Just as they were about to go to bed , turning slightly so he could see her silhouette pressing softly on the space next to him, he spoke. His voice solemn and distance. His eyes carried a trace of loneliness he couldn't control.
"While you were in Russia, was there ever someone you liked?"
Sensing his quick question as though he was afraid he might swallow back his words, Xiao Ai shifted around before finding a comfortable position. The little dipping of the bed made Gu Bojing slightly nervous.
Perhaps he shouldn't have asked.
Xiao ai stared at the painting on the wall, in her crispy and soft voice she muttered.
"We don't have a picture together. Should we get one when we go to visit the elders?" She asked evading his question.
For some reason, Gu Bojing felt relieved that she didn't answer.
For another reason, he felt sad and anxious. Wondering if the answer could be what he hoped for.
The human heart can't be controlled at times like this. At times like this, he wished he could be numb to feelings.
He wished he could not care what his heart felt.
He wished he could ignore the uneasiness in his chest.
Though they were married, he couldn't ignore the facts that she might not be his in her heart.
In her heart...is there him?
Or him?
He pondered for a bit before reaching out his hand to place around her waist. Holding her a bit close but not too close because he felt she could melt away.
Away into the hands of some other men.
"Tomorrow I will help you sell the gold items."
"You know a buyer better than the one your brother spoke of?" She curiously asked peering at him from underneath the duvet.
This silly woman, one word about money and she was already interested.
"You can always sell it back to him. Bolin would offer a higher price to get those items back."
"Isn't that foolish of your brother who is also a business man." She commented unable to grasp the difference between the two brothers.
Gu Bojing was profit minded.
Gu Bolin liked to squander money.
She wondered where he got that much money from.
He could even decorate his house with gold.
"He has good eye for investments. He may act like he care but its easier for him to get more of those items." He slowly patted her waist trying to get rid of the uneasiness he felt.
Xiao Ai hummed." How is it that you don't buy expensive things like that?"
"I don't fancy things like that. But if Mrs Gu wants I can build you a house out of gold." he chuckled thinking about how in the past she had been obsessed about expensive jewelry.
"That sounds like you have an unfathomable wealthy somewhere..." Xiao Ai thought for a while.."should I change my prey and rob you instead?" She considered directly looking up into his eyes which looked even darker in the dimly lit room.
"You are more than welcome."
"Nah...I don't want to bully you, although I have the ability to." She bragged.
Gu Bojing smiled peacefully inhaling her after shower scent.
It didn't matter who she loved, what matters was that he had her in his arms right now.
Even if she doesn't love him...it will be fine. He would get used to it...
Gradually...he hoped ....
Even if it was false hope...
He was willing to hold onto it ..
As long as it was there...
Minutes seemed like hours as it passed.
After a while...Xiao Ais faint voice could be heard.
"Hubby, have you been to Russia before?" She threw back the question he had given her in the living room.
-------
Gu Bolin had stomped off in anger, feeling sad that he was only the victim of her bullying.
Soon after they heard the angry shutting of the main door, Gu Bojing turned to look at her.
His gaze deep and scrutinizing.
"Have you been to Russia before?" He suddenly asked not giving Xiao Ai any room to adjust to his gaze and question.
Xiao Ai instantly looked away behind him as though there was something there she couldn't take her eyes off.
Russia?
Of course she's been there.
That was the beginning of all beautiful things for her and also the end of all beautiful things.
But...
"No why do you ask?" She confidently denied.
"I heard you studied your psychology major in Russia before moving to City Z for masters." He said exposing her confident lies.
Xiao Ai looked embarrassed for some time before covering it with a shy smile.
Why did she have to lie about something so obvious?
"He eh...did I say no. I almost forgot. Don't mind me? Why did you ask?"
"Em...nothing. I was just wondering if you could speak Russian." He lied.
"Of course I can. I studied and loved there for over four years." She stated proudly showing off.
Gu Bojing raised a brow.."Fluently?" He questioned.
"Yes fluently." She confirmed.
-------
Gu Bojung acted like he hasn't heard her question and simply stopped the movement of his hands patting her waist.
So they were both ignoring questions they didn't want to answer.
Following his silence, Xiao Ai started to doubt that he indeed felt familiar.
Was he that man?
That man she couldn't remember?
Xiao Ai tried to clear her mind as she closed her eyes, hoping that she would sleep soon.
The following morning, Xiao Ai woke up earlier than usual. So when Gu Bojing woke up he was met by a cold bed.
He dressed up and left for the company.
His assistant hurriedly gave him the iPad.
"Boss, it seems someone is trying to block the news of you and madams relationship." He reported keeping a safe distance so he wont be affected by his boss cold reaction .
Gu Bojings swift steps faltered a bit, he looked distantly into the air, as the tension around him increased.
Li Yu suddenly felt like the whole room was covered in an invisible mist. Not daring to breath too loud he shifted backwards even more.
The person blocking the news was so mysterious that even when he used all their resources they couldn't find out who he was.
Gu Bojing nodded after a while and dismissed him. He stood on the same spot wondering if the silent, cold war had already started.
Because of him...she had forgotten about their memories.
Back then, was she so eager to save him that she didn't even consider her own life?
Was this the start of another fight for her?
Again!?
At care medical center, Xiao Ai didn't have a lot of patients to attend to as she was still on her sick leave.
"Reduce the sleep inducing pills you are giving to miss Xu, she only needs a few sessions of counseling and she will be good to go." Xiao Ai said to the fellow behind her.
"That soon?" The lad asked obviously surprised.
