《Tricking My Cold Lover》


 Chapter 1: Words From the Female Lead

    Hi, this is Xia Yanmei and allow me to tell you about my story and that of my cold lover.


    I was a typical girl who had the same story as the others where the evil sister took away her fiance. However, worry not! I was never born weak. I took a job in another country.


    It was because I left my home, hid away from my father and sister that I met the most indifferent yet romantic man on earth!


    How romantic? You might ask.


    He told me once I am the lesser evil women in the city! It was actually pretty sweet coming from him.


    He helped me with a facial once because he thought my skin was dry and rough. So caring of him, don''t you think? Haha!


    We sang together a romantic song during a Karaoke night. It was so beautiful, but of course, he told me he''d fire me outright if I told anyone!


    So when he finally asked me to be his wife saying marry me and be my world, I laughed at him so hard, checking his temperature while I was at it!


    Please do give this story a chance and I promise you will find our hilarious story something you will keep coming back for more.


    Wink2!


    Hugs and Kisses,


    Xia Yanmei and the author, LiLhyz

 Chapter 2: Words From The Male Lead

    [Aton Yeong is frowning]


    I don''t like talking, and I am a very busy man. All I can say is, my woman tricked me.


    If you make me say more, I''ll crawl out of this book and find you. [Aton Yeong gives a glare]


    Just let the author do the storytelling. [Anton squints at the author]


    [The author is scared of Anton but says to the readers: "I hope you love this story!"]

 Chapter 3: Read This First: Words from the Author

    Hi Readers,


    Thank you for checking this novel.


    Tricking My Cold Lover is the story of the brother from my first novel, The President''s Lover is a Fighter. This story is full of humor, love, and a little action, just like my other novel.


    Just to give you a heads up, the leads on this novel are not perfect, especially in relationships, but they change for each other and become stronger together. You will see how they struggled to fit into each other''s world.


    Lastly, the first part of the story gives a background of the female lead. Hope you won''t grow impatient as our one of a kind male lead appears after chapter 10.


    Thank you for giving this novel a chance and hope you enjoy the story of Anton Yeong and Xia Yanmei.


    Sincerely,


    LiLhyz

 Chapter 4: The Engagement Party

    "Yanmei, are you happy?" Ning Suyin asked as she took the seat next to her daughter. "Do you love Bai Han?"


    Xia Yanmei was looking extra exquisite in her long white fitted gown. Her hair was pulled up backward, exposing her long and slender neck. Her glittering dress hugged perfectly her slender body. She looked rather sophisticated at such a young age.


    She was sitting in front of a dresser with her mother while they wait to be called.


    Looking up in the mirror, her eyes shifted to her mother and said, "Mom, I have gotten used to Bai Han''s company. Don''t worry. I will grow to love him. This is what father wants, and he thinks this is best for me. Even grandfather thinks the same."


    Xia Yanmei''s father had long arranged a marriage for her with the Bai family. Bai Han had been a friend and her company in college since they were forced to befriend each other, knowing that their engagement will be announced after finishing their degree.


    A month ago, she had finally received her diploma and today was the big day for her and Bai Han. Everyone from the Xia family came to attend the engagement party and the same with the Bai family.


    She belonged to a rich family owning the biggest corporation in China. However, her father is only a cousin to the main family that manages the business. She would need to work her way into the corporation, in order to get a seat for herself. It was for this reason that Xia Zihao, her father, was adamant to set up a marriage alliance.


    In order to strengthen her hold and influence, she needed to marry Bai Han, the coming heir of the Bai Industries, the fourth largest company in the country.


    "Then, as you wish my child. As you wish," said Ning Suyin. She turned herself to face her daughter and so did Xia Yanmei. She caressed Yanmei''s beautiful face. She was happy her daughter had her best features. "It''s just that I hoped, you would marry someone you truly loved from the start."


    The mother and daughter hugged each other for minutes.


    Xia Yanmei closed her eyes, feeling the warmth of her mother''s hug. It had been months since they saw each other. She missed her mother dearly.


    Since her parent''s divorce, her mother had lived with her grandparents in another town. She would have preferred to live with her mother except for the fact that staying with her father was more convenient. She has yet to forgive her father, but for now, she depended on him for support.


    "Yanmei, it''s time. Everyone is waiting," Xia Zihao said after walking inside her room. He walked towards her and looked at his daughter through the mirror before saying, "Bai Han is very lucky to have you as a fiance. You are a Xia after all¡­ Yanmei, our family''s future depends on you. Do well."


    Hearing her father''s words, she could not help but scoff. She gave him a remark, one he would surely not forget, "It''s too bad, your other daughter is not a legitimate child. You had to rely on me so much."


    "Yanmei, this is not the time to argue about this. You should have accepted your sister by now!" He yelled at her before turning to his ex-wife saying, "You! You are influencing Yanmei to act this way - "


    "Mother has nothing to do with this. This is all you. Everything has been your fault!" Yanmei objected. She raised her voice at his father. She hated how he had treated her in the past and up until now he blamed her for any of his misfortune. She had long pitied her mother for having been married to her father.


    The three of them argued inside the room, but soon enough, her grandfather, Xia Gang came knocking at the door. "Is everything okay?"


    It was because she did not want to hurt her grandfather, Xia Yanmei lied answering, "Everything is fine grandfather. Please give me a minute to get ready. I will be out soon."


    "Very well child," said Xia Gang.


