After taking two steps, his sleeve was tugged by a small pale hand. Lu Shaoming stopped in his tracks. He knew that she would not bear to leave him like this. Both of his hands were in his pockets, he proudly stuck up his defined sharp chin and said, “Ning Qing, let me warn you. If you dare to do this to me again, I would not have such good temper anymore. I will let it go this time. I will forgive you temporarily, you…”
He glanced sideways to look towards her. With this glance, he froze. She was looking at him with tears in her eyes. She was crying. Lu Shaoming panicked immediately. He took his hands out of his pockets and wanted to wipe away her tears, but when he thought that she despised the perfume scent on his body, he could only stop himself. He did not know why he was behaving so crazily. Why did he put on cologne? He never used stuff like that.
At this moment, Ning Qing shivered helplessly while her teeth chattered. She cried softly and said, “Lu Shaoming, can you not bully me like that? I did not do anything wrong. I am so exhausted lately. My emotions are all over the place, and I want to rest very badly. Can you approve two days leave for me? I don’t want to chase after you for these two days… You weren’t like this last time. You were so good towards me… Lu Shaoming, where did the past you go…?”
Lu Shaoming froze. He looked towards the girl’s small face, and she was at a loss. He used his hand to hold onto the girl’s delicate face, and he placed it in front of his eyes. He laughed coldly. “Ning Qing, you don’t want to run after me anymore? Is it that tiring being together with me? Heh, if you don’t want to go chasing after me then don’t do it. Do you need my approval on this? I am living well by myself, it was you who came to provoke me, so don’t you lower your tone and speak to me like this. You make me seem like a sinner.
“You can elaborate now. What past and future? Who do you take me as? Ning Qing, you have finally said the words in your heart. You are looking for shadow on me, and you are treating me as a replacement!” He was exerting his strength, and it felt rough. He pinched her cheeks very hard, and Ning Qing stretched out her small hand to hit his big hand away. She frowned and said, “Let go. Release your hands! It hurts…”
“Pft, Ning Qing, what do you know about pain? What are you pretending in front of me for? Are you really in pain or not? The time in Finland was not actually your first time! You were screaming in pain for such a long time. Tell me. How many men did you sleep with, who was the first man you slept with?” Ning Qing heard his words and stopped. She stared at him with her huge eyes and could not believe his words. “You…What did you say?”
Lu Shaoming curled up his lips into cynical arc. His expression was cold. His sharp, deep gaze scanned her body, and his brows showed the carelessness of a mature man. “Do I have to repeat what I said? Did I not serve you well that night, so you are not willing to chase after me now? Did you think that I am lacking in my techniques? How did the man in your heart want you? Say it. I can learn…” Pa! Ning Qing gave him a tight slap. Lu Shaoming had been slapped in the face. His big hand by his side was held in a fist. His exhaled twice through his nose, and he frowned painfully
He did not want to say these words that were unpleasant, but the words were at the side of his lips, and things turned out this way. Actually, he knew that he was going crazy with jealousy. That man who took up such an important space in her heart, that man took away her first time. He was going mad with envy.
She was only 21 this year. When did she give away her first time? That man who took it away from her youthful body, was he a gentleman in appearance but a beast in conduct? That night in Finland, she took the initiative and was so passionate. Was it taught to her by that man? Actually none of this was important. The most important thing was that she said that she did not want to chase after him anymore. Heh. It was good then. He did not even qualify to become a replacement now.
It was very quiet inside the bathroom. Lu Shaoming slowly turned around. He looked at the girl’s pale face and said through gritted teeth,” Okay, I will consider this slap as payback for that night. We did not have a start, so we can’t talk about ending. As for tying up loose ends, that night, I did not use any protection, so I request Miss Ning to go get medication herself.”
While he said those words, Lu Shaoming elegantly straightened his shirt and said, “Miss Ning, we will meet if it is fated to be.” He lifted his feet and left.
She heard the man’s footsteps slowly disappear in the distance. Ning Qing slumped her entire body on the floor, and her gut felt uncomfortable like a rough ocean. She lay beside the sink to retch. She did not eat anything in the morning, and now she was vomiting acid. Ning Qing sat at the corner of the wall. She slowly curled her legs up and buried herself into her knees. “Woo.” She let herself cry loudly. “Lu Shaoming, when will you come back?”
…
Lu Shaoming walked out the doors of the department store. He sat inside the Bentley, stepped hard on the accelerator, and flew away. His handsome face that was akin to a sculpture was tight and inauthentic. His deep eyes looked as if they could shoot out two streams of fire, and even the green veins on his forehead were twitching. How could that woman be so cruel towards him? After he came back from Finland, he became less and less like himself. He got into a fight because of her. He dressed himself up well for her, and he lived his life so messily because of her.
Actually he was living very well before this; why did she have to come and made his entire world go upside down? It was okay if it was upside down. She didn’t want him now. How could she be so irresponsible? The night in Finland was not her first time, but it was for him. He came from a good background. He received a good education. The past 31 years, he was never fickle in love. His heart was elegant and arrogant. He did not have many desires, but he had also thought that in this life, his desire would be given to either the woman that he likes or his future wife.
