Once the meeting, which was in the middle of the third month, was over and Jiang Yuyan left, everyone praised him in front of Lu Jinhai.
”Mr. Chairman, he seems ready now. Why don’t you call him back and ask him to take his place?” one man asked.
”Not now. When he is ready on his own, only then it is possible. Moreover, let him learn some more,” Lu Jinhai replied.
”That’s true. But we all wish him to take his position. Not like we don’t want the current President. She is remarkable but we all know she only wished to be here till Lu Lijun is ready and then pass it to him. If it has to happen one day, then we are happy if it’s soon.”
”When the time comes, he will be here for sure,” Lu Jinhai assured, not willing to talk much about it.
Jiang Yuyan returned to her office and while sitting in the chair she was thinking about Lu Lijun. She was sure he was only working and was not taking care of himself.
”Xiao Min, last time after you told Noah, is Lu Lijun taking care of himself?” she asked.
”Well, Noah is trying everything but the fourth young master is a little… stubborn…I mean when it comes to working he ignores everything.”
After Lu Lijun left for England, they didn’t call each other to talk about anything personal. All the conversation was during meetings and the rest things were communicated by Noah to Xiao Min who informed Jiang Yuyan. She could not call him to ask how he was and if he was doing good. She wanted him to stay away from her but not like this like a stranger.
Not knowing what to do she could only instruct, “instruct Noah once more and even talk to Martha and Jerome.”
”I have talked to them and Martha said he is being ignorant towards himself. He, most of the time, works throughout the night and even falls asleep in his chair. His food is mostly left untouched in his room whenever Martha takes it to him to force him to eat.”
Jiang Yuyan sighed, ‘I didn’t let him go away from here only to be like this. This guy…’
Just then Lu Jinhai came to her office after talking to others in the meeting room.
She stood up, “Father, I would have come to your office.”
”It’s fine,” he said and sat on the couch. Jiang Yuyan went to him and sat opposite him.
”I was here to tell you that you might have to go to England.”
It puzzled her, “M-Me?”
”Last time I told you that either you or I have to go there. Some other important work here needs my presence so you have to go there. The companies we have collaborated and worked with, none of us two met anyone of them personally and they dealt through Lu Lijun. This time they requested if any of us could be present in their collaboration event.”
”But Lu Lijun is doing fine.”
”Yes he is and everyone is impressed but it will be good if the Chairman or president goes there. Those are huge projects that we can not compromise and you know how things work most of the time. Things are more meaningful with the power of the chair the person sits on.”
”I understand, father. I will think about it.”
”Hmm.” Lu Jinhai left after discussing a few more things
Jiang Yuyan was in a dilemma. He wanted to stay away for a while but if I go there, it’s like failing his attempts,” she sighed helplessly.
Finally, the third month was over. It’s been three months since Lu Lijun was gone and he didn’t come home even once. Family only thought to let him do what he was doing. Everyone thought he was focused on his career and let him focus on it.
He was working hard and everywhere his name flashed among the young successful people and not just in his country but even outside the country’s business world had started to recognise his presence other than just Chairman and President Lu who everyone was aware of.
On the first date of the fourth month, they had a video call meeting with everyone where they would discuss things with Lu Lijun but that meeting got cancelled. Something came up that Lu Lijun was not available to join the meeting.
”What happened?” Jiang Yuyan asked Xiao Min.
Noah said he suddenly had to attend the meeting with one other collaborating company so he had to delay our meeting.
”Get San Zemin on work and ask him to look into it,” Jiang Yuyan instructed. She felt worried about Lu Lijun as in her heart she was getting the feeling that something was not right.
”Okay, boss.”
The next day, the previous day’s cancelled meeting was arranged again. Lu Lijun was as usual ready in his suite and had the same attitude like previous meetings.
”Apologies for yesterday’s inconvenience,” Lu Lijun said and continued the meeting.
Instead of hearing what he was saying, Jiang Yuyan was observing his actions and his face. In between, he used to furrow his eyebrows a little which was not noticeable to others but to Jiang Yuyan.
Jiang Yuyan noticed that the background behind Lu Lijun was different. It was always his office and she was till now familiar with the kind of interiors his office had and this one didn’t look like one. He had long curtains behind him which looked simple and seemed to be sitting on a brown leather couch placed closer to the window covered with the curtains.
’Is he not in the office?” she thought.
She observed him some more and thought, ‘He is getting good at hiding.’
The meeting was over after half an hour where the others left and Jiang Yuyan Lu Jinhai stayed back to talk to Lu Lijun.
”Lu Lijun, one of us will come to England this week,” Lu Jinhai informed.
Lu Lijun nodded, “That will be better. Mr Mountbatten wished to meet you,” he said.
Just then Xiao Dong, Lu Jinhai’s assistant came to him, “Mr Chairman, an important call for you.”
Lu Jinhai got up and excused himself while Jiang Yuyan bowed to him to say bye. Just then she heard an unknown voice through the screen from Lu Lijun’s side.
”Mr. Lu, you should rest instead of…..”
It was cut off and the screen went blank even before Jiang Yuyan could guess what was going on. It was the voice of a quiet older British woman and why was she asking him to rest.
Jiang Yuyan then called San Zemin, “Check where Lu Lijun is.”
Sometime later she received a call from him, “Boss, he is in the hospital.”
”For what?” she panicked.
”Yesterday he fainted and Noah admitted him to hospital and…”
”And what?”
”Seems like he had surgery today.”
”What?” she panicked, “What kind of surgery?”
”I will email you details,” he said and she hung up the call.
She looked at Xiao Min who looked worried too. “You Xiao Min, what were you doing? Didn’t I tell you to look for him?”
”Boss, that…”
”No more words,” she warned and ordered, “Make arrangements for me to go there.”
She was leaving so suddenly and didn’t know what to tell Lu Jinhai about her sudden departure.
She went to Lu Jinhai’s office. Standing in front of him, she said, “Father, I am leaving for England tonight.”
”Tonight?” he asked. Though they talked about going there, it was not meant to be today itself.
”Something came up and I think I need to be there. It will help Lu Lijun,” she replied hesitantly and prayed that Lu Jinhai would not ask her what came up so suddenly.
”Fine, you can leave. I will handle everything here,” Lu Jinhai said without asking her anything.
