could feel that the other guy start to get antsy. He grew harder and longer; poking on her tummy impatiently.


    His fingers unconsciously tracing her spine, caressing her silky skin. His fingertips kept moving up and down her back, seducing her. Li Xiqing also kept pinching and massaging her butt, while pressing her softness more onto his erection; all the while trying to suppress his groans.


    His woman was trying to kill him.

 Chapter 126 - My Turn

    After she finished unbuttoning his shirt, Shao Yan looked up at him.


    Her almond shaped eyes were staring deep into his eyes. Her cheek was flushed a beautiful shade of red, Shao Yan was glowing.


    Li Xiqing could not stop staring at her every move. His eyes followed her fingertips wherever they traveled to.


    She gave him a sheepish smile, her long eyelashes slowly drooped down as she focused her attention back to the delectable man under her. Her hands slowly moved down, and then spread his shirt open. Shao Yan swiped her hands all over his chest, admiring the toned Adonis laying helplessly underneath her daring assault.


    Her sudden injection of passions surprised not only Li Xiqing, but also herself. But she did not want to stop. Shao Yan was curious, how far she actually could go.


    She brought her head down, and started to kiss his chest muscles. As her moist lips touched his skin, Li Xiqing unconsciously tensed under her. And all of his body grew hotter.


    .....


    Her lips traveled downwards from his chest, as she hovered over his nipples. Li Xiqing could feel her hot air breathing on his skin. He was feeling so itchy, he wanted to start kissing her madly. But he did not want to ruin her fun.


    It was very rare for his timid, shy woman to start a move on him. No matter how painful Li Xiqing was feeling right now, he wanted to please his woman more than satisfying his own desire. Although he did not know how much longer his hard shaft could wait patiently as her softness keep rubbing on him, testing his insanity.


    Her fingers curiously touched all over him, Shao Yan was exploring what was offered in front of her. Her beautiful man was displayed under her, like a feast served on a silver platter. Exclusively for her. Shao Yan and her hidden desire to conquer Li Xiqing started to sprout.


    .....


    Li Xiqing let her do whatever she wanted. He was trying to hold on to all of his might; not to lose his only sanity that fast.


    ''It''s fine, wife, torture me all you want,'' he lamented helplessly, ''but please don''t make it too long.''


    Shao Yan bended her head down, and then she raised her hand a little to tuck a loose hair behind her ear. She moved hesitatingly, first she touched the tip of her tongue to his nipple. And then she looked up at him to see his reaction.


    Shao Yan saw that he was watching her intently with his scorching gaze. His eyes were darkened and squinted at her.


    Shao Yan very much aware that she was walking on a thin line, but she was enjoying this.


    He saw that her lips curved into a soft smile, before she stuck out her naughty little tongue at him. Shao Yan slowly lowered her face and started to taste his skin again. She parted her lips slightly, and she started to skim her tongue over his nipple hesitatingly. Shao Yan found him shuddered a little, and then she moved to another one, and tasted him again.


    Li Xiqing groaned and whispered her name hoarsely, "Yan Yan, be careful of what you wish for."


    His barely kept desire was about to erupt.


    .....


    Shao Yan heard his deep voice thundered over her, she could feel his hot flaming desire under her touch was threatening her to erupt soon. However, she was not discouraged.


    Her lips traveled down from his chest down to his abs muscles. As her gaze moved down, her fingertips followed along; leaving a blazing trail all over his skin. They slowly traced his sculpted and toned abs. Unconsciously, she was drooling over his stunning build. Her man was definitely the most desirable man that she had ever met.


    Shao Yan started to lower her lips onto his tummy, and then started to kiss his abs.


    Slowly.


    Down to his navel.


    As she moved down more and more.... And her hands slide down over his chest and abs muscles...


    His right hand that was laying still on the side, suddenly grabbed onto her waist. And all of a sudden, her whole world was turned around and Shao Yan found herself trapped underneath him.


    Both of his sturdy arms caged her on both sides of her head.


    Their position were now switched.


    "Yan Yan, now it''s my turn."


    .....


    His voice was hoarse. Deep and restrained. Li Xiqing was holding in his craving for her.


    The man in front of her right now was nothing like she had seen before.


    His eyes were dark and fierce. But Shao Yan could still feel his tenderness from them. Li Xiqing loomed over her, staring intently into her eyes. Shao Yan felt that she was already stripped bare in front of him already, deep into her every soul. Even though every single thread of her clothes was still intact.


    His pajamas shirt was open and fluttering on the side. His exposed chest muscles laid naked in front of her eyes. Her gaze traveled from his chest down to his... bulging pants.


    "Xi- Xiqing, L-Let''s go to the bedroom, don''t do it here?" she asked him hesitatingly.


    Li Xiqing felt his lips slowly curved, "It''s too late to back out now, love," and then he brought his head down to kiss her lips.


    .....


    As he ravaged her mouth mercilessly, his hands were also occupied. He slowly unbuttoned all of her pajama top. One by one, he patiently peeled the pearl buttons off of her.


    Li Xiqing took his time to taste her. His mouth explored her skin, he kissed all over neck, and tasting her slowly.


    He licked her. He sucked and he bit her soft, supple skin. Causing Shao Yan to moan involuntarily. She wriggled restlessly under him. Her fingers reached out to touch him too, but Li Xiqing caught both of her hands, and raised them up over her head.


    She laid topless under him. So seductive, so tempting. So barren in front of him.

 Chapter 127 - Adore Her

    Li Xiqing slowly lowered his head, and caught one of her breast with his hungry mouth. He covered her pinkish nipple instantly with his lips, and slowly devouring her. He licked the sensitive peak and circled his tongue around it; causing Shao Yan to hitch her breath and then a moan escaped her again.


    He started to kiss all over her right breast, and then he moved to kiss her sideboob, and also her underboob. His tongue explored her milky skin; he skillfully and slowly seducing her endlessly.


    His hands were still holding her wrists over her head. Shao Yan moaned and whimpered helplessly over his unstoppable assaults.


    "Xiqing," she breathed out his name softly.


    Li Xiqing heard her seductive plea, but he did not stop. He moved to her other breast, and started to eat his soft bun again.


    He bit and sucked on her skin. They were both laying on top of the velvet chaise, out on the patio. Li Xiqing had his body covering her naked upper body. His mouth was kissing her and torturing her senseless, all the while he was rubbing his erection on her intimately.


    .....


    Mimicking what she did earlier, Li Xiqing trailed his kisses along her body. Starting from her neck, down to her shoulders.


    He bit her skin gently, and then kept going downwards. Li Xiqing found the warm spot in between her cleavage. He breathed in her warmth, licked and sucked seductively.


    Shao Yan felt he slowly released his hold on her wrists, but she did not push him away.


    Instead, she brought both of her arms to cover her eyes. She felt too embarrassed to see him.


    Li Xiqing saw her forearms were covering half of her face, he gradually smirked, and continued his voyage to explore his wonderland.


    .....


    Shao Yan could close her eyes, but she could not tell her body to stop responding.


    Now with her eyes covered, her senses were heightened.


    She felt his tongue tracing all over her skin, while his hands were kneading and fondling her all over. Butterflies fluttered from her belly, and warm fluid started to flourish from her flower; threatening to gush out.


    Shao Yan grew more restless from every single touch. Li Xiqing was kissing her navel adoringly. He wanted so badly to show her how much he worshipped her body.


    With both of his hands on her waist, he hooked his fingers on her pants and slowly pulled them down.


    "Xiqing," she sighed softly, as she felt the material was slowly coming off of her body.


    .....


    Few seconds later, she felt a breeze of wind gradually blanketed all over her unclothed body.


    This was not the first time Li Xiqing had seen her in this state. So naked, so pure and so natural.


    Her soft, white skin had hints of pink and red all over her body; evidence of his assault and her own embarrassed heart. Her hair was spread messily around her beautiful face.


    Li Xiqing slowly scooped her and lifted her up princess style, and started to walk to their bedroom.


    Shao Yan was so embarrased, she could not look up to see his face. She burried her face on his chest, feeling his hot searing skin touching her own flushed cheek.


    He saw how shy the tiny woman in his embrace, Li Xiqing slowly brought his face down, and planted a kiss on her forehead. With a soft chuckle, he said, "I thought I have warned you, be careful of what you wished for, wife?"


    And he was rewarded with a slap on his chest.


    And another one when he thundered a hearty laugh all the way to the bedroom.


    .....


    Li Xiqing stood at the end of the bed, and slowly lowered her down. He climbed on top of her and started to kiss Shao Yan again.


    He held both of her thighs firmly. He separated her legs and positioned himself in between, while still kissing her down to her navel again. But this time, he kept going downwards and kissed her soft pubic hair.


    Shao Yan reached out both hands to hold his head and bring him back to her, but Li Xiqing escaped her hands, and kept lowering his kisses down her honeypot.


    He found the glistening oasis that he had been looking for. Li Xiqing leaned his face closer and he could breath in her fragrant scent. He slowly tasted her lovely dew with his curious tongue; both of his hands kept holding her thighs to keep her still, he began his feast delightfully.


    .....


    Shao Yan woke up early the next day. She reflexively turned around to look for the man beside her. Most of the time, the spot had been left cold as he was already outside preparing breakfast for them.


    But to her surprise, she found Li Xiqing was still sleeping next to her.


    Shao Yan was laying on her side, one hand below her cheek on the pillow. With her other hands, she ran her fingers to trace his face gently.


    She drew circles on his forehead, hoping to see some frown or at least a grunt. But Li Xiqing just kept on sleeping peacefully, undisturbed.


    She then used her index finger to poke his nose. And she saw his eyelids started to flutter.


    "Wake up, Xiqing, you''re going to be late," she said softly, while kept poking on his nose cheekily.


    Shao Yan chuckled softly as she saw that he stirred slightly, and then she heard his drowsy whispers, "Eating you last night was not enough? Are you asking for more now. Hm, Yan Yan?"


    Shao Yan was stunned at his words, he was getting more and more shameless each day. She could feel her face slowly heated up again. Gradually, she started to remember what he did to her last night.


    Li Xiqing grinned with his eyes still closed and he reached out to grab her waist. She swatted his hand that was reaching out for her, and then she quickly flipped the blanket over and escaped to the bathroom.

 Chapter 128 - Missed Call

    After they got ready to go to work, Shao Yan decided to drive her own car.


    "I have to go back to my apartment later, I need to do some laundry and also some cleaning, Qi Ling said she may be coming home soon," Shao Yan said as she was putting on her light jacket; and then she walked to the foyer and open the shoe cabinet.


    Today was casual Friday. She had put on a green army jumpsuit. It was a quarter long sleeves, up to her elbow, with ribbon tie accent on her waist. The pants were wide and flowy like silk, even though they were made out of cotton. And then she accompanied the whole outfit with a simple necklace and also a black bomber jacket.


    Shao Yan had tied her hair to a ponytail. Li Xiqing was standing behind her as she was putting on her wedges, he touched her ponytail hair gently,"Your hair is getting longer now. I remember when I first met you, it was only shoulder length."


    He brushed the back of her head, "Are you planning to get a haircut anytime soon?"


    Shao Yan finished putting on her shoes, and as she straightened back up, she turned slightly around to look at Li Xiqing, "Hm, I don''t think so, I kind of like having a long hair now. But what do you think?"


    Li Xiqing bended slightly to grab both of their bags that he had put on the side, "You are pretty either way, so I will leave it up to you," he looked at her, "are you ready? Shall we leave now?"


    Shao Yan paused for a while. His reply actually made her realized that either he was an expert playboy, or he was really sincere that he just said it without giving too much thought. Her lips slowly curved into a smile, if she did not know better, she would have run down the hills and escaped.


    .....


    They walked hand in hand to the underground parking garage. Li Xiqing walked her to her car, as she unlocked the car, he opened the back seat door to put her laptop bag inside, "I will be home late today. I am having dinner with Axel Chen, Karl and Martin, so you don''t have to wait for me, alright?"


    Shao Yan was standing docilely on his side, she slowly nodded, "L Corporation Axel Chen? You have been meeting with this Axel Chen a lot lately. Is everything okay?"


    Li Xiqing closed the door, and turned to face her, "He wants to buy a company, but the fight has not been smooth. I will bring you to meet him after everything is done," he tilted his head slightly, while frowning, "Maybe around the holiday season, I''ll introduce you to him."


    He walked to the front seat, and opened the door for her, "Let''s go, you are going to be late."


    After she put on her seatbelt, Shao Yan started the engine and wound down the window. Li Xiqing bended down slightly, and caressed her hair, "Drive carefully, alright? I will go to the project site right away after this. I''ll call you later?"


    Shao Yan nodded slowly, and then Li Xiqing leaned in closer and planted a kiss on her forehead.


    .....


    The day passed by just like that. With the holiday season soon approaching, everyone was so occupied.


    After finding out that Risa was a relative and had no ill intention towards her or Li Xiqing, Shao Yan went back to her previous attitude towards Risa. They talked like normal, and behaved as normal, just like two long lost sisters


    "So are you bringing Daniel to meet Grandma tomorrow?"


    It was a conveyor belt sushi restaurant, and Risa was having lunch together with Shao Yan. They sat next to the conveyor belt, so they could quickly grab the sushi that they wanted.


    Shao Yan lifted up her hand to take a plate of sushi with grilled beef on garlic sauce. She nodded, "Yes, oh I need to ask you what kind of presents that I need to prepare to gift Grandma?"


    Risa paused to think for a while.


    "Hm. Let me think. Don''t bother giving tea, she already has a teahouse. It will be funny if you give the tea that she actually does not like, right?"


    Risa slowly picked up her chopsticks again, and bit the tips. Shao Yan was thinking about some options, while also biting their tips, "So maybe like ginseng? Or silk cloths? What do you think? Hm..."


    When they accidentally looked at each other, suddenly they burst out a laugh, "We are really sisters, huh? Even this habit is also the same," Risa said while wiping a little tear that had come out when she was laughing so hard. Shao Yan laughed along with her. ''Indeed, having a family is not a bad feeling,'' she thought.


    .....


    When she came home to her apartment that night, Shao Yan quickly cook a light meal for herself and then she started to vacuum her apartment.


    The thunder outside was roaring with all its might. Flash of lightning also brightened up for a little while. Shao Yan peeked outside the balcony, and saw the sky was pitch dark, and gust of winds just flowed around.


    She quickly ran to the patio and close all the windows and also the sliding door.


    Shao Yan glanced at the clock on the bookshelf and saw that it was already ten o''clock at night.


    As if it was on cue, heavy rain started to pour down mercilessly, surprising Shao Yan who was in the middle of her thoughts, which she quickly lost when she heard the heavy downpour.


    After she drew the curtain, Shao Yan quickly finished her cleaning, and went back to her bedroom to shower.


    .....


    When she came out again, Shao Yan saw that her phone was lit brightly for a second, and then shut off immediately, indicating that she had missed a call. She briskly walked over and picked up her phone.


    Shao Yan saw that Li Xiqing had called her three times. She quickly pressed a few buttons, and returned his call.


    The call was picked up right away.

 Chapter 129 - Two Separated Hearts

    "Yan Yan?"


    His deep masculine voice brushed her ears tenderly.


    Shao Yan had just finished showering. She was still wrapped in her oversized white robe while standing next to the bed side table and holding onto her phone.


    As Li Xiqing''s voice was heard through the receiver, Shao Yan slowly sat down on the edge of the bed, "En, where are you? It''s raining heavily now. Don''t drive first." She crossed her legs, while massaging her neck lightly.


    As Shao Yan massaged her nape, she remembered what Li Xiqing did to her last night, and she could not help but blush. He made her come so many times, her body was so tired and lethargic, and she was planning to sleep early tonight.


    ''It was only with his tongue and his fingers; what will happen if...'' Shao Yan could not help to think that way as she was waiting for Li Xiqing to continue speaking.


    .....


    "I''m calling to tell you, I''ll sleep in the office. It''s raining too heavily outside, and I don''t think it''s safe for me to drive right now."


    Shao Yan unconsciously nodded at his words, and then realizing that Li Xiqing might be still waiting for her to reply, she quickly said, "En, that''s good. I will not agree for you to drive anyway," she rose up from the bed, and walked over to the window.


    Shao Yan held the curtain open, and peeked outside. Heavy downpour was all she could see as far as her eyes go. Some red and yellow lights were dancing down below, indicating the traffic that was still heavy even at this late of hour.


    Li Xiqing was also standing at his office window, looking outside.


    "What did you eat?"


    "It''s late, have you eaten?"


    Both of them said at the same time. And both of them paused at the same time, before suddenly burst out in chuckles together.


    Li Xiqing quickly replied her, "En. Axel wanted to eat spicy fish, so we brought him to a Mala restaurant, and when we just arrived downstairs, the rain started to pour. What about you?"


    Shao Yan reflexively let her other hand to wrap her arm as she was holding the phone up. She leaned on the window, enjoying the serene view in front of her.


    "I cooked something, just very simple egg soup and stir fry vegetables. I am the only one eating anyway," she said, "And I just finished vacuuming the whole house too."


    Li Xiqing was leaning on the window frame, also enjoying the trickles of water outside the clear glass. He could see his own self through the reflective window now that it is dark. He was looking at his silly grin on his face. A face that was showing the whole world how happy he was for only talking nonsense with his girlfriend.


    His woman.


    .....


    "Don''t stay up too late. Go shower now and then sleep. We have to leave early tomorrow, it is lunch with Grandma, remember?" Li Xiqing started to nag her.


    "I have showered already," she pouted on the phone, "I actually just finished, that was why I missed your calls earlier," she paused and then she continued again, "Xiqing, we need to leave even earlier tomorrow. We need to prepare gifts for Grandma."


    Li Xiqing breathed slowly while leaning on the window frame, he unconsciously smiled when his woman was sulking just now, "I have done that, you don''t have to worry. Have you told Grandma where to meet us tomorrow? Did you make sure of the address and time?"


    Shao Yan purposely heaved a heavy sigh, "Li Xiqing, do you think I''m a child? Stop nagging me, I have done all that..." she wailed.


    He heard her complains, and he could not help but grin again. Li Xiqing shifted his feet and he looked down while still smiling, "En, alright, I am just making sure, don''t be angry."


    Shao Yan pursed her lips, and felt a little funny. She was not really angry, and she was actually just playing around.


    They continued to talk like that for more than an hour. No specific topics, and no one seemed wanted to end the call sooner.


    They just enjoyed each other company.


    .....


    "Are you sleepy now?" Li Xiqing purposely lowered down his tone and spoke really slow with her.


    Shao Yan was bundled on the bed, she was laying on her side with the thick blanket covering her whole body.


    "En, I think I will sleep soon," she replied ever so gently.


    "Do you really have a place to sleep there? Don''t tire yourself," she said drowsily. But a yawn still escaped her mouth as she finished her words.


    Li Xiqing was sitting on the sofa in his room, He had taken off his jacket, and tie, and just leaned back comfortably.


    "En, the sofa will do, don''t worry about me. Yan Yan?" he called her gently.


    Shao Yan gradually closed her eyes, but still responded to his call, "En? What is it?"


    Li Xiqing smiled towards his phone, "Nothing, I''ll hang up now, alright?"


    "En," she drowsily replied him, and then she stayed real quiet for a long time.


    Li Xiqing could hear her soft breathing sound through the phone. He listened in for a while more, before he hung up.


    He stared at his phone screen. Both of them had been talking for more than two hours, and his phone battery was almost flat. It had been a long day and he felt so tired.


    He brought down his hand to lay on the side weakly, while he brought his other hand to cover his eyes as he chuckled softly.


    ''What is this, Daniel?'' he thought to himself, ''Both of you are acting like high school students, dating on the phone, and talking for this long.''


    He laughed at himself for a while, before he dragged his body to his huge desk and charged his phone. He set up an alarm to wake up early in the morning, so he could go home and freshen up first.


    And then he walked back to the sofa and started to fall asleep peacefully.


    The rain outside was pouring mercilessly, but instead of feeling distant, two separated hearts had never felt closer.

 Chapter 130 - The Matriarch

    The birds were chirping loudly. Shao Yan stirred in her sleep. Her eyelids moved once, and then twice. Slowly, she could register the sun rays that seep through her curtains.


    ''Ah! I guess the rain last night has stopped now, the birds are so noisy!'' she grumbled inwardly.


    Shao Yan tried to turn to her side, to snuggle deeper into her pillow, but she felt constricted. She tensed immediately; but gradually relaxed when she remembered him. She felt his soft breathing on her ear and neck, while a pair of arms were holding her waist so intimately, and her leg was linked with another.


    Shao Yan tilted her head slightly to see Li Xiqing was sleeping soundly while spooning her from behind.


    "Xiqing," she whispered softly, while trying to nudge the giant bear.


    Li Xiqing was sleeping so deep, he did not even moved a glitch. Shao Yan slowly escaped her hands from his captive, and decided to try again.


    "Xiqing, wake up, we have lunch appointment," she called him again while nudging her body onto him.


    Li Xiqing moved a little, responding to her call, "En, five minutes, let me hold you a while." He snuggled deep into her neck, and then started to fall asleep again, "I couldn''t sleep last night, I was missing you."


    Shao Yan gave a soft sigh before she relented at his puppy plead, ''Fine, five minutes, I will really start counting now,'' she thought to herself as she snuggled closer to him.


    .....


    "Stop pouting already!" Shao Yan poked his cheek for the second time.


    Li Xiqing was standing in front of her tall size mirror while working on his tie. Both of his eyebrows were scrunched and he pursed his lips, trying to not look amused at her poking.


    "I have told you, my sleep was not sound too, I missed you too," she was standing next to him, poking into his arm, "Xiqing~".


    Li Xiqing glanced at her from the mirror reflection, his eyes glinted playfully, while trying to act stern and petty, "Oh yeah? I came in so noisily, and even hugged you while sleeping, but you didn''t stir at all. I thought someone told me before that she was a light sleeper. I wonder who that woman was? It was not you? So I slept with another woman?" he sulkily replied her.


    Shao Yan tried so hard not to burst into chuckles. This man decided to act childish now of all time. This whole ''dramatic'' scene happened because she told him this morning that her sleep was so comfortable, and that she missed her bed so much. The stingy man then suddenly decided to sulk and pout at her reply. This big, giant teddy bear!


    As she was ready to say more to appease him, Li Xiqing suddenly turned around, and hugged her waist. He brought Shao Yan close to him, "I won''t sulk anymore, but, wife, I''ll show you what ''miss'' actually means tonight!" he slowly grinned at her and then he kissed her cheek loudly.


    Li Xiqing let Shao Yan go and started to walk out of the bedroom; leaving a dumbfounded Shao Yan with a lost expression. Her hand was cupping her cheek, right on the spot where he kissed her earlier, ''What was going on? This man is like a storm, just come and go as he pleases.''


    .....


    When they arrived in front of the vegetarian restaurant, Li Xiqing found a place to park right away. The couple got out of the car, and walked inside the restaurant hand in hand.


    Shao Yan spotted Grandma Wu right away, and she hastened her pace, dragging Li Xiqing along with her. Grandma Wu saw Shao Yan was about to rush to her, she was about to stand up and scold the child to slow down. But before she could do anything, she saw the tall man that her granddaughter drag along already do something.


    Li Xiqing held her hand back, and then he circled his hand around her waist, "Don''t run. No need to rush. Grandma has already seen you, just walk slowly, or you''ll be kissing the floor soon." He then flicked her forehead lightly.


    Shao Yan smiled sheepishly, and then she chuckled lightly, "Oh no. What to do, Xiqing, I''m so nervous now." She grabbed hold of Li Xiqing''s hand and lightly squeezed it, he could feel her skin has turned cold.


    "Don''t worry, it will be just fine. Trust me, okay?" He ran his hand to rub her back gently, trying to calm her down, "Hubby is here for anything," and then he winked at her.


    ShaoYan burst out in laughs, her body felt more relaxed after the short humor, and she started to walk forward more calmly now.


    .....


    Grandma Wu had come today along with Risa. Wrapped elegantly in dark purple velvet Qipao, Grandma looked so regal like a queen when the golden threads around her collar glittered slightly as she moved to straighten up her sitting posture.


    As Shao Yan and Li Xiqing walked closer, Risa stood up and moved to stand behind Grandma Wu while tidying Grandma''s golden beige shawl that she had wrapped around her shoulder.


    Risa herself had put on a simple black dress that fell elegantly to her knees. She let her long hair framed loosely around her face and her back, creating a gothic scent of beautiful Oriental doll.


    When she caught Shao Yan was looking at her direction and flashed her a smile; Risa softened her feature a little, and returned her with a little nod, and then she slowly smiled.


    .....


    Shao Yan finally stood in front of Grandma Wu. She let go off Li Xiqing''s hand and with both hands extended forward, she quickly wrapped Grandma into a gentle, tight hug.


    "I miss you, Grandma," Shao Yan said softly. Grandma Wu nodded at her words, as she patted Shao Yan on her back gently, "En, good girl. Grandma is here now."


    Shao Yan squeezed the frail old lady a little, before she let go off her hug. She turned around and faced Li Xiqing with a cheerful smile. And then Shao Yan circled her hand around Li Xiqing''s arm and said, "Grandma, this is Li Xiqing. My boyfriend."

 Chapter 131 - A Test

    Li Xiqing stood calmly as Shao Yan leaned forward to give Grandma Wu a tight hug. He knew that Grandma Wu and Risa had been scrutinizing him ever since he appeared in their views.


    But Li Xiqing was all calm and peaceful for he knew that they were all here for the same purpose. To make sure Yan Yan was happy.


    .....


    "Grandma, this is Li Xiqing, my boyfriend."


    Li Xiqing could hear slight hesitant tremble from Yan Yan''s voice. His left hand was prisoned by Yan Yan in tight embrace. He put down the paper bag that he had been carrying. And then with his free hand, Li Xiqing gently patted Yan Yan''s hand to reassure her. After she flashed him a gentle smile, only then Li Xiqing turned his face back to Grandma Wu and Risa.


    He bowed himself a little, "Grandma, how are you? My name is Li Xiqing."


    Grandma Wu had been paying attention to this man and how he treated Yan Yan ever since they appear in her view. Even though her mischievous granddaughter was dragging this man along with her as they walked closer, this man had never once let himself be swept in her hastiness.


    He walked with confidence, always making sure Yan Yan had a solid steps.


    Grandma Wu did not say anything to reply him, but just kept staring at the two of them, one by one. She held her stare long enough to make Shao Yan trembled slightly.


    .....


    Shao Yan did not know what to say, or what to do. She had never known this Grandma before, Shao Yan was not sure what she was thinking right now, or how to appease her. She stole a glance at Risa, and saw Risa pursed her lips tightly and shook her head inconspicuously, indicating to Shao Yan not to do anything.


    Before Shao Yan could decide what to do next, she hear his voice.


    "My apologies for this late meetup, Grandma. I should be the one meeting you first, please blame this solely on me."


    He squeezed her hand lightly, "I am courting Yan Yan with only marriage in mind. And I will not let her go despite her past. So you can rest assured on that."


    Upon hearing his declaration for the second time, Grandma Wu slowly leaned back to her chair. She picked up her tea cup. She opened the lid slightly and blew on it, she really took her time.


    Li Xiqing stood there patiently. His posture was still standing tall; he did not shifted a little and his hand was holding Shao Yan firmly. Every now and then, he would give a little squeeze to assure her. But his mind had started to think of plan B, C and D to appease Grandma Wu. Else, his wife would be the one suffering, and he would hate himself for that.


    .....


    After taking a few sips of her Tie Guan Yin tea, Grandma Wu lifted up her head and smiled at Shao Yan warmly.


    "What are you doing still standing up over there? Come here and sit down."


    And then she turned her face to look at Li Xiqing, "Mr. Li, you can sit down too."


    Shao Yan secretly heaved a relief sigh, and then she started to push Li Xiqing to sit down before Grandma changed her mind.


    "Grandma, do not be so distant, you can call me Xiqing," and after he said that, he pulled out a chair for Shao Yan to sit down.


    Grandma Wu had never missed every single detail that Li Xiqing had done for Yan Yan. But she did not want to make things too easy for this man. Her Wu women deserved the best of the best.


    Grandma Wu cleared her throat softly, "Alright, Xiqing, you can order the food now. Yan Yan must be hungry," she said as she passed him the menu book.


    Shao Yan was about to say to Grandma to let her and Risa pick the menu instead, but Li Xiqing had taken the book from Grandma Wu. He glanced at Shao Yan to signal her not to say anything.


    Shao Yan bit her lower lip while staring at Li Xiqing. They did not know anything about Grandma''s food preference. ''Oh no, are we doomed now?'' she lamented quietly as she twisted her fingers on her lap.


    .....


    Li Xiqing flipped the menu book for a while, and then he signaled the waiter to come and take his order.


    "Let me have braised sea-cucumber with shiitake mushrooms. Hm. Pickled cabbage and boiled winter melon soup for everyone," he looked up at the server and especially enunciated slowly to her, "please do not add any more salt or sugar to the soup."


    "Boiled spinach with egg white only, please. Braised tofu skin with oyster sauce. An order of poached celery with garlic sauce and whole steamed seabass fish with sliced ginger. Lastly, I will also have clay pot tofu, but please don''t add shrimp. Please change it to scallop. Thank you."


    As the waiter about to walk away, Li Xiqing called her back, "Please also add barley and multigrain rice for everyone. Thank you."


    .....


    When he was done, Li Xiqing lifted the teapot and started to refill Grandma''s tea cup. He stood up slightly and said, "Winter melon soup should be good to remove the heat, especially in this weather. I also ordered pickled cabbage to entice your appetite, Grandma. My Grandfather had a weak digestion, and he especially favored the steamed whole fish here, you should have a try."


    He sat back down to his seat and started to refill the rest of the tea cups around the table, "Celery is good for blood pressure and I asked them to replace shrimp with scallops because shrimp has a higher cholesterol content. Scallop is better and also taste sweeter."


    Li Xiqing slowly put down the teacup again, and then he turned to Shao Yan and patted her hand, "I also remember to order your spinach, mushroom and tofu skin, are you happy now?"


    Shao Yan paused for a while and then she beamed at him, "En. Thank you," she nodded happily.


    Li Xiqing returned her smile with a very gentle smile of his own. And then he turned to face Grandma Wu again.


    Li Xiqing raised his own cup to Grandma Wu, "Did I pass the test, Grandma?"

 Chapter 132 - The Gift

    Grandma Wu was staring into the cup in front of her. She was also looking at her granddaughter''s hopeful eyes that were staring warily at her.


    Grandma Wu softly sighed, and then she picked up her teacup and slowly sipped the fragrant tea. indicating that she had accepted this man in her granddaughter''s life. Albeit reluctantly.


    Risa was looking at Grandma who was suddenly acting ignorant, she softly coughed.


    "Xiqing, why don''t you tell us about your family," Risa initiated a conversation as she saw Grandma Wu had decided to keep quiet as a listener.


    "My parents are living in the USA right now; they are retired doctors. And I only have one sibling. My elder sister, Mandy, got married last year, and is living in Frankfurt with her husband and his family. All of them are coming here next month, so I will introduce Yan Yan as well."


    All the time Li Xiqing was talking, his hand was also holding one of Shao Yan''s hands on his lap.


    This gesture, and all other attentiveness that he had been showing Yan Yan did not escape Grandma Wu''s keen observation. Grandma Wu started to get a headache.


    This man was so enamored with her granddaughter. ''I guess there will be a happy occasion for our family soon,'' Grandma Wu softly sighed.


    At the same time she also felt relieved; her granddaughter was really deserving this second chance of happiness


    .....


    After a while, their food finally came out. The server steadily spooned bowl after bowl of soup for everyone; while Risa and Shao Yan tried to engage Grandma Wu with small talks every now and then.


    "Grandma, let me take you around to show you fun places around Shanghai, alright?" Shao Yan said as she picked up some braised sea-cucumber and put it on Grandma''s plate.


    Grandma Wu beamed at her newly found granddaughter, "You eat a lot too, don''t worry about this old one. Anytime you''re free, you are always welcome to visit Grandma. I am planning to stay here for a while anyway," and as she finished, Grandma Wu patted Shao Yan''s arm before she picked up her own chopsticks and started to eat.


    Grandma Wu was someone who was really traditional. She did not speak while eating. However, she knew that this habit could not apply to the youngsters nowadays. She only listened in to Risa and Shao Yan. Li Xiqing did not join in their girls talk.


    As the only man on the table, and also a junior to Grandma Wu, Li Xiqing made sure that she was fed properly.


    He paid attention to what Grandma Wu''s taste preference; what she likes and dislikes.


    Li Xiqing also watched the tea properly to make sure the server would always refresh the tea leaves and water.


    Being a matriarch for so long, of Grandma Wu noticed that this man was really attentive. He could just act ignorant to this old lady. But he was really respectful and Grandma Wu felt relieved.


    A man who respected elders would understand the hardship in life


    .....


    After the meal was done, Shao Yan called the server over, "Sorry to trouble you, please help to clean the table."


    And then she turned to Grandma Wu and said, "Grandma, Xiqing brought some gifts for you and also sis Ying." After she finished saying that, Shao Yan reflexively grabbed Li Xiqing''s arm and nudge him. She tilted her head and gave a little shrugged, "Let''s open now?"


    Li Xiqing smiled and nodded at her words, and then he bend down to his left to take the paper bag that he had brought with him.


    When the table was cleared, Li Xiqing started to bring the gifts out, "My apologies for the simple gifts today. I will make it up next time."


    First, he took out a rectangular shape box made from cardboard and covered in cloth. Li Xiqing passed the box with two hands offered to Grandma Wu, "Please receive this. And I hope you do not despise the content."


    From the first look, Grandma Wu was already attracted to the beautiful box itself. As she ran her fingertips on it, Grandma Wu could feel that the cloth was of high quality embroidery.


    "My mother made this box herself. She just learned how to embroider, so please pardon her amateur craftsmanship," Li Xiqing started to explain as he saw that Grandma Wu was paying attention on every stitch of the gold and black thread.


    The pattern of the embroidery was of a peacock and an orchid flowers that bloomed together under the tranquil night; only decorated with a dark blue moon.


    Grandma Wu saw that there was a flap to open the box, made from a wooden orchid flower in a shape of button that was sewed onto the box.


    As she opened it, Grandma Wu immediately saw a beautiful jade necklace laid on top of a yellow silk handkerchief.


    The jade necklace was shaped in a crescent moon, about a length of one palm. The half moon was lying horizontal with three small moons on each side, also made from jade. The smaller moons were about as big as small pearls.


    The green, shiny stones were gleaming so brightly, Grandma Wu could see right away that this jade is of high, if not premium quality.


    The moon was laying so elegantly as if it was slowly showing its gentleness to capture eternal beauty. Grandma Wu slowly scooped the necklace with her fingers and held it. The coldness of the stone and each grain was so perfect. Each small moon had its own character softly engraved in gold on the back of it.


    "Each of the characters are prayers for you. For health, peace, good fortune, happiness, wisdom and unity of family," Li Xiqing started to explain each of the word in case Grandma Wu was not able to notice right away.


    Shao Yan had not seen the gift. In the morning, Li Xiqing had only told her not to worry as he had prepared something.


    "When I found out that you still have a grandmother, I have prepared this gift," he was hugging her on the bed when Shao Yan was still nagging him to wake up, "Mother and Father helped me to choose it, so don''t worry, it will be appropriate and the elderly will love it." He said before he snuggled back to her neck and slept for a while more.

 Chapter 133 - Bribery

    Shao Yan squinted her eyes and then she turned to look at Li Xiqing while thinking, ''So sneaky, Xiqing, you know Grandma''s weakness right away?''


    Li Xiqing just slowly pursed his lips, and patted Shao Yan on her hands, and then he turned to Grandma Wu and continued to say, "Father collects jade for fun. He always appreciate Chinese culture and wishes that all of his children have the same appreciation. I hope Grandma doesn''t mind, these jade stones were from Father''s own collections."


    .....


    Grandma Wu, who had been staying silent all this time, suddenly said solemnly, "Yan Yan''s grandfather was also a jade collector. My first gift from him was a small jade ring, it was as white as snow and when Shaoying was born, I gave that to her," Grandma Wu turned to Risa and patted her hands, "The Ring that you turned to pendant, that you have been wearing, that is the one."


    And then Grandma Wu turned to Shao Yan, her voice trembled slightly as she said, "We didn''t get the chance to see you when you were born," she paused to try to control her emotion, "Grandpa had also set aside some gifts for you."


    Shao Yan could not help to start tearing up. Li Xiqing grabbed her hands that she had been clenching closely on her lap, as she turned to look at Li Xiqing, a few drops of her tears started to fall.


    Li Xiqing felt his heart was squeezed tight upon this sight. And despite knowing the elderly might frowned on his action, he reflexively raised one hand and swiped her tears on her cheek. Li Xiqing then cupped his hand on her cheek for a few seconds before he quickly let go


    .....


    Looking at the emotional scene in front of her, Risa started to get pulled into the current as well. She quickly lifted her head up, and waited for a moment. Before she brought her head down and coughed lightly, "Uh, Grandma, the necklace is so pretty, do you want to try it on?" Risa started to say, hoping to distract everyone from the gloomy mood that had started to set in.


    Shao Yan, despite feeling a little down, quickly chimed in as well, "Oh, try it on, Grandma, let me have a look."


    Grandma Wu was still brushing her thumb on the surface of the jade stone absentmindedly. But unknowingly to her own self, Grandma Wu had started to warm up to this newfound family, her granddaughter and....grandson in law.


    Grandma Wu lifted her face up and looked at Shao Yan, "Yan Yan, come, help me put it on."


    Shao Yan was surprised at her call, she slowly got up from her chair and walked over to stand beside Grandma.


    Grandma Wu handed her the embroidered box and Shao Yan took it gently with two hands. She took out the necklace from the box. And as Shao Yan lifted it up, the light shone through the jade; creating a beautiful rainbow halo around it.


    Grandma Wu and Risa could not help but admire at the classic beauty of the vintage looking necklace


    .....


    Shao Yan slowly circled her arm in front of Grandma, and put the necklace on her.


    When Shao Yan turned to see her again, Grandma Wu looked so regal and elegant with the necklace, a surprised gasp escaped from her.


    "Grandma, why do I feel like saying ''Long live Empress Dowager, may long life of blessing upon you, long life of blessings*.'' Hehe Grandma, you look so amazing!"


    Grandma Wu chuckled at her joke, she playfully patted Shao Yan on her hand, "You cheeky brat, don''t tease your old Grandma here."


    Shao Yan beamed and grinned at her, and then she started to walk back to her seat, but before she could walk away, Li Xiqing stop her in her tracks.


    "Grandma, why don''t I take a picture of you, Yan Yan and Miss Wu?"


    Before Grandma Wu answered him, Risa quickly said, "Xiqing, you are one of our family now, you can call me Risa or Shaoying, it''s fine."


    And then she poked Grandma playfully on her arm, "Grandma, Xiqing is right, let''s take a picture, the three of us."


    Shao Yan also nodded cheerfully at the suggestion, she quickly took out her phone and handed it over to Li Xiqing. And then Shao Yan walked back to stand next to Grandma and started to pose, "Hurry, hurry, Xiqing, let me have a picture of Grandma."


    Li Xiqing smiled and nodded at her, and he swiftly took a couple of pictures of the three beautiful women.


    His wife was smiling ever so brightly to the camera, with one hand was placed on Grandma''s shoulders. Risa stood quietly next to them and also smiled solemnly at the camera, and her hand was also placed on Grandma''s other shoulder


    .....


    Li Xiqing ordered some flower tea for everyone to enjoy after the light meal. As everyone was holding onto their tea cup, Li Xiqing took out the second gift that he had brought.


    It was a smaller rectangular shape box, wrapped in purple velvet cloth. He passed the box to Risa, "This is a gift for our first official meeting. Thank you for taking care of Yan Yan all this time."


    Risa was surprised that she also got a gift. She put down her cup and opened the box. It was a set of silk scarves with different colors and designs.


    "Yan Yan told me that you always put on stylish scarves in the winter because you got cold easily, so she suggested to gift you more of these. We hope you like them." And as he finished, he turned to Shao Yan and gave her a smile.


    .....


    Shao Yan was genuinely surprised this time. She remembered that she only mentioned this one time when she just started to be mentored by Risa a few weeks ago.


    "Xiqing, I felt so grateful that Risa took the time to train me. I feel like I''ve wasted a lot of her time," Shao Yan said dejectedly one time during their dinner together.


    She had her head down for a while, and then she suddenly raised both of her fists into the air, "After all of this is done, I think I''ll just get her thousands of scarves to bribe her feelings. Hehe!" And then she turned to Li Xiqing and said, "Praise me, aren''t I smart?" And her lips slowly turned into a mischievous grin.

 Chapter 134 - Like A Snail

    After they were done with lunch, Grandma Wu looked so tired, so Shao Yan decided to call it a day.


    All of them started to walk together to the exit, with Shao Yan was hugging onto Grandma''s arm and accompanied her to walk. "Grandma, the weather is getting cold, remember to always wear more clothes. Don''t get sick," she started to nag on Grandma Wu, noticing that she only had a thin shawl on her shoulder. She corrected the shawl as it had started to droop.


    They kept walking to Risa''s car. Li Xiqing opened the car back door for Grandma to sit down. After she had settled down, Grandma Wu turned to look at Li Xiqing and then she said, "Don''t forget what you have promised me. I''ll see you again next month."


    Li Xiqing nodded his affirmation, "Don''t worry, Grandma, I will definitely keep my words. You just rest assured and please take care of your health."


    After he got an acknowledgement of a nod from Grandma Wu, Li Xiqing closed the door carefully.


    He turned towards Shao Yan, grabbed her hand and stood to the side as Risa walked in to the driver seat and started the car and drove away.


    .....


    "There is a slight change on my itinerary. I will need to leave earlier for Japan to have some meetings."


    As they were driving back home, the weather was really nice outside, Shao Yan could not help to look at the scenery along the way home. During their drive this morning, she was too nervous to pay attention to her surroundings. But now that the meet up was done, and Grandma Wu had accepted Li Xiqing, her heart felt more ease, and she could finally relax.


    She was paying attention to the autumn feel outside. Her nose was almost glued to the car window.


    Shao Yan slowly turned around to face him when Li Xiqing said that.


    Li Xiqing grabbed her hand and held it on his lap, "I will leave on Tuesday, and you will arrive on Saturday anyway, so we have to be apart only for a few days," he paused before he slowly raised their linked hands to his lips and gave a tender kiss on the back of her hand, "are you going to be alright? To have to sleep alone without me?"


    Shao Yan pursed her lips, and pouted. She also tried to yank her hand back, but Li Xiqing held it firmly.


    "You really think too highly of yourself, Mister," she said jokingly while still trying to pull her hand off his hold.


    Li Xiqing chuckled softly, and decided to release her hand as he saw the traffic lights had turned green again, and they started to drive away.


    .....


    The week passed by really slow.


    Shao Yan was so occupied with last minute items to clear before her vacation started and Li Xiqing was also occupied with endless meetings with his clients. They only got the chance to talk on the phone for a few times.


    With Li Xiqing not around, Shao Yan decided not to stay in his apartment, and instead she went back to her own place.


    During these days, Shao Yan would spend her time with her team, and then lunch with Risa.


    Her team had just finished a long meeting that had taken her whole morning to discuss about the year-end office celebration, when Risa came over to her desk and invited Shao Yan out for lunch.


    This time, they opted for a soup dumpling restaurant, as the weather was getting even colder.


    "So how long will you be in Japan?" Risa asked as she picked up a soup dumpling from a bamboo basket. Shao Yan was pouring tea for both of them, "Only for a week. It''s getting closer to the holiday season anyway, so both of us have so many things to do."


    Risa had her chopsticks paused midair. And then she hesitantly asked, "Is this... going to be your first vacation together?" Shao Yan absentmindedly nodded at her question, while still pouring the tea, "En."


    "And... you two have been living together for a few months now?"


    Shao Yan placed the pot back on the table, and looked up at Risa, "Yes, we have. But this week, I''m going back to my place," she suddenly paused when she saw Risa was staring at her, "what? Is there something on my face?" and Shao Yan started to touch around her own face.


    Risa slowly got back to her senses, "Uh.. So have you two done the deed?"


    .....


    Shao Yan was still patting her face around. But her movement was suddenly stopped when she heard Risa asked her that question. Her face gradually turned a shade of pink, "I- I am not discussing this with you, Sis!"


    Risa was biting onto the tips of her chopsticks, and then she slowly grinned, "Aw come on, Yan Yan, just say yes or no, as simple as that," she poked Shao Yan on her arms, and also nudged her a little.


    Shao Yan pouted a little, before she shook her head, and started to eat her rice again.


    Risa, suddenly heaved a loud gasp dramatically, and she put both hands on her chest while whispering, "No way, Yan Yan! Daniel moves so slowly! What is he, a snail?" Risa then lowered her head down, closer to Shao Yan, "Yan Yan, shall we go lingerie shopping after lunch? Let''s get a killer lingerie to surprise Daniel," her eyes were glittering with excitement while looking at Shao Yan.


    But before Shao Yan answered her, Risa had straightened up her body, and her face quickly changed, before she said, "Oh never mind. I changed my mind. Looking at how Daniel has been looking at you, like a hungry wolf, you will not even need a lingerie anymore."


    She started to pick up her chopsticks again, "Just get naked, it''ll do."


    Risa paused for a while, before she continued, "Besides, with or without lingerie, at the end of the day, you will not wear anything on you, and he will just eat you full happily."


    Shao Yan was gaping at how vulgar Risa words were, she quickly glanced around their table, left and right, to make sure no one was choking upon hearing her words.

 Chapter 135 - Confidence

    As she went home that night, her mind had been thinking of what Risa had told her in the afternoon.


    "Don''t you think you need to prepare yourself, Yan Yan? Physically and mentally? It''s going to be your first vacation with a man afterall. And I am not counting that jerk ex husband or yours, alright? Grandma and I do not even acknowledge him!"


    Ever since Risa threw that questions at her, Shao Yan had lost all of her focus for the rest of the day.


    She decided to leave home early, and bought a take-out food for dinner.


    During these few days of being apart, they had few phone calls as they were both so busy. However, Li Xiqing would still send her text messages every now and then to check if she has eaten.


    Just like what he had sent her about an hour ago.


    ''I will be in a business dinner until late. You just go to sleep first, don''t wait for my calls. Have you eaten?''


    Shao Yan glanced at the time on the corner of her phone, while thinking, ''Shanghai is one hour behind Japan, so it should be around eight for him.'' Her fingers hovered around her phone screen, thinking of what she should send as a reply.


    She kept typing and deleting her words, and finally decided on, ''I just saw your message, and I am eating now. Don''t worry about me, just focus on your meeting. Fighting!''


    Satisfied with her own replies, Shao Yan put her phone back down, before she reached out to the take-out box to start eating. But few seconds later, she picked up her phone again, and quickly typed, ''I miss you. Don''t forget your meals!''


    And then she locked her phone back, and picked up her chopsticks to start eating. The whole time, Shao Yan had a slight curve on her lips, as she enjoyed her food while still smiling so cheerfully.


    .....


    After she had eaten her dinner, Shao Yan quickly went to take a shower. When she stepped out, her eyes suddenly went to the tall mirror next to the cabinet. Her head was tilted to the side as she contemplated her next action.


    Shao Yan decided to walk over. She stood in front of it, with her whole body was still unclothed. She slowly moved her eye sight, tracing her own figure. Starting from her face, to her breasts, her tummy, and down to her precious part.


    What Risa had said to her in the afternoon started to echo in her mind again.


    Shao Yan felt a little hesitant. She could see her own confused face as her soft eyebrows knitted as she was feeling puzzled.


    She was not the prettiest woman in the world, but she could tell that Li Xiqing adored her. Sincerely.


    Her hands slowly cupped her own breasts. And then Shao Yan turned to the side to look at her butt. She did not have the best figure either. But they had been intimate many times, and each time, she had always succesfully made Li Xiqing excited; hard and longing for her touch.


    ''He never complained about my body either, I should not think too much.'' Shao Yan tried to bring out her own confidence.


    ''Maybe tomorrow, I''ll go and have a haircut, and maybe some other skin treatments. No harm in pampering myself a little, anyway,'' Shao Yan thought inwardly as she grabbed a lock of her hair and weighed them on her palm.


    After a few moment, Shao Yan felt her energy was back. She walked over to her vanity table, and started to lather milky body lotion all over her body.


    .....


    The weather was amazing. Shao Yan could see bright blue sky as her plane touch the concrete runways.


    "Welcome to Narita International Airport. The local time is 10:15 AM. Current temperature is 20 Celcius degrees with forecast of a lot of sun and slight breezy wind. We will be taxing for a few minutes before we go to the gate..."


    Shao Yan stopped listening to the cabin announcement as she was getting distracted with the people around her who was getting anxious to get out of the plane.


    At the same time, she was trying to remember what Li Xiqing had told her over the phone last night.


    "I will be waiting for you right outside the Arrival Terminal, don''t worry, alright? After you come out, we''ll have to take a train right away, so try not to be delayed."


    Shao Yan checked all her seat and surrounding, she made sure there was nothing that she would accidentally leave behind.


    As the cabin crews allowed the passengers to alight, Shao Yan followed the crowd and started to walk out as well.


    .....


    He saw Yan Yan right away. It''s only been a few days, but he had been missing her so much.


    He had been used to sleeping while hugging her in his embrace. He had felt so empty without her.


    And now, his light had re-emerged in his life.


    Upon seeing her, Li Xiqing could feel his heart squeezed. His Yan Yan looked so different. ''Did she have a haircut?'' he thought to himself as he tried to recall his conversation over the past few days with her.


    He had been really busy, trying to finish all of his meetings so he could have a peaceful vacation with Yan Yan. Li Xiqing felt slightly guilty as he thought Yan Yan could have told him about the haircut, but he forgot about it.


    ''But this new haircut really suited her'', he thought, as she looked younger and more cheerful.


    Unknowingly to him, his feature had softened down so much as his eyes followed her every move while she was walking towards him.


    .....


    Upon seeing Li Xiqing, Shao Yan broke out into a very bright smile. Her face shone up and her lips curved so beautifully. She very much wanted to run to him and just gave him a hug.


    Her soft, slight wavy hair bounced as she walked towards him. Her happy aura indirectly affected the people around her, drawing the attention of those who were standing at the side; waiting to welcome their loved ones.

 Chapter 136 - Glow

    Shao Yan broke out into small run. She decided to just go for it. When she got closer to Li Xiqing, she buried herself into his hug, startling him.


    His arms reflexively wrapped around her body, while his feet planted firm on the ground, trying to keep both of them steady.


    His Yan Yan was back in his embrace. He felt so content.


    .....


    "Hello there," he chuckled softly, and then he rubbed his cheek on top of her hair, "I miss you, too. So much."


    Shao Yan peeked from his embrace. Her chin was resting on his chest as she was staring at Li Xiqing, "I''m hungry. I did not eat on the airplane just now, I was sleeping."


    Li Xiqing burst out in laughs, he slowly let go off his hold around her. He reached out and grabbed her luggage from her, "Let''s go. Our train will depart in two hours, we can buy some ekiben to eat on the way."


    Shao Yan nodded, and reflexively circled her hand around his arm.


    "I am so excited. Let''s go!"


    He gave her a warm smile. Lightly patted the back of her head, they started to walk hand in hand towards the exit direction to take a taxi to Tokyo Station.


    .....


    Facing with a lot of options in front of her, Shao Yan was speechless as she could not make up her mind. All the boxes looked so pretty. The packaging of the lunch boxes were so intricate and meticulous; and all the food looked so appetizing.


    "Why don''t you go with the tempura and vegetarian box, and I''ll go with the beef and chicken box? And then we can share, alright?" Looking at his confused wife, Li Xiqing decided to make the decision for her.


    "Please also give me this tuna rice ball, grilled salmon rice ball, mentaiko rice ball, and egg sandwich. Also two hot green tea. Thank you," Li Xiqing spoke fluently in Japanese to order their food.


    The service person attended to his request almost immediately. They wrapped everything up into two plastic bags which they handed over to him; and then gave a slight bow.


    Shao Yan reflexively returned their bows, and then she took both plastic bags from his hand, as he was already holding onto his own luggage along with hers. And then they started to walk to the train platform.


    "How long is the journey?" Shao Yan asked as she was also looked around the station. There were some small shops on the side, selling food, snacks and also souvenirs. As this was Saturday morning, not so many people was crowding the area, they could still walk with ease.


    "It will be about three hour''s total. After we alight, we still have to take a shuttle bus to the ryokan. We should arrive there around sunset," they walked side by side at a slightly faster pace.


    .....


    Li Xiqing kept his steps to match hers, and also kept his attention to their surroundings, in case someone would accidentally bump into her.


    "Are you tired? Our train should be here," they were standing on the platform and Li Xiqing was reading the train tickets in his hand. He checked the train name, and car number and made sure that they were at the correct place, "Yes, it should be the one arriving in twelve minutes. This is our car number two. Our seat should be three and four."


    Shao Yan nodded her affirmation, "Alright, I''ve remembered. And no, I''m not tired. I have slept during the whole flight coming here," she paused and eyed the bags in her hands, "I''m just hungry and can''t wait to open these beauties now."


    She looked up back at him and slowly grinned into a cheeky smile.


    After a while, the bullet train gradually came into their view.


    People from the previous destination started to alight from the train, and when the crowd started to dissipate, Li Xiqing nudged Shao Yan and together, they boarded the train.


    They found their reserved seats right away. And after putting aside their luggage, both of them started to settle down on their seats.


    .....


    Shao Yan opened their lunch boxes right away. After she opened the lid, she paused for a while; admiring the very attractive look of her food. Every single thing in front of her looked so cute and appetising. There were some pickles, vegetables, tofu, shrimp tempura, rice. There was even a soft, squishy item in soft pink color, which apparently a red bean mochi for dessert.


    "Xiqing, I have eaten a lot of Japanese food, in USA or even in Shanghai, but nothing look as pretty as this one here in front of me, " she mumbled her words as she was still staring at her box, "I don''t think I have the heart to eat them now."


    Li Xiqing laughed at her dispirited figure, he set aside their drinks on the cup holder, and then he split the chopsticks for her, "Let''s eat now, you have been starving since morning."


    Along the journey, Shao Yan and Li Xiqing chatted happily while enjoying their meals.


    The sceneries outside was of farming area, suburb and mountains; everything was really calming and peaceful.


    They would chat, and point to things. Her hand was linked to his as they enjoyed the sceneries outside the window together.


    .....


    When they arrived at Station K about three hours later, a chartered mini-bus had been waiting for the passengers who would be staying in the ryokan.


    The drive from station K to the place that they would be staying is about one hour.


    Red and brown colors were all they could see along the way. Autumn colors had decorated the whole area, creating a magnificent spread of reddish gold. The air smelled like wet grass and as the sun was almost set, the weather was cooler.


    The bus driver did not turn on the air conditioning of the mini-bus; and instead let some of the windows opened for fresh air. Shao Yan reflexively scooted closer into Li Xiqing. He had his arm around her shoulder, pulling her closer to him; keeping her warm.


    "We are almost there," he tilted his head down slightly and looked at her while whispering softly.


    The sun ray shone onto half of her face, made her glowed for a moment, taking his breath away.

 Chapter 137 - Breathtaking

    They had been driving for a while, and all Shao Yan could see is either river, mountain, or more greeneries.


    After a few turns, the mini-bus finally slowed down, and gradually, a building emerged in her view.


    Shao Yan alighted from the mini-bus and the surrounding area captured her heart right away.


    .....


    From the outside, the building looked very grand, yet at the same time, it had rustic charm.


    The roof was formed with dark blue tiles and soft white walls. Wooden frame windows were all over the feudal looking building. The building might look like it was only one story inn. But if someone was to walk around it and they could see from another angle, it was actually three stories high.


    Not the biggest building, but in this secluded area, this was the only building that stood proudly amongst the nature.


    Wooden bridge was spanned from the roadside where she was standing which connected it to the building; crossing over a small creek underneath. The rest of two stories were hidden from the road, as they were on the lower surface by the creek.


    Red and brown leaves covered the area, as the wind blew softly; giving out a serene feeling.


    If Shao Yan did not know better, she would have guessed that this was an abandoned mini castle.


    And she was some princess that was kidnapped by.. Huh?


    Shao Yan swiftly turned her head around, and looked at Li Xiqing, "Mister, are you kidnapping me right now?" she tilted her head to the side, "I just realized. Along the way here, every road sign and every single person only speak Japanese. Not a single English can be found."


    Her soft eyebrows slowly knitted together as she paused for a while to think, before she slowly continued, "Even the people with us inside the bus, they are all local Japanese. If you left me here, I would have lost my way."


    Li Xiqing pursed his lips as he was feeling amused by her logic.


    He brushed her hair and gave out a soft chuckles. He lifted up their luggage and started to walk to the bridge, "Axel and I decided to invest in this place. Take a look around, this place has a tremendous potential if it is exposed to more International tourist. And that is where Axel and I come into the picture."


    Shao Yan nodded along his words, "This place is indeed amazing. I feel like I am being transported to another world. It is so peaceful here." And then she pouted while mumbling, "I should have brought my camera."


    Li Xiqing smiled when he heard Yan Yan unconsciously lowered her voice, and spoke more gently as she praised the area.


    "You will have many chances in the future. This place is ours to visit anytime you want. You will fall in love with it more when you see what this place has to offer. Let''s go."


    .....


    The wooden bridge was leading to a stone path, which eventually led them towards the entrance of the building.


    As the wooden sliding doors opened, two women and men dressed in purple traditional kimono; were smiling politely with a slight bow, "Welcome!" as they greeted them in Japanese.


    They were standing behind a simple counter that Shao Yan assumed was the front desk.


    After they completed their check in process, another woman dressed in purple kimono walked over and started to show them the way to their room.


    As they were walking, Shao Yan read the booking invoice that had been printed out in English and handed over to her. It was detailing their stay for the week, room number, and few hotel rules and regulations.


    At the bottom of the paper, there were two options for dinner time, five and six o''clock; and Li Xiqing had selected six o''clock.


    She glanced at her watch to see that they had around two hours to spend before the meal started.


    Shao Yan started to read the other marketing brochures that the hotel had given to her to see what Li Xiqing and her could possibly do while waiting.


    .....


    "They can actually send our luggage to our room. Do you need to see the room, or do you want to explore the area outside right away?"


    Li Xiqing had paused his steps and was looking at her, while Shao Yan was too engrossed in reading the brochures. She lifted her head up to see he was looking at her, and the other woman was also waiting for them.


    "If you don''t mind, let''s just explore the area. I am too curious to see what else they have here," she said as she walked closer to Li Xiqing while waving the brochures in her hands, "the pictures shown here are too breathtaking, I need to see it with my own eyes," and then she grinned at him.


    Li Xiqing nodded his acknowledgement, and then he turned around and told their decision to the woman who was waiting for them.


    She replied politely, "Then please leave your stuff here, I will have someone deliver it to your room."


    .....


    They walked hand in hand as they exited the main building. Another stone path was leading them to the creek that Shao Yan had seen earlier.


    As they walked outside, she saw a simple signboard with arrows pointing to different directions: ''Heaven Spring'', ''Fairy Spring'', ''Rainbow Spring'', ''Restaurant'' and ''Garden''.


    Shao Yan took out the brochures again and started to read each one of them.


    After reading for a while, she suddenly exclaimed, "Oh Xiqing, this is so smart," she tugged his arm, and pointed to the paper, "see here. They called it Heaven Spring, because the hot spring was found at a certain elevation on the hills and it''s open for all genders. Fairy Spring is only for women. And Rainbow Spring is also for all genders, but since it is located near the creek, you can see rainbows every so often."


    And then she looked back at him, while beaming excitedly, "Shall we try one of the hot spring now?"

 Chapter 138 - Cloud

    He laughed.


    His deep, masculine laugh reverberated around her, giving her butterflies on her belly, "Let''s just walk around the area for now, we will stay here for a week anyway, we have plenty of time to soak in hot spring. We only have a while to spend before dinner anyway."


    They decided to walk around the garden and the surrounding area.


    Shao Yan tried to remember the few places that she wanted to explore more the next few days, as they walked and chatted; while flirting with each other every now and then.


    "It''s only one hour left for dinner, let''s go back so you can freshen up first?" He said with his palm covering the small of her back.


    Shao Yan contemplated for a second, and then she nodded, "Alright, let''s do that. I can feel that I am a little tired now."


    .....


    Li Xiqing grabbed hold of her hand, and slowly walk beside her, "Let''s walk slowly, we don''t have to rush, we still have plenty of time."


    Shao Yan looked up at him, she leaned her head to his upper arm and gave a little rub, "Xiqing, you pampered me so much. I''m scared I will be even more greedy than now."


    She could feel that he was chuckling albeit softly, as she could feel his body is shaking with amusement.


    "Be greedier, it''s normal. I want you to be the greediest! The super greediest of them all!"


    Li Xiqing was about to break out in laughter but Shao Yan had pinched his arm, making him distracted and soft chuckles escaped instead.


    "Shameless, aren''t you?" She mumbled, but he could still hear her.


    "Of course, haven''t I tell you? It''s my middle name," he spread his five fingers in front of him, moving from left to right really slow, "Daniel Shameless Li," and then he turned his head to Shao Yan and winked at her, "isn''t it VERY appropriate?"


    Shao Yan couldn''t help but have a good laugh at him mocking himself.


    "Yes yes yes, luckily your thick skin grow a handsome face," she patted his cheek, "my dear, you''re the most shameless, congratulations!" And she tiptoed and circled both arms around his neck to peck his cheek.


    Li Xiqing pursed his lips in amusement, and then he draped one arm over her shoulder. Her arm reflexively went behind his back and circled him as well.


    The couple kept bantering back and forth in jokes along the way back to their room.


    .....


    As they were walking back, they would encounter a few guests who are also staying in the same ryokan. Most of them were local Japanese, but there were also a few International tourists, similar to themselves, who found out about this place from either their local friends or online bloggers.


    Shao Yan tried to listen in on their conversations, but other than praises to the natural hot springs, all of them shared the same impression; that this place was unrivaled.


    When they arrived at their room, Shao Yan found out that the room was just as stunning as the rest of the architecture outside.


    As she entered, she saw the tatami seating with low table at the center of the living area.


    Four cushion chairs surrounded the wooden table, with a white porcelain teapot sat in the middle; facing a sliding doors that showcased a view of the fiery autumn leaves outside.


    To her right side was the sleeping area. Shao Yan walked over to see that two sets of white, fluffy futons were spread out in the middle, and there was a small balcony attached to the room.


    A structure was built in the corner of the balcony. When she walked closer to see what it was, gradually the structure made of stone came to her view, it was a hot tub.


    .....


    "If you are feeling shy to soak downstairs in the public hot springs, you can do it here. Private and secluded," she heard Li Xiqing voice came from behind her.


    As she turned around to look at him, he had walked over to stand beside her. His eyes were also looking at the oval shape stone tub.


    Shao Yan was about to say something, but Li Xiqing had turned to her. He lifted up his left hand and brushed her hair down, to her cheek. With his index fingers, he caressed her cheek bone, and then she saw his face gradually got closer to her.


    It was only a soft peck on her lips. He slowly let her go and stared into her eyes.


    His eyesight slowly lowered, going back to her lips, and then he kissed her again.


    His tongue easily slipped in and danced with hers for a while. Her hand reflexively grabbed onto the front of his shirt, as he circled another arm around her waist and pulled her closer.


    .....


    "I miss you," he whispered, "so much. I don''t like being separated from you, Yan Yan."


    Li Xiqing brushed her hair again, and this time, with both hands, he cupped her face, and deepened their kiss.


    Shao Yan was leaning on him, her body was missing his sturdy muscles touching her soft skin.


    She missed him so much.


    Shao Yan circled both arms around his waist and also pulled him closer, while seductively circling her tongue to dominate him. She sighed happily when she was awarded with his groan.


    Li Xiqing slowly let her go, with his forehead still leaning on hers, and hoarsely whispered, "Go take a shower first, we will have dinner soon."


    .....


    The ryokan had provided four sets of casual kimono for them to put on, each two sets for Shao Yan and Li Xiqing. The first set was in light blue and white colors; meant to be worn for the hot spring area. The other two sets were in yellow and red colors. These were suitable for day to day wear within the ryokan area.


    All of them were placed on a simple rattan basket; a paper laid on top of them was the instructions on how to put on the kimono.


    As she stepped into the bathroom, her eyesight automatically drawn to the basket. Shao Yan read the instructions twice and decided to put on a kimono for dinner.

 Chapter 139 - Of Happiness

    Her hair had grown so much ever since she met him.


    Shao Yan remembered it was shoulder length, and she looked weird when she had to tie them up, as her whole face was directly exposed right away.


    But it had been a few months, and her hair surprisngly had grown longer, down to her back.


    So a few days before her flight, after so many years, Shao Yan finally stepped into a hair salon again.


    "I have always have this hairstyle on me. Like, forever. But I want to change my image. Can you recommend me a new hairstyle?" Shao Yan said to the male hairstylist who was standing behind her as he brushed her hair to learn the structure.


    "Eh. Your current style, I will call it ''safe safe lady''. No matter what image you want to show, it''s always safe. See your left and right are perfectly straight. Girl, you give me so difficult challenge to upgrade this look, huh?"


    .....


    In front of the tall mirror next to the bathroom sliding door, Shao Yan was admiring her new look.


    After a few tries, she finally learned the rope of the kimono. Donned in the delicate yellow and red kimono, Shao Yan looked like she had transported to the ancient era.


    The hairstylist had decided to keep the length; as he said, "Girl, your face fits to have longer hair, so I will just trim a little bit." And Shao Yan decided to trust his instinct.


    "Also, do you want to try to color it? Yesterday I was playing around with some colors, and I think there''s one color that will suit your skin tone. Let''s try it?"


    Shao Yan had never dyed her hair in her life. Her eyes widened nervously. After a few moment, a sprout of courage pushed her to do it, so she slowly nodded her head, "What color is it? If I like it, then sure, let''s do it?"


    .....


    She brushed her hair gently. The soft strands of mahogany gold were fluttering around her soft face.


    She remembered what the hairstylist said to her as he stood behind her while holding the coloring bowl, "You see this portion here is mahogany red. The other half here is brown gold. When I put them in your hair, I will mix it slowly, I want to create an illusion of two colors are trying to blend into one as you move. Trust me, girl, you will looove it!"


    And she did.


    Shao Yan moved her head slowly, swinging it from side to side. The window on the side gave her hair the little bit of sunrays before the day totally set to dark.


    She could see the mix of the soft dark reddish color and a slight of golden brown touch trying to coexist together.


    Initially, she decided to braid her hair to match her kimono vintage style. But Shao Yan decided not to do it anymore, she wanted to show off her new color, so she just decided to clip her hair on both sides.


    The final touch was the cherub necklace that Li Xiqing had given to her. She had been wearing it everyday, and only took it off during shower and sleep. Her fingertips slowly touched the cherub''s hand and she brushed the diamond star gently.


    Feeling so immensely happy with herself, she skimmed her eyes all over her hair, face and body one more time before Shao Yan slides the door open and stepped out.


    .....


    Li Xiqing was sitting in the balcony.


    Next to the oval shape stone tub, was a set of rattan chairs and coffee table that people could sit on to enjoy the outdoor view.


    Their room was facing the creek and hills across from it. When people sat on the balcony, they would be able to hear the sound of streaming water, along with the quietness of the mountain surrounding them.


    He had just brewed a fresh pot of green tea while waiting for Shao Yan to shower.


    Leaning back to the chair, Li Xiqing was savoring the quiet time he rarely had. Inhaling the fresh green tea, he closed his eyes while calming his heart with the tranquil sound of flowing water from below.


    He heard the door was sliding open, and he opened his eyes. Li Xiqing tilted his head to see Shao Yan was walking towards him.


    He was stunned.


    The soft yellow and red kimono grabbed his attention right away. She had let her hair hang loose on her back. Slight wavy curls at the end of her hair swayed along her body movement as Shao Yan walked closer.


    "I''m done, go take a shower now. I can''t wait for dinner, I''m hungry," she sat next to him.


    Shao Yan saw the tea pot, and she poured another cup for herself.


    As she leaned back, she caught him still staring at her.


    Shao Yan pursed her lips, and slowly smiled at him, "Go take a shower, Mister. You can look at me as long as you want later," and then she leaned closer to pat on his cheek.


    .....


    Shao Yan was enjoying her tea happily, sipping away the warm, green liquid helped to calm her restless heart.


    Ever since her last discussion with Risa, Shao Yan had been aware of the happiness that she was swimming in right now. Her fingertips slowly tightened their hold on to the tea cup as she felt the nervousness started to come again.


    Being away on a vacation like this, with her ever so loving boyfriend, staying in the same room. Shao Yan could not help but keep anticipating on what he may do next. She could not lie to herself. Both of them were adults, and she knew what could happen.


    The questions were, ''Is she ready? Is he ready?''


    And to be honest to herself, Shao Yan finally admitted, that she was also eager to take their relationship to the next step.


    Thinking back to the few skin care treatments that she had done to herself over the past few days, Shao Yan thought inwardly, ''I tried to give my best to you, Xiqing.'' She brought the cup to her lips, and started to sip it slowly.


    ''I hope you know that in the end, it is my whole heart that matters, too.''

 Chapter 140 - Surrounding Her

    "We need to go downstairs for dinner, are you ready?"


    Shao Yan put her cup down on the coffee table and then she stood up. She just turned around to walk to him, but her steps faltered when she saw him.


    ''WOW''


    Was all she could think of in her head.


    Her man looked so much more handsome in this traditional clothes more than any other men she had ever seen in the past.


    Li Xiqing walked over to her; still oblivious of his own charm that had rendered her immobile. His whole demeanor matched the regal standing of feudal warrior, with his tall physique and chiseled jaw, Li Xiqing looked like an emperor who just stepped out of a scroll painting looking for his empress.


    Shao Yan slowly recovered herself when Li Xiqing extended his hand and touched her wrist, "En, let''s go, I am starving."


    He grabbed her hand, and then together, they walked out to the dining room.


    Unbeknownst to each of them, each heart beat so hard as they were so nervous when they saw each other a few seconds ago, just like a new blossoming devotion. Hearts were squeezed tight, anxious to roam free and showered each other with everlasting adoration.


    .....


    Even though it was the second shift, but the dining room was packed.


    Everyone had been assigned their own seats. As Li Xiqing quoted their room number, they were quickly escorted to their table. They were seated next to other couples. Shao Yan gave a nod to convey her greetings to them, and they also nodded back.


    There was no menu available, as it was already prefixed.


    After they were settled down, a woman in light purple kimono came over with a cart, and started to place their food on the table.


    She started to mention the food and ingredients one by one.


    When she was done, she looked at Shao Yan and Li Xiqing, "From all of these, is there anything that you can''t eat due to allergies? We will take them away."


    Shao Yan looked at Li Xiqing while shaking her head, and then Li Xiqing replied her, "We are fine, thank you."


    The woman gave a slight bow, and then left the couple alone to enjoy their meal.


    .....


    After meal and tea, Shao Yan suggested, "Xiqing, let''s walk to the koi garden to digest our food for a while. And then after that, let''s soak in the hot spring. Alright?"


    He chuckled, and then he put the tea cup back on the table, "You won''t give up, will you? You will definitely try the hot spring no matter what I say, right? It''s just has to be today," he shook his head helplessly, "alright! Let''s go."


    Li Xiqing pushed his chair slightly backwards and stepped to the side, to let Shao Yan walked in front of him.


    Hand in hand, they started to walk out to the garden.


    .....


    "So why did you want to invest in this place to begin with?"


    Shao Yan tugged their linked hands, she was walking in front of him, dragging him with her as she explored the stone path in the koi garden.


    He kept her close even though she was in front of him, "I was reading on a lot of places to take you, and then I stumbled upon this place. Axel saw I was looking at the website, and we started talking."


    When she started to pick up her speed, Li Xiqing held on to his hold, and pulled her to a stop, "Don''t rush, let''s go back and change to the hot spring kimono first. Have you decided which spring you want to try?"


    Shao Yan now walking beside him, "Yes, the Rainbow Spring. At this time of the right, being up on the hills will too cold for me, but being by the stream will be very nice."


    Li Xiqing paused his steps, "It''s a mixed gender pool, don''t forget to bring your towel alright. I don''t want any other men to lust over your body."


    He circled his arms around her waist and pulled her roughly to his embrace, "This is mine."


    Shao Yan bumped into his chest and heard his rough voice on her ears, she tilted her head to the side, and slowly grinned at him, "I am repeating the same words to you."


    She ran her fingers on his chest, down to his tummy, and circled her arms around him; placing both hands on his butt.


    Shao Yan pressed her hands to bring his waist to glue onto hers, "This is mine, too!"


    .....


    After they changed into the blue and white kimono for hot spring area, Shao Yan also carried the small bag that the ryokan had provided to store their personal belongings. She put their room key, extra hair tie and few towels inside the bag before they headed downstairs again.


    When they arrived at the front of the mixed gender pool, one of the ryokan employees gave out a paper that remind them of the rules and regulation again.


    She also directed each of them to the shower area for separate genders.


    Before entering the hot spring pool, it was the right etiquette for everyone to thoroughly clean their body and hair with soap. This was to avoid any germs or dirt to contaminate the pool as it was shared with other people.


    "I''ll see you inside. Remember don''t forget the towel, to cover your body, alright?" Li Xiqing reminded her again before they entered the respective shower area to clean themselves.


    She nodded, "I''ll see you soon."


    .....


    Shao Yan entered the shower area, and started to undress herself. Carrying only two towels inside, she started to wash all over her body and her hair. Other than her, there were two other women who were also showering. Shao Yan chose the spot further away from them, and started to pour water all over herself.


    When she was done, Shao Yan tied her hair properly, making sure that none would fall over her shoulder into the water. She used a bigger towel to cover her body before she stepped out to the hot spring pool.

 Chapter 141 - Engulfing Her

    As Shao Yan stepped out to the outdoor area, the wind started to blow on her exposed bare skin. Shao Yan could not help to shudder a little.


    Even though it was a shared pool, she learned that the women were still expected to have the wide towel wrapped properly on her body.


    Shao Yan sighed in relief when she heard that.


    .....


    It was a little later part of the night, and so that was why there was not so many people around. Shao Yan looked around and spotted Li Xiqing who was standing in the corner; waiting for her.


    Barefooted, she walked slowly on the stone path towards him. He was standing with his back facing her; his arms folded in front of him as he was reading the rules and regulations board.


    Li Xiqing saw a shadow was gradually closing in, he turned around and saw Shao Yan was tiptoeing towards him.


    He had a towel wrapped around his waist with his chest and stomach fully exposed.


    Even though Shao Yan had seen him naked many times, with this kind of view out in the open still made a pink blush gradually crept on her cheek.


    When she stood in front of him, he looked at her hair which she had tied up. Li Xiqing smiled, "Are you cold?" As he tucked a few strands of hair behind her ear.


    Shao Yan shook her head, "No, I''m fine. The weather is chilly, but it''s still alright." And then she flashed him a gentle smile.


    Li Xiqing nodded and then grabbed hold of her hand; they walked to the spring together.


    .....


    The pool was automatically divided into three sections; a group of men only, another group of women only, and a group of couples.


    Li Xiqing walked over to the couple section, but tried to stay a little further away from others to respect their privacy. He also made sure Yan Yan''s body was slightly hidden behind him as they walked around the pool.


    He hated the idea of other people looking at the naked Yan Yan, even though she had a towel on her body.


    After he found the spot that he liked, Li Xiqing took off the towel on his waist, and lowered himself to the hot spring pool. He reached out his hand to guide Yan Yan into the pool.


    Shao Yan folded the towel that he handed over to her and put it on the side, and then she reached out her hand and placed it on his palm.


    "Don''t rush to get in, test the water temperature with your toes first," he quickly said as she dipped her feet into the pool. His hand was holding her hand firm, he was scared she might slip.


    Shao Yan gingerly stepped in, and the heat surprised her so much; she reflexively jerk her feet out. Li Xiqing had his hand wrapped around hers; keeping her steady. Shao Yan looked up at him, "That surprised me," and then she smiled shyly.


    After a few seconds, she started to adjust herself to the hot temperature and started to dip herself more into the water.


    .....


    "Are you alright?"


    They were soaking in the hot spring pool for a while now. The hot water had relaxed her tired body from the flight and the long ride. Shao Yan gradually felt that all her muscles were soothed immediately.


    Li Xiqing saw her flushed cheek, and he started to worry if she would be overheated. Shao Yan was leaning back to the stone wall, "En, it''s very relaxing," she said while slowly scooping the water with her palm and poured it over her shoulder.


    And then she paused. Shao Yan leaned in to her right side, getting closer to him and whispered, "Although at first, I felt so awkward, they are all naked after all."


    After she finished saying that, Shao Yan gradually realized that Li Xiqing was also naked, and was sitting comfortably by her side.


    Her eye sights slowly traveled down from his handsome face to his sturdy chest. Shao Yan kept going to his lean waist and downwards. The water by the stream was more pure and clear.


    She could see all that she wanted to see. With the moonlight shining onto them, Shao Yan was admiring the view in front of her. Innuendo and sexual tension slowly arises between her minds.


    Suddenly her eye sights were blocked. All she saw was darkness.


    .....


    Li Xiqing had stretched out his left palm and closed her eyes.


    Shao Yan could feel him breathing closer to her cheek. Her heart was beating erratically as she felt Li Xiqing was leaning closer; and then she heard him whispering, "Stop looking, Yan Yan," he paused as he skimmed her eyes all over her face, "Or you will trigger something you should not." He kissed her cheek.


    When he was about to let go of his palm over her eyes, he saw a slow grin was slowly formed on her lips.


    "Xiqing, I haven''t done anything yet, why are you so nervous?" she said slowly and seductively; seeming teasing him.


    Li Xiqing looked at her sly smile and she was chuckling. He was about to say something, when he felt her fingers slowly crept up on his thighs, caressing his skin under the water.


    Feeling stunned at his wife''s teasing, he shook his head helplessly. His wife was either really innocent, or actually, she was a sly fox in disguise.


    .....


    Still lingering by her ears, Li Xiqing decided to tease her back, "Yan Yan, don''t joke around. I''ll be walking around with a tent. Do you really want that?" And then Li Xiqing kissed her earlobe.


    Shao Yan, with her eyes still covered with his hands, felt a tingle of warm, ecstatic feeling inside her.


    ''How long has it been?'' she wondered.


    She missed him so much.


    ''No, that''s wrong,'' she thought, and then immediately corrected herself. Not just him. Shao Yan missed achieving the feeling of being at the highest peak of pleasure.


    She wanted Li Xiqing.


    .....


    Having made up her mind, her hand slowly covered his hand on her eyes, and pulled it off.


    Shao Yan looked at him straight in the eyes, "Xiqing, I''m tired, let''s go back to the room, shall we?"


    Her fingers wrapped around his wrist, and she lightly squeezed them.


    Anxiously waiting for him to answer.

 Chapter 142 - Consuming Her

    His hair was unruly, and some strands fell and covered his forehead as he stared intently into her eyes.


    Li Xiqing did not look away, neither did Shao Yan. Fortunately, the ongoing battle only lasted for a few seconds before he said, "Alright, let''s go."


    He grabbed her hand and they walked out of the spring together. As she stepped out of the water, a slight gush of wind surprised her, and Shao Yan shivered a little.


    Li Xiqing quickly draped a new set of clean towel over her shoulder and rub both of her arms to warm her, even though he himself was still unclothed.


    Shao Yan softly chuckled, "I''m fine, wrap your body now, I''m getting jealous with all the stares from others on your butt," as she patted him on his arm. She took another towel and quickly handed it over to Li Xiqing.


    After he was done, hand in hand, they walked back to the changing room area.


    Before he disappeared into the men''s section, Shao Yan suddenly held his wrist, stopping him on his track.


    He turned around to look at her, and she Shao Yan lightly whispered, "Just put on your kimono and come out right away," she paused because some people were walking around them so Shao Yan waited until no one was around anymore before she continued, "don''t shower here. Let''s shower together when we''re back to our room, alright?"


    .....


    When they were back in the room, Shao Yan darted to the bathroom immediately. She did not want to leave any chance to change her mind; or his mind, so she better acted quickly. Her heart was beating like crazy, her head was pounding. She had both fists clenched tightly as she walked, and she could feel that her skin starts to turn cold.


    She was so nervous.


    Li Xiqing slowly closed the door behind him, and was smiling at her hasten pace.


    He looked down at his feet, and slowly took a deep breath. It would be lying to himself if he does not know what Yan Yan is planning.


    His face turned solemn, and then he started to breathe in and out slowly; trying to calm himself as he followed her steps into the bathroom.


    .....


    When Li Xiqing entered, Shao Yan had just undressed her kimono robe, and was about to step in to the shower.


    Shao Yan tilted her head a little. She heard him entering the bathroom, but she did not turn around. She left the shower door ajar as she stepped inside, and turned the knob for the hot and cold water.


    Li Xiqing took off his kimono robe as well, and walked in after her.


    When he walked in, Shao Yan was facing him. She stretched out one hand to him, which he took it right away.


    He circled both arms around her waist, and together they stood under the sprinkles of warm water.


    His manhood was poking onto her tummy, as her soft breasts snuggled closely within his sturdy embrace. Li Xiqing kept running his hands on her naked back, as he stared at the crown of her head. His Yan Yan was too embarrassed to look into his eyes.


    Yan Yan was busy as well. Both of her hands were caressing his chest muscles and nipples, wiping off the drizzling water that fell onto his skin.


    His hands crawled up from her back to her neck; he caressed her hair before he slowly cupped both of her face, and lifted it up to look at him. When he finally saw his Yan Yan, Li Xiqing tilted his head and leaned in closer before he engulfed her into a passionate kiss.


    .....


    His lips caught hers right away. Fiercely. Forcefully.


    Shao Yan allowed him to kiss her more. Her little tongue started to entice him, her dormant desire started to search for him.


    A fiery tug and war of kisses lasted for a while with each of them slowly drown in thirst for more.


    Her hands swiped all over his chest, and then circled his waist. Her hands gradually went up to his back, and Shao Yan pulled him closer to her.


    She was molded into his tight embrace, and he cupped her butt and ground his bulging erection onto her stomach.


    A soft moan escaped her lips when his hands started to caress her butt cheek, and her thighs; slowly stroking her skin up and down.


    Shao Yan felt a little dizzy, she gathered her tiny courage, and brought her hands down to his thighs and teased him with her fingers.


    Her fingers gingerly traveled all over his waist, before hesitantly stopped right above his stiff hard-on.


    Her fingertips slowly grazed the tip of his erection and his response for that did not disappoint her.


    .....


    Li Xiqing was busy kneading her butt and kissing her face and earlobes when he felt his Yan Yan started to search for his member.


    When he felt her fingers were touching the tip, he reflexively buried his face onto her neck and groaned. Li Xiqing lightly bit onto her exposed nape when her fingers started to wrap around his shaft and lightly squeeze it.


    When Yan Yan started to move her hand up and down, Li Xiqing decided to pay her back.


    .....


    Two naked bodies were touching and teasing each other under the warm shower, creating an erotic scene that Shao Yan had never think of.


    Never in her life would she ever fantasize this.


    Her hands curiously started to pump his erection, when she felt his fingers started to grab her behind.


    With one hand still holding on to her butt, Li Xiqing used one knee to nudge her legs and spread her apart. His other hand began to explore her honeypot.


    Shao Yan wanted to see his face. She lifted her face up but before she could do anything, Li Xiqing quickly catch her bottom lips. He started his attack, and kissed her ferociously, tantalizing her mouth to give more.


    His fingers reached her flower, and started to spread her petals.


    He brushed one finger in the middle, and found that Yan Yan was already wet. He gently slipped his finger and lightly massage her clitoris; Yan Yan shuddered under his touch. She sighed as her tongue started to kiss him; demanding the same urgency.

 Chapter 143 - Are You Ready?

    With one finger inside her and his thumb started to tease her clitoris; Shao Yan started to lose her mind.


    She tilted her head, changing the angle while she was kissing him; she was also trying to hold onto her consciousness. Her fingers were still massaging his shaft and pumped it with the same hunger that he felt for her.


    His mouth had never left her skin; not even for a second.


    He would travel to her cheek, or her neck; giving light bites all over her shoulder. Li Xiqing was kissing her mercilessly.


    His tongue tortured all of her senses, and his other hand was still kneading on her butt, pressing her closer and closer to him.


    He teased her fiery passion, his fingers kept going in and out of her, and he felt her knees slowly losing their strength. Her moans and sighs were buried amongst the flow of rushing water around them.


    Li Xiqing brushed her hair that was framing her stunning face, "Wrap your arms around me," his hoarse voice rang over her lips before he caught her mouth again, and had another round of kisses as he swallowed her gasps and soft cries.


    Shao Yan could not think of anything anymore, she followed his ask blindly, and brought both of her arms to circle around his neck as his fingers kept tantalizing her intimates.


    His thumb started to stroke her clitoris; moving slow, and then fast. And kept repeating its rhythm until he felt she was on the brink of an orgasm. She tried to hold it in.


    And before she knew it, she let out a soft cry as the rush of pleasures overwhelmed her; Yan Yan came and he felt light tremors spread all over her body. She leaned her forehead on his chest.


    Her breath hitched, as she sighed and then she looked up, hunting for his kisses again and moaned into his hungry mouth; Yan Yan was letting herself to be drowned in pleasures.


    .....


    Both of his arms were supporting her limp body.


    Yan Yan was trying to catch her breath as she leaned her forehead on the wall, leaving her naked back facing him. Li Xiqing let her rest, as he started to lather body soap all over her supple skin.


    His hands started to massage her neck, trying to relax her tensed muscles.


    He started with her nape, went down to her shoulders and then both of her arms.


    His hands trailed down her back; he circled his hands to the front and cupped her breasts from behind. He massaged the twin mounds gently and brushed her sensitive nipples tenderly. All of her senses were so much heightened now as she just had an orgasm.


    "Ahh.." a soft moan escaped her lips, and Shao Yan sighed his name, "Xiqing."


    She reflexively leaned her head to the back onto his chest muscles.


    "En? Are you comfortable?" he asked while he kept massaging her breasts and teasing her perky pink nipples.


    Shao Yan tried to hide her moan and she also tried even harder to nod her head. "En, let''s shower quickly," was all she could come out with as she was struggling to find words to say.


    Li Xiqing left her breasts and traveled down to explore more of her alluring body.


    He went down on his knees and planted a kiss on her round butt as he lathered both of her thighs with soap. His hands went in between her legs, and naughtily brushed her folds as he traveled downwards; making Yan Yan moaned again and weakly leaned against the wall again.


    Satisfied with tantalizing her senseless to this stage, Li Xiqing decided to pause and really gave her a real shower.


    .....


    When they came out of the bathroom about thirty minutes later, Li Xiqing was carrying Yan Yan princess style. She buried her head on the crook of his neck, feeling so weak. Li Xiqing had wrapped with a towel, while he chose to stay unclothed.


    His skin was burning with desire, he needed to feel her skin.


    Li Xiqing walked over to the vanity table next to the bathroom and sat down with Yan Yan on his lap. He reached out to the hair dryer and started to blow her hair dry.


    Shao Yan could feel his intense gaze on her all the time. But she felt too embarrassed to look into his eyes. She was very certain that her face and her eyes were showing immense desire right now. She felt like she could not wait anymore. Shao Yan was getting restless. She wanted him so much.


    She kept her eyes focused on the bobbing of his adam''s apple.


    Li Xiqing knew what his Yan Yan was thinking. He could see a soft blush gradually crept up on her face. He pursed his lips, trying to not smile or laugh. His Yan Yan was so cute.


    ''It''s too late to be shy now, my dear wife,'' he thought inwardly, ''it''s too late to backout now.''


    And then he planted a soft kiss onto her blushing cheek.


    Shao Yan was stunned, but she still refused to lift her face. She just brought her palm up and touched the spot where he kissed just now. Her fingers curled and then she buried them back onto the towel that was wrapped around her body.


    When he felt it was eighty percent dry, he started to blow dry his own hair.


    After a while, he turned it off, and then he kissed Yan Yan on her cheek again. He trailed kisses to her earlobes, and went back down to her jaw. He nudged her with his head, tilting it so he could get more access to her delicious neck.


    He kissed her skin tenderly, before whispering, "Yan Yan, are you ready?"


    Shao Yan had her eyes closed and was enjoying the kisses on her face. When she heard him, she groggily opened her eyes and stared into his scorching gaze.


    Reflexively, she bit onto her lower lip. Li Xiqing saw she nodded her head, "En," she said, "Xiqing, I want you."

 Chapter 144 - I Want It

    He scooped her up and they started to walk towards the bed.


    Li Xiqing leaned closer to her and he touched his lips ever so briefly on her forehead. Shao Yan closed her eyes, and accepted his kiss.


    He kissed both eyelids one by one gently. And then he moved to her nose tips.


    When his lips finally touched the corners of her lips, Shao Yan was expecting a fiery kiss like before; to be hungry and demanding.


    But she was so surprised.


    This kiss, compared to his other previous kisses, was very much gentler.


    He treasured every corner of her lips; adoring her tenderly.


    Shao Yan had both arms linked behind his neck, responding to his affection with the same longing.


    Her chest felt so constricted. She had never felt this feeling before. Not even when she was crazy in love with Liwei.


    .....


    She slowly raised up her body a little to allow him to kiss her more deeply. LiXiqing felt her intention, so he switched his hold on her.


    Before, he was holding her princess style. But he adjusted her legs to circle around his waist and rested on his back, with her arms still linked around his neck; both of his strong arms were carrying her on her butt.


    "Xiqing.." Shao Yan softly moaned into his mouth, "Am I heavy?" She asked as she sighed when he moved her around.


    "You are not. Are you seriously asking this now?" He replied before she got the chance to laugh; his lips caught her lower lip and started to nibble again.


    His tongue started to claim his territory, not allowing her to speak anymore.


    .....


    Li Xiqing slowly lowered her to the bed. Even though it''s a futon, but it was so thick and comfortable. Shao Yan sank deep into the fluffy material as Li Xiqing kept kissing her endlessly.


    He peeled the towel off her body and threw it to the side and started to feast on her neck. li Xiqing nibbled the soft skin under her jaw, as she wriggled restlessly under him; returning his kisses with the same tenderness with a slight of urgency.


    His hands roamed all over her body, "Yan Yan," while whispering her name constantly, he showed her how much he wanted her.


    His mouth found her breast, and he started to suck on the pink nipples one by one like a hungry baby. He swiped his tongue around the areola, and his scorching hot breath made Yan Yan shivered with excitement.


    "Xiqing.." she breathed out his name softly as she moaned with strained voice.


    Her hands reached out to grab his head, she was missing his lips, and wanted to kiss more, but he went downwards and started to shower her tummy with butterfly kisses.


    With both hands wrapped around her thighs, Li Xiqing spread her legs apart, as he positioned himself in between her knees. He started to kiss her knees, and went deeper to her inner thigh.


    The room was only illuminated with a small bamboo lamp in the corner of the room. Luckily, the moon was shining brightly tonight, as if it were celebrating along with the couple in love.


    He saw the glistening honey sparkled softly in between her soft pubic hairs; like the early morning grass that was wet from the morning dew.


    Li Xiqing lowered his head; and with his tongue, he tasted the sweet nectar.


    .....


    As his little tongue touched her clitoris, Shao Yan jerked her head to the back reflexively; and both of her hands clutched onto the white futon as she let out a soft sigh.


    This was not the first time he had tasted her intoxicating scent. But the aura tonight was different; Shao Yan was impatient, and she could also feel that Li Xiqing is trying to hold back.


    His lips caught one of her petals and started to suck on it, sending Yan Yan to another bliss of pleasures. His tongue started to explore inside her; circling around her clitoris over and over again, making her moaned and cried for his name, "Xiqing.. Xiqing.." endlessly.


    His hands were busy caressing her all over her waist and thighs; he wanted her to relax for what was coming soon.


    Li Xiqing tortured her slowly with his tongue, going in and out of his beloved honeypot, while also teasing her clitoris mercilessly. Her body suddenly relaxed before shuddered a little, and her voice was strangled before she let out a long moan; and he tasted more honey from her.


    She came again.


    .....


    As she was trying to catch up with her breaths, Li Xiqing had loomed over her, and started to shower her face with light kisses, "Yan Yan, I will start now," he looked deeply into her eyes.


    Shao Yan was trying to focus on his beautiful face, she reached out her hand weakly, and caress his cheek, "En," and she nibbled on her lower lip, still trying to recover from the early pleasures, "I want it."


    Li Xiqing lifted up his body a little to reach out to a foil packet on the bed side table that the ryokan had provided for the guests.


    He put it in between his teeth and ripped it apart. And then swiftly, he wrapped it around his erection.


    Shao Yan watched all of his actions and she could feel her face started to heat up. She ran her eyes along his toned torso, down to his manhood.


    ''It''s tonight, Shao Yan, I hope you''re ready for that thing,'' she told herself.


    Unconsciously, she felt more aware of herself, and she felt a tingle inside her womanhood. It had been a while since she had sex. Shao Yan was anticipating it so much.


    .....


    When Li Xiqing was done, he saw that his woman was looking at his erection with an awe look. His lips curved up slowly as he locked his gaze with Yan Yan, noticing her eyes went rounder; and then he positioned himself in between her legs, with his hands were holding both of her thighs.


    He rubbed his erection on the opening of her intimates.


    Her honey was spread around his tips.

 Chapter 145 - I Want To Be With You. Forever.

    He rubbed his erection with the glistening honey from her flower; preparing himself to enter her.


    Shao Yan lifted both of her arms up to circle him around his neck; wishing to hug him closer to her. When Li Xiqing saw that, he wanted to heed to her command. He lowered himself to meet her mouth and caught her lower lips immediately. He started to kiss her hungrily. His erection was grinding her intimately.


    Her tongue was enticing him to do more. She sucked and nibbled ferociously; and as he responded with the same vigor, not only his tongue started to attack her mouth, his erection started to enter her as well.


    .....


    "Ah!" Shao Yan was surprised at his sudden thrust, she reflexively exclaimed in between their kisses. She put her hands on his shoulder, trying to breathe. And Li Xiqing automatically stopped his movement.


    His manhood was snuggling comfortably inside her, but he was more worried about his woman''s pain.


    "Sl- slow," she leaned her forehead against his, "it hurts."


    Li Xiqing patiently waited for her. When he saw Yan Yan had relaxed, he started to move his hips again.


    Shao Yan could feel every single thrust inside her. She threw her head on the pillow as Li Xiqing ran his tongue all over her neck. Yan Yan softly cried with every thrust and he kissed her every single time.


    Until he felt that she had slowly accepted him, his presence and his shape inside of her intimates. Li Xiqing showered her with kisses to ease her pain.


    .....


    Two binding couple slowly moved in a rhythm.


    Sounds of smacking hips and sloppy kisses surrounded them inside the room; which only was brightened up by the romantic moon.


    Shao Yan could feel her tension was slowly building. His erection was pressing on every single corner of her inside; touching all of her sensitive spots.


    She brought up one arm to cover her eyes as she moaned in pleasure, "Aah.." calling him desperately, "Xiqing.. please.."


    He increased his pace, moving inside and outside of her, with his shaft hitting her wet flowers every single time.


    He brought his thumb to massage her clitoris when he heard Yan Yan was begging for him; causing her to let out a soft cry.


    As he slowly massaged her, Li Xiqing could feel Shao Yan gradually tensed up. She got wetter and even more as he moved inside her, and soon, her body started to shudder a little.


    Li Xiqing loomed over her and moved faster, thrusting harder inside her.


    When she was about to come, he covered her lips with his mouth, swallowing her cries and her stifled moans.


    He cupped her head with one hand and lifted her butt with the other. With her intimates now pressed tightly in between them, her orgasm was intensified. A rush of ecstasy engulfed her as he started to shove deeper into her.


    And Shao Yan had a long, satisfying, multiple orgasms one after another.


    One of the best that she had ever had.


    .....


    The tremors hit her hard, capturing all of her senses, spiralling her around into abyss of pleasure.


    Shao Yan moaned into his kisses, she bit his lips as she came.


    Li Xiqing did not let her rest as the surge of adrenaline still paralyzing her mind from her earlier orgasm. He caught her breasts and started to suck on her nipples as he thrusted deeper into her while she was still drowning in euphoria.


    The multiple dimensional trip went off in her brain. Shao Yan moaned a dramatic climax of her sexual excitement as she came again.


    Seeing his woman plunged deep into high heaven of ecstasy was his last straw. "Yan Yan," Li Xiqing groaned into the crook of her neck.


    His manhood tensed and started to release his seed inside her as he was holding Yan Yan tightly into his embrace and was loving her deeply.


    .....


    The night was not young anymore, but the lovers were still in high spirits.


    He was stroking her back like a lazy cat, as she laid wantonly next to him. Shao Yan leaned her head on his shoulders as she rested and tried to catch her breath.


    "Does it still hurt?" his hoarse voice traveled to her ears, as he stroked her naked skin on the back; soothing her.


    Shao Yan shook her head weakly, "Ung.. Not really. I just.." she paused, trying to find the right words, "it''s been a while."


    Li Xiqing understood what she was trying to say. Feeling a little happiness started to sprout from deep within, he kissed the top of her crown, "I''m sorry. I''ll be gentler next time."


    Shao Yan felt her heart turned to mush. She felt sentimental. Her nose turned sour, and she started to tear up.


    She snuggled closer to him and placed her hand around his waist to hug him, "En. I''m fine," as she buried her face into his embrace.


    .....


    The sun shone brightly in between the bamboo door.


    Shao Yan had been awake for a few hours, but Li Xiqing was still sleeping.


    He had his head leaned on her chest; with his legs wrapped around her, hugging her like a koala as he slept soundly.


    Shao Yan felt helpless at him clinging onto her like this. She ran her fingers through his hair, caressing him tenderly.


    Fate was really a funny thing.


    If it was half a year ago, someone were to ask her if she would ever be in a relationship with anyone, Shao Yan would have confidently answered ''no''.


    At that time, her heart was cold and tired. She stopped believing in men, love or companionship.


    But then.. he showed up.


    Coming into her life like a storm. Unpredictable. Ever so stubbornly seeped into her life. Like a water trying to break a hard stone, Shao Yan gradually accepted Li Xiqing into her life.


    ''I want to be with this man,'' she solemnly promised herself.


    ''Please treat my heart gently, Xiqing. I want to be with you forever.''


    Shao Yan leaned closer to his forehead and planted a soft, tender kiss as a drop of blissful tear rolled down her cheek.

 Chapter 146 - Im Very Demanding

    Shao Yan felt his hand was caressing her waist as he stretched out a little.


    And then a deep, lazy voice was heard, "How are you feeling today? Does it still hurt?"


    Shao Yan smiled sheepishly. She raised one finger to poke his nose, "Wake up now, I''m hungry. We''ll miss breakfast soon." He stirred and leaned back against the pillow, before scooping her up to let Yan Yan laid on top of him.


    One hand behind his head, and another one was holding onto her waist, he sleepily asked, "Did you sleep okay?"


    Shao Yan folded her hands over his chest and placed her chin on it, "Uh huh. Like a baby," she nudged him again, "can we go eat now?" And then Shao Yan saw that Li Xiqing did not open his eyes at all, and instead he was trying to snuggle closer to her to sleep again. Feeling amused, she poked his cheek, "Sleepy head!"


    Li Xiqing chuckled and as he laughed, Shao Yan curved her lips and ended up laughing with him.


    She leaned her head sideways, placing her cheek on his chest, "I''m serious though, Xiqing, let''s go. After we eat, we can soak in the hot spring again."


    Li Xiqing stroked her back lazily, "Five minutes, laying down with you like this feels so good, let me enjoy it for a while," before he closed his eyes, and started to drift to another sleep.


    .....


    But Shao Yan had a different idea. Her eyes twinkled naughtily before she thought of something. She pursed her lips, contemplating her actions.


    She slowly raised her body up and crossed her legs to straddle him. Shao Yan sat on his tummy, and started to shower his face with soft kisses. Shao Yan was trying to imitate Li Xiqing whenever he was trying to tease her.


    Li Xiqing was really tired and sleepy, but with his adorable wife sitting on top of him right now, his sleepiness was quickly chased away. A smirk slowly appeared on his face.


    A night old stubble tickled her lips as her kisses skimmed over his jaw.


    He opened his eyes to see her little butt was wriggling and she was raining his face with her soft, little pecks.


    ''It''s seems that his wife is not planning to let him rest after all,'' Li Xiqing thought inwardly. He softly sighed.


    .....


    Her body was suddenly turned around. Shao Yan realized Li Xiqing had woken up and had flipped their position around. He grabbed her waist and held her down underneath him.


    He rubbed his face onto her cheek, and then he bit her lower lips, "Is your waist alright now?" Li Xiqing put a little pressure of his hold on her waist, "Are you sure?"


    A suggestive glint appeared in his eyes, Shao Yan felt that she had touched unknown territory.


    "I..."


    She was trying to answer his question, but Li Xiqing was not listening to her anymore. One arm was propped next to her head, supporting his body which was looming over Yan Yan, while his other hand was hovering around her waist; trying to untie the kimono robe.


    "Xiqing.."


    He finally figured out how to peel off the kimono from her body. He was about to take the first layer off when Li Xiqing heard the call from his beloved. He looked up to see Yan Yan had a hesitant look on her face, and he abruptly stopped his actions.


    "What''s wrong, Yan Yan?" His gaze started to roam all over her body, trying to see if she was hurt.


    Shao Yan shook her head, "Y-You.. After last night.. You still want more?" The question was finally spilled fom her lips.


    Li Xiqing tried to hold off his laugh; his wife was only worried about his well-being. He softly sighed a relief, it''s good that she was fine.


    Instead of answering her questions, he crooked his fingers and caressed her cheekbone gently. Li Xiqing smiled at her; and then started to peel off the first kimono layer from her body.


    .....


    Shao Yan was feeling nervous by his actions. Last night, the room was dimmed and they were both aroused so she did not have the chance to care much, but now, under the bright sunlight, he would be able to see everything.


    Before she dived into panic attack, Li Xiqing called her name softly, "Yan Yan."


    After the first layer was off, Shao Yan heard his hoarse voice whispering at her, "I will never had enough of your body," Li Xiqing lifted his head and started deep into her eyes, "so start preparing yourself," he paused, before he winked naughtily at her, "I am very demanding."


    Shao Yan let out a soft chuckled. But her amusement was stopped abruptly when Li Xiqing suddenly caught her lips and started to kiss her ferociously.


    Yan Yan was caught off guard, but she quickly responded to his kiss. She lifted her hands, and started pulling on his kimono robe as well.


    One man and one woman, in the midst of heated tongue battle, were also trying to strip each other off their clothes. Hungry kisses and moans spiraling around the room.


    .....


    Shao Yan finally succeeded in peeling off his robe, and quickly threw it to the side; joining the other messy clothes around them. Li Xiqing caught her hands and raised them above her head; he started to suck on her supple skin hungrily.


    He held both of her wrists gently, holding them still while he started to kiss and bite all over her softly. Shao Yan reflexively arched her body in response to his assault.


    He left love bites all over her breasts; he sucked and teased the perky nipples, and Shao Yan sighed in deep pleasure.


    His erection gradually nudged her stomach demanding for more; Li Xiqing moved his knees to spread her legs apart. He lifted his face and saw her amorous face; he slowly rubbed his manhood on her clitoris; letting her moaned in pleasure.


    Finding that Yan Yan was wet and ready for him, the long, hard shaft slowly entered her warm spot.


    Shao Yan gradually tensed up when he inserted his member fully inside her; he started to thrust deeper and deeper.


    She gasped as she called his name, "X- Xiqing.." she moaned for him.


    His hands were still holding her arms above her head, and he started to snuggle his kisses on the crook of her neck. Groans of lust escaped him while he was moving in and out of Yan Yan. Her overflowed honey was producing smacking noises as he rammed inside her greedily.


    Each thrust sending her to cloud nine, as his tongue was attacking her breast; starving and demanding for more of her taste.

 Chapter 147 - My Little Bunny

    When he woke up again, Yan Yan was nowhere around him, and he reflexively jerked back up. Li Xiqing started to look around the room, trying to find her shadow.


    "Oh! You''re awake now?"


    Li Xiqing turned his head around and saw Yan Yan was inside the tub by the balcony. Her hair was tied up and all he could see is her beautiful snow white shoulders peeking from the tub.


    Her bare face was looking at him, before her lips suddenly pouted, and he heard Yan Yan said, "My body was aching when I tried to get out of the room, so I decided to soak for a while," she puffed her cheek, "You need to order us some food now. The kitchen is already closed."


    And then she turned her head around to enjoy the view from the balcony and ignored him.


    Li Xiqing shook his head helplessly. His wife was sulking because of the rigorous exercise this morning. He laughed at himself; he really needed to control his teenage desire for her. At least for the next few days.


    If not, his wife might be scared away by his hunger.


    He got out of the bed, and started to order some food for them.


    .....


    She heard his solid steps thudding on the tatami floor. Shao Yan heard another sound, as if he was sitting or maybe kneeling by the tub, and then his warm hands were placed on her shoulders.


    She tilted her head to the side, and met his stare.


    "Good morning," Li Xiqing bended down and planted a kiss on her cheek. His big hands started to massage her nape, using the right pressure on her stiff neck, "Let me join you?" And then his hands moved to her shoulder, and started to smooth out the knot on the muscles.


    Shao Yan just mumbled something, that Li Xiqing considered as a ''Yes''. He got up and lifted his feet one by one and entered the tub. His hand slid down her back, and placed his hands on both of her waist. Li Xiqing lifted her body up a little, before he positioned himself to sit behind Yan Yan.


    And then he let her sat on his lap and pulled her body to lean on his embrace; his palm started to knead her lower back, "Does it also hurt here?"


    He spoke softly by her ears. Somehow his whispers reminded her of their love making, either last night or this morning.


    Li Xiqing always called her name lovingly and longingly, by her ears. And during every thrust that he did, sometimes he would nibble on her earlobe.


    Shao Yan could remember his grunt and hot breath hovering by her neck. She felt that her heart was thumping so loud and her face gradually heated up now.


    His thumb was pressing a point somewhere above her waist.


    Shao Yan leaned her head on his shoulder. Her body went limp, she surrendered herself to the comfort of the hot spring water, and his massages.


    "En. Very. It was sore all over my body."


    Li Xiqing could hear a sound of complaint from her voice. He pursed his lips as he smiled at her pouting, "I''ll bring you somewhere fun today. Don''t sulk anymore, alright?"


    Shao Yan did not reply him, but she slowly closed her eyes and gradually relaxed.


    Li Xiqing saw that she started to fall asleep, so he stopped talking and kept kneading her knotted muscles around her lower back.


    ''Hubby will take care of you, wifey,'' he thought to himself, and then he tilted his head and kissed her forehead, ''rest, my little bunny.''


    .....


    She stood in front of a tall mirror near the entrance foyer. Shao Yan was checking her outfit for today, she turned her body to the left and right.


    She had put on a white blouse and denim skirt that fell just right on top of her knee. She paired the look with black leggings to keep her thighs warm. Shao Yan turned her head to the side, to make sure she had put the red wide shawl and wool jacket by the foyer so she could put them on before they leave the room later.


    A sound of sliding door was heard behind her, she swiftly turned around and saw Li Xiqing came out from the bathroom. A smell of lavender soap quickly filled the room, as she saw the fresh look on him.


    He had put on a white polo shirt and denim pants; making him look younger than usual.


    He walked to the bedroom, and when he came out again, his hand was holding a wool overcoat in dark blue color.


    "Our food is cold now, why haven''t you eat yet?" He said as he saw Shao Yan was still checking her appearance instead of eating.


    He knitted his eyebrows as he frowned, "Your empty tummy needs food, come here now, let''s eat."


    .....


    "Where are we going today?"


    Shao Yan was sitting in the living room, on a seat cushion by the low table. Li Xiqing had ordered a spread of local delicacies for their lunch, and Yan Yan was enjoying her food very much. The prefecture they were at now was famous for fish, so the meal box for today consisted of fresh grilled fish, only seasoned lightly with salt.


    The box also came with Japanese rice and other dishes of home-grown vegetables, braised tofu, miso red bean with soy bean, some pickled plum, red bean and green bean mochi for dessert and miso soup.


    The ryokan ladies also prepared hot roasted green tea every morning, along with other western options like fresh squeezed fruit juice.


