Chapter 1121 - Beat The Record
In the audience, Dom was translating what Jin Chonglin said to Alric Bauer in English. Although Alric was working hard learning Mandarin in the last few months, he still had a long way to go in understanding formal speeches. His English wasn't that proficient either but at least it was many times better than his understanding of Mandarin. It was such a hard language to learn, in his opinion. Fortunately, Dom was a very expressive person. His English translation included exaggerated body gestures and facial expressions that made it easier for Alric to understand the meaning.
Upon understanding that Jin Chonglin was thanking him, Alric smiled and nodded at the man on the stage. His reaction was caught on camera and shown on the large screen above the stage.
Loyal Orchidia Beauty users respected him a lot because if there was no Alric Bauer, there would be no amazing and nearly miraculous skincare products. Of course, Iris Long also deserved a great deal of credit for poaching a talented person like him and bringing him all the way from Germany to China in order to create a company to sell the enhanced versions of his all-natural homemade skincare products.
While the emcee continued interviewing Jin Chonglin and Chen Fei on stage, Dom noticed his friend fidgeting beside him.
"Sis Jing, are you okay?" he asked.
Long Jinjing was startled a little at his question before looking guilty. She tried to hide her real feelings behind a smile. "I'm okay. Don't worry about me, Dom."
"Hmmm." Dom squinted his eyes at her. "Do you want to leave now and go to the hospital to stay with Big Bro Boss Haohao?"
Her reaction showed that Dom hit bullseye. "Uhm...."
Dom giggled but his eyes quickly turned sad. He sighed. "I really hope that Big Bro Boss wakes up soon."
Her eyes watered but she quickly blinked and bit her lower lip to prevent herself from turning into a sobbing mess. Her makeup took a long time to finish. She wasn't going to ruin it by crying in public. She nodded, not trusting herself to speak because her throat already felt choked up with her emotions.
"Sis Jing, just wait until we officially launch Prince Lin Lin's products and open them for orders. Then you can leave and head to the hospital. My handsome and beautiful self will cover for you."
Long Jinjing felt tempted but she ended up shaking her head. "Thanks, Dom, but I need to stay until the event ends later tonight. I can't just leave everything to Xiao Fei—COO Chen especially since President Long is already absent due to her bed rest."
"Okay, Sis Jing. Don't worry. It's only one night anyway and it'll soon be over. You can stay with Big Bro Boss Haohao tomorrow. Maybe you can also persuade Grandpa Boss to take a rest. Boss and Sir Boss are so worried about him."
She sighed. "I know. I already tried persuading Grandpa Lu to rest many times before but he refused to leave Zihao's side. I can't force him to leave. If not for work, I don't want to leave Zihao's side either, so I can understand Grandpa Lu."
Dom sighed. They sighed together. Their thoughts were filled of the comatose Lu Zihao who still hadn't shown any signs of waking up since he collapsed.
"Pay attention," Alric rebuked the two of them.
Long Jinjing looked embarrassed and immediately turned her face forward to the stage while Dom ehehe'd and winked at the annoyed German.
Finally, Jin Chonglin and Chen Fei announced the start of the countdown to officially launch the exclusive Prinz men's line and open it for orders. Almost all the guests in the audience took out their phones in anticipation.
Similar to when Orchidia Beauty launched its first batch of products for the first time, there was a limit of purchase per person. This time, however, the limit was increased to five. Meaning, one person could buy five multiples of the same product. There were a number of products in the Prinz men's line so a person could buy a lot despite the limit.
Despite this being a men's line, there were still more women than men who attended tonight's launch event. The women also looked like they were going to buy the men's products. Perhaps they were buying them for the men in their lives, or try the products themselves for curiosity's sake, or buy them as collectibles just for the simple reason that they loved their Prince Lin Lin and wanted to support him no matter what.
"The moment has come, ladies and gentlemen," the emcee announced, hyping the audience with great expertise. "Prince Lin Lin, COO Chen, please do the honours."
"Of course," Jin Chonglin said, flashing his killer smile.
Chen Fei nodded.
The large screen above the stage flickered and showed the number 10 as the start of the countdown.
"10!" Jin Chonglin and Chen Fei shouted together along with everyone.
"9...8..."
"...3...2...1!!!"
"Order, order, order NOW!!!" Jin Chonglin urged everyone.
His fans immediately started another timer. Ever since they learned that their Prince Lin Lin was creating an exclusive men's line of skincare products with Orchidia Beauty, they all wanted him to beat the five-second record that Orchidia Beauty achieved during its grand launch.
"1..2...3—"
"Aaaaaah! We did it!"
"Wait, did we really do it?"
"Prince Lin Lin, we beat the record!"
Chen Fei bent forward on the edge of the stage and asked her assistant for confirmation. An excited-looking Jin Chonglin followed her, listening to the conversation. Of course, the curious emcee didn't want to be left behind, so he followed the two of them as well.
Dom and Long Jinjing looked at each other. They couldn't help but become excited as well. In contrast, Alric looked the most relaxed out of all of them. Dom turned to him and explained that Jin Chonglin might have broken the previous five-second record.
"I already expected this," Alric replied, cool as a cucumber. "He's a superstar, right? It's only natural that he'll break the record. If he doesn't, then it means that he's not as great as you all claim him to be. And most importantly, the products I developed for his men's line are top-notch."
"The expenses during their development are top-notch, too," Long Jinjing muttered under her breath.
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Chapter 1122 - 3 Seconds
Alric Bauer didn't hear Long Jinjing's complaint. Even if he did, he wouldn't mind it too much. It was the nature of his work—product development—to spend a lot of money. To make an amazing product with high effectiveness, it had to go through many failures to be improved.
Similarly, it was also the nature of Long Jinjing's work to maintain Orchidia Beauty's expenses within a certain budget range. It was no wonder that Alric and Long Jinjing always butted heads about the Product Development Department's huge expenses.
Back at the launch event, the three people on the stage returned to the centre. Everyone quietened and paid attention to them. All three had poker faces, not revealing any of their real thoughts.
Jin Chonglin gestured for Chen Fei to make the announcement. She nodded and began speaking.
"As many of you may remember, Orchidia Beauty holds the record for selling out the largest amount of skincare products in the country in five seconds. Tonight...."
The audience leaned forward.
'Tonight what?'
Their expressions urged her to hurry up. Jin Chonglin's army of fans held their breaths.
"Tonight...ah, my throat is dry. Can someone give me some water to drink first?" Chen Fei gestured at her assistant below the stage to give her a drink.
"Boo!"
"This woman is terrible!"
