Hello, Mr Li: The Christmas Trip

Everyone was startled by Joreen's reaction. They all looked at her with confusion written all over their faces but she was oblivious to it. 

Her eyes were wide, mouth agape and they could faintly see her light-brown face begin to colour. 

"Are you okay?" Her father asked, standing to touch her shoulder. 

Joreen's eyes went to Hoy. He was looking at her intensely. He watched her thr whole time without bothering to break eye contact. 

Her gaze looked like she was trying to believe what she remembered wasn't correct. While still staring at him, she tilted her head slightly to the side while thinking seriously, he followed her, tilting his head to the side alongside her. 

Joreen's eyes widnened even more. 'Why is he looking at me?!' 

"She is fine. She just remembered something that's not really important." Reen said, pulling Joreen to sit down. 

"Are you sure all is well?" Changyu asked. The others looked more than worried. Their eyes didn't leave her. 

Joreen could not say a word so Reen helped her. "She is okay. She behaves like that sometimes so it's not really a big deal." 

"She does?" Jaime looked behind Joreen and whispered to Reen who rolled her eyes at him. 

"Is something wrong?" Cixi who was leading several waiters towards their table asked when she noticed all eyes on her daughters. 

Reen assured them again that Joreen was okay so they all decided to buy that. 

"I am so embarrassed." Joreen cried as she whispered in Reen's ear. 

"You just remembered something? Is it very embarrassing?" 

"It's even worse! How can I face him now?" She unconsciously looked at his direction. He was looking elsewhere but immediately she looked at him, he turned his attention towards her. She was about to look away when he tilted his head to the side. 

A bit confused, she wondered what he was trying to tell her. 

He tilted his head again to the side and her eyes slowly widened when she realised he was asking for them to speak privately. 

She shook her head, telling him no. There was no way she was going to meet him privately. What if he asked her about last night? What if he was angry at her? 

He frowned slightly and tried to communicate with his eyes but she shook her head forcefully this time before closing her eyes. 

'Out of sight is out of mind.' She told herself. 

"Luo Joreen." 

Her body stiffened when she heard him call out her name. Her eyes snapped open immediately and she noticed he was already standing. 

"Come with me." 

'What is he doing right now?' She asked as her eyes darted around. Everyone was staring at him and then at her. But they didn't really have any suspicious look because it was normal for them to have private conversations. She was an actress and he was the CEO of the entertainment industry she worked for. But she felt some of them did have strange looks in their eyes.

Joreen lowered herself on her chair. If possible, she prayed the table would cover her or the ship should open up under her and swallow her. 

He was already leaving and expected her to follow. With a nudge from Reen, she stood up and followed him. He didn't look back to confirm whether she was following. He seemed so sure she was going to follow.

He didn't stop walking until they got to a quiet area at the back of the ship. 

'Let him not ask me about last night. Let him not ask me about last night.' She prayed. 

He stopped and turned around to face her, his hands inside his sweater's pockets. 

'Why did he have to look so handsome all the time?' Joreen asked herself. 

He wore a turtleneck sweater with a zip at the front and a blue fitted jean. This was the most casual outfit she had seen him wearing in years. When she was younger and usually stopped by his place during weekends to rehearse for her drama roles, she usually saw him on simple teeshirts and lounge pants. She always thought back then that he was very handsome and that did not change. 

Whatever he wore looked good on him. And they all made him look good just like right now. 

"Focus Luo Joreen." He said in a calm voice that snapped her back to her senses. 

She wanted to die of embarrassment. It was already worse that she did all she did last night, she couldn't remember other parts but she had the feeling she had also embarrassed herself and now he caught her ogling him?

"How's your head?" He asked causally. 

"My... head?" 

"You didn't get a headache this morning?"

"Oh..." She blushed. "Reen fed me some medicine. I am fine." She said while touching the back of her neck before looking down. 

After waiting for close to a minute or more without him saying anything to her, she raised her head to look up at him and that was when he spoke again, "I would really appreciate it if you didn't drink too much next tim—" 

"Yes!" She nodded in agreement and swore never to drink again. She took this opportunity to pretend she didn't remember anything. 

"I... don't remember anything that happened last night so..." 

"You don't?" He asked, raising a brow.

"I DO NOT REMEMBER ANYTHING AT ALL!" She said passionately.

He snickered. "Maybe I would have believed that if you hadn't come in there, behaving like a thief and also scaring the whole family earlier." He said in a matter of fact tone.

She realised the only way to save herself from this embarrassment was sticking to her lie until the end. "No. Really... I know nothing."

"You really do not remember? Then maybe I should remind you?" He offered. 

"I... do not remember anything at all... and the past should remain in the past." She turned, hoping to run away but was surprised when he suddenly pulled the back of her shirt, dragging her back until her back was pressing against his chest. 

"You said you liked me." 

Another gasp escaped her lips. How could he just say that? She gulped, afraid to turn around. 

He released her shirt and stepped back. "I assume it was nothing more than a drunken ramble. So stop getting too embarrassed as you slowly remember all of it. You will get everyone worried." 

Drunken ramble? Maybe she had said it while she was drunk, but she meant it! 

Joreen remembered she had cried last night while saying he was mean. Did he... reject her? 

Her memories of last night began to return slowly. 

She was in Hoy's arms and he was carrying her down to her room saying she needed to sleep while she kept protesting that she wasn't drunk. When she realised he wasn't going to give up, she buried her face in the crook of his neck, enjoying how he smelled. "Do I al--ways need-- to dri-nk be-fore you--- carry-- me like--- this?" She asked drunkenly before placing a small kiss on his neck. He stopped walking immediately. 

"Stop that or else I will put you down." He growled.

"Why are you sounding angry? Did someone annoy you? Did that Aishu girl annoy you?" She asked innocently.

He didn't answer but instead, he increased his strides.

"Mr Li?" Mr Ping called behind them and hurried to catch up. He was a bit surprised to see him carrying a girl when Hoy turned to look at him. But when he realised it was Joreen, his surprise vanished. 

"Miss Luo probably had a lot to drink?" Mr Ping asked rhetorically. 

"What is it?" Hoy asked. 

"I met Miss Long Xi earlier, she is bothering me to give her your phone number. Is that okay by you?" 

Before Hoy could answer, Joreen raised her head.

"Do not... give any woman... your number. You should only give me your number. Where is my phone?" Joreen moved in his arms, looking left and right for her phone. "I want your number too." 

"Ohhh..." Mr Ping looked a bit confused and amused at the same time.

"Let's talk about it later." Hoy said and was about to walk away when Joreen called for Mr Ping's attention. 

"Mr Ping? What can I do to make your boss like me back?" She asked. Her eyes looked like she was about to fall asleep any moment and her speech was slurred. 

"Oh!" Mr Ping was startled. His wide eyes looked at Hoy who looked extremely embarrassed. 

"I... will just go... swim in the sea." He said and quickly hurried away. He had a feeling things was going to be dramatic soon. 

"If you keep talking, I'll drop you so you'll walk back to your room. I promise you." He warned again. 

Her hands tightened around his neck at the threat and she kept quiet until they got to their floor. 

He sighed in frustration when he realised her room was locked. 

"Where is your key?" He asked the already sleeping Joreen.

She only murmured amd said something unintelligible. With a frustrated sigh, he took her to his room instead. He was glad she was already asleep as he lowered her to his bed. But immediately her back touched the bed, her eyes flew open and that was when the real drama started. 

"You like me too right?" She suddenly asked.