The elder young madam's husband was an expatriate executive and was not in S City for most of the year. There was only the old master, the elder young madam and her son, the younger master. The old master also loved the young master very much. However, there seemed to be some estrangement between them since that incident. Especially in recent years, the young master would avoid going back to the old manor if he could.
Qidong had accompanied the young master for the last ten years; he knew he was in no position to question the young master's instructions. He need only to execute the instructions. "Yes," he replied and turned to leave.
...
One wondered if everyone else had such a loyal best friend; one that they had known for more than ten years and have worked hand in glove with since high school. Even if one had not slept for three days and nights, with just a phone call from her—regardless of the reason, one was duty-bound to crawl out of bed to cry together, laugh together, get in trouble together, do crazy things together…
Su Ran and Jing Wushuang had such a relationship.
Jing Wushuang took a nap after returning to her apartment. It was almost evening when she woke. Right after freshening up, she received a call from Su Ran. Through the phone came a bright voice filled with vigor. "Shuangshuang, come over quickly. It's urgent."
Su Ran and Wushuang's personalities were extreme opposites; Su Ran was fiery and energetic while Wushuang was cool and reserved. It was hard to believe that they could be such good friends. In Su Ran's own words, it was a friendship forged through fighting. A relationship built through adversity.
Wushuang was used to Su Ran's temperament. She walked to the ceiling-high windows, drew open the curtains and asked leisurely, "What's up? Where are we going?"
It was still foggy outside. It had been drizzling all day and there were no signs of it stopping. The early spring in S City was very irksome. Wushuang felt gloomy. She admired how Su Ran could be so perky and full of sunshine all year round. As if nothing in the world could get her down.
"This is an emergency. That b*stard clearly asked me out for dinner. No. More accurately, I finally agreed to have dinner with that b*stard, but then he blew me off. He said his two buddies had returned from abroad. I've known him since young. With his lousy personality, who'd want to be friends with him? He must be cheating on me. I'm going to catch him in the act. I sent my car to the workshop yesterday and I'll only get it back tomorrow. I'm at the south gate of Huijing Bay. He's about to leave. Hurry up and get here. I can't get a cab in this lousy weather and I'm freezing my butt off."
It was rare that her friend complained about the weather. Wushuang listened silently as her friend rambled on and on. She pictured her friend's expression as she peeked out from her hiding place behind the gate and smiled. Within that time, she had already put on her coat and fetched her keys. She picked up her handbag as she prepared to leave. "Give me ten minutes."
Fortunately, it was the weekend; traffic would be bad otherwise. Huijing Bay was a famous upmarket district not far away from where she lived. Taking into account the time needed to fetch her car, ten minutes should be enough.
Su Ran anxiously stomped her feet and urged, "Hurry up. I overheard that his appointment is at half past six. It's almost six now."
"Got it. I'm on the way to the parking garage. I'll hang up now."
"Don't hang up. Do you know where the south gate is? It's the one with the revolving musical fountain. What's the use of installing a musical fountain here? As if others don't know that the upstarts lived here..."