The Xu family, and how high Xu Jingxi would climb in the future, were beyond Leh Ying's considerations.
Xu Jingxi's prospects and future were not hers to yearn for.
Just because he was from the Xu family, because he was Xu Jingxi, what else?
"Am I very foolish?"
Liu Huaiying poked her forehead, "You're so foolish you're off the charts, but with me, I can give you everything I could in the future."
Leh Ying shook her head without intent to respond.
The sensor light went out again.
Liu Huaiying was getting annoyed, looking up and commenting, "What a crappy place, on one moment, off the next."
He seemed irritated as if he'd never seen such a light before, and Leh Ying let out a short laugh.
"Move out with me," Liu Huaiying stood up, "There are high-end residences in Forty-Nine City, you can pick any you like, I will buy it for you, don't deal with Mr. Xu, you can't win against him."
Speaking of him, he wasn't really that good either, often describing Chen Ruoqi with 'Just an actress, looking for support, get tired and just switch to the next one.'
"This place isn't bad, it's convenient for my classes and job."
Leh Ying took her stool and went back to her room.
Liu Huaiying propped his arm on the door, cursing her for being heartless and locking him out. His arms, with malicious intent, held her head, he lowered his head trying to kiss her, and the two twisted together, the door crashing with a loud noise.
Just for that second, Liu Huaiying seemed to think of something, suddenly letting go of the nearly crying girl in his arms, "Sorry, I was impulsive."
Leh Ying, like a frightened rabbit, shrank back into the corner, looking up at him, her eyes stubborn, not accepting his apology.
Liu Huaiying's thumb grazed her nose, "I've already come this far, aren't you satisfied?"
Leh Ying enunciated each word, "Be nicer to Qiqi, commit fewer sins."
Liu Huaiying didn't listen, didn't move, and had no intention of leaving.
"Leh Ying, come with me, will you?"
She refused, raising her hand about to close the door, when his temper flared, he pinched her cheek.
"Coming or not?"
Looking down at her, the untutored young lady couldn't help but shiver, then reached for her coat, shut the door, and followed behind him.
His temper had always been terrible. Chen Ruoqi never dared to provoke him. Chasing after Leh Ying these two months, having his temper manipulated by her, he could only endure and endure again, feeling like he was debasing himself, fawning over such a loveless woman.
He had thought the naive girl was chasing a romantic love, and by going along with her, coaxing her bit by bit, given enough time and with his abilities, he was sure to win her over. But unexpectedly, she turned to someone who could climb even higher.
Was she laughing at him like a clown?
"There's nothing more to say, Leh Ying. Just don't regret your choices."
-
Late at night, there was little traffic, and Liu Huaiying drove extremely fast as if he didn't care about his life.
Leh Ying gripped the seat belt tightly, not daring to open her eyes from beginning to end.
It wasn't until the car stopped in the parking area of the Friendship Hotel's cultivated flower garden that her soul seemed to return a little bit.
Her seat belt was unbuckled by Liu Huaiying himself, who didn't say a word.
After getting out of the car, the entire journey was silent. The hotel had no guest service, and Liu Huaiying led her to a private suite.
Inside the room, about a dozen people were there, some playing cards, others watching a movie, all unresponsive to Liu Huaiying bringing her along, accustomed to his ways.
Liu Huaiying loudly greeted someone to leave and pushed her to sit at the card table.
The noble young man who stood up twitched his mouth, "What a bother to show up in the middle of the night."
After years in the Capital, sometimes she couldn't understand their local jargon.
"Leh Ying, this spot is a bit unlucky."
Not clear on what they were playing, Leh Ying picked up the playing cards, hesitantly, without a word.
The light flicking sound of someone playing with a lighter repeated several times. Liu Huaiying lay in the corner of the sofa, puffing on a cigarette, racking his brains.
He was extremely annoyed.
If Xu Jingxi really got involved with her, it didn't matter if Xu Jingxi loved her or not, after this, no one in Forty-Nine City would dare to lay a hand on her.
I'm no exception.
"Shunzi."
His friend played his card and turned to look at him, "It has been 7 days, Brother Jingxi has already signed the Zhongguancun project over to your Liu Family, hasn't he? Why hasn't it been approved yet? Didn't you come to an agreement with Brother Jingxi?"
