"Long time no see." Mo Wenbin shook hands with his cousin, Chen Linyun, upon opening the door of Apartment 201. They had not seen each other for a while due to their respective busy and hectic schedules. "What brought you here?"
Chen Linyun, before answering his cousin, threw himself on the couch. "This and that."
"Sounds serious." Mo Wenbin chimed in. "Need someone to talk to? You need your conscience, don"t you?"
Mo Wenbin went to the fridge, opened it and grabbed two bottles of beer. "Here. Looks like we will be needing more. Don"t worry there are lots of stocks in the fridge, buddy."
Once he was seated adjacent to Chen Linyun, he added, "Okay, so tell me. Spit it all out to your guidance counselor."
"I don"t want to be such a telltale but I"ll just stick to the generality of the whole issue, alright?" Chen Linyun sighed. He took a big gulp of beer from his bottle first to wet his throat and lips. "Basically we fought."
Mo Wenbin rolled his eyes in dismay. "Obviously, partner! When else would you need my help? Aside from the fact that it"s written all over your face, you"re downcast, and it only happens when it concerns the love of your life, Xue Jinxu."
"Be specific. You don"t have to go into details but at least give the specifics."
"Okay."
"I"ll restart. Basically, she wants something I do not approve of. And you know her… She"s one persistent person…"
"And you are too. Both of you are…"
"Yeah…" Chen Linyun pulled his spectacles and rubbed his face with his right palm. Eyes closed, he tilted his head onto the ceiling.
"I won"t be asking what she wants as it may be too private already, and I don"t want to delve into your private matters, but you know, if it"s just a small matter then maybe you can give in?" Mo Wenbin suggested.
"You know what they say, "Happy wife, happy life."
"It"s not that simple, Wenbin. She wants to enter Chen Holdings."
"Hmmm…" Mo Wenbin ma.s.saged his chin in a thinking manner. "So, what"s wrong with that? I don"t see any problem with it. I mean you"re in Xue s.h.i.+pping. Why can"t she join Chen Holdings? I"m there too. What are you worried about?"
"Anyone can go there except her. Wenbin, can"t you see where I"m coming from? It"s the very thing I created to make myself worthy of her. It"s the only thing I own that can make me a person without her. I cannot let her influence it or affect it in any way. It"s what makes me ME. You get it?"
"Ahh…" Mo Wenbin scratched his head thoughtfully. "Honestly speaking, no! Hahahaha!" He went on laughing heartily because he did not get it.
"Linyun, maybe you"re taking it too seriously. Jinxu will not change and overhaul your company if that"s what you"re afraid of. She won"t overstep her boundaries, I guess. She respects you. Most probably she"s just requesting it out of boredom. Remember you did not marry just an ordinary girl. You might be forgetting that simple fact altogether.""I don"t. Well, maybe." Chen Linyun exhaled sharply, then took another gulp from his beer bottle. "Maybe I"m blowing it out proportions, no?"
"Looks like it, buddy."
"Yes, perhaps she"s getting bored from the domesticated life. But that"s the life I want to give her. I can"t help but feel that she"s not satisfied with what we have, and with what I have provided for her – for us – so far."
"That"s not the Xue Jinxu that I know." Mo Wenbun spewed as a reb.u.t.tal. In a way, he acted on behalf of Xue Jinxu as if he was his lawyer. "Cousin-in-law should pay me back bigtime for this favor." He thought cheerfully while already making a list of favors inside his head.
"We both know how she is. She"s grateful to anyone who spares her attention and care. And you"ve done more than that! You spoil her too much! How can she be still not satisfied? She"s not like that, Linyun."
He sighed. "I hope so."
"Oh come on, cheer up! What are you moping about? At least she"s with you now! Remember the times before when you got rejected from your attempts to woo her! Appreciate all the good things you share with her now! Don"t tell me you start to take her for granted? It"s so not you, Linyun!"
"Of course not!" Chen Linyun interjected almost immediately.
"Then good! Good to hear! Or else, I would have beaten you black and blue myself. I mean, you literally almost threw your good future away for that woman. If you"re going to tell me now that you don"t treasure her as much, I"m going to really kill you for shrugging off your efforts. I was there with you all the way, pitying you, and babying you just in case you trip with your own foot. I"m pretty much involved in this relations.h.i.+p, too, so don"t you go wasting all our efforts altogether."
"Yes, boss." Chen Linyun smiled sheepishly. "Sometimes, Wenbin, getting las.h.i.+ngs from you can be a good wakeup call."
"Yeah right, but let"s not do this often. You only visit when you have problems! I"d like to have you during good times too, and enjoy sweet nothings during the free afternoon just playing video games. We can invite your wife and Guangxi too. Just like old times. Oh, good old times! Let"s organize one!"
"But that"s good to know that I"m still your go-to person. I should be! Hmph." He pouted grumpily.
Chen Linyun could not help but laugh. "Stop making such an ugly face! Hilarious."
"When everything"s ironed up, let"s invite everyone." Chen Linyun agreed. "By the way, where"s your roommate?" He asked as he turned his head in all directions as if looking for someone.
"He"s on the roll in the office. Overtime work." Mo Wenbin recited nonchalantly. He couldn"t have cared more.
"Then, Wenbin, there"s another thing that"s been bothering me…" Chen Linyun got serious, more serious than when discussing his previous predicament involving his wife.
For once, Mo Wenbin skipped a heartbeat. It really looked d.a.m.n serious.
"What is it?"
"It concerns our lineage." Chen Linyun replied.