"Sir, they were asking for you in the office." Butler Lee informed Chen Linyun who was still glued at the ICU window – the closest he could get with the wife who was still in an induced coma.It was the third day after the accident.
Chen Linyun was expected to return to the office that day from his Shanghai trip.
"What about?" He was irritated, yet he knew very well that it"s part of his responsibilities. "Another meeting?"
"Yes, Sir."
"I"ll join via Videocon."
"And Butler Lee? Announce that I own Chen Holdings and Shuilong Trading. Please request for the Commercial Marine Director, Mr. Cao to prepare several customized contracts for all my businesses. I"m sure they can find a window or a requirement somewhere. Under Chen Holdings, they can coordinate with my cousin, Mo Wenbin. He"ll represent Chen Holdings for me. I cannot sign any of these doc.u.ments as I am affiliated to both parties."
"Understood, Sir." Butler Lee lingered. "May I ask, Sir, what changed your mind?"
Chen Linyun sighed deeply. He was tired. "I don"t have time for frivolity. This is the easiest way to deal with the executives. They simply want to have a competent leader. I will give them that. They want growth. I can give them that. However, I cannot spend any more of my time entertaining their trivial matters. My wife needs me here. I"ll take care of the disadvantages later when the situation calls for it."
"I"ll work here in the hospital remotely. One last request, Butler Lee. Please fetch me my laptop. That"s all I need."
"Will do, Sir. I"ll go ahead first."
"Thank you, Butler Lee."
Chen Linyun sat on one of the chairs along the corridor. He rested his head on the wall and closed his eyes for a bit. He was dead tired and drained physically and emotionally.
"Chen Linyun."
His rest was cut short by a deep familiar voice.
He opened his eyes abruptly and stood up almost at the same time. "S-Sir. You"re here too."
"I was in Amsterdam when I heard the unfortunate news. I flew in hurriedly here." Grampa Xue seems much more talkative than how he used to be.
He motioned for Chen Linyun to take his seat. He sat on the empty seat beside him.
"How much do you love my granddaughter?" He asked out of the blue after a few minutes of awkward silence.
"Sir?" Chen Linyun gaped. But hurriedly, he answered, afraid that if he delayed a few seconds more, it would be mistaken as him "hesitating". "I love her too much that I am dedicating all my life for her. I"m willing to give my life - my everything - to her. All my efforts are for her…"
"Revolving your world around her, I see. How commendable, Chen Linyun." There was a hint of sadness in his eyes. "These are desolate times."
He sighed. "I"ve been tough on both of you, haven"t I?"
Chen Linyun opted not to agree nor deny it. "Uhmm…"
"Don"t you know she asked me to do it?" Eyebrows raised and maintaining a stern expression, he spared Chen Linyun a side-glance.
"Sir?"
"You don"t believe me, do you?"
"Ahh, well… It"s hard to believe, Sir."
"Yes, she asked me to do it when she was just a little girl of around five or six." He lifted his chin while he broodingly stared into s.p.a.ce. He was taken over by nostalgia. "I remember clearly, one day, both twins sat on my lap – a thigh each. We were having such quality time, and the twins were happily bickering with one another as they always used to do. I don"t recall how the conversation ended up to that point."
"Likely, the twins were competing for my attention, as always, trying to know who"s more important to me. They were laughing. Their laughter was music to my ears. Jinxu childishly asked me that in the event that there"s this fine man who asked for her hand when she grows up to be a lady, it"s my obligation to test him, and to make him see how precious she is to her family."
"Don"t give me out to anyone that easily, Grampa!" She said at that time, her face adorned with that lovely little pout of hers."
"It was such an innocent request. She even made me promise. She wouldn"t let go of the topic unless I agree to it. She most probably has forgotten about it, after everything that has happened to this family."
"Chen Linyun, even without that promise I would have ensured that our princess is in good hands."
"After what happened to Minhe, I was too dubious about the future of my grandchildren."
"You remind me a lot of Minhe… I got worried that you will end up the same fate. I certainly hope not, for the sake of our princess."
He sighed. "Amidst hopes of a much better future for her, in the end, she fell into this mishap. If I had known, I wouldn"t have been too difficult on both of you."
"Sir… May I ask… Why… Why are you telling me all this?"
"Why else? To make you understand where I"m coming from, of course."
"Somebody has to play the bad cop or else our princess will be taken lightly." He grunted. "It"s already bad enough that she married in secret without observing the proper decorum…" He grunted again while sparing another side-glance in Chen Linyun"s direction.
"You have to know the princess" worth. She"s not just easy prey. She has someone to back her up."
"I know that quite well, Sir. I"ve known and experienced it first-hand. I treasure her, Sir. You don"t have to worry too much for her."
"And…"
Chen Linyun stood up in front of Grampa Xue and kowtowed three times. "I will apologize again and again for not asking for her hand properly. I have slighted you and your whole family. I hope you forgive us. I know we still have an on-going wager. I"m working on it. I won"t fail you, Sir. I will prove to you again and again how much I love her, and I"m worthy of her."
"Stand up, child."
"I"ve already seen it. Even if I"m not around, I have eyes and ears in the company. I know what"s happening."
He sighed. "I thought before that the s.h.i.+ boy would be a perfect match for her. They were easy-going when they were younger. Now they want to literally kill each other."