    The Bai Family and her household rented a ballroom for this event at the W Hotel in Guangzhou. The party was well thought of that she knew a few prominent families were also present to join the occasion.


    She and her mother slowly made their way to the venue and as soon as she entered, her cousins came to greet and give their wishes.


    "Yanmei, you are here!" It was her former friend now turned sister, Yi Meixu. She also came forward to give her wishes. "Sister, I am so happy for you. You and Brother Han are officially engaged!"


    Yanmei noticed her eyes were red like she had earlier cried that she asked, "What''s wrong with your eyes?"


    "Oh, this is nothing." Yi Meixu quickly wiped her eyes with a handkerchief before explaining herself, "I am just happy for you, sis."


    Yanmei''s heart was telling her there was more to it than what it seemed, but tonight was not the time for her to probe further. She continued to walk with her parents to the centermost table and sat next to Bai Han, her fiance.


    Having known each other for long, although Yanmei felt no romantic feelings towards him, she considered Bai Han a friend.


    The event started with her grandfather welcoming the guests and then her father announcing the engagement between Bai Han and Xia Yanmei. The crowd applauded and praised the two saying they were a perfect couple.


    Yet, despite the joyous welcome from their friends and family, Xia Yanmei noticed Bai Han''s silence. She carefully watched his handsome face to find any hint of happiness, but there was none. He seemed to be contemplating on something more important.


    "You seem to be bothered, Han. Care to tell me what is the matter?" She asked while smiling sweetly at him.


    She noticed him reluctantly open his mouth, but before Bai Han could answer, his father called him to take the stand. "Han, it''s your turn to welcome our guests."


    Xia Yanmei''s eyes stayed on her fiance until he took the stand, but what came out of his mouth was not something she and everyone else had expected. He looked apprehensive and utterly in weary.


    When Bai Han finally spoke, he said, "I am sorry. I cannot push through with this engagement¡­ I - I am in love with Yi Meixu!"


    Words of disapproval echoed through the hall and Yanmei quickly found the woman her fiance was referring to. She watched her sister''s expression change from pleased to seemingly shock. she immediately saw through her true intent.


    Her eyes squinted at Yi Meixu and said in silence, ''Xuxu, if you think your actions can affect me, that is where you are wrong. You can take my traitorous father and Bai Han, but you will never be a Xia, much more go above me.''


    While the crowd was in an uproar, Xia Yanmei rolled her eyes and said, "Tsk, tsk. How convenient."

 Chapter 5: Compensation

    Ning Suyin was furious, to say the least, and the same could be said to Bai Han''s father, Bai Zhen. His son was supposed to be engaged to a Xia and not a mere outsider to the Xia family.


    Xia Zihao had told his father, Xia Gang about Yi Meixu''s true identity, but the old man refused to accept her. It upset him that Xia Zihao had betrayed his family for years. He would not allow him to marry again after his divorce to Ning Suyin.


    If anything, the Xias were righteous and honorable family and Xia Zihao had seemed to have forgotten his roots.


    Hence, Yi Liling, Yi Meixu''s mother, remained to be a mistress until now. This fact upset both the mother and daughter. They both swore to take everything that Ning Suyin had, including what Xia Yanmei had.


    Back to the engagement party, Bai Han was explaining to his father that he only saw Xia Yanmei as a friend and he had longed loved Yi Meixu for a year. They had kept their relationship a secret.


    "Please, father. Please understand, I cannot bear to hurt my Xuxu and make her cry again. I am in love with her," Bai Han said, pleading to his father.


    "This is outrageous! Bai Zhen, I suggest you teach your son a lesson. As for this engagement, I myself do not allow it! -


    Xia Gang''s words were interrupted by none other than the biggest shareholder of the Royal Dragon Corporation, Xia Tao. His voice was loud and firm saying, "and I too do not allow it. No one from the Bai family is allowed to be associated to a Xia from now on!"


    While the event turned out to be a disaster for Xia Zihao and the Bai family, Yi Meixu was rejoicing inside. She knew too well that she could not enter the Xia family. The least that she could do was to penetrate the Bai Family.


    The plan was simple, get Bai Han to fall in love her. Ask her father''s forgiveness and soon gain his trust. She would slowly ask forgiveness from grandfather Gang and only when she was wed to Bai Han will she and her mother attempt to be part of the Xia family once more.


    When the guests started to leave, Yi Meixu came rushing towards Xia Yanmei, "Sister. I''m so sorry. I - I tried to stop Han from - from breaking off your engagement. Please forgive me."


    Bai Han came up from behind her and said, "Xuxu, don''t be sorry. It was not your fault." Looking up to Yanmei, he said, "Yanmei, please understand. We did not intend for us to fall in love. It just happened -"


    "It just happened?" Looking down at Meixu''s crying face, she pointed out, "I doubt it just happened."


    The moment Bai Han told his father that their relationship started since last year, she instantly recalled how Meixu had come between them. At that time, she had not yet known that she was her half-sister and did not see any malice to her actions.


    She had always passed messages between them and often saw them together. Most of the time, she would reason saying that she was helping Bai Han look for her. Xia Yanmei realized she had been misled all along.


    Before leaving them in their pathetic state, Xia Yanmei said, "In any case, I am not one to break off TRUE LOVE. I am a proud woman after all, a true Xia. I wish you both luck."


    As she left, she heard her half-sister cry to Bai Han, "What do we do? We''ve upset her. I - I told you we should just end this."


