To Love You Again

Linfeng was taken aback.

'What cute?'

So he voiced it out.

"What cute?"

"The emoticon."

"You are asking me if the emoticon is cute?"

"Yes."

"It is...?" Linfeng wasn't sure why they were talking about this.

"I see." Xiong Zhi sounded happy.

Linfeng could not understand how the emoticon being cute was important.

"How's the practice, young miss?"

"It's fun. We are almost done. Song Xuantin is a bit scary. Lu Yin Ze almost cried. Gu Zhen is the same as usual."

Xiong Zhi continued to talk about her practice.

"We are already here butler Zhou." 

"Thank you." Linfeng walked out of the car while Xiong Zhi was still on the phone.

"Are you busy? Do you want me to end the call?" Xiong Zhi asked. She was afraid of trouble Linfeng.

"It's alright. I am in the Zhou mansion right now. I will just do something here quick. If I'm not done here yet, they are two butlers that father sent to escort you home. But if I can still catch up with you, I'll take you home." Linfeng said in one breath.

"Alright. We are still going to practice for at least an hour more. I'll call you late-" But Xiong Zhi's voice was swallowed by a shout behind Linfeng's back.

"Linfeng!" Xiong Wuyue ran to Linfeng.

"I'm sorry that I surprised you. I don't know that father forced you. If I know about that I shouldn't have..." Xiong Wuyue did not continue and had a face of wanting to cry.

Linfeng just stared expressionless to this pitiful figure.

"It's alright. If you want, we can talk to the elders to change me." Linfeng said with a calm and collected voice.

"No!I-I mean. I don't dare to trouble the elders-"

"Linfeng?" Xiong Zhi's voice who was on the phone resounded. It was only Linfeng who could hear it.

Linfeng turned sideways and talked to Xiong Zhi.

"I'm sorry young miss. I just have to finish this. I will call you later."

"...alright. Call me, okay?"

"I will. Take care and don't forget to change your towel." Linfeng added before he ends the call.

Xiong Wuyue was curious about who was Linfeng was talking with. She couldn't hear from her distance. 

"Let's tour you now. This way." Linfeng was polite but not warm. 

He dislikes it when he couldn't do anything. 

He toured Xiong Wuyue in the Zhou Mansion then he leads her to the Mansion that only Xiong's could stay at.

This place was huge and well maintained. Every bedroom was wide as the master's bedroom. Every source of entertainment was in the mansion as well.

Xiong Wuyue instantly liked it.

"Which room do you like Ms. Wuyue?" Linfeng quietly observed Xiong Wuyue.

Xiong Wuyue had a satisfied smile on her face. 

"I would like to have the first room we visited."

"Alright. I will tell the maids to prepare the room for you. Your dinner is already been prepared in the dining room."

Linfeng lead Xiong Wuyue to the diner room. Her steps were lights and she was like a good girl who was waiting for her presents.

She looked at Linfeng's tall back.

Her eyes were yearning and with passion.

She would take this chance to get closer to Linfeng.

The Zhou family were amazing butlers. From managing daily schedules to daily needs, they were talented and capable.

Xiong Wuyue tasted one dish that the Zhou maids and butler prepared.

It was so delicious.

Then she looked at Linfeng who was talking to the other butlers. He was ordering them to prepare the room for her.

Xiong Wuyue looked at Linfeng's side view. 

His eyelashes were long and thick. It goes along well with his thick and sculptured brows. His tall nose was perfect that added to his s.e.x appeal. And his lips..those slightly moving lips were...

"Ms. Wuyue? Is something wrong with the food?" Linfeng who noticed her gaze turned to her.

"Ah. No. I like it."

Linfeng nodded.

"That's good to hear. I'm glad it's in your taste. Make yourself at home. The other butlers are always here if you need anything." Linfeng said as he slightly bows and was about to leave.

"Are you leaving?" Xiong Wuyue stood up.

Linfeng turned back to her.

"Yes. My young miss is waiting for me."

"Don't -" go.' Xiong Wuyue wanted to say that. But she was afraid that Linfeng wouldn't like it.

"I'm-" Xiong Wuyue doesn't know what to say. She doesn't want Linfeng to leave. She wants him to stay. 

She doesn't want his man to stay at that bitch's side.

Seeing that she wasn't saying anything, Linfeng turned around and walked.

