“Here, choose anything that you’d like to eat.” Lin Xuzheng passed the menu to her and said, “I remember you used to like dessert. Would you like to have one?”
“No.” Xu Yanwan shook her head, “I am not keen for dessert anymore like I used to.”
Desserts could lift up one’s spirits. However, they could pose quite a number of disadvantages too. Besides increasing the chances of weight gain and diabetes, they caused an elevated blood sugar level. Come to think of it, there wasn’t a need for Lin Xuzheng to be concerned about this in the past, because her parents would keep an eye on her eating habits whenever she had too much dessert. But now?
She had nothing and no one else to care for her; no one would check on her if she had a good night’s sleep. She had to learn how to stand on her own feet and take good care of herself, not overexerting too much over things which were beyond her abilities.
At last, Xu Yanwan ordered a cup of black coffee. Across the table, Lin Xuzheng was left speechless when he saw what she ordered. She was staying away from the food that she used to like; as for the food that she disliked, she even…
Staring at Xu Yanwan, Lin Xuzheng’s feelings of empathy toward her grew stronger—he recalled how devastated he too had been when he lost his wife. Even until now, he was not confident enough to say that he had completely overcome the agony of grief.
Sipping her coffee, Xu Yanwan could taste the bitterness in her tongue and mouth as it slowly dripped and spread into the depths of her heart. She wasn’t even sure whether it was just the pure taste of the coffee or her mood that was bitter. Only after drinking half of her coffee did Xu Yanwan finally look up and raise her gaze at Lin Xuzheng. “Xuzheng, just shoot. You asked me out because you have something to tell me, right?”
Lin Xuzheng was lost for words as he was taken aback by her abrupt question. Sigh, this girl really is smart and quick-witted. I asked her out just this once but she could already figure out my intention. “What’s wrong? I can’t ask you out for a chat? Must I have something specific to tell you?
Xu Yanwan gave a weak smile. “I don’t think it’s that simple. The other day when we met at the office, you looked like you had a lot going on in your mind and you wanted to speak with me but you didn’t. You were probably occupied with something else, so you didn’t come up to me. That was not too long ago, and you have now asked me out. Something is definitely up.”
“Alright, you are still smart like before.”
“Go ahead, Xuzheng. What do you want to tell me?”
“It’s nothing. I recall that there were always the three of us together. You were abroad before this, so we didn’t have any chance to meet up. Now that you are back, I want to take this opportunity to ask Han Qing along, so that the three of us can catch up with each other.”
Xu Yanwan frowned after hearing what he said. Ask Han Qing along?
“Yanwan, if you agree, I can call Han Qing now and fix the time—”
“No!” Xu Yanwan interrupted him and declined his offer even before Lin Xuzheng could finish his sentence.
“I am who I am now and not the old Xu Yanwan anymore. Let bygones be bygones. There’s no point to reminisce.” Upon finishing her sentence, Xu Yanwan stood up and quickly walked toward the exit.
With a flash in Lin Xuzheng’s eyes, he ran after her to stop her.
“Lin Xuzheng.” Xu Yanwan raised her head to look at him, not expecting that he would block her way. “What do you really want? You wanted Han Qing and I to meet up so that he will find out that I’m working in his company now. That’s your true motive, right?”
Lin Xuzheng couldn’t admit it, but Xu Yanwan hit the nail on the head this time. He indeed wanted Han Qing to find out about this. Xu Yanwan’s smile had now become sorrowful, her eyes filled with disappointment. “I didn’t expect that you who claim to be my brother would plot against me.”
“Yanwan, how is this plotting? Now with your situation, why are you still being so stubborn?”
“So are you feeling sorry for me now?” Xu Yanwan approached him closer and closer one step at a time, with her hands pressing on her chest. “You think that my job is too lowly, or that I’m broke and miserable, or that I must be pitiful as both of my parents are now dead, so you want to extend your hand of charity? Are you treating me like I’m some sort of a beggar?”
Lin Xuzheng was about to comfort her but after hearing what she said—the last part was too much—he was enraged. “Xu Yanwan!” Xu Yanwan came to a halt and stood there at the same spot. “If you still cherish the friendship we have since we were young, then you should know that we are always good friends. It’s the most logical and reasonable thing for friends to help each other out. What are you thinking? Why are you acting against us?”
It is reasonable for friends to help each other out. Yes, that’s what Xu Yanwan used to think. But why couldn’t she accept this now?
Watching her standing there in silence, Lin Xuzheng said, “No, I should correct myself. You are not against us.”
Xu Yanwan shivered a little and seemed to know what he was about to say. She intended to interrupt him, but it was too late.
“Perhaps the person you are against is Han Qing!”
Xu Yanwan’s eyes widened, staring at Lin Xuzheng. She let out a voice and chuckled. “Why do you say so?”
“Am I wrong to say that?” Lin Xuzheng pursed his lips, marching toward the table and sat on this seat, tapping his index finger on the table. “You agreed to meet up with me and talk with me. Now when I mentioned Han Qing, you are acting like you were hurt. So why don’t I guess the reason why you are against Han Qing?”
“Stop it!” Xu Yanwan interrupted him again.
“Is it because you don’t want to listen or is it because you are too afraid to listen?”
“Lin Xuzheng!”
“I always knew that you liked him since we were young.” At last, Lin Xuzheng had spoken his mind. With a stunned look on her face, Xu Yanwan looked at him in a daze, not believing that he had actually said it.
Hearing her own thoughts spoken out loud in words, Xu Yanwan was dumbfounded and speechless. “So? What’s your point of telling me these?”
Lin Xuzheng was quiet. Xu Yanwan was taking steps toward him now. “If you refuse to answer, I will answer it for you. You think that because of my feelings for Han Qing that made me want to work in the same company as he is, right?”
Upon hearing this, Lin Xuzheng frowned.
“So now, is it beyond my understanding that I no longer have the right to choose a company and work there? Lin Xuzheng, why do you have to stick your nose in my affairs? When I sent my resume to the employers, Han Group was just one of them. They recruited me. What’s the problem with me working in Han Group? I don’t want Han Qing to know about my presence here in the company. I just want to work hard and that’s all. Is there something wrong about that?” Xu Yanwan who used to be calm and soft-spoken almost lost her temper in front of her “brother” whom she grew up with.
Lin Xuzheng approached Xu Yanwan as he walked in front of her. He lowered his head and gazed upon her. “Work hard? But are you sure that is truly on your mind?”
