Jiang Yuyan went to Lu Lian's room. Knocking on the door she entered the room. Lu Lian was standing in the gallery of her room, staring out in a daze as she had changed into her home clothes and winter coat over it.
Jiang Yuyan went to the gallery, "It's cold outside. You should not stand here for long."
After a pause, Lu Lian spoke as she continued to look ahead towards the snow-covered place, "I am sorry, Yuyan."
It surprised Yuyan and she asked, "For what?
"For being selfish," Lu Lian replied.
"I don't see any reason for you to apologize. Also, being selfish is not something to apologize for. We all are selfish in our different ways," Jiang Yuyan commented.
Finally, Lu Lian looked at Jiang Yuyan who stood next to her, and said, "I had decided to go away from him after he told me what he did with you and brother Qiang. But when I saw him dying in front of my eyes, all the reasons to push him away disappeared and I wished for nothing but him. I don't know how to face you for loving the person who once drugged you and abducted you. I can only apologize for it. I can't give up on him anymore."
Jiang Yuyan smiled at her, "It's sad that you have to face a tragic incident to finally realize it. There is nothing to apologize for. If he was the wrong person, I would have never allowed you to even think about him. I told you, he did nothing bad but minor mistakes which can be forgiven easily."
Lu Lian nodded, "I understand it now. Whatever it is, I just can't give up on him."
"Good," Jiang Yuyan patted her arm and continued, "When I was in Paris, he traveled there to meet me only to get permission to date you. He couldn't even wait till I returned."
It surprised Lu Lian, "Did he?"
Jiang Yuyan nodded, "At that time I told him not to tell you anything as I knew how you would react, but he didn't listen. He just wanted to be honest with you."
Lu Lian thought about it and tried to link everything, "He once went to Paris so suddenly and asked me to wait for him…..He looked so serious while leaving and even after he returned...So this was the reason...he had all this in his mind all along."
"Before telling you everything he must have struggled with himself a lot. Confessing something that can make you lose the one you love, is the most difficult thing to do," Jiang Yuyan commented.
Lu Lian nodded, " I was so full of myself and my pain that I failed to understand his pain. I never expected him to do something like this, not even in my worst dream that I couldn't accept it. I loved him a lot that I believed he could never do anything wrong. But now, right or wrong, whatever he does, I just don't care. I will make up for hurting him by making him realize how much he loves me, even though he doesn't remember that time when he did."
Jiang Yuyan nodded, "Good decision. If he still won't realize it, we can always kidnap him for you and send him to one faraway island with no humans but you two only. Like that he will be with you always as there won't be any facility to return."
Lu Lian looked at Jiang Yuyan calmly, "How did you know I was thinking the same?"
Jiang Yuyan smiled, "I liked the idea. Let me know if you need help."
Lu Lian smiled back, "I know I can always rely on you."
Jiang Yuyan nodded, "Now get inside. It's cold," and Lu Lian agreed to her.
-------
Inside the VIP suite of the hotel, Lu Lijun was standing by the floor-to-ceiling long window of his room, thinking about something, his cellphone rang.
He received the call, "Finally, you got time to call me."
The person on the other side of the line said, "Though I am not there, I am working on the same project as you. Do you think all that data you are receiving is appearing out of thin air?"
"Well, for us it's your company which is providing us through your project manager," Lu Lijun countered.
"Whatever! Anyways, how are you…." and he stopped.
"Won't you ask how Noah is?" Lijun asked.
"It's evening there so I am sure he must be busy with one of his newly found women."
"Jake, it's not the truth and you know it," Lu Lijun countered.
"Doesn't matter," Jake replied.
"He has been busy with me traveling everywhere and you know it. Since you left, he is constantly worried about you. It's already been more than a month," Lu Lijun informed.
"You worry for yourself. You said you are going to inform your family about you and President Lu," Jake asked.
"I am returning home. Will decide then. I have told her but I know she will never be ready. Need to do it my way," Lu Lijun said.
"All the best," Jake wished and instructed, "Don't tell him I called."
"Hmm," Lu Lijun agreed and they hung up the call.