    "I remember, you told me before that you really love waterfalls," he picked up a tofu and started to chew on it, "there is a small forest nearby. Some locals told me that there is a beautiful waterfall about a ten minute walk from there."


    Li Xiqing lifted his head, "How about we go there today?"


    Shao Yan bobbled her head, "Yes, I have been really curious on the waterfalls here. I heard the government always try to keep any nature site to be as original as possible," she resumed her eating happily.

 Chapter 148 - Are We Going To Be Alright?

    The weather was beautiful.


    Earlier, due to the intensity of the hot and passionate love making, the sun was feeling so shy, it decided to hide behind the daring clouds.


    But now, the sun finally decided to come out to show off it''s might on this gorgeous autumn day.


    The wind was blowing softly and blanketed Shao Yan and Li Xiqing; accompanying the couple who was walking hand in hand. Sea of red and yellow leaves arched proudly above them, making the whole scenery as if they just stepped out of a painting.


    Li Xiqing asked one of the ryokan ladies to prepare some light snacks. She handed over a small bag to him as she bowed her body a little when sending them out. With help of some locals, Li Xiqing and Shao Yan decided to take a bus to the forest area.


    When they alighted, they saw a few senior people were walking towards a direction ahead of them. The elderlies were dressed as if they were about to climb some serious mountain; they were wearing windbreaker, waterproof boots, thick woof socks and also thick shawls around their neck.


    Shao Yan looked down at her own outfit, and then she turned her head to Li Xiqing.


    "Are we going to be alright? I feel that we are not as prepared as them," she pointed her chin towards the group of those people who were holding walking sticks in their hands.


    Li Xiqing also turned his head to look at them, and then he curved his lips. He patted her on the back of her head, "I have asked the ryokan concierge, it''s going to be fine, it''s only a short trail," he slid his hand down to her wrist and wrapped her hands inside his big palm.


    Shao Yan linked their fingers, and she heard Li Xiqing continued to say, "Let''s go, we need to go back before the sky gets too dark."


    She smiled at him, and nodded her head. Together, they started to follow behind the senior people with walking sticks.


    .....


    The couple tried to keep a good distance from that group of senior people, but they still noticed Li Xiqing and Shao Yan anyway.


    After walking for a while, Shao Yan thought that they have been walking for a few miles, when in actuality; they only just spent five minutes to walk.


    The weather was clear and the air was fresh, so everyone was walking happily.


    Tall tress surrounded them; Shao Yan could smell the wet grass or the damp bark. The path that she was walking on had been cleared from dried leaves; making it easier for people to walk around.


    When they reached an open space with some rocks and dead tree logs that were scattered around, one of the elderly decided to take a break. All the other elderlies then started to follow her. They spread themselves and sat on the rocks and logs and started to open their backpacks.


    They took out some tumblers, tea cup, and even some snacks; and started to have a mini picnic of their own.


    Shao Yan looked at the view in front of her and could not help to smile. She nudged their linked fingers, making Li Xiqing to turn his head around in curiosity over her tug.


    "Xiqing, these people can find joy in every single thing in their life. I think they have lived a very contented life. Don''t you think so?" She talked in low voice.


    Some other people had also visited the forrest park today and had walked behind them for a while.


    When Shao Yan and Li Xiqing stopped on their tracks to admire the elderlies, the newcomers were also attracted by the view.


    Li Xiqing smiled at the warmth projected by the people around him, he turned his head to look at Shao Yan, "Do you want to have a rest here as well? We can join them."


    Shao Yan tilted her head to contemplate for a while. She looked up at the sky and then glanced at her wrist, and then she turned to look at Li Xiqing again, "No, maybe later. Let''s have our own picnic near the waterfall."


    Li Xiqing nodded his agreement, and then they continued their journey.


    .....


    Around ten minutes or so later, Shao Yan started to hear a thunder sound.


    She looked up and saw that the sky was still bright and clear with no sign of rain. So, she swiftly turned her head around, and exclaimed, "Xiqing! We are close; I can hear the waterfalls now."


    Once she finished with her words, she started to tug him along her, and hastened her pace.


    Li Xiqing chuckled softly but still went along with her, not trying to stop her urgency at all.


    As they got closer, Shao Yan could feel the gush of wind is getting stronger around her. And the sound was getting louder as well.


    She could hear the burble sound; along with the rippling sound.


    And then she saw it.


    In front of her was a cliff that was so tall; Shao Yan had to squint her eyes, when she tried to see the peak.


    A huge waterfall stood proudly in front of all, flowing with its might; pouring to the ground mercilessly. The thundering sound blanketed them as they got closer.


    Li Xiqing looked around them, small creeks had formed surrounding the area with small rocks piled up, creating a serene view of a riverbank.


    Some people were already here, with their own tarps spread on the ground; they were enjoying the majestic view and refreshing cool air.


    He swept his eyes around the area, and found a huge rock with some people sitting on top of it.


    Li Xiqing turned to Shao Yan and pointed the rock to her. She looked at the direction he pointed at, and then she beamed at him, before nodding her head yes.


    And just like that, the couple decided to climb the huge rock to sit on top of it, just like the other people, to have their own picnic.

 Chapter 149 - Like A Child

    "Are you comfortable?"


    Li Xiqing asked her as he brushed her hair gently, his fingers then twirled the tips of her hair, while looking at her beautiful face that had slight pinkish blush on her cheek.


    He had one hand playing with her hair, while his other hand was placed somewhere above her face; creating a shadow and acted like a shade. His broad palm shielded her fair skin from the sun.


    Shao Yan was laying down on top of the rock, with her head on his thighs; he had covered her legs with a soft blanket. Yan Yan had her eyes closed and she put her clasped hands on her tummy.


    When she heard his voice, she opened her eyes and tilted her head up to meet his gaze.


    "Xiqing, I still feel it''s not right."


    He slightly furrowed his eyebrows, unable to understand what she meant by suddenly saying that. Before Li Xiqing got the chance to ask more, Yan Yan had continued to say.


    "Look at other couples around us. It was the men who are laying down and sleep on the women''s lap. Not the other way around like us!"


    His lips gradually curved up, as he stroked her cheek while saying, "Why do you have to care what others are doing? As long as you''re happy, that''s all that matters," he paused, and then remembering the snacks that they had brought along, Li Xiqing asked again, "Let''s eat the rice ball first, and then we will go down to the stream."


    He patted her tummy, "Let''s get you full first before we play around, alright? The wind is pretty strong here, I don''t want you to catch a cold."


    Shao Yan swatted his hand and feigned an anger, "Stop treating me as a kid," her lips were pouted but her eyes were glittering mischievously. The combination made her adorably cuter.


    .....


    Shao Yan slowly risen up, and reached out for the bulky backpack that he had put to the side.


    The ryokan lady had prepared some rice balls, hot drinks and also rice crackers to accompany them on this short trip.


    Shao Yan took out the food, and started to open the packaging and handed over one for Li Xiqing, "I have an idea for tonight," and then she took out another rice ball, and started to open one for herself, "I want to eat Shabu Shabu."


    Li Xiqing was about to bite the rice ball, but he couldn''t help but chuckle, "We just had lunch and now we''re snacking but you are already thinking about dinner?" He reached out his palm to pat her head, while thinking.


    All that his adorable wife could think of right now is probably all the amazing Japanese food that she wants to try. Li Xiqing unconsciously rubbed her head lovingly.


    ''It seems that I have pampered you too much,'' he shook his head helplessly while promising, ''that is fine, wifey, I''ll just have to increase the exercise then.''


    And he patted her head again.


    Shao Yan looked up at him with her cheeks full of food. Her big round eyes showed confusion, as to why Li Xiqing kept patting her head and smiled foolishly.


    .....


    They played around the waterfall area for the rest of the day.


    Shao Yan tried to avoid getting into the water because she didn''t bring any change of clothes. So they only played around the river bank and some small streams.


    As the night got closer, the couple started to head back to the ryokan; taking the same public bus that they had taken this morning. When the bus passed by a crowded area, Shao Yan saw that there was a night festival.


    She poked Li Xiqing on his upper arm, "Let''s alight here and visit the night market?" And then she pointed her chin to her left, "There should be a lot of things to eat and see there!"


    Li Xiqing quickly pressed the button to notify the driver that they wanted to alight here.


    He grabbed Shao Yan by her hand, and they quickly walked to the exit.


    .....


    "Didn''t you say that you want to eat Shabu Shabu for dinner? Why does it change now?"


    Li Xiqing asked Yan Yan once they stepped out of the bus. She looked up at him and grinned, "Well, I did think about Shabu Shabu because, you know, cold weather and hot soup blend well together," she tried to argue her statement earlier.


    She swung their linked hands, "But then when I saw the lights and the crowd, I got to think that the night market may be more fun," and then she shrugged.


    He laughed and they started to walk to the market entrance.


    Multiple colorful paper lanterns were hung above them; each of the lanterns were written with unique auspicious words in beautiful calligraphy.


    Shao Yan admired the strokes of each letter, with Li Xiqing patiently guiding her way.


    As this was a small town, the crowd was not as bad as what she had expected.


    A lot of parents with young children ran around the area, but they still behaved in order. Shao Yan curiously looked to the left and then to the right. She did not want to miss anything.


    Li Xiqing pointed to a takoyaki squid ball stand, "Do you want to try that?"


    Yan Yan saw that there were only a few people who waited in the line, so she nodded her head, "Sure, let''s go. I can go by myself, why don''t you go and get us something to drink?"


    Li Xiqing turned his head back to the food stand, and then he looked at its surrounding. Feeling that it was safe enough, he nodded his head saying yes, "Alright, let me find some hot tea, and you can buy the food. I will meet you right here, so don''t wander around after you got the food, alright?"


    Shao Yan rolled her eyes, and then she grabbed both of his arms, turned his body around and patted his shoulders, "Stop. Treating. Me. Like a child, Xiqing~" she wailed and protested while pushing his body forward for him to start walking.

 Chapter 150 - Love Life

    When Li Xiqing started to walk away, Shao Yan quickly walk to the opposite side of the road. Earlier, she had seen a small road stall that was opened by a local temple.


    Shao Yan remembered that when Li Xiqing gifted her the cherub necklace a few months ago, she had not gotten the chance to give anything back to him. So when they just entered the night market earlier, Shao Yan saw the drawn map that the drink stalls were located at the very end of the market.


    So she would have enough time to get something for him.


    .....


    It was a very modest stall compared to the other stalls next to it.


    Other stalls were decorated with colorful banners or multiple lanterns were hung around it. But this stall was only a simple wooden structure with black ink calligraphy written on the wooden arch. One solemn monk was standing behind the table, and ignored all the people around him.


    He was focusing on reading a book on his hands.


    A plain white and black robe blanketed his frail figure. Shao Yan deduced he would be around fifty years old. His face had shown some wrinkles that had formed due to the hardship of the world. Or maybe they were evidence of the wise thinking of the goodness of people.


    Shao Yan approached the table, and started to look around the items displayed on the table.


    Small pouches were lined up on the most right of the table; about the size of a coin. They were lucky charms in a shape of colorful pouches. Each color had a number pasted on it, and then she saw there was a piece of paper on the side that gave explanation of what the numbers were for. There were charms for happiness, study, work, road safety, family, love, and others.


    On the middle of the table were prayer beads; also in different colors, similar to the lucky charm.


    And on the most left of the table were booklets of prayers and also handmade bookmarks made from dried maple leaves. Each item had a price tag on it, and there was a donation box placed at the corner of the table for people to put the money.


    Shao Yan was looking around the items on the table, and the monk was still reading on his own, did not pay a single attention at her.


    .....


    After a while, she finally set her mind on two different charms; work and road safety.


    Li Xiqing was busy with L Corporation lately, and he would need to travel to many different places. Shao Yan''s only wish for him was to be able to keep him safe every time.


    She took out her purse and started to shift around for money. As Shao Yan reached out her hands to put the money into the box, suddenly the monk stirred in his seat; surprising her.


    The monk raised up to his feet, and then he put down the book in his hands.


    He did a little stretch, before he lifted up his face and looked at Shao Yan straight in her eyes. Shao Yan was surprised at the sudden turn of event; she almost dropped the lucky charms in her hands.


    The monk walked over, and looked at the charms that she was holding so tightly in her palms. He lifted his head and scrutinized her expression.


    Both of them did not say anything for a while and just looked at each other.


    "Work and travel are good. But happiness and family are more important," his soft, quiet voice suddenly traveled to her ears, "Live a life worth living; stop looking back if you have decided to look ahead. You decide your own path of happiness."


    After he said that, he took the charms from her hands, and replaced them with the charms for happiness and family, "You have enough regrets in your life, the road ahead is not smooth, but always cherish the flower you have in your hand right now." The monk covered her hands with his skinny hands for a few seconds, before he patted the back of her hands.


    And then he turned to the side, and gave Shao Yan a bookmark made from a cherry blossom flower that had a black ink calligraphy on the side that spelled, "Love Life".


    .....


    Shao Yan, who was still standing on the line while ordering her takoyaki, turned to the side when someone patted her shoulders.


    She saw Li Xiqing carried two cups of hot drinks in his hands, "What took you so long?"


    She had bought the lucky charms and even stood in line to get the food, but Li Xiqing had just came back.


    "The drink stalls are at the end of the market, and there are so many people there. Have you been waiting for long?"


    He looked at her face in worry, and handed a cup to her, so Shao Yan could take a sip.


    She shook her head to the side, "This stall must be good; it attracts a lot of people tonight," she received the drink from him, and clasped both of her hands around the warm cup.


    Li Xiqing then put his broad palm behind her back and slowly guided her to the side, and he replaced her spot to stand in the line, "I can go wait in line. Go walk around and see what other stuffs that they have here," his hand was still sitting at her waist, holding her close to him.


    Shao Yan snuggled closer to him. She tilted her head to the side, contemplating his suggestions for a while, and then she shook her head, "No, I think I''m good. I don''t want to walk around alone anyway. It is more fun to walk with you by my side," she beamed at Li Xiqing and then a lazy grin escaped her lips.


    He returned her smile with the same warmth, and then he tilted his head slightly down towards her, and kissed her forehead.

 Chapter 151 - Uncontrollable

    Over the next few days, Li Xiqing kept bringing Shao Yan to explore around the area.


    Since both of them grew up in the city, living in the suburbs like this really brought new perspective for them. The traditional experience and also the original culture surrounded them like fantasy, as if they had traveled to another period of time.


    They did all their trips unplanned. One time, Shao Yan was eating their meal as usual, and said, "Xiqing, the rice they have here is so different than the one we have back home," and then she looked up at him excitedly, "why don''t we go to see some rice fields today?


    And with all the spontaneity, the couple decided to go visit the rice fields to see how the rice farmers produced the grains. The sun was shining brightly that day. A couple with their own casual clothes were seen walking around some rice fields, chatting amicably with the locals, and ended up sitting in their home, and eating their home cooked meal.


    Another time, they were soaking in their own hot spring tub inside their room. Shao Yan was leaning lazily in his embrace. Her head was laying by the crook of his neck, her back snuggled comfortably against his toned chest muscles.


    Li Xiqing had both of his arms wrapped around hers and rested in front of her tummy; she had her eyes closed, and he had his head leaned lovingly against hers.


    .....


    "What do you want to do today?" His soft voice caressed her sensitive ears like a feather; his head nudged her head gently.


    She unconsciously wanted to purr like a lazy cat, but Shao Yan managed to stop herself before she stretched a little.


    "Let''s just stay in. It''s so comfortable laying lazily like this," she whispered softly.


    "Hm.. Why don''t we just explore the nearby town? If you are doing business here with this ryokan, you may want to know what other local businesses are around here," Shao Yan said as she rubbed her head to snuggle deeper.


    He dipped his head low to peck her cheek, and then his lips traveled down to kiss her neck, and his lips lightly skimmed over her shoulder.


    She sighed contentedly as she angled her head to let him kiss more of her skin.


    His hands started to explore around, he spread his palm over her tummy, before his fingers naughtily travelled upwards, and cupped her breasts; squeezing them gently.


    A gasp escaped her lips, as he kept massaging her tenderly; and lightly pinched her nipples.


    "En, that''s a good idea," Li Xiqing started to kiss her jaw, and gave a light bite, "shall we leave after lunch?"


    Shao Yan was not able to comprehend his question. The warm air surrounded her, and the hot water blanketed her skin; making her fell into an illusion of floating in the clouds.


    She mumbled incoherently; surrendering herself to the pleasure of his massages.


    "I assume that is a ''yes'', Yan Yan?"


    Li Xiqing continued to tease her; with his fingers trailing on her soft skin, and with his voice seducing her hearing senses.


    "Xiqing," Shao Yan sighed his name, "no. Let me soak for a little more," she started to complain, albeit half-heartedly.


    Since he had done it so energetically on the first time, and then on the second time, Li Xiqing had given her several days to rest. His body kept craving for her warmth, but he was trying to hold himself as much as he could.


    Every night when they bathed together, or when they soaked in the hot tub together, he kept wanting her. When Yan Yan was sleeping next to him and her scent hypnotized him, he craved for her.


    Desire was indeed a scary thing.


    Before he had her, he could control himself better.


    But once he plunged into the land of greatness, he could no longer turn back.


    So his fingers would keep touching her, and his lips kissing her.


    Making her restless and started to demand for more.


    .....


    Li Xiqing grabbed her waist and scooped her up. He turned her around and guided Shao Yan to sit while straddling him.


    But unlike before where she would sit innocently on his lap, with his erection rubbing on her intimates and clitoris; this time, he insert his manhood inside her.


    Shao Yan gasped in surprise, but her honeypot quickly adjusted to his long, hard presence inside her. She circled her arms around his neck, and laid weakly in his embrace. She placed her head on his chest and just sat there; unmoving.


    Li Xiqing did not move his hips, he just let his hardness covered in her warmth and hugged her tight to himself.


    His lips started to explore her exposed skin on her jaw, down to her neck and shoulders; leaving love bites all the way he went.


    With his arms circled around her, he brought her closer to him. His mouth caught her nipples and started to nibble softly, his tongue circled her areolas and bit lightly on the perky nipples. Shao Yan jerked her head to the back, exposing more roundness of her breast for him to suck on.


    His hands around her butt cheek started to fondle the supple skin; teasing and tickling her.


    Yan Yan moved restlessly on top of him; wriggling her butt every now and then.


    .....


    With his hands supporting her butt, Li Xiqing stood up, and carried Shao Yan out of the water.


    Once he stepped out of the tub, his hips moved a little and the hardness inside her tickled her sensitive spot. Shao Yan moaned and let out a soft cry as she bit into his shoulder.


    "Xiqing.." Shao Yan cried for his name as she struggled for air.


    Li Xiqing backed her to a wall, and let her back leaned against it. His lips caught her lower lip and started to kiss her hungrily. He started to move his hips; going inside and out of her.


    His erection was hitting her inner spot again and again, while she wrapped both of her legs around his waist.


    .....


    Li Xiqing hold both of his hands around her waist and started to move in slow, tantalizing rhythm. The sound of his hips smacking against her, and with her wetness enveloping his hardness, creating a sensual sound that would make even a virgin blushed with horniness.


    He let out a frustrated groan against her neck as he plunged deeper and harder into her, while calling out her name with intense longing, "Yan Yan.."


    Shao Yan placed her forehead against his, and breathed along his hot, scorching breath. She caught his lower lip, and started to nibble, and kissed him with her little tongue.


    He pulled his erection off of her a little and rammed his rod back inside her again and again; both lovers moaned and sighed in heavenly pleasures.


    "Xiqing.."


    "I- It''s.."


    "Ahh.."


    When Shao Yan was reaching the peak of orgasm, her body started to quiver. Her strangled, soft little cries were whispered in his ears; driving him crazy. She started to convulse; her arms around his necks were tightened.


    And when she came, her face was the most beautiful looking face he had ever seen.


    Before she had the chance to recover, Li Xiqing started to plunge harder inside her and bury his manhood deeper and faster; and he came along with her while calling out her name desperately.

 Chapter 152 - And The Year After That

    "Xiqing..."


    In this tranquil night, only her soft voice was heard echoing in the room.


    Slight sound of river stream could also be heard from below them. But Li Xiqing was just enjoying the serenity and peace that they have while sitting on the patio and enjoying the night breeze.


    .....


    All the plans that they had talked about doing during the day were totally cancelled.


    After their little playful thing in the afternoon, Li Xiqing carried her down to take a shower. Initially, he really wanted to have a real proper shower with her. But they ended up going for another round of drowning in love and lust.


    Shao Yan really scolded him after that.


    Her face pouted adorable as she stood in front of him with her hands on her waist, "Li Xiqing!"


    And as if she just remembered that she was standing too close to him, Shao Yan took a step back, and continued, "I am so tired. You! Stay ten feet away from me. My waist is so sore right now."


    Li Xiqing reached out his hand; wanted to give her a massage, but she swatted his hand away, "No! Don''t touch me first," she turned around, and was about to walk away, before he swiftly caught her hands and held her still.


    Li Xiqing ended up spending a long time to coax Yan Yan to be cheerful again. Else, he would be facing a long day missing her.


    .....


    After their dinner tonight, the couple decided to take a walk to a nearby teahouse. Shao Yan and Li Xiqing were still clad in the kimonos that were provided by the ryokan.


    Walking hand in hand, they tool a stroll while chatting aimlessly. A fragrant smell was detected from a mile away. And after a short walk, they finally arrived in a traditional looking building. From the outside, Shao Yan could only see a simple bamboo rooftop with white paper walls.


    When Li Xiqing slid the bamboo door to the side, they saw that a few people were already occupying the table inside.


    "Good evening," a demure looking senior lady greeted them as they stepped inside, "downstairs or upstairs?" With a polite smile, she asked them as she folded both of her hands in front of her and gave a slight bow.


    Li Xiqing turned to look at Shao Yan and translated what the lady had just asked; but she just shook her head, "I''m fine with anything. It does not matter," she answered him.


    Li Xiqing scanned around the room, and then he peeked at the stairs. He turned to the lady again and said, "We will sit upstairs."


    She nodded, and took two menu books with her. The lady stretched her hands to the side, showing a direction to the stairs, "Please follow me this way."


    The second floor was more quiet and dimmed compared to the first floor. On the first floor, Shao Yan could still see normal chairs and tables decorated the space; but on the second floor, the area is only occupied with low tables and cushion chairs.


    Li Xiqing chose a spot near a corner. He held Shao Yan by her elbow to help her to sit down. Once she had settled down, Li Xiqing walked to the other side, and sat across from her.


    .....


    A bright, round moon lighted up the quiet night. Soft breeze of wind slowly circled around them as Shao Yan could hear slight sound of crickets singing through the night.


    "Xiqing.."


    Shao Yan softly called him, breaking the silence in the room.


    Li Xiqing was looking at the color of the tea and was about to pour it for her. When he heard her voice, he lifted up his face, and looked at her.


    Yan Yan was looking at something far away, seemed to be drowning in her own thoughts.


    "What do you say if we come back here again next year?"


    Slowly, she turned her head to look at him, "Thinking that we are going home tomorrow, is making me sad," Shao Yan softly sighed, "I feel like the holiday is too short."


    Li Xiqing chuckled at her comments, and then he brought his head down, to continue pouring the green tea, "We can always come back here anytime you want. You don''t have to worry about that."


    He put the tea pot down, and placed one cup in front of her. Li Xiqing placed his hand to cover the back of her hand, before slowly said, "Be it next year, or the year after that. Or even many years after that, I''ll come back here with you."


    A soft pink blush gradually crept up her cheek. Li Xiqing squeezed her hand before he finally let her hand go; and started to sip on his tea.


    .....


    Shao Yan roamed around the room as she raised her voice and asked, "Xiqing, have you checked the bathroom? Don''t miss anything, alright!"


    Li Xiqing came out of the bathroom while shaking his head helplessly. Yan Yan could be very nagging sometimes. She had reminded him many times since last night to check every corner of the room, so that they would not accidentally miss anything behind.


    Shao Yan had finished packing all of their luggage, and was sitting in the living room, waiting for Li Xiqing.


    "Are you done?" He asked as he bended down and started to pick their luggage up.


    She nodded docilely, "En. Have you checked everything?"


    Li Xiqing reached out one hand to her. Shao Yan placed her palm on top of it, and he grabbed it right away and pulled her up gently.


    "Alright, shall we, wifey?"


    Li Xiqing crooked his elbow and smiled cheekily.


    Shao Yan burst a soft chuckle and played along with him. She hooked her arm around his, and said, "Let''s go, hubby. I''m hungry, let''s eat breakfast first, shall we?"


    The corner of his lips crooked sensuously, emitting a priceless charm as he lowered his head down and planted a kiss on her cheek.


    "We shall."

 Chapter 153 - Office Drama

    Upon returning from their vacation, Shao Yan was quickly sucked back in to the routines. She spent the whole morning trying to catch up with the hundreds of emails that she had received.


    Fan jie, Wenhai and others would sometimes stop by her desk to ask about her vacation.


    "Xiao Yan, how''s Japan? What did you do there?"


    "How was the hot spring, Xiao Yan? Should I go there during winter or fall? Was it pretty? Let me see your pictures!"


    "Did you meet any cute Japanese guy? Are they tall? Are they handsome?"


    But Shao Yan was not in a mood to chat, so she swiftly chased them away; telling them that she had meetings to attend.


    When she was about to bury herself in the tons of email, a slim hand was knocking on the corner of her desk.


    Shao Yan lifted her face to see the owner of the fair skin who just disturbed her concentration.


    .....


    "Hey! You''re finally back!" Li Na was smiling cheerfully at her.


    Shao Yan returned her smile and then she quickly said, "I''m sorry Li Na, I''m very busy right now. I''ll catch up with you later, alright?"


    Li Na glanced at her computer screen, and then she placed a small paper plate on her desk, "Have some cake. The accounting team is celebrating Madam Zuo''s birthday today. So they shared some cakes for us, too," she pointed at the paper plate, "this is your share. Remember to eat and not just working all day, alright?"


    Shao Yan nodded absentmindedly as she was still thinking about a list of action items in her head.


    She turned her head back to look at her computer screen as she thought Li Na would walk away after saying that.


    But she stayed lingering by her desk, seemingly hesitant to say something.


    Shao Yan looked up at her again; she tilted her head and said to her, "Uh, Li Na, do you have anything else to say?"


    Li Na turned her head to the left and right, looking around to see if anyone was listening to them. Seeing that no one was paying attention, Li Na slightly bowed her head down, and leaned in closer to Shao Yan to whisper, "Xiao Yan, you missed a big thing that happened here few days ago!"


    Shao Yan furrowed her eyebrows and squinted her eyes, "What happened?"


    She scanned her eyes around the room, and then she looked back at Li Na, "Everything looks fine, what did I miss? We have newcomers?"


    Li Na, seeing that her chance to share a piece of gossip had come, quickly pulled up a chair and placed it next to Shao Yan''s.


    "You see, there was a big hoo-hah here few days ago!"


    Li Na tilted her head to the side, while bringing one hand upwards to support her chin, "Hm.. Was it two days ago or three days ago, I don''t remember."


    She went silent for a while, and then she clapped both hands in front of her and exclaimed, "Anyway, it doesn''t matter," she scooted closer to Shao Yan, "so what happened was, a crazy lady suddenly created a ruckus only for the sake of meeting Risa Yamaguchi."


    .....


    Shao Yan was confused. ''Someone was looking for trouble with her cousin?'' she thought inwardly.


    She signaled Li Na to continue, and Li Na quickly said again, "So, first of all, she appeared all of a sudden without any appointment, so the receptionist downstairs denied her visit. She was not allowed to enter the elevator, and was being asked politely to leave."


    Li Na told the story animatedly with her hands went around left and right, "And so she just kept giving rude attitude to the receptionist downstairs until finally the receptionist relented and gave the rude lady permission to go up to our office lobby."


    Shao Yan was still listening attentively to her story, so Li Na continued to say, "When she arrived on our office lobby, the rude lady demanded to see our CEO right away; she was not even asking for Risa anymore."


    "It was a big mess because the lady just spoke so loud, mix in English, Mandarin and Japanese. And at the end, Risa finally came out to the front to check what was going on."


    Li Na took a deep breath, "But it was a big mistake!" She gasped, "Because once Risa appeared on front of her, the crazy lady became a maniac and started to throw insults! And even started to grab things, wanted to throw them towards Risa."


    Li Na straightened up her body, "See, by this time, a lot of people already gathered around to see what was going on. The rude lady then purposely said to Risa, ''You slut! Did you sleep your way around to get your ass assigned here? It was supposed to be me, you bitch!'' and then she lunged forward, wanted to grab Risa by her hair!"


    Shao Yan pursed her lips, trying not to laugh out loud. Li Na was telling the story with vigor, and even altered her voice when the scenes changed.


    However, Shao Yan was getting impatient, because of the emails that were screaming for her attention in her inbox. She finally tapped her hand on the back of Li Na''s hand, "So, what happened in the end? Just skip the drama and tell me the ending."


    Li Na quickly resumed herself to calm demeanor, "Oh! Hm.. In the end, someone called security and dragged that crazy woman away."


    .....


    Li Na slumped back to her chair, "Do you know what I don''t understand? I heard that woman is actually a rich heiress, she doesn''t even need to work here because her father is already very successful back in Japan."


    And then she sighed loudly, "But then rumor has it that she wanted to control the media to help her husband''s business, and that''s why she was dying to step into the publishing world, for the sake of getting our contacts."


    Li Na turned her face to look at Shao Yan. Her face was full of sadness and a little disgusted, "Don''t you think it''s pathetic, being that selfish for the sake of her own happiness, and she justified her action to be rude to others because of that?"

 Chapter 154 - Sneaky Fox

    The chair was pushed to the back.


    Shao Yan swiftly got up from her seat. She reached out her hand to grab her mobile phone that she had put to the side, and turned around to face Li Na who was staring at her.


    She got up from her seat as well, and looked at Shao Yan, "Are you going to find your mentor?"


    Shao Yan nodded, "I''ll catch up with you later, Li Na," and then she started to walk away.


    Her eyes were following Shao Yan as she briskly walked to the elevator. And then Li Na saw that she turned around and walked back.


    When she was standing in front of her again, Li Na heard Shao Yan said, "I forgot to lock my computer," she chuckled softly as she quickly typed in commands to her laptop to lock it.


    "Thanks for telling me that, Li Na. I''ll go look for Risa now and see how she''s doing," and then she turned around again, and left


    .....


    Shao Yan was planning to just go to her desk, but in case she could not catch her, Shao Yan decides to give her a call.The phone rang a few times, before her soft voice was heard through the receiver.


    "Yan Yan, you''re back?"


    Shao Yan nodded as she said, "En. I am at your floor now, I just came out from the elevator. Are you at your desk?"


    An echo sound was heard from Risa''s side, "No, I am in meeting room G, you can come here and see me."


    Shao Yan swiftly changed her direction, and walked to the other side of the building, "Alright, I will be there in a minute. See you," and she hung up the phone.


    .....


    As she opened the glass door, Shao Yan noticed that Risa was not alone. President Huang and VP Zhuang were also inside the meeting room.


    Shao Yan stopped at her track.


    VP Zhuang saw Shao Yan had just stepped into the room, he beckoned her to come in, "You can join us. Risa has told us about your relationship," his hand pointed to a seat, "since you''re family, come. Join our discussion."


    Shao Yan gave a little bow of respect, and walked over to sit next to Risa.


    "How''s your vacation, miss Shao?" President Huang started with a casual talk, hoping to ease everyone''s feeling in the room.


    Shao Yan slowly let out a polite smile, "Thank you for your concern, President Huang, Japan is a very beautiful country. I had a good time."


    After she had settled down, Shao Yan continued, "I had brought some sweets and cookies from Japan, I will deliver it to your office after we are done with this meeting."


    President Huang laughed as he nodded repeatedly, "Alright, alright. Thank you."


    And then he turned his face to look at VP Zhuang, "So, we were saying?"


    VP Zhuang quickly took over the conversation, "Yes, so we were talking about the next course of action. We already know who the woman is, we have evidence from the security camera. Should you decide to sue her, the company will help you."VP Zhuang stared intently at Risa, "What do you want to do?"


    .....


    Shao Yan was surprised. It seemed that she had interrupted a very important meeting. She came over to look for Risa to check on her well-being.


    And it seemed that what that crazy woman had done was so serious that even the top executives had to interfere now.


    Shao Yan saw Risa sat there, still surrounded by her own peaceful aura.


    Looked as professional as usual, with her white skirt and black suit jacket, Risa looked as calm as the seven seas.


    "I really appreciate the offer, President Huang, VP Zhuang," her clear voice started to say.


    "But first, I will try to settle this in person. If it is not going well, then, please, I will take up the offer of your assistance."


    President Huang somehow had predicted that Risa would say this. His poker face turned to face VP Zhuang and gave a little nod.


    VP Zhuang let out a soft sigh, "Alright. But please be careful. You are a valuable employee here. I believe you will not act rashly, but I don''t trust the other person. When you are meeting her, please make sure you are not alone."


    .....


    The meeting was finally concluded around an hour later. Since Risa and Shao Yan were together in the room, they decided to discuss the few plans and progress of the end of year party.


    President Huang had to rush out for a lunch appointment so he had to leave the room earlier.


    When they finished the meeting, as Risa and Shao Yan were about to leave the room, VP Zhuang suddenly said, "Risa, I have promised your husband of your well-being. Please promise me to take good care of yourself," he softly sighed, "don''t be so stubborn to ask for help, alright?"


    Risa suddenly chuckled, "VP Zhuang, I know you and Kei are good friends. So thank you for your concern, but I got this. She won''t be able to do anything to me."


    VP Zhuang wanted to say more, but he decided not to, and left the room.


    Now that there were only the two of them, Risa was more relaxed. She patted Shao Yan at the back of her hand, "I''m fine. Don''t look at me that way," and then she flicked her forehead, "how''s your vacation?"


    Risa tilted her head to the left and then to the right. And then she patted Shao Yan at her cheek, "I see you''re glowing, Yan Yan! I guess Daniel finally got to eat you full, huh?" And then she laughed.


    "That sneaky, horny fox. He had to take you across the ocean to keep you to himself, so you won''t be able to escape, huh?"


    Shao Yan was horrified at her remarks, she swiftly turned her head around the room, making sure no one else was still lingering around.


    Oh how she had forgotten about this vulgar sister of hers!

 Chapter 155 - A Slight Ripple

    After making sure that door was properly shut, Shao Yan turned around and playfully hit Risa on his arm, "Keep your voice down, will you! Do you want me to die of embarrassment?"


    Unbeknownst to her, Risa saw that a blush had crept up on her face, making Shao Yan covered in soft pink layer now.


    Risa laughed again, and patted her again, "Alright, alright. I''m sorry. I couldn''t help it. I just have to tease you," she shrugged, "as long as you''re happy, that''s all that matters."


    Shao Yan who was still pouting her mouth and sulking, finally relented and said, "I know," she paused, and then slowly said carefully, "I am happy now, Sis. He has always been good to me since the beginning. So I feel very happy and also scared at the same time."


    Risa saw that Shao Yan suddenly turned solemn, she pursed her lips and patted her shoulder to cheer her up, "Let''s not talk here. It''s almost lunch time. Let''s go. I''m sure you have been missing soup dumplings," she said as she got up from her seat and pulled Shao Yan up along with her.


    .....


    The lunch crowd today could be considered as normal. The weather was a little warmer in Shanghai the past few days, so not so many people fought a spot to eat dumpling soup with the two of them.


    Shao Yan and Risa were seated almost immediately, and since they were a frequent customer here, they knew what they wanted to order right away.


    "Thank you for your order. Your food will come out soon. Please enjoy your tea while waiting."


    After the server had taken their order, she put a tea pot in front of them and walked away.


    "So what happened?" Shao Yan finally could not curb her curiosity anymore.


    Risa was pouring the tea for the two of them. When she was done, she lifted her face and looked at Shao Yan.


    "Hm. Where should I start?" She tried to think for a while, before saying, "When I found out about you and where you work, I started to look around."


    "VP Zhuang was my husband''s senior in university, so when they went out for drinks one time, he accidentally told him about your company who was in the middle of pursuing OnScience. And I had been working for OnScience as independent consultant anyway, so I asked for a permanent job there."


    She paused to sip her tea, "Helen was hired only slightly after me, and she wanted to get into the China market. So she had been campaigning to get the position here. But I clearly have more experience than her, no it''s a no brainer that I would be appointed instead."


    She reached out and placed her hand on top of Shao Yan, "Don''t worry. She''s just a small minded person who made a ruckus because she thought her family has everything."


    And then Risa slowly leaned back in her chair, "But her father will not do anything because this is not a Korean drama where you have your power unlimited everywhere in the world. There are rules here."


    And then she slowly grinned and clicked her tongue, "Tsk! I will definitely settle her down if there''s a chance."


    Risa also cracked her knuckles, "It''s too bad the security came too soon. Everyone missed the chance of seeing me kicking her sorry ass."


    And Shao Yan could not help but drop her jaw at her feisty remarks.


    "S- Sis, what did you plan to do?" Shao Yan gingerly asked.


    Risa casually leaned forward and picked up her tea cup again, "Me? Oh nothing really," she shrugged, "probably just slam her face to the floor, and make her lose some hair, no biggie," Risa said as she waved her hand around nonchalantly.


    .....


    Risa scooped some vegetables into Shao Yan''s plate, "So, how was your trip? Do you like Japan?"


    Shao Yan picked up some rice, and started to chew, "It''s relaxing. I realize now that I need more vacation days. I have been working too hard these past two years, I forgot the feeling of actually taking a break."


    "En," Risa paused before she quickly continued, "so how many times did you guys do it the first time?"


    And Shao Yan successfully choked on her rice.


    .....


    Shao Yan coughed profusely, tears started to come out from her eyes.


    Risa quickly stood up and walked to her side. She started to pat her back slowly, trying to help her to ease down, "Sorry sorry. I didn''t think that your first night would be so damn wild that you even shocked at remembering it again."


    And Shao Yan coughed even louder and harsher than before.


    Shao Yan threw a glare at her side, while still trying to catch some air to breath. ''This sister of her was definitely trying to kill her with her vulgarity!'' Shao Yan thought inwardly.


    .....


    On the other side of town, in a luxurious penthouse in the middle of downtown.


    !! CRASH !!


    A beautiful crystal vase was flung down to the floor, pieces of the clear glasses shattered to all corners.


    "That bitch!"


    Helen slumped to the couch and crossed her long legs elegantly. The short leather skirt was slightly raised up to her thighs; showing a beautiful toned muscles.


    "How dare she! Who does she think she is? She messed with a Kanagawa, dammit!" She threw both hands in the air and huffed furiously.


    "ENOUGH!"


    A masculine voice rang harshly in the room; abruptly stopped all further remarks from the brunette beauty who was now sulking even more. Her stunning face was dark and sullen. She was biting her lower lips, trying hard to hold her tears of anger.


    "Aren''t you ashamed of yourself? You called yourself Kanagawa everywhere you go. But don''t you know that what you just did had successfully insulted your whole family?"


    Helen very much wanted to retort back, but she held herself back. She lifted her french manicured fingers up in front of her eyes and started to look at each fingernails carefully.

 Chapter 156 - Blind Sided

    "I don''t understand what you were actually trying to achieve by attacking her in public like that! Are you stupid?"


    Charles was pacing around the room anxiously. His steps were heavier as they went. He brought his hand up to loosen up the tie around his collar and then he unbuttoned the first one.


    Heaving a deep sigh, Charles turned around and spread his arm wide apart, "All I''m asking is for you to be patient. And just this little patience you don''t even possessed."


    Her self-control started to wear off. Helen shot her feet off the floor, and abruptly stood up and yelled back, "What the hell are you talking about? You kept telling me to be patient, yet you didn''t do or say anything! How can I be patient while trusting you?"


    Charles clenched his hand to a fist, trying to hold his anger in and not to hit her. He took a deep breath, and controlled his anger that was about to erupt.


    He walked to the floor-to-ceiling windows and looked outside. The sun was glaring at him. Charles tried so hard to focus his attention to the traffic down there; trying to calm his own fire.


    "My dear wife," he sounded so tired, yet he drawled and said slowly, "I have been working with some people to disrupt their Wu tea business in Taiwan. Soon, she will have to leave Shanghai to save her family," Charles spoke to Helen as if he was treating a child, "if you want to stab someone, be a little smarter. Work with their enemies, so all the fingers won''t come back to us."


    Helen rolled her eyes, and snorted, "Hmph, the classic way of disturbing business. Did you watch too many Chinese soap drama, dear? Be a little more creative, will you? And why don''t we just get Daddy to buy the company, hubby?" She said sarcastically.


    Charles could feel his forehead is aching. This stupid wife.


    .....


    He was initially attracted to her because of her name and family background. And then he met Helen the first time, he saw that she was really attractive; a seductive vixen. So he decided to leave everything and bet his life on this woman.


    But the one thing this woman did not have was a working brain. So he had to step in as her brain all the time.


    Charles sighed inwardly.


    Lately, he had been thinking more about the past. He was reminded of the simplicity and pure happiness that he used to have. And Charles felt that his heart and his mind started to waver.


    But he gritted his teeth stubbornly. He had sacrificed too much. It was too late to change now.


    Charles ran his fingers through his hair; trying to curb his frustration. All of a sudden, he turned around and walked over to the sofa.


    He grabbed the suit jacket he had put there, and started to walk to the exit.


    Helen raised up to her feet and started to yell, "H- Hubby! Where are you going?" Helen called him in panic. Seeing no response, she started to call him again, "Charles! Get your ass back here!"


    But all she got in return was the door being slammed right in front of her face.


    .....


    Shao Yan and Risa returned to the office after lunch, and she was back to burying herself in her emails. All that could be heard from her is the click clack typing sound of keyboards.


    Her hand reached out to her mug; wanting to sip some water. She picked it up and realized the mug was already empty.


    Shao Yan got up from her seat, but all of a sudden, her phone rang.


    She saw Li Xiqing''s name showed up on the screen, so Shao Yan picked it up right away.


    "Yan Yan, what time do you want me to pick you up?"


    Shao Yan lifted her wrist to glance at the time, "Um, maybe in thirty minutes you can leave the office. I''m still working on the last two emails."


    Li Xiqing hummed, "Alright, just take your time. We need to do some grocery shopping tonight."


    Shao Yan rose up, with her mug in her hand, she started to walk to the water dispenser, "Oh, that''s right, we don''t have anything left at home. Alright, let''s do it tonight. What do you want to cook?"


    "Hm.. I was thinking of some potato and carrot soup, stir fry bean sprouts with anchovy and also some sweet and sour pork. What do you think?"


    Shao Yan stopped on her track, and slowly smiled at herself, "Xiqing~ you make me so hungry now. Yes, let''s have that for tonight."


    She could hear Li Xiqing is chuckling on the other side of the phone; her face gradually blushes.


    The deep, throttle laugh vibrated through her ears and left an intense impression in her heart.


    She missed him so much.


    Shao Yan silently promised herself to work faster so she could go home earlier.


    Back to the arms of her man.


    .....


    When she had finally finished for the night, Shao Yan quickly picked up her stuff and went downstairs.


    Li Xiqing had been waiting for a while. He was sitting on the couch in the lobby area and was playing with his phone.


    Shao Yan saw him right away, and was reminded of the moment when she saw him for the first time.


    He was wearing his reading glasses then, and was sitting in the coffee shop while waiting for her. And now he was still doing the same thing. Still a handsome man as usual. Still emitted the same charming aura.


    Shao Yan broke into a small run, and quickly approached him. As she got nearer, she hastened her speed and then she slumped her body next to him.


    "Xiqing!" She called him excitedly.


    Due to the impact, his body swayed to the side a little, but Li Xiqing quickly steadied himself.


    His arms reflexively reached behind her back and pulled her shoulder in.

 Chapter 157 - Heart Is Full

    Li Xiqing was reading an email just now and he was fully focused on thinking about the problem that was raised by the Japan office. He felt slightly annoyed. The negotiation that had been going on for the past year finally had some results, but they required his attendance on every meeting.


    Axel and Martin had been guarding the Japan office, but he was the one who started the negotiation with the target.


    His relationship with Yan Yan was at a critical peak right now and she was more important. On the other hand, this deal had consumed his everything and he could not just let it go like that.


    Li Xiqing was torn to two sides.


    He was about to look up to look for Shao Yan, when he suddenly received a message alert on his phone. Mandy was texting him to tell him of her plan to visit Shanghai for a vacation. Li Xiqing quickly replied her message.


    Just as he hit send button, he noticed a shadow was approaching him.


    When Shao Yan bumped into him, her perfume scent and familiarity of her curves instantly soothed his tired self. When he turned his face and saw his Yan Yan''s cheerful expression; his sour mood turned better instantly.


    Unconsciously, his lips curved and let out a relaxed smile.


    "Are you done?" He lifted a finger to brush the hair that had fallen in front of her forehead and slightly covered her left eye. He gently tucked the hair behind her ear and continued to say, "Are you ready to go now?"


    .....


    When she reached the lobby, Shao Yan saw Li Xiqing was already waiting for her. His eyebrows were scrunched and he was typing on his phone. She waited for a while until Li Xiqing had finished typing, and then she walked over.


    Shao Yan suspected that he was in a bad mood and wanted to cheer him up. But she was not really sure what to do. She could not just hug and snuggle with him in public. So she decided to just slump on the sofa next to him.


    Shao Yan could not even detect an upset tone from him. All she heard was his ever so gentle voice; quenching her thirsty soul. She enjoyed his touches; Shao Yan stayed still for him and letting Li Xiqing to do what he wanted.


    She slowly nodded her head without breaking any of their contacts, "En, I''m ready. We can go now," and then her lips gradually curved into a captivating smile; blinded his sight.


    Li Xiqing slowly rose up from his seat. He took Shao Yan''s laptop bag and then he grabbed her hand. Holding her hand inside his palm protectively, they started to walk out together.


    They walked hand in hand while smiling and talking. Two beautiful people were emitting such a pink aura; drawing envious look from all the people around them.


    .....


    Since it was just after rush hour, Li Xiqing decided to go to a shopping center nearby. The mall next to her office did not have adequate grocery store, so they decided to go to another shopping center about five minutes away.


    Shao Yan was texting with Qi Ling and Feifei at the same time. Every now and then, she would tell Li Xiqing the content of their conversations.


    "Oh! Feifei said her cake shop is opening next week. We should go there, Xiqing."


    "Xiqing, Qi Ling is in New Zealand right now, and she said hi."


    "Oh, interesting," she turned her head to look at him, "Feifei will only sell cake in her shop," and then Shao Yan looked back at the front, "I thought she would also have bread. She had always loved eating croissants before."


    "Xiqing! Xiqing!" Her hand patted his arm excitedly.


    She chuckled, "Qi Ling told me that she met a cute guy in Australia," and then she giggled happily, "she said he is a teacher, and was just heartbroken over childhood love. So now she wanted to grab the chance to woo him."


    Shao Yan turned her head around and beamed at Li Xiqing, "I can''t imagine it though, Qi Ling and a teacher."


    She propped a hand to support her chin, "I mean, Qi Ling is living a glamorous life. She''s travelling around the world for her job. That poor guy will be left behind."


    Li Xiqing stayed quiet for a while, and then he finally said, "Hm. Who knows, maybe because he has a grounded job, he actually can keep her grounded, too? Making her wanting to keep coming home."


    Shao Yan slowly nodded alongside his words, "En, that is also a possibility," and then she added, "oh, I am going to meet Feifei tomorrow for lunch, alright? I will pass her the cookies that we brought from Japan."


    .....


    "I''ll drop you off first. Just go in first with the shopping cart, I''ll meet you inside after I park, alright?"


    Because of the rush hour, they had been circling around the parking garage looking for a spot to park their car. Li Xiqing saw the time was getting late, so he suggested to Yan Yan to start shopping without him.


    Shao Yan looked around, and nodded her agreement, "Alright, be careful. Don''t worry about me," and then she got out of the car.


    She grabbed one of the carts and started to push it to the mall. Shao Yan took out her phone, and started to go through the list that Li Xiqing had prepared for them.


    He had set up a cloud sharing service to store their items. Shao Yan could take any pictures, and directly linked to the folder, and thus he can see it right away. And the same thing was also set up to his phone. They could also share the same music playlists.


    The folder was also able to keep a note or shopping list, so Li Xiqing had started to enter a few items during the day.


    "... Potatoes, and then carrots. Huh? Why did he need cloves and cinnamon too?" Shao Yan mumbled his list on the way.

 Chapter 158 - Grocery Night

    Shao Yan spent the next thirty minutes trying to find the items that Li Xiqing had noted down.


    This was a fairly new shopping center and she had never been here before, so Shao Yan was not familiar with the shelves arrangements.


    After walking for a while, she finally found the produce area. Shao Yan quickly pushed the cart over and started to look for potatoes and carrots. Just as she was about to start walking again, her phone rang.


    "Yan Yan, where are you?"


    Li Xiqing had parked the car and was looking for Shao Yan. He was initially planning to walk around but he underestimated how big the supermarket was, so he figured, calling Yan Yan would be faster.


    "Oh! I''m at the produce area, all the way at the back," she turned her head to the left and right, trying to locate his tall figure.


    Li Xiqing voiced his acknowledgement, "Alright I know. Just stay put, I''m on the way."


    .....


    After a while, Shao Yan was choosing some tomatoes, when a broad palm was placed behind her back. Shao Yan turned her head around, and saw Li Xiqing was smiling at her, "Having fun?"


    Shao Yan returned his smile, "This place is so huge, it took me a while to find the ingredients you need," and then she pointed to the cart, "I only managed to find potatoes and carrots. But look here, very pretty tomatoes," and she lifted the two tomatoes in her hands up for Li Xiqing to see.


    Li Xiqing saw the smooth, round tomatoes and then looked into her eyes, "Uh. Okay? What about them?"


    Shao Yan looked at him speechless; and then she puffed her cheek, "What do you think?" She pouted at him, "Why am I holding tomatoes, Li Xiqing?"


    He was amused at her response. Initially, he only wanted to tease her, but she was sulking now. So he pursed his lips, trying not to laugh, "Let me guess. This is you hinting me that you want scrambled eggs with tomatoes?"


    Shao Yan broke out into a grin and nodded her head. And then she put the tomatoes back into a clear plastic bag, and put it inside the cart. She hooked her arm around Li Xiqing''s elbow, "So smart! I want to eat that tomorrow for breakfast, alright?" She said as she tilted her head and peeked at him.


    Li Xiqing looked down, and his body started to shake and he laughed out loud.


    He lifted his hand and patted her head while saying, "Young madam''s wish shall be my command."


    .....


    "Why are you buying this?"


    He took out a bag of potato chips that Shao Yan had just put into the cart.


    Shao Yan gave him a side-eye, and grabbed the bag from his hand, "I want to eat it later," and then she dumped it back to the cart. His eyes kept following the bag, and then Li Xiqing took it out again, "No, there is too much MSG in here, not healthy for you."


    Shao Yan quickly grabbed the bag back from his hands, "No, I''ll just eat a little, I promise," her eyes showed a glittered determination.


    Li Xiqing crossed his arms in front of him, "Why don''t we do this," he''s trying to negotiate, "let''s not buy that, and instead, I''ll make a healthy snack for you which I promise you will love. Alright?"


    Seeing that she did not respond, he said slowly, "The famous chickpea fritters you found in 30th street in New York, remember that?" And then Li Xiqing saw that Yan Yan''s eyes widened and she gave him an ingratiating smile, "Yes. Alright. It''s a deal."


    Shao Yan walked over to the shelves and put the chips back, and then she started to walk onwards, leaving Li Xiqing behind.


    He followed behind her while pushing the cart, and smiling widely.


    .....


    The crowd after working hours were a lot, and after they had completed their grocery shopping, it was almost 9PM. Li Xiqing and Shao Yan walked out to an open area of eatery, and he decided to just eat there to save time.


    The area had around nine to ten food stalls that sold different kinds of food. Dinner crowd was a decent pack, and they were able to find a seat immediately.


    "It''s getting late now. Let''s just eat here," Li Xiqing said as he parked the shopping cart next to their table.


    Shao Yan nodded, "You can go first, and I''ll get my food later."


    Li Xiqing slowly scanned the surrounding area and at the same time trying to weigh in the different options, "I''ll get one for you too. What do you feel like eating now?"


    Shao Yan was also looking at the food stalls, and pondered for a while. And then she finally said, "Hm, why don''t we get one beef noodle soup, one chicken potstickers and one seafood pasta?" she turned her face around to look at him while grinning, "I can''t decide if I want beef noodle soup or pasta, so why don''t we get both?"


    Li Xiqing nodded at her suggestions, "Sure, we can do that," and then he lifted one hand and with his index fingertips, he poked Shao Yan on her cheek, "Somehow I already had a feeling that you would end up ordering those two," and then he pointed to the cart, "just stay here with the groceries, I''ll get the food."


    And then he walked away while smiling. But when he was out of Shao Yan''s sight, his smile dimmed a little, as his eyebrows were scrunched tightly.


    ''Dammit, that fly just had to stick around, huh?'' he cursed inwardly.


    Just now, as he scanned the area, Li Xiqing saw a familiar face. He had a bad feeling about it, so he told Shao Yan to just stay put with their cart.


    He started to walk faster to the food stalls, while thinking, ''I should hurry and get the food, before the fly disturb our peaceful night.''

 Chapter 159 - Concern

    When he came back to their table, Li Xiqing saw Yan Yan was bowing a little to an old lady who sat next to their table. He also saw that on top of their table, now sat a decadent slice of apple pie.


    Li Xiqing put the tray of their food, and threw a questioning look towards Shao Yan.


    She saw him just when he lifted his face, Shao Yan gave a small smile, and pointed to the chair across from her, "Xiqing, sit down. Look, I bought an apple pie," and then she grinned at him.


    After Li Xiqing sat down, Shao Yan started to say, "I saw a few people have been carrying this pie with them, so I got curious. I asked the granny who sat next to you to look after our groceries while I went to buy the pie."


    She lifted up the bowl of beef noodle soup and placed it in front of Li Xiqing, "You eat this first, I will eat the pasta."


    And then she picked up the plate of seafood pasta and placed it in front of her, "When I came back just now, you came back as well. That''s when you saw me in the middle of thanking her."


    Li Xiqing took out the chopsticks for her, "Oh alright," he paused for a while, before he finally asked, "did you meet anyone or did you see anything interesting while you walked around?"


    Shao Yan used her fork to twirl the pasta around, "Hm? Nope, why did you ask?"


    Li Xiqing smiled, "It''s nothing, just asking. Eat slowly, don''t choke on it," and then he rubbed her hair lovingly.


    .....


    "Go take a shower, I''ll put these into the fridge," Li Xiqing told her as they stepped into the apartment. He was carrying two grocery bags.


    Shao Yan was carrying a bag with her. She looked at him and said, "It''s fine, I''ll help you," and then she walked inside, straight to the kitchen, "Don''t forget we are meeting Grandma this weekend. We have to bring the green tea we got for her as well."


    Li Xiqing put the bags on top of the kitchen counter, "Alright. Also, Mandy is visiting next week. She will be staying with her husband at a unit a few stories below us. I will introduce you two later," he said as he opened the fridge and started to arrange the groceries inside.


    Shao Yan paused whatever she was doing. She turned around and looked at him, "Uh, do we need to prepare anything?"


    "No, she rented a full furnished apartment, so they are all set," he turned to look at her, "I think we just need you two to meet. That''s all," and then he smiled. Li Xiqing walked closer to her and grabbed the bag from her hand, and casually put the items into the pantry, and Shao Yan was left with nothing to do.


    "Okay, you settle everything here, I''ll go take a shower first," Shao Yan leaned closer and pecked his cheek softly; and then she turned around and walked to the bedroom.


    .....


    When she came out after shower, her shoulder length hair was wet, and Shao Yan was rubbing it gently with her towel.


    Li Xiqing just came into the room, and before he got the chance to say anything, Shao Yan had said, "I have prepared the tub for you. Go and have a soak for a while," she walked closer to him, and one of her hand reached out to hold his hand.


    Shao Yan slowly said, "I noticed you were tired today, and your expression is not good. I figure, it has something to do with work? So, go and relax yourself for a while, alright?"


    Li Xiqing felt that his heart squeezed with full of warmth the moment she said that. He gently squeezed her hand, "Alright," he paused for a while, before adding softly, "thank you, Yan Yan."


    Shao Yan pouted her lips and then she turned him around, and with both of her hands behind his back, she pushed him to the bathroom direction, "Why are you saying thanks," and then she clicked her tongue, "just go and refresh yourself now."


    .....


    Around thirty minutes later, Li Xiqing finally came out. Looking all refreshed and suave, he walked over to the vanity table where Shao Yan was sitting. She caught his reflection in the mirror, and kept her eye contact with the slowly approaching handsome man.


    His lips slowly curved and he gave a teasing smirk, Shao Yan stuck out her tongue while squinting her eyes; teasing him back from the mirror.


    "Here, let me help you," Li Xiqing grabbed the hair dryer from her hand. His fingertips slowly brushed her damp hair and he started to shift through the warm air all around her scalp.


    "How was your first day back to work?"


    Shao Yan had both of her hands folded nicely on her lap, as she watched his every move, "It was not bad. Oh, Risa was involved in a cat fight a few days ago," as she said that, her body automatically straightened up and her eyes widened excitedly.


    Li Xiqing did not react much, and he still shifted through her hair calmly, "Oh? What happened?"


    Shao Yan slowly told him the story.


    When she was done, she softly sighed, "Rumor has it that the lady is an heiress from Kanagawa Industries. Do you know that company, Xiqing?"


    His hand paused, and then he looked up to see her face in the mirror. His forehead gradually scrunched, "What did you say? Helen Kanagawa is here?" His face showed a concern look and turned solemn.


    Shao Yan gingerly nodded her head, she had her lips parted, and was about to say something, but she held herself back when she saw Li Xiqing put the hair dryer down, "You will continue for a while, I need to call Axel." And then he walked to the dressing table by the bedside. Li Xiqing took the mobile phone and walked outside the room.


    .....


    For the next few days, Shao Yan went to work as usual. The stories about potential cat fight involving the crazy lady and Risa slowly faded away, but some people would still give a questioning look at Risa whenever she walks by.


    Shao Yan had started to run around the city; trying to connect with the suppliers for the year-end party.

 Chapter 160 - Beautiful Lady

    "So you''re going to have a meal with Grandma this weekend?"


    Shao Yan was about to turn to a corner, so she hit the brake to slow down gradually. The phone was in speaker mode as she was talking to Risa about a project.


    She was driving to a printing house today. On the way there, Risa decided to call to ask about the status, so they decided to talk for a while.


    "Yes, I bought some green tea leaves as well. I''m curious how Grandma will like it," Shao Yan answered as she turned her head around to check on the incoming traffic.


    Risa hummed in the phone and then she added, "Grandma is picky, especially about tea leaves. Hey it''s out family business after all. However, i know that she loves you, and she will be lenient towards family," Shao Yan could hear her soft chuckles following her ''not so encouraging'' statement.


    Shao Yan rolled her eyes, "Alright, I know. So when are you going to meet Helen Kanagawa? Who is going to be your mediator?"


    A rustling noise was heard from her side; Shao Yan assumed she was replacing the phone from one ear to another ear.


    "You know what? All of a sudden, Karl, the hottie we met in Daniel''s office before, he called me a few days ago."


    Shao Yan clicked her tongue, "Hey hey! What hottie, remember your hubby," and then she laughed, "Ok continue. So what about Karl?"


    Risa cleared her throat, and then she said, "So, he said that he heard about the incident about the cat fight a few days ago, and asked me if I need any help. I told him about my plan to talk to her, and then suddenly he offered to be the mediator. Isn''t it interesting?"


    She took a quick pause, and then continued, "So, my nosy radar started to tingle. I asked him right away why he wanted to do that."


    Shao Yan stayed quiet the whole time, before she replied, "And then? What did he say?"


    Risa chuckled softly, "Karl said, Daniel and Axel are working on a huge case and it''s related to Kanagawa Industries," her voice was raised higher and higher towards the end; showing her excitement, "Isn''t it crazy, Yan Yan? What a coincidence!"


    "Ohh!" Shao Yan reflexively exclaimed, "No wonder! Xiqing was very surprised when he heard that Helen Kanagawa is here in Shanghai and he called Axel right away."


    "Yeah! So, Karl told me right away that he wanted to be a ''spy'' is what he said," Risa burst a laugh, "so of course I said yes immediately!"


    And then Risa lowered her voice down, as if she was about to talk about a serious matter, "It''s so exciting, Yan Yan! I feel like I''m shooting a Mission Impossible movie right now," she paused, "or maybe James Bond? And I can definitely be the hot Bond girl! Hehe!"


    And then they laughed together.


    Risa continued to talk about nonsense stuff, while Shao Yan kept driving to the printing house.


    Around thirty minutes later, she finally arrived.


    Shao Yan parked the car, and then she picked up the phone and turned off the speaker mode, "Sis, I''ve arrived, I''ll call you back later. Don''t forget to call me after your meeting, alright?"


    .....


    Risa hung up, and then she continued to work through her emails.


    When the clock hit ten minutes to three o''clock, her desk phone started to ring. Her fingers which were typing busily on the keyboard, suddenly paused, and then Risa reached out to pick up the receiver and placed it on her left ear.


    She pinched it still with her shoulder as she continued typing on the plastic keys.


    "Miss Yamaguchi, your guest, Karl Wegner is here," said the front desk receptionist who was staring boldly at Karl with glittering eyes.


    ''Such a hottie! Such a cutie!'' the receptionist thought to herself; while wondering why he was here and not looking for the executives, but instead, Risa Yamaguchi.


    Risa hummed as a reply, "En, please let him in, I''ll come out soon. Please direct him to meeting room G and I will wait for him there. Thank you," and then she hit the email send button, before she hung up the phone.


    She quickly typed in more buttons, and then the computer started to shut down.


    Risa got up from her chair, and then she turned around to grab the suit jacket from behind her chair and put it on.


    The weather suddenly turned chilly today. The temperature dropped and became more windy than usual.


    She picked up the small mirror on her desk and checked her appearance. Satisfied with her own look, Risa placed the mirror back on the desk, and with a computer tablet in her hand, and her mobile phone in the other hand, she walked out of her office area.


    .....


    Risa was just about to press the elevator keypad, when suddenly elevator C opened, and came out Karl; walking in her direction suavely.


    In his palm, a huge bouquet of sunflowers rested grandly. The big, manly hand wrapped around the stems as the crowns swayed along the movement of the tall man.


    Risa was speechless while looking at this view in front of her. His mesmerizing blue eyes were staring at her, and with the big sunflower bouquets in front of his chest; Karl looked so elegant like a prince that stepped out of fairy tale book.


    "Y-you.. What is this?" Risa started to stutter when Karl stood in front of her.


    He handed the bouquet to her. She had her eyes glued onto the flowers; ever since he stepped out, until they appeared in front of her.


    "They are for you. It''s a beautiful day outside. These beautiful flowers fit the beautiful lady in front of me," and after Karl handed the flowers to her, he slipped both hands into his pants pocket.


    Risa looked down at the flowers, and then she looked up at him again, "Uh. Thanks?" She looked a little lost, before she quickly gathered herself and continued to say, "you know that I am married, yeah?"


    She could see the change in his face. From the bright smile, his lips slowly curved down and his face turned serious, "I heard. Shao Yan told me," and then he sighed, "don''t worry about the flowers. They are really a gift for you to celebrate a beautiful day. That''s all."

 Chapter 161 - Professional

    "Then, thank you. Let me put them in my office. Please wait a moment," and then she turned around and walked back to where she came from.


    Karl kept his eyes trained on her until he could not see her anymore. A sad smile featured on his face.


    It was so rare for him to find a beauty like Risa, equipped with the right sassy attitude and the stunning brain that he deeply adored.


    He looked down to his feet and then he scoffed; and laughing pitifully over his own self.


    ''Of all the beauties in the world, you just have to fall in love with someone else''s wife? How stupid are you?''


    Karl took a deep breath and looked up to the ceiling.


    ''Just today. And then, I shall move on.''


    .....


    "So, what is in the agenda?" Karl asked as he keyed in the floor destination to the keypad.


    She replied almost immediately without thinking it through, "I''ll just scare the bitch out of this world, I guess," Risa shrugged.


    After pausing for a while, she cleared her throat and then continued, "I mean, first, ask her nicely what she wants. And if she gets riled up and rude, hmm. Maybe grab her hair and then broke her stupid nails," and then she swiftly turned her head around to look at him, "I''m kidding, of course, you know that right?"


    She placed both hands under her chin in V-shape and continued, "I''m very gentle and elegant, and I don''t condone violence, thank you very much."


    Karl was stunned at her words, he lost what he wanted to say for a second, before his lips slowly curved to a very sexy smirk, and nodded his agreement, "Of course. Violence is never good enough." With his eyebrows raised up, his eyes glinted playfully, "intelligent people like us fight with brain, and not with muscles."


    Risa let out a soft chuckles and she brought up one hand to cover her mouth as she laughed.


    .....


    Risa and Karl had a long discussion on what to say, and what not to say in front of Helen Kanagawa and her entourage later.


    When the clock hit four o''clock, the glass door to the meeting room opened, and came walked in Helen Kanagawa in her best appearance. Few people were following from behind.


    Risa did not pay attention on the minions that Helen brought with her, and instead, she held her stare on Helen, who also did not back down from the staring contest.


    Helen Kanagawa looked pristine in white suit, white silk blouse and white formal pants. Her wavy, slightly blonde hair ran loosely on her back.


    A few gentlemen in black suits and grey suits followed closely behind her.


    Before the door was finally closed, Karl noticed that VP Zhuang also walked in with a corporate lawyer, Mr. Xin. Karl then coughed softly to notify Risa, who took back her stare and finally saw VP Zhuang.


    VP Zhuang first walked to Helen''s side. He raised one hand and shook hands with everyone while introducing himself, "Welcome to Gold Crane, thank you for accepting my invite," and then he walked to the head of the table.


    .....


    "First of all, thank you everyone for your time today," he turned his head to look at Risa, "Risa, I know I have promised you to let you take care of this yourself, but since the incident happened in this premise, indirectly, the company is also involved."


    VP Zhuang lifted on hand with his palm upside up, and directed it to his left, "This, the company agreed to present here as an advisor or observer. However you want to call it.


    He paused for a while, before continued again, "This is Lawyer Xin, our corporate lawyer. He is here mainly to make sure the discussion is civil and professional."


    A short, plump man, maybe in his thirties stood next to VP Zhuang. His hair was combed neat to the side. His face had a decent attractiveness.


    After VP Zhuang finished his introduction, Mr. Xin had a small curved of smile, adding a little charm to his face.


    He scanned the whole room, and then he said, "Please speak as you wish, do not mind my existence here. I will be just taking notes and do my own things, don''t worry about me," and then he walked to the first seat on his left. His hand ran over the front lapel of his navy blue suit jacket before unbuttoning the fist button and sat down.


    He took out a laptop from his computer bag and started to power it on.


    VP Zhuang looked at his nonchalant attitude, and felt a little speechless.


    ''O- Oi.. We paid you thousands of dollars to be a good mediator, what did you just do?!'' he thought to himself, while shook his head slowly.


    VP Zhuang then cleared his throat, "Uh. Okay, shall we start then?"


    .....


    Risa started the discussion by throwing the first statement. Leaning back in her chair, she clasped both hands on her lap and started, "The incident happened last week. I heard some talks from people who sat around me about a commotion at lobby downstairs. At first, I didn''t think too much about it, until Miss Kanagawa here suddenly stormed upstairs and started yelling at people." Risa lifted one hand and with her palm upward, pointed at Helen.


    "Miss Kanagawa here is a former employee of OnScience. The company decided to let her go after we found out that she had set up another company outside thay had consumed her obligation towards OnScience."


    Risa gave an inconspicuous smirk towards Helen, before she quickly said, "Men can''t have two wives, likewise, an employee can''t have two loyalties. Miss Kanagawa had her attention divided and that cause the company to suffer lost from incorrect project planning and management. And thus, it was only natural that the management decided to let her go, and instead sent me to Shanghai as OnScience project lead."


    Risa paused her long speech to reach out and grab the glass water in front of her. She had tried to speak as professional as she could. It was really hard not to use curse words while telling her version of the story.


    She looked down to glance at her wrist, ''Oh man! It''s going to be a long day!'' she lamented pitifully.

 Chapter 162 - The Hyenas

    Helen was staring at Risa. Unmoving. Her anger was reflected on her face; and if looks could kill, Risa would have died multiple times from the thousands of imaginary daggers that Helen sent over.


    The air was cold around her.


    Helen was pouted and her fingers were clenched deep into her skin; making her knuckles turned white.


    The few people who sat next to her were oblivious of the change in the young lady.


    A young man clad in dark blue suits who sat next to her, suddenly placed his palm over her hand, and gave a light squeeze. The light blue square handkerchief in his jacket pocket left a little creases as he leaned closer.


    He brought his face down and then whispered to her ear, "Don''t get riled up easily. We are here to negotiate, my dear wifey," he kept whispering more words to her, and Risa could see gradually Helen regained her self-control.


    Helen slowly relaxed her tensed face. Her fist unclenched, and then she tilted her head to the side to look at the man. A slow, seductive smile curved on her lips.


    Risa then started to pay more attention to the guy.


    Around thirties, perfectly stylized hair and custom made suit.


    But Risa was surrounded by a lot of outstanding, handsome men around her; this man and his look was decent at best.


    Just now, when he was introduced around the room, Risa caught his name to be ''Charles''. Most of the time, he would just sit back and calmly stare at everyone around the room.


    Only when Risa had finished talking, and Helen was trembling with anger, then this guy finally showed some reactions and started to pacify the hyena to hide her fangs.


    Unbeknownst to Risa, Karl who was sitting next to her, had been paying close attention to Charles ever since he walked into the room.


    .....


    The real reason why Karl was here, was to be a spy for sure.


    After Li Xiqing''s late night call to Axel, he had scheduled an early meeting the next day.


    Axel, Karl and Martin were sitting in Li Xiqing''s office. Each person occupied the plush grey sofa. In their hands were their own beverage of choice. Axel and Martin had a cup of coffee each, while Karl and Li Xiqing were holding a cup of tea.


    The sun was shining brightly that day, but the glowing charm of these four beauties in the room was unchallenged.


    "The real driver of Kanagawa Industries is indeed Ido Kanagawa. However, he has been rejecting our buy-out offers too many times now," Li Xiqing opened the discussion, "so we have to find a way on how to negotiate with them."


    "All of his sons have no interest in the company so rumor has it, he will not hand the company over to any of them," Martin added his comment, "and so the guess is, Helen Kanagawa is the person next in line to succession."


    Axel slowly crossed his legs, and hummed, "Hm, and now that she is here, and not in her father''s company to work. Something must be going on."


    Li Xiqing just calmly sipped on his tea, and said, "Not really. After I called you last night, I called my contacts in New York. They told me that Helen is focusing on a company named ''CH Corporation'' lately. And guess what I found when I dug deeper?" He scanned the faces in the room one by one.


    To his right, Axel was giving Li Xiqing a solemn, knowing look. Next to Axel, was Martin who was smiling mysteriously into his cup. And finally, Karl, who was just looking back at Li Xiqing without any expression.


    Li Xiqing cleared his throat and continued, "Charles, the son in law, built a company two years ago, and Helen had thrown in billions of dollars to support him," Li Xiqing jabbed his index fingers into the arm sofa, "and this caused a rift in the family because Ido Kanagawa had never like this foreigner since the beginning."


    "Right now, all Ido Kanagawa knows is that Charles has good investors behind him, and Helen still has her inheritance intact," he paused for a while to let that information sink in to everyone''s mind, "but what he doesn''t know is that, Helen is broke, CH corporation is not growing as expected, and now both of them are desperate to get the power of media to boost their presence and reel in big whales to invest."


    Li Xiqing squinted his eyes, and stared at his tea cup, "This is why they are here. To remove Risa Yamaguchi from the picture, and take over the Project Executive role for Gold Crane Publications. Control the media, control the people."


    .....


    Karl nodded slowly as he was thinking of the best possible scenario.


    Daniel had sent him on a task to collect as much information as possible from this meeting. His eyes scanned the room again as he recalled what Daniel had told him that day.


    "Who else came with Helen? What were their names and job titles? What did they say or do in the meeting? We need all of those information to build our own troops," Li Xiqing looked at Karl, "collect as many small details as possible. Don''t miss anything."


    Axel Chen, who had been sitting quietly the whole time, finally opened his mouth to say, "And most importantly, while Helen was focusing on taking back her old job, what would Charles be doing?"


    He paused, and then continued, "To get Helen Kanagawa to invest billions of dollars, this guy is not to be treated lightly."


    .....


    Karl was biting his inner cheek, and with his head slightly tilted to the side, he started to recall the names of her Entourage, and write them down in his notebook.


    Risa was calculating her next moves, when Helen suddenly stood up from her seat.


    "I respect what you just said. It is your version of the story anyway. The people here deserve to know my version, too, so they can judge what should be the most proper solution. Don''t you think so, Yamaguchi-san?"

 Chapter 163 - Fishy

    "I have excellent track record from my stint in my father''s company," Helen paused, "but before all of you judge me for my status, remember that I am talking about THE Ido Kanagawa here. The iron fist that built his company from zero until we become the uncontested giant we are today."


    "Thus, I believe that I have more than an equal chance to work here. To grow OnScience and Gold Crane into another undefeated masterpiece is my ultimate goal."


    She was talking to VP Zhuang the whole time. Helen never let her eye contact to waver a bit. She was trying to convince him that she was also a real deal.


    "I understand your company may have signed whatever contract with Yamaguchi-san," she paused and to stretch her hand to one of the men who came with her.


    The man handed her a brown folder. Helen flipped it open, and took out a piece of paper, "But rest assured, for I am here to negotiate. Please look at this," and then she passed the paper to her side, signaling the men to keep passing it to VP Zhuang.


    When the paper was finally in his hand, VP Zhuang took a single glance and skimmed the content briefly.


    "What do you mean by this, Miss Kanagawa? This is an employment contract," he placed the paper down to the table, "between you and Gold Crane."


    Helen leaned in her chair, "That''s exactly what you see it is, VP Zhuang. Yamaguchi can represent OnScience, it is fine. But let me represent your company. You should be honored that I am offering myself as a tribute to the success of this merger."


    .....


    "Xiao Yan, I think you should come back soon. Your mentor is being roasted."


    Fan jie had just gossiped with a few girls in the breakroom. When she heard about the latest piece of gossip, she quickly excused herself out and walked to the roof garden. She fished her phone out of the pants pocket, and quickly dialed Shao Yan''s number. And just when Shao Yan just picked it up, Fan jie hurriedly said her piece.


    On the other hand, Shao Yan had just finished her inspection to this new printing house. A former employee of their previous go-to printing house had left the company and opened his own business. She had come today to inspect their facility and if she liked it enough, Shao Yan wanted to negotiate the service fee as well.


    She had just stepped outside the building when her phone rang. Seeing that it was Fan jie who called, she quickly picked it up; thinking that it might be important.


    "So, I heard that about ten people came with that crazy lady, and they are all now locked themselves in a room, trying to corner Risa and VP Zhuang," Fan jie and her excited voice echoed from the other side of the phone, as she said excitedly, "an intern happened to walk pass the meeting room, and she reportedly said that she heard yelling and arguments were coming out of that room!"


    Fan jie paused to gauge Shao Yan and her reactions, before she added impatiently, "Isn''t it exciting, Xiao Yan?"


    Shao Yan paused on her track, seeming very surprised.


    "Wait, I thought it would just be a simple discussion, of what happened and what they will have to do in the future? Is it not the case?"


    Fan jie quickly answered, "Not at all. I heard that the crazy lady armed herself with lawyers, accountant, financial planner, business strategist and listen here, ex-CEO, to win her case," Shao Yan could hear her strained voice over the phone as Fan jie was trying her best to curb her giddiness.


    Shao Yan was not alarmed. THe simple discussion that she thought was happening, apparently turned out to be blackmail or extortion?


    She hastened her pace to her car. She quickly unlocked it from afar, "Fan jie, and thanks for telling me this. Let me go back to the company now. I''ll talk to you later," and then she hung up, before she got into her car and drove off.


    .....


    The sun was about to set, but the discussion in the meeting room did not seem to reach any ending point.


    After Helen presented her version of "Offer Letter", one expert by one expert started to also present their proposal to VP Zhuang, to support their argument.


    Risa and Karl looked at each other, speechless.


    ''Something was definitely fishy in this. Why was she so adamant on getting inside the company?'' Risa scribbled some words down on her notebook, and slid it over to Karl to see. Karl peeked at her writing, and have an inconspicuous shrug. He could not be telling her that he already knows the reason.


    Karl looked down to think for a while, and then he reached out to his phone, and started sending Li Xiqing the name of the people who had been talking.


    .....


    "I will be home late, I think," Shao Yan spoke to the built-in speaker phone in her car.


    Li Xiqing was shifting through newspapers from different countries, when Shao Yan called.


    She continued, "Fan jie just called to tell me that Helen is bullying Risa, and so I am thinking to stay back a while to cheer her up."


    Li Xiqing paused his movement, and his forehead was scrunched together.


    Karl had not send anything over, so he thought the situation was perfectly under control. He then said, "Alright. You do what you have to do. Call me if you need anything, alright?" He paused, before he said again, "But don''t worry too much. Karl is there with her. They will not do anything rash without thinking twice, it is not their turf anyway."


    Shao Yan hummed to the phone. She spoke some other casual topics before she finally hung up after she pulled into the car park garage.


    On the other side of the city, Li Xiqing had just received a text message from Karl. It listed out the names of the people in the room, including their job titles. Karl also listed out the prominent words that they had used while speaking.


    Li Xiqing started to go through the name one by one, and then he turned to the side, and started typing on his computer to search for the profile for all of them.

 Chapter 164 - Dont Rush

    As she entered the office lobby area, Shao Yan quickly approached Tina, the receptionist on duty for today.


    "Tina, are they still in the meeting room?"


    Tina, a girl in her twenties, had just joined the company a few months ago to do her internship while she was waiting for her university to begin. Shao Yan had talked to her a couple of times before and found that her bubbly personality to be similar to Qi Ling.


    Tina was texting on her phone; and as her fingers flew all over the phone screen, she heard Shao Yan''s hurried steps were approaching her desk and started to ask questions.


    She lifted up her face, and saw the exasperated Shao Yan was looking intently at her.


    "M-Miss Shao, your face is so flushed, are you alright?" Tina said as she quickly rose up from her chair and walked to the water dispenser on the side. She wanted to grab a glass of water for Shao Yan.


    Shao Yan had her eyes following Tina wherever she went, "I''m fine, I was just running from the garage. I''m so anxious right now. I heard that the other party is looking for trouble by bringing in a lot of people?"


    Tina, although she realized that there was no need to panic, she still pour water to a paper cup for Shao Yan, "Yes, around ten people in total came with her. I was so surprised as well," and then she handed the paper cup to Shao Yan, "here, Miss Shao, have a drink first, calm yourself down. They are still in the room," and after she said that, Tina went back to her seat.


    Shao Yan took gulps of water, and then she threw the paper cup away, "Thanks Tina, I''ll go back to my desk now," and then Shao Yan left to start walking to her floor.


    .....


    Shao Yan had been standing in front of the meeting room for a while now, debating if she should come inside. She was pacing back and forth in front of the frosted glass door, her feet shuffled from left to right; debating if she should enter. She did not have any legitimate reason because she was just an outsider in this case, but she could not help but worry about her family.


    As she was about to knock on the glass door, her phone vibrated loudly. Shao Yan saw that Li Xiqing was calling her.


    "En, Xiqing, what is it? I was about to enter the meeting room where Risa at," she said hurriedly as she hit the answer button.


    Li Xiqing had not even spoken a single word when Shao Yan had spoken out her replies.


    "I just received a text from Karl and it is pretty intense right now. I don''t think it is wise to join them," he paused to let Shao Yan processed that, and then he continued, "why don''t you go back to your desk for now, and let''s have a dinner with Risa and Karl later? I''ll pick you guys up, alright?"


    Shao Yan was holding the phone with one hand, and she was biting the fingers from another hand; a sign that she was nervous.


    After a moment of silence, she finally said, "Alright, let''s do as you said," and then she hung up.


    Shao Yan took a last glance at the meeting room, before she turned around and started to walk back to her desk.


    .....


    The people from Helen side started to speak in turn one after another, without letting anyone else to join in the fun.


    VP Zhuang was holding his forehead with one arm propped on the table, and inconspicuously massaged his head gently. The lawyer, Mr. Xin had just completed a sketch of a scenery, and was about to start a new sketch. He slowly straightened up his body, and did a little stretch. He brought up both hands over his head and flexed.


    Risa and Karl were busy writing or typing down stuff. Risa was taking notes about what Helen wanted to offer, while Karl was paying more attention on each individual and what words they said.


    All of a sudden, a piercing sound was echoing all over the room.


    Mr. Xin pushed the chair backwards, and the legs were dragged on the floor, creating an annoying, high pitched sound over the tiles.


    He put up a very innocent face as he said very slowly, "Oh! My apologies everyone. I think we are all getting out of hand now. Let''s recap."


    After he said that, he picked up his notebook, and started to say, "From the past three hour meeting, this is what I had written down."


    He cleared his throat and started to say, "Miss Yamaguchi explained the background of Miss Kanagawa and OnScience. Miss Kanagawa introduced entourages. Yadda yadda yadda.. Miss Kanagawa offered herself to be employed by Gold Crane and finally, entourages started to present positive sides in hiring Miss Kanagawa. Yadda yadda.. The end."


    Mr. Xin then took off his reading glasses, hold them in his hands, and scanned the room, "Now, I only have one question," he paused dramatically, while staring at the people in the room one by one, "initially we all gathered here to discuss the incident from last week; cause, effect and solution. But why are we not discussing that? Miss Kanagawa had initiated violence and destruction of property. That is exactly what we need to talk about."


    VP Zhuang could not hide his smile, so he pursed his lips, and brought his face down; suddenly his tie was really interesting.


    Risa was first speechless, before she reflexively burst a chuckle. Upon hearing that, Helen squinted her eyes, and glared at Risa immediately.


    Risa quickly adjusted her expression, and gave Helen a little shrug. She turned her head around, and looked at Karl, while mouthing, ''Wow! He has guts'' to him.


    On the other hand, Karl now began to also pay attention to this charismatic lawyer who had chosen to stay silent the whole time, and only spoke up now.

 Chapter 165 - Doting Smile

    The glass door was opened, and a pair of black stiletto heels started to walk out. The click clacking noise filled the empty hallway, followed by armies of gentlemen stomps.


    Helen was fuming as she recalled what that crappy lawyer had said to her.


    "What? Compensation?" she harrumphed unhappily.


    "Is he joking? I did not even get to touch a single hair of that bitch, and now he''s bringing me to court?" she scoffed loudly, "Hah! Is he stupid?"


    Helen was fuming as she flipped her wavy, blonde hair to the side. She got a surprise attack when the meeting came to an end without any result. When suddenly Mr. Xin handed over a letter to discuss the mediation in court.


    As she read the letter, her face became more pale, and her fingernails dug deep into the paper, almost tearing it apart to pieces.


    Mr. Xin had mentioned that the meeting today was not successful as her party refused to cooperate. And then mentioned that Gold Crane would like to seek help from the court.


    .....


    She turned to look at Charles who was walking calmly next to her, "Why aren''t you saying anything? Cat got your tongue?"


    The man who was trying to match her angry steps, suddenly paused on his track; prompting all the other men to also stop.


    He tilted his head to the side, before he took off his reading glasses, and with another hand, reached out to his pants to fish out his silk handkerchief.


    "I will think of something," he started to say while wiping the glasses with the cloth, "and i am just begging you, please don''t create anymore problem for us, alright?"


    He put the glasses back on, and slowly folded the handkerchief while glaring at her, "You know that Father will be informed about this incident right away," he paused as he noticed Helen flinched upon the mention of her father.


    Charles stepped in closer to shorten the distance between the two of them, "You," he said slowly in a hushed voice while lifting one index finger to caress her cheekbone, "and I still need his money and power. Remember that, dear wife."


    As he finished, he could feel that Helen shudders under his light touch, and her eyes are showing fear and timid that he has long forgotten.


    .....


    "I''ve arrived. Just parked the car, and about to walk up now," Li Xiqing said as he closed the car door and turned to the direction to the exit.


    After she had finished talking to Li Xiqing earlier, and got back to her desk, Shao Yan was quickly engulfed with work that she had momentarily forgot about her worry for Risa.


    Shao Yan was working on an email to send a report of her visit to the printing house earlier. She was drafting her email when Li Xiqing called to tell her that he had arrived. She quickly saved the draft.


    "Alright, I''ll come downstairs now," she said as she clicked around to save her work, "oh! I will call Risa to let her know as well. I have sent a text message just now but I''m not sure if she got the chance to read it yet."


    "I''ve texted Karl as well, don''t worry, they will meet us at the lobby," Li Xiiqng said as he pressed the lobby floor button in the elevator panel.


    "Alright then, I''ll come down now. See you," she said as she quickly hung up and started to tidy up her belongings.


    .....


    "What do you think they will do now?"


    Risa and Karl were standing side by side inside the elevator; they were going down to the lobby to meet Shao Yan and Li Xiqing.


    Karl, with both of his hands inside his pants pocket, was biting his inner cheek while thinking for an answer to reply Risa.


    "Let me see," he started to say, "uh, based on my little understanding of the two of them, they will not believe our threats about going to the court. But they will also not going to back off and request help from Ido, because this is embarrassing."


    He turned his head to look at Risa, "So I think, if I were them, I will try to meet you separately to talk, but this time, it will be neutral ground."


    Risa slowly nodded along his words, while she kept thinking of other possibilities.


    Karl shifted his long legs, to stand facing her, "So I have to warn you, do not go alone. I can go with you."


    Risa saw his solemn expression, and gradually relaxed her tensed facial expressions. She let out a small smile and nodded, "Alright, I know."


    Satisfied with her answer, Karl also nodded with her, before he raised one hand to pat her upper arm, "En, that''s good."


    .....


    When they arrived in the lobby area, Risa and Karl saw Shao Yan had stood in the corner waiting for them.


    They also saw that Shao Yan was typing on her phone, unaware of other people and of her surroundings.


    Risa had a doting, familial smile while thinking as she walked closer, ''Having a family who cares for you feels really nice.''


    As they got closer, Shao Yan happened to lift up her face; and when they saw each other, Shao Yan broke into a wide smile, welcoming her.


    "Did you wait long?" Risa asked when she finally stood in front of Yan Yan.


    Shao Yan hit the send button, and then put the phone back into her jacket, and shook her head, "I just arrived here as well," and then she turned to look at Karl, "Daniel is on his way up."


    Karl returned her smile, and nodded, "Thanks, he texted me, too."


    The three of them decided to walk over to the lounge area to wait for Li Xiqing. Just as they were about to sit down, Shao Yan heard someone was calling for her.


    "Yan Yan."


    As she turned around, she saw him standing tall in front of her, in his most excellent look.

 Chapter 166 - Stormy Seas

    When he stepped out of the elevator, he saw her in her most dazzling smile. And he froze on his track.


    When he first saw her again a few weeks ago, he had thought that he was hallucinating.


    And then, he saw her again.


    At this very moment.


    The woman that he had been looking for the past year, suddenly appeared in front of his eyes? He found it really hard to believe.


    .....


    The last time he spoke to her directly was three years ago; when he was packing his luggage for a business trip, and she was eating in their kitchen. After he went back to their bedroom, he heard the door was opened, and Shao Yan had left for a while. He did not even realize what time she was back because he had fallen asleep.


    He was away for two weeks for a business trip. He also took those two weeks to re-evaluate their relationship. When he was ready to tell her that he wanted to separate, he came home to an empty and cold apartment to find that she had packed all of her stuff and left all of their memories behind. Shao Yan had been hiding from him ever since she left their apartment.


    She filed for divorce shortly after that and she communicated everything through a lawyer. Their husband and wife relationship before had turned to a mere black and white.


    Shao Yan changed her phone number, he did not even know where she had gone to. He knew that she did not have a lot of friends in New York.


    She emptied her bank account, and just disappeared from him. As if she had never been a part of his life at all.


    And he felt a little hurt.


    Unbeknownst to him, one foot had stepped forward and his body moved on its own; approaching her dazzling smile.


    .....


    A broad palm caressed her head lovingly, "Sorry, I''m late," Li Xiqing said, and then he extended his hand to grab her laptop bag from her hand.


    Her eyes shone brightly upon seeing him, and Shao Yan smiled as she shook her head a little upon his touch, "Not at all. We were just about to sit down. We go now?" Her hands reflexively grabbed onto his jacket as he stood in front of her.


    Li Xiqing raised one hand to cover her petite fingers, her cold hand was enveloped in warmth instantly, "En, I think everyone is hungry now. Let''s go," and then he brought her hand down. Shao Yan spread his fingers, and linked them with her own, while still smiling at him.


    "Hey! Hey! Now that your wife is here, you forgot to greet your brother?" Karl feigned an upset tone as he teased Li Xiqing around, delivering a punch at his shoulder.


    Risa was laughing along and about to say something, when she saw someone else was approaching them. Her eyebrows furrowed as she mumbled, "What does he want now?"


    Shao Yan saw the change in her face and she turned around to see what Risa had seen.


    .....


    The man that she thought she had forgotten, was currently walking up to her.


    He still looked the same, as how she remembered him to be. Except, now, he looked more mature and slightly older. Time was still favouring him, even though he had few age lines on his face, he still looked very collected.


    His kind face. His facial line that gave a soothing effect on people, and that was also the reason why she did not reject him when they started talking at the university cafeteria.


    His perfect hair. Which was always trimmed neatly and without any flaws; prompting him to be the perfect male student. That also gave her the illusion of security and steadiness.


    And just like a scene in a movie, all the memories started to rush onto her; slamming all of her senses with flashbacks of moments and words that they had shared.


    Shao Yan unconsciously tensed up.


    .....


    She remembered their dating days. How he had courted her and how he had been so sweet and caring to her. How she finally fell for his letters which apparently were all lies.


    Her fingers inside Li Xiqing''s palm were tightened.


    And then she remembered their lives in New York.


    The sacrifices that she had made for both of them and how things had started to change. How she overheard the flirty conversations.


    Her heart started to beat very fast.


    She remembered how she stood in the middle of their living room, while feeling all cold and lost.


    Her feet were almost faltered as she remembered the cold, wet night when she stood under the pouring rain to cry her soul out. Her mind started to trace back, to what she did after she came back to the apartment that they had shared together.


    She started to feel the sorrow again and her head started to pound her.


    .....


    When Yan Yan turned around, he didn''t think of anything strange. However, suddenly he felt a slight tug in his hand; he felt that Yan Yan wanted to let go off her fingers out from his palm, so he reflexively held back.


    Li Xiqing glanced at her and noticed her eyes went round in surprise, and, even though it was not obvious to others, he could see that she is shaking a little.


    Immediately, he squeezed her hands within his hold; he put a little pressure to their linked hands, bringing her consciousness back to the present.


    Back to him.


    Before he turned his head to see who had this effect on his Yan Yan.


    When he saw the guy who was walking up to them, Li Xiqing could feel his face turn solemn. His jaw tightened up.


    He shifted his figure a little to her side, to slightly cover his Yan Yan.


    .....


    When Shao Yan saw his shoulder appeared in front of her eyes, she was immediately brought back to the present. The shadow of the past was chased away by his assuring mind and Shao Yan instantly felt she was finally secured.


    Her heart that had been travelling on stormy seas, had finally found a safe harbour.


    ''That''s right. It was all in the past,'' she slowly breathed to calm herself.


    She looked down onto their clasped fingers. She was not alone anymore.

 Chapter 167 - Bitter

    "Yan Yan."


    Liwei finally stood tall in front of Li Xiqing and Shao Yan.


    Shao Yan had thought of this moment many times in her life. What would she do if Liwei is finally standing in front of her? What would be the first word to say? How would her expression be? Who would be with her?


    Shao Yan thought she would not be able to say anything because she is still too hurt and too angry. She thought that she would lash out at him and curse him.


    But surprisingly, her heart did not feel any of that. Bitter, yes, but no more anger left.


    Shao Yan slowly stepped out of Li Xiqing''s shadow. She felt that this man, who was holding her hand firmly, had lend out a courage to face her past and to reconcile with her pain. His relentlessness in conquering her heart had been very fruitful. And now, her heart did not feel empty or alone anymore.


    Shao Yan slightly squeezed their linked hands, and then took a deep breath. With a calm face, she raised her chin and finally said, "Hello, Liwei."


    .....


    Liwei did not think that Yan Yan would want to talk to him. He was ready for rejection or maybe even a slap. So, her polite reply actually brought a surprise for him.


    He was stunned for a while to see her calm attitude, as if meeting an old acquaintance.


    He quickly collected himself, "How are you? What a coincidence to see you here!"


    Ever since he decided to talk to her, Liwei always had his eyes trained on her, and ignored everyone else around her. "How long has it been? Two years? Three?" He kept trying to engage her in conversation.


    On the other hand, Shao Yan tried her best to stay calm.


    During their first few months of separation, this guy did not even show remorse or guilt for having betrayed her. She had cried, and even broken down.


    And she had slowly healed and nursed herself to accept a new love. Everything between them was already in the past. She had moved on. So there was no reason for them to be friendly anymore.


    She very much wanted to just step away and ignore his existence. And just be a cordial two strangers in life.


    However, on account of their previous friendship, Shao Yan still decided to be polite.


    With a polite smile pasted on her face, she answered, "I''m doing great, thank you for asking," and then Shao Yan tugged her hands, and slightly pulled Li Xiqing over to her, "this is my boyfriend."


    And this was the first time the two men officially met each other.


    .....


    And this was also the first time, Liwei finally took a good look at this man that he had seen before.


    Last week, while trying to calm his anger, he wandered around and entered a supermarket by chance. That was when he caught a glimpse of Shao Yan. He saw a familiar face that had been haunting him in his dreams for the past two years. She was walking with a tall guy, and acted so spoiled and intimately. He had to stop on his track, trying to make sure if that was the same girl that he had known before.


    Yan Yan was never an expressive woman. She was timid and shy. She guarded all of her words and her attitude around him.


    During their relationship, he had to be the one who initiated everything, he ended up being tired emotionally. Although she changed a little after their marriage, but she had always been reserved; she bored him.


    But this woman surprised him to his core.


    The woman he saw in the supermarket, albeit having the same feature as Yan Yan, her demeanor was different.


    Her short hair was dyed. Her face was slimmer and glowed with happiness. She looked more mature and elegant.


    She was very cheerful, always teasing the guy who was holding the cart for her. They argued over which snacks to buy, and she would cling onto his arm like a child every now and then. Her face would light up when she sees the food that she likes. Or when the man joked around with her.


    The only feature that he recognized was her smile. Her smile was so stunning when the man next to her brushed away the strands of hair that were covering her forehead. That same embarrassed, shy smile, was the same smile he remembered her to be.


    Liwei had never felt a feeling of bitterness and disappointment from looking at the scene.


    Who was this woman? She looked so similar to Yan Yan, and yet... so different.


    .....


    He remembered this guy.


    ''The fly that could not be shaken away. I finally meet you,'' he scoffed to himself.


    Li Xiqing had spotted him in the food court last week, when he was scanning around the area to look at which food to buy.


    He was surprised to see a familiar face that he had been wanting to meet. He knew that they would meet sooner or later. But he was still caught in surprise that they met this soon.


    Liwei still looked the same as the man in the picture that he saw at Eternity Frame. With the same hairstyle, and the same smirk.


    His jaw tensed up as he remembered his Yan Yan who was crying in agony as she told him her story. ''Asshole never change, huh?'' he was trying to hold his anger.


    Liwei offered his hand for a shake, "Hello. Nice to meet you, I''m..."


    But before he could finish his sentence, Li Xiqing had offered his hand. With a firm shake, he said, "Charles Fu. Of course I know you. I have heard so much about you."


    Liwei raised his eyebrows in surprise, and he took a quick glance at Shao Yan, and then back to Li Xiqing. He could not help but curious how Yan Yan tell this man about their relationship.


    "I should be honored then," Liwei replied, "I hope you are only hearing about the good stuff."


    Li Xiqing could not help a scoff that escaped from his lips.


    "The infamous son in law of Kanagawa Industries, Charles Fu Liwei. The foreigner that has been trying to climb the Japanese society ladder," he cocked his head to the side and smirked, "of course, many have heard about you. Although I can''t guarantee whether it''s good or bad."

 Chapter 168 - Annoying

    Liwei was speechless at the comeback. He never thought that the man would be so direct and offensive on their first meeting.


    With his eyebrows raised in surprise, Liwei then squinted his eyes and replied, "I didn''t catch your name? Yan Yan and I were husb..."


    And then Liwei felt that his palm was squeezed harder, as Li Xiqing stepped in and closed the distance in between them. Li Xiqing''s low voice growled at him.


    "Yan Yan''s name is not for you to say, asshole," he tilted his head and glared at Liwei as he continued menacingly, "I don''t care what you''re trying to do right now, but you better stay away from her life, or I will make you regret for even so much whispering her name," and then Li Xiqing let go off his hand in disgust.


    Two pairs of eyes were having a staring showdown; the two men stood face to face with each other. No one wanted to back down first.


    .....


    Shao Yan felt a headache coming. She knew how stubborn and patient Li Xiqing could get, so this can go on forever. Shao Yan decided to lightly put her hand on Li Xiqing''s back, and run it down to his waist to calm him down, "Xiqing, let''s go? I''m hungry."


    Li Xiqing did not budge the first time she touched him. Nor when she lightly rubbed her hand on his waist.


    Shao Yan very much wanted to sigh over his childish attitude. She tried so hard not to smile.


    She bit her lower lip and circled one arm around his waist, and said, "I don''t want to go home too late. Remember we are meeting Grandma tomorrow."


    At the mention of ''Grandma'', Liwei was distracted, and quickly cast his glance over to Shao Yan.


    Li Xiqing stepped to the side to break his view. Only when Liwei had brought his sight back to him, then Li Xiqing continued to say.


    "She is mine. Don''t flatter yourself by thinking that she has many things to say about you. I know your kind," and then while still standing in front of Shao Yan; with his body fully shadowed her.


    Li Xiqing slowly leaned closer to Liwei so only the two of them could hear what will be said. "You can keep trying. It will only make things easier for me to destroy you," and then he pulled away.


    As Li Xiqing turned around, he saw her worried face over him. His eyes gradually turned gentle before he cupped a hand behind her head, "Let''s go," and with one arm around her waist, they walked towards Risa and Karl who were still standing next to the couch, waiting for them.


    Karl looked at the stunned Liwei, before he followed behind Li Xiqing, and asked him a question in German, "Annoying fly?"


    Without turning his head around, and still staring ahead of him, Li Xiqing answered him back, also in German, "Dead. We need to meet with Axel on Monday. I have a plan."


    .....


    The whole car ride to the restaurant was in awkward silence.


    Li Xiqing had his jazz music filled around the car as he drove in silence, still feeling annoyed. One hand was holding the steering wheel, while the other was placed idly on the gear.


    Shao Yan had her hand propped against the window, seemingly lost in her thoughts. While Risa and Karl who sat in the back, and kept exchanging glances with one another, trying to think of a way to say something to lighten the mood.


    It was finally Shao Yan who breathed a light sigh. She straightened up and reached out to turn down the music volume.


    She turned around and then looked at Risa and Karl, "Do you guys want to hit some balls?"


    Her abrupt question brought the two of them to be flabbergasted. Karl was not sure if he understood the question correctly, but he was too afraid of Li Xiqing to ask her to repeat the question. His forehead was scrunched as he was debating what to answer her.


    Risa, also was not sure if she heard Shao Yan right, so she could only tilt her head and say hesitantly, "Uh. Sure? I guess?"


    Shao Yan felt satisfied at her answer; she nodded her head and then turned around to Li Xiqing to say, "Xiqing, let''s go to the driving range. Let''s hit some rounds."


    Li Xiqing turned his head to look at her in surprise. And then his lips gradually curved up.


    He changed his lane to exit and started to drive towards the golf course.


    .....


    "What was that?"


    Helen wrapped her hand around Charles'' upper arm. Her perfectly manicured fingernails dug deep into his muscles, "Is that her? Your so called ex-wife?"


    She tried to shake his arm, but he did not respond to her calling. Charles had his sight glued to the direction of where Shao Yan had disappeared to. He tried to rewind all the scene that had just happened.


    "Is that why you were so adamant about taking over this company? Because she is here?" Helen raised her voice and started to press him for an answer.


    Helen felt her anger slowly risen up from deep within from being ignored. She lost her self-control and said, "Answer me, you asshole!"


    When she heard a cough from the men behind her, Helen was brought back to her senses right away. She slowly scanned around the room, to see that many people were now staring at them.


    She raised her chin up, and then started to speak in a low tone, and hissed back at him, "Let''s go now. We''ll talk in the car," and then she let go of her hold. Helen made a dramatic move of flipping her long, wavy hair to the back and started to walk away; leaving Charles and his scowl mood behind.


    .....


    "Did you get that?"


    "Of course I got it. Who do you think I am?"


    "We need to secure this real quick, before she realized that such thing exists. Man! I can''t believe we are so in luck!"


    In the corner of the lobby, two men in suits were whispering in low voice with each other. They had been watching the scene for a while, starting from when Charles got out of the elevator, and talked to Daniel Li, and then Helen had her outburst towards her own husband.


    VP Zhuang and Mr. Xie quickly walked out of the lobby, and got into their own car.

 Chapter 169 - Strangers In Life

    !! Thunk !! !! Whoosh !!


    !! Thunk !! !! Whoosh !!


    One by one the golf balls were hit and sent across the court in the ultimate speed.


    In the driving range, Li Xiqing, Shao Yan, Risa and Karl were lining up side by side on a raised platform. Each of them was holding different golf clubs on their hands.


    By their feet, was a machine as big as a shoe box that was equipped with a sensor on the side. When the player waved their golf stick in front of the sensor, the machine would dispense a golf ball for them to hit.


    Behind them, was a long table with spread of finger foods on top of it. Li Xiqing had ordered chicken wings, bulgogi kimchi fries with extra cheese, fried chicken and waffle in shape of one-bite pieces, celery and carrots with ranch dipping sauce, fried Japanese dumplings, chicken quesadilla, pork spring rolls, peperoni flatbreads, and macaroni and cheese bites.


    As they took turns to hit the balls, sometimes, they would walk back to the table to munch on foods.


    Underneath the platform was a huge green area with circles in different sizes that were spread around and marked in numbers. And where the golf balls landed, that would be the score that the players get.


    Risa and Shao Yan had been hitting for a while now, so they decided to sit back and enjoy the food; leaving Li Xiqing and Karl immersed in their own little competition.


    .....


    "Are you okay, Yan Yan?"


    Risa reached out and started to pick some foods and place them onto a clean plate.


    Shao Yan was following behind her, "Yes, I am. I was just so annoyed, I needed to release it out."


    Risa glanced back at her, "Hm.. You were really too calm just now, I was really worried you''re just trying to hold everything in."


    Shao Yan sighed as she picked up a chicken wing, "How do you expect me to react? Scream or yell at him? Or maybe slap him? And give him the satisfaction of confirming his past actions?"


    And then she changed her voice to a mocking tone, "Oh yeah that was exactly why Shao Yan and I divorced. She''s a mental freak like that and that''s why I left her," and then she turned to Risa, "like that?"


    "I am not going to give him that. Why should I? I wanted him to see that at this present moment, he means nothing at all. That he is a mere no one."


    She placed the plate down, "He hurt me and I left him," she paused, "and now I''ve moved on happily with Xiqing. I think THIS already says a lot about how I feel."


    And then she looked intently at Risa, "Have you ever heard the saying ''Being ignored is the ultimate form of punishment''?"


    And then she picked up her plate again "I just want him to be removed from my life."


    .....


    After she had finished eating, Risa went back to the driving platform and started to play another round with Karl.


    Li Xiqing went back to the seating area. He spotted Shao Yan was picking on her chicken wing seriously. A smile slowly curved up on his lips and he walked closer.


    "Is the food any good?" He asked as he stood next to her.


    Shao Yan was fully concentrating on her chicken, she did not bother to lift her head up to look at him, "En, not bad. Go get some and sit here. It''s getting late," while still trying to pick on her chicken meat.


    Li Xiqing smiled at her actions, he rubbed her head gently before he walked to the food table and started to get some for himself.


    When he came back to her side, Shao Yan was wiping her hands with wet wipes while looking at him, "Karl and Risa are still playing now? Isn''t he hungry?" And then she glanced at her wrist to look at the time.


    Li Xiqing moved a chair to the side and then sat on it, "He is having a lot of fun right now, just leave him be."


    Shao Yan continued to sit next to him, while accompanying him to eat. She seemed to want to say something, but she did not know how to start.


    Li Xiqing could feel her anxiousness but he chooses to wait until she is ready.


    .....


    After contemplating for a while, Shao Yan finally opened her mouth to say, "Xiqing, about earlier," and then she paused, not sure how to say her next sentence, "uh.. I just want to say thank you."


    Li Xiqing raised his chin and looked at her beautiful face.


    In the middle of the night, where the driving range was lit up brightly, and yet her face was still the most stunning figure he had ever seen. Despite looking nervous and tired after a whole day of activities, Shao Yan was still looking adorable in his eyes.


    He sighed softly and replied, "What are you thanking me for? I am just defending what''s mine," he paused as he searched for her eyes, "I don''t know what he''s doing here yet. But in any case, do not come near him. Alright?"


    Shao Yan nodded her head right away, "En. Don''t worry, I know. I have no intention to talk to him anyway," and then she passed a glass of water to him, "we will be two strangers in life. Don''t worry."


    .....


    Meanwhile, on the driving range platform, another couple could be heard of having an argument back and forth.


    "Don''t hit it that way. Relax your wrist."


    "Plant your feet firmly. Swing your waist around and use your whole arm to hit it."


    "Bend your knee a little. No no, don''t do that. No!"


    Karl was frustrated as he was trying to show Risa the correct way to hit the golf balls to score higher.


    He ran his fingers impatiently through his hair as he propped another hand on his waist, "Why are you so stubborn, woman? I''ve told you, use your whole arm."


    Risa turned her head to glare at him, "Call me ''woman'' one more time, and I guarantee you the two balls that I can hit right after! Come on, let''s try?" She challenged him right away.

 Chapter 170 - You Alone

    Karl was surprised at her reply, but that also made him realize that he probably had offended her.


    "I''m sorry," he quickly apologized to her, "I really did not mean anything with that."


    Risa actually knew that was not intentional, but she could not help but glare for some more, before she looks away. "Forget it, let me try again," she said as she positioned herself in the spot.


    "So, how was Daniel just now?" Risa asked as she was calculating how to hold the stick in between her clasps. "Was he upset or angry or anything like that?"


    Karl, who was paying attention at how Risa planted her feet, and then was about to check on her hold, raised up his face to look at her.


    "Well, why don''t you look at the scoreboard and see how he butchered me earlier?" and then he snorted, "he killed me clean, that heartless bastard!"


    Karl was holding the golf club by the end of the stick, and pointed the head of the club to a monitor screen that was standing in a corner about one meter away.


    Risa turned her head around to look at the direction he was pointing at and she saw a huge gap between Daniel''s and Karl''s scores.


    Her eyes went round in shock as she glanced back to Karl who was shrugging at her.


    And then he boasted a hearty laugh, "That man, the more he is challenged, the crazier he will get. Just bet yourself that for the next few weeks, we will be working like there is no tomorrow."


    And then all of a sudden, his face turned solemn and started to talk in a more serious tone, "He said he has a plan. Axel and Daniel are basically two peas in the same pod," Karl then heaved a sigh, "I can already see that my single life will get even more lonely now," and then he brought his attention back to Risa and got distracted with her wrists.


    "Here, let me show you instead of yelling at you."


    .....


    Karl walked to stand behind her, and circled his arms around her. His broad palms were slowly approaching her wrists.


    He gently wrapped his palm over the back of her hands, "Look here," his deep voice brushed her ears gently, leaving behind traces of caressing night wind. His fingers slowly peeled her fingers away from the golf stick, "your left hand first," and then he corrected each finger''s position, "and then your right hand."


    His dreamy, masculine voice was right behind her right ear. Their cheeks were almost kissing each other, but Karl was oblivious of all that. He also missed a pink hue that slowly crept up Risa''s face as his breath softly grazed her impeccable skin.


