Chapter 76: Wait For Your Calls And Determine How Much You Love Me
Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio
Lu Shaoming didn’t bother to even glance at Producer Ni. He looked to the side, fixed his bright black eyes on the girl’s “touched” face, and said gently with a smile, “How much did CEO Xu win from you earlier? Double the winnings for me, huh?”
Ning Qing looked at his handsome face as she nodded confidently. “Mm!”
Xu Junxi looked at their sweet interactions and saw how polite Zhu Rui was to Ning Qing. He was certain that Ning Qing and Lu Shaoming shared a deep relations.h.i.+p.
Heh, no wonder she rejected him and pushed him to Ning Yao so readily. It turned out that she’d found herself a rich man.
She had really done well for herself!
“Alright. Although I don’t have even one-tenth of Young Master Shao’s wealth, as long as Miss Ning has the skill, I can still afford to lose.”
…
The croupier started dealing the cards. Ning Qing had acc.u.mulated some experience from the previous games that night. She was an intelligent woman and she managed to win some money from Xu Junxi after a few rounds.
Ning Qing thought the main reason for her success was that Lu Shaoming was sitting next to her. He wasn’t next to her at the square table but their legs would touch one another. She would push him away and he’d come closer again. In the end, he extended his legs straight and conquered her s.p.a.ce. Her heart was racing and she decided to just put her legs on his.
In the corner of her eyes, she saw him purse his lips and then raised his legs slightly so her legs were hanging leisurely in the air.
Ning Qing thought of a term, the princess’s knight.
He made her feel extremely spoiled.
The two men made bigger bets. Whenever one of them was the dealer, they would each increase their bet. The card game was like a powderkeg at a bonfire.
Lu Shaoming played cards in a way that reflected his character. His strategy revealed that he was steady and wise. Every time he thought he had the winning hand, he would increase his bet a few-fold and win big.
He said that it was for her to win double what she’d lost so far, but he had already taken revenge for her. She only needed to be by his side, and she stayed under his protection in silence.
It was a great feeling.
After half an hour, Xu Junxi emptied half of his box where he stored his cash. He chain-smoked and he looked distressed.
Then, Zhu Rui walked by Lu Shaoming and muttered, “President, it’s nine. You might miss tomorrow’s meeting at Huan Ya if do not depart to the airport soon.”
Ning Qing could hear what Zhu Rui said clearly. Her heart clenched. Is he leaving again?
Lu Shaoming nodded in acknowledgement. He looked sideways and saw the girl’s gaze; she looked low spirited and reluctant for him to leave. She puffed up her cheeks slightly in an attempt to conceal her bitterness. This wasn’t enough time for either of them after being apart for half a month.
If only there hadn’t been any bystanders; he really wanted to pinch her delicate cheeks.
“CEO Xu, why not play one last game? We shall see who has higher points. Both of us place the highest bet we can and the winner takes all,” Lu Shaoming suggested.
“Sure.” With his eyebrows tightly knitted, Xu Junxi asked, “I am curious, what is the highest bet that Young Master Lu can offer?”
“How about the Guang Qing Company?”
The moment he answered, the bosses gasped as their faces changed. Xu Junxi was stunned and he found it unbelievable.
Lu Shaoming smirked and said calmly, “If I lose, I will give you the Guang Qing Company. On the contrary, CEO Xu’s bet must be… Emperor Entertainment Group. CEO Xu, do you dare?”
Emperor Entertainment Group?
Xu Junxi’s pupils contracted, it was the property of the Xu family.
Lu Shaoming leaned back in the soft sofa lazily and tapped the table with his fingers. “Why, has CEO Xu made up his mind?” Lu Shaoming gave a nod to the croupier. “Let’s begin.”
The croupier started dealing cards.
The bosses each held their breath. They never thought a simple card game would turn into a life and death battle of business so quickly. Everyone stole a glance at Ning Qing. Everyone understood that the two men were fighting over her!
Guang Qing Company? Heh, Lu Shaoming told everyone the girl was worth the price in his heart.
The croupier dealt the first card to Lu Shaoming. When the croupier was dealing a card to Xu Junxi, he waved and rejected, “I’m out.”
There were faint sighs with apathy all around.
Ning Qing looked up and saw Xu Junxi. His handsome eyebrows were tightly knitted as he smoked in distress. He looked rather decadent.