    Yi Meixu also turned to her father, pleading for forgiveness, "Father, I swear. I did not mean for this to happen. I tried to convince Han - I swear!"


    "Mr. Xia. This is all my fault. I was the one who fell in love with Xuxu. I insisted on our relationship. Please don''t be upset with her," Bai Han tried his best to explain their side, hoping to make amends.


    Xia Zihao was disappointed at Yi Meixu but he loved her as a daughter. She was a loving daughter to him while Yanmei had been defiant since his divorce with his ex-wife.


    Yi Liling also joined in the conversation, trying to convince her lover to listen to her daughter''s side. After speaking with Bai Han and his Yi Meixu, he eventually gave his reluctant acceptance.


    Their cries and pleading towards her father faded out from Xia Yanmei''s ears. Although she felt Bai Han betrayed her, the truth was she was never in love with him. After all, they were too young to consider a real relationship.


    "Do you want to have a drink?" She heard her cousin''s offer. It was Xia Ping waiting for her on the door.


    She pursed her lips before answering, "Why not?"


    That same day, she left her father''s house and stayed with her cousins for an entire week. She only returned to ask for compensation from her father.


    "Father I want to study further abroad - "


    "No! You stay here. We have been cut-off from working for the Royal Dragon, merely earning from the very little shares that we have," reacted Xia Zhao.


    "You can use part of Xuxu''s trust funds," Yanmei suggested with a smirk on her face.


    "How dare you?! That is my daughter''s trust fund - "


    "Compensation. That is what I am asking for. Compensate me for the shame that you have brought me by supporting me in my studies abroad. If not, Xuxu, I''d be happy to go to the Bai''s and ask compensation from them instead," she cut off her father''s mistress before giving a triumphant grin.


    Yi Meixu was burning inside, angry about the proposition, but she needed to win Bai Han''s family and thus she asked her father pitifully, "Father. Sister Yanmei is right, I did bring her shame. You can use my trust fund for her -"


    "No, my child. It''s not necessary. My income is enough," said Xia Zihao in a comforting tone. Turning to Yanmei, he said, "As you wish, Yanmei. I will send you off to take up higher education. I can only hope you can put it to good use one day and return me the favor."


    She could not believe her ears. She thought, ''What kind of father do I have? Asking me to return the favor one day when he can easily give in to his other daughter''s request.''


    Nonetheless, she took the opportunity to leave her father''s side permanently.

 Chapter 6: Going Home

    Five years passed.


    Xia Yanmei was at work, reviewing her presentation when her cousin called. Her nose wrinkled knowing she was about to get some nagging once again.


    "Hello cuz. Wazzup?"


    "Don''t wazzup me. Just because you have turned American, it doesn''t mean you should continue living in the US." It was her favorite cousin, Xia Ping calling.


    "Brother said, he needed help in the company. He wanted me to ask you if you can join him."


    "Pfft! Haha! Are you passing responsibility now, Mr. Xia Ping?"


    "Yanmei, I am a soldier. I have no plans of getting into the business. I cannot do the numbers. You know me too well. Besides, what are you still doing there? You''ve already finished your masters. You are only dragging your career growth."


    "Excuse me, but I happen to be an assistant manager for marketing here in the company. I am just not a simple nobody. Furthermore, I am enjoying wasting my father''s money!"


    They both fell into laughter at the thought of her father still sending her support money. She had told Xia Zihao that she failed a few classes and she needed to continue studying.


    The truth was, she also lied to her cousin. She was a mere marketing associate. It was hard to get a good position, being a foreigner in the US. Although she spoke good English, it was but natural for management to be partial to someone like her.


    In the middle of their conversation, Xia Ping became silent. Then he awkwardly said, "Yanmei¡­ Bai Han and.. and your ugly sister is getting married, by the way. I just wanted you to know that¡­ I guess the Bai family finally accepted Yi Meixu."


    Yanmei was caught off guard. The news was a surprise to her. She shook her head to awaken herself before answering, "Very good. They deserve each other and we both know it."


    When she ended the call, for some reason she felt gloomy. She did not care about the wedding at all, but it irked her that her father never mentioned it. She sat back in her office chair, thinking, "Come to think of it. He barely talks to me. He just tells me if he has sent the money."


    Upset, she called her best friend for four years, Garry. "Girl! I need some loving tonight! Let''s drink it!"


    Garry was gay, but she loved him. She could tell him anything and from happy moments to all of her sorrows and he would turn it into laughter. After living in the US for five years, she had picked up that most women backstab each other. Men only want to get laid! She ended up having more gay friends that she considered close.


    They met in a pub, a mile from where she lived and as soon as she arrived, Garry was already waiting for her.


    "Yanmei! Over here!" He sat right on the bar where it was easier for them to get more drinks.


    They kissed each other''s cheeks before she greeted him, "How are you? You look blooming today!"


    "Oh, haha. I got laid last night!" His hands then opened, attempting to grab on to something while adding, "He had a fine ass!"


    They both laughed before Yanmei answered, "I guess that is good for you¡­ Who was it this time?"


    "A boy -"


    "I would be shocked if it was a girl!" Yanmei cut him off, and they went about laughing again. She was used to hearing his dating adventures. Although his tales could easily give her a heart attack, she found it strangely amusing.


    She had to give it to Garry. He was living a life free from apprehensions. He was confident and funny, but too honest for his own good sometimes.


