Chapter 51 – Did you miss me?

Z

henqing remained impa.s.sive as hesaid calmly, ‘Print another copy, please.’

‘Yes,’ she replied.

She quickly returned with a freshprint.

Zhengqing swept through thedoc.u.ment once more and firmly signed his own name. He handed the folder back tohis secretary, his expression closed, impa.s.sive and serious. His secretary darenot break out in a smile.

When she got to the door, she tooka glance back at him and saw him run a hand tiredly across his face. She leftthe office, closed the door and burst out in silent laughter; causing everyoneto wonder what was going on.

Soon, the whole company knew. Their perfect vice-president made a mistake.

A man in love is really cute, ah!

That afternoon he got a call fromYin Ting;

‘I heard you did something cutetoday,’ she said brightly.

Zhengqing frowned blackly; hisintuition told him that she knew about the matter. She was a thousand milesaway; how come?

‘When are you getting back?’ heasked darkly ignoring her question.

‘You actually wrote my name insteadof signing yours; too cute!’ Yin Ting said ignoring his question, exposing hisembarra.s.sment.

His face was hot, and he wanted toargue, but instead he asked, ‘Did you place an informer in my company or didyou bribe my secretary?’

Yin Ting laughed, ‘Yufei told me,’

That pregnant woman was not atwork, how did she get the gossip?!

‘Her father’s secretary told her.’

Wen Yi’s secretary was upstrairs!

Zhengqing sighed and propped hisforehead on his hand, ‘Do I need to eliminate a potential informant?’

Yin Ting laughed, ‘Regent[1], you’reso cute.’

‘Don’t flatter me, when are youcoming back?’ he said. His heart was roaring, how could she decide that ‘cute’was an appropriate praise for a proper gentleman like himself?

‘Did you keep the doc.u.ment? Send mea pic. It would be my proof that you treasure me, I will have it framed.’

‘I am not taking a picture ofconfidential company doc.u.ments,’ he said indignantly.

‘Just the signature bit, hmmm?’

‘It is now in the shredder,’ hereplied. Truthfully, it was in his drawer so he would not have to look at hisembarra.s.sing mistake.

‘When are you coming back?’ heasked again gruffly.

But Yin Ting wasn’t nervous; shelaughed and said, ‘Tomorrow.’

‘Really?’ Such a good thing,Zhengqing was afraid to believe in it. There might be another obstacle, ‘Willwe be able to meet?’

‘We can meet, ah,’ she replied, ‘Ihave a friend’s wedding party to go to. She and her husband are going to on honeymoonto Greece next week. So they have arranged a banquet for their friends. We will gotogether.’

Zhengqing was disgruntled, ‘Soyou’re only coming back early for your friend’s party?’

‘I am not. Dad originally wanted tocome back the day after tomorrow, but I convinced him that I needed to be therefor my friend’s joyous occasion. That’s why he agreed.’

(Zuben: how is this not…)

Zhengqing’s heart was sour,‘Doesn’t that mean you came back early for your friend?’

‘It is still a day early.’

Zhengqing pursed his lips, hewanted to ask why it wasn’t for him she was coming back ahead of time, but heendured, he didn’t want to seem petty.

‘So are you going to come with me?’ she asked tentatively.

Zhenqing hesitated; he did not likelively occasions and he did not know Yin Ting’s friends. Last time, at Yufeiand Yingjie’s party, he felt no meaning.

‘Come with me,’ she coaxed, ‘I wantto introduce you to my friends. I want to show off my boyfriend to everyone.’

‘What time does your train arrive?’he asked.

‘Just after seven,’

‘Seven PM?’

‘Yes,’

Zhengqing frowned, they wouldn’thave much time together before they would have to go to her friends party. Hewas very upset.

‘Fine, I will go,’ he said, if onlyto see her. If she went by herself it would be a waste. In addition, shewasn’t good on trains, so he worried that her spirits would be low when she arrived and therewould be no one to drive her home after the party. So he will go with her so his mind could beat ease.

‘Yay! Very good,’ she said happily,‘Can I also ask you to buy a gift and card for me? They only told me about theparty yesterday because they married hastily. I"d have prepared something myself,’

Zhengqing sighed inwardly andasked, ‘What would you like me to buy?’

She told him and he wrote down herspecifications.

