Upstairs in the study room, Yue Ling sat in her office chair while waiting for her assistant. She is alone because Lu Tian had gone out to check how the renovation is coming along.
Since he wasn't there to witness what she 'saw, she decided to take matters into her own hands. It was also because she has the mind to hear people out while Lu Tian won't hesitate to unleash his wrath.
* creak
The door to the study room slowly opens, and she glances at it. She watches as Liu Shan pokes his head in with a hesitant expression.
"Boss…"
She crosses her right leg over her left leg the folds her arms. Her face held no other expression other than indifference. However, deep inside, she couldn't get the scene of Liu Shan, Xu Long, and the young man out of her head.
It was no wonder Zhao Ya'Er would think Xu Long swings the other way.
Just thinking about it made her want to laugh in tears, but she needs to control her emotions and hear Liu Shan's reason.
"Liu Shan, would you mind explaining to me why a stranger is in my home?"
Hearing the coldness in her voice, Liu Shan couldn't help but shiver. He was behaving like a husband caught cheating and returned home.
He had thought of what to say as he climbed the stairs, but judging by Yue Ling's expression, he was sure he messed up.
Lin Hui, Xu long, and Qi Li were against the idea of bringing Liu Ye here, but he promised to take the blame.
Since he made a promise, he must own up to it.
He inhales a deep and silent breath before taking a step inside the room. However, in a split second, he leaps forward and drops to his knees.
"Boss, we didn't mean to go behind your back. Red Moon asked for it, and Liu Ye is an innocent child dragged away from his family by Tao Meng. If I hadn't done what I did, that child would have died back there."
Both his palms clasp together tightly, and he squeezes his eyes shut as if trying to shed some pitiful tears.
"You taught us never to stand by and watch while an innocent life is at stake. I did what I had to."
He chokes a sob but was unable to cry a tear.
"I, Liu Shan, swore an oath to protect the innocent with my life."
His head lifts to look at Yue Ling, and although he wasn't able to cry, he was able to make tears swell up in his eyes.
"If anyone is to blame, it is me. I am willing to take all punishment given."
Yue Ling: "…"
Yue Ling was flabbergasted by Liu Shan's pitiful acting. She unfolds her arms and pinches the space between her eyebrows.
She needed to do this, or else she will laugh. She wasn't going to punish him for bringing in a stranger, but he made her look like a bad person.
However, thinking about Liu Shan's words, she was rather proud to call him her assistant and friend. Instead of dragging the others in, he takes all the blame.
"That's enough. I only wanted-"
"Wait."
Before she could finish her sentence, Liu Shan cuts her off. Her hand lowers, and she arches an eyebrow.
Liu Shan gulped at interrupting his boss but taking her silence as a cue to continue, he reaches inside for his pocket. He takes out his phone, unlocks it, and hands it to her.
"I have proof that the kid is innocent."
" …"
Yue Ling really didn't what to think now. She felt like a judge, and Liu Shan was a lawyer trying to defend his case.
She heaves a long sigh to clear her mind. She was already aware of why
she and Lu Tian's subordinates went to Red Moon. She isn't angry with them for doing so, nor is she mad about the stranger in her house.
After all, she trusts her subordinates and knows that they won't carelessly bring someone dangerous around.
"I can tell that he is innocent."
She knew at a glance that Liu Ye was innocent. Although the young man was confused and scared of what was happening, he reminded her of Gu Ting.
However, not wanting Liu Shan's pleading act to go to waste, she takes the phone from him.
"I'm not angry that you brought a stranger here. I just wanted to hear your reason."
Her indifferent expression returns to its usual calm and warm look. She looks down at the phone, and she scans the screen with her thumb every so often, scrolling up. The information was a rough detail of Liu Ye and his current situation.
However, the more she read, her expression darkens.
Her fingers clench tightly onto the phone, but she calms herself. A little more pressure and she was sure she would break the phone.
No one should ever experience such a horrible fate.
She handed it back to Liu Shan and stood up from her seat.
"Find out all the details and send it to my phone."
Liu Shan doesn't get up, but his head follows her every move. He was confused by many things.
Isn't his boss angry with him? Why does she need more information on Liu Ye? What about his punishment?
Unable to read her mind, he gathers himself together and follows after her.
"What are you going to do?"
Yue Ling kept a casual pace and glance sideways at Liu Shan, who had caught up to her. She gives him a smile that reaches her eyes.
"I'm going to meet our little stranger."
She shrugs her shoulders and walks towards the stairs to go down. Behind her, Liu Shan had stopped in his steps and stare with slightly wide eyes at her.
He couldn't help but shiver in remembrance of her smile. It was a smile that can swoon any person's heart, but at the same time, it looked so deadly.
Are they in trouble? What will happen to Liu Ye?
His head lowers to his hand, and he stares at his phone. He had gathered enough information about Liu Ye, but his boss wants more. Could it be that there are some details he had missed?
Downstairs in the dining room, Liu Ye sat at the table. He was surrounded by the members of Alpha Team and Wolf Team. He watched as everyone talked amongst each other while eating the food on the table.
As an outsider, he was baffled by the appearances of the people in front of him.
Some looked beyond terrifying. Even more so than the people he encountered in Red Moon. As for the others, they looked refined and fashionable.
However, what took him by surprise the most was that everyone got along like a big family.
He knows that each individual is vital from what happened last night, but the air around them wasn't like Red Moon.
Remembering his brief encounter with Yue Ling, he was even more confused. Why is the well-known retired supermodel hanging around people like this?
"Hey kid, what's wrong with you? Is the food not to your liking?"
Before his thoughts on the situation could deepen, Jiangyu's voice sounds from across the table. He looks at the bulky man but quickly averts his eyes in fear of being rude.
Not only that, out of everyone here, Jiangyu was the most intimidating one. However, he did not know that there is one other person he has yet to meet, and that person is Lu Tian.
Jiangyu frowns, making his already scary expression even scarier. He looks behind his left shoulder then right shoulder. He was sure their eyes met, but why did the kid reacted like he saw a ghost?
As he looks over his right shoulder, he sees Yiqing walking up behind him with a plate of food in hand, ready to sit down and eat.
His frown deepens, unaware that it was actually him who scared Liu Ye.
"Yiqing, you idiot. Look at what you did. Your face frightened the kid so much he can't even eat."
Yiqing: "…"
Yiqing's steps faltered, but he was quick to steady himself. He walks up to the table and pulls a chair to sit down.
He doesn't look at Jiangyu but picks up his chopsticks and calmly eats his food.
"I think you should look in the mirror. Between you and me, I look like an angel while you look like a hooligan."
Jiangyu: "…"