    "What about you, Yanmei? Your V should have some activity, you know. It''s going to run dry!"


    "Ssshhhh! Lower your voice, will you!" Yanmei checked if the bartender was watching and thank goodness he was busy. She turned back to him and said, "You know very well, I don''t have any plans of having a relationship. I don''t think I will ever!"


    Yanmei never dated anyone. She met a few, but the culture in the US would not meet her standards. She saw her classmates casually date just anybody. Even as she worked part-time, she heard stories from her colleagues about how they got a one-night stand.


    Not that she has anything against them, it was just not how she was brought up. The Xias were traditional in many ways.


    After getting some food in their stomachs, they began to indulge in some cocktails and it did not take long for them to act irrationally.


    "Yanmei, how is your superior doing?" Garry asked. They have always talked about her direct supervisor, Amanda, who was kissing ass with the big boss.


    "Oh, my gosh. I haven''t told you yet, but, remember Alice? She was able to capture a video of Amanda and the boss making out in the office! She even shared to me the video -"


    "Let me see!" Garry exclaimed.


    As soon as they watched the video, Garry went screaming, describing what went on as he looked, "Oh my god! They were doing it in the conference room? Ooooh... That''s hot! Oh, think his dick so big. No wonder, your supervisor is cheating on her husband!"


    Y: "Pfft! They are both married! They are both cheating! Wait¡­ what? How could you tell it''s big, they weren''t naked."


    G: "She is holding her dick! Are you blind? Send me a copy! It''s so hot!"


    Y: "I thought you don''t like women?!"


    G: "I''m not going to look at Amanda. I am going to imagine your boss! He is super hot! Why do you even have this? It was meant to be shared and not keep as a secret!"


    Y: "I was going to use it against Amanda! She has been giving me a hard time lately."


    G: "Bitch! Send it to me now!"


    Y: Who are you calling a bitch? You Bitch!"


    They drowned in laughter again, realizing their drunkenness was getting out of hand. In the end, Yanmei gave in and sent him a copy. She was yawning and rubbing her eyes as she opened her email from her phone and carelessly did as Garry wished.


    The next day, she arrived late at the office. Her head was aching terribly as she rushed through their office lobby. She noticed the receptionist gave her a frightful stare, but because she was in a hurry, she dismissed it and went to her desk.


    The moment she placed her bag, her office mate, Alice said, "Yanmei, the boss wants to see you."


    "What? Why? So early? Is it because I was late?" She asked, feeling a little nervous.


    Base on her reaction, Alice realized Yanmei had no idea what happened. She remembered Yanmei bidding goodbye yesterday, saying she was going to drink with her friend, Garry. She gulped before telling her the bad news, "Yanmei, remember the video I took between Amanda and the boss?"


    At that point, Yanmei''s heart was beating faster. She wondered why this was brought up all of a sudden. It was such a coincidence that she and Garry covered this last night. "Yes, what... about that?"


    "Well, you sent it to your friend, Garry¡­ and copied all of us, Yanmei." Tears then welled in her eyes and she added, "Yanmei, please don''t tell the boss that I took them. I really need this job."


    Yanmei took a deep breath and told herself, "Oh, well. I guess I am going home after all."

 Chapter 7: Wrapped Around Her Finger

    Ning Suyin was waiting for her daughter to come out from the airport''s arrival area. Finally, after five years her daughter has returned. It saddened her that she chose not to visit, not even once during the time she stayed in the US. They both only talked over video calls.


    "Yanmei! Over here!" She was teary-eyed at the sight of her daughter.


    Xia Yanmei hastily walked towards her mom, dragging along two of her huge luggage. She also felt emotional but tried to hold back her tears. "Mom? why are you crying? We talk almost every day!"


    They hugged each other very tight before heading to the hotel. She and her mother decided to stay in a hotel for a few days before Ning Suyin would return to the province.


    With the money that she had saved up, having worked while studying and after finishing her masters, Yanmei gave her mother some pampering after a day of rest. She took Ning Suyin to the spa and bought her new clothes. She also bought her grandparent''s gifts that her mother can bring back home.


    Tired of walking the entire day at the mall, the mother and daughter rested in a coffee shop while indulging in some refreshments. After settling down, they spoke about Yanmei''s plans.


    "What are you going to do after this?" Ning Suyin asked.


    Yanmei bit her lips before answering, " I am going to take up brother Ting''s offer to work for him."


    Before leaving, she and her cousin, Xia Ting had already agreed for her to work for the family business. The Royal Dragon Corporation had greatly expanded its trade shortly after her cousin''s take over on the company and he needed more help from those he trusted.


    Initially, she did not want to get involved with the business, knowing her father will use her for whatever purpose beneficial to him. However, she could not say no to her cousin.


    "Is that really what you want?" She heard her mother''s concern. It made her grin awkwardly altogether.


    Yanmei cleared her throat before answering, "To work in the best company? Yes. To get monitored and bothered by my father? No. I just hope he no longer has cronies within the company."


    "And, after my visit here in Guangzhou, where will you stay?" Her mother probed further.


    "I think¡­ I will stay with grandpa Gang for a few days. He has not been well these days. After I stay with grandpa, I will be staying with uncle Tao and brother Ting¡­ I am very in demand lately. They all want me to live with them. They all know I don''t want to stay with my father," said Yanmei.


    Ning Suyin was overwhelmed by the fact that her daughter was loved by the Xias. The family had a very strong bond which she recalled was fostered by her ex-husband''s grandfather.


