The office was slightly dark; the blinds slit half-open, one of the windows opened letting in the wind; Long Huojin took a drag from his cigarette.
"Have you learned anything new revolving around the engagement between Miss Xue and Mr. w.a.n.g?" asked Long Huojin blowing out white-grey smoke.
His secretly pulled out a report. "Nothing out of the ordinary. It seems that Mr. w.a.n.g has no ulterior motive when it comes to Xue Guangli. However, I believe Mr. w.a.n.g is going to purchase the stores on her behalf," he said.
"Are the Xue family struggling with money?" Long Huojin asked sharply. The ashes fell from the end of his stick.
"I believe so; they are selling the stores as they cannot keep up with it," he informed him.
Long Huojin distinguished his cigarette on the ashtray, nodding. "I need you to call someone from Song Entertainment for me." He then gave his secretary instructions of what he needed him to do.
Afterward, Long Huojin spent the rest of the day working on projects and attending meetings, losing himself in work and the long hours.
Xue Guangli met with a wedding planner. Between her and w.a.n.g Weimin, they decided that it would be a small ceremony, discreet; only their closest family and friends would end.
"Miss Xue, why don"t we start without Mr. w.a.n.g, and we can catch him up until he arrives," said the planner.
Xue Guangli was checking her phone when w.a.n.g Weimin sent her a message saying to go on without him as he was too busy to go; he got held up at work.
Xue Guangli then smiled at the wedding planner, grimly.
She had selected the location, the flowers, and the seating arrangements for most of the afternoon.
After she finished, she decided to go back to work. She then continued to work on the bridal gown she had already spent weeks on making; it was coming to life, and she was excited to give it to her client.
Right, when she was about to close the store, w.a.n.g Weimin walked in.
"How was the planning?" he asked her by way of greeting.
She sighed. "It went well; I picked the venue and everything," she said as she packed up her things for the night.
w.a.n.g Weimin nodded. He wore a brown suit that looked very much outdated for the latest trends. He then said, "Can I drive you?"
Xue Guangli nodded. She took her purse and store keys and went with him.
w.a.n.g Weimin drove her.
Xue Guangli wasn"t paying attention when she realized, suddenly, that they weren"t going in the right direction.
"Where are we going?" she asked, her brows knitted.
"I"m taking you to my place," he said smugly.
Xue Guangli was appalled; she then began to feel nervous. And it wasn"t the b.u.t.terfly type of nerves.
Once they arrived, she stepped from the car. She followed him inside his home. Everything was the same, despite not visiting in a long time.
He lived in an apartment, vast and full. He had beautiful furniture around the living s.p.a.ce. Xue Guangli then took on a sofa. He had gone into the kitchen, opening a cabinet, taking out the brandy and poured the dark-amber liquid into two gla.s.ses.
He pa.s.sed her one. She hated the taste of anything strong, but she downed it quickly, nevertheless.
She then took out a magazine that had sticky-notes in between most of the pages. "I want to show you what I have selected," Xue Guangli said.
She then set the magazine on the table flatly. She opened the pages to show him. But she realized he wasn"t paying attention to what she was showing him. Instead, he was paying attention to her.
Her heart began to pound erratically. So she changed the page, "Look at this," she said.
w.a.n.g Weimin poured another gla.s.s, chugging it. He then lifted a hand and caressed her cheek.
"What do you think of the flowers I chose?" Xue Guangli asked him.
He looked at her, eyes full of l.u.s.t. She was going to turn another page when w.a.n.g Weimin turned her head to face him, kissing her. Her eyes widened.
The kiss was awkward; he tried to use his tongue, but it wasn"t working when she didn"t open her mouth. He tried to peer in, so when she opened her mouth, he was still terrible at it because he was forcing her. He also had the bitter taste of alcohol in his mouth.
She then pushed him from her, and he leaned in again.
She then rose abruptly, wiping her mouth. "It"s getting late," she said.
w.a.n.g Weimin hung his head low. "Why won"t you do anything with me?" he asked her.
Xue Guangli frowned. She felt horrible partly, but partly not. She would never feel sorry for not wanting to do something on her own accord.
"I"m just not feeling it tonight," she said.
He brushed a hand through his brown locks. "Will you do anything with me?" he said; his eyes glinted with a predatory gaze.
Xue Guangli looked away. "Our wedding night?" she consoled.
w.a.n.g Weimin then appeared as if some hope had gone through him. He then rose, hugging her tightly. "I"m sorry," he said. Xue Guangli nodded, resting her chin over his shoulder.
Xue Guangli wondered. Why didn"t she want to give herself to him? Why was it so hard?
He knew that she had trust issues about men. Her father had done her mother wrong, had failed to protect her, even if he was innocent.
But still, she should at least want to desire him? Most women her age were having s.e.x. Even Xue Teegan had many hook-ups, but why does she shudder at the thought?
She knew that on their wedding night, she would feel swayed and happy.
Right?