He heard that Xiao Ai was efficient and capable but this was the first time he witnessed that.
His admiration for her suddenly shoot up to the sky.
Xiao Ai noticed his look and gestured for him to leave.
"He eh hehe...isn't this shameless goddess Zhao?" Lifen mocked snatching the file Xiao Ai was holding.
Xiao Ai walked forward ignoring Lifens Mockery gaze.
"Bitch! I messaged you on weibo last night. Were you busy with your man in bed so you didn't think I was important?" She asked catching up to Xiao Ai who had turned in the direction of staff lounge.
"Since you already know, why are you still asking me? Are you really itching to be heartbroken? We were having pillow talk besides am a very busy doctor you know?" She bragged.
Xiao Ai thought about how Gu Bojing had ignored her question last night and turned to Lifen with a curious look.
Xiao Ai and Lifen met in Russia while she was studying. Although she attended a different high school compared to Xiao Ai and Yusheng, they were closer to each other than with Yusheng.
Lifen peeled an orange and gave a part to Xiao Ai as she studied her best friend.
"Why do you suddenly look so serious? Makes me want to laugh at you."
"Lifen, back in Russia was there a man I liked very much a part from that fool?"
Lifen had a look of surprise, but quickly masked it with her non-chalant look.
Why was she suddenly asking?
Does she remember?
"Hmmm..lemme count. Apart from flings do you want me to add your part time boyfriends. Or your girlfriends?" Lifen asked sizing Xiao Ai up as if looking at a criminal who wanted to redeem herself.
Xiao Ai kicked Lifen in the shin before seriously asking." Am saying real like..as in real like. Apart from that fool, did I have real like for someone else?"
Lifen acted like she was thinking about it for a while before shaking her head.
"I don't think so. Besides I wasn't with you all the time so there might be someone that I don't know but it's mostly unlike that there's someone. Why are you suddenly asking?"
Xiao Ai felt that Lifen was trying to avoid directly answering her question
"Nothing much. I just feel like Gu Bojings presence seems much too familiar. You don't feel familiar with him?"
"No apart from being Emperor Gu, I don't think I personally know him. Those times we were in Russia, Emperor Gu was already popular here. I don't think he's familiar."
Xiao Ai sucked on the orange for some time before tossing it into the bin nearby.
"I heard that you have started using Little guy again, are you back to the old ways. Didn't we promise to be law abiding citizens?" Lifen asked glaring at Xiao Ai who had an indifferent look on her face.
"Law abiding Citizens? When did we promise to be that? If we were good citizens, why did we rob the market that time after making that silly promise two days before? Weren't you the most encouraging then?"
Lifen looked away a bit embarrassed. She caught sight of Miss Xu who was gently walking over, her drip over her head.
"That time we were poor. Poorer than church rats so we had no choice. Don't try to push the blame on me. You stole the most stuff!" she quickly accused trying to free herself from the shameless act."ah...who was the one that ran through the market yesterday? Were you poor again?"
Xu Ning got to the lounge and settled herself comfortably on one of the chairs.
"I believe you two are from a very rich background, how is it that you were so poor you had to resort to running through the market and stealing." Xu Ning asked carefully scrutinizing Lifen who seemed to not care about her.
Long Lifen....
Wasn't she the one in history who killed her husband on their wedding night....
Lifen....
Lifen acted like she didn't notice her gaze and turned to Xiao Ai.
"As prideful women who just graduated and got a job, we spent most our money on apartment furnishment and buying expensive clothes. It was all Xiao Ais fault so let's just out the blame on her."
Xiao Ai glared at her disloyal friend...ignoring her she turned to Xu Ning.
"How are you feeling?"
Xu Ning snorted."How do you think? Cheng Che is with the military currently. At this rate they would dig out everything. Aren't you so capable Lada..." she accused with fake mockery in her voice.
"Wasn't that what you wanted? I simply..." Xiao Ai got a call from her grandfather and gestured to Xu Ning.
Lifen stared at Xu Ning.
She knew Xiao Ai as Lada...this woman must not be simple.
"En...I got it. I will be there soon." Xiao Ai said and stood up adjusting her hair and clothes. "Grandfather just called. I am going over to Stars Corporation."
"Is everything fine? Did grandfather finally make the best and right decision of dis owning a shameless one like you?" Lifen asked fake worry in her face.
"Unlike you my disloyal friend who was chased out of her house, am going over for a press conference. I just changed my Family name to Mo. I got the papers last night. I am officially a Mo so be glad you are friends with a cool person like me." she bragged.
Xu Ning stood up after Lifen and stared at Xiao Ai..
"You are changing your family name? So from now on you would not be Zhao Ai but Mo Ai..." she asked her face full of surprise.
"Yes..Mo Ai." she proudly agreed.
"So you are not Zhao Ai but Mo Ai...Mo Ai...that person....but you are married to Gu Bojing.. aren't you supposed to be married to someone else?" She hurriedly asked fearing that what she was thinking was true.
Mo Ai...
She broke through history.
In the future, her history will be a separate major course.
She was also the one woman that brought Russia and China together in the future.
But...why did it feel like history wasn't the sane...
She was supposed to be married to....
Xiao Ai stared at Xu Ning for some time.
She knew Xu Ning was a woman from the future.
Perhaps she had things to tell her.
Patting her shoulders, she hurriedly spoke." I will be back to have a nice chat with you."
After she left Lifen and Xu Ning were left studying each other before Lifen finally walked away leaving the bewildered Xu Ning with her thoughts.
Mo Ai....
That dreadful name..