    Risa was flustered as she rapidly blinked away her shyness.


    "I- I got it, you are standing too close, let me try it myself now," Risa said as she was trying to shake him off.


    Karl quickly let go of his hold around her, and took a step back. He did not think anything was wrong with how she sounded, or how she reacted. Karl was busy looking at how Risa would wrapped her fingers around the stick now that he was not around to guide her.


    .....


    The group decided to call it a day when it was almost midnight.


    Instead of going back to the office to get their car, Li Xiqing decided to drive everyone back to their home. Based on their location, Li Xiqing reached Karl''s apartment first. And then about fifteen minutes ride later, they dropped Risa off to her apartment.


    When they were finally home, Shao Yan who was walking ahead of him started to say, "Oh what a day! My body is aching all over now," she let out a big yawn as she bend slightly to take off her shoes.


    Suddenly, she felt a warm spot on her back; his broad palm was placed on the small of her waist, and then his gentle voice sounded from next to her, "Here, let me help you."


    Before Shao Yan got the chance to say anything, she saw Li Xiqing had knelt down next to her, and started to untie her shoes. She had put on a pair of combat boots today and these boots came with full ties all over the front.


    Shao Yan felt a slight guilt as she watched his fingers skillfully worked on the intricate ties. One by one, he patiently worked on each boots until he could take both off.


    .....


    As the shoes came off her feet, Li Xiqing scooped her up into his arms, and started to walk to their bedroom. Shao Yan wanted to protest as she knew how tired Li Xiqing must had been as well; but she knew that arguing with him for just a short walk was not really worth it.


    So she decided to just let him be.


    Slowly, she leaned her head on the crook of his neck, with her hand rested on his chest. A soft voice rang through the empty rooms, "Thank you, Xiqing," she breathed the words slowly, "I know you must be so tired too."


    Li Xiqing did not say anything in return. He just glanced down at her, and gave a gentle smile.


    As they reached their bedroom, he sat at the corner of the bed with Shao Yan still wrapped in his embrace.


    He leaned his cheek to touch her forehead, as he tightened his hold around her, "Yan Yan," he whispered gently, "let me hold you like this for a while."


    Shao Yan detected his longing from his gentle voice. She stayed still in his embrace, while also circled her arms around him and returned his hug.


    In a quiet and tranquil night like this, the couple could be seen holding each other tightly as they savor each other''s heartbeat and warmth. They only had each other''s in their mind. With their hearts were full of love.


    ''There is nothing else in this world that I would ask for. Just you alone is enough.''

 Chapter 171 - Feelings

    Around the same time. Somewhere inside a penthouse in downtown area.


    Stiletto hoes were thrown all over the corner as she sulked and sat on the bed.


    "Now, explain," she crossed both arms in front of her chest, and puffed angrily, "don''t you dare treating me as a fool."


    Charles, who just entered the bedroom, heaved a sigh as he loosened up his tie. He walked to the bathroom through a narrow walkway in between the bedroom, "There''s nothing to talk about."


    Helen sprung up immediately and followed closely behind him, "Do you think I''m blind? I saw the way you looked at her, alright?" She pointed her fingers outward, "and THAT was not nothing!"


    And then with one hand, she held onto his upper arm, and turned him around, "Look at me in the eye, and tell me honestly."


    Charles had his patience drained by the time he turned around. He pulled his arm away roughly; wanting to shake her hold off of him.


    "That''s enough! I had enough of your unreasonable jealousy," he said as he towered in front of Helen, "I am still here and I stay with you despite all of the emotional and verbal abuses I got from you. What else do you want now?" he roared at her.


    When he shook her off, Helen was taken aback; she stepped backwards and almost fell down.


    As she was stabilizing herself, Helen was speechless to see this much emotion from the man that had been sleeping next to her for the past three years.


    ''Who is this stranger in front of me,'' she lamented pitifully.


    "I don''t care what you''re doing all this time, but do not question me many times over things that I have answered you. You got that?"


    And after he finished saying that, Charles walked to the bathroom and started to unbutton his shirt.


    Helen leaned dejectedly on the wall as both of her fists clenched.


    .....


    Around the same time. Somewhere inside a shikumen apartment fifteen minutes from downtown.


    Karl just stepped inside his apartment, and he took off his jacket immediately. As he closed the door, he heaved a long sigh and leaned back on the door.


    ''What a night! Damn you, Daniel, not leaving a single of dignity left for me!'' he cursed as he remembered their last game before they left the driving range.


    He took off his shoes, and then changed to house slippers and started to walk inside.


    Daniel had rented this apartment for him and Martin to stay whenever they were in town so they did not have to stay in a hotel anymore. It was an old shikumen building that had been converted to a modern apartment living space; while also maintaining some of the old traditional architecture intact.


    Karl walked to the kitchen and open the refrigerator. From inside, he took out a can of beer, and then closed the door back.


    He took a light steps towards the balcony as he popped the can open.


    The can of beer was put on top of a wooden table, and then Karl opened the balcony doors. The sliding doors were painted in deep dark moss green. Made of wood, and carved in ancient Chinese style, this was his most favorite area in the whole house.


    Karl slowly slid the doors opened, and the air of Shanghai at night quickly wafted in and filled the room.


    He took a seat on the deep red cushion chair by the balcony. Karl had seen this chair in Daniel''s apartment before, and he fell in love at the first sitting. So he had harassed Daniel to let him get the same one but in different colors.


    The chair had a diamond stitches tufted pattern all over the back, with silver nail-head trim all over the sides from the arms, the legs and the back.


    As he leaned back, and sipped on his beer, Karl had his mind replayed all of the things that had happened today.


    Especially on the beautiful maiden that had occupied his heart since day one.


    ''Tell me what to do, Risa? How should I mend this broken heart?'' he thought inwardly; unconsciously, he lifted one hand and placed it on his chest, and lightly massaged a spot on top of his heart.


    ''This place had been so painful ever since I saw you the first time, love.''


    .....


    Around the same time. Somewhere inside a modern apartment for about thirty minutes from downtown.


    Beautiful jazz music was playing in the background when she stepped into the house.


    "I''m home," Risa said as she took off her shoes and walked inside. The lights on the living room were all turned on, as she walked around the house to the kitchen.


    "You won''t believe what happened today, dear," she started to say and she picked up a water jug, "Yan Yan finally confronted her past. And I am so proud of her."


    Risa sipped the water slowly, as she continued to say, "That man! Ugh! How can there be such a shameless man like him exist in this world! Grandma would have been angered to death if they were still together."


    She picked up the glass of water and walked into the living room.


    Risa sat on the couch and crossed her legs, as she picked up the remote and turned off the music, "Let me watch some news, alright? I''ll return your music later," and then she started to pick some news channels to watch.


    "You also have to meet Daniel and Karl one day. I''m sure you guys would have become such good friends," as she finished her last word, her throat felt so constricted, and Risa started to choke.


    She lifted her chin, looked up and bit her lower lip; trying to hold her tears from falling down as she tried to breathe from her mouth. Her eyes started to water, and her lips started to tremble.


    Risa could not hold it in as memories started to flood her mind.


    She decided to give up to the feelings that had started to overwhelm her. Risa dropped her head down; with both hands covering her face, she started to sob in sorrow.

 Chapter 172 - Hearty Lunch

    When they arrived at the restaurant, Shao Yan saw that Risa and Grandma Wu had arrived. It had been a while since she had last seen Grandma Wu and she missed her so much.


    She was about to hasten her pace, when Li Xiqing moved his hand from holding her waist to her shoulder; stopping her from walking faster.


    "Nope!" Li Xiqing said as he put a slight pressure on his palm over her shoulder, "nice try, young lady, but not on my watch."


    He continued, "They will still be there even when you walk slowly," Li Xiqing very much wanted to flick her forehead. But with his one hand over her shoulder, and another hand was carrying a paper bag, he could not really do anything. He could only sigh softly.


    Shao Yan looked up and grinned at him, "Can''t help it, you know, I really miss Grandma. Both of them are the only family I have left now."


    She raised up on hand and patted his chest, "I''m sorry, Mister, don''t give me that face anymore," and then she pinched his cheek lightly, "I can see your wrinkles from here. Stop pouting already."


    And then she laughed out loud, prompting Grandma and Risa to lift their face from reading the menu book and finally noticed their arrival.


    And that was the face that they saw. Two people in love, who shared bright, beautiful smiles as they walked side by side towards them.


    .....


    It was already November, and the weather was really cold, especially for senior people. And this was also the reason why, when Shao Yan asked Grandma out for a meal, she had decided to have hot pot with her.


    As they walked closer, Risa stood up, to leave a space for Shao Yan to greet Grandma.


    As she noticed her arrival, Grandma Wu had her face beamed and brightened up instantly. She really liked this granddaughter of hers. Very beautiful just like her mother, and very smart just like her father.


    As she remembered what had happened in the past, Grandma Wu could not help but sigh softly, ''Luckily she has her happiness now.'' And then she turned her glance to pay attention at the man who was walking next to her.


    Grandma Wu had requested Risa to look into this outstanding man. Li Xiqing had remarkable features, and Grandma Wu was afraid that her Yan Yan had encountered another player.


    But after asking around the executives at Gold Crane publications, and even the report submitted by a private investigator; Grandma Wu was unable to find any flaws about this man, who was head over heels with her granddaughter.


    She nodded her head inconspicuously, feeling satisfied at the choice for this grandson in law. The only tiny flaw that she could find is actually...


    "Grandma!"


    Before she could finish her line of thought, a clear voice rang through as Shao Yan walk closer. She finally stood in front of her; Shao Yan bend her body a little and threw her arms around Grandma.


    "I miss you so much!" she said as she gave a light squeeze around Grandma''s frail body and shook her a little.


    Grandma Wu burst in hearty laugh, "Brat! We just saw each other a few weeks ago," Grandma Wu said as she patted Shao Yan at the back, "alright, sit down now. Grandma miss you, too."


    Shao Yan felt reluctant to part, so she gave another squeeze, before she let go of her hug around Grandma. And then she turned around to Li Xiqing.


    Li Xiqing saw that Yan Yan was looking at him, so he stepped forward and said, "Grandma, how is your health? Yan Yan and I brought this for you," he said as he passed the paper bag to Risa, "there are two bags inside here. One is Japanese green tea leaves, the other one is cherry blossom tea."


    Risa stepped forward to receive the bag from Li Xiqing, and then stepped back to stand next to Grandma again. Li Xiqing continued, "After lunch later, I''ll tell you how to brew the sakura tea."


    Grandma Wu nodded repeatedly, "Alright, alright now, let us all sit down. It''s getting late, let''s order soon."


    Shao Yan grinned at her remarks, and then she took the spot next to Grandma Wu, and Risa sat on her other side.


    Li Xiqing sat next to Shao Yan, and then he signaled the server to come while saying, "You ladies can chat first, let me order the food now."


    Shao Yan nodded at him, and then she turned to Grandma, and circled her arm around her arm, "Grandma, what have you been busy with when I was away?" she asked cheerfully, "Did you meet any handsome Grandpa?"


    .....


    During the whole lunch, Li Xiqing was busy. Not only he had to pay attention to Yan Yan''s plate, but he also paid very close attention to Grandma''s and Risa''s.


    Li Xiqing decided to order two types of broth.


    "For the soup base, we will go with half and half. The first half, let''s go with clear chicken broth with wolfberries. And for the second half, let''s go with peppery pork broth with white radish."


    He flipped the menu book around, "We''ll have fresh fish fillet and slices of beef. Also add in assorted mushrooms and vegetables," Li Xiqing paused, and then he lifted his head and asked Shao Yan.


    "Yan Yan, do you want meatballs, fish balls or shrimp balls?"


    Shao Yan was chatting with Grandma and Risa about Japan.


    She was telling them about her experience with bullet train when she heard his question. Shao Yan paused her sentences mid-way, and then turned around to Li Xiqing, "Hm.." she paused to think for a while, "let''s go with fish and shrimp. Meatballs will be too difficult for Grandma to chew," she finished her words and then she continued chatting again.


    Li Xiqing turned his head back to the server, "Let''s do that, and then also add the tofu and tofu skin," and then he closed the menu, "that''s all for now. We''ll add more as we go."


    The server gave a little bow before she walked away. Li Xiqing stood up from his seat and reached for the tea cup, and started to refill everyone''s tea cup.

 Chapter 173 - Be Pretty

    Soft, lullaby music was playing in the background. A mix of erhu and qin weaved a beautiful symphony around the four people who were enjoying their meal.


    The round table was packed with a lot of ingredients, and three pairs of chopsticks were busy cooking the double pot in the center of the table.


    "Grandma," Li Xiqing said as he picked up some cooked vegetables and put them on her plate, "sometime next month, I would like to invite you to dinner."


    And then he continued, "My elder sister and my brother in law are visiting Shanghai. They will be staying for a few months here, so I want them to also pay their respect to you."


    Grandma Wu put down her chopsticks, and reached out for her tea cup. After taking a sip, she nodded, "Alright, you just arrange what you have to do. And then just let Shaoying know the details," Grandma said as she glanced at Risa who nodded back at her.


    "Do they have any place to stay, Daniel?" Risa said as she picked up a few cooked sliced fish and put them on Grandma''s plate, "our family has two vacant apartment units that you can choose for her to live in for a few months. The places are fully furnished, so they can move in anytime."


    Li Xiqing also scooped some vegetables and put them on Yan Yan''s plate, "Yes, they have rented a unit in my building. Thank you for the offer."


    Risa waved her hand, "No need to say thanks, we are family anyway," and then she turned to Shao Yan, "make sure you behave yourself, don''t embarrass our Wu family, Yan Yan."


    And Shao Yan who was about to bite onto her chopsticks, paused, and then stuck out her tongue, "I know!" And then she resumed eating while bobbing her head happily after teasing Risa.


    Li Xiqing pursed his lips at her attitude, and then he put in more meat into the pot, "Mandy runs her own business from home, so when she is bored, she can visit us any time since we will be staying in the same building anyway. That way, Yan Yan and she can accompany each other."


    .....


    "Grandma, you want to go shopping? Right now?"


    Shao Yan left her mouth hanging open after she heard what Grandma Wu just said.


    The four of them had just finished their meal. Around them, a few people were cleaning up their table, and more people came to put tea and sweets on their table. The pretty looking dessert was arranged on a three-tier tray and each of the mini cakes was unique on its own, nothing was repeated.


    "Why are you so surprised like that? Old people like me also know how to enjoy life," Grandma Wu burst out in chuckles after seeing Yan Yan and her speechless face. Risa selected a few items that looked pretty, and put them on Grandma''s plate, "Grandma, taste these desserts."


    "Then," Shao Yan started to say, before she paused for a while.


    However, before she got the chance to continue, Li Xiqing patted her shoulder, "Why don''t I drive all of you to the shopping mall? And then I will pick you up again tonight, alright?"


    He also selected two items from the tier trays, and put them on Yan Yan''s plate, then continued to say, "There are some things that I need to discuss with Axel anyway, so, why don''t all of you ladies have some fun?"


    Shao Yan looked at Li Xiqing, before she glanced back at Risa and Grandma Wu, "What do you say, Grandma?"


    Risa brought her head down, and let out a soft chuckle, while Grandma Wu just nodded along, "Alright, let''s do that." Risa finally raised her face and looked at Li Xiqing, "But, Daniel, you don''t have to drop us off. I have my car with me," she paused as she crossed her arms in front of her chest and started to think.


    "Why don''t you leave Yan Yan with us? Either I will send her back home later, or you can pick her up tonight. What do you think?"


    Shao Yan linked her arms around Li Xiqing''s and said, "Then, let''s do that, Xiqing. So you can meet Axel right away, alright?"


    .....


    They decided to go to a new shopping mall that had just opened for a few months.


    Shao Yan was walking next to Grandma Wu with her arm wrapped around Grandma; she kept Grandma occupied by talking to her all the way.


    "So, what are you looking for, Grandma? Maybe Sis and I can help you to find it?"


    Grandma Wu patted her arm lovingly, as she said, "I want to buy you a dress, Yan Yan."


    Shao Yan stopped on her track, which made Grandma Wu also stood still, "What''s wrong, Yan Yan? Do you feel unwell?" A trace of concern laced her voice as Grandma Wu started to search her face to see if she was sick.


    Shao Yan shook her head gingerly, she said softly, "Grandma, I''m fine, I''m not sick," she said hesitantly, "I was just surprised that you wanted to buy me a dress."


    And then she acted spoiled and clung to her more, "Grandma, I don''t need a dress. Let''s just buy something that you like. How about we go and see some handkerchiefs?"


    "This brat," Grandma playfully poked Yan Yan on her cheek, "how old are you already, still acting like a child like this?"


    Grandma Wu also feigned a glare, and then she patted Yan Yan''s hand, "You are going to meet Xiqing''s sister soon. I want you to have a few beautiful dresses when you meet his family in the future."


    "Be pretty, and be more confident with yourself. I want them to see my beautiful granddaughter, and let me be proud."


    "Let''s look at some Qipao dress then, shall we?" Risa suggested as she pushed both of them gently on the back, "and then at the same time, we can also get some embroidered handkerchiefs for Grandma."


    Risa turned her head to look at Shao Yan and then at Grandma, "Sounds good? Okay, let''s go," and she started to walk ahead of them even though the two women had not given her answers.


    Shao Yan and Grandma exchanged glances before both of them broke out in smiles and followed behind Risa, "Sis, wait for me!"

 Chapter 174 - Sophistication

    Rows and rows of shops filled this new shopping mall that had just opened a few months ago.


    Grandma Wu dragged Shao Yan to visit each of the shops to have Yan Yan choose what she liked. Risa followed behind closely, making sure that both of the women were always within her sight.


    Risa could see that Grandma is very happy. Her face complexion was very bright, and she was smiling from time to time. Yan Yan patiently talked to her all the way; sometimes, she was not awkward to make fun of herself, just to make Grandma laugh more.


    The three women spent their afternoon just like that; strolling around, and chatting with each other.


    "Yan Yan, come. Try this one," Grandma Wu was holding a beautiful soft pink color dress in her hands. It was a classic Qipao dress design with short cap sleeves and knee length dress. The collar was a mandarin design with silk button in the middle, and on the thigh side, there was a slit that made it more elegant.


    The inner layer of the dress was made of silk, and embroidery of colorful flowers in soft pink colors were spread all over the bottom part. The outer layer was a sheer pink brocade that was also embroidered with a combination of white and dark pink flowers.


    When someone put the dress on, the embroidery on the brocade complimented the inner layer; making the illusion of an animated paradise of flowers that moved with the person as they walked.


    Shao Yan looked at the very feminine dress, and felt skeptical if she could pull it off.


    "Grandma," she cocked her head to the side and said hesitantly, "th- this dress is too girly for me, don''t you think so?"


    Her hand reached forward to take the dress from Grandma. Her fingers unconsciously ran through the fabric; feeling the amazing sensation that met her every touch.


    "The material is good, the embroidery is also top class. Yan Yan, just try it on, and let Grandma see," Risa who had been standing quietly at the side, suddenly chimed in.


    Shao Yan could not help to fall in love at the beautiful piece and she got slightly curious as well; so she nodded gingerly, "Alright, I guess there is no harm in trying it on," and after she finished saying that, she walked to the fitting room area along with the dress.


    .....


    When Shao Yan stepped out of the fitting room, Risa slowly stood up from her seat, and Grandma was smiling from ear to ear.


    "Yan Yan, this.." Risa was trying to form some words, but they were stuck at the tip of her tongue, "this dress looks amazing on you!"


    Shao Yan, now wrapped in the soft pink dress, slowly walked over. She turned around to look at the full size mirror on the size; also looking in disbelief.


    She thought that the color would be too girly for her. But as she put it on now, she had never felt that this was actually her color.


    The combination of white flowers and dark pink colors that were spread all over the dress, created an illusion of an elegant fairy. With her soft, milky skin tone, Yan Yan actually looked heavenly in the dress. So demure and so pretty.


    She ran both of her hands slowly on her waist and moved down to her thighs. Shao Yan had never seen a dress as magnificent as this one.


    Risa stood behind her, held some of her hair, and then twisted them in a bun, "And then we can style your hair like this, Yan Yan."


    Grandma Wu decided as she nodded in satisfaction, "Mm. Good choice indeed. We shall take this one," she turned to the shop assistant who had been standing on the side waiting for them.


    "Shao Ying, go and take that dark blue dress we saw earlier," and then Grandma turned to Shao Yan, "this pink dress is more fitted for a formal event, that dark blue is good for a more casual party. Let''s try that on, too, Yan Yan."


    Risa nodded, and then she started to walk to another aisle to look for the dress that Grandma had chosen before the pink dress.


    .....


    A short while later, Risa came back. Another shop assistant was following closely behind her; in her hands was a dark blue dress.


    The second dress was much simpler. From the front side, Yan Yan could only see a simple dress with short cap sleeves and mandarin collar. She thought that the knee length dress actually looked normal, and might even be fitting to be worn to the office.


    Risa sat down next to Grandma on the couch, and the shop assistant presented the dress with both hands to Shao Yan, "Please take a look," she said as she spread the dress in front of her, "the material for this dress is a mix of silk and spandex; making the dress more flexible to be worn on a casual event, and yet still elegant and luxurious as a Qipao."


    The shop assistant paused when Shao Yan ran her fingers on the material, and then she said, "Unfortunately for this dress, I have to assist you in putting it on. And later, you will understand why."


    Shao Yan looked at the shop assistant, and then she glanced back to Risa and Grandma Wu; only to see them flashed encouraging smiles at her.


    Shao Yan turned back around and nodded as she said, "Alright, let''s try it on," and then she walked back to the fitting room.


    .....


    When she came out a moment later and looked at herself in front of the mirror, she felt a different aura than before.


    She heard gasps from behind her, so Shao Yan glanced to the back, "What is it, Sis?"


    Risa stood up from her seat, and walked closer and stood behind Shao Yan, "Yan Yan," she said, as she held Shao Yan by her shoulders, "look at this," and then she turned her slightly around, so Shao Yan could see her own back.

 Chapter 175 - All Seasons

    Shao Yan glanced around, and could not help to be stunned at what she saw.


    She was wondering why her back felt so cold, and now she knew why.


    A sheer, seductive material in similar dark blue color was covering her whole back in oval shape; starting from her nape and down to the small of her back.


    Tiny flowers were spread a little on the top of the oval shape. On the bottom part of the oval, more flowers were sewn as if they were climbing up from bottom left to the right side, and up towards the middle of her back.


    Upon closer look, Shao Yan saw the details of each flower. Intricate embroidery of red beads were surrounding a tiny gold amber stone; creating an illusion of a golden red flower. Small, transparent plastic materials in red and white colors were sewn surrounding the golden red flower as their petals; making each flower now looked like a blossoming cherry blossoms.


    "This dress was designed to fit all seasons," the shop assistant started to explain, "the details on the back were inspired by cherry blossoms from the spring. The sheer transparent material also befitting the summer. The golden red flower combination could also compliment the autumn, and dark blue color actually fits the winter."


    The shop assistant saw an appreciating look from Shao Yan''s eyes, and continued, "You can pair them with stockings during colder season, or just leave your legs bare during summer."


    Another shop assistant walked over. In her hands, she was carrying many types of shoes.


    One of the shop assistant picked up a pair of laced-up platform heels, "During spring or summer, these red laces heels are very suitable for the dress," and then she picked up rose gold metallic heels, "and these metallic colors actually heightened the dress to a next level during autumn," she said as she placed them next to Shao Yan''s feet to let her see the combination.


    And finally, they presented her with knee length boots, "If you are a boots person, then you can pair the dress with these amazing vegan leather boots for winter. They are warm, and yet very comfortable to wear."


    The shop assistant went back to stand next to her coworker. Both of them stood quietly on the side, with their hands overlapped one another at their front. They patiently waited for these customers to admire the dress and fell in love with the shoe options.


    Shao Yan was still looking at her back view, and also at the multiple shoes laid next to her feet; feeling slightly overwhelmed.


    Grandma Wu beamed as she slowly stood up from the couch and walked to stand next to Shao Yan. She put one hand behind Shao Yan''s back as she said to the shop assistant, "We will take this one as well," and then she patted Shao Yan at her arm, "this dress is perfect, Yan Yan. You look absolutely amazing."


    .....


    After shopping for the whole day, Shao Yan felt really exhausted. Her feet were so tired from walking around this huge shopping mall. And after trying on so many dresses and shoes, she felt like she had run a full marathon today.


    The three of them were sitting in a cafe, while trying to rest their feet.


    "Sis, Xiqing texted me just now. He is still in discussion with Axel, and will not be able to come pick me up on time. I''m afraid I have to trouble you to send me back," Shao Yan said as she picked up her cup of hot matcha latte and took a sip from it.


    Risa nodded, "No problem. Shall we have dinner first then?" and then she turned around to Grandma Wu, "What would you like to eat, Grandma? Are you hungry yet?"


    Grandma Wu was leaning back on the chair while watching a bunch of children who were playing around not far from her. The children were around four to five years old, and were joking amongst each other, while their mothers were chatting by themselves.


    Her eyes curved gently while watching their innocent laughs and carefree attitudes.


    Grandma Wu absentmindedly answered her, "En. Anything is fine. Let Yan Yan decide, then," she said very softly.


    Shao Yan and Risa looked at each other, and then shrugged, "How about some skewers barbecue? I know a good place near my place, so it is on the way."


    Risa nodded; she tilted her head and started to think of other options, "Sure, and we can order some other dishes for Grandma."


    Shao Yan also nodded along with her, "Sounds good. Let me text Xiqing to let him know," she said as she fished out the phone from inside her purse, and started to type.


    "Yan Yan," Grandma Wu suddenly called out to her when Shao Yan was so engrossed in typing.


    "En? What is it, Grandma?" Yan Yan was so focused on typing, and she did not raise her head from her phone as she typed.


    Grandma Wu did not say anything for a while, until Shao Yan realized something was off, and then she finally looked up to look at her.


    "Well, I was just going to say. If you and Xiqing get married next year, I think it''s better to have children soon. You are not young anymore."


    Shao Yan successfully paused her typing. Her jaw was left hung open and her eyes kept blinking in disbelief, as she was trying to find words to reply Grandma. Risa was chuckling on the side. She had one hand covered her mouth, as she was trying to be quiet; but at the end, Risa burst into giggles as she could not hold it in.


    "Gr- Grandma, I''m only 28 this year! I can still wait for two more years," Shao Yan started to nag on Grandma, "besides, I don''t think we will get married that soon," she paused, as she let that sink in for a moment.


    "Xiqing and I have just been together for a few months. Marriage is still a long way to go, Grandma. Please don''t scare me like that," Shao Yan lightly shook Grandma on her arms.

 Chapter 176 - Unwind

    Grandma Wu burst into hearty laughs.


    "Who is scaring you here, you silly child," she playfully patted Shao Yan at her arm, "Grandma was just thinking about your wellbeing."


    Grandma lifted her hand and rubbed Shao Yan at the back of her hand, "When women get older, Yan Yan, their body gets more fragile too. When you give birth at a later age, it will take longer for you to recover," she patted a few more times, "I am just worried for you, my child."


    And then Grandma slowly continued, "You also have to think about Xiqing. If both of you have children at a later age, he will be too old to play around with them."


    Shao Yan pouted her lips, and then she wrapped one arm around Grandma and held her shoulder, "Grandma, I get it. Right now, don''t worry about us, and just pay attention to your health. I want you to be healthy and then you can also play with our children later on. Alright?"


    Grandma relented, and finally heaved a soft sigh, "Alright, I understand," she said as she patted Yan Yan on the cheek to assure her.


    .....


    When she arrived home that night, the lights were all still turned off, as Li Xiqing was not home yet. Shao Yan turned a few lights on as she walked to the bedroom.


    Since it had been a whole day, and her body was exhausted, she decided to soak a little. Walking over to the bathroom, Shao Yan turned the tap water on to fill the tub with hot water. She walked to the cabinet at the side, took out a few bath bombs, and started to unwrap it.


    While waiting for the water to be ready, she started to clean her face and slowly strip her clothes. Shao Yan turned off the main bathroom lights, and left a few small lights on.


    She walked to the full size window, and lit some candles that she had set by the window sill to set a calming mood; and then she walked back to the tub. While standing fully naked by the bathtub, Shao Yan dipped her hand into the water to test the temperature.


    ''Hm. This should be enough, I guess?'' she thought to herself.


    Shao Yan picked up the bath bomb, and threw them into the tub; gradually the foams were formed, and bubbles started to fill in the surface.


    The room was quickly filled with lavender and chamomile smell. Simply from inhaling the fragrance; Shao Yan slowly felt that her tensed muscle started to relax. She lifted one foot, and then another, to climb into the tub.


    Slowly, she lowered her waist, until she soaked her whole body inside the hot water.


    .....


    After about an hour later, Shao Yan was quickly freshened up. She walked out in comfortable wool pajamas and matching house slippers that Li Xiqing had bought for her.


    Shao Yan started to unwrapped the stuff that Grandma had bought for her. She wanted to hang them properly. And as she took them out, she would sometimes sigh on the way.


    ''The material is so nice, so perfect to the touch. The design is exquisite and so comfortable to wear. I wonder how much Grandma spent for all of these,'' Shao Yan thought to herself; could not help to feel a slight guilt in her heart.


    Her fingers skimmed over the dresses, and she felt sour in her heart.


    The family that she had been missing, finally appeared by her side. Protecting her, spoiling her, laughing and crying with her.


    Shao Yan could not help to pray silently in her heart so this happiness will not go away.


    .....


    Since she had eaten dinner, Shao Yan decided to spend the remainder of the night watching TV while waiting for Li Xiqing to come home.


    After she tidied up everything, she walked outside, and left a small light in the living room so the house was not too dark for him when he came home.


    After making sure all the doors and windows were closed, she walked back inside the bedroom.


    Shao Yan picked up the TV remote and started to browse the channels.


    She was changing the channels absentmindedly when she felt that her eyelids were so heavy.


    The volume of the TV had been lowered when she just turned it on. With the soak just now, her relaxed body, the scented candles, plush bed and the white noise from TV; all the combination gradually pulled her to sleep.


    And this was the view that welcomed him when Li Xiqing came home a few hours later.


    Smiling to himself, he could see that his woman is trying hard to wait up for him. But it seems that the fatigue slowly caught up.


    He planted a soft kiss on her forehead, and watched her sleep for a while; before he walked to the bathroom to freshen up.


    .....


    Shao Yan felt the area next to her was dipped. Still feeling groggy from being woken up, she turned around to see Li Xiqing was about to turn off the lamp on the side table; completely unaware of her looking at him.


    In the dark, Shao Yan tried to adjust her sight, when she felt his arms slowly wrapped around her as Li Xiqing spooned her from the back.


    "... Xiqing?"


    Surprised at her call, Li Xiqing raised his head to search for her face, "Did I wake you up? I''m sorry, let''s go back to sleep."


    She stirred as she said, "No, I was not sleeping soundly anyway. I was waiting for you to come home," and when she finished saying that, Shao Yan turned around and buried her face in his embrace.


    She could feel a slight vibration from him as he chuckled, "Silly, why did you do that? It''s Sunday tomorrow, you can sleep more, alright?"


    Shao Yan hummed and then she was looking for a more comfortable spot to snuggle, "Grandma.. She bought a lot of dresses for me today," she said softly; barely like a whisper.


    Li Xiqing had both of his arms wrapped around her; with her petite face was buried around his Adam''s apple and their legs were linked with each other.


    "En, are you having fun today?"


    She was quiet for a long while, before she replied, "En. And I dreamed of mom just now."

 Chapter 177 - Family Relations

    Shao Yan scooted closer, "In my dream, I felt that Mom may be worried about me being alone. She kept rubbing my hair and she looked so sad too," as she snuggled into his embrace.


    "So I told her, ''Mom, I am doing fine now, Grandma is here, Sis is here, and I also have Xiqing here.'' and hopefully that will calm her soul," she said while placing her head comfortably in the crook of his neck.


    Li Xiqing planted a soft kiss on her forehead. His broad palm was rubbing her back, as her sleepy voice rang out narrating her dream to him. He did not say anything, and just offered his whole self and listened.


    "Mm you smell so good," she said drowsily while rubbing her cheek onto his skin, "how was your meeting today?"


    Li Xiqing chuckled, and he wrapped her closer to him, and whispered, "Let''s talk tomorrow. Let''s sleep now, alright?"


    And his hands just kept rubbing her back, moving up and down slowly; hypnotizing her to sleep. And his legs linked with hers protectively.


    Shao Yan gradually lost her consciousness and started to dream of another beautiful adventure with Li Xiqing.


    ?? .???


    .....


    The week started too fast for Shao Yan. The year was closing to the end, and everyone was involved in the end of year party planning.


    She and her team had been running around trying to coordinate everything. 24 hours in a day just did not seem enough.


    "So, his sister and brother in law are visiting soon?"


    Risa was walking beside Shao Yan as they were heading to a meeting room.


    Today, she put on a light purple dress with knee length boots. Her trademark ponytail was swaying elegantly as she walked.


    Meanwhile, Shao Yan was wearing a white and black striped blouse with dark blue jeans and knee-length boots. In her hands, she was carrying her laptop, notebook and also her water tumbler.


    "Yes. Xiqing said, his sister is arriving sometime tonight or tomorrow, he couldn''t remember," and then she glanced back to Risa, "what do you know about them?"


    Risa snickered at her, and with her elbow, she nudged Shao Yan, "Oh!! Are you trying to fish information from me? Since you know Grandma sent someone to look into Daniel?" And then she burst into giggles that really irritated Shao Yan.


    She took a step to the side, trying to avoid her jab, "No. I was just.. I was just curious, is all," she stuttered but quickly continued, "if you have nothing to say, then that''s fine."


    Shao Yan turned and about to walk away, when Risa hastened her pace and threw one arm around her shoulder.


    "You sulk so easily, Sis," Risa poked Yan Yan on her cheek, "I didn''t say I won''t share the information anyway," and then again she burst to giggles to purposely annoy Shao Yan.


    "Mandy, only one year older than Daniel. She studied nursing in university but then she realized that she was really passionate about history and literature. She decided to drop out and travel around Europe backpacker style," Risa started to tell Shao Yan, "she worked a lot of odd jobs when she was overseas; you know, being waitress, translator, or shopkeeper and all that."


    Shao Yan was listening quietly while Risa kept rambling on.


    "Hm. From the picture alone, she looks really pretty. I can''t really say much about her background, overall she is just normal. She met her husband while travelling. They dated for a few years. No nonsense drama in her report either."


    Risa held her laptop in front of her chest and wrapped both of her arms around it, "I think looking at how close Daniel and his sister is, it should be safe to assume that you will like her too, Yan Yan."


    Shao Yan nodded along her words, "En, I hope so too. Every time Xiqing speaks about this sister, I can feel his affection towards her. So I really want to get along with her."


    .....


    "What about her husband? Anything that I need to be aware of?"


    Risa tilted her head to the side as she tried to remember what the report had said. Her side fringe was swiped to the side; softening her facial feature; as her eyebrows scrunched together and she slightly bit her inner cheek.


    In a glance, Shao Yan could see a trace of her own father doing the same gesture. There was a moment in the past, when Shao Yan caught her father doing that, she would poke him on the cheek and say, "Got you!"


    Unconsciously, she brought her head down, and smiled to herself, while thinking, ''Biological inheritance really won''t go far,'' and then she chuckled softly.


    Risa, aware of her light mood, perked up and saw Shao Yan was smiling to herself.


    "What? What were you thinking just now?" she asked.


    Shao Yan quickly adjusted her smile; but her curved lips were still arching so wide; she could not purse her lips in time.


    "It''s nothing. All of a sudden, I was just reminded of father and our interactions," and then she quickly asked Risa, "so, anyway, what do you remember about her husband?"


    Risa squinted her eyes, as if she did not believe her, but still answered Yan Yan on her question anyway, "Hm. Chen Yufeng came from an antique dealer family. His parents were Chinese people who studied in Germany and decided to stay there after they graduated," she started.


    "He has a younger sister who I think also lives in Shanghai now," and then Risa took a long pause trying to remember the details from the report, "to be honest, I can''t really remember much about him. Only his background in antiques piqued my interest and that was why I still remember that part."


    "But what I remember is that, both Mandy and her husband have worked so hard their whole lives, to be in their position today. When he was only 17, Yufeng took over the antique dealer business from his parents, and also recently started his own investment company. They are not from the royal blue blood. They are just people like us who climb up normally as well. So don''t worry too much."

 Chapter 178 - Little Wife

    Shao Yan nodded along with her words, "En, I guess you are right. I don''t need to stress out too much."


    They finally arrived in front of the meeting room.


    Risa had reached out her hand and was about to open the glass door when Shao Yan suddenly said, "Sis, when we are meeting his sister and his brother in law for dinner next week, don''t forget to also bring along brother Kei. I have never met him yet."


    Her hand was paused midair, and her eyes were just blinking at Yan Yan; trying to think of a reply.


    "S-sure, I will introduce you to him next time. But he will not be joining for dinner," and then she quickly said, "Yan Yan, let''s go in now and continue our chat later, alright?"


    Shao Yan peeked through the door gap and saw so many people were already sitting inside. She nodded her head, and Risa continued to slide the glass door open and both of them quickly walked inside.


    .....


    When Shao Yan went back home that night, she drove to the underground parking garage right away. After she had parked her Mazda at her usual spot, Shao Yan grabbed her laptop bag from the front passenger seat, and then she got out of the car.


    On a habit, she scanned her surroundings to see if Li Xiqing was already home.


    Shao Yan saw that his Audi was already parked at his usual spot, and when she was about to walk away, Shao Yan noticed that Mandy''s Jaguar was not around. Li Xiqing would sometimes drive the car to keep the engine healthy. And she knew that he would always park the SUV next to his.


    Shao Yan tilted her head to the side, wondering if Li Xiqing might have driven out, or was Mandy already back.


    She started to walk to the elevator and reminded herself to ask Li Xiqing later.


    When she finally arrived in front of the elevator, Shao Yan noticed that a man was already standing there; waiting for the elevator.


    ''The man looked like he was about Li Xiqing''s height, so he must be around 6 ft,'' she thought to herself.


    He was typing away on his phone, his dark wavy hair was styled neatly, and not a single hair escaped as he was looking down.


    He had a black turtleneck shirt with black dress pants; paired with a black and white houndstooth print suit jacket. A square of black silk handkerchief was folded inside the front pocket. The man looked both stylish and elegant at the same time.


    He looked to be around late thirties or maybe forties. Shao Yan could not see his face clearly, so she was just guessing.


    As she walked closer, Shao Yan started to notice his long prominent eyebrows, he also had slight mustache and goatee. For other people; this facial hair combination might have looked weird. But on this man, his facial hair actually enhanced his charm and oozed a strong masculinity.


    He seemed to have heard that someone was approaching his direction. As Shao Yan was about two or three steps away, the man looked up and stared into her intently. His almond shaped eyes were looking at Shao Yan for a couple of seconds, before he pulled his stare away, and continued to type on his phone again.


    Shao Yan kept her face cool and calm, ''New neighbor or visitor?'' she thought to herself.


    .....


    When the elevator arrived, the man stepped forward a little, and held the door open.


    He had one hand holding the edge of the door, a he glanced to the side and looked at Shao Yan, "After you," and when he finished saying that, he flashed her a polite smile.


    His other hand with palm facing up was pointing towards the elevator; allowing Shao Yan to enter first.


    "Thank you," Shao Yan gave a small nod at him, and stepped inside.


    The man walked in after her and asked, "Which floor?"


    "23, thank you," Shao Yan said as she stepped to the side; keeping a good distance from the stranger.


    He lifted his hand and pressed on two numbers onto the keypad; 19 and 23.


    When the door closed, the man inserted both of his hands into his pants pocket. One feet was tapping on the floor along to the soft humming music inside the elevator.


    Shao Yan started to think of what to cook for dinner tonight; she painted an imaginary picture of her fridge and started to list down what she had.


    ''Xiqing mentioned that he wanted to eat some radish soup. Maybe I should start with that,'' she thought to herself while planning on what to cook for dinner.


    When the elevator reached floor 19, the man turned around to her and said, "Have a good night," and then he stepped out without waiting for Shao Yan to answer.


    Shao Yan did not think too much about it, and she went back to planning her dinner.


    .....


    "Yan Yan, you''re home?"


    She had just entered the front door, and was standing in the foyer to take off her shoes, when she heard Li Xiqing''s voice from the kitchen.


    "Oh, it''s me," she quickly answered back, while bending down to start untying her boots.


    After she was done, Shao Yan quickly walked to the kitchen, and found Li Xiqing was holding a medium saucepan in his hand.


    One hand was holding the handle, while the other hand was scooping the content to two bowls, "Wash your hands, we can eat now."


    Shao Yan obediently walked to the kitchen sink and washed her hands, "Xiqing, just now, I saw someone who is as handsome as you."


    Li Xiqing did not budge a little, and just continued to prepare the bowl, "Oh, and then? Did you ask for his number?"


    Shao Yan giggled. She turned off the faucet and started to wipe her hands dry, "I wanted to ask, but then I remembered my lovely little wife at home. What to do? I can''t abandon my wifey now, who will cook dinner for me?"

 Chapter 179 - More Handsome

    Two blue and white ceramic bowls were blowing hot steam on top of the granite kitchen island.


    Li Xiqing had prepared some wolfberry and ginger chicken soup tonight. After he ladled the final scoop of the soup, he put the empty saucepan into the kitchen sink.


    His hands reached out to the back of his neck to untie the apron that he had put on, "So, hubby, you''re grateful now that your wife is doing a proper job in the kitchen, right?"


    The apron fell on to his hands; he grabbed it and set it on the kitchen counter, and then walked over to Shao Yan.


    She beamed at his approach and put both of her hands on his waist. Shao Yan pulled Li Xiqing closer to her, "Of course. I have the best in the world," she tiptoed a little to peck his lips, "thank you for cooking tonight, wifey."


    As she was about to step back, Li Xiqing put his hands around her waist and lifted her up. He sat Shao Yan on the kitchen counter, with both of his hands placed on each side of her thighs; caging her.


    "So, what did you say about this guy who is as handsome as me? I didn''t catch that earlier. Why don''t you say it again?"


    Li Xiqing had his face so close to her. A little tilted to the side, he scrutinized her every expression while leaning closer and closer. His lips were only an inch away from hers.


    Shao Yan pursed her lips. She linked both arms around his neck, "You heard wrongly, Xiqing. How could there be another person as handsome as you," and as she finished saying that, Shao Yan leaned her face closer to him. She caught his lower lips; closing her eyes, she started to nibble a little.


    .....


    Li Xiqing leaned closer and wrapped both of his arms around her back; gradually bringing her whole body to mold into his embrace.


    He did not let her stop her sensual assault. His lips started to kiss her back, his tongue explored his territory.


    The tip of his tongue grazed the top of her mouth; causing Yan Yan to moan in response.


    He groaned and he pulled her body closer to him. His hands on her back traveled down to her waist and started to caress her hip. He gave a light squeeze on her thighs causing Yan Yan to hitch her breath; but she did not stop her kisses.


    With a slight pull, Li Xiqing brought her hip closer to him and then he seized both of her calves. He grabbed her legs to wrap him around his butt.


    Shao Yan could feel his manhood touching her own.


    All the while, Yan Yan had never let go of her arms around his neck and continued kissing him. Their tongues entangled as they kissed hungrily; trying to claim each of their own.


    Feeling greedy and unsatisfied; yet sweet and fulfilling at the same time.


    "Yan Yan," he sighed her name, "I think..," he paused, trying to breathe.


    "I think we should eat now before the soup cools down."


    Li Xiqing leaned his forehead against hers, trying to catch some air and control his desire. He bent his fingers, and gently skimmed her cheek while his blazing gaze stared deep into her eyes.


    "En," she said weakly, "but," she paused while trying to also get some air, "you owe me this tonight," Shao Yan said as she traced her trembling fingers over his lips.


    She cupped both of her hands over his jaw and gave a small peck against the corner of his lips.


    .....


    On the table, Shao Yan could see that Li Xiqing has cooked a variety of dishes tonight.


    Honey grilled pork chop, garlic stir fry green beans, steamed egg with dried shrimps and wolfberry ginger chicken soup.


    "I was making this to practice for Mandy. This is her favorite dish," Li Xiqing said as he pointed to the honey grilled pork chop.


    Shao Yan nodded as she scooped the steamed egg into her bowl, "This dried shrimps smell so fragrant. Is this the one that Grandma gave to us last time?"


    Li Xiqing nodded as he picked up some green beans and put them onto Yan Yan''s plate.


    "Yes, the wolfberries for the soup are also the one that she gave us last time. Very good stuff."


    Shao Yan glanced at the bowl in front of her. She took a spoon and started to stir the content around.


    Taking a spoonful of soup, she brought it to her lips to taste the broth.


    Once the spoon left her mouth, Shao Yan looked up at Li Xiqing. Her round eyes went larger than usual, "Whoa Xiqing! The wolfberry tasted so sweet, the broth was so good. How long did you brew the soup for?"


    Shao Yan looked down into her bowl again and started to poke on the chicken drumstick I side her bowl, "The meat is so tender, what time you came home today? I see this could easily take two hours, maybe?"


    Li Xiqing smiled helplessly at her excitement, "Let''s start eating now, don''t let the soup get too cold," and then he picked up his own chopsticks and started to eat.


    "En. I''m so hungry," Shao Yan also followed suit and started to eat, "I had back to back meetings the whole day. My butt hurt so much from sitting for too long," she pouted before she put some rice into her mouth.


    Shao Yan started to tell him about how her day went, and all the complaints that she had for the day.


    ''Wifey, I feel so tired!'' she thought to herself and started to pour out her grievances.


    (��??�q�r??)��


    .....


    "Oh, Xiqing, I forgot to ask you."


    After dinner, Shao Yan decided to put all the dirty plates into the dishwasher. She was standing by the kitchen sink while organizing all the plates into the machine, and then she remembered what she saw just now at the underground parking garage.


    She turned to glance at Li Xiqing who was wiping the dining table, "Just now, I didn''t see Mandy''s car in the garage. Did you take it somewhere?"

 Chapter 180 - Owe You Something

    "Oh, that''s right," he took a dark green kitchen towel and started to wipe down the island counter, "Mandy arrived this morning. She must have driven out to get dinner or something."


    Shao Yan hesitated for a while. She had a question that she wanted to ask Li Xiqing, but she was not sure how to start the conversation.


    While thinking, she unconsciously gnawed on her lower lip.


    "Don''t keep biting your lip like that," Li Xiqing told her, "the weather is getting colder, and your skin is getting drier too. Don''t hurt your lips."


    Her lips slowly curved up, "I put on some lip balm every day, don''t worry," and then she stuck out her tongue to tease him.


    "So uh, Xiqing," she started to say, "what should I call Mandy?"


    She paused, and then before Li Xiqing could answer her, Shao Yan quickly continued. "I mean, do I just call her ''Sis'' or just ''Mandy'' or is there any other name that I should address her by?"


    He finally wiped all the counter, and walked over to the kitchen sink and stood next to her.


    "Just Mandy or Sis is fine. She is not very particular about this thing, you don''t have to worry too much," he tapped her shoulder, "go wash up, let me finish the cleaning here," and then he started to wash the cloth.


    Shao Yan nodded, "Alright, I''ll do that then. Maybe I''ll just call her ''Sis'', and see how it goes from there," and then she leaned in and planted a soft kiss on his cheek, "thank you, I''ll go wash up now."


    Shao Yan straightened up her body, and walked to the bedroom.


    .....


    Shao Yan had just finished her shower when Li Xiqing walked into the bedroom.


    She was inside the walk-in closet and had just put on her fluffy, wool light blue pajamas when she heard the bathroom door was opened.


    When she walked out, she saw Li Xiqing was brushing his teeth. "I have prepared the tub for you, you can just soak in it right away," she said as she picked up her own toothbrush and toothpaste. Li Xiqing nodded, and kept brushing his teeth.


    When she finished, Shao Yan was about to walk out of the bathroom when a pair of strong arms caught her waist from behind and then she was lifted up in the air. Reflexively, Shao Yan grabbed onto the arms and felt the strong muscles flexed under her touch.


    "Ahh!" A shriek of surprise escaped her, when suddenly Shao Yan found herself seated on the bathroom counter. The grey and white marble stone felt so cold underneath her.


    Her heart was still beating so fast over the sudden surprise, when she saw Li Xiqing was smiling so wide in front of her.


    "Didn''t someone say I owe her something?"


    .....


    Shao Yan delivered a light punch on his shoulder, "You!! Almost causing me to get a heart attack," her lips pouted as she sulked.


    Li Xiqing leaned closer. Both of his arms were caging her on the side, similar to what he did in the kitchen before dinner.


    Looking deep into her eyes, he brushed the tip of his nose against hers while whispering, "If I kiss you now, will you forgive me?"


    But without waiting for her to answer, his lips caught her lower lips and started to nibble.


    Shao Yan responded right away. A mix of fresh peppermint and his own masculine fragrance caused her brain to go haywire. Shao Yan was intoxicated right away.


    Her tongue seeked for his; desperately longing to taste the sweetness and she craved the heat from his body.


    She leaned her own body closer to his embrace, her arms crawled up to his neck and brought him down to her.


    Her breasts were molded into his chest; she could feel his strong muscles are seducing her sensitivity. Her nipples were aroused when they moved sensually against each other.


    .....


    Li Xiqing grabbed hold of her butt and gave a light squeeze when a moan escaped her lips. She opened her mouth and felt more hungry for him.


    "Mmhh.. Xiqing.." she sighed for him. He groaned in response as he deepened his attack inside her mouth.


    His hands slowly crept under her pajamas; looking for her warmth. Her soft, fluffy pajamas were teasing his fingertips as he caressed her hip.


    Shao Yan could not help to shudder when his cold fingertips suddenly slipped underneath her clothes and started to caress her milky skin.


    Li Xiqing moved his face from side to side as he changed his angle and kept kissing her more and deeper; and Shao Yan kissed him back in the same manner. Always hungry for him.


    The hands on her back slowly moved to the front and brushed her tummy. He spread all fingers on her tummy and held her possessively as he called for her name desperately, "Yan Yan," and he kissed her again.


    Shao Yan let out a soft sigh and her breath was hitched when she felt his fingers trailed over her skin all the way up to her breasts.


    His palm cupped one of her breasts and his thumb started to tease her perky nipple. Shao Yan could not help but moan into his kisses. He started to fondle and massage her; and Shao Yan started to feel weak inside her core and she leaned all of herself against him. His hand would not stop his teasing over her breasts.


    All of a sudden, his hand left her bare skin and went down to her hips again.


    Shao Yan felt a tingle on her breast. He had been massaging them for a while, and now she felt empty. Her hands were looking for him; craving for his touches again.


    But then she felt that Li Xiqing had used both of his hands to lift her pajama up and off her body; leaving her topless. She shivered when the cold air hit her bare back. But before long, both of his palms went behind her back and arched her. His mouth caught one of her breasts and started to suck like a hungry baby.


    Reflexively, Shao Yan grabbed onto his hair as she moaned over his assault.

 Chapter 181 - Void Of Words

    The moon was hiding; she was shy to see what this man was doing.


    A tall, muscular man was standing in front of the bathroom counter. A beautiful maiden was wrapped inside his possessive arms. She only had her pajama pants on her with her bare naked upper body fully exposed to him. Her head was thrown to the back as her body was leaned against his arms weakly.


    Her white, snowy neck was laid bare in front of him. He was sucking and tasting her breasts hungrily, as his mouth and his hand kept going from one side to the other, loving her possessively. One hand would hold her breast and his mouth would start sucking.


    His tongue and his teeth were teasing her nonstop; leaving the maiden breathless and very aroused.


    Her hands were caressing his hot skin; craving for more.


    She kept calling for his name. And he kept sighing for hers.


    The man and the woman were very hungry for each other.


    .....


    His other hand traveled down to grab her hip and brought her forward. His broad palm was holding onto her butt as he pressed her womanhood against his bulge and started to move against her.


    Li Xiqing rubbed his erection against her softness as he groaned his frustration onto her perky pink nipples. His tongue circled the areola, tasting it. Shao Yan could feel his hot breaths against her cold skin.


    Little cries escaped her mouth as she tried to hold in the pleasures.


    Li Xiqing had his teeth slowly covered the peak and gave a light bite. Shao Yan caught her breath and threw her head to the back as she could not handle the intoxicating attacks.


    Shao Yan knew she was getting wetter and wetter for him. She was getting restless as she moved her hips along with his grinding.


    "Xiqing.." she sighed, "b-bedroom.." she pleaded to him, "please."


    Her fingers dug deep into his hair. She was trembling with excitement. She wanted more.


    Still with his mouth on her breasts, Li Xiqing grabbed hold of her legs and circled them around his butt. With both hands under her butt, he lifted her up and started to walk out to the bedroom.


    .....


    As he laid her down gently on the bed, his heart beat erratically. Li Xiqing had never seen a girl as beautiful, and as ethereal as this one under him. His only woman.


    Shao Yan had her hair spread on the bed; framing her petite face seductively. Her face was flushed with a pretty pink hue as her stunning eyes were holding him captive; following his every move wherever he went.


    Li Xiqing trailed his eyes from the crown of her head, down to her face. His gaze darkened upon seeing her swollen lips as a result of his assault in the bathroom just now.


    He kept looking at her, down to her luscious mounds. He saw his love bites on her neck and around her chest.


    His gaze kept trailing down to her flat tummy. Li Xiqing brought his face down as he planted butterfly kisses all over her breasts; trying to soothe his bite marks. He knew those bites did not hurt Yan Yan; but he wanted to tease her.


    She wriggled under his light kisses, "Xiqing.. t-they tickle," she said breathlessly.


    Li Xiqing chuckled, and Shao Yan could feel his breath swept over her skin. His tongue trailed down from the middle of her chest, and down to her navel.


    Shao Yan was laying on the edge of the bed, with Li Xiqing towering in front of her.


    His fingers hooked onto the waistband of her fluffy pajamas, and started to drag them down. He kept his eyes on his hands, following his every move; he was looking at how the material slowly left her milky skin exposed more to his view.


    He did not miss the nectar that came out of her honeypot. Unconsciously, he gulped and his Adam''s apple was twitching as he could not wait to taste her.


    He slid down the pants down to her ankle and then he threw them to the side.


    He knelt down and Li Xiqing caught her legs and put them on his shoulder as he leaned in closer to Yan Yan and inhaled her intoxicating smell. He wanted to drown in her fragrance and warmth.


    His tongue started to lick the flowing nectar. His tongue trailed from her thighs up to her womanhood.


    Shao Yan moaned impatiently, "Xiqing.." and she kept calling for him.


    Li Xiqing took his time to taste her. When his face was finally facing her softness, he lifted his fingers and gently brushed over the soft hair.


    Shao Yan shuddered upon his gentle touches down there. His fingers slowly spread her lips apart, and he saw the most amazing glistening view; she was wet for him.


    And he felt his dominance started to take over him.


    He slowly brought his face closer. With his tongue, he licked her clitoris and when he felt that she was trembling, Li Xiqing closed his lips around it, and started to suck.


    And Shao Yan arched herself to the back, she buried her head deeper into the pillow. Her whole self was held captive by his conquest.


    The bedroom was void of words. All he could hear was her moans, her little cries and her sighs. Or the noise of his assault over her sweetness.


    .....


    He licked and sucked. And kept licking and sucking; leaving her breathless.


    His tongue travelled all over inside her; stirring all of her senses. His hands would caress all over her body; seducing her.


    While his mouth was busy down there, his hands would sometimes fondle her breasts and give her nipples a good massage. He stimulated all of her erotic sensors.


    Her juice just kept flowing; kept feeling hungry for him.


    "Xiqing.." she moaned as she felt she was closer to orgasm, "Xiqing.." was all she could say.


    He brought his tongue back to her clitoris, and slipped one finger inside her, and Shao Yan lost it.


    She clenched his finger tight as she came and he kept moving in and out of her. His mouth was still sucking and teasing her clitoris and she felt her first drain.


    Her body twitched along the orgasm. Shao Yan could not hold herself in, and she let out a soft cry.


    Before Shao Yan got the chance to catch her breath, she saw Li Xiqing standing up. His erection was standing proudly in front of her.


    He spread her legs apart, "Yan Yan, I will start now." He put his hands under her butt, and scooped her closer. Shao Yan was about to answer him when he suddenly inserted his erection inside her, and started to move.

 Chapter 182 - Cherish The Beauty

    Shao Yan laid limp on top of him; unmovable. She was spent after so many rounds of orgasms, she did not even want to move even a little bit.


    One hand was placed behind his head, and Li Xiqing had his other hand stroking her bare back like pampering a lazy cat. Shao Yan could feel her eyelid was gradually drooping after every stroke.


    "Where did you put the charms that I gave you in Japan?"


    Her lazy voice crept through the quiet room. Her soft breath tickled his exposed skin as she spoke softly. Her cheek was leaning on his chest; her whole self was raising up and down along with his breathing.


    "En?" he paused as he thought for a while, "the Happiness charm is inside my wallet. And I put the Family charm inside my laptop bag."


    Li Xiqing turned his gaze downwards to search for her face, "Why did you suddenly ask that?"


    Shao Yan stirred a little on top of him, "I- I don''t know why, but suddenly I remembered what the monk told me when I got those charms for you."


    She sighed, "And now that I think about it, it''s not really for you. Those saying were actually more for me," she explained quietly.


    His hand stopped stroking her and his palm cupped over her hips; holding her still, "Why is that? What exactly did he say?"


    Shao Yan did not say anything for a while. The room was dimmed, and really quiet. Other than a few buzzing noise; she could only hear the sound of their own breathing.


    She closed her eyelids, and started to remember what the monk had told her.


    "Uh.. He said something about stop looking back, and that we decide our own happiness," she paused, "Uh also something about the road is not always smooth, but I have to cherish the flower in my hand."


    Shao Yan raised her face. She put both hands underneath her chin while she looked up at him.


    "I guess, you are my flower, beauty. I have to cherish you," she chuckled softly.


    Her tender nipples teased his chest muscles as she giggled happily.


    With one hand still holding her hips, Li Xiqing turned her around; and loomed on top of her.


    Her delicate face worshipped him as her eyes shone upon his gaze on her.


    He slowly leaned closer to her face and planted soft kisses all over her forehead, nose and cheek. And she giggled again.


    Li Xiqing then moved to lay behind her; his arms went around her body and held her within his embrace.


    "It''s been a long day, let''s sleep now?" he whispered.


    Shao Yan snuggled to find a comfortable position, "En, I''m so tired. All your fault!" She protested as she hit his arms that were wrapped in front of her tummy.


    Li Xiqing chuckled and buried his face in her hair, "I''m sorry. Let''s sleep now, alright?" And then he planted a tender kiss on her nape, and slowly fell asleep.


    .....


    When she woke up the next morning, the sun was already shining brightly.


    Shao Yan slowly stretched her aching body. She only needed to do a site visit today, so she did not have to go to the office.


    Her hand was stretched to the side table; and started looking for her mobile phone.


    After she found it, she quickly unlocked the screen to see that it was almost past nine o''clock in the morning.


    Shao Yan saw an alert popped up; it was a text message from Li Xiqing.


    ''Come out after you''re done with shower and dressed up. I have made breakfast.''


    A silly grin gradually appeared on her face.


    ''This man always knows how to pamper me,'' Shao Yan sighed as she turned to the side and buried her face into his pillow and then she flopped her legs up and down against the bed. She was feeling beyond grateful to have this man in her life.


    Realizing that she was still naked under the blanket, Shao Yan quickly got up and darted to the bathroom to get ready.


    .....


    Her hands were swiping all over the dresses that were hung neatly inside the walk in closet.


    One by one, she flipped the dresses over and over. She could not decide what to wear today.


    After a while, Shao Yan finally decided on a grey wool dress. It was a double layered dress. The inner layer was for a black long sleeves made from thinner wool material. The outer layer was a grey checkered wool material.


    On the left shoulder, four red buttons were lined up downwards to her chest area.


    The dress fell to her knee length and had a round collar, slightly covering her neck. And this was the reason why Shao Yan chose this dress.


    Li Xiqing had left a couple of love bites around her lower neck and chest. Every time she thought about them, her face would gradually flushed. She felt so embarrassed.


    She also decided to pair this with a sheer black stockings to cover her bare legs so that she did not feel too cold.


    After she was done dressing, Shao Yan stood in front of a tall mirror to check on her outfit.


    Shao Yan did a couple of twirls to the left and to the right to check on the view of her back. And then nodded as she was feeling satisfied, she grabbed her purse and started to walk out of the bathroom.


    .....


    Shao Yan just walked out of the bedroom, when a very fragrance smell hit her nose.


    Unconsciously her stomach growled after she recognized the smell. It was a minced pork congee with a thousand year old preserved egg. Her favorite.


    She was about to walk to the kitchen, when suddenly the doorbell rang.


    Shao Yan slowly scrunched her eyebrows as she felt confused. Who would be visiting them in this early morning? She glanced at her wrist. Ten o''clock. ''Could it be Martin or Karl,'' she thought to herself.


    Shao Yan heard footsteps coming out of the kitchen, and she saw Li Xiqing was walking out and about to open the door.


    "Let me open the door, you can just watch the porridge," she said as she quickly walked over to the foyer.


    Shao Yan peeped over the hole by the door to see who could be outside.


    She saw a glimpse of a woman with long wavy brown hair. Shao Yan could only see one side of her face as she was looking to the side, towards the balcony area.

 Chapter 183 - Beyond Attractive

    She had been standing in front of the door for a while now. Her soft, long hair was blown by the wind; creating a hypnotic golden brown waves.


    Her feet shifted anxiously; the black boots clicked impatiently and echoed around the empty hallway. She was not sure if coming here at this time was the right decision.


    By the time she had stood outside his door, her doubt started to kick in. But she was already here now.


    She raised her hands in a fist and took a deep breath. And then she lifted one hand to press the doorbell.


    A moment later, she heard soft steps coming from behind the door and then stopped. So she knew whoever stood behind the door right now was probably watching her every move.


    Her head was down, looking at her feet. And then she tilted her face to look to the side; admiring the view from the balcony.


    ''Xiqing, I''m home,'' she whispered softly in her heart.


    .....


    The door was opened. Shao Yan saw a very beautiful woman standing in front of her.


    Her almost waist length; golden brown hair framed her stunning face. She turned her face to glance at Shao Yan right when she opened the door; and a small smile curved on her lips.


    Two apple cheeks formed with her smile as she pursed her lips. She looked confused for a moment when she saw Shao Yan. The woman looked at the numbers on the door, and then she turned her head to the left and right; making sure that she was at the right place.


    And then she glanced back at Shao Yan, "Oh? I''m so sorry, is this uh.. Li Xiqing''s house?"


    Shao Yan nodded, "Yes, it is. And you are?"


    Before the woman got the chance to answer, one hand encircled Shao Yan around her waist. And then his deep masculine voice was heard next to her, "Who visited this early, Yan Yan?"


    .....


    Li Xiqing first looked at Shao Yan, and then he turned his face to look at who was standing outside.


    His eyebrows arched in pleasant surprise. He was about to say something, before the woman squealed, and then threw herself into him.


    Her hair swayed with her every move, and Shao Yan could smell a hint of iris flower and also lilies surrounding her as she leaped forward.


    Her arms wrapped Li Xiqing around his neck and she put all of her weight onto him. Li Xiqing was surprised by the sneak attack, he almost lost his balance and staggered one step to the back before he steadied the both of them.


    His hands reflexively held the woman by her waist and stopped her movement.


    "Don''t play around!" he scolded the woman, "How old are you already; and still jumping around like this?"


    He slowly let her go, and then he put both of his hands on his waist while continued on nagging and scolding the woman in front of him, "What if Axel saw you just now? Won''t you just scare him away?"


    The woman lifted her hands and then cupped Li Xiqing around his jaw, "Still nagging as usual. You''ll get wrinkles, do you know that?" her soft voice had a hint of joke as she teased him.


    And then the woman turned to the side, and looked at Shao Yan who was standing in confusion while watching them.


    "So this is Yan Yan?" Her beautiful voice asked her in uncertainty. The woman looked at Shao Yan and then at Li Xiqing, and back to Shao Yan.


    Shao Yan gave a little nod, and before she got the chance to greet her and introduce herself, the woman suddenly threw her arms around her and squeezed her into a tight hug, "Oh! I''m so excited to see you!"


    Shao Yan with both of her arms flayed on both sides, was not sure what to do. She peeked at Li Xiqing from the woman''s shoulder and looked at him in confusion, and mouthed, ''What should i do?''


    Li Xiqing could only shake his head helplessly.


    He heaved a sigh and then put his broad palm behind the woman''s back, and pushed her inside the apartment, "Let''s come inside first. Don''t stand in front of the front door like this."


    .....


    The woman put her hand behind Shao Yan on her back, "Yan Yan, is it okay if I call you Yan Yan, right?" she asked as she took off her boots.


    Both women walked inside, and the woman looked around the apartment unit. A very pleased look was shown on her face. She kept smiling as she saw the many little touches that Shao Yan had added to the house.


    The woman walked over to the living room cabinet and stared at the figurine that Shao Yan had gotten from the sports festival, "Oh wow! This is both of you! How cute!"


    She turned around and looked at Li Xiqing, "Not bad, Xiqing," she laughed, "see what I told you about women''s touch. This apartment looks so much better with a woman around."


    Li Xiqing did not say anything, he walked inside the house and at the same time, he took out his phone from his pants pocket and started to type a text message.


    "Since you are here, join us for breakfast then," he said after he hit the send button, "I cooked some minced pork porridge." He started to walk to the kitchen.


    But as if he remembered something, he paused on his track, and then he turned around. Li Xiqing looked at Shao Yan and then he said, "Yan Yan, this is Mandy."


    He looked to the woman and warned her, "Sis. Do not scare her away, alright?" and then he turned around and continued walking.


    A light bulb appeared inside her brain.


    No wonder she felt that this woman was beyond stunning. She peeked to the side, to carefully look at her features again.


    Her forehead and delicate eyebrows were as stunning as a model. Her tall nose and plump pink lips were so attractive. And then her gorgeous waterfall hair behind her back was glistening in marvel.


    This woman was a perfection in one body.


    ''Yeap! They are siblings for sure!'' Shao Yan declared in her heart.

 Chapter 184 - Angel

    Shao Yan was stunned silly at this gorgeous woman in front of her. Her every demeanor screamed elegance and proper mannerism.


    Mandy was almost as tall as Qi Ling; but not as thin as her. Today, Mandy was donned in neutral colors from head to toe.


    She had a beige, long sleeve turtleneck top that she paired with a dark brown pleated long skirt. As she stood on her toes to peek at the cabinet, the skirt was flowing like water as the chiffon material swayed like a butterfly. A black, faux leather obi belt was wrapped around her waist; heightened her slim figure even more.


    She lifted her long, slim fingertips to tuck in her hair behind her ear and then she bent a little to look at the small Swarovski figurines that Shao Yan had placed around the cabinet. Her gold hoops earrings glinted playfully as she moved.


    Mandy turned her head around and looked at Shao Yan, "You have good taste in decoration. Very nice, Yan Yan," and then she pointed to the small figurines, "these are twelve animals from Chinese zodiac, right?


    When she turned around, Shao Yan was caught off guard. While watching her just now, Yan Yan was actually thinking to herself, ''Is it normal for me to be fangirling to Li Xiqing''s sister? But she is just super gorgeous!''


    "Y-Yes, they are," Shao Yan stuttered a little as she replied to her.


    .....


    A gentle smile slowly formed on her face. Mandy walked over to Shao Yan. Her slender hand was extended in front of her, "So, we finally get to meet each other. I''m Mandy."


    Shao Yan quickly returned her gesture and shook her hand, "Nice to meet you, Sis."


    Mandy waved her hand in front of her, "No need to call me Sis; Mandy is fine. Or if you prefer, you can call my Chinese name, Xilin," and then she patted Shao Yan on her shoulder "it''s totally up to you."


    Suddenly, Li Xiqing walked out from the kitchen. In his hands, he was carrying two white ceramic bowls, and then he placed them on the dining table.


    "Stop chatting, come over and let''s eat now."


    After saying that, he turned around and walked back to the kitchen.


    Shao Yan and Mandy exchanged looks at each other, and then both of them suddenly burst into tiny giggles.


    Both ladies then walked to the dining table, and each occupied a seat across from each other.


    Li Xiqing came out a moment later. He was carrying another two white ceramic bowls.


    Shao Yan looked at the bowl that he had just put down, and then she raised her chin and looked at Li Xiqing, "Hm? Who else is going to join us?"


    Mandy was also looking at the bowl, and then she raised her face to look at him; she quickly said, "No way! You called him over already?"


    And then she crossed her arms in front of her chest and leaned back to her seat. Her mouth was pouted, "I purposely escaped early this morning to give you surprise. Why are you calling him already?" Mandy said as she sulked, "I want to have as much time alone with you."


    Right when she finished saying that, the doorbell rang.


    Mandy raised one hand and put them on her forehead, "Here comes trouble," she murmured.


    .....


    Not a single person in the table moved to get up and open the door. Li Xiqing was locking his gaze on Mandy. At first, Shao Yan was looking at Li Xiqing, and when she saw his stare, she also turned her head to look at Mandy.


    Looking at how her face was full of trouble, Shao Yan wanted to get up and open the door for her. But suddenly, Li Xiqing covered her hand with his palm and gently pushed her back to sit down, while still keeping his sight glued on Mandy the whole time.


    On the third ring, Mandy, who was still sulking, finally pushed her chair backwards, "Fine. Let me open the door," she huffed childishly and walked to the foyer.


    Shao Yan turned her head to the side, and whispered, "What happened?"


    Li Xiqing pursed his lips to hide his smile, and whispered back, "You''ll know later."


    A moment later, Shao Yan heard the sound of the door opening, and then closed.


    Series of footsteps started to close in from the front, and then Shao Yan saw the shadows of two people walked into the dining area.


    "Oh!" Shao Yan reflexively exclaimed as she saw the other person who was following closely behind Mandy.


    The man, clad in dark grey suit also noticed Shao Yan. His eyebrows arched in surprise, and then he glanced at Li Xiqing who sat next to her.


    He put one hand behind Mandy on her back and said, "Oh! The world is small after all," his baritone voice filled the silence in the room.


    .....


    Li Xiqing turned his face to Shao Yan, "You two know each other?"


    Shao Yan, having recovered from her surprise, turned her head to the side and placed one hand on his arm, "Remember I told you about the handsome man I saw in the elevator?"


    And then she cover her mouth with one hand, pretending to whisper a secret, "It is this man."


    Li Xiqing then realized the complete story now. He nodded and then slowly got up from his seat, "You are right on time, let''s sit and have breakfast with us," he said to the man that had just stepped in.


    Mandy occupied the seat across Shao Yan, while the man occupied the seat next to her; across from Li Xiqing.


    A moment later, Li Xiqing came out with a carafe of orange juice and four glasses.


    "Axel, this is my girlfriend, Shao Yan," Li Xiqing pulled the chair and went back to sit down.


    And then he looked at Shao Yan, "This is my brother in law, Axel Chen."


    The man''s charismatic face had a very charming smile on him. As his lips curved into smile, his eyes glinted mischievously, and he raised one hand to wave at Shao Yan, "Hello, I am Mandy''s husband, Chen Yufeng. Just like Daniel, you can also call me Axel."


    And as he finished saying that, he raised his left hand, and with his wide palm, he cupped the back of Mandy''s head, "You must have been scared silly this morning by this angel?"

 Chapter 185 - Minced Pork Porridge

    Upon hearing that, she pouted and sent glare of daggers towards her husband.


    Mandy raised one hand to swat her husband''s hand away, "What nonsense!" she said.


    She picked up her spoon, "I don''t scare people," and started to scoop her porridge.


    "I gave them pleasant surprise," and then she blew some air onto her spoon to cool the porridge down, "there is a huge difference in there, Mister."


    Axel was looking at his wife''s adorable pouting face with a pursed smile. His eyes seemed to hold all the stars in the sky, as the only one who shone brightly was this woman in front of him.


    He raised his abandoned hand again, and rubbed the back of her head lovingly, "Yes yes yes. Of course it was a good surprise."


    And then he turned to Li Xiqing and Shao Yan, "Let''s eat," and then he picked up his spoon.


    .....


    The dining table was full of amazing food on this bright morning.


    Li Xiqing had cooked a pot of minced pork porridge. He paired the dish with a thousand year old preserved egg, braised peanuts in soy sauce, some pickled cucumbers and also Chinese doughnut stick.


    While waiting for the porridge to cook just now, Li Xiqing had also squeezed fresh orange juice and a carafe of the juice was now standing on the side of the table.


    "Wow!" Mandy exclaimed in surprised after she tasted her first sip of the minced pork porridge, "Qing Qing, your cooking skill has improved a lot!"


    Shao Yan almost choked on her food when she heard what Mandy had used to call Li Xiqing. She quickly brought up a folded napkin to cover her mouth and held back her laughter; and she got into a series of small coughs instead.


    Li Xiqing looked up from his bowl and glared at her sister, "What did I say about using nicknames? Do you want me to sell off your Jaguar, Sis?"


    Mandy stuck out her tongue and then giggled happily. She went back to scooping her porridge, "But really, this is so good. I''m guessing, you boiled the pork bone the whole night? And you added a lot of white pepper too! This is heavenly!"


    Li Xiqing raised one hand to pat Shao Yan on her back gently, trying to help with her cough.


    "Not really, I woke up early this morning, and had it boiled for two, three hours. When you arrived just now, it was just done."


    Shao Yan raised one hand to pat Li Xiqing on his thigh, letting him know that she was alright now. So Li Xiqing picked up the carafe and poured the orange juice for her, "Drink this first," he said, and then he picked up his spoon again, "drink slowly."


    Mandy turned her attention to Shao Yan after receiving glares from her brother, "So Yan Yan, Xiqing told us a lot about you. Don''t be so quiet, alright? I feel like I have known you forever now," she picked up the carafe and also poured the juice for Axel and her.


    "Why did you have to come here? I wanted to spend more time with Xiqing and Yan Yan," Mandy pouted as she put the glass for Axel in front of him.


    Axel was busy cutting off the doughnut sticks for both of them, "I missed my wife, what else can I say," he shrugged and said as he put the pieces of the doughnut on her side plate.


    "After I drank all of my coffee, I did not see you around. And then suddenly Daniel texted me to invite me over for breakfast. Of course I have to give face to my brother in law," he flashed an ingratiating smile towards Mandy.


    .....


    Mandy scoffed but did not say anything back.


    Using her chopsticks, she picked up the fritters and dipped it into her porridge. She continued to eat in silence.


    Shao Yan was still watching this couple in front of her. Mandy was blushing at her husband''s cheeky smile; and Shao Yan noticed that when this man laughed, a small dimple would appear on each side of his cheek.


    "So, Shao Yan, right?" Axel suddenly turned his face to look at Shao Yan.


    She gave a small nod while still munching on her preserved egg.


    "I have to apologize for taking a lot of your time when Daniel had to work overtime with me in the office," and he gave her a smile again, "the project that we are working on is so close to the finishing line. So, he will be yours again very soon."


    Shao Yan waved one hand in his direction, "Don''t mention it. Just happens that it is almost the new year so I am busy with my own work as well. It is fine," she said sheepishly. The man was so polite on their first meeting, unlike his bubbly wife. Shao Yan felt a little awkward.


    Li Xiqing glanced to the side, and pursed his lips looking at Shao Yan and her awkward self; and decided to change the topic.


    "So how was your flight, Sis?"


    .....


    Mandy was initially concentrating on eating her breakfast while reminiscing on the past.


    Growing up, it had always been the two of them taking care of each other while their parents were busy saving lives as doctors.


    It used to be Mandy who did all the cooking, and Daniel would be in charge of cleaning the house.


    ''Time indeed changes a man. With a wife now, he has become so mature,'' Mandy was thinking to herself.


    She raised her delicate chin when she heard Li Xiqing ask her a question.


    With her chopsticks, she picked up the pickled cucumbers and put them in her bowl.


    "It was fine. Luckily there was no delay so I arrived in the afternoon. And then I took a nap," she paused to think for a while.


    "I think I drove out to pick up some dinner for both of us last night. I have been craving some chicken and duck blood soup," and then she said animatedly, "you still remember that dish, right? Their stall is still around, surprisingly!"

 Chapter 186 - Sister Love

    "So, Yan Yan, what is your plan for today?"


    Shao Yan had just finished eating her bowl of minced pork porridge and was wiping her mouth with a folded napkins; when Mandy threw the question to her.


    "I have to do a site visit for the end of year party," she started to explain, "I am going to see if the place is going to be big enough for everyone."


    Mandy''s face brightened up right away and she quickly said, "Oh! That sounds fun! I have always loved a good party." She paused, and then looked a little dejected, she said, "I was actually planning to go shopping with you. You know, I want to bond with my sister in law," and then she winked at Shao Yan.


    Shao Yan had just picked up her glass to sip the orange juice. But seeing her winked at her, Shao Yan returned her smile.


    Her fingers wrapped around the glass, as she thought for a while, "Hm.. I can meet you after the site visit. What do you think?" she replied.


    Mandy, who was feeling dejected, suddenly perked up at the ideas, "Sounds good!" She clapped both hands, "Just let me know where to meet you, and I''ll drive there myself, you don''t have to come back and pick me up."


    Shao Yan nodded and her lips curved into a smile, "Sounds good "


    .....


    She glanced at her wrist and got up from her seat.


    "I''m sorry, everyone, but I have to go now," Shao Yan stood facing the rest of the people on the table. Her face was showing a slight guilt for having to leave when they were still eating.


    Mandy quickly chimed in as she waved her hand, "Go! Go now, I''ll stay behind to help Xiqing clean the table, don''t worry," and then she also turned to Li Xiqing. Mandy waved her hand at him as well while saying, "Both of you can also go to the office. Just let me do the clean up here. I''ll lock the door when I''m done."


    Axel glanced at his wife, and then at Li Xiqing, "Well, unfortunately we have a meeting with the lawyer. We do have to go now."


    He turned back to look at Mandy. Axel gently placed his palm on top of hers, "Are you going to be alright by yourself?"


    Mandy covered her hand on top of his, "I used to live here. I know where the stuff are, don''t worry," she said as she patted him back.


    Mandy tilted her head to the back to catch Shao Yan who was wearing her boots, "Yan Yan, it''s cold out there, don''t forget your coat," she quickly told her.


    "I got it!" Shao Yan had to raise her own voice a little to make sure Mandy heard them, "I''ll see you later!"


    And then she opened the door and walked out of the apartment with her dark brown coat in hand.


    .....


    Mandy stood up as both men had also started to get up from their seats.


    Li Xiqing walked back to the bedroom, "Let me get my coat, I''ll see you outside."


    Axel and Mandy looked at each other and then started to walk to the foyer."


    His joking manner was gone and replaced with a very concerned face of a doting husband.


    He placed his broad palm behind her back, Axel then slowly said, "Don''t get too tired. You just recovered from a fever." His voice was serious and a little stern and then with another hand, he placed the back of his hand to her forehead to feel the temperature.


    "Hmm," he thought for a while, and then Axel placed his hand around her neck gently, "no more fever, but don''t force yourself, alright? Remember to watch what you eat and drink when you are going shopping with Shao Yan later."


    After he finished his words, he leaned in closer a d planted a soft kiss on Mandy''s forehead.


    "En. Don''t worry, I''m not a child, " she pouted as she sulked at him.


    "I am just planning to wash the dishes and then I''ll take a nap for a while," but she still said that softly as she closed her eyelids to receive his kisses on her eyes.


    .....


    "Are you ready?"


    From behind them, Li Xiqing walked out and strode to the front door. In his hands, he was carrying a black long coat.


    Mandy swept an admiring look at her brother. Today, Li Xiqing opted on traditional black suit with white shirt.


    Mandy nodded slowly, as she thought to herself, ''No wonder women are finding it hard to forget about Qing Qing. My brother is so suave!'' and then she giggled happily.


    Axel peeked at her and with his index finger, he poked on her cheek, "What are you thinking, muffin?"


    Mandy burst into laughter again, "I just can''t wait to tell Yan Yan the stories of Xiqing''s childhood, is all!"


    Li Xiqing was sitting on the stool at the foyer while putting on his shoes.


    He looked up with his shoes were still in his hand, wanted to say something. He tilted his head, and glared at his sister. And then he slowly stood up and flicked a finger on her forehead.


    Her hand reflexively raised up to rub the spot that he had flicked just now, Mandy said, "O-Ow! Li Xiqing, do you want to die?!"


    But after remembering his childish attitude, Mandy suddenly burst into hearty laughs, " Xiqing ah Xiqing, you''re so doomed! I will tell Mom and Dad, that you have a weakness now! Haha!"


    And then as if she just remembered something, Mandy suddenly stopped laughing, and clapped both of her hands loudly.


    "Ah!" She suddenly exclaimed; surprising Axel and Li Xiqing who were standing on the side.


    "I forgot to tell you!" Mandy started to say, "Mom and Dad are visiting Shanghai on Chinese New Year," and then she counted her fingers, "two months then. Xiqing, they will be here in February."

 Chapter 187 - Immense Guilt

    Shao Yan had just arrived at the Y Museum to do site inspection for their end of year party.


    Since it was an informal party, the participant scale could be bigger and more grand than usual, and the whole setup will be more casual and intimate; compared to the Anniversary celebration. And this was the reason why their team had decided to rent a space at the Y Museum.


    This building was initially an aircraft hangar space that had been converted to an exhibition hall. The new space was still maintaining old charms and it was designed very meticulously by a Japanese architect. Shao Yan nodded as she recalled the history of the building and the whole transformation process. She could see the Japanese simplicity and elegance in this building.


    From the outside, Shao Yan noticed that the full glass panel building looked like a giant glass cube.


    The building was so grand and enormous, but at the same time, because it was located by the riverside, it looked tranquil and fragile.


    Outside of the building were parks that stretch for miles. A spacious land next to it was transformed into a parking lot.


    Shao Yan walked from the parking area to the building. Around the giant glass cube, bed of green grass was spread around it. No matter how far Shao Yan looked around, everywhere around her were all green beds. The whole scenery and feel that she got was a peaceful vibe.


    The path that she was walking on was leading to the main door.


    The main door was a combination of rotating doors and also normal doors. When Shao Yan entered it, her attention was quickly pulled to the greenery at her right side.


    Several bamboo trees were planted in groups and they were placed about one meter from each other. The collections of bamboos stretched along the right side of the building glasses. And since the building had high ceilings, combined with bamboo trees that were able to touch the sky, the whole museum space looked much bigger and taller than usual.


    Under those bamboo trees, comfortable sofas were installed for visitors to sit and relax during the museum visit.


    Shao Yan arrived slightly around noon and the sun was shining so brightly. The sun rays seeped through the glass panels and bathed the bamboo leaves with the glittering, golden lights. The whole view seemed like an ancient painting that came out into a reality.


    Shao Yan was mesmerized and started to explore around.


    .....


    At the mezzanine level, Shao Yan found a small cafe.


    She walked to the corner to sit down, and took out her phone. She raised her wrist to glance at the time.


    ''Hm.. I came too early. Li Na and the rest should be arriving soon, I hope,'' she thought to herself.


    Shao Yan decided to check on some work emails while waiting for them to arrive.


    Her team members had been coming to this site back and forth to take measurements of the place. They also had taken care of the negotiation and design, and all Shao Yan had to do today was signing off on everything.


    She was scrolling through her phone, when someone called her name.


    "Xiao Yan?"


    She turned her head around in response, and saw Feifei was standing not too far from her.


    "Xiao Yan! It''s really you!" Her excited voice was heard first before Shao Yan saw Feifei hurried steps towards her.


    Once she stood in front of Shao Yan, Feifei reached out her hands and held Shao Yan by her hands.


    "What are you doing here? What a coincidence!" Feifei said very excitedly.


    But the next second, she quickly pouted, "Where have you been? Our lunch and dinner dates always got postponed, I never got the chance to meet you anymore," she said as she sulked.


    Shao Yan patted her hands, "I''m sorry, Feifei, I just have been super busy ever since I came back from vacation. And actually, I am here to work on my project. What are you doing here?"


    .....


    Feifei pulled her hands and brought Shao Yan to sit down together.


    "Your company is Gold Crane Publications, right? They engaged me to do the dessert table for your event."


    Shao Yan was surprised at this news. She only received the confirmed list of partners today, and had not gotten the chance to look at it.


    Her eyes twinkled brightly as she clasped both of her hands around Feifei''s, "That''s great news, Feifei. I''m so happy for you."


    Feifei returned her excitement with her own grin.


    "When someone called me to tell me that I got it, I was so happy, too. This will be great for my publicity, Yan Yan. So, thank you," Feifei said and then she leaned in closer to give Shao Yan a hug.


    Shao Yan burst to laugh as she patted Feifei on her back, "What thanks? I didn''t even do anything," she said.


    She slowly released Shao Yan go, her face showed a concerned look. Feifei was hesitating for a while, and then she said, "Xiao Yan, my brother told me uh," and then Feifei paused and started to fidget on her seat.


    "Do you know that Liwei is back, Xiao Yan?"


    .....


    Shao Yan had suspected that Feifei was about to ask this question. Her face turned solemn and she was surprised at herself for being cso calm as she said, "Yes, I have met him," and to not make Feifei misunderstood, Shao Yan quickly said, "it was all coincidental. Xiqing was there too."


    Feifei initially showed a panic face when Shao Yan said that she had met Liwei again, but when she heard Li Xiqing was also around, Feifei heaved a sigh of relief.


    "I wanted to text you when I heard that, but my brother said not to make you sad by reminding you again," her voice was so soft, Feifei was recounting their happy moments during university days, and how things turned to the worse that her two best friends had to be fallen out of love and now she was hurt.


    "I''m sorry, Xiao Yan. I should have been there for you," Feifei started to say dejectedly.


    "A-although I did not know what happened, but I can see that he was the one who hurt you," Feifei took Shao Yan by her hands and held them tightly, "Zhong Yu also kept warning us not to bring this up in front of you. I''m so sorry, Xiao Yan."


    Feifei felt an immense guilt for not being around Shao Yan when she was hurt and it had been eating her the past few years. She felt these words were necessary to let Shao Yan know that she was also concerned.

 Chapter 188 - Best Friend

    "Feifei."


    Shao Yan clasped both of her hands to cover her best friend''s trembling hands.


    "I admit, at that time I hated everyone," Shao Yan started to say. "I was alone, my focus had always been to work and earn more, and that was why I had no other friends in the same city," Shao Yan started to recall her lonely times.


    "After I left him, I had to fly to San Francisco to meet my other friend to beg for shelter," she paused as she felt that she almost choked with emotions.


    "This friend was someone I had known before from language school and she was much older than me, so I felt more secure in asking for her help," Shao Yan started to speak much slower, and her demeanor turned solemn as she looked down and stared at their clasped hands.


    "Besides, I knew that I would need a company. Otherwise, my thoughts would keep going to the negative side."


    Her memory wanted to bring her back to those gloomy days, but Shao Yan held them in. She did not want to ruin her good mood for today.


    She paused, before slowly continuing.


    .....


    "At that time, I had lost trust and hope with everyone and everything else that I thought I had known. That was the reason why I did not contact you or the others to ask for help," Shao Yan raised her face to look at Feifei in the eye.


    "All of you just reminded me too much of Liwei and our memories; and the Shao Yan at that time was hating everyone from her university days," Shao Yan gulped as she started to choke with emotions, "she was blinded by anger and disappointment," she heaved a soft sigh; trying to control her own feelings from engulfing her to keep talking.


    "But Feifei, what has done, is done. I am in so much better place now, and have become a so much better person. So, you can ease your heart and mind. I''m really happy right now."


    Feifei started at Shao Yan and started to analyze her expression.


    She only spoke a little about her past and what had happened after she left Liwei, but her strained voice, her trembling hands, and her dull eyes that were staring in a far distance; were enough to show Feifei what kind of lives that she had to go through on her own.


    Since Shao Yan had repeatedly told her that she was very happy, Feifei let out a helpless smile.


    With a soft sigh, she also said, "Xiao Yan, that''s good then. Let''s stop talking about the past. Let''s close that chapter, and focus on the happy days in future," and when she finished, she raised one hand to wipe her tears that had started to come out from the corner of her eyes.


    Her best friend''s happiness was all that matters. Her heart was hurting for Shao Yan, but seeing Xiao Yan today, had convinced her that she had moved on.


    Feifei felt a huge relief was taken away from her shoulder. She promised herself that from now on she would always walk with her best friend through thick and thin.


    ?( ?�� ~ ��? )?


    .....


    Shao Yan coughed to clear her throat, "So, what are you doing here?" and then she leaned back to her seat and tried to change the topic.


    "Your team requested some vendors to come today. They said they want to decide on the position of where we will put the stuff," Feifei replied to her; despite knowing her intention. She glanced at her watch, "I guess I''m early for once."


    And then she nodded at herself; satisfied at her own accomplishment.


    "Oh! That''s right!" Feifei suddenly exclaimed, "It''s actually good that I meet you here, Xiao Yan," Feifei reached out to her purse, and then from inside, she took out a light blue card. The font was in gold colors; elegantly engraved all over the card.


    Feifei handed over the card to Shao Yan, "It''s an invitation card for the Grand Opening for my cake shop," her eyes were shining in excitement.


    Shao Yan received the card, and she was swept in her happiness, "Wow! Feifei! That''s awesome, your dream finally came true," Shao Yan quickly opened the card and looked at the content.


    "Hmm.. This is a very chic, very royal looking design, "Shao Yan looked up from the card and smiled at her, "very nice taste!"


    Feifei grinned, "Of course!" And then she sulked at Shao Yan, "Who told you to never visit my shop? I have asked you multiple times to come over and take a peek," she said as she pouted her lips, "I designed the whole space and also the menu myself! You''ll be able to see more of my creation on that day."


    Feifei childishly puffed up her chest in pride, and feigned a smug look; triggering tiny giggles to escape Shao Yan''s lips.


    ?(��?��)?


    .....


    "Invite all of your friends, families, coworkers, neighbors, uncles, aunties on the street, whoever you know, alright? I want to make sure my shop is full-house that day," Feifei said animatedly as her hands moved around her excitedly.


    And then with one finger, she pointed to the area at the bottom of the card.


    "I purposely leave the space for ''Number of Invitees'' here to be blank, so you can bring as many people as you want. I have set aside a table of ten for you. Let me know if you need more."


    Shao Yan burst into laughter, "I think that is already more than enough," and then she looked at the card again. In her mind, Shao Yan was thinking while counting the number of people she could invite.


    "Hmm.. Maybe I can bring nine people with me, Feifei, but if they all are available on that day," and then she quickly said, "but anyway, I will definitely let you know a few days before, don''t worry."


    Feifei threw herself onto Shao Yan and gave her a tight hug, "Yay! Xiao Yan, you have to come, okay? Have to!"


    She slowly let her go, while continued to say, "I remember you love a not so sweet dessert. Well, guess what? I created a series just for that," and then Feifei giggled happily.

 Chapter 189 - Reconnecting

    Shao Yan and Feifei talked for a while longer, before she spotted Fan jie, Li Na and uncle Huo walked through the rotating glass door on the first floor. Li Na saw Shao Yan was sitting on the mezzanine floor with a friend by her side; she raised both of her hands and waved enthusiastically in her direction, "Xiao Yan!"


    Fan jie and Uncle Huo also looked up upon hearing Li Na, and waved at Shao Yan.


    Shao Yan saw the group and smiled back at them, she raised one hand and gestured for them to come up.


    Feifei also turned her head around to see who Shao Yan was gesturing to and saw that more Gold Crane Publications employees had started to arrive.


    .....


    The meeting lasted longer than usual.


    By the time they finished, Shao Yan felt so tired; she was drained both mentally and physically. She raised her wrist and glanced at the time.


    ''Wow! It''s already this late?'' Shao Yan tilted her head to think, ''It''s almost dinner time. I wonder if Mandy is still waiting,'' Shao Yan thought to herself and then she took out her mobile phone.


    She unlocked the phone and started to search for her contacts, and then Shao Yan realized that she did not have Mandy''s phone number.


    Shao Yan quickly pressed number one, which connected to Li Xiqing right away.


    "Yan Yan?"


    Her call was picked up on the second ring, "Is anything wrong? Where are you?"


    Unbeknownst to her, Shao Yan had a smile pasted on her face as she heard his concerned voice over the phone.


    Shao Yan shook her head lightly, "I''m fine. I am still at the museum. We are just done with all the meetings. I just realized that I don''t have your sister''s phone number. Do you mind text it to me?"


    She could hear his deep chuckles over the phone. Shao Yan was quickly swept in by his joy, and she laughed along with him, "What? What is so funny?"


    Li Xiqing chuckled for a while, and then he said, "Just a few minutes ago, Mandy called me and said the same thing. I am guessing her text should arrive on your phone any minute now."


    .....


    Just as he finished saying that, Shao Yan heard a beep sound in her ear; notifying her that there was an incoming message or call.


    She looked at her phone to see that a text message had just come in.


    Shao Yan quickly returned to her call, "You''re right, I just received a text message. Let me take a look, I''ll call you back later, alright?"


    "En. She said that she wanted to have dinner with you. Both of you can go together, Axel and I may be working until late so we will have our dinner delivered here," he responded.


    Shao Yan nodded along his words, "Alright. Don''t worry about us, I''ll hang up now," and after saying that, she quickly hung up the call, and opened the text message.


    ''Yan Yan, this is Mandy. Are we still meeting tonight? What do you say if we go to eat some Spanish food? Call me when you are available!''


    Shao Yan quickly saved the number into her contacts and then hit the dial button.


    After the fourth ring, the call was picked up.


    .....


    "This is Mandy speaking."


    Shao Yan reflexively smiled onto the phone before she pursed her lips to hold herself from bursting to giggles.


    ''Even the way she answers the phone was similar to Li Xiqing!'' Shao Yan thought to herself.


    "Mandy jie, this is Shao Yan. I just saw your text message," she quickly said to her.


    "Oh! Yan Yan!" Her cheerful voice echoed in her ears, "Yes, I just sent that, are you done with your meeting now? Did I disturb you?"


    Shao Yan shook her head, "No, we are just done, don''t worry. Spanish food sounds good, by the way. Where shall we meet? Do you want me to pick you up?"


    Shao Yan was sitting in front of the main showroom hall. Her coworkers and some museum employees were still walking around and chatting casually.


    When some of them saw Shao Yan, they would stop at their track, and nod a greetings; and Shao Yan will return with her own nod.


    "No need, let''s meet at Z road. I remember there is a really good Spanish restaurant there. I will text you the address. Does that work for you?"


    On the other side of the phone, Shao Yan could hear Mandy walking around. And then suddenly she heard jiggles of keys.


    "Okay, that should work. I will meet you there in about twenty to thirty minutes if the traffic is alright," Shao Yan got up from her seat and started to walk to the ground floor.


    "Sure, take your time, no need to rush. I''ll see you soon!" Mandy said to her before she hung up the call.


    .....


    The museum was adopting the modern minimalist design throughout the building. A grand spiral staircase was installed in the middle of the ground floor; connecting the mezzanine and the ground level area.


    The handrail was made of steel, and the glass wall stretched elegantly along the way. Each step was made of light color bamboo; blended well with the whole concept of the spaces.


    As Shao Yan was walking down from the mezzanine, she heard hurried footsteps from behind her; and then two hands patted her  shoulders,; stopping Shao Yan on her tracks.


    "Xiao Yan!"


    She turned her head around to see Feifei was grinning back at her.


    "You''re still here?" Shao Yan was surprised to see her again. After the first few meetings in the afternoon, she thought Feifei had left because her session was already over.


    Feifei walked to stand beside Shao Yan and nodded; and then she linked her hand around Shao Yan''s arm, and walked with her.


    "I was waiting for you. It was really difficult to meet you nowadays, and since I''m free today, I decided to spend more time with you," Feifei said as she beamed at Shao Yan.


    "Ah!" Shao Yan felt guilty that Feifei had spent hours waiting for her now, "I''m sorry, Feifei, I am actually going to meet Li Xiqing''s sister for dinner now."


    Shao Yan looked at Feifei''s disappointed face, and then she stayed in silence for a while; trying to think of the best solution. She bit her lower lips as she thought of some options.


    "Uh.. If you don''t mind, why don''t you join us then? We are going to eat some Spanish food tonight," Shao Yan patted Feifei''s hand that was still linked around her arm.

 Chapter 190 - The River

    Feifei hesitated for a while.


    "Uh, is it going to be okay? I mean, I don''t know her, will things become awkward if I''m around?"


    Shao Yan smiled at her and patted her hand, "Well, if it makes you feel any better, I actually just met her this morning," she tilted her head as she thought for a while, "so you can say that both of us are also her new friends."


    Both women walked down the staircase slowly, with Feifei''s hand still linked around Shao Yan''s arm.


    "Hm, alright then, I shall accept your offer, best friend," Feifei grinned, "besides, it has been a while for me to eat some Spanish food."


    And then she raised her other hand and cupped into the fist, before she pumped them up to the ceiling, "Let''s go!"


    Shao Yan laughed at her energetic self, and then they giggled together as they walked to the parking lot.


    They each got into their own car, and Shao Yan quickly forwarded the address to Feifei.


    After she was done, Shao Yan dialed a number, and the call was quickly connected, "Mandy jie."


    Mandy had just gotten into her car when Shao Yan called. She put on her Bluetooth earphone, and answered the call right away.


    "I met an old friend just now and I invited her to join us for dinner," Shao Yan said over the phone.


    "No problem, Yan Yan, the more the merrier," Mandy replied while starting the car, "I''m leaving the apartment now. I''ll see you soon."


    "Alright, I''ll see you soon!"


    .....


    The building where the restaurant was located was situated by the waterfront area. The building overlooked the river and the downtown area on the other side of the river. The whole scenery outside the window was of the majestic tall buildings that were still brightly lit in this evening; creating a magnificent skyline view of the city for those who were dining inside.


    The building itself was an original structure from the 1860s that had been renovated to include a modern flair.


    When Shao Yan stepped inside, she saw that Feifei had been waiting for her by the front desk. She was standing while typing enthusiastically on her phone. On her lips, a silly smile was pasted all the time. Shao Yan speculated that she must be texting her crush.


    When she was about to walk over, Shao Yan saw another woman was sitting down by the front desk as well. Mandy was sitting down while looking outside the window; enjoying the scenery of the quay and the colorful skyscraper lights in the background. Tiny, little lights were reflected in her eyes.


    She was leaning on to the window; her legs were crossed with one hand resting on her lap, and the other hand was supporting her chin. One foot was tapping along the soft jazz music in the background.


    Her eyes traced along each building and her face was so solemn; Shao Yan was not sure what she might be thinking about.


    She was still wearing the same clothes as this morning; and still looked as fresh as before.


    "Sis!" Shao Yan called out to her and walked over to her side. Mandy turned around to see that Shao Yan was walking over. Feifei, who heard the familiar voice, also lifted her face from her phone, and looked at Shao Yan at the same time. Shao Yan turned to each of them and smiled.


    Feifei, with her phone still in her hand, walked over and stood beside Shao Yan who was now standing in front of Mandy.


    .....


    "Have you been waiting for a while? I was not able to find a place to park, so I had to park at the other building," Shao Yan said to both Mandy and Feifei.


    Mandy smiled at Shao Yan while shaking her head, "I also just arrived," and then she turned to look at Feifei, "and this is..?"


    "Oh!" Shao Yan placed her hand over Feifei on her shoulder, "sis, this is Feifei, my friend from University."


    Mandy got up from her seat and offered her hand, "Hello Feifei, Yan Yan''s friend is also my friend. So, you can just call me Mandy."


    Feifei was stunned at how pretty this woman is. She turned to Shao Yan and whispered, albeit a little louder, that even Mandy could actually hear her.


    "Xiao Yan, Li Xiqing''s family surely has a really marvelous gene! Your children in the future will look so good looking!"


    Mandy giggled at her comments, and then she turned to the front desk, "We are ready now."


    The receptionist lady gave a little nod, and then raised her palm side up, pointing to a direction, "Please follow me."


    .....


    The area was a mix of modern contemporary interior design. A clean combination of light brown for table and dark brown for the chair and the ceiling. The carpet also maintained the dark, classy feeling with a mix of red and brown colors.


    Wide, Roman colonial style windows decorated the whole surrounding of the restaurant, overlooking the river. Dimmed lighting brushed the whole area, and all the diners were treated to a view of the amazing skyline; creating a whole romantic yet comfortable experience.


    Contemporary Spanish music was playing in the background, with waiters and waitresses wearing sleek black and white uniforms walked around ever so quietly and elegantly; orchestrated all the dining experience harmoniously.


    "Here is your table, ladies."


    Shao Yan noticed that their table was a little secluded, giving them enough space to chat. But, it was near the window, so they got a very good view of the quay and the lights.


    Her mood was quickly elated. She had read a lot of good reviews of this place. She could not wait to try their food.


    "Yan Yan, have you been to Spanish restaurant before?" Mandy asked her after she unfolded the table napkin and put it on her lap.


    Shao Yan shook her head, "Not here, but I have tried it once when I was in New York. And Xiqing cooked a very good Paella, too. So I have not gotten the chance yet."


    Mandy nodded, "It must be his seafood Paella. It is our mother''s favorite food."


    She was about to say more, but another waiter came by to their table to fill their tall glasses with water. After she was done, she stood by their table, and started to say, "Welcome to El Rio, ladies. The special for tonight will be our "juicy rice". We have fresh shipment of seafood from Hong Kong just arrived this morning, so our seafood for tonight will be lobster and giant tiger shrimps."


    The waiter paused to flash a smile to everyone on the table, and then she continued, "Please take a moment to look at the menu, I will come back shortly to take your order of appetizer and drinks to start."

 Chapter 191 - Childhood

    The three ladies slowly looked at the menu while deciding on what to eat and drink.


    "Shall we do family style?" Mandy started to say, "We can order a few dishes and share them. That way, we can try more food here." She looked up from the menu and looked at Feifei and Shao Yan, "What do you say?"


    Feifei nodded at her suggestion, and then she glanced at Shao Yan who was also nodding before she said, "Sure, Sis, that''s a good idea."


    After a moment later, the server came back to their table to take their order.


    Mandy took the lead and said, "We will start with Iberico ham croquette and also chicken and beef Cannelloni with black truffle."


    She looked up from the menu and addressed the server, "We will order several dishes for the main course," and then Mandy turned to look at Feifei and Shao Yan, "do you want to order drinks?"


    Both Feifei and Shao Yan shook their heads. Shao Yan started to explain, "I still have work tomorrow, so I don''t feel like drinking alcohol tonight."


    Mandy returned her gaze to the server, "Okay, so for the main course, we will order Smoked and grilled baby octopus with aioli, Lobster roll, and also the Seafood paella."


    She closed the menu book, and handed it back to the server, "That''s all for now."


    .....


    When the server left their table, Shao Yan, with her eyes full of surprise, started to say, "Sis, it''s only the three of us," and then she started to chuckle, "don''t you think the food is too much?"


    Mandy was sipping on her water, and started to wave at her, "Don''t worry. If we can''t eat them, we''ll bring them back so the boys can have some midnight snacks."


    And with that, the discussion was closed. Shao Yan felt amused.


    ''I guess, Li Xiqing will have a lot of midnight snacks tonight, then,'' Shao Yan started to imagine how he would react when he saw all the leftovers that they brought back later.


    "So, Sis, how long will you be staying here?" Shao Yan started to have small talks to get to know Mandy better.


    "Maybe until February. Yufeng told me that their project will be done soon. They should be finalizing the buyout in the next few weeks, so we are planning to stay until Chinese New Year."


    And then Mandy turned to Feifei, "Yufeng is my husband."


    Feifei nodded with her mouth forming the letter "O" and then she asked, "Where did you come from, Sis?"


    "Germany," Mandy answered, "I am staying there with my husband and his family in Frankfurt."


    "Wow!" Feifei exclaimed, "That is so cool. So you can speak the language?"


    Mandy nodded, "Of course. It was not easy when I moved there, I had to carry a small dictionary and folded map everywhere I went, but it is very convenient with mobile phones nowadays," she grinned.


    .....


    "Sis, do you have any embarrassing childhood stories that you can tell us?"


    In the middle of their intimate dinner, Shao Yan finally had the courage to ask the one question that she had been curious for.


    Mandy burst out in chuckles, "Well, let me think," and then she paused for a while.


    The fork and knife in her hands were moving together to work on the grilled lobster on her plate.


    "I remember it was his elementary school, I think," she started to say, "he should be around ten years old?"


    And then tiny giggles escaped from her lips as she remembered, "He..He.. One day, Xiqing came home from school, his face was as black as the bottom of a burned pot."


    Mandy paused, "He looked so tired and he was carrying his backpack with one hand, and I noticed that the other handle was ripped off."


    "So I asked him what had happened. Xiqing looked at me and said," and then Mandy cleared her throat, and started to say in a deep, masculine voice, "I don''t understand girls. You don''t like chocolate, Sis, and Mom also doesn''t like chocolate, so why did those girls have to chase me around and insist on giving me chocolate today?"


    Mandy laughed, "Haha! That day was Valentine''s day. So what happened was, he was chased all around the school by his classmates, because they wanted to give him chocolates," still laughing joyfully, she continued, "and Xiqing had to run all around the school to avoid them. Haha! But they caught up, and even tore his bag."


    Shao Yan started to imagine Li Xiqing in a very much younger version. She could see his pouting face, irritated from being chased around. Slowly, Shao Yan giggled along with Mandy.


    "Wow, even from a young child, he had been a lady killer, huh!" Feifei exclaimed, before also bursting out in laughter with them.


    Mandy wiped the corner of her eyes from laughing too much, "And so that''s why he somehow promised that he would not ever fall in love, because according to his words, ''It''s complicated, Sis'', he said."


    And then Mandy burst in chuckles again, "But look at him now, henpecked so silly by this woman here," and then she leaned forward to pat Shao Yan by her hand, "good job, Yan Yan."


    .....


    Dinner was almost over, when the server came over to ask if they wanted to order some desserts.


    Shao Yan looked at the empty plates on the table that somehow, the three of them had managed to eat them all. While they ate and chatted, they slowly started to polish all of the food.


    Mandy used the napkin to slowly dabbed on her lips and then she shook her head, and looked at Feifei and Shao Yan, "I am too full right now, but can have some hot chocolate. What would you like to order?"


    Shao Yan shook her head as well, and looked up at the server, "Just give me hot lemon tea, no sugar, please."


    Feifei also chimed in, "Make it two, please. Thank you."


    The server nodded and quickly noted down their orders and then walked away.


    Mandy slowly leaned back to her seat, "So, Yan Yan, I see that Xiqing finally gave you the cherub necklace," Mandy pointed in her direction.


    Shao Yan unconsciously raised one hand, and played around with the cherub necklace around her neck.


    "Did Xiqing tell you the story about the necklace?"

 Chapter 192 - Should I Tell You?

    Her fingertips slowly brushed the tiny cherub pendant. Her mind was recalling the moment when Li Xiqing gifted her the necklace during their 100th day celebration. She blushed as she remembered what happened in their bathtub that night.


    She cleared her throat before saying, "H-He did say that he had it with him for a while, and that she finally found the right owner now," Shao Yan started to say softly.


    Mandy nodded along her words solemnly, and did not say anything for a while. Her index fingertips were circling around the edge of her glass water; her head was tilted as she was thinking what to say.


    And then, a moment later, Mandy extended her arms; she rolled her sleeves up to her wrist to show Shao Yan the bracelet that she was wearing.


    "It was a pair of cherub," Mandy started to say, "I have one, Xiqing has the other one."


    "They were gifts from our parents," she unlocked the gold chain bracelet and handed it to Shao Yan, "who received them from our Grandfather."


    Shao Yan received it with both hands, and her fingertips brushed the cherub slowly. Similar to hers, the cherub on the bracelet was also sitting on a crescent moon. One hand was touching the bracelet and her other hand was brushing her own pendant. They looked really identical with each other; truly a pair.


    .....


    "A very romantic love story lays behind these pair of cherub," Mandy looked at Shao Yan and Feifei, "if you want to know, I can tell the story to you now."


    Feifei and Shao Yan exchanged looks with each other. Feifei shrugged, and then she said, "Xiao Yan, you can decide, if you want to hear it from Mandy jie, or from your boyfriend."


