To Love You Again

The night was cold, but these two people separated by distance felt very warm. It was their first truly intimate phone call in this life.

Listening to each other's voice, the two fell silent. They were both newbies in relationsh.i.p.s who did not know where to start, or which topic to discuss, as there were many things that they felt the need to say. Linfeng was hesitating which one he should open up first.

Finally, after listening to each other's quiet breathing for a while, a question spilled out from his mouth.

"Are you wearing the necklace?"

He actually wanted to ask how she was doing. Did she encounter new problems that put her in difficult situations? 

What happened in Xiong Wuyue's birthday? 

Was she frightened by William the pervert? 

He had so many things he wanted to ask, yet in the end, these words came out.

Xiong Zhi caressed her necklace gently.

"Hmm... I'm wearing it. I never took it off, ever since you put it on me. "

The girl's soft answer brought a slow smile blooming on the youth's face. 

He felt like a thirsty man who traveled the dessert and finally found a spring. The spring brought his heart serenity and warmth. 

He imagined her caressing her necklace like how she did in the garden, under the moonlight. Her long black hair cascading down her back, her small face exquisite, her long lashes fanning down her cheeks, her eyes watery with quiet happiness, as if with little stars in them.

Linfeng's throat tightened. He badly wanted to see her face. 

But now was not the right time. He had to be satisfied by hearing her voice alone.

"I'm glad to hear that, Zhi'er. At least, even though I'm not by your side, it could count as if I am right beside you. I feel bad leaving you by yourself. Have you encountered any difficulties?" Linfeng's doting voice had a tinge of worry. Just by seeing the news, Xiong Zhi must have handled everything well. Still, these written articles were usually not fully genuine. One could not know as to what extent was the show.

He wanted to hear everything firsthand from Xiong Zhi.

Xiong Zhi leaned on the head board. Her heart felt at peace. It always did whenever she felt his presence. It was a type of spiritual dependence she had formed all these years, starting from her previous life to the present. 

Right now, just hearing his voice alone was enough to put her soul at ease.

"I'm doing well. You probably saw the news about Wuyue's birthday. I handled it well, don't worry," she said calmly, but Linfeng noticed a trace of boasting in her tone. 

An image of the blank-faced Xiong Zhi with a fluffy tail swishing behind her and the words 'asking to be praised' written in her eyes popped out in his mind.

He chuckled with mirth. "Well, Zhi'er did a very good job. It turns out you don't need me after all."

His hidden bitterness still came out after all.

Xiong Zhi immediately disagreed on that.

"Who says I don't need you? I am drawing out strength from the necklace. Its charm is about to die down, so you have to meet me soon and recharge it," Xiong Zhi said very seriously. Ahem, it was true in some ways. She would hold the pendant and think of Linfeng, and then she would feel energized again in slashing her way through any thorny path. She must work hard so that their future would change, and never allow their fate to follow through with its original course.

The young man on the other line could not help but again smile like a fool. His two dimples that were rarely seen, which only appeared when he smiled deeply, appeared on both sides of his cheeks. 

Hearing the girl's serious voice, solemnly speaking out those sweet words, his face lit up like a child who was gifted with the sweetest candy. Since no one was around, he let down his guard and acted like his age, a teenager in springtime experiencing his first love.

"Sigh. I really need to hurry and finish my matters so I can meet you," Linfeng played along with her. "It would be too bad if the necklace is overused. I need to recharge it soon." 

His tone was calm, unlike his playful eyes that were softened with happiness.

Xiong Zhi smiled, clearly happy that she would see him soon.

"I'm very happy, Linfeng," Xiong Zhi said out loud what was in her mind. She felt blessed. Her status, her surname, her future plans, her fate, and her tiny success with her vengeance... The nightmare from the past life seemed to fade away in this warm moment.

All she could think of, was him and his deep voice.

"I could finally hear your voice again. Can you call me often?" Her voice was filled with yearning. Her appearance right now was far from the cool and detached young miss that others know, but of a young girl yearning for her crush.

Linfeng's heart started to race again. He stood up and walked to the window.

"Of course. With every chance I got." 

