Chapter 1176 - Surprise

After the meeting, Lu Lijun was busy and didn't have to face Jiang Yuyan, who could turn his unstable mind chaotic only at her sight. Office hours were over, and Jiang Yuyan was about to leave as she talked to Xiao Min. 

"Is he still working?" Jiang Yuyan asked. 

"Seems like he will finish the work for next ten years in just a few days," Xiao Min replied. 

Jiang Yuyan frowned as she felt worried about his health, "Is there really a need to work this much?" She mumbled. 

Xiao Min remembered the day from the past when Jiang Yuyan was immersed in work the day and night, so she could not think about anything else that would weaken her.

"I am used to seeing it for the past few years," Xiao Min commented. 

Jiang Yuyan understood the underlying meaning and glared at him. She was not feeling good, and she knew what it was. 

"I will go home today," she instructed. 

"Suddenly?" Xiao Min asked. 

"The annoying days after every few months," she replied annoyingly, and Xiao Min understood. 

As soon as they sat in the car, Xiao Min dialed the doctor's number and asked her to come to Jiang Yuyan's home. 

———-

Ming Industries.

The entire day, Lu Lian was busy working as if she wanted to finish as soon as possible, but the duration of the project she was handling was not in her hand to move it forward. Her responsibility would only finish when the designs she made finally converted into visible structures. She didn't talk or even look at Ming Rusheng unless it was something related to work.

By the time work hours were over, a woman had entered the Ming Industries. She wore a simple T-shirt, jeans, and as her hair secured at the upper back of her head in a loose bun. 

Round face with delicate features, her honey-colored eyes were hidden behind the circular thin gold rim glasses settled at her thin nose bridge of her tiny pony nose. Though her appearance was simple, it couldn't hide her beauty. 

Though she was not a frequent visitor to Ming Industries corporate office, the receptionists and the security guards recognized her and greeted her by bowing to her. One man from the security team wearing a black suit led her way towards the VIP elevator. 

When she reached the desired floor, she stepped out of the elevator where Ming Rusheng had just stepped out of his office. 

"Mr. Ming," she called, looking at him smiling brightly.

Ming Rusheng looked at the woman with a familiar voice that surprised him.

Before he could say a word, she strode towards him and hugged him. Still holding him, she looked at him. "What's with these expressions? It seems like someone is not happy to see me here."

"I can be happy if you stop giving me sudden shocks after not even answering my calls for days," he spoke, smiling lightly at her and asked.

Lu Lian's assistant, who passed by to go to her boss's office, saw it and felt shocked. The cold-looking Mr. Ming was actually hugging a woman and even smiled at her. 

She entered Lu Lian's office and spoke in a hurry. "Ms. Lu!"

Lu Lian was about to finish her work, "What!" The assistant heard a reply with an annoyed tone. 

"I saw something surprising just now."

"I hope it's not dinosaurs," Lu Lian commented annoyingly as she sighed deeply. She was tired from work and didn't have the energy left to deal with what her assistant had seen.

"It's even more surprising than that," said the assistant.

Lu Lian finally looked at her, "Say it or go out."

The assistant was used to such behavior from Lu Lian whenever she was tired and replied, "Outside, one woman came and hugged Mr. Ming. Not just that, Mr. Ming hugged her back and even smiled at her."

"So?" Lu Lian asked as it didn't affect her. 

It startled the assistant. She was sure something was going on between her boss and big boss, then how come Lu Lian was so calm about it.

"I just thought…."

"You better use your time on working more instead of spying on others," Lu Lian warned.

"Yes, Ms. Lu."

Lu Lian, who was working, her hand suddenly froze after she recalled what her assistant said but resumed thinking, 'None of my business.'

Work hours were over, and she was about to leave, but someone knocked on the door. 

"Come in!" Lu Lian said while tidying her stuff on the work table as she heard a familiar voice. 

"Seems like Ms. Lu is working hard as always." 

Lu Lian looked at the person standing at the door and couldn't contain her surprising smile. "Lanlan!"

Ming Lan walked towards Lu Lian, who already stood up from her chair and hugged her as she asked with a bright smile, "How have you been, Ms. Lu?" Ming Lan asked. 

"I am good, but when did you return? You didn't tell me that day you are returning."

"This afternoon," Ming Lan answered. "I wanted to surprise my brother and then realized you are here, so I should surprise you too," Ming Lan replied. 

'So the woman her assistant had mentioned was Ming Lan,' Lu Lian concluded, and unknown to her, she felt relieved. 

"What are you doing after work?" Ming Lan asked. 

"Going home," she replied. 

"That means you are free," Ming Lan concluded, "Let's go out then."