"No, actually she's excellent. She knows how to create suspense."
"Hurry up! Screw the drink!"
Chen Fei didn't mind the booing and complaints at all. In fact, she looked quite pleased with herself as she slowly savoured the plain water that her assistant handed her. After returning the empty glass to her assistant, she pretended to look confused.
"Ah, where was I again?"
"Boo!"
She laughed. Jin Chonglin and the emcee laughed as well. The booing audience laughed while continuing to boo. The atmosphere was lighthearted but the anticipation and excitement were almost electrifying.
"Oh, right. I remember now." Chen Fei cleared her throat. "According to our official records, we have confirmed that all the products in Jin Chonglin's Prinz men's line have sold out in..."
"In what? Say it! Hurry up!"
By this time, Jin Chonglin was already grinning. Based on his expression alone, it must be good news. Nevertheless, everyone still wanted to know the exact time that his Prinz men's line sold out.
Chen Fei finally revealed it in a loud, happy voice. "Sold out in 2.69 seconds!"
A deafening sound of cheers and applause filled not only the hotel's grand hall but also outside where Jin Chonglin's army of fans continued to stay while watching the livestream of the event. All of them were celebrating as if their Prince Lin Lin won a major award.
"We did it! Prince Lin Lin is the best!"
Then Chen Fei added, "Let's round it up and just say that it sold out in 3 seconds."
"Boo! It's 2 seconds, not 3!"
She heard the person who said this and raised an eyebrow, looking quite arrogant while doing so. "That's not how rounding works. So it's settled then. It's 3 seconds."
Jin Chonglin made a show of rolling his eyes. "Ignore her. She doesn't like that I broke Orchidia Beauty's original record by too much. So let's just give it to her and say it's 3 seconds, but of course officially, it's still 2.69 seconds! My fans are the best! Always! Thank you so much!"
"Kyaaaaaah! We love you, Prince Lin Lin!"
The standing ovation lasted for a whole two minutes. Even Dom and Long Jinjing were caught in the joy and excitement of breaking another record. This wasn't only Jin Chonglin's achievement but Orchidia Beauty's as well. In fact, it was Orchidia Beauty who benefitted the most.
"Yay yay! Orchidia Beauty is the best to the highest level! Woohoo!" Dom was jumping all around and doing his rather impressive victory dance, not at all shy in busting his moves in front of so many people.
Long Jinjing smiled at Alric Bauer who still looked calm overall but had a pleased expression on his face. "Congratulations, Alric. We wouldn't have achieved this if it weren't for the amazing products you developed."
He didn't deny it but didn't brag either. Instead, his eyes shone with eagerness. "This means that we profited a lot, right? So can I get a budget increase for my department?"
The smile on Long Jingjing's face froze before she sighed. "Let's talk about this another time, okay? I still need to see exactly how much we earned before I can consider your request."
He looked reluctant but still nodded and didn't bother her about the budget again for the rest of the night.
The launch of Jin Chonglin's Prinz men's line of all-natural skincare products with Orchidia Beauty was a huge, resounding success. It was so successful that it achieved a new record.
###
"We're here, Miss Jinjing,"
Long Jinjing opened her eyes when she heard the male voice. She had been half-dozing in the car's backseat. Covering her yawn, she looked outside and saw that they were inside the indoor VIP parking lot of the hospital. "Thank you, Shun."
Later, she entered Lu Zihao's private suite in the hospital's VIP section. Although it was already past 2 AM, nobody stopped her from entering because Lu Zihao was registered as a VIP patient. His visitors didn't need to follow the regular visiting hours.
Also, nobody dared to go against Lu Zihao's subordinates guarding their boss' suite especially when almost all of them looked so frightening. Their looks weren't the scary part but their aura.
She could hear Grandpa Lu's loud snores from the guest bedroom beside Lu Zihao's room. She released a sigh of relief that Grandpa Lu was already sleeping. If he saw her coming at this hour, he would surely be worried about her. Grandpa Lu didn't need another person to worry about when he was already stressing about his own comatose grandson.
"Nikolai," she whispered when she stood next to Lu Zihao's bed. She was still in her full attire that she wore at Jin Chonglin's launch event. "When will you wake up? Please wake up soon."
As usual, there was no response. Her heart clenched in pain. She held his big, rough hand and squeezed it.
"I still love you, you know."
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Chapter 1123 - (Title Is A Spoiler)
Long Jinjing sighed when Lu Zihao remained motionless and unresponsive to her words. Her chest felt tight as if her own ribs were squeezing her heart to death. She was also realizing just how much she loved this man now that he was comatose and even the doctors couldn't answer when he would wake up or what exactly was wrong with him.
The heartbreak from separating with him and trying to move on from their month-long relationship was nothing compared to the pain that she was experiencing right now worrying about him.
When would he wake up? Would he still wake up? Was he ill? Would he be healthy again after waking up?
She stroked his hair and caressed his cheek. His scarred face was already growing some beard and mustache but the facial hair only made him look more masculine in her eyes.
He still looked bulky with all his impressive muscles but it was obvious that he lost a lot of weight from being comatose for this long. His cheekbones and jaw had become sharper as if they could cut her.
She pinched his cheek, hoping that the pain would wake him up. No response. Sighing, she headed to the ensuite bathroom to take a shower.
Ever since his collapse, she had been staying with him at the hospital and accompanying Grandpa Lu after leaving work. She packed some of her clothes, toiletries, and other essentials to make it more convenient for her. As a result, the ensuite bathroom in Lu Zihao's room was filled with Orchidia Beauty products that she used regularly.
She had been driving herself using her own car at first, but one day, Robin and Shun appeared and offered to chauffeur her whenever she was headed to the hospital. She initially declined but eventually gave in when they kept on popping up in front of her. Robin and Shun had figured out their own schedule on who would pick her up at what time.
After showering, drying her hair, and changing into a comfortable set of pyjamas, she sat beside Lu Zihao's bed to just stare at him. It was already almost 4 AM. She was exhausted from all the running around making sure that Jin Chonglin's launch event would go smoothly. Now that the launch was over, her body was bone-tired but her mind was still fully awake.
"Nikolai," she whispered while rubbing his rough, scarred hand against her soft cheek. "Please wake up. If you do, I promise to try again with you one more time. I know that you don't love me as much as I love you but...I'll do my best to make you fall in love with me, too. Even if I fail...at least I tried. So please...I beg you. Wake up, Nikolai."
A tear escaped out of the corner of her eye and slid down to his hand, wetting it. She quickly wiped it with the sleeve of her shirt before giving his hand a gentle pat.
