Lin Xuzheng and Xu Yanwan grew up together. He knew her too well. Aside from her parents, he was the person who understood her the most. Lin Xuzheng was like a mind-reader, skilled in observing and analyzing human behavior. Xu Yanwan was also capable of hiding her true feelings. If he hadn’t grown up with her, Lin Xuzheng probably would not be able to read her mind or understood her well too.
“What do you mean?” Xu Yanwan looked at him in surprise, smiling uncomfortably.
Wearing a serious expression on his face, Lin Xuzheng continued, “You have joined the Han Group for quite some time now, so you must have known that Han Qing has a girlfriend.”
“So what?” Xu Yanwan asked.
Lin Xuzheng frowned. So what? “Don’t you like him?”
“I do. I won’t pretend in front of you. I do like him, but what does it have to do with him having a girlfriend?”
Lin Xuzheng was dumbstruck and couldn’t respond.
“Just because he has a girlfriend now, does it mean that I can’t have a secret crush on him?” Xu Yanwan pressed her chest, emphasizing every word out loud. “I grew up with Han Qing together. I have loved him for as long as I have known him. Even after I went overseas, I have never stopped loving him. Just because he has a girlfriend now, must I relinquish all my feelings toward him? Can’t I even work in the same company with him?”
Lin Xuzheng was lost for words from her string of questions. But soon, he found a way to respond. He strided forward, rested his arm on Xu Yanwan’s shoulders and uttered softly, “He found someone that he loves now. Why do you have to do this?”
“I am willing to do it.” Xu Yanwan drew back from him by taking a step back. She glanced coldly at Lin Xuzheng. “It’s my business that l like him and it has nothing to do with anyone else. Even if we grew up together, you have no right to pry into my personal life.”
Lin Xuzheng pressed on. “Even if he never loves you back, is it okay too?”
“Yes!”
Lin Xuzheng’s lips moved, about to say something. Upon seeing this, Xu Yanwan immediately cut him off before he could speak a word. “Xuzheng, please say no more. Nobody can interfere with one’s relationship. I believe you know this better than me. If someone comes along and tells you to let go of your late wife and remarry, would you agree?”
Her words pierced deeply through his heart. Lin Xuzheng’s late wife was the soul of his life and no one was allowed to blaspheme about their relationship. If someone were to tell him to remarry, he would turn against him. At the beginning, there were people who tried to talk him into it. But later on, nobody ever did it again.
“You have nothing to say now, haven’t you? Great, from now onward, please don’t talk to me about this anymore. Rest assured, I won’t do anything else.” Xu Yanwan sniggered at the last sentence. Thereafter, she turned her back to him and left.
Lin Xuzheng stood still and stared blankly for a while before he drifted back to reality. He sat down and gently pressed his forehead between his eyebrows. What a headache. Xu Yanwan was way more stubborn than he thought. After so many years, she had changed a lot. The only thing that remained unchanged was her stubbornness. She won’t do anything else? He sure hoped that was true. Or else… the last thing he wanted was for Han Qing and Xu Yanwan to turn against each other. Otherwise, the relationship that they once shared and cherished in the past would be shattered completely.
What Lin Xuzheng had in mind was to take on Xu Yanwan to work in his company so that he could watch over and take care of her. After all, it broke his heart to see her in such a pitiable condition. Too bad, she was too bull-headed.
After Xu Yanwan left the cafe, she turned the corner and stood still. Tugging a strand of her hair behind the ear, she wiped off the tears that were starting to well up in her eyes. Until today, she never felt that the world was an unfair place. In the end, it was all because of what her father did that resulted in the current state with the Xu Family. She was also holding herself responsible for not stopping her father in time. But what about now?
What had she done wrong? She was only working in a company and that was all. Yet, Lin Xuzheng had called her out. Although they grew up together, it was obvious from his tone and words that he never cared for her personally. He didn’t even ask me how I was, Xu Yanwan thought.
Xu Yanwan was not counting on Lin Xuzheng to care for her, but she was only hoping that he would not meddle in her affairs. What he did today was well over his boundaries.
Xu Yanwan shut her eyes in an attempt to calm herself down. After pulling herself together, she hurriedly left. Before long, she was back in the office. In fact, she had applied for a half-day leave to meet Lin Xuzheng, so her supervisor was surprised to see her returning to the office so soon. “Yanwan? Didn’t you take half a day off? Why are you back so quickly?”
Xu Yanwan smiled as she uttered, “Miss Wenwen, it was all settled, so I came back early.”
“I see.” Jiang Wenwen glanced at her in satisfaction. “Excellent, you have all your focus on your work. But I notice that your eyes are a little reddish. Were you crying?” Upon finishing her words, Jiang Wenwen loomed forward to face Xu Yanwan, looking hard at her.
Her sudden approach had startled Xu Yanwan. Shaking her head with a smile on her face, she explained, “No, it was the sand that got into my eyes while I was walking by the road just now. I rubbed my eyes and that was how I got them. Do I look awful, Miss Wenwen? I think I should go to the bathroom to freshen up.”
“No, no, it’s not awful! You are a pretty girl, and you look even more adorable with those pinky eyes.” Jiang Wenwen patted her shoulders tenderly. “Silly girl, you are very capable, but your personality… is too stubborn. If you have any difficulties, feel free to share them with me. I’m not young anymore and I have gone through quite a lot—I can help in solving your problems.”
“Thanks for your concern, Miss Wenwen. That’s nice of you.”
“Silly girl, you better go to the bathroom and wash your eyes.” Jiang Wenwen gently pushed her shoulders while Xu Yanwen left after that.
Just as she had walked away, Jiang Wenwen spotted from the corner of her eye a silhouette hiding at the entryway. At the moment she glanced toward the entrance, the person quickly shrunk behind the door.
Jiang Wenwen narrowed her eyes as she strode toward the door. “It’s you?”
The receptionist was caught speechless.
“What are you doing in my department?” Jiang Wenwen was then silent for a while.
The receptionist took a quick glance at where Xu Yanwan stood earlier as she inquired, “Miss Wenwen, is Xu Yanwan working under your supervision?”
“Yes, that girl is hardworking and smart. I plan to provide her with more training, as she is soon potentially my new helpful assistant.”