    Although Xia Zihao nor Xia Gang was not part of the main family that created the Royal Dragon, the Xias preferred to bring-in their families instead of outsiders. Thus, it did not surprise Ning Suyin that her daughter would be asked to join the company.


    While they were chatting away, they heard a familiar voice call out to Yanmei.


    "Yanmei? Oh, Yanmei! It really is you! I can''t believe it!"


    They both turned to see who it was but only to be disappointed. They found Yi Meixu, coming towards them with Bai Han behind her.


    "Oh, boy," Xia Yanmei mumbled to herself.


    Yi Meixu immediately gave Yanmei a hug despite her greeting not being responded to. After pulling away, she merely received a grin from Yanmei.


    "Yanmei! When did you arrive? Why didn''t you tell us you were arriving? How long are you going to be here?" She laughed out of the blue before adding, "I''m sorry to be asking so many questions, but this is just a surprise! Did you tell father that you were returning?"


    "No, I did not tell father," Yanmei replied plainly.


    As Yi Meixu continued asking her questions, Bai Han kept staring at Yanmei, stunned by her presence. He realized that Xia Yanmei looked different from how she used to be. She looked mature and sophisticated, slightly westernized. He thought she looked rather attractive.


    His thought was suddenly interrupted when his fiance called him over. "Han! Han! Honey! Come over and say hi to Yanmei!"


    He walked over slowly and greeted the mother and daughter, "Good afternoon Yanmei and Mrs. Ning. It''s nice to see you again."


    Yanmei gave a fake smile and greeted him back. She was about to make an excuse to leave when Yi Meixu asked, "How long has it been? Five years? Surely, Yanmei, you must be over Bai Han by now right?"


    The question made her frown that she slightly raised her voice saying, "What? Get over Bai Han?"


    "Sister, please. I beg you, please forgive us already. Me and Han, we are getting married next week. I would love for you to attend the wedding - "


    "I will be busy by then and about forgiveness, it''s down memory lane. There is no need to bring it up, but please, you''ll have to excuse us. My mother and I have so much catching up to do." Yanmei quickly gestured to leave and bid goodbye to the two.


    They left hurriedly to avoid any further discussion. Their exchanged of words happened so fast and Meixu was putting words into her mouth. Yanmei did not like it one bit but instead of making a scene, she chose to leave in her presence.


    Yanmei heard Meixu sob and she could only imagine it was another drama. She chose to ignore it, pretending not to hear and walked out the door with her mother.


    After being meters away from the cafe, she could hear footsteps running towards them.


    "Yanmei! Yanmei!" She turned to see that it was Bai Han.


    When he caught up with them he asked, "Yanmei, please. If you have truly forgotten about the past. Can you spend time with her and connect Xuxu? She really felt hurt by the fact you were never in touch with each other."


    "Hmmm¡­ I really doubt that - "


    "How could you be like this, Yanmei? Xuxu, she loves and misses you dearly!"


    Yanmei took a deep breath and closed her eyes before telling him, "Look. I don''t know what she told you and I don''t expect you to believe me. However, she is lying and the worst part is, you believe her." She then shook her head before adding, "She has you wrapped around her fingers."

 Chapter 8: Delusional

    The end result of being found out by Yi Meixu was meeting her father. Xia Yanmei had no choice but to speak to him after her mother received threatening calls from Xia Zihao.


    The father and daughter were in the hotel coffee shop and have been for minutes, plainly staring at each other.


    "Why are you such an ungrateful child?" Xia Zihao asked. "What about your studies? Have you chosen to abandon five years of studying? What are you doing here? Answer me!"


    Xia Yanmei''s mouth twitched from left to right before she gave her response, "I finished my masters last quarter. I lied about not having graduated yet."


    She still lied. It had been a year since she had attained her masters degree, but she liked the idea of her father still sending her support money.


    "How could you do this to me? Why are you like this to me? Your own father?"


    "Do I have to explain myself? You ruined our relationship when you chose to betray our family. Worst, get a divorce to be with your mistress!"


    "For how long are we going to argue about this? You have to accept the truth. Yanmei, you have a sister and a step-mother - "


    "I''m sorry, father. However, you also have to accept the truth. I cannot accept your betrayal and you can''t make me. Now, I apologize for taking your support money, but that is all gone now. I will just repay you when I start working for brother Ting - "


    "Wait, did you say that you will be working for the Royal Dragon?" His father interrupted her, seemingly changing his point of view.


    She rolled her eyes, knowing what will happen next, "Yes. Brother Ting wants me to train under him directly."


    Her father''s smile was from ear to ear and his eyes glistened in excitement. "Wow! That is good to hear. Yanmei, please do well in the company. Soon you can help your sister get in as well."


    "You know very well that is not my decision to make. You know how uncle Tao and brother Ting is," she pointed out to him.


    She watched Xia Zihao contemplate on her words. After a few seconds, she heard him say, "Well, at least you can help your sister show to the Bais that you are already in good terms. It would really help her gain respect from the rest of the Bai Family."


    "What? Five years of being officially Bai Han''s girlfriend and she has not done that? Why do you need me to do that?" Yanmei questioned in protest.


    "Many of the Bais think that we are a broken family¡­ That we are not one - "


    "Of course, father. They are not blind."