She stayed sitting beside his bed, not realizing that she had fallen asleep with her head pillowed on her own arm, while she was still holding his hand.
Time passed. The sky was still dark outside and the temperature inside the room had become colder.
She woke up shivering. She was about to move to the sofa bed and sleep there when her eyes caught something, making her gasp. Her heart felt like it stopped.
Lu Zihao was looking at her. His dark, fathomless eyes were open.
They were open!
"Nikolai?"
"Hm."
Her shivering body turned to full-blown trembling as she could barely contain her emotions. "Am I still dreaming? Are you really awake? Oh, please tell me I'm not dreaming and you're really awake!"
"Jin...jing," he croaked in a raspy voice.
"Oh, Nikolai!" She threw herself over his chest and hugged him, crying out loud.
Within seconds, his subordinates rushed inside to see what was going on, alarmed by her loud cries. When they saw that their boss was finally awake, someone immediately pressed the call button to alert the nurses.
"What in the bloody world is happening?!" a loud booming voice asked from outside the room. "Did something happen to my Haohao? Tell me, I want to know!"
"Sir Lu, Boss Hao is awake," someone told him.
"What, really?! My boy is awake?!"
Grandpa Lu rushed inside the room where he saw a sobbing Long Jinjing clinging to his grandson. Lu Zihao was also hugging his woman and rubbing her back, trying to comfort her.
"My boy! You're awake!" Grandpa Lu patted his grandson's thigh covered by the blanket. Tears also filled his old, tired eyes but they didn't fall. Instead, the tears magnified the joy and relief shining through his expression.
"G-grand...pa...."
"You pinhead! You made us so worried about you, stinky boy! Do you know how long we waited for you to wake up?! Jinjing my girl and I would've already started growing bloody mushrooms on top of our heads if we waited any longer! Hah!"
It was at that time that the doctor and nurses arrived to check on Lu Zihao. Long Jinjing looked reluctant to let go of him but still forced herself to give way to the medical staff. After a few minutes, the doctor finished the preliminary examination.
"It's still very early so we'll do the rest of the tests in a few hours when our medical technicians arrive for the workday," the doctor said.
"No need," Lu Zihao replied. "I'm fine. No need for those useless tests. Discharge me immediately."
"Nik—Zihao!"
"You dunderhead! Why don't you listen to the doctor, you smelly rascal?! I want to know!"
Lu Zihao tried to intimidate the doctor with his cold stare but the doctor this time was made of tougher stuff.
"Mr. Lu, of course I'll discharge you but only after I make sure that nothing is really wrong with you based on your tests results. In addition, my colleague Dr. Wang told me to take extra care of you and I intend to do just that. Dr. Wang will most likely want to analyze your test results with me as well. So please get some rest for now."
The doctor didn't bother with the scowling Lu Zihao anymore and proceeded to speak with Grandpa Lu. Long Jinjing returned to Lu Zihao's side and looked like she would stay there forever.
###
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Chapter 1124 - Fighting Together
After lunch time, Lu Zihao was officially discharged from the hospital. Wang Yingjie personally helped in the procedure. Long Jinjing called her best friend and took a day off from work. Chen Fei allowed her after learning that Lu Zihao had finally woken up.
Lu Zihao, Long Jinjing and Grandpa Lu were now on their way to Dragon Palace Home #10. They were riding the old man's ostentatious limousine.
At first, Grandpa Lu wanted to bring Lu Zihao to his Mediterranean-style mansion in the suburbs to help his grandson recover faster by breathing fresher air but Lu Zihao surprisingly said that he wanted to stay at his third brother's home instead. Grandpa Lu agreed without any fuss because he planned on staying at Dragon Palace anyway to wait for the safe birth of his great-grandbaby from Iris and Jin Liwei.
The excited Grandpa Lu was phoning everyone and letting them know that his grandson, the pinhead, had finally woken up. Long Jinjing continued sticking close to Lu Zihao, afraid that he would collapse and go into coma again if she left him just like what happened before.
Lu Zihao held her chin and tilted it upwards so that they were looking at each other. Then he lowered his head and kissed her on the lips—slowly, carefully, and thoroughly.
She melted into him and was the one who increased the intensity of their kiss, sucking and biting his lips, looking like a hungry person finally able to eat after a long time.
He groaned and deepened the kiss even more, invading her sweet mouth with his tongue. It had been so long. Too long!
When it was over, she clung to him even more tightly. Of course, he hugged her more tightly as well. The corners of his lips lifted after seeing her flushed skin.
"Grandpa Lu is here," she whispered. "Oh no."
He chuckled. "It's fine. Look, he's too busy calling everyone to bother us."
Although he said this, he knew that the old man saw what they were doing just now and only pretended that he didn't notice them kissing to avoid embarrassing the overly shy Long Jinjing. Lu Zihao stole another kiss from his woman's lips, a quick one this time, before leaning his head back and closing his eyes.
Fatigue filled him. He had been comatose for days after all. His body needed time to recover.
"Take a nap," Long Jinjing told him. "I'll wake you up when we arrive at Little Sister and Brother-in-law's home."
He grunted in response before pulling her head to rest on his chest. "You sleep, too. I heard from Shun that you didn't get a wink of sleep."
"Okay."
It was actually her who fell asleep soon afterwards. He didn't sleep but still managed to rest a bit while his eyes were closed.
At the moment, he was reflecting on the bits and pieces of memories that happened when he was in coma. It felt like a long series of endless nightmares. He couldn't remember everything, but based on the ones that he did remember, he was back in his body as Nikolai Vetrov together with Lu Zihao by his side. They seemed to be fighting off wave after wave of enemies together.
At the beginning, he went off to fight on his own, not caring about Lu Zihao at all. Then when the sheer number of enemies overwhelmed him, a wounded Lu Zihao appeared to save him. This happened many times. Lu Zihao would always save him at crucial moments when he was about to die a shameful death in the hands of the enemies.
In the end, he and Lu Zihao began fighting together. Then somehow, before he noticed it, there was only him fighting alone but he knew that he wasn't really alone.
Yes, he was Nikolai, but he was also now Lu Zihao. They were together and that was what made him stronger to defeat all of those faceless enemies in the long series of nightmares.
Lu Zihao opened his eyes and watched the urban scenery outside that the limo was passing by. He didn't fully know what happened but there seemed to be something different about him. He just couldn't figure it out.
The remnant of the original Lu Zihao still existed within him and was still capable of conversing with him. It was just "resting" right now because the coma somehow drained it.
'I'll eventually figure it all out.'