Ning Qing could understand his feelings then. As the only son of the Xu family, his career had been all smooth sailing, and he was respected. In the n.o.ble circle, the gamble between him and Lu Shaoming, no one would make fun of him if he were to lose but he didn’t dare to gamble.
It was the most silent yet the heaviest humiliation that Lu Shaoming had ever caused.
Xu Junxi has always been arrogant. This humiliation was a vital hit to him.
“Maybe CEO Xu doesn’t have the guts; then let’s forget it. Everyone, I have some other matters to take care of and I shall make a move first.”
Ning Qing had yet to rein back her gaze and the man suddenly retrieved his legs. Her legs lost balance and her heels landed on the ground heavily. She was in pain.
This man!
Ning Qing saw Lu Shaoming, who already stood up. He didn’t look quite good…
Would it be that he got angry that she looked at Xu Junxi earlier?
The bosses bid farewell to Lu Shaoming politely then Lu Shaoming walked steadily out from the private room. Ning Qing saw that Zhu Rui gave her a look before he left and her heart skipped a beat before it started racing.
She didn’t know how to say her goodbyes to the rich wives. Lu Shaoming just left and she followed behind. Mm, everyone would know where she was heading.
…
Ning Qing took a turn at the corridor and quickened her footsteps to catch up with Lu Shaoming but she suddenly stopped. Because the man that she was after stood sideways and there was a very beautiful woman next to him.
Ning Qing knew the beautiful woman. She was a famous TV host.
The woman was in a black V-collar bodycon mini dress. Her seductive cleavage, small waist and a pair of long legs… In contrast to the amorous charm of her body, she had a soft and thready voice like the girls from Jiangnan. Her voice was much nicer than Ning Yao’s.
Ning Qing sighed emotionally. She deserved to be the G.o.ddess who all otakus fantasized about. Just her body and voice itself would trigger a man’s vicious mind.
“Young Master Lu, I never thought that I would meet you here. Three years ago, during a commercial opening ceremony, I’d fallen down in the crowd not far from here. You told your a.s.sistant to give me a hand and I have yet to find an opportunity to thank you. Young Master Lu, can you give me your number? I shall treat you a meal when you’re free.”
Although Ning Qing only saw the side profile of the beautiful TV host from afar, she could see that the TV host looked at Lu Shaoming in admiration. There was romance in the air.
Then, Ning Qing saw that Lu Shaoming had one of his hands in his pocket as he looked at her directly with his cold, deep eyes.
He didn’t reply but seemed to be waiting for her to respond.
Ning Qing stared at him. Was he simply kindhearted? What did her falling down have to do with him?
What other reason other than because she was pretty!
Ning Qing went forward. “Shaoming!” She lifted the corners of her lips as she held the man’s arm. She didn’t look at the beautiful TV host but asked Lu Shaoming, “Who’s this?”
Lu Shaoming looked down at the little girl. She had a pair of eyes that could talk.
There was a clear distinction between the black and white in her eyes. Her crystal clear eyes weren’t filled with worldly affairs and desire like your general person. Her eyes were calm like the autumn ripples when she was quiet.
Anyone who could see her like that would be as lucky as Lu Shaoming. She raised her delicate eyebrows with enchanting seduction. She was like a kitten kneading his heart with her claws.
Rather tempting.
She was wearing a red lace dress, a simple yet poised design. The bright red set off her snow white skin and white teeth. Only he knew how gorgeous her body was underneath the dignified and reserved clothing. For thirty years, he didn’t look at any woman but when he took a good look at the TV host before him, she was such an ordinary woman.
“I don’t know her.” Lu Shaoming’s Adam’s apple rolled as he replied.
Ning Qing let out a breath of relief as she had seen many scenarios where when husband and wife argue, either one of the parties would use a third person to provoke their other half. It was childish and harmful to a relations.h.i.+p.
Luckily, he didn’t do so.
When there was friction between the two, she was willing to take the first step during the confrontation while he was willing to walk the other ninety-nine.
“Shaoming, let’s go.” Ning Qing held Lu Shaoming by his arm and turned him around.
Lu Shaoming followed Ning Qing. “Oh yeah.” He suddenly recalled something then he turned around elegantly and looked at the TV host with a cold gaze, “I do not have an a.s.sistant but only a secretary. I pay my secretary on an hourly basis. So, things like giving a helping hand to another woman aren’t worth the time nor did it ever happen. In the future, don’t use such a ridiculous excuse to strike up a conversation. It’d be exposed easily.”
