Wen Zac stepped out of the room after visiting his friend Ming Rusheng only to see Ming Lan standing outside of the door. Hearing what the other two talked about inside the room, she was already in a daze while thinking about what had happened all this time and she couldn't realize Wen Zac had finished talking and was coming out of the room.
Startled, she took a step back and looked shocked as if a thief got caught. She didn't mean to eavesdrop but couldn't help it.
"Brother Wen…."
"Did you hear it all?" he asked coldly.
"I didn't mean to...that...but…"
"It's fine. Now you don't have to think about sacrificing yourself for your brother," He said and turned to leave.
"Brother Wen, I want to talk to you," she said.
He stopped, turned to look at her and waited to hear her.
"Not here," she said.
He nodded and both were about to leave, Zhang Jei and Lu Lian returned.
"Are you leaving?" Zhang Jei asked him.
Wen Zac nodded, "I have to go on one business trip so thought to see him before leaving."
"You did well," Zhang Jei said and Wen Zac looked at Lu Lian, "I hope he is not troubling you much."
"Not much but just a little stubborn," Lu Lian replied.
"That's why you two suit each other," Wen Zac passed a teasing sarcastic remark.
Lu Lian smiled, "I will try to be less stubborn now."
When Zac shook his head, "Don't.. Just be like how you are or you won't be able to deal with his stubbornness. My friend can be a real headache."
The other three couldn't help but smile.
"I will take a leave then," Wen Zac said and Zhang Jei nodded.
"Mother, I will be back shortly," Ming Lan said and followed Wen Zac.
"Caffee?" Wen Zac asked.
"No, somewhere alone," she said.
Wen Zac nodded but he didn't ask what she wanted to talk about. If she wished to be somewhere alone that means there must be something really important.
He led her way towards the door that had a sign of a staircase. As it was the top floor of the hospital only meant for Vip patients, they just had to climb one floor stairs to go to the rooftop.
They reached the widespread rooftop of the hospital which had a layer of snow covering it and had no one around. Wen Zac stopped and turned to face her. She stopped in her tracks and looked at him.
He wanted to ask what she wished to talk about but his sight stuck to her face. That simple but pretty face which had those round thin rim glasses settled over her tiny nose which had turned red due to cold air, her hair tied in a bun and the loose hairstarnds moved along the cold breeze of winter. He almost felt like tucking them behind her red turned ears but got back to his senses when he heard her.
"Brother Wen, I wanted to apologize to you. I didn't know you were just helping my brother. I am sorry if any of my words had hurt you," She said.
"It's fine. No need to apologize. At least you can feel good that you didn't ask a bad man to marry you. After this don't do it without knowing the entire truth. Not everyone will let you go if you ask to get married. Understood?"
Ming Lan felt embarrassed and nodded.
"If that's it, then let's leave now. It's cold out here," he said and turned to leave but Ming Lan said again, "I have something else to say too."
He turned, "What is it?"
"I still want to marry you?" she said in a low voice and gathered the courage to look at him. "I want to marry you," she repeated seeing the speechless man who looked like he had heard something wrong.
"You already heard it. I didn't plan to take away your brother's love," he said.
"I know. But I also know, brother Wen wished to get married...and grandma is not well…."
Wen Zac chuckled, "You don't need to worry about her. My Grandma is not so petty as to blackmail me to get married with the excuse of her health. She had never asked me to. Even if she does, you don't need to take responsibility of it."
Ming Lan heard but she had something else in mind. Before he could leave again, she said, "You...said you will let me do what I want even after we get married."
It again surprised Wen Zac. The woman who he finally thought to give up on was now searching for the reasons to marry him. What's wrong with her? He remembered what he said to her in that hotel's parking lot- 'Marry me. I will let you do what you want and will never stop you.'
"Marriage of convenience?" Wen Zac commented.
"Not really but you can take it like that also," she said, "We two need to marry and we don't have anyone in our lives. At least I know brother Wen is a good person."
"I am not that good either. You should think over what you are asking for," he suggested.
"Still, better than marrying someone unknown. Also, you said at that time you will let me work."
Wen Zac sighed inwardly and observed her face as he thought, 'It's all because she loves her work. I wish the reason for this was that she liked me even a little. Maybe she knows I like her so she must think it's fine as long as I like her.'
"Won't you regret it later?" he asked.
"I won't." She sounded confident.
"To you, it must be a marriage of your convenience and you would only like to focus on work, but it won't be the same for me. With marriage, comes the responsibilities."
"I know and I am ready for those responsibilities," she replied firmly, looking into his eyes.
"Even though you don't love me?" He asked.
"I will learn to love. Not everyone can marry after they fall in love. There are people who get married first and then live together happily. Aren't we used to seeing such marriages in business families?" She asked.
"Seems like you have already thought thoroughly about it," he commented.
"I did."
"Let me make one thing clear then. Once you marry me, you are not allowed to break this marriage ever whether you love me or not. I won't allow it."
"I won't break it," she said.
"I will talk to my father then," he assured and she nodded.
"Let's go now," he instructed and the two went downstairs.