Orchidia Beauty.
The next day, Long Jinjing was busy crunching the numbers in her office. There was a pleased smile on her face while looking at the profits so far from the launch of Jin Chonglin’s Prinz men’s line. When added to the profits from their other current products, it was becoming clear to her that Orchidia Beauty was on an almost unbelievable meteoric rise to success.
Perhaps her younger sister was right. Orchidia Beauty might really dominate the nation’s beauty industry in the future. Iris’ plan to officially enter the international market was also in the works and expected to happen as soon as next year. Alric Bauer’s well of ideas also seemed endless. He kept developing new products while improving the formulae of the current ones. Things were looking superb for their company.
Long Jinjing was in an excellent mood. It wasn’t only because of the profits and the bright future of the company but also because Lu Zihao had finally woken up from coma.
Now she could concentrate on her work instead of always worrying about him. Of course, it was inevitable that she would find herself distracted while daydreaming about him sometimes. It was a good thing that she was disciplined enough to snap out of it and return to work mode whenever it happened.
The door swung open, startling her. An angry Chen Fei barged inside and headed straight to her.
“Long Jinjing, are you crazy?! Dom told me that you got back together with that asshole Lu Zihao!”
“Xiao Fei, not so loud, please.” Long Jinjing peeked at the door and was relieved that it closed by itself after her best friend entered. She was worried that their assistants and the other employees in the vicinity might hear these details of her personal life.
Chen Fei’s nose was flaring with fury. “Is it true that you got back together with that jerk?”
“It’s true,” Long Jinjing said with a sigh.
“WHY?!!!”
“I love him.”
“I know that already. Well, did the fucker say that he loves you, too?”
Long Jinjing bit her lower lip. Her expression was enough answer to her best friend.
“Argh!” Chen Fei raised both of her arms in the air and shook them in frustration. Then she faced Long Jinjing again. “Then why did you take him back again?!”
Long Jinjing had no choice but to explain her plan to woo Lu Zihao. Chen Fei’s expression turned blank. This lasted for a few seconds before her anger returned.
“Are you fucking kidding me, Long Jinjing? Seriously? Did you turn stupid because of your love for that undeserving son of a bitch?”
“Please don’t call him that. It hurts me.”
Chen Fei plopped herself on the sofa like a lifeless fish. “Fuck. This is hopeless.”
Long Jinjing moved from behind her desk to sit beside her best friend. “I know that you still have a grudge against Zihao for hurting me. But you know what? The worst of his faults is only the fact that he hasn’t fallen in love with me. I was the one who changed the dynamics of our relationship and fell in love with him first.”
“Don’t even try to make excuses for that asshole with me,” Chen Fei said with a fierce glare. “It makes my blood boil seeing you like this. There are so many better men out there than that Lu Zihao who’ll surely treat you right, make you happy, and not always make you cry.”
“But he’s the one I love, Xiao Fei.”
The ferocity of Chen Fei’s expression almost got fully extinguished after hearing her best friend’s whisper. She sighed. “It sucks that he’s the one you love.”
Long Jinjing didn’t reply.
Chen Fei sighed again before muttering, “He better treat you right this time or I’ll end up becoming a murderer if he hurts you again.”
Although Long Jinjing wasn’t sure whether her best friend was serious in her threat of murdering her boyfriend or not, she still couldn’t help but laugh. “Thanks, Xiao Fei. You always have my back even when you don’t approve of my decisions.”
“Hmph! We’ve been best friends for so long, so of course I know what you’re really like. You may be timid most of the time, but you’re actually extremely stubborn deep inside. You can be as bad as your sister when it comes to hard-headedness. Tsk! Such an annoying trait that you siblings both inherited.”
Long Jinjing could only smile.
Chen Fei faced her with a solemn expression. “Jing, I know that you love that man. Fine. Since it already happened, I can’t do anything about it. But Jing, I just hope that you don’t love him too much that there won’t be anything left for you if this relationship fails again. Love him enough but make sure to leave some for yourself. Don’t become a slave for your love for him.”
“Don’t worry, Xiao Fei.” Long Jinjing straightened her back and looked at her best friend straight in the eyes. “I never planned on becoming Zihao’s slave. I want to be his equal partner in life. I don’t plan on becoming dependent on him in any way. I just want to love him and hopefully enjoy his love as well while we build a happy life together until we both grow old.”
“Fine.” Chen Fei released another long, drawn-out sigh. “It seems that you really made up your mind.”
Long Jinjing nodded.
“I just hope that you don’t regret it.”
“I’ll regret it more if I don’t try.”
“Tsk.” Chen Fei looked disgusted but also helpless at the same time. “This is why I dread falling in love. What if I become like you?” She shuddered. “Ugh. Just thinking about it is giving me chills.”
“Falling in love can really feel scary but it also feels wonderful. I don’t regret falling in love with Zihao one bit. If we’re really not meant to be together, I’ll just have to accept it. It will hurt but….”
Chen Fei continued her sentence for her, “But you’ll get through it. You’re a strong woman, Jing. Others may not see your inner strength, but I do. Lu Zihao is a blind fool if he doesn’t see it.”
Long Jinjing touched the lily pendant hidden underneath her shirt. “I don’t know if I’m really as strong as you say, but this is my gamble for love. And I intend to win.”
