"Ah, hello. Did I startle you?" Xu Rouguang tilted his head a little as he noticed the frozen stare Lai Mingjie was giving him. "I'm really so sorry..."
Lai Mingjie's eye twitched before he shook his head. He then glared daggers at the other man and grinned like a dog baring his fangs as a warning. "Hah, what are you trying to do? It's been a really long time. I'm not surprised if you'd learn to be scheming. What the hell do you want from me, Xu Rouguang?"
Xu Rouguang's eyes flashed with a kind of gleeful light, one that Lai Mingjie didn't expect to see. The smile further widened as the man took another step closer to grab his shoulders. In one excited gesture, he exclaimed, "You... you know me?"
"What?"
"You... you know my name!"
"Of course, I know your name, you birdbrain!" Lai Mingjie was scared. His fragile body was grabbed by the most destructive general of the heavens, and he needed to protect himself. As a reflex, he used his fist clutching the scarf to chop at Xu Rouguang's head. The action had been done even before he could hold back.
"Ah! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" Xu Rouguang held his head and backed off a step. He somewhat cowered after receiving a hit from the man. He then straightened his body and bowed to apologize profusely. "I'm really sorry. I just felt you're a little familiar. I must have met you before." A smile flashed across such a youthful handsome face. "Do you mind telling me your name?"
Another fist flew towards Xu Rouguang, and this time, it hit him just above the nose. A sound of crack followed it as well as a groan from both men. Lai Mingjie was so insulted by what he said. Hundreds of thousands of years ago, all this vicious headhunter wanted was a piece of him, and now, he had forgotten about it?
Shaking his hand to relieve the pain, Lai Mingjie roared at the man who was holding his nose with both hands. "Felt a little familiar, my ass! How dare you forget about me?!"
Xu Rouguang only winced at his yelling, keeping his head low and ready to take on another blow from him. He felt so guilty for not knowing the man. However, no matter how hard he thought, he couldn't recall anything about this man... only that he was someone he had sought for before. It was too hard to explain, but he hoped he would be able to ask the other man to listen to him.
The passing crowd was getting thicker, and the way they saw the bickering was quite infuriating to Lai Mingjie. Whether he liked it or not, he still had to play being the respectable heir of Jade Dragon Industries, Inc. A slight misunderstanding that could lead to rumors was something he had to avoid. The enraged man only looked at him before huffing.
"Follow me. Let's talk somewhere else."
Xu Rouguang raised his head and scratched his cheek. "I... I have to decline. Uhm, I have to be somewhere today. I just passed by and happened to see you. Will you be here again tomorrow?"
Lai Mingjie glared at the man and his goosebumps-inducing smiles towards him. He should stop looking so coquettish, or else Lai Mingjie would be so confused. "Tch, fine, let's talk on the way. Where are you headed?"
"Ah, thank you so much. Actually, I have a feeling that I got lost." Xu Rouguang was like a child that was so happy finding this person. He produced a letter from the satchel he had on him. He handed it to Lai Mingjie who received it casually. The demon king couldn't believe he would be seen in such a friendly encounter with his archenemy, General Xu.
"Tch, Crimson City is too organized to have you lose your way. It's either the address is wrong or that you're an idiot." Lai Mingjie berated the general in a murmur. However, his eyes twitched again upon seeing the letter given to him. It was a referral from one of his former directors... for Xu Rouguang. As ironic as it was, it was even addressed to him and his office. "...What is Nuwa planning...?"
"Mister?"
"Don't 'Mister' me. It's Lai Mingjie." The demon king consoled his head with his other hand. Pinching in-between his eyebrows wouldn't help, but he did it anyway. He then frowned at the man who was surprised as well. His face spoke so loud: Lai Mingjie? Like the one in the letter? A hand moved as if beckoning the general as Lai Mingjie held onto the letter. "Take the coffee and follow me. Let's just talk in my office."
"Okay, sir." Xu Rouguang almost chirped like a bird. His warm smile was plastered on his face, and so Lai Mingjie refused to look back at him. Who would have thought that he would have his archenemy as someone working in his office? What a ridiculous lifetime he had... oh, someone press 'fast forward' to skip the three remaining years please.
...
The revolving doors to Jade Dragon Towers—or endearingly known as JT—moved, and everyone cleared a path for the company's finance director-slash-CEO's son. Another man was following him like a duckling while looking around JT's lobby. It was so bright and elegant like a five-star hotel with smart business design. The greenish glass walls were so attractive that Xu Rouguang wanted to stay and look around some more. However, he decided to follow Lai Mingjie and make a beeline towards the elevator. The express elevator for the executives was out-of-service, but the employees still refused to ride with them.
"Sir..."—Xu Rouguang admired the view from the transparent shaft—"this is a very beautiful place. I really wish to work here."
"Sir..." Lai Mingjie sighed before taking a good look at the distracted Xu Rouguang. The hardness of his face and the mania in his eyes were gone like he never hunted demons like a crazy monster. This man next to him was too soft to be the general that he knew. If there was anything, he seemingly resembled an imperial princess who was now venturing the world. An imperial princess? Wasn't that his favorite food?
Lai Mingjie looked away and only stared at the advancing number on the side of the elevator. Was this also a form of having his luxuries at his feet? What kind of reward did they bait for Xu Rouguang to agree to do this? Approaching Emodao like a buffoon and morphing his smiles into something warm and natural? What did Xu Rouguang lack while he was in heaven?
"Hey, Xu Rouguang." Lai Mingjie turned to him with a serious expression. "Don't you really remember me?"
"Uh... this..." The general only answered with a helplessly sorry expression. He could only offer a sweet smile. "I really lost my memories, but I can function very well. Director Lai, are we really familiar with each other? It was as if I recognized you at the back of my mind when I first saw you. Did we... share something intimate before?"