    Mandy propped her chin on her hand, and chimed in, "That''s right, Yan Yan. Although I doubt Xiqing will tell the story as romantic as I will," and then she laughed.


    Shao Yan laughed along with them, and then she handed the bracelet back to Mandy, "If that''s the case, let Xiqing tell the story then," She paused before she said, "to be honest, I want to see his expression when he is retelling this romantic story."


    Mandy nodded as she extended her hand to receive the bracelet back, "Sure, it''s a wise decision," and then she winked at her.


    .....


    When they were done, Mandy insisted on paying for the dinner.


    "Just take it as my welcome back gift to all of you, alright? No need to argue with me on this, "she said as she put her credit card on the tray that the server had brought over with their bill. Shao Yan felt a slight Deja vu with this experience. She remembered, Li Xiqing also said the same thing when he met Miss Blue Sea many months ago.


    Shao Yan brought her head down to hide her smile. ''They are really blood siblings alright,'' as she thought to herself, ''From the way they order food, to the words they say, they are so similar to each other.''


    "Thank you, Sis, I came not only to get a new friend, but also got treated to a wonderful meal," Feifei said suddenly, "Oh! I was telling Xiao Yan this afternoon that I am opening a cake shop, more like a small cafe."


    Feifei used her index finger and poked Shao Yan by her shoulder, "Don''t forget to also bring Mandy jie to the Grand Opening party, alright?"


    Shao Yan returned her smile, "Of course, Mandy jie and her husband are already included in my ten-people guest list."


    "Alright!! I''m so excited!" Feifei exclaimed impatiently, "I really can''t wait anymore," she said, as she took out her phone and started to text again.


    Shao Yan felt really curious, she leaned over, wanted to peek at her message. Feifei had been busy texting this person the whole night, while also smiling to herself.


    Feifei noticed what Shao Yan was doing, she quickly hid her phone to the other side, and slightly leaned away from Shao Yan.


    "Xiao Yan! What are you doing?"


    Shao Yan giggled at her childish behavior, "Feifei, what are you hiding? Who are you texting now, huh? Come, let me see, who''s the lucky guy?"


    Feifei quickly looked at her phone again, and finished her typing, before she locked the phone and shoved it back to her purse, "No one. Y-you will find out soon anyway," and then she turned back to face Mandy and picked up her cup and started to sip on her lemon tea.


    (��?3?��)


    .....


    When she arrived home that night, Axel was already home, and was watching a news channel in the living room. He got up from the sofa when he heard the front door was being unlocked and Mandy stepped into the apartment a moment later.


    "Welcome home, dearie," Axel was standing at the foyer, his hand reached out to take the purse from Mandy''s hand, "how was dinner?"


    Mandy took off her boots, and then she stood up and leaned in closer to peck her husband on his lips, "Amazing food! The reviews on the internet were not lying, they really have amazing food."


    She linked her arm around Axel''s arm, and then walked inside together with him, "We should go there next time. Yan Yan brought a new friend tonight, the three of us had so much fun."


    Axel touched her hand, and slowly let her go, and then he stepped behind her to take off her coat for her, "That''s good. How are you feeling today?"


    Mandy let him help her with the coat, and once it was off, Axel put it on the sofa, as he led his wife to sit next to him.


    Mandy laid her head on his thigh, before she curled herself on the sofa and watched the news together with him.


    "I feel fine, just a little tired from the driving, but I feel good."


    Axel had his hand absentmindedly brushing Mandy''s hair, and then the couple stayed quiet as they watched the news for a while.


    .....


    "What do you want to watch now?"


    Axel took the remote control from the side table and started to open the program menu, "I was watching the news channel, but we can watch your home renovating channel now, if you want?"


    Mandy raised one hand to cover her mouth as she let out a big yawn, "Nah, maybe later, I will take my shower now."


    Axel helped her to get up from her lying position, and they walked to the bedroom together.


    Mandy suddenly smiled cheekily and walked in front of Axel while looking at him face to face. Her fingers traveled to the front of his shirt, and played around with his shirt buttons.


    Her soft voice started to whisper as she said seductively, "Mister Husband, do you want to take a shower?" And without waiting for an answer, she started to unbutton his shirt.


    Axel smirked at her suggestions. His hand went to her back, and started to unbuckle her obi belt. He discarded the belt on the floor, and then he leaned closer and skimmed her cheek with his lips, "Missus wife, I thought you will never offer?" And then he caressed her hips as he was trying to undress her long skirt.


    (��o?o��)?

 Chapter 193 - Being Honest

    When Shao Yan got into the car, her phone started to ring. She peeked at the caller ID and let out a gentle smile, before she closed the car door.


    "Yan Yan," his soothing voice caressed her ears, "I just saw your text, are you driving home now?"


    Shao Yan leaned back on her seat, and her eyes skimmed outside of her car window; while looking at the sky bridge in front of her. From afar, she could also see the famous iconic building of the city, the Oriental Pearl TV Tower.


    This view had never stopped to mesmerize her. While enjoying the night view, Shao Yan started to say, "Not yet, I just got into my car now. Where are you?"


    Li Xiqing was walking somewhere, as she could hear the sound of his footsteps echoed on the other side of the phone.


    "We are just done too, I''m about to go home now. But then I''m craving some Japanese skewers. Shall we meet at the Yakitori place we went to last time?"


    "You want to eat again?" Shao Yan burst out in laughter, "What did you have for dinner?"


    Li Xiqing laughed along with her as he pressed on the elevator button to go down, and Shao Yan could also hear the ''ding'' sound.


    "Well, I had some noodles, but we ate in a hurry because of the conference call, so I''m still hungry now."


    Shao Yan felt warm currents waved through her heart. She pursed her lips as she felt amused at his attitude.


    This man had never been shy in showing his feelings to her. And lately, she noticed that he was not shy in acting cute or acting spoiled in front of her. Shao Yan tried to think of the traffic and ways to get there.


    "Hmm, alright, let''s eat some Yakitori then. It should take me about thirty minutes to get there," she pulled her seatbelt, and started to buckle it.


    Li Xiqing was waiting for the elevator. One hand was holding the phone to his ear, and the other hand was inside his pants pocket, "Alright, be careful okay? I''ll see you soon."


    .....


    When Feifei got into her car, and before she buckled her seatbelt, she took out her phone and quickly dialed a number.


    "Zhong Zhong! What are you doing?" Feifei crisp and childish voice echoed inside the car.


    "What is it, Feifei?" Zhong Yu calmly said over the phone, "I''ve replied to your message, haven''t I?" A tinge of tiredness could be heard from his voice as he sighed.


    Feifei pouted, and started to sulk, "Zhong Zhong, be nice! I''m here to bring news to you!"


    On the other side of the phone, Zhong Yu took off his reading glasses, and leaned back to his chair. He had been working longer hours the past few months, trying to keep himself busy and occupied as much as he could so that he would stop thinking about a woman.


    He tilted his neck downward and with one hand, he began to massage his tensed muscle and waited for Feifei to continue.


    "You have been rejecting my invite to the grand opening party for my cake shop," Feifei started with a sulk.


    Zhong Yu felt a headache was coming. He was very aware of Feifei''s feelings towards him. He knew that Feifei had always cared and loved him. He was actually surprised that she was still feeling the same way after all these years.


    The way she looked at him. The way she would always steal glances at his direction. The way she would stutter when they talked. He was aware of all that.


    But his mental aptitude right now, he was not able to accept any feelings from anyone; not while he was still drowning in one-sided love.


    "Feifei, I-"


    She cut him off right away, "I''m not finished yet," an irritated huff was heard from the other side of the phone, Zhong Yu just patiently waited for her to continue again.


    "What I wanted to say, Shao Yan had promised me that she will come to the party," and then she paused.


    Feifei counted in her heart. What she wanted to say next would make or break them apart. But she was tired of waiting, and something had to be done.


    A moment later, she said, "Zhong Zhong, I know how you feel about Xiao Yan. I have always known. So, at the party, I hope you can come and settle everything that is still left in your heart. I want you to move on."


    Feifei started to say what she wanted to say without giving Zhong Yu any chance to reply to her.


    She quickly continued, "Say what you want to say, and then you can close that chapter in your heart, and then let me care for you, don''t reject me anymore. That''s all I wanted to say. Don''t stay up too late. Good night!"


    And then Feifei hung up the call.


    .....


    For a moment, all she could do was to stare at the mobile phone in her hands.


    Feifei could see her trembling hands clutching onto the phone so tight, all of her knuckles turned pale.


    She threw the phone to the passenger seat, and then with both hands, she hugged the steering wheel, and leaned her forehead on it.


    "Feifei ah Feifei," she started to talk to herself, "why are you so stupid."


    She heaved a long sigh, "There are so many men in this world, and yet you have to set your heart to this heartless man."


    And then she let out a bitter laugh.


    She felt so tired, both mentally and physically.


    Without realizing, she saw droplets of tears started to fall onto her lap. Feifei had started to cry without even realizing it.


    ''Falling in love is sweet, they said. Falling in love is comforting, they said. What bullshit. They are all lies,'' she thought to herself as she cried her soul out in the middle of a parking garage in the downtown area; surrounded by the sky lights.


    .....


    Zhong Yu was also staring at his phone after Feifei hung up the call. His mind jumbled as many thoughts started to fly all over his brain.


    He slouched down the chair to position his head to lean back just right on the head of the chair.


    And the memories of their university days started to come back.

 Chapter 194 - That Beautiful Girl

    The first time he saw her, Zhong Yu did not even know her name.


    All that he knew was that she looked so beautiful. So mesmerizing.


    She was standing by the bulletin board; her long hair was dancing along with the wind. She was wearing a plain white t-shirt and pale blue jeans. He could still remember that day very clearly in his mind.


    It was a bright, sunny day in the afternoon. He just came back from basketball practice, and was walking to his dorm. Both hands were holding onto the basketball, and he stopped on his track when his sight caught onto her.


    He had been playing for hours. His body was aching, he was still sweating like mad, and all he could think of was to lay down on the cold tile floor and to gulp his soda like crazy.


    But upon seeing this angel, he forgot all of his tired muscles. He even had forgotten about his soda. His attention was all on her.


    Zhong Yu stood there unmoving. Around ten steps in front of him, there stood the most beautiful girl that he had ever seen in his life.


    She was clutching onto a folder and reading the bulletin board very seriously.


    He smiled to himself.


    No one read that board anymore. Only the first year student would do that. It seemed that she was a freshman.


    .....


    She raised one hand to tuck some of her hair behind her ear, and continued reading. Zhong Yu began to wonder what information was posted there, to attract her attention so much. He had been walking through this path every day, and he would see the bulletin board being updated frequently.


    But it never crossed his mind to even stop by to read it. He felt a little regret now.


    Other students walked past her, and him; but his gaze had never wavered. He watched her intently, he had never been mesmerized before. In his whole twenty year old life, this was the first time that Zhong Yu fell in love at first sight.


    He did not know how much time had passed by. He did not even realize that he had been sweating even more than ever due to the heat, but he did not care even a little bit.


    When she had finished her reading, the beautiful girl turned around, and started to walk away.


    Zhong Yu had lifted up one foot, wanted to give her a chase. But all of a sudden, he was aware of how he looked and smelled right now. His lifted right foot was placed down to the ground again, as he halted his steps.


    Zhong Yu did not want to scare the maiden away.


    So he decided to wait. The university was so big, and yet today, they could pass by each other like this.


    Zhong Yu believed that they would meet again in the future. And the next time, he promised himself, he would be ready.


    .....


    He waited and waited patiently. He had never been tempted with other more beautiful girls around him.


    His mind had always remembered that girl that he had spent his afternoon watching her for.


    Zhong Yu firmly believed that his patience would pay off. And he was right.


    The second time he saw the beautiful girl was at the university cafeteria. Her hair was very much shorter now. To other girls, this kind of haircut might have looked weird, as it was very short, just right by her ear. But somehow, it actually brought out her stunning feature even more.


    She looked skinnier than before but she was still looking as stunning as ever.


    His pretty girl was smiling very brightly at another girl who was sitting in front of her. The other girl was saying something to her in a very animated expression, her hands were flying all over the place; making his pretty girl laughed even louder.


    His hands were holding onto a food tray, and again, he stopped on his track; amazed at her ever so bewitching smile.


    Zhong Yu was about to walk closer to introduce himself to the beautiful girl; when suddenly an arm was draped around his shoulder. He turned around reflexively.


    .....


    "Hey! Why didn''t you wait for me?" Liwei, his roommate, was looking at him a little upset and also in a confusion.


    Liwei continued, "What are you looking at, standing there like a fool?"


    Zhong Yu was about to answer him, when Liwei turned his head around and looked at the direction of his pretty girl and her friend.


    "Oh! You noticed them too?" Liwei jabbed his elbow onto Zhong Yu''s arm, "Hey! What do you think of the short hair girl? Isn''t she really pretty?"


    Liwei grinned widely while looking at the pretty girl. One hand was still hung around Zhong Yu by his shoulder as he started to say, "I am planning to court her. She is Lu Feifei''s classmate," Liwei pointed his chin towards that direction.


    He then turned his head around to look at Zhong Yu in the eyes, "You know Lu Feifei, right? She''s Ah Qian''s sister."


    Ah Qian. Lu Qian. His other roommate.


    As if thunder had struck his mind senseless. ''What kind of joke was this, dear god? She had been around me all these time?''


    Zhong Yu remembered Lu Qian''s little sister. Lu Feifei. She had been visiting their dormitory many times to wait for her brother. He started to smile so bitterly. If only he had known that she was this close....


    Zhong Yu snapped onto his senses right away and he started to say, "Liwei, that girl, I ..."


    But before he was able to speak his mind, Liwei used both of his hands to grab onto Zhong Yu by his shoulders, "Brother, help me, alright? You know how my family is. I need to get married to get out of my parents'' house, or I can go crazy!" He started to whine.


    Liwei quickly continued, "And Feifei told me that the girl came from a broken family. Her mother had recently passed away, and her father is living in another city. Don''t you think that both of us fit each other?"


    Liwei turned his head to look at his pretty girl, and continued, "I can take care of her, and she also can take care of me. Both of us can start a new life together."

 Chapter 195 - Date Night

    The yakitori place was located in an alley where other similar international restaurants were also located.


    Shao Yan was walking along the road by herself. It was a little after nine, but this area was also a late night drinking area, so many people were also still around.


    From afar, Shao Yan could spot her man right away.


    Standing tall, and as suave as ever, Li Xiqing was leaning onto the railing.


    The river and the city skyscrapers were spread behind him. His sturdy physique was not drowned by the magnificent view, but instead, he stood out and the rest of the scenery became his background instead.


    His right foot was bent slightly and his sole stepped onto the wall behind him, while his left foot was left straight up to support his whole body. Li Xiqing was typing seriously on his phone.


    Shao Yan let out a very bright smile upon seeing him. She hastened her steps to approach him.


    And when she was closer, just when Li Xiqing noticed her presence, Shao Yan had thrown herself onto him. Both of her arms were wrapped around his waist and her body molded onto his embrace right away.


    Her hair brushed a little part of his face, and he could smell the unique smell of her perfume.


    "I''m here!" Shao Yan said cheerfully.


    Li Xiqing returned her smile, and planted a kiss on her head, and then he continued typing on his phone, "Give me a second, let me finish this, alright?"


    Shao Yan peeked into his phone, and saw that he was typing a text message to someone.


    ''No problem. Just text me your flight details and travel plans. I will arrange everything from here. I will see you soon, Mr. Kanagawa. This will be a great success. Thank you.''


    .....


    Shao Yan tilted her head in confusion.


    "Kanagawa.." she looked up at Li Xiqing, "the same Kanagawa as Helen Kanagawa?"


    Li Xiqing locked his phone, and put it inside his pants pocket, "Yes, I was sending an email to her father."


    He wrapped one hand around her waist, and started to walk, "I think there is a chance of cooperation this time, seeing that Ido Kanagawa has finally accepted our invitation for a face to face meeting."


    Shao Yan walked beside him, and stayed quiet while Li Xiqing talked about work. This man had rarely told her anything related to his work. So when he did, Shao Yan would just let him talk and she would listen.


    "Ido Kanagawa will be visiting Shanghai after the new year, and that is why Axel said that we should be able to close the deal in the next few months," Li Xiqing tilted his face down to look into her eyes, "Axel is confident like that. But, his projections have always been accurate." And then he turned to look at the front again, "At least, most of the time."


    And then he laughed, "That''s why we can trust him."


    Shao Yan placed one hand on his chest and patted him as she smiled, "Good job, and soon, you can have a little rest before the next project starts."


    Li Xiqing placed his own broad palm to envelope hers, and he gave a slight squeeze, "En, thank you for being so understanding with all the long hours that I need to burn. Let''s go on vacation after I close this, alright?"


    Shao Yan nodded, and then beamed at him, "This time, let''s go to a beach?"


    Li Xiqing let out a hearty laugh, "Sure, we can go anywhere you want."


    .....


    "I met Feifei today," Shao Yan started to say.


    "Hmm," Li Xiqing tried to put a face into the name, "the one we met at the Korean barbecue place?"


    Shao Yan nodded, "It turns out that she is one of the vendors that my company will engage with for the year end party."


    A server came to put their orders on the table. She picked a chicken skewer and put it on Li Xiqing''s plate, before she took another one and put it on hers.


    "Feifei is in charge of the dessert table. I personally have tasted her cakes before, so I know the quality is definitely there," Shao Yan said as she stretched out her hand to pick up a salt container and started to put some on her plate.


    "Speaking of which, we are invited to the grand opening of her cake shop," Shao Yan put the salt down, and reached out to her purse and took out the invitation card and handed it over to Li Xiqing.


    She mimicked how Feifei had pointed to the spot in the corner of the card, "See this? Feifei has put the amount of guest blank. She said, I can bring as many guests as I want. She has prepared tables for ten people for now, and if I need more, I can just tell her," Shao Yan said cheerfully.


    Li Xiqing read through the invitation card; the time, date and location, and then he returned it to Shao Yan, "En, I got it. Have you decided on who to bring with you?"


    Shao Yan took the invitation card from his hand, and put it back into her purse, and then she went back to eating her yakitori.


    "Hmm.. For now, you, Mandy jie, Axel, Karl, Risa, Grandma and maybe Fan jie," Shao Yan quickly listed down the people that she had in her mind.


    "I was thinking of Polo, Bo, Li Na, uncle Huo and Wenhai as well, but the party falls on a Saturday, so I am not sure if they already have previous engagement to go to. Maybe I can ask," she continued to say.


    "En, I''ll ask Polo, Bo and Karl about their availability as well," Li Xiqing then scanned the table, and then he took the menu and started to look at it again, "is there anything else you want to order?"


    Shao Yan looked at the amount of skewers that they had eaten together. Surprised at herself, she looked back at Li Xiqing with her big, round eyes, "I- I think I''m full now, you can just order for yourself."

 Chapter 196 - Bunny And Bear

    The next few days, Shao Yan worked harder to finalize the finishing touches for the end of year party.


    The theme for this year was ''Winter Wonderland''. It was a rare occasion to snow in Shanghai, and even if they had it, it would only last for one or two days.


    It was only December now, and it was not snowing yet, but Shao Yan had been missing the white Christmas that she had experienced when she was living in New York, so she suggested to the team to have ''Winter Wonderland'' as the theme.


    The stage designer and property manager would come today to finally show her the final design for the area, and to discuss the material that they might need to transform the whole museum space into another world.


    Shao Yan was giddy with excitement and was feeling happy the whole day because of this...


    .....


    "This Saturday? Yes, sure, I would love to," Fan jie quickly nodded her head when Shao Yan asked her if she wanted to go to a cake shop grand opening party.


    "My second favorite thing in life is dessert, of course cute, handsome men are still sitting proudly at the number one on my list," she continued to say; triggering burst of laughs from Shao Yan.


    Shao Yan nodded, and replied, "That''s good then. Help me to ask Li Na, uncle Huo and Wenhai if they can come, too. Text me later. I need to drop these off at Risa and then I''m going home, alright?"


    She was carrying several folders in her hands, hugging them close in front of her chest. After Fan jie nodded at her comments, Shao Yan picked up her purse, and started to walk to the direction of Risa''s office.


    She was just walking for a few steps, when Shao Yan heard someone calling her.


    She turned around and saw Risa was walking towards her, with several food containers in her hand.


    .....


    Once she was near her, Shao Yan heard her say, "Oh Yan Yan, it''s good that I still can catch you. Grandma just had her driver to drop these off for you," and then Risa handed the food containers in her hands to Shao Yan. In return, Shao Yan handed her the folders that she had been holding onto, "These are the final reports for the event. I need your sign off."


    And then Shao Yan extended her hands and took the food containers from Risa and weighed them in her hands. She looked up at Risa, looking all confused, "Uh, what are these? Why are there so many?"


    Risa laughed at her silly looking face, raising up one hand, she began pointing to the containers one by one, "Well, this one is shredded chicken soup with ginseng. Grandma said the weather is getting colder, and you catch a cold easily, so eat this. There are also some stir fry vegetables on the second tier. This one is for Xiqing, Grandma cooked some braised pork belly for him. She said, Xiqing is too thin."


    Shao Yan abruptly looked up at Risa when she heard that, and quickly raised her hand, stopping her mid-sentence, "H-hold on. Sis, did you say, Grandma thinks Xiqing is too thin?" At the end of her sentence, Shao Yan had her tone raised in disbelief.


    "Did you know how much he ate last night? He already had a bowl of noodles for his dinner and he still dragged me along with him to hunt some yakitoris."


    Risa grinned at her before she said, "A little chubby is fine, Yan Yan. That''s the more reason for him to exercise," and then she nudged Shao Yan on her arms, "you know what I mean by ''exercise'' don''t you?" and then she winked at Shao Yan and laughed out loud.


    Shao Yan looked around in disbelief and then she rolled her eyes.


    ''This cousin of hers is the bane of her existence!'' she thought to herself.


    .....


    At the end, Risa accompanied Shao Yan to walk to her car. She helped Shao Yan to carry one of the food container.


    "This Saturday should work," Risa said after Shao Yan told her about Feifei''s cake shop.


    And then she continued, "Grandma said she is going to the temple to burn some incense and pray, but let''s see if I can bring her along with me after that."


    Shao Yan nodded, "No problem, just let me know. Also Sis, bring along your husband this time. Let him meet everyone."


    Risa stayed quiet and did not say anything in return, and just let out a smile.


    When they finally arrived in front of her car, Shao Yan unlocked her car, and started to put everything inside her car.


    Before she stepped into the car, she turned around and said, "I''m going now. Don''t forget to sign the report, and pass them over to me, alright?"


    Risa nodded, before she raised one hand, and patted her head, "Drive carefully, alright? Text me when you have arrived home."


    Shao Yan smiled back at her before she stepped into her car and drove off.


    .....


    Saturday came sooner than expected.


    Shao Yan was sleeping soundly, when she felt a pair of arms wrapped around her body and snuggled closer to her. The morning was a little colder than usual. When Li Xiqing moved closer, she reflexively responded and snuggled closer to the source of heat.


    "Yan Yan," he whispered in her ears, "let''s wake up now?" And then he planted a gentle kiss on her cheek.


    Shao Yan slowly stirred before she groggily responded, "En?" And her sleepy voice started to say, "What time is it now? I''m still sleepy." And then she turned around and scooted deeper to his embrace.


    "A little after six. We have eaten a lot this week, let''s do some walk, alright?"


    Shao Yan shook her head slowly, "Nope, you can go by yourself. I want to sleep in," she said as she rubbed her face on his chest and then slowly started to fall asleep again.


    Li Xiqing smiled while looking at her face. He could not resist kissing her cheek again, "Wake up now, lazy bunny. So we will get to spend a lot of time together. It''s the weekend!"


    Shao Yan shook her head even stronger this time, "No! This bunny just wants to laze around with her bear," and then she wrapped her arms around his waist and rubbed her cheek again, "so bear, shut up, and just hibernate again, will you?"


    (��?��(??? )

 Chapter 197 - Synchronized

    The cake shop was located about ten minutes from the center of the city. Feifei had found a space amongst other shops nearby, that the whole area was resembling a little outdoor shopping district on its own.


    Li Xiqing had parked his car in a public parking garage area, and then the two of them decided to walk to the cake shop. It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon. The weather was perfect for a stroll; the wind was breezy, and the warmth from the sun was just nice.


    Along the walk to the shop, Shao Yan saw that a lot of people were also enjoying the outdoor feel as them. A lot of couples were spending their Saturday window-shopping. She also saw some families with children sitting outside the restaurant and enjoyed basking under the winter sun.


    Walking hand in hand, her heart felt light as happiness swept her on her feet. She turned to the side to glance at the man who was holding her hand tightly. Her lips curved into a gentle smile when Li Xiqing returned her glance.


    Today, her man had dressed up really handsomely. He had paired a blue knitted sweater with beige dress pants; and then he put on the same color tone as his suit jacket. This morning, Shao Yan had caught him dressed in his usual dark grey colors, so she suggested for him to change to a brighter color to lighten the mood.


    She glanced down at herself. Today was Feifei''s day, and she had invited a few food bloggers and people from other media for publicity as well; so Shao Yan had decided to also dress up a little to blend in with the occasion.


    She decided to put on the navy qipao dress that Grandma Wu had gotten for her. Shao Yan pursed her lips as she remembered Li Xiqing''s reaction this morning when he saw her in this dress.


    .....


    Shao Yan was standing in front of a tall mirror in the dressing room, when Li Xiqing came in to check on her.


    The first thing he saw when he walked in, was the sheer view of her back. The cherry blossoms embroidery on her back captivated him at the first glance; and he stopped on his track for a while as he was admiring her figure from behind.


    His eyes traced along her bodyline before he brought his gaze back to her and caught her reflection in the mirror. The dress looked very plain at the front, but looked amazing from the back.


    "What do you think?" he heard her question.


    He stayed quiet as he sunk deep into his thoughts. His woman looked stunningly classy in this dress.


    Shao Yan saw Li Xiqing slowly walking towards her and then he wrapped both arms around her. Looking into her eyes through the mirror, he placed his cheek against hers as he teased her playfully, "Missus, who are you dressing up so beautifully for? I am getting jealous here," and then he touched his lips and planted a warm kiss on her soft cheek.


    Shao Yan raised up both of her arms and placed them over his hands before she answered, "I am in a really good mood today. Besides, I will get to see a lot of people who are dear to me at the party today, so I thought, why not dress up a little?"


    And then Li Xiqing heard her say, "Should I change into something else? Is this too revealing?"


    Li Xiqing slowly let her go, and then kissed her on her temple, "Not at all, you look amazing in this. Let''s just go with this."


    His nose caught a whiff of her flowery fragrance. He stood next to her for a while longer as he was admiring her adorable face.


    .....


    Back to the present, Shao Yan smiled as she looked down onto their synchronized feet that were walking together in the same steps and the same rhythms.


    Her black velvet ankle boots were stepping on the same ground; paired with his masculine brown leather shoes.


    Her cold hand was wrapped inside his large, warm palm.


    As they walked side by side, Shao Yan could vaguely smell his masculine cologne around her.


    It was really a beautiful day.


    .....


    When they finally reached the cake shop, Shao Yan saw there were already some guests that had arrived.


    From the outside, the shop looked pretty. On the left and right side of the front door, tall windows were decorated along the walls, so people who were walking by could see the inside of the cake shop.


    A small blue and white striped canopy was placed above the front door. The name of the cake shop was carved in cursive letters on a wooden board that was hung on the top of the door.


    "L''atelier" or "The Workshop" when translated.


    Feifei was standing at the front of her shop; talking to some of her guests that had just arrived. She was wearing a deep red dress made of suede. The bottom part of the dress; starting from the thigh to her knees was decorated with black laces around her.


    When she spotted Shao Yan and Li Xiqing, her face beamed with excitement. Feifei raised one hand and waved at them.


    "You guys are finally here, come on in!" Feifei reached out to hold Shao Yan by her hand when she stood in front of her, and then she turned to Li Xiqing and said, "hello, we meet again, Mister Boyfriend. Good to see you!"


    Li Xiqing nodded at her greetings, "Likewise. Congratulations!"


    Shao Yan smiled at their exchanges, and then she handed a paper bag in her hand to Feifei, "Here, just a little something for you. I hope you like it."


    Feifei was surprised when she saw that Shao Yan had prepared a gift for her. She scowled at her, "You don''t have to bring anything. Your presence here with me is already enough, Xiao Yan!"


    Shao Yan smiled but she insisted for Feifei to accept her gift, she pushed the paper bag into her hand, "It''s really nothing, don''t feel burdened. Just accept it, alright? Are my friends here?"


    Feifei reluctantly accepted the gift. She passed the paper bag to another woman who was standing by her side, and then she walked inside with Shao Yan, "I think some of them are here. They said they are your coworkers."


    As they walked in, Shao Yan finally got the chance to look at the interior of her cake shop.

 Chapter 198 - Latelier

    When Shao Yan stepped inside, the first thing that caught her attention was the flooring. Unlike all the other cake shops, Feifei decided to use bamboo as her flooring.


    The soft color made the whole area seem to be larger and brighter.


    The pillars of the walls were decorated in mosaic using tiles with a combination of light blue, dark blue and white.


    In the middle of the shop, instead of a typical crystal chandelier to make the place look luxurious, Feifei decided to put a cluster of industrial style lights with vintage bulbs.


    To her right, was the service area. A long counter made from the same mosaic tiles and top with a solid piece of wood, served as the cashier area.


    Small round tables with bamboo tops were spread all around the shop. The legs of the tables were painted in white. And each table had four to five chairs; also painted fully in white color. A small vase with three stems of colorful daisy flowers was placed on each table; creating a comfortable feeling for the people who were sitting around.


    On the wall, Feifei decided to hang pictures of her shop life. One wall was decorated with pictures of employees in action. One picture frame was about a man who was kneading a dough. Another picture frame was showing a girl who was putting a tray of dough into the oven; and so on.


    Shao Yan, through her amateur eyes, could see that Feifei wanted to make this place not only her own place, but also giving a sense of ownership to her staff.


    Another wall was decorated with pictures of her cakes in hand drawn sketches. Each of her cakes was drawn in colored pencils; giving details on each layer and on the side of the cake, was the ingredients noted in English and written in cursive letters.


    .....


    To her left, Shao Yan saw that a long table had been set up. A white lace cloth was covering the table, and on the top, Feifei had arranged arrays of her cakes in small bite size. Each flavors were placed together next to another; and Shao Yan counted there were about twelve to fifteen different cakes that people could try on today.


    "Xiao Yan!"


    "Yan jie!"


    Li Na and Fan jie called her at the same time when they spotted Shao Yan had walked in. Shao Yan raised one hand and waved back at them, and then she turned to the side to look at Li Xiqing who was smiling back at her; encouraging her to keep walking. His hand was placed on her back as they walked together to the table.


    "Hello, Daniel," Fan jie greeted him when they finally stood in front of them.


    They exchanged pleasantries with each other before Shao Yan and Li Xiqing joined them at the table. Shao Yan sat with her back against the wall and Li Xiqing sat next to her; so the two of them were able to see the whole shop easily.


    Shao Yan placed her hand on top of Li Xiqing thigh as she leaned closer to whisper at him, "Can you text the others and ask them when will they arrive?"


    Li Xiqing nodded, and took out his phone, and started to work on his lady''s request.


    Shao Yan turned back to the front, and started to chat with Li Na and Fan jie.


    Not long after, more people started to show up.


    .....


    The next person that showed up after Shao Yan and Li Xiqing was Karl. Shao Yan spotted Karl right away due to his height; and Karl spotted them as well, because of Li Xiqing. He passed a bouquet of tulips to Feifei before pointing at Shao Yan.


    Feifei then knew that Karl was one of Shao Yan''s friends that she had invited today. Feifei beamed at the beautiful flowers in her hands before they chatted more for a while; and then Shao Yan saw Karl started to walk towards their table.


    Karl looked incredibly suave today as well. He was dressed in a light blue collared shirt and mustard colored sweater on the outside. He also paired them with dark green pants and a matching pair of brown leather belt and shoes.


    As he stood by the table, Fan jie noticed his arrival and then squealed in happiness. She jumped from her seat and gave him a tight hug, "Wow! You look so handsome today!" She exclaimed in excitement. Her eyes sparkled with adoration at the young man. And then she patted the empty chair next to her, "Come, sit here. Don''t sit next to Daniel all the time."


    Shao Yan exchanged looks with Li Na, trying to hold their laughs.


    .....


    The next couple to arrive was Mandy and Axel.


    There were so many attractive people in the shop today. Feifei had invited the media, so everyone really dressed to their nines.


    But the most attractive couple award might be for Mandy and Axel.


    As they walked in, almost everyone who noticed their arrival, would take a second look to really stare at them.


    The two people were both tall and good looking. Mandy looked so elegant in white beige dress. The top part was made of satin and lace, and then started from waist down; the dress transformed to wool and wrapped her snugged like a fragile angel. The only accessory she put on tonight was a pair of golden hoop earrings. She looked simple from head to toe yet luxurious at the same time.


    Axel, on the other hand, decided to go all dark. He had black turtleneck sweater with black jeans, which he paired with a matching combination of black leather jacket and shoes. Black and grey shawl was wrapped around his neck.


    When the two of them walked side by side like this, people could not help to notice that they were like a pair of angel and demon. They were contrasted with each other; and yet they had the best synergy too.


    Feifei was stunned silly at the couple. Shao Yan saw Mandy smiled and spoke a few words, before Feifei turned her head around to look at Li Xiqing and then Shao Yan.


    Feifei replied another few words, and then Shao Yan saw Mandy was trying to pass her a red envelope to congratulate her; which sent Feifei to a panic.


    Shao Yan saw Feifei raised both hands to refuse her monetary gift. The two women exchanged a few words, before Axel finally decided to step in. His hand had always been placed on her waist; hugging her close to him. He said something to Mandy, and then to Feifei, and then Shao Yan saw that Feifei reluctantly accepted the red packet and smiled at the two of them bashfully.


    She then extended her hand to welcome Mandy and Axel inside her shop.


    Shao Yan then let out a gentle smile at Mandy when she finally spotted Shao Yan and the two of them started to walk to their table.

 Chapter 199 - Latelier (2)

    Not long after Mandy and Axel arrived, more and more people started to arrive as well.


    Shao Yan saw that Feifei had invited a lot of people today. The place was packed within a short time.


    Shao Yan recognized a few faces. When she tried to recall their names, she drew a blank page. But Shao Yan knew that she had seen them back in the university days.


    Other than old acquaintances, Shao Yan also recognized some big names in the city. Famous food bloggers, a radio presenter, and also a news anchor attended today''s event.


    Fan jie, Li Na and her other co-workers were busy admiring and gossiping about the famous people around them. While Mandy was chatting with Shao Yan and Li Xiqing, Karl and Axel were talking about something else.


    .....


    "Hrrmm!" Feifei stood in the middle of the cake shop, she was clearing her throat before started to say, "Everyone, thank you for coming today to join me in our grand opening of L''atelier."


    She paused before continuing, "For those of you who can''t find any seats indoors, please know that we also have a semi-covered patio at the back which is also open for everyone. We will start the event in about thirty minutes."


    Feifei extended one hand to point at the dessert table, "In the meantime, there are cakes, fresh squeezed fruit juice, tea and coffee for all of you to enjoy. Please feel free to have them while waiting."


    And then a few people dressed in black and white outfit came out from the side door and stood by her side, "These people will also take your order if you want to see the menu book. I hope you enjoy your time today. Thank you again!"


    Some guests started to get up from their seats to go to the dessert table.


    Shao Yan turned to Mandy and asked her, "Mandy sis, do you want to go and take a look as well?"


    Mandy turned around to look at the crowd, but before she shook her head, one of the servers had approached their table.


    .....


    "Hello, please see our menu here. We realized that the dessert table may be too crowded for some guests, so you can also order from the table and we will get them for you," she then handed over the menu and walked away.


    Mandy received the menu books and started to pass them to the others on their table.


    "Uhm," Shao Yan started to say albeit hesitantly, "I have known her for a long time and Feifei is really good with cakes, so you can feel rest assured that all of her cakes will taste good. I have never heard some of these, but I know her Buche de Noel and Mille-Feuille are really good."


    Mandy brought her head back down, and started to read the description in the menu, "Hm, Buche de Noel is not easy, some people baked the chocolate log cake too dry, or not chocolatey enough. So I can only judge her skill after I eat this. Another reason, since usually most cake shops only make them during Christmas season like this, of course we should order this."


    And then she continued, "But I agree with you, let''s also try the Mille-Feuille," and then Mandy turned to her side and put one hand on Axel''s thigh, "darling, the Opera cake uses the African coffee and a little rum, would you like to try?"


    Axel, who was in serious conversations with Li Xiqing and Karl, stopped what he was saying mid-sentence, and then he glanced at her to answer Mandy; he covered her palm with his hand as he said, "Sure, you can order a few. We can try some of the other cakes too. I know you love sweets."


    .....


    Their table decided to order a little bit of everything.


    Just when their cakes were delivered to their tables, Li Xiqing happened to look up and glance at the front door, only to catch two figures walking in.


    Helen Kanagawa and Fu Liwei.


    His face turned dark in a second. His jaw was set hardened as he kept his sight glued onto the couple and watched every single of their movement.


    Shao Yan had not realized the change in Li Xiqing''s attitude. She just noticed that they need tea refills for everyone, so she was about to raise her hand to signal the server, when Li Xiqing suddenly asked her, "What do you need?"


    Shao Yan turned her head to the side to answer him, "We need tea for everyone. Would you like some coffee as well?"


    Li Xiqing shook his head, and then he turned to Mandy and Axel and started to speak in German, "Trouble is here. I need your help to look after her when needed."


    .....


    "Feifei, congratulations," Liwei handed over a paper bag to her.


    Feifei was surprised when Liwei appeared. It had been a few years since she last saw him. She hesitantly received his gift, and then she turned her gaze to the woman who was standing next to him.


    Liwei saw her questioning face and he immediately understood so he put one hand behind Helen on her back, "This is my wife, Helen Kanagawa. She is Japanese but she can speak basic mandarin."


    The woman next to Liwei looked very pretty. But when Feifei took a second glance, she could not help but to compare her to Shao Yan. Unlike Shao Yan, this woman had a natural seductive look in her.


    When Zhong Yu had warned her not to talk about Liwei in front of Shao Yan, she had tried asking Zhong Yu what happened before, but all he told her was, "Liwei hurted Shao Yan and disappointed her."


    Now, Feifei could see what he actually meant by that statement.


    Feifei was not sure how Liwei could get the news about today''s event, but she prayed hard in her heart, ''Dear god, please don''t let there be any drama going on today.''


    Feifei looked at Helen again and gave an amicable smile, "Thank you for coming today. I hope you enjoy the party, and I hope you love the cakes."


    Helen and Liwei nodded back at her before entering the shop. Feifei discreetly scanned around the area. She was worried about Shao Yan and at the same time, she was still waiting for Zhong Yu to show up.

 Chapter 200 - Latelier (3)

    A small quartet of musicians had finally finished setting up their instruments in a small space between the indoor and outdoor patio area. Two females were holding two violins in their hands, one male was holding a viola and another man had a cello.


    They started to lift their slender fingers and started to play.


    Slow, calming music began to flow; mixed with the sweet fragrant air creating a harmonic orchestra in the room.


    Some guests were standing around while enjoying the serenade and talking to each other, while the rest of the guests preferred to sit down to enjoy their cakes.


    "Yan Yan, should we walk around?" Mandy suddenly suggested.


    Shao Yan scanned the whole cake shop from her seat, and then she nodded, "Sounds good," and then she turned to Li Xiqing. She put one hand on his shoulder, "I''ll have a tour of the cake shop with Mandy, and I will be back shortly."


    Li Xiqing nodded and then he grabbed her hand on his shoulder, and gave a light squeeze.


    .....


    "Hmm? Ah Yu?" Why are you still here?"


    Father Zhong had heard a rustle sound from his back, and then he saw his son had just stepped out of the back door into the camera shop.


    Father Zhong was cleaning up some camera lenses, he paused his actions and looked at Zhong Yu who was walking towards him.


    "Oh, I have just taken out the trash. What are you doing, Dad?"


    Father Zhong put down the brush in his hand, "Huh? Didn''t you have that party to go to? Feifei came again yesterday to remind me to go, but I''ve told her that you will go on behalf of the two of us."


    Father Zhong then pointed to the back of the shop, "I have bought pretty teapots from the shop down the street, and I already wrapped them nicely. You better go and give them to her."


    Zhong Yu turned around and picked up a feather duster from the bottom of the cabinet, and started to dust off the display shelves.


    "Hey, stubborn kid, stop running away anymore. You know that girl is in love with you, are you scared now?" And then Father Zhong burst to hearty laughs, "Ha ha! You''re already this old, and still scared of girls? Ha ha!!"


    Zhong Yu ground his teeth as he felt embarrassed being laughed at by his own father, but he kept his silence and continued working.


    .....


    Father Zhong had a good laugh for a while before he slowly wiped his tears from the corner of his eyes from the joy that he had.


    "Oh! I forgot to tell you. Your other friend came to the shop yesterday, I told him he will be able to see you and everyone else at the party today."


    Zhong Yu who was dusting absentmindedly and still ignoring his father started to walk to the cabinet near the front door.


    Father Zhong did not mind his attitude and kept talking, "It''s your old roommate, I will always remember that smart young man. Ah Wei, isn''t it?" The one who moved to America with his wife?"


    Zhong Yu swiftly turned around, his eyes were twitching when he heard his father mentioned that nickname. His father had always been fond of Liwei. Not only because they were roommates, but also because Liwei showed an accomplishment by migrating overseas.


    "Liwei?? H-he came here yesterday?" Zhong Yu finally decided to cease his silent treatment and ask in surprised. He was anxious while waiting for his father to answer, before continuing, "And you told him about the party?"


    Father Zhong nodded enthusiastically, and with a wide smile, he replied, "I also told him that Feifei told me it will be like a small reunion, as some of their old university friends will also be there."


    Zhong Yu knitted his eyebrows and suddenly put down the feather duster. He immediately started to walk back to the back of the house.


    Father Zhong was surprised to see the instant change in his son, and quickly said something before Zhong Yu disappeared into the house, "You changed your mind now? Good.. good.. have fun!" As he waved at his departing son, "Don''t forget the gift!"


    .....


    As Claire de Lune by Claude Debussy was playing in the background, Feifei stepped into the middle of the crowd again.


    "Good afternoon, everyone!" She flashed a bright smile to the guests, and then Feifei turned to face the laptop in front of her and waved, "And good evening to all of you who are joining from the other parts of the world." Feifei had set up an online connection for all of her friends and families who wanted to take part in the celebration.


    "Today marks a new journey in my life as I finally made one of my dreams come true," she started her opening speech.


    "L''atelier was born from the imagination of me and my brother, Lu Qian who is in Paris right now," and again, she turned to face the laptop and winked at Lu Qian who was connected via Skype, "Morning, bro! Is it like nine or ten your time now? Thank you for waking up this early for your dear sister," and then she giggled when she saw Lu Qian was making faces at her through the screen.


    "It is also the child of all the people who have been working hard to present the most amazing cakes in front of you right now, my team!" Feifei turned to the side and with both of her palms up, she brought them up to her chest and gestured ''Thank you'' to her staff who were standing on the side, smiling and nodding at her with the same gratitude.


    "I have invited all of you here who are dear to my heart. Please get to know each other and be part of my big family."


    "Music, games, and some other prizes will fill the celebration today. Let me share my happiness with all of you. So, please enjoy the day, and again, thank you for coming."


    A round of applause and cheers followed her after Feifei finished her speech. Guests who were sitting down, started to get up on their feet and clapped for her as well.


    A distant sound of ''pop'' was heard repeatedly and the guests could see that bottles of champagne have been opened and poured into tall glasses.


    Several servers had been standing on the side, waiting for the trays of glasses to distribute.


    Shao Yan and Mandy were standing on the side, near the patio door, and watching the whole scene excitedly.

 Chapter 201 - Encounter

    Shao Yan and Mandy had so much fun exploring L''atelier.


    Feifei had mentioned an outdoor patio, so they decided to take a look.


    Shao Yan found a wide, glass door with black metal frame. And when they looked pass through the transparent glass, they were amazed right away.


    Shao Yan and Mandy exchanged looks and decided to go out. When they stepped out to the patio, they were pleasantly surprised to find a huge outdoor space in front of them.


    The whole area was a combination of wood planks flooring and lush, green grass. Several playpens for pets were spread around the patio; Shao Yan noticed that some of Feifei''s guests had come with their pets and were playing around with them outside. Cats, dogs and rabbits were playing with each other.


    Dessert table was also set up in the corner, with the same selections of cakes and drinks.


    Everyone was just having a good time while playing with their furry friends.


    They were watching for a while, before Mandy tapped Shao Yan by her shoulder, "I''m not really that fond of pets, I have allergy to the cats'' fur," Mandy started to say, "Yan Yan, you can go look around by yourself, and I''ll just stay here."


    Shao Yan smiled before she replied, "Looking at them from afar is good for me, too."


    She noticed the dessert table, and then she turned back to Mandy, "Should I get some orange juices for us?"


    Mandy nodded her head and placed one hand on Shao Yan''s arm, "Thank you, Yan Yan," and then Shao Yan patted her in return, "No thanks. I''ll be right back."


    .....


    When he arrived, he saw there were already a lot of people in the shop. Zhong Yu opened the front door, and the small bell above the door chimed notifying his arrival.


    Feifei was standing near the front door while talking to some of her guests. And as she saw Zhong Yu stepped in, Feifei bloomed with happiness.


    "Zhong Zhong! There you are," she excused herself from her guests and walked over.


    Zhong Yu glanced at her and handed over a box wrapped prettily in a silver decorative paper.


    "Congratulations, Feifei, this is from my old man," Zhong Yu said before he scanned his eyes around the room.


    He saw Li Xiqing right away, who was also looking back at him. He was talking to some people at his table, but when Zhong Yu looked for her, he could not see Shao Yan anywhere around Li Xiqing.


    Feifei accepted the gift, and when she looked up, she saw Zhong Yu was looking around for someone. Her heart tinged with sadness, but this was not the first time she experienced this.


    She had dressed up so beautifully today, hoping that he would spare a glance her way. But Feifei knew that it was a long shot when his heart was not even by her side.


    Her fingers were holding onto the box really tight and Feifei slowly took a deep breath before she feigned a cheerful attitude and said, "You missed the opening just now. Lu Qian is in Paris, so you won''t get to see him anyway. Xiao Yan is on the patio outside. And Liwei," Feifei paused before looking to her left and right, trying to locate Liwei, "I''m not sure where Liwei is."


    Zhong Yu looked around the shop to find the way to the patio. When he finally saw the glass door, he started to walk towards the direction; leaving Feifei behind.


    .....


    Zhong Yu walked through the glass door and started to look around. A lot of unfamiliar faces; and everyone dressed up in beautiful clothes, but he was concentrating to look for either Shao Yan or Liwei. He slowly walked along the side while trying to search for them. And when he spotted her, Zhong Yu picked a corner and stood on his spot with both arms crossed in front of his chest.


    She was carrying a small plate on one hand, and with her other hand, she tucked her hair behind her ear. Her free hand then started to pick up the tongs and selected some mini cakes.


    Unbeknownst to him, Zhong Yu was watching her with a very gentle gaze.


    The afternoon sun shone upon her delicate face, Shao Yan looked heavenly. The color of the dress highlighted her creamy skin, and the cherry blossoms on her back just attracted the attention of everyone in the room. Zhong Yu felt a surge of jealousy whenever some other men took a second look at her. How he wanted to yank her away and hide her within his embrace.


    Just when he was clenching his emotions, he felt someone was tapping his shoulder. Zhong Yu reflexively turned around only to see Liwei grinning widely at him.


    "Old friend!" Liwei exclaimed in surprise.


    Zhong Yu was caught off guard. He wanted to see if Liwei had noticed who he was looking at just now, but he remained calm and put up a poker face.


    "Hey!" He greeted him back, "I heard you came back to Shanghai, but I do not have your local number so I did not know how to contact you."


    Liwei was holding a wine glass on his right hand, and he waved his left hand at Zhong Yu, "I figured. I went to your Old Man''s shop yesterday, but you were not around. I guess you were in the office."


    Zhong Yu gave a small smile, "So, how long will you be here this time?"


    Liwei took a sip of his wine, "Maybe until after Lunar New Year. We have some business to deal with while we are here," and then he feigned a punch on Zhong Yu''s shoulder, "your Old Man told me about Feifei''s party today, so I thought I should come over and meet everyone."


    Liwei had been standing next to Zhong Yu and then he turned his face around to look in front of him, "I saw Yan Yan around just now, but I have not got the chance to talk to her yet," he glanced back at Zhong Yu, "damn! Did you see what she looks like right now? Gorgeous as hell!"

 Chapter 202 - Colorful

    Zhong Yu squinted his eyes at his best friend''s remarks, "I don''t think that''s a nice word to say considering she is your ex-wife now." Zhong Yu had purposely stressed the tone when he mentioned ''ex-wife'' to Liwei.


    Liwei snickered at him before he raised his wine to take another sip, "Just admit it, my friend, I have known all along that you have been in love with Yan Yan."


    Liwei raised one hand and patted Zhong Yu on his chest, "You had lost a step before, and now you lost another step to another guy. When are you going to wake up and stop dreaming?" And then he chuckled, "Did you not feel ashamed of yourself for lusting over your best friend''s wife, huh?"


    Zhong Yu tried to hold in his emotion from Liwei''s insult.


    He stayed in silence for a while, before he commented, "Yeah, but you also lost a chance that you had given before, too. So, be polite and don''t talk about her that way considering that you have your own wife now."


    Liwei felt sour after being jabbed by his own best friend. He clicked his tongue as he chuckled in bitterness. He did not have any good comeback, because what Zhong Yu said was the truth.


    He did lose his chance, and he did have another wife now.


    Liwei kept sipping his wine as his mind went through what could have gone wrong in their relationship.


    .....


    "You said you knew all along about my feelings towards Shao Yan?"


    After a long moment of silence, Zhong Yu decided to speak up.


    "So that means, you knew I wrote those letters for her? And yet, you still took them from me?" He turned his body to the side to now stand in front of him face to face.


    Liwei gulped down the remaining wine in his glass, before he put it down to the table next to him. He slowly took out a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his fingers one by one; biding his time to answer.


    "Yes, I knew all along," Liwei nodded his head calmly, "when we first saw her in the cafeteria, I knew you were looking at her direction, but at the time, I thought you were looking at Feifei since she is Lu Qian''s sister after all."


    "I had seen the letters that you had been writing on your desk. You always started them as ''To the beautiful you'' so I knew that you were in love with someone. I immediately assumed it was Feifei."


    "However, the several meetings after that, I noticed how you would turn mute whenever Yan Yan was around. So I started to grow suspicious. That maybe I was wrong. Maybe it was not Feifei, maybe it was Yan Yan."


    Liwei put both hands inside his pants pocket and looked down at his own leather shoes, "And then I remember, when I told you that Yan Yan had agreed to go out with me, you disappeared the whole night and only came back the next day."


    He raised his head and looked into the distance in front of him, "And a few days after that, I found out from others that you had been playing basketball all night long, trying to exhaust yourself. So I got my confirmation about your feelings towards Yan Yan."


    Liwei turned to the side to stare at Zhong Yu directly, "But what else can I do? I fell in love with her, too, and she had agreed to be with me. I had to be the selfish one here."


    "I started to read through all of your love letters again and the more I read them, the more I was convinced that the letters were indeed for Yan Yan," he chuckled to himself.


    "I was like an idiot, sitting at your desk, feeling all jealous from reading those letters. You wrote them so well, I even falsely thought the two of you had known each other for a while."


    Liwei stretched out both hands and pointed to himself, "Look at me. I have always been a number guy, the engineer in the room, I am not a romantic guy and you know that. Yan Yan had always been reserved with me, and I needed to improve our relationship, so yes, I stole those letters from you."


    Zhong Yu was about to say something, but Liwei quickly cut him off, "But don''t blame me on this, old friend, if you need to blame someone, then it''s yourself for not having the guts to send those letters directly to her."


    .....


    Zhong Yu was speechless at these revelations.


    He had never imagined that his own best friend would stab him in the back like this.


    When he noticed that his letters had gone missing, Zhong Yu had thought that maybe he had misplaced them. He turned their dormitory room upside down, but he still could not find the letters.


    Liwei came into the room a while later and saw a frantic Zhong Yu was flipping through all the books on the floor.


    When he told him about the letters, Zhong Yu still remembered the look on Liwei''s face, all innocent, he looked up at him and said, "Oh? Those letters are yours? I found them with a pile of newspapers and I thought those were no one''s. So, I took them for myself, and I gave them to Yan Yan," and then Liwei raised both thumbs up towards Zhong Yu, and continued proudly, "now she was more in love with me, thanks to you, man!"


    .....


    Liwei suddenly chimed in, and broke Zhong Yu out of his train of thoughts, "But if you want to feel any better, hey, look at us now. She left me, and she got herself a new man."


    Zhong Yu felt sick the more he listened to Liwei, he wanted to leave so he just absentmindedly replied to him, "Yeah, you left her first, and you got yourself another woman. Don''t say it as if she was the one at fault here. We both know it was not hers at all," Zhong Yu said as he massaged his temple.


    Liwei laughed out loud immediately, "Hey, living a life with her was not that all exciting, okay? She was all plain and dull, don''t blame me for wanting to look for a more colorful life!"


    All of a sudden, a sound of a crash was heard and all the heads turned around to see where the sound came from.


    The guests saw that a man had crashed onto a table, and landed on his side and now was laying on the ground.

 Chapter 203 - Contact

    "Hey, living a life with her was not that all exciting, okay? She was all plain and dull, don''t blame me for wanting to look for a more colorful life!"


    And right after that, Zhong Yu heard insulting chuckles from Liwei.


    Before he knew it, he had put up a fist. Zhong Yu pulled his hand and swayed backwards, raising his arm as his hips swing straight and his fist rocketed forward, connecting with the cheek of the man in front of him


    He swung it hard to Liwei''s face; sending his best friend to hit a bamboo table, and landed on the ground.


    The sudden hit literally threw Liwei off the ground. As he tried to get up, he felt a sting on his face. Liwei raised one hand to touch his face, and tasted blood in the corner of his lips.


    .....


    "You motherf****! What the f*** did you do? You tore my face??"


    When Zhong Yu had punched him just now, Liwei was caught off guard, and he accidentally bit his own lips during the hit.


    Zhong Yu was holding onto his own fist which was aching after he punched Liwei. He was still clenching his hand and rolled his wrist around to relieve the pain.


    "You insulted her. I have warned you not to do that."


    Liwei, still sitting on his bottom on the ground, slowly got up. All the guests around were still staring at the two of them while whispering to each other.


    After he got up on his feet, Liwei did not even bother to dust himself off. He swiftly approached Zhong Yu and snarled at him while saying, "You hit your best friend?? All for the sake of a woman that does not even know you exist?"


    Before Zhong Yu had the chance to retort back, another voice was heard behind the two men.


    "I know he exists. And I think he''s a better human being than you are."


    The two men turned their head around and saw Shao Yan was standing at the side; glaring at the two of them.


    .....


    - A few minutes earlier -


    After selecting some cakes, Shao Yan went back to Mandy''s side.


    She handed over one plate to Mandy and said, "There''s an empty table here, shall we sit down?" Mandy looked around, and noticed the table that Yan Yan was pointing at, she nodded her head, "Sure, the weather is nice today, let''s sit there."


    Shao Yan and Mandy chose a small table near a tall tree to sit down. A part of their table was shaded by the shadow of the tree, so the sun was not shining too hot on them.


    Shao Yan placed another plate on the table, "Sis, you sit here first, I''ll go get the orange juices now."


    Shao Yan was about to walk away, when a hand was placed on her shoulder, stopping her on her track. She turned around only to see Li Xiqing and Axel standing next to her.


    "I''ll go with you," Li Xiqing said, "Axel will accompany Mandy anyway."


    Shao Yan smiled at him, and nodded his approval.


    "What brought you two out here? I thought you guys are talking with Karl as well?"


    Li Xiqing placed his hand on her waist as they walked together, "Risa and Grandma have just arrived, so Karl is accompanying them right now. I was worried about you, so Axel and I decided to check on the two of you."


    Shao Yan giggled at his reply, "We are not kids, why worry about us?"


    Li Xiqing looked at her stunning smiling face. He raised his index finger to touch the tip of her nose, "You are my woman, of course I will always worry about you."


    Shao Yan smiled bashfully at his sudden touch. She was about to say more, when she saw a change in Li Xiqing''s eyes.


    She turned her head to the front and saw Liwei and Zhong Yu talking to each other. They were standing only a few steps away, but the greenery around her shaded her and Li Xiqing from the two of them.


    Shao Yan heard Zhong Yu say, "You said you knew all along about my feelings towards Shao Yan?"


    And both Li Xiqing and Shao Yan stopped on their track.


    .....


    "So that means, you knew I wrote those letters for her? And yet, you still took them from me?"


    Shao Yan heard Zhong Yu began to fire his questions at Liwei, and she blinked in disbelief upon what she heard afterwards.


    "Yes, I have known all along. When we first saw her in the cafeteria, I knew you were looking in her direction, but at the time, I thought you were looking at Feifei since she is Lu Qian''s sister after all."


    "I had seen the letters that you had been writing on your desk. You always started them as ''To the beautiful you'' so I knew that you were in love with someone."


    Shao Yan gasped in surprise as she was remembering all the letters that she had received from Liwei before. All of them started with ''To the beautiful you''. Shao Yan could feel her hands started to tremble.


    Li Xiqing noticed the change in her attitude, he squeezed his hand on her waist.


    .....


    "But what else can I do? I fell in love with her, too, and she had agreed to be with me. I had to be the selfish one here. I started to read through all of your love letters again and the more I read them, the more I was convinced that the letters were indeed for Yan Yan."


    Shao Yan heard Liwei was chuckling as he showed off what he had done to Zhong Yu. She shook her head in disbelief; feeling bewildered that she could not understand this man who used to be her husband.


    "I was like an idiot, sitting at your desk, feeling all jealous from reading those letters. You wrote them so well, I even falsely thought the two of you had known each other for a while. Look at me. I have always been a number guy, the engineer in the room, I am not a romantic guy and you know that. Yan Yan had always been reserved with me, and I needed to improve our relationship, so yes, I stole those letters from you."


    Shao Yan staggered a step, but Li Xiqing had his steady hand kept her in balance.


    "I''m here. Don''t worry," Shao Yan heard him say in his low, calming voice. But she knew that deep down inside he was angry, but he still tried to speak as calmly as possible to stay by her side.

 Chapter 204 - Sick

    Li Xiqing was really upset as he listened to the two men talking about his woman in front of him.


    The more he listened, the angrier he felt. He just wanted to punch the living out of the two of them.


    Li Xiqing thought that he would be the one who landed the first hit when Liwei was insulting Yan Yan. But to his surprise, this surname Zhong had thrown his fist and landed perfectly on the bastard''s face.


    When Liwei hit the table, and knocked down the glasses and plates around him, Li Xiqing reflexively pulled Yan Yan to his side, and hid her body behind him to avoid the shards.


    For a moment, Li Xiqing forgot about his surging rage inside of him; all he was thinking that time was to shield Yan Yan from the sharp objects that were flying around.


    When things had quieted down, Li Xiqing turned around, and began to check her arms and legs, to see if she was hurt.


    "Are you alright? Did any of the glass hit you?" He stretched her arms to check on her exposed skin, and then he was about to bend down to start checking on her bare legs.


    Shao Yan quickly tapped on his shoulder, "I''m fine, we were a little far away, don''t worry."


    Li Xiqing was about to say something when he heard a roar of anger behind him. The man who was down, Liwei, had gotten up on his feet, and immediately loomed over the surname Zhong and started to yell.


    "You hit your best friend?? All for the sake of a woman that does not even know you exist?"


    Li Xiqing was about to walk towards them, when Shao Yan pulled his arm and shook her head; and then she calmly walked in front of him instead.


    "I know he exists. And I think he''s a better human being than you are."


    .....


    Zhong Yu was surprised to see Shao Yan standing in front of him.


    ''How much did she hear,'' he wondered, ''and what is she thinking right now?''


    He was watching her every expression. Shao Yan was very upset. Her face was gloomy as she glared at Liwei.


    Shao Yan kept a good distance from the two of them as she started to say.


    "Are you not embarrassed at yourself? Flaunting how you have wronged Zhong Yu and I very proudly?"


    Her voice was calm and collected. But for those who knew her, they knew that Shao Yan was beyond angry. Her voice was very cold and menacing.


    She was addressing her question to Liwei who was also surprised to see her sudden appearance by their side. Liwei stared at her for a while. He had to break off his stare when he noticed that Li Xiqing had his hand wrapped around her waist and pulled her slightly closer to him.


    Liwei scoffed as he took out his handkerchief. He then raised one hand and wiped off his bloodied lips.


    "I was only telling the truth. Besides, did I not actually help him? In the end, I still delivered the letters to the rightful owner, did I not?" he said as he began to dust off his pants.


    "And also, Yan Yan, just admit it, we were never happy together. You stayed because you had no one to turn to. You don''t have any family or friends around."


    Liwei raised up his head and inserted both of his hands into his pants pocket.


    "And I stayed because I needed to get away from my suffocating parents," and then he shrugged as he slowly said, "It''s a win-win for both of us. We don''t have to make a big deal out of it."


    .....


    Li Xiqing could barely hold in his wrath. He was about to grab Liwei and strike him, but Shao Yan held him back, and again shook her head.


    Liwei saw the fury in Li Xiqing''s eyes and how Shao Yan had stopped him.


    He raised one eyebrow as he snickered, "Besides, you have found a loyal dog here next to you. You should actually thank me instead, Yan Yan." And then he burst out laughing.


    Just when he stopped laughing, he saw a glimpse of a swaying hand.


    !! PLAKK !!


    A palm stroke his cheek and five fingers landed on his face. A crisp sound of strong slap rang out through the silent surroundings.


    His eyes went round in surprise. Liwei looked up in astonishment when he realized that Shao Yan had slapped him in the face.


    "Y-Yan.."


    "Do not call my name with your filthy mouth," Shao Yan cut him off.


    "You insulted me, and then you insulted my man. I will never forgive you," she said curtly.


    "I have never said anything about all of your affairs when we were still married. Never once have I speak badly of your name to others. And this is how you repay me?"


    "We are done, Fu Liwei, do not appear in front of me anymore. You make me sick."


    Shao Yan stood tall in front of the guests, and said all of her thoughts in a bright, clear voice. She did not tremble or stutter at all.


    Once she was done, Shao Yan paused for a few seconds to make sure everyone heard what she said just now.


    From the corner of her eyes, she saw Feifei had appeared and stood in front of the patio door.


    Shao Yan turned around and then linked her hand around Li Xiqing''s arm, and the two of them walked away.


    When she finally saw Feifei, Shao Yan was about to say something, when Li Xiqing suddenly smiled politely at her, and said, "Feifei, my apologies, we will take our leave now. Please let me compensate for all of the damages here."


    Feifei could not think of any words to say; she could only nod her head.


    "Oh. You two.. Uh.. Drive safe."


    Shao Yan smiled at her and then she glanced at Li Xiqing before the two of them continued walking to the indoor area.


    .....


    Once she had walked past the door, her hands started to tremble. Li Xiqing took one of her hands, and held her close to his embrace, as he whispered, "Just a little more. We are almost there."


    Shao Yan let out a weak smile at him, but she still nodded her agreement.


    "Yan Yan?" Risa rose up from her seat when she saw Shao Yan and Li Xiqing. She anxiously walked over, "What happened?"


    Risa looked at her pale face, and then threw her angry face at Li Xiqing, "Daniel? What''s going on?"


    Shao Yan patted Risa on her arm, "Don''t raise any alarm, Sis, I''m fine. Don''t let Grandma worry," she whispered to her.

 Chapter 205 - Mix Up

    Feifei watched the departing figures for a while, before she turned around and started walking to approach the crowd.


    Murmurs and talks started to rise up. Some guests were still whispering, and others would just blatantly discuss with each other.


    As Feifei got closer, she saw Liwei was still stunned and looked a little lost. A mark of five fingers clearly shown on his left cheek. She glanced to the side, and saw Zhong Yu was still flexing his hand for having punched Liwei too hard on his face.


    Feifei nibbled on her lower lips as she walked closer, "Zhong Zhong, do you need to see a doctor? Is your hand alright?"


    Zhong Yu looked back at her, with a small smile, he started to say, "I''m fine, my apologies, Feifei. We should have taken this outside of your shop," he paused as he stole a glance from the corner of his eyes to look at Liwei.


    "You may want to talk to him and see if he needs medical attention. I punched him a little too hard just now."


    Just as Feifei was about to say something, another ruckus was heard from behind her.


    She turned her head around to see Helen was pushing everyone out of her way, "Get out of my way! Move! Let me through!"


    Her high heels stiletto were clicking loudly on the wooden planks as she rushed to her husband''s side. Once she reached him, Helen quickly wrapped her arms around Liwei, and lightly shook him.


    "Charles, baby, are you alright?" She raised both hands and started to touch his face, "Who did this to you?" Her eyes were focusing on the five fingers mark, "Someone slapped you?? Who dares?"


    She turned her face and scanned the crowd with menacing eyes, like a hungry leopard that was ready to pounce on whoever standing on her way.


    Liwei felt irritated at the ruckus, he brushed her hands off of him, "Stop. It''s not a big deal. We should leave now," he said curtly before he lifted his feet and walked away from the curious eyes. Liwei did not walk towards the store front, but instead, he walked in the opposite direction; wanting to exit through the side door.


    Zhong Yu stood still on his spot, unmovable as Liwei walked past him. He did not lift up his head as Liwei passed by; he was still focusing his gaze on his feet as he flexed his wrist around to relieve his pain. Feifei did not say anything either.


    Helen could only gape at the ignorant husband that had walked further away from her, she quickly gathered her steps and rushed to follow behind him.


    .....


    Axel and Mandy who were initially sitting around, had stood up during the ruckus and moved to a corner as they quietly watched the whole scene unfolded in front of them.


    "What''s going on? How did Daniel and Yan Yan get in the mix up?"


    Mandy looked back at Axel and shook her head, "I am not sure either. That guy punched the other guy, and then when Yan Yan got closer to them, she suddenly slapped the other guy. So, something must have gone wrong between the three of them."


    Suddenly Mandy looked so excited as she beamed, and then she quickly patted Axel on his arm, "Darling, could it be..." she paused dramatically before she gasped, "could it be... love triangle?"


    And then she repeatedly slapped her hands on his arm, "Darling! This is so exciting!"


    Axel contemplated the whole situation. He scanned the surrounding faces and he listened to the murmurs and gossip around him.


    Now, even Helen Kanagawa was involved in the mix.


    ''This situation is getting interesting,'' as he thought to himself.


    Axel had one hand holding Mandy by her waist, and with another hand, he fished out his mobile phone, and started to tap on the screen.


    "Bobby, can you help to look into the financial situation around CH Corporation, as well as, Charles Fu and Helen Kanagawa?"


    Axel squeezed Mandy on her waist lightly, and then he tilted his head to signal her to start walking back inside. Mandy nodded, and started to move with him as he talked on the phone, "The more detail, the better. I need to know everything, all investment details as well as loans if any."


    .....


    "Yan Yan, are you heading back now?"


    Shao Yan and Li Xiqing were about to leave when Grandma Wu suddenly stood up, and asked her the question.


    Yan Yan glanced back at Li Xiqing, and then she slowly peeled his hand off of her, and started to walk towards Grandma Wu.


    "Grandma, I''m sorry, I have to leave first," Shao Yan started to say and she reached out both of her hands and clasped them around Grandma''s.


    Grandma Wu did not say anything. She just scrutinized her complexion. Seeing that she was indeed a little pale, Grandma Wu slowly nodded and then she patted Yan Yan at the back of her hand, "You go now, and rest. Don''t get too tired as the weather is getting colder."


    And then Grandma Wu looked past her, and addressed Li Xiqing, "Get her to eat something warm now, I think Yan Yan must have caught a little cold."


    Risa, who was still standing next to Li Xiqing, had both of her hands folded in front of her chest as she glared at Li Xiqing.


    When she was about to say something, Karl had moved to stand next to her. He shook his head subtly as he whispered, "Daniel is looking very upset like he is angry over something. So something must be going on."


    Risa had opened her mouth to retort back, but as if she remembered something, she closed them back and stood quietly.


    Li Xiqing had walked closer to Grandma Wu when she was talking to him earlier.


    He placed his broad hand behind Yan Yan, and then he looked Grandma Wu in her eyes, "I got it, Grandma. We will take our leave now. Please take care of yourself."

 Chapter 206 - Charmed

    "I am sorry that you have to see that," Shao Yan started to say. Her eyes drooped down; she gloomily stared at both of her hands that were intertwined on her lap.


    The two of them were sitting inside the sleek Audi SUV, with Li Xiqing steering behind the wheel and started to drive home.


    The traffic around them was busy as it was the weekend. With slow jazz music serenading their journey, Shao Yan gradually relaxed herself and her mind started to think back at what had just happened.


    Li Xiqing glanced at her. His right hand reached out to her and brushed her head lovingly.


    And then with his broad palm, he cupped her cheek and his thumb caressed her soft skin.


    "Why are you apologizing, silly?" He looked back to the front and continued, "Those idiots fighting with each other is not your fault."


    When the traffic lights changed to red and the vehicle stopped, he reached out to grab hold of her hand, and linked them.


    "The past is a part of you, but," he pulled her hand slightly to stress his point, "it is only a small part of you.


    "I get to know that small part today, and that''s all good. What is important right now is our future days together. So, close that chapter behind, and let''s move on," he squeezed her hand lightly, "I will be with you along the way, alright?"


    "En," Shao Yan nodded her head, "I know. I just feel embarrassed that you see this kind of a past that I have."


    Li Xiqing pursed his lips as he teased, "I am on the winning side here, I can care less of what those two idiots were doing," he paused to signal the car to turn, "shall I bring you to a fun place?"


    And then without waiting for her to answer, Li Xiqing took the exit and started driving away.


    .....


    "So?" Risa turned to the side and tilted her head as she stared at Karl, "Do you know what was going on?"


    Karl was standing by her side the whole time. As the two of watched Shao Yan and Daniel exited the shop, Karl started to say, "I don''t. I figured she was just really caught a cold and Daniel got upset because of that."


    And then Karl glanced to his back and looked at the patio outside, "Or, something serious must have happened to make Daniel that pissed off," he mumbled under his breath as he squinted his eyes suspiciously.


    Just as he said that, the door to the patio opened. Both Karl and Risa turned their heads around and saw Axel and Mandy just stepped inside.


    Mandy stepped into the room first, with Axel trailing closely behind her. The chilly wind from the outside wafted in.


    Risa reflexively hugged both of her elbows and shivered.


    "Let''s go back to our table, don''t stand here anymore," Karl suggested when he felt the wind also brushing his face.


    Without waiting for Risa to answer, he politely put one hand at her back, and guided her to walk back to their table. When Risa had followed through, Karl let go off his hand and walked by her side until both of them had sat down.


    Grandma Wu saw every single interaction that they had with each other. Without saying a single word, she lifted her tea cup and started to sip from it.


    .....


    "Excuse me?"


    Mandy had just entered the cake shop again and saw some new faces had joined them in their previous table.


    She quickly walked to Risa''s side and asked her the question, "Are you Yan Yan''s grandmother and cousin?"


    Risa smiled at her before she got up from her seat and offered her hand, "Hello, it''s too bad we get to meet each other like this. I am Yan Yan''s cousin. You can just call me Risa."


    Mandy accepted the gesture, she offered her own hand to shake hers, "I am Mandy, Xiqing''s elder sister."


    "I know," Risa nodded her head, and then with her palm side up, she introduced Grandma, "Please meet our Grandmother."


    Mandy quickly walked to her side, and with a little bow, she quickly said, "My apologies, Grandmother, to have meeting you the first time in this place. And Yan Yan is not here as well," she said in fluster.


    Grandma Wu chuckled as she patted her shoulder, "Don''t be like a stranger. We are all family. It does not matter where we should meet the first time. This is good," she said cheerfully.


    "Xiqing has told me a lot about you and your husband," Grandma Wu glanced to the side and looked at the man who was standing behind Mandy.


    Axel noticed that Grandma Wu had shifted her attention to him. He stepped to the front and decided to introduce himself, "Hello, Grandmother, it is our pleasure to finally meet you."


    Grandma Wu nodded at the husband and wife who started to chat with her happily.


    .....


    "Oh! I remember you!"


    Risa was wondering where she had met Mandy''s husband. His face was so familiar that she was so sure that they had encountered each other before.


    After chatting for a while, she also jogged her memory to try to remember his face. And finally she did.


    "It was maybe around last year? Risa started to say, "You are an antique dealer, aren''t you? We met in New York City. Kei, my husband, was looking for an antique Qing dynasty vase."


    Axel slowly smiled. His charming face bloomed as his eyes sparkled in joy; captivating his audience.


    "That is correct."


    He was leaning back to his chair. One hand was holding his tea cup, and another hand was holding the saucer; Axel tilted his head to the side and continued, "I was wondering when you will remember about meeting me."


    Risa clapped both of her hands in front of her, as she said excitedly, "You did not have a mustache that time, I think?"


    Her comment made Axel roar in laughter.


    "Ha ha! That is actually correct. I only started to grow my mustache this year," he put down his tea cup, and then reached out to the side to grand Mandy by her hand.


    "It was because I was trying to charm my wife, that I decided to have this look," Axel pursed his lips and slowly smirked when Mandy was throwing a glare at him.

 Chapter 207 - Win Or Lose

    "Stop joking around," Mandy slapped her hand onto the back of Axel''s hand, and feigned an anger, "you will just make others feel awkward."


    Risa bit both of her lips together, trying not to laugh at the husband and wife. She glanced to the side, and saw Karl was also trying to do the same thing.


    Axel coughed to clear his throat and then he straightened up; no more teasing the wife, as he started to say, "Yes, anyway where were we?"


    Risa smiled, and pretended that she did not see anything, as she said, "So, we met last year. Kei and I were meeting you at The Plaza hotel to talk about the goods that we were looking for."


    "Ah!" Axel exclaimed, "That is correct. Yes, we did meet last year, and I still remember vividly because the items that your husband requested were all good stuff."


    Risa slowly smiled, but her eyes did not sparkle as usual. She looked down at her clasped hands, and mumbled, "Yes, you are right."


    The table went quiet for a while as everyone suddenly did not know what to say.


    Karl looked at the dejected Risa. He was worried about her expression, but decided not to say anything.


    He glanced at Mandy and Axel who were sitting in front of him, "So, what happened in the patio just now? Daniel looked really upset when he came back inside."


    Mandy had just raised her hand to pick up a slice of cake. Her hand paused mid-air before she glanced at Axel with a questioning stare.


    From the corner of his eyes, Axel glanced back at Mandy before he looked back at Karl and answered him.


    "Well, there was a small fight outside. Shao Yan seemed to know them, so maybe that was why," and then he picked up his tea cup again, before continuing, "and to update you, I have asked Bobby to investigate deeper but this time, it is for Helen Kanagawa."


    He made a salute gesture using his tea cup towards Karl, "We will win this deal for sure."


    .....


    "Can you tell me what happened now?"


    Charles was walking ahead of her when Helen suddenly shot her hand forward and grabbed hold of his arm. Her fingers wrapped around his biceps and forced him to turn around.


    "Stop joking around, alright!" Charles shook her hold off of him, and wanted to keep walking, but Helen suddenly stepped in front of him and blocked his way.


    "You made me look like a fool earlier, so yes, hubby, you owe me an explanation," she said sarcastically as she folded both of her arms in front of her chest.


    Charles raised one hand and ran his fingers on his hair in frustration.


    His day was ruined. First, he saw his ex-wife looking so beautiful and stunning that he could not keep his eyes away from her. The way she shined so brightly today somehow reminded him of how he first fell in love with her.


    Her innocent smile when she looked up at him. Her bashful face when he teased her back.


    And then he felt this surge of jealousy when he saw another man had his hand around her possessively now.


    Charles decided to drink a little to wash down his frustration. After his second glass, going to the third, he saw his best friend who was standing at the side. Zhong Yu was looking at his ex-wife with the same longing look that he had always had towards Shao Yan.


    Feeling all sour and bitter, he had somehow decided to gloat of his past in front of Zhong Yu. He was not sure why he did that either.


    ''Was it because I was jealous of him? Was it because I was jealous of her? Was it because I felt regret?'' he just kept thinking along that course in his mind.


    .....


    "What? Cat got onto your tongue now?" Helen started to say impatiently.


    "You can''t give me any explanation? Should I go back inside and ask the others instead?"


    Charles, who was drowning in his own thinking, raised his face up and glared at her.


    "What do you really want to know really?" He started to roar back at her, "That my own best friend punched me in the face because of another girl? And that other girl was none other than my own ex-wife?"


    He looked up to the sky and laughed out loud, "And then she slapped me on the face because I was insulting her new man out of jealousy?"


    "Will that make you feel better, now, dear wife? Huh?" He paused to see Helen was surprised at his reply. Her eyes were looking at him in disbelief as her mouth parted and about to say something. But no words came out of her red stained lips.


    "Exactly! You can''t say anything back at me either, can you?" And after he finished saying that, Charles circled around her and started to walk to their car.


    Helen blinked her eyes furiously. She could not believe what she had just heard.


    Her heart lurched and her breathing started to grow heavier.


    Helen tried to gasp for air over the shock that she had just received.


    One hand was holding onto the wall as she slowly leaned her back against it as well and tried to catch onto some air.


    .....


    "So, where are we going?"


    Shao Yan was looking around the area, trying to find a clue, but all she could see was buildings around her.


    They have been driving for about two hours now, and Li Xiqing still was not willing to say anything.


    He would laugh and say, "You''ll see soon, be patient!" he said every time she asked.


    Shao Yan felt the car was slowing down, and then she saw from afar, a bamboo signage was hung on top of a red gate with words spelled out as "Bamboo Forest".


    Her eyes went so round, as she threw her head around to look back at him. Her beautiful eyes were sparking and she exclaimed, "No way!" and then she laughed cheerfully, "I have always been wanting to visit this place!"

 Chapter 208 - Being One With Nature

    From the front, it was just a simple gate.


    There was a little over an hour left until the sunset, the sky was painted in slight reddish gold, reflecting the warm touches onto the bamboo sign.


    Shao Yan got out of the car while still looking in awe at her surroundings.


    This forest was a small tourist attraction in this suburb area. Most of the people living in this small town actually worked to maintain the bamboo forest as their main job. It was already late in the day, and not so many people were around.


    Shao Yan was standing by the car when Li Xiqing walked to her side and offered his hand.


    She glanced at him, took his hand, and they started to walk together to the entrance.


    Their surroundings were so quiet, Shao Yan could hear her own footsteps.


    "How did you find this place?"


    Li Xiqing glanced at her before turning his head back to the front, "I remember when we were in Japan, you really wanted to go to Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, but we did not go because there was no time."


    "So, I started reading. We are in China, I''m pretty sure we have much more bamboo forest than Japan. And that was when I found out about this place."


    Shao Yan slowly smiled at his words. She tugged their linked hands, and planted a kiss on his cheek, "Thank you," and then she quickly dragged him forward, "let''s go, the place should be closing soon when it gets dark."


    She rushed to enter the forest with Li Xiqing in tow.


    .....


    When they had entered the gate, steps made of bamboo planks greeted them on sight.


    While holding her hand tight within his palm, Li Xiqing moved to walk in front of her. He stepped on each plank as he guided her along carefully.


    "This place," she started to whisper, "is so serene."


    Everywhere around her was so quiet, Shao Yan could hear each rustle of the leaves and each flap of the bird wings.


    Unconsciously, the two of them slowed down their steps, as they spoke really low which each other, while immersing themselves into the soothing air that was blanketed them.


    "Growing up, I did not get the chance to visit a lot of places like this," Li Xiqing raised his head a little higher to look at the tall bamboo trees, "we grew up in cities, surrounded by concrete buildings and over crowdedness."


    "Do you like to be in the middle of greenery?"


    "I do, I think it brings a unique sense of peacefulness. That is why I prefer to take a break to look at the greenery around the office," he replied to her.


    "Even when I moved to New York, I would take the time to run around Central Park, just to recharge myself."


    Shao Yan smiled at him and nodded, "Then, you will love this venue that I picked for the year end celebration."


    Looking at her giggles, Li Xiqing was also smiling along with her.


    "So, can you tell me how or where this place is?"


    "No," Shao Yan shook her head, "but I am very confident that you will love not only the surrounding outside the building, but also the interior itself," she said confidently.


    .....


    "What about you? Do you like the mountain, or do you prefer the beach?"


    Each step was very light, as they strolled around the forest.


    When Li Xiqing bought the entrance ticket just now, the lady who greeted them had told them, they would only have around thirty to forty five minutes to walk around, as the forest would be closing soon.


    But even that short time was enough for the two of them to enjoy the view as they chatted with each other.


    Her forehead slowly scrunched together as she bit her lower lip and thought of the answer.


    "Hmm," Shao Yan started to say, "I love both of the,, because they serve different purposes, in my opinion."


    "When I am feeling happy or sad, the beach will be a perfect place to unwind."


    Shao Yan was walking in front of him. She turned around to face him, while she kept on talking and walking backwards.


    "Imagine this," she raised both hands, and stretched them to the side, "the sound of waves are surrounding you as the wind blew on your face and your hair. Feel your bare feet which are stepping on the grain of sand as we walk together hand in hand during sunset."


    And then she grinned wide at him, "Doesn''t it make you happy? Also when you are sad, and you think of that picture in your mind, you will feel happy again."


    Shao Yan clasped both hands and brought them behind her back. She turned around to walk next to Li Xiqing again.


    "The mountain, on the other hand, is the place where I want to immerse in peace and tranquility. Just me and nature, and nothing in between," she looked up at him, "just like how we were in Japan."


    "Going back to nature, and being one with it. It is the most perfect getaway."


    .....


    "So, Grandma, Yan Yan will arrange a family dinner next week. What do you think?"


    Risa and Grandma were sitting inside her comfortable Lexus GS F sedan. The platinum car was travelling along the highway.


    After Shao Yan and Li Xiqing left the cake shop, some of their companies stayed behind for around thirty minutes to one hour before gradually one by one started to leave.


    When Mandy and Axel decided to go, Risa and Grandmother had just decided the same.


    "En," Grandmother hummed, "you can arrange as you need. I trust you."


    Risa was concentrating on driving, "Sure, Grandmother. Just leave this to me."


    "Choose some good quality leaves for his sister and her husband. I noticed today that both of them are fond of tea as well," Grandmother added.


    "It was only a glimpse, but so far, I can see they are good people," she said, before Grandma Wu closed her eyes to rest along the journey back home.

 Chapter 209 - Before The Party

    The preparation for the year-end party was almost done. Shao Yan had to stay back with her team to finalize all the checkpoints that they had on the list.


    Shao Yan and her team were sitting inside a conference room; each was holding their own checklist and started to cross the item one by one.


    Each department sat with their own team members as they went through the list. Overlapping voices filled the room as they work hard on this last day of preparation before the big day tomorrow.


    "Audio speaker and extra cables?"


    "Done."


    "Attendance confirmation from the Master of Ceremony?"


    "Done."


    "Breakfast, coffee and tea for the morning committee?"


    "Done, I also added juice and water just in case."


    "What about the exit path, anyone checked the staircase?"


    "I did. I ran up and down twice, they are clear."


    Words were thrown among each other with one person asked the item and the other would answer, but surprisingly everyone who was sitting in circles, able to maintain the order as they had discussion with each other.


    .....


    "Xiao Yan, are you inviting Daniel and his family to come tomorrow?"


    Shao Yan, who was concentrating on reading her email, raised her head from the computer screen to look at Li Na who was sitting next to her.


    She put one hand on top of the laptop on her lap, "Hm, maybe just Daniel. It is only ''plus one'' anyway, so I don''t think I can invite her sister."


    Li Na nodded before she said, "When I saw her yesterday, I was so amazed at how pretty she is. I thought I recognized her face somewhere, and then I finally remembered."


    She unlocked her phone, and started to swipe her screen; after a while, Li Na handed over her phone to Shao Yan, "Here, take a look at this article."


    Shao Yan received the phone and started to read.


    ''Husband and wife duo rule the antique market in the West; spreading the beauty of Chinese culture''


    The article was telling a story about how Professor Chen met his wife when he was studying overseas, and then after they got married, the husband and wife decided to start a small business of trading antiques.


    It then went on to introduce Axel Chen as their successor, and his spouse, Mandy Li. The two of them were dubbed as the new husband and wife duo in dealing with China antiques in Europe and Asia.


    Pictures of the humble little store in the past that was set up at the living room of Professor Chen''s house, to their current trading base in Frankfurt; also pictures of Axel while working in Shanghai port alongside some trusted men by his side, and Mandy in Beijing while inspecting the goods, were decorating the entire article.


    As she read the whole article, she felt that Mandy and Axel were more and more admirable. Although the team started small, to now over two hundred staff; the two of them still handled some of the work themselves.


    "I remembered this picture so well," Li Na used her index finger to point at an image of Mandy who was crouching down to dust off a blue and white ceramic vase. One side of the hair was tucked behind her ear as she looked down with the vase in her hand.


    When Shao Yan scrolled more, she saw a picture of Mandy in close up right beneath the previous image.


    "Don''t you think she was exceptionally pretty here? I can see the pride in her face working side by side with her husband," and then Li Na heaved a soft sigh, "this is the true meaning of being a partner in life, I suppose."


    .....


    Shao Yan hummed in agreement before she returned the phone back to Li Na.


    As she was about to say something, the sky that was already turned dusk and as the sun was getting ready to set; the clouds started to turn grey. Then came the rumble sound.


    Flash of lightning was seen, and then a few seconds later, rain started to pour heavily.


    All the people in the room turned their head at the same time to look at the window.


    The raindrops were hitting the window mercilessly; and everyone went silent.


    Suddenly, a voice decided to speak up and break the silence, "Well, I guess we have to call in for dinner now?"


    People started to mumble and murmur amongst themselves, before uncle Huo clapped his hand, "Alright everyone, let''s order something now before the sky gets darker."


    .....


    After receiving so many rejections from a couple of restaurants due to the bad weather, they finally found a pizza shop who was willing to deliver.


    Uncle Huo decided to take charge in organizing the dinner order. He quickly placed in their request so all of them could get their meal soon.


    Shao Yan was trying to bring her mind to concentrate onto her emails again, when suddenly her phone rang.


    She peeked and saw that Li Xiqing was calling.


    Just as she picked up and said hello, he started to say, "Yan Yan, if you are done with work, try to stay around until the rain calms down. I don''t want you to drive home in this kind of weather."


    Shao Yan nodded while pursing her lips. Slowly, she started to say, "En, we just ordered food actually, and my work is only 80% done, I think, so I still have a good two or three hours to go before I can go home."


    She paused to give Li Xiqing a chance to say something back to her, but he also stayed quiet on the other line; seemingly also waiting for her to finish her sentence.


    After a while, Shao Yan started to say, "Hm.. Don''t wait up for me. The event is tomorrow, so after today, I should be able to take a rest. Alright?"


    Li Xiqing was still silent, as he was thinking of what to reply.


    "Hm.. Alright, I know. I was just calling to tell you don''t drive home in this heavy rain. I''ll call again later to check on you, alright?"


    They chatted on other topics for another minutes, before they hung up the call.


    Shao Yan glanced at the wide window. The rain was still pouring heavily, she could not even see the other buildings around them.


    She took a deep breath from her nose and closed her eyes. Shao Yan slowly released the air through her mouth. She repeated the breathing process a few more times. Her mind was running in 100 mph right now, she was panicking over the items that she had to go through.


    After a moment, Shao Yan opened her eyes, and after feeling she was much calmer, she forced a smile before bringing her head back down onto the computer on her lap, and started to work again.

 Chapter 210 - Cats And Dogs

    "Whoa! This rain is so heavy!"


    Fan jie and Risa were standing by the window to look at the traffic down below them.


    Risa had both of her arms folded in front of her chest and she scowled at the weather. On the other side, Fan jie had one hand leaned on the window as she tried to peek through the heavy drops. Her face was so close; her nose tips was almost touching the glass.


    "Hopefully it will be cleared by tomorrow, else, we will not have any guest attending," she continued mumbling before sighing heavily.


    .....


    "Miss Yamaguchi, I still can''t believe that both you and Xiao Yan are cousins!"


    Risa glanced at her, before she scrunched her eyebrows together. With her eyes squinted, she drawled, "What do you mean? Are you saying it because she is pretty and I am not?"


    Fan jie raised both hands and waved in front of her in fluster, "N-No.. no no! That''s definitely not what I thought about," she hurriedly explained her words, "I mean, it really feels like a small world, that''s all."


    "And what do you mean you''re not pretty? Now that I know both of you are cousins, I can see the resemblance! Two pretty ladies, of course," Fan jie said as she raised both thumbs towards Risa while sending her a wide grin on her face.


    Risa nodded, "Yes, that is the right answer. That''s good."


    Fan jie secretly sighed a relief in her heart. When Risa glared at her just now, she felt that her lifespan had been shaved off by a couple more years.


    Touching her forehead to wipe the imaginary sweat, Fan jie lamented the gloomy weather outside. She just wanted to go home to her cats and snuggled around with those cuties.


    .���䡥`(>�y<)�䡥`��.


    "And also," Risa continued to say; startling Fan jie who was still thinking about cuddling with her two cats at home.


    "You can just call me Risa. You don''t have to keep calling me Miss Yamaguchi," she said before she winked at Fan jie; feeling amused after teasing her.


    .....


    Their meal arrived around one hour after uncle Huo made the call.


    The drenched delivery boy started to take the boxes of pizza, chicken wings and other side orders out of his carrier. Upon smelling the fresh-baked dough scent, the hungry people immediately paused whatever they were doing and began to surround the table. They were getting ready to attack the food.


    When the boy was done, he took out the receipt and handed it over to uncle Huo.


    When he took it, uncle Huo accidentally touched his fingers and was surprised to find that the boy''s fingers were cold.


    "Wow! Is it really that cold outside? Boy, join us for a meal here before you set out. The food is more than enough for all of us, and the rain is horrible anyway, " uncle Huo said while putting down his signature on the receipt.


    The delivery boy was about to reply, when he suddenly turned around, bent over and sneezed.


    "I''m sorry for that," he said after he got back up, "yes, it is that cold. And thank you for the offer, but I have to go back soon. My mother will need me to help with the other orders."


    After he said that, the delivery boy quickly excused himself, before he walked briskly towards the elevator.


    Suddenly, one of the hungry people started to say, "Alright, alright, let''s dig in, everyone!"


    One by one, people began to take a paper plate and fill it with food. Shao Yan raised her head to look at the hungry wolves surrounding the table of food. She smiled to herself before burying her head back to typing furiously on her keyboard.


    .....


    The whole team stayed back until around ten o''clock at night. When Shao Yan returned from the restroom, she saw some of her co-workers were still all gung-ho while talking about tomorrow''s event; while others had lost their focus and were playing games with their phones instead.


    She glanced at her wrist and was surprised at the time.


    "Team, I think that''s all for today," and then she turned her head to look at the weather outside.


    She was really worried the whole night if this rain would keep pouring until the morning.


    Putting on a poker face, she hid all her concerns, and continued, "Everyone can go home now," and then she turned to her left and addressed a small team next to her.


    "Morning shift, I will see you back here at eight in the morning. Breakfast team, don''t forget your task for tomorrow. It is super important that you do not miss bringing breakfast or you will face the wrath of everyone."


    In the midst of everyone''s laughter, Shao Yan continued, "The weather is really bad, so use your own judgement. To drive or to not drive, please assess carefully. There are several lounges in the building, so feel free to use them to rest if you decide to wait it out."


    "Whoever you send your prayers to, let us all hope that the rain will stop tomorrow, and we will have a sunny day for our event. Good night, everyone!"


    .....


    Shao Yan went back to her desk to gather all of her stuff, when her phone beeped to alert an incoming message.


    She glanced at the name, and saw that it was Li Xiqing.


    Shao Yan paused her action, and with her fingers, she started to unlock her phone to read the message.


    ''It''s raining cats and dogs out there. Stay put and don''t drive home. It''s dangerous.''


    Shao Yan read it twice before she picked up the phone and called him.


    "Where are you now? Are you also staying back at the office?"


    Li Xiqing leaned back on his chair while massaging the bridge of his nose, "Yes, I think I will do that," he turned his head around and looking at the blurry view in front of him.


    His hoarse voice rang through her ears, "It''s basically a storm out there. Have you eaten?"


    Shao Yan nodded unconsciously at his question, "I have. The team ordered some pizza and chicken wings just now. What about you?"


    "You sounded so hoarse, don''t forget to keep drinking water," she started to nag.


    Li Xiqing chuckled with his low voice, he started to say, "I have eaten, and I drink a lot of water, don''t worry. Keep warm, alright, don''t catch a cold."


    Shao Yan went back to sit on her chair, her hand reflexively ran through the wool cardigan that she was wearing. This cardigan was a gift from Li Xiqing before they started dating. It only felt like yesterday where the two of them were still sharing an office building.


    "En," she replied, her fingers were brushing the edge of the wool material, "you gave me a cardigan before, remember? I have it here at my desk."


    His lips slowly curved into a smile. "Of course I remember," he said as he leaned back to his chair; slightly slouching and leaned his head on the headrest.


    Li Xiqing still vividly remembered that day when he began to notice that Shao Yan had always worked over time in the cold office. He was worried that she would get sick. So, Li Xiqing had decided to go to the mall next door, and gotten a jacket for her.


    Even then he had known that he wanted to take care of this woman with all his heart.

 Chapter 211 - Waking Up With You

    The two lovebirds ended up talking the whole night.


    Shao Yan was too tired from all the meetings that she had been having for the whole day. She was slouching down the long sofa by the lounge area, while listening to Li Xiqing telling her about his day in the university.


    She had taken her shoes off, and put both legs up and crossed them on top of the sofa as she leaned back in comfort.


    "... and so, our secretary was dumbfounded, how come all the food was missing so fast?"


    "Uh huh. And then?"


    "So Michael, my roommate at the time, suddenly stood up and yelled out ''Yeah! I took them, so what?'' very loudly."


    "Uh huh."


    "Apparently, he had been trying to catch up on the studies, but he was too embarrassed to ask for help. So, he had been missing every night, hiding in the laundry room, and reading all those books while everyone was asleep."


    "Hmm."


    "And because he was hungry, he had been using the pennies to buy all the food from the vending machine and ate them."


    "Oh!"


    "You know how we would only restock the vending machine every once in a week?"


    "Yeah?"


    "So, that''s why everyone was dumbfounded, who has been eating those snacks. We actually thought maybe someone broke into our dormitory," and then he chuckled.


    While listening to his deep voice rang melodiously in her ears, Shao Yan tried so hard to stifle her yawn, but it still escaped her mouth as she replied, "Yeah."


    Li Xiqing paused for a while, before he said very softly, "Did I bore you with my story?"


    Shao Yan tried to snuggle deeper on the sofa. With one hand, she pulled her cardigan tighter to her body, "No, I''m just very tired."


    She sighed softly, "It has been a long day, that''s all. I''m sorry."


    .....


    On the other side of the phone, Li Xiqing had also positioned himself on his own sofa in his office room.


    He untied his collar, and laying down while talking to Yan Yan.


    "Why say sorry, you''re fine," he said as he chuckled again.


    He placed the phone to the other side of his ear, and then raised his wrist to glance at the time.


    "So, what are you doing now?"


    Shao Yan did not respond for a while, before he heard her sleepy voice from the receiver, "Just.. Uh.. Laying on the sofa, while cursing on the weather," and then she continued in a sulk, "I just want to go home."


    Li Xiqing got up from the sofa, and walked to the window. He peeked at the rain outside, "You know what? Yan Yan, I think the rain is lighter now, I will leave shortly and pick you up, alright? Wait for me downstairs. I will be there in fifteen minutes."


    Shao Yan stayed quiet as she glanced at the window. She did notice that the rain did not go as crazy as before anymore.


    "En, be careful, alright? Don''t rush. I will be fine," she said, before she raised her body up from the chaise lounge chair to put on her shoes, "I''ll get ready now. See you."


    "Alright, I''ll see you soon."


    And then he hung up the call.


    .....


    When Li Xiqing arrived at the front of her office building, it was exactly fifteen minutes later.


    The road was practically empty as it was already almost two o''clock in the morning, and it was still raining.


    He parked the car right in front of the lobby, and got out of the car.


    Li Xiqing briskly crossed the front lobby to the elevator area, but he paused his steps immediately when he spotted Yan Yan who was already sitting at the lobby downstairs.


    She was leaning on the sofa; one hand was placed on the arm rest as it supported her head.


    Li Xiqing smiled as he knew Yan Yan must have fallen asleep.


    He treaded his steps softly to her side. Taking her laptop bag and swung it across his body, he then slowly reached out to her to carry her to the car.


    As he successfully placed her in his embrace, Li Xiqing felt amused that Shao Yan did not stir even a bit. Upon recognizing his cologne, she even somehow positioned herself to snuggle deeper inside his hold.


    Li Xiqing glanced down at her sleeping face; letting out a soft, tender smile on his face.


    .....


    "En? You''re here?" Her sleepy voice suddenly swiped his cheek. He felt Shao Yan stirred lightly trying to look at her surroundings.


    Shao Yan had opened her eyes just as Li Xiqing stopped in front of the car to open the passenger door.


    "En, we will go home now. Hold me tighter, I need to open the car door."


    Shao Yan obediently clung both arms around his neck as he carried her princess style. When he felt her hold on him was getting tighter, he carefully opened the door and placed her on the passenger seat.


    He leaned the seat a little to the back so she could continue her sleep in comfort.


    Before he closed the door, Li Xiqing reached out one hand to brush the top of her head, "Go back to sleep now."


    Shao Yan could not open her eyes anymore. She let out a smile, and nodded weakly.


    Li Xiqing closed the door gently, and walked around the car to the driver seat.


    Once he was seated, he reached out to her side, and put on the seat belt around her.


    Once he was convinced that she was secured safely, Li Xiqing started the car; and the two of them began their drive to go home.


    .....


    The birds were chirping loudly when Shao Yan woke up the next day.


    A slender arm popped out from the blanket and started to search around the side table to locate her phone.


    She opened her eyes, and squinted immediately when she saw how bright it was outside.


    Shao Yan felt one arm was holding around her waist, she glanced to the side, and saw Li Xiqing started to stir in his sleep. She quickly turned her head back around and continued her hunt for her mobile phone.


    Li Xiqing buried his head on her back when he felt Shao Yan was moving around. Just right when her hand managed to hold on to her mobile phone, she felt his strong arm pulled her slightly to go back to his embrace.


    Shao Yan yelped in surprise. Her fingers managed to turn off the alarm and his hand tightened his hold around her.


    And then she heard his sexy, sleepy voice by her ears, "What time is it?"


    "It is eight, and it is time to wake up now. I am so late," Shao Yan tried to wriggle herself out of his embrace.


    But instead of letting loose, Li Xiqing tightened his arms and buried his face in her hair.


    "Nu uh, I don''t think so, sleeping princess. Let''s go back to sleep again," he countered drowsily in a deep, husky voice.


    Shao Yan burst out in laughter when she heard him calling her ''Sleeping Princess''.


    "Then," she started to say to him, "my prince, you should wake up now. Remember, you have a country to run."


    She raised one finger and started to poke him in his cheek.

 Chapter 212 - Morning Dew

    "Welcome, I hope you enjoy the party tonight."


    She passed a ribbon with numbers sewn on it to the guests, "Please tie it around your wrist, this is for the door prize after the countdown," and then with her hand swiped to the side, Shao Yan directed the guests to the hall entrance, "this way, please."


    Another girl had stood by the hall entrance, and with the same gesture, she welcomed the guests to enter the hall.


    Shao Yan was the project manager for this event, technically she did not have to do just one task, but had to oversee everything. But one of the girls that had been assigned to the front desk had become ill and there was no other backup. So, Yan Yan had offered to take the place for a few hours.


    The storm from last night had cleared up around five in the morning. The grass was glistening with the fresh morning dew.


    When Shao Yan arrived at the office at nine o''clock, the sun was already shining so bright; bringing a gust of energy to the team for the party tonight. They came into the conference room to their final checklist in a good mood.


    The team decided to carpool in a few cars and had arrived at the museum after lunch time.


    Everyone was in high spirits and quickly transformed into the most hardworking ant to get ready for the five o''clock welcome party.


    .....


    Just as Shao Yan was about to greet the next guest, her mobile phone suddenly rang.


    She glanced at the phone on the table, before she quickly excused herself to pick it up.


    "Hello?"


    "I am leaving the office now, sorry, I did not get the chance to change yet. I will do it when I''m there," Li Xiqing was walking to his car as he talked to Shao Yan, "are you hungry? Do you need me to bring you anything?"


    Shao Yan glanced at her wrist. The last time she ate was ten o''clock in the morning. If Li Xiqing had not mentioned anything about food, she would not have remembered it.


    She whispered softly, "Uh, maybe some meat bun and milk? That should be enough for me," Shao Yan was standing with her back facing the front desk, "I need to go now, I am in charge to welcome the guests and it is already very busy now."


    He quickly replied, "Alright, I will be there soon," and then he hung up the call.


    Shao Yan put the phone back in her dress pocket, and continued to greet the guests.


    Around forty minutes later, the suave man with his strong, long legs sauntered in from the outside. One hand was holding onto a garment bag that was swung by his shoulder. The other hand was holding on to a paper bag in his embrace like a precious baby.


    With eyes that were holding hostage to everyone who crossed contact with him, Li Xiqing approached the front desk with utmost confidence.


    He flashed his charming smile at the petite woman in white, flower dress, and said, "You look amazing tonight."


    .....


    As the last word fell, multiple pairs of eyes shifted to his direction. Confronted by a very handsome face in front of them, the girls that were in charge at the front desk lost their words and had a blank stare on their face.


    Shao Yan raised her head up to return his gaze, before noticing it was Li Xiqing and then she slowly smiled.


    "You''re here?" She saw the garment bag by his shoulder, and then she pointed to the east wing of the building, "The restroom is over there. After you get changed, come back here to register, alright?"


    Li Xiqing nodded, and handed her a paper bag, "Take a fifteen minute break, and pad your tummy with this first," and then he swiped his stare to everyone on the other side of the table from left to right.


    "My apologies, everyone, Yan Yan has a very sensitive stomach, that is why she has to eat a little first. I also bought enough food for everyone to share," Li Xiqing said as he pointed to the paper bag that was now sitting in front of Yan Yan.


    All the ladies could feel that their faces have started to blush. They nodded with a bashful smile as they stared at Li Xiqing''s back when he walked away.


    A few ladies that were standing next to Yan Yan started to poke her arm and teased her.


    "Xiao Yan, your face is so red right now. He seldom praises you, doesn''t he?" and then the girl started to giggle.


    Another girl chimed in, "Xiao Yan, better start locking your man away, he is too handsome for his own good."


    "Miss Yan, your man is fifteen out of ten! He is so amazing ah!" Before she released a stifled squeal with another girl.


    Shao Yan feigned anger as she glared at all of them before she said, "Come here, now, let''s eat something first. We will take turns so the front desk is not empty, alright?"


    One girl nodded, "Miss Yan, you go ahead and eat first. If Daniel came back and you are still standing here, all of us will face his wrath! I am too scared ah.."


    Shao Yan smiled at her pitiful looking face, before she nodded reluctantly, "Alright, three of us will take a break first. And then the four of you will take a break after fifteen minutes."


    .....


    Li Xiqing came back to the front desk exactly fifteen minutes later. He had changed into the suit for tonight, and he had put the garment bag back into the car.


    When he noticed that Yan Yan was not at the front desk anymore, Li Xiqing started to search around for her.


    He found her and two other girls were walking from the bamboo trees area towards the front desk again. Li Xiqing started to walk over as well.


    Shao Yan had just arrived back at the front desk when she saw Li Xiqing was approaching.


    She flashed a smile, and decided to tease, "So handsome, are you still single?"


    Li Xiqing decided to put on a dark platinum suit tonight. He had white windowpane shirt on the inside, with a silver vest and dark grey tie.


    With a smirk, he slowly approached the front desk and stood in front of her.


    He had decided to put on the reading glasses today, so Li Xiqing looked extremely preppy and smart looking tonight.


    Shao Yan pursed her lips when Li Xiqing caught her teasing words.


    "I am not single, and my date tonight is stunningly beautiful; I can''t look away," he said as he stared intently into her eyes.

 Chapter 213 - Flowers

    In front of him, Yan Yan stood elegantly behind the desk. Her two hands were folded in front of her as she flashed her attractive smile against him. Her big, round eyes sparkled and infecting him with a joyful feeling.


    She had put on one of the Qipao dresses that Grandma Wu had bought for Yan Yan.


    Her small face was looking at him as he stared into her figure. Two small pearl buttons were decorating the mandarin collar of her dress. The white dress had a slight blue tinted color splashed all over it; from the chest area onto the knee length clothes. The material looked like it was painted by hand with motifs of different flowers.


    Lotus flower, lotus leaves and begonia flowers were brushed all over the dress. As she moved, the flowers swayed along with the person; giving an illusion of a fragrant flowery smell blanketed all over her.


    Shao Yan had styled her hair into a simple ponytail with pearl accented hair tie.


    Two perfectly round jade earrings were pinned on her earlobes. A similar shape of round jade beads were also circling her wrist. They were shining so brightly; Li Xiqing knew that Grandma Wu must have spent a good amount of money on these high quality jewels.


    His woman looked like she had just been transported from the ancient time to the modern era; just to stay by his side.


    Li Xiqing blinked several times to gather his focus back to reply to her.


    His lips slowly parted as he said, "I am not single, and my date tonight is stunningly beautiful; I can''t look away," and he stared intently into her eyes.


    .....


    Different shades of red gradually crept up onto her milky face.


    Shao Yan pursed her red tinted lips before she countered, "You think you are so smooth, eh, Mister?"


    With a soft laugh, her slender fingers reached out to pick up a black ribbon with numbers sewn in red thread.


    She offered her other hand with palm sided up, "Give me your wrist."


    Li Xiqing obediently offered his wrist, and Yan Yan started to tie the ribbon around his wrist.


    "After the new year countdown tonight, our CEO will draw a final lucky winner for the night. The first grand prize to welcome the New Year," and then she lowered her voice, "no one except him and VP Zhuang actually knows what the prize is. I am so excited!"


    "En," he hummed along as a response, "so are you still hungry? Did you have enough meat bun?"


    When she finished, Shao Yan wrapped her fingers around his wrist and rotate his hand around to the left and to the right. She was trying to check if it was tied properly.


    "En, I had one, and I also finished a bottle of fruit juice. I should be good until dinner time now."


    When it was done, she let his hand go, "You are all set, Mister," and then she pointed to a chair next to the front desk, "now, you may sit over there, I should be done in about twenty or thirty minutes more."


    Li Xiqing glanced at the chair, before he looked back at her. He cocked his head to the right, "I will just wait over there, and you do your work properly, no need to rush."


    And then Li Xiqing turned around and started to walk to the lounge area at the end of the wing.


    .....


    Li Xiqing quickly engrossed in playing with his phone.


    He was initially working to reply to work emails, but then he got distracted with the arrival of multiple text messages from his family. Thanks to Mandy, now both of his parents, Axel and him were joined in a text messaging account so the five of them could talk to each other easily right away.


    ''You met her yet?''


    ''Send pics!''


    ''Xiqing, do not forget to bring her jacket. It was raining last night, right? She must be cold.''


    ''You better send pics! Lots of them!''


    ''Xiqing, also don''t forget to check your tie. Is it crooked?''


    ''Mom, he''s already so old, stop worrying about his tie!''


    ''And Dad, come on, say something. Ask for her pics too.''


    ''Dad? I saw you have read my text. Dad?''


    ''Daddy?''


    ''Something.''


    ''Daddddy, not that one!''


    Li Xiqing could only stare at the text messages that filled his phone instantly. Mandy did the most texting while harassing him for pictures, his mother was still worrying about his appearance, and his father who was always teasing Mandy all the time just for the sake of hearing her calling him ''Daddy''.


    Using his index and middle fingers, Li Xiqing started to massage his temple lightly. He was not sure if this group chat was a good idea or not.


