As Madam Lu's sobbing voice echoes inside the corridor of Cloth Co.'s fourth floor, the person on the other line did not say a word.
She quickly realizes this and stops crying. Glancing at her phone screen, she frowns when she saw that the line was still connected.
"Honey? Are you listening? Did you hear anything I said?"
The call kept silent for a long second before a long sigh can be vaguely heard and Old Lu's voice can faintly be heard.
["Dear, why are you crying? You know it breaks my heart to hear you cry like this."]
Hearing this, Madam Lu's moistened eyes dry without tears and her cheek flush red. She turns into a shy and bashful little girl.
"It's all Tian's fault. He kept the meeting with our daughter-in-law a secret. If I had not stopped by the company, I wouldn't have to suffer the loss of this meeting with Ah Ling."
She sounds a faint sob and wipes away any tears that still lingered at the end of her eyes.
"If I knew she wanted to collaborate with Cloth Co., I would have agreed without any need to meet."
As the person who can endure this side of his wife, Old Lu heaves another sigh, and his voice sounds again.
["Dear, you know how Tian is. He must have his reason for doing what he did. Don't cry anymore. Come home, I bought your favorite egg custard tarts."]
Hearing the name of her favorite dessert, Madam Lu decides not to push after Lu Tian for answers. She should know that between her two sons, Lu Tian is cold and aloof, but he is also stubborn. Especially now that Yue Ling has entered his life.
As Madam Lu leaves the company, back inside the conference room, Liu Shan and Manager He was left alone in a daze.
"Um… What just happened?"
Liu Shan subconsciously spoke his mind and his words brought Manager He back to his senses.
Even he (Manager He) was unable to process the situation that just happened. As someone who has worked alongside Madam Lu for many years, he has never seen her show so much favor towards anyone other than her niece, Zhao Ya'Er."
It was the same for Lu Tian. He heard that the boy has fallen for a girl, but he (Manager He) did not think it was this serious.
Then again, from his short time of meeting Yue Ling, he can now relax in ease knowing that Lu Tian has finally found a girl.
However, brushing these thoughts aside, he thought back to Liu Shan's question. The image of Lu Tian and Madam Lu's behavior towards Yue Ling enters his mind and shakes his head.
"Jealousy is unhealthy for the human body."
He walks over to Liu Shan and pat the young man on the shoulder with a smile.
"Since our bosses are discussing the meeting elsewhere, should I give you a tour of the company?"
Still in a daze, Liu Shan obligingly nods his head without thinking. He looks at Manager He but flinches in fear when he saw the middle-aged man's smiling face.
He swallows a hard a difficult gulp before gesture to the door and trembles a crooked smile.
"P-Please lead the way."
Manager He's smile widens and without any intention of staying in the room, he walks out to lead the way. Behind him, Liu Shan pats his chest and was able to breathe again.
He inhales a deep breath then glances at Manager He's departing figure. It was at that moment, that he couldn't help but sob inside.
'Boss, how can you leave me here, alone, with Jafar? Why? Why?'
Outside of Cloth Co., a metallic silver Lotus Evora drives out from the parking lot and enters the streets of Imperial. Inside the car, Yue Ling sat in the passenger seat in a daze as her head turn to look at the driver.
"Where are we going? Why are we leaving Cloth Co.?"
She thought they were only going to a different room, but he had led her out of the building. Not only that, but he also led her to the beautiful beast she was admiring upon arrival,
It was also then that she felt like an idiot for not realizing sooner.
Who else in all of Imperial can afford to buy so many luxurious cars?
Lu Tian continues to drive the car, but he didn't forget to answer her question.
"We're going somewhere to finish out meeting."
Yue Ling wanted to ask about this 'place' but remembering Madam Lu's words before the elevator door closed, her eyes on Lu Tian slightly narrows.
"What did your mother mean when she said she is the rightful owner?"
Lu Tian never once looked at his wife but focused on the road ahead. When he heard her question, he felt a small nervous feeling crawl inside him.
It was a feeling he has never experienced before, but only in front of his wife.
He glances sideways at her but only for a quick second as he looks back ahead.
A small shrill of guilt can be seen on his face and he swallows nervously. When he planned everything for the meeting, he didn't think about what will happen if his mother were to show up.
He presses his lip into a straight line and tries to think of what to say.
Yue Ling arch an eyebrow at his expression. She felt deceived by him, yet, at the same time, amused. Casually crossing her arms over her chest, she looks at him like a mother looking at her child for an explanation.
"Tian."
Lu Tian felt his heart tremble at her voice. He sighs deeply and without looking at her, he answers truthfully.
"Cloth Co. is a textile company owned by my mother but is under Lu Corps. She built the company with her own hands while Lu Corps does the funding."
A small gasp of surprise escapes Yue Ling's mouth. She leans closer to him and asks like a curious child.
"So, you're telling me, your mother is actually the mysterious owner of Cloth Co.?"
Lu Tian responded with an 'mm' as Yue Ling leans back in her seat. She touches her chin like she was pondering hard about something.
"Then that means, you deceived me and posed as Cloth Co.'s owner?"
"Mm. Something like that."
Lu Tian answers without thinking. However, catching his own mistake, he frows with pouting lips.
"No, it's not something like that."
Unable to contain her smile at how she had tricked him, her left hand raised to cover her mouth. Behind her hand, she was grinning from ear to ear while trying not to laugh loudly.
"Oh, so it was like that."
Although her tone was flat, Lu Tian could hear her faint giggles behind each word. He sighs inside and could not believe that he had fallen for her trap.
Since the situation has come to this, he minds as well explain clearly to her why he posed as the owner.
"My mother is indeed the owner, but she never attends the meetings. She is quite gullible when it comes to business deals, so my father is afraid she might be fooled by others and asked that I go in her stead."
His words fell as he returns to his usual self. Of course, there was still gentleness in his demeanor as he is in the presence of his wife.
He reaches a hand to hold her hand and pulls it up to his lip. As he places a soft kiss on the back of her hand, his voice sounds again.
"So, to put less worry on my mother, I took the liberty to handle this meeting."
Yue Ling nods her head in understanding. When he held her hand, she didn't think much as it was something, she had gotten used to. However, feeling his lip brush against the back of her hand, a burning sensation filled her cheeks.
She quickly clears her throat as if to clear her blushing cheeks.
"Should I praise you for being a filial son then?"
Lu Tian glance at her and knew she was being sarcastic to hide her shyness. He changes the position he was holding her hand so that his fingers could fill in the space between her fingers.
"It would be nice if you did praise me."
He slows the car to a stop at a red light and turns his head to look at her as she to him.
"Not as a filial son."
His hand on the steering wheel loosens its grip and he reaches over to her. He places his palm on the back of her head and pulls her in towards
