昨天 by 風弄 Chapter 16
Yesterday by Feng Nong
I am not completely without freedom. YuJiang allows me to go to the hotel restaurant as I wish, a grand occasion, only requiring that I take ZhouHeng along and not forgetting a sufficient number of bodyguards. Each time we go out, we"re surrounded front and back all shouting and gathered around, very impressive. Onlookers are bound to crane their necks and ask: Who is that exceptional person? Oh, looks like it is Huang enterprise conglomerate"s president. Probably adding a few more exaggerated words: Taking charge over major issues at such a young age, he must be very capable. Naturally there would also be quite a lot of gossip: Look at his cold appearance, nothing at all like the modest and amiable president of Rong enterprise. I look at the curious people from within my cl.u.s.ter of bodyguards. They look at me with a lot of curiosity, just like looking at a monkey. I look at them as if I"m watching a show.
When we go out, if YuJiang is not there, ZhouHeng will always be by my side. Loyal and devoted, he should receive a 20% raise everyday, and bankrupt YuJiang. It is as if this person is without the seven human emotions and six desires. Even the three vital instincts are absent. Definitely worthy of YuJiang"s careful selection. He is my "a.s.sistant" but he carries sufficient sedatives on him to deal with me. Just in case I cause an uncontrollable scene, he can conveniently bring an end to my headstrong unruliness. The fact that the president of Huang enterprise has slight depression issues is an open secret. Everyone looks at how my bodyguards and a.s.sistant rush in and crowd around me to put me to sleep, only commiserating with my employees, not with me who has so much wealth and power. What is right or wrong is turned upside down, how laughable. I can"t be bothered to beg for understanding.
One day, we were again like stars crowding around the moon entering the Peninsula Hotel, with pa.s.sersby glancing at our pretentious behavior. I"m only lacking a pair of sungla.s.ses to appear as a towering well-seasoned underworld big brother. The scar on my forehead would serve as a perfect foil to this image. I turn around and say to ZhouHeng:
"Tomorrow, help me buy a set of sungla.s.ses." ZhouHeng nods. This person is like a robot, as long as it doesn"t contradict the program that YuJiang entered, he would carry out your instructions without fail. Just as we were about to enter the elevator, someone calls out from behind:
"ShengSheng! HuangSheng!" I haven"t heard such a call for a very long time. I turn around and see a young man with a happily glowing face, practically trotting over to the front desk of the hotel to greet me. "ShengSheng, it"s really you!" He smiles, revealing spotlessly white teeth: "Do you still remember me? Your cla.s.smate He ShuTing that later went to study in Canada." I"m not that old that I would have completely lost my faculties but I remember that I did not have a close friendship with this cla.s.smate. I don"t understand why I deserve such a pleasantly surprised reaction upon meeting. I observe him coldly. ZhouHeng and the bodyguards also observe him expressionlessly at my side. "I just returned from Canada. I originally wanted to go back to France but I decided to take a break and look around Hong Kong. You know, my maternal grandmother has always lived in Hong Kong. She wanted me to come back." This person chattering away, just like my mom. No, how can he compare to my mom? Just meeting an acquaintance and already after three words exposing the map of his whereabouts is really odd. I impatiently look to the left and right, catching sight of the similarly impatient look on ZhouHeng. I suddenly get an idea, abruptly turning to smile at He ShuTing.
"ShuTing, it"s been so long since we"ve met. If you have time, how about we have lunch together?" My ice-cold expression changes in a split second with my smile reaching up to my eyes. How can I not praise G.o.d for this favor towards mankind? I"ll put this superficial relationship to good use to provoke Rong YuJiang. I"m not too bad myself. He ShuTing is stunned. Hopefully this is because he is taken with my enchanting charm and not because he is scared out of his skin by my sudden change. He scratches his head:
"Lunch? OK, of course it"s good. Let me treat you." I shake my head:
"No, my treat. How about here? OK?" Not waiting for him to say any more, I go ahead and lead the way, entering the elevator and pressing the b.u.t.ton for the restaurant on the 3rd floor. ZhouHeng stands by side and softly says:
"Mr. Huang, I"m afraid ........ "
"You wish to call and ask Rong YuJiang?" I smile coldly: "Do as you wish, I"m in no way stopping you." But inwardly I hide that I really don"t want to see him. I"m afraid of YuJiang and I also hate my aching heart. Before ZhouHeng could reply, there was a "ting" sound and the elevator door opens. We choose a table with a good view. He ShuTing was beaming as if really elated. I"m puzzled but don"t wish to ask. His happiness is no concern of mine.