He wanted to say that he missed her, too. That he, too, was happy. 

But there were still things he wanted to know.

"Did you know William Grand?"

Xiong Zhi was caught off guard. 

Oh. Was it about the banquet? William Grand's presence was all over the news as well. There were news that the Grand Agency came to Xiong Wuyue's birthday as a support for the Model of the Year. With this, Xiong Wuyue's career in entertainment industry was supposed to go smoothly. 

Linfeng knew of their feud. Was he worried about this? Thinking that was the reason, Xiong Zhi felt as if she was wrapped by his warm and assuring embrace.

Xiong Zhi had no idea that Linfeng was actually more worried that William the pervert might have crossed the line and took advantage of her. After all, the pervert's words were really looking for a beating.

If that pervert even harmed one strand of his Young Miss's hair...

Linfeng frowned at the memory of the arrogant pervert. He really wanted to know what happened.

"I met him in Wuyue's party. You don't have to worry about the Grand Agency. I think they gave Wuyue face because of the Xiong family. They will not help Wuyue in harming me." Hearing Xiong Zhi's off-track explanation, Linfeng suddenly woke up from his thoughts.

Here he was worrying about his Young Miss being taken advantage of by other men, when the Young Miss thought of a more serious matter.

He felt a bit embarrassed. He followed Xiong Zhi's words.

"You are right. Since they gave face for the Xiong Empire, you can actually rope in the Grand Agency to work with you in the future—" Linfeng bit his lips. 

Idiot, what was he saying? How he could let the pervert come near to his Young Miss again?

"—Actually, never mind. I will speak to them in your behalf and deliver your intentions for a collaboration," Linfeng changed his words half-way. It was better if he was the one to meet that uncle.

"It's alright. I don't need the Grand Agency for now. I might collaborate with them in the future, but not now. They can wait." 

Xiong Zhi had plans to extend her influence in entertainment world. 

The said industry would be her future playground, mainly to play with and manipulate Xiong Wuyue. As long she breathes, she would not allow Xiong Wuyue to become the queen of the industry and have a smooth sailing career. 

She would do everything to destroy her. Although at the moment, she had to play it discreetly. If she reached out to the Grand Agency, Xiong De would know immediately. She would then alert the enemy of any steps taken with the Grand Agency. She better do it in the dark for now, so as to not give Xiong De more chances to parry.

She would move quietly like a predator hunting its prey. When she attacked, they would have no way to back down but get eaten obediently by her, and in the end, they would leave the entertainment industry with shame.

"I understand. But that William Grand, I heard he is... a bit aggressive when it comes to women. Did he do something bad to you?" Linfeng carefully probed. William's words really stuck on his mind, so much that he itched to beat him up.

However, William's taunting was indeed outstanding. The usually calm and rational Linfeng felt a bit anxious. He hoped that his Young Miss did not suffer in that pervert's hands.

Xiong Zhi then remembered her encounter with William Grand, the blonde haired man.

"No, he is okay. He is a bit brazen and disrespectful sometimes. But maybe that was his open-mindedness, too. That's just probably how he was brought up, and our culture might simply be different from theirs. He is actually interesting." Xiong Zhi had already forgiven William for kissing her hand without notice. After all, in the West, it likely amounted to nothing. Also, that person appeared to have helped them escape the garden without Xiong De noticing. 

Xiong Zhi felt that although William was strange, he was at least smarter and sharper than he looked. This kind of person was good to have as an ally, and bad to have for an enemy. 

Most importantly, the man had given her a lot of patience. She inadvertently said words to him that people might usually find offending, yet the man just smiled and glossed it over like it was just some refreshing matter. 

In short, Xiong Zhi had a bit of a favorable impression on William Grand.

"..." 

'Young Miss found that pervert interesting?'

That man took advantage of her, but she did not sound offended at all. From her tone, it even sounded like she had a good impression of William the pervert.

Linfeng remembered what William had said, after he flaunted his looks and so-called awesomeness at him.

[That's why Xiong Zhi took a liking to me.]

Linfeng's mouth twitched. No way would he believe that. 

His Young Miss, would never like any other men...

...Except him.