Lei took her to take a stroll around Kowloon Park, and she loved it so much. They were laughing, talking, and walking.
Sometimes they stopped, and she started sketching. Around were flamingos, parrots, and interesting plants. She sketched so many new pieces of jewelry. It was magical.
Then they took a cab to Tsim Sha Tsui promenade, walked on The Avenue of Stars, had some food, and strolled towards the 'surprise' as Lei said.
When they arrived at the docks full of people, Lili assumed they were boarding the legendary Star Ferry. Her face paled because she wasn't good with boats and slow trains. They were swaying from side to side, which was challenging for her stomach.
"Are you okay?" Leilei asked. She debated with herself if to say it or not.
"Yeah, sure. Just too many people." Lili smiled back. He went through all that work to prepare this. She will take a bit of swaying for him.
They boarded the ship with a mass of human bodies. Oh, god, there were so many people, that even Leilei had to protect her a few times. She was small. Smaller than the tourists all around them.
When the ship was cruising around, it was already dark and the mass of people was sitting outside on the top level of the ship. So Lili saw practically nothing. Just some skyscrapers and heads of others.
It must have shown on her face, because Leilei was looking around, obviously searching for a spot for her. For him, who was a lot taller, it was easy; he saw. But Lili…
She felt his hands around her hips. Startled, she turned around to face Leilei. Their faces were so close she could feel his breath on her mouth.
Lili couldn't help herself. She smiled and kissed him. It was a light peck. In the beginning. Then it deepened. But then they were disturbed by robot-like sounds. She tore away, facing the direction of the sounds.
Lili was in awe. The buildings and the skyscrapers were shining, flashing, and flickering into the sound of the music. The lasers and the lights were illuminating the dark skies above her and she could see it perfectly. Sometimes it looked like the aurora. The music was a perfect combination of an ancient Chinese style and modern epic music.
"Do you like it? It's called A Symphony of Lights," Lei whispered into her ear. But she was so immersed in the show that she just nodded.
With the music graduating, the flashing was faster and soon came to an abrupt end. Which saddened Lili a bit. She enjoyed it a lot. Lili was turning around to face Leilei again when the boat swayed on a big wave and she was thrown onto him.
"Wow. I have to say that once was an accident. Twice is fate. For the third time, it's awkward. But to be thrown onto me for the fourth time, I think, well. You might as well stay in my lap or on my body," he said, lifting the right corner of his mouth and she melted again.
He was teasing her, but let him be. She had no comeback now. Because his smile was like a drug to her, she wanted more. And she would fall into his lap ten times if it would make him smile.
"Lili," he said her name so sweetly. Either he was a big player or natural boyfriend material because the charm he had shown her was disarming.
"I have something to tell you when the cruise ends," he continued, and he just nodded.
Lili didn't know how she would endure the rest of the tour. She was so curious, but she enjoyed the night view, Lei's embrace, and the night wind on her face.
It was over, and soon she was taken away from the ship, cruising the streets with Lei. He took her to a building.
"Don't worry, it's a restaurant," he said as if he knew what she thought. To be honest, Leilei had a perfect face and fit body, so whose brain wouldn't be dirty-minded?
The restaurant he took her to was situated on the top floor of a skyscraper, offering an amazing view. It was so luxuriously looking, so she felt out of place in jeans. At least they were black.
Lei ordered the six-courses-golden menu and Lili once again marveled how he could be so fit when he ate so much. But she noticed that every one of them ate so much. These genes… so jealous.
"What you wanted to say to me?" she asked when enjoying a sushi dish.
"Later. During the desert." He brushed her question away and jumped to another topic.
They once again talked about themselves, and Lili got to know him even better now. His past, his present, and his dreams. Surprisingly, it was to help his brother achieve victory with his team and have a family. Quite cute, right?
"And your dream?" he asked her.
"Live a life," she gave a simple answer. And he stopped eating, surprised.
"What do you mean by 'live a life'?" he asked, frowning at the answer she gave him.
"Right now, both of us are living our lives. We are enjoying what we do. We live. But some people just go from work they hate, to a family they despise, and at night they dream of the dreams they would love to live. I don't want to regret that I haven't done this or that. So, I just do it. I live my life." When Lili finished her explanation, Leilei was looking at her with newly discovered respect. She was wise for someone young like her. He couldn't help but just smile at her.
"I like you." He couldn't help saying it. He wanted to wait till the end. Lili wasn't surprised much by his statement, more by her own thoughts.
'Don't be surprised, you like him too, so just say it.' Was on her mind. So she did it.
"I like you, too." She was so calm, saying it between bites. Lei hadn't anticipated that, so he choked on the wine he was drinking. Spitting it out and spraying Lili with it.
"I'm sorry," Lei apologized for like the tenth time. And Lili flashed him a big smile. She had stains all over her t-shirt. Red wine was hard to wash away. He needed to buy her a new one.
Lei wasn't expecting her to be so direct. She just said the most amazing words for him, like it was nothing. Meanwhile, it took him an excessive amount of courage to do it.
"Don't worry. It was fun. It was like being cut out of a movie." Lili laughed and people around them looked at her, startled by how loud she was.
Lili was getting less shy and more open when she was with him, and the more open she was, the more he liked her. They caught a cab and went back to the house. Everybody was already in the main house, so they were alone in the guest house.
"Why are you sleeping here? And not in the main house with others." She looked at him when they stood before her room.
"Well, I work till late hours and guys are a noisy bunch, as you noticed." He shrugged.
"So, it's only us here alone, huh?" she asked, grinning. It was so suggesting that his body had an automatic response. His blood rushed to a certain place.
"You will be my death once," he said and kissed her. They were both tipsy, and it probably wasn't a good idea. But they were adults. And he wanted her. So much. She had to be his. But in the end, they only cuddled in bed, because for Lei, it was still too soon.
Lili deserved more, something romantic and unforgettable. And he deserved it, too.
***
Lei woke up when his phone vibrated. His body felt heavy. He quickly turned off the alarm and looked down. Lili was curled around him like a liana. She made a little snoring sound, and he has problems containing laughter.
There was a knock on his door. Lei untangled himself without waking her up, put some clothes on, and opened the door.
"It's already late. Your new secretary is here," Chao said, and tried to peek over Lei's shoulder.
"But you still need to help me tell him the rules and his workload. And why do you suddenly need a secretary for the team? You always did it alone. No matter how late it was. You couldn't take anyone who didn't understand games digging into your perfect arrangements." Lei slapped him lightly over the shoulder.
"You are nosy. You want to spill it to our father?" Lei asked, and Chao just laughed.
"He already knows. He called you many times yesterday, then he gave up and called me. I told him you are on a date. He said to bring her home soon. And he expects grandchildren soon," Chao said, and grinned evilly. Lei slapped him over his head.
"Such a gossip girl. Have breakfast prepared for Lili as an apology. I need to go to work. After hiring a secretary, I will have more time to be with her. That's the major reason I hired one." He walked away while shaking his head. Chao was such a busybody, suddenly. But what he expected, now that he was happy.
***
His phone rang for the third time. He excused himself from the lawyers and went outside their office to pick up the phone. It had to be urgent because Chao usually called once and then waited for Lei to call back.
"Hurry. What's going on!" he snapped, when answering the phone call.
"Lei, something is wrong with Lili. Quickly come!" Chao sounded really urgent. Lei's heart started to beat faster. When Chao just ended the call.
His mind was filled with worse-case scenarios because Chao was used to handling stressful events. But now it sounded as if he didn't know what to do.
He quickly arranged the meeting the next day, because of urgent matters, and hurried home.