To Love You Again

Old Guan looked around, "By the way, where is your granddaughter? She is the topic of our conversation yet she is not here."

Old Xiong: "..."

How come everyone was asking about his grandaughter?

"She is on the way," Old Xiong said for the nth time. He then gave a glance at Zhou Min.

Zhou Min who was standing not far away received his stare and understood.

He sighed and dialed Linfeng's number again.

His son's voice sounded, "We are already here."

"Where--"

Zhou Min's words was not finished yet when he recognized the incoming people from the entrance. It was the couple he had been waiting for.

On the doorway was Xiong Zhi clinging on Linfeng's arm. 

Today, Linfeng appeared in the concert banquet not as her butler as but as the sixth king, SC's owner.

Zhou Min pressed the end button of the call. He went to Old Xiong's table and said in a low voice. "Master, Young Miss Zhi is here."

Nevertheless, his low voice still reached the other men's ears on the table.

Old Xiong, Old Lu, and Old Guan turned their greying heads to the door. Guan Gu Ri and Lu Yin Ze turned to look as well.

The subject of their conversation, whom these old people coveted to be their in-laws, was currently holding the arm of another man. 

Xiong Zhi had an outstanding beauty. Unlike a long time ago when she was like an icy doll who looked impeccably beautiful but lifeless, now, she faintly smiled to the people who greeted her, returning their greetings as well. 

The man beside her did not lose at all in charisma with his own overwhelming masculine aura. 

The young pair was stopped by the people from all sides on their way to their table. These two were the youngest people among the accomplished elders present, the admirable youngsters who build their own successful businesses from scratch at a very young age. Naturally, they gathered quite a lot of attention from the other wealthy and powerful businessmen.

Not only the attention of the old people at the front table was attracted, but even the two masked men at the third row in the corner, who deliberately concealed their aura, studied the couple as well. They purposely chose the area that was the farthest from the crowd.

The old people on the table at the front fell silent.

It was Old Guan who spoke first.

"...The young man beside your grandaughter is very familiar. I've heard rumors before. But... Is he... your butler's son?" There was uncertainty in his tone.

It was Old Lu who answered for him.

"Your eyesight is getting bad. That man created a sensation just recently because of the ZD Project, and most importantly, he grabbed the title of the sixth king. He is indeed Zhou Linfeng."

Old Xiong's eyebrows rose in surprise. "You sure know a lot in the matters of young ones. I did not know that is your hobby."

'Nosy old fool.'

Old Lu: "..." Do you think I didn't know what you're thinking!

He was very well informed regarding his grandson's rival in love after all, ah. 

But Old Lu replied instead. "Of course. The actions of the young ones will affect us as well. Can't you see how your Xiong Empire is doing better than before because of your granddaughter? It is justified that we, elders, pay attention to the younger generation's matters."

Old Guan nodded. "I agree. Which is why..." He looked at Old Xiong. "Since we are in the topic. Are you trying to get Zhou Linfeng marry into your family?"

All eyes instantly turned to Old Xiong.

Lu Yin Ze's blue eyes flashed. He waited with bated breath for the old man's answer.

Old Xiong was silent. He then slowly said, "My granddaughter is still young. Why would I let her marry at a very young age?"

Old Lu and Old Guan: "..."

Inwardly, Old Guan scolded the thick face of his old friend.

'You are already selling her to me four years ago! You even planned to have her marry at the age of twenty-three... What kind of loving elder are you posing as now?'

As if not seeing the accusing look in the other elders' eyes, Old Xiong drank his cup of warmed wine and spoke softly. "Besides, as I have said, I made a deal with my granddaughter. She will settle the matter herself in regards to her own marriage."

"...."

Old Lu and Old Guan looked at each other, then Old Lu subtly glanced at his grandson who had his eyes lowered. 

He felt a bit of heartache for his grandson.

His poor Yin'er.

Old Guan shook his head. "I can't believe I will be able to hear you say this, Old Xiong. You are really very different from before. Is it because you are getting older that you are starting to become sentimental and soft? When did you become a man who thinks of his kin? Where is the Old Xiong who only thought about the interests of the Xiong family?"

The table fell silent again. 

