Chapter 166
Xia Lei followed Fu Ming-Mei to a room and the bed in the room was also in the gothic style with a flowery canopy and it looked quite delicate . Fu Ming-Mei had changed the sheets and covers; they were white and clean .
“Please let me know if there is anything you’d need,” said Fu Ming-Mei .
“Thank you . I don’t need anything at the moment . ” Xia Lei made to close the door but Fu Ming-Mei did not seem to have any intention of leaving .
“My father said that you’re formidable . ” Fu Ming-Mei looked at Xia Lei and her eyes carried a hint of a challenge .
Xia Lei laughed . “What do you want?”
Fu Ming-Mei suddenly launched a punch at Xia Lei’s face . She went straight to it and wasted no words .
Though he had no time to prepare himself, Xia Lei was not the boy he had been . He had practised Wing Chun for a time and a Special Forces member could not compare to his skills and reaction speed . He turned his head aside as Fu Meng-Mei’s fist flew at him and dodged her attack .
Fu Ming-Mei reacted quickly too . The fist that missed became an open hand and it swung at Xia Lei’s neck like a grappling hook, trying to pull him to her . She raised her knee at the same time, aiming to knee him in the lower abdomen .
This was outrageous!
Xia Lei bent his body and his elbow struck Fu Ming-Mei’s kneecap, then he moved his shoulder to dodge her attack and hit her in the chest at the same time . Fu Ming-Mei did not have a large chest but she was meaty and there was an obvious ‘shock absorption’ when Xia Lei’s hit connected .
Fu Ming-Mei was pushed two steps backward . She held her hurting chest and looked at Xia Lei, red-faced . “You…”
Xia Lei laughed . “Sorry, that wasn’t intentional . ”
“Humph!” Fu Ming-Mei turned and left .
“It wasn’t even me who started it . She got mad because she didn’t win - how petty,” mumbled Xia Lei to himself . He shut the door .
Xia Lei lay on the bed after a shower, thinking about stuff; the more he thought, the further he got from sleeping .
He would be willing to help Shentu Tian-Yin even without her asking but pretending to be dating her was another headache altogether . He could foresee that he would be excluded from the Shentu clan, especially by Shentu Tian-Yin’s grandparents - those two old fogeys would definitely see him as an enemy who would use the offspring of his union with Shentu Tian-Yin to wrest control of Vientaine Group . There was also Shentu Yi and Shentu Tian-Feng . How could they let a man just walk into Shentu Tian-Yin’s life?
The Shentu clan, however, was just one headache . A worse one was Gu Ke-Wu . Gu Ke-Wu was trying to woo Shentu Tian-Yin and if she suddenly announced that she was dating him, Gu Ke-Wu would surely hinder him and make trouble for him .
‘I already have great enmity with the Gu clan; Gu Ke-Wu and Gu Ke-Wen will hate me even more with me dating Shentu Tian-Yin . No one from the Gu clan caused trouble for me after Huang Yi-Hu died but that was because I didn’t encroach on their interests again . This time, however, I’m directly in the way of one of their biggest interests… Fuck, this is troublesome . ’ Xia Lei’s head hurt at the thought .
Viewed from another angle, his dating Shentu Tian-Yin could be seen as snatching away the Gu clan’s biggest cake .
The reason was simple - Gu Ke-Wu wanted Shentu Tian-Yin . He wanted to marry her and have her have his child so that he would be able to get his hands on Vientaine Group without having to spend a cent . It would be perfect for Gu Ke-Wu if Shentu Tian-Yin met with some sort of accident or unexpected misfortune . Would the Gu clan take things lying down when their great plan got quashed before fruition?
Xia Lei got no more than five hours of sleep that night .
The next morning, Fu Ming-Mei knocked, then opened Xia Lei’s door and said very politely, “Breakfast is ready, Brother-in-law . ”
Xia Lei froze . He was sure he heard her say ‘brother-in-law’ but he didn’t dare believe it .
“I said, breakfast is ready, Brother-in-law . Why are you still spacing out?” Fu Ming-Mei said ‘brother-in-law’ more loudly this time .
Xia Lei snapped back to reality . “Wh, what did you call me?”
“Brother-in-law, of course . How can I still call you Mr Xia? That’s not right,” said Fu Ming-Mei laughingly, “Big Sister Tian-Yin already told me about you two . I grew up with her so I’ve long seen her as my elder sister . You’re with her and you’re going to get married soon so of course I have to call you ‘brother-in-law’ . ”
“Who told you that we… we’re going to get married?” Xia Lei suddenly felt quite ill .
Fu Ming-Mei raised an eyebrow playfully . “My Big Sister, of course . She said that if nothing goes wrong you’ll have your wedding next year during the Mid-Autumn Festival . ”
Xia Lei was speechless .
Fu Chuan-Fu made breakfast; congee, side dishes and eggs . It was an almost unthinkable breakfast for a queen like Shentu Tian-Yin .
Shentu Tian-Yin was already seated in beautiful stillness at the breakfast table when Xia Lei and Fu Ming-Mei got to the dining room .
“Good morning, Miss Shentu . ” Xia Lei greeted her, then walked to a spot opposite her .
Shentu Tian-Yin called him to a stop . “Hold on . Let’s do that again . ”
“Do what again?” asked Xia Lei curiously .
Shentu Tian-Yin’s beautiful eyebrow went up . “Have you heard any male deeply in love call his lover ‘Miss’?”
Xia Lei was speechless .
He’d surely score a zero if this were a test . Shentu Tian-Yin’s grandparents would have seen right through him if they were here .
