60 Unfiltered Talk Part 1

November 21, 20XX (Wednesday)

On The Road

"Let me out," blurted Mei Li with anger that she swear the water in her brain evaporated.

Zhao Yang grinned at her, locking the door on the driver's control at his side and gripping her seatbelt fasteners with one hand while he began to drive as the signal turned green.

Mei Li helpless with his forceful nature could only grit her teeth, regretting giving him a chance immediately. She tried to pry off his hands; even if she would be injured trying at least she won't be selling herself short to a man who could do nothing but use force! She'll show him what force could result in; resistance!

"Calm down," Yang tried to placate her, knowing her anger was not a joke anymore. He really needs to change tactics with her. "That was a joke," Yang told after a while yet his left hand still grip her seatbelt.

"Blackmailing isn't a joke!" Mei Li said looking as if she would bite him if given a chance. Should he let her do so? Would it hurt if she did? She was such a weak woman that she can't even take his one hand out of his hold.

Choosing to give up, the fight, while thinking it was not worth it to anger the woman he was courting, he said, "Alright, I won't do it again. Promise to stay put?"

Mei Li glared at him with all the hatred she could muster but end up looking like a hissing cat in his eyes, "Why would I promise that to you? I shouldn't have trusted you! I can give your bouquet back to you so take me back to Yue!"

"...Sorry," Yang glance at her for a moment, cursing his failed tactics and just blaming it as a joke, "It was a lame joke, forgive me. One more chance?"

"No, pull over! If you won't take me back to Zhao Manor then I'll walk there! I thought you were better than this! Of all the jokes you tell me it-" "Here." Yang interrupted while giving her two pieces of printed A4 bond paper that was inserted on the side pocket of his car door.

Mei Li blinked in confusion, her mouth shut abruptly from her rant. She eyed Zhao Yang suspiciously, "What's this?"

"This is your file from the government, I have level 3 clearance to view any file as long as it belongs to that clearance level. Your identity as Miss M is available on that level. My mom as the only remaining successor to the throne has one of the highest which is level five clearance. Tell me, do you think she doesn't know?"

Mei Li was quiet as she read the files and analyzed. What he was saying and the truth of all it, she was amazed to know how powerful the Zhao's truly were. She glanced at him before casually saying, "You are changing the topic. I hate that about you too. If you don't like to hear something, you evade it. If you don't like a person, you make sure you don't see them with an unnecessary amount of force. Yet if you like somebody, you still use force. Tell me, if I agree to really date you and would make you disappointed by failing to meet your expectations, would I also be forcefully removed?"

Yang glorified when the red signal comes into sight, he turned his head immediately to her, staring straight into her eyes, and replied, "Woman, I am uncharacteristically gentle with you. If I wasn't, you'd be married to me and on your way to being pregnant with my child."

Mei Li stayed silent as she heard that low growl of annoyance he had on his voice when he continued to defend himself, "You don't need to worry about disappointing me. You're already disappointing me every time!"

Yang let go of his hold on her seatbelt, seeing her slumping at the car seat in gloom at his words. He continued, "The first time we meet, I expected you to either be nervous in front of me and avoid talking or flirt with me and be tactile but you didn't. Instead, you embarrassed the heck off of me. Woman, there is only one woman aside from my mother and grandmother that I allow to lecture me and that's you."

She looked up with surprise at his words, getting out from the gloomy cloud that hovered above her head but he wasn't half done with his speech as Yang continued to growl out the words that he had prepared for her, "I had expected you to be an annoying drunk, instead you were cute. I had expected you to fall right into my arms, instead, you're making me work. I had expected you to demand things from me, instead, I have to think of the things I gave to you. I had expected a lot of things from you and most of all these you've failed but here I am begging for a date with you."

Yang stopped for a moment to take a deep breath and started to drive again as the car behind them had honked for them to move. The driver was too into the moment that he did not see the signal turning green.

After a moment of silence did Yang continued his complaints, "You're beautiful; yes, that attracted me to you... But damn you for being so irresistible that I can't control myself! Damn you for being so considerate and feisty that I can't help but be helpless! Damn you for making me like you too much! If there is someone here complaining, it should be me! How dare the world makes me like a person who doesn't even care!"

Yang gripped the stirring wheel with so much force that his knuckles turned white. Mei Li was put into silence, her eyes wide at his spoken words.

"...Alright." Mei Li turned her head to look at the moving scenery outside as the light moved like falling stars with the speed the CEO's car was going.

Yang snorted, "Alright, what? alright for giving me another chance or alright for being totally honest with me?"

She replied with a soft voice while turning her head to look at the driver's side profile, "Both, but I ask that you don't use force with me if you want something to explain to me the reason why. I'd like to think that I am a sensible woman, I listen. And don't blackmail me with that fake smile of yours, you look more handsome when you're serious like that."

Mei Li giggled when Yang coughed and his ears turned red, "You are unexpectedly easy to tease."

"Woman, you're too forward," Yang complained but he was, in fact, happy inside. She had complimented him. She had called him handsome. 'Keep Calm, Zhao Yang!' He demanded to himself as the raging beat of his heart felt as if he was going to suffer a stroke soon.

"You wanted me to tell what's on my mind and to see you concentrate on driving, I'm reminded that your face has the golden ratio... You can be a model with that face." Mei Li answered, enjoying the look of his embarrassed face before she added, "And call me Mei Li."

"Only if you call me Yang, " He replied immediately before another tense and awkward silence took over.

"... So are we there yet, Yang?" Mei Li's soft voice bothered Yang the most and her calling his name once again reminded him of her drunkenness. He somewhat regretted asking her to be upfront and honest with him.