CH 72

Engagement.

‘Xiao Ya,’ Huyen Di called.

Su Xiao Ya walked past Li Cheng and Zi Lan to Huyen Di.

On stage, Wo Ta Tian introduced Zhen Wu as the CEO of Yue’s company.

‘Thank you for the congratulations,’ Zhen Wu said. ‘I look forward to receiving guidance from everyone.’

The guests applauded Zhen Wu. They admired the twenty-two-year-old man who succeeded Yue Gu Zai at a young age.

‘Big brother Zhen Wu,’ Shu Tang Li greeted. ‘I’m sorry I’m late.’

The guests looked curiously at the fifteen-year-old leader of Tan Lang. Shu Tang Li looked like his dad, Shu Tang Jue. Gentle on the outside and deadly on the inside.

Shu Tang Li smiled at Zhen Wu and he gave Zhen Wu an envelope.

‘Big brother Zhen Wu, this is a small gift to say congratulations,’ Shu Tan Li said.

The small gift was a valuable land in the city from Tan Lang to give to Ni Sheng to turn into a development area.

Zhen Wu smiled at Shu Tang Li, he knew what Shu Tang Li wanted in return for the small gift.

‘Xiao Li, if you run outside now, you can catch up to Xiao Ni,’ Zhen Wu said.

‘Big brother Zhen Wu, I’ll catch up with you next time,’ Shu Tang Li said.

Zhen Wu watched Shu Tang Li run like the wind. When Zhen Wu turned around, Li Cheng introduced himself.

‘CEO Zhen,’ Li Cheng greeted. ‘Congratulations. I’m Li Cheng, CEO of Tu’s company.’

Li Cheng lusted after half of the small gift in Zhen Wu’s hands. If Tu’s company received the business deal with Ni Sheng then Tu’s company would defeat their rival company, Tan’s company.

Zhen Wu politely nodded his head at Li Cheng then he turned around to greet Tan Tu Hang.

‘Uncle Tan,’ Zhen Wu greeted.

‘Xiao Wu,’ Tan Tu Hang called.

‘Uncle Tan, are you interested in building something small with me?’ Zhen Wu asked.

Tan Tu Hang was surprised Zhen Wu chose to give him a juicy piece of meat.

Zhen Wu didn’t care what company he collaborated with as long as he could tolerate the company’s owner.

‘Of course I’m interested in building with my Xiao Wu,’ Tan Tu Hang said.

Li Cheng gripped his wine glass, losing to Tan Tu Hang was another insult to his ego.

‘Zhen Wu,’ Lam Ting called.

Lam Ting wore a strapless ocean blue dress, she looked like a sea mermaid princess.

‘Aren’t you going to ask me to dance?’ Lam Ting asked.

Zhen Wu gave the small gift in his hand to a Ni Sheng gang member to store in a safe place.

‘Uncle Tan, I’ll ask my secretary to schedule a meeting with you next week,’ Zhen Wu said.

‘She’s a pretty little girl,’ Tan Tu Hang said. ‘Xiao Wu, you have good vision.’

Zhen Wu didn’t clear the misunderstanding. He walked with Lam Ting to the dance floor.

Lam Ting danced with Zhen Wu, but she sensed his heart wasn’t with her.

‘You won’t the person who wrote the love letter to me,’ Lam Ting said.

‘Um,’ Zhen Wu said. ‘You took my designs by mistake.’

‘Why didn’t you clear the misunderstanding?’ Lam Ting asked.

‘Gossip has nothing to do with me,’ Zhen Wu said.

‘Is that so?’ Lam Ting asked. ‘My feet hurts. Can I trouble you to give me a lift home?’

‘My pleasure,’ Zhen Wu said.

Lam Ting linked arms with Zhen Wu to his sports car.

‘I thought you only rode bicycles,’ Lam Ting said.

‘Riding a bicycle is a good workout,’ Zhen Wu said.

Zhen Wu drove Lam Ting home.

‘Thank you,’ Lam Ting said.

Zhen Wu looked out the window at Lam Huang who was waiting at the front door.

‘Is it worth smiling at me even though you don’t like me?’ Zhen Wu asked. ‘Why sacrifice yourself for your father?’

‘How do you know I don’t like you?’ Lam Ting asked.

‘You’re a prideful person,’ Zhen Wu said. ‘After I rejected you twice, you kept your distance from me. But tonight you approached me in front of your father’s business acquaintances.’

‘My dad is right,’ Lam Ting said. ‘The leader of Ni Sheng is a smart person.’

Lam Ting’s beauty didn’t blind Zhen Wu.

‘Your father used the wrong chess piece,’ Zhen Wu said. ‘The leader of Ni Sheng and head of the national security department is my little sister. If you have a little brother, you can ask your father to give him to my little sister. Whether my little sister accepts him or not is up to my little sister.’

‘A pity, I’m an only child,’ Lam Ting said. ‘Your little sister owns Ni Sheng, but it doesn’t mean you can’t influence your little sister’s decisions.’

‘True,’ Zhen Wu said. ‘But I’m prudent businessman. I only like making profitable business deals. A pity, going into business with your father wouldn’t be profitable.’

Lam Ting stood at the front gate of her home. Was she in love with Zhen Wu? She must be if the wind felt colder than usual.

The following day, Zhen Wu rode his bicycle to college. The difference was the male students looked enviously at him, and the female students ran up to him to give him flowers.

Zhen Wu carried the flowers to his tutorial room. He sat in the back seat next to the jealous Lucy.

‘CEO Zhen, today you’re a popular man,’ Lucy said.

Zhen Wu didn’t know what he did to upset Lucy.

Lucy opened the college magazine and she read an article written by Sun Ling Hui.