He glanced down at the sleeping woman in his arms and felt something warm filling up inside his chest. Then he noticed that the old man finally stopped talking on the phone and was now watching him.
"Old man—Grandpa," he corrected himself rather quickly this time.
Grandpa Lu looked pleased. "That girl loves you very much, my boy. She never failed to stay by your side every night no matter how exhausted she was from working all day."
"I know."
Of course, he knew. Shun and Robin gave him an in-depth report earlier when Long Jinjing went outside his hospital suite to answer a business phone call.
"You're a dumb dunderhead if you let such a wonderful and loyal woman go and leave you again," Grandpa Lu said with a disdainful harrumph.
Lu Zihao didn't say anything but pressed the sleeping woman in his arms closer to him. His expression didn't reveal anything of his true thoughts or emotions as usual. Grandpa Lu didn't press him to reply either, maybe because Lu Zihao still looked terrible from being comatose for days.
The old man's phone rang. "Hello, Xiulan my girl? Yes, your Big Brother Haohao and Big Sister Jinjing and your beloved Grandpa Lu will be there soon. Don't worry, my girl! Your Big Brother is fine but is still a big pinhead as usual. He wanted to be discharged immediately right after waking up! Hah! Why is he so hardheaded? I want to know! What is it, my girl? You want to talk to your Big Brother? Alright."
Grandpa Lu tossed the phone to Lu Zihao who easily caught it with one hand. "Haohao, your little sister wants to talk to you. Don't upset her! She's not fully recovered yet, you hear?"
Lu Zihao nodded and spoke to his sister for the first time since he collapsed. "It's me."
All he heard was a soft crying sound.
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Chapter 1125 - Avoiding "The Talk"
"B-big Brother!" Iris cried in Russian.
"Hm."
Lu Zihao's chest tightened and his throat felt somewhat choked up. He always hated seeing his precious little sister cry. It always made him want to torture and murder any foolish asshole who dared to reduce her to tears. This time, however, the foolish asshole was him. Guilt filled him for making his little sister worry about him so much that she would cry like this. It wasn't healthy for her especially now that she was pregnant and still in bed rest.
"Are you okay now?" she asked.
"I am. Don't worry about me anymore."
"How can I not worry about you?! You're my big brother!"
He sighed and felt even guiltier. His expression, however, remained impassive, not allowing anyone to read his real thoughts or emotions from his face.
"Don't cry anymore and risk hurting your babies. We'll talk later when we arrive there at Dragon Palace. Just try to relax there in bed and wait for us to come to you."
"Okay."
Fortunately, his sister didn't insist on prolonging their phone conversation. He could sense that she was very emotional at the moment. It was better for her to take the time to calm down first or he would feel even guiltier if something happened to her and the twins because she felt too upset with him.
The phone call ended. Grandpa Lu gestured for him to toss the phone back and he did. The old man caught it easily, his reaction time not in any way inferior to young people.
Lu Zihao sensed the old man's probing gaze. Although he and his sister would openly speak in Russian in front of other people sometimes, doing it in front of the old man must have made Grandpa Lu form his own suspicions for some time now.
To his relief, Grandpa Lu never really asked him about it or demanded a more believable explanation aside from the original excuse he told people that he and his sister met in an online game and became friends years ago and that they both randomly learned Russian.
It sounded stupid even to his own ears but it was the best he could think of during that time especially given the special circumstances that he and his sister were in.
Who would believe that the two of them had been reborn into completely different bodies? That they were originally Russians and hailed from the top criminal family in the underworld?
Only a lovesick fool like Jin Liwei, now his brother-in-law, would cast all of his normal logical beliefs aside to be able to accept and continue loving the woman he loved without thinking that she and her brother (or as Jin Liwei believed before, his own fifth brother) had turned into crazy people.
And now, Lu Zihao was facing the wise, scrutinizing eyes of the original's grandfather. After waking up from coma, he noticed something from the old man's gaze whenever Grandpa Lu looked at him. In that instant, he felt that the old man must have known everything even without him saying or admitting anything.
"Old man—Grandpa...."
"Go rest, you smelly boy! Why can't you stay still and take better care of yourself when you just woke up from coma? Tell me, I want to know! Stop chitter-chattering like a bored old lady! You'll wake up Jinjing my girl. This old man feels a little tired too so I'll go take a nap. Stop disturbing me! Hmph!"
With that, Grandpa Lu decisively leaned back, crossed his arms over his chest, and closed his eyes.
A light chuckle bubbled in Lu Zihao's throat watching the old man trying to avoid having "the talk" with him. He shook his head and didn't disturb Grandpa Lu anymore. It seemed that the old man wasn't ready yet to face the real truth head on and needed some time to prepare himself even though he must have already known deep inside.
In all honesty, he wasn't ready yet either. However, there was an almost primal force within himself that was urging him to come clean about the truth ever since he woke up from coma. He couldn't explain this almost mystical feeling. There were no actual words telling him what to do, just a vague but still powerful feeling, that was silently pressuring him. He inexplicably felt that following this feeling would benefit him in lots of ways.
Before he knew it, he also dozed off. He must have been more tired than he expected.
The limo was already in front of his sister and brother-in-law's Dragon Palace mansion when he woke up.
"We're here," a still sleepy Long Jinjing told him, shaking him a little to wake him up.
He grunted and pulled her head for a quick but deep kiss. She became dazed when it was over, her eyes staring at his lips. The corners of his mouth quirked in amusement.
"You naughty boy! Stop seducing your lady sweetheart in front of your beloved old grandpa! Hmph! Wait until we go inside and get a room! Why don't the kids these days know any modesty? I want to know!"
Although Grandpa Lu's words were scolding them, his old eyes were actually teasing them. Long Jinjing snapped out of her daze in an instant and ducked her head in Lu Zihao's embrace, hiding her embarrassment from the old man. Lu Zihao chuckled.
"Let's go inside," he urged her.
Later, the butler led the couple straight to the master suite as per Lu Zihao's request. On the other hand, Grandpa Lu went to his assigned bedroom to resume resting.
Lu Zihao needed to assure his little sister that he was really alright first before he could deal with the other matters that he left behind before collapsing into coma.
"Little Sister!" Long Jinjing left his side and rushed to Iris' bedside.
Lu Zihao followed behind her.
It was only after his sister finished grilling him with questions and ensuring that he was really fine that Iris finally looked relieved. As a result, Lu Zihao felt relieved as well.
Now it was his turn.
His expression became dark. "You got thinner. Your husband is not taking care of you properly."
Iris pouted. "Liwei is taking care of me properly. Something is just wrong with my body. It keeps on failing me."
