Chapter 488 - Date

Lanni dashed to the parking lot and when she saw Xiehan leaning against his car, she threw herself into his arms. "I missed you."

"I almost got sick from not being able to see you the entire week." His words sounded like a complaint as he held her in his arms. They had both been so busy that they were unable to spend much time together.

"Do you feel better now?" She looked up at him, her fingers running gently along the back of his neck.

"Not yet." He leaned down to kiss her lips. "I feel better now."

"Where are we going?" She asked as they entered the car, and he drove out of the apartment complex.

In response, he merely smiled. "Why are you asking when there is a better way to find out?"

"Watch and see where we land. Right." She chucked and let him continue driving, and he smiled after successfully putting her in suspense.

About half an hour later, they stopped at a large garden with different kinds of colorful flowers. At the centre was a large fountain and close to the fountain, a large picnic mat had been set up.

"It looks beautiful." She gushed, feeling like all her troubles had flown away thanks to the beauty in her line of sight.

"You better have fun and forget about work for a while." He teased and followed her as she ran around the garden then slumped onto the cushioned mat that had a parasol above it.

She caught a blue butterfly and placed it on her shoulder, then looked bummed when it flew away. "It's been long since we had this kind of fun."

"You are right, and we should do it more often." He cupped her face to press a soft kiss onto her lips. Hugging his shoulders, her eyes darted around the garden as though looking for something.

"Do you miss your little butterfly that much?" He teased.

"I'm looking around to see if we are alone." She whispered, making him hold his belly and laugh. Was she worried that the place wasn't that private?

"Don't worry, it's a private garden and no one else is here." He reassured her. Besides, the flowers around their picnic spot were too tall for anyone from the outside to see whatever was happening inside.

Hearing his reassuring words, she kissed him deeply. She had so badly missed doing so and could only do it now.

When she pulled away, she felt even happier as she looked forward to seeing what was in the cooler box beside them.

"Are you up for some drinks?" He opened the box to reveal different flavors of juice and yoghurt. It looked more like a party than a picnic with the assortment of wine and beer below the yoghurt.

"Nothing beats cold vanilla yoghurt on a hot day." She admitted when she took a sip.

"I have to agree to that." He admitted after taking a sip of her yoghurt, then proceeded to pour himself wine.

While she joyously drank her yoghurt, he took out the sandwiches he had prepared, along with snacks that made her eyes bulge in excitement.

"Xiehan, are you trying to make me add weight?" She narrowed her eyes to jokingly interrogate him.

In response, he chuckled. "I wouldn't mind it if you were chubbier. You would look cuter that way."

Although she knew that these were not new words and she had heard them before, she still smiled. "Such flattery."

He laughed at her response then studied her face carefully, as though he did not want to miss a pore. "You are so beautiful." He whispered.

No matter how many times he looked at her, he found her more beautiful every time he did, and the fact that she was his girlfriend filled him with the urge to keep her by his side forever.

She looked up at him from her yoghurt and her face was filled with warmth. "I love you."

__

"Madam, there's a call for you." Li Yuming's housekeeper reported, handing the telephone over to her.

"Who is it?" Li Yuming was a little surprised, but she answered the call before the housekeeper actually had the chance to state who the caller was.

"Miss Li? It's been long." Came a male voice which Li Yuming recognized as Neil's.

She was a little surprised that he would give her a telephone call. "I couldn't agree more, Mr. Chan. Is there anything you need my help with?"

"No. Actually, yes." Neil sounded confused. "I would like to invite you to lunch. Is that okay with you?"

Li Yuming remained silent, so the man sounded uncertain. "It's alright if you are too busy. We can go some other day."

"It's alright." It was just surprising to be invited by him. "I'll get changed and join you."

"Shall I pick you up?" He offered, and she agreed when she remembered that her favorite car had been sent for maintenance.

…

Ruby had dropped by to visit Neil and as soon as she arrived, she was dragged to the dressing room to help him choose what to wear.

"The blue suit… let's choose a tie." Ruby checked his ties and gave him a dotted one. "What's the occasion?"

"I'm going out for lunch." He responded briefly, then looked bummed when he remembered that Ruby had only just arrived. "I'll be back soon, princess."

She laughed at his antics. "It's alright dad."

Having known him for years, this was the first time she couldn't comprehend his actions. Why was he acting like a man in love? Was he seeing someone? When he finished dressing up and dragged her to the mirror to tell him whether or not he looked handsome enough, her suspicion was confirmed. Her dad was in love! She wondered who the lucky woman was.

…

"You look amazing." Neil opened the car door for Li Yuming, who looked so beautiful that he didn't know what the right compliment should be. She was wearing a simple blue dress and a single diamond necklace but she could steal the heart of anyone who looked at her.

She thanked him with a smile and entered his car, which he drove to a restaurant he had booked after asking her out.

"How are your daughters?" He asked to strike a conversation.

"They couldn't be any better." Just as she answered him and was about to place her order, her phone rang.

The frown on her face when she answered the call made her nervous, and he wondered whether she had to rush and leave. That would be a mega bummer, the kind that only happens once in a lifetime with the help of ten generations of bad luck.

Just as he counted how much bad luck he could have possibly accumulated all his life, she placed the phone on the table and picked up the menu.

"An emergency?" He asked, relieved that she was not leaving.

"Nothing major. It's the National Arts Union, inviting me to yet another exhibition." She answered and looked through for what she would like to eat.

He was even more relieved since she had not mentioned anything about the exhibition happening too soon and having to go. "You don't sound like you enjoy the NAU events anymore."

She shook her head. "Honestly, I'm a little tired of it. It has always been painting, going for events, charity banquets and repeating the cycle. It's a bit too monotonous."

Although that was what she said, she knew deep down that it was more monotonous than it sounded. It had been years after all. At first, she still had Lanni to take care of and was less bored. However, her Lanni was now a grown up girl so she had less to do and more time to be bored.

"Maybe you should retire and only paint for fun? You need some time to yourself after working hard for all these years." He felt the same way, which was why he would soon give up the position of CEO in his company and spend the rest of his time doing things that interested him more.

She nodded to his suggestion. "What a coincidence that you think the same way. I plan to do so soon." Her aim was to accumulate enough properties for her daughters, so even if they ever needed her financial support in future, they would be able to enjoy a lifetime of luxury with their children.

"We have more in common than we thought, don't you think?" He smiled as he placed his order.

"Maybe?" She returned a warm smile.

"Are you very busy lately?" He asked when the food arrived.

"That depends. Do you need help with something?" She asked kindly, to which he nodded.

"A painting for my study. I prefer a landscape, and we can talk about the payment once you are done." He stated, picking up his cutlery.

"I have one that would suit you." It was lucky that he had asked before anyone else saw it, otherwise he would have had to miss out.

"That's a heavenly streak of luck for me." He admitted. "Could you send it to my address later? Send me your account details along with it."

She nodded, but when she sent the painting to him later in the afternoon, it had a note attached to the scroll.. [Consider it a gift.]