“He’s well-mannered but socially awkward. He’s also reserved and doesn’t talk too much unless it’s needed.” Lu Xinyi replied. She also noticed that he kept his meetings outside their home and refused to bring business partners to their house.
“That’s how Shen Yi has always been. The proper and well-groomed Young Master of the Shen family. Not that Shen Xue isn’t. It was just Shen Yi was expected to follow his Uncle.” Zhao Xi sat beside her patient and tidied up her medicine tray.
“Uncle?”
“Oh? He hasn’t told you? Uncle Huang is the second master. The real successor was his late uncle, Shen Jin. He died before he could inherit the Shen Group, and Uncle Huang reluctantly stepped up to run the company.” Zhao Xi explained while she wrapped up Lu Xinyi’s foot. “His death was one of the rifts that split up the relations.h.i.+p between the Shen and the Sun families.”
“How? What happened between the two families?” This was one of the mysteries that Lu Xinyi hadn’t found an answer yet. The long feud between the Shens and the Suns weren’t a secret. It was just n.o.body dared to reveal what caused it.
“I’m afraid even I don’t know the answer to those questions,”—Zhao Xi smiled softly—”but if you’re interested to know more about President Shen, you can ask me anything.” She gave Lu Xinyi a wink.
“How did you become friends?” Lu Xinyi asked as she inspected her injured foot.
Zhao Xi removed her gloves and threw it to the nearest trash bin before pus.h.i.+ng the curtain open.
“We were in the same student council together with my husband. As you expected, Shen Yi was quite popular in our school. Not only girls were swooning over him.” On this, she laughed. “He became the Student Council President, and I became the secretary.”
Lu Xinyi listened intently to Zhao Xi. She admitted that she was curious, for there were still things she had yet to discover about her husband.
“Are you tired? You can take a nap here while I ask Shen Yi to pick up some things for me.” Zhao Xi proposed. Lu Xinyi then realized how exhausted she was and agreed. She laid back on the bed, adjusting her good foot not to touch the injured one. Her hair was spread on the pillow, and she stared back at her doctor.
“What made you think that he’s gay?”
There was silence within the room until Zhao Xi burst out laughing. Her body shook as she laughed. Oh, well, it wasn’t that she really doubted Shen Yi; but it was their circle of friends instead. It had been a long time since he had a girlfriend.
“You see. We’ve known him for more than a decade, and only once did we see him with a woman.” Zhao Xi paid attention to Lu Xinyi’s reaction, trying to see if she could sense some jealousy from her; but there was none. “Maybe he’s as.e.xual, or he hasn’t met the right person yet; and no, I can a.s.sure you that he’s not gay.”
“Excuse me?” Lu Xinyi’s brows shot up.
She was the right person? She hadn’t really thought that there could be a woman that could resist Shen Yi’s charm and way of flirting. How come he never had a woman when she met him?
“Dear, your eyes are sparkling whenever you mention Shen Yi’s name. I can see that you are interested in him, and him, in you. I can see sparks between the two of you although I was a little disappointed when there was no reaction from you when I mentioned his ex.” Zhao Xi regained herself from laughing.
Lu Xinyi wasn’t sure what to say. Could she tell this woman the truth? Her mouth decided and betrayed her then. “I have no reason to get jealous.” When she realized what she just told Zhao Xi, she added, “Just like what you said, she was an ex. A part of his past that I have to accept.”
“Lu Xinyi,”—Zhao Xi took her hand gently—”I know it’s hard to fall in love with a man like Shen Yi. You will need a lot if understanding. He’s a proud man but a loyal one. It wouldn’t be easy to be with him. I’m so sorry to say this, but it’s the truth. I’ve seen this a lot of times. Women pursued him over the years and have failed to catch his attention. He’s called the ‘Ice Devil’ for a reason, and I hate to see you get hurt because of him.”
Lu Xinyi felt a pang of sudden guilt for Zhao Xi. Had she thought that she was just a mere woman that Shen Yi saved randomly?
“I appreciate your concern, Doctor Zhao,” she whispered, “but there’s no sense fighting for someone I already have. My only concern is to keep him and make sure he wouldn’t dare to look somewhere else, or I’ll castrate him alive.” She added with a devilish smile.
Zhao Xi gasped. Another realization hit her.
“So you’ve successfully got his attention? You’re his girlfriend?!”
What? Finally! Shen Yi found a woman! A woman that could stay with him and wouldn’t leave to seek another dream he couldn’t provide! This woman!
Wait. Zhao Xi noticed the black uniform chef that Lu Xinyi was wearing. It had an emblem of Silver Leaf Academy, and she had the plum blossom brooch of the Shen family pinned on one side.
Lu Xinyi frowned. ‘Girlfriend’ sounded impermanent for her. Although their marriage could be annulled, she didn’t think either of them would like it. She turned on her side to face the doctor.
“No, I’m not his girlfriend. I am his wife.”