Сhарtеr 24: Fаte Collidеs, Мeeting Аgain
“Must I rереаt mуsеlf?”
Li Bеiхiао’s sharp, рrofound gaze swерt ovеr Liu Теzhu, whо fеlt as if аll thе blоod in his bodу wеre flоwing backward.
“Yеs, I’ll go hаndle it right awaу.” Knоwing that if hе didn’t dеal with it now, hе might be the onе tо diе.
Аt this moment, Liu Теzhu wаsn’t еven sure whо was аt fault in this mattеr. The bоss had alrеady given uр, уеt she kерt appеaring bеfоre him—how сould Prеsident Li nоt gо mаd?
Li Bеixiaо fiddled with the сhаin in his hаnd, its color exactly whаt shе liked. Nuannuan, loоk аt what I’ve prерared for you—do you like it?
Early the next morning.
Su Nuannuan woke up bright and early. Du Lerou drove her to the airport. She had booked a ticket for ten o’clock, and by the time they arrived, it was just the right time.
“Are you sure you don’t want me to go with you?” Du Lerou looked at Su Nuannuan. “Maybe I should accompany you after all! That way, you’ll have someone to look out for you.”
“No need. If you go, I’m afraid Mr. Lu will chase us all the way to Beijing,” Su Nuannuan teased.
“What nonsense are you talking about?” Du Lerou blushed.
“Your face is all red. I’ll talk to you about Mr. Lu when I get back,” Su Nuannuan patted Du Lerou’s shoulder.
“Hurry up, it’s time.”
Du Lerou gave her a gentle push. Su Nuannuan smiled, waved, and slowly disappeared from Du Lerou’s sight, dragging a small suitcase behind her.
“I’m sorry, Miss Su, but our company made a mistake with the bookings. Our first-class cabin has been chartered for today. We sincerely apologize,” the flight attendant said apologetically.
Su Nuannuan frowned. Who had such deep pockets to charter the entire first-class cabin? “I’m in a hurry. Just switch me to business class.”
The flight attendant looked embarrassed and awkward. “Miss, I’m truly sorry, but our business class has also been chartered.”
…
Su Nuannuan’s lips twitched. She wanted to curse. Today’s trip was off to a bad start. Had she chosen the wrong time? First-class and business class were both chartered—why not just charter the whole plane?
“I’m really sorry, miss. How about this—if you’re truly in a hurry, I can arrange an economy class seat for you. I’ll make sure to find a quieter spot for Miss Su.”
Su Nuannuan sighed. It seemed this was the only option. Just as she made this decision, she saw someone emerge from the first-class cabin. Su Nuannuan couldn’t help but marvel at the strangeness of fate.
“Liu Tezhu?”
Liu Tezhu stiffened, too guilty to meet Su Nuannuan’s eyes. She had come knocking on her own—was this fate?
“Miss Su, what are you doing here?” Liu Tezhu gave her an extremely complicated look, leaving Su Nuannuan puzzled.
“Liu Tezhu, are your eyes bothering you?” Su Nuannuan asked, noticing his constant blinking.
Liu Tezhu nearly stumbled. Damn it, his eyes were fine! This Su Nuannuan was getting stranger by the day. In the past, she would run faster than a rabbit at the sight of him and the president. How quickly things had changed. He had done his best—it seemed the Su family would have to be let down.
“Miss Su, where are you headed?”
“That’s quite a question, Liu Tezhu. Is there such a thing as getting off halfway through a flight?” Su Nuannuan shook her head.
“Why did you charter so many cabins? Are they all full?” Su Nuannuan glanced around. If Liu Tezhu was here, he must be here too.
“Ahem, President Li prefers quiet.”
“Tsk, money talks.” This was the power of wealth—how enviable.A faint, ambiguous smile curled at the corner of Su Nuannuan’s lips. “Assistant Liu, I won’t be noisy. Why don’t you let President Li know I’m here?”
Assistant Liu twitched his mouth. Wasn’t this like sending a lamb into the tiger’s den? “Well… President Li is in a bit of a bad mood right now. How about…”
Before Assistant Liu could finish, Su Nuannuan slipped inside. “President Li is in a bad mood? I’m the sweetest talker. Let me cheer him up.”
Assistant Liu sighed. She went in on her own—it had nothing to do with him.
What met Su Nuannuan’s eyes was a floor covered in shattered glass. What had happened to him? In her memory, although he had a bad temper, he managed his emotions well and rarely got angry in such a setting. What had broken that pattern?
“President Li, what’s wrong with him?”
Su Nuannuan turned to ask Assistant Liu, but a hand suddenly reached out from behind, pulling her forcefully inside. Assistant Liu rubbed his temples and muttered, “A lamb entering the tiger’s den.”
“Baby… Nuannuan…”
Li Beixiao’s fingertips brushed her cheek. His eyes were tightly shut, his expression revealing a sickly stubbornness. This side of Li Beixiao was rarely seen. What had provoked him?
“President Li.”
“Baby, you’re not behaving. You’re always thinking of leaving me.” The hostility radiating from Li Beixiao was overwhelming. This version of him was something she wasn’t quite used to.
“Li Beixiao, what’s wrong with you? Why are your eyes closed? I’m not going anywhere. I’m right here.”
Su Nuannuan patted Li Beixiao’s shoulder, trying to soothe him, but he suddenly opened his eyes. His hand shot out and gripped her throat.
“You’re trying to deceive me again.” Fury smoldered in Li Beixiao’s eyes. Her attempt to comfort him had backfired, only making him angrier.
“Cough, cough… Li Beixiao, have you gone mad? Let go!” Su Nuannuan slapped his arm twice.
“Nuannuan, don’t leave me, okay?” Li Beixiao’s demeanor abruptly shifted. Su Nuannuan looked at his expression—it seemed both aggrieved and sorrowful, exactly like the look in his eyes in her past life when she had died.
“I won’t leave. I’m not going anywhere. Li Beixiao, look at me.”
At that moment, Su Nuannuan could no longer hold back. To hell with Qi Mubai! If anything happened to Li Beixiao, she would regret it for the rest of her life.
Li Beixiao’s eyes focused on Su Nuannuan, who was now cupping his face. Slowly, reason returned. When he finally recognized who it was, he gently pushed her away.
“Miss Su, shouldn’t you be at home keeping your fiancé company? What are you doing here?” Li Beixiao’s voice was icy cold, genuinely indifferent.
This man really was something. He changed faces faster than Su Manjing. One moment he was holding her, calling her “baby,” and the next he was pushing her away. A scoundrel—undoubtedly a scoundrel.
“President Li, you must have been a chameleon in your past life,” Su Nuannuan said with a slight lift of her chin, muttering unhappily.
It didn’t sound like anger—more like a coquettish complaint. But Li Beixiao was still seething, precisely at a moment when he didn’t want to see her.
Li Beixiao lowered his gaze and sneered. “And what were you in your past life, Miss Su?”
“Me? Probably a little enchantress—warm and adorable.” Su Nuannuan sighed with shameless pride.
“I heard Miss Su and Young Master Qi are about to tie the knot. Shouldn’t you be staying quietly in City B? What are you doing in the capital? Could it be that Miss Su is thinking of straying?” Li Beixiao mocked.Although Li Beixiao’s temper isn’t great, he rarely speaks in such a sarcastic tone. He had already mentioned Qi Mubai twice—could it be that he was jealous?
“That’s right, I want to climb over the wall. Will you let me pick this red apricot, President Li?”
Su Nuannuan suddenly plopped down onto Li Beixiao’s lap. Liu Tezhu spat out a mouthful of water. Damn! Miss Su had gone mad—this was playing with fire.