‘On the card, write: Happy MarriedLife, grow old well together and write your name and mine. Actually just signyour name I will write mine,’

‘Alright,’

‘Or you can wait for me and we cansign together, I am scared that you will write the wrong name on the card,’ shesaid laughing.

‘Haha, very funny,’ he replieddrily.

‘Yes,’

Zhengqing rubbed his forehead, thisfeeling of being teased made him feel a tad helpless. It was a bit sad and abit sweet.

That night, Zhengqing did not leavework early. He had dinner in the office, finished up some more work, thenproceed to leave. He was going to go to the mall first before heading home.

The elevator doors opened and QinWen Yi and three other Executives were in the elevator. Zhengqing stepped inand they greeted each other.

The doors closed and the elevator madeits was down

Wen Yi asked, ‘Zhengqing ah,Xiaoting hasn’t come back home yet?’

Zhengqing nearly chocked on hissaliva, but he coughed and replied, ‘She says she will be back tomorrow,’

‘Oh, tomorrow will come soon, andyou can see her,’ Wen Yi said jocularly, and the other three execs laughed.

Zhengqing felt a blush creep up hischeeks. He kept his eyes on the elevator panel counting the floors as they wentdown.

Wen Yi patted his shoulder, ‘A goodman with a good home, will be successful in his career.’

Zhengqing agreed awkwardly. Hethought of Yin Guohao, who gave it all up at the height of his career. Was itbecause he did not have a good home?

The elevator came to its stop;before Wen Yi left he said to Zhengqing, ‘Get Xiaoting to come and let’s havedinner sometime.’

‘Yes,’ Zhengqing said. The execssmiled knowingly at him, Zhengqing smiled back somewhat irritably.

As he drove, he suddenly thoughtthat this feeling was a good thing; though he was somewhat embarra.s.sed, buteveryone was teasing because they recognised that he and Yin Ting were a pair.(Ziben: No it’s because you’re usually so serious and straight-laced, it isamusing to see you ‘all of a doodah’)

The world knew what Yin Ting washis girlfriend. Soon she would be his wife. The thought name him very happy.

Going to Yin Ting’s friend’s partyis not too bad, he decided. Though he surely would find it boring, he wouldforebear.

When he bought the present, he sentYin Ting a picture and called her to confirm,

‘Very good,’ she said, ‘I am glad Icould depend on you for this important task,’

Zhengqing laughed. He really lovedthis feeling. He wasn’t just good for dating.

The next day, Zhengqing dressedwith even more care than usual, (Zuben: Not the Asian staple: The shiny silver-grey suit, I hope)hoping to leave a good impression on Yin Ting’s friends. After work, he droveto Yin Ting’s father’s house and waited for her, they must be having dinnertogether. While he waited, he got a phone call from an unfamiliar number. Heanswered,

‘Uncle please be more serious, itis Xiao s.h.i.tou!’

‘Xiao s.h.i.tou!’ he called his heardscared, ‘Is something wrong?’ he had given her the number incase of emergency,he hadn’t thought the emergency would occur so quickly.

Shi Liang laughed, ‘No trouble, Iam in the teacher’s office, she allowed me to phone you. I wanted to say thankyou to Shushu.’

‘Why are you thanking me?’Zhengqing did not know he’d done anything recently worthy of being thanked.

‘That grandmother that soldeggcakes – she met a good person,’ Shi Liang said joyously, ‘The day after youcame, Tingting-jie called to askabout the situation, and then she put it on her blog. A lot of people came tobuy grandmother’s egg cakes, so grandmother can finish early and go and lookafter grandfather. Today, grandmother waited for me at the gates to thank me.She said that a noodle selling uncle is giving her some s.p.a.ce in his kiosk soshe can sell there out of the weather. When someone comes to buy noodles, theymay also want eggcakes as well. She doesn’t have to worry much anymore. Shushu, isn’t that noddle-shushu a good man?’

‘Yes, ah,’ Zhengqing said smiling,‘he is a good man.’ He would never have been able to think of this. Yin Tingwas so thoughtful, she went out there and got the world to help, and now theold lady had a chance to meet someone who would a.s.sist her.

‘I am very happy, but I do not havea telephone, could only wait to borrow the telephone to call you. But I alsowant to tell Tingting-jie and everyone.’

Zhengqing heart turned to mush asXiao s.h.i.tou’s words, ‘Tingting-jie is back, Shushu will tell her.’

