In the end, it was still Grandpa Lu who ended the topic about Lu Zihao but not before imparting some impactful words. “Liwei my boy, I know that you and Xiulan my girl already know what exactly is going on with Haohao. That dunderhead already made up his mind to do whatever he wants to do. So just watch over the rascal, will you? After all, you are brothers—all my grandsons. This old man’s life is already at its sunset. No matter how much I want to be with you all rascals forever, nature will always take its course and this mortal body of mine will eventually return to where it came from.”
Jin Liwei’s entire body tensed before forcing himself to relax. Still, he did his best to reply to the old man’s request with as much sincerity as he could. “I understand, Grandpa Lu. Don’t worry. Fifth Brother is family and I’ll always protect our family. Besides, you can’t leave us yet. You haven’t spoiled your human great-grandchildren yet. Mine and Xiulan’s will come soon, but you still need to wait for Fifth Brother’s and our other brothers’ future children.”
“Bahahaha! That goes without saying! This old man will do my best to live for at least a decade so that I can meet all of my beloved great-grandbabies and watch them grow a bit!”
The atmosphere lightened in an instant, relieving Jin Liwei. After the phone call, he stood up and walked to the windows to stare at the dreary view outside. The sky was still grey, and although he couldn’t hear it from inside his office, he knew that the wind must be getting stronger outside. Sighing, he gave up on trying to figure out the exact emotions he was feeling right now.
Now that Grandpa Lu seemed to know Lu Zihao’s shady businesses, Jin Liwei wondered how much the old man knew.
“Does he know that Fifth Brother is no longer his grandson but had become someone else entirely?”
Jin Liwei wasn’t sure. He wanted to know, but at the same time, he also didn’t want to know.
###
Orchidia Beauty.
“Hello? Earth to Jinjing? Hey!”
Long Jinjing snapped out of her daze for the…she couldn’t remember how many times she had become dazed today. Not only today but in the past few days since the breakup.
“Yes, Xiao Fei? What did you say again? Sorry, I was distracted for a second.”
A furious Chen Fei crossed her arms over her chest. “I swear that if I see that asshole Lu Zihao, I’ll beat him up! I don’t care about his big muscles! I’ll beat the shit out of his motherfucking ass!”
Long Jinjing tensed at the mention of Lu Zihao, the man haunting her every sleeping and waking moments, the man she loved but chose to let go. She forced herself to smile. “You can’t beat him. He’s strong.”
“I said I don’t care! The asshole broke your heart! How dare he make you suffer like this?! Ugh!” Chen Fei raised her hands up in the air and snarled. “Seeing you so heartbroken like this is frustrating me! I want to beat up that asshole! Don’t stop me!”
“Xiao Fei, that’s enough. We’re at work. Stop making a ruckus. What if others hear you? I’ll feel so embarrassed.” Long Jinjing opened the closed curtain in her office a bit and peeked. Then she sighed in relief after seeing their assistants working as usual.
“Don’t worry. The soundproofing in our company building is excellent. Xiulan made sure of that.”
Long Jinjing nodded before her mouth curved into a self-deprecating smile. “I really look pathetic, don’t I?”
“You know what? I change my mind! I’m not just gonna beat up that son of a bitch! I’m gonna murder him!”
Long Jinjing’s pitiful smile turned into one filled with gratefulness. “Thanks, Xiao Fei. You always have my back. I’m so lucky to have a best friend—no, a sister like you. I don’t know what I’ll do without you.”
“That goes without saying! I even dared to pull a clump of Xiulan’s hair and scratch her face when she bullied you back then, not caring for her celebrity status at all. Hmph! Good thing that she finally matured and changed her bitchy ways. My meaning is that there’s nothing I won’t do to defend you from any assholes or bitches who dare bully you! That jerk Lu Zihao is certainly no exception! Just you wait until I see where he has been hiding. I’ll tear into his face and kick his ass!”
Her words managed to elicit a weak laugh from Long Jinjing. It didn’t last long, however. Long Jinjing’s eyes turned red and became wet.
“It’s not his fault. I was the one who broke up with him. Actually, he wanted to stay in our relationship but…but I r-rejected him.” She blinked rapidly in an effort to prevent her tears from falling.
Chen Fei pulled her and they sat down on the sofa. Long Jinjing leaned on her best friend’s shoulder and squeezed her hand, trying to draw strength from Chen Fei.
“I don’t care whether it’s his fault or yours that you two broke up. I’ll still beat him up because he’s making my sister suffer so much like this. That’s already a great sin in my eyes.”
Long Jinjing sniffed and whispered, “I love him.”
“I know. You already told me.” Chen Fei sighed and patted her back.
“I love him but he doesn’t love me back. It…it h-hurts so much, Xiao Fei.”
“He doesn’t love you yet he wants you to remain as his girlfriend. Yep, he’s hands down the asshole of the year in my opinion.”
“Yes, he’s an asshole,” Long Jinjing said in a weak voice.
“That’s right. Say it out loud! Lu Zihao, you’re an asshole!”
Long Jinjing jumped up from the sofa all of a sudden and started shouting at the top of her lungs. “Lu Zi—no. Nikolai, you’re an asshole! Asshole! How could you hurt me like this?! Break my heart like this?! ASSHOLE!!!”
Chen Fei looked startled at first before grinning and joining her best friend in shouting curses at the man. When they were done, she handed the gasping but refreshed Long Jinjing a can of coconut water.
“By the way, what’s up with you calling the asshole Nikolai?”