    "Stop this! Stop this now, Yanmei. Be there at the rehearsal dinner and make sure to attend the wedding - That! That is all I am asking of you, Yanmei. Please, help your sister once in your life. I promise, I won''t ask for anything more," her father pleaded as he leaned forward to see his daughter''s reaction.


    She reluctantly agreed, knowing her father would not stop at disturbing her or her mother. After sending off Ning Suyin to the train station, she went home to her grandfather''s house.


    When Xia Gang learned that Yanmei was attending Yi Meixu''s rehearsal dinner and the wedding, he felt uncomfortable. He then elaborated to Yanmei how her sister had tried to win his side over the years to the point of defaming her. However, Xia Gang knew too well not to trust her half-sister.`


    "I''m telling you, Yanmei. That mother and daughter are up to no good. How dare they think I would replace you for them? I have known you since you were wearing diapers! I practically raised you with your father often wondering off to wherever!"


    Her grandfather''s words made her chuckle, but she assured him, she could handle Yi Meixu, "Don''t worry, grandpa. She could never affect me."


    The night of the rehearsal dinner came and Yanmei decided to arrive late for the event. When she reached the restaurant, she happened to see Yi Meixu talking to Bai Han''s cousins outside the private function.


    "My sister will be here later. Whatever happens, please don''t make her feel uncomfortable. Yanmei is still in love with Han and that is why she decided to attend the wedding party. I am worried that she will try to take Han''s attention but at the same time, I don''t want to hurt her. I love my sister so much," Yi Meixu said to two of Bai Han''s cousins.


    "What? I feel so sorry for Yanmei. I can''t believe she would do this."


    "Don''t worry, Xuxu. We are with you on this, we will watch her and make sure she does not even look at brother Han."


    Yanmei frowned and folded her arms against her chest, hearing Yi Meixu from where she stood. She murmured saying, "Delusional. Why do I even have to bother myself with this?"


    Before resolving to join the party, she thought of a great idea. It made her give out a naughty grin. She told herself, ''I might as well play with her.''


    Slowly, she opened the doors to the function room where the rehearsal dinner was held. Xia Yanmei walked-in elegantly in a white fitted cocktail dress, perfectly hugging her slender body. As she walked, her soft and silky hair bounced along every step she made.


    Everyone could see how more beautiful Yanmei had become. Having lived in the US so long, her skin was very fair, white as a pearl, nearly showed any pores. Along with her go-getter attitude, her presence awed all eyes that were on her, including Bai Han.


    Yanmei gave smiles to the Bais and greeted them politely before nodding to her father and going to the couple''s table. She completely ignored Yi Liling.


    "Hello, Xuxu," she greeted her half-sister and slowly diverted her gaze to Bai Han. She pushed behind her ear a lock of her hair before greeting him, "Han, nice to meet you again."


    Bai Han flushed instantly. He thought, ''How could I have not seen it before. Yanmei was absolutely more beautiful than Xuxu.''


    Yi Meixu was earlier angered by how appealing Yanmei looked, coming inside the room like she was the main event. Soon, she quickly recovered herself and greeted back, "Sister! I am so happy to see you. Finally, you are here!" She then turned to the Bai family and other guests, saying, "Everyone, my sister is here! I am so happy."


    Yanmei purposely hugged Yi Meixu and did the same to Han Bai. As she hugged him, she whispered to his ear, "Meet me at the Sheraton Hotel. 9PM at the lobby."

 Chapter 9: Rehearsal Dinner

    After greeting her half-sister and Bai Han, Xia Yanmei turned to the crowd and said, "Thank you so much for the warm welcome. I came here at my father''s and my sister''s request. Apparently, my appearance here is supposed to uplift your perception of her. Thus, here I am."


    There was utter silence in the Bai family after her revelation. Xia Zihao, for one, was furious at her words. Yanmei could see her father trembling in anger.


    "Anyhow, since I have already shown my beautiful face before you, I hope you can now fully accept Xuxu into the Bai family. If you will excuse me. I am really busy. I have to start working for the Royal Dragon tomorrow morning."


    Yanmei looked into the eyes of those who were envy and highlighted, "Yes, my distant yet so near cousin, one I consider my brother, the new CEO of the company will be personally training me. I had to leave my work in the States because Xia Ting insisted for me to join his side."


    It was not like her to boast, but she knew where it hurts the Bai family the most. She looked at the watch and said, "My it''s getting late and I just got here. Haha! Well since I have done my purpose, sis, and father. I hope I did a good job. I shall now take my leave since I am assured that my sister is happy."


    After giving her piece, she smiled at everyone and gave thumbs-up to her father and half-sister before leaving with grace.


    They all watched as she walked out of there confidently with her chin up. Even Bai Han, who was earlier in a daze from looking at Yanmei, was taken aback. His fiance earlier told him that it was Yanmei who insisted to join the rehearsal dinner. He asked himself, ''How come Yanmei was so eager to leave?''


    Yi Meixu saw her fiance''s cousins and aunts whisper to each other. She could tell she was a hot topic once more. While some kept it to themselves, there were a few who voiced out their curiosity.


    "I thought she wanted to be here? How come she just left like that?"


    "Xuxu, I thought it was Yanmei who insisted to attend the party? Why did she say you requested her to come?"


    Bai Han''s father who had already lost all hopes of reconnecting with the Xias could not help but be affected that he asked, "Is it true that she will be training for Xia Ting himself?"


    It had been five years since any of the Bais had connections with the Royal Dragon. Not even as a mere employee, they could not get inside the company. It was thanks to the engagement party that Han Bai ruined.


