Chapter 73: A Frivolous and Pretty Boy

The conversation ended unpleasantly. Shangguan Ning walked out of Shangguan Xing’s home. On her way out, she ran into her cousin, Shangguan Minghao who had just came back from the market after buying some fish.

“Sister!”

Shangguan Ning nodded slightly at her cousin who was now a tall lad. “Hello Minghao. I would’ve wanted to spend some time with you but I’m leaving now.”

Shangguan Minghao came to her side and insisted that she try some salmon. “These salmon are so fresh. They were the catch of the day. Do take them home and try them. You could have them for lunch. Speaking of lunch, the man who wants to take you out on a lunch date is up to no good. Please don’t agree to meet him.”

Shangguan Ning’s heart filled with love for her twenty-year-old cousin. Maybe he was the only person who really cared about her, in the entire family.

She smiled and said, “Thanks for your concern. I’m leaving now. You’d better go home too.”

Shangguan Minghao felt sad seeing his cousin leave. He hadn’t seen her in so long.

He was aware of what his parents were planning. As per the current situation, he would be the heir to Liyu Science & Technology. He had decided, though, that he did not want anything to do with it.

This company ought to belong to his cousin, rather than him. He was not happy about the idea of his cousin having lunch and making small talk with an unknown man. Who knew what other ridiculous demands would the man come up with next ?

Even though he himself was only twenty years old, Minghao was confident that he could establish a career for himself based on his own ability, rather than take over a business that did not belong to him, in the first place.

His heart went out to his cousin, Ning. She had lost her mother at the age of 10, was forced to get engaged at the age of 19, that too with a man who was in a vegetative state and her fiancé gained consciousness only to fall in love with Ning’s step sister.

Ning had already had a terrible life. How could his family hurt her any further?

He had never been too fond of Shangguan Rouxue, though she looked pretty and seemed kind. He had stopped acknowledging her as his cousin after he got to know of how she had betrayed Ning by sleeping with Xie Zhuojun.

He wondered why would anybody even think that she was kind and considerate? What kind of a woman would rob her own sister of her husband?

When Shangguan Ning got back home, she decided to calm herself down a bit. She was still so angry. Shee sat down in the quiet study. The house still felt empty. She couldn’t help but think of Jing Yichen.

His face was etched in her head. Just as she was thinking of him, her phone rang. It was him.

She smiled as the phone flashed ‘husband’ on the screen.

She had originally saved his number as “the President.” He had modified it later.

In a daunting and sexy voice, he asked her, “My love, have you eaten yet?”

For some reason, Shangguan Ning’s anxious heart was at ease, as soon as she heard his voice.

“Not yet. What about you?”

Jing Yichen had been very busy during the last few days. Due to the time difference, it hadn’t been convenient for him to call Shangguan Ning often.

He took the effort to call his wife, whenever he had the time.

Without Shangguan Ning by his side, he felt unprecedentedly anxious, fearing that something might happen to her. Although Lee Duo was protecting her, without her knowledge, he knew that with Black Wind at large, he could never be sure.

Hearing her sound so tired, he felt concerned.

“Why haven’t you eaten yet? It is eight o’clock at night in Beijing. Be a good girl and eat something, I will call you later.”

Shangguan Ning felt so good when he bossed her out of love. She had been feeling fatigued earlier, but she felt much better after speaking with him.

She wasn’t feeling hungry at this moment, but she had her dinner. She knew Jing Yichen would worry, if he knew that she had skipped her meal.

After dinner, she called him back.

They talked for a while before hanging up.

Shangguan Ning didn’t tell him about Liyu Science & Technology. She wanted to solve her own problems, by herself. She couldn’t help thinking of what would happen, if she didn’t succeed. If she failed to get charge of the company, it would be too late for her to tell him then.

After speaking with Ning, Jing Yichen felt worse than before. Yichen was smart and had a strong sense of observation. He realised that Ning wasn’t her usual self today. Something was bothering her. Something wasn’t right and he needed to find out what that was.

He needed to go home as soon as possible. Luckily, most of the official matters had been handled.

At the back of his mind though, he knew that one day, he would need to visit the USA. To pick up Tang Yun, whom he had been looking for, for the past ten years.

His heart wouldn’t be at peace, until she was back.

Jing Yichen decided that he wouldn’t hold this off any longer. He set out for the USA. Shangguan Ning, on the other hand, made a call to her uncle, Shangguan Xing and asked for the contact details of the man who wished to see her.

She met that man over lunch, the following day.

The meeting was set for the following afternoon. They were to meet at Royal Crown, which was the most luxurious and expensive restaurant in A City.

The decor at Royal Crown was European. The restaurant was styled in dark and muted tones. It looked royal, magnificent and had an air of nobility. Although it was very expensive, it was the go-to place for celebrities.

Shangguan Ning had once had visited Royal Crown, with Xie Zhuojun. He had just recovered and Family Xie invited her to lunch at this restaurant, as a token of appreciation, for all the efforts that she had put into making Zhuojun feel better.

She remembered that afternoon so vividly. Xie Zhuojun was about to start his meal, when he was called away by a phone call.

She would learn later that it was Shangguan Rouxue, who had called him. Maybe it had been because of this incident that she never liked this place much.

As soon as she entered Royal Crown, the waiter led her to the Elegant Room.

She walked straight in.

There she saw a man watching the sea, leaning against the window. Upon hearing her enter, he turned around and smiled at her charmingly. “Do sit down, Ms. Shangguan.”

He was tall and muscular. His body was in excellent shape, though what caught Ning by surprise, was his face. He looked so good, that it was hard to tell if he was human or a Greek God. The sapphire blue and gold silk costume that he wore, only enhanced his looks further.

Shangguan Ning had never expected that a man could be this handsome. He was perfect.

She was confused. A man like him lacked no money or women. Why would he have been interested in Liyu Science & Technology? And why did he want to have lunch with her?

Jing Yiran was aware of the effect he had on people. In fact, he enjoyed it. More so, on Shangguan Ning. She was charmed by his looks and he took pride in it.

He strode forward, towards Shuangguan Ning. The scent of his perfume made Shangguan Ning squirm.

The man in front of her was attractive, there was no doubt about that. There was something about him, though, that told her this man spelt trouble. She felt ill at ease and wished that she could leave.

Shangguan Ning retreated a few steps, thereby creating a distance between them.

Jing Yiran stopped walking towards her, sensing her discomfort. Instead, he just stood still and surveyed her.

Tall and slim, elegant and fresh. Her face was without any makeup. Her skin was translucent and tender. Her eyes were clear, as if desiring nothing.

She looked very pretty but he knew, she was more than that.

He touched his chin with his palm and thought to himself – He would definitely fool around with the woman who stole his brother’s heart.