‘Thank you, Shushu,’ Shi Liangsaid, ‘When I grow up I want to be a good man.’

‘You already are, Xiao s.h.i.tou,’

The little girl laughed shyly, ‘Imust go now,’

‘Alright, when I am free I willcome and see you with Tingting-jie.’

‘Good.’ She said happily.

They said their goodbyes.

Zhengqing went onto Yin Ting’sblog. She hadn’t updated in the last few days so he hadn’t been payingattention to her blog, so he had missed the post regarding the eggcake lady.Many people responded to the post.

As he read the blog, he heard YinTing call. He looked up to see her running towards him, her beautiful faceaglow. His heart felt warm.

Some people glow, and they are ableto pa.s.s their warmth to thers. Yin Ting was that kind of person.

As she jumped into the car, sheasked brightly, ‘Please be more serious, did you miss me?’

Zhengqing’s answer was to pull her to him and kiss her. The gentle kiss lasted for several seconds. He pulled back; YinTing’s cheeks were pink and her eyes were bright.

He groaned and pulled her back tohim; he parted her lips and kissed her deeply.

pintrest

Chapter 52 – War of the Bouquet

T

he kiss was long. When it was over,Yin Ting’s face was red and eyes were even brighter. Zhengqing looked at herhotly, and Yin Ting could not bear it – wanted to kiss him more, but Zhengqingsuddenly became serious as he said, ‘You should sit in the back, I won’t beable to concentrate on driving.’

Yin Ting laughed and patted his armcharmingly.

Zhengqing sighed. She smiled andgive him a quick peck on the lips, ‘Drive quickly, or we’ll be late.’

‘Say something to calm me down,’ herequested.

‘Do you have the doc.u.ment that yousigned wrong?’ she asked, ‘I want to see it with my own two eyes.’

‘Good, that calms me down.’

She laughed and said, ‘You werewondering if I had bribed your secretary? Maybe I should, so that whenever youdo something cute again, I will be first to know.’

‘He is very calm now,’ he said ashe started the car and drove.

As they drove, Zhengqing told herof Xiao s.h.i.tou/Shi Liang’s call, she was pleasantly surprised, ‘I had thoughtto find a permanent solution when I came back; a solution that the old lady canaccept without compromising her pride. I hadn’t realised that noodle-shushu had done it. He really is a goodperson. I am so touched.’

Zhengqing smiled.

‘But it cannot compare with yousigning my name on a doc.u.ment.’

Zhengqing smile dropped and hecoughed.

‘My brother is also at this party.’

‘Um,’ Zhengqing nodded, ‘is he herefor a reason?’

‘No, he was invited and I asked him to look after you,’ she said sweetly, ‘I justafraid that I will get pulled away by my friends and you will be bored. So mybrother is there to keep you company.’

‘…’ what a good heartedbrother-in-lw, he thought, but he was not a child, he did not need other toaccompany him.

‘And May will also be there.’

‘Oh,’ what did that have to do withanything? She was simply a familiar pa.s.ser-by to him.

‘Why don’t you ask me what’swrong?’

‘What is there to ask? I havenothing to do with her.’

‘Wasn’t she after you?’

Zhengqing sighed, ‘What do you wantto say then?’

‘I will tell her we’re dating, Ijust want you to be prepared.’

‘Oh,’

‘Don’t be complacent,’ she said,‘she will take the chance to ridicule us,’

‘Okay,’ why should he care aboutthe behaviour of people who were irrelevant? ‘I am not dating you on a whim;it was well thought out.’

‘Stop the car; there,’ she criedsuddenly.

Zhengqing was a bit afraid andquickly did as she bid, ‘What’s the matter?’

Yin Ting jumped from her seat andhugged him, ‘You’re so cool and handsome, I wanted to hug you.’

Zhengqing suddenly choked, ‘Actwith restraint, young lady,’ he said.

‘My boyfriend is too loveable, evenwhen he’s restrained.’

Zhengqing replied, ‘My girlfriendis too cute, I would like to take her home and take advantage of her. Is itokay if she doesn’t see her friends?’

She blushed and gently hit him,‘Don’t make trouble. Drive on, we’re late.’

‘Who told me to stop?’ he repliedas he put the car into gear and drove on.

‘I shall act with restraint,’ shesaid.