    His fingers hovered over the screen for a while, hesitating on what to reply. His head was tilted to the side as he was thinking. This whole ''group texting'' scene was a new world for him.


    Li Xiqing spent a good few minutes thinking, before he finally typed out, ''Just met her. She is still busy. Mom, jacket is in the car. She can wear my suit jacket if she is cold. And hello Dad.''


    And just a few seconds later, the replies started to flood in his inbox again.


    ''Is she pretty?''


    ''What is she wearing?''


    ''I heard the venue is pretty? Take pics too.''


    ''Is she hungry, Xiqing? Don''t let her work too hard. Don''t let her fall sick.''


    ''Daniel, have fun!''


    And again Li Xiqing felt speechless while reading the replies. His sister only cared about pictures, either of Shao Yan, or of the place, or of the venue decor. His mother was always the worry one. And this time, his father did not even comment on anything. On the other hand, Axel was the one replied to him; being his cool Axel self as usual.


    Again, feeling a headache coming to him, his fingers were hovering around while he was thinking of what to reply.


    When Li Xiqing was about to type, he heard the sound of footsteps coming towards him. The clicking noise of her high heels against the floor made him raise his head. Just like flowers swaying against the wind on a prairie, Shao Yan walked with the utmost stunning feature towards his direction.


    Li Xiqing let out a proud, charming smile at her, before he raised his hand. With his mobile phone, he carefully took a picture of Yan Yan while she was walking towards him.


    ''Just like an angel,'' he quickly typed, before he sent it to the group chat. And then, he pressed the mute button to silence his messaging alert, and put it back into the front jacket pocket.


    Li Xiqing goted up from his seat and walked closer to Shao Yan. His hand wrapped around her waist automatically as he stood next to Yan Yan, "Are you done?"


    With a soft smile pasted on her lips, Shao Yan nodded, "En, we can enter the hall now."


    Li Xiqing raised one hand to rub her head softly, "Alright, let''s go," before his hand went around her waist again, and together, they walked towards the hall.


    Little did he know, the family group chat had exploded inside his front jacket pocket.


    Li Xiqing would have a terrible headache when he checked his phone later tonight.

 Chapter 214 - Winter Wonderland

    As she stepped into the hall, the first impression was "magical".


    All she could see was white smoke covering her feet to her ankle. The committee had rented a machine to create this smoke illusion. As she entered, the first scent that she smelled was of peppermint candy and hot chocolate.


    Shao Yan turned her head to the right, and saw that Feifei had set up what she called a "Sweet Station". The stall provided hot chocolate with candy cane stick to stir.


    She noticed some of the guests were holding golden mugs in their hands; sometimes they would stir the candy stick idly as they chatted with one another.


    In one of the corners of the room, a man in his forties was playing a saxophone while serenading the guests with "White Christmas" tune along with another woman who was playing the piano with him.


    "Do you want one?"


    Li Xiqing saw that Shao Yan was looking at the hot chocolate table, and he wondered if Yan Yan actually wanted to taste it.


    She glanced up at him. With a small smile, she shook her head, "They are too sweet for me, you can have it if you want."


    Li Xiqing also shook his head, before he signaled a woman who was walking around with a tray with tall glasses of champagne.


    He took two glasses before he said, "Thank you," and then handed one glass to Shao Yan.


    "Cheers for the last day of the year."


    Shao Yan touched her glass lightly against his. A soft ''clink'' sound tinkled.


    "Cheers!"


    .....


    She gently touched her lips to the rim of the glass before starting to sip a little as she glanced around the room.


    All four walls of the halls were covered in sheer white cloths. Behind the sheer materials, were small lights that were hung from the top of the ceiling down to almost touching the floor; creating an illusion of waterfall of lights all over the room.


    Plastic trees with white petals and white flowers were placed all over the room. The central lighting in the room was dimmed. Shao Yan and her team had decided to put up soft blue lights all over the room to create a sense of winter wonderland.


    "Shall we walk around?"


    Before Li Xiqing answered her, Shao Yan continued, "Feifei had prepared three tables to welcome the guests. You saw the first one," she pointed to the end of the hall, "the second one is what she called Rainbow Bridge."


    Li Xiqing turned his head towards the direction that Yan Yan had pointed at. He saw a table filled with colorful cupcakes, cookies and biscuits that were placed on the top of the table for the guests to enjoy while waiting for the main hall to open.


    Shao Yan linked her hand around Li Xiqing''s arm, and started to walk.


    "The third one is placed near the entrance to the main hall. It is what she called Hello New Year. It is basically a cocktail table that serves white and red sangria drinks."


    "Hm," Li Xiqing hummed along her words, "so what are the plans for tonight?"


    He glanced at his wrist, "There are about five more hours to burn."


    Shao Yan giggled, "There are a lot of things that have been lined up, don''t worry."


    Li Xiqing finished the drink before he handed the empty crystal glass to one of the servers who was walking around.


    "I am not worried about myself," he said as he patted her hand, "I am worried that you will be tired. You have spent the whole day working."


    She nodded a little as she laughed, "Don''t worry. I have you here with me. I will be fine," she said as she tilted her head and flashed a sweet, comforting smile at Li Xiqing.


    .....


    Around 7.30 PM, the main hall was opened. From inside, around ten people in white uniforms started to walk out and formed two rows of lines in front of the door to welcome the guests into the dining hall.


    One by one, the guests were ushered in and they started to look for their assigned seat.


    Unlike the anniversary party a few months ago, this time, the event was only for internal people and their family members.


    Employees from all Gold Crane subsidiaries were invited, totaling around thirty to forty tables. Each table could sit eight to ten people. So, overall, the crowd size for tonight was still decent and easy to manage.


    Every now and then, Shao Yan would say hello and chat with some people that she recognized. Li Xiqing would also talk to the people that he knows from his few months working in their building.


    Shao Yan and Li Xiqing were lining up behind some people as they strode into the main hall.


    "Feifei is only in charge for all the dessert for tonight. We actually cooperated with Hotel W to invite their chefs for the main courses. You will love their food selections."


    Li Xiqing walked slowly along with her, "En, I know them. That place is one of Mandy''s favorite places to eat whenever she is visiting Shanghai. She especially loves their honey glazed barbecue pork chop."


    Shao Yan slowly grinned at him, "And of course, I selected that as one of the menus for tonight!"


    .....


    As they entered the main hall, Li Xiqing noticed that the decor here was similar to the one in the reception hall. Same ''winter wonderland'' feeling was spread around the room. Selections of happy, jazz instrumental songs were played in the background as the guests were walking around to find their table.


    When they finally found their allocated seat, they would also find a welcoming gift placed on top of their plate. White and gold paper bags were placed on top of the table for each guest.


    Shao Yan slowly unwrapped the small paper bag in front of her to see what the gifts were. This was one of the items that she had let Risa be in charge of as she wanted to be surprised by the gifts.


    The first item she saw was a couple of champagne glasses. They were two clear crystal glasses with a gold crane symbol embossed on the bottom of the glasses.


    The next item she found was a small tube in gold color. She picked it up and saw that it was a small bottle of bubble wand. The guests could open the tube and start to blow bubbles after the New Year countdown.


    The third item inside the paper bag was gold rimmed glasses with ''Happy New Year'' words on top of it. The guests would be able to put them on before the countdown if they wanted to.


    Shao Yan also found a small box with dark chocolate and milk chocolate inside it.


    And the final gift inside the paper bag was a shopping voucher for the mall next to their office. Each bag had a $100 voucher card inside for them to spend after the New Year.


    Shao Yan nodded with approval before she leaned in to the side and whispered, "Xiqing, Risa really knows how to have fun. She even included a bubble wand inside the bag!"


    She peeked at his bag, and asked, "Did you also get that and the glasses?"


    Li Xiqing looked at her, before he opened his bag and peeked inside.


    "I have the bubble wand, but no glasses," he paused, before his fingers started to look around inside "I do have some glow in the dark bracelets to put on."


    Shao Yan was surprised at his words, she leaned over and started to rummage around the bag before she chuckled, "Ha ha! She really knows how to have fun!"

 Chapter 215 - Fragrant

    Shao Yan was not lying when she said the food would be a great enjoyment. She had heard a lot of compliments about this chef and his team, and truly she experienced a real culinary escapade.


    Plates after plates of food came out from the kitchen and served to the guests with the utmost impeccable presentations.


    The opening course was a soup. From above, Shao Yan could see the broth had a shape of a peach fruit. It had gradation of colors from nectarine to yellow and then milky white shade. The whole presentation looked heavenly, Shao Yan felt hesitant to even dip her spoon in it.


    Gently, Shao Yan scooped a spoonful of the broth and had a taste. As her lips touched the rim of her spoon, she could immediately taste the fragrance of sesame while at the same time, a hint of lotus seeds hit her nostril; transporting her to the land of heavenly attacks on her taste buds.


    After that, the dishes kept coming out one after another, Shao Yan could not help feeling an endless wave of surprises.


    .....


    As it was an internal event, the whole feeling of the night was more intimate and casual.


    During the break in between courses, Shao Yan noticed that some people would get up from their seats and start walking around to greet people. Soft lullaby music played in the background while others were still enjoying the food in front of them.


    Shao Yan glanced to her right, and with one finger, she poked Li Xiqing on his arm, "Xiqing, your phone is blinking. Don''t you want to take a look?"


    He picked up the napkin from his lap, and slowly dabbed it onto his lips, "It''s fine. It must be the notification for incoming messages."


    "Hmm," she hummed to his replies, "you can take a look. I am going to find Risa to say hello, alright?" After she finished her last words, Shao Yan slowly got up from the seat.


    She patted his shoulder lightly before scanning around the room to find Risa.


    The lightings had been dimmed, so it was a little difficult for her to recognize some faces. Shao Yan had to rely on her memory to remember which table number Risa was seating at. After she remembered her direction, Shao Yan started to walk around.


    .....


    Watching her retreating figure, he brought his gaze back to the plate in front of him. Contemplating for a while, Li Xiqing finally picked up his phone, and unlocked the screen. He saw that the notification was indeed coming from the group chat.


    Feeling an indescribable fear in his heart over the incoming replies, he took a deep breath before his fingers started to open the messaging application to read.


    "WHOAAA! What is this? I mean who is this angel??"


    "She is sooooo pretty!"


    "Xiqing, she is too skinny, tell her to eat more. Is she cold?"


    "En. Good choice on the antique bracelets."


    "My dear, don''t start on the antiques. Compliment her whole look!"


    "Qing Qing! Take more pictures! I love her dress!"


    "You know your brother hates that nickname."


    "Daddy, what do you think of your daughter in law?"


    "...."


    "Daddy, don''t dot dot dot me!"


    "En, your brother has good eyes."


    "There you go, daddy! Praise more! Praise more!"


    "Xiqing, what is her favorite color? Mommy will get her a scarf and a handbag. She will love them."


    "Mooomm, that''s too old school. Let me be in charge of her gifts."


    "No, let your mother do it. It is more personal that way."


    "But daddy ...."


    "Mother, I have a set of antique jewelries that we can gift as well. I think they are red rubies."


    "En, thank you, Yufeng. That is a good idea."


    "Qing Qing, how''s the food? Chef Wu does not disappoint, right?"


    "Don''t text anymore, let them eat."


    "Xiqing, tell her to eat more, alright? Women can''t be too skinny."


    .....


    Li Xiqing could not continue to read further as he felt his head was throbbing. He locked the phone and put it away.


    He was grateful that his family was close to each other. He just needed time to adjust to this whole group chat situation. He reached out his hand to pick up the tall glass and started to sip the water.


    The master of ceremony for tonight was walking around and playing some games with different tables to keep the party lively. Li Xiqing leaned back on his seat to watch the show and saw some people were standing up and started to play along with the master of ceremony.


    By habit, his eyes unconsciously started to scan around the dimmed room, trying to locate Shao Yan.


    He was about to get up from his seat to walk towards her, when Li Xiqing saw that the door to the kitchen was opened again. A dozen servers in white uniforms were carrying silver trays of food. He glanced back at Shao Yan who was also looking at the coming parade.


    She turned her head around and saw Li Xiqing was also looking at her.


    Tilting her head to the side, she stuck out her tongue at him before slowly let out a gentle smile at Li Xiqing. Shao Yan turned her head back around, and said a couple more things to Risa, before she patted her shoulder and bid her goodbye; Shao Yan then started to walk back to their table.


    .....


    The whole meal experience was marvelous. Shao Yan had no other words to describe it.


    Throughout the meal, she was again and again impressed by the presentation and taste of the meal.


    "En," Shao Yan said as she nodded her head, while mumbling, "I can see why Mandy jie has high regards towards this chef."


    She turned around, and placed her hand on top of Li Xiqing''s arm.


    "For our family dinner, should we bring your parents and Grandma to eat at this place? The chef is amazing!"


    Li Xiqing returned her smile and placed his own hand over hers, "I am already ahead of you. The reservation was made last week."


    Shao Yan ginned cheekily at him, "That''s awesome! Your parents will love it too!"


    When she was about to say more, a sound of knocks was heard from the hall speaker.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, how was dinner so far? Isn''t it remarkable?"


    The master of ceremony was standing on a podium and started to talk to the guests.


    Some people started to murmur, and some even answered him loudly.


    "Alright then! Are you ready to continue the night?"


    All the guests in the room started to cheer loudly, and some even clapped for him.


    "The last course of the night, the dessert will be served shortly."


    He paused, while delivering a sense of mystery to excite the guests.


    "Now everyone, please join me at the hall outside, you will be served with your amazing dessert of a lifetime!"

 Chapter 216 - Wonderland

    When the tall double door opened, the guests were again swept with a huge, pleasant surprise.


    Black Eyed Peas song "I Gotta Feeling" was playing in the background. The previously calm, mannerly welcoming hall filled with sweets had been transformed to a whole new level.


    A colorful disco ball was hung on the ceiling, spreading rainbows of lights all around the room; waking up the quiet moment left from the elegant dinner from before.


    Shao Yan noticed that multiple dessert stalls had been positioned on all four corners of the hall. One side was an ice cream stand. A 1980''s style of sign board was hung on the wall with lightbulbs surrounding the wooden plate with "I Scream Ice Cream" words engraved on it.


    The guests were pampered with multiple ice cream flavors to choose to their heart''s content.


    Twenty to thirty different flavors of ice cream were arranged in big tubs of two rows, where the guests would be able to scoop them by themselves. Next to that was the choices of toppings. Another twenty to thirty different toppings were placed in clear glass containers and the guests would be able to add them onto their ice cream bowls.


    Multiple selections for bowls were also available. Guests would be able to choose if they want their bowl to be a normal clear, crystal bowl, or waffle bowl. They also had to choose between chocolate waffle bowl, matcha waffle bowl, strawberry waffle bowl and many other flavors.


    Shao Yan picked up the menu and looked around.


    "Wow! Look at this," she grabbed Li Xiqing''s arm, and then pointed to the paper in her hand, "if you don''t want to eat ice cream and the toppings, they can make it into a milkshake for you too!"


    Shao Yan looked up at him, her eyes were glittering with excitement, "Feifei is really amazing!"


    .....


    Shao Yan felt a tap on her shoulder, and she turned around.


    "Have you seen that side of the wall?" Risa was asking with smirk, "Your little friend has really gone all out tonight."


    Shao Yan shook her head, "I am still amazed at this ice cream stand. What is it?" She asked as she turned to the side to glance at the second hall.


    The other side of the wall was "Waffle My Life". On this side of the hall, guests would be able to make their own waffles.


    Feifei had brought in a food truck as the decor stand placement. Selection from sweet and savory choices were available for them to choose.


    Starting from Waffle with pancakes or waffle with honey; waffle with fried chicken or waffle with gravy and biscuits. Any kind of possible combination that they could think of, Feifei and her team had prepared them all.


    Dozens of chefs in white uniform were standing behind the food truck table to cook the waffles fresh from the pan for the guests.


    Shao Yan and Li Xiqing walked around to see which one they would choose. She noticed that almost both stands were already filled with excited guests.


    "Do you already know which one you want?" Li Xiqing, with his hand wrapped around her waist glanced down to ask Shao Yan the question.


    She shook her head as she scanned the waffle pans that were cooking in front of her.


    "This one looks interesting, but I want to see what Feifei has for the other two halls."


    "Alright," he nodded, and they started to walk again, "let''s take a look."


    .....


    The third side of the hall was "Color Me Softly". On this side of the hall, an edgy style of black and blue lights decorated the tall bar tables. Five bartenders who were experts in alcohol mixology were gathered. Dressed in all blacks, they were here to pamper the guests with drinks of their choice.


    Any mix, any recipe or any drinks that the guests desired would be able to be fulfilled by these master of the bars. Starting from classic cocktails to the pure hard liquor, they would be able to serve them all.


    "I suppose, we can start with a drink?"


    Li Xiqing nodded, "Sure, what do you want?"


    Shao Yan folded her arms in front of her chest while thinking, "Hmm," she hummed, "I''ll start with a glass of champagne then."


    Li Xiqing nodded, and then he signaled to one of the bartenders, "Whiskey on the rocks and a glass of champagne, please."


    The bartender nodded at his orders, and started to work behind the tall table.


    As he was about to turn around to Shao Yan, someone tapped on his shoulder. Li Xiqing tilted his head slightly to glance to his right.


    "Daniel!" President Huang was smiling so wide as he greeted Li Xiqing.


    "How are you enjoying the party so far? How are the boys?"


    Li Xiqing handed Shao Yan her glass of champagne which she took gently from his hand.


    "President Huang, Xiqing, you guys can talk, I will go to that side, and see what other desserts they have there," Shao Yan said before placing her hand on Li Xiqing''s arm and gave him a soft pat.


    "En," he nodded, "I will find you there."


    Shao Yan smiled at him, before nodding at President Huang, and started to walk to the other side.


    .....


    The final hall was "Snack a Roo" where the guests would be served with selections of snacks that typically available for them when they went to bars or clubs.


    Choices starting from pizza, hotdogs, kebab, burgers, chips, crackers, peanuts, fried donuts, french fries, chicken popcorn bites, nuggets; basically everything that they could think of will be available.


    When she walked in, Shao Yan quickly noticed that some of her team members were gathered here.


    "Oh!"


    "Xiao Yan! You''re here!"


    "Yan Yan!"


    They started to gather around her, each was holding their own desserts in their hands.


    Shao Yan saw that Li Na decided to have two scoops of ice cream in a matcha waffle bowl with crushed peanuts and mochi as toppings.


    Fan jie was also holding a chocolate waffle bowl with three ice cream flavors on it and rainbow sprinkles as topping.


    Wenhai was holding a plate with tiny waffle squares. He glazed the waffles with honey and also bits of fried chicken on the side.


    Uncle Huo was standing quietly on the side; one hand was holding a plate, while the other hand was holding a hotdog.


    "En," Shao Yan nodded back at their greetings, "how was the dessert? Do you guys like them?"


    She scanned their plates and continued, "I was thinking of getting the ice cream too. Maybe after this champagne."


    "They are really good, Xiao Yan," Fan jie chimed in, her hands were playing with the rainbow sprinkles in her bowl, "there is a long line of people also waiting for their ice cream bowl."


    "Get the mochi, Xiao Yan," Li Na suddenly joined in, "they are really good. I asked Feifei just now, she said that she ordered them especially from that famous Japanese confectionery store from S street."


    "Oh! I have heard of that place," Shao Yan replied with the same excitement, "Okay, I have decided on the ice cream then," she said while raising her champagne glass and having a sip.


    Everyone started to talk about the desserts in their hands.


    The song selections in the background kept changing to a more energetic song each time.


    The scenery of the night was not getting more dull, but instead, as the scene picked up, everyone was getting more excited as they spent the last few hours of the year.

 Chapter 217 - Sparkles

    "What do you have there?"


    Shao Yan glanced slightly and she felt a blush gradually crept on her cheek.


    Just as she turned her head, his low, deep voice was caressing her ears. Shao Yan could smell a hint of his cologne when he stepped closer and peeked over her shoulders.


    "Ice cream?"


    Shao Yan nodded at his guess, "Uh huh."


    She picked up her small spoon and scooped a tiny bit of the chocolate chip ice cream. Bringing it closer to his lips, she asked, "Here, taste some."


    Li Xiqing only hesitated for a millisecond before he slowly parted his lips and received her spoon. His tongue swirled and tasted the coldness inside his mouth; his eyes scanned her happy face as she was waiting for his responses.


    He noticed the air inside the room was a little cool. His eyes traced her pale face and then glanced down to the matcha waffle bowl in her hands; Li Xiqing started to unbutton his suit jacket before he gently draped it over her shoulder. Knowing how careless his woman was, Shao Yan would feel cold in about thirty minutes.


    "How is it?" With her big, round eyes, Shao Yan was watching how Li Xiqing casually covered her bare shoulders with his jacket. "En, thank you," she mumbled before asking again, "do you like the flavor combination?"


    Li Xiqing licked his lips slightly before he nodded, "En, not bad."


    Shao Yan watched his little tongue caress his tempting lips before disappearing; her eyes beamed with immense happiness.


    "I was lining up to get the ice cream earlier and then James from Production Control asked me to try the chocolate chip with mint. He said they will create a great combination," with her spoon, she pointed to the other flavors in her bowl, "he also told me that dark chocolate and orange sorbet are heavenly matches and that I must try."


    She shrugged and scooped the second flavor into her mouth, "I say, James is ice cream god. Both combinations are really good!"


    Li Xiqing laughed while watching her pleased expressions. He put his broad palm behind her back and brought her to step closer to him.


    Shao Yan saw a shadow when all of a sudden, he dipped his face closer to her before she felt his lips slowly grazed the corner of her lips.


    Just ever so softly, it felt like a fleeting butterfly; the kiss was there for a second tasting hers before it went away again.


    "En, I agree, this is heavenly."


    .....


    Next to the dessert hall was the dance floor. Risa had worked with an event organizer to arrange a dance floor that was big enough for hundreds of people.


    Loud, thumping music had been blasting for a while. Some people who had their share of desserts had started to join the dance floor.


    Some people were also wearing the accessories that Risa had placed inside their souvenir bags. When the lights were dimmed, Shao Yan saw so many accessories that were glowing in the dark. Some were wearing a round glowing thing around their necks; some put them around their wrists as bracelets.


    She scanned the room around, trying to find familiar faces when she heard someone was calling her name.


    "Xiao Yan! Over here!"


    Multiple hands were waving to her direction while calling out for her.


    Shao Yan raised her hand to wave back.


    Along with Li Xiqing, Shao Yan waded her way through many people to get to Fan jie, Li Na and the others who were calling for her just now.


    "Hey!"


    "Xiao Yan! Oh, Daniel, good to see you again!"


    As they were about to chat more, the DJ had changed the music to a more upbeat song, and buried their voices away.


    Shao Yan was tempted to dance along the crowd. But just as her feet tapped along the beats, she felt awkward dancing with Li Xiqing around.


    "Why are you just standing there?" He smirked as he leaned closer and said to her ears, "Are you shy?"


    Shao Yan saw a smirk on his face, she hit him lightly on his arm, "Don''t be so proud of yourself, party boy! I know you frequented a lot of clubs when you were young!"


    She stuck out her tongue to tease him.


    He rubbed her small head with his broad palm, and then Li Xiqing pointed to the balcony, "Let''s go over there! It was too crowded to talk here!" Before he put his hand behind her back, and guided her along.


    Shao Yan saw the direction that he pointed at, and then she glanced back at him and nodded.


    .....


    When they stepped outside the balcony, Shao Yan noticed that some people were also standing around and chatted. Some were swaying along the energetic rhythms.


    Echoes of the blaring electronic dance music was still heard from behind her, but on this side of the hall was much quieter compared to the hall inside.


    "Wait for me here," Li Xiqing said before he walked back inside the hall and disappeared somewhere. Shao Yan watched his departure back for a while while contemplating on what he was doing.


    She noticed a couple of servers in white uniforms were walking around with trays of drinks in their hands.


    She raised her hand to signal one of them and grabbed another glass of champagne.


    A short moment later, she saw Li Xiqing had walked towards her. In his hands were the souvenir paper bags from the dining hall.


    Colorful lights from the disco balls were shining from behind him. And she felt like the time slowly moved around him. She was looking at this glowing handsomeness with an awe.


    This man was looking more like a secret spy, all suited up and looking so dandy and suave and very much ready to seduce her.


    And she blushed again.


    .....


    "Do you want to light some sparkles?"


    For a moment, Shao Yan could not register what Li Xiqing was asking her about. Her big, round eyes were staring at him silly; all she could see was his moving lips but no words were heard.


    "Huh? What?" She snapped back to reality when he touched her shoulders, "What did you say just now?"


    Li Xiqing chuckled at her awkwardness, "What were you thinking just now? Did you not hear my question at all?"


    Shao Yan pursed her lips before she gnawed on her lower lip. Feeling a slight guilt in her heart, she softly sighed, "It was too loud earlier, I was not paying attention," she said before laughing awkwardly.


    She raised her eyebrows, and she licked her lips. Li Xiqing noticed this sign of her nervousness. He smiled and decided not to expose her lies, he repeated, before he bent a knuckle and knocked her forehead lightly, "I was asking if you want to light the sparkles."


    He pointed to the bags in his hand. Shao Yan looked down and noticed that he was carrying their souvenir bags so that they could entertain themselves out here while waiting for the new year to come.


    Smiling widely, Shao Yan nodded, "Oh! That''s right! I forgot about that!" She said excitedly, "Yes! Let''s do it, I can''t wait!"

 Chapter 218 - New Day

    Li Xiqing took one box out from the paper bag, and started to unwrap the plastic wrapper around it.


    "Let''s go over that side, it is less crowded there."


    Shao Yan nodded and walked with him to a corner. She watched carefully as he lit the sparkles and then gradually she heard a hiss of sound when it was lit up. He handed one to Shao Yan who took it with both of her hands and then said excitedly, "I can''t remember when the last time I played with this thing was!" She exclaimed, "This surely brings back childhood memories," and then she grinned cheekily at Li Xiqing.


    He raised his index finger and tapped on the tips of her nose, causing her to giggle louder.


    When some other people also saw them playing around happily, they went back inside the hall to grab their own sparkles from their souvenir bags. Soon, almost everyone who were standing outside were waving the brightly lit up sticks happily.


    The crowd was soon distracted with the different kinds of sparklers. They were having too much fun outside that everyone lost the track of time.


    Just when they thought they had more time to burn, a huge, bright fireworks bloomed above everyone''s head.


    !! BOOM !! BOOM !! BOOM !!


    .....


    More and more fireworks were shot up to the sky; surprising everyone who was standing around in the balcony. Rainbows of colors bloomed in the dark grey sky.


    Shao Yan jolted when the first fireworks exploded above her head. Surprised by the loud explosion, she staggered to the back, and bumped into Li Xiqing. His firm stance absorbed her impact; he gently wrapped both arms around her as the two of them stood by the railings to watch the fireworks show.


    Li Xiqing leaned his cheek onto hers. As his skin touched her skin, Li Xiqing was surprised at the coolness from the supple cheek. Reflexively, he tightened his hold around her, "Happy New Year!" He said into her ears.


    A mix of many different noises went around her. The hiss and crackle from the fireworks, the "Auld Lang Syne" song that was playing inside the hall behind her, the chatter from the people around her. But Shao Yan was not able to hear them; all of her senses were focused solely on this man who was hugging her from behind.


    She raised both of her hands, and placed them over his hands, "Happy New Year!"


    His lips slowly touched her skin as Li Xiqing planted a soft kiss on her cheek, "May this new year bring us another round of happiness."


    Shao Yan slowly closed her eyes as she received his kiss. "En," while mumbling her response, she leaned her head closer to him, "may this new year be a much better year for both of us."


    He planted another kiss on her forehead, "En, I promise it will be a whole new level," he mumbled under his breath.


    The two of them kept their warmth against each other as they watched the fireworks show from afar. Each heart was chanting good wishes for each other, and each heartbeat slowly beat for one another as they entered the New Year together.


    .....


    Slightly after two in the morning, everyone gradually dispersed and left the museum.


    Shao Yan had been walking around for a while; she was trying to locate Risa the whole night, but she did not see her around.


    Shao Yan was worried and wanted to check on her and also to bid her goodbye. She stopped some people that she met along the way, but none of them knew where she was.


    Just when she stepped out of the lobby entrance, Shao Yan finally heard something.


    "Oh! Miss Yamaguchi left slightly before midnight."


    Shao Yan had met Eugene, one of Risa''s team members, who was standing by the lobby entrance. He was bidding everyone goodbye when Shao Yan stopped him on his track to enquire about his manager.


    He continued, "Miss Yamaguchi had been having a terrible headache for a while and she looked really pale, so she told us to continue the event in her stead, while she decided to go home to rest."


    Shao Yan felt a slight panic in her heart. During dinner, she failed to notice this, and Shao Yan felt even more guilty. She had been trying to call Risa on her mobile phone but she did not pick up. Now that she knew that Risa was sick, Shao Yan assumed she must have turned her mobile phone off.


    "En, I know, I''ll check on her tomorrow," Shao Yan patted him on his shoulder, "thank you for your hard work tonight. Happy New Year!"


    "En, Happy New Year to you too, Project Manager Shao! Have a good night!" He answered before he waved enthusiastically at her.


    .....


    "Did you find her?"


    Li Xiqing slowly released the brake as he started to drive forward. He went to get the car when Shao Yan stopped to talk to Eugene earlier. When she had finished her conversation with Eugene, Li Xiqing had also just arrived to fetch her.


    "No," she shook her head weakly as she adjusted her seat.


    "Eugene said she had left before midnight. He said she had a headache and was pale, I think she may have caught a flu," Shao Yan continued as she stretched a little to relieve her muscles that were aching.


    It had been a long night for all of them. Particularly for her, since she had spent weeks to plan for this event.


    "So, I was thinking that I will go to her place tomorrow to check on her. I will also bring her some warm food. She may need to eat it before taking a flu medicine."


    "En," Li Xiqing hummed his reply, "do what you have to do. Don''t forget, I am going with Karl and Martin to play some golf tomorrow."


    "En," Shao Yan replied before she leaned back to her seat and gradually, her eyelids felt heavier and she closed them to rest for a while.


    Li Xiqing glanced at the sleepy Shao Yan who was sitting next to him.


    When the traffic light turned to red, he slowed down the car to a full stop before he reached out one hand to her side. His broad palm gently caressed her head and his thumb absentmindedly brushed her forehead.


    A silly smile appeared on his face as he watched his beloved''s sleeping face for a moment.


    ''Happy New Year, Yan Yan. This will be a new chapter for both of us.''

 Chapter 219 - Appetite

    "I''m done, it''s your turn now."


    Li Xiqing looked up from his laptop to see his woman just stepped out of the bathroom. While rubbing the towel to her wet hair, Shao Yan walked over to her side of the bed and sat down.


    "Dry your hair properly, don''t catch a cold," he said while shutting down his computer. He reached out to the coffee table next to him and picked up the mug that was sitting on top of it and walked towards her.


    As he got closer, Li Xiqing could smell a whiff of flower scent mixed with honey surrounding her moist skin.


    "Warm almond milk," he said as he handed over the mug to her, "I put in a spoonful of honey in it, so it will help with your sleep later."


    Shao Yan reached out her hand to receive the mug from him and flashed a smile, "En, thank you. Go shower now. It''s late."


    "Yeah," he replied to her. He extended his hand and was about to cup the back of her head to plant a kiss on her forehead. But he realized that she had taken a shower while he had not, Li Xiqing withdrew his hand back, and then started to walk to the bathroom.


    "En. I''m going now."


    Shao Yan leaned back onto the headboard and lifted her mug and sipped on it happily.


    .....


    When he came out thirty minutes later, Shao Yan was still awake. She was leaning back to the headboard with her mobile phone in her hands.


    "Why are you not asleep yet?"


    Shao Yan was so engrossed with her phone, she did not bother to look up to answer him, "En, waiting for you. And I am still working on this level."


    He stepped out of the foggy bathroom while rubbing the towel to his hair, "You are getting addicted to this game. It''s getting late now, we should sleep soon."


    Shao Yan hummed her reply, "En," but Li Xiqing knew that she did not really hear what he just said.


    Raising his eyebrows, he lightly bit on his lips as his mind raced to think of a solution.


    He turned back and walked to the bathroom to hang his towel; before walking back into the bedroom.


    Li Xiqing walked to her side of the bed and, and sat down at the foot of the bed while facing Shao Yan. He uncovered the blanket, and lifted both of her legs and placed them on his lap.


    "It''s been a long day, are you not tired yet?"


    Shao Yan was wearing a knee length nightgown that showed off her beautiful legs. His hands started to massage her calf; his fingers went under her knee and started to knead her muscles all the way to her ankle.


    "En. I am, but I am almost done," she paused and adjusted her seating position, "mm, that spot has been hurting."


    "I think because you have been walking in high heels all day," his warm palm was covering her cold skin, slowly massaging the tensed skin under his touch.


    Shao Yan was finally done with the game that she was playing. She locked her phone and placed it on the bedside table, before she raised both arms and stretched out a little.


    Heaving a soft sigh, a yawn soon escaped her lips. With her head leaned back, she tilted it to the side while watching his figure who was sitting in front of her.


    "Thank you," she said slowly, more like a whisper, "I did not actually realize they were sore, until you started to massage them."


    Li Xiqing just washed his hair. Some of the strands slightly fell and covered his forehead and one side of his eyebrow.


    Shao Yan was smiling while looking at his face that was focusing on her legs. Just when she thought of that, she realized how he was holding onto a very sensitive spot on her ankle; and she squirmed a little.


    .....


    "W-wait," Shao Yan tried to pull her feet back, "I.. I am very ticklish there, don''t go any lower."


    But his hand was holding onto her ankle, and not letting her move.


    "Hm? What is it?"


    He looked up and saw her face. She was looking at him with her round, yet sleepy eyes, while pleading at him.


    All of a sudden, he released his hold on her ankles, and started to move towards her like a tiger that was about to devour a meal.


    "You know," his deep voice started to say slowly. His fingers were tracing her dewy skin, starting from her calves and all the way up to her thighs, "I have been asking you if you want to sleep soon."


    Slowly crawling towards her, he kept his voice even lower, "But since you are not planning to do that, I have a much better idea."


    He slowly smirked before smiling seductively.


    .....


    As his hand swept her soft skin under his touch, his hand went under her nightgown, and slowly crept further upwards.


    "Xi-xiqing," she tried to squirm under his touch, but his hypnotic eyes locked her down; she was not able to move.


    "Hm?" He buried his head onto the crook of her neck, inhaling her soft, floral scent. His fingers would not stop caressing her thighs, "what is it?"


    Her fingers were clutching onto the bed sheet when he bit her skin lightly. He had explored her body so much; he knew all of her sensitive spots. Particularly the spot that he just bit; Li Xiqing knew that she was very ticklish here.


    He stuck out his tongue and caressed the spot that he just bit, triggering a soft moan to escape from her lips.


    His hand slowly crept up further, bringing her nightgown onto her waist.


    "Yan Yan," he breathed out her name; longingly thirsty for her.


    "En?" His tongue was still exploring her neck, his lips dropped kisses all over her skin starting from below her ear, and going down to her collarbone. He explored every inch of her neck.


    "I think this nightgown has to go," his hoarse voice felt warm on her skin.


    Shao Yan felt the material slowly leaving her waist, and then he pulled it up further, leaving her head. He tossed the silky gown to the side before he dipped lower and his lips caught hers and started to kiss her with the utmost hunger.


    .....


    One hand was cupping the side of her head and he held her still while kissing her lips over and over again.


    Shao Yan circled both arms around his waist and returned his kisses with the same appetite. Their tongues were on a quest of finding each other. Her hands went under his silk top pajamas as they continued their tongue battles.


    She caressed the hot skin under her fingers.


    "Xi-Xiqing," she breathed in his name when his hand went to her exposed breasts. He cupped the soft skin and gave a light squeeze.

 Chapter 220 - Your Touch

    Straddling above him, her hair brushed his cheek when she leaned closer to drop him more kisses.


    Her beautiful round eyes were looking deep into him. She looked so aroused and Li Xiqing was also sure that he looked the same.


    He saw her face was getting closer as she slowly closed her eyelids and pressed her lips onto his.


    During the whole kissing battle earlier, no one knew how but their position had changed so many times, and right now, Shao Yan was sitting on top of him.


    No words were uttered as the lovers were busy kissing and tasting each other. One palm was cupping the back of her head, and the other hand was cupping the cheek of her butt; pressing her womanhood onto his own.


    His palm left her head; his fingers were buried in her hair, and swiped down onto her spine. Using his index and middle fingertips, he slowly traced her naked back; starting from her nape, down to the small of her back.


    Each fingers were caressing her soft skin. Shao Yan trembled as his cold hands grazed her exposed skin, leaving shivering trails of blazing hotness along the way.


    When both of his hands finally cupped both of her butt cheeks, Li Xiqing gave a light squeeze; before his mouth attacked her again and thrusted his tongue deep inside her mouth and demanded for more kisses.


    .....


    Shao Yan wrapped both of her arms around his neck as she returned his demanding kisses.


    Her twin breasts were pressing on his sturdy chest; and as they kissed, her nipples were quickly aroused and teased him to a point of madness.


    When Li Xiqing tossed her night gown to the side earlier, he exposed all of her body and left her in a tiny, white underwear. Raising his hips a little, Li Xiqing hooked both of his thumb to the edge of her underwear and slid them off of her.


    He placed both hands on the each side of her waist and positioned her right above his manhood; and then he slowly entered her.


    Shao Yan threw her head to the back as the sensation hit her core. He used the momentum of her raising up above him to catch her breasts with his mouth. Li Xiqing gently covered his lips around the pink areolas and started to suck hungrily like a baby.


    "Mmmhh..," moans of pleasure escaped her lips when he started to move in and out of her.


    His tongue circled around the peak before he changed to start feasting on the other. Both hands were still holding onto her butt tightly to his shaft; torturing her with endless pleasure over and over again.


    .....


    "Are you going to sleep now?"


    Shao Yan was laying limp next to him, with one arm hugging her close. She did not say anything for a while, Li Xiqing thought she had fallen asleep.


    Shao Yan stirred lightly, "En," she suddenly answered, before snuggled closer to his embrace and placed her cheek on his naked chest.


    Li Xiqing slowly stroked her hair before planting a kiss on her forehead, "Sleep now."


    A pause in this middle of the night, before she answered, "En," she mumbled sleepily again.


    Li Xiqing had tortured her with multiple rounds of orgasms. She was already tired from working the whole day. And with these rounds of ''exotic exercise'', Shao Yan was beyond spent.


    He patted her back absentmindedly; sending his Yan Yan to the dream land. One hand was propped behind his head as Li Xiqing slowly gathered his thoughts on what he needed to do this year.


    As he slowly counted each plan, he could not help to surrender to the tiredness that gradually consumed him.


    The pair of lovers fell asleep in each other''s arms; crossing over the New Year in each other''s warmth and tenderness.


    (��?��(??? )


    .....


    !! BEEP !!


    Shao Yan stirred lightly when her phone notified her of the incoming message. She turned her body around, and after finding a comfortable position, she gradually fell into another sleep.


    !! BEEP !!


    Another ringtone was heard; bringing her back to reality just as she was about to fall into a deep sleep. She grumbled lightly, but Shao Yan still refused to get up.


    !! BEEP !!


    Jolted from her sleep, she shot her hand out to grab the phone by the bedside table. Shao Yan was so grumpy that her sleep was disturbed.


    She quickly unlocked her phone to see many incoming messages in her inbox. All of them were wishing her a Happy New Year.


    She was about to toss her phone to the side, before her movement was paused. She quickly unlocked her phone again, and reopened her inbox.


    .....


    ''Happy New Year, Yan Yan! How have you been? Are you pregnant yet? Hahaha I am going to come home soon, so let me know if I need to buy baby clothes, alright? Hahaha!''


    Shao Yan squinted her eyes and glared into the message and she read it again and again.


    This Qi Ling!


    She was all the way in Australia, and yet she never failed to tease her, even though it was over text messages.


    Shao Yan quickly turned her brain as she gnawed onto her lower lips gently.


    After a while, she decided to type, ''Happy New Year, Qi Ling! I should be the one asking, are you pregnant yet? Why are you not home yet, is it because of the morning sickness making you unable to fly? Hahaha! Hurry home, or I will sell out your apartment!''


    Feeling satisfied at her own reply, Shao Yan quickly hit send and placed the phone down next to her pillow.


    .....


    Glancing around the room, she realized the house was empty. Li Xiqing must have left early in the morning. She remembered he told her about his golf session with Karl and Martin.


    Shao Yan raised both arms above her head as she stretched out her tired body. Still laying naked under the blanket, she turned to the side, and buried her face into his pillow.


    His man was getting more and more shameless. This was not the first time she was on top of him. Shao Yan suspected that Li Xiqing was secretly loving this new position.


    Feeling a heat slowly crept up her cheek, she rubbed her face onto the pillow case and let the memory from last night slowly come back to her again.


    (?????)?

 Chapter 221 - The Day After

    When Shao Yan walked out of the bedroom about two hours later, she saw that Li Xiqing had prepared breakfast for her.


    A paper was placed on top of the dining table.


    ''Grandma called this morning, give her a call back. If you are going out, try to at least eat something first. I will be back before dinner.''


    She placed the paper back after reading it two more times.


    Shao Yan saw that Li Xiqing had cooked some porridge with minced pork, with boiled eggs on the side. She walked to the kitchen, carrying the bowl of porridge with her and placed it inside the microwave and reheated it.


    While waiting, she fished out her mobile phone from her pocket and looked for Grandma''s phone number.


    "En? Grandma? This is Yan Yan," she quickly said after she heard the call was picked up at the second ring.


    Shao Yan heard Grandma mumble on the other side of the phone, as if she was talking to another person; so Shao Yan decided to wait for her.


    "Oh, Yan Yan, is that you?" After a while, Grandma Wu finally came back to the phone and talked to her.


    "I was just calling this morning to tell you that we have to cancel our lunch," Grandma Wu heaved a soft sigh, and then she continued, "Shaoying fainted last night, and was rushed to the hospital."


    Right when she heard that, Shao Yan was about to walk out and grab her car keys, but she heard Grandma Wu hurriedly continue to say, "Don''t panic, Yan Yan, I am with her right now. Everything is fine. Doctor just said she was too exhausted, and that''s why her blood pressure dropped and she fainted."


    Shao Yan breathed a sigh of relief, "Have you eaten, Grandma? Do you need me to bring you anything? Which hospital is this?"


    "En, Hospital M, room 2408 and I called you this morning, but Xiqing told me that you were still sleeping. Xiqing already came here just now, and he also brought some warm food with him. So, you don''t have to worry about us."


    Shao Yan turned around, and swiftly shutted down the microwave, "Okay, I am going there now. Please wait for me," and then she quickly walked out to the foyer with her purse in her hands.


    "Alright, drive safe, no need to rush, alright?" Grandma said before receiving an assurance from Shao Yan and then she hung up the call.


    .....


    The traffic was light for the second day of New Year. It seemed that everyone was too drunk to wake up early, leaving the road almost to herself.


    Just within thirty minutes, Shao Yan had arrived at the hospital. She had no issue in finding the ward that Risa was staying at.


    When Shao Yan opened the door, she saw Grandma Wu was peeling an orange and Risa was sitting on the hospital bed and chewing slowly.


    Both women turned their heads towards the door upon hearing it being opened.


    "Oh! Yan Yan!" Grandma Wu flashed a warm smile at her, "You''ve arrived. Come here, sit down here."


    Risa, also sent a smile to her. Looking at her pale face, Shao Yan could not help but worry. She walked closer briskly while saying her greetings, "Grandma, Sis."


    She stood by the bed, scrutinizing Risa who was leaning against the headboard.


    "How are you feeling, Sis?"


    Risa nodded weakly, "I''m fine. I''m feeling so much better now." She tried to smirk at her, "Look at your panic face. I was just too exhausted, that''s all. What a way to spend the New Year, huh? I traded fireworks for a hospital bed, oh poor me."


    Shao Yan knew that Risa was trying to lighten up the mood.


    She smiled at her poorly attempted jokes, raising her fingers and tidying up the bedsheet in front of her, Shao Yan pulled up the blanket to cover Risa up to her chest.


    "Mm, you missed out a lot. You did not get to see President Huang dance through the night," and then she looked in disbelief at Risa, "and you missed the Grand Prize!"


    .....


    Grandma Wu was sitting at the side while watching both of her granddaughters talking joyfully with each other.


    Shao Yan was sitting on the edge of the bed, while peeling oranges for both Risa and herself. And Risa just sat quietly inside the blanket, enjoying the pampering that her family had showered her.


    "So, it''s a 10 days full trip to Hawaii. And guess who won it?"


    Risa gawked in disbelief. Her eyes were showing a huge surprise as she stared at Shao Yan, "Two weeks in Hawaii? And I missed it?! Oh no!" She wailed in sadness, she grabbed Shao Yan on her arms and shook her a little, "Stop delaying, just tell me already, who won the trip?"


    Shao Yan giggled at her reaction, and continued, "Well.," She paused and slowly peeled her oranges, dragging her replies.


    When she saw Risa was about to explode with impatience, Shao Yan quickly continued, "You better get well soon. Because everyone was eyeing that trip, and if you can''t go, I''m pretty sure Fan jie will snatch it away from you, sis!"


    .....


    "Oh! Shaoying! You won?"


    Grandma Wu was so surprised that Risa had won the Grand Prize. She clapped both of her hands in front of her chest, feeling so elated by the news.


    "This is a good sign. You entered the year with such a big surprise. You will spend this year with more happiness, my child!"


    Risa and Shao Yan were both looking at Grandma Wu who was beaming with happiness.


    "En, Grandma," Shao Yan replied, "I was so surprised when the master of ceremony called her number, I thought they would replace the winner since she was not around to accept it."


    Shao Yan shifted her sitting posture and now was facing Grandma Wu.


    "But President Huang said that Risa deserves the prize, and if she does not want to go, it will be up to her to give the prize away."


    Shao Yan glanced to the side, "Everyone agreed you are the winner of this trip, sis, so please get well soon and have fun in the island of paradise."


    Risa felt so touched when she listened to Shao Yan who was retelling every event from last night. She had spent nights of overtime, trying to make sure everyone had the most amazing New Year party, and now she won the trip to Hawaii. Risa still felt that she was dreaming.


    "Then, I should get better soon! And then I have to get my bikini body back, so I can flirt with those hunks in Hawaii," she said before winking one eye to Shao Yan cheekily, "handsome boys, you guys better wait for this sister to come and eat you!"


    Risa was so excited with her trip, that she forgot Grandma Wu was still in the room. The old lady was sipping on her tea, when she heard what Risa was saying.


    Grandma Wu was so surprised at her words, she choked on her tea and started to cough profusely.


    Shao Yan quickly climbed down from the bed to walk behind her and patted her on the back. She did not forget to glance at Risa. She scowled at her while glaring at her cheekiness, "Sis!!"


    Risa felt so guilty, she could only grin back at the two of them, "Sorry, Grandma, I was just joking hehehe. It''s a joke, really!"

 Chapter 222 - Joyful Night

    "So, where is my brother in law?" Shao Yan was changing the channel on the TV while absentmindedly accompanying Risa with small talks every now and then, "How come I have not seen him yet?"


    Risa glanced at her, before looking at Grandma Wu with a questionable glance.


    The old lady was leaning on the sofa while looking at both of her granddaughters chatting with each other happily. Noticing the glance that Risa threw at her and realizing its meaning, Grandma Wu turned solemn before she let out a soft sigh.


    She gave a little nod at Risa, who then cleared her throat before replying to Shao Yan.


    "Yan Yan, how about... when I am discharged from the hospital, let me bring you to see your brother in law?"


    Shao Yan was busy with the remote control in her hand, she was not able to find the show that she wanted to watch, "Sure. Is he busy or something?"


    Risa paused for a moment, before humming a vague reply, "En," she cleared her throat again, "should we order something to eat, Yan Yan? I am guessing you are staying here until dinner?"


    Having heard her question, Shao Yan was brought back to her attention.


    "Oh!" She turned around to face Risa, "I just remembered, Xiqing texted me earlier. He said he wanted to come over. We can just ask him to bring us some food on his way here then."


    Shao Yan got up from her chair, and walked to the cabinet where she had put her purse on.


    She took out her mobile phone from inside the purse, "What do you feel like eating, Grandma?"


    .....


    "Hmm..." He paused as he read all the charts in his hands, "your temperature and all vital signs are good. Blood pressure is still a little on the lower side, we will adjust this with your meal tonight. But other than that, you are recovering really well."


    He paused to read more, before saying, "I want you to stay for another night for us to monitor you, and then you can go home tomorrow, " The doctor looked up from the board in his grasp and stared at Risa, "Alright?"


    He handed the board in his hand to the nurse who was standing patiently next to him. The doctor was talking at a moderate speed, making sure the patient understood every word he said. Risa nodded at every word he just said, "En, I understand."


    Satisfied with his patient''s obedient reply, he turned around, and looked at Grandmother Wu.


    "Grandma, everything looks good. You don''t have to worry. You have stayed here the whole day, please don''t tire yourself, alright?"


    Grandmother Wu was beaming with all smiles at the young doctor.


    ''Good looking face, very good manner, hmm.. Overall is a good candidate,'' she thought to herself while nodding.


    The young doctor assumed Grandmother Wu was nodding at his words, so he felt more appreciated, "Now, I will have to continue my rounds. I will be back tomorrow at ten o''clock to check her charts again, before she can go home, alright?"


    And then he glanced around the room, looking at Risa, Shao Yan and then back at Grandma Wu, "Good night, everyone."


    He flashed a polite smile, before walking out of the room with the nurses following closely behind him.


    .....


    Just as the door was opened, Li Xiqing was standing in front of the door, with his hand stretched forward as if he was about to open the door.


    He took a few steps back to let the doctor and nurses walk out, "Thank you, doctor," he said as they walked past each other.


    After the doctor walked away, Li Xiqing walked into the hospital room again.


    "Grandma, how are you doing?" He walked straight to Grandmother Wu while holding multiple paper bags in his hands., "You must be hungry, we can eat now."


    After placing the paper bags in his hands, he glanced at Yan Yan, "Come over and eat now?"


    Shao Yan, who was already walking over, nodded her response, "Did you bring the fruit juice?"


    Li Xiqing nodded, and grabbed inside one of the bags, "Here," he said as he passed a bottle to Shao Yan, "fresh squeezed, no extra sugar, as you requested."


    Her lips slowly curled in a happy smile, "Thank you," she took it from his hands and walked back to Risa, "Sis, your meal will only come in about thirty minutes, you can drink this first to pad your tummy."


    Risa smiled at her words. She felt that Yan Yan had been spoiling her today.


    "En," Risa received the bottle from Shao Yan, and then she quickly said, "You and Grandma should eat first. Don''t worry about me." Shao Yan nodded at her suggestion, and walked back to Li Xiqing and Grandma Wu who were sitting at the lounge; ready to eat their own meals.


    Shao Yan had requested Li Xiqing to get some herbal chicken soup and some other dishes. Knowing Grandma and Yan Yan''s preference, Li Xiqing selected a few vegetable dishes and some hotpot tofu with mushrooms to accompany the herbal chicken soup.


    .....


    About two hours later, everyone finally finished their dinner. Shao Yan was sitting next to Grandma Wu and peeled an orange for her.


    All of a sudden, Risa said "Xiqing," she was wiping her mouth with a napkin before continuing, "uh�� why don''t you and Yan Yan come over to my house this weekend?"


    Li Xiqing was bending over the low table in front of him as he cleaned up all the empty bowls from their dinner. He paused his action and then shot a glance at Shao Yan; telling Yan Yan with his stare that she should be the one deciding on this, and that he did not have any concern.


    Risa, recognizing the stare that Li Xiqing gave to Yan Yan, quickly continued, "Yan Yan has been wanting to meet her brother in law," she paused and cleared her throat, "I think this weekend should be the most suitable time."


    Shao Yan stood up from the couch and walked over to her bedside. Shao Yan thought Risa needed some water to clear her dry throat so she picked up the water jug and poured some into the clear glass that she was holding.


    She passed it to Risa, "En, sounds good. Any preference on the time, Sis?"


    Risa turned her glance away from Shao Yan and looked at Grandma Wu. Her face was showing that she was asking Grandma Wu to decide.


    Grandmother Wu crossed both hands in front of her lap and leaned back to the couch. She paused for a while before she replied to Yan Yan, "Hmm.. Come over for breakfast, Yan Yan," she turned to face Li Xiqing, "say around seven o''clock? We will have breakfast together."


    "You don''t have to bring anything, Grandma will cook for you," she let out a very rare smile at Li Xiqing, who had just gone back to sit down. He returned her smile with his own charming smile and nodded, "Thank you, Grandma, then Yan Yan and I will have to trouble you with that."


    Grandma Wu burst into a hearty laugh, "What are you thanking for. We are all one big family, no need this courtesy," and then she laughed again.


    Shao Yan with her back to Risa was laughing along with them. The three of them did not notice the change in Risa''s facial expression. A flash of pain, sadness and happiness all jumbled into one after another.


    And at the end, she could only force out a weak smile to join the joyful atmosphere in the room.

 Chapter 223 - The Meetup

    The week passed by very slowly. That night, after they arrived home from the hospital, she was so tired; the two of them went to sleep right after they freshened up.


    The company was on vacation mode for the whole week due to New Year holidays. Shao Yan and Li Xiqing spent the week by cleaning the house.


    "We need to go back to my apartment to open the windows and let some air inside," she suggested. Li Xiqing agreed that it was a good idea and so, they decided to also clean her apartment while they were visiting there.


    Qi Ling had texted her again to tell her about her return date. They talked using online phone service for almost two hours. So many things had happened in the past few months, and both Shao Yan and Qi Ling had too many things to tell each other.


    Li Xiqing had just showered when he stepped into the bedroom. He saw Shao Yan lying on the bed on her stomach. Both of her feet were dangling happily in the air. All of a sudden, she burst out loud; she was rolling to the side and facing the ceiling.


    "No way, Ling Ling! You did not just do that?!" She exclaimed in a huge surprise.


    Li Xiqing could hear vague sounds coming from her earphones as Qi Ling continued telling her the funny stories. Looking at how big of a smile that she had right now, he was infected by the happiness emitted by her laughs.


    Li Xiqing smiled to himself and decided to walk out of the bedroom and go to his study room to give the space for the two best friends to chat.


    .....


    On Saturday morning, Shao Yan and Li Xiqing arrived at Risa''s apartment exactly at seven o''clock. It was only a thirty minute ride from their apartment to Risa''s.


    Since Grandma Wu had told them to come for breakfast, they did not snack or drink anything, and quickly left the house once they were all set.


    Her unit was located on the fifth floor. Li Xiqing just reached out to press the elevator button, when Shao Yan suddenly grabbed hold of his wrist. He glanced to the side and looked quizzically at her.


    "Uh," She started, "it''s only the fifth floor. Let''s take the stairs?"


    He raised his eyebrows in surprise, but did not comment on it. Li Xiqing pulled his hand back and nodded, "Alright, that''s a good idea."


    The two of them then walked to the emergency staircase area and started to climb the stairs.


    .....


    "Oh! You have arrived, just right on time. Come on in," Grandma Wu stepped to the side as she let the couple come inside the apartment.


    "En, Grandma," Shao Yan walked in, and quickly squeezed Grandma Wu into a hug. She slowly let go, and a huge grin appeared on her face, "morning, Grandma!" And then all of a sudden, Shao Yan moved closer and planted a kiss on Grandma''s cheek.


    A loud smooch sound was heard as she showed her affection towards Grandma. Slowly, Shao Yan released her hold around Grandma Wu who was playfully swatting her hands before burst into a laugh.


    "Grandma, good morning," Li Xiqing was smiling at the two playful grandmother and granddaughter and his heart was filled with indescribable warmth.


    "Oh, Xiqing, Yan Yan, come in, come in," another sound welcomed the couple from behind them.


    Shao Yan glanced around and saw Risa just came out of a bedroom, and walked towards them.


    "Sis!" Shao Yan bent over and took off her shoes, and then she put on the house slippers before walking inside the house.


    "En, are you hungry yet?" Risa was standing still while waiting for Shao Yan to walk closer.


    Shao Yan nodded, "En," she said, "very! What did Grandma cook today?"


    The two women walked to the left side of the house and disappeared into the kitchen.


    Grandma Wu shook her head helplessly while looking at her two granddaughters. She looked at Li Xiqing who was standing quietly next to her, "Sit down, Xiqing. Breakfast will be ready soon."


    He nodded, before saying, "Grandma, you sit down first, let me help them in the kitchen."


    Grandma Wu waved both of her hands in front of her and pretended to sigh loudly, "Haih, no need to worry, let them do whatever they want there. You accompany this old lady here and let us wait for good food to come to us."


    .....


    Breakfast was sumptuous yet light at the same time.


    Grandma had fried some Chinese pancakes, filled with chopped scallions and minced pork. She had also prepared homemade donut sticks to accompany minced pork porridge that she had cooked since last night.


    "Grandma boiled the pork bone soup since last night, so that all the rice would soak up all the nutrition," Risa explained when she scooped a bowl of porridge and handed it over to Shao Yan.


    She took it with both hands, and placed them on top of the dining table.


    "En, I can see everything was done very meticulously, Sis!" Shao Yan said as she scanned over the dining table.


    Grandma Wu had also prepared steamed vegetables with oyster garlic sauce. Preserved radish was chopped finely and spread on top of it.


    "Yan Yan, help me to set the table, the spoons are over there," Risa said with her back to her as she kept scooping the porridge.


    Shao Yan walked over to the kitchen cabinet and started to search, "By the way, Sis, why are you only preparing four bowls? Is my brother in law not joining us for breakfast?"


    Risa paused her movement, before she slowly put down the bowl in her hands. She glanced over her shoulder to answer Shao Yan, "En, he won''t be joining us. We will eat first, and then we will go meet him, alright?"


    Shao Yan nodded, "Sure, that''s fine," and then she continued her search for the spoon and chopsticks.


    .....


    Another hour later, they had finally finished her breakfast. Shao Yan leaned back on the dining chair and felt so content.


    "Grandma," she wailed, "I don''t know if I have to feel sad or happy that you don''t stay with us."


    She rubbed her stomach and put on a very pitiful face, "Your food is too good. If I eat this every day, I think I will easily gain a lot of weight."


    Grandma Wu, Risa and Li Xiqing burst into laughs.


    "You!" With her index finger, Grandma Wu was pointing at Shao Yan, "Such sweet words, who did you learn this from!" She feigned anger while scolding her granddaughter.


    Shao Yan stuck out her tongue before snuggling to her arms closely.


    Risa was laughing at these antics. Looking at the time displayed by the clock on the wall, she got up from the seat and looked at Shao Yan and Li Xiqing.


    "Yan Yan, Xiqing," and then she glanced at Grandma Wu before returning to the couple, "Shall I introduce you to your brother in law now?"


    Shao Yan happily got up from her chair, "Sure!" Li Xiqing also got up from his chair and nodded.


    Risa turned around and started to walk towards a bedroom with Shao Yan and Li Xiqing following closely behind her.


    As they were standing in front of the room, Risa reached out her hands and opened the door slowly. She walked inside, and left the door wide open for Shao Yan and Li Xiqing to come in.


    "Darling, I want you to meet my cousin, Yan Yan and her boyfriend, Xiqing."

 Chapter 224 - You Are Very Lucky

    The room was very bright and cheerful.


    Colorful paintings were hung on the wall and soft, jazz music was playing in the background. A cabinet filled with books was standing on one side of the wall next to a window and a comfortable lounge chair was placed beside it.


    In a glance, this looked like a normal room where people would enjoy some light reading and conversation by the window.


    Risa was standing by the bedside and her hand was gently brushing his hair; a soft smile appeared on her face and eyes full of love were tracing his face longingly.


    Shao Yan, her eyebrows raised in surprise and her big, round eyes were looking speechlessly at the figure on the bed. She exchanged looks with Li Xiqing, but she did not say anything. One by one, they decided to step into the room, with Li Xiqing following closely behind her.


    "Darling," Risa started to say in a soft voice, "I want you to meet my cousin, Yan Yan. And also her boyfriend, Xiqing."


    ....


    The room was very quiet.


    Other than the soft, jazz music, the other noise that was heard was the beeping sound coming from the machine that was installed next to the bed.


    A tall, young man was laying on the bed. IV lines and tubes were injected on his right arms and connected to a machine that was showing all of his vital signs. A clear, breathing mask was covering his mouth.


    Although he was surrounded with all this complicated stuff around him, the man on the bed still looked as handsome as before.


    Shao Yan could see that Kei Yamaguchi was a very fine man.


    Dark, brownish hair was covering his forehead. His eyes were closed, but his face was calm and peaceful; as if he was only sleeping, and all of these people were coming to disturb his beauty sleep.


    He had high cheekbones, and manly square jaws that Shao Yan assumed had become slightly thinner due to his condition. He was wearing soft blue pajamas. An unfamiliar woman, wearing white uniform from head to toe, was sitting at the foot of the bed; she was massaging both of his legs.


    The woman lifted up one leg, and then slowly massaged it from thigh down to his ankle and foot. And then she would pick up the other and do the same exercise. And she kept doing that, without looking at the guests that her lady boss had just invited to the room.


    ....


    "Sis... T-this...," Shao Yan started to say, but she paused as she was unsure what to say. Li Xiqing stood silent by her side; he circled one arm around her waist to show his support for her.


    He had had his suspicions for a while, but he never thought that Kei Yamaguchi would be in this condition.


    When they entered the apartment just now, although the house seemed warm with pictures of the couple all over the house, yet it also felt cold at the same time. But he could not figure out why.


    He realized it now. Because other than music and beeping sound, the whole house was too quiet and Li Xiqing could vaguely smell disinfectant when he was walking around the living room.


    Risa looked up to glance at them and let out a weak smile. She sat next to Kei with one arm hung over his head; while leaning on the headboard, her fingers kept playing with his hair absentmindedly.


    "I''m fine, I am used to your kind of reactions now," Risa started to say, "it''s been a few years now, and we are doing fine."


    Shao Yan walked closer, "So, what uh.. What happened?"


    Risa scanned his face tenderly before she slowly got up from the bed and walked to the window. With her back against Shao Yan and Li Xiqing, she started to say.


    ....


    The crowd today was exceptionally high since it was Christmas Eve after all.


    Risa had just come back from the office function, and Kei had just completed his meeting with an antique dealer. Both of them agreed to meet up at Rockefeller Center to enjoy the lit up Christmas tree.


    They sat by the ice skating rink and the huge Christmas tree was standing proudly behind them. The husband and wife just spent the whole night snuggling next to each other, with cups of hot chocolate in their hands, and watched the people around them.


    Just after midnight, they decided to go home.


    He got up from his seat, "Are you ready? Did you get everything?"


    Her head was bent down as both of her hands were shuffling through her purse, "Yeah," she paused, "I can''t find my keys though."


    She raised her head and looked at the man in front of her, "I think I must have left them in the office," she put on a helpless face while biting her lower lips in guilt. Lightly shrugging her shoulder, Risa continued, "We may have to walk back."


    He raised his hand to ruffle his own hair. Burying his fingers in his short, slightly wavy brown hair, he feigned a scolding, "You!" and then he sighed, "are very lucky that I love you."


    Kei Yamaguchi approached her and circled his arm around her waist and then together, they walked out again, "It''s zero degrees outside, and it''s very windy. How can you be this careless," he said as he raised up his other hand and flicked her forehead.


    Risa laughed. This had been their practice lately. Whenever she made mistakes, he would always say, "You are very lucky that I love you," and then he would nag at her non-stop.


    Kei was still nagging at her even when they had stepped inside the subway station. He took the paper bags from her hands and adjusted his stance to cover her body from the wind.


    With her head slightly tilted to the side, Risa glanced up at this man who she called ''Husband''.


    The weather outside was so cold to the bone, but her whole heart was warm.


    ....


    "You found your keys?"


    Kei was standing in the lobby downstairs, while Risa went up to look for her keys. She came down to see Kei was typing on his phone; holding a paper bag in his hand and standing next to a Christmas tree that the building management had put up in the lobby area to brighten the Christmas spirit.


    She stood still while watching the handsome man. Kei had put on black and white suit with no tie; and a long, black overcoat.


    ''En! Her husband was definitely the best looking man in the whole world!'' Risa thought to herself.


    Hearing the sound of her boots coming closer to him, he lifted up his head to see Risa was happily skipping towards him.


    "En," she said with a huge grin, "they were on my desk. I remember I took them out when I was trying to rearrange the stuff inside my purse before I left the office."


    Risa linked her arm around his, "Let''s go now, hubby, I''m cold, and I am in need of a hot shower so bad."


    Kei raised his broad palm and ruffled his fingers on her hair, "Let''s go, wifey!"

 Chapter 225 - Christmas Day

    "Are you hungry?"


    He glanced over to the side. The little woman was hanging onto his arm, she raised her head upon hearing his question. Her almond shaped eyes were looking at him.


    ''She looked just as adorable as the first time I saw her,'' Kei thought to himself as his heart skipped a beat.


    "Not really," Risa answered, "why? Are you?" She snickered at him, "You are hungry, aren''t you?" And then she burst out in laughter.


    Her hands were wrapped in leather gloves and were holding onto his arms. Kei raised his own hand and placed it over her hands. He smiled while feeling a little embarrassed, "Well, a little. Let''s grab some gyro bowl on the way home?"


    Risa felt hesitant for a while. She furrowed her eyebrows as she thought against the idea.


    "That area was so dark; and even darker on this winter night, though. Why don''t we get something from the sandwich store down the road?"


    He patted her hands again, "En, as you wish. Although, you know we walked past that area many times already, and they''re fine."


    Risa had an ugly feeling in her heart, but she did not want to disappoint him, "I want a sandwich, let''s have that tonight."


    Kei burst into laughs, "Okay, okay, my lady. Your wish is my command."


    ....


    It was around one or two o''clock after midnight.


    They finally decided to get a foot-long turkey and ham sandwich with multi-grain bread. Risa could not wait for them to go home, so they could eat this and then they could soak in the hot tub. It was a very cold and windy night.


    Kei pushed open the door of the sandwich shop and stepped outside, "Can you imagine that our first meal on Christmas day is actually a foot-long sandwich?" Risa was walking behind him and laughed along with him, "Well, we are cultured New Yorker. Just like others, sandwiches are our lives."


    The two of them laughed over the jokes; both hearts were so happy and joyful, infected with the Christmas mood that they were having.


    She was standing behind him, while trying to adjust the food bags in her hands. After walking for a while, all of a sudden, she bumped her face onto his back because Kei suddenly stopped on his track and stood still.


    "Kei?" She tried to peek from behind his broad shoulder.


    "Sshh!" He suddenly stopped her from saying further. He whispered at her, "Keep quiet and stay behind me."


    ....


    In front of them, stood a young man dressed in multiple layers of clothes. He had a dark brown beanie hat, and a dark grey shawl around his neck, covering his jaw and his mouth. He had dark skin, and on this night, he looked even darker than the clothes he was wearing.


    Both of his hands were stretched forward, and he was holding a small gun; slightly trembling.


    Risa was horrified at the scene. She was not sure if the man was trembling because of the cold temperature or because of the action that he was doing right now.


    "I- I don''t want to do this," He started yelling, "j-just leave you stuff a-and walk away!" He said in panic.


    He started to yell at Risa and Kei, "Leave your stuff, and w-walk away! Walk away!"


    Risa tugged on Kei''s black coat, "Darling, let us just walk away. En?"


    ....


    Kei put up both hands in front of him; palm side out facing the man, "Just calm down, I will leave the stuff, and walk away, alright?"


    "D-Do it! Hurry! D-Don''t test my patience!" The man yelled at them again as he waved his gun.


    "Okay, okay, buddy," Kei said as he bent slightly and put down the paper bag he was holding. He raised his hands slowly and opened the lapel of his coat.


    The man suddenly screamed back, "What are you doing!! I''m going to shoot, man! I will shoot you!"


    Kei hurriedly said to him, "Hey, hey, hey! Calm down, man. You need my wallet, too, don''t you?"


    Both of his hands were still raised up in front of him; Kei was trying to show the armed man that he was not going to do anything.


    The man waved the gun down to Kei''s feet, "Hurry! Throw them down here."


    "Alright, here you go!" He took out his wallet, and threw it to his feet, "now, you''re good right? I will walk away."


    He started to walk backwards, he put down his hands behind him, and started to push Risa to move back with his body.


    She slowly stepped backwards following his directions.


    ....


    "Hold it right there!"


    Kei stopped on his track, and thus, Risa was forced to stop as well.


    "What do you have there? Behind your back!" The armed man started to yell again and wave his gun around.


    "Man, you got what you want. Just let us go on our way, alright?"


    The armed man started to walk towards them, prompting Kei to walk backwards again reflexively. Risa was not aware that he suddenly moved, she stumbled on her feet and fell to the ground in the midst of panic.


    The armed man was also panicked when he saw there was another person behind the tall guy.


    He looked at Kei in horror, while waving his gun around.


    "You bastard! Y-you.. you..."


    At first, the armed man was lost, and did not know what to do in the middle of his panic, he kept stopping and walking; and then stopping again.


    "You! Hand over..."


    The armed man walked closer and was about to tell Risa to hand over her stuff. Kei thought he was going to harm her, he swiftly moved in between them to block her from the armed man.


    Surprised by the sudden move, the armed man moved his gun towards Kei. He was standing face to face with Kei, with his muzzle was pointed in front of his chest, "Don''t do anything stupid, man! I''ll shoot. I''ll really shoot you!"


    Kei stopped and had his hands raised up, "Hey! Hey! Calm down!"


    "Don''t fxxx-ing tell me to calm down!"


    He screamed at Kei, and then glanced down quickly, "Hurry, lady, leave your purse, and walk away! Now!!"


    With her trembling hands, Risa quickly let go of her purse, and threw it away from her. She was about to get up from the ground, when she heard a loud noise of metal cans crushing against each other, and then a meow of a cat and followed by the flapping sound of bird wings.


    But in the middle of this noise, a loud bang of a gunshot was heard.


    It was so loud and clear; it was echoing in this narrow alley.


    Her surroundings were still bustling with traffic noise and honks of cars every now and then.


    But all she could hear was silence.


    Her ears were ringing so badly. Her heart was pounding so fast. She blinked her eyes over and over again; her throat was choking.


    She was breathing from her mouth. Cold air of breath came out of her pale lips.


    Risa slowly turned her head and saw the armed man was looking horrified at his own hands; smoke was still coming out of the muzzle.


    And what happened next was like a slow motion and a blur in her memories.

 Chapter 226 - If Only

    What happened next was like a slow motion and a blur in her memories.


    The armed man slowly staggered backwards, and fell to the ground and landed on his butt. He was staring horrified at Kei. His eyes felt like they were about to pop out.


    After what felt like an eternity, he quickly scrambled to get up and frantically crawled further using both of his hands; the man grabbed Kei''s wallet and paper bag and hurriedly ran away.


    Risa was standing in shock while looking at Kei who was clutching onto his chest. He slowly lost his balance and stumbled forward onto her. Risa swiftly caught him, but his weight dragged her down with him. Both of them soon fell onto the ground.


    ....


    "NO!! Kei!!" Risa screamed out of her lungs.


    "No, darling, No!"


    She started to sob real hard, "Help," she started to yell, but her throat was choked up.


    "HELP! Someone!"


    "Anyone! Please!"


    "HELP!!"


    She pressed her hands over the gunshot wound, while still screaming loudly, asking for help.


    Kei was gasping for air, and both of his hands were holding onto hers tightly. His eyes were blurry. He thought he saw his beautiful wife was looking around, tears were streaming down her snow white face. Her mouth was opened and closed, but he could not hear any words that she was saying.


    Slowly, his eyelids felt so heavy but he tried so hard to keep them open.


    "No!! Baby, no! Stay with me!"


    "Please!!"


    "Stay with me!!"


    Risa looked around frantically and saw that her purse was still lying next to her; she tried to grab it with one hand. She stretched out her arm and after struggling for a while, with Kei''s whole body weight on her, Risa finally managed to grab her bag.


    She flipped the bag upside down, and found her mobile phone. She quickly pressed 911 with her trembling fingers.


    She could not feel the wet blood in her hands. She did not care about her skinned knees or torn jacket. She did not notice that her designer bag was ruined with blood and snow.


    All she could think about was Kei.


    Her unconscious Kei.


    ....


    Risa turned around, and a weak smile escaped from her lips. Her eyes was empty but no tears came out of her beautiful eyes.


    "The doctor told me that the bullet missed his heart by only a few inches. That was why he is still alive."


    She walked back to the bed, and sat down next to him again, "But his heart had stopped many times during the surgery."


    She softly sighed, "All of his vital signs were really bad when he came out of the ICU, and then gradually he was showing much improvement. His brain is still healthy, but the doctor said because of lack of oxygen during the first help, and also his heart stopping several times..." Risa paused as she felt her throat was choking.


    She took a deep breath, before continuing, "Doctor speculated, that maybe those are the cause of him unable to wake up."


    Some time in the middle of the story, the unfamiliar woman had moved up the chair for Shao Yan to sit down. Li Xiqing was standing behind her, with one hand on her shoulder, and the other hand was inside his pants pocket.


    Shao Yan could not believe the story she just heard.


    Christmas day supposedly was a merry celebration for everyone. But now, every year, Risa would have to remember the horrifying incident.


    Li Xiqing saw how Yan Yan was struggling to form words. Her lips kept opening and closing, but she still could not decide on what to say.


    He squeezed her shoulder lightly; showing his support.


    ....


    "So, did they catch the man?"


    Li Xiqing tried to fill in the awkward silence in the room. Risa looked up and stared back at him. She shook her head weakly, "I gave the description to the police. But they were not able to do anything. I don''t know about what happened now, since I am not staying there anymore."


    "But, to be honest, I don''t care," she scoffed, "what can they do anyway? Kei will still have to lie down here unconscious while that man probably just has to spend a few years behind bars."


    Silence consumed the air again.


    With a weak smile, Risa continued with what sounded like a whisper, as if she was just mumbling to herself.


    "I just wish I know what he''s feeling right now. Is he in pain, is he comfortable? Other than that, I don''t care about anything else."


    ....


    Sigh.


    Shao Yan was watching how the trees moved around her. Her mind was blank, she was just looking at the swaying leaves that moved past her.


    They were on the way home after sending Grandma Wu back. Li Xiqing was driving the car, and he had not said anything ever since they got back into the car after they walked Grandma Wu into her house.


    Sigh.


    "You know, that was the twelfth time you have been heaving sighs ever since we left Risa''s place," he suddenly opened his mouth.


    Shao Yan was brought back to her attention. She swiftly turned her head around and looked at him.


    "I''m sorry," she paused, "I just... I just don''t know what to do, or what to say now. Things have been so tragic for her."


    Li Xiqing reached over and patted her head before he pulled his hand back to the steering wheel.


    "You don''t have to apologize to me. I was just saying it earlier for you to stop sighing."


    The traffic light just turned red, so he slowed the car down and stopped behind the white lines.


    "You know, sighing actually chased the happiness away," he glanced at her, "so, don''t sigh anymore."


    "You can see Risa is a very strong woman," he continued, "and what we can do right now, is to do whatever we can to support her and Kei."


    Shao Yan nodded absentmindedly, "En," she slowly said, "I know. I still can''t help myself to see her with a pitiful face. I know she will not want to see that."


    She reached out one hand and placed it on top of Li Xiqing''s forearm, "Help me to go through this, alright? Help reminding me that Sis is a strong woman, and that everything will be alright."


    He patted her hand, "You don''t even have to ask. That is my job. I am always here for you," and then he gave a light squeeze.


    A small smile appeared on her stunning face.


    She promised herself that she would do what she can to protect the family that she has right now. And she knew that Li Xiqing would always have her back.

 Chapter 227 - Promise

    "Fong, you should go eat now. I''ll take care of him," Risa said to the woman, Lim Fong, who had been taking care of Kei.


    "Yes, madam," Fong answered Risa courteously. She got up from her seat and started to walk out of the room. Just as she was about to exit the door, she remembered something. Fong walked back into the room, towards the bookcase by the window.


    Risa was wiping Kei''s fingers one by one, and she did not bother looking up to check on her. Fong picked up a tissue box and put it on the bedside table. Without a word, she continued to walk out of the room.


    As she closed the bedroom door, Fong could not help but sighed. Her lady boss was the strongest woman she had ever met. Not only once, but many nights she had caught her crying. For example, when Fong went to the bathroom in the middle of the night, she would hear sobs from the master bedroom.


    She knew that right now, Risa would be crying again as she was wiping his hands. Every time the madam had some time alone with the master, she would be talking to him. And as she talked, she would choke up, and tears would start to fall.


    Fong heaved a heavy sigh again.


    She walked to the kitchen and prepared her own dinner. Fong decided that she would eat really slowly, to let Risa spend more time letting out all of her pent up emotions.


    ....


    The sun had just set. Golden lights sprinkled through the sheer curtain into the room; and bathed all over the two people inside.


    The woman was sitting on the bedside like an angel. Her hair flowed like water; framing her petite face. Her almond eyes were watching the sleeping figure on the bed.


    Her sleeping prince.


    A basin of warm water was placed on the bedside table. Risa slowly reached out and dipped a cloth back into the basin. She squeezed the towel but kept it moist; and then she began wiping his fingers.


    "Are you having a good dream, my love?


    Her soft, spoken voice sounded like a melody in the tranquil room; filling through every corner of the room.


    "You have been traveling for a long time now, darling. It''s time to come home."


    Risa wiped the back of his hand gently, and then his wrist. These hands used to pat her head lovingly; his gingers would brush her hair while looking into her eyes, he would tell her how much he loved her.


    She slowly put one hand down, and lifted the other; Risa began wiping the fingers again.


    "The weather turned really cold these days; your hands are getting dryer, too."


    She sighed softly, "Remind me to buy a hand cream for you."


    Risa looked up and glanced at his face; slightly glaring as she said, "And, you are getting stingy now. How come you never visit me in my dreams anymore, darling?"


    She paused, as a tear fell down from the corner of her eyes, "You have promised me. That you will dream with me. Wh-what happ.." and she paused.


    Risa was not able to continue her words as she felt her throat tightened up and she started to remember their promises to each other.


    .......


    "So?" He buried his fingers in her hair, slowly massaging the scalp under his fingertips, "Do you like your birthday gift?"


    His stunning goddess was laying on top of him. One hand was caressing her hair; and the other was cupping her naked butt. He absentmindedly drew circles on her waist; she could feel his rough palm grazing her milky skin along the way.


    Her head nodded weakly, "En."


    Both of her arms were laid on top of his chest as she rested her chin over them and stared into her husband''s captivating eyes, "Why did you decide on a fashion store?"


    "Hmm.." Kei paused as he tried to form the words, "You have been thinking of retiring from a mundane 9 to 5 office job for a while now."


    He paused, and then slowly continued, "At the same time, a friend of mine talked me into going on fashion business with his sister."


    He ran his eyes and traced along her face line, "To be honest they don''t need our money, they just need our friendship," he twirled the end of her hair tips around his index fingers, "and my wife happens to love fashion."


    "So I thought, why not?" And then Kei tapped on her little nose, "Besides, in the future, when we have our own kids, you will have more flexible time for all of us if you run your own business."


    "En, you''re right," Risa wrinkled her nose and grinned back at him, "You always think many steps ahead for both of us."


    .......


    "I am so lucky to have you, my love" with her voice was slightly hoarse with emotions. She slowly leaned her head down, and rested her cheek on top of her arms, Risa continued, "Promise me that we will always be together?"


    Kei paused and did not say anything for a while.


    With her still laying on top of him, Ris slowly nudged her body against him.


    "Hm? Promise?"


    His fingers moved from her waist, and started to caress along her back, "No one will know what will happen in the future, my love."


    Just as she was about to sulk, he quickly continued, "But I promise you, even if we are not together, I will always accompany you in your dreams, so you will not be lonely."


    Risa jerked up and glared down at him, "What do you mean by ''not together''? Where will you go, hm?"


    "Which woman do you think will be able to handle you?" She slapped his chest, "I dare you to do something funny behind my back!"


    Kei burst into laughs, ''It seems that his kitten was thinking that he may cheat on her in the future,'' he thought to himself.


    He wrapped both hands around her waist and turned her around. The position was quickly reversed, Risa was laying under him now.


    With both hands caging her from each side, Kei stared deep into her eyes, "What were you thinking? How can I go to another woman, when I have this delicious goddess under me and by my side all this time?"


    He nudged her head and buried his nose into the hollow of her neck and inhaled her beautiful scents.


    And before Risa could voice out another complaint, Kei had caught her supple lips, and started to suck on it.


    .......


    His tongue hungrily searched for hers as his hands started to work on his magic by caressing all over her skin; turning her on for another round of madness.


    Just the thought of leaving her had brought a stinging pain in his heart.


    All of a sudden, he felt a deep longing in his heart. Kei was not able to control himself when he entered her; sending Risa to arch her back and screamed in pain and pleasure as she moaned his name loudly. He thrusted inside her over and over again; eager to claim her.


    Just the thought of leaving her had choked his breath and he was not willing to be separated.


    Not now.


    Not ever.


    She was his Risa, forever.

 Chapter 228 - Plans Over Plans

    The next few days flew by like winds. You could feel the breeze, but could not feel it enough when it had passed you by.


    Risa was quickly engulfed in the hectic schedule of the New Year. Both she and Shao Yan were soon pulled into different directions. People just kept looking for them to ask for advice on their project planning.


    And today was no different to the rest of their days.


    Every year, during these first few weeks, each department head would deliver their plan for the first and second quarters of the year. Today was Risa''s turn. Shao Yan was sitting in a conference room, while listening to Risa who was delivering her presentation up in the front.


    "Items to be discussed today are the Valentine''s day celebration, Lunar New Year celebration and then Spring Festival."


    Shao Yan flipped through the papers in her hands. Risa had outlined all the plans into a very detailed proposal. The tram quickly fell into the rhythm as the discussion went unstoppable around the room.


    ....


    "What do you think?"


    The whole room went into silence, but Shao Yan was still looking through the glass window. She seemed to be admiring the fluffy white clouds outside, but in actuality, she was busy daydreaming.


    "Shao Yan?"


    As she heard the mention of her name, Shao Yan quickly snapped back to reality. She turned her back around and saw that everyone in the room was looking at her.


    She smiled sheepishly, and cleared her throat.


    "Uh, I''m sorry, what did you say?"


    Risa folded both of her arms in front of her chest and feigned anger, "It''s still too early to fall asleep, miss Shao! Or is there any good looking hunk flying out in the sky?"


    The whole room filled with laughter as people exchanged looks with one another and looked at the flustered looking Shao Yan.


    "I was asking you, how is the Meet and Greet plan for Valentine''s Day?"


    Shao Yan looked down and started to read from her mobile tablet in her hands, "The venue was already confirmed, we will have a total of fifteen authors that will join us on that day."


    She paused, "The morning session will be a talk show and the media will be there. And then after lunch break, we will start the multiple events designed for each author."


    Risa nodded at her words, "Alright, now everyone, let''s group out and start to discuss the individual plans for that session."


    ....


    Everyone stayed for almost the whole day inside the conference room. Slightly before five in the afternoon, Risa finally wrapped up the meeting.


    "Alright, everyone, safe drive home, I''ll see you tomorrow. Have a good evening."


    One by one, people started to rise up from their seat and walk out of the room. Shao Yan stayed behind, as she wanted to ask Risa a few questions.


    Just as she approached her, however, Risa beat her to the punch.


    "What is your plan for Lunar New Year?" Risa asked.


    Shao Yan, who had many questions in her mind suddenly lost tracks of her own thoughts, and she drew a blank look.


    "Uh�� Isn''t that the end of February?" She started to say, "Well.. To be honest, I don''t really have any plans."


    She paused to think for a while before continuing, "Qi Ling, my housemate, will be back around that time. Xiqing''s parents are visiting too. So maybe I will be busy during those two weeks off."


    Shao Yan looked up and stared at Risa, "Why did you ask? What about you and Grandma?"


    Risa picked up her tablet from the table, and started to walk out of the room with Shao Yan, "Grandma was actually mentioning that she wanted to visit your parents'' graveyard."


    Shao Yan who was walking next to her, suddenly stopped in her tracks.


    "What did you say?"


    Risa turned her body to face Shao Yan, and spoke very softly, "Yan Yan, I know that things ended in bad terms between you and your father. But it is the New Year anyway, so, you should still pay your respect, don''t you think so?"


    After she finished saying that, she turned her body back around, "Besides, if Xiqing is really serious about you, sooner or later, you have to introduce him to your parents too."


    As she blinked her eyes, over and over again, Shao Yan watched her figure that walked further and further away.


    She had never thought of this at all.


    Shao Yan had always thought that she was alone anyway, and Grandma had met him, and she had also approved of him.


    But she forgot that she still had a past that Xiqing would love to know of.


    Raising her chin up high, Shao Yan quickly gathered her feet and walked faster to catch Risa.


    ''En, maybe Sis is right. I should have thought about introducing Xiqing to the family soon," Shao Yan thought to herself as she chased behind Risa and got into the elevator.


    ....


    Upon hearing the door was being opened, Shao Yan switched off the fan from the stove.


    She was about to shout out to welcome Li Xiqing home, when someone else''s voice was heard.


    "Yan Yan?" Mandy was calling from the foyer as she took off her shoes and changed to the house slippers, "Are you in the kitchen?"


    "Yes!" She answered back at her and quickly washed her hands in the sink, "I''m here!"


    Shao Yan heard the flopping sound of the slippers starting to approach the kitchen, and then her stunning face was within her sight.


    "What are you cooking?" Mandy peeked in from the kitchen door, and then she walked in.


    "Oh!" She answered as she dried her hands with a paper towel, "Just some boiled herbal chicken soup and stir fry broccoli with garlic. Would you like to join us for dinner?"


    Mandy shook her head as she walked to the stove and opened the lid of the herbal chicken soup, "No, thank you for the invite though, I have finished my cooking, too, and Axel is already downstairs."


    She closed the lid back, and looked at Shao Yan while smiling so sweetly, "He''s parking his car."


    "Yan Yan," Mandy started to say, "the reason I''m here is to ask you what Grandma''s favorite color is. I have prepared some jewelry and scarves to give her for our first meeting gift ideas, but I can''t decide on the colors."


    "Qing Qing told me to ask you, although he also suggested some soft colors, like soft purple or dark moss green. What do you think?"


    Mandy pulled up her phone, and started to show her some images from her phone gallery, "Here, look at these pictures."


    Shao Yan swiped through some of the images, "I don''t think Grandma is a picky person. I also remember seeing her wearing quite colorful clothes before, so it is very hard to know her favorite." She handed the phone back to Mandy, "You can pick whatever you see is pretty for her, Grandma would be very satisfied with that already."


    Mandy suddenly threw herself at Shao Yan and squeezed her into a hug, "En, thank you, Yan Yan."


    She separated herself from Yan Yan and put both hands on Shao Yan''s upper arms while saying, "I should go back now, Axel should be already at home by now."


    Shao Yan nodded at her words, but before she said anything, Mandy had cut her off, "You don''t have to send me out, I''ll go by myself, and you can continue cooking, bye bye!" And then she briskly walked out.


    Shao Yan was stunned at her figure who left as soon as she came. Smiling to herself, Shao Yan shook her head slowly and turned around to the stove; and she started to cook again.


    As Mandy stepped outside, she quickly unlocked her phone, and started typing on her messaging application, ''Mommy, it''s definitely C cup! Let''s go with red color. Yan Yan has very pretty milky skin, red lingerie will look awesome on her!''

 Chapter 229 - 818

    "Oh? You''re home?"


    Shao Yan peeked from the kitchen and saw Li Xiqing was taking off his shoes.


    "Dinner''s ready, come to the dining room, alright?" And as she finished saying that, Shao Yan quickly turned around and went back inside the kitchen. She started to scoop a chicken thigh from the pot into a blue and white ceramic bowl.


    As they were seated down at the dining table, Shao Yan passed a pair of chopsticks to Li Xiqing, "Mandy was here just now."


    "Oh?" He picked up his bowl of rice, "Did she need anything?"


    Shao Yan shook her head, "No, she was just asking about Grandma''s favorite color."


    She picked up some vegetables and put them into her bowl, "We had a long meeting today, and I felt so tired. Let''s watch that Korean drama that I have been wanting to watch for a while now?"


    Li Xiqing was about to pick up his spoon and scooped some of the herbal chicken soup. His hands paused when he heard Shao Yan mentioned about watching some Korean TV drama.


    "Sure," he cleared his throat, "uh, which one is it?"


    Shao Yan giddily started to describe the drama series.


    "It''s a Fantasy Romance drama about two gods who are always against each other. One is cursed to live a long life, while the other is actually a grim reaper."


    She paused, before continuing, "Fan jie and Li Na have been talking about this for days now, so I got curious. Let''s try watching the first two episodes tonight, alright?"


    Li Xiqing nodded his head, "Sure, let''s do that."


    But in his mind, he could have guessed that Shao Yan will soon or later want to watch this series. When he went out for lunch with his coworkers today, some of the females were already discussing the ''friendship bromance'' between the two male characters.


    Shao Yan continued to talk about her day as they ate and Li Xiqing listened to her; sometimes he would throw comments here and there.


    A quiet night like this, a simple dinner at home with a wife accompanying him, was all he could ask for.


    ....


    It was a cloudy day today. The time was only around eleven in the morning, but dark clouds had been hanging around the whole day; making the air so gloomy. Some parts of the roads were filled with patches of water due to the sprinkles they had this morning.


    A shiny, black sedan stopped in front of the classic colonial building. The valet boy briskly walked to the passenger seat and opened the door.


    An old elegant woman was sitting elegantly in the back seat of the car. She was wearing dark blue cheongsam. The velvet material gave off a warm feeling on this cold and rainy day.


    At the front of her dress, motifs of flowers, clouds and water were sown in red threads and red sequins. Three mandarin collar buttons were decorating the side of her shoulder, making her look as gentle as the morning dew.


    The valet boy offered one of his hands so he could help the middle aged woman to step out of the car. Grandma Wu reached one hand out and placed it on the valet boy while saying, "Thank you, young man."


    The valet boy blushed at the gratitude shown by the grandmother. He had just started the job a week ago, and most of his customers had barely even spared him a glance. But this simple ''thank you'' for this customer made him feel so grateful; his heart swell with pride.


    As he was about to walk further to enter the building, another woman had approached them.


    "Let me," She said, while taking the elderly woman''s hand into her own, "our reservation is room 818. Please note that on the car. Thank you."


    The two women gave him a polite smile before continuing to walk away. Valet boy quickly walked to the driver side and drove the car away.


    ....


    Grandma Wu and Risa had just walked into the restaurant when Shao Yan and Li Xiqing had also just arrived.


    When they walked inside the room, Shao Yan noticed that they were the last to arrive.


    Mandy and Axel were already sitting inside, and they were laughing amicably with Grandma Wu and also Risa.


    "Oh!" Risa exclaimed, "Yan Yan, you finally arrived."


    Shao Yan nodded, "En," and then she entered the room and went up to the remaining empty chairs next to Risa, "The other exit was closed, so we have to turn around and exit the other way."


    Risa waved her hand in front of her, "It''s fine, we also have just arrived," she said and then she tilted her head to the side, "maybe ten minutes before you?"


    "Oh," Shao Yan was standing in front of Grandma Wu, "That''s good then, I thought we were already so late."


    She bent down and squeezed Grandma Wu into a hug, "Grandma!"


    Looking at her spoiled granddaughter, Grandma Wu felt so happy, all she had on her face was all smiles. She patted Yan Yan on her back, "En, let''s sit now." Shao Yan slowly eased her hug, and stepped to the side to let Li Xiqing approach Grandma.


    "Grandma," Li Xiqing who was walking behind Shao Yan had approached Grandma Wu to give her a hug, "How have you been doing?"


    Grandma Wu nodded multiple times, "En, I''m fine, all good. Sit down now."


    Seeing that they were now a complete party, Axel raised his hand to signal the server to come over. Once the waitress was standing next to him, he glanced at Mandy, "You can start to order now, I think everyone is hungry."


    Mandy smiled and nodded back at him, "I have called ahead yesterday and ordered the dishes," and then she tilted her head to look at the server, "you can serve the food now. We are ready. Thank you."


    The server nodded her acknowledgment, before she excused herself and walked out of the private room.


    Soft erhu music was playing in the background.


    The six people in the room started to talk with each other over cups of fragrant flower tea while snacking on some appetizers while waiting for the main dishes to arrive.


    ....


    "That room over there..."


    A server who was showing the way suddenly paused her track when she heard the customer asking her a question.


    The server glanced to the private room 818, and then back to her customer with a questioning look; urging the customer to say more.


    The server was not able to take his eyes away over the breathtaking look of this customer in front of her. Her long, wavy ash blonde hair was swaying as she turned her head and looked at the people inside the room.


    The woman stared through the glass window by the door; she was looking at the joyous moment inside the room. All six people were laughing with each other. If no one knew, they would easily assume they were all one big happy family.


    Her soft perfume filled this narrow alley where the two of them were standing. For a moment, the waitress was lost in a valley of flowers surrounding her smell senses; before she gradually remembered that she was supposed to show this customer into her own private room.


    "Yes, mam? Your room is over there," The server finally asked her a question, "What about this room?"


    She did not say anything for a long while, before she opened her beautiful tinted lips and said, "Do you mind, checking a small thing for me."


    She turned her head and stared into the server''s eyes, "Can you please find out if the person who booked this room is Daniel Li?"

 Chapter 230 - Ice Cream With Cherry On Top

    "Xiqing, did you say your parents are coming to visit next month?"


    Li Xiqing put down the tea cup that he was holding in his hands.


    "Yes, Grandma," and then he glanced at Mandy, "my sister has finalized their travel plans. They should be here just in time to spend Lunar Year with us."


    Grandma Wu nodded with satisfaction, "En, that''s good," and then she picked up her tea cup to take a sip, "arrange another meal session with them."


    Li Xiqing nodded along with her words, "Of course, Grandma. It is also already planned."


    The meal had just finished and everyone was just sitting around and chatting idly over cups of flower tea. Some petite sweet treats were served in front of them as desserts.


    "... and so we can tell Patrick to suit up...."


    Shao Yan who was talking to Risa about some work stuff, was distracted when Grandma started to talk about meeting the parents. She paused her words half way, and was about to add herself to the conversation; but she held herself back. She would just talk to Li Xiqing separately tonight about visiting her parents'' graveyard.


    ....


    After the lunch was done, Li Xiqing and Axel went into a heated battle about who would pay for the meal. After a good five minute argument, Axel won the battle gloriously; causing all the ladies in the room to laugh at their childish behavior.


    "Too bad, Daniel," Axel said while signing his name on the receipt, "I will never let you steal my thunder in front of these pretty ladies," using the pen in his hands, Axel made a swiping move around the room to point at Grandma, Risa, Shao Yan and Mandy.


    He winked at Li Xiqing before continuing, "Your diaper is still wet. Wait for ten more years, kiddo!"


    He closed the receipt holder and capped the pen back, "Right, Grandma?" And then he smirked; exuding his charm at the elderly.


    Grandma Wu burst out in laughter; using her index fingers, she pointed to him while shaking her head speechlessly, "You, ah you... I am already this old, I can not laugh too much."


    Mandy and Risa laughed along Grandma Wu; while Shao Yan silently rubbed her hands on Li Xiqing''s upper arm. She put on a pitiful face before saying, "Xiqing, it''s okay, don''t be sad."


    And then when she received a glare from the man, she quickly pursed her lips to avoid the laughter to escape from her lips.


    ....


    "Alright, be careful, Grandma," Shao Yan said shile leaning on the car window. She reached in and tidied up the shawl that had been draped over her shoulder.


    "The weather is still cold, don''t fall sick, Grandma."


    Grandma Wu patted her hand, "Don''t worry, child. You go back to Xiqing now, Shaoying and I will leave first."


    Shao Yan nodded and stepped back from the car, she stood next to Li Xiqing and started to wave her hands, "See you, Grandma, Sis! Drive safe."


    Risa waved her hand casually before starting the car and drove away.


    Just as Shao Yan about to say something to Li Xiqing, Mandy had walked over to them. The four of them were standing in front of the restaurant now. It was only slightly after three in the afternoon. While the sun was shining brightly, the weather was also a little chilly. Feeling the direction of the wind, Axel and Li Xiqing stood against the current to protect the beloved women by their side.


    "Yan Yan, shall we go eat ice cream?" Mandy said after she stood next to Shao Yan. She glanced back at her and her eyes started to twinkle with excitement.


    "Sounds like a good idea!" Shao Yan quickly said. She turned to the side and linked her hand around Li Xiqing''s arm, "What do you say?"


    His head was looking at down at the little woman by his side. His gaze was showering her face with warm and tenderness as he slowly smiled at her and nodded, "Of course, let''s go."


    Mandy, who was standing while facing the main door was about to say something when the double glass door opened and a figure stepped out. She saw the person who had just walked out of the restaurant building and her face could not hide the surprise that started to sprout in her heart.


    The woman was holding a pair of sunglasses in her hands, and was about to put them on when she noticed that Mandy was staring at her. She returned her stare.


    Mandy was surprised to see her here. Her mouth was opened wide and her eyes were glued to the gorgeous woman who was clad in black and white striped dress.


    The woman finally noticed there were four people in front of the restaurant. As she looked at the faces, she was equally stunned for a few seconds before collected herself and started to walk over to approach the group.


    ....


    "Hello, Sis," she smiled at Mandy as she greeted her.


    The sun was shining on her long wavy ash blonde hair. Soft fringe was covering her forehead that swayed a little when she looked around at the four people.


    Her glossy, tinted lips gradually curved into a sweet smile and Shao Yan could see a small dimple appear at the corner of her mouth.


    "Oh!" Mandy exclaimed, "It''s really you! I was wondering why your face looks so familiar."


    The petite woman smiled even wider at Mandy''s remarks. With one hand, she elegantly swiped her hair to the side; revealing her beautiful ears with a pair of Swarovski crystal earrings in the shape of cherries.


    She walked closer to Mandy and Axel and then raised both arms; squeezing Mandy into a tight hug.


    "I have been missing you, Sis. How are you?" And then she glanced to the side and stared at Axel. She dragged her stare from his head down to his black, Italian leather shoes, before she turned back to Mandy.


    Using her index finger, she also tilted her head slightly while asking Mandy, "Brother in law?"


    Before Mandy could answer, Axel suddenly reached out one hand and offered to shake her hand, "Just call me Axel is fine. You don''t have to call me Brother in Law."


    Hearing what Axel just said, a hint of wisdom struck her mind and Mandy decided to keep quiet and only smiled politely. She stood still next to Axel and stole a glance at Li Xiqing and Yan Yan.


    Shao Yan, with her hand still linked around Li Xiqing''s arm, had a questioning look on her face, as she looked up to see Li Xiqing was also staring at the woman. As she was about to look away, however, Li Xiqing suddenly returned her glance and smiled back at Shao Yan.


    Having shook Axel''s hand, the woman finally turned her sight onto Shao Yan and Li Xiqing. Her eyes were focusing on their linked arms, before her eyes curved into another smile and turned her body slightly to face Li Xiqing face to face.


    "Hello, Danny, it''s been a while."

 Chapter 231 - Adorable

    Her dress was fluttering when the slight wind passed by. The soft hair was dancing along the breeze, and everyone around her could smell the valley of flowers emitted from her.


    "Hello, Danny. It''s been a while!"


    Shao Yan was stunned upon hearing the familiar nickname come out from the woman''s lips. Her eyebrows were raised in surprise, but she quickly adjusted her expression before the woman turned her gaze on to her.


    Without waiting for Li Xiqing to reply to her, the woman glanced to the side; she shifted her attention to Shao Yan immediately. She scanned her quickly from head to toe before gradually letting out a very sweet smile and offered her hand to Shao Yan.


    "Hello, I''m Vivian. You can just call me Viv."


    Shao Yan paused for a few seconds as her eyes were staring at the manicured fingers in front of her and decided to return her gestures. She smiled back at the woman and reached out her own hands to shake hers, "Hello, I''m Shao Yan. Nice to meet you."


    Vivian slowly let go off her hands, and glanced back at Li Xiqing.


    "What a coincidence, Danny. Shanghai is really small, huh! I trust you are fine?"


    Li Xiqing casually wrapped his hand around Shao Yan''s waist as he nodded back at Vivian.


    "How are you, Viv? George did not come with you?"


    Her face was maintaining a smile the whole time. She looked down slightly while giving out a soft chuckle, "He is back in New York."


    She paused while showing a solemn expression, and after a long while; both Shao Yan and Li Xiqing could hear her mumbled.


    "And I am here because our divorce was just finalized."


    ....


    Right as she was about to continue, a car pulled up and stopped near to where they were standing.


    Vivian adjusted her hold on her purse as she scanned the faces of the four people around her, "Well, this is my ride."


    "Sis, give me your number," Vivian took out her mobile phone and handed it over to Mandy, "let''s meet up for lunch some time."


    Mandy took the phone and keyed in her number before returning it back, "En, I''ll catch up with you soon!"


    Vivian received her phone back, and nodded, and then she glanced back at Li Xiqing and Shao Yan before walking to her car.


    Mandy waved her hands happily at her departing figure.


    As the car pulled away, she linked her hands around Shao Yan''s arm, "Yan Yan, let''s go. We still have to hunt for ice cream!" And without waiting for Shao Yan to reply, Mandy had dragged her away from Li Xiqing.


    ....


    The restaurant was located next to an outdoor mall.


    It was almost Valentine''s Day. The streets and shops were decorated in a similar color scheme. Everything around them was either red ribbons or white balloons; pink color boxes or chocolates.


    "Where should we go, Yan Yan?"


    Mandy and Shao Yan were walking side by side; Mandy still had her hands linked around Shao Yan by her arm. Two tall men were seen walking behind them; following their every step close wherever the two women were heading.


    "Let''s see this one, Sis! Look! They have the new blush on now," Shao Yan said as she pointed to a shop with a blue and white interior.


    Variety of shops were lining up to their left and right. Shao Yan and Mandy were so distracted. Some shops had set up a small table outside of their shops to display some stuff to entice people to come inside. They kept stopping on each table to see what they had to offer.


    "She''s the one from five years ago?"


    Axel asked in a low voice as his eyes were following Mandy as she and Shao Yan stepped into a South Korean beauty shop. Li Xiqing crossed both arms in front of his chest. The two men stood outside the shop while waiting for their women who were looking at lip gloss happily.


    "En," he answered while looking at the tip of his own shoes.


    He raised his head back up and looked at Axel, "I guess I have to tell Yan Yan now, huh?"


    Axel raised his eyebrows as he said in surprise, "Wait a minute! So, you''re saying she doesn''t know yet?"


    "Well," Li Xiqing gave a slight shrug, "She never asked, and I don''t think the topic is important because it''s already in the past and we already have our own life."


    "But I don''t need unnecessary misunderstanding. Anything, no matter how small, if it has the possibility to jeopardize our relationship, I will straighten it out."


    ....


    "What flavor do you want?" Li Xiqing said while looking at her face.


    After two hours of strolling around, the four of them finally stood inside an ice cream shop. Facing the tens to fifteen flavors in front of them, Shao Yan could not seem to decide which one to have.


    "Let''s do uh..." She paused as she scanned the counter from left to the right, "Let''s do a chocolate waffle bowl with yuzu and caramel mocha, please."


    Mandy also placed in her order, "I will have the strawberry waffle bowl with rum and raisin. And also, the mango sorbet, please."


    It was a small shop that could fit in only about twenty people at the most. They decided to sit by the glass counter that faced the street outside.


    Mandy and Shao Yan sat in the middle with the two men occupied the seats to their left and right side; each couple sharing their own ice cream bowl.


    "Xiqing, Yan Yan, this will be your first Valentine''s Day together, right?" Mandy said before biting her spoon.


    "Did you plan anything special, Daniel?" Axel joined in.


    Li Xiqing glanced at Shao Yan, before smirking and looked back at Axel, "Of course! Everything is all set. And now you ruined the surprise because I have not gotten the chance to tell her myself."


    Mandy jerked to the back of her chair as she laughed out loud while looking at Li Xiqing and his pouting face.


    "Qing Qing! Hahaha! Your pouting face is adorable!"


    Shao Yan glanced to the side, and she could not hold back a smile. She put down her spoon and then she reached out one hand and cupped Li Xiqing on his cheek. She said as she giggled, "Hehe Xiqing, you are being called adorable."

 Chapter 232 - Spinach Quiche

    The ride home was smooth and undisturbed.


    It was after the sunset, but before the night arrived, the four of them decided to call it a day and went home.


    Shao Yan was admiring the glittering lights from the buildings around her when she heard Li Xiqing asked a question.


    "What do you want to eat for dinner?"


    Shao Yan glanced at him, "Uh.."


    Her mind lagged for a few seconds, and the question came too abrupt in the middle of her daydreaming.


    "I am actually still kind of full," She slowly said, "maybe let''s just buy some fruits and eat them at home?"


    Li Xiqing pondered at her suggestions, before giving a brisk nod, "Alright, that''s not a bad idea," he said while changing the lane and started to drive towards the supermarket.


    "So," she started to say, "uh... what is that about?"


    "Huh?" Li Xiqing gave her a quick glance, as he was still driving the car on the highway at the moment, "What do you mean?"


    "The Valentine''s Day plan," She replied to him and then she stayed silent.


    When Li Xiqing was about to reply to her, Shao Yan suddenly continued, "And also... About Vivian."


    She was looking intently into his face, "I mean, I saw the way she was looking at you."


    Her eyes scanned his every expressions; starting from his eyes, and then his nose tip. His chiseled jaw was set firm as he was concentrating on driving the car.


    In a slow motion, Shao Yan saw he parted his lips as he was about to say something. She quickly averted her gaze back to the window, "You know what? Never mind, let''s talk about that at home."


    Li Xiqing saw the back of her head as she glued her eyesight back onto the scenery that was moving fast outside.


    "Yan Yan," he called her softly.


    Shao Yan turned her head around and stared back into his eyes.


    "Be more confident in your ask. I will tell you everything. Just ask me anything you want to know."


    ....


    "Viv and I met when we were still in college."


    "She initially was living in a different state," he started to tell the story, "but she moved to our city when she was dating a senior guy, Liam, who I played hockey with. Basically all of us just sort of hung out together."


    Li Xiqing paused as he signaled the car to change lanes and exit the highway.


    "When Liam graduated he needed to move to San Francisco for work. But Viv still spent more time with us like usual."


    "Five months after he was away, she broke up with him because she said she could not handle a long distance relationship," he gave a little shrug, "eventually, Viv and I spent more time together, and we naturally got together."


    His tone was neutral. Shao Yan looked at his poker face. It seemed that the event had happened many years in the past that he grew nonchalant about it; as if he was just telling a story of a friend, and not his own.


    "Things were fine between us for the first few years, until both of us started to get busy with work."


    The car stopped and Li Xiqing parked the car. He turned to the side and glanced at Shao Yan, "We have arrived, let''s get some fruits?"


    Shao Yan looked around her and noticed that they were now in the basement of a supermarket parking garage. She nodded as she reached to the side to open the door, "En, let''s go."


    ....


    "And then, what happened?"


    Shao Yan was walking next to Li Xiqing as he pushed the shopping cart in front of him. It was approaching dinner time, but the crowd in the supermarket was still decent. As it was the weekend, families with children were seen walking around. Shao Yan also noticed some young couples, similar to themselves, were shopping for groceries as well.


    "Vivian was an accountant and she earned really well."


    Li Xiqing stopped the cart next to stacks of rice, and then he bent down to pick one bag up and put it in the cart, "But the stress took a toll on her, so she decided to be a jewelry designer."


    They continued walking, "It was a rough patch when she just started because she had to find her own clients. So, she had to socialize with a lot of people to market her skill and her products."


    When the crowd suddenly picked up, Li Xiqing paused what he was saying to step to the side, his other hand wrapped around Shao Yan by her waist. He steered her to walk at the inner aisle while he walked at the outer side. He did not want to see other people bumped into her.


    "At the same time, AG International was just branching out. We decided to open another branch in another state so I had to travel a lot, " he glanced at Shao Yan, "gradually, both of us spent less and lesser time together."


    Li Xiqing paused before asking her, "Where should we go next? Fruits and vegetable section?"