“What are you spacing out for, Brother-in-law?” said Fu MIng-Mei, “You’re the stupidest man I’ve met . ”
“Ming-Mei . ” Shentu Tian-Yin glared at her .
“Okay, okay, I won’t say anything . ” But she added one more line . “You keep protecting him . ”
It was apparent that Fu Ming-Mei was not afraid of Shentu Tian-Yin at all because they were so close .
Xia Lei shrugged and went back to the spot where he had greeted Shentu Tian-Yin . He cleared his throat . “Morning, Tian-Yin . ”
Shentu Tian-Yin nodded . “You can also add a smile so people will see that you are happy to see me . ”
‘What the fuck…’ Xia Lei grumbled silently to himself but slapped a smile on his face . “Morning, Tian-Yin . ”
“Nn, this is the right way to do it,” said Shentu Tian-Yin, “Now try another form of address . ”
“Another form?” asked Xia Lei in surprise, “What other form?”
“There’s ‘Honey’, ‘Yin-Yin’, ‘Darling’ or anything along those lines . Which one do you think is most suitable?” Shentu Tian-Yin remained neutral even when listing corny nicknames .
Xia Lei’s forehead was already beaded with perspiration .
One minute later . . .
“Morning, Honey . ” Xia Lei forced himself to smile . “Did you sleep well?”
Shentu Tian-Yin smiled . “The first sentence was good . No need for the second sentence . We’re a couple preparing for marriage so we’re sleeping together . How can you not know how well I slept?”
Xia Lei smiled wryly and quickly stepped to the seat opposite Shentu Tian-Yin and sat down . He was afraid that Shentu Tian-Yin would find fault with him again and make him repeat himself .
After he sat down, he discovered that there were just two bowls on congee on the table and two pairs of chopsticks - there was no breakfast for Fu Ming-Mei and Fu Chuan-Fu . Fu Chuan-Fu had left so he couldn’t help glancing over at Fu Ming-Mei . She was watching him with a smile-not-smile on her face .
“Let’s eat . ” Shentu Tian-Yin took up her chopsticks and put a green leaf in Xia Lei’s bowl .
“Thanks . ” Xia Lei buried his head in the congee; the green leaf was pulled into the vortex of his mouth .
“Next time we eat together you should not say ‘thanks’ when I give you food . Just give me a smile,” said Shentu Tian-Yin, “And you have to give me some vegetables too and encourage me to have more vegetables . ”
Xia Lei was a quick learner . He picked up two green vegetable leaves with his chopsticks and put them in Shentu Tian-Yin’s bowl, then used an extra gentle voice to say, “Eat more vegetables, Honey . You’re so busy; you have to eat more vegetables to boost your vitamin levels . Your health is most important . ”
Shentu Tian-Yin smiled . “Yes, this is the right way . You’re quite a quick learner . ”
Xia Lei rolled his eyes at her . “Do I have to learn this? Men are naturally skilled at deceiving women - it’s inborn . ”
Fu Ming-Mei, who was standing to one side suddenly spoke up . “So how many ex-girlfriends have you had, Brother-in-law?”
Xia Lei almost spat out the congee he’d just spooned into his mouth .
“Watch your words, Ming-Mei . ” Shentu Tian-Yin shot another glare at Fu Ming-Mei .
Fu Ming-Mei stuck out her bottom lip but didn’t take digs at Xia Lei again .
In a man’s world, men who had many girlfriends were smug bastards who hit on anything which breathed . In a woman’s world, they would always hope to be their boyfriend’s first girlfriend . Not promiscuous, not a cheater - these were also two standards women used when picking a boyfriend .
After breakfast, Shentu Tian-Yin said, “Lei, I know this is not fair to you and will also bring you a lot of trouble but I really have no other way . I’m counting on you . ” She then stood and bowed in gratitude .
Xia Lei hurriedly crossed the table to help her up and said somewhat awkwardly, “You helped me when I most needed help . Of course I’ll help you now that you’re in a spot of trouble . I only worry that I won’t play my part well and be seen through by others . ”
“Ugh, you two are going in circles with your ‘I help you, no! I help you’ . Makes me dizzy,” said Fu Ming-Mei .
At that moment, Fu Chuan-Fu appeared in the doorway of the dining room, his face dark . “Ming-Mei, go get the car ready . ”
“Uhn . ” Fu Ming-Mei made a sound and went off to do as he said .
“Lady Shentu, I have not taught Ming-Mei well enough . I shall reprimand her,” said Fu Chuan-Fu apologetically .
“It’s all right, Uncle Fu . Go about your business,” said Shentu Tian-Yin .
Fu Chuan-Fu left as well .
“We shall be taking a look around the power plant later . Our relationship will start on this island . ” Shentu Tian-Yin looked at Xia Lei, her gaze full of excitement and expectation .
Xia Lei gave a laugh . “I’ll try my best . Um, please remember to give me a hint if I don’t react quickly enough . ”
“I’ve already thought of this . Come hold my hand when you see me putting my hands together,” said Shentu Tian-Yin .
“Nn . ” Xia Lei nodded . This was an easy signal .
“But if you see my tongue touch my lips you have to kiss me,” she continued .
“Huh?” Xia Lei felt like he’d been kicked by someone .
“If I say ‘Honey, I’m tired’, you say ‘Let’s go back to our room to rest, Honey’ . If I say I can’t walk anymore, you carry me into the room in your arms . ”
Xia Lei was at an absolute loss for words .
Was Vientaine Group actually a film production company?
No Comments Yet
Post a new comment
Register or Login