‘CEO Zhen is the young college prince, Zhen Wu,’ Lucy said.

‘If you like flowers, take these,’ Zhen Wu said.

Zhen Wu wanted a clear desk to sleep.

Lucy put the flowers on the floor. She was going to burn them after class.

Lucy gave a jewellery box to Zhen Wu.

‘It’s a small gift for you,’ Lucy said. ‘Congratulations. I’m sorry I couldn’t attend your celebration last night.’

‘What is it?’ Zhen Wu asked.

‘Open it and see what’s inside,’ Lucy said.

Zhen Wu opened the jewellery box. Inside was an engagement ring. Why did Lucy give him an engagement ring?

‘Is it beautiful?’ Lucy asked.

Zhen Wu smiled. Lucy asked if it was beautiful like she was giving him a tie or a watch.

‘Beautiful,’ Zhen Wu said.

Lucy put the ring on Zhen Wu’s ring finger.

‘It looks beautiful on you,’ Lucy praised.

‘Lucy, are you asking me to marry you?’ Zhen Wu asked.

‘Will you say yes?’ Lucy asked.

‘My mum said it’s not good to marry too young,’ Zhen Wu said.

‘Your mum gave birth to you when she was our age,’ Lucy said.

‘True,’ Zhen Wu said.

‘Is that a yes?’ Lucy asked. ‘You’ll receive many benefits if you marry me. I’m eye candy, and you won’t be embarrassed to be seen with me on the streets. Our children will inherit our good genes. I’m a good cook. I can cook Chinese, Japanese, French and Italian cuisines. I’ll learn to cook all your favorite dishes. I’m good at housework. After you marry me, you won’t need to hire a housekeeper and you’ll save money. You’ll get a sizeable dowry. Dawson’s company will become yours. You don’t need money, but it doesn’t hurt to have more money. I’ll be a good wife, I’ll take good care of you. I’ll listen to you. If you say go east, I won’t go west.’

‘Marry the girl,’ a male student said. ‘Where are you going to find another girl that is as good as Lucy?’

‘Lucy, you forgot to say something to me,’ Zhen Wu said. ‘Shouldn’t you tell me you love me?’

‘I love you,’ Lucy said.

‘Yes,’ Zhen Wu said.

‘Yes, you’ll marry me?’ Lucy asked.

‘Yes,’ Zhen Wu said.

‘Zhen Wu, I’m really happy,’ Lucy said.

Lucy jumped onto Zhen Wu’s lap. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and she kissed his cheeks.

Most of the boys in the class resented Zhen Wu for taking Lucy off the market.

‘Zhen Wu, if you’re my man, isn’t it reasonable if you grant my small requests?’ Lucy asked.

‘Tell me your requests,’ Zhen Wu said.

‘From today, inside your heart can only be me,’ Lucy said. ‘Your eyes can only look at me, you can’t look at other women. You can’t take another woman home. You can’t accept gifts from other women. You can’t smile at other women. If I call your phone, you can’t reject my call. Before you go out, you need to let me know where you’re going so I can come to you if there’s an emergency. If you take a lunch break longer than an hour then you have to tell me why. You have to introduce me to your parents and siblings. You need to tell me what your family members’ interests are so I can prepare gifts for them. Only I can sit on the back seat of your bicycle. If I’m sad, you have to kiss me and cheer me up. You have to tell me the identity of your former sugar mummy…’

Zhen Wu held Lucy’s cheeks, and he kissed her lips.

‘Is it strange for me to kiss you?’ Zhen Wu asked.

‘No,’ Lucy said. ‘I’m not sure if it was you who kissed me.’

‘He kissed you,’ a male student confirmed.

‘The girl who picked me up was my little sister,’ Zhen Wu said. ‘I’ll introduce you to her soon. My dad is Yue Gu Zai. He loves my mum the most. My mum is Zhen Zhen. She loves her lab the most. My little sister is Yue Ni. You met her last time. She loves many things, especially polar bears. I have a baby brother, Yue Di Yi. He loves playing with tissues. If no one pays attention to him, he’ll pull out one hundred tissue boxes in a day. He’s a happy baby. You found out my contact number a long time ago. I only pick up phone calls from my family members and people I care about. If you call me, I’ll always pick up. I’m either working or at home. If I want to go out, I’ll ask your permission first. Do you have any other requests?’

‘No,’ Lucy said.

Lucy felt like she was dreaming. She didn’t expect Zhen Wu would agree to all her requests. She sat back on her seat.

Lam Ting walked to the back row. The ring on Zhen Wu’s ring finger was an eyesore.

‘Is there room for me to sit?’ Lam Ting asked.

‘I’m sorry,’ Lucy said. ‘There is no room for you.’

Lucy was angry at the opportunistic Lam Ting, who wanted to seduce Zhen Wu last night when she couldn’t attend the celebration.

‘There is an empty seat next to Zhen Wu,’ Chu Lan said.

Lucy picked up the rubbish flowers, and she put it on the empty seat.

‘I’m sorry,’ Lucy said. ‘The seat is taken.’

‘You’re too much,’ Chu Lan said.

‘Chu Lan, we’ll go sit at the front,’ Lam Ting said. ‘Zhen Wu, thank you for taking me home last night.’

Lucy pinched Zhen Wu’s shoulder, and he smiled at her.

‘Lucy, where were you last night?’ Zhen Wu asked. ‘Did you get a goodnight sleep?’

‘My grandpa is sick,’ Lucy said.

‘Your grandpa will be OK,’ Zhen Wu said.

‘Um,’ Lucy said.

‘You in the back seat,’ the tutor said.

‘Me?’ Zhen Wu asked.

‘No… CEO Zhen, I didn’t mean you,’ the tutor said.

***

End of Chapter Seventy-Two