There was a clean-shaven man sitting on the sofa opposite her. He looked handsome in formal attire. He exuded the fragrance of some shower gel and there was a contrast to his decadence last night.
Cheng Yuxiu became nervous. Though she had known his identity, this was the first time she looked at him when she was sober.
She panicked, not knowing where to look, and it was certainly not at him. She sat up on the sofa and found the blanket covering her body instead.
Cheng Yuxiu felt shy. “Are you sober now?”
“Ummm…” Zong Qifeng answered.
Cheng Yuxiu stood up abruptly. She kicked a leg of the table and fell back down onto the sofa. She felt sorry for being clumsy. “Let me clean up the mess.”
“Don’t be afraid of me.” Zong Qifeng stood up to reassure Cheng Yuxiu. He found his relationship with her embarrassing. He felt uncomfortable with the presence of another woman in the house.
“You are here at her invitation. Do feel at home. Let me know if there is anything you need. You may go out if you feel bored here, but I expect you to keep our relationship private and confidential.”
Cheng Yuxiu’s eyes squinted. “I know.”
Zong Qifeng left without taking breakfast.
Since that day, Zong Qifeng came home every night. He left her alone upstairs and slept in the guest room downstairs.
Cheng Yuxiu learned later that he came back to the villa every night to just please Wen Xian.
Cheng Yuxiu was free during the day; so, she thought of looking for a job to fill her time.
Although she was educated, she lacked the relevant working experience. Hence, it would be easy for her to find a clerical job.
After a successful interview, she got an office job. Since then, she had been working there for more than two months.
Zong Qifeng came home late every night and slept downstairs. They practically did not meet each other.
She lived a full life. After a busy day at the office, she would go through her notes jotted down during work and looked for materials for self-improvement.
That day, she ate dinner after work as usual, and then took a shower before curling up in bed to look for some information.
All of a sudden, she received a telephone call from Cheng Yuwen, the only person who knew her whereabouts. Indeed, after her father’s death, Chen Yuwen was her only relative.
“Hongfei is dying to see you.”
Bai Hongfei went overseas to source for some equipment needed for his company’s new project.
He faced some glitches which delayed his work. By the time he returned, he was shocked to learn about what had befallen the Cheng Family.
The worst thing was, he couldn’t find his girlfriend, his beloved Cheng Yuxiu.
On his prior visits to the Cheng Family, Cheng Yuwen always disappointed him by insisting that he did not know Cheng Yuxiu’s whereabouts.
After ensuring the company’s new project was on track, he paid another visit to the Cheng Family. This time, he was very insistent. If you don’t tell me, I won’t go; I will follow you wherever you go.
He was not kidding for he even followed him to the washroom.
Finally, Cheng Yuwen gave in and rang his sister up.
On hearing Bai Hongfei’s name, Cheng Yuxiu froze for a while. Then she broke down and cried uncontrollably. She was heart-broken and full of grievances.
“I think he is still in love with you…”
“What love does he have for me?” Cheng Yuxiu interrupted his brother. If he really cares so much for me, why was he not around when I needed him most? And why is it that I could not contact him at all? Where has he been all this while?
“I don’t want to see him. You’d better stop hanging out with him. We don’t want to have anything to do with the Bai family; do you hear me?” Cheng Yuxiu hung up after making herself clear.
She buried her head in the comforter and cried her heart out. It’s you who broke the promise!
“You heard it; she doesn’t want to see you. “ Cheng Yuwen stared at Bai Hongfei. The latter seemed to be wasting away lately.
“When you were having problems, why didn’t you approach my mother? Even if I was not around, she was available…”
“Stop it, okay?” Chen Yuwen laughed sarcastically. He began to hate Bai Hongfei when he mentioned Mrs. Bai. “Yuxiu went to ask for help, but your mom refused…”
“That’s impossible!” Bai Hongfei interrupted. My mom likes Yuxiu very much. She knows I love her and she is happy to approve of me marrying her. How on earth would she refuse it when Yuxiu asked for help?
“If you don’t believe me, go back and ask your mother. For your information, it was your mother who called for a press conference to cancel the engagement!” Cheng Yuwen deplored Mrs. Bai for what she did.
“Seeing our family business in trouble, your mother thought we are no longer useful to her. She made it clear that she was eyeing our family’s textile manufacturing technology. When Yuxiu did not give in, your mother’s attitude changed completely. Not only was your mother unwilling to help; she cut off the ties between both families. This made it all the more difficult for our family to survive the crisis.”
“I don’t believe this! I love Yuxiu and I like her very much!” retorted Bai Hongfei. “I am going back now to ask her; if my mother was not the cause of the problem…”
“I will cut off my head for you to sit on it, okay? Come on, man! You should have asked her much earlier. Yuxiu is no longer a good match for you, because you are the Young Master of Bai family. She is nothing now. You know what, she sacrificed herself for the family, and for me — “
Cheng Yuwen’s voice became weaker and weaker till he broke down and covered his face, crying like a baby.
Cheng family’s business collapsed overnight. Had it not been for Cheng Yuxiu’s sacrifice, Cheng Yuwen would have ended up in jail; Cheng family would have been in ruin and the family’s textile manufacturing technology could have ended up in someone else hand.
As a man, he felt so shameful to have let his sister sacrifice herself to save him. He felt guilty.
Bai Hongfei rushed out of Cheng family’s residence and sped home in his car.
Madam Bai just got back after having her facial treatment. She looked rather young for her age; like a lady in her early thirties. She frowned at her son. “Young man, why are you in such a rush?”
“When Cheng family was facing a crisis, Yuxiu came to see you for help. Did you refuse her?” Bai Hongfei grilled her in anger.
Mrs. Bai was stunned and displeased so she avoided his question instead. “So, you have gone to the Cheng family again?”
“Answer me!” This was the first time Bai Hongfei shouted at her mother.
He didn’t believe what Cheng Yuwen had told him about his mother.
At this point, Madam Bai sat on the sofa. Looking up at her son, she started explaining. “Your father passed away years ago. I was the only one to support the whole family until today. Life has not been easy all these years…”
“I am asking whether Yuxiu came to see you for help or not!” Bai Hongfei was too impatient to hear his mother out.
“Yes, she did!” Madam Bai’s anger flared up. Come on! The girl is just a nobody and I am your mother. “You are my son! How dare you shout at me because of a woman!”
Bai Hongfei froze in shock. Then, something pertinent dawned on him. “So, you have purposely sent me away on the pretext of an overseas business trip, am I right?”
Mrs. Bai remained silent.
“It was also part of your plot for my handphone to fall off into the water.”
“Did you create all those small little problems to delay my return when I was overseas?” Bai Hongfei continued grilling his mother.
Madam Bai did not deny. “Yes, you are right. When you came home after celebrating Yuxiu’s birthday, I received a phone call from Cheng Yuwen. He told me his father has passed away. Mr. Cheng was the pillar of his family business so following his death, no one could guess what would happen to the Cheng family.
That was why I sent you away just to make sure that both of you could not stay in touch with each other. I have planned for your mobile phone to fall into the water on purpose and apologized for my carelessness.
This allowed me to let you use my mobile phone instead. Then, I swapped the SIM cards, I have to make sure that the mobile phone you brought with you carried my SIM card.
When you discovered this later, I readily confessed to that mistake. At the same time, I went to the Cheng family. On the face of it, it looked like I wanted to pay my last respect to Mr. Cheng. In fact, I took the opportunity to switch off Yuxiu’s mobile phone and threw it away when she was grieving over her father’s death. I wanted to make sure both of you were out of contact.”