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Chapter 1126 - Scumbag
"Little Sister Xiulan, don't forget that your body went through a lot to survive from that car crash when you were only eighteen," Long Jinjing reminded Iris. "Because of that evil woman Fan Luo, you almost died. It's already a miracle that you're still alive and well today and even pregnant with my niece or nephew. I don't think that your body is failing you. Maybe it's just dealing with any remaining sequelae from the injuries you sustained from that car crash."
Iris and Lu Zihao didn't refute Long Jinjing's claim, although both of them knew that the original Iris Long really died during that fatal car crash. However, it was indeed a miracle that another soul occupied the original's body and began living as the new Iris Long. Perhaps Long Jinjing might be right—that there were still some remaining sequelae in Iris' body that the doctors couldn't detect. This might be why the body couldn't keep keep pace with the many things that Iris, no, that Evelina wanted to do.
She could only nod at Long Jinjing to indicate her agreement, not wanting to talk about this topic anymore. Since both she and her older brother went through the same rebirth, there were many unique things about themselves that they couldn't share with anyone. At the moment, only Jin Liwei knew the truth about the siblings.
Iris looked at her older brother of the soul and older sister of her current flesh. "Are you two back together again?"
Lu Zihao also looked at Long Jinjing waiting for her to answer. He also wasn't sure about the woman's decision. Did she want to be together with him again or insist on leaving him after ensuring that he was fine?
Long Jinjing turned red but nodded. Iris raised an eyebrow and looked at her older brother.
Lu Zihao's neutral expression didn't change but he was actually relieved deep inside. He sat on the bed beside his woman and slung his arm over her shoulders, hooking it around her neck, and then pulling her to him before kissing her cheek in front of his sister.
"Ni-Zihao! My sister is here!" All of Long Jinjing's exposed skin became red. She was so embarrassed that she wanted to run away but his arm around her locked her in place.
Iris tilted her head to the side and continued observing the lovers in front of her. "It's okay, Big Sister. My Liwei does things to me that are more daring in front of others than what Big Brother is doing to you right now. It's just kissing the cheek. No need to be so shy."
"This is too much for me." Long Jinjing covered her face with both hands. It was obvious that she wasn't as shameless as her sister.
"Come here again for dinner later," Iris said instead to spare the overly shy woman any more embarrassment. "Call Grandpa Lu as well. I'm still in bed rest so I can't leave this room yet. Liwei should also be coming home any time now."
"Hm." Lu Zihao nodded before standing up, pulling the red-faced Long Jinjing with him. "I'll talk to your husband when he comes back. You rest here and stop worrying about things that you can't control."
Iris nodded.
The two were about to leave when Iris asked, "Big Sister, are you going to stay here with Big Brother?"
Long Jinjing paused and seriously thought about it. "I...I need to think about it first."
"Stay with me tonight," Lu Zihao said, looking at her straight in the eyes.
She nodded without hesitation. "Of course. But for tomorrow night and the next ones after that, I, uhm...let me think about it first."
He grunted.
Iris continued watching the couple until they left the master bedroom.
"Mommy, what are you thinking about? Meow~"
She glanced at the tablet propped on her bedside table. "I'm thinking that your Uncle Zihao might be in love with your Auntie Jinjing."
A black cat appeared beside the white cat.
"Uncle Zihao is always kissing Aunt Jinjing," Bacon said in his usual bored tone while starting to groom his fluffy, black fur. "If Uncle Zihao is not in love with Aunt Jinjing while doing all that, then he's a scumbag who doesn't know how to treasure his woman like Father treasures Mother. Scumbags are not classy."
Iris was a little speechless at what her AI son said.
"Dramatic gasp! Really? Uncle Haohao is a scumbag? Meow?"
The door opened and Jin Liwei asked, "Who's a scumbag?"
"Uncle Haohao is a scumbag! Daddy, welcome home! Love ya lots. Mwah mwah tsup tsup! Meow~"
Jin Liwei raised an eyebrow but still acknowledged his AI daughter's greeting. "En, I'm home."
Then he went straight for his wife on the bed and gave her a gentle kiss on the lips. She nibbled on his lower lip before letting go. He sat beside her.
"Why is your brother a scumbag?"
It was Ketchup who replied, "Bacon says that if Uncle Haohao is not in love with Auntie Jinjing but still keeps on kissing her, then he's a scumbag who doesn't know how to treasure his woman like Daddy treasures Mommy! Meow~"
Bacon's tail swished from side to side. "That kind of scumbag behaviour is not classy."
"En," Jin Liwei agreed.
Iris pursed her lips. "Alright, let's not talk about your uncle and auntie anymore. It's their business. They can figure it all out on their own. Bacon, make sure to greet your uncle later when your Aunt Jinjing isn't with him."
"Understood, Mother."
"Ketchup wants to greet Uncle Haohao too, Mommy! Meow~"
"Alright. You go with your brother."
"Yay yay! Ketchup missed Uncle Haohao soooo much even if he's a scumbag! Meow~"
Jin Liwei laughed. Iris hit his shoulder. He laughed harder.
Then he caressed her cheek. "Happy that your brother is awake now?"
She nodded. "I'm glad that he's fine. I hope that whatever made him collapse, he was able to overcome it once and for all."
"En. He's your brother. If you can overcome it, I'm sure that he can too."
She pressed herself closer to him, inhaling his scent. "I hope so. I just want him to live a happy life this second time around like I am with you."
He didn't reply, not wanting to burst her hopes. He knew that his brother-in-law's focus was on revenge and not on living a happy life like her.
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Chapter 1127 - Woo You
Lu Zihao had no idea that his cat AI nephew and niece were calling him a scumbag behind his back. If he knew, he would definitely find a way to spank those two naughty little brats' virtual butts no matter what. They were getting more and more brazen in making fun of him, their uncle.
While he and Long Jinjing were heading to his assigned suite, his subordinates that were stationed at Dragon Palace Home #10 kept on greeting him, slowing the two of them down. He began to feel impatient but Long Jinjing squeezed his hand.
"They're all just glad that you're awake and okay now," she told him. "Don't be angry at them."
Her words calmed him down like a cool, soothing breeze during a hot summer day. He still felt impatient but became more tolerant of his overeager subordinates now. Finally, the two of them reached his suite.
His sister and brother-in-law kept the place reserved for him. They never removed his clothes, shoes, and other stuff that he left here before. He basically didn't need to pack anything whenever he wanted to stay here. Since Dragon Palace Home #10 was now his beloved little sister's home with her husband, then he also considered this place as a kind of his home as well.