    "En, we need to buy spinach," Shao Yan nodded, "I want to bake some spinach quiche this weekend. Mandy was telling me she was craving the one from Paolo''s in New York, so I want to try recreating it for her."


    Li Xiqing returned her smile and nodded, and then together they started to walk to the left section towards the fresh produce.


    "You have to stop pampering her," He started to say, "Mandy can bake her own dish, you know? She is a great cook. Her mother in law owns many restaurants in Germany too."


    Shao Yan burst into laughter, "You do realize that me pampering her is also the same with me pampering you?" She said as she linked her hands around his arm, "Are you not happy with how I chose to pamper you, then, Mister?"


    Li Xiqing raised a finger to tap on her nose tip, "Of course I love it, my point is, don''t tire yourself."


    "En, I know," Shao Yan winked at him before she let out a wide grin and nodded docilely, "so what happened next?"


    "One day, a friend told me that he saw Viv in Los Angeles, that she was shopping around with another man when she was supposedly staying in New York," he said as he tore a plastic bag for Shao Yan to bag some oranges that she was holding on to.


    "But, I would prefer to trust my partner than others, so I brushed it off."

 Chapter 233 - Gone With The Wind

    Shao Yan put the oranges in her hands into the bag that Li Xiqing was holding; she stayed quiet as she listened to him retelling his story. Her heart was beating uneasily the whole time. Story about betrayals and affairs had never sat well with her. Love and commitment have always been hailed as the ultimate reason people choose to stay together. But she could not figure out how fragile relationships are.


    He tied the plastic bag and put it in the cart, "I chose to trust her but soon, I found myself hearing this not only from one person. Two or three friends would text me and ask to meet up because they all thought I was travelling with her."


    "Friends from LA or Chicago, and even from London. They told me the same thing that Viv was spotted walking with a guy."


    Shao Yan paused on her track, she said softly, "Did you confront her about this?"


    Li Xiqing also paused his steps and turned to the side to look at her, "I was planning to but then..." and then he scoffed in disgust, "I saw them with my own eyes."


    ....


    San Francisco, Financial District


    It was a bright, sunny day under the breezy California spring weather. Two men were seen exiting from a tall, fancy building behind them; both had magnificent, confident smiles on their faces.


    One man was wearing an all navy blue striped suit; he was walking next to another guy dressed in a lighter color. The other guy was looking less formal, with white shirt, dark blue jeans, and dark brown leather sport jacket.


    The man in a navy suit reached out his hand to shake the other guy''s hand, "Well, Daniel, when I am visiting New York next month, we should go to the famous sushi chef you told me about!"


    "Caleb," Li Xiqing returned his handshake, "Of course! Vivian and I will be happy to be your host."


    The two gentlemen continue to walk towards the cable car station.


    "Are we seriously going to the pier now?" Caleb asked Daniel as the two of them waited for the cable car to arrive.


    Li Xiqing folded his arms in front of his chest, "Of course, the winery by the pier is pretty tasty," he looked up at watched the clouds dancing in the blue sky, "and this is the perfect weather to kick back and celebrate the deal."


    Caleb slapped his hand on Daniel''s shoulder, "You sure know how to enjoy life, man!" And then he roared in laughter.


    Daniel shrugged and a smirk escaped the corner of his lips,, "We have been working on this deal for the past six months, I think we both deserve that pat in the back."


    Just as he finished saying that, the cable car stopped in front of them. The two men stepped on the carriage and got in. Caleb handed over some cash to the attendant who was greeting them by the door.


    "Then, this is the more reason we should open a bottle!" Caleb said before he stepped further inside the car.


    ....


    San Francisco, Pier area


    "So let me repeat your order," a woman who was standing by their table was holding onto a tablet while she keyed in their orders.


    "Truffle oil cheese fries, smoked sea-salt mixed nuts as well as a bottle of year 2000 Pierre Montagne Cabernet Sauvignon. Are those all, Sir?"


    Caleb nodded as he handed the menu in his hand to the server, "Yes, thank you."


    She received the booklet from Caleb and Daniel and then swiftly walked away.


    "So," Caleb said as he lighted up his cigar, "when is the big day?" He was holding a small wooden cigar box in his hands. He made a gesture of offering the box to Daniel; who politely raised his hand to reject the offer.


    "No, I''m fine. Thanks though," Li Xiqing said, "well, Viv loves the fall. So we are thinking somewhere in September or October."


    Caleb raised his eyebrows in surprise, "That''s in six months! Are you guys rushing because there''s a bun on the way?"


    "Haha! No!" Li Xiqing laughed as he picked up a tall glass of water and took a sip, "I just thought the timing is right, and that we can go on honeymoon during the winter holidays. It''s going to be perfect!"


    The two best friends continued to chat about the wedding plans while they''re waiting for the fries and wine to come.


    A short moment later, the food and drink were served. Caleb raised up his wine glass as he said excitedly, "Well, man! Congratulations! Let me raise my glass to cheer on your many years of torture."


    "I would say how stupid you are for getting tied down, but hey! Maybe I am the stupid one!" He burst in laughs again.


    While he was laughing, Li Xiqing clinked his own wine glass to him, "Thanks, man! When you finally find the one, you will know why I did this."


    ....


    ''Just finished my meeting. We closed the deal. What are you doing?'' - sent 12.08 PM


    ''Just finished my lunch with the client. You?'' - received 14.12 PM


    ''About to celebrate with Caleb. Anything you want from SF?'' - sent 14.13 PM


    ''Viv?'' - sent 15.03 PM


    ''No, nothing, babe. Just remember to not go to the Pier because they are closed for renovation work.'' - received 16.45 PM


    ....


    Li Xiqing looked up from his phone and glanced at Caleb, "I think we should change our route home? Viv told me there are renovation works at the Pier...." And right after he said that, Li Xiqing paused, and creased his forehead. He looked down at his phone in his hands as he tilted his head; thinking.


    Caleb, who just got back from the restroom, was still standing next to the table. He stretched his neck and looked around the restaurant.


    This wine and cheese restaurant was located by the pier in the touristiest place in San Francisco. Caleb had been here multiple times and he knew the quality of the drinks and the food were acceptable to the standard. And this was the reason why he always brought his guests over here.


    After looking around the surroundings a couple of times, he said, "I don''t think so," and then he looked back at Li Xiqing, "they would have closed the road on the way in, if there are renovation works around this area."


    "Yeah.. Uh.." Li Xiqing nodded absentmindedly, "I have settled the tab, by the way."


    Caleb looked at him in surprise, "What? It was supposed to be my treat! We are celebrating here."


    Li Xiqing pushed the chair back as he stood up, "No worries, man. As you said we are celebrating, so this is on me. It''s fine."


    They started to walk to the exit to take a taxi ride back to the office.


    They started to talk about the wine and dining scene in San Francisco and how it compared to New York City when Caleb, who was looking at the front, looked distracted when answering Daniel''s questions.


    Li Xiqing turned his head to see what Caleb was looking at.


    A woman in a bright blue sleeveless sundress was walking next to a man in a white polo shirt and dark blue jeans. A slight breeze blew past them and the woman started to shiver a little. Her long, wavy hair was dancing along the gentle wind around her.


    The two of them stopped on their tracks before the man slowly took off his jacket. He then moved behind the woman and draped his jacket around her shoulder. He gently grabbed a lock of her hair and slipped them out from behind the jacket. She tilted her head slightly as she gave him a big smile.


    The man returned her smile before his arm wrapped around her waist and planted a soft kiss on the side of her head, near the temple area. The woman closed her eyelids as she received the kiss. The man looked in adoration at the angelic looking face in front of him. He could not resist himself at her charming smile when he slowly lowered his head and then kissed the corner of her lips.


    Looking confused at the scene in front of him; Li Xiqing felt his heart drop and his anger slowly rise.


    ".... Dan, that... isn''t that Vivian?"

 Chapter 234 - Emotions

    "Daniel, isn''t that.. Viv?"


    Even though Caleb was standing right next to him, but Li Xiqing felt as if he was standing so far away.


    His head was throbbing with confusion and then he felt his anger gradually rise up. Li Xiqing was stunned on his feet. A lot of questions ran through his mind at the moment.


    His left feet started to march forward, but a hand grabbed his arm; stopping him on his track.


    "Hold on, man. What are you going to do?" Caleb was holding Li Xiqing by his upper arm, "You gotta tell me your plans, man, so I know what to do. Are we hitting his face or are we punching his gut?"


    "Stay out of this, Caleb," Li Xiqing wiggled his arm free from the hostage, "I know you meant well, but I have to face them alone."


    Once he set his arm free, Li Xiqing continued his march towards the couple. His eyes were set on the woman who was snuggling closer to the man who had his arms around her shoulder.


    The couple was still walking leisurely; while chatting with one another; oblivious of the wrath that was coming their way.


    ....


    "Stop being angry at me anymore, I''ll pamper you the whole day today."


    "You won''t know how," Vivian said while feigning a pout, "you left me alone all day yesterday. You care more about your meeting than of me."


    With his free hand, the man gently pinched her cheek, "Of course I care more about you, pumpkin. Guess what? There''s a surprise waiting for you back in our apartment," He grinned cheekily at her.


    "The handbag that you were eyeing for last week? I had them ordered especially for you," he tapped his index finger on the tip of her nose, "using the crocodile skin that you have been wanting to have. So they are custom made only for you, pumpkin."


    Vivian was ecstatic when she heard that; immediately, she threw herself onto the man''s embrace and circled both arms around his neck.


    "Are you serious?" She giggled in excitement, "You are the best, my pudding!" She said as she laughed out loud.


    Just as she was about to snuggle more, her whole body reflexively tensed up when she noticed a familiar face appeared within her peripheral views. Both of her arms were hanging lose over her man''s shoulder; but she slowly slid them down in panic.


    "... Da- Danny..."


    "Yes, Vivian," Li Xiqing answered with a suppressed anger in his voice. He sounded so deep and strenuous, as if he was holding back from exploding.


    "How gracious of you to still remember your fianc��''s name."


    ....


    It was as if he had been living a sweet dream and his eyes were finally open to the reality at that time.


    The woman who he thought he had known his whole life; was now looking so different from what he had remembered her to be.


    Her hair looked amazing; the waves and curls were framing her petite, snow white face perfectly.


    Her makeup looked flawless; even under this bright San Francisco weather, she looked wonderful as usual.


    His eyes traveled down to her outfit and accessories. She was wearing the items that he had never seen before. Her dress looked new. Her purse looked expensive. The glittering jewelries on her neck and her wrists were sparkling on her body, making her look more perfect than ever.


    She had put on the very best version of her.


    But Li Xiqing knew that one thing was missing.


    His eyes locked onto her one finger.


    His ring.


    His ring was missing from her hand.


    And on those slender fingers, there was another ring that he had never seen before. Another man had put another ring there; claiming herself as his own.


    ....


    Li Xiqing looked up and stared right into Vivian''s eyes.


    "And who is this?" He asked straight to the point.


    Vivian opened her mouth to say something, but closed it before she could form any words.


    "You don''t know how to answer? Or you don''t want to answer?"


    Li Xiqing glanced at the man. The other man was also looking at him; confused.


    After making sure he had his attention, Daniel returned his gaze back to Vivian.


    "Are you her brother? Or her father?" He asked while keeping his eyes locked onto her.


    And before the man could answer, Li Xiqing continued.


    "Or maybe her boyfriend?"


    He paused.


    "... perhaps ... her husband then?"


    Vivian was looking more and more pale as he went on with his questioning. Her body language and body stance were leaning more and more towards the foreign man next to her.


    Li Xiqing could feel his blood boiling; his temple throbbed in ache.


    He clenched and unclenched his fists while trying to hold in his rage.


    He felt so disappointed.


    .......


    "I am her fianc��, who the hell are you questioning my fianc��e like this?" The foreign man roared to Daniel on his face.


    Li Xiqing ignored him as his eyes were still looking at Vivian; speechless and dumbfounded by the answer.


    His jaw was set in fury.


    Slowly, Li Xiqing reached out for his leather wallet.


    From the inside, he took out a name card. He passed it to the man; still without looking at his face.


    "Text me your address. I will ship all of her stuff to you. I don''t need this woman in my life anymore. She is all yours."


    Li Xiqing paused when he saw a tear slid down her beautiful face.


    His heart was aching and he could even feel it shatter.


    Every time this woman cried, he was always ready to leave everything behind and put the effort to bring her back to happiness. Her single tear could set him to panic and sadness in an instant.


    But now, he did not want to think of the meaning behind those tears anymore.


    Li Xiqing hardened his heart. After taking one last look at her, he turned around and started to walk away.


    ''Women,'' he scoffed in his heart, ''I guess all women are the same. Money over everything, huh?''


    His steps were heavy. His heart was tired. And his mind was all over the place.


    But he did not stop walking. And he did not turn back even once.


    He kept going until Vivian could not see his back anymore.


    .......


    The crowd was still bustling around them. The cheers were still heard from families and children running around the area. The singing of seals was heard from the pier in the distance.


    Joy and happiness were surrounding them.


    But her heart was anxious.


    Vivian was not sure if it was sadness or regret.


    Was it pain or relief?


    For the tall man with warm embrace; who was pampering her before was no longer within her sight.


    And she could not stop the tears that were flowing from her eyes as she cried her heart out in agony.

 Chapter 235 - Always

    "Pumpkin, is that crazy guy the jerk you have been talking about? Your crazy and possessive ex-boyfriend?"


    Vivian did not answer as her eyes were still locking onto the figure of that man who was walking further away from her.


    She knew that Li Xiqing was weak against her tears. Her fists were clenched tightly by her side; her feet were debating if she should give him a chase and beg for a second chance.


    She saw that Li Xiqing paused his step and her heart felt as if it was also stop beating at that same moment. Viv clenched her fists tighter; burying all ten fingernails deeper into her palm. She anxiously waited for him to turn his head and looked at her for the last time.


    But she was disappointed.


    Daniel stopped his steps not because of her. He stopped because he saw a bunch of men harassing a woman who was handing out flyers on the street. He walked over to the burly looking men and told them off. All the time, he stood by the frail looking woman until those rowdy men decided to walk away.


    Vivian felt her heart was breaking even more.


    The man had always been this warm. And she had lost him. She would never be able to forgive herself for this.


    And her tears fell again; slowly flowing over her milky white cheekbones down to her chin.


    ....


    "Pumpkin?"


    Raising up one hand, she wiped the tears and quickly adjusted her facial expressions. She glanced at George and slightly bit her lower lips to stop herself from crying more.


    She chose this average looking man over Daniel. She should make everything worth it.


    Her hands gradually crawled up to her chest and grabbed onto her purse chain that she had swung across her body. She twisted the chain to her side to bring her purse onto her abdomen and open it.


    This purse was her most prized possession. The clam shaped bag was made of wild ocean pearls that were hand stitched one by one by hand. The metal that shaped the purse was molded from silver and it was gold plated.


    The clasp for the purse was custom-made and to add to the sense of exclusiveness, the brand had allowed the clients to choose their own clasp. Vivian had decided on a ''crown'' shape with two emerald gemstones for their auspicious meaning.


    From a glance, the purse looked like a normal white pearl handbag.


    But when one looked closely, they could see the rainbow gradation of white and pink around the pearls. Different bead of natural pearl had its own original color, making each bag produced to be the only one unique bag in the world.


    George had gifted this to her when he first courted her.


    This bag was also the reason why she had decided to two-time Daniel. Because she knew that George and his family background would be the one who was able to give her a comfortable life.


    Her thumbs were rubbing the emerald absentmindedly before she opened the clasp and took out a facial tissue from it.


    "I''m fine, just ignore th- the crazy guy, pudding," Vivian said as she gave a weak smile, "I was just shocked, that''s all."


    George looked at her tear-stained face in doubt; his heart started to hesitate and his mind was playing the words of that man over and over in his head.


    But before he could digest more, Vivian wrapped both arms around the man''s waist, "Pudding, let''s go eat the famous Ghirardelli ice cream, and then let''s go back to our apartment, hm?" She pressed her body closer; leaning all of her weight onto him.


    "I feel that..." She raised one finger and made a circle on his tummy, "this weather is perfect for snuggles?" As she finished, she rested her chin on the man''s chest and then looked up at him with her big, round eyes.


    Vivian was looking like an innocent Parisian doll right now; because she was just crying, so her eyes were misty and dewy looking. His eyes traveled down from her bewitching eyes to her busty cleavage.


    George gulped with difficulties as his mind started to think of how she would taste when he buried his face in between her ample bosom.


    ....


    Shanghai. Present time.


    "So... Did you confront her about this?"


    Li Xiqing paused his steps and turned to the side to look at her, "I was planning to but then..." and then he scoffed in disgust, "I saw them with my own eyes."


    Shao Yan saw how he turned silent. His expression was normal but she knew that gradually he was lost in his own thoughts; so she decided to leave him alone.


    Catching a cheating partner right in front of their own eyes.


    She could not even think how he would feel.


    She thought back to that night when she was just back in the apartment and overhead Liwei who was talking so sweetly on the phone.


    Even then, she felt that her whole world had come crashing down on her; swallowing her whole.


    She felt empty and devastated. Disappointed and angry. And she definitely felt that she could not trust anyone, ever again.


    How would Li Xiqing feel then?


    Shao Yan shook her head lightly to disperse the gloomy thoughts.


    She wrapped her hands around Li Xiqing''s arm, and then she leaned her head onto his upper arm.


    Slightly rubbing her head against his arm muscles, Shao Yan giggled, "Well, it''s her lost anyway. You are mine now."


    Li Xiqing was surprised at her childish actions.


    Shao Yan had been reserved whenever they were in public settings. The most that she allowed him to do was to hold her hands or her waist.


    Looking at how she grinned like a child while hanging onto his arm and looking up at him coquettishly; his dark and gloomy mood was quickly washed away. And replacing those unpleasant thoughts was a feeling of warmth blanketing his whole heart in contentment.


    ''This is enough,'' he thought to himself, ''Shao Yan alone is enough."


    "Of course," He slightly bent his head down and planted a kiss on her forehead, "I am here now."


    His other palm went to the side of her head, cupping her closer to his lips, "Always and forever."


    "En," Shao Yan mumbled happily, "Always and forever."

 Chapter 236 - Shine Bright

    She put down her purse by the coffee table and then she plopped down on the cushy sofa. Mandy heaved a soft sigh, "It''s been a long day. I''m so tired."


    A moment later, Axel walked out from the kitchen with a cute, pink color mug in his hands. The white cat with a red ribbon on her head was Mandy''s favorite character. He sat next to his wife and passed her the mug.


    She reached out her hands to receive the mug from him.


    Mandy slowly touched her lips to the rim of the mug. Before her lips got the chance to taste the liquid inside, she could already smell the fragrant flower and honey smell from it.


    "Ah!" She exclaimed in joy, "You are the best, darling! I am in a mood for some honey chrysanthemum tea." She looked at him and flashed him a grin, "And here you are!"


    He returned her smile before slightly bending down and taking both of her ankles; he put them on his lap and started to massage her feet.


    "You bought so many things today, I am actually surprised that you still complained of being tired," Axel teased her and his fingers slowly rubbed the aching spots on her muscles.


    Mandy kept sipping on her tea nonchalant of her husband teasing on her.


    "Darling, buying stuff is just women''s second nature," She started to say, "at least I am keeping the money within the family. I don''t spend it for other men," And she finished with giggles.


    Axel playfully pinched her calf, "If you want to find other men, darling, make sure they are not as handsome as me, alright?"


    Mandy laughed out loud; she playfully nudged her feet onto his waist to tickle him, "Shut up! You know you are the most handsome!" She snickered at him.


    Axel caught her ankles and continued his massage, "But in all serious notes, what do you think she wants now? Just to sincerely catch up with you? After all these years?"


    "En," Mandy turned solemn, she wrapped both palms around the mug, "I don''t know. She did not contact any of us all these years, and suddenly appeared like this. I hope Daniel told Yan Yan the story now so there''s no surprises in the future."


    "Daniel knows what he is doing," Axel started to say, "We can leave this to him."


    ....


    Over the next few days, Shao Yan and Li Xiqing went back to their normal schedule as usual.


    For Valentine''s Day, Gold Crane Publications finally decided on doing a short meet and greet for Romance authors and readers.


    "How are we doing on venue setup?"


    "Clear, we have secured the date and time."


    "Food and beverage team?"


    "Clear, we have confirmation on strawberry shortcake and eclairs."


    "Goody bags?"


    "Well.. uh.."


    And the whole eyes in the room focused their attention on Fan jie who was stuttering.


    "Well," she repeated after clearing her throat, "Our team decided on a rose stalk and Hershey''s kisses chocolates."


    Shao Yan tilted her head in confusion, "Okay, that''s good, sticking with the classic option. So what is the issue?"


    Fan jie licked her lips anxiously and then she glanced at Wenhai. Shao Yan received the signal and looked at Wenhai as well with a questioning gaze.


    "Here is the thing, Shao Yan," he started to say, "Because we decided quite late, we only managed to secure 100 stalks of red roses."


    Soon, murmur and gasp were circulated in the room.


    Shao Yan paused as she squinted her eyes, thinking. They had prepared the events by expecting 200 guests would show up.


    ....


    She got up from her seat and started to walk to the window. Shao Yan crossed both arms in front of her chest as her brain started to think for options and said them out loud.


    "Okay, let''s think of ideas. What else can we do to make those readers feel special?"


    The team started to murmur with each other as they discussed the options.


    "Umm, we could make 100 goody bags with red roses and 100 with white?"


    "No, white is considered a bad luck color in Chinese culture, simply because it symbolizes mourning."


    "Hm.. What about sunflowers?"


    "But sunflowers are not for lovers!"


    "How about we ordered 200 red paper roses for the guests? We will place the 100 real roses at the cashier area, to give out to the first 100 customers. How''s that?"


    Nods of approval started to Domino around the room as they looked at each other and agreed that this was probably the best approach.


    Shao Yan stood with her back leaned on the window frame as she watched the discussion enfolded.


    Once she saw that a quorum was reached, she slowly eased her body forward and walked back to her seat.


    "Alright, let''s go with that. Quickly ordered the paper roses. Please make sure the packaging is good to protect them from bending or any damage. Even though it is a paper rose, it is still representing our company."


    Everyone started to group with their team to discuss the next steps. The meeting went on for the whole day to make sure the Valentine''s Day event ran smoothly.


    ....


    In the other part of the city, a young lady was sitting in a quaint coffee shop.


    She was sitting next to the window. Her left hand was supporting her chin as she watched the people who were walking outside. Her beautiful wavy hair was flowing by her shoulder. Some soft strands of hair fell down her cheek; adding more charming features into her angelic face.


    "Your order for cappuccino, miss," the waitress placed the cup of coffee on the table and walked away.


    She heard what the waitress had said, but she did not turn around and kept her eyes to watch the scene outside. She raised up her right hand and began to play around with the necklace around her neck.


    She took out the pendant from inside her blouse, and her fingers hesitated for a while to touch it.


    Upon closer look, one could see that it was a solitaire diamond ring. Although the stone was small, whenever it moved, it was shining ever so brightly.


    Vivian sighed as her fingertips grazed the words on the inner side of the ring. She remembered every letter and every stroke.


    ''Dan''s Viv''


    She absentmindedly traced them as she reminisced the good days in the past.


    She remembered, when they got engaged, Li Xiqing had prepared a set of engagement rings for both of them.


    Her ring was engraved with ''Dan''s Viv'' and his ring was engraved with ''Viv''s Dan'' symbolizing that they belonged to each other.


    As she reminisced more, gradually another face appeared in her mind. Another woman was standing next to him now. And Danny was looking at her with the same doting look with how he looked at her in the past.


    How much she would trade to go back to what they were before.


    A rustling noise was heard when someone occupied the seat in front of her. Vivian removed her gaze from the window to look at the person in front of her; and she smiled.


    "Sorry, I''m late, Vivi. Have you been waiting long?"

 Chapter 237 - Ashamed

    "Have you been waiting long?"


    Vivian reached out to hold the cup of cappuccino in her hands; she lightly shook her head.


    "Not at all, Sis," she smiled, "Thank you for meeting me today."


    Mandy placed her purse on the inner side of the sofa, next to the window, "What thanks? You are talking as if we are strangers," she waved her hands in front of her to assure her.


    A waitress came over and placed a menu on their table. Mandy stopped her before she got the chance to walk away, "I don''t need this. A cup of caramel macchiato, please," and then she looked up to glance at the waitress, Thank you."


    "So?" Mandy started to babble, "How have you been? I''m sure I am missing out on a lot of stories from you."


    Vivian looked down and smiled. Mandy had always been friendly to her even though she had disappointed their family big time.


    "Well," Vivian let go off her hold around the mug and leaned back to her seat, "I just felt, I owed you too much already."


    She looked up slowly and hesitated to look into Mandy''s eyes, "To be honest, Sis, I feel ashamed to even face you right now."


    "Ever since we went our separate ways, I know I am at fault for breaking off all communications with you," Vivian started to fret, "But that simply because I was afraid you would not even want to see me anymore."


    Mandy sighed.


    ....


    She still remembered that year when Daniel called to tell them that he had called off the engagement.


    Their parents were surprised, but they decided not to ask for the reason. All of them could hear from his voice; it was laced with enough pain and anger to even silence their curiosity.


    Back then, Mandy and Axel had been travelling very frequently; dividing their time between Frankfurt and New York for their business. Sometimes, Mandy would also bring along Chen Yumei; also known as Amy, who was Axel''s only sister.


    Mandy and Amy were so close just like real-blood sisters; and whenever they visited New York, Vivian would be the one who accompanied them when Daniel was busy.


    The three of them would roam around the city just like they were each other''s own family. They would argue about food, shop clothes and try on makeup together. Sometimes, they would even do a sleepover and exchange love stories.


    And then all of a sudden, Li Xiqing made an international call to tell them that he had cancelled his engagement. After that, Mandy would try to call or email Vivian, but there was never a reply.


    Mandy and her parents were left guessing on what actually had happened.


    Until a few months later, Mandy finally knew why.


    ....


    Few years ago. Frankfurt, Germany


    Mandy was sitting on the bed while leaning onto the headboard; her fingers were flying all over the plastic keys as she was typing away all of her instructions in an email. Amy heard the door was knocked in a haste.


    "Come in," she answered right away.


    The door was opened, and she heard footsteps coming in. Amy saw her right away and quickly walked over and sat by her bedside.


    Mandy peeled her gaze away from the computer on her lap, "Yumei?" She said in surprise and then she took off her reading glasses, "Why are you in a rush?"


    "Sis! Look at this!" Amy passed her a red and gold embossed card.


    The material of the card was soft to the touch. It was a blend of paper and velvet; making the feeling under their fingertips felt as if they were touching a luxurious material.


    Mandy looked at the card questioningly, "Whose big day is it?" She looked up and glanced at Amy, "I did not know that you are getting married?"


    Amy rolled her eyes, "Don''t joke around, Sis! It''s Vivian. She is getting married to a friend of mine."


    Amy could not hold in her patience, she grabbed the card back from Mandy''s hand and opened it for her.


    "Look at this," She spread the card wide open and placed it on Mandy''s lap. The wedding invitation card was written in two languages, English on the left side and Mandarin on the right side. Amy raised one finger and pointed to the bride''s name on the right side of the card, "Isn''t this Vivian''s Chinese name?"


    Mandy looked at the writing in surprise, her hands slowly closed around the card as she read each word carefully.


    "So, the groom," Mandy looked up and returned Amy''s gaze, "This George, was the one who invited you, and not Vivi herself?"


    Amy nodded, "George was a friend from college. He used to chase me for years but I kept turning him down. So he promised me that whenever he gets married, he will make sure that I am invited so he can show off his bride to me."


    On a normal occasion, Mandy would have jumped in and teased Amy for this revelation.


    But her mind was busy churning on the fact that this bride was supposedly becoming her own family''s bride; before their engagement was suddenly cancelled, and now she became another family''s bride.


    ....


    "En," Mandy hummed softly, "It is indeed her name," and then she paused in silence.


    Mandy remembered her name, because initially, she wanted to order a wooden carving in the shape of an antique painting scroll as their wedding gift.


    Mandy had thought of a design. She had drawn a pair of japanese red-crowned cranes and wanted to have both Daniel and Vivian''s names engraved in the corner along with their wedding dates. She had spent so many hours trying to come up with the best calligraphy so the carvings would look esthetically pretty and valuable.


    When she realized that her thoughts had drifted away, Mandy shook her head to clear her mind and glanced back at Amy, "Yumei, "She hesitated for a while, before continuing, "are you going to attend their wedding now that you know it''s Vivi?"


    Amy shook her head immediately.


    "Now that I know it is really Vivi, I think I know why Daniel broke off the engagement," Amy got up from the bed and walked to the balcony to set the door ajar for some fresh air, "And out of my respect to you and Daniel, I will not attend their celebration."


    She tilted her head and looked at Mandy, "Sis, I know that you consider her as your good sister. But you have given her many chances to answer you, but Vivi chose to run away and ignore you instead."


    Amy walked back to the bedside, "I think, you should reconsider this friendship carefully," She sat down and placed her hand with palm side up. Mandy placed the wedding invitation card on her hand, and then she heard Amy scoffed, "take this advice from this silly little sister of yours; before she hurt your feelings again."


    Mandy was surprised at the solemn looking Amy.


    Amy Chen Yumei had been protected dearly by Axel and her parents her whole life but luckily, she did not grow up to be a spoiled rich brat. But instead, Yumei had been known as the smartest one in the Chen family.


    Yumei had been a very cheerful girl. She considered all the people in the world were initially kind hearted and filled with goodwill; until they crossed her lines, then she would make sure that the enemy would know what kind of person Chen Yumei was.


    Mandy heaved a soft sigh and nodded, "Alright, I know. I will remember what you just said." She raised one hand and gently pinched her cheek, "Now, erase this gloomy looking face of yours. Let''s go and eat some ice cream?"


    Yumei quickly broke out into a wide grin and she hopped off the bed, "Sure! I saw this small shop just opened, we should take a look, Sis!"


    Mandy closed her laptop and also got off the bed, "Sure, let''s go!"

 Chapter 238 - Hugs And Snuggles

    "Daniel, how are the preparations from your side?"


    Li Xiqing could hear rhythmical taps coming from the other side of the line, as if a pen was knocked on the table multiple times. He opened his calendar on his computer and started to skim through the schedules in front of him, "All set. Ido Kanagawa will arrive at noon, and Martin and I will meet him for dinner."


    The tapping sound stopped and then another sound of a chair being pushed to the back was heard.


    Axel was walking towards the window to look at the view outside of his hotel room.


    "Alright, I will leave everything to you then," He placed his palm on the window glass and watched the idle traffic below his view.


    "Don''t worry about us here. How is Singapore?"


    Axel was looking down from his room on the 38th floor; in front of his hotel was the view of Singapore''s central business district. Concrete jungle spread in front of him with no mercy.


    "Very humid and very busy," Axel raised his eyes and looked further to the skyline, "Such a small country but everything is very advanced."


    His palm slowly moved away and Axel turned to walk back to the writing desk; his eyebrow slightly furrowed.


    "Daniel, I think the deal this time will not be as easy as I thought it will be," he sighed as he sat down on the white velvet chair, "the asshole involved in this company has hurt my sister. I won''t be able to be neutral during discussion."


    Slightly rubbing his fingertips on his forehead, Axel contemplated, "You may have to take a trip down here sometime next month. I''ll let you know when."


    Li Xiqing twisted around the pen in his fingers as his mind thought of different options that they had.


    "Alright, just let me know," he said absentmindedly, while pursing his lips in deep thoughts, "My parents will be here, we will have to take turns on this trip so Mandy won''t have to be alone."


    Upon the mention of his wife, Axel gradually relaxed his tensed jaw, and his lips slowly curved into a smile, "Yes, you are right," his head slightly bowed down.


    "I think I am more afraid of her wrath than failing on this deal," Axel said before his throaty laugh roared in the empty hotel room.


    ...��.


    Mandy put down her cappuccino and smiled, "You don''t have to be ashamed, Vivi," she gave a little shrug, "It was already past and everyone has moved on now."


    She paused and looked straight into her eyes, Mandy caught a glimpse of the ring that she wore as her necklace, and her expression shifted slightly.


    "You know," Mandy quickly brought back her gaze down to her cup before saying, "Sometimes, letting go is better than prisoning yourself to the past," she paused again to sip on her coffee.


    "Even if you want to return to what you had before, just remember, everyone is no longer standing in their same spot."


    Vivian clenched her fist before releasing it slowly, "Sis, I believe you''re wrong."


    She paused before stuttering, "W-what is so wrong with chasing our dream? It''s called a dream for a reason. Haven''t you heard a saying Go Big or Go Home? I believe we should at least try."


    Mandy looked at her, and sighed softly, the corner of her lips twitched in irritation but she took a deep breath before saying, "What you thought to be a beautiful dream, well, you are not wrong, my dear. It is just a dream, so wake up and face the reality now."


    She glanced at her and found that Vivian was blinking anxiously, her fingers were playing with the ring now.


    She let out a nervous laugh, "Sis, I don''t mean any harm. I was just missing Shanghai, that''s why I came back."


    Mandy let out an amicable smile, her eyebrows raised in a skeptical look, "Of course, you are. And I can see you are much happier now, Vivi, so let''s move on and enjoy our lives moving forward."


    She put down her mug again, "By the way," and then she leaned back to her seat, "Amy is opening her new boutique soon. Would you like to attend the Grand Opening ceremony?"


    Vivian slowly licked her pale lips, before a small smile appeared on her flustered face. She knew Mandy had closed the topic and wanted to shift the topic.


    Vivian slipped the necklace back inside her blouse; clearing her throat, she said, "Sure, Sis, it has been a while for me to see Amy too, please extend her invitation to me."


    ....


    Shao Yan raised her hand to adjust the glasses by her nose bridge. Her eyes were still focusing on reading the schedule for Valentine''s Day even tomorrow. She gently bit her lower lip as she concentrated on imagining the whole flow.


    When she was done, her hand over the mouse hovered around the top corner to save the file.


    She got up from her chair and closed her notebook. Just as she was about to shut down her laptop, her mobile phone started to ring.


    Shao Yan glanced to her left and right to look for her phone. Her eyes went around, scanning her desk for it. And then she slapped her palm on her forehead; just remembering that she had been leaving her phone inside the purse the whole time.


    Shao Yan quickly opened the drawer and took out her purse. Her fingers went inside the bag and finally grabbed around it; she hurriedly pulled it out.


    She glanced at the screen and saw an unfamiliar number was calling her. Her thumb was tapping the side of the phone. Shao Yan tilted her head as she was considering if she should pick it up. Marketing companies usually picked this hour to start their cold calling because most people were just knocking off from work and had their phone in their hands.


    The call was hung up when she was about to pick it up. Shao Yan was about to put the phone back into her purse, but a text message came in. She quickly unlocked it and saw it was from the same number.


    "Hello, we met each other a few weeks ago, I hope you still remember me. I am Vivian, a friend of Danny."


    ....


    Shao Yan paused as she read her text.


    ''Finally you are here,'' She thought to herself and sighed, ''I wonder what you want now.''


    She bit her inner cheek and thought if she needed to continue reading.


    "I would like to invite you for lunch. I know you''re a very busy person. Afternoon tea is also fine. I will let you decide."


    She read the message again for a few times; her fingers hovered above the ''reply'' button, but she did not click it. After debating for a while, she finally decided not to reply right away.


    Nodding to herself after reaching her decision, Shao Yan continued to power down her computer and tidy up her desk. She got up from her chair and turned off the desk lamp before starting to walk out.


    The whole time, her forehead was furrowed and she kept forgetting things. As if she had a lot of things in her mind.


    Shao Yan shifted her feet while waiting for the elevator to arrive on her floor. After working for a long day, she just wanted to go home and let Li Xiqing give her a tight, warm hug and snuggles.


    And maybe another bubble bath, too?


    Upon the comforting and warm images, Shao Yan heard the elevator arrive and briskly walked in. She could not wait to go home.

 Chapter 239 - Tiny Spark

    "Would you like some coffee?" Shao Yan got up from her seat and walked to the kitchen; carrying the dirty plates in her hands.


    Li Xiqing also got up and walked after her; both of his hands were also carrying the plates and bowls.


    "No, maybe I''ll have a glass of wine," he answered while putting the dirty bowls in the sink.


    Shao Yan nodded and walked to the wine rack. With one hand, she took out the half full Cabernet Sauvignon; her other hand reached out to the side and grabbed a wine glass. Li Xiqing walked to the kitchen counter and started to boil some hot water.


    This had been their habit lately. Instead of going out for dessert or going to shower right away, both of them decided to have a chat after meal with drinks of their choice while lounging at the patio.


    Shao Yan walked to the balcony and placed the glass and bottle gently on top of coasters, and then she walked back to the kitchen. From the fridge, she took out a bowl of strawberries, blueberries and raspberries that Li Xiqing had rinsed earlier.


    When she walked out again, she saw that Li Xiqing had brewed a cup of flower tea for her and was sitting on the chaise lounge waiting for her. He patted the space next to him, and flashed her a smile.


    She returned his cheeky grin with one of her own, "Why are you so happy?"


    Li Xiqing raised his eyebrow and feigned a surprise, "Am I?" He looked outside the patio. The sky was already dark, the breeze blew into the apartment gently.


    "Probably because of the good weather and the good food," he shrugged a little. When she was standing next to the chaise, he reached out and took the bowl from her hands. His other hand held onto her wrist and gently pulled her down to sit next to him.


    Shao Yan leaned in his embrace, with his right arm circled around her shoulder. He placed the bowl on her lap and reached out to his wine with his left hand. Their legs were crossing on top of the chaise; every now and then they would bump into each other.


    With his hand on her shoulder, Li Xiqing nudged her face closer to his lips and then he planted a kiss on her temple.


    It was beautiful weather outside. The moon was shining brightly down to them; a glass of wine in one hand and a beauty in another hand, Li Xiqing felt a bliss in his heart that was indescribable.


    .......


    "I may have to go to Singapore next month."


    "Hm?" She plopped another raspberry into his mouth, "What happened to Axel?"


    "En, I don''t know yet," He paused to chew the berry. Each bite sent a burst of sweetness inside his mouth and sent him into happiness.


    "We were talking about the deal today. He found out that the guy who was leading the negotiation from the other side was the same guy who has hurt his sister, Amy," Li Xiqing paused when Shao Yan whipped her head around in surprise. He slowly continued, "So, he was telling me that I may have to go just in case he cannot keep his cool."


    He tilted his head and smiled, "Would you like to come with me?"


    Shao Yan looked at him, dumbfounded.


    "You can treat it as a short vacation," He could not stop his grin when he saw her excited face, "Probably I will have to be there for two weeks, maybe longer."


    Shao Yan really wanted to go, her eyes sparkled with excitement. But soon, the light in her eyes dimmed as she remembered.


    "But," She hesitated for a while, "Aren''t your parents going to visit Shanghai around next month?"


    Li Xiqing nodded, "Singapore also celebrates Lunar New Year, so we may even leave after the celebration is over."


    "En," She answered almost immediately, "That''s good then."


    Despite her eagerness to go, Li Xiqing could see that her mind was quickly distracted and now it was churning with other thoughts.


    He sipped onto his wine slowly as he studied her face, "What is it?"


    Shao yan glanced at him, and then placed the fruit bowl on his tummy. She turned to the side and reached out for her cup of tea that was on the coffee table.


    .......


    "So, Vivian sent me a text message today."


    "Hm?" Li Xiqing picked the fattest strawberry he could find in the bowl, and offered it to Shao Yan, "What did she want?"


    Upon the fragrant sweet smell, she opened her lips by reflex and took a bite; and then he shoved the rest of the strawberry in his hand into his mouth. Without saying anything, she reached out for her phone while still chewing the strawberry.


    Shao Yan unlocked her phone and opened the text message before passing the phone to him.


    He did not take her phone from her but just gave a quick skim over the text message.


    "Hmm," He nodded, "You can ignore it if you don''t want to meet her. There''s nothing to talk about anyway."


    "If you have anything you are still curious about, you know you can ask me anytime," Li Xiqing picked another blueberry and fed it to her, "You know that, don''t you?"


    "En," She nodded and mumbled with her mouth full, "I was thinking maybe I should, at the very least, be courteous," She paused as she was trying to find the right words to say.


    "You know, uh.. Seeing that she knows you and Mandy after all."


    "You don''t have to feel that way," he shook his head, "I''m not sure about Mandy and their friendship, but she is definitely not part of my life anymore. All you have to think about is our lives."


    Li Xiqing put the bowl on the coffee table by his side. He took the last sip of his wine and then turned to face Shao Yan.


    When Shao Yan thought he was about to continue talking again, however, she saw his face gradually moving closer to her. And then he touched his own lips on hers.


    .......


    Enticing her to open the pink, supple lips; Li Xiqing started to kiss her deeply.


    The wine inside his mouth swirled in between their shy tongues; bringing heat and sweetness in a lustful combination. Shao Yan could taste a mix of the red wine and strawberry from his last bite. She started to feel her cheek blushed and she felt giddy with excitement.


    All of a sudden, she felt kissing with wine was a very sexy way to spend the night.


    He gently picked her up to let her lay on top of him. Their lips were still entwined with each other; her feet slowly rubbed on his calf; tickling him.


    Enticing him to keep going.


    Li Xiqing buried all ten fingers in her hair while his lips did not cease in attacking his territory and claiming what was his. He deepened his kiss and a soft moan escaped her lips.


    His tongue was hungry for her; he kept searching and finding, and fighting intimately with her. Sloppy kisses and soft moans were all he could hear from the both of them.


    Shao Yan started to feel a tiny spark of bravery growing inside of her.


    She thought of something naughty, but she was not sure if she could do it.

 Chapter 240 - Puzzle

    Shao Yan thought of something naughty, but she was not sure if she had the courage to do it.


    Her beautiful brain was thinking of many different ways to seduce him.


    She missed a rhythm in their orgasmic kisses, and Li Xiqing noticed this change in her. With his eyebrows slightly furrowed, he whispered, "Yan Yan," his breath was tickling her already flushed face.


    His gaze locked onto her swollen lips as he continued, "Don''t get distracted."


    Before she got the chance to answer him, Li Xiqing leaned closer and continued to attack her lips again. He started to kiss her more. One hand was holding her nape; locking her down.


    Trying to conquer her.


    ''Ah, forget it!'' She thought to herself before convincing herself to go forward with her plan, ''Let''s just try this!''


    Shao Yan circled her arms around his neck and returned his kisses more aggressively. Just like what he did to her, she buried all ten fingers in his hair and held his face close to her.


    Li Xiqing could sense that her eagerness was back. She touched her tongue onto the ceiling of his mouth and started to tickle slowly.


    Teasing him.


    Li Xiqing did this one time to her, and she loved it so much. So she decided to return the favor.


    She was pleased with his response when she heard him let out a soft moan of satisfaction.


    Li Xiqing let go off his fingers from her hair, and slowly traveled down to her waist.


    Shao Yan knew that he would start to massage her butt, but before he got the chance to do it, she started to move on top of him.


    She rubbed her whole body onto him, like a lazy cat who was seeking for attention. But in her mind, she was purring with ecstasy.


    Her sensitive spot was leaning against his own in a very suggestive manner; Shao Yan smirked in between their kisses before she ground her hips against him; causing Li Xiqing to hitch his breath in surprise.


    He opened his eyes in surprise and looked down into her eyes.


    ...��.


    Shao Yan looked back at him with the same courage. She could see the heat in those pairs of beautiful eyes; ready to pounce her any second now.


    But instead; he waited.


    Patiently.


    Albeit the intoxicating torture that washed all over him. His eyes were looking at her stunning face in a daze.


    "What are you trying to do, Yan Yan?"


    Li Xiqing threw a challenging look at her, urging her to continue whatever she was planning to do. Shao Yan blinked one time; and two times and then she released a slow, seductive smile at him.


    And then she moved her hips again.


    Shao Yan shifted her position on top of him and now, she was straddling over him.


    She loomed above her man and started to move closer and kiss him again. Shao Yan brushed her nose tips against his jaw line.


    She simply grazed her lips on his; gently rubbing against the corner of his lips and Li Xiqing reacted almost immediately. He caught her lips and kissed her again.


    Shao Yan was wearing a knee-length wool dress today. His woman was sitting on top of him while wearing a dress; this whole scene triggered his own desire even more.


    He could feel his own little brother had grown in size; eager to prove his explosive existence.


    His broad palm slowly circled her waist before his palm stretched all over her butt and lightly pinched her butt cheek.


    His hands were adoring her soft, milky skin.


    Yan Yan could feel his hot palm against her cool skin.


    All his teasing actions were done while their lips were still struggling with each other hungrily.


    ...��.


    Her fingers started to unbutton the shirt that he was wearing.


    His hands traveled down further to her calf, caressing her up and down behind her knee; he kept going up. His fingertips were leaving behind a blazing trail of hotness from her inner thigh all the way up to her panty line.


    His hands slipped underneath the dress and started to rub her skin.


    And then both of his palms slipped inside her underwear. Li Xiqing spread his palm to cup her butt while Shao Yan was still kissing him while unbuttoning his shirt.


    "Feeling a little fiery tonight?" he said a little breathless. His hoarse voice sounded deeper than usual.


    Li Xiqing felt a little regret after saying that. Knowing how shy Shao Yan could get, he was afraid that she would clam up and return to her introvert self after being so brave the whole night.


    But to his surprise, Shao Yan mumbled in agreement.


    "En," she replied, while also taking in as much air as she could.


    "I feel the need of...," she paused while taking off his shirt, "claiming what is mine."


    And then she threw his clothes to the side sloppily.


    Shao Yan gazed up and locked her eyes with him. Their eyes were emitting an insane amount of passion in between them.


    She swiped her eyes from his face, down to his Adam''s apple and then his sturdy chest.


    Her fingers were accompanying her eyes in every move. She was craving to touch every inch of his skin.


    She paused on his navel; paying extra attention to the lean body in front of her. Shao Yan gently touched his belt.


    "This..."


    She hesitated as she gazed into his eyes. Her fingers slightly trembled when she played with the cold metal.


    "Must go?"


    But before Li Xiqing responded to her, Shao Yan started to unbuckle his belt and unbutton his pants as well.


    ....


    Triggered by her bold behavior, Li Xiqing was starting to get heated as well.


    He stretched his upper body and with his hand raised up, he reached out to the side to pull the curtain together.


    Two bodies hidden behind the sheer curtain were struggling to undress each other.


    Shao Yan had unbuckled his belt and started to pull down his pants off him.


    Li Xiqing had no complaints for the seductive view in front of him; Shao Yan in a dress and stradling his waist on top of him.


    He hooked his thumb by her panties line and pulled it down. The soft, silky material slowly left her butt naked; down to her thigh and he moved it past her ankle.


    Li Xiqing saw a wet spot before he threw it to the side. Her panties landed on top of his shirt along with his pants.


    She was ready for him, and he felt ecstatic because of that.


    ....


    He was laying naked under her.


    She was still in her bra and her dress, but she was not wearing anything under there.


    Shao Yan felt a little dizzy; this was never her character. Being this brave and seducing a man in the living room.


    ''Is it too late to run away and hide?'' She debated with herself.


    But before she continued her own thoughts, Li Xiqing surprised her with his own answer.


    "No, Yan Yan, it''s too late to run now."


    Her eyes went round and big as she stared at him in surprise.


    This man really knew her too well; even from a slight flutter of her eyelashes, he could guess what was on her mind.


    All of a sudden, he cupped his hand behind her head and brought her head down to him.


    And after she had started to kiss him, he moved both hands to her waist and lifted her butt slightly.


    He adjusted himself below her, and before Shao Yan got the chance to react, she felt the round tip of his manhood was rubbing against her honeypot.


    She blinked nervously, and with his own lips, he pried open her soft lips and inserted his tongue back into her mouth.


    The moment his tongue met hers, his shaft entered her and both of his hands were pressing her butt onto him.


    Locking her down.


    She was his missing piece of puzzle.

 Chapter 241 - Drowsy

    "How are you feeling?"


    "...."


    Li Xiqing tilted his head and peeked down from the crown of her head. Shao Yan had her cheek puffed as she was pouting and refused to answer him.


    She was laying still on top of him in his embrace; with her face as bright as a ripe tomato.


    "..... a little sore," she said in soft whispers.


    Smirking; he planted a kiss on the top of her head. Li Xiqing reached out to the side, and grabbed his shirt. Then, he wrapped the cloth around her.


    One arm around her, and lifted her knee up with the other. Li Xiqing carried her princess style and walked back into the bedroom.


    Along the way, Shao Yan glanced around the living room floor where all of their clothes had been discarded messily. She buried her face deeper into his chest; feeling embarrassed at her own actions.


    She took a mental note to talk to Li Xiqing tomorrow about moving those chaise lounges to their bedroom instead.


    Her initial plan to take the lead was quickly ruined when he entered her. Li Xiqing took control the whole night; leaving her breathless.


    ''This is not the way,'' She vowed, ''I will pay you back next time,'' she said to herself and then she punched him lightly on his shoulder.


    Li Xiqing tilted his head in confusion as to why she suddenly hit him. But he had things in his head that he wanted to finish, so he kept on walking.


    Once he reached their bedroom, he walked inside and closed the door with one foot to the back.


    He paused as he stood by the bedside, "Well, my dear," and looked down at her, "The night is still young."


    He smirked and placed her down gently on the bed, "Shall we continue?"


    ...��.


    It was only after midnight when Li Xiqing finally let her go. After a quick shower, he carried her back to the bed.


    Shao yan felt so tired and sleepy after wrestling him the whole night. Her eyelids felt so heavy and all her muscles were aching. She just wanted to sleep the whole day tomorrow.


    As her head touched the pillow under her head, she was ready to drift off to the dream land.


    Li Xiqing laid down next to her. He adjusted his arm to let her use it as her own pillow; and then he pulled Shao Yan closer into his embrace.


    She was about to sleep, and the sudden movement jolted her slightly awake, "Nngh?" She mumbled a complaint before burying her head deeper.


    "Oh," She continued mumbling in a sleepy voice, "I .... forgot to tell you." Her voice was slightly buried by the blanket that she just pulled up to her neck.


    She paused for a very long time, Li Xiqing even thought Shao Yan had fallen asleep.


    "I will meet her... uhh.. Vivian?" She said drowsily.


    He wrapped both arms around her, caging her from behind.


    "En, do as you like," and then he rubbed his nose against her nape, "just remember that whatever it was between her and I were already over years ago."


    Shao Yan drifted in and out but she heard what he just said.


    "En," she mumbled her acknowledgement, and then she snuggled deeper into his hugs and finally surrendered herself to the sleep.


    ...��.


    Finally, it was the most anticipated day for Shao Yan and her team. Today was the Valentine''s Day event that they hosted for Romance authors and their fans. This would be their first event for the company in this new year.


    The actual Valentine''s Day was still in a few days.


    The team decided not to host this event on the actual day itself to avoid having less attendance from the readers because of their dates.


    Shao Yan had just parked her car and stepped out. After she locked her car, she took out her mobile phone and opened the text message from Vivian yesterday.


    Her fingers hovered over the mobile keyboards for a while; she was thinking on what to reply.


    After a while, Shao Yan finally started typing.


    ''Hello Vivian, of course I still remember you. I am hosting an event today at mall S near the City Center and it will end around 2 PM. If you are available today, let''s meet for tea around 3 PM at Superstarbucks?''


    She read her text again for a few times before hitting the send button.


    After it was sent out, Shao Yan opened another application to start calling on people.


    She had put on low ankle boots today because she knew there would be a lot of walking and running around to make sure the event was in place.


    The weather was still chilly as it was just beginning of February. Shao Yan matched a soft pink sweater with black leather pants.


    Her hands went inside the purse and started to search around for her Bluetooth earpiece. After a while, she finally found it, and put it on her left ear; while her fingers kept typing on instructions.


    ...��.


    "Shao Yan, the paper roses are here; along with the goodie bags."


    "Xiao Yan, the tables and chairs are set, they''re over there."


    "Where should we put the extra supplies? Just put them on the side?"


    "Manager Shao, the printouts are here!"


    "Everyone, gather around, please! Breakfast is here!"


    Shao Yan was being called by different people and pulled to different directions but luckily things were not chaotic. She had assigned some people to be leading some groups under them.


    As the questions came in, those people who had been assigned to be in charge took over those questions right away; and they also walked away with their team to settle any issues.


    Everyone was preparing the venue since eight in the morning.


    When the clock hit eleven, and the mall opened, everyone started to gear up for the incoming flow of guests.


    Shao Yan was standing on the second floor; overlooking the event that took place on the floor beneath her. In her hands were a printout of the whole schedule and also her mobile phone.


    Suddenly an arm was draped over her shoulder and a body nudged her, "Hey!"


    Shao Yan glanced to the side, surprised to see Feifei who suddenly appeared in front of her.


    "Feifei!" She exclaimed happily, and then she stretched out both hands to offer her a hug, "What are you doing here?"


    Feifei returned her hug and squeezed her a little, "I delivered the food to keep all of you full and happy."


    She slowly let her go, "Do you like my breakfast sandwich? Which one did you get? The tuna salad or egg mayonnaise?"


    Shao Yan nodded and felt pleased, "It seems that my team has been bought over by you, huh?"


    Feifei grinned in pride, "Ever since New Year, the regulars in my shop were mostly people from Gold Crane. I am so grateful, Xiao Yan!"


    Shao Yan patted her on her shoulder, "Don''t thank me, you are successful now because of your own hard work, best friend," and then she tilted her head and gave her a reassuring smile.


    "En," Feifei nodded, "Oh! I am not here by myself, by the way. My brother is also here. He just came back from Paris."


    Once she finished saying that, her head glanced around; trying to find him.

 Chapter 242 - Wildfire

    "I have been worried about you since that day, Xiao Yan."


    Her eyes were looking down at the crowd downstairs; both of her hands were holding the handrail in front of her. Her fingers wrapped around it and her knuckles turned white; Shao Yan could see that she was nervous.


    "I don''t know how Liwei managed to come to the party, but you have to know that I did not invite him at all."


    Shao Yan was about to say something when Feifei suddenly looked at her.


    "Your boyfriend came back a few days after that," Feifei paused as she bit her lower lip, "He wrote me a cheque to help with redecorating the patio."


    She quickly added, "I refused the cheque right away."


    "I feel bad to accept his help, Xiao Yan, can you please talk to him to accept the money back?"


    Shao Yan patted her shoulder and started to console her, "Feifei, I cannot help you with this one. You have to accept his gesture."


    She smiled before continuing, "Besides, both of us really like your cakes and pastries, and we definitely love your patio. So, we really want to see it back to being all pretty again."


    A soft, romantic song by a famous Chinese musician started playing in the background and the Master of Ceremony for the event walked up to the stage and began his opening speech.


    Gold Crane Publications had invited their Top Romance Authors to come to today''s event.


    Shao Yan saw that her team was spread all around the floor; making sure everything ran smoothly.


    "Are you going to stay here until the event is finished?" Feifei asked in curiosity. Her eyes were scanning the guests and admiring the decoration of the stage and the whole event.


    "En," Shao Yan nodded, "Luckily, It''s a short event today."


    She glanced at Feifei, "What about you? Where are you guys going after this?"


    ....


    "Well," Feifei took out her phone and scrolled through her screen, "My idiot brother thought that it would be funny for me to attend a matchmaking party, so he registered one for me."


    She pouted as she flipped her phone around and showed Shao Yan.


    It was an advertisement for the party. Anyone who was single between the age of 20 and above was allowed to attend. There was no dress code or anything similar; each participant only needed to pay an entrance fee and pay their own meal.


    Shao Yan pursed her lips, trying to hold in her laughter.


    "And of course he had to say this out loud in front of our mother," She continued her rants, "So now, she is all excited about me no longer being single."


    She crossed her arms in front of her; Feifei pouted, "So later, while I am going to be stuck among these strangers that I don''t even like, Lu Qian, that idiot is going to spend his day with Liwei."


    She paused after she finished her words; as if she just realized that she had said something wrong.


    Slowly, Feifei released her crossed arms, "Uh," and started to stutter, "Sorry, Xiao Yan, I don''t mean to mention his name again."


    "It''s just..."


    Feifei twisted her fingers anxiously as she thought of the words she was about to say, "Liwei, he..."


    "He..." Feifei looked up while hesitating, "Left his home and now is living alone in one of our apartments."


    Shao Yan blinked in surprise.


    Seeing that she was not saying anything, Feifei slowly continued, "Lu Qian told me, supposedly, he had a huge fight with his wife, and then he left in anger."


    "No clothes, nothing else with him other than his wallet. He called Lu Qian in the middle of the night; asking him to go for drinks."


    "And that''s when my brother found out. So ..." She glanced at Shao Yan, "He offered one of our empty apartments for him to stay while they sort things out."


    ....


    Shao Yan stayed silent the whole time.


    For Liwei to leave his wife was something that was not surprising to Shao Yan. But this was related to his rich wife; she found it hard to believe that he left by his own choice. Shao Yan had a little suspicion that maybe his wife actually chased him out in anger.


    "But Xiao Yan," Feifei suddenly lowered her voice, "I heard that his wife was trying to sue your company?"


    Shao Yan glanced back at her, her eyebrows were raised in surprise, "How did you know?"


    Feifei hesitated, "I heard from Lu Qian, that there is this video that has been circulating around like wildfire."


    "It was at your office lobby, Helen - his wife, standing tall in front of many men in suits..." Feifei clicked through her phone again; trying to find the video she was talking about, "Hold on, let me find it for you."


    After a while, Feifei suddenly exclaimed, "Ah! Here it is!"


    She shoved her phone to Shao Yan and clicked the play button.


    Shao Yan took a glance, and recognized the video immediately.


    It was from the meeting in their office a few months ago. Helen brought several men to the company to negotiate about her terms with Risa and Gold Crane Publications.


    That day was also the first time Li Xiqing and Liwei met each other at her building lobby.


    The video started to play.


    ....


    "What was that?" Helen wrapped her hand around Liwei''s upper arm.


    Her perfectly manicured fingernails dug deep into his muscles, "Is that her? Your so-called ex-wife?"


    Her shrill voice was heard so loud and clear here. Shao Yan furrowed her eyebrows when she detected a disgust when Helen mentioned ''ex-wife''.


    Helen tried to shake Liwei by his arm to get his attention, but he did not respond to her calling. On the other hand, Liwei had his sight glued to the direction of the elevator to the underground parking garage.


    Shao Yan suspected that this happened after she and Li Xiqing left with Risa and Karl to go play some golf.


    "Is that why you were so adamant about taking over this company?" Helen raised her voice and started to press him for an answer, "Because she is here?"


    Shao Yan could see that Helen was getting more anxious and angry. She slapped her hand on his arm again and started to yell at him, "Answer me, you asshole!"


    All of a sudden, Shao Yan heard a cough coming from the men behind Helen and then she saw that Helen started to look around the room in panic.


    Her eyes were nervous to see that many people were now staring at them. They whispered with each other and started to point at the commotion.


    And then the video was zoomed in closer. Helen raised her chin up, and then started to speak in a low tone, while hissing back at Liwei, "Let''s go now. We''ll talk in the car."


    The audience of this video could hear that Helen gritted her teeth, trying to suppress her anger.


    And then Shao Yan saw the video was zoomed out again to normal size.


    Helen made a dramatic move of flipping her long, wavy hair to the back and started to walk away; leaving Liwei and his scowl mood behind. The men in black suits started to walk behind her; and then the video ended there.

 Chapter 243 - Fragile Feather

    Shao Yan did not say anything after the video ended.


    Feifei looked at her, debating if she should say something.


    "Uh," She hesitated, "I heard from Lu Qian, that this video actually will help your company to win the case."


    Shao Yan looked at her with a blank expression. She returned the phone back to Feifei who received it and continued to say.


    "Lu Qian said that this can actually prove that her explosive character can be seen as threatening to the working environment and that was the reason why she was being replaced in the first place."


    Shao Yan still stayed silent, but she was looking at Feifei with full attention.


    "Xiao Yan," Feifei whispered, "What are you thinking? Say something."


    "Hmm.." Shao Yan mumbled, "Just from this video alone, people who don''t know her, will start to form some kind of unpleasant image of Helen Kanagawa without actually bother to get to know her."


    She turned solemn, "And I feel bad for her if her background is exposed, she will be labeled as a rich spoiled heiress."


    Shao Yan looked at Feifei who was listening attentively, "But Lu Qian was probably right. This video will bring advantage to the company if our case ever goes to the court."


    ...��.


    Shao Yan felt an indescribable uneasiness in her heart.


    Ever since she watched the video and the way Helen mentioned ''ex-wife'' so bitterly, she was worried if Li Xiqing and his family also saw the video.


    In the midst of her daydreaming, suddenly she heard an incoming call; and Shao Yan was quickly brought back to the present.


    Feifei hurriedly picked up the call. She raised up her index finger and motioned to Shao Yan that she will take a while. Shao Yan nodded at her and she also unlocked her own phone and wanted to play with it.


    But she could not find anything interesting to do.


    So she locked it again, and leaned on the handrail to watch the scene downstairs. Her hand was gripping on the phone tightly.


    The third author was speaking now. She was telling the guests about her latest book, and a potential special edition for Valentine''s Day release.


    Some guests were taking pictures with their phone; some were doing some video recording and posted it on their social media page.


    Shao Yan forced herself to listen and concentrate on the event.


    Slowly and gradually, her mind was taken off from the video incident and she started to catch up to the discussion downstairs.


    ....


    "Xiao Yan!"


    Feifei slightly jogged to her side; she was breathless as she was rushing. Her hair was swaying messily, but her face was glowing happily.


    "Sorry, that call took longer than I thought," she was leaning on to the handrail as well and stood next to Shao Yan. She raised one hand and brushed her hair from the mess.


    "Lu Qian sent some of our father''s vintage cameras to Zhong Yu to be cleaned up; that was him calling me back to tell me to pick them up."


    Shao Yan noticed how her eyes sparkled every time she mentioned Zhong Yu.


    She paused in surprise.


    Her head was tilted as she was trying to remember their conversation in the past.


    "Feifei," Shao Yan started, "Why do you have to attend the matchmaking party?"


    "Are you willing to let go off your feelings for Zhong Yu?"


    Feifei, who was smiling with a silly face, suddenly lost her glee.


    She looked downstairs, and turned solemn.


    "I have tried, Xiao Yan," Feifei whispered, "But even though I have a thick face, I think I know when to stop, and when to keep going."


    ...��.


    "Even the hardest rock will eventually break from the constant drip of the rain drops," she paused.


    "But, the human heart can only be touched with something that is even softer and more fragile than a tickle of a feather."


    "Right now, my confidence is nothing more than a feather, and I don''t know what else to do to win his heart."


    She glanced up and looked at Shao Yan, "So, this is only so much I can do, I have to let him go."


    Shao Yan felt her heart was pricked with sadness. Feifei was a cheerful girl. She had always been the one who would slap her on the back to pick her gloomy spirit back up at any time.


    But now, that strong and sunny girl had turned mellow and lost all of her confidence.


    Shao Yan placed her hand on top of hers, "Feifei," She gave a light squeeze, "Only a blind man who will let go off a precious woman like you."


    "Don''t get discouraged, alright? You will find someone who deserves all of your love."


    Shao Yan slowly let out a small smile, "Maybe, let''s give this matchmaking party a try, then."


    Feifei returned her smile helplessly, "Xiao Yan, you don''t have to pity me."


    "I have always known that Zhong Yu and I will never have a chance in this," She shrugged, "His eyes have always been looking at you. Time has passed so much now, that both of us have lost our chances."


    Feifei turned to the side, and looked at the crowd downstairs again, "I will be fine. You don''t have to worry."


    She tilted her head and glanced at the back at Shao Yan, "Worse comes to worst, I''ll just go overseas and get myself a handsome, foreign man, who thinks Asian women are super attractive."


    And then she winked at her. Both women laughed at the silly thoughts and started to discuss travelling to the USA.


    ....


    The two best friends chatted for a while after that.


    Shao Yan told Feifei about Li Xiqing and his parents'' plan to visit. And Feifei was busy fan-girling over Mandy and Axel and their perfect power couple look.


    About an hour later, Feifei received another text message.


    "Xiao Yan," She said after replying to the text message, "I think I should go now. Lu Qian has been chasing me to meet him now."


    She clicked her tongue, "This troublesome brother of mine is forever my headache."


    "En," Shao Yan laughed at her annoyed face. Deep inside her heart, she knew that Feifei had always adored Li Qian as her big brother.


    "Go now, don''t let him wait for too long."


    Feifei nodded and was about to say more, but she paused when Shao Yan also received a text message on her phone.


    "Then," She waved happily, "You go get busy, I''ll go now, Xiao Yan."


    Another text message came in. Shao Yan gave a peek at her phone and saw it was from Li Xiqing.


    Feifei turned around, while saying, "Then, I''ll call you next week. Let''s go shopping again, okay? Byeeee!"


    Shao Yan laughed and also waved her hands happily.


    She watched as Feifei skipped on her steps away from her in a light mood; she shook her head helplessly before unlocking her phone to read the incoming messages.

 Chapter 244 - Friends

    She unlocked her phone and saw there were two new messages.


    The first one was from unknown numbers. It only took a glance for her to recognize it. From the unique last four digit numbers, she recognized these numbers were Vivian''s.


    The second text was from Li Xiqing. Shao Yan decided to open it first.


    ''I will be home late tonight, Martin arrived today. I am going to bring him out for dinner.''


    Martin had been working from AG International Japan office most of his time. But for the next few weeks, he would be in Shanghai for a meeting with Ido Kanagawa in a few days.


    Shao Yan quickly typed in her reply.


    ''Alright, I know. Don''t worry about me and be careful.''


    And then she opened the second text message.


    ''Hello, Shao Yan, I am already in the area. Take your time, I will be meeting you at the cafe later - Vivian''


    ....


    Shao Yan unconsciously took a deep breath.


    This was it.


    She had read this moment a lot; from both in her novels or her TV drama.


    The moment where the protagonist was finally meeting the ex-girlfriend. And then all the ugly drama resurfaced.


    She shook her head lightly to disperse the ugly thoughts away.


    ''I hope this woman is polite enough to have civilized conversation,'' Shao Yan thought to herself.


    She was walking towards the escalator to go downstairs. And then suddenly she paused in her steps.


    ''What does she want by meeting me anyway?'' She started to question inside her heart.


    She shook her head again, ''Let it be," and then she sighed, ''let''s just get this done and over with.''


    As she reached downstairs, her team leaders started to approach her one after another.


    Shao Yan did a quick discussion with each of them about the events before she left.


    "I will take a break now, and be back in about one hour," she paused, and quickly corrected herself, "maybe even less. I am planning to just get a cup of coffee."


    She swiped her gaze around, "Does anyone need anything?"


    ....


    "Ice Americano."


    The waitress nodded, "Anything else, miss?"


    Vivan did not bother to open the cafe menu and ordered her drink right away. Upon hearing the question, she pondered for a while.


    "I do want some dessert, what do you recommend?"


    The waiter smiled politely, and then with her palm side up, she waved to the display cabinet at the side of the store, "Our specialty is the crepes cake. We have Chocolate, Strawberry or Matcha."


    She placed her delicate chin on top of her folder arms on the desk, "Matcha, please," she said after pondering for a while.


    The waitress took her order swiftly, and then she walked away.


    Vivian placed her purse on the table, and opened it to take a pocket size mirror from the inside.


    She inspected her own reflections from the mirror carefully, making sure her looks were presentable and stunning as usual.


    She took out a lip balm, and uncapped it; Vivian swiped the cherry scented liquid onto her soft lips. Her left hand was holding the mirror, while she tidied up her hair with her right fingers. Smacking her lips together a couple of times to make sure the lip balm was spread evenly.


    She was not sure why she asked to meet Shao Yan anyway. After that coincidental meeting that day, Vivian could not shake off the image of Daniel and his new girlfriend from her mind.


    That was why she decided on an impulse that she had to meet this woman alone. She was curious what actually intrigued Danny to be with her.


    ....


    Shao Yan noticed Vivian easily from afar.


    And she paused on her tracks.


    It was a quiet afternoon, and there was only one stunning figure sitting next inside the small cafe. The woman was sitting by the window; looking cheerful as she enjoyed the ice coffee in front of her.


    Shao Yan unknowingly shuddered as she imagined the cold beverage running through her throat in this chilly weather.


    She took several deep breaths to calm herself from the sudden nervousness that somehow rose up.


    After Shao Yan convinced herself to just stay for a cup of tea, she continued her steps forward.


    ''Keep calm. No drama,'' she chanted to herself.


    ''Remember what your professor said in the past, Yan Yan,'' She lectured herself to boost her confidence, ''K.I.S.S. - Keep it simple, Shao Yan!''


    With a clenched fist, one step followed by another; she pushed herself to enter the cafe.


    ....


    Their eyes met as she was reaching the table.


    Vivian smiled first, and Shao Yan slowly returned her smile.


    "Hello," Shao Yan greeted her before she sat down, "Sorry, you must have been waiting for a while." She noticed that Vivian was already half into her drink and cake.


    "Not at all," Vivian raised her hand to signal the waitress to come over, "I was early, remember? I know you are working anyway."


    Shao Yan received the menu book, "Thank you," and she quickly flipped around.


    "I will have your Lychee Honey tea," She closed the book and passed it back to the server, "No sugar, please. Thank you."


    Shao Yan glanced at the purse on top of the table. Vivian noticed her line of sight; she hurriedly reached out to the clam-shaped bag and picked it up.


    "Oh, look at me so clumsy," Vivian placed the purse on the seat next to her, "I''m sorry you have to see the messy me just now."


    Shao Yan shook her head and smiled, "Not at all. I was just admiring your purse. It is a very pretty bag after all."


    Vivian glanced to the side; her fingers swiped over the shiny pink pearls, "This is my favorite bag. Thank you."


    Shao Yan noticed a tint of sadness in her voice and the melancholic looks in her eyes.


    Before the mood turned dark and gloomy, Shao Yan quickly diverted the topic, "So, may I know why you wanted to see me today?"


    ....


    "Your tea, Miss."


    Shao Yan glanced up to the server and smiled, "Thank you."


    The two women tacitly kept quiet until the server was out of their sight to continue their conversation.


    Vivian smiled, "I was just trying to make friends," the corner of her lips twitch nervously.


    "I just moved back to Shanghai, and I do not have many friends here."


    Under the table, Vivian placed one palm above the other; her right thumb was rubbing against the inner wrist of her left hand.


    "Meeting all of you that day was really a coincidence," She said slowly, "So I guess it is also fate that all of us should become friends again."


    She paused slightly, before continuing.


    "Including you and I."


    A soft sigh came out from her lips, "I''m sure you have heard my story from Danny."


    Her hands reached out to the side, and took out something from inside of her purse.


    "And to avoid any misunderstanding in the future, I want to start our friendship with the right steps."


    Shao Yan saw Vivian was holding a box in between her fingers. It was a small, red maroon velvet box.


    She placed the box gently in front of Shao Yan, "This was something that I should have returned to Danny many years ago,"


    "But I have never gotten the chance to," Her eyes were locked into the box in her fingers and her voice slightly choked up, "Or maybe I did not want to?"


    The last words seemed like a mumble or a whisper; but it was loud enough for Shao Yan to catch what Vivian was saying.


    She looked up and met Shao Yan''s eyes, "I hope you can help me to return this to him."

 Chapter 245 - Interesting

    Shao Yan noticed her choking voice.


    The woman in front of her was looking like an abandoned little bunny.


    Her expression and voice showed that she had treasured this box so much; she was not willing to let it go. But yet she had to do it anyway.


    Shao Yan looked down at her own tea cup.


    ''What an interesting person,'' She thought to herself.


    Her eyes were running through the French style of white and blue flower decorations along the edges of the cup.


    The corner of her lips was slightly curved.


    Shao Yan raised her delicate fingers, and picked the cup up. With both hands, she wrapped them around the cup while waiting for Vivian to continue.


    Her fingers were still wrapped around the red maroon velvet box. Her eyes were glued to it. She looked morose and alone.


    "I hope you can help me to return this to him."


    After Vivian finished saying that, her fingers were still lingering around the box. Her thumb slowly caressed the edges of the box, as if she was hurting to be parted away.


    Slowly, she finally let go and Vivian leaned back to her seat.


    "Yan Yan," She paused dramatically, "May I call you Yan Yan?"


    "I hope you don''t misunderstand," Vivian hurriedly continued, "Everything between Danny and I were already in the past."


    "I can see that he is much happier now with you," Vivian glanced away, out the window, "And I am glad he is not hurting anymore."


    ...��.


    Shao Yan was holding the cup with both of her hands; and throughout the whole time, she had never let go off her gaze from the woman in front of her. Somehow, her every expression, her every manner, was very interesting to Shao Yan.


    Vivian picked up her purse, and started to rummage through its content, and then she took out a facial tissue paper and started to dab her nose.


    The sun was shining at the pearls; made it glitter and sparkle so beautifully.


    Shao Yan looked at the purse; her eyes were tracing the pink hue and rainbows; they were indeed so pretty.


    An inexplicable sense of happiness and sadness at the same time, suddenly swept her heart.


    She stopped her gaze at the crown on the top of the purse and focused on the green gem around the crown.


    Shao Yan stared for a while when many different scenes were running through her head. It was like a scene in the movie; when all the flashbacks and memories suddenly came to her.


    ''She is really interesting.''


    ...��.


    "Vivian."


    Shao Yan suddenly said and slowly placed the cup back on the table.


    Her eyes were fixed on the cup, "Why don''t you let me....," Shao Yan paused to find a good word to say.


    She glanced up, "Why don''t you let me tell you a little bit of the story about myself?"


    She tilted her head slightly, as if she was asking Vivian a question. But both of them knew that it was a statement.


    "When I first met Xiqing, I thought he was the most amazing man I have ever seen," Her thoughts went back to their first meeting at the cafe in her office building.


    "At the time, I was not looking for love at all. I was deeply hurt before and I was completely happy being alone," Shao Yan let out a small smile as she reminisced, "I was perfectly ready to never fall in love again."


    She placed an elbow on the table and supported her chin on top of her palm.


    "But this man, who I thought was the most perfect man in the world, is willing to stay and even pours a hundred percent of himself to be with me."


    She held her stare against Vivian, "And his trust in me was exactly why I was willing to give this relationship a shot."


    ''What is she trying to say?'' Vivian thought to herself as she blinked in confusion, ''Is she showing off their lovey dovey relationship now?''


    As if she just read her mind, Shao Yan smiled.


    Gradually, her lips curved into a genuine happy smile, "When I first met him, it was only about a year ago."


    Her eyes were revealing a glint of light; as if she just found a huge secret.


    "Or so I thought."


    ...��.


    "A few years ago, my life hit a rock bottom when I left my ex-husband."


    Vivian blinked in surprise. She would have never guessed that Shao Yan was married before.


    "I was living in New York with him until he had an affair behind my back, and so I decided to move to the other end of the country to stay away from him," Shao Yan started to tell her story.


    "I was staying with a friend in San Francisco, and it was difficult for me to find a job when my life had just turned upside down."


    She paused as she could feel that her mood turned gloomy.


    "I was basically trying to pick myself up from having broken apart."


    Her fingers were tracing the corner of the tea cup saucer, "So, I was willing to work any job to distract myself; and at the same time earned me something."


    Shao Yan looked out of the window, towards the blue sky. Her eyes were following the dancing white clouds.


    The bright sky quickly chased her darkness away.


    ....


    "That day was practically a very bad day for me."


    Shao Yan slowly continued, "My lawyer had just come back to tell me that my ex-husband had signed the divorce papers; no questions asked."


    She still remembered that day, it was bright and sunny just like this.


    Shao Yan shook her head, "My heart was broken, and our years of relationship was so trivial for him, that I felt I was not worth anything at all."


    She looked down at her cup and let out soft chuckles.


    "I was sulking the whole day and refused to do anything when my friend asked me to go to her boutique to help out."


    Shao Yan looked up into Vivian''s eyes, "It was a sunny day like this, and she figured everyone would be out and about so she needed me to hand out flyers to promote her clothing shop by The Pier."


    ...��.


    Shao Yan slowly continued, "I was minding my own business that day, handing out flyers to the tourists at The Pier. The weather was nice, the seals were singing happily and everyone was out there enjoying the sun after so many cold days."


    "When suddenly, a bunch of teenagers thought it would be funny to make fun of a petite Asian woman like myself to make their day better."


    Shao Yan looked at Vivian. Her expressions shifted a couple of times when Shao Yan was telling her story.


    She went from confusion to judgmental, to more confusion.


    And finally now, she showed a surprised look on her face; as if she just realized something.


    Shao Yan saw Vivian linked her fingers together as she listened. She twisted them so hard, her knuckles turned white.


    "When one of the guys started to touch my arm, I was ready to scream and call the police," Shao Yan continued, "When all of a sudden, a man walked over to my rescue and yelled at them; he chased them away."


    Vivian had her mouth opened in surprise. The realization dawned on her.


    She remembered this scene.


    This was the very last moment she saw Daniel before he turned his back on her.


    She raised one hand slowly and placed it over her mouth; soft gasps of surprise escaped her trembling lips.


    ''This can''t be happening,'' Vivian thought to herself.


    ''That woman can''t be her!''

 Chapter 246 - Destiny?

    "When one of the guys started to touch my arm, I was ready to scream and call the police," Shao Yan continued, "When all of a sudden, a man walked over to my rescue."


    A smile formed on her lips as she continued, "He yelled at them and he chased them away."


    The smile grew bigger.


    "At the time, I was really grateful that the man decided to stay with me until the hooligans left the scene."


    She slowly raised her index finger and pointed at the purse.


    "If not for your purse, I would have forgotten about that day."


    Vivian slowly looked down to her lap and stared at her most prized handbag.


    "I remember that after the man left, I saw a very beautiful woman who stood not ten feet away."


    Shao Yan paused when she saw Vivian''s face went pale.


    "The woman was crying for him, she was holding onto that bag, looking like she was full of sorrow."


    Shao Yan looked away from Vivian, out the window, "She was clutching it so tightly, and I remembered thinking to myself, ''Ah, what a beautiful bag, and yet she was crying so sorrowfully,'' and then I saw the woman walk away in the arms of another man."


    Shao Yan paused.


    "I also remember thinking to myself, if she loved the man so much that she cried for him, why was she in another man''s embrace now," and then Shao Yan stayed silent.


    Vivian was not saying anything either. Her trembling fingers slowly brushed the bag on her lap.


    "The day was supposedly a very bad day for me; but I was feeling happy that someone came to my rescue," Shao Yan looked down to her cup again, and she slowly picked it up.


    Her lips were touching the edge of the cup before she said, "The man who saved the day, sparked a new hope in my heart."


    She looked up and met Vivian''s eyes, "The sparkling mood that day was similar to how glittering your bag is today."


    And after Shao Yan finished saying that, she was surprised at herself.


    ''Ah!'' Shao Yan realized, ''So that was why I was feeling sad and happy at the same time earlier.''


    She slowly sipped on her tea while thinking, ''Human destiny is really unpredictable."


    ...��.


    No one said anything for a while.


    A soft piano music was playing in the background, hoping to bring out a cheerful mood to the customers who were enjoying their drinks inside the cafe.


    Shao Yan was enjoying her tea in silence. Her mind was travelling back to that day.


    After seeing Vivian''s reactions just now, Shao Yan was even more convinced that the man that day could be Li Xiqing.


    Was it really him?'' Shao Yan promised to herself, ''I will have to talk to him later.''


    She was giddy with excitement as she thought about how he would react when he heard of this story.


    ...��.


    After she realized that she had finished her tea, Shao Yan glanced at her watch.


    "Vivian, it was nice meeting you today," Shao Yan smiled at her and slowly got up from her seat.


    "And no, please don''t call me Yan Yan," Shao Yan paused as she stared into her eyes.


    "If you really want us to be friends, I would appreciate it so much if you can start by calling me Shao Yan."


    She stood next to the table and kept her stare at Vivian. The red maroon velvet box was still sitting on top of the table; untouched.


    Shao Yan glanced at it for a second, and then back to Vivian.


    "And I don''t think I should be bringing that back to our house. As you said, it was given to you in the past, so I believe Xiqing does not need it as well. You can do whatever you want with it."


    Shao Yan paused to let the words sink in.


    "I believe Xiqing when he said everything between you two was already in the past."


    "So, I hope we can be cordial in the future," Shao Yan brushed off the non-existent dust on her arm sleeves, "I have to excuse myself first as I still have work to do. I hope you have a nice day."


    And then without waiting for Vivian to answer her, Shao Yan walked to the cashier to pay for all of their orders.


    Regardless of her motives in meeting her today, Shao Yan did not wish to owe anything to this woman.


    "Excuse me, can you also pack all of those cakes there into individual boxes, please?" Shao Yan pointed at the remaining ten or so cake slices in the display cabinet.


    Her cheery mood influenced her to reward her team with desserts.


    ....


    When Shao Yan walked back to the event area, all of her team leaders were wrapping up their summary session.


    "Manager Shao!"


    "Xiao Yan!"


    "Ah Team Lead, you''re finally here!"


    One by one, they were calling out to her. Her team members were even more excited when they saw she was carrying multiple plastic bags in her hands. And through the transparent material, they could see the famous brand for desserts.


    Shao Yan noticed their line of sight. She handed over the plastic bags in her hands, "Here, take them! Those are rewards for all of your hard work today."


    She grinned as she said that; inviting cheers from everyone around her.


    Fan jie stood next to her and patted her shoulder, "We are already wrapping up here, Xiao Yan."


    Shao Yan nodded and saw some of the authors were also walking out.


    "Thank you for today, Fan jie," Shao Yan continued, "Are you guys going back to the office now?"


    Wenhai shook his head, "Only some people with the excess materials will go because they need to store them back in the office, but the rest of us can go home."


    Shao Yan nodded, and then she clapped her hands, "Alright, team leaders, good job today! Anyone who has finished their work, can enjoy the rest of the day from home. Thank you again, everyone!"


    After she finished saying that, everyone started to clap their hands to congratulate themselves and each other for the good work for the day.


    Shao Yan started to collect the stuff that she could bring with her, and then she decided to go home.


    ....


    "Shao Yan!"


    Just as she was about to leave, Li Na was jogging towards her, "Wait up!"


    Shao Yan turned around and saw she was coming to her directions with a plastic bag in her hand.


    When she finally stood in front of her, Li Na passed the plastic bag in her hands, "Here!"


    She continued while taking breaths as she spoke, "Everyone has taken their share of desserts, but there is one left for you."


    Shao Yan swept her gaze around the others behind Li Na and saw everyone had started to leave.


    "Take it, and enjoy it with Daniel Li," Li Na started to tease.


    She looked back at Li Na and took the bag with her, "Alright, i''ll take it then. Thanks for today, Li Na. Don''t stay up too late and go home right away!"


    Li Na grinned at her, "Fan jie and I are going shopping after this."


    "Of course you are!" Shao Yan nodded with a smile, "Alright! Have fun then, I''ll see you back in the office tomorrow!"


    She turned around on her heels and started to walk to the parking garage. She took out her phone and started to type a text message.


    ''I just finished the event, I''m going home now. Where are you?''


    And then she hit the send button to send it to Li Xiqing.

 Chapter 247 - Mango Crepe Cake

    "Filet mignon with a side order of onion rings. Less salt and more pepper, please."


    The server keyed in the order in the iPad while kept asking follow up questions, "How would you like it to be cooked?"


    "Medium well-done, thank you."


    "I will have prime ribs with a side of garlic bone marrow. Medium rare for me, thank you."


    The server repeated their order before he walked away briskly.


    It was still an early setup for dinner time, there were only a few customers inside the posh restaurant. A soft jazz music with mostly violin and piano serenaded the customers as they chatted; creating a relaxed ambience. Soft clinks of cutleries were heard from some tables.


    Li Xiqing was typing away on his phone. It was a message from Shao Yan.


    ''Sorry, I forgot my phone was still in silent mode after a meeting. I just picked up Martin from the airport; we are having dinner now. I will be home before nine.''


    And then he set his phone to the side, in case Shao Yan replied.


    Martin was about to say something, but he paused when he saw the server come back to their table. One hand was holding a basket of fresh baked homemade bread and a plate of assorted butter on the other hand.


    After he walked away again, Martin then started his chat, "How is Axel doing in Singapore?"


    Daniel reached out to the basket and unfolded the cloth that was covering the bread to keep them warm. A whiff of fresh baked dough, mixed in with walnuts and butter quickly spread around in their table.


    Martin could not help to also peek at the bread basket and started to eye on his target.


    "He''s doing okay," Daniel chose a multigrain bread and placed it on his plate, "I talked to Karl today, and he said that the other party is finally willing to meet with them."


    Daniel glanced up to meet Martin''s eyes, "Not the kid now, Axel and Karl are meeting his dad, the CEO, directly. So we know it will be no nonsense this time."


    "That''s good," Martin said while spreading butter on his walnut bread, "And how are we with the meeting with Kanagawa later?"


    He looked up to see Daniel was about to take a bite of his bread, "I am actually still surprised that Ido Kanagawa himself is willing to come here to meet us."


    "Well," Daniel paused as he chewed his bread, "An insider told us that the main purpose of him being in Shanghai this time is to drag his daughter home. Meeting AG International is simply on the way."


    "A side trip, if you may say," He shrugged, "But I hope it is actually benefiting us."


    ....


    At exactly 8.50 PM, the door was opened and Li Xiqing was home.


    "Xiqing?" Shao Yan called out from the living room; to which he replied with a hum.


    When Li Xiqing appeared in her view, he was smiling as he raised one hand to show a small box that he was holding, "I brought dessert."


    And at the same time when Shao Yan saw him walking in from the foyer, she lifted up a small plate in her hands, "Look! We have a cake."


    Each of them looked at one another, and then looked down at their hands before they burst into laughter.


    "Sweet minds think alike, huh?" Li Xiqing said as he walked over to the couch.


    Shao Yan grinned at him and pointed to the coffee table by her side, "I also have white wine to accompany the desserts."


    She was eyeing the box in his hands. Her curiosity was piqued, "What do you have there?"


    Li Xiqing saw the Mango crepe cake on her plate, and then he smiled, "I have Rum Tiramisu."


    Her lips formed an ''O'' letter before her smile went wider. Her big round eyes spoke more words of excitement than real words themselves.


    Li Xiqing smiled as he handed her the box, and she handed him her plate.


    He sat down next to her and started to scoop a bite while Shao Yan opened the box in front of him.


    "This is perfect," Shao Yan squealed in delight, "I have been wanting to eat Tiramisu for a while now."


    Her bright mood did not escape his eyes. The cheery atmosphere blanketed her quickly infected his mood.


    All of his tiredness from the long day was quickly swept away.


    ....


    "You''re in a good mood," Li Xiqing said before he scooped a bite and offered it to Shao Yan.


    She shook her head, "You can enjoy it, and I know you love Mangoes. I''m happy with my Tiramisu now."


    "And yes, I am in a good mood," She continued, "The event went very well, we received many positive reviews in a night."


    She pointed her chin to the laptop that was sitting on top of the table in front of her, "And also, many per-orders are placed online in the last two hours. I''m ecstatic!"


    Li Xiqing returned her smile, "That''s great news," He lifted his wine glass up and clinked to hers that was sitting on the table, "Congratulations, Manager Shao!" And then he took a sip.


    Shao Yan nodded happily and scooped another bite of her Tiramisu cake.


    "How was your day?" Shao Yan asked in return.


    Li Xiqing started to tell her about his day; started from the chaotic morning meeting to the afternoon call with Karl. And then his traffic jam on the way to the airport and finally, his fantastic ribs for dinner.


    "You were right about the garlic bone marrow," He concluded, "It was a fantastic pairing with the ribs."


    Shao Yan scooped the last bite of her cake as she nodded, "En. Qi Ling told me about that; and ever since I tried it for the first time, I can never go back to normal."


    She heaved a soft sigh as she remembered how amazing the taste was in her mouth.


    Li Xiqing smiled at her sad expressions, "I will bring you there next time. Don''t look so sad now."


    Shao Yan was about to get up to throw the box away, but he was faster. Li Xiqing stood up and took the box from her hands; he walked to the kitchen to put the plate and the box away.


    Shao Yan watched the departing back, and she felt warmth in her heart, accompanied with flutters of butterflies. Her heart was filled with so much joy, she felt as if she was about to burst from the happiness.


    ....


    A few minutes later, Li Xiqing came back with two glasses of water in his hands.


    Shao Yan was sipping on her white wine and changing the TV channels with a remote in her other hand.


    She glanced at him just as he sat down.


    Her eyes were tracing his face when he suddenly looked up and met her eyes.


    "What is it?" He said with a small smile of curiosity, "Why are you looking at me like that?"


    Shao Yan was confused, she tilted her head, "Like what?"


    "Like...," Li Xiqing leaned back and sipped on his wine, "You''re still hungry and I am actually a walking dessert for you to enjoy," and then he let out a throaty laugh; feeling amused.

 Chapter 248 - Rum Tiramisu

    Shao Yan pursed her lips and slapped her hand on his thigh; causing him to laugh even harder.


    "You are so annoying!" She said while feigning irritancies.


    Li Xiqing was still laughing at her pouting face.


    He reached out one hand to brush her hair. He buried his fingers in her hair and lightly massage her scalp, before pulling her closer.


    His lips brushed lightly in the corner of her lips and he whispered, "I will never stop annoying you," and then he touched his lips to hers ever so gently.


    Scents of the spring grapes circulated around them as they kissed slowly. Each of them savoring each other''s taste only with their lips.


    Shao Yan kept her eyes opened; looking deep into his eyes as he landed soft pecks on her lips. He also had his eyes opened, tracing all of her faces; starting from her stunning eyes, down to her small nose and then her tiny, delectable lips.


    After a while, Shao Yan could not hold her smile.


    She raised both hands and cupped his face on each side, "Who''s afraid of who! I''ll never stop annoying you too, then."


    And then she smooched his lips and left a loud peck; before she moved away.


    ''Must stop kissing,'' She reminded herself, ''Or the night will end up not talking, but more.. uh.. moaning.''


    As the thoughts crossed her mind, ''Yes, must stop!'' Shao Yan commanded herself as she involuntarily blushed. She quickly chased her tempted minds away.


    She really wanted to just talk to him.


    For now.


    .......


    Shao Yan quickly scooted to the other end of the sofa before Li Xiqing started his actions on something else.


    "So uh..." She started to say, "Do you remember when you told me about Vivian before?"


    Seeing how she escaped so quickly, Li Xiqing could not help to smirk in amusement, "Uh huh? Which part?"


    Shao Yan knew exactly the meaning behind the smirk. She glared at him in return.


    "When you said you caught her with another man."


    Looking at how she still looked so cute even when she was glaring, Li Xiqing could not help to smile helplessly.


    ''This woman really underestimated her own attractiveness,'' He thought to himself.


    .......


    Li Xiqing changed his sitting position. He crossed his long legs and leaned back more comfortably.


    Each of them was now sitting on the opposite end of another. He let his heels bumped onto hers every now and then. She would return his actions and bumped into his ankle ever so gently as well.


    Seeing that Shao Yan really wanted to chat, he better be in his best behavior.


    Or else, the wife might actually kick him outside and no snuggles tonight.


    He shuddered at the thoughts.


    .......


    "Yeah, what about it?" He said before he sipped on his wine again.


    Shao Yan was not sure how to open the topic, so she decided to just go straight to the point.


    "You only said that you met them on your business trip to San Francisco and never actually told me the other details."


    She quickly continued before Li Xiqing misunderstood that she was asking for him to be specific, "I don''t need you to tell me how and where. I don''t need to know that much."


    Li Xiqing looked at her; confused. He stayed silent to let her continue with her line of thoughts.


    "But, did you actually catch them at The Pier?" She sipped on her wine; anxious for his reply, "Were you at The Pier that day?"


    Li Xiqing looked quizzically at her, "How did you know? What did she say to you today?"


    His eyebrows were furrowed; he was not pleased if she was fed with lies or distorted facts.


    But he knew that his Shao Yan would rather confront him with a lot of questions before she started to trust other people.


    .......


    "Well," Shao Yan hesitated for a while, "She wanted me to return something to you."


    Shao Yan peeked at him; her long eyelashes blinked softly at him.


    Li Xiqing squinted his eyes as he was trying to think of any important stuff that he might have left behind.


    But he quickly cleared his thoughts.


    Whatever the stuff might be, it was from years ago; he was sure he would not need them anymore now.


    Li Xiqing shrugged and kept on sipping his wine, "Whatever that is, it''s been years. I would have bought the things to replace them."


    Shao Yan pursed her lips together, trying to hold her smile. His words were exactly the same as hers this afternoon.


    "That''s what I thought so too."


    She purposely paused for a while.


    "But .... It''s a red maroon box," Shao Yan finally said while looking at his facial expression.


    He raised one eyebrow, "I see," and then scoffed, "That''s hers. She can keep that, or throw it away, I don''t really care."


    Seeing that she almost finished her wine, Li Xiqing reached out to the bottle inside an ice bucket and refilled her glass, "What is it that you want to ask me?"


    .......


    Her eyes were fixed at the bubbles inside her glass that were slowly rising up from the bottom to the rim of the crystal glass.


    "Do you still remember the girl that you helped out at The Pier that day?"


    His eyebrows were scrunched together as he tried to remember what exactly happened that day.


    "Not really," Li Xiqing carefully balanced the bottle in his hand while he poured the wine, "How did you even know about this story? What did she actually say to you?"


    He looked up at her when he was done, waiting for her to answer.


    Shao Yan smiled at him as she reached out to take her glass back, "That girl was me," and then she calmly sipped her wine.


    Li Xiqing looked at her and paused for a while.


    ''That girl was me.''


    Her words were echoing in his mind over and over again.


    "Wait?" He opened his mouth, and then closed it again in disbelief, "What?"


    .......


    Shao Yan started to point at herself excitedly.


    "I said, the girl that you helped out that day, was me."


    Her eyes went round in excitement as she kept pointing at herself. Li Xiqing was still looking at her incredulously.


    Shao Yan then started to explain, "Actually, I did not remember that incident at all - until today."


    "Vivian had this incredibly pretty bag with her, and I kept feeling weird whenever I saw that bag."


    She sipped her wine again, "Like a sense of dejavu, but I felt happy and sad at the same time."


    So she repeated her story to Li Xiqing again; and he listened to her in silence.


    The whole time, his heart could not stop feeling amazed at how the whole event turned out for the two of them.


    "And after she left with the man, I went back to the shop again," Shao Yan shrugged as she finished telling him.


    Slowly, he could picture the whole scene in his head. He remembered saving someone, and he remembered telling the men to stay away.


    But he could not remember any faces; not of the guys, not even of hers.


    Li Xiqing put down his glass on the table, and then he faced Shao Yan.


    He reached out his hands, and took the glass away from her hand, before pulling her into his embrace.

 Chapter 249 - Sparkling Wine

    With one hand, he pulled her hand onto him and his other arm wrapped around her back.


    His two arms were caging her on each side, Li Xiqing buried his face in her neck; he needed to convince himself that she was real.


    Here.


    With him.


    What a funny twist of events.


    They had encountered each other years ago, and yet, he forgot about her.


    This loveable face that was always able to calm his restless soul.


    And Li Xiqing felt a slight guilt that started to burden his heart. How could he forget?


    His arms unconsciously tightened around her body, wrapping her closer in his embrace as he inhaled her fragrance to calm his rushing heartbeat.


    ...��.


    "It''s so good to see you again, Yan Yan," His muffled voice was heard buried in her hair, "I thank God that it was me who saved you that day."


    Shao Yan could feel the mystifying emotions that ran through his mind right now. His whole body was tensed as his strong muscles wrapped around her body.


    She leaned her cheek to the side of his head and then she slowly circled both of her arms around him. His soft hairs were tickling her skin; calming her mind.


    Clutching onto his back, she whispered, "En," a small smile appeared in her lips, "I thank God that it was you, too."


    And she could feel him squeezing her a little.


    She gently patted her hands on his back, trying to match his maddening heartbeats.


    And gradually, the rush slowed down.


    The two of them just spent the moment to be in each other embrace like this; each immersed in their deep, profound feelings that they actually had found each other years ago.


    And that it turned out so beautifully today.


    ...��.


    "Yan Yan?"


    "En?"


    "Was that... after that?"


    She was sitting on his lap while he cradled her gently on his lap.


    Shao Yan was laying against him, her head was resting on his chest as he leaned his cheek on top of her head.


    She could hear the soft drums of his heart, beating steadily against her ears. And he was hugging her like a koala bear.


    At first, Shao Yan did not understand what he was talking about, but then she realized Li Xiqing might be referring if their meetup happened after her split from Liwei.


    "En," She hummed softly, "That was a few weeks after I left New York."


    Li Xiqing hummed his acknowledgement, and then he stayed quiet and did not say anything anymore.


    "It''s so funny," He started to say, "The few weeks before that, both of us were still in New York, and the few weeks after, both of us happened to be in San Francisco as well."


    Shao Yan started to digest what he was talking about.


    "En," She nodded weakly and yet she also felt amazed at the same time, "It is a really funny... twist of fate."


    Shao Yan looked up at him.


    "You know," She ran her index finger along his jaw; his eyes were fixated on her.


    "Actually, after I left New York, I was planning to just go back to China right away."


    ...��.


    The night was quiet around them.


    Somewhere along the way, the TV volume was tuned down, and all they could hear was each other''s voice and silent heart beats.


    "But," Her eyes drooped down as she rested her palm on his chest, "At the time, I did not have enough money to make that kind of trip, and I could only buy a local plane ticket."


    Li Xiqing placed his palm over her hand and held it in. He was listening to her story in silence.


    "I was actually thinking maybe I could just borrow some money from my friend so I can go home."


    Shao Yan looked up to meet his eyes and chuckled silently, "But can you imagine, what will happen if I actually did not go to San Francisco, and just went back to China?"


    "We would not be meeting each other then."


    Her voice dropped at the end and became slight whispers.


    They stayed silent for a while.


    The last words that Shao Yan had spoken out were echoing in their minds.


    And after a while, suddenly she heard him saying.


    "I doubt it."


    His fingers started to play around her fingers that were still resting on his chest.


    Li Xiqing locked his eyes with hers, "I believe, the red strings that were tied around our fingers will always find each other."


    He brought her fingers to his lips, "No matter how we are apart, I will always find you."


    .......


    Her throat felt so constricted.


    It might sound like it was frivolous, but Shao Yan somehow believed the same thing. That no matter where they went, she believed that in the end, they would always find each other.


    Somehow.


    Slowly, she reached up, and circled her arms around his neck.


    Li Xiqing had a feeling that Shao Yan wanted to take the initiative on kissing him, so he did not do anything other than lower his head to accommodate her wishes.


    Her lips touched him so gently.


    It was a light brush before she started to kiss him more.


    Her mind was thinking all the worse scenarios.


    What if they had never met? What if she refused to help with the flyers that day?


    What if she decided to stay in New York a day longer? What if she confronted Liwei and left the house earlier?


    A lot of ''What If''s running inside her head; making her emotions run wild. Shao Yan started to feel afraid of losing him.


    She tightened her hold around his neck and she deepened their kisses.


    Her tongue was looking frantically for him and Li Xiqing was willingly obliged to kiss her back.


    His hands around her tightened as he pulled her even closer; molded to his own embrace and keeping her warm.


    His touches were laced with the same longing.


    The wine started to show its magic; sending the two of them to be more aggressive in their touches.


    His mouth left her lips and started to kiss her jaw.


    Sending bits of kisses along the jawline, all the way up to her ear.


    Li Xiqing slightly parted his lips and clamped the tiny earlobe with both of his lips. He was tempted to use his teeth but he was afraid that he would hurt her.


    His nosetips accidentally grazed the sensitive spot behind her ear and she let out a soft moan when he breathed her scents; triggering him to ignore his sanity and bit her earlobe gently.

 Chapter 250 - The Call

    Their tongue fight continued to the bedroom.


    The desire this time was different. He did not wish to conquer her. She neither.


    All they wanted to do was to reassure themselves that the other person in their arms was real.


    His hands could not stop roaming all over her body; with his lips following behind every touch closely.


    He caressed the soft skin around her neck with his lips; Shao Yan could feel her legs started to give away as she melted against his touch.


    His hand caught her elbow as he cornered her to the bed.


    The back of her knee touched the foot of the bed and then she stumbled to sit down. Her hand reflexively grabbed his shirt collar; pulling him down with her.


    ....


    "Yan Yan," he groaned to the hollow of her neck, slowly moving down to her cleavage.


    His deep voice rumbled in her heart like a drum.


    Shao Yan could feel his hot breath on her skin; she started to feel more restless.


    His hand slipped under her silky top pajamas and caressed her soft abdomen as his tongue was tracing her cleavage, tasting her skin.


    Slight hum noise was heard from somewhere.


    "Xi- Xiqing," She said breathlessly.


    "Mm?"


    His hand moved to her back and his fingers ran down her spine, teasing her sensitive spot on her waist.


    "Y-your phone," she sighed, "it''s vibrating ... somewhere."


    His thumb slowly stroked her underboobs, before he cupped his broad palm over her breast and gave a light squeeze.


    The calluses in his hand rubbed against her soft skin; intensified his every single touch.


    Shao Yan let out a soft moan, and she forgot about his phone immediately.


    While his mouth was busy teasing her, he lifted up her silky top pajamas and tossed it aside.


    ....


    Her hair was spread messily around her head; framing her stunning face like a precious treasure.


    Two red blushes colored her milky skin as her big, round eyes looking at him with longing and desires. Lighting the fire inside him.


    Shao Yan was laying under him with no garment covering her upper body. She was wearing a champagne color, silky short pajama pants.


    His woman looked more alluring than ever.


    Li Xiqing lowered his head, his lips caught the peak of her breast. His tongue circled the pink areolas, sending her mind into chaos.


    She arched her back when he lightly bit her nipples. Shao Yan dug her fingers on the bed sheet; she glanced away while trying to muffle her moans.


    The humming noise of his phone was heard again; but neither of them could pay any attention to that.


    When his mouth caught onto her other breast, Shao Yan lightly gasped.


    She reached out her hands and buried her fingers in his hair; pulling him to her. Shao Yan really wanted to kiss him so much.


    ....


    As his tongue ravaged her mouth hungrily, his hands went inside her pants and cupped her bottom.


    "You tasted so good, Yan Yan," he whispered over her lips as he gave a light squeeze to her bottom.


    Shao Yan was so embarrassed; she could not form any words.


    He left her mouth, and his lips started to trace her jaw, to her neck.


    His scorching tongue went over her cleavage, down to her navel, and then he pulled her short pants down.


    The silky garment slid slowly from her waist to her thighs, leaving her fully exposed to him.


    His eyes roamed all over her bare body; admiring the amazing figure that was laid open under him.


    She grew hotter with a mix of lust and embarrassment; making her skin glowed with pink hues.


    One was fully clothed; and the other was fully naked.


    The night had just started.


    Or so they thought.


    ....


    Li Xiqing lowered his head to her precious area and he could see that she was already glistened with sweet nectar.


    All of a sudden his mouth went dry and he grew thirsty.


    He wanted to taste her so much.


    As his lips were about to lean closer, a sound of a ringing phone was heard from the living room.


    He was slightly distracted, but he did not stop his plan.


    He thought the call would go away soon, anyway; all he wanted to do right now was far more urgent.


    But the caller seemed so persistent. The ringing phone just kept going for a while.


    The calls came in one after another; it tampered the mood that the couple had already built.


    Li Xiqing got up from his knees.


    Frustrated, he ran his fingers in his hair and let out a groan.


    Shao Yan looked up at him and bit her lower lips, "I''m sorry, th- that must be my phone," she said with heavy guilt.


    She got up from the bed and was about to walk outside. But he caught her wrist, stopping her at her spot.


    "I''ll go, you just stay here."


    And then he walked out of the bedroom, towards the ringing phone.


    ''Let''s see who I should kill now,'' He thought to himself.


    ....


    Li Xiqing found her phone right away. It was sitting on top of the coffee table.


    He picked it up and was about to turn it off, when he saw that the caller was his own sister, Mandy.


    "Really?!" He scoffed angrily, debating if he should answer. And then a second later, the call was hung up.


    Li Xiqing sighed in relief. He saw that Shao Yan had three missed calls.


    He rolled his eyes as he recognized that this was Mandy being so persistent.


    "What could be so important that you have to call her at this hour, huh?" he grumbled unhappily.


    His thumb went to the power button and was about to power it off, when the screen lit up, and he saw that Mandy called again.


    He raised his eyebrows in surprise. Li Xiqing did not know if he should curse or laugh.


    He was about to curse, but then he heard that his own phone was vibrating again.


    He sighed and felt defeated; Li Xiqing decided to pick up the call from Mandy.


    "What is it?"


    He answered Shao Yan''s phone with one hand as his other hand reached out to his pants pocket and took out his vibrating phone.


    It was Martin who was calling him.


    ".... Huh? Qing Qing?" Mandy''s soft voice was heard from the other side.


    "Yes, you are disturbing us," he said curtly before Mandy got any chance to ask him a question.


    Li Xiqing also swiped his phone screen to receive the call from Martin.


    "What is it?" He growled to the two phones on each side of his ear, "Make it short."

 Chapter 251 - The Cold Hallway

    The hallway was deserted.


    No one other than her was around.


    In this cold, empty space, she was sitting here by herself. Her bottom was against the cold, stainless steel chair. And yet, she could not feel any of its coldness against her thin garment material.


    Every now and then, she could hear the announcement through the speakers; paging for doctors or nurses to go to certain floors.


    The smell of disinfectant was attacking her nostrils.


    The air conditioner was blowing cold air. The chillness was against her skin, giving her tiny goosebumps.


    But all these distant feelings around her did not seem to disturb her at all.


    For her mind and her sight were fixed to the white marble tiles beneath her feet.


    Her heart felt so anxious.


    Her feet had been tapping on the floor for hours, she finally grew tired and stopped a while ago.


    She raised both arms and hugged herself. She rubbed her palms against each arm to keep her warm.


    Her eyes would sometimes darted to the Emergency signal above the door, and then back to the floor. She would also glance to the end of the hallway, hoping for someone - or just anyone, to appear in her view.


    But there was none.


    The clock had been ticking away.


    She was alone.


    ....


    A loud "Ding" sound echoed on the floor.


    She quickly turned her head towards the source of the sound.


    Series of footsteps were heard coming out of the elevator. And then she saw several men begin their march to walk over towards her direction.


    They were dressed up all in dark suits. Their faces were dark and gloomy, as if they were readying themselves for a fight.


    She could not recognize all of their faces, except for one man.


    The man leading at the front of the group was her father''s most trusted man; who was also his bodyguard.


    Her heart suddenly felt constricted.


    She grew up looking at this face, who was always there for her.


    More than her own father.


    And without her realizing, droplets of tears started to flow from the corner of her eyes.


    She had been feeling anxious and scared for hours. And she had been trying to hold every emotion within herself.


    But when she saw this familiar face coming towards her; and this familiar face gave a sense of security and calm around her, slowly the wall that she had built to surround her was slowly broken down.


    Her fear was exposed.


    In normal circumstances, her pride would not allow her to cry in front of these lowly men. She would go to the ladies room and let out her emotions there.


    But right now, her legs were too weak to make that walk; and seeing this man here changed her stance.


    She felt that she could cry in ease and this man would be there to shield her from prying eyes.


    Just like how he had been protecting her father, she believed that this man would also extend his protection to her.


    ....


    The solid footsteps stopped about three feet away from her. And then his familiar, deep voice was heard.


    "Young Miss."


    Her head was still looking down to the marble tiles as her tears flowed in silence.


    But she knew that this man was standing tall like usual, with his arms on each side, stiff like a soldier.


    His head would be slightly bowed as he greeted her, as a sign of respect. A habit that he had been doing ever since she was born.


    A soft sob threatened to escape her, but she managed to stop herself in time.


    She did not wish to be ridiculed for being weak. The tiny sob could have echoed so loud in this empty hallway, and all of these men would find out.


    She would not want that.


    "En." Her chaotic brain could not think of any other words as a response, so she could only hum her acknowledgement.


    "All of the paperwork for the surgery are done."


    This man had always been rigid and reserved his whole life. He kept his words short, and let his behavior and actions shone more.


    "En," she hummed again.


    After a long pause, she was finally able to squeeze out a tiny voice, "Thank you," she said.


    There was a slight tremble in her voice, that she was sure the man would also catch it.


    He did not say anything anymore, but she knew he must have bowed his head again before he slowly stepped aside and stood next to her silently.


