Love Me Harder, Mr. Fu - Chapter 120

Nervously waiting outside the company building, Shi Lian glances at her watch again and then to her left and right.

She got out of the company pretty earlier than usual because all she can think of is Zichen and his words.

Right when she is glancing at her watch again, a black Mercedes stops just a few inches from where she is standing. Rong steps out of the car, looking as fine as he always does, and gives a small smile to Shi Lian.

She smiles and glancing to her behind just to be sure no one sees her she heads forward. “Hello Rong” she greets him.

He smiles which makes his eye sunk, “Good to see you, Miss Shi Lian.”

He opens the door for her and she steps in shutting it from inside. He goes to his seat and after asking if she is seated well, he starts the engine.

They will reach in one hour time or less but as the car moves, Shi Lian grows more nervous. It’s as if she is going to face him after a very long time. Her fingers fidget and she bites her lip looking outside the window.

“You saved us again, Miss Shi Lian,” Ring says, a hint humor in his voice, “Sir would have killed us with the huge amount of work if not for your call.”

Embarrassed, she asks, “Was he in a grave mood?”

“The worst I have encountered.”

So she was wasn’t the only one whose day started with a bad groan. She can’t help but smile a little now that she knows about it.

Out of curiosity, she asks, “Is he always in a bad mood?”

Rong laughs, “No…I wouldn’t say that though, but he always has this poker face and he never really smiles in the work area. The intimidating kind of boss.”

Shi Lian chuckles imagining him. She can totally see why the staff are afraid of him. When she saw him at his office, the second time, she too found him intimidating.

“But he always smiles when you are around. That’s a change I have seen” Rong says. Shi Lian does not say anything about that. Rong glances at her through the mirror as he drives to make sure if he hasn’t said anything wrong.

The rest of the drive passes in silence, serene silence.

**

Rong stops the car in front of the villa. Shi Lian steps out before Rong can come and open the door for her. She stands gazing at the building and smiles remembering the last time she came here. It was one of the best memories she had with him.

As she is still gazing, the front door opens and Zichen comes out, still in his work clothes but the jacket is missing.

Shi Lian sucks in a sharp intake of breath as her eyes met his. Her heart starts beating rapidly and she now realizes just how much she missed him. Without breaking eye contact, he approaches her. As he walks towards her, she can see the weariness in him, even the way he is dressed is not the usual him.

He passes a look to Rong and with that Rong is out of the gates with the car as well.

Now that she is alone with him, she is getting nervous. The anger she felt earlier is now gone.

He looks at her and smiles faintly. “Hey,” he says and it all takes her to hold herself and not go and hug him tightly.

“Hey,” she says and smiles. He gestures her inside and leads her in. The house is the same as the last time she came. He holds her hand and take her to the living area and made her sit on the couch. Once she is seated, he disappears into the kitchen.

Two minutes later, he comes out, holding two glasses of juice and other items. She looks at him questionably as she sets the tray on the table. “Wondered if you are hungry,” he says and sits beside her, leaving some distance.

She smiles and takes the glass. The chilled drink is so refreshing and it certainly helps with her dry throat.

Setting the half-empty glass, she faces him and she can see he is nervous as well by the he is tightly gripping both his palms together and looking down, at his feet. Nervous Zichen is something new to her.

“So…” she tries to break the silence.

He suddenly looks up, and now looking closely at his face she can see the eye bags. He hasn’t shaved by the way he looks at the moment.

He sighs, mustering much courage he needs, and says, “Alright, what do you want to know?”

“Let’s start with your family.”

He does not look comfortable by the mention of his family and Shi Lian is dying to know why. Will he talk? What will he say about it? She thinks to herself the more Zichen takes time.

“In my family, I have my mother, father and…and an older brother” the word brother seems so hard for him to say that Shi Lian wonders there must be something between them.

“Tell me something about them…anything,” she says gently, pressing a little.

“My mother, she is a member of the Fu association, a strong lady. She is kind…humble… Sometimes she can be stern but…she is my mother at last. I respect her, a lot.” The way he is lost in his explanation is something warming. The way he smiles faintly when he mentions his mother is what attracts her.

He continues, “Coming to my father…well, he is a businessman. He now handles other businesses outside of Shanghai so he does not stay at home. He is never home in the sense. I barely saw him once or twice in a whole year.”

He then stops and Shi Lian thinks he must be thinking about how to say it but when he looks at her and asks, “Next?” she realizes he does not want to talk about his older brother.

She wants to ask about his older brother but she stops herself thinking it might make him more uncomfortable than he already is.

She smiles, “About your childhood?”

“My childhood…I don’t remember much of it but it mostly was dull. I was a quiet kid who always had books in his hand” he smiles bitterly, “My grandfather already announced that I would take over the company when I was only twelve years old. Since that day both he and my father were all in to make me the figure, the one who is responsible and had the guts to handle the company. At times, I was so tired that even if I closed my eyes, I would fall asleep.”

“Didn’t you have any friends?”

“Not really. I was kind of an introvert and it wasn’t easy for me to strike up a conversation. They talked to me, they were nice and I thought they liked me but I was wrong. When I grew up I realized, they came just because I was the heir of Fu, and getting in my good grace meant profit for them as well. Knowing that I stopped giving a damn if I had any friends or not because, in the end, they all leave us. It was what I thought until I met Junjie. He is the polar opposite of me and God knows how we became friends. He is my only friend” he says, getting melancholic.

She had no idea he would have s childhood like this. She feels sad for him and the urge to console him is right on the edge. She reaches for his hands that are all sweaty and she squeezes them to let him she is here. He accepts it and puts his other palm on top of hers.

“May I ask another question?” she asks, her voice low and hesitant.

He nods and she braces herself to ask that question that is bothering her. “Your older brother….why didn’t you said anything about him?”

The grip on her hands tightens and he frowns at her. She thinks he might snap at her or change the topic.

“He and I don’t get along,” he says. “Due to an accident, he and I drifted apart. He left home when he was sixteen.”

Her eyebrows shot up in astonishment. “I am so sorry…I didn’t–”

“No, it’s fine. You aren’t in wrong” he says, his eyes meeting hers. His expression changes and he turns cheery, “I answered all your questions. Do you forgive me?”