It seemed that the household staff also already finished organizing Long Jinjing's few clothes, toiletries and other essential items from her small suitcase that she packed for accompanying Lu Zihao in the hospital when he was still comatose.
The two of them had stayed in this suite together before. Long Jinjing still felt a little shy especially since this was her sister's home but not as much as before. Everyone here already knew about her relationship with Lu Zihao anyway. Even his grandfather approved of their relationship and allowed them to sleep together on the same bed.
"Take a nap again, Nikolai," she said. "You still look a little pale and tired. I'll wake you up when it's time for dinner."
He grunted. Indeed, he had a bit of a headache but didn't show any of his discomfort in his expression. "Stay with me."
She hesitated. She actually wanted to meet up with her friends, Dom and Jiang Ying Yue first, and then play with her nephew Little Jun and the cats. Still, she nodded. She would just sneak out of the room once Lu Zihao fell asleep.
Soon, they lay on the bed in each other's embrace. Long Jinjing couldn't stop from pressing herself closer to him to feel the warm sturdiness of his huge body. She loved this man so much.
Deep inside her heart, however, there was still a feeling of hopelessness at the knowledge that he had no intention of returning her love for him and of having anything deeper with her beyond being a simple girlfriend that he could have regular sex with.
"Jinjing."
She tilted her head upwards to look at him and felt the familiar blanking of her mind into amoeba level. His dark, fathomless eyes looked like she could drown in them if she wasn't careful.
"You really agree to try again with me?" he asked.
It took a few seconds for her to snap out of her daze. She blushed as usual but there was also an unmistakable sadness in her expression that she tried to conceal behind a shy smile.
"Y-yes."
He continued staring at her, making her squirm a little in his arms.
"Is this is what you really want? Or are you just pitying me because I fell into coma?"
Her expression twisted in fury. She lifted herself up and glared at him. "Me? Pity you? Are you listening to what you're saying?"
He didn't reply, only continued looking at her with his impassive face.
She wanted to smack and shake him but couldn't muster the will to actually do so because he just came out of the hospital. Although he looked fine on the outside and his test results indicated that he was in good health, she still couldn't help but worry about him.
"Nikolai, it's not that I pity you. I love you. How many times do I need to tell you this for you to understand?"
His jaw tensed but he still didn't say anything.
Tears welled in her eyes again but she still smiled. It was such a sad smile that he frowned because his chest felt like it was being squeezed.
She misunderstood his frown and thought that he still disliked her telling him that she loved him. Her sad smile became bitter. The feeling already felt familiar to her. Taking a deep breath, she mustered all her courage and looked at him straight in the eyes.
"Nikolai, I still want to marry you, give birth to our children, and build a family with you in the future because I love you. That's why...I decided to try again one more time with you. I'm..." She bit her lower lip and her hands were trembling but the determination was clear in her watery eyes. "I'm going to try and make you fall in love with me. Prepare yourself, Nikolai, because I, Long Jinjing, will woo you."
For the first time since waking up from coma, his neutral expression cracked revealing shock.
His reaction secretly pleased her and fueled her courage. She leaned down and framed his face with both of her hands. His facial hair pricked her delicate hands, tickling her a little. Her sad, bitter smile transformed into a bright, unyielding twinkle in the eyes.
At that moment, Lu Zihao felt his heart skip a beat before racing inside his chest. His shock turned into confusion and then into...he didn't know anymore. All these emotions flooding inside him were just too complicated and difficult for someone like him to comprehend.
"I'm going to woo you, Nikolai."
Then she kissed him on the lips. But before he could deepen the kiss, she pulled back, making him groan in frustration. She patted his face.
"If I fail and you still don't love me after this, then I can't do anything. Love can't be forced. I'll give up and let you go once and for all. I hope that you'll also respect me enough to let me go too if things don't work out for us in the end."
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Chapter 1128 - Can I Trust You?
"You think I don't respect you?" Lu Zihao scowled.
Long Jinjing sighed. "That's not what I meant."
"Then what do you mean?"
"That whatever happens between us after all this, you'll respect me and my decision and not...and not...." She took a moment to get a hold of her emotions. "And not hurt me too much," she said this last part in a soft, tiny voice.
He sat both of them up face to face. His big, rough, scarred hand touched her soft face. "Jinjing...I...."
Silence.
"It's okay, Nikolai. Like I said, nobody can force love. I just hope that you can give me a chance to make you fall in love with me. If...my attempts disgust you, tell it to me straight. I may cry a lot but...I can handle it...probably."
Another minute passed before Lu Zihao spoke again. "You won't disgust me, Jinjing."
"Hopefully." She smiled and blinked her watery eyes at him. "So will you give me a chance to woo you?"
"This situation doesn't sit right with me—"
Her face fell.
"—but if it's you, yes. Woo me all you want, Jinjing."
Her eyes lit up.
He held her chin and tilted her head upwards and lowered his head until their faces were only an inch apart. They could feel each other's warm breaths. However, he didn't cross over that final inch to claim her delectable lips. Not yet.
"I've never fallen in love before," he said. "So I don't know how to fall in love or if I'm even capable of falling in love."
"You are," she whispered. "I can see that you love my sister like your own sibling. You care very much about family. You're also very protective of all the people that you care about and those you consider to be your responsibility even if they annoy you. You are capable of love so I know that you can also fall in love. I'm just...not sure if you can fall in love with...with m-me. But I'll try. Oh, I'll try so hard, Nikolai. I love you so much."
The fingers holding her chin tightened. She felt a pinch but not painful enough to hurt her.
"Are you sure?" he asked, his voice a little hoarse.
His entire aura became more intense, making her shiver, not from fright but in a combination of awe and desire.
"Of course, I'm sure."
"Will you really still love me once you know the real me? Will you, Jinjing?"
She frowned, confused at his words. "The real you?"
"I'm not a good man."
Her frown turned into a pouting scowl. "You keep saying that."
"It's true. I did very bad things. I still do."
She became even more confused. "What bad things?"
The intensity emanating from him turned into something colder, more vicious, more...demonic. The fingers pinching her chin loosened and his thumb began rubbing her jaw and then her lips. His eyes stared right through her, as if they could pierce straight to her very soul. He finally kissed her but only lightly.
"Can I trust you?"
"Of course, Nikolai."
He became silent but his thumb continued rubbing her lips. He looked a little distracted while contemplating if he should really trust her.
"Nikolai?"
His eyes focused on her again. "Come, let's take a nap."
"Huh?" Long Jinjing had no idea what was going on with him. She couldn't understand what he meant at all. "But—"
He pulled her down on the bed, locking her in his embrace, and covered them with the duvet. "Tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?"
