Hearing what Ming Lan said, Lu Lian looked at Ming Lan in disbelief.
"What?" Ming Lan asked.
"Do you two know each other closely?" Lu Lian asked.
"Not really. I just know him as my brother's friend and talked with him once in a while whenever he visited my home and it was long back. I haven't seen him in the past few years as I am always away," Ming Lan replied and asked, "But why are you asking? Do you want to know more about him? Then you should ask my brother….."
"No. I mean, he said the same thing that three dates are enough. You two seem to think alike."
Ming Lan laughed a little, "I am sure he and I are not the only ones to think like that. Some people love to save time."
Lu Lian nodded, "True. My bad."
"It's fine," Ming Lan said and observed Lu Lian's tensed face, "I believe these tensed expressions are not because of me."
Lu Lian nodded.
"Tell me what's troubling this pretty lady." Ming Lan asked.
Lu Lian cleared her throat, "Well, he said he would take the liberty to treat me like his girlfriend during those five days, and I have to do the same...Treat him as my boyfriend."
Ming Lan didn't find anything to be worried about and asked, "Then what's the problem? Like that you two can know each other even better rather than going on formal blind dates where you just fake smile more and talk less. How can you know each other with that? It's a good thing before making any decision."
"That's true, but you know, like girlfriend-boyfriend means, he said he might kiss or…"
"So our Lian is shy," Ming Lan teased.
"You and he seemed to be like-minded," Lu Lian frowned and gave her a questioning look, "You are seeing someone, right. That's why you don't return home."
Ming Lan laughed, "I don't mind seeing anyone but the condition I am in most of the time, even the animals won't look at me."
Lu Lian had nothing to say and Ming spoke again, "Go kiss him or sleep with him. It's better to taste the water before getting into it completely."
Lu Lian frowned, "I think you should be the one to go on a date with him. You look so ready for anything."
"I don't like to covet someone else's man. Moreover, if an elegant man like him sees me in my messy condition when I am wandering in the wilderness with my team, he would vomit at just the sight of it," Ming Lan laughed.
Lu Lian was silent, so Ming stopped laughing and said, "Just give it a try. Not like one kiss will kill you. Or you have someone else in mind that's why you are hesitating?"
Lu Lian turned silent for a moment and shook her head, "There is no one."
"Good," Ming smirked mildly, "Thanks for giving me interesting good news."
"There is no news yet."
"For me it is," said Ming Lan as she thought, 'It's enough to trouble my cold brother.'
------
In the office, a man in a black suit was sitting in his chair calmly after returning from the long and tiring meeting. Office hours were over, and he sat in the chair with his eyes closed. He seemed to remember something and opened his eyes.
The next moment he opened the bottom drawer of his work table and pulled out one file as he opened it while keeping it on the table. The file had pictures of a woman who was surrounded by kids and elderly people in torn clothes, and she was busy giving them food and medicines.
She wore baggy clothes, had tough boots in feet to avoid hurting her legs as the place she was present looked like deep in the forest and people around lived in the huts. He looked through more pictures where she had mud on her hands and feet, and even her face was not spared from it, her hair all messy, but she cared less. She seemed to be helping kids after a dangerous rain.
There were some pictures where she was having fun with those poor kids, and the bright smile on her face made her look adorable.
Picture after picture, he was observing a woman in her worst condition, but she didn't look bothered at all in what mess she was in. Her eyes showed how happy and content she was with what she was doing. To the world, she might look like an unkept woman, but to him, she was the prettiest when she was messy and helping others, not thinking about herself.
Just then, there was a knock on the door, and the female assistant in elegant office attire entered the office.
"Mr. Wen, any more instructions for me?" she asked politely.
Wen Zac closed the file and answered, "You can go home."
The assistant understood her boss wanted to be alone, so she bowed and left.
Wen Zac turned around and looked outside from the glass window behind and closed his eyes again as his mind seemed to be chaotic but blank at the same time.
Soon after, when the entire office building was empty, there was again a knock on the office door and it opened. Wen Zac didn't turn to look at the door as he knew who that person was.
"Mr. Wen, this for you," the man informed as he kept the envelope on Wen Zac's work table.
Wen Zav still didn't turn and instructed, "You can ask your men to stop."
"Yes, Mr. Wen," the man replied and there was silence again.
"I will take a leave then," the man said and left.
Wen Zac turned and picked up the envelope as he opened it. There were a bunch of pictures inside the envelope. Not going through them, he closed the envelope and kept it in the file with the various pictures. He closed the file and put it back in the bottom drawer of his work table.