But after a couple of steps, he heard a glass breaking and a shout.

"Young Miss!" The butler's shocked shout made Linfeng turn around and ran toward them.

The chair was turned. The floor was wet and their were some glass shards on the ground.

Xiong Wuyue was on the floor, she fainted.

The butler was fl.u.s.tered as they don't know what to do.

Linfeng supported Xiong Wuyue's head.

"Call the doctor now!" 

The butler ran out quickly.

Linfeng checked Xiong Wuyue's pulse and her breathing. He checked for any bruises. Xiong Wuyue was a bit wounded in her arms. Some glass shards scr.a.p.ed her skin. There's a little blood coming out from them.

'Shit.'

Linfeng knew this would make a mess. Ms. Wuyue, the treasured daughter of Xiong De got hurt under his watch. He would surely be reprimanded. 

But that's not what important for him right now. He needed to solve this quickly and hoped that Xiong Wuyue would not have suffered any kind of internal injuries.

He carried Xiong Wuyue to one of the couch while waiting for the medic. 

Even he wanted to leave right now, he wouldn't be able to.

*****

Xiong Zhi stared at her phone.

Thinking of the woman's voice she heard from the other line.

It sounded so familiar. She had a guess who owned that voice.

But, how come?

Linfeng said he was in the Zhou Mansion.

Xiong Zhi was familiar with their family's strict rules. So what's happening?

'Did that snake do something?'

She remembered Linfeng's text.

[...Father just passed something bothersome to me...]

Xiong Zhi knew Linfeng. He would not say the word 'bothersome' easily if it was not really so bothersome.

It means that Linfeng encountered things that he doesn't have the power to decide on or to do anything against.

Hmm.

Xiong Zhi kept thinking about it as Song Xuantin began to call them again for another round of practice.

****

"Cut!! Zhi!! Can you at least recite your lines while daydreaming?! You're doing well earlier. Is something wrong?!" Song Xuantin was still on a mega phone.

Xiong Zhi put her hands in her ears.

Lu Yin Ze was the one who answered.

"I think we practiced too much. Let's wrap it for now. " Lu Yin Ze also noticed that Xiong Zhi seems to be distracted. She was doing good earlier-except for acting, but it was still bearable than his own acting- but now, she seems like she lost the will to act at all.

Song Xuantin sighed.

Yeah. Maybe she was being too much.

"Alright!! Let's take a break!!" Song Xuantin put down her megaphone. Her throat was hurting a bit from all the shout and directing. She massaged her neck and reached out for her bottle when she noticed that it was empty.

'Aww. ' She was about to get another one when a cold sensation touched her neck.

"Eeeeeek!!!" Song Xuantin's surprised scream resounded on the theatre. She looked at the man who was at fault.

It was Gu Zhen who was holding a bottle of cold water.

He was a bit surprised too.

Song Xuantin coughed to erase her embarrassment for the unladylike shout and eyed the bottle of water in Gu Zhen's hand.

"Is that for me?" Song Xuantin was fighting her smile from coming out.

Gu Zhen looked at her face for a moment then opened the cap of the bottle.

"No. It's for me." Then he drank it.

"..." Song Xuantin was saddened and speechless for a moment.

While the two on the stage, Lu Yin Ze helped Xiong Zhi up.

"Are you okay? You look like your mind is elsewhere."

Xiong Zhi shook her head.

"I'm just a bit troubled."

"Troubled in what?"

"I've been thinking."

"Thinking?" Lu Yin Ze parroted.

Xiong Zhi suddenly faced him. Her face had a deep frown.

"Have you felt like you've been bugged of a certain thought and want to badly find it out?" Xiong Zhi asked seriously.

She wanted to find it out. Why that snake was there? What she was planning? And why she was with Linfeng? What kind of trouble she was bringing to Linfeng? Was he okay? 

She had been thinking about this.

Seeing Xiong Zhi was seriously asking him, he turned serious too. 

'A feeling of wanting to find out that thought that has been bugging you.'

Was it like the feelings I have about the two mask man that day?

So he answered.

"If your thoughts keep bothering you and you want it to badly find out, then find it. Maybe you will have a peace of mind."

Xiong Zhi considered his words.

"Even though I am afraid that I would bother that important person?"

Lu Yin Ze was speechless for a moment.