    Since then the Bai Industries have lost its previous esteem. From being the fourth largest company in the country down to the tenth.


    Yi Meixu never expected it to turn out like this. She knew there was no holding Yanmei to the event, but she at least hoped that Yanmei would stay to eat and she would get the chance to humiliate her further. She wondered what prompted Yanmei to tell on her and her father. In the end, it was her that was put to shame and not Yanmei.


    "I don''t know exactly what happened to her. Oh gosh, she is confusing me. She tells me one thing and does another. That is how it has always been every time we talked over the internet - "


    "But I thought you never spoke to each other, Xuxu?" Bai Han interrupted her.


    Yi Meixu''s mouth was left hanging at her fiance''s probing, but she managed to say, "Ah, a few times. It''s really irrelevant. Anyhow." She quickly turned to everyone saying, "I''m sorry for disrupting the party. Let''s just carry on without my sister."


    Bai Han frowned. Somehow, the pieces did not fit at all to him.


    If Yanmei''s announcement was not enough to ruin Meixu''s evening, her fiance walked out of the venue all of a sudden. She called him out, but he did not seem to listen. "Honey! Han? Where are you going?"


    "You stay here Xuxu, I need to speak to Yanmei." His words were like daggers sent to Yi Meixu''s heart and those who heard him looked at her significantly.


    It was nine o''clock sharp when Bai Han arrived at the hotel lobby of the Sheraton but to his dismay, there was no Yanmei. He wondered if he came late. He asked the front desk if a woman in Yanmei''s description was waiting in the lobby, but they said; they had noticed no one.


    Unfortunately, there was no way of reaching out to her either. He called his soon to be father-in-law to get Yanmei''s number, but Xia Zihao said, "It''s best not to speak to my daughter now, Han. She may only make-up stories. It''s enough that she nearly ruined your dinner rehearsal."


    Despite his pleading, Xia Zihao refused to give Yanmei''s number until he finally gave up.


    In the days that followed Bai Han looked for Yanmei in social media accounts, but after sending her a message. He was blocked immediately.


    Once, he waited at the Royal Dragon main office and even asked the receptionist to call her attention. He was asked to wait, but still, she never came down to see him. He was there for five long hours only to be told that she had left the office.


    Bai Han was in his office pondering. He did not understand himself. He was affected by the fact that Yanmei was ignoring him completely.


    For years, Yi Meixu had told him that Yanmei was still holding on to him and that was why she refused to talk to her. He believed his Xuxu but now he realized, how would she know if they never spoke to each other and during their rehearsal dinner, she revealed that they apparently had talked a few times?


    He was staring at his phone blankly. His wedding was about to happen in three days.


    Letting out a heavy sigh, Bai Han called his fiance and said, "Xuxu, I need time to think things through. Can we postpone the wedding, please?"

 Chapter 10: Half-Sister

    A wave of shock came to Yanmei when she learned that Bai Han had postponed their wedding. The two were supposed to have been wed the other day, but from what she heard, the marriage was postponed indefinitely.


    Somehow, she felt guilty. She knew her revelations during their rehearsal dinner may have contributed to it, but then again, she told herself, "Who the hell asked me to be there, anyway?" She rolled her eyes before adding, "So much for uplifting her status."


    Her father called her non-stop, but it wasn''t only Xia Zihao that kept troubling her. Bai Han already made his third visit for the week. It became too bothersome for her that she often rode with Xia Ting home.


    As months passed, the news of Bai Han and Yi Miexu''s breakup spread on social media accounts. All throughout, Yanmei had kept herself away from her father, her half-sister and especially Yi Liling. She knew they would put the blame on her. In fact, her father had asked for her many times while she was at work. Thankfully, she was successful at avoiding them.


    Because of her father''s pestering, Yanmei had changed her number and stayed with Xia Ting with his family temporarily. She had already found a place of her own but as she needed furnishing to be done, her cousin offered to adopt her momentarily saying, "I also need a part-time nanny at home. Haha!"


    One weekend, she woke up early, excited about their weekend trip with her cousins. She rushed to the adjoining bathroom, not realizing someone was already there. She was then in the showers when she looked through the glass partition. "Ahh! Oh my gosh, you startled me! Who - who are you?"


    She saw a woman with the most angelic face, brushing her teeth in the wash bin area. The woman finished what she was doing before answering Yanmei''s question, "You must be Yanmei. Wen told me you were staying in the other room."


    Yanmei stepped out of the shower area to hear the woman better. She thought, ''Thank goodness I was not naked yet.''


    "I''m Andrea Li. I''m Li Wen''s sister. It''s nice to meet you," said the woman. "I''m done brushing my teeth. You can take a shower, now."


    She reluctantly locked the other side of the door and went back to her bath. She pondered for a moment before asking herself, "Li Wen has a sister?"


    Li Wen was her cousin''s wife. As they had chatted many times before she left for the States, she was almost certain Li Wen never mentioned having a sister. It confused her, but nevertheless, no intruder could dare come inside her cousin''s mansion. Thus, she went on with her morning regime.


    When she came down for breakfast, Li Wen formally introduced Andrea to her, telling her she was her half-sister and had met just a little over last year.


    While they were eating their meal, Yanmei was awfully quiet that Xi Ting had to ask, "Anything wrong Yanmei?"


