The lunch was appetizing for Chen Rou Jiao and the others. Had a hotpot meal in front of sea view, was a rare opportunity for her who busy with works and projects. Even Xie Rong couldn't stopped but smiled all along while eating fresh seafood with boiling spicy soup.
"Rou Jiao, this is really delicious." Xie Rong landed a three clams on Chen Rou Jiao's empty bowl, while put more into her own bowl.
Chen Rou Jiao form a pleased beam on her face, and nodded slightly towards Xie Rong. "Thanks a lot."
Xie Rong grinned ear to ear, and continued consume her food happily. The windy and cold breeze in the end of winter, plus the fragrance of the hotpot, made her stomach growling loudly.
They were at the balcony on the second floor of the 4-storey restaurant, and they had the great view of the sea. When Chen Rou Jiao and Xie Rong threw their attention to the sea, they could see the blue ocean clearly.
Li Da Zhan saw Xie Rong's behavior and couldn't be more delighted when everybody enjoyed the meal. CEO Zhang and his assistant, Wu Liang also couldn't take their eyes off from the mouth-watering cuisine.
"I hope everything is good, everyone?." he said if light voice, and he got a nod from Xie Rong.
"Mn. Everything is great. Thank you Mr. Li."
"Glad to hear that." Li Da Zhan smiled, and his eyeballs secretly stared at Chen Rou Jiao who eating her portion calmly and so delicate without making a sound except when Xie Rong or CEO Zhang's assistant talked to her.
Li Da Zhan kind of remember when they had meal together during one of their charity events. The current Chen Rou Jiao was far more different than before.
Chen Rou Jiao years ago would talk and laugh with everyone. She had many thing to talk about, made the lunch brightened up with her excited voice. Their tiredness will be worth when she was there.
However, her changed won't surprise him at all. Therefore he just kept it himself.
"Are you always came here Mr. Li?" Li Da Zhan quickly divert his attention from Chen Rou Jiao to her right, where Xie Rong settled down.
He nodded before saying a word. "I always came here with my parents when I was a lot younger..." Xie Rong widened her eyes, but Li Da Zhan kept on talking. "but at that time, this place is not huge like this. At that time, this 4-storey restaurant was just a small restaurant."
"So, you are a local, Mr. Li?"
Li Da Zhan turned to CEO Zhang as he was the one who raised the question. He still had the smile on his handsome face.
"I was born here, but due to my father's work, we moved to City A when I was 10." He politely answered.
"Then you and chief manager are from the same city then." Xie Rong pointed her thumb to her Chen Rou Jiao. "Am I right, Miss Chen?"
She looked at Chen Rou Jiao who was obviously taken aback with the sudden question as she was been keen of the mouth-watering ginger-soy steam fish melting in her mouth.
"Mn?" She furrowed. A few hair of hers were covering her face due to the strong wind, thus she quickly pushed them behind her ears.
"You also from this city, right?" Xie Rong revised her question.
"Oh. Yes." she answered spontaneously, accompany with a firm beam.
Xie Rong smirked and return to face Li Da Zhan, "See? Maybe you two are childhood friends." They all laughed with Xie Rong's jokes.
Chen Rou Jiao nudged Xie Rong's arms under the table. She frowned and mouthing her warning. "Enough."
Xie Rong quickly patted the back of Chen Rou Jiao's hands. Gave an 'OK' sign. Only then, Chen Rou Jiao could calm down. Miss An who saw the whole situation shake her head with Xie Rong's playfulness.
Li Da Zhan got a goosebumps when knowing the fact he and Chen Rou Jiao had one similarity. He braved himself to look at Chen Rou Jiao. Not knowing why and when his heart beating faster than usual.
And Chen Rou Jiao unintentionally looked upon Li Da Zhan. Thus their eyes met but they quickly turned away.
Li Da Zhan felt something wrong. He looked at the Flamingo staff one by one. He found weird that everything Yu Yao said was nothing more than an unreliable rumour. There was no way they could have such a harmony meal together if they were like what Yu Yao declared.
"Yu Yao was sure wanted to pull a joke with me." Li Da Zhan whispered to himself.
"Well, well. Look who we have here?"
All eyes turned to the voice of a man, walked from the entrance to their table. His evil smirked on his face made Chen Rou Jiao wanted to punch him.
"Yu Sheng? What are you doing here?" Xie Rong did not move from her seat, but she startled and worried seeing her boyfriend at the restaurant right now. With the presence of him, Chen Rou Jiao will had an unpleasant time again.
"I am having a lunch with the shareholders of my hotel." He took another step toward the table and get a greeting by Li Da Zhan.
"Second brother Sheng. How are you?"
"Ah Da Zhan! What a pleasure to meet you here." Yu Sheng was delighted seeing Li Da Zhan. "Yao-er told me about your arrival. I am sorry to not be able to fetch you at the airport." he patted Li Da Zhan's back twice.
"It's okay, Second brother. I know you are busy."
"Haha. Okay. Okay."
Xie Rong clueless with the closeness between Yu Sheng and her client.
"You two know each other?" Xie Rong asked Yu Sheng.
Yu Sheng looked at Xie Rong and nodded casually. "Da Zhan is the best friend of Yao-er."
"Aa.. no wonder." Xie Rong nodded.