Liu Huaiying flicked his cigarette butt into the trash can: "We signed, but he won't approve it now, who knows why."
He tossed his cell phone aside and lay there, just spacing out.
"Look, Huaiying, you're really unreliable, like a skittish rabbit. Have you figured out what happened with your ex-girlfriend and the sleeping pills? How could he feel secure leaving it in your hands?"
He didn't listen. Liu Huaiying continued to light his cigarette, puffing away fiercely.
It was the first time the Liu Family had let him try to take charge of a home construction project, and indeed, he messed it up. The project would probably be withdrawn by Xu Jingxi.
He rested his hand on the back of his head, silently watching Leh Ying play cards, his eyes gradually grew dark.
His voice was clear: "Did you sleep with Mr. Xu?"
As soon as the words came out, the whole room of men and women fell silent, all eyes turned towards Leh Ying.
Leh Ying tightened her grip on her cards without looking up, "Nonsense, we haven't even kissed."
All eyes that had been on her dispersed, and everyone resumed their activities.
The person seated upstream laughed and gestured to Leh Ying, "Don't mind Huaiying, he's been aimless these past few days, keep playing."
They played cards all night. Leh Ying's eyelids were drooping, she was really tired, and Liu Huaiying just sat there watching until someone received a phone call and the game broke up.
Sitting there, she sipped on the breakfast milk brought by the waitress and glanced at the thick curtains on the left, wondering if it had gotten light outside yet.
Liu Huaiying had left, only saying: "The driver will take you back."
The last girl to leave handed Leh Ying her coat, "That's just how Liu Huaiying is, indifferent to everyone. Qiqi has gotten used to it, and can't leave him now."
"Lucky to be born into a good family, the youngest child of the Liu Family patriarch, a late-life gift, spoiled."
She just said thank you to the person and got up to leave.
All day, Leh Ying struggled with fatigue at work, couldn't last till the afternoon, and took a leave to go back to her apartment to sleep.
Surprisingly, she slept comfortably without Liu Huaiying nagging nonstop to find her.
It was said that he was busy trying to negotiate the Zhongguancun redevelopment project from Xu Jingxi, without success, failing to find Xu Jingxi himself.
She slept until the next afternoon.
Feeling groggy, with a temperature of 37.8 degrees Celsius, was she suffering from staying up and catching a cold?
Dragging her fatigued body, she rifled through her medicine box for a cup of Lianhua Qingwen to brew and sip on, looking out the window at the electric poles at the entrance of the apartment complex.
Memories of Xu Jingxi under the lampshade began to spread within her desire to see him.
How ridiculous.
Destinies are not all alike, meeting these people she didn't know if it was fortune or misfortune.
Feeling feverish, she received a call from Sister Zhang.
"The client is moving into a new house tomorrow, look at your email later, I'll send you pictures of the home decor style. Pick a few meaningful ones to send over."
Sister Zhang was extremely kind to her, taking care of her in every way in Forty-Nine City, a foreigner who came to study. What's a slight fever? She hurriedly agreed.
She was to choose paintings for an elderly couple from an official family who appreciated original landscape paintings. Luckily, the gallery had a few landscape scrolls with excellent brushwork and vigor.
When dining at Private Kitchen Garden No. 9, the area's simplicity carried a refined elegance, and the décor held the essence of the Qing Dynasty.
"Please, could you come over, I'm busy dining with my wife," the polite person said, as he put on his reading glasses to glance at the paintings.
Leh Ying politely replied, "It's what I should do, you're guests."
Not wanting to interrupt the mealtime of the couple, she declined their invitation and got up to leave.
After delivering the paintings, she stood at the door waiting for her DiDi driver. She didn't find the driver but instead encountered Xu Jingxi.
For the first time, Leh Ying believed in the matchmaker's words. Private Kitchen Garden No. 9 was extremely low-profile, serving only official families; ordinary people couldn't even enter, but this time she did.
It was nearing dusk.
From behind the archway of white Bougainvillea, a middle-aged man in a jacket, elegant and not severe, walked with his hands behind him following Xu Jingxi.
"I've troubled you to come all this way; on another day, I shall personally visit to express my thanks."