    She raised her hand slowly and tried to wipe her tears with the back of her hand.


    She heard a ruffled noise, and then suddenly a piece of white handkerchief appeared in her view.


    The owner of the wrinkled hand who was holding it did not say anything as he passed the tiny handkerchief to her.


    She did not say anything either, but her trembling fingers slowly reached out to take the handkerchief from him.


    ....


    After she felt that her face was a little more presentable, she slowly raised her chin up and started to scan around the area.


    She noticed that several men had spread around the hallway.


    Two men were standing by the Emergency Room. Another two men were standing on each side of the hallway.


    Two men stood next to her, slightly further away than the most trusted bodyguard.


    She glanced to the side.


    "Uncle Hiro," she started to say. Her voice croaked.


    She had been sitting here for hours; and the last thirty minutes or so, she had been crying.


    Her throat was dry and her voice was so hoarse.


    Hiroto, the old gentleman who had been standing silently next to her, suddenly raised his arm, and then another man came over.


    The young bodyguard passed a bottle of water to Hiroto, who then uncapped it himself before Hiroto passed it over to her.


    Helen took the bottle from him and started to gulp generously.


    Hiroto wanted to tell her to slow down, but he managed to stop himself before he crossed the line.


    He thought that it was unethical for him to say such things to his employer''s daughter.


    ....


    "Uncle Hiro."


    After she drank all the water in the bottle, Helen tried again.


    She sounded much better now.


    She cleared her throat before she continued, "So, what is the situation now?"


    "There is still no news, Young Miss."


    Helen held herself to not roll her eyes in front of him. She patiently asked again, "What did the nurses say?"


    Hiroto was still standing tall in his perfect form by her side. His arms were folded at the front all the time he was speaking to her.


    "No one is willing to say anything while the surgery is in process. All they asked us to do is to wait."


    Waiting was really not her forte.


    She had been waiting here for hours, and yet there was still no news.


    She looked away from Hiroto, towards the Emergency sign that was still lit up.


    ''Father, please be strong,'' Helen pleaded in her heart.


    ''Please.. Father, don''t leave me now.''


    Her hand was still holding onto the damp handkerchief. Her fingernails dug deep through the cotton as she bit her lower lip.


    She must not cry again, not now.


    Until she knew what exactly went wrong, she vowed to herself that she would not break down again.


    After all, she was the one and only Helen Kanagawa.


    The only heir to Ido Kanagawa.


    And her fingers dug deeper into the inside of her palm.

 Chapter 252 - Sharks

    Soft patter sounds entered the bathroom.


    "What happened?"


    Li Xiqing was splashing cold water onto his face when Shao Yan stood by his side. She tilted her head in confusion while waiting for him to answer; she was holding a towel in her hands for him.


    "We don''t know yet," he received the towel from her, and started to wipe his face and neck.


    "They rushed him to the hospital this afternoon," he turned around and hung the towel back to the rack.


    "When Martin called me just now, he said that the surgery had just started."


    He looked at himself in the mirror and then started to style his hair. Shao Yan was still standing by the door patiently, trying to help him however she could.


    Once he was convinced that his look was more presentable, Li Xiqing walked out of the bathroom.


    Shao Yan, wrapped in her fluffy bathrobe, followed closely behind him.


    "I am going to pick Martin up now, and then we are going to the hospital."


    "En," Shao Yan hummed her acknowledgement.


    "You just go to sleep first, I will probably be back home in a few hours," Li Xiqing opened a drawer and took out a fresh pair of socks and then turned around to face her.


    With his other hand, he brushed away the fringe that was covering her forehead, "It''s going to be fine, don''t think too much."


    And then he leaned closer; his lips touched her skin ever so gently and planted a kiss on her forehead.


    After a while, he moved slightly away, "I''m sorry for tonight," he slightly bent his index finger knuckle, Li Xiqing brushed her nose gently, "I still owe you."


    He whispered, "And I will pay the debt ... with much interest soon!"


    Shao Yan could feel her face turned warmer; she blushed when she heard his gruff tone by her ears.


    Shao Yan pursed her lips together and gave a little nod, "En."


    ....


    "Young Miss."


    Helen was twisting the handkerchief in her hands. Her thoughts were travelling around, she had so many things running through her mind that needed to be settled.


    When Hiroto called for her, Helen raised up her face slightly to look at him, but from the corner of her eyes she saw some figures were walking to their side from the end of the hallway.


    Helen quickly adjusted her face and stood up from her seat.


    Her eyes squinted when she recognized one of the men. Helen stopped herself from clicking her tongue. This guy was the boyfriend of Charles'' ex.


    ''What an eyesore,'' She thought to herself, ''What does he want here? Snooping around?''


    The two of them stopped just a few feet in front of Hiroto and Helen.


    One man that Helen did not recognize gave a small bow towards them before he started to introduce himself.


    "Miss Kanagawa, Hiroto-san," Martin gave a little nod before he looked at them straight in their eyes, "We are from AG International."


    "I''m sorry for what happened," He looked at Helen and then at Hiroto, "We rushed here as soon as we found out about Mr. Kanagawa."


    Hiroto stood still next to Helen and did not say anything, as he assumed Helen would be the one to say something.


    But after waiting for a few seconds, Helen still kept her mouth closed, so Hiroto took it to himself to give a reply.


    Hiroto had met these two gentlemen in the past. Back in Tokyo, these two men had visited Kanagawa Industries multiple times to negotiate the buy-out.


    "Mr. Anderson," Hiroto greeted Martin and then he glanced at Daniel with a nod as well, "Mr. Li."


    "Thank you for your visit, we really appreciate the gesture."


    Helen looked away and went back to her seat.


    She decided to play ignorant and let Hiroto talk to the guests.


    She closed her eyes and leaned the back of her head on the wall. Her fingers dug deep in her hands, hidden by the handkerchief.


    ''Damn you, Charles,'' She cursed in her heart, ''where are you when I need you now?''


    ....


    Li Xiqing looked at the operating room, and then he glanced around the hallway.


    Other than him and Martin, there were also other guests who had arrived earlier.


    They were either busy typing on their mobile phones or talking amongst themselves while keeping their voices down.


    Hiroto-san, the most trusted man of Ido Kanagawa did not even bother to spend his time with those business associates to increase his own reputation.


    On the other hand, he chose to stand by Helen''s side and make sure she was well taken care of.


    Li Xiqing could not help to feel a deep respect towards this man.


    It seemed that ''Family Values'' were deeply ingrained in this man''s heart.


    "Hiroto-san," Martin continued, "How is the situation right now? What actually happened?"


    "We just talked to Mr. Ido Kanagawa a few days ago, and he was fine."


    "Gentlemen," The elder Japanese man kept his voice down out of respect to the other guests, he stepped away and started to say, "The doctor just said that the procedure will be more complicated."


    And then he paused.


    "Mainly because of his age," He finished his sentence and then he looked away.


    Martin and Li Xiqing took the signal that the conversation was over.


    No one knew what happened and no one even whispered their speculations.


    ....


    Hiroto gave a bow to the last guest that finally left the hospital.


    He straightened up his body and looked at the departing backs on the business associates.


    ''Those people are more worried about their own business deals,'' He scoffed in his heart, ''while my master is fighting with the grim reaper inside the surgery room, all they can think of is only their profits.''


    Hiroto turned around and walked back to the surgery room.


    The elderly man had been standing for a few hours, but his posture was still straight and impeccable.


    From afar, he saw that one of his men handed over a paper bag of packed food to Helen Kanagawa.


    She glanced to the side and looked at the paper bag in the young man''s hand. Helen then averted her eyes back to her phone in her hand and with another hand she waved away; signaling the man to put the bag down by her feet.


    Hiroto heaved a soft sigh, ''What would be the future of Kanagawa Industries now?''


    His mind started to ponder. The other young masters were not interested in taking over the company. On the other hand, their young miss were still too naive and inexperienced.


    And then another face appeared in his mind.


    The son in law?


    Hiroto clenched his fist.


    ''Pray to god, Mister son in law, that I do not find you first before the police,'' Hiroto swore in his heart.


    ''Or I will gut your heart out and feed your body to the sharks.''


    His eyes glinted with anger.


    It was so fierce and menacing; some of the men who were walking besides him could feel his aura that was thirsty for a blood hunt.

 Chapter 253 - Rose

    It was the weekend and Shao Yan decided that it was a good day to clean the house.


    Li Xiqing had been spending more time with Martin the past few days. Sometimes, they would be in the office or other times, they would be working out of their home offices. It seemed that the issue with Ido Kanagawa had a really serious impact on their business plans.


    After eight hours of surgery, the man was finally out of the operation room.


    That day, his own right hand man, as well as his most trusted bodyguard, called each and every guest to thank them for their visit. At the same time, he also took the opportunity to update them on his master''s condition.


    When Li Xiqing asked if they could pay another visit, Hiroto firmly but politely rejected his request.


    "Our Master is staying in the VIP room right now," he started to say, "but the doctor especially told us not to allow any visit for now. At least until his condition is stable."


    So the past few days after that, AG International had been sending tonic, herbal soup and other nutritional stuff to his hospital room.


    Shao Yan guessed that other associates would do the same thing. She could not imagine how crowded his room was going to be.


    ....


    Li Xiqing was also in the office today even though it was Saturday.


    So, Shao Yan decided to be productive and did a spring cleaning of their houses.


    "Alright!" She clapped her hands excitedly, "We''ll start here!"


    She carried a big plastic box in her hands and decided to go with sorting through their closets.


    Shao Yan started with his stuff since she assumed he would not have as many things as she did, and thus would be faster.


    But she was so wrong.


    After three whole hours of struggling with his clothes, she was finally done with his closet alone.


    Shao Yan had separated his belongings into three different piles of shirts, pants and others. With two hands propped on her waist, Shao Yan was kneeling down in the carpeted wardrobe room.


    She looked around at the piles proudly and smirked, "En," she nodded, "Good job, Yan Yan, now, let Li Xiqing decide on these piles."


    She paused as she thought for a while, "Maybe not throw them away and just donate these things."


    Feeling so proud of herself for having accomplished one thing, Shao Yan got up from the floor and walked out of the closet.


    ....


    Shao Yan was humming a song as she walked over to the kitchen. She wanted to reward herself for the hard work this morning. Her steps were light as she swayed her head to the left and right, along with her melody.


    "Steak and wine will be perfect for dinner tonight," Shao Yan nodded as she thought aloud to herself.


    The day after the hospital visit, Li Xiqing told her over breakfast that Mandy was the one who had been calling her mobile phone and disturbed their "sweet" moment.


    Apparently Axel had been trying to reach him the whole night, but was unable to.


    He wanted Li Xiqing to go to the hospital right away to visit Ido Kanagawa, but the phone was not connected. So Mandy was trying to help by calling Shao Yan.


    Shao Yan was ready to forget about the incident.


    But Mandy came over to their apartment the day after.


    ....


    "Here!" Mandy pushed a bottle of Rose wine into Shao Yan''s hands before she stepped inside.


    Shao Yan looked down at the pink liquid bottle, "Th- this...?" She was feeling confused.


    Mandy had just walked in and took off her shoes before she entered the living room and made herself comfortable on their sofa.


    "Sis?" Shao Yan closed the door and followed her inside, "Did you come here to drink with me?" Shao Yan was about to walk to the kitchen to open the bottle.


    It was only 4 PM that day.


    Shao Yan had left early from the office because she did not have enough sleep the night before and she was feeling lethargic. So she was planning to go home and took a short nap.


    But if this sister in law of hers wanted to drink, oh well, Shao Yan guessed she did not have any other choice but to accompany her anyway.


    Mandy chuckled, "No, no, Yan Yan," she stopped her, "come back here."


    Shao Yan glanced back at her in confusion, but still walking closer to the sofa.


    Mandy raised one finger to point at the bottle, "That," she grinned, "is my apology."


    She tried so hard to hold her laugh.


    "Because I have disturbed your uh...," Mandy paused and peeked at Shao Yan meaningfully, but Mandy could not hold off herself any longer, so she winked cheekily at her, "your sexy time."


    ....


    Even when she thought back to that day, Shao Yan could still feel her face heated up with embarrassment right now.


    Mandy had teased her to no end the whole night.


    The two women spent a few hours just chatting in her living room. Only until Li Xiqing came back home, then Mandy hurriedly escaped herself.


    But before she closed their apartment door, Mandy took a chance to look back at Shao Yan and winked again.


    Shao Yan sighed as she remembered; her hands reached out to open her freezer.


    Her life was going to be interesting with this sister in law in the future.


    Shao Yan took out two beef steaks and put them aside to thaw them.


    Usually, it would be Li Xiqing who grilled the steak for them. But he had been working very hard the past few days. So Shao Yan decided to cook for him tonight.


    She started to get busy around the kitchen preparing all the herbs that she needed.


    She glanced at the clock and started to calculate her cooking time.


    ....


    "Young Miss, you still need to eat."


    Helen, who was sitting on a chair by the hospital bed, ignored Hiroto who was standing tall next to her.


    "You have not eaten anything for two days," he continued.


    Ever since her father had come out of the operating room, he had been unconscious these whole time.


    Helen tried so hard to be strong, but with all these disinfectant smells around her, she started to lose her appetite. And that also caused her mood to be chaotic.


    She heaved a sigh, "Just put it there, I''ll eat it later." Her two hands were holding tightly onto her father''s hand.


    IV tubes and breathing mask were the only accessories on his father''s body. The strong, proud man who had been teaching, guiding and scolding Helen her whole life, was now lying so weakly in front of her.


    She looked down at his hand that was wrapped in between her hands.


    His wrinkled skin looked so fragile under her touches.


    And Helen started to reminisce all of her happy times during her childhood with this man.


    How he had been standing by the rose garden entrance as she ran around the rose field with her mother.


    How he had scowled on her but did not say any word when she was crying because her hands were scratched by the thorns from the roses. His face was showing more pain than her own skin. And that time, Helen did not understand why.


    How he had looked at her ever so gently when she graduated from the university and waved at him from the podium as she received her certificate.


    And how much she regretted right now, that she never actually properly told him that she loved him very much.


    +++++


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 Chapter 254 - Two Men

    Knock. Knock.


    The two people in the room reflexively looked up towards the door.


    Hiroto glanced down at Helen who had averted her gaze back to her father who was laying on the bed. Her attention was solely on Ido Kanagawa.


    Hiroto was wondering if she did not care at all; or if she just trusted Hiroto and his men enough.


    Before he got the chance to answer the knock, the door was opened from the outside.


    Hiroto saw that several people were standing in front of the room. They were not able to enter because the two bodyguards, that Hiroto had assigned to guard the door, were standing still and not allowing anyone to take a step further.


    ....


    The first man that entered his view was the doctor that was assigned to Ido Kanagawa.


    Two female nurses and two unfamiliar men were standing closely behind him.


    "Can I help you, doctor?" Hiroto addressed him from his place while still standing by the hospital bed, unmoved.


    "Did you not just take your screening check half an hour ago? Why are you already back again?"


    "Ah, Hiroto-san," The doctor raised his hand and adjusted the glasses by his nose bridge, "there are two detectives here that have requested to talk to you and Miss Kanagawa."


    His eyes darkened unhappily and he clenched his fist tightly upon hearing the word "detective".


    Helen flinched slightly when she heard what the doctor had said. She glanced at the crowd at the door, and then she looked up at Hiroto.


    "Don''t talk here," She replied curtly, "If you want, go and talk outside the room, please."


    Hiroto gave a small bow at her, before he walked towards the open door.


    Helen watched his departing back carefully.


    When she heard the soft thump of the closing door, she hurriedly took out her phone and opened the text messaging applications.


    ''Where the hell are you?'' She started to type anxiously.


    The screen changed to notify her that it was trying to send out the message. But a few seconds later, Helen saw that her attempt was not successful.


    "Dammit!" She cursed under her breath.


    She raised on index fingers and started to bite on her fingers nervously. She had been trying to call Charles but he was not available. Her texts were not sent either.


    It was as if Charles had disappeared.


    Helen started to feel nervous. What actually had happened that day?


    ....


    "Mr. Hiroto Kogawa, I am Detective Gu, and this is Detective Bao."


    One of the men handed over a name card which Hiroto received with two hands as a sign of respect.


    Upon receiving the card, Hiroto took a quick glance on his name and also his office station before he put it into his shirt pocket.


    Detective Gu was a medium built man in his forties. He had a mix of black and grey hair on his head, making him look older than his actual age. He had a dark navy shirt with black jeans; one hand was holding a toothpick in his mouth, chewing on its tips. Detective Gu stood casually in front of the stiff-looking Hiroto, giving out an aura of ''I-don''t-care-about-this-world'' to anyone who happened to look at him.


    Detective Bao, on the other hand, was younger. He looked to be in his thirties. He stood silently by the side, listening carefully to what people said while taking notes in the pocket size book in his hand. He had black shirt and black jeans, with a small, lanky figure and long legs that seemed to be able to run very fast.


    "Can you tell us what happened on that day?" Detective Gu started to ask.


    Hiroto looked back at him and answered carefully, "What do you mean, Detective?"


    Detective Bao answered on his behalf, "We have received a report of disturbance and also potential violence which involves crime."


    Hiroto kept quiet, he tilted his head slightly to allow both detectives to continue what they were saying.


    The older detective started to say impatiently, "Mr. Hiroto Kogawa, let''s start over."


    "Can you tell us what happened on Thursday, date xx month xx year xx at 14.00 o''clock?"


    ....


    Hiroto cleared his throat while his mind was churning on how to answer.


    He was not sure if he had the authority to answer any questions. Furthermore, this was not his country.


    "Detectives, I really want to help," Hiroto started to say, "however, I also know that I am just a visitor in this country, so I need to be careful in the words that I am about to say."


    He paused his words and started to analyze the faces of the two detectives.


    The younger one, Detective Bao, looked surprised but he quickly masked his expression. He looked down at his notebook and started to write.


    While the older one, Detective Gu, was smirking at him; he took out the toothpick from his mouth and clicked his tongue.


    "Alright, call your lawyer then," Detective Gu shrugged, "I don''t care, I just need answers."


    He quickly continued, "But don''t take too long, we will come back tomorrow at the same time. Please be ready."


    He started walking away, before he turned his heels and glanced back at Hiroto, "Or we have to invite you back to our office to answer your questions ... over tea."


    Detective Gu scoffed at Hiroto and then he walked away, "Bao, let''s go."


    Hiroto stared at the departing detectives until they disappeared in the corner; and then he took out his phone and started to dial some numbers.


    ....


    "How is it?"


    He left his gaze from the steak in front of him, and then looked up. Li Xiqing quickly caught under her stare as she looked at him, waiting for his answer.


    "En," He finished chewing the meat in his mouth, "it''s good."


    He paused while trying to really analyze the taste in his mouth, "The meat was seasoned well, and the doneness is also perfect."


    He smiled, "I have no complaints."


    "Hehe," Shao Yan grinned happily at him, "That''s good then!"


    Watching her blissful face also triggered a wider smile from him.


    Li Xiqing started to tell her about his day.


    Shao Yan listened to each story attentively. Every now and then, she would refill his glass of wine; and also started to sip from her own glass slowly.


    Tonight, Shao Yan had grilled two perfect steaks for their dinner, accompanied by the rose wine from Mandy.


    She felt everything was perfectly in place.


    ....


    "I''ll bring you somewhere tomorrow."


    Shao Yan closed the dishwasher machine and started to press on the buttons. "Hm?"


    She looked at him. Li Xiqing was standing in front of the refrigerator; the door was opened, and he took out a cake box.


    "It''s a date," and then he closed the door and turned around to face her, "so you need to dress prettily."


    Shao Yan was still looking at him, confused.


    She was trying to remember. It was not the weekend tomorrow. How rare it was for Li Xiqing to ask her to go out on a weekday.


    Li Xiqing could guess what her mind was thinking of.


    "Don''t tell me...." He slowly said, "That you forgot tomorrow is Valentine''s day?"


    +++++


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 Chapter 255 - Red Dusk

    When Shao Yan left the office the next day, Li Xiqing had been waiting at the lobby downstairs.


    Before they left the house this morning, he had told her to just dress casually but comfortable. Shao Yan was initially skeptical if she would be dressing down, but Li Xiqing kept reassuring her that it was not a super fancy place.


    "You said to dress up."


    Li Xiqing smiled, "I said, dress prettily."


    Shao Yan gave him a side eye glance; doubting his words.


    He chuckled, "Knowing you, I know you will love the place," Li Xiqing put both hands on her shoulders and turned her around.


    He gently pushed her back to the dressing room, "Just dress how you want to dress, as long as you are comfortable and warm."


    "I mean, just look at me."


    Li Xiqing spread his arm wide to each side. He had put on a light blue shirt with dark jeans. Technically it was still spring, so he had also added a light tan sport jacket.


    Shao Yan nodded her head; she walked back and started to pick her outfit.


    ....


    She saw him from afar; sitting on the sofa with his legs crossed.


    His left arm was resting on the sofa arm, and his right hand was holding onto his phone as he scrolled over the screen while reading on the news.


    Shao Yan adjusted the purse on her shoulder and started to walk over.


    At the end, she decided to pair a long-sleeves striped shirt over a navy blue short skirt.


    She also added a soft, wool grey sweater on the outside, grey socks and also black ankle boots.


    Just in case the weather turned to be colder tonight, Shao Yan also carried an army green windbreaker jacket in her hands.


    Li Xiqing saw an approaching shadow and he raised his head. He locked the phone as he greeted Yan Yan with a smile, and then he stood up.


    "Have you been waiting long?" She asked.


    "Not at all," He walked closer to her, "Thank you for the chocolate covered strawberries."


    He wrapped his hand around her waist as they walked together.


    "I almost ate everything," Li Xiqing continued, "Before Martin ambushed me, and I had to share some with him."


    Shao Yan giggled, "I''m glad you like them."


    She glanced to the side, and peeked at him from under her long eyelashes, "And thank you for the flowers."


    Her smile grew wider, "Having them by my side really cheer up my whole day."


    ....


    After a few hours of car ride, they finally arrived at their destination.


    From a distance, Shao Yan realized that it was an ancient water town. Her eyes immediately sparkled with excitement.


    As it was a tourist area, there was a designated parking spot.


    On a particular day like this, most couples would opt to go to fancy restaurants to eat their meal.


    But Li Xiqing thought that it was a nice getaway idea for the two of them from the hectic city life.


    "I remember that you like everything vintage and traditional," He started, "I have arranged a few tours for us to try here."


    Shao Yan nodded, "I have heard a lot about this place and I have been wanting to visit them!"


    The two of them were walking towards the town. Shao Yan started to show off her knowledge to Li Xiqing.


    "Do you know that most of the buildings here are dated back to 1,700 years ago?"


    She glanced at him, "And also, some other architectures are actually 5,000 years old!"


    Shao Yan started to tell him some interesting facts about the town as they walked further inside.


    ....


    It was the weekday, so luckily the crowd of tourists were not that many.


    Shao Yan was right when she said this town was charming, Li Xiqing was also swept away by the beauty of the area.


    It was called a water town because the town was built along the small rivers and canals in the area.


    Shop houses and other places for business were spread along the riverside; the buildings were separated by a short bamboo fence between them and the river.


    Some buildings were maintained at their original structures. Since they were old buildings, the tallest structure was only three stories high. Some red and yellow colored bricks were still showing from the side of the walls; showing signs of aging.


    Red lanterns were hung all over the streets to add more sense of the traditional landscape.


    It was around the time when the sun was about to set.


    The sky was painted in red and orange lights, adding the stunning dimension to the whole scene.


    Shao Yan and Li Xiqing spent a few hours strolling around.


    The streets were paved in old brick style. Along the street were shop houses that maintained the feeling of living in a small town.


    They visited a small garden and also a Buddhist temple.


    Shao Yan also went inside an old Post Office to explore around; she found out this building also served as a souvenir shop.


    She walked around the shop with deep interest, looking carefully at every single thing. Finally, she selected a few things to bring back with her; such as postcards and also bamboo scroll paintings which she proudly showed to Li Xiqing at the cashier area.


    "Shall we take a break?" When they came out of the shop, Shao Yan pointed at a small tea house by the street, "We can have some tea and snacks there?"


    Li Xiqing stretched out his hand to glance at the time.


    He shook his head, "It''s almost time for our dinner reservation."


    He looked up and met her eyes, "I think we should start walking over now."


    Shao Yan nodded at his words. But before she started to walk, Li Xiqing added, "We can have a dessert at the tea house after that."


    He smiled, "I know you wanted to experience the traditional architecture there."


    She nodded with full enthusiasm, "I can''t miss that. We are here anyway." And then she grinned at him.


    ....


    They took their time to walk over. Li Xiqing did not tell her where they were heading, even after she tried to ask several times.


    "You''ll get to see it soon," He chuckled, "Why so impatient?"


    "I am just really curious," Shao Yan scrunched her nose at him, "This place just keeps giving me surprises, one after another."


    Li Xiqing smiled at her funny face, and then he pointed at an area by the canal.


    "There!"


    Shao Yan looked over.


    He continued, "That is our boat."


    Her big, round eyes blinked in surprise; before she looked back at him.


    "We are going on a paddle boat?"


    It was called a paddle boat even though each boat had a boat person who would accompany the passengers.


    As they walked closer, Shao Yan noticed that each paddle boat could take up to five or six adults at one ride.


    It was a slim and long wooden boat with a lower step that allowed people to sit on the bench each side.


    Some paddle boats were modified to have a table in the middle. These kinds of dining boats could only fit up to four adults at one seating. The boat persons were hired by local restaurants to serve their meals on the boat as the tourists took a cruise along the river. And therefore, reservations were definitely a must.


    "Here we are!" Li Xiqing stopped at one of the boats.


    He extended one hand; his palm side up was offered at Shao Yan, "Shall we?"

 Chapter 256 - Debt

    "Are you cold?"


    It had been almost one hour of a boat ride, and the night was getting darker and cooler around them.


    The red lanterns that were hung outside of the shop houses were all lit up; giving a beautiful tiny golden light along the riverside.


    Shao Yan shook her head and then continued eating her dumpling soup. She had put on her own green jacket, but Li Xiqing was still worried that she would be cold.


    He noticed that in the past hour, there were several boats that would row past them. Their boats would pass each other by slowly, but the water would still splash over a little.


    Li Xiqing then decided to take his jacket off. He walked over to her side, and then spread the jacket over her lap, "Cover your legs with this for now, so you don''t get too cold."


    And after he finished saying that, he walked back to his seat across from her.


    Shao Yan looked at his face as he was laying the garment down. She noticed that probably Li Xiqing was worried about the water that was splashed to her calves.


    She smiled at him, "Thank you," and started on another topic to talk about.


    "So," She put down her chopsticks, and picked up a soup spoon to drink the broth, ""What do you think of the food?"


    "Although it was simple," Li Xiqing glanced at her quickly before he looked at his own bowl, "but I think they did well on meeting the traditional aspects,"


    The meal that was served on the boat was of Shanghainese traditional cuisine.


    "It was simple yet very nutritional and aesthetically beautiful," Shao Yan nodded, agreeing with his comments.


    Shao Yan started to tell him about her experience during her trip to some other cities.


    ....


    During the drive home, the feelings inside their hearts were both light and blissful.


    Shao Yan had so much fun today; despite the long walks they had around the water town, but tonight was really a celebration for the love between the two of them, so she was all excited and not tired.


    But she thought wrong.


    As she was seated in the car and Li Xiqing started to drive; Shao Yan felt so comfortable, she almost fell asleep.


    It would take about two hours to drive home, so she tried her best to stay awake to accompany him.


    "So," Shao Yan let out a huge yawn, "What did Axel say?"


    When they were walking back to the car earlier, Li Xiqing had received a call from Axel. Li XIqing did not say much as a reply other than "Okay", "I see" and "See you later", so Shao Yan was curious.


    Li Xiqing tilted his head as he was remembering.


    "Oh, we are going to Singapore next month, after Lunar New Year."


    He paused to let that sink in her mind, "And by ''we'', I mean you and I."


    "I will stay there for about four weeks, you can come with me for one or two weeks, depending on your vacation schedule."


    Shao Yan had been thinking about this trip the past few days after she found out the possibility of going, so she became more excited.


    Li Xiqing let her blabbered about her plans because he knew she wanted to stay awake to accompany him; and he would drop a comment every now and then.


    ....


    She woke up with a jolt when the engine was cut off.


    "Huh?" She looked bewildered at the dark room that was surrounding her.


    "We are home," Li Xiqing''s soft spoken voice was heard, "I was about to wake you up."


    A yawn escaped her lips, "Sorry, I fell asleep," Shao Yan unbuckled her seat belt, "I wanted to accompany you while driving home."


    Li Xiqing raised one hand and brushed her head, "It''s alright, you are tired, you should get more sleep."


    "En," Shao Yan stretched out a little before she opened the door, "I can get more sleep this weekend."


    Li Xiqing chuckled at her weekend plan, and also stepped out of the car.


    She drowsily walked back to the elevator area with him walking closely behind her.


    As they were approaching the elevator, Li Xiqing remembered that both of them had left their jackets at the back passenger seats. But looking at her weak steps, he abandoned the idea to go back to the car to get them; and continued to walk with her to go back home.


    With just a few steps, he finally stood next to her. He gently grabbed her hand and guided her to the entrance. She lifted her face and looked at him with a weak smile.


    And he thought her sleepy face was really adorable.


    ....


    "Yan Yan?"


    Li Xiqing just finished his shower and dried his hair. He stepped out of the bathroom to see Shao Yan was laying on the bed with her eyes dressed; still wrapped in her fluffy bathrobe.


    "Nngh," She stirred drowsily.


    He shook his head helplessly, "Did you fall asleep without changing to your pajamas yet?" He chuckled softly.


    Li Xiqing walked back to the bathroom, towards her dressing room, to get her pajamas.


    After he entered the bedroom again, Li Xiqing walked over to her side of the bed and gently lifted her arm.


    Shao Yan laid her head weakly by his shoulder.


    Li Xiqing smiled while glancing down at her, and started to untie her bathrobe.


    He unwrapped the garment and his eyes reflexively fell on to her beautiful neck.


    Shao Yan had just finished her bath, so her body was still warm and smell so fragrant; enticing his hunger.


    He could not resist himself to lean closer and kiss the hollow of her neck.


    ....


    He slid the garment off her shoulders, and freed both of her arms from the bath robe.


    Shao Yan fell limp onto his embrace; her breasts were rubbing onto his skin as he moved a little to grab the pajamas that he had put on top of the bedsheet.


    He swept his eyes all over her body; feasting on her delicate pinkish skin and he felt his bulge start to grow with desire.


    "Yan Yan?" His fingers were running down her skin, teasing her softly.


    He waited for a while, and she did not respond to his call.


    Li Xiqing leaned his head down and his mouth caught onto the perky nipple in front of him; he started to suck gently.


    "Nngh?" Shao Yan drowsily woke up when his tongue started to tease her navel and kept going down.


    "Wake up now?"


    He could sense she tried to move away from him, but Li Xiqing caught her waist, holding her down.


    "I think ��. I still have a lot of debt to pay, Yan Yan."


    He went lower and then he spread her legs open, before burying his head into the sweetness of her.

 Chapter 257 - Bliss And Beyond

    Her eyes were closed and the soft eyelashes fluttered. Shao Yan was struggling hard to focus; her fingers were twisting the bed sheet under her.


    When his tongue flicked the center of her pleasure, a soft moan escaped her lips.


    He covered his lips around the soft and sensitive part, and started to suck her gently. She arched her back and began to wriggle in pleasures.


    "Xi- Xiqing," her breath hitched as she pleaded with him, "Mo- more."


    He peeked from under her when his mouth was still tasting her sweetness.


    One of his hands was hugging her thigh close to his face, and his other hand started to stroke his hardened shaft.


    He circled his tongue, teasing her. She bit her lower lips and he kept on sucking the soft peak mercilessly. Her moans and soft cries were like music in the silent night.


    Unconsciously, her fingers started to play with her twin mounds. She massaged her breasts and pinched her hardening nipples. Shao Yan could imagine his every lick was going all over her body; exploring every corner.


    Her other hand slowly reached out to him, and then another moan escaped her.


    His woman was looking so inviting right now. So tasty and so impeccable, and his tongue started to flick faster.


    Shao Yan tried to hold it in, but the rush of ecstasy kept pulling her down. She finally gave in.


    Her fingers were squeezing her breast tighter when the first wave came at her; hitting all over her body and she moaned loudly.


    She was tasting amazing as she came.


    His hand left his long and hard member, and he inserted a finger inside her and Shao Yan was losing it.


    His finger entered deep inside her, accidentally touched a spot that sent her to the oblivion. His thumb started to caress her swollen clitoris and she arched herself in defeat.


    She came again and again; losing herself to the incoming passion.


    But the man was not willing to let her rest.


    ----------


    She was still recovering her breath, when he positioned himself in her opening.


    Seeing her exhausted face, Li Xiqing started to caress her thigh, in hopes to keep her relaxed. But the orgasm was still consuming her core. His gentle, soft touches on her skin actually awakened her fire more.


    He rubbed his swollen head on the slit, wanting to tease her to keep the music alive. But when she looked up at him, he thought he saw a very deep hunger from her eyes. His fingers guided his head to enter her. She was ready for him.


    A tiny wave hit her right away.


    Shao Yan cried in pleasure, but she was quickly engulfed by his mouth. He stifled her soft cry with his own lips.


    She could taste herself when he started to kiss her.


    His hip started to move, and his erection thrusted in and out of her.


    He was still kissing her mouth, his tongue was searching for her; enticing her.


    And all of her sensors were heightened in bliss.


    Shao Yan circled her arms around his neck; pulling him closer; she was demanding for more.


    His chest was rubbing against her sensitive nipples. Her moans were feeding his raging fire.


    Her damp skin that had started to cool down was feeling the heat again. He started to move faster.


    His mouth kept attacking her lips, hoping to relieve his hunger, but it backfired. Because he became even more thirsty for her.


    Frustrated, his lips left her to find another oasis. His tongue trailed along her beautiful jaw and found his favorite spot under her ear.


    ----------


    He inhaled her intoxicating smell and started to leave love bites all over her neck; causing Yan Yan to cry in pleasure.


    She could feel every suck and every bite left by him.


    "Yan Yan," he breathed out his endless longing for her.


    His mouth was busy kissing her sensitive throat, and his fingers were caressing her nipples as he pumped vigorously.


    He could feel she was tightening around him and he started to pump harder. Her wetness around his manhood was overwhelming. He groaned his frustration in the hollow of her neck.


    She bit her lower lips, trying to enjoy every sensation. She stifled her moan as his erotic touches went all over her skin.


    His lips found her breast and he covered his tongue over her hardened nipple.


    Li Xiqing started to bite and suck on her gentle, round breasts. He started to lose his mind, drowning in her sweetness.


    "Xiqing," She begged, "please...."


    He brought his hand down and his thumb was pressing on her clitoris.


    And Shao Yan who was trying to hold in her orgasm but she lost the battle. She let herself be engulfed in pleasures and she cried out his name.


    He kept pounding her harder.


    And when she came, he pounded faster.


    He looked up and saw her pleased, bewitching face and he started to let his defense go.


    When the rush came onto him, his back tensed as he was focusing on her.


    His mouth caught her lips again and started to kiss her as he thrusted in and out; sending them both to another orgasmic ride.


    ----------


    She laid weakly on top of him as she caught some air. Breathing slowly, she moved together with him, when they inhaled or exhaled.


    His fingers were running through her bare back and lost in his thoughts; another hand was on her hip, guarding her.


    "Are you alright?"


    His hoarse voice drummed under her ear. Shao Yan was leaning in his embrace, so the deep hoarse voice was very much intensified.


    "En," she answered with a hum. She felt so tired and sleepy, Shao Yan could not gather any more energy to move.


    He peeked from the crown of her head, and planted a kiss on her hair, "Mm, sleep now."


    Li Xiqing started to pat her back gently, slowly pulling her to relax.


    His mind started to wander to their stroll in the afternoon. How the golden ray of sun was hitting her perfect skin.


    How her eyes sparkled curiously on everything she encountered.


    How she squealed in glee when she found an old-school ink stamp and could not wait to show it to him.


    How her tiny hand grabbed onto his broad palm to pull him along when she was excited to explore the night market.


    Her elegance on the boat when she picked up her chopsticks and savoring every bite and her soft hair fell around her cheek. Li Xiqing thought she was a fairy that came out of an antique scroll painting.


    And he started to daydream more about her.


    The two people laid against each other, slowly immersed themselves to the happiness that was blanketing them. Their breathing matched with one another.


    And soon, he too fell asleep.


    To the bliss and beyond.

 Chapter 258 - When Two Ladies Met

    Their blissful days continued to the next few days after that.


    Since Father Li and Mother Li were visiting soon, Mandy had been dragging Shao Yan around to accompany her shopping.


    "You know, Yan Yan," Mandy linked her arm around hers, "Usually, Qing Qing was very stingy in allowing me to kidnap you." She scrunched her eyebrows together as she was trying to remember.


    Mandy shook her arm, "But he is in a very good mood the past few days."


    "You guys are very happily in love, huh?" She smirked at Shao Yan, causing her cheek to blush in embarrassment.


    Shao Yan feigned a pout, "Sis, stop teasing me already."


    The two of them had been spending more time together lately. Shao Yan got to know more of her personality, and she was becoming more comfortable to joke, sulk or even pout around Mandy.


    Mandy laughed at her shy looking face.


    "Yan Yan, what do you think of this one?" She said as her thumb, along with index and middle fingers were feeling a texture of a cloth in her hands.


    Today, Mandy was on a mission to buy new curtains for her parents'' apartment. Even though they would be staying in Shanghai for about two weeks, Mandy thought that new curtains would be a good way to welcome them. She wanted to replace the old curtains to a new one to cheer the mood up.


    Shao Yan also reached out and touched the material in her hands.


    "En," she nodded in agreement, "very soft."


    And then Shao Yan looked up at Mandy, "Are you planning to combine this sheer material with the jacquard we found earlier?"


    Mandy grinned and then patted Shao Yan on her shoulder, "Smart!"


    ----------


    "We''ll start off with some samosas and your broccoli besani, please."


    Mandy flipped the menu in her hands, and continued, "Definitely half chicken tandoori," she looked up at the woman who was standing next to her table, "While we are waiting for that to be grilled, of course we have to have the saag paneer," she paused as she was reading through the options, "Oh! And also an order of chicken butter masala."


    The waitress nodded and keyed in her order in the tablet in her hands swiftly.


    "I like garlic naan, Yan Yan, what about you?"


    Mandy glanced at her while Shao Yan was still deciding on what to add to their order. She nodded, "En, me too."


    Mandy nodded as well, "Then, two baskets of garlic naan, add some mango achar on the side, please."


    Shao Yan was reading the description of the items that Mandy had mentioned, "En, sis, the pickle does sound appetizing," she agreed.


    Mandy smiled at her acknowledgement, "We will also have some mutton biryani and also some malai kofta."


    "Any drinks, miss?"


    Mandy looked up again, "Yan Yan, do you want to add more to the food order?"


    Shao Yan closed the menu book and shook her head, "No, you have ordered everything I wanted," and then Shao Yan looked at the waiter, "Masala Chai for me, please."


    Mandy nodded along at her words and closed the menu in her hands as well, "I''ll have the mango lassi," and then she handed the menu back to the waitress, "That will be all. We will also order some desserts but that will be later, thank you."


    Shao Yan was trying to remember the items that Mandy had just ordered. Some items were new for her and she had never tried them before. And as she thought about them, her mouth started to water. She picked up a glass of water to have a sip, she could not wait and was excited to try them.


    ----------


    "Do you think we ordered too much, sis?"


    Their drinks had just arrived, and Shao Yan was stirring into her cup and she glanced up to see Mandy was happily drinking the mango lassi in front of her.


    "Not at all," her fingers were playing with the straw in front of her, "If there are any leftovers, we can always pack them home, don''t worry."


    "Anyway, Yan Yan, what were you saying about Lunar New Year?"


    Shao Yan put down the cup in her hands after having a small sip. The tea was not too hot for her, and she could smell the spices that warmed her; making her mood to be more lifted than before.


    "Oh!" She suddenly remembered, "That''s right!"


    "So, sis, Grandma is inviting everyone to have Lunar New Year meals together at our family tea house."


    "So Grandma was asking me to check if anyone has any food allergies or anything that they don''t eat."


    Mandy tilted her head to the side as she pursed her lips to think, "I don''t think so."


    "They can eat anything, but Mother likes vegetables more than meat, and Father prefers tofu over meat as well."


    Shao Yan nodded, "Alright, I know, I''ll let Grandma know about it as well."


    Mandy smiled, "En, thank you, Yan Yan."


    She was about to continue but she saw a few waiters were walking over to their table with two plates on each of their hands.


    "Oh!" She exclaimed, "Finally, the foods are here, I''m starving."


    The fragrance of the spices around them was even more heightened when the dishes were placed on the table. Colorful plates were arranged neatly with the final touch of a small jar of mango pickle on the side.


    After they were done, the waiters left without leaving another word behind.


    Mandy saw that another item was missing, and she lifted up her head; about to call them back when she saw another waiter come over with two small rattan bowls in his hand.


    "Garlic naan," he said as he placed the bowls on the table, "Your order should all be here, except for the Tandoori chicken, it will be another fifteen minutes."


    Without waiting for Mandy to say anything, he swiftly walked away.


    Mandy clapped both of her palms together, "Let''s dig in, Yan Yan," she passed a bowl of the naan to Shao Yan, "They smell so good, I really can''t wait."


    ----------


    The two ladies started to eat with gusto while talking about all sorts of topics.


    They started with commenting on how the food was, and how the decoration of the place was so pleasing to the eyes. Joyful yet calming sitar music was playing in the background to entertain the diners over their meals.


    And then they went to talk about Axel and his trip in Singapore.


    Now, they were back to talking about the upcoming Lunar New Year celebration.


    "Any dress codes?"


    Shao Yan shook her head, her fingers were tearing the naan in her hands, "To be honest, I don''t know. This will be my first celebration with Grandma and Risa."


    She put the naan that she had dipped in sauce into her mouth, and the burst of curry flavor started to spread through her taste buds.


    "But I believe it should still be the red and gold colors as usual," Shao Yan paused to chew more, "Grandma is also a fan of traditional clothes, so I know she would be wearing Qipao."


    Shao Yan continued, "That''s why this time, I especially bought Xiqing new clothes."


    She started to grin; her eyes sparkled mischievously, "Sis, have you ever seen Xiqing in a Changshan traditional clothing?"

 Chapter 259 - Mother Li

    When the weekend finally came the week after, Li Xiqing had promised Mandy to go to the airport together to pick their parents up. Shao Yan was also invited to go along under special request from Mother Li.


    They arrived about thirty minutes before their arrival time. The three of them were standing under the automated information board to check on the Arrival Gate.


    "Xiqing, I will go get some warm drinks for all of us," Shao Yan glanced at the clock before continuing, "You just stay here with Mandy. Anyway, the convenience store is only five minutes away."


    Li Xiqing scanned the surrounding Terminal area; he was trying to remember the location of the convenience store as they walked in earlier. He nodded, "Alright, be careful."


    Shao Yan smiled at the two of them before walking away.


    "Qing Qing," Mandy pointed at an empty bench not far from them, "Let''s wait there."


    The airport was busy today as it was getting close to Lunar New Year. It would be a public holiday for two weeks and it was the most popular time to travel back home for reunion.


    They could see that many people around them were also waiting for their family members or friends. Almost everyone was standing outside of the Arrival Gate; excited to be the first to greet their loved ones. In their hands were either bouquets of flowers, snacks or drinks for them to eat on the drive back home.


    As soon as the two of them were seated, Mandy took out her mobile phone and started to type, "I should open the airline applications to check on their flight map."


    Li Xiqing nodded, "I just checked it, and everything is on track."


    But Mandy, being the eldest sister who was always worried on behalf of the whole family, still opened the application and went through it herself.


    After playing around with the application for a while, Mandy suddenly exclaimed in joy, "Oh!"


    She offered her mobile phone to Li Xiqing, "The plane just landed, look!"


    Li Xiqing glanced over and scanned the details on the screen before he nodded, "That''s good, and they arrived earlier than scheduled. I will let Yan Yan know as well."


    And then he took out his phone and started to type a text message for her.


    ----------


    "There they are!"


    After waiting for another twenty minutes, Mandy finally recognized their parents from afar. The two elderlies were pushing the baggage cart after collecting their luggage.


    Mandy started waving at them.


    At first, Mandy was only using one hand. But due to the crowd around them, she was worried that their parents would not be able to take notice, so she started to raise both of her arms in the air. After a short while, Mother Li finally noticed her daughter; she also waved back with a big smile on her face.


    "Mommy!" Mandy shouted excitedly "Daddy!"


    Father Li also saw her from afar; his stern facial expression softened when he saw his little girl was calling him with joy.


    From a distance, Mother Li also saw her son standing next to Mandy. Another face that she had only been seeing from camera pictures was standing quietly next to him.


    A new face and yet so familiar at the same time.


    Her eyes brightened up and her smile grew wider. Mother Li could not wait to finally meet the three of them; she unconsciously walked faster.


    ----------


    "Mommy!"


    Mandy with her arms wide open walked closer to her mother who had just walked out of the gate.


    She threw her arms around Mother Li and squeezed the elder woman into a tight hug. She was missing her mother so dearly.


    Mother Li burst into laughter over her childish attitude. This daughter really knew how to warm her heart. They already had video calls almost every day, and yet her daughter''s reaction every time they met face to face had always been the same. As if they had been separated for many years.


    Mother Li patted her daughter''s back, "Ha ha, slow down, Xilin. Look at you, are you going to strangle me now?"


    Mandy slowly released her hold around her mother and grinned at her. Whenever her mother called her Chinese name, somehow she would instinctively turn back into that little girl with a ponytail from thirty years or so ago.


    Mother Li looked at her daughter as if she was still a baby; she raised her hand to pat her cheek gently. The grin on Mandy''s face was growing bigger and happier.


    And then she walked to the side and gave the same hug to her father, "Daddy!"


    And of course, Father Li being the strict Father Li in front of his daughter, could only pat her back in silent as he smiled. But everyone in the family knew that secretly, his heart was swollen with pride and joy.


    "Ma!" Li Xiqing reached over and wrapped his arm around her. The tiny woman looked even more tiny in his embrace.


    After he let her go, his hand went to her side and took over the cabin-size luggage that she had been pulling in her hand. "Ma, this is Yan Yan."


    ----------


    Her eyes quickly scanned all over the petite, young lady in front of her.


    Tiny face, but she had a healthy, pink blush. Small almond eyes and dainty lips. Small chin and beautiful ivory skin. Good weight overall.


    Mother Li nodded in satisfaction.


    ''Hm,'' She finished her thoughts, "Also a good size of hip. Perfect for childbearing. Good. Good!''


    Her eyes sparkled when she opened her arms and grabbed Yan Yan into a warm hug.


    "Yan Yan. I finally got to meet you."


    Shao Yan, who was initially not sure if she should shake Mother Li''s hands or give her a hug, was surprised at the warmth that suddenly blanketed her.


    Mother Li gently let her go and peeked at Li Xiqing. He was watching the two of them with a small smile.


    "Auntie, how are you? My name is Shao Yan," Shao Yan started to say. Her voice was unsure, "Nice to meet you, I hope your journey was fine."


    "Good girl, I am fine. Have you been waiting long?" Mother Li reached out to grab one of her hands and patted the back side of it. But she was immediately taken aback, "Yan Yan, why are your hands so cold?"


    Mother Li then glanced at Li Xiqing, her gentle eyebrows were quick to scrunch into an unhappy face, "Xiqing, what did I say? Women''s bodies can''t stand cold."


    She patted the back of Shao Yan''s palm again, "Look at Yan Yan, what if she catches a cold?"

 Chapter 260 - Father Li

    "Mommy," Mandy walked over and quickly linked both of her arms into her mother''s, "Don''t nag at Qing Qing, already."


    She pointed her chin at Shao Yan, "Let''s not scare your daughter in law away," and then pretended to whisper in her ears albeit loudly, "She has not even entered our family''s door yet."


    Shao Yan was looking really nervous, and that was why Mandy tried to ease the air around them by teasing her own mother. But upon hearing what Mandy had said, Shao Yan could not help but feel more shy. The blush on her cheeks turned deeper red.


    Li Xiqing glanced at her embarrassed face while holding back his smile. He then moved to his father, "Pa!" And wrapped him into a brief hug, and Father Li patted his back in return.


    After he let him go, Father Li faced the still red-as-apple Shao Yan and gave her a gentle smile.


    "Uncle, how are you doing?" She greeted him with confidence, "Nice to meet you."


    "En, good good," Father Li nodded a little, "Nice to meet you too!"


    Initially, Father Li wanted to shake her hands, but he was afraid of making her more awkward, so he quickly glanced at Li Xiqing and said, "Xiqing, where do you park? Is it far?"


    Mandy also chimed in, "Oh! That''s right, I think we should go now or we will be stuck in the rush hour traffic."


    Shao Yan nodded and was about to reach her hands forward to take the luggage from Li Xiqing''s hand so he could push the cart.


    "Let''s go now," Mother Li tapped her shoulder and Shao Yan glanced over, "Come, Yan Yan, we can chat, let the men handle the luggage."


    ----------


    Father Li took the initiative to sit at the front, so the ladies could sit comfortably at the back.


    Shao Yan sat in the middle with Mother Li on her left and Mandy on her right side. Luckily, this car had a very spacious rear seat, Shao Yan felt a little less awkward with the situation.


    "Mommy, we will go back to the apartment first to put all of your luggage, and freshen up and then we will go eat dinner," Mandy started to say.


    Mother Li nodded before letting out a small sigh, "This body is getting old. I can no longer take a fifteen hour flight from US to Shanghai, very tiring." She balled her hand into a fist and started to gently pat her own arm to relieve soreness.


    "If you don''t mind," Shao Yan, who had been listening on the side while keeping her silent, suddenly chimed in, "I have a medicinal ointment that you can rub on skin, or drip into the bathtub and soak in it."


    She quickly added, "It is specifically to relieve muscle soreness."


    Mother Li smiled in return, "Thank you, I will gladly try that."


    ----------


    "Alright, Ma, we will pick you up in one hour and then we will go for dinner," Li Xiqing handed over a set of keys to his mother, "These are the keys for this house."


    Mother Li nodded, and waved her hands, "I know, go have a rest, don''t get too tired."


    The three of them, Mandy, Shao Yan and Li Xiqing had just dropped all the luggage into the empty apartment in their building. This unit was rented by Mandy and Axel for the Li elders to stay while they were in Shanghai.


    They were now standing by the foyer to bid them goodbye. Father Li stood at the side; his hands were folded at his back as he watched the children putting on their shoes.


    "Don''t worry about us, we will freshen up," He added, "Xiqing, Xilin, Yan Yan, all of you have a rest too."


    "En," Mandy hummed her acknowledgement, "We will leave now, Daddy. Don''t forget to lock the door."


    ----------


    About an hour later, when the three of them had just stepped out of the elevator and were about to walk to their parent''s unit, they saw that Father Li and Mother Li were already waiting outside their own apartment door.


    "Huh?" Mandy was surprised, "Mommy, Daddy, why are you outside?"


    Father Li smiled at her, "We also just stepped out," he assured his daughter.


    Mother Li, on the other hand, took the chance to tease him, "Your father, he was too eager to eat authentic Shanghainese food again. He rushed with everything he was doing just now."


    Mandy laughed at the jest, she linked her arm around her father''s arm like a child, "Daddy, I will bring you to your favorite restaurant now," and then she lightly tugged his arm, "Are you excited?"


    Father Li gave her a side eye and patted the back of her hand, "Of course, I am. I trust my daughter to have a good taste similar to mine." Mandy was pleased hearing his praise, so she awarded him with a sweet smile of her own.


    The car ride to the restaurant was smooth and enjoyable. Mother Li and Father Li asked a lot of questions about how Shanghai was doing nowadays. And they also took the chance to tell their own story about Shanghai during their time.


    Without them realizing, they finally arrived in the restaurant sooner than they had expected.


    From the outside, the building looked like a small courtyard style house, instead of a place for business.


    At the front of the building was a stone gate in a shape of a half moon; and standing at the corner of the moon gate were two women dressed in traditional Chinese Cheongsam clothing.


    When they saw guests walking over, the two ladies elegantly made a small bow, "Welcome to Eight Treasures Delicacy."


    "Reservation under Li Xilin for five people," Mandy said once she stood in front of the front desk.


    One of the ladies scanned the tablet in her hands, and then she glanced at her associate, "Table 52."


    The other woman nodded at her words and faced Mandy again, "This way, please."


    The guests had to enter through the moon gate and walk to the main door entrance to enter the restaurant. While walking over, they would be treated to a view of serene traditional Chinese gardens.


    The owner of the building wanted every guest at every dining time to be able to enjoy this exquisite view, so he requested the gardener to install garden lights so everyone could still see the greeneries and flowers all over the garden.


    "Mm, the Tong descendants really did not disappoint us," Mother Li nodded her appreciation at some of the blossoming peony flowers.


    "Yan Yan, you may not know," Mother Li, who was walking next to Shao Yan, started to recall, "but Father Li used to help Mrs. Tong to care for this garden."


    Shao Yan was surprised at her revelations. She was still thinking of what to say, but all of a sudden, Father Li had chuckled at Mother Li''s comment.


    And then he continued her story, "I was only ten of twelve at the time. Our family old house was nearby, so we visited this house a lot when I was a kid because they had the biggest garden in the area that time."


    "All the kids played together from sunrise to sunset, and Mrs. Tong always served us the most delicious food every time," Father Li''s face turned solemn as he reminisced about his younger time.

 Chapter 261 - The Lis

    Even though the lightings inside the restaurant were not as bright as other places, it was enough for Shao Yan to finally be able to take a closer look at Mother Li.


    Her soft, black hair fell on her shoulder; framing her flawless face. She looked to be in her late fifties or maybe early sixties. But for a woman her age, Mother Li had a very healthy looking skin. She had enough glow on her cheek and her eyes were always smiling and warm towards her. Shao Yan who had been without a motherly love for a few years could not help but feel a little sad when she was reminded of her own birth mother.


    "Yan Yan," Mother Li scooped another braised sea cucumber and put it on her plate, "have this one. This is very nutritious and good for your body."


    The whole night, Mother Li kept putting meat and vegetables on her plate; urging her to eat more. She also paid attention to what Shao Yan liked to eat. She noticed items that Shao Yan would pick up frequently and tried to register them in her memory so she could cook more of her favorite food in the future.


    Shao Yan tried to steal glances at Li Xiqing; she was sending him signals and pleading him to save her from his mother.


    Li Xiqing returned her glances. He finally picked up his chopsticks and reached forward.


    "Ma, you should eat more, too," Li Xiqing scooped some vegetables and placed them on his mother''s plate. He also picked up some braised tofu and steamed fish for her.


    Mother Li nodded eagerly at her son''s filial act towards her and she went back to eat happily.


    Shao Yan silently sighed a relief in her heart; luckily Xiqing understood what she meant. But to her surprise, a second later, she saw another pair of chopsticks were placing more food on her plate, "Your favorite ginger chicken."


    Shao Yan looked at her plate, and she looked at the person sitting next to her; feeling speechless and surprised. She squinted and sent daggers with her eyes towards him; silently scolding him in her mind, ''Mister! I am about to become a little piggy here!''


    Li Xiqing ignored her accusing stare and picked up his own bowl to resume eating. He was hiding his smile as he bit into his food; pretending as if he did not understand anything she was thinking.


    Looking at the young woman in front of her eating with a good appetite, Mother Li nodded with satisfaction as she thought in her heart, ''Luckily, Yan Yan is not a picky person. All the grandchildren will be a good eater, then.''


    ----------


    "Daddy, how does retirement life feel for you?" Mandy took another scoop of almond pudding into her mouth after she asked the question.


    Father Li was enjoying his mango pudding and smiled, "It is relaxing. I finally have the time to tend to my garden."


    "You know, your father has many new babies now," Mother Li chimed in. Looking at the children''s questioning gazes, she continued, "We have healthy plants of tomatoes, cucumbers and lettuces."


    "Oohh!" Mandy nodded while feeling amazed. Li Xiqing, who was drinking his tea silently on the side, also had a smile on his face.


    Shao Yan was surprised and at the same time, she was also impressed at his skill. When she was still alive, her mother had tried gardening in their small house before. Her mother and grandmother were taking care of some plants diligently. They looked so easy but she kept telling Shao Yan that gardening actually really required patience.


    "You don''t have to go to the hospital anymore?" Li Xiqing asked another question. Father Li scooped another pudding into his mouth while shaking his head, "Sometimes, Professor Johnson would call me and we talked about some interesting surgeries, but that is only when he needs some input to his cases."


    He placed his hand over Mother Li''s palm on the table, "Besides, your mother is also there with me to spend time with. Her patients are not many anymore, so now both of us can start gardening and travel whenever we want to."


    Mother Li smiled back at him, before she remembered something and quickly turned her head towards Shao Yan, "Oh! That''s right," Mother Li suddenly exclaimed, "Yan Yan, come over to our house with Xiqing tomorrow morning."


    And then, Mother Li stared at Li Xiqing and Mandy, "Come around eight tomorrow, we will have breakfast together."


    "Your father and I have some gifts for all of you, so make sure you come over bright and early!"


    "En," Li Xiqing nodded and picked up his tea cup, "We will be there on time, don''t worry."


    Mother Li nodded in satisfaction, and then turned her attention to Mandy, "Xilin, How is Yufeng doing? Singapore is very hot and humid, always reminding him to drink a lot of water."


    ----------


    "So, dear, what do you think of Yan Yan?"


    Father Li had just stepped out of the bathroom from his shower and saw Mother Li was kneeling on the bedroom carpeted floor. An opened suitcase was in front of her and Mother Li was taking all the contents out and hung them in the dressing room.


    "You don''t have to do all of these now, take your time to tidy them up," Father Li did not answer her question and instead he knelt down next to her, and his hand reached inside the suitcase to help her.


    "I like her a lot, you know," Mother Li continued while folding her dresses, "Very polite, and when she actually speaks, she is very smart." Her lips curved into a beautiful smile upon remembering when Shao Yan was constantly paying attention to each of her steps at the Chinese garden.


    Her eyes turned gentle as she added, "Did you remember when we were walking to the restaurant this evening, and we walked through Mrs. Tong''s garden?"


    Father Li was folding a shirt in his hand. He nodded at her question, "En, what about it?"


    Her head started to nod as she recalled, "The girl kept walking by my side, making sure that my steps on the stones were alright," Mother Li heaved a soft sigh, "She also noticed when my cup was empty, she would refill it with tea."


    Mother Li opened her palm and started to count with her fingers, "Very pretty and pleasant to look at. Very smart, too. Her attitude and behavior are also very commendable," She paused to think about other things that she might have missed.


    After a while, she closed up her palm, "I don''t know what else I can ask for. I am very glad if she is willing to stand side by side with our son."


    She grabbed the dress in her hands and held it close to her embrace while glancing to the side, "Dear, I think we have to talk to her Grandmother soon," Mother Li bit her lower lip gently, "we can''t let our son to keep taking advantage of innocent, young girl; and also living in one roof with this girl without giving her a proper status."


    "En," Father Li shook his head slowly and chuckled, "You take care of it, then." He handed the neatly folded shirt to Mother Li while adding, "Just so you know, our son has thought of every single thing even before you did."


    Father Li gently patted her hand, "I will go prepare your bath now," his hands waved over the suitcase, "It''s getting late; we will continue all of these tomorrow."

 Chapter 262 - Home-cooked Meals

    The couple had woken up pretty early this morning. For Li Xiqing, it was because of his daily habit. While for Shao Yan, it was more because she was nervous about spending more time with Father Li and Mother Li today.


    "Xiqing, let''s go to the market?" Shao Yan suggested while folding up the blanket.


    "I was thinking of bringing some flowers over. Since their place was an empty unit for a while, I figure fresh new flowers will be a good gift. What do you think?"


    Li Xiqing nodded, "En, that''s a good idea. We can also get some fresh soy milk, I know that is their favorite drink." After they had decided, the couple quickly changed into a casual attire and stepped out of the house.


    ----------


    "Ma?"


    They heard a sound of clutters from the kitchen utensils. He glanced at Shao Yan, and with his chin, Li Xiqing pointed towards the kitchen, "You go first, I''ll be right there."


    Shao Yan nodded and then she walked ahead of him, carrying the fresh-cut flowers in her hands. Li Xiqing took off his shoes before closing the door behind him. This morning, they had promised his parents to come over for breakfast. It had been a while for him to eat his mother''s home cooked food again. So, Li Xiqing was more excited than usual.


    He slowly walked out from the foyer with a paper bag in his hand and a smile on his face.


    As he entered the kitchen, Li Xiqing saw Shao Yan was trying up her hair and his mother was stir-frying stuff in the wok.


    "Oh Xiqing, you''re here as well. Why are both of you so early? Didn''t I say eight o''clock?"


    "Ma, there is some soy milk here," He put the stuff in his hands on the kitchen island and walked over to his mother''s side, "We wanted to help you. Yan Yan could not stand troubling you alone."


    Mother Li turned around to face Shao Yan whose face had turned a deeper shade of red. All she said this morning was to help his mother. His parents had just taken a twenty hour flight; of course they would be tired.


    "Silly girl, I''m fine," Mother Li feigned a scolding but her face was smiling wide at her. Mother Li then turned her attention back to the wok in her hands.


    Shao Yan took the opportunity to glare at Li Xiqing for ratting her out. He cheekily smiled at her and shrugged as if he did not understand what he did wrong. She decided to let him go, and started to tear open a package of dumpling skin to wrap the minced meat in front of her.


    Seeing that Shao Yan had started to make some dumplings, Li Xiqing walked to the fridge to cut some fruits.


    Mother Li heard the door to the fridge was opened, and she looked at his son again, "Xiqing, since you are here, go help Yan Yan with those dumplings. When your father is back, let him cut the fruits."


    Li Xiqing nodded, "Where is Pa anyway?"


    "He went downstairs to help Xilin with some groceries," Mother Li answered without turning her back around, "Xilin said since she is alone now without Yufeng for the next few weeks, the food in her fridge will be wasted so she is giving them to me instead."


    "That lazy girl," And then Mother Li chuckled while shaking her head, "She said she will just come here every night to mooch off dinner from me."


    ----------


    "Wow! Mommy!" Mandy raised her thumbs up at Mother Li''s direction, "Your noodle is always the best!"


    "Your mouth is always saying such sweet words," Mother Li scooped more vegetables and put them into Mandy''s bowl "Eat slowly. Don''t choke."


    Mandy shook her head feeling helpless. She was already more than thirty years old, yet her own mother still treated her as if she was five.


    "I still remember you even made your own noodles when we were in New York, Mom. It''s too bad we don''t have that machine here, otherwise, it will be even more amazing!" With her chopsticks, she pointed to her own bowl, "You should impart your secret to Yan Yan, Mom, let her be in charge to fatten up Qing Qing now."


    Her last words successfully drew chuckles out of Father Li who was eating silently at the side. His cheeky daughter had always been the joker in the family. The dinner time had never been dull because of her.


    Father Li peeked at his son who always had a serious expression on his face. And then he glanced at the young woman who was sitting next to him. He noticed a change in his son, and he believed it was all because of this girl.


    Xiqing had become wiser and more patient. During their frequent chats, Father Li also noticed that Xiqing had planned out their future together carefully; and he felt relieved knowing that his son was learning more about responsibility. He could not feel more proud of this.


    Without saying anything, Father Li picked up another deep fried dumpling with his chopsticks and continued to eat heartily.


    ----------


    After breakfast was done, Li Xiqing and Shao Yan took the initiative to clean the dishes. He chased Mother Li and Mandy out of the kitchen when they were about to help.


    "Sis, you should go help Ma," Li Xiqing suddenly said, "Didn''t Ma say that she has gifts for all of us?"


    "Oh! That''s right!" Mandy took her mother''s hands excitedly, "Let''s go, Mommy, let me help you."


    The two ladies then exited the kitchen and let Li Xiqing and Shao Yan be busy amongst themselves. Father Li was brewing some tea for all of them while waiting for everyone to be done with their chores.


    After a while, Li Xiqing and Shao Yan walked out of the kitchen; carrying plates of fruits in their hands.


    "Oh! Yan Yan, come sit over here," Mother Li patted an empty space next to her, "Xiqing, you come over, too."


    Father Li was sitting at the single sofa at the head of the couch, facing the TV in the living room. He had set the volume at the right level so he could still watch and everyone could be chatting comfortably. Mandy sat at the opposite side of him, also a single sofa for herself, leaving the wide, long couch for Mother Li, Shao Yan and Li Xiqing to sit together.


    "Yan Yan, this is just a little something for you," Mother Li handed over two boxes in her hand, "I hope you don''t dislike them."


    The boxes were different in shapes, one was bigger than the other. Both boxes were wrapped prettily with gold ribbons around them. Shao Yan quickly answered, "Thank you, Auntie, of course I will like them, don''t worry," she said in her soft voice, her hands were extended to receive the two boxes from Mother Li.


    Mother Li patted her hands gently, "Silly girl, what are you thanking me for," and smiled at her reassuringly.


    She bent down and then she took out a few more boxes from a bag next to her feet. The boxes were also wrapped beautifully, and passed them over to Li Xiqing, "Now, son, these are for you."


    Li Xiqing received the boxes and was about to say his thanks, but Mother Li had continued to say, "Xiqing, the air pollution in China is getting worse. These are all nutritional herbs for Yan Yan. When you cook them, make sure to read the instructions carefully, alright?" His hands paused in the air; speechless.


    Shao Yan was also looking at the wrapped boxes, feeling flabbergasted.


    ''H-Hold on!'' Shao Yan thought to herself, ''Aun- Auntie, isn''t he your son, and I''m just the daughter in law?''


    (;;;?_?)

 Chapter 263 - Tradition

    "I heard that your in-laws are here?"


    Shao Yan was walking along the office corridor when a hand suddenly draped over her shoulder. She glanced to the side and saw Risa was grinning from ear to ear; could not wait to tease her. Shao Yan was teased for several days by Mandy; had grown immune to the words "in law" no matter how much she felt embarrassed from hearing it.


    "En," Shao Yan nodded, "The Lunar New Year is in a few days, right? They will be here for two weeks, and then they will go to Australia for vacation."


    "Hmm..." Risa nodded while humming, "I see. Then dinner with our family will be next week?"


    "Yes, Xiqing has arranged everything. I only need to trouble you to pick up Grandma."


    Risa patted her arm, "Don''t worry, leave everything to me. Also, Grandma has prepared first meeting gifts for them, so you don''t have to do anything."


    "Mmm...," Shao Yan pursed her lips as she nodded, "Then, Sis, do you have any plans for the holiday? We will have one week off because of this Lunar New Year." Both women were standing in front of the elevator; waiting for it to come to their floor.


    It was after lunch time, so the traffic in their building had started to pick up. Risa calmly looked at the screen in front of her; her eyes were following the numbers that were counting up. "Grandma and I are going to a tea plantation for a short break," She glanced at Shao Yan, "We will also bring Kei along with us. Fresh air may be doing good for his health."


    Shao Yan was reminded of her cousin in law who was still unconscious.


    "Sis," She paused for a while. Shao Yan blinked as she hesitated to say her next sentences.


    "You see.. Uh.."


    "As you know Mandy jie used to study to become a nurse, so she knew some names in that field," She started to say slowly, "Xiqing tried to get hold of some people that may be able to give us a second opinion."


    Shao Yan hurriedly added, "We don''t mean to be nosy, Sis." She extended her hand and placed it on top of Risa''s arm, "I just thought ... We are family, and so, we really want to help. I hope you don''t get offended."


    Looking at Shao Yan''s flustered face, Risa slowly released a smile, "Yan Yan, I am not offended at all." She patted her in return, "Thank you."


    And she gave a little squeeze on her arm, "At this point, I will try anything to bring him back to me. No second opinion is harmful; at least by trying, I have nothing more to lose."


    ----------


    "Remember, Yan Yan, tomorrow is already the second day before Lunar New Year. That means you can''t sweep the floor anymore. Don''t clean the house anymore, just wash what is necessary."


    Shao Yan chuckled, "Yes, Grandma, I know."


    "Are you still working? Tomorrow night, you will come over for dinner, right?"


    "Yes, Grandma. Xiqing and I will have lunch with his parents, and then in the evening, we will be there for dinner."


    Shao Yan paused as she changed her hold on the phone from her left ear to her right, "And, no, today is the last day of work. We will be having a one week holiday before going back to work."


    Shao Yan heard Grandma hummed softly, "En, that''s good. Alright, let''s talk tomorrow. It''s getting late now, don''t stay up too late."


    Shao Yan nodded to the phone. Even though she knew Grandma Wu would not be able to see, she still did it out of habit, "En, I will sleep soon. Please take care of yourself, Grandma. I will see you tomorrow."


    Shao Yan had just hung up the call when Li Xiqing stepped into the bedroom.


    "Oh, you''re back?" Shao Yan looked up to greet him from the bed. She was sitting on the bed while leaning on the headboard, "I''m sorry, I couldn''t join the dinner earlier. I had to wrap things up before the long holidays."


    Li Xiqing nodded, "It''s fine, don''t worry about it, they did not mind at all."


    "En," She got up from the bed, "Go shower now, I''ll make some tea for you?"


    Li Xiqing shook his head, "No, I just had a lot of them just now. I''m very full." He saw the mobile phone in her hand, "Grandma called again?"


    Lately, Grandma Wu has been calling Shao Yan more frequently; mostly to give her advice on some etiquette that she needed to do during Lunar New Year. Shao Yan had been growing up without a mother figure for a few years, so Grandma Wu was worried if she still remembered some of the tradition.


    To add on that, with Father Li and Mother Li around, the elderly was even more worried if her granddaughter would be doing well. So, Grandma Wu had been checking in more frequently in the past few days.


    "En," Shao Yan nodded, sliding back into her blanket, "She reminded me not to clean the house. It is the traditional belief that cleaning the house during New Year is sweeping the luck away," She shrugged, "And she believes in these things, so I just agreed along to show my respect."


    "En," Li Xiqing nodded, "It''s fine. I''ll shower first." And after he said that, he entered the bathroom right away.


    ----------


    "Xiqing."


    Hearing the bathroom door was opened again, Shao Yan quickly called him without raising her eyes from the bedsheet. Li Xiqing saw that she was spreading money bills on the bed sheet, and some red envelopes were placed on the side. The gold letters that were embossed on the red envelope were glittering under the lights and the paper money was new, clean and crisp.


    "What are you doing?" He asked as he walked closer.


    "I was thinking about the amount of money I should put inside the envelope to give to Grandma and your parents."


    Li Xiqing sat on his side of the bed, "You don''t have to give a red envelope to my parents." Shao Yan looked up from the money in her hands, "Why? I have earned my own money, I think I need to give it to them to pay my respect. I am merely sharing my blessings and wishes for good luck."


    He chuckled, "I know, but we are not married yet, you don''t have to pay that kind of respect to my parents." Li Xiqing looked at the red envelope in her hands, "Just give it to your Grandmother."


    His hand reached out to take one of red envelopes from the stack on the bed, "I will have to give one to Grandma."


    Shao Yan watched how his hands reached over and took one envelope away, "Wait, Xiqing, how come I don''t have to give one to your parents, but you are giving one to my Grandmother?"


    Li Xiqing turned around to take his wallet from the bedside drawer, "Because, I have considered myself as her grandson in law," He looked back and glanced at Shao Yan, "Have you considered yourself as my parents'' daughter in law, then?"


    Shao Yan was speechless at his surprise attack. She pursed her lips as she thought of a good answer.


    "Exactly!" Looking at her flustered face, Li Xiqing smirked triumphantly, "Don''t consider yourself that way yet. I have not proposed to you." And then he nonchalantly looked away; leaving the already blushing Shao Yan, even more blushed; she had successfully turned into a cooked tomato.


    ( ??�n??)


    Shameless!

 Chapter 264 - Lunar New Year

    Hustle and bustle of families and children were around them. It was still bright and early, but everyone was either singing, dancing or lighting up the fireworks to participate in the festivities.


    The young and the elderlies were looking bright and cheerful as they spent their days hanging out with their loved ones. Lunar New Year songs were played in every household as the doors to everybody''s houses were opened to welcome friends and families who wanted to visit. Hampers of snacks and herbal drinks were exchanged with one another.


    This was the third New Year celebration that Shao Yan had had ever since she was back in Shanghai. When she just got back from New York, Qi Ling brought her to spend the New Year week with her family back in her hometown.


    The second year, the two women spent their days together while staying put in Shanghai because Qi Ling was sick. They ended up binging a lot of South Korean drama series while staying cooped at home.


    But this year was different.


    Shao Yan had never had so many meals during her whole life.


    Starting from yesterday which was the New Year''s meal; also known as a Reunion meal.


    The first meal she had was with Li Xiqing and his family. Axel managed to get a flight out of Singapore and joined them at lunch time. The six of them crowded the small dining table at his parents'' apartment, but no one voiced any complaints over the packed space. Every heart was warm and joyful; three hours passed just like that - in a blink of an eye.


    The second Reunion meal was with her Grandma and Risa. Shao Yan and Li Xqing went to Grandma Wu''s house and spent another three hours there.


    All they did was eat; and more eating. Luckily, both Mother Li and Grandma Wu preferred to cook more vegetables dishes. Shao Yan felt a little less guilty for eating a lot more than usual.


    ----------


    When the New Year''s day arrived; Li Xiqing was the first one to wake up.


    "Yan Yan," he shook her gently, "Wake up, we need to get ready."


    "Nngh," She stirred lightly recognizing the bright sun that was seeping through the curtains; but she refused to open her eyes.


    "What time did you come back last night?" Shao Yan asked him drowsily.


    When they had just reached their apartment after dinner with Grandma Wu and Risa, Axel, who had just got back from Singapore, called him over for a late night drink.


    "Hm.." Li Xiqing paused as he tried to remember the time, "Maybe around two?" His fingers swiped the soft fringe in her forehead, "I only had two glasses of Whiskey; we just spent the rest of the time talking about his business deal and also what to do next with Kanagawa Industries."


    "Hmm.." She paused while her eyes were still closed and then she snuggled closer to his warm embrace. Li Xiqing let out a soft chuckle while looking at her sleepy face. He leaned down closer and planted a gentle kiss on her forehead.


    "Wake up now, my sleepy princess, or we will be late for the lunch reservation."


    When she remembered that they still had to do a lot of traditional stuff before going to the restaurant; her eyes snapped open immediately and she blinked furiously to gather her consciousness.


    Shao Yan groaned as she buried her face into the pillow. She felt so sleepy and wished she could sleep more. But she knew herself better; her sense of responsibility would not let her to even slack today.


    ----------


    As the youngest in the family, Shao Yan and Li Xiqing had to be the one doing all the visits to their families.


    When Shao Yan was getting ready, Li Xiqing was in the kitchen boiling some hot water to make some tea. The first thing to do on Lunar New Year day was the tea ceremony. The young in the family would offer a cup of tea as a sign of respect to the elder ones.


    Li Xiqing carefully prepared enough tea for everyone; he selected the premium Pu Erh tea and added a little sugar for a hint of sweetness. When the tea was ready, Li Xiqing carefully capped the ceramic tea container and put them aside. They would bring this to his parent''s house soon.


    He was about to walk back to the bedroom to check on Shao Yan when he heard her steps coming out of the bedroom. Li Xiqing walked out of the kitchen and he was immediately frozen in his steps.


    Elegant steps in bright red stilettos shoes were coming towards him. The red crystal beads on her shoes were shining on her every step. The woman''s long hair was twisted into a simple ponytail that she tied with a black velvet scrunchie.


    She was wrapped in a long red Qipao dress with short sleeves. The A line dress fell just right above her ankle.


    The red dress was so bright, the tiny crystal beads sewn all over the silk material were glittering like stars.


    At the front of the dress, a magnificent peacock was embroidered with gold threads onto the silk material along her torso. Eighteen beautiful feathers were spread proudly on the dress. And every time she moved, it was as if the legendary bird was strutting along with her.


    His eyes swept along her body; going from her tiny feet, to her slim waist and finally his eyes were fixated at her stunning neckline. The mandarin collar around the neckline was giving a demure accent to her face. Three holes, each in the shape of a single teardrop, were decorating the neck area; giving the dress a heightened attractiveness.


    Shao Yan had put on a simple make up on her face. Her ivory skin matched the red dress so well, she only added a touch of mascara and soft pink blush on her cheeks. She put a finishing touch of a tinted lip balm instead of red lipsticks, making her supple lips look more alluring than before.


    When he met her eyes, Li Xiqing lost all of his words.


    The beauty of the woman in front of him was really out of this world. He felt as if he had encountered a fox spirit that was sent down to the human world to seduce the innocent mankind such as himself.


    ----------


    Seeing him looking like a little lost lamb, Shao Yan slowly let out a small smile.


    "Xiqing," Her soft voice rang melodiously in the empty living room, "Why are you looking at me that way?"


    She brought her head down and started to look all over her dress, "Is something wrong?" She asked.


    Hearing her question, Li Xiqing was snapped back into the reality, "Uh, no... not at all."


    His voice was so hoarse and deep. He quickly cleared his throat and continued, "You look ... really amazing, Yan Yan."


    He walked closer and gently took both of her hands and held them, "Red is really your color. You look stunning."

 Chapter 265 - Happy New Year!

    Shao Yan blinked at his praises. Her already blushed face turned a deeper shade of red.


    ''You.." She stuttered, "You don''t look bad yourself." Her voice was disappearing near the end; she felt so embarrassed while saying words of praises for him.


    The man in front of her was looking as elegant as ever.


    Li Xiqing had put on a long sleeves red shirt. It was a male version of qipao jacket. The jacquard material made him look more elegant and manly than before. The clothing was decorated with shades of ancient Chinese cloud motifs all over the shirt. It was even made more perfect with eight knotted buttons at his front, adding to the vintage charm.


    The traditional pattern combined with the modern cloth made him look ethereal and yet worldly at the same time.


    Li Xiqing had paired the sophisticated top with plain black dress pants. And now he was ready to capture every woman''s attention.


    Hearing her words of praises at him, Li Xiqing could not help a little smirk to escape his lips. The woman in front of him was admiring him and yet at the same time, she was pouting. He was not sure of what she was thinking.


    "Are you ready?" And so before Shao Yan ruined her own mood by thinking nonsense stuff, Li Xiqing quickly continued, "Tea is ready too, we should go now."


    Her mind was quickly distracted, and Shao Yan nodded right away. Her tiny hands were holding onto a small red purse in her hand. She pulled the chain from the purse and hung it over her shoulder, "Let''s go."


    ----------


    "Happy New Year!"


    "Happy New Year to you too! May you achieve success, happiness, health, joy and prosperity this Chinese New Year!"


    When they were walking to his parents'' apartment unit, Shao Yan and Li Xiqing would encounter other people who were also their neighbors around this area. Greetings were exchanged with one another. Luckily, Shao Yan had prepared a couple of red envelopes for small children in case she had encountered them.


    She opened her purse and took out three small envelopes and passed them with both hands to the children.


    They gave her a very bright smile; grinning from ear to ear as they received them with both of their hands as well.


    "Thank you, pretty sister," said the eldest.


    "Thank you, sister!" The middle son also chimed in.


    And the youngest one just stared at them with no words. Shao Yan guessed she was only about two years old.


    The children looked amazed at the red envelopes in their hands and then they looked up at their parents who were standing at the side; smiling down at them with the same pride.


    The building floors were decorated with red lanterns and wishing couplets for celebrations. The tiny papers from the fireworks last night were also still laying around untouched as it was a taboo to clean or sweep the floor during the first three days of Lunar New Year.


    Shao Yan and Li Xiqing kept their conversation with neighbors as short as possible as they were rushing to not miss the auspicious hour to send their greetings.


    ----------


    "Pa, Ma, Happy New Year!"


    Axel and Mandy were kneeling on the floor with Li Xiqing and Shao Yan followed behind them. Axel was holding a tray with two tea cups on top of it.


    Father Li and Mother Li were sitting on the couch with their backs straight up and a blissful smile was pasted on their face.


    After Axel was done, Mandy took one of the tea cups on the tray and passed it to Father Li carefully; and then she took another one and gave it to Mother Li as well.


    They quickly took a sip and put the cup to the side so that the children could quickly get up on their feet. But the four of them remained kneeling. Axel and Mandy each took a red envelope out from their pocket and gave them to Father Li and Mother Li.


    "May this New Year be prosperous and joyful for all of us," Axel said before passing the red envelope to the parents. After The Li''s accepted them, Axel quickly got up on his feet and helped Mandy to get up as well.


    Li Xiqing and Shao Yan moved to the front and repeated the same procedures. Li Xiqing took out red envelopes and gave them to each of the parents.


    "Pa, Ma, this is from Yan Yan and I," With his two hands, Li Xiqing extended the red envelope in front of him towards his parents, "May this year bring more prosperity and happiness to your life."


    Father Li and Mother Li accepted his envelope. But unlike with Axel and Mandy, since Li Xiqing and Shao Yan were not married yet, The Li''s were still allowed to give red envelopes to the both of them.


    Father Li took out two red envelopes and passed one to each of them, "Happy New Year too. May this year be a blessing to the two of you."


    Mother Li was also following suit. She took out two envelopes and passed them to Shao Yan and Li Xiqing.


    "I hope this year is the last year for both of you to receive red envelopes," She winked at them, and hurriedly told him to get up. Li Xiqing turned to the side and held Shao Yan by her upper arm to help her to stand up together with him.


    In her heart, Shao Yan understood that wink very well. Mother Li''s words were indicating her wish for them to quickly get married. Because only married couples would not receive any red envelope during Lunar New Year celebration.


    Shao Yan could feel her face was heating up.


    A wish for them to get married.


    She sighed softly in her heart. She was very sure that she would be hearing this wish during this whole Lunar New Year week from all of their family and friends.


    (~_~;)


    ----------


    "Xiqing, help me to send this parcel to Uncle Mao," Father Li pointed at the gift basket on the table and passed him a piece of paper, "This is the address." Father Li continued, "His house should be on the way to the Tea House, so you can drop this really quick on your way there, alright?"


    Li Xiqing received the piece of paper from him and gave a quick read at the address that was written on it.


    Uncle Mao was one of the few friends that his father had always kept in touch with. Every time Father Li visited Shanghai, he would always make sure to visit Uncle Mao to catch up. They were really best friends.


    Li Xiqing looked at the paper. He recognized the location and nodded, "Yes, it is on the way. I can drop this really quick."


    Li Xiqing then turned to the side and addressed Axel, "All of you can go to the Tea House first. Grandma Wu and Yan Yan''s cousin will meet us there."


    Axel nodded and patted Li Xiqing on his shoulder, "Alright, don''t worry about us, you just drive carefully and meet us there."


    Li Xiqing nodded and then he glanced at Shao Yan before he gently took her hand, and then excused themselves, "Alright, Pa, Ma, we will go first, we will meet you shortly."


    Father Li and Mother Li nodded at them and waved, "En, drive safe!"

 Chapter 266 - Warmth In Her Heart

    When they arrived at the Tea House, Shao Yan saw that Grandmother was laughing happily while sitting next to Mother Li.


    Her steps were slightly faltered in surprise, but she kept moving forward while peeking a glance at Li Xiqing. He was walking next to her while holding her hands and noticed that Shao Yan was looking at him so he returned her gaze. His lips were curved slightly upwards as he gave her a reassuring look; Li Xiqing squeezed her hands gently to calm her down.


    Meeting the parents.


    This should not be something new for her. But she did not understand why her heart was racing madly now. The situation was similar and yet so different from before.


    She remembered how she had met Liwei''s parents - The Fu''s in the past. At the time, she was all alone; without any support from her relatives or friends.


    Seeing that she was all alone, Liwei''s parents were disappointed by her situation, but their son was so adamant on being with this woman. So they had relented.


    Their meals had always been simple. His parents did not talk much either. The warm food in her stomach actually tasted bland and cold because of her nervousness. And at the time, both Liwei and her were lacking experience as it was their first ''meeting the parents'' time.


    When she felt the light squeeze in her hand, Shao Yan was brought back to the present. She stared at their linked fingers. This man had always made sure his warm palm was blanketed hers; walking with her all the way, protecting her. He had always been her mental support, her guardian angel.


    ''Yes, it''s different now, Yan Yan,'' Shao Yan thought to herself.


    She corrected her slumped posture and walked more confidently towards the gazebo that was located right in the middle of the garden.


    ----------


    When Risa saw from afar that Shao Yan and Li Xiqing had arrived, she waved her hand to call the waiter over, "You can start to serve the food, please. Thank you."


    The waiter nodded and swiftly walked away to inform the kitchen.


    "I''m sorry we are late, Grandma," Shao Yan quickly walked over and wrapped her arms around Grandma Wu.


    Another waiter came over and put a smaller size teapot with one white ceramic tea cup next to Risa.


    "Yan Yan," Risa made a gesture with her palm side down for Shao Yan to come closer, and then with her eyes, Risa signaled Shao Yan about the tea ceremony.


    "Oh!" Shao Yan quickly realized it; she picked up the tray with the teacup that was now filled with some tea and stood next to Li Xiqing. With one hand, he took over the tray from her and placed it on the small table, and picked up the cup. And then with his other hand, Li Xiqing held her arm and helped Shao Yan to kneel down in front of Grandma Wu.


    "Grandma, Happy New Year!"


    "May this New Year bring blessings of abundant health, joy and prosperity to you, Grandma!"


    With a big smile on her face, Grandma received the tea cup from them and took a small sip. And then Grandma handed over two red envelopes for the two of them.


    "Grandma also wishes the same for both of you. Hopefully next year, Grandma will get the chance to hear the cry of small babies already," And then the elderly burst into laughter and exchanged nods with the Li couple who was also laughing along with her.


    "You two can get up now," Grandma continued, "Xiqing, quick, help Yan Yan to get up."


    Shao Yan was too embarrassed to reply. Li Xiqing held her upper arm to help her to stand back on her feet; he could see that her mind was still thinking. Her tongue was tied as she thought of a good comeback.


    Before she got the chance to say anything, Li Xiqing had chimed in, "Then, in that case, Grandma, please stay healthy. Your great-grandchildren still need you to play with them."


    After he was finished, Grandma Wu was laughing even more joyfully. She kept nodding her head while saying, "Good... Good..." and his parents were also smiling gleefully.


    Shao Yan felt like she wanted to cry... >.<


    It seemed that the whole family was united in bullying her. She could not help but pout.


    ~~>.<~~


    Shao Yan kept her head slightly bowed to hide her red face as she was feeling shy. And from under her beautiful, long eyelashes, Shao Yan sent a glare at Li Xiqing.


    ----------


    The Lunar New Year meal that day was full of joy and laughter.


    Grandma Wu was clearly in a very good mood; she talked more than usual, and also able to joke around with Mother Li and Mandy easily.


    Everyone was paying attention to each other. The elderlies would nag at the children to eat more. While the children would occasionally scooped dishes onto their plates. The men would happily serve more soup to the women''s bowl, and the women would pick up more meat for the men. Shao Yan could not remember when was the last time she had ever had a family meal with so many people like this, and yet still felt so warm.


    "Yan Yan," Grandmother Wu started to say, "What are your plans for this week?"


    The dishes on their table had just been cleaned up and taken away. The waiters had brought up some refreshment of fruits and some sweets for dessert; along with pots of flower tea for accompaniment.


    Shao Yan was holding a cup of tea in her hands and she was appreciating the fragrant smell when Grandma suddenly asked her the question.


    "Feifei invited Xiqing and I for lunch tomorrow," Shao Yan answered.


    "As for the third day....," She paused for a moment while scanning the faces of everyone on the table.


    Everyone knew that the third day of Chinese New Year was the day that was set aside especially to pray for ancestors. It was believed that the third day of Lunar New Year was when evil spirits wandered around the human world, and thus, people should go to the gravesites to appease their soul and pray for them.


    After she received an encouraging look from Li Xiqing, Shao Yan continued, "If everyone don''t mind," Shao Yan was hesitating for a while, but she braced herself and started to say, "I would like to ask if anyone want to come along with me; I would like to offer incense for my parents."


    ----------


    Grandma Wu had a smile on her face, but upon hearing her words, her smile froze. She stared at her granddaughter for a moment before silently placed down her teacup on top of the white marble dining table. Her face turned solemn.


    Mother Li and Father Li also showed a calm expression on their face, no longer laughing joyfully.


    Seeing the changes in their expression, Li Xiqing placed his palm on top of Shao Yan''s hand, and then he said, "It will be a four-hour train ride. We are taking a bullet train to Beijing. Total trip for a train ride compared to an airplane ride - they are pretty much the same. But both of us decided that a train ride will be much more comfortable."


    "Pa, Ma," And then Li Xiqing also looked at Grandma Wu and Risa, "Grandma, if you don''t mind the journey, we would be very happy if all of you can come along with both of us."

 Chapter 267 - White Marbles

    Mother Li and Father Li did not say anything for a while out of respect to Grandmother Wu who was the most senior in the table. And Grandmother Wu knew about their good intentions as well.


    Everyone stayed quiet for a while, and all they could hear were the chirping sound of birds and the splashing sounds of the fish in the pond next to them.


    "Xiqing," Grandmother suddenly spoke up.


    Shao Yan was anxious about what she would reply; she tried to keep her face calm, but her palm was sweating.


    "I have to trouble you, please help to arrange the trip for us. Shaoying and I will go with you and Yan Yan."


    Mother Li smiled in relief upon hearing her answer. She exchanged a look with Father Li who gave her a slight nod as encouragement. Mother Li then said, "Xiqing, of course we will go with you. Please also include your father and I."


    Li Xiqing smiled at his parents while nodding, "Yes, of course, Ma."


    "Danny," All of a sudden Axel also chimed in, "You can also include both Xilin and I."


    Axel paused before he took Mandy''s right hand and clasped it with both of his hands, "But we will not be able to go to the columbarium with all of you.... since I heard that it is considered taboo for pregnant women to visit that place."


    Shao Yan heard a gasp; she assumed it was coming from Mother Li.


    Axel glanced at Mandy who was keeping her head down while looking bashful; and held his stare into her eyes as they smiled with each other. And then he slowly released his stare and looked at his in-laws.


    "Pa, Ma, we were actually planning to wait until we reached the twelve weeks safe point. But since we are all family here, I will just announce it to all of you right now."


    "Xilin is pregnant."


    And everyone in the table saw how he could not hold his smile while talking; and his face gradually changed into a wide grin, "Doctor said baby is around eight weeks old now," he squeezed Mandy by her hand, "Doctor also said both Xilin and baby are doing really great so far."


    Shao Yan could not feel the surge of excitement in her heart, reflexively she brought both of her palms together and gently clasped them on her chest and exclaimed, "That''s good news, Sis!" And then she turned to Mother Li and Father Li before saying, "Congratulations, Auntie, Uncle."


    Mandy was smiling the whole time; her face was glowing with joy and happiness.


    Grandma Wu was also feeling the bliss and started to congratulate the couple. Everyone quickly turned the conversation to Mandy and her pregnancy; and how she was feeling for the past few weeks.


    The table was full of laughters starting from the beginning of their meal until the very end.


    Shao Yan could really feel the warmth in her heart that she had never felt in years.


    ----------


    On the third day, everyone had agreed to meet up at Shanghai Hongqiao Station right on time at six in the morning.


    Li Xiqing had reserved seats for all of them so they could sit together in the same train car. The train would only depart in thirty minutes, so they had enough time to buy some food and drinks to eat during the trip.


    It was a high speed bullet train, so a four hour journey should not be too tiring for them.


    Since they had left very early in the morning, almost everyone had fallen asleep after they had eaten their breakfast. Except for Daniel and Axel who decided to walk to the end of the car and started to discuss work.


    When they finally arrived at Beijing Main Station, it was slightly before noon. The crowd that were taking the early train was a moderate size since it was still New Year holiday week anyway.


    "Ma," Axel who was walking at the front of their group suddenly paused his steps before looking back, "Pa, let''s go to eat some lunch first before we go to the Columbarium."


    Mother Li looked around at everyone, and she nodded, "Yes, that''s a good idea, Grandma must be tired and hungry, too. Let''s go." She said as she waved her hand to let everyone know to continue forward.


    Axel had rented a limousine bus so everyone could fit in one van.


    The driver dressed in black and white suit was already standing by the huge car when they stepped out of the Arrival terminal. In his hands, the man was holding a signboard with "Axel Chen & Family" written on it. A very shiny, black limousine van was parked behind him.


    When the driver saw a group of people were approaching him, he quickly moved to stand beside the passenger door; he was getting ready to open it.


    ----------


    Ever since her parents had passed away, this would be the second time for Shao Yan to visit her father, and the third time for her mother.


    Before she had moved to the USA with Liwei, they had visited her mother and grandmother to bid her farewell and say goodbye. At the time, her father was still alive and living well with his mistress; and she had never thought that she would be back in China anymore.


    However, after he passed away from the accident, no one had the arrangement for her father to be buried or cremated. So Shao Yan had decided on his behalf; and put his ashes in the same Columbarium as her mother. After all, his mistress had decided to wash her hands out of his matter after spending his money on expensive stuff and plastic surgeries.


    Just thinking about it again, her heart felt sour and bitter on behalf of her father.


    When she stood in front of the building right now, all blast from the past started to come through her mind. Her eyes were looking at the white building in a dome shape in front of her; it was standing tall and elegant surrounded by lush greeneries around it. The white marble wall looked so grand and intimidating; and yet, at the same time, it looked so cold and distant.


    As if it was to send a message to the living that they were about to enter a place where the spirits were laid to rest; a warning to the living to respect the dead by being humble and solemn when they entered the area.


    Shao Yan could not help but clenched her hands into fists. The bitter life that she had in the past. She was not sure if she should be grateful or be remorseful.


    She turned around and walked closer to Grandma Wu.


    "Grandma, both Mother and Father''s ashes are here. Who should we visit first?"


    The elderly woman was dressed in an elegant dark purple Qipao dress today. Her face was solemn as she was staring at the entrance; similar to what Shao Yan had done before. The peony flowers that were sewn with gold thread on the dress were looking serene at this scene.


    Shao Yan saw how Grandma Wu was staying quiet while staring ahead, and then slowly she turned her head to face her granddaughter, "Let''s go and see your mother and grandmother first."

 Chapter 268 - Mothers Heart

    The building was divided into four sections, the East, West, North and South sides. Each section was then divided into different "Division" starting from A to Z, which then housed 1,000 units in every Division.


    Mother Wu''s urn was placed in East section Division G, unit 598, next to her parents'' which were unit 596 and 597. Shao Yan was leading Grandma Wu and Risa next to her sides. Li Xiqing and his parents were following closely behind them.


    The tradition to pay respect to the dead on the third day of Lunar New Year had started to be forgotten by the younger generation. This was more proven by the lack of the crowd today at the Columbarium.


    When they finally arrived at Division G, they noticed there were only some people inside the circular shape room. Some were crying silently on the bench, some were standing quietly while praying in their hearts to their loved ones.


    "Hold this for me, please," Shao Yan said as she passed a plastic bag in her hands to Li Xiqing, "I''ll go over to the custodian to purchase some incense sticks for all of us." Li Xiqing nodded, and then he turned around and guided Grandma Wu to sit on the bench that was available in the middle of their section.


    Li Xiqing started to scan their surroundings.


    He noticed that from the top to the bottom, there were three levels of glass boxes that were stacked against each other and filled up all the surrounding walls around them. Each glass box was formed as a unit for each family to place an urn inside. It was a small box with a transparent glass door that could be locked at the front, so the family members could place some small memorabilias or pictures of their loved ones inside.


    A moment later, Shao Yan came back and carried some incense sticks in her hands. She passed some to everyone before taking the plastic bags back from Li Xiqing.


    From the inside, Li Xiqing saw that she took out some fruits, a bottle of wine and small plastic cups.


    Shao Yan then walked to the corner where the custodian had put some statues of Chinese deities. These deities were believed to be the guardians for the living and the dead. She started to arrange the fruits and small cups in front of the altar for each deity; Shao Yan also poured some of the wines to pay respect to them.


    ----------


    "Grandma," Shao Yan linked her arms around Grandma Wu by her hand, "This one over here is Mother''s."


    Grandma Wu slowly rose up from her seat and walked over with Shao Yan.


    She saw inside the glass box, was a very simple white marble urn placed right in the middle. Behind it was a picture frame of a woman who had the same smile as her granddaughter. There were other smaller pictures pasted on each side. All of them were of Yan Yan and her mother at different ages.


    Her heart was aching as she remembered the short moments she had spent with her in the past. Grandmother Wu regretted all the petty arguments that her son and her husband had to have; costing all of them to waste a lot of precious moments.


    Heaving a deep sigh, Grandma Wu took her incense and held the sticks in her fingers. Li Xiqing walked over and helped to light it on.


    Grandma Wu slowly raised her hands that were holding the incense and made a sign of prayer as she gave a small bow. She planted the sticks on a small container that was already provided next to each glass box and then she stood facing her picture and started to reminisce.


    ''Kaixin, ah... Kaixin,'' Grandma Wu sighed again while reciting in her heart, ''Mother apologize to you.''


    ''That stupid son of mine must be disturbing you now in the other world, I hope he is begging in his knees for your forgiveness for being so dumb, you can give him a proper beating now, Kaixin. Don''t feel sorry for me, alright?''


    Grandma Wu glanced to the side; Shao Yan was still standing next to her, not saying a word. She gently took one of her hands and held it in between her own.


    ''Kaixin, rest your heart in peace,'' Grandma Wu continued her heart-to-heart talk with Shao Yan''s mother, ''Now that I have found your daughter, you can leave her to me. Let me take care of her,'' Grandma Wu patted the back of Shao Yan''s hand.


    ''She also brought someone here to introduce to you, your future son in law. This handsome man is very henpecked to your daughter.''


    All of a sudden, Grandmother Wu released soft chuckles, causing everyone around them to look at each other in confusion.


    ''Watch over her, Kaixin, your daughter is finally very happy now.''


    ----------


    "Yan Yan, you and Xiqing have a good talk with your mother," Mother Li stood next to Grandmother Wu before saying, "Auntie and uncle will bring Grandma to have some tea over there, you can take your time, no need to rush, alright?"


    After Grandma Wu offered her incense, Risa, Mother Li and Father Li each also took their turn to offer their prayers.


    When they were done, Shao Yan was about to offer her own when all of a sudden Mother Li told her that.


    Shao Yan exchanged looks with Li Xiqing before she nodded, "Thank you, Auntie, after we are done, we will go over right away."


    Father Li quickly waved his hands, "It''s fine, don''t worry about us, we will be waiting for you."


    "Thank you, Pa," Li Xiqing added before they stepped out from the room.


    Shao Yan turned back to face her mother''s urn, while raising her incense, she closed her eyes and started to pray. After she was done, Shao Yan planted her incense stick, and she gently took Li Xiqing by his hands.


    "Mama, how are you doing?"


    Her throat was choking as her voice was strained so Shao Yan had to pause for a while to control her feelings, before continuing.


    "I hope you are doing fine up there," her soft voice was whispering in the room. But since there were only the two of them now, Li Xiqing could hear her clearly.


    "Mama, Happy New Year! This year, I am especially missing your noodle dish so much," and a single tear came out of the corner of her eyes. A weak smile appeared on her lips, "I am so sorry I haven''t visited you in a while."


    "Mama, today, I especially bring someone here to introduce him to you."


    Li Xiqing squeezed the tiny hand inside his palm gently to give her encouragement.


    "This is Li Xiqing. He is my boyfriend."


    She paused as another tear touched her soft cheek.


    "I am very happy now, Mama. I hope you can rest in peace now, I am very happy."

 Chapter 269 - Fathers Heart

    When Shao Yan closed her eyes, Li Xiqing watched her for a while, before he turned around and looked at the picture frame in front of him.


    He raised his incense sticks and nodded a little bow. He planted his incense stick into the small jar and when he was about to introduce himself, Shao Yan took his hand into hers and held it in.


    "Mama, how are you?"


    He saw her lips were quivering; she was trying so hard not to cry.


    "I am so sorry I haven''t visited you in a while."


    Her voice cracked and he saw her tears started to flow out.


    He felt as if his heart was poked by thousands of needles. The woman in front of him was the most independent woman he had ever known. And for her to show her weakness like this was a really rare occasion.


    She kept talking and trying to joke; she even introduced him to her and her grandmother. Li Xiqing just stood there next to her without saying a word. The whole time Shao Yan was telling them about her days, his eyes were fixated at her dewy face and her every expression.


    He felt proud at her strengths and her charms; and his heart swelled with pride at how she had grown stronger from the woman he had met a year ago.


    ----------


    When Shao Yan had finished her chat, she was about to let their hands go, but he stopped her.


    She looked at him with questioning eyes, but he only gave her a small smile, before he started to say his piece.


    "Auntie, it is very regrettable that I have to meet you this way."


    Li Xiqing spoke with confidence and kept his warm hand enveloped hers the whole time. Although the elderlies were not physically around, but his heart was beating very fast, he felt nervous as if he knew their piercing eyes were on to him now.


    "I want to thank you for letting me meet Yan Yan," Li Xiqing glanced to the side, and gave a light squeeze to her hand in his palm, "And I want to thank you for giving birth to such an amazing woman."


    "You can rest in peace, Auntie, for Yan Yan is a very strong woman."


    "And I promise you, I am going to walk beside her the whole time, and always make sure to make her happy."


    He kept talking and let her hear every promise he made to her mother. He recounted her smart days, but also ratted her out on her stupid days. She would pout and glare at him, but also laugh along at her own silly carelessness.


    They even had a friendly banter in front of her mother about what he said but she disagreed. As if her mother was still alive and chatted along with them.


    His voice was so soft, Shao Yan felt that his every word struck a chord in her heart.


    Happiness was all but temporary, but this man''s vow made it seem like an oath of a lifetime.


    ----------


    The couple reunited with their family members when they finished. The group started to make a beeline towards another unit where her father''s urn was placed. Since Shao Yan was the one making arrangements for his cremation, she tried to find a unit that was close to her mother and only this one was available at the time.


    They repeated the whole procedure, but this time, Shao Yan was more careful while standing next to Grandma Wu. Afterall, this was her own son, and he had passed away ahead of her.


    From a distance, Grandma Wu had recognized the face that bore significant resemblance to her husband. This eldest son of hers had always been the most charismatic, and the most good looking in the family.


    Placard of his name, Wu Geping, was hung in the corner of the transparent glass box. Grandma Wu extended her fingers as slowly brushed the letters; as if the stroke under her fingertips would convince her that this was all a lie; that this urn was not her son''s.


    But the cold marble under her touch screamed the truth in front of her eyes. The corner of her eyes started to reddened and her fingers trembled as she tried to balance herself.


    Shao Yan took a quick glance at Li Xiqing who was sitting down next to his parents on the bench a little further away to give them privacy. But as he noticed her nervous look, Li Xiqing quickly stood up and briskly walked over.


    As he got closer, he understood why Shao Yan was calling for him. She was worried that in case Grandma Wu was too saddened, she would lose her standing and faint. So he positioned himself a few steps behind Shao Yan and Grandma, and was on alert.


    ''Geping, ah Geping,'' Grandma Wu started to sob in her heart, ''Why did you have to go this way?''


    She balled up her hand and started to thump her fist onto her chest repeatedly while sobbing silently in agony.


    Looking at her sorrow, almost everyone in the room had teary eyes and they could feel the sadness that Grandma Wu was feeling.


    ----------


    Similar to before, after everyone was done with their incense offer, they let Shao Yan and Li Xiqing have their own privacy to talk to her father.


    Li Xiqing let Shao Yan do all the talking this time. She repeated what she had said in front of her mother and narrated the same story about him to her father as well.


    He noticed that Yan Yan was not as chatty as she was with her mother. He concluded that Yan Yan had a closer relationship with her mother due to the hardship that they shared together the last few years of her life.


    When she was done talking, Li Xiqing nudged her shoulder gently before saying, "You go and check on Grandma, you can leave the items here for me to take care of."


    Shao Yan scanned the whole area. Li Xiqing would only have to tidy up some plastic bags from the incense stick and wipe down the glass door. She nodded and took her purse with her, "I''ll go check Grandma out."


    "En," He nodded before adding, "Bring everyone to wait for me outside, I''ll be there shortly."


    Shao Yan nodded and sauntered away. When he was sure she was out of his earshot, Li Xiqing faced her father''s picture and started to talk.


    "Hello Uncle, My name is Li Xiqing."


    He stood still with both hands crossed in front of him, trying to think of what to say. He could try saying the same words as what he had promised her mother, but the heart of a father was different.


    "I''m sure you are worried that Yan Yan would be repeating the same mistake by being with me. And as a man, I''m sure you know that all men are not to be trusted."


    "I am not a perfect man myself, and I know Yan Yan and I will have many ups and downs in our relationship in the future, but please rest assured, I will never give up on us."


    "You have brought her up to be a remarkable woman, Uncle," He bowed his head before bringing his eyes back to his picture frame, "And from one man to another, I am here to make a promise to you, I would rather hurt myself than to see her hurt again."


    "Just seeing her smile is enough to brighten up my day and being with her is what has been pushing me along to live my life to the fullest every single day."


    "So, here I am, with all my sincere heart, requesting you to give your blessings on us."

 Chapter 270 - The Return Of The Lost Girl

    "Xiao Yan Yan?"


    The house was quiet.


    She dragged her luggage inside the foyer and closed the door behind her. Qi Ling looked around the house. The curtains had been drawn to let some sunlight inside the house, and the house smelled like fresh flowers. She knew Shao Yan was home. But where was she?


    All of a sudden, she heard a soft patter coming out of the bedroom. She saw her head was peeking out from the door frame before she heard a squeal.


    "Qi Lingggg!"


    Shao Yan quickly ran towards her and bumped her soft body onto her; immediately enveloping Qi Ling into a bear hug. Her sudden movement jerked Qi Ling to take a step back. Qi Ling laughed out loud before she rounded her arms and returned Shao Yan another hug.


    "Whoa! Xiao Yan Yan, how come you became heavier now?" She said while touching all over her back. Qi Ling placed both hands on her upper arm and distanced her slightly away from her, "Let me take a good look at you."


    Her eyes went all over the petite face in front of her. Shao Yan was grinning happily upon the return of her long lost housemate.


    "Wow!" Qi Ling exclaimed, "You have chubby cheeks now, and a healthy glow too! Very good!" She patted Shao Yan''s cheek gently.


    "Chubby your head!" Shao Yan feigned an upset tone, she raised her hand and pinched Qi Ling on her cheek, "You have the guts to say that, when you have been disappearing on me for months!"


    "I did not disappear, I called you a lot, you know!" Qi Ling giggled and let go off her hold from Yan Yan, "I am enjoying my seclusion with my baby."


    Shao Yan stepped aside when she saw Qi Ling bent down to take off her shoes, "He did not come back with you? I thought I finally got to meet this mysterious boyfriend of yours."


    Qi Ling shook her head while grabbing the handle of her luggage and dragged it inside the living room, "Not yet, I came back first because I needed to go back to my hometown, he has to go somewhere first and then meet me here in Shanghai."


    ----------


    "So, you have been accompanying them these two weeks?"


    After lunch, the two women spent their time in Shao Yan''s bedroom, talking. Qi Ling had been asking her to recount her days, and they had been talking for hours.


    "En," Shao Yan nodded, "After the trip to Beijing, we went back to Shanghai right away."


    "Somehow, during that trip, his mother and Grandma became so close," Her eyes went big and round in surprise while looking at Qi Ling, "And you know what? They even started to talk about traveling together."


    Qi Ling struggled not to let the biscuits inside her mouth crumble all over Yan Yan''s bedsheet. But she really needed to laugh, "Instant bestie, huh?"


    Shao Yan playfully slapped Qi Ling''s arm when she teased her.


    "Well.. This was not Auntie Li''s first time in Shanghai, but they were having a lot of fun spending their time together after that. Because a few days ago, Grandma and Risa had to go to the Tea Plantation for a short break somehow both of them became melancholic over the short meeting."


    Qi Ling nodded while watching Shao Yan rummage through the stuff that she had brought for her, "You can always bring Mother Li and Father Li to Taiwan to visit them then. So, where did you guys go these past few days?"