That night, feelings were so intense that it was unpreventable, but at that moment, he did not think of it. He only thought of giving everything to the deepest part of her. But today she told him that she did not want to chase after him anymore….
What did she want him to do? Did she want him to run after her? It was impossible!
Lu Shaoming took out his phone and switched it off without hesitation. He would not let her contact him anymore. He would return to the office. He wanted to go to America, and he did not want to come back. She would regret it. She would definitely come searching for him. Lu Shaoming thought like this and floored the accelerator. The bones on his hand were well defined. He hit the blinker and made a turn, his smooth actions bringing out an air of coldness and strictness.
…
After reaching Guang Qing, he entered the office and he addressed Zhu Rui. “Help me settle all remaining business in the country. I will return back to America in the afternoon.” Zhu Rui was confused for a moment and said, “President, this decision is a little rushed…”
“Why, can you not settle it?” Lu Shaoming glanced at Zhu Rui, his eyes sharp like an eagle’s. Zhu Rui felt his scalp go numb instantly. He immediately nodded his head and said, “President, I will complete it all now.” He lifted his feet and left the main doors of the office. But at this moment, Lu Shaoming stopped him in his tracks. “Come back.”
Zhu Rui turned around and said, “President, do you have any other orders?” Lu Shaoming placed one hand into his pocket and said with half closed eyes, “Turn off my personal telephone, tell anyone that comes looking for me that I am not available. Also, you.” Lu Shaoming stretched out his hand to point at Zhu Rui. “You are not allowed to divulge information about me returning to America.”
Zhu Rui, “…” Was his President attempting to stage a disappearance?
President was the person in control of a business, Empire Corporation, and he did not allow anyone to contact or look for him? Wouldn’t this be too stubborn on his part? He had been beside President for many years, and he had never seen him acting like this, losing his calmness and rationality. Who had provoked President like this? Also, why did he point only at him? He did not have any plans to divulge information.
…
Lu Shaoming first went to the relaxation room to take a shower. He washed the cologne scent off himself, wrapped a towel around his waist, and walked out. He stood before the sink and threw away the hair gel and perfume that were on the counter into the rubbish bin. He opened the closet and he took the new warm-tone shirt that he’d bought yesterday and threw it on the bed. He planned to ask someone to dispose of it later.
He wore a white shirt and black trousers to walk into the office, and he sat on the office chair. He grabbed a document and was ready for work. At this moment, he realized there was a photobook by his side. The small face that he least wanted to see appeared in front of him. It was probably because he mentioned the photobook to Zhu Rui in the afternoon. Zhu Rui must have placed the photobook here. He did actually want to take a look after he returned in the afternoon, but now, he did not even want to think of her. So what if she looked beautiful? Lu Shaoming wanted to throw the photobook into the bin. But, he froze mid-air. The front cover of the photobook was made out of glass. The girl was wearing a short pink strapless dress standing in a grass field. Her hair was flowing over her shoulders. She used one hand to cover an eye and was smiling while looking towards the sky. Her delicate face had a warm little dimple. The bright sun was reflecting 5 or 6 colours of light on her body; she was so mesmerizing and beautiful.
Lu Shaoming slowly placed the photobook back on the table. His long finger slowly caressed the girl’s eyes. His heart suddenly felt sour. He did not know what kind of feeling it was. Lu Shaoming took out his phone and pressed a key to switch on his phone. He looked down at his wristwatch. Two hours had passed, and she did not contact him? It seemed like she did not.
He did not give up, he pressed the log for his calls and text messages. He searched one after another. Nope, she really had not contacted him. Lu Shaoming’s heart suddenly felt irritated. He opened his messages and started to type a text message slowly – Ning Qing, I will be returning to America later. I am on the way to the airport now. If you still want me, then rush over quickly. I will wait for you….
After he typed the message, Lu Shaoming suddenly wondered what nonsense he was typing. This was what he wrote? Lu Shaoming deleted everything swiftly.
He took the receiver of the telephone up and dialled a direct line, wanting to contact Zhu Rui. Ring, ring, ring… But the line was dead, and it was only then that he recalled that he had switched the telephone off. He was silent for a few seconds. Lu Shaoming took up his phone to call someone. “Hello, Secretary Zhu, come in for a while.”
Two minutes later, there was a knock at the door. The sound rang in the air. “Come in,” Lu Shaoming said while taking out a document to cover the photobook.
“President, you called for me?” Lu Shaoming used his right hand to hold onto the pen to edit the document. “Yes,” he said softly. He casually asked, “Did anyone come looking for me just now?”
“In response to the president, Secretary Liu from the planning department and President Shi from Da Yu Construction, also….” Zhu Rui professionally rattled off a list.
‘That’s enough.” Lu Shaoming interrupted Zhu Rui with an upset expression. He coughed lightly and glanced at Zhu Rui’s pocket. “Is your phone lacking in funds? Why couldn’t I get through to your phone just now?”
“How is that possible? It is not lacking in funds.” Zhu Rui took out his phone from his pocket and looked at his call log. “President, you did not call me just now.”
Lu Shaoming threw the pen on the table forcefully, pursed his lips tightly, and did not say anything.