The beautiful TV host’s face became as pale as a sheet. She was dumbfounded and stunned.
Ning Qing was next to her man. Her eyes were glowing in secret. She suddenly wanted to comment that the man didn’t know how to show compa.s.sion as the woman looked like she was going to cry.
But, she wouldn’t say it. She was selfish too. Hence, whichever woman cast their greedy eyes over her man, she’d love his straightforwardness and coldness toward them.
“Shaoming, Secretary Zhu has such a high salary? Why did you make Secretary Zhu stay in the hospital to take care of my mom for an entire week?”
Lu Shaoming looked at the male toilet sign and took his arm back from her hand. He pushed the door open and entered. “Who are you? I, Lu Shaoming only have one wife.”
It was as though Ning Qing’s heart were covered in honey. She quickly followed behind. As the man stood by the basin to wash his hand, she went next to him and said flirtatiously, “Are you angry? I only took a glance at Xu Junxi. I do not have any feelings for him. We played cards for so long. I do not believe that you can’t tell that I already treat him as a stranger.”
Lu Shaoming turned off the tap. Men like him could tell if there was something going on between them in a glance. It was clear in her eyes that Xu Junxi was in the past.
He stood straight and extended his right hand to hold her chin. He pulled her closer. “Do you understand what happened tonight? Do you still want to be in a scandal with Xu Junxi?”
He exerted strength and Ning Qing felt pain. She pushed his hand away. She then pouted and asked, “What do you want me to understand?”
Lu Shaoming locked her waist then he turned and put Ning Qing onto the basin.
He leaned in closer and the air was filled with a refres.h.i.+ng manly scent and faint tobacco smell. Ning Qing shrunk and he put one of his hands on the wall to corner her.
“Understand that I carry higher media value than he does. When you want to be involved in a scandal, give me your room number instead. I will keep you company,” Lu Shaoming licked his dry lips as he spoke calmly.
Ning Qing blushed. This man was killing her. He said it so seriously and monotonously but every single word he uttered was dictatorial with a little… ambiguous meaning.
Just as she was at loss for what to do, her soft waist was held up again. Her perky booty was pushed forward and he carried her into his embrace.
“When you were raking your bag in the private room, didn’t you notice that you were wearing a dress? When you raise your b.u.t.t like that, who are you trying to expose yourself to? Huh?” He looked down at her and kissed her red lips.
Ning Qing quickly held onto his vest but her right hand accidentally touched his platinum brooch. When she was with him, she especially likes the cold hard things that he wore, such as his watch, cufflinks, b.u.t.tons, belt… Men suit these things. They gave them charm.
Ning Qing thought she was such a loser. She became weak all over with one kiss.
“… I wasn’t trying to show anyone… I wore safety pants underneath, I wouldn’t expose myself…” She curled up in his embrace as she tried to explain.
There was a bright light on the basin. The girl who was in his embrace was blus.h.i.+ng. Her rosy cheeks, her beautiful face, her delicate straight noise and her lips like cherries.
He hugged her in his embrace and thought, as warm as jade.
“Really? Show me.”
Ning Qing had yet to realize the meaning of his reply and she felt a breeze on her lap while her palm ran up her dress.
“Lu Shaoming!” Ning Qing was embarra.s.sed and angry. Her lace underpants were exposed.
Lu Shaoming watched as she pulled down her dress. She blinked and there seemed to be faint redness at the corners of her eyes. As they each panted, he cupped her face with his palms, “For this half a month, did you miss me?”
How could she answer?
Who asks such a straightforward question?
Ning Qing kept her mouth shut, she refused to reply.
“Ning Qing, I miss you. For the past half a month, when I wasn’t working or keeping mom company, I would be pining for you. That’s why when I heard that you gave Xu Junxi your room number, I got very angry. I rescheduled the meeting earlier and flew back. In the private room, who are those random people? How dare they bully you? I felt such heartache, I begrudged them to do so.”
“Ning Qing, I have to leave soon. There’s very little time left. Take initiate, make me feel that you missed me too, although I already felt it. Since I hadn’t replied your calls last night, you called me for twenty-one times. I am very happy. Heh, I had my childish moment where I waited for your calls to determine how much you love me.”