"I'll bring you somewhere after you finish work tomorrow."
"Oh."
"I'll pick you up at Orchidia Beauty."
"Oh. Okay."
She still had many questions but upon seeing the weary furrow between his brows, her heart ached for him. Right, he still needed time to recover. She sighed but then felt his hand slip inside her shirt and cup her breasts through her bra.
"Nikolai! You said we're going to take a nap!"
"We are."
"Take off your hand from my...my...."
"From your breasts? No, I like your breasts. I like fondling them, sucking them, and fucking them."
Heat spread through her face, neck, and everywhere else in her body. The shyness turned to desire. Her brain was in danger of short-circuiting into amoeba level again from his expert seductions. She could feel her core becoming wet and hot.
It was difficult but she fought off her increasing desire from surrendering to the man's temptation. The doctor's words earlier in the hospital managed to play inside her head at this time.
"We can't right now. You need to rest!"
"Just one round, hm?"
Oh, she was tempted. So very tempted. But no! His health and fast recovery were more important than scratching a momentary itch.
"Please, Nikolai. Just rest for today, okay?"
He looked like he was going to continue seducing her, but to her relief, he finally withdrew his hand from inside her shirt. Although she was glad that he listened to her, her now aching breasts felt empty without his touch.
"Fine. I'll rest for today. Gotta have energy to face your wooing."
She blushed harder but still nodded. This was her decision after all. She said that she was going to woo him so she would do it. There was no backing out now. Either she would go for it or not at all.
They kissed for a few moments but didn't do anything more than that. In the end, she was the one who fell asleep first. Lu Zihao was staring at the ceiling while listening to the deep, rhythmic breaths of his woman lying beside him.
"Uncle Zihao," he heard a familiar child's voice.
He fished out his phone from his pants' pocket. Two cat AIs, one black and one white, looked at him.
"Bacon greets Uncle Zihao."
"Welcome back, Uncle Haohao! Ketchup is soooo happy that Uncle Haohao is awake now. The cute and mighty me missed you so much even if Uncle Haohao is a scumbag! Meow~"
Lu Zihao's expression turned black. "Say again who's a scumbag, you little—"
Ketchup giggled. "Bacon is the one who said that Uncle Haohao is a scumbag first! Hihihi. Bye, Uncle Haohao~ The cute and mighty Ketchup is busy training my new not-so-boring employee! Meowhoosh!"
The naughty white cat AI disappeared like a ninja, leaving her younger brother to deal with the mess she made in front of their uncle.
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Chapter 1129 - Create Your Own Future
"Heh. So you're calling me, your own uncle, a scumbag behind my back, huh? Who the hell is teaching you this kind of deplorable manners? Your father?" Lu Zihao narrowed his eyes at his AI nephew. His expression was cold and threatening.
He immediately blamed his brother-in-law. The thought that it might be his little sister who corrupted her AI children never entered his mind even once. His sister was so pure. She was an angel. It must be her husband's fault for being such a bad example to their AI children.
Bacon tilted his little, fluffy, black head to the side and blinked his golden eyes, widening them in an obvious attempt to act innocent. "Isn't it Uncle Zihao who usually trashtalks other people behind their backs? Bacon is just imitating Uncle Zihao. Father would sooner ground us than teach us this kind of things. Please don't blame Father when it's clearly Uncle Zihao who sets this example to your niece and nephew. It's not classy."
Lu Zihao's expression turned blacker. What the hell? It was his fault? He sneered at his AI nephew, the little smartass.
"Please don't make that kind of expression to your own nephew. It hurts Bacon's feelings. I will need compensation for my emotional distress at this rate."
Lu Zihao rolled his eyes. Although he didn't want to admit it, he was already learning that it was too damn difficult to win against his AI nephew, the little devil. If he ever found out which bastard his personality was based on, he would punch the asshole's ugly face for having such a hateful character.
His headache worsened. He sighed, finally showing a weary expression. "Update me later about all the things that I missed while I was in coma. I need a nap."
"Understood, Uncle Zihao."
He grunted.
"Uncle Zihao?"
He frowned. "Hm?"
"Please don't be a scumbag anymore and keep on making Aunt Jinjing cry. It's not classy."
He scowled. His AI nephew, however, wasn't intimidated at all and continued spouting pointed words which stabbed him where it made him uncomfortable the most.
"If Uncle Zihao can't make Aunt Jinjing happy, then you should just stop bothering her and allow her to find a better man who can treasure her like how Father treasures Mother. Playing with Aunt Jinjing's feelings is not classy. If Uncle Zihao continues to make Aunt Jinjing cry, Bacon will ask Father to help her demand compensation from you for emotional distress."
Lu Zihao's hand itched to spank a certain black cat's butt. "Mind your own business, kid."
Bacon licked his paw and started grooming himself, not at all bothered by his uncle's intimidation. "Bacon is just stating the truth. Uncle Zihao looks so defensive so my words must have affected you because they're true."
"Hah." Lu Zihao closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths to calm his frustration. His headache was now throbbing more painfully. He opened his eyes again and looked at his annoying AI nephew who appeared deceptively bored but must actually be secretly enjoying tormenting him.
"Bacon."
"Uncle Zihao."
"Do you...never mind."
Bacon tilted his head to the side again. "What is it, Uncle Zihao? Acting so indecisively like this is not classy."
"Tsk." Lu Zihao contemplated for a few moments. When he spoke again, his voice was almost a whisper. "Do you think that...that I can have a future with your Aunt Jinjing?"
Bacon tilted his head to the other side. "By have a future, does Uncle Zihao mean that you want to marry Aunt Jinjing?"
Lu Zihao's current expression was hard to describe. Even he couldn't describe the hodgepodge of emotions he was feeling right now. He felt embarrassed and stupid for even asking for relationship advice from his cat AI nephew—for god's sake—but he would never admit it.
"Just answer me, kid," he said through gritted teeth.
"Bacon cannot predict the future because I don't have magical powers. However, Mother once told us siblings that our own future is ours to create. If we really want something, then we have to work hard and do everything to make it happen. Mother said that she regrets not fighting for her dreams and happiness before, that's why she's doing everything now to pursue everything that she loves so that she won't ever experience that kind of regret again. Isn't Mother the classiest?"
There was no reply but Bacon didn't mind. His fluffy, black tail swished from side to side. His golden eyes glowed brighter. He obviously loved talking about his mother.