‘Hm,’ he replied.

‘Regent, I really like you ah.’ Shesaid. (Zuben: Not as much as he does you)

He smiled, ‘If you keep talkinglike that I will just take you home.’

Yin Ting was quiet for a bit, thenshe said, ‘I am telling the truth,’

Zhengqing was quiet for a momentand said, ‘I am also telling the truth, I really want to take you home.’

He turned to her and their gazeslocked. His heart beat hard in his chest, she blushed. Zhengqing quickly turnedback to the road.

It was silent in the car for atime, then Yin Ting muttered, ‘Yellow, yellow. Be careful or my dad will cut offyour legs, oh.’

‘Which leg?’  he asked.

‘I have determined that your wordsare coloured. You have failed.’

‘I meant right or left leg, what iscoloured about that?’

Yin Ting did not speak. He heaved adeep sigh and said, ‘You!’

‘What?’

‘What is in this brain of yours?’

‘Thoughts!’

He laughed inspite of himself, herthoughts were the same as her life: colourful.

Before long, they arrived at theparty. They signed the card and got the gifts; one from Yin Ting and one fromher father.

As they entered the venue, Yin Tingasked him, ‘Can you summarise our conversation?’ She looked very happy, shewanted to record it in the diary, but could not think of how to summarise it.

‘Modesty and restraint…?’

Yin Ting laughed, she laughed sohard she could not walk. She held on to his arm as she laughed. He stood withher resigned, yet smiling at her.

‘Look who it is, looking so happy,’a voice called out mockingly. Shen Jiaqi gracefully walked up to them.

‘h.e.l.lo, Shen-zong.’ Zhengqinggreeted politely.

Jiaqi smiled with a smile,‘Qiu-zong.’ She turned to Yin Ting and pinched her cheeks, ‘You are late, butsmiling like an idiot. Arlene is going to scold you,’

‘How come?’ Yin Ting repliedbatting Jiaqi’s hands away, ‘I tried hard to be here.’

Jiaqi smiled, ‘You’re s.n.a.t.c.hing thespotlight by showing off your love at her party. She will scold you.’

‘You’re quite bothersome,’ shesaid. Jiaqi laughed. Two young women ran up to Yin Ting andJiaqi, ‘May, you’rehere! We’ve been looking all over for you. Xiaoting, you have arrived. Good.Hurry, we’re taking a group picture. Arlene said that anyone who’s not here,she doesn’t want to know.’ They said rapidly and they dragged the two womenwith them.

‘Wait,’ Yin Ting said and she ranback to him, ‘I’ll be back soon. Look for my brother.’ She said and she wasdragged off.

He stared after her dumbly; a group ofyoung ladies had good manners in appeareance, but have terrible manners. Theycan steal the gift, but why steal his girlfriend?

Zhengqing unhappily went to lookfor Yin Shi. They found each other and greeted each other with a perfunctionarywave,

‘I saw Yin Ting being dragged awayas you entered. She told me to come to you.’ Yin Shi said.

‘They are usually like this whenthey get together,’ he continued, ‘noisy, rude and thoughtless. Don’t mind it,ah.’

‘It’s alright,’ Zhengqing said. Aslong as this wasn’t a regular occurance, and he only had to accompany her onoccasion; he could tolerate it.

With Yin Shi, Zhengqing found thegift booth and then they went to find seats. There were a few people chattingwhere they had chosen to sit and Yin Shi made polite conversation andintroduced Zhengqing. They began to eat together. Someone offered Zhengqingsome wine but he declined, saying he was driving. There was an awkward silenceround the table but Yin Shi smoothed things over, saying, ‘It’s all good. It’sall good. We don’t need to drink wine,’ and he got some orange juice forZhengqing.

Zhengqing relaxed, Yin Ting wasreally thoughtful. He was glad he had Yin Shi to accompany him and bridge thegap between him and the others.

There were lots of conversationsgoing on but Zhengqing did not join in, so Yin Shi chatted to him;

‘My shop is doing okay,’

‘That’s good to hear,’ he repliedpolitely.

‘My little sister, she’s a weirdoand quite stupid. You will forgive her,’

‘No. she’s quite clever, and quickto react, she sometimes reacts faster then I do.’ Zhengqind said drily.

Yin Shi was surprised. ‘Pleasepardon her.’ Then he continued, ‘She has many faults, along with her flightynature, always forgetful. Usually thoughtless...’