-------
The next day it was Sunday. Lu Lian and Ming Lan met outside as Ming Lan had to answer Lu Lian about why she went to the rooftop with Wen Zac. They met at the cafe.
"So what was it about?" Lu Lian asked.
Ming Lan felt awkward with how to tell her. "Don't judge me okay?" she warned.
"I won't. However you are and whatever it is, you will always be my best friend and the same person for me," Lu Lian assured.
Ming Lan closed her eyes and lowered her head as she spoke in a hurry, "I asked brother Wen to marry me?"
"What?" Lu Lian exclaimed that everyone around looked at the two. Lu Lian apologized and looked back at her friend who sat with her head lowered as if she had committed a crime.
"What did you just say?" Lu Lian asked in a low voice.
"I-I told you not to judge me," Ming Lan said, as she couldn't dare look at Lu Lian.
"I am not judging you but this was so unexpected from you. You were the one to say you will never marry anyone because of your job but now….how did this happen?"
"I must have lost my mind," Ming Lan said with still her head lowered.
"If you can dare ask him to marry you, then why are you embarrassed in front of me? Look at me," Lu Lian instructed.
Ming Lan looked at her, feeling speechless.
"What did he say?" Lu Lian asked.
"He said he will talk to his father," Ming Lan replied.
"Then?"
"Then nothing. He left," Ming Lan replied as she looked confused about all this.
"Didn't he tell you when?"
"He left and didn't even contact me yet. I think he is out of the city for two weeks."
"It's just yesterday you asked him. Don't worry too much. If he didn't say no, that means he is ready. He is not the one to keep hanging someone."
"I hope so," Ming Lan said and asked worriedly, "He must think I am crazy to propose him for marriage when we never even had dated each other."
"He must have liked this craziness. How rare are the chances when one pretty girl asks one man directly for marriage out of nowhere? He is the lucky one to get such a proposal," Lu Lian consoled.
Ming Lan stared at her for a moment and said, "Do you know what?"
"What?" Lu Lian asked.
"You are such a nice person. My brother is missing out on so many things," Ming Lan commented.
Lu Lian smiled, "Don't worry. If your brother refuses to give in to me, I plan to abduct him to a faraway island and keep him with me."
"You are scary, that's why my brother must have liked you a lot. He never goes after simple things," Ming Lan commented.
"That I know. Now tell me how did you end up proposing to him? I must say- good choice."
Ming Lan explained to her everything that happened and Lu Lian didn't know what to say.
"Don't tell me you are doing it to compensate him because of me and your brother." Lu Lian asked.
"No, I just think he is the right person to marry. Not like I have anyone in life. Moreover, he said to let me do my job," Ming Lan informed.
"Well, whatever you two feel right then. I am happy for you. He is really a nice person," Lu Lian added.
"Hmm, that's why," Ming Lan agreed.
"So finally there is someone who will like one wild cat roaming in the wilderness and covered in mud," Lu Lian laughed.
"I am lucky that he hadn't seen me like that or he would have never said yes to marry me. I will never let him see me like that or he will just divorce me the next day."
Lu Lian sighed, "You look pretty even like that too."
"You are my friend and love me so you will like me even if I am the ugliest person in this world," Ming Lan countered.
"You never know, he might love you the way you are," Lu Lian commented and Ming Lan could only sit quietly.
After finishing a coffee, Ming Lan offered, "Come home with me."
"For what?" Lu Lian asked.
"Do you need any reason other than my brother?" Ming Lan asked.
"It won't look good to visit your home often. Your family might think….."
"After seeing you threatening the doctor, they only think you are crazily in love with my brother. And trust me, all are so happy to know it. If it was not for my brother's memories, you would have been sitting with a marriage certificate in your hand by now. I trust my grandpa's capability."
Lu Lian laughed at it and said, "I will visit him soon."
"I just wanted to tell you, most of the servants at home are on vacation for two days. I wished you could help us by being a personal servant of my brother. We are short of hands."
"What's the pay?"
"You will get my brother as a payment."
"Deal," Lu Lian agreed.
The two finished the coffee and drove towards the Ming Mansion.