Chen Rou Jiao knitted her eyebrows together. She never thought Yu Sheng and Li Da Zhan were connected. What more surprising, the good man like Yu Yao was this man of vengeance's little brother.
Chen Rou Jiao remain silent. She did not want to cause any trouble here. All she want was finishing her lunch and go home.
"Long time no see, CEO Zhang." Yu Sheng grinned.
CEO Zhang just wanted to be polite, as he and Yu Sheng was not in good relationship. "Hello, Vice-President Yu." he said calmly, with a slight look. He hate to face Yu Sheng right in this moment.
Yu Sheng seem to know that, and he chuckled seeing CEO Zhang's cold attitude. Then he saw Chen Rou Jiao, he couldn't be more happier but he said nothing to her.
He turned to Li Da Zhan, yet his eyes were fixed at Chen Rou Jiao. "Beware of the tricky fox here Da Zhan. You might fall into her trap if you're not being cautious."
"Yu Sheng!" Xie Rong scolded her boyfriend but that man did not shaken by that.
Chen Rou Jiao leaned at her chair, she stopped eating and shot a glare at Yu Sheng. But Yu Sheng replied with an evil smirk. Chen Rou Jiao at that time almost broke the chopstick in her hand.
Li Da Zhan did not understand about what Yu Sheng tried to say and that man also care not to elaborate his words. However, when he turned to Chen Rou Jiao, her sour expression, and the hatred stare toward Yu Sheng, he understand it all. Although he did not know why on earth Yu Sheng could uttered those words.
Yu Sheng left the table with a small chuckle.
Everyone at the table sat silently. No one wanted to say anything. Even the cheerful Xie Rong did not have energy to make any comments at the moment. She just sighed.
CEO Zhang Ren Hao chewed his lower lips and leaning against his chair. The serious expression on his face was accompanied by his decision to stop finishing his food. He just playing with them. Miss An who stayed silent after Yu Sheng came also sighed.
Sure did with Yu Sheng appearance ruined everybody mood except Li Da Zhan and Wu Liang who knew nothing about their problems with Yu Sheng.
The others finished their lunch in another 10 minutes and after Li Da Zhan paid the bill, they all headed to the parking lot which was a few meters from the restaurant.
Li Da Zhan did not go with them because he need to return to the resort.
Chen Rou Jiao although having hard time because Yu Sheng, she never forget about her duty. Before she went to her car with Xie Rong, she came to Li Da Zhan, informed him about when she will proceed to decorate the VIP rooms.
"My team will come next week. And I call you if there are any problem."
Li Da Zhan nodded. "Okay then. See you next week."
He shake hands with her and CEO Zhang before they left him and Wu Liang at the parking lot.
Li Da Zhan get inside Wu Liang's car and they drove to the resort. His mind could not stop thinking about Yu Sheng's statement and the way everyone attitudes toward Yu Yao's second brother.
"Who is right here?" he kept asking himself that question until he could not sleep soundly that night. yet, he still could not get the right answer.
###
Chen Rou Jiao rest her back on the soft and fluffy bed after having a nice shower. she staring blankly at the ceiling. thinking nothing other than what happened at the restaurant this afternoon.
Of course she did thinking about the room project which she need to improvise but what make her head almost explode was when Yu Sheng appeared at their table. Completely ruined her appetite. Plus he dared to say that sharp teased directly to her.
RING! RING!
Chen Rou Jiao rose from her bed, reached her hand to her phone she place on the small table next to her bed, and quickly answered them after seeing the name on the screen.
"Hello dad. How are you today?"
"I am totally find. How is Liang Shu?" Chen Zong might not be excited like always, his voice was a bit lower than usual, as a result of the recent situation involving his son, Chen Liang Shu.
Chen Rou Jiao exhaled softly, she bit her lower lips. "Liang Shu is totally fine. He just need some rest." She assured.
Although she never disclosed about her little brother's real problem, about the rejection and his incident, but their father apparently could figure out something was wrong.
"I call him earlier, and he said the same. I hope you and Liang Shu never hide anything from me."
Chen Rou Jiao chuckled. "Why we need to hide anything from you? We love you."
"Mn.."
"Don't worry dad. When he finish his drama filming, both of us will go home. maybe we can have a short trip."
"Okay. What about you? Did your boss approve your leave?"
Chen Rou Jiao chuckled awkwardly. "Err... about that..."
Chen Zong turned to chuckle. Looks like his mood was good now. "I know you will never free from your job even when you wanted to."
Chen Rou Jiao scratched her head. She was totally ashamed of her own words that day at the park. When she promised to take a leave after the cafe project.
"I am sorry, dad."
"Hahaha.. no worry my dear. Just take care of yourself. Do not get overwork, okay?"
"Hmm.." she answered softly. She lowered her gaze, pouted.
"Okay then. get to sleep now. It's already late."
"Okay dad. You too. Good night."
"Good night."
They both end the call almost in the same time.
Chen Rou Jiao put back teh phone on it's original place, and she pulled the comforter on her body. Shut all the lamps in her bedroom until her room was a complete dark, and she closed her eyes. Tried to get some sleep.
All the problems happened today she already put them away. she just focused about her visit to the hospital. And due to that, she even smile in her sleep.