Chapter 291 - Closed-Door Cultivation

In order to rid the dark shadow of being a thief from her forehead, Lina had to narrate how she had ended up with Stephen's book that was filled with rough drafts for his Winter Collection.

Once the misunderstanding about the ownership of the notebook was clarified, Lina and Benji then sat on the couch and perused the designs together.

Each page held new and distinct designs which elicited ooh's and ahh's from them at frequent intervals.

"You think you will be able to create jewelry designs in such a short amount of time?" Benji inquired while flipping through the pages.

'Hehe, he is underestimating my will power to achieve what I have decided!' She rolled her eyes at his lack of faith in her work ethic.

Lina glanced up and chuckled at him which made him look up as well.

'Looks like it is time to go old school style just like in the old days!' She announced in her heart as though she was an old lady ripe in age and experience.

The devious smirk on her face which was clear to Benji made him frown as he felt an ominous feeling rising in his heart.

That smirk coupled with the information he had just received could only point towards one thing which made him apprehensive.

"No no! Nana, don't even think about it! Not again!" He chided her when he realized what that smirk meant.

Lina let out a loud and hearty chuckle as she nodded indicating that it was exactly what he was thinking about.

'He knows me all too well.' She exclaimed as he was one of the few people who had been with her since the conception of her baby, Obsidia Designs.

Upon receiving her nod of acceptance, Benji pressed his forehead and sighed but did not say anything further in an attempt to change her mind.

'It is not like she would change her mind even if I tried to persuade her.' He scoffed and then decided that it would be a waste of his energy and breath to try to talk some sense into her.

This reaction of his was thanks to a particular habit that Lina had honed over the years which would help her whenever she needed it.

Whenever Lina was strapped for time and needed to pump out designs without hindering or compromising with the quality of her work, she would do something strange.

Something that she called 'Closed-door cultivation' based on one of the wuxia novels that she had read a long time back.

'Now that I think about it… It has been too long since I've read my novels!' She cried out in her heart as now she wouldn't be able to do that for quite some time thanks to the Winter Collection.

"Where will you be cooped up this time?" Benji interrupted her thoughts with his inquiry.

"It is called Closed-Door Cultivation and not being cooped up like a chicken!" The young lady snarled at the man who was disrespecting her methods of work.

The roll of the eye which she received was customary every time she had used that sentence before him.

However, what he said was not wrong since she would do just that.

Lina would stay indoors without much contact with anyone else until she emerged one day with the drafts of her jewelry, ready to impress the world.

Benji was always proud of the outcome yet disagreed with her journey towards it.

'She always neglects her health while doing this cultivation... or whatever it is that she likes to call it.' He sneered in his heart but did not utter a word about it as he knew what needs to be done to get her on the right track if she were to be too reckless with her actions.

"Yea yea… So which hotel should I book for you this time around?" He questioned as he would soon need to make preparations for her.

Lina's method would need her to stay alone which meant that she would leave her house and stay in a hotel for zero distractions during her cultivation period.

This question made her ponder for a few seconds as she did not know much about the hotels in this city.

"You decide. I'll be fine as long as you arrange everything I need inside the room." She doled out her orders to her trustworthy assistant who knew all about her likes and dislikes.

'She is just too lazy to do the research online!' He shook his head and then agreed to her instructions with a soft hum.

Having completed one task, she was reminded of another matter which needed Benji's expertise.

"Benji, can you hack into the security cameras at your apartment?" She polled with a yearning look on her face.

Benji gave her a nod showing that he could do it but did not speak any further as he was waiting for a proper explanation from her.

'Ugh! Such busybodies!' She groaned in her heart as she fell onto the table, making sure to stay away from Stephen's notebook to not crease its pages.

Benji did not melt even when she gave him the puppy eyes and pouted like a child who would soon throw a tantrum.

"Okay Fine!" She declared as she sat up straight once she realized that Benji was not going to fall for her cute appearances as he was immune to her tricks.

Having left with no other options, Lina groaned once again before narrating the incident where she met Jackson for the first and only time.

"So you want to warn an absolute stranger that his girlfriend might be lying to him?" He quizzed incredulously at the absurdity of the situation that he was informed about.

Lina nodded but then shook her head in reply to his question.

"I do wish to warn him and he is not a stranger since I know his name!" She retorted with a huff.

The childish words and actions made Benji shake his head and sigh for the nth time today since he had entered her office room.

"I can ask Wayne if you are not willing to do it for me!" She announced when she noticed the weary look on his face as he continued to sigh at her.

Of course, Benji knew that she could ask her brother who was also a tech wiz to help her out in this regard but he chose to do it for her instead as she was his boss and friend.

"I will look into it when I get the time." He replied which received a round of happy applause from her.

'I have sorted this matter out and can cultivate in peace.' She smiled as she took another glance at the drafts in the book.

As she flipped through the pages her excitement to create new designs to go with these beautiful dresses was the only thing on her mind.

Benji silently made his exit while Lina continued to gaze at the designs as she made mental images of what type of jewelry would match these dresses.

Sadly, she had forgotten about the man who only had thoughts about her on his mind at this moment.

What would Reuben do when he would soon be informed about this closed-door cultivation method that Lina was about to begin?