When Li Da Zhan finished explaining the design he wanted to President Zhang and Chairman Bai, it's already lunch time. Li Da Zhan took his tab, and phone, getting ready to leave as soon as possible in order not to disrupted Chairman Bai and President Zhang's day any longer. He had no intention to stay longer after the meeting was over at the first place.
However, Chairman Bai never intended to let him go yet as he had grown fond to the brilliant young man in front of him.
"Let's have lunch before you go."
Li Da Zhan hesitated. He pressed his lips tightly, while his mind wandering, try to find good excuses to refuse the invitation.
"It's okay, chairman. I don't want to disturb your time with your family and President Zhang."
Chairman Bai and President Zhang looked at each other for a few seconds before they chuckled. Li Da Zhan furrowed his brows seeing the reaction but his lips was seal to ask to the two respective men across him.
"You never disturb us. Furthermore, I would like to have a simple conversation with you while we having lunch." President Zhang said calmly.
"But.. I.." Li Da Zhan was destined to lose in the moment he stepped into this mansion. Chairman Bai and President Zhang did not give him opportunity to reply.
"Let's go. I think the meals are ready now." Chairman Bai showed Li Da Zhan the way to enter the mansion using other door near the pavilion. Li Da Zhan sighed softly and followed behind Chairman Bai and President Zhang.
***
At the dining table that can gathered 10 people at once, Li Da Zhan was sitting next to President Zhang, while Tang Hong settle down acrossed Li Da Zhan, next to Mrs. Bai. Chairman Bai sat at the end of the long table, facing the four of them.
They had lively conversation despite they just know a brief about Li Da Zhan. They talked a lot about the project and Li Da Zhan other projects even Mrs. Bai blend in with the conversation and she was very friendly towards him. Tang Hong in the other hand, just watched the conversation silently while enjoying the grill lobster on his plate.
The silence lasted for a while, till Bai Shu Lian arrived from her shooting place, greets everyone there including Li Da Zhan although she was surprised to see him in her house.
Bai Shu Lian took a seat next to Li Da Zhan. "I thought the meeting happened at your office." She looked at her father, demanded explanation.
Chairman Bai took a gulp of the water before answering her. "It is more comfortable to discuss here."
Bai Shu Lian nodded understand. She allowed the maid prepared for her meal while she fixed her position, and put her handbag at the chair next to her. "Thank you, sister Lian."
The maid beamed to her before she left to standing together with other maids behind them.
"Busy as always, my dear?" President Zhang asked Bai Shu Lian while turned to face to her. Li Da Zhan also gave attention to the popular actress in the country.
"Yes, Uncle Zhang, my schedule is full until next year. Not much time to spend with father and mother." Bai Shu Lian pouted.
"Heh. That's what you deserve." a sarcastic statement from Tang Hong made Li Da Zhan stupefied. The corner of his eyes saw Bai Shu Lian's face darkened when Tang Hong said that.
Li Da Zhan could feel something happened between Bai Shu Lian and Tang Hong until those words came out from him. However, he was not in the position to get involved or anything thus he just sat quietly and awkwardly at the table full of strangers.
"What's the matter with you Tang Hong? Do you have nothing to do other than hurting me?" Bai Shu Lian said with a rough tone, but Tang Hong ignore it by smirk at her.
"People like you have no right to talk to me like that." he sneered evilly towards Bai Shu Lian.
"Tang Hong!" Chairman Bai shoot a glare at Tang Hong.
Pretending to be remorsed, he bowed his head. "I am sorry uncle. Sometimes I cannot control what came out from my mouth. Especially,.." he shifted his attention toward Bai Shu Lian who already irritated with him, "when facing someone like her and auntie."
"Enough, Hong-er. We have guest here." This time President Zhang raised his voice.
Tang Hong frustrated with the people in front of him. He rose from his seat. His eyes glared at President Zhang with full of hatred, "If you have this attitude when Yu Xi left, this family won't have this kind of people dining with us!"
President Zhang startled. Tang Hong dared to bring up her name in front of Chairman Bai. He took a glance towards his best friend. Chairman Bai took a deep breath and smile sadly towards President Zhang.
The room was so quiet. No one eating, Mrs. Bai staring at the her own plate, but Chairman Bai quickly comforted her.
"Let's continue. Don't wasted the delicious delicacy made by our chef." He said that to Li Da Zhan when the old chairman saw how he was distracted by the incident earlier.
Li Da Zhan nodded.
"Lian Lian. Eat. Ignore what Hong-er say. He did not mean it." Chairman Bai tried to cheer her up.
"Okay, father." she replied weakly. She picked up the chopstick and started to dig in. They finished the lunch without quietly.
At the main entrance, Li Da Zhan talked a bit with Chairman Bai and President Zhang before he left the mansion.
"Please ignore what Tang Hong said earlier. He and Lian Lian are not in the good term right now."
"Do not worry about that sir. I am okay."
"Okay. Good. Good."
"When will you go to City B? I can arrange your meeting with my son."
"Hmm.. maybe next week. I need to prepare some material before I go there. I will inform you when I have the exact date."
"Okay then. Have a nice trip, Mr. Li Da Zhan. It is a pleasure to collaborate with you." They shook hands and Li Da Zhan left the mansion. Chairman Bai and President Zhang watched him until he was far away.
"Hong-er have cross the line this time." President Zhang voice out his mind at last but he receive a sigh from his best friend.
"He always like that. Don't you remember how much he love Yu Xi?"
"Hmm... but, no matter how much he lash it to Hua Mei and Shu Lian, Yu Xi will not return."
Chairman Bai turned to face President Zhang, patted his friend's shoulder. "Just let it go. Let's have a cup of tea before you left to city B."
"Fine. Let's go." They get inside the mansion, head to the living room.