‘She’s not really. She’s verythoughtful in many things, and looks at things from a different perspectivefrom the rest of us.’

Yin Shi was surprised, but said,‘Please pardon her.’

Zhengqing smiled.

‘She’s so wilful as well, andemotional, very tempremental when she doesn’t get her way.’

‘I think she had a strongcharacter, I have no issues with her temperament. She’s also positive andoptimistic.’

Were they talking about the sameperson here?

‘She’s my girlfriend, don’t criticiseher too much okay?’

She’s my younger sister, Yin Shithought. The friendship of men is build from gossiping and making fun of theirwomenfolk. Yin Shi looked at Zhengqing, his elite aura was overwhelming. They werein a lively bar, but next to him; it was like being in a conference room.

He finally understood why hissister called Zhenging “Please be more serious” ah. He needed someone like hissister to help him loosen up, and have fun. How did this type of person climbup to the position of Vice President? (Zuben: By being serious?)

‘I’m here!’ Yin Ting appearedfinally. Yin Shi relaxed, he was happy to hand her boyfriend back to her, butsomeone called, ‘Xiaoting! Xiaoting!’

Yin Ting turned to the voices, twoladies came up, ‘We’re making Arlene throw a bouquet. She wasn’t going to, butwe convinced her! She said she’d do it after dinner.’

Yin Ting’s eyes lit up, ‘A bouquet!I want! I want!’ She really wanted to get married; she now has a candidate, allthat is left is luck and timing. (Zuben: And your dad agreeing)

‘Everyone wants!’ the sisterssaid.

‘I’m going to get it!’ she turned toZhengqing and Yin Shi, ‘I’m going, ah!’ and ran off with the two sisters. Inthe middle of the dance-floor, the bride stood surrounded by her friends holdinga bunch of flowers.

The rest of the guests came over towatch. Yin Ting was very enthusiastic, hopping and shouting, ‘Arlene, thow itto me!’

‘Here this side,’ someonecountered.

Yin Shi covered his eyes in shame.His sister only just got a boyfriend; she already wants to marry him! But this doesn’taffect him, but the boyfriend. He turned to find that Zhengqing was gone.

The bride threw the bouquet; itflew up in an impressive arc, causing everyone to gasp, ‘Wow!’

As it completed its journey, a longsuited arm reached out and grabbed it.

Qiu Zhengqing!

Yin Shi almost fell out of hischair. This was more disgraceful than his sister!

The audience was silent.

Yin Ting rushed to him.

Jiaqi shouted from her position, ‘You actually joinedthe women to grab the bouquet?!’

Yin Ting reached his side, he didnot pay Jiaqi any mind as he handed the bouquet to Yin Ting, ‘You’re mine, sothe effect it the same, right?’

Yin Ting blushed furiously and tookthe bouquet. Everyone began to boo; there was mayhem among the young ladies.Jiaqi came up to them and asked her gaze incredulous, ‘You actually stood witha bunch of women and fought for the bouquet?!’

Zhengqing turned to her and repliedsolemnly, ‘I just stood at the edge and reached for it.’ He did not squeeze, hedid not push, just used the advantage of his height and length of his arm. He had no reason not to help his girlfriend get the bouquet.

Under the watchful eyes of thecrowd, Yin Ting became self-conscious and shy, so she hid behind Zhengqing, holding her bouquet. Jiaqi rolled up her sleeves menacingly, ‘Xiaoting, stophiding and come out,’ Followed by laughter and tears of the women.

Yin Ting did not dare come out fromthe shelter of Zhengqing. Zhengqing turned and put his arm around her. A gaggleof young ladies came up to them and asked him to pay for his trespa.s.s. Zhenqingdid not move.

Jiaqi shouted, ‘Qiu zong, I amgoing to pursue you again. Do you have time?’

Zhengqing did not hesitate insaying, ‘No I don’t have time.’

The crowd burst out laughing.

Yin Shi covered his face, these twoare making him lose face. These two are not considering the pride of theirloved ones, ah!

Zuben: Yay for exciting chapters! I was enjoy this so much for a change, I finished in four hours! Iguess I’m now going to pay for such excitement with tedious chapters. Off to play Monster Hunter Online! HappySunday, peeps! Pardon the typos. I tried hard to double and triple check.