All of them except the man himself shot a look at Old Xiong. They agreed with Old Guan. Out of all of them, the greatest utilitarian was this old guy, yet now he was strangely acting otherwise.

Old Xiong harrumphed. "What are you looking at? I am still me, I did not go anywhere. My grandaughter just became so capable that she had changed my views on her. That's all. Now, enough talking about her."

The old people tacitly stopped talking about Xiong Zhi. They kept their own thoughts while throwing glances at Old XIong. 

Finally, after a short chatter about some matters, Old Guan and Guan Gu Ri returned to their own table. Theirs was just beside Old Xiong and Old Lu's table.

Lu Yin Ze reached for his glass. He drowned the feeling of helplessness and jealously in his heart. 

If the head of the Xiong could not do anything about Xiong Zhi's and Linfeng's relationship, what more of him?

"It's quite bitter," he silently muttered.

"You don't like the drinks? Let the waiters change it," his grandfather who heard him attentively suggested.

Lu Yin Ze smiled. "It's alright. I have gotten used to it."

Old Lu: "???"

Why did he feel his grandson's smile was a bit pained?

****

Meanwhile, Xiong Zhi and Linfeng had not arrived at their table yet.

Currently, they were engaged in a conversation with Kwang Sook who was with his muse.

Kwang Sook wore a dashing smile.

"Miss Xiong Zhi, I knew you will be here. I am very honored to meet you personally again. I haven't thanked you enough for the help you've given to us over the years."

Xiong Zhi smiled. 

When Kwang Sook was being cornered and pushed by Xiong Wuyue before, she kindly 'helped' Kwang Sook. She had done this to bully Xiong Wuyue, but it reaped good rewards since Kwang Sook felt indebted to her. So when IHZHI Entertainment was created, Xiao Mei and Kwang Sook's director had a few collaborations done.

"I heard you have been doing well. Is she your new rising star?"

Kwang Sook gave space for her muse to introduce herself.

"Yes. In our new collaboration with IHZHI Entertainment, she will be our first line artist to market her face this time."

The beauty sensibly introduced herself. She shyly bowed before throwing a covetous look at Linfeng.

Linfeng pretended to not see it.

However, Xiong Zhi caught it. Her smile slightly diminished.

"I don't like her. Is there someone else?"

Kwang Sook: "..."

The woman turned red in embarrassment and worry. She knew who Xiong Zhi was and what power she held.

"I-I a-apologize if I offended the Young M-miss."

Xiong Zhi just coldly glanced at her and held Linfeng's arm tightly.

Her boyfriend really was a magnet of peach blossoms. Well, she could handle them.

"Is she that good?" she asked Kwang Sook instead. Since the other apologized sincerely, Xiong Zhi could still give her a second chance, if the other was a really good talent who was not easily replaced.

"Ah, y-yes. Of course. She's the winner of our new talent show. I hope you consider it." Kwang Sook was confused of how his talent offended the Young Miss.

Xiong Zhi nodded. "She's forgiven. However, I might change my mind, unless she stops looking at my boyfriend like a hungry wolf."

Linfeng: "..."

Kwang Sook: "..."

The woman: 〒▽〒 ...So that is it. I'm just silently appreciating, my ancestor!

'I won't look, I won't look!'

After recovering from his shock, Kwang Sook nudged at his muse to apologize again to the couple.

The woman repeatedly apologized.

When the two went away, Kwang Sook sighed in relief. 

"President, I thought the two aren't a couple?" the pretty woman said aggrievedly.

Kwang Sook scratched his head. "Ugh, I'm also surprised. That man is really just her butler a long time ago. But things changed. However... I thought there is something going on between her and the Young Master Lu? There were rumours before... Ah, I don't know anymore. Let's just believe what comes out of her mouth. Some rumors are just entirely different from the truth after all."

Kwang Sook's last visit in the country was four years ago, when he went to IAmFashionista. During his stay in the country, the rumors he heard was that the Second Young Master Lu and the Young Miss of the Xiong family was becoming intimate. Alas, he was not aware that the black horse, a once Zhou butler who had made a name for himself and became the sixth king, was actually the Young Miss's true lover.

He really wondered how those two ended up together despite their former heaven and earth status.

***

(A/n: Kwang Sook appeared before in volume 1. Refer chap 163)