    Because of her job, Qi Ling got the chance to travel to some countries for Fashion Shows, and over the time, she would collect some trinkets for Shao Yan. She was having fun looking through the items while Qi Ling interrogated her on their days with The Li''s.


    "Grandma seems to enjoy nature and history, so Xiqing brought them around to the suburb villages and some museums," Shao Yan picked up a Swarovski hairpin, and tried it on her hair, "Auntie Li likes to eat, so we also tried some traditional Shanghainese dishes."


    "This one is a matching set with the hairpin, try them on together," Qi Ling reached over the open bag and took out a bracelet, "So his parents already left Shanghai?"


    Shao Yan received the bracelet and put it on, "En, we sent them to the airport yesterday. They will spend a few days traveling around Australia and New Zealand."


    Qi Ling hummed along, "Good choice, they won''t regret it. Oh! Yan Yan, remember the white woven summer hat that you bought last year? Put that on, too. They will look great together."


    Shao Yan walked to her closet and started to search for it, "How long will you be staying in town this time, Ling Ling?"


    Qi Ling crumpled the biscuit wrapper, and got up from the bed and walked to the dustbin by the bedroom door, "Until summer. All my jobs are already lined up here, so no more travelling until summer comes."


    Shao Yan nodded; she stretched out her arm, and with the other hand, she touched the side of her jaw, posing like the iconic superstar, "How do I look?"


    Qi Ling clapped both of her hands enthusiastically, "Perfect!" And then she performed a theatrical bow. She circled her left arm to her back and raised her right hand palm side-up like a perfect gentleman, "My princess, you look amazing!"


    Shao Yan nodded and lifted her chin as she placed her palm over Qi Ling''s, "Of course, my prince," baiting both ladies to burst into laughter.


    The two best friends then spent the whole afternoon just like that; chatting on casual stuff and trying on many accessories.


    ----------


    "Are you eating dinner at home, Xiao Yan? Shall I order food for both of us?"


    Qi Ling was holding onto her phone as she scrolled through the food delivery application.


    "En," Shao Yan nodded as she took out her suitcase, "Our trip to Singapore is in two days, and Xiqing has been busy working overtime. Since you are back home now, I told him I wanted to spend some days with you before the trip, so I am going to stay here until then."


    Qi Ling, who was sprawled on the sofa peeked at Shao Yan who was dragging the suitcase into her room, "Have you been to Singapore before?"


    Shao Yan shook her head, "Anything I need to know?"


    Qi Ling brought her gaze back to the phone in her hands, "Yeah, pack clothing with light materials, it is very hot and humid there. How long will you be there for?"


    Shao Yan kept walking to her bedroom as they continued their chats, "Two weeks for me, maybe longer for Xiqing. Hopefully his work doesn''t have to take longer than a month."


    "Hmm, I see."


    After a few seconds, all of a sudden Qi Ling stopped typing, and then she abruptly got up to a sitting position, "Wait a minute."


    She crossed her long legs while sitting on the soft grey couch and opened her calendar application to confirm her suspicion, and then she started to walk to Shao Yan''s bedroom.


    "So you won''t be in town for your birthday?"

 Chapter 271 - Seven Boys

    Shao Yan was sitting cross legged on the carpeted floor in her room. She raised her head up when she heard the question to look at Qi Ling who was now leaning by her door frame.


    The afternoon sun was seeping through the curtains and hit the heels of her feet. Qi Ling was wearing short summer pants in jeans material and a simple white tank top. The golden sun that was shining on her flawless long legs made the fabulous supermodel looking even more stunning.


    Shao Yan tilted her head as she contemplated for a while. She wondered how the chubby, little girl from before had grown up so differently.


    Shao Yan remembered her earlier question and thought for a while; before she suddenly broke out into a grin.


    "I guess it will be my first birthday celebration with him, I''m so excited!"


    Qi Ling saw Shao Yan shrugged her shoulders. She nodded, "Bring more sexy clothes, then." Qi Ling then pointed her chin to the white armoire dresser, "Go unpack your summer clothes, you should bring more of your cute dresses to capture the poor man''s heart."


    Shao Yan gave her disapproving look as she squinted her eyes, "What poor man! He''s my man!"


    "But! Oh! That''s a good idea," Shao Yan quickly jumped up to her feet and approached her bed. She bent down and from under the bed, she pulled out a huge transparent box in which she had packed all her summer clothes away.


    Shao Yan dragged the box out and laid it out beside her; in between her dresser and her bed. "I should start packing my winter clothes away, and take out my summer clothings now. Thanks for reminding me, Ling Ling," She said while glancing at Qi Ling from her shoulder.


    "You can decide what is for dinner. Surprise me!" Shao Yan winked at her before opening her white dresser and started to rummage through it.


    ----------


    Qi Ling watched Shao Yan take out all of her thick winter clothings and stacked them up on her bed. And then she opened the transparent box on the floor. Shao Yan put the lid aside and started to unload the summer clothes that she had vacuum sealed last year to give away some space in her dresser.


    Qi Ling then stayed standing at her doorway and played with her phone again. She really should start deciding on dinner. Her fingers started to scroll through the restaurant list in her food delivery application.


    "Should we have Mongolian kebab?" Her thumb kept scrolling through slowly as she voiced out some options for them, "Maybe Sichuan Ma La or Japanese ramen?"


    Shao Yan was sorting out the summer clothes on her lap, "Hmm.. Maybe not so much meat? What else did you get there?"


    "How about Thunder Tea rice?" Her shoulder was leaning on the door frame, Qi Ling crossed her long legs that were supporting her languid body. Two hands were holding onto the phone and she would sometimes peek at Shao Yan from the corner of her phone.


    "En, sounds good," Shao Yan nodded while answering Qi Ling, but her eyes did not waver from the stack of clothings on her lap, "Any other vegetarian options? The past few days that I spent with Auntie Li and Grandma, I kind of grew fond of vegetarian food now."


    She took a quick glance at Qi Ling, "They are both healthy and tasty at the same time," before she brought her gaze back to her lap again. Her hand went under the stack of clothing and lifted away the stack of tank tops into her dresser. She went back to sitting on the floor and started to sort through light jackets now.


    "Okay, sounds good," Qi Ling bobbed her head in agreement, and went back to reset her filter and started her search from the beginning.


    ----------


    Energetic, K-Pop songs were playing in the background. Qi Ling was listening to them while she was lounging in the living room earlier, so they were still playing on the bluetooth speaker outside.


    "I swear! These boys will be the death of me! All seven of them are super cute, Yan Yan! You should watch their concerts!"


    Her feet were tapping along the music. Sometimes, she would hum to some of the songs even though she did not understand the words or how to pronounce it, but she still enjoyed the beats.


    "Ah! found it!" Qi Ling clicked on the review section and started to read some of them, "How about Treasure Chest? They are famous for many different dumpling options and listen to this... They are all vegetarian."


    Qi Ling kept scrolling and randomly read through the review section. "Hmm.. many positive reviews," She mumbled to herself, "Not bad! How come I never heard of it before?"


    "Xiao Yan?"


    When she did not hear any reply from Shao Yan, she peeked from the corner of her eyes and asked her again, "What do you think?" She saw Shao Yan was scowling at the stack of clothes in front of her. Her forehead was scrunched and she seemed to be in deep thoughts.


    "Xiao Yan Yan?" Qi Ling eased off her shoulder from the door frame and started to walk inside the bedroom towards Shao Yan, "What''s wrong?"


    When she heard the rustle sound coming near her, Shao Yan snapped back from her daydreaming. She raised her head and saw Qi Ling with her confused face looking down at her.


    "Huh?" Shao Yan gave her a blank expression, looking a little lost. She blinked, "What did you say, Ling Ling? Sorry, I was not listening."


    "Well, duh! I could see that," Qi Ling rolled her eyes, "I was asking how about vegetarian dumplings."


    Shao Yan lifted the stack of jackets off her lap, and crammed them at the side of her only empty space on her bed that was still crowded with winter clothings.


    "Yeah, sounds good," She answered with her back facing Qi Ling. And then Shao Yan abruptly turned around again, "Ling Ling, I forgot to buy some things, I''ll go to the store for a while."


    She crossed the bedroom and grabbed her purse on her study desk. When she saw Qi Ling''s questioning face, she quickly added, "It''s for the trip."


    She waved her hands and started to rattle, "I figure I will need some stuff. You can start dinner without me, I''ll probably be back in one-two hours."


    Shao Yan walked past her and patted Qi Ling on her shoulder, "Thanks, Ling!" Her tiny feet briskly walked to the foyer. Qi Ling heard the door was opened and then closed right away. Her head tilted in confusion as she scanned the bedroom.


    "This girl is leaving the room in a mess, and now escaped?" Qi Ling shook her head in astonishment, "The sun must be rising from the west soon for Yan Yan to be this messy."


    She clicked her tongue and walked out of the bedroom before she was tempted to clean it for Shao Yan. She closed the bedroom door behind her with one hand, while her other hand was finalizing her online food order.


    "Who needs a best friend to eat dinner with? I have my seven boys with me!" She mumbled before walking back to the living room and blasting her music out loud.

 Chapter 272 - Dont Worry

    The day for the trip was finally here. Li Xiqing arrived early at her apartment building to pick her up at the airport.


    "Be careful, guys! Don''t have too much fun!" Qi Ling quipped from the living room. She was watching the couple who were standing at the foyer.


    Her luggage was on the floor by her feet while she was putting on her shoes. Shao Yan took a quick glance, "Don''t burn the kitchen down when I''m not here, just keep ordering your food online!"


    Li Xiqing was standing by the entrance door. He reached his hand forward and grabbed the handle of the suitcase, "Thanks, Qi Ling, we will go off now."


    Qi Ling waved her hands, "Good luck with your business deal, Surname Li."


    "Please make sure Yan Yan is well fed," She added.


    Shao Yan stuck out her tongue, "I definitely will eat a lot there, you don''t have to worry, Grandma."


    "I''ll go now, Ling Ling," She quickly added before disappearing from the front door and closed the door behind her before Qi Ling could answer back.


    Qi Ling clicked her tongue, "Tsk! Annoying brat!" she laughed as she walked to the front door and locked it, and then she walked back to her bedroom to catch on more sleep.


    ----------


    The flight to Singapore went well without any hiccups. The five and a half hour flight went by just like that without Shao Yan even realizing.


    They took an early flight that left Shanghai at ten in the morning. Shao Yan had woken up at five to get ready, so she was already feeling exhausted by the time she sat on the plane.


    After the brunch services were completed, Shao Yan relaxed her seat and took a nap right away.


    Li Xiqing was working on his laptop. When he noticed she was not moving anymore, he glanced at the woman beside him who was sleeping slumberly. His hand reached slowly to adjust the scarf that she had spread open on her chest to keep her warm.


    He bent his knuckles and stroked her cheek gently. He had not seen her for a few days, and seeing her again now made him realize how much importance he had placed her in his heart.


    His eyes turned soft as his lips curved into a smile.


    He leaned closer and planted a soft kiss on her forehead, causing Shao Yan to stir and adjusted her head that was leaning against his shoulder.


    ----------


    "Taxi number five."


    Singapore Changi Airport had assigned a few attendees to manage the taxi service. They would arrange the parking of each taxi on their designated spaces before letting the passengers board their cars.


    When it was their turn, Li Xiqing mentioned their destination "Fullerton Hotel" before the attendees assigned them to taxi number five.


    Shao Yan saw an elderly aged man standing next to the blue car with a warm smile on his face. One hand was holding the trunk cap that was already opened.


    When he saw the couple was walking towards him, the elderly man walked over and met them halfway to receive their bags and put them into the trunk of his taxi.


    "Welcome to Singapore," Taxi uncle started a small chat in English with the couple who was sitting at the back of his car.


    "Thank you, uncle," Shao Yan answered him in Mandarin.


    "Oh!" He exclaimed, pleased at her reply, he quickly answered back in Mandarin as well, "Where are you from?"


    "Shanghai," Shao Yan kept her answer short, but still cordial as the uncle seemed like the chatty type.


    "Oh! Shanghai is good! That''s good! You will find Singapore to be similar to Shanghai then, you will love it here!"


    And then the taxi uncle started to introduce more of Singapore to the couple along their drive to the hotel.


    ----------


    After they completed their check in process, Li Xiqing and Shao Yan went to their hotel room to freshen up.


    By the time they were done, it was already around seven o''clock at night. Perfect time for dinner.


    Shao Yan had changed her outfit into a comfortable ankle length pleated pants. Its soft pink in color brought a breezy feeling to those who noticed her presence. She combined it with a black and white striped short sleeves, making her whole look a little more edgy. Li Xiqing had also changed to a simple white polo shirt with khaki pants.


    Once they had touched down Singapore land, Shao Yan could feel the humidity right away, but the weather was pretty much similar to Shanghai so she did not find it difficult to adjust.


    Shao Yan looked at the suave Daniel by her side. She linked her arms around his, "So, where should we go for dinner, handsome?" She asked as they walked out of the elevator to the lobby area.


    Li Xiqing laughed, he peeled her arms away and instead wrapped his arm around her waist.


    "It''s a little far, so we need to take a taxi again. It''s supposedly a very famous Singapore Chicken Rice restaurant."


    Shao Yan nodded, "En, I have read about this National dish, let''s go!"


    When they stepped out of the hotel entrance, their taxi was already outside the door; waiting for the couple to arrive.


    Li Xiqing opened the rear door for Shao Yan to sit in before he rounded the car and entered from the other side.


    ----------


    On the second day, Shao Yan had woken up early, together with Li Xiqing.


    He and Axel were meeting their client today, so Shao Yan decided to explore downtown Singapore. She figured by starting early, she could explore more places during the day.


    The sun was shining brightly when the couple stepped out of the hotel. Li Xiqing stood next to the car that Axel had sent for him. The black sleek sedan was parked in front of the hotel lobby waiting for him.


    "I''m sorry you have to be alone today, I''ll meet you for dinner; or if we finish earlier, I can see you in the afternoon."


    Shao Yan nodded and then waved her hands, "Don''t worry about me," She patted her purse, "I have my phone and portable Wi-Fi with me, I can explore the city by myself, don''t worry."


    Li Xiqing stared at her for a while, before he cupped his hand behind her head and kissed her forehead, "Alright, be careful. Call me if you need anything."


    Shao Yan closed her eyes for a few seconds to receive his kiss before she patted him on the chest, "Don''t worry, I''ll be fine. Go now!"


    She freed herself from his embrace, waved at him and then turned around to start walking to the road side and cross the street; towards the subway station. Her first mission was to find a local food stall that served Singaporean style breakfast.


    Li Xiqing watched her departing figure for a while before he lowered himself slightly to enter the car.

 Chapter 273 - The Lion City

    Shao Yan had traveled to many places before and she believed that each place had its own charm and specialties.


    Including Singapore.


    She was very impressed with the regularities and mannerism of the people. Every person she encountered was so warm and kind to her. The streets were so orderly and clean, it actually reminded her of Japan. The public transportation was so reliable, she actually trusted the schedule listed in her phone, down to the minutes!


    The food selections were even more amazing. Singapore is a hub of many different cultures that merged together, so she could easily find foods from other Southeast Asia countries here!


    And Shao Yan was loving the city even more.


    ----------


    Since it was her first day, Shao Yan decided to not travel far, and stick around her hotel area. The hotel that Li Xiqing had booked for them was located right in the heart of the city.


    She consulted the map on her phone and decided to explore.


    Luckily, Shao Yan had done her homework before. Together with Qi Ling who had traveled frequently to this country, Shao Yan had listed down the places that she wanted to see.


    Her first stop was to find the traditional breakfast. She walked for about ten minutes, and finally found a place that resembled the famous giant local fruit, the durians. The building was actually two rounded spaces with glasses and shades all over the surface, making it seem as if the building was covered in thorns. In the local language, ''durian'' means ''thorn''.


    She excitedly strolled around the area, where she could also see a huge open space that people usually used as a performance center. Qi Ling told her that the breakfast place should be around the corner of the building and she found it easily.


    Shao Yan looked at the decent amount of people who were already lining up. When it was her turn, she ordered steamed bread with kaya jam, two half boiled eggs and a cup of hot milk tea.


    As she ate, she could not stop admiring the flavors in her mouth.


    ''Ling! The bread is so soft! I''m in love with kaya jam,'' Her fingers flew around the touchscreen, typing messages to report to Qi ling of her findings.


    ''Whoa! Ling, the eggs are also so delicious! I can''t believe I have been missing this in my life!'' She continued typing after she ate more of her food.


    And thus, that was what Shao Yan did the whole afternoon. Whenever she found something delicious or interesting, she would first report it to Qi Ling, and then she would send the same messages to Li Xiqing.


    What a fruitful day!


    ----------


    "Where are you?"


    "Just arrived at Clarke Quay MRT Station. What about you?"


    "I''m arriving soon, I''ll see you at the exit, choose the exit towards The Central mall, alright?"


    "En, I''ll see you soon!" and then she hung up.


    Shao Yan looked around her surroundings and found the exit that Li Xiqing had mentioned earlier and then started to walk towards it.


    When she exited the MRT station, she saw him right away. Li Xiqing was standing in front of a burger restaurant. Both hands inside his pants pocket, scanning around the people around him.


    She skipped over with a big smile.


    Li Xiqing spotted her immediately as well.


    Her face was blushed in healthy pink as she had been spending her whole day outside. Her hair was dancing along the wind; flowing happily in the air as she approached him.


    "Have you been waiting long?" She said breathless as she stood next to him.


    Li Xiqing lifted his hand, his fingers threaded her forehead gently.


    "Are you feeling too hot? It was very sunny earlier," His fingertips slowly brushed her fringe before he draped his arm on her shoulders and pulled her closer, "Let''s quickly go inside the mall and cool down."


    ----------


    "The mall" that Li Xiqing mentioned was actually a building that served its purpose as a shopping center, that came with a twist.


    He only used the building to cool themselves down before they kept on walking until they exited from another door. The exit was opened up to a fleet of stairs that connected them to an outdoor space.


    And when she saw it, it took her breath away.


    Alleys on bars and cafes were spread in front of her. A loud, energetic music came from every shop. Many people were crowding all of the places; most of them prefered to sit outside albeit the humid evening.


    "This place is especially hyped at night," Li Xiqing spoke directly to her ears, his arm was still around her shoulders. The blaring of music made him raise his voice slightly so she could hear him, "Look above you!"


    Shao Yan raised her head and looked around. She saw that along the alleys were all covered by canopies that lit up at night. The poles were installed to be so high up to make the space seem bigger and not crammed. The lights inside the panels kept changing colors from pink to purple, and then blue and white; creating an energetic scene to the surroundings.


    Her eyes went round in surprise and amazement. This whole area was looking like a huge, gigantic spaceship.


    "Since this place is dedicated to being an entertainment center and nightlife, that was why they installed the canopies," He explained.


    "Smart!" She added while nodding, "So the parties can continue, rain or shine."


    Their eyes met as they smiled at each other. "I brought you here because I figured we never really visited this kind of place in Shanghai," Li Xiqing guided her to keep on walking, "And since we are tourists now, so, why not try a new experience?"


    She nodded enthusiastically, "So, where are we going now?"


    He looked down at her and grinned, "You''ll see soon!"


    They kept on walking. Shao Yan noticed more of the places. The building was actually an old style architecture that was converted to add some modern flair. The structures looked like they were historical buildings dated from the 1800s.


    She kept looking around in curiosity.


    ----------


    The couple kept on walking around until they reached a quieter end. This side was more "civil" compared to the other parts. Shao Yan noticed this whole nightlife area was located next to a river. And from this side, she could see the whole area better. They were indeed old shophouses that were located by the quay.


    She nodded silently and understood now. Hence, the name Clarke Quay.


    Li Xiqing suddenly raised his arm and pointed far ahead of them, "We are here!"


    Shao Yan returned her gaze back to the front of her and saw two metal tower poles standing tall in front of her.


    In between the metal tower, there was something like a rope that connected the two poles together. And in the middle of the rope was a round, sphere shape. The sphere looked like it was dangling in between the towers by that rope.


    As they walked closer, Shao Yan realized what it was. She paused on her tracks.


    It was a reverse bungee!


    The sphere that she saw from afar was actually a capsule that could sit three people inside. The capsule then would be catapulted from the ground up to the sky.


    Li Xiqing saw how her lips were forming an "O" letter now as she looked speechless at the scene in front of her. He saw how she slowly turned her head to look at him and slowly enunciated.


    "Don''t tell me.. That you want us.. to try that?" She pointed at the swing, "THAT?"

 Chapter 274 - Nope! No Way!

    Loud murmurs were heard from her surroundings, before all of a sudden everyone started to gasp when Shao Yan heard a twang sound. And then all of a sudden, she saw the capsule was being released into the air.


    Loud, long screams and wails were heard from the passengers who were now hanging loose in the air about 60 meters above them; which was similar to a 20 floor building. There were only two people seated in it when it was flung up to the sky. And both of them kept screaming on top of their lungs.


    Shao Yan slowly turned her head around, to look at Li Xiqing in his eyes.


    "No way!" She shook her head firmly.


    "Nu uh!"


    She raised both of her arms and made them crossed against each other in front of her chest, "Nope! I will not get on that thing."


    Some girls who were standing in line waiting for their turns were looking horrified at the capsule above them. They squealed in excitement and started to argue with each other if they could do the same thing after.


    The capsule hung in the air for a few seconds. Shao Yan watched for a couple of minutes before she noticed that the capsule was slowly making its descent back to the ground. The total ride was about three to four minutes, maybe?


    "See? It''s not that bad," Li Xiqing placed his hand on her shoulders and pulled her closer to him when he noticed the crowd around them started to grow and the people began to nudge them.


    Shao Yan did not reply to his remarks, and instead she kept watching the two passengers in the capsule. From the descending capsule, she could see they were still young, maybe teenagers. They looked horrified but at the same time, exhilarated. Their faces were glowing with excitement and the blush on their cheeks were showing they had fun.


    After the couple alighted from the capsule, they high-fived and fist-bumped their friends who had been waiting for them, and Shao Yan saw the couple start to show off their experience in animated gestures. Their hands were waving all over the place as their friends laughed and patted their shoulders along; sharing their excitement.


    A little fire sparked in her curious heart.


    Shao Yan glanced up at Li Xiqing and nodded, "Shall we try as well?"


    ----------


    "Here, hold my hands!"


    He shouted out loud so she could hear him. Both Shao Yan and Li Xiqing sat behind the safety pole that had been lowered down onto their lap and locked. Each of them were strapped to the safety belt attached to the capsule.


    "Are you ready?"


    The attendees began their countdown, and Shao Yan could feel the capsule was pulled backwards.


    "I am super nervous!" She shouted back at him; her fingers were linked with his. His eyes dropped onto their adjoined fingers, he noticed Shao Yan had cold sweat in her palm.


    "It''s going to be fine, don''t be nervous!" Li Xiqing shouted back, trying to calm her down.


    Shao Yan curved her lips but her eyebrows dropped, she was skeptical the ride was going to be nothing. She was pretty sure it was going to be epic. Her other hand was holding tight on the seat belt on her shoulders.


    The seat was gradually inclined and both of them were now facing the sky. Along the two poles were lights that were installed to gather crowds around, but all she could see was the sky. The dark blue color had some twinkles from the stars in the clear bright sky tonight. She squeezed his hand tighter.


    She heard the twang sound.


    And then she could not hear anything else.


    Other than the wheezing wind. They were rocketed up to the sky in mere seconds.


    Her hair was swaying like crazy around her face.


    A loud scream belted out in the air and she had no idea who was screaming next to her ears. Until Shao Yan realized, it was herself.


    The wind was blowing harshly on her face, but the cold air cleared her mind; she wanted to laugh out loud.


    She turned to the side and saw Li Xiqing was laughing at her. His face was glowing up with excitement.


    "WOO - HOOO !!" He screamed on top of his lungs, causing her to laugh in amusement.


    So she let out more of her laughters as well as the capsule hung loose in the sky, dangling by the two ropes.


    ----------


    "Do you want to purchase the photos?"


    "THAT WAS AMAZING!"


    Shao Yan and Li Xiqing spoke at the same time. They exchanged looks with one another before they burst in tiny giggles.


    Shao Yan nodded, "Sure! I would love that. I will never forget this experience."


    Li Xiqing placed his palm behind her head and gently patted her, "Me too," And then he smiled into her eyes and added, "Lets, go. It''s this way."


    He placed his hand at the small of her back and together they walked to the collection booth.


    Once they were done, they continued their walk back to the shop houses along the river.


    "What would you like to eat?" His eyes were locked at the rosy blush of her cheek.


    Shao Yan was still looking at the picture in her hands and Li Xiqing had been the one who guided their steps along the way.


    "Uh," She lifted her face and looked upfront, "I saw a very crowded burger place over there just now. Her chin pointed to one of the alleys.


    And then she threw her head around and met him in the eyes, "Let''s have the greasiest burger in town, huge cheese french fries and a giant glass of beer?"


    Li Xiqing could not believe his hearing, but he saw the woman who was standing next to him. With her huge, round eyes, she was looking at him convincingly. Her face was brightened up and was expecting him to nod his agreement.


    He slowly raised his hand and placed the back of his hand against her forehead, "Who are you? What did you do to my girlfriend, Yan Yan?"


    Shao Yan giggled and swatted his hand away, "Annoying!" And then she added, "I am in a very exciting mood, alright?"


    "Ever since I saw their chicken wings just now, I really want to try that kind of food here! I think they match with the excitement tonight."


    "So, why must we stop now?" She bent her elbow and pointed at his direction, "Shall we, Mister?"


    Li Xiqing shook his head while chuckling. He dropped his head as he laughed but he still linked his hand around her elbow and they continued their strolls towards the restaurant that Shao Yan mentioned earlier.


    "This must be the weirdest date I have ever had," He said before he released his hand from around her elbow and wrapped it around her waist instead, "But it is also the most exciting."


    All of a sudden he leaned closer to her.


    "Although I must say," He whispered in her ears, "Your energetic spirit tonight is really...."


    When his eyes met hers, Shao Yan noticed the glint in his eyes sparkled cheekily. His arrogant smirk was displayed proudly in his face; making her already blushed cheek went a deeper shade of red, ".... very sexy."


    His face leaned closer and closer to her and he stole a peck on her lips.

 Chapter 275 - Bunny And Piggy

    "So, how was Singapore?"


    Shao Yan clasped the phone in between her cheek and shoulder, both of her hands were twisting open a bottle of sunscreen lotion. She placed the cap next to her knee and squeezed a small amount of the lotion onto her palm.


    "I love it here!" She rubbed both of her palm together and then slathered the lotion on both of her upper arms, "I have explored the island for about a week now. We went to the Ubin island, this small island next to Singapore and Xiqing and I just rented a bicycle and circled around the island the whole day."


    "Wow! How exciting!" Qi Ling added, "And have you found out what''s the plan for tomorrow?"


    Shao Yan rubbed her palm to other areas of her skin to clear the lotion on her hand, "Tomorrow? What will happen tomorrow?"


    Qi Ling paused and stayed silent on the phone.


    "Girl!!"


    She exclaimed, "It''s your birthday!"


    Shao Yan blinked as she tried to remember the date in her mind. She bit the inner of her cheek, thinking.


    "Oh!"


    "Wow! Has it always been a wild night this whole week, Yan Yan?" Shao Yan could hear Qi Ling was sneering at the other end.


    Shao Yan chuckled. Her order of fresh squeezed orange juice had just arrived. She thanked the waiter before lounging back on the pool chaise lounge. The sun was shining very bright today. It was more humid than the days before, so Shao yan decided to laze around in the hotel.


    "We talked about this. He has to work the whole week, so we will only celebrate on Friday, and then I''m flying back on the Sunday."


    Qi Ling clicked her tongue unhappily, "Lame!"


    "So what is the plan for today then?" She continued to ask lazily.


    Shao Yan was amused that her best friend was annoyed at her boring days, but yet curious at the same time. "We are going to the Lantern festival tonight."


    ----------


    When Shao Yan stepped out of the subway station, the whole Chinatown area was already crowded with people.


    She glanced at her wristwatch and noticed that she had arrived much earlier than what was planned. She glanced up and started to look for an empty spot to stand near the exit so he could easily find her.


    People walked past her, families with children or just a couple, everyone was carrying paper lanterns in their hands.


    She scanned her surroundings and realized that all the shop houses along the street were selling the lanterns.


    Colorful paper lanterns were hung outside the shops in different colors and shapes. For safety purposes, the biodegradable lanterns were sold with LED lights and some were not.


    All of a sudden, another voice was heard from next to her, "What are you looking at?"


    Shao Yan reflexively looked over to the side, and her cheek bumped into his immediately.


    He was grinning while looking at her, "Have you been waiting long?"


    Shao Yan beamed at his smile, "Not at all, I was ready to wait for you," she raised her fingers and pointed at the colorful lanterns, "But they were distracting me."


    Li Xiqing patted her head, "Sure, you were." His hand grabbed into hers, "Let''s go. It will get more crowded soon."


    Shao Yan nodded, and together they started to walk deeper into the alley shops.


    ----------


    "Have you been to a lantern festival before?"


    "Many years ago when Dad was still alive. He brought Mom and I along with him on his business trip one time"


    "My lunar calendar birthday has always been easy to remember, because of the lantern festival, that was why we always celebrated it that way. And so for my birthday that time, he got me a bunny lantern."


    She raised her hand, and pointed at one lantern that was squeezed in among the other lanterns around it, "Just like that one."


    Li Xiqing also followed her fingers and saw the figure that she was pointing at.


    He pulled her hand along, and walked towards the shop. He pointed at the rabbit that Shao Yan showed him earlier and said to the store manager, "Mam, that bunny lantern, please."


    When the store manager handed over the lantern to him, Li Xiqing passed it over to Shao Yan, "Here, hold this for me," before he took out his wallet to pay.


    Shao Yan looked at the lantern in her hands, and then looked at the man beside her.


    Why did she feel as if she had traveled back in time, to those carefree moments when she was younger.


    She could do whatever she wanted to do, say whatever she wanted to say, and she knew the man would stay loyally next to her no matter what.


    When Li Xiqing looked at her again, Shao Yan flashed a silly grin at him, "Well, since you got me a present, let me buy you one, too!"


    He grabbed her hand again and stepped out of the shop, "Sure, what do you want to buy?"


    "A lantern," She glanced to the side, "Since my Chinese animal horoscope is rabbit, yours must be a piglet?"


    She looked around them, and dragged him to another shop at the end of the street.


    ----------


    "Madam boss, please give me that pink piglet lantern," Shao Yan pointed at a lone pig lantern that was hanging loose on the ceiling.


    "Aye! Coming!" The cheerful store owner quickly walked over to pick up the pig lantern for her.


    Shao Yan cheekily smiled at him, both of her hands were hugging the rabbit lantern in front of her.


    "Here is your piglet lantern, Miss," The store owner handed her the colorful pinkish lantern in the shape of a pig.


    Shao Yan pointed her chin at Li Xiqing, "It''s his," and then her hand handed over a paper money, "Here you go, Madam! Thank you."


    When they stepped out of the shops again, Shao Yan saw Li Xiqing was looking a little awkward while holding the cutesy lantern in his hands.


    Shao Yan curled her lips and bit them to avoid her laughing out loud.


    "Now that we are a couple, our lanterns are also a couple, we should start the celebration then?"


    "Yes, yes, our lanterns are now a couple," Li Xiqing chuckled along with her teasing, "Let''s watch the celebration now."


    They decided to walk further into the market towards the main street.


    For the sake of the lantern festival, the whole Chinatown main street was closed for traffic.


    Shao Yan was wondering why, but when she exited the alley towards the main street, she finally knew why.


    Huge, intricate lanterns in many shapes and colorful lights were hung along the streets. Stretching from one end to another end, the streets were splashed in many rainbows of sparkles that lit up the night.


    The strains of lights were dragged zig zagging along the street poles. The tiny light from the lanterns were all over them with many different themes.


    One side was flowers. Lanterns with shapes of different flowers were hung along the shops'' ceiling. Another side was the Chinese twelve zodiac. They found one alley with Japanese theme lanterns, and another alley was of Korean themes.


    The sea of people that was suffocating her just now was quickly forgotten when all these bright twinkling lanterns were decorating the night sky above them.

 Chapter 276 - A Loaf Of Bread

    He could see her eyes went big and round in excitement when she saw the scene in front of her.


    With her free hand, she reached out to him, "Let''s go there, Xiqing!" and ushered him to the colorful lanterns on the street which was now closed for vehicles and only opened for pedestrians.


    But before she could drag him further, he stopped her tracks.


    "No, wait. It''s this way," he tilted his head to the other direction.


    "If we keep walking straight there, you will get further away from the crowd, so it was the wrong direction. See that the lanterns are more crowded this way?"


    "Oh!" She grinned back at him, "It''s good that you''re here, or I would have lost my way."


    He looked at the lantern in her hands, before reaching out and took it from her.


    "Here, let me hold this for you. You can take as many pictures as you want."


    They had been exploring the island for the two weeks they were here. Shao Yan had taken so many pictures that her memory card was fully loaded for a couple of times that she had to transfer them to her laptop.


    The night was crowded around them. People carrying lanterns and at the same time they lifted their hands to take the pictures using their phone.


    Shao Yan saw some bicycles were decorated in colorful papers with tiny string lights swirled around them, making the bicycles shone like real lanterns. She also took a couple of pictures with Li Xiqing in it; while posing candidly.


    Every time after she took one, Shao Yan would take a look at the result while giggling mysteriously. If her man had found out that she had been taking pictures of him, he would not be so happy right now, posing so relaxedly.


    ----------


    "Where are we going now?"


    "I have no idea, let''s just walk around. I have to work the whole day, and can only accompany you at night, let''s make every minute count."


    Shao Yan pursed her lips and smiled with agreement.


    "Oh! Look!" She pointed to another crowd in front of her, "A night market."


    And then she tugged his hand, "Let''s go and take a look."


    Small tents were set up along the roadside that was already closed for traffic.


    The sellers seemed to have guessed that the crowd of people would be varied from all ages. There were options for everyone to choose.


    Some couples would pay attention to gifts and accessories shops, parents with children would go to shops for mini games, and the elderly would go for snacks instead.


    Shao Yan patiently walked through everything along with Li Xiqing tugged on the side.


    "Hey, Xiqing, look at this," Without averting her eyes away from the item in front of her, her hands reached to the side to pat him on his shoulders.


    "These cherub anklets look like my necklace. How cute!"


    She reached out and her fingertips made a slow brush over the chain.


    "This actually reminds me that your sister was wearing a similar one as a bracelet last time."


    Shao Yan could feel Li Xiqing stood next to her with his head slightly bowed to take a look at the accessories.


    "En, they look similar to yours, too," He nodded.


    "Right?" She glanced to the side and beamed at him, "Your sister told me there is actually an interesting story behind them?"


    He stared into her eyes while nodding, "There is, indeed."


    ----------


    He circled his arm around her shoulders and pulled her away from the accessory stall and started to continue their stroll.


    "It''s nothing fancy, actually," He started to say, "You may actually feel bored while listening to it."


    She stopped on her tracks, planted on her feet.


    "Well, I get to decide if the story is fancy or not," She gently tugged on his shirt, "So, please continue."


    Li Xiqing slowly smiled at her, defeated.


    "Alright," He circled his arms around her shoulders again, "But don''t regret it."


    "I won''t," She solemnly promised.


    He peeked a glance at her, "It was many many years ago, when Grandfather had just met a very beautiful woman when he went to a barbershop."


    "He was really young, maybe eighteen or nineteen years old?"


    "This woman was sitting behind a window, no one actually noticed her among other women around her, she just looked as normal as the others."


    "But no to my Grandfather," Li Xiqing took a quick glance at Shao Yan, before looking up straight ahead again.


    "And after that one glance, Grandfather felt that he kept seeing her everywhere he went."


    "When Grandfather was working at the post office. When Grandfather was fixing his bicycle tires. When Grandfather went to collect his army permit. He would be walking past her shop, and his head would always look for her."


    "That went on for I don''t know how long, but Grandfather finally braved himself to talk to her just a few weeks before his deployment."


    The couple were walking along the alleys and the people around them were still crowding the road stalls. Their hands were still holding onto the lanterns and the noise blanketed them, but all Shao Yan could hear was his voice.


    She was focusing on Li Xiqing, his deep velvet voice and his story.


    ----------


    "And then? What did he do?"


    "Grandfather went to the bakery and bought fresh baked bread, and then he waited for her in front of the shop."


    ".... Bread?" Shao Yan paused for a few seconds, feeling confused, "But, why bread?"


    "I remember Grandmother told me one time, ''Xiqing, your grandfather spent all of his money to buy that loaf of bread because he was afraid I would be hungry after work. He did not know what to say when I exited the shop. He just stood there like a fool, and then he shoved the bread onto my hands,'' and I saw how Grandmother giggled after she told me that. Grandmother was looking at both of her palms, as if she could still feel the bread in her hands."


    Li Xiqing paused and did not say anything for a while as he reminisced his memories over Grandmother Li.


    "And then she also said, ''I saw how other men would spend all of their money to buy flowers to impress the women in the shop because they imitated the western show, but not your grandfather. He has always been worrying if I ate right or if I was cold. Other women in the shop teased me to no end for getting such a poor man chasing after me, but all I felt every time he came over with the bread was how warm the bread was. You know why, Xiqing? Because your grandfather always kept them close to his embrace so the bread would stay warm and soft by the time I received them,'' and then Grandmother said that was how she knew the man was in love with her and genuinely cared for her."


    His eyes were looking upfront, and she could see the warmth in those eyes as he spoke about his grandparents and how they first met each other.


    Shao Yan felt her heart constricted with unknown emotions that suddenly surged up and she felt so touched.


    Such a small gesture, but Grandmother Li knew very well that she had gotten the best man out there.


    A loaf of warm bread compared to a bunch of pretty flowers.


    Truly a Li.


    From early on, both Grandfather Li and Grandmother Li had known their priority really well.

 Chapter 277 - I Lied

    "I should say, Grandmother was a very wise woman."


    He glanced to the side, unable to hide his smile, "Why did you say that?"


    "Well, because flowers will not make you full, but bread will," Shao Yan said confidently and finished her words with a firm nod.


    Li Xiqing burst into laughter, "Of course, how could I forget? Knowing how much you love food, both of you are actually similar in that aspect."


    "And that''s why I said ''wise'', Mister," She grinned back at him.


    Li Xiqing tapped her little nose with his index finger, and then he raised his hand and flagged down an incoming taxi. He opened the door for her, before walking around the car and entered from the other side.


    "Where are we going now?"


    After they were settled inside the taxi, Shao Yan could not hold in her curiosity.


    "Tonight is a lantern festival, I will take you to see how to enjoy the whole festival to the fullest."


    ----------


    "And so, what happened next?"


    He cocked his head to the side, trying to collect his thoughts and remember where he left off.


    "Hmmm.. Oh!"


    Li Xiqing continued looking upfront. She linked her arms around his as they sat comfortably. Uncle taxi driver was silent the whole journey, only smiling politely every now and then when Shao Yan met his eyes through the mirror.


    "So, Grandfather went for his military assignment, and Grandmother stayed back, still living her life like normal."


    "He would send letters every now and then, and she would write back her replies."


    "But the olden times were not like how we are today. Each letter took months to arrive and to send over. But they stayed loyal to each other."


    "On each letter, Grandmother would send along a handkerchief that she embroidered herself. And to let her know that he was safe, Grandfather would send a stalk of any wild flower that he could find. And if he could not find any flower, he would send any wild grass."


    He glanced at her, "Father had all the handkerchiefs framed like precious treasures and displayed all twenty four of them in our house, I will show them to you when we visit next time."


    The taxi slowed down to its stop, and Shao Yan noticed they had arrived in their destination.


    She opened the door and stepped out.


    In front of her, stood tall a giant ferris wheel lighted up beautifully in the middle of the night sky.


    ----------


    "Reservation for Daniel Li, this way please."


    The host attendant in black and white attire had her hand stretched to the side to show them which way to walk.


    "Thank you," Li Xiqing grabbed her hand and they started to walk together.


    Shao Yan noticed that they were walking towards two lanes. One lane was assigned for people who purchased the standard viewing capsule, and the other lane was for private or dining capsules.


    Some people were already lining up for the standard viewing capsule, but Li Xiqing walked to the right side, towards the private lane.


    She glanced to the side at the man who was still holding her hands, but she did not say anything. She decided to let the surprise reveal itself.


    The attendee who walked in front of them started to slow down before stopping in front of a huge display board, "Since you have purchased the private sky dining option, you will receive two complimentary pictures that we will frame for you."


    "The first picture will be here, prior to your boarding," She signaled the photographer to get ready, "Please stand over here on the foot sign." Shao Yan looked at the huge board and noticed that the top section was a green screen.


    Both of them positioned themselves to stand in front of the green screen. Li Xiqing stood behind her before circling his arms around her waist.


    The photographer took a few pictures and instructed the couple to give several poses before nodding at the attendant. She smiled at Shao Yan and Li Xiqing before saying, "Please step over here, you may select your picture and which background to be printed."


    "Which one do you like?"


    "Hmm.." She scanned the options in front of her before she pointed to the one in the middle, "This one."


    Li Xiqing was hugging her from behind, he slightly leaned his cheek on her head, and looked at the camera with his warm eyes. She placed her arms over his and leaned back trustingly.


    "Yes, this one is perfect."


    The attendant nodded her head and processed their photo, "We will deliver this to you at the end of your journey tonight," and then she ushered them to another door, "Your capsule will be here shortly."


    ----------


    What the attendant called a capsule was literally a huge capsule, that was as big as a bus, that can fit about 25 people in it. The whole surrounding wall was transparent glass, making the capsule a mobile observation deck that was open to the night view of Singapore.


    A small table for two people was set in the middle of the capsule. Next to it, stood a man in white suit welcoming them to their table. Behind him was a serving cart.


    Shao Yan was amazed at the night view that was surrounding the capsule, she was distracted and did not pay attention to what the man was doing.


    "Welcome, my name is Marco and I will be at your service tonight," The man slightly bowed before he extended a bouquet of red roses to Shao Yan.


    "Oh!" She was surprised to see the huge flower bouquet in front of her, Shao Yan glanced at Li Xiqing whose lips slowly curved into a smile.


    "Happy birthday, my dear," He leaned closer and planted a soft kiss on her forehead.


    Marco stepped to the side to give the couple a little privacy. He noticed the pleasant surprise in her eyes and she was looking speechless.


    When the couple was already seated, Marco opened a bottle of champagne that was already placed inside a bucket of ice on their table.


    "Our first course will be drinks, appetizer and starter," He filled each glasses with the golden sparkling liquid, "The main course will be served in thirty minutes," after he finished saying that, Marco stepped to the side. He went back to the servicing counter that was already set in the corner of the capsule.


    Shao Yan scanned the table and her surroundings, still feeling in disbelief.


    "Wh- What? Why?"


    She did not know what to say, "I thought we are celebrating this weekend?"


    "Well," Li Xiqing chuckled before he raised his glass, "I lied."


    And Shao Yan was reminded of his first chuckle that she heard over the phone when the man sent her a text message for his dirty laundry the first time they met.


    Shao Yan clumsily raised her own glass, "Well, don''t get used to it," before she clinked her glass with his and took a little sip.


    "But, thank you for the surprise,"She finished before placing her glass down again.


    "I am really happy tonight."


    He smiled, "And I promise, it is just getting started."

 Chapter 278 - First Gift

    In front of her, the appetizer was already placed on a small plate, along with a small card that was describing their menu for tonight.


    "Quail salad - shredded barbecued quail meat with Indonesian spices served over a bed of fresh green salad, oranges, walnuts and cheese," She placed the card back to the side and then looked up at him, "Interesting! Shall we start now?"


    He nodded while placing a napkin over his lap, "Sure, let''s eat."


    The couple started to enjoy their meal with small chats. Every now and then, Li Xiqing would point outside the glass and tell her the name of the places that they had visited the past two weeks.


    After the appetizer was done, Marco inconspicuously came to their table to clean the plates. A moment later, he came over with another two plates in his hands to serve the starter.


    "Kataifi king prawn served with a side of Singapore chili crab dipping sauce. Please enjoy!"


    "Oh! My favorite food, the chili crab!" Shao Yan was really impressed with the dish ever since she first tried it last week. She could not stop talking about it with Qi Ling and she vowed to learn how to cook the dish when they were back in Shanghai.


    Looking at her excited face, Li Xiqing pursed his lips before he said while chuckling, "That was what you said when you had the Hainanese Chicken Rice last time."


    "Make up your mind, so which one is your favorite food?" He teased her.


    Shao Yan stuck out her tongue before she jabbed her fork onto the prawn, "I love all good food, no discrimination! They all deserve equal treatments."


    ----------


    After they were done with the starter, Li Xiqing glanced at his wrist, "We still have about five minutes before the main course is served."


    He looked up and with his chin, he motioned to the side, "Do you want to go over there and look at the scenery outside?"


    "En," Shao Yan picked up the napkin on her lap and wiped her lips, "Sure," before she placed it on the table and rose up. Li Xiqing followed closely behind her.


    From their standing point, Shao Yan could see clearly the whole view from above. They were facing the famous Merlion statue and Shao Yan could see floating lanterns that were released on the water.


    She pointed towards a building with a roof that shaped like a huge ship and the huge garden in front of it.


    "Isn''t that Gardens by the Bay, Xiqing?" Shao Yan glanced at him, "The lanterns looked so pretty from up here. Can we go there tomorrow night? It looks like a magical forest now."


    "Sure. Of course," And then he pointed to the ship, "We can go there to have dinner after that. I heard that there is a famous Indonesian restaurant on the rooftop. I know you have been curious to try Indonesian food ever since our appetizer just now."


    Li Xiqing then suggested taking a couple of pictures with the night sky as the background.


    They were having so much fun, when they felt the capsule was slowing down and then the door was opened.


    Marco had stood in front of the door with his service cart, and as the door opened, the person on the other side took over the cart from him, and handed him a new cart.


    The exchange time took a few minutes only before the door was closed again, and the capsule was moving its slow rotation again.


    "I guess it''s the main course now," Shao Yan tugged on his sleeve, "Let''s go back to our table."


    After they were seated down, Marco came over with a camera on his hand.


    "The second picture is now. Would you like to take a picture here with the food on your table, or would you prefer the window view?"


    Shao Yan exchanged glances with Li Xiqing who nodded at her and let her decide. Shao Yan opted for the table, and after a few pictures, Marco stepped away again.


    ---------


    "How''s your duck confit?"


    "Hmm," Shao Yan set her cutleries to the side before she replied to him, "Very soft and tender. Spices were well seasoned, too. How was your lamb?" Shao Yan had opted for slow braised duck with pear walnut sauce, while Li Xiqing had ordered the Morroccan style rack of lamb.


    Li Xiqing put his cutleries aside before dabbing his lips with his napkin, "The mint dip on the side was a tad too strong. That was why I did not put too much into it, but the whole meat was tender, and cooked beautifully."


    "I have not finished my story, by the way," Li Xiqing said before getting up from his chair, and walked towards her and offered his hand.


    "Hm? What story?" She placed her hand on his palm, and together they walked towards the window.


    "I was telling you about Grandfather and Grandmother and the cherubs? Remember?" Li Xiqing stood next to her. Shao Yan gasped, "Oh! That''s right. Please continue."


    "So after two years, Grandfather finally completed his services and he was ready to go back home to see Grandmother again."


    "He was assigned to many different places and over the time, he had collected enough money from his salary and decided to buy a gift for Grandmother. So, on his final stop before going home, Grandfather decided to look for something, he wanted to buy her a jade bracelet or something similar in value."


    "But his money was not enough."


    ---------


    "Grandfather searched for the whole day, and he almost gave up when he finally found the most perfect pair of earrings. It was a simple cherub that was sitting on a crescent moon while trying to grasp for a star. And Grandfather knew right away that those pairs of earrings were hers."


    "Oh!" Shao Yan exclaimed excitedly, "They were a pair because they were earrings. I understand now. That is why Mandy jie also has the same cherub."


    Li Xiqing nodded, "Grandmother treasured them so much, she received the gift from Grandfather, but never once she wore them." Shao Yan looked confusedly at him, "But why? Grandfather must be disappointed."


    "The reason was simple," He chuckled, "It was because Grandmother was not pierced."


    He continued, "During her time, ear piercing was believed to be done by the rich people to show off their wealth. Only to become a mere concubine, one must have at least three piercings to be deemed attractive. But Grandmother came from a poor family and her wish was to meet a good man and live a simple life happily."


    "So over time, when the era changed and they were finally married, Grandmother still did not wear those earrings. They earned more money and purchased more jewelry. And when my father had kids of their own, Grandmother decided to redesign all of her jewellery to be gifted to my mother."


    "And she redesigned these ones to be our own precious charms."


    "She called them Guardian Angels."


    ----------


    Li Xiqing grabbed her hands and turned her to face him.


    His eyes were staring into the hollow of her neck, where the tiny cherub laid beautifully against her stunning skin.


    He gently scooped the pendant and rested the cherub against his fingertips.


    "This was Grandmother''s first gift from Grandfather," Li Xiqing spoke so softly, so that only the two of them could hear what was said, "Her most treasured piece."


    "Grandfather told me that this cherub signified her, who had been so perfectly angelic and lovable her whole life until a star appeared in her life to guide her ways. The star was him."


    "But Grandmother told me otherwise," Li Xiqing looked up and stared into her eyes, "She said, this cherub signified him, who had been so wild, oblivious and yet innocent, until a stunning star appeared in his life to point him the way home. She claimed that she was the star."


    He paused.


    "But do you see the similarities here, Yan Yan?"


    "Grandmother gave this to me, and told me to give it to someone who I think is so perfectly angelic and lovable."


    "Someone who disrupted my calm life. Someone who will be my guiding star. My home. My happiness. My whole heart."


    "Who I can''t live without."


    "And I have found you."


    Li Xiqing stared deep into her eyes for a few seconds. Before he released his hold off her hand, and knelt down on one knee.

 Chapter 279 - Wu Shaoyan

    Shao Yan gasped in surprise.


    The man was kneeling in front of her, with a gentle smile on his face. One hand was holding onto her hand. So firm, but he made sure to not squeeze too tight.


    The soft, lullaby music in the capsule was serenading them ever so gently. But Shao Yan could not calm her rushing heartbeats down.


    "Xi- Xiqing? What are you doing?"


    Shao Yan scolded her stupid self for asking the obvious, but she did not know what else to say, and she was confused and started to panic.


    "Wu Shaoyan," He squeezed her hand gently.


    Her heart skipped a beat. This was the first time Li Xiqing had mentioned her real, full name.


    "I have been missing a lot in my life."


    "There were times where I have been stupid. Where I have been sad and angry. Where I was lost and I did not know what to do."


    "But ever since we met, all that I have, all that we have, are nothing but happiness and contentment."


    "You brought joy into my life. You make my imperfect life ... perfect, simply just being you."


    "Please give me the honor to stay by your side from here on now."


    He paused.


    "Yan Yan," and then with his free hand, Li Xiqing reached into his shirt pocket and took out a ring. The gleam of the stone shone right through her eyes, making her already chaotic heart even more turbulent.


    "Will you marry me?"


    ----------


    No fancy words, or empty promises.


    He was stating all the facts and how he was feeling when he was with her. When they were together.


    He admitted his flaws, and how she completed him.


    And he only stated a simple wish - for him to stay by her side. For the two of them to live together for a long time.


    Together.


    Her heart felt that it was squeezed from the inside. For what he had mentioned just now were exactly what she had thought about how she felt for him.


    She was not planning to get married ever again but this man just had to appear in front of her. His existence felt like a slow, calming wave that crushed over her sandcastle.


    All of her memories rushed to come into her mind. How they had met the first time. How he had been paying attention to her likes and dislikes.


    How he had worried about her well being; if she had eaten right, or if she was cold in the office.


    How others had bullied her, and he made sure to pay them back in his own way.


    How she had told him about her past, but he was the one hurting over her heartbreak.


    How he was so dedicated to fulfill his filial duty towards her grandmother. And even all of his words towards her parents.


    How he had always put her as his priority over everything else; her happiness and her life.


    A single tear escaped the corner of her eyes, Shao Yan slowly smiled. Her lips trembled and her nose felt sour but she knew.


    Deep down in her heart, she had already known the answer.


    "I will," She whispered and slowly nodded. Her hands were trembling but her answer was firm, "Li Xiqing, I will marry you."


    She started to sob, "Let''s be happy together. For a long ... long time."


    ----------


    His heart swelled with happiness and a huge grin was displayed on his face.


    Li Xiqing gently inserted the ring onto her fingers, and it fit perfectly.


    Her sobs were getting louder so he quickly got up on his feet. His hand went to her face to start wiping the tears away, "Why are you crying? Are you not supposed to be happy?"


    Shao Yan was unable to reply to him, and just kept on crying.


    Her memories about their time kept coming back into her mind, and she was happy and sad to remember how much he had done for her.


    Li Xiqing heard someone was slowly approaching them. He peeked from his shoulders and saw Marco was coming towards them with two glasses of champagne.


    "Congratulations," Marcos kept his words simple. After Li Xiqing thanked him and took the glasses from him, Marco turned around to walk away again.


    "The future Mrs. Li, shall we have a toast?"


    Shao Yan nodded and took the glass from him, but she was still sobbing.


    "Stop crying now, my heart hurts so much looking at you like this," Li Xiqing started to panic when he saw her tears were flowing even more.


    He took the glass back from her, and put them on the table next to him. And then he wrapped his arms around her, and let her cry to her heart content.


    His hand slowly patted her back, "Okay, cry then. Cry all you want. I''ll be here."


    "I am always here."


    ----------


    His soothing voice was all she heard. After what felt like forever, even though it was only a few minutes later, Shao Yan finally stopped her crying.


    Li Xiqing looked down on her face, and started to wipe all of her tears away.


    "Feeling better now?" His gentle voice brushed her fragile heart and she felt the urge to cry again, but she held it in. She must have looked so ugly right now.


    She nodded slowly, "En."


    And then her small voice continued, "Thank you."


    Shao Yan silently scolded herself, ''Stop crying already, crybaby! You''re embarrassing yourself now!''


    Li Xiqing tapped the tip of her reddened nose, "What are you thanking me for?" And then he reached to the back and took the glasses again.


    "Shall we have a toast now?"


    Shao Yan nodded again and accepted her glass from him.


    "To a happy future, Mrs. Li," He raised his glass at her.


    Shao Yan raised her glass and hesitated for a while before she said, "To a happy future, Mr. Li," and clinked her glass with his. Shao Yan was hesitating because she was thinking if she should call him Mr. Li or Mr. Husband.


    But she decided to keep her thoughts to herself.


    Shao Yan remembered the cold sensation on her fingers. She raised her hand to take a good look at her ring.


    ----------


    It was a three stone style ring. One huge, round diamond was sitting in the middle with two smaller, rectangular diamonds on each side. And then smaller round diamonds were following after it in circles; creating enchanting bands around her finger.


    Shao Yan could not help but gasp.


    Under the limited lights around them, the ring was still able to shine so dashingly.


    "Xiqing, th- this ... is so pretty," And then she looked up at him, "You must have spent a fortune for this."


    "Not really. I think it is perfect for you. So don''t think too much about it," Li Xiqing shook his head and then added, "I designed the ring myself, by the way, so I am glad you like it."


    She gaped at him. Shao Yan was even more astonished, "You did?" Her dewy eyes were looking back at him, full of surprise.


    "I looked through some vintage designs, so it was not purely my design. I was inspired by some other rings."


    "But I know how you love the vintage and traditional elements, so I tried to incorporate it here. Although it was not the traditional Chinese, it was more uh... Victorian style?"


    He took her hands and tilted it so she could have a better look, "Look at the side, the shape over here is influenced by the 1900s." And he started to babble on.


    Marco looked at the couple who was chatting happily.


    He had been working at this place for a few years now. And he had witnessed other couples who had done their proposals, and even wedding celebrations here at the capsules.


    With a small smile, Marco looked at the camera in his hand proudly. He patted himself on the back for being quick in taking the picture earlier. The gentleman was still kneeling down while inserting the ring into her fingers. She, with her other hand rested on her bossom, was holding up her tears; trying her best not to cry.


    "Pretty lady and handsome scholar, I wish you both all the happiness, Mr. and Mrs. Li," He whispered, "Congratulations again."

 Chapter 280 - Permission

    "Give way! Come on, people, give way!"


    Fan jie pushed aside some of the people that were crowding Shao Yan''s desk. Upon hearing that she had returned to work and with snacks in a tow, some people had been coming and going to grab the local delicacies that Shao Yan had brought back with her.


    "How was Singapore, Xiao Yan?" Fan jie finally reached her side, and started to sweep through the mountain of snacks in front of her.


    "En, it''s fun," Shao Yan kept typing away on her laptop. She had been catching up on emails that had filled her inbox for the past two weeks.


    "Other than the humidity, the city is actually fun to travel around," She glanced to her side to look at Fan jie, "If you get the chance to visit, you should give it a try."


    Fan jie found a Pandan flavor soft sponge cake, her eyes were still scanning through the options in front of her, but with one hand, she waved while sighing, "Aih! If only I have enough vacation days to burn. I spent all my vacation days going for the Korea trip already!"


    Shao Yan shook her head helplessly, "Next year, then," She paused and then with her chin pointed to a direction, she continued, "Try the coconut crackers; the one in the green box, it''s really good."


    Fan jie saw the box that she mentioned and grabbed one packet from it, "Yeah, the kids were talking about this one just now. How about the pineapple cake? Any good?"


    Shao Yan nodded, "They are very soft, just as good as the one from Taiwan."


    Fan jie took some of the pineapple cake as well, before she glanced at Shao Yan to say thank you.


    But before her words left her lips, her eyes went around in surprise, and she forgot all of the words that she was about to say.


    ----------


    "Whoa!! Miss Shao Yan! What is this?!" Fan jie exclaimed so loud, gathering all the attention of the people who were sitting around Shao Yan.


    "You''re engaged?!"


    And everyone who was initially surprised by Fan jie and was about to scold her, all jumped on their seat and started to crowd Shao Yan at her desk again.


    "Wow, is it really?"


    "Miss Shao, is it true?"


    "Let me see! Let me see!"


    "Oh no! My heart is breaking now. All the pretty women are taken away."


    "Project Manager Shao, come! Show off your ring to us!"


    "Show it! Show it!"


    And the whole crowd went wild.


    "Calm down, people!" Fan jie shouted all of a sudden, "I am the one who noticed it first. So, I will be the first one to see her ring!"


    She extended her palm to Shao Yan, "Xiao Yan, come! Let me see!" And then she flashed her grin.


    Shao Yan knew that she could not escape Fan jie anymore, so she obediently placed her hand on her palm.


    "WOW! Holy! Look at this stone!" Fan jie was so pleased, she lost any words to say, "My eyes are going blind now! Daniel Li did a very good job, huh!"


    Fan jie returned her hand but used her index finger to poke Shao Yan on her shoulders, "You''re very lucky, eh, Yan Yan!"


    Other girls who were standing next to her also teased Shao Yan to no end. Each of them took the turn to look at the ring on her fingers. And everyone had the same pleased expressions.


    ----------


    "So, when is the big day, Miss Shao?"


    Shao Yan glanced to the other side, answering the question from the junior team member who suddenly chimed in.


    "We don''t know yet, we are thinking maybe spring next year."


    Fan jie who was talking to the other girls, suddenly added in, "What? One year from now? Why did it take so long? Just apply for the certificate now, and get it official first then!"


    Shao Yan gave a small smile, "Well, actually, that was the plan. To get the certificate first, and then plan the reception slowly."


    She ended her words with a shrug, "But, to be honest, we have not even planned anything. So, I don''t have anything to share right now."


    "Miss Shao, don''t forget to invite us to drink your celebration wine! I will make sure to give you a thick red packet!"


    Everyone started to talk about the wedding reception and also the ring.


    Shao Yan glanced at the corner of her laptop. She softly sighed.


    Her plan to catch up on emails would have to be postponed to tomorrow, then.


    ----------


    "Congratulations!"


    "Thank you," Shao Yan clasped her purse on her hands. She was walking next to Risa and they were about to get into the elevator to go down for lunch.


    "The news about you getting engaged is traveling so fast. It seems that people were betting that the both of you would not even make it this far."


    Shao Yan turned her head slowly; her eyes went round in shock, "But why?"


    Risa shrugged while raising one hand to press the close button, "Some people are just jealous, I guess." She glanced back at Shao Yan, "Don''t mind the ignorant birds that are tweeting around you."


    "En," Shao Yan nodded, "Oh! That''s right, I will have to let Grandma know about this news."


    Risa responded with a soft chuckle, "You don''t have to. Grandma already knew about this."


    "Huh? You told her right away?"


    "Not really," Risa paused in suspense. And Shao Yan was still waiting patiently.


    "Okay? And then? How did she know?"


    Risa peeked at her from under her long eyelashes.


    "During the New Year lunch, remember how Daniel''s parents arrived earlier than the two of you?"


    Shao Yan nodded, "Yeah. What''s wrong with that?"


    "Well," Risa drawled, "Remember how the two of you came over for dinner the night before?


    Shao Yan nodded again.


    "When you were in the kitchen, apparently, Daniel had asked Grandma about proposing marriage to you. And then, he sent his parents to formally ask the elderly again for her permission to marry you."


    Shao Yan gasped in surprise. She would have never thought Li Xiqing would follow the tradition to this level.


    With a small voice, Shao Yan hesitated to ask, "And ... Grandma agreed right away?"


    Risa burst in laughs, "Yes, Grandma actually agreed right away. Don''t you remember, Grandma actually drank a few glasses of wine that night?"


    "And also how everyone was laughing joyfully during lunch time the next day?" Risa ended her words with her elbow jabbed Shao Yan on her arm gently.


    Shao Yan gave her a blank look as she tried to remember the New Year''s lunch.


    "Well," She scratched her head in confusion, "I actually thought it was because of Mandy''s pregnancy announcement."


    Risa added in quickly, "It''s a double celebration. Your marriage, and Mandy''s pregnancy. Grandma and Mrs. Li could not stop talking about it for a few days."


    And just right when the elevator door opened, Risa added, "I think they may have planned your whole wedding reception, along with choosing names for all your future babies!"


    Before Shao Yan could respond to her teasing, Risa quickly stepped out of the elevator to flee.


    "Sis! Don''t talk nonsense! What babies!"


    Shao Yan shouted at her as she chased her steps to follow behind Risa.

 Chapter 281 - Coming Back To Shanghai

    "So, how is your long distance relationship going?"


    Qi Ling mumbled her questions with her mouth and was also chewing oranges at the same time.


    Shao Yan carefully applied the nail polish on her nails. She did not bother to look up at Qi Ling, and instead kept on talking slowly.


    "It''s good," She paused to grab a cotton swab to clean the edge of her fingernails, "He makes sure to text me every morning on the way to work, and then we talk on the phone every night before sleep."


    Shao Yan had returned back to Shanghai earlier because of her work schedules. While Li Xiqing had to stay back along with Axel due to their business deal.


    "If bing gu wigs gnow, yeah?"


    Shao Yan scrunched her forehead, trying to figure out what she was talking about. She could not help to look up at Qi Ling now, "You should finish all of your oranges first. I can''t hear you clearly!"


    Qi Ling finished her chewing, and tried again, "I said, it has been two weeks now."


    Shao Yan nodded before moving her attention back to her fingernails.


    "Yes, but he said he will need to stay for a few more weeks."


    And as if she remembered something, Shao Yan looked up again, "But the problem is that, his parents will finish their Australia trip soon. And Xiqing told me that they will spend a few days in Shanghai before going back to the USA."


    "Oh!" Qi Ling drawled as she nodded her head, "To meet their daughter in law, huh!"


    Shao Yan shrugged, "I guess."


    She bowed down her head and reached out to take another bottle of nail polish and uncapped it.


    "Supposedly, they wanted to meet with Grandma and talk about the plan."


    Qi Ling jumped up from the sofa and rubbed both of her palms together, "Ooohhh! Bride Price and Dowry time. I love this part so much!"


    ----------


    Around the end of April, Father Li and Mother Li arrived back in Shanghai after spending a few weeks travelling across Australia and New Zealand.


    Li Xiqing was still in Singapore with Axel, so Shao Yan and Mandy decided to go to the airport by themselves to pick The Li''s up.


    "How are you doing, Sis?" Shao Yan asked when Mandy was settled in the passenger seat. Shao Yan was driving today.


    Shao Yan took a quick glance at her stomach when Mandy was fastening her seat belt.


    Mandy looked back at her, one hand slightly rubbing on her own stomach, "You can already see its bulging, huh?"


    "Actually I feel fine. I am thankful that I don''t experience those horrible months that the articles were talking about. How would you be throwing up and queasy all the time... I''m glad my symptoms are mild."


    Shao Yan nodded and then pushed the button to start the engine.


    "What''s actually great. What about cravings?"


    "I have some, but nothing the delivery applications can''t handle," Mandy giggled, "Luckily this kid is well behaved. Unlike the father."


    The traffic that day was smooth and clear. By the time they arrived at the airport, they saw Father Li and Mother Li had been waiting outside the gate for them.


    Shao Yan quickly parked the car in front of them, and got down from the car.


    "Uncle, Auntie, why are you standing here outside? It''s so hot!"


    Mandy also stepped out to help carrying the luggage. Father Li quickly stopped her.


    "What are you doing! You are pregnant, Xilin, don''t carry heavy stuff, just let Daddy take care of this," He reached out his hands to take back the luggage from her hands.


    Mother Li also scolded her for a while, before turning back to look at Shao Yan, "Don''t worry about us, Yan Yan, we only waited for five minutes, Xilin already texted us that both of you were five minutes away, so we figured it will be easier here."


    Shao Yan opened the trunk, and Father Li put their luggage at the back, "Go inside the car, all of you, I''m fine here."


    Mandy nodded before she opened the rear car door, and let Mother Li step inside the car.


    ----------


    "Yan Yan, can you drive us to your Grandmother''s house? She is expecting us there."


    Shao Yan peeked from the rear mirror to answer Mother Li, "Hm? Are we not going back to the apartment first?"


    Mother Li shook her head, "Your grandmother knew that we are arriving today, so she invited us over for dinner. We don''t have anything perishable in the luggage, so don''t worry. We can go there right away."


    Shao Yan nodded and turned on the air conditioner so Father Li and Mother Li would be comfortable in the back.


    "Xilin, how was the doctor''s checkup today?"


    Mandy was typing a text message in her phone to let Axel know that they had just picked up her parents and were going to meet Grandmother Wu now.


    She hit the send button, and then turned her head around, "It was fine. Doctor said everything looks good and healthy. The test results also came back today; no infections or anything like that."


    "Yufeng and Xiqing are still tied up there?" Father Li chimed in.


    Mandy nodded, "Their business deals ran into an issue. The other party refused to negotiate until they let him meet Amy."


    She burst into giggles, "Yufeng told them... go to hell!" Mandy finished her words by imitating Axel''s gruff voice.


    "And then he swore if they touched his sister, Yufeng said he would make sure they all go bankrupt."


    Mandy chuckled for a while before adding, "Even though it''s their own home country, Yufeng was so brave to threaten them back, Mommy!"


    "That young man is really Yumei''s ex-boyfriend?" Mother Li clicked her tongue, "Why so pathetic?"


    Mandy nodded, "Ex-fiance actually."


    "That man messed up Yumei''s life and still has the guts to request to see her?" Mother Li huffed in anger, "Hmph!"


    And then she folded her arms in front of her chest, " Tell Yufeng to teach him a lesson properly. I''m pretty sure he has all The Chen family army there to back him up? Yufeng told your dad that he can''t wait to break that scum''s leg literally."


    Mother Li glanced to her side at Father Li who pretended that the scenery outside the car was more interesting.


    "Your father even told him which area to break to not cause a lot of legal issues," Mother Li whispered.


    Mandy was surprised, her lips formed a beautiful perfect "O" as her eyes sparkled in joy.


    "Whoa! Mother! I have never seen you this fierce, and yeah, of course! The Chen family also dispatched their ..." Mandy paused her words to steal a quick peek at Shao Yan who was driving in quiet.


    Mandy coughed lightly, "Dispatched their executives along to negotiate. Don''t worry, Mother. Yufeng has it all taken care of."


    Mandy waved her hand to signal them to close the subject.

 Chapter 282 - Warm Hands

    "In laws! Come in, come in! I hope you don''t mind my humble abode"


    Grandmother Wu welcomed Father Li and Mother Li with vigor into her house.


    Shao Yan was surprised at how her Grandmother greeted the Li''s; she could not help but blush.


    "Why so formal, we are all one family now," Mother Li quickly added. She walked inside the foyer and quickly clasped Grandmother''s hands.


    "How are you? I hope your health is doing great, the weather changed so fast these days!"


    "I''m fine, Yan Yan and Shaoying nagged me all the time, how can I not be fine?" Grandmother Wu feigned an annoyance and pretended to whine over her granddaughters'' care for her. The two women now walked into the living room, their hands were still holding onto each other like a long lost best friend.


    "Having a daughter in a family is good. They are more filial," Father Li added while walking behind them.


    Mother Li also glanced back at Shao Yan with a huge grin on her face, "Yes, Yan Yan, having a daughter is good. We already have too many sons in the world. We need more pretty girls."


    Shao Yan looked at them speechless.


    She knew what they meant with those words!


    And her face turned another shade redder.


    And everyone conveniently changed the topics to the autumn scenery in Australia.


    ----------


    When they were done with dinner, everyone was served a pot of fragrant flower tea.


    "Please try these walnut cookies, I baked them myself," Risa walked into the living room carrying a plate of fresh baked cookies. The smell of vanilla and walnut quickly spread around the room; teasing the appetite of the people who were sitting on the couch comfortably.


    Mother Li was sitting next to Shao Yan. When Risa had seated down, she counted that everyone should be gathered here now.


    Mother Li gently took Shao Yan''s hand and clasped it in between her hands.


    "Yan Yan, I have heard the good news. I want to welcome you to our family," Mother Li said while also gently patted the back of her hand.


    Shao Yan was surprised at her words, she was flustered for a good comeback to reply, but she could not find any.


    Finally, she tried to squeeze out, "Thank you," with her small voice.


    Her timid reply caused everyone to burst in laughs.


    "In law, I am thinking May 18 will be a good date to do our betrothal ceremony, what do you think?" said Father Li, who was looking at Mother Li and Shao Yan and their warm interaction.


    After hearing his words, Mother Li was worried that Grandmother Wu would be against it because of the rush. She quickly added, "I have to apologize in advance to you, in law, we came here in a rush, we may not bring enough Bride Price for betrothal, so for now, we can do the ceremony symbolically. And followed by the actual gift delivery next time."


    Mandy knew that her mother was lying to save Grandmother Wu some face.


    Her parents'' trip to Shanghai was especially to meet Yan Yan. From how Daniel had behaved; from his stories and from his attitude around Shao Yan, Father Li and Mother Li had long suspected that their son would be marrying this woman. So of course, they had come prepared with gifts.


    However, they knew that Grandmother Wu might not be prepared because originally, her trip to Shanghai was only about reuniting with her long lost granddaughter that she had just found. A wedding was only a beautiful surprise that came after.


    ----------


    Grandmother Wu laughed out loud upon hearing what the Li''s had said.


    She waved her hand joyfully, "May 18 is a good date, let''s do that then. And don''t worry about the formalities with all the gifts and such. I know Xiqing will be able to take good care of my granddaughter. And I also have prepared some dowry on behalf of her parents."


    Sitting by her side, Risa quietly nodded her head.


    She might be the only one in the room who knew what Grandmother had prepared to give to Shao Yan.


    Grandmother only had two sons, and now, two granddaughters. Of course she had come prepared.


    Grandmother Wu quietly looked at Shao Yan who was sitting stiffly next to Mother Li.


    "Yan Yan, do you have any concern with this arrangement?" Grandmother Wu inquired with her soft voice; as if she was only asking Shao Yan if she had eaten anything for the day.


    She stared at her blankly before shaking her head slowly, "Grandma, you can do as you wish. To be honest, I am clueless about this thing, I will leave this in your hand."


    Mother Li patted the back of her hand again, "Silly child, of course we will take care of everything for you. That''s what your father and I are here for."


    Upon hearing her words, Shao Yan could not help but feel that her heart was tugged.


    The warmth enveloping her hands was that like of a mother.


    The care that the Li''s had shown her all this time was a new sensation to her, but it was like the morning sun after the storm.


    It was warm and invigorating.


    She felt that her stormy days were closing to the end, and soon, she could see the beautiful rainbow in front of her.


    ----------


    "How was the dinner today?"


    "Grandmother cooked a lot of Shanghainese food as well as Taiwanese food. I think she actually can feed a village," Shao Yan snuggled deeper into her pillows, causing her replies to sound mumbled.


    "En, that''s good then. I have to thank her properly when I''m back. I know Mother and Father must be missing good Chinese food after spending a few weeks with foreign meals."


    "Mandy jie already did. She brought a lot of healthy tonics for Grandma. She bought a lot of fruits too!"


    Shao Yan heard some rustling noises in the background, "You are still in the office?" She glanced at the automatic clock that was sitting on top of her bedside table, and started to nag him, "It''s already eleven o''clock, Xiqing. Are you still working? Have you eaten?"


    "En," He mumbled a response, "Just a few more paperwork, and then I''ll go back to the hotel soon."


    Shao Yan paused, while thinking of her next words.


    "So uh...," She was still debating on choosing the right words, "The elders were talking about our betrothal date and they decided on May 18."


    "En, Father already texted me about that."


    "Oh."


    When he heard no other words from her, Li Xiqing could not help to chuckle.


    "Don''t worry, I''ll be back home before that. I will not miss my own betrothal ceremony. I don''t want my bride to run away because she was upset at me."


    "En," Shao Yan gently bit her lower lip while listening to his words. She pulled the blanket up to her chin. With a small voice, she started to complain, "I won''t run away."


    A smile appeared in his lips. He could see her pouting face right now as if he was also laying there on the bed next to her.


    "I miss you, wifey. I will be home soon before you know it."


    "En."


    "....."


    "I miss you, too."

 Chapter 283 - Every Sparkle, Every Twinkle

    Ever since they had the discussion for her betrothal, Shao Yan had been dragged around by Risa and also Mandy to find the dress for the day.


    Since it was only a betrothal ceremony, she was thinking for a simple red dress, but her sisters thought otherwise. They dragged her from store to store, trying on so many outfits. From a modern dress, to a hanfu, to another simple dress, and back to cheongsam.


    For the past two weeks, all of her lazy days were spent with driving to shopping malls all around the city to find the perfect dress.


    Including today.


    Today was the weekend and she had another shopping plan with the girls.


    "Okay, I''m ready, Ling Ling."


    When Shao Yan came out of the room, and she saw Qi Ling was standing in the living room along with Risa and Mandy, she knew right away, that her day would not be easy.


    "Alright, our main star is now here, I think we can go now," Qi Ling clapped both of her hands before she picked up her purse from the sofa.


    Risa nodded at her words. Swirling the keys in her fingers, Risa added, "Good, I''ll drive. Let''s go, ladies."


    Mandy walked over and linked her arm with Shao Yan''s, "Isn''t this fun, Yan Yan? This is only shopping for your betrothal dress. Can you imagine the much more fun we will have when we go shopping for your wedding dress?" And then she giggled in excitement, "I can''t wait for that!"


    Shao Yan slowly glanced at her in horror. She had totally forgotten about that.


    Dear god.


    Please help her.


    No more dress shopping, please!


    ----------


    May 18 came sooner than later.


    Grandmother Wu had decided to have the betrothal ceremony done in her tea house.


    Her own house was too small to host a lot of people, and so they decided to close the tea house for the day, and have the place for all of themselves.


    Butler Wong had been working for Grandma for a very long time. He had helped her with setting up all of her tea houses back in Taiwan, so when Grandma decided to open a shop in Shanghai, she pulled Butler Wong along to travel with her.


    Everyone in the tea house addressed him as "Teacher Wong." Other than because of his knowledgeable attitude, his physical appearance with short hair and glasses, reminded everyone of a very strict teacher from their high school.


    The fifty year old man had been running around the shop the whole day to make sure the place was squeaky clean.


    He checked every clothing of the service attendants to make sure they were perfectly presentable.


    The servants had put up simple red cloths decorations around the tea house, along with "double happiness" paper cut stickers.


    "Teacher Wong, where should we put this pearl vase? Do you need flowers?"


    "Over there, by the foyer table. Put some fresh peonies in them."


    "Teacher Wong, Chef Ming needs more scallops and shrimps."


    "Go get them from Uncle Xiu. Tell Uncle Xiu we will take more shipment next week."


    "Teacher Wong, the gift tables are done."


    "Alright, that''s good, don''t forget to put them under the shades."


    And everyone kept chasing him for guidance and directions for the big event today.


    ----------


    Right at ten in the morning, about a dozen fleet of cars started to show up at the end of the road leading up to the tea house.


    Butler Wong saw the incoming cars. He pulled over a waiter and hurriedly said, "You go inside and tell Madam that they are here. Go!"


    The young man nodded in fluster and shot his feet off there and ran away.


    Butler Wong pulled the end of his lapel and made sure to check his own appearance one more time, to make sure he was perfectly presentable.


    When the head of the car stooped in front of the tea house, Butler Wong straightened up his back and gotten ready to welcome the Li family.


    The driver door was opened, and a very tall, young man stepped out of the car.


    He glanced at the tea house entrance and saw Butler Wong along with a few other servers were standing there with a smile; ready to welcome him.


    Butler Wong saw the man who was dressed in dark navy blue suit smiling back at him. The young man raised his hand to close the door and walked over towards him.


    "You must be Teacher Wong," The young man said as he raised his hand to take off his glasses and put them into his suit pocket. He then positioned both of hands to his chest and clasped them together, performing a traditional Chinese greetings using only both of his fists swaying back and forth in his gestures.


    "My name is Li Xiqing, Teacher Wong, nice to meet you."


    ----------


    "Madam, they are here. Tea- Teacher Wong asked me to let you know."


    Grandmother Wu nodded and smiled at the young waiter, "Thank you, you may return back to help him."


    She turned her body back around, and finished her words to Shao Yan who was sitting on a chair looking up at her.


    "Do you remember what you have to do, Yan Yan?"


    Shao Yan stuck out her tongue to moist her dry lips, before slowly got up from her seat, "En, Grandma, don''t worry. It''s only Xiqing and his family. Don''t be so nervous."


    Grandmother Wu stood in front of her granddaughter.


    Her gentle eyes slowly swept all over the young woman.


    "Look at you! Looking so beautiful."


    "How much you have grown, Yan Yan," Grandmother Wu raised one hand, and brushed her hair gently.


    "And now you are about to get marry," Grandmother Wu started to choke but she quickly stopped herself from crying.


    "Your parents would be so proud of you today, look at you dressing up so prettily."


    Grandmother Wu took both of her hands and gently clasped them with her own.


    The two women looked at each other and not saying any words.


    Their eyes communicated all the words and messages they wanted to convey to each other.


    Every love sparkle, every pride twinkle from their eyes were transmitted to one another.


    "We should go now, Grandma," Shao Yan whispered and gently squeezed her hands, "They are here."


    Grandmother Wu nodded, and hand in hand, the grandmother-granddaughter duo started to walk out of the room.


    The double doors were opened from the outside and Shao Yan slowly lifted up her tiny feet across the door frame.


    The gold stilettos on her feet glittered under the sun.


    And when she was finally standing outside the room, the whole servants saw a phoenix, clad in a beautiful, lush red feathers, looking up into the sun.


    She was waiting for her turn to soar to the sky in glory.

 Chapter 284 - May 18

    About a dozen people were sitting around the room. Everyone was chatting so happily with one another. Every woman was dressed in traditional Chinese cheongsam dresses, and every man was dressed suavely in a modern suit.


    When they saw Grandmother Wu come into the room, everyone got up from their seat and stared at her and her entourage behind her.


    Grandmother Wu was looking as elegant as ever. Dressed in a dark green dress, she was as poised as an empress.


    Following behind her were her relatives that could attend the betrothal ceremony despite the short notice.


    Grandmother Wu flashed a huge, warm smile when she saw Li Xiqing and his parents.


    "Grandmother, how are you?" Li Xiqing quickly walked over and spoke up first.


    Grandmother Wu nodded in return, "En, I''m fine, sit down, sit down, let me introduce you to our family."


    Everyone started to sit back on their chairs as they saw the Wu family come into their view one by one.


    "This is my sister, and this is her husband."


    "This is my first cousin and her daughter."


    Grandmother Wu started to introduce the family one by one, and what to call them.


    Li Xiqing kept his attention on everyone who came into his sight.


    He tried to remember their names and their hierarchy in the family.


    But his attention was fully occupied by the stunning woman who walked out last.


    ----------


    By tradition, when Li Xiqing had just arrived back in the country, Mother Li and Father Li had forbidden him and Shao Yan to meet up, and also forbid them to stay together.


    "Not until we completed the betrothal day," they said.


    So, Shao Yan had to stay back at her apartment with Qi Ling, while Li Xiqing was back on his own.


    The couple had not seen each other ever since Shao Yan had left Singapore.


    Until today.


    Confident in her steps, the woman kept looking more amazing than ever.


    She was wearing a blazing red, short sleeves cheongsam dress.


    It was an A-line dress. The hem of the dress was high at the front, right above her knees; and going longer at the back, and fell right in the middle of her calves.


    The top section was lace bodice with flower embroideries, and the bottom section of the dress was silk with some tulle lining to add some fullness.


    Shao Yan had braided her hair and knotted the end into an elegant bun.


    The milky skin of her face, neck and arms were so captivating. She looked like a gentle princess.


    Captured by her beauty, everyone in the room was holding their breath upon her appearance.


    Li Xiqing unconsciously got up on his feet, about to walk over and took her hands.


    But Mother Li was faster. She grabbed him by his arm and gently tugged it to remind him.


    Shao Yan pursed her red stained lips into a small smile and nodded at Li Xiqing; signalling him to obey his mother.


    He could not help but grumble a little in his heart.


    Why did it feel like they were some sort of Tang dynasty lovers that were not supposed to touch until their wedding night?


    ----------


    An elderly woman from The Li family stood up and walked to the center of the room.


    "My name is Madam An, and I am representing The Li family to propose a marriage to your family; a woman by the name of Wu Shaoyan, daughter of Wu Geping and Xu Kaixin."


    The procession of the betrothal was started right away.


    Each family started to introduce themselves and quickly stated their intention to marry.


    When everyone had finished their introductions, the matchmaker, Madam An, walked back to the center of the crowd and continued.


    "Please accept our sincere intentions," Her hands swept to the side, and the young adults in the family started to bring forward several red baskets into their view.


    A basket filled with two pairs of red candles in shapes of dragon and phoenix.


    A basket filled with red packets filled with brand new crisp money bills.


    A basket with a tray of whole fragrant, roasted suckling pig.


    A basket full of premium Chinese red wine.


    A basket of peanuts, sesame candies, sweets, traditional wedding cakes and wedding pastries.


    A basket of twelve round, luscious oranges and twelve apples.


    A basket of jewelry for the bride.


    A basket of wedding decorations, double happiness stickers, red cloths and banners.


    Shao Yan was surprised at the scene in front of her. She was astonished at the expensive baskets lined up neatly on the tables.


    During her time with Liwei, there was no such grandeur celebration. His parents came to her house to ask for marriage and the next day, she and Liwei went to register at the Civil Bureau office.


    But this... ?


    Shao Yan looked up to see how Li Xiqing would react.


    But all she saw was his calm, confident face; staring down at her, unmoved.


    His hands were folded on his knees and his eyes had never moved away from her even since she appeared in his view.


    ----------


    When the matchmaker went back to her seat, another woman stepped into the center of the room. This time she was the representative from the Wu family.


    The slightly plump woman swept her hand to the side as well, and the young adults from the family came into the room and lifted the boxes away.


    A few minutes later, they came out again carrying similar baskets into the room and lined them up on the empty tables. Next to the gifts from The Li family.


    A basket full of the groom''s attire. Watch, cufflinks, belt, a gold ring and red packets full of new, crisp money bills.


    A basket full of oranges.


    A basket full of wedding sweets and wedding pastries.


    A basket full of bed sheets, pillows and blankets.


    A basket of two pairs of red wedding slippers, red suitcases, red wash basin, red shoes, red socks.


    A basket of tea porcelain and tea leaves set.


    A basket of dining sets for the couple such as red bowls, spoons, chopsticks.


    A basket of red umbrella, red ruler, red box of sewing kit and a pair of red prosperity lamps.


    When everything had been placed, the elderly woman motioned for Mother Li and Father Li to come to the center of the room.


    "Mister Li, Madam Li, our Wu family accepted your marriage proposal. You may meet your daughter in law now."


    ----------


    The elderly woman turned around and glanced at Shao Yan. She slowly got up from her chair and walked to the center of the room.


    Mother Li also glanced back and signaled Li Xiqing to come forward.


    Li Xiqing obediently stepped forward; in his hands, he was carrying a box made of purple velvet material.


    When he stood next to his mother, Mother Li opened the box and from the inside, Shao Yan saw it was a four-piece jewelry box.


    Mother Li took out a gold necklace from the box. It was in a shape of dragon and phoenix who were dancing together in clouds.


    She unclasped the necklace and put it around Shao Yan''s delicate neck.


    Mother Li then took out a pair of bracelets and put them on each of her wrists.


    Shao Yan knew that The Li family would be giving her four pieces of jewelry as part of tradition, so she did not put on any jewelry today.


    Mother Li took out a pair of earrings and put them on each of her tiny earlobes.


    And finally, she put on a round, gold cloud ring around her fingers, next to the engagement ring that Shao Yan had received from Li Xiqing.


    When Mother Li had finished, Grandmother Wu rose up from her seat and walked over.


    "Yan Yan," She said while standing next to Mother Li and Father Li, "You are an engaged woman now."


    Li Xiqing put his hand around her waist gently. Shao Yan glanced to the side and returned his smile.


    "From today onward, The Li''s have gained another daughter," Grandmother Wu paused.


    "And you have also got another parents to take care of," She finished with a slightly trembling voice.


    "You may call them ''Mother'' and ''Father'' from now on."

 Chapter 285 - Betrothed

    The celebration continued even after the procession was over.


    Two families gathered around the hall. Butler Wong had made sure that the food and drink served on that day were immaculate.


    Even though it was only a betrothal ceremony, for Shao Yan and Li Xiqing, that day felt as if they were practicing for the actual wedding ceremony.


    People would come to their table to toast with them.


    Some others would drag them around to show them off, or just to take pictures together.


    "In law, I was thinking, how about let them register for the marriage certificate first, and we can slowly plan the reception?"


    Mother Li, who was sitting next to Grandmother Wu, started to whisper around to discuss their wedding matters.


    Grandmother Wu nodded her agreement, "I was thinking the same thing. Such happy occasions, them getting married is only a matter of time. Reception is just a formality."


    "What do you think, Yan Yan?"


    Grandmother Wu glanced to the side, but she was met with an empty chair. She started to look around to find her, but everyone shook their heads, not knowing where Shao Yan was.


    "Great-Grandmother," A stubby finger poked Grandmother Wu on her arms, and then the little voice continued, "I saw a very tall uncle pull Auntie Yan Yan outside just now." And then the small child turned around and pointed at the backyard garden.


    Grandmother Wu and Mother Li exchanged looks with each other before both women chuckled helplessly.


    It seemed that the husband was worried he would not have his own time with the wife.


    "Let them talk and decide, then," Mother Li concluded, "In law, why don''t we play some mahjong game now?"


    She linked her arms around her and started to mingle with the other ladies who were waiting for them.


    ----------


    "We have not gotten the chance to discuss any of this... But, what does your dream wedding look like?"


    The couple was sitting in a gazebo, overlooking the fish pond in the backyard. Li Xiqing applied a little pressure on his fingers that were massaging her ankle that he laid on his lap. Shao Yan was leaning back against one of the columns and relaxed herself.


    "Hmm," She paused to think for a moment, "I have always imagined it to be a small and intimate ceremony."


    She peeked at him from under her long eyelashes, "I always thought I was left alone, so I never planned for anyone else to attend, other than Qi Ling."


    "What about now?"


    Shao Yan heard splashes from the koi pond, and she glanced over.


    "Now? I don''t think I can escape Grandmother," She chuckled softly, "Seeing me getting married must be her wish of a lifetime, I don''t want to rob it from her."


    "But if I can choose, I always want an outdoor wedding," She tilted her head and peeked at the blue sky above her, "Just us, with the sun, the moon and the stars around us."


    "And it will all be perfect," Shao Yan brought her gaze back to Li Xiqing and showed a dazzling smile.


    Li Xiqing returned her smile and nodded, "Then, we should do it that way."


    "What about the marriage certificate?"


    Shao Yan paused as she digested the question in her mind. Her cheek gradually blushed as the reality slowly hit her. They were really getting married!


    "Uh.." She paused to find the right words, "You can arrange it from your side," and then she bowed her head down, trying to hide her reddened face.


    "Your parents suggested for us to get one before they go back to the USA," Her voice went softer at the end.


    Li Xiqing smiled and decided to change the topic before his wife started to get so embarrassed and clammed up.


    The wind was blowing gently around them, while the birds were chirping cheerfully.


    The fish were dancing around happily and the lotus flowers bloomed joyfully.


    Oh, what a wonderful day!


    ----------


    A few hours later, Li Xiqing and Shao Yan went back to the main hall, holding hands and all smiles.


    "Grandmother," He said as he approached the crowd that was drinking tea and chatting casually. "Yan Yan and I have decided to register our marriage next week," He announced in confidence.


    Li Xiqing glanced at his mother and father who were sitting next to her, "And we have decided on having an overseas wedding next spring. So, one year from now."


    Father Li nodded and smiled, "Good decision. At least we get to see both of you getting married before we fly back to the USA at the end of this month."


    "That''s good news, Yan Yan," Mother Li rose up from her seat and walked over. She gently grabbed her hands and clasped around them, "Good decision, my child."


    "Auntie May," Mother Li glanced around the room; trying to find the woman that she was looking for.


    A petite, slim woman, looked to be in her fifties got up from her seat and walked over, "Here, Madam."


    Her face brightened upon seeing the woman, "Auntie May, can I trouble you to take measurement for Yan Yan? Let''s make a dress for her marriage registration next week, and also for the tea ceremony next year."


    Shao Yan stole a quick glance at Grandmother to see if she would object. Shao Yan knew that her wedding would be the most important event for the elderly. As expected, she noticed her eyebrows lifted in surprise; before Grandmother quickly adjusted her expression to indifferent. She decided to concede the arrangement to The Li''s. Grandmother folded her hand neatly on her lap and stayed quiet.


    "Mo- Mother," Shao Yan suddenly braved herself to speak out the word that she had not spoken for years.


    "Mother," She tried again, "I have a suggestion."


    Mother Li nodded an encouragement for her to continue her words.


    "I would like Grandmother to be the one arranging my cheongsam dresses. No need to trouble Auntie May."


    Mother Li was surprised at her suggestions, but before she said anything, Shao Yan continued, "But I will definitely need your help, mother, to help me plan the wedding reception."


    All the other women around them suddenly burst into tiny giggles. This daughter in law was so adorable.


    "Of course, Yan Yan, Mother will be more than happy to!" Mother Li replied while patting the back of her hands.


    "And you are right, Grandma will be the perfect person to help you with cheongsam," Mother Li leaned in and whispered, "I really can''t choose a pretty cheongsam as good as your Grandma."


    Mother Li suddenly moved away and turned around to face the ladies behind them who were waiting for her to finish her conversation with her daughter in law.


    "Alright, ladies, let''s continue our mahjong games, where were we?"


    And just like that, all the women around the room were distracted and went back to concentrate on their games, leaving Shao Yan and Risa to look at each other before smiling helplessly.

 Chapter 286 - Like A Child

    For others, the week passed by slowly, but for Shao Yan, it felt like it was only a blink of an eye.


    After her engagement ceremony, all of a sudden, her family grew much bigger. She now had a mother, a father, a sister and brother in law, and a soon-to-be niece or nephew because Mandy was pregnant.


    Her days were already so hectic with all of her projects in the office, and at the same time, Shao Yan had to plan for her own wedding.


    She felt like she was going mad!


    But luckily Grandmother, Risa and Qi Ling were around.


    "Yan Yan," With her long fingers, she dipped her hand into a brown bag and fished out a French fry.


    "Grandmother and I have discussed the matter of your wedding registration next week," She said while chewing her French fries happily.


    "So we decided that Grandma will take care of your cheongsam dress for the day, you don''t have to worry about that. And I will take care of the family dinner after you signed the certificate."


    She moved the brown bag and placed it in front of her, "Want some?"


    Shao Yan shook her head, "No, Thanks," before she went back to her own burger and chewed slowly.


    Today was a working day as usual, and during lunch time, Risa appeared at her desk suddenly and dragged her out, "I am craving for greasy burger and French fries, let''s go now, Yan Yan." And before she got the chance to shoot down the idea, Risa had grabbed her purse and phone, and dragged her outside.


    And here they were! Two women; each holding a burger in their hands and eating them without any guilt.


    ----------


    Shao Yan nodded and kept chewing on her cheeseburger.


    "Qi Ling also called me last night," Risa continued, "She wanted to be involved in your wedding reception, so she offered to take care of the flowers. Everything. Meaning, for your marriage registration as well as your wedding reception."


    Risa picked up one French fry and pointed at the end of it at Shao Yan, "So now, your flower details have also been taken care of," Risa made a "tick" sign in the air using the French fries before her beautiful white teeth sank into the delicious fries.


    "Now, Martin and Karl have also offered to plan your reception party. They said they knew the right people for all the music and party stuff," Risa waved her hand around, "I have zero knowledge about that so I told them to talk to Daniel. And I know your mother in law is in charge of your wedding venue decorations."


    "En," Shao Yan mumbled before she sipped on her chocolate milkshake, "Signing a marriage certificate is only a matter of a five minute deal. So we don''t have to plan anything complicated for that day. Mother also agreed about that, so she is focusing herself for the reception next year."


    "My wedding cake is also done, by the way. Feifei called me and yelled at me for hours for not telling me about the engagement and wedding," Shao Yan sighed.


    "But long story short, somehow, she is now in charge for all of my cakes," she finished her words with a small shrugs.


    Risa paused while enjoying her french fries; she slowly bit into it and thought about her words.


    A moment later, she chimed, "So what''s next then? I feel like your wedding planning is now all done!"


    Shao Yan put the last bite of her burger into her mouth, before folding the wrapping paper neatly and dumped it into the original brown bag.


    "Cheongsam for Tea Ceremony, checked. Flowers, checked. Cakes, checked. Music, checked," She grabbed hold of her milkshake again, "I only need the venue to have my wedding, I need a simple dress to look good with, and I need a pair of comfortable shoes."


    "And we should all be set!" Risa concluded.


    "And I need my groom. Can''t have a wedding without my groom," Before she ended with a wink at Risa.


    "Yes," Risa snapped her fingers, "Of course, your very handsome groom. Don''t forget about him."


    ----------


    After the engagement ceremony, Grandmother had asked Shao Yan to live with her for one week until she signed her marriage certificate.


    "I never got the chance to bond with you properly," Grandma had said, "Now that you are a married woman soon, let me get to know you more before I go back to Taiwan."


    Shao Yan had agreed to this. She also felt that she needed more time to let Grandma know her more. So she agreed to live with her for a week.


    And all of a sudden, Shao Yan was reminded how it felt to be living as a child again.


    When she woke up in the morning, there was someone who nagged her to go to work while preparing her breakfast.


    When she came home in the afternoon, there was someone who asked about her days over warm meals, and also nagged her about her clothes and how she should eat more.


    And when she fell asleep, there was someone who always made sure her blanket was warm.


    "Grandma, I''m almost thirty years old this year. I just had my twenty nine birthday, remember? You don''t have to treat me like I''m a child anymore," was what she kept telling her own Grandmother.


    "But you are forever a child in my eyes. I still remember the chubby little self who ran around the house," was what she always replied to Shao Yan while patting her back so she could fall asleep soon.


    But no matter how much she whined or complained, deep inside her heart, Shao Yan knew that she would be forever a child when she was with Grandma.


    She herself knew that very well.


    "En," She snuggled closer to Grandma, "Why don''t you tell me the story about how you met Grandpa again, Grandma?"


    ----------


    "So, I''ll pick you up tomorrow at four?"


    Shao Yan nodded, before she realized that Li Xiqing could not see her, "You don''t have to come and pick us up. Let''s just meet at the City Hall right away," She quickly added, "Risa will drive us, so we will meet you and your parents there."


    Li Xiqing got up from the study desk and turned off the lamp. He had just finished working on some stuff before he called Shao Yan. He walked out of his study room and went back to the bedroom, "Alright, let''s do that then. So what did Grandmother cook tonight?"


    "Yam soup, steamed egg and stir fry broccoli. Have you eaten?"


    Li Xiqing had been calling her every night, right before her sleeping time. Their days were spent with text messages when they were free, but the last time they had seen each other was during the engagement ceremony.


    They would talk about anything. Sometimes, the call would be as short as thirty minutes, but most of the time, it would be hours.


    "Why did I feel like we were living at your grandparents'' time? We only meet each other once a week," Shao Yan giggled onto the phone, "And don''t get me wrong, I am not complaining, I just feel entertained with the whole situation."


    She heard his deep chuckles from the other end, and her heart felt warm.


    "I miss you so much," She sighed before she leaned back onto the headboard, "Hearing your voice like this before I sleep is always the best part of my day. And receiving your ''good morning'' text always makes me look forward to the rest of the day until our late night calls again."


    "En," He answered, "I''m here. You can always tell me anything, I''m listening."

 Chapter 287 - All I Need Is..

    --- One year later ---


    !!! CREAK !!!


    "Yan Yan?" A head popped in to peek to see if Shao Yan was ready.


    Qi Ling saw her reflection from the mirror and paused on her steps when she was walking into the room.


    Shao Yan was fixing her earrings and glanced at her from the mirror, "Ling Ling?"


    Her soft, dark hair was braided into tiny french style braids that were knotted into a bun by her nape. The white, ivory lace gown that she was wearing, was hugging her petite, slim body so perfectly. The soft material fell on her body and wrapped her like air; accentuating her willow waist.


    Each layer of lace, silk and chiffon overlapped with one another and created an intimate silhouette all over the bodice of her dress.The heart shape tube dress enhanced her breast figure stunningly, and the diamonds and crystals that were sewn around her waist just sparkled every time she moved.


    The dress complimented her milky skin so well. Shao Yan looked like a lost Greek goddess. Full of charm and able to seduce any mankind.


    Qi Ling ran her eyes from her head down to her feet and just kept admiring her.


    Hearing no response from her, Shao Yan turned around completely and faced Qi Ling.


    The long dress covered her body to her ankle.


    Shao Yan had put on ivory wedges with Swarovski crystals decorations; accentuating the tiny feet that she had, making her look more elegant.


    The Korean make up artist brushed her final touches on her face before standing on the side to let the two girlfriends talk.


    Shao Yan had opted for a simple, natural look for her make up. She especially told the makeup artist that she wanted to look her best, but not too overwhelming. And Qi Ling had to say, the make-up artist had done her best masterpiece.


    Shao Yan was transformed into a princess from the ethereal land; dressing in soft clothes and sparkled like the stars.


    Qi Ling almost could not recognize this bride.


    ----------


    "Dayummm!" Qi Ling snapped back to reality after Shao Yan called her again, "Missus Li, you just look crazy amazing!"


    "I was checking if you need any help," She paused and then spread both arms wide open, "But look at you! You don''t need anything anymore. Simply perfect!"


    Shao Yan smiled; feeling embarrassed at her remarks. She raised her hand and touched one of her earrings with her knuckles. The crystal linear drop earrings glittered upon her touches.


    Qi Ling walked over, and took the veil from a velvet chair next to the make up artist, "Yoon Hye, help me with her veil, please?" Qi Ling asked.


    The make up artist nodded her head and picked up the other end of the cloth.


    The delicate, sheer whisper of the veil was spread gently. The transparent cloth wrapped around her head like a cloud before falling onto her back like waves of waterfall. Shao Yan looked up to see how the cloth would cover her face. Her long eyelashes fluttered curiously.


    "Don''t worry, Yan Yan, we won''t mess up your makeup," Qi Ling teased.


    Yoon Hye pursed her lips to avoid laughing. Having worked in Shanghai for a few years, she could pick up some easy Chinese words every now and then. She bent down and picked up a butterfly shape crystal hair clip from her accessory box and finished her touches to the veil.


    Qi Ling then grabbed both ends of the material and stepped back slowly to spread the veil out behind Shao Yan.


    The afternoon sun was shining towards the transparent window; onto the glamour bride.


    Her eyes were twinkling with happiness as Shao Yan saw her best friend, and bridesmaid, fixing her veil for her.


    Her small and soft smile appeared on her face; thanking Qi Ling.


    Qi Ling decided. She was indeed the perfect bride.


    ----------


    Soft hum of white noise came from the TV outside the room. It seemed that her family was watching a news channel outside.


    When Qi Ling was done, Shao Yan heard someone was knocking on her room again. And this time, Risa came peeking from the outside.


    Similar to Qi Ling, when Shao Yan lifted her face to look at who was knocking on the door, Risa had to pause and stare at Shao Yan for a few seconds.


    "Sis?" Shao Yan called for the second time, "What is it?"


    "Oh!" Risa quickly answered while stepping inside and closed the door slowly behind her, "Yan Yan, It''s time."


    Shao Yan felt her heart start to rush like crazy.


    Her feet felt weak, and her palm was trembling. She could feel a little cold sweat starting to form on her forehead. Unconsciously, Shao Yan ran her fingertips around the diamond tennis bracelets on her wrist; she was hoping the cold gemstones would be able to calm her rushing heart.


    "Don''t be nervous, you look perfect!" Risa quickly added. She was standing next to Shao Yan, towering tall beside her; her hands were on her shoulders.


    "En," Shao Yan nodded, before slowly standing up to her feet and smoothed out her bridal gown, "Shall we?"


    Qi Ling walked to the door, and grabbed the bouquet of white calla lilies before walking back to Shao Yan.


    "Let''s do this, girl friend!"


    "En! Let''s get married!"


    ----------


    "How are you feeling?" Qi Ling whispered while walking beside her towards the wedding hall.


    Soft, traditional Balinese music was heard all around the place they were staying at. Their soft steps echoed gently on the white marbled floors.


    Along the way, the waiters and waitresses who they met would stop on their tracks to greet them. They held both palms together over their chest and bowed a little; showing them the famous Indonesian hospitality style greetings.


    Shao Yan hummed, "En." And after a while, she also added, "A little."


    Qi Ling chuckled while holding her soft peach dress, "You picked the perfect place to get married. And I have peeked at the decoration outside, your wedding planner, Alfonso, did a great job with the flower gate. Feifei was amazing with her cakes, and your groom is handsome as hell to the point I hate you. So, don''t worry, you will do great, my darling!"


    Shao Yan could not help to laugh at her words. Her heart felt a little less heavy after the laugh.


    "Thank you, Ling Ling."


    Shao Yan paused for a while, trying to gather her thoughts.


    "You know..."


    "All my life, I have never had the courage to dream big. All I have ever wanted was a simple life with my family, with all my friends. Nothing complicated."


    "But then Li Xiqing came along."


    "He gave me the courage to hope. He weaves the dream along with me. He gave me the courage to be myself. He learned about my past, and he helped me to heal. I learned about his past, and he gave me everlasting securities."

 Chapter 288 - A Second Chance

    The two women were walking along a glass transparent pathway towards their wedding hall. The afternoon sun was about to set, but everywhere around them was still bright.


    "I used to cry myself to sleep during my heartbreak, but I am blessed to have his voice to calm me down every time I sleep now," Shao Yan stopped on her track and faced a double door in front of her.


    "And now I dare to dream big. Now, I can face my own insecurities, and I can have the courage to be greedy."


    Shao Yan paused, before she suddenly giggled.


    "What?" Qi Ling giggled along with her, "What do you remember now?"


    "One year ago, when I was cleaning up his clothes during Spring cleaning, there was one of his suit pants that I recognized. It was stuffed in the corner and left forgotten, so I thought Xiqing wanted to throw them away."


    "But I could not remember where I had seen it. It was missing a suit jacket. And I spent the whole day around his apartment trying to look for it, but I could not find it."


    Shao Yan turned her head slightly to glance at Qi Ling.


    "Did you remember when you just came back, and I was reorganizing my winter clothes, with you dancing to the BTS songs all afternoon?"


    Qi ling chuckled as she remembered, "Of course! I repeated their whole album that day and we were only talking about food and clothes! How can I forget?"


    Shao Yan nodded, "Did you know why I suddenly rushed outside at the time?"


    Qi Ling shook her head, "What is it?"


    ----------


    Shao Yan turned her head back to the front and faced the white double door in front of her.


    "It was because I found the missing suit jacket. It was in my possession after all. So I could not wait to prove that they were a pair. I rushed back to his apartment that day."


    Qi Ling waved her hand and clicked her tongue, "Tsk! How is that weird? His clothes at your place, it''s totally normal."


    Shao Yan dropped her head a little as she smiled helplessly, "I always thought that the first time I met Li Xiqing was when he helped me when I was bullied in San Francisco pier."


    "But I was wrong."


    "He saved my life three times, Ling Ling. The second one was San Francisco pier, and the third one was when he decided to love me."


    "But then I realized. The very first time he saved me was when I was crying like a crazy woman in New York."


    She sighed, "It was raining heavily, and I was crying my heart out in the middle of the street after I found out Liwei was cheating on me. I was devastated, I wanted to kill myself. I just felt lost and unwanted and unloved. I was in despair."


    "At the time, a man walked over and dragged me back to the street side. He gave his umbrella to me. He also gave his jacket to me."


    "And it was him," Shao Yan glanced at Qi Ling, "It was Li Xiqing."


    ----------


    A slight tingling sensation went through Qi Ling''s mind as realization hit her.


    A tremor of amazement fleeted in her eyes when she stared back at Shao Yan who was patiently waiting for her response.


    "No.... wayyy!" Qi Ling suddenly wailed.


    "You''re saying that you two met that many years ago?" Her loud voice echoed in the empty hallway.


    Shao Yan kept her gaze on her and nodded wordlessly.


    "What a fate! Are you kidding me?"


    Shao Yan chuckled softly, "No, I am not joking. After I found out, I knew right then and there, that this red thread between me and this man has already been fated together. And no matter what, we will always meet each other at the end. No matter how late we started this to begin with."


    Qi Ling rubbed her arms slightly. All of a sudden, she felt cold air blanketed her, "You''re scaring me here. Did you tell him about this?"


    Shao Yan google again and shook her head, "Of course not. It will be our little secret."


    She turned her head back to the front, "I like knowing that he has been a part of my life for a while. And how the twist of fate just kept dancing around us. How we will always find each other at the end."


    "It feels like a movie. Everything is just too good to be true."


    ----------


    A slow intro of violin was heard, and then the double door in front of her was opened. Another piano accompaniment was heard and together, it started to synchronize with the violin.


    "Let me give you a peek of what I wrote for my marriage vow later?" Shao Yan winked at Qi Ling.


    Shao Yan cleared her throat and started to say softly.


    "You are my home, You are sanctuary. My safe happy place, my family."


    "You are my rock, you are my strength. You are my lighthouse, and I know you will always guide my steps everywhere I go."


    "The whole time we have spent together has been the most amazing thing that ever happened in my life. And I never regret ever meeting you. I never regret ever loving you."


    "Li Xiqing, you are my everything."


    When the door was fully opened up for her, Shao Yan slowly turned her face back to the front again.


    In front of her, at the end of the pathway that was covered with white rose petals, stood the man that she had been calling "Husband" for a year.


    And then the wedding march song started.


    Li Xiqing was standing with his back against the dusk sun. The transparent floor to ceiling window behind him showcased the amazing view of the Bali sea. The clear blue water met with the soft white clouds. And all around the wedding hall was lush greeneries that gave the same sense of calm.


    "Ling Ling," Shao Yan smiled at the handsome man who stood tall, waiting for her. Through her veil, she saw him smiling back at her.


    "I am glad that I took the second chance when it was offered to me."


    "And a second chance is all I need to get this oasis bestowed to me."


    "A second chance ... for both of us."


    Was the last words Qi Ling heard before she witnessed her best friend take her steps towards her husband.


    The golden silhouette around her body emitted all of her confidence and love towards the man.


    Towards her happiness.


    Her only one true love.


    ++++++++++++++++++++++


    The end.