Lu Lian cleared her throat, "Well, after going home, I have a dinner appointment."

Ming Lan gave her a questioning look, and Lu Lian said, "We can go tomorrow."

"Fine, but for now, let's go somewhere. Maybe coffee." Ming Lan said.

"Okay," Lu Lian grabbed her bag and both ladies came out of the office where Ming Rusheng was already present. 

"Shall we?" He said to his sister.

"Brother, Lian is coming with us."

Nodding, Ming Rusheng stepped towards the elevator while Lu Lian unwillingly had to join them now. After agreeing with Ming Lan, she suddenly couldn't say no. 

———

Getting inside the elevator, Ming Lan asked her brother, "The same Cafe on the other side of the road?"

"Hmm!" Ming Rusheng hummed and kept quiet.

Lu Lian was quite unlike how excited and happy she was when she saw Ming Lan. 

They reached the Cafe, which was on the other side of the road from Ming Industries office, where Ming Rusheng sat opposite two women. 

Lu Lian looked dazed as she started outside of the glass wall of the Cafe while Ming Rusheng was silent as his sight swept across the silent woman who looked unwilling to spend even a moment around him. 

Lu Lian got a call, and she excused herself from receiving it. Lu Lian was busy thinking about what to order, while Ming Rusheng's sight caught the name that just flashed on Lu Lian's cellphone screen- Mr. Wen.

He understood whose call it was and remembered what Wen Zac said to him the previous night- He was meeting Lu Lian the next day. Anxiousness surrounded his mind as he looked at the woman who was away while talking on the phone.

"Brother Rusheng, what will you have?" Ming Lan asked while looking into the small but cute-looking menu card of the Cafe.

There was no reply from him as he was staring at Lu Lian, who looked fine while talking on the phone. It seems like she liked Wen Zan already. 

Not getting an answer, Ming Lan looked at her brother and then followed his line of sight, which was fixed on Lu Lian. 

Ming Lan knew her brother really well. He never spared a glance to any woman, but now he looked dazed while staring at Lu Lian as if he was unhappy with the call she had just attended. 

"Do you like her that much even to forget the existence of your sister who returned after so long?" Ming Lan commented. 

"Huh?" Ming Rusheng finally looked at his sister and told her what he wanted to have. 

Ming Lan then looked at Lu Lian, who was still busy, "What will she like?" Ming Lan mumbled. Though they were friends, Ming Lan was always away, so she was unsure what Lu Lian would like to have at this hour.

"Caramel Macchiato for her," Ming Rusheng answered. 

It surprised Ming Lan, and she gave him a questioning look, "Are you sure?"

Ming Rusheng cleared his throat. "She orders this mostly when we are out for any business meeting."

"What do I like?" Ming Lan asked. 

"You are always away to know what you like," Ming Rusheng countered. 

Ming Lan frowned, "Not like we never went to a Cafe before."

Just then, the attendant came to them, and Ming Lan placed the order. 

Lu Lian returned, and Ming Lan informed, "I ordered Caramel Macchiato for you. Is it fine?"

Lu Lian nodded, "You know what I like."

"It's not me…eeee" Ming Lan whined in pain.

"Are you okay?" Lu Lian asked worriedly. 

Glaring at her brother, Ming Lan nodded, "Seems like I had a cramp in my feet suddenly."

"Let me see."

"N-no need. I am fine. It happens once in a while."

Ming Lan didn't insist, and the three enjoyed the coffee quietly while Lu Lian told them the thing she had faced during her visit to Africa.

The three left where Lu Lian got her car and returned home while Ming Rusheng talked. "Did you bring a car?"

"Hmm, but I want to go with my brother."

"I am not going home."

Ming Lan frowned, "Hotel is not your home. Be home at least when I am there," she said, "I can't be the only one to get nagging from grandpa to get married and what not."

"I get it every day. As you are here, I am sure he will spare me," Ming Rusheng commented as the two siblings sat in his car. 

Just as they drove away, Ming Lan asked, "You like her, right?"

"Give your brain Some rest to face grandpa's nagging," Ming Rusheng dodged her question.

"I am not a kid that you will divert me. Tell me honestly, what's going on?" Ming Lan insisted but got the silence in return. 

"So I am right," she concluded and said, "She looks like going on a date."

Ming Rusheng kept quiet as he preferred to focus on the driving, but it couldn't stop him from feeling the pain about the fact that his sister had just said.

Knowing how stubborn Lu Lian could be, Ming Rusheng was sure she would do everything to mock him. That day she called Wen Zac and he understood she would not forgive easily or maybe she would never forgive him. For now, letting her have her way was the better option. If he stopped her, she would definitely do the opposite of it.