"If Uncle Zihao wants to do the classy thing like Mother, then stop worrying about a future that hasn't happened yet. Bacon may not understand many things because I'm still young and born not too long ago, but as long as I follow Mother's teachings, I know that I will be able to live a classy and fulfilling life because Mother is the best in the whole wide universe and beyond. Uncle Zihao should just create your own future with Aunt Jinjing and stop acting like a coward and a scumbag. If you're worried about Aunt Jinjing's safety, then Uncle Zihao should just become stronger so that you can protect your woman better. That's classy."
A chuckle bubbled in Lu Zihao's throat. There was a self-deprecating note to it. "I can't believe I'm having this kind of fucking conversation with you."
"Please don't use such vulgar words in front of your young nephew. It's not classy. Bacon doesn't want to learn bad things and get grounded by Father again."
This time, the soft chuckle turned to full laughter. "Go back to your parents, kid. I really need to sleep. We'll talk another time."
"Understood, Uncle Zihao. Bacon will leave now." The black cat AI disappeared, but only one second later, he reappeared again. "Uncle Zihao."
"What again?"
"Father will talk to you later about something that Bacon did while Uncle Zihao was comatose. Please don't get too mad. That's all. Sleep well. Goodbye."
Before Lu Zihao could react, Bacon disappeared. Even when he called the kid, Bacon didn't return. Ah, whatever. He would just deal with it no matter what it was.
He closed his eyes and embraced Long Jinjing more tightly. He kissed the top of her head and inhaled. Then he finally fell asleep while smelling her sweet, comforting scent.
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Chapter 1130 - Gamble For Love
Orchidia Beauty.
The next day, Long Jinjing was busy crunching the numbers in her office. There was a pleased smile on her face while looking at the profits so far from the launch of Jin Chonglin's Prinz men's line. When added to the profits from their other current products, it was becoming clear to her that Orchidia Beauty was on an almost unbelievable meteoric rise to success.
Perhaps her younger sister was right. Orchidia Beauty might really dominate the nation's beauty industry in the future. Iris' plan to officially enter the international market was also in the works and expected to happen as soon as next year. Alric Bauer's well of ideas also seemed endless. He kept developing new products while improving the formulae of the current ones. Things were looking superb for their company.
Long Jinjing was in an excellent mood. It wasn't only because of the profits and the bright future of the company but also because Lu Zihao had finally woken up from coma.
Now she could concentrate on her work instead of always worrying about him. Of course, it was inevitable that she would find herself distracted while daydreaming about him sometimes. It was a good thing that she was disciplined enough to snap out of it and return to work mode whenever it happened.
The door swung open, startling her. An angry Chen Fei barged inside and headed straight to her.
"Long Jinjing, are you crazy?! Dom told me that you got back together with that asshole Lu Zihao!"
"Xiao Fei, not so loud, please." Long Jinjing peeked at the door and was relieved that it closed by itself after her best friend entered. She was worried that their assistants and the other employees in the vicinity might hear these details of her personal life.
Chen Fei's nose was flaring with fury. "Is it true that you got back together with that jerk?"
"It's true," Long Jinjing said with a sigh.
"WHY?!!!"
"I love him."
"I know that already. Well, did the fucker say that he loves you, too?"
Long Jinjing bit her lower lip. Her expression was enough answer to her best friend.
"Argh!" Chen Fei raised both of her arms in the air and shook them in frustration. Then she faced Long Jinjing again. "Then why did you take him back again?!"
Long Jinjing had no choice but to explain her plan to woo Lu Zihao. Chen Fei's expression turned blank. This lasted for a few seconds before her anger returned.
"Are you fucking kidding me, Long Jinjing? Seriously? Did you turn stupid because of your love for that undeserving son of a bitch?"
"Please don't call him that. It hurts me."
Chen Fei plopped herself on the sofa like a lifeless fish. "Fuck. This is hopeless."
Long Jinjing moved from behind her desk to sit beside her best friend. "I know that you still have a grudge against Zihao for hurting me. But you know what? The worst of his faults is only the fact that he hasn't fallen in love with me. I was the one who changed the dynamics of our relationship and fell in love with him first."
"Don't even try to make excuses for that asshole with me," Chen Fei said with a fierce glare. "It makes my blood boil seeing you like this. There are so many better men out there than that Lu Zihao who'll surely treat you right, make you happy, and not always make you cry."
"But he's the one I love, Xiao Fei."
The ferocity of Chen Fei's expression almost got fully extinguished after hearing her best friend's whisper. She sighed. "It sucks that he's the one you love."
Long Jinjing didn't reply.
Chen Fei sighed again before muttering, "He better treat you right this time or I'll end up becoming a murderer if he hurts you again."
Although Long Jinjing wasn't sure whether her best friend was serious in her threat of murdering her boyfriend or not, she still couldn't help but laugh. "Thanks, Xiao Fei. You always have my back even when you don't approve of my decisions."
"Hmph! We've been best friends for so long, so of course I know what you're really like. You may be timid most of the time, but you're actually extremely stubborn deep inside. You can be as bad as your sister when it comes to hard-headedness. Tsk! Such an annoying trait that you siblings both inherited."
Long Jinjing could only smile.
Chen Fei faced her with a solemn expression. "Jing, I know that you love that man. Fine. Since it already happened, I can't do anything about it. But Jing, I just hope that you don't love him too much that there won't be anything left for you if this relationship fails again. Love him enough but make sure to leave some for yourself. Don't become a slave for your love for him."
"Don't worry, Xiao Fei." Long Jinjing straightened her back and looked at her best friend straight in the eyes. "I never planned on becoming Zihao's slave. I want to be his equal partner in life. I don't plan on becoming dependent on him in any way. I just want to love him and hopefully enjoy his love as well while we build a happy life together until we both grow old."
"Fine." Chen Fei released another long, drawn-out sigh. "It seems that you really made up your mind."
Long Jinjing nodded.
"I just hope that you don't regret it."
"I'll regret it more if I don't try."
"Tsk." Chen Fei looked disgusted but also helpless at the same time. "This is why I dread falling in love. What if I become like you?" She shuddered. "Ugh. Just thinking about it is giving me chills."
"Falling in love can really feel scary but it also feels wonderful. I don't regret falling in love with Zihao one bit. If we're really not meant to be together, I'll just have to accept it. It will hurt but...."
Chen Fei continued her sentence for her, "But you'll get through it. You're a strong woman, Jing. Others may not see your inner strength, but I do. Lu Zihao is a blind fool if he doesn't see it."
Long Jinjing touched the lily pendant hidden underneath her shirt. "I don't know if I'm really as strong as you say, but this is my gamble for love. And I intend to win."
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