"It"s good that I ran into you. I didn"t think that I would come across a friend in Hong Kong." I say:
"Is that so?" We just can"t make sense of how people think. Just because we attended a few cla.s.ses in the same cla.s.sroom a few years ago, that counts as "friend"?
"ShengSheng, how come you"re in Hong Kong?"
"Handling some business." I lazily take a sip of coffee: "I"ve inherited the family business, and am now in charge of running Huang enterprise." He is surprised:
"Is that so? Congratulations! Your father must be content in his old age, now happily enjoying his later years." I"m really afraid he would actually cup his hands and add a few more "gongxi". How can I endure this? My whole mouth is full of bitterness. It"s the flavor of coffee. I put the empty cup down and wave my hand:
"Please give me one more cup of coffee." ZhouHeng leans over and softly says:
"Drinking too much coffee is not good for the stomach. Wouldn"t it be better to drink a gla.s.s of milk?" Not waiting for me to make a sound he gives a meaningful look to the waiter. I must admit that I"m really not the most suited to YuJiang. The one that is the perfect match is ZhouHeng. Speaking in a perfectly respectful manner yet a clear controlling threat in between the lines. I turn around and speak to He ShuTing with a smile:
"Have you come across such a responsible and diligent a.s.sistant? Not easy to come by even with a thousand pieces of gold." He ShuTing doesn"t know how to answer and only smiles slightly. That"s right, he is only a n.o.body that I pulled in just because I"m bored. I can only hope he says something. The waiter comes over and sitting on the tray is impressively a gla.s.s of milk. I turn to look at ZhouHeng, giving him a look of respect. Look, you win again. No, it"s YuJiang that wins again.
He ShuTing is a very amiable person. Although the atmosphere is so awkward, he can still recount all the recent happenings in Canada, one by one. Adding a little flavor to this originally moody lunch. At the very least, it is more interesting that having lunch with ZhouHeng. He looks at his watch repeatedly as if he has to be somewhere in the afternoon. I don"t know why he isn"t willing to open his mouth and take his leave. I say: "ShuTing, if you need to go, there is no harm in leaving first. I want to sit here quietly for a while. Leave your number and we can get in touch later." I seldom make allowances for other people. Ever since I"ve come to know YuJiang, my disposition is getting worse and worse, becoming pettier and pettier. This little bit, I must admit. As for the cause, I don"t even want to think about it.
"Alright." He readily agrees and takes out his namecard wanting to place it in my hand. I withdraw my hand and let it fall lightly under the table ........... He doesn"t take offense and smiles while putting the namecard on the table: "If you have time we should have lunch. I must return the favor." He turns around two to three times while leaving, waving at me. It"s so funny that I can"t help but smile. Such a nice person, I hope he will never run into an evil spirit like Rong YuJiang. Turning back, the namecard on the table is already nowhere to be found. Of course I know who took it. I smile faintly and glance at ZhouHeng. ZhouHeng calmly leans over and asks:
"Mr Huang, should we head back?" He always speaks in a soft voice, in a calm manner. I wonder to myself if he was an eunuch in his previous life, brought to the present by a whispered trick. An evil thought comes to mind. I copy his soft voice and calm manner and sigh into his ear, saying:
"You"re coming so close to me, are you not afraid that Rong YuJiang will suspect you?" His face changes suddenly and he quickly draws back. I laugh out loud. I haven"t felt so light-hearted in so many days.