Chapter 983 - Idiot, Me...
"That's a great idea, but we need to put this box somewhere only two of us know," Lu Lian suggested.
"Select any tree among those," Lu Qiang instructed, pointing towards the row of palm trees.
"That one," Lu Lian pointed to the one which was on the right side of the bench.
Nodding, Lu Qiang stood up to go to the three and kneeled at the bottom of the tree, where he picked up one fallen stick and started to dig.
Lu Lian kneeled too, and helped her brother, "Are we keeping it here?"
"Hmm."
"Like in the movies," she giggled, feeling excited about it, and asked, "Won't it rot here?"
"I'll replace it every year," he assured, and Lu Lian continued smiling.
Lu Lian snapped out of those memories, carrying the same smile as of that time, but tears rolled down her eyes.
"The box is rotten because he is not here to replace it," she spoke.
Ming Rusheng heard whatever she said while remembering those memories, and he understood why she was there and why she buried the box near the tree.
She continued, "Elder brother was always busy and most of his time was for Lu Lijun, but on my birthday, it was the only day he would spend only with me. I was jealous of Lu Lijun at that time for getting all the attention from an elder brother, but now I think about it, that one day was enough for me to make up for an entire year."
Tears continued to roll down as Ming Rusheng continued to listen. He didn't know how to console her. Letting her talk and be a good listener was the only thing he could do for her.
"The last note I wrote nine years back is still there. He never got the chance to see it. Today I wrote him a note, though I know he would never read it. I can just wish....." Lu Lian choked and stopped talking.
Finally, Ming Rusheng couldn't take it and turned to face her. Circling his hand around the back of her shoulders, Ming Rusheng let her lean on him and hugged her as he patted her back, and she cried while burying her face in his nape.
"I..did..my best to become what I promised him. I don't want to disappoint him ever," she said in between her sobs.
"He must be proud and happy to see how his sister turned into an amazing lady," Ming Rusheng consoled her.
"Really?" she asked, still crying.
"Hmm," Ming Rusheng agreed as the two stayed like that for some time till Lu Lian finished crying.
Once she was done, she got back to her senses and moved back while Ming Rusheng let her go.
"I..." she wanted to apologize, but then her sight followed the wet spot on Ming Rusheng's suit, on his on the front side of his right shoulder, "Ohh, this...."
Ming Rusheng looked at it, "It's fine."
She looked at him apologetically, and he spoke, "If you are fine, we should go back."
Lu Lian nodded, and Ming Rusheng stood up as he offered her hand. Lu Lian accepted as she didn't want to reject him. After all, he accompanied her when she cried.
On the way back, Lu Lian continued thinking about why she talked about all this with Ming Rusheng when she never spoke about it to anyone. Was she that comfortable with him to empty her heart, or was she just crazy at that moment?
'Idiot me.'
When she was busy cursing herself, Ming Rusheng spoke, "I'm good at forgetting things that others don't want anyone to know."
Lu Lian understood what he meant and said nothing. The two reached where everyone was present. Seeing them together, elder Lu and elder Ming looked at each other with meaningful gazes while others didn't mind it as Ming Rusheng and Lu Lian worked together.
Ming Rusheng sat beside his grandpa. When elder Ming was about to say something to him, Ming Rusheng interrupted him, "There is nothing for grandpa to be excited about."
Elder Ming stopped and looked at his friend elder Lu as if saying, there is no use.
When everyone was busy with the orphanage things, Ming Rusheng looked at the sculpture kept at the center of the room. It was none other than Lu Qiang's sculpture.
Staring at it, Ming Rusheng moved his sight to look at Lu Lian and then again looked at the sculpture as he thought, 'You were the person I hated most for no reason, but you are the one she loves the most.'
Regretting over his mistakes from the past, Ming Rusheng looked at Lu Lian and thought, 'Seems like the time will come when I have to pay the price of my mistakes.'
When everything was done, everyone left the orphanage. Elder Lu said bye to his friend while Ming Rusheng was ready in his car waiting for his grandpa.
Lu Bao who stood beside Lu Lian said, "You should say bye to your boss."
Lu Lian glared at her but could say nothing as every one was there.
"What boss?" Elder Ming spoke as he added, "She is the family so Rusheng is not her boss."
"But in office he is her boss," the elder Ming sided with Lu Bao and looked at Lu Lian, "One should always respect their boss and be dutiful towards them."
Lu Lian nodded and went to Ming Rusheng while elder Lu winked at Lu Bao. Elder Ming understood and smiled.
When Lu Lian reached Ming Rusheng's car, he lowered the window screen and spoke, "Looks like those old men again tricked you with sweet words."
Not commenting over it, Lu Lian bowed a little, "See you tomorrow in the office."
"You can take leave if you want to," said Ming Rusheng.
"I'm fine," saying she bowed and returned to her family. After that everyone left as Lu Qiang's memories kept running in their minds.