    "Oh, nothing. It''s nothing really. I - I am just surprised that you seem to be civil with each other - half-sisters I mean. Haha!" Yanmei replied honestly while trying to fake a laugh.


    Li Wen fully understood her words and explained further, "Yanmei, Andrea and I have a special connection with our mother. It started out by needing to know more about her. That''s how we became close as sisters. Furthermore, it was not Andrea or her father that broke my family. Thus, I kept an open mind about having a sister."


    She saw Andrea and Li Wen smile at each other pleasantly that it made her jealous. For two days that Andrea stayed with her cousin, she witnessed her affection towards Xia Ting''s children and closeness between her and Li Wen. It made her rethink her opinion about Yi Meixu. She asked herself, ''Should I give her a chance?''


    Eventually, she decided to meet her father and her half-sister after being enlightened by Andrea and Li Wen. Also, since she did not want to waste the opportunity, she asked to meet Bai Han at the same time.


    Her grandfather was not at ease, leaving Xia Yanmei to fend for herself in a possible battle. Thus, he also came along with her.


    Bai Han came first to arrive at the restaurant where she had reserved for a dinner meeting. Since Xia Zihao and Yi Meixu was not there yet, they had a chance to talk about their last encounter.


    They gave their greetings and after settling down, Yanmei spoke first, "Han, I''m sorry for having disturbed your rehearsal dinner. I did not mean to cause any conflict within your family. It''s just that I was angered."


    Bai Han was only smiling at Yanmei, thinking,'' Finally, she agreed to see me. She looked so beautiful today.''


    "Han?" Yanmei called his attention, seeing his mind was somewhere else. "Han? Did you hear me?"


    "Yes. I''m sorry. You were angered because? Was it because of our confrontation at the cafe when we first saw you?" He asked.


    "No. That''s not it." Yanmei first turned to her grandfather but seeing he was busy already eating his dim sum, she went back to explaining to Bai Han. "Han, Xuxu had been telling you and your cousins that I was in love with you and had been for the past years. She kept putting me down, making other people think that I was so pitiful holding on to you - but Han¡­ I was never in love with you, to begin with."


    Yanmei was engrossed with her narration that she did not notice the frown of Bai Han''s face. She continued to say, "I considered you as a good friend and even as there was no chemistry between us, I was willing to be your fiance, having known you for so long. I told myself back then, someday, I would learn to love you. After all, what''s not to like about you, right?"


    "I just wanted to lay it out on the table, Han. I am not after you nor am I making it difficult for Xuxu to be with you. I have no intention of taking a single attention from her, especially one that would come from you - I," said Yanmei before lowering her head. "I just wanted to make that clear¡­ and I hope you understand."


    When she looked up to him, Yanmei saw the hurt in his eyes that she leaned back, she was about to excuse herself when a slap came across her face!


    It was from her half-sister, Yi Meixu. "How dare you! How dare you seduce my fiance! You have planned this all along! You want to steal things from me like you stole my father for twenty years of my life!"

 Chapter 11: Illusion

    Yi Meixu''s hand left a mark on Yanmei''s face. She slapped her so hard that she nearly fell off her seat.


    "You violent woman! How dare you slap my granddaughter!" Xia Gang was the first to react.


    Bai Han''s mouth was left hanging, shocked at what had just happened. It was only when Yanmei stood up from her seat that he finally spoke, "Xuxu? What have you done? Yanmei and I were just talking?"


    Xia Zihao had apparently already followed Meixu inside the restaurant. He interrupted her daughter from speaking, directing his words at Bai Han, "Han, whatever you do. Do not listen to Yanmei. She had ruined your relationship with Xuxu. Nothing good comes out of her mouth!"


    Xia Yanmei was holding her cheek with one hand when her father let out his words. He looked Bai Han straight into his eyes and said, "See what I mean?" She then turned to grab her bag before saying, "To think I was here to meet both of you and make peace. I was so wrong that would ever happen!"


    She promptly went to Xia Gang''s side and they both hurriedly left the restaurant.


    "Where are you going? You have no respect for your father! Listen to me when I am speaking with you - "


    Xia Zihao''s words were cut off by Xia Gang''s slap onto his face. He said, "You are an unworthy father!"


    Bai Han could only let out a heavy sigh seeing Yanmei and her grandfather leave the restaurant. The opportunity to make up for past mistakes slipped away from his fingers because of Yi Meixu''s unfair judgment.


    Xia Zihao was shocked, to say the least, but he had long accepted that his father did not approve of his new lover and daughter. He quickly composed himself and turned to Bai Han, "Bai Han, you attend to my daughter right now. Look at her state?"


    Bai Han saw Yi Meixu weeping tears, nearly out of breath as she sat on the chair two seats away from him. He heard her say, "Han, how could you do this to me? I loved you¡­ I did everything for you? Why are you suddenly being cold to me after the dinner rehearsal?"


    No words came out and his mouth merely fell open. He could not even understand his feelings, how much more explain it to her.


    Seeing Bai Han irresponsive, Yi Meixu stood up and announced, "Well, that''s fine. I don''t care anymore. I will raise our child on our own and you won''t get the chance to know him!"


    Her revelation shocked him entirely, especially since he was confused with his feelings towards her. However, deep within him, he acknowledged that he had made loved to her recklessly, days before the dinner rehearsal.


    When Yi Meixu walked passed him, he finally spoke, "Wait¡­ You are pregnant?"


    "Yes, Han. I am pregnant with your child. I just found out today. Are you going