Previously, at the restaurant,
'What can I do now? I can't leave Jane Jane alone and can't roam freely either! What a problamatic situation I am trapped in!' Song Lin wanted to disappear if she could.
Xiao Jane tried but couldn't get the sight of Song Lin, all cause of the broad back of a man covering her existence at whole.
" I guess everything is fine at that table Miss Xiao...Will you order first?" he handed her the menu.
"No you can order first....I am fine with anything!"
"Sure! What about pancakes...?, I like pancakes....I hope it's to your taste as well..." he suggested, signalling the attendant to take the order.
'I am feeling low.....how should I start...?' Xiao Jane wondered, lost in her mental misery, when suddenly her ears witnessed the similar heavenly voice in the thin air between them.
"You're exceptionally beautiful Miss Xiao.....it is a pleasure to meet you and see you up this close!" he flashed his first killer move through cheesy compliments.
'Has he gone mad?... or he haven't seen any girl up this close!.... Whatever! I should play along!'
"Umm.... it's a pleasure to meet you too! You yourself look like some Greek god to be honest." she fiercely returned his words, wondering how he would react.
'To be honest....from which angle I look like I'm pleasured about it, except for his handsome face and godly built, I don't know what else I am pleasured with!'
The atmosphere was tense since both parties were maintaining the silence for a while.
At the other side of the restaurant, there was dead figurine of Song Lin, lost in gloom, unable to do anything for her best friend, desperately waiting for the chance to excuse herself from the unnecessary burden sitting right in front of her.
"Do you want to change tables Miss?" he asked looking at the menu.
".... it's, it's fine,.." she mumbled under her breath.
She can feel the non-stop attention his eyes were giving to her, making her uneasy from head to toe.
'If only I had reserved this seat earlier.....I could have changed the shape of his grinning face with my ultra power punch! Who does he think he is? Can't he get another table if he is that competent!'
"I am observing that you're looking here and there for some time now...., do you need anything?" he asked checking out the menu.
"Mind your own business Sir..." she was panicking inside but replied as if she doesn't even know the meaning of stress.
"That's kinda rude! How about a coffee?" he chuckled while looking at his phone.
"I hate coffee!" she rejected his kind offer.
"So how about hot chocolate grinned with hazelnut and topped with chocolate cream?" he seemed persistent.
"I told you to....wait, did you actually offered hot chocolate grinned with hazelnut and topped with chocolate cream?" she gasped as her empty stomach craved for this delight for ages. (It's her favorite drink)
"Great choice right?" his words were filled with pleasure, topped with chocolate cream as well.
'He's not that bad I guess...but how did he hit the exact vital point of my food craving! It can't be a coincidence, I can never trust a human brain!'
.
.
"I heard you were curious to meet me..... and get things clear regarding this marriage, Miss Xiao! ....Well feel free to ask!" his words were not rough, but lacked the melody it contained earlier.
The server came and started to set the pancakes on the table.
'It's my chance! Yes Xiao Jane, have some trust in yourself! Just throw this burden outta here girl!'
"Actually Mr. Mo.....I was wondering if marriage is really necessary....I don't mean to offend you but..... what's your reason....umm," she wondered is she messed up.
He looked at her with troubled yet mocking eyes as if he didn't believe what he heard a while ago.
'Fool, fool,fool!!!! Ahhhhhhh!'
"I didn't mean it like that, I mean ofcourse marriage is necessary for you to become the leader for a while but what I'm concerned about is....is....actually Mr. Mo.... I was meaning to ask why do you agreed to marry me? What's your end of the deal this regarding this marriage ?....."
She hardly recomposed herself as words flew away from her lips. She stared into his amethyst eyes deeply, trying to catch him if he tries to avoid the topic, but to her surprise,
"I'm helping my father's long-term friend, and marrying you will allow me to expand my social standing within business field. No other reason!" he replied with an expressionless face, looking back into her eyes.
'That... that was blunt! How can he be so straightforward yet confusing!' she clasped her fist tightly.
"You say....you are marrying me purely to obey your father's wishes to help his long-term friend and to gain social standing, but you could have married the daughters of other rich businessmen...are you really satisfied with what you'll get with this marriage?..even if it's only for three years!"
She finally let her pressurized breath out.
"Oh! Three years are enough for me!" he uttered nonchalantly.
Staring at his plate, his knives moved to cut the pancakes in a perfect rectangular size.
'Is he messing with me? Had he suffered some childhood concussion on his head? Why are you not responding according to my plan huh? Why it's going wrong? What kind of effort I have to put... should I be straightforward as well?
Yeah....suffer your reflection you big arrogant handsome devil.
"If you won't clear things with me...I am worried I wouldn't be able to marry you Mr. Mo!" she couldn't believe her own words of fire.
Listening to her outrageous words, his hands stopped at their place. He looked at her with intense deep gaze. She can feel the chills in the air which were the indicators that he was definitely not glad to hear the lines she punched him with.
"May I ask you the reason Miss Xiao?" he came back to his normal self as he placed back another question in front of her.
"I mean if it's for the company, I can marry any other capable man, is it necessary that you have to be the one.... standing next to me.... exchanging wedding vows....you get what I am saying right...?"
.
.
Sipping the best delight of her life, Song Lin was at cloud nine, yet frustrated as she wasn't able to see what's happening at the other side.
'This trouble of a man....he did bribe me with my hunger reliever.... but he's still a bone in my feast! Just move your ass a little Mister, so that my eyes can reach my Jane Jane for a second at least!'
But her wishes left unfulfilled as the man in front of her was actually persistent with his posture too.
"Are you done?" she asked him, clearly giving the hint to go away.
"Are you?" he was clever to question back.
"Not now.....but you can go if you have some urgent work or something like that....don't you?" she tried her best to chase him away.
"Oh! I guess there's nothing more important for me to be here and to keep you company Miss! So quickly finish your drink, I'm waiting" he said nonchalantly, but a smile of tease appeared around his lips
'Who asked for your company brat!' She was infuriated, but in vain .....as she knew she can't let her cover blow up.
.
.
"Actually I don't want to be married to someone...umm.... who's keeping a lot of secrets, avoiding my questions and all....it would be a kind of pressure on me.....you have to be more reasonable, unless we are ready to pull it off for three years at least!
I don't think I am ready myself....I don't know why you're being so generous to help us in our crisis.....even if you're..... marriage is not a really good option to begin with! How about paid partnership? What do you say?"
Mo Fengshi, amused by her unbelievable words, couldn't help but look at her in amazement.
"Paid partnership you say .... I wonder if your father's declining health would really help our partnership, I need a better collateral you know. A bond that doesn't need justification."
Xiao Jane stopped, twitching her eyebrows, she started to get what he's saying.
'He must mean that the company cannot be surely in our control unless we have a legal bond....and with Father's health....uhhh...Xiao Jane, think something girl!!'
She thought for a while, then replied,
"I get it, the marriage is necessary....but...I think we must give time to think this over.... at least to understand each other better...what do you say?" She breathed out a heavy sigh as she almost vaporized the load of questions inside her.
Turning her gaze at the epitome of perfection, she faced him, to witness his reaction.
He seemed tense for a bit then a devilish yet heart throbbing smile played onto his face.
"Then Miss Xiao.....will you go out on a date with me?" his unexpected response shriveled Xiao Jane tip to toe.