Chapter 1336: Unt.i.tled
Bai Beibei could not help but laugh. “Honestly! Is that what all of you have been dreaming about? He’s our boss, and this is a job. Nothing more and nothing less.”
“Beibei, do you really feel nothing at all for our boss?” Zuo Ying brows shot up in disbelief.
Bai Beibei shook her head. “I really don’t have any feelings for him. I don’t see him that way.”
As she spoke, Bai Beibei said softly, “Sister Ying, I have a favour to ask of you.”
“Yes?”
“Since I’ll be following the boss to China, I’ll need someone to take care of Yingying. Do you think you can watch over her for a few days – at least till I’m back?”
Zuo Ying’s eyes lit up the moment Bai Beibei made mention of her daughter. Almost immediately, she rubbed her palms together and said, “Oh well, alright. I do adore that daughter of yours. Yingying looks like a doll and has the sweetest mouth I’ve ever seen. That cheeky minx wraps everyone she meets around her fingers. The last time I brought her home with me, my parents demanded that I produce a daughter as sweet as your little girl.”
Bai Beibei’s charming features shone with a soft light. “It’s settled then. I’ve got to go pick Yingying up. It’s her first day in kindergarten.”
“Alright, see you tomorrow.”
…
Standing in front of a herd of kindergarteners, the teacher in charge greeted Bai Beibei. “Good afternoon miss, Yingying’s been anxiously waiting for you.”
“Mommy!” At this moment, a little pink ball bounced over, hugging her knees. The little girl craned to look up at the towering form of her mother. In the giggling voice of a child whose enthusiasm had peaked, she babbled, “Mommy, miss you,” over and over again.
Yingying was three years old this year. Today, she was wearing a yellow t-s.h.i.+rt with a child-sized pair of jeans. Her eyes grape-like eyes sparkled in childish wonder as she stared up at her mother. Like Bai Beibei, Yingying’s skin was as smooth as jade and incredibly soft to touch. She was a gem in the making.
Bai Beibei bent down and hugged Yingying; her eyes were glimmering with love. “Yingying, how was your first day at school? Did you get along with the other children?”
“Yes, mommy! My friends gave me snacks. Look!” Yingying bounced excitedly as she patted her small bulging school bag.
“Yingying, it’s rude to accept gifts without giving anything in return…”
“I know, mommy. I… I shared some of my things too!” Yingying blinked her doe-shaped eyes innocently. The purity with which she looked up at her mother would have melted even the hardest of hearts.
The teacher smiled as she watched the exchange between mother and daughter. “Please don’t be too hard on Yingying. She’s a sweet girl – very polite too! All the other children flocked to her, hoping to become her friend. Many of them shared their snacks with her. If you would believe it, I’d say that Yingying is the star student of her cla.s.s.”
A smile tugged at Bai Beibei lips. “Thank you for taking care of Yingying. We’ll be taking our leave now.”
“Bye-bye!”
Yingying waved at her teacher.
…
Bai Beibei did not take a taxi. The apartment she rented was very close to the kindergarten. It was only a ten-minute walk, so she carried Yingying home.
“Mommy, I can walk.” Yingying looked up at her mother worriedly.
“Mommy isn’t tired. Mommy hasn’t seen Yingying the whole day. Mommy would like to carry you for a little while…”
Yingying huddled closer, kissing her mother on her cheek. “Mommy works really, really hard! Yingying loves you!”
Bai Beibei felt her heart turning into mush. To think she had once considered aborting this little angel of hers.
Yingying was beautiful and sweet-tongued. She was her little elf. Yingying charmed everyone she met with ease. She was the bane of every single auntie and uncle around. No one in their neighbourhood did not know her.
Having such a daughter, Bai Beibei was very satisfied.
“Yingying, mommy needs to tell you something. Mommy is going on a business trip for a few days. Auntie Ying will come and take care of you. You must be good and listen to her, alright?”
Yingying nodded. “Okay… I know mommy has a hard time earning money. I like Auntie Ying. The mung bean cake she made for me really yummy.”
Growing up in a household with only a single parent, Yingying was very sensible for her age. She tried her best not to burden her mother unnecessarily. Her biggest wish was to grow up quickly so that her mother would not have to work so hard to provide for them both.
“Mm, if Yingying misses mommy, ask Auntie Ying to set up a video call. Mommy will definitely answer it. Be good. Mommy will be back soon.”
“Okay.” Yingying wrapped her small arms around her mother’s neck. She would be good, for her mother’s sake.
The next day, Bai Beibei flew to China with Jin Taijiao.
…
Beijing, China.
When Bai Beibei stepped out of the airport and planted her feet on familiar soil, her eyes moistened. It was a land that held too many bitter memories for her.
Not once, in the three years since she had left, did she have the courage to return to her homeland.
Every time she thought of returning, a handsome face would glare at her with bloodshot eyes in the vacuous s.p.a.ce of her mind’s eye. It was a look that haunted her dreams, stalking her, threatening to overwhelm her like the floodwaters of a burst dam. She had left without saying goodbye… Was he doing well?
She did not dare inquire after him.
She had let him down. How could she have the face to appear before him again with Yingying, the very memory of her mistake, staring back at her?
No. There were better women more suited to be his wife than she.
A driver picked them up from the airport and drove them to the hotel Jin Taijiao had booked. It was a five-star hotel, befitting a man of his wealth and standing. They separated at the lobby, each heading to their own rooms. Before they did so, however, Jin Taijiao instructed, “Beibei, rest well tonight. Tomorrow, our partner, the Chamber of Commerce, will meet with us. There will be a very important meeting. Nothing can go wrong.”
“Boss, please don’t worry.” Bai Beibei replied with a calm smile.
…
The next morning, Bai Beibei followed behind Jin Taijiao, full of energy. They waited in the hotel’s lobby, welcoming their important business partners.
A long luxurious limousine stopped at the hotel’s porch. Ajie, who was in the driver’s seat, got out and respectfully opened the back door.
Bai Beibei’s pupils contracted. Ajie…
She had a deep impression of Ajie because he was… Gong Yi’s secretary.
Who was it in the car?
The limousine’s black door swung open. Two long legs sidled out of the car. On these legs were a long pair of trousers that reached the ankles. Pinned to the figure who emerged was a man wearing a clean white s.h.i.+rt. It was Gong Yi.
Bai Beibei stood rooted to the spot. She stared at Gong Yi in a daze. The man who stalked her dreams for the past three years had appeared before her.
In the three years since they met, Gong Yi’s features had matured. His handsome features had taken on a sculpted, more regal look, emphasizing his roguish charm. No woman who caught so much as a glance would have been able to tear their eyes away from him.
Yet, there was something in that look of his which seemed more distant and aloof. The once affable man had his lips pursed into a thin line, giving off an aura that dissuaded people from getting any closer.
Bai Beibei felt as if someone had p.r.i.c.ked her heart, and she could not breathe.
Not once did she think she would run into him upon returning to China.
“Xiao Tian, my stomach isn’t feeling too good. I… I need to make a trip back to my room. Here is the budget doc.u.ment; I’ll leave it to you. Later, you’ll attend the meeting in my place.” Bai Beibei stuffed the budget doc.u.ment into Xiao Tian’s hands.
“Beibei, that won’t do. You’ve always been in charge of this project… Hey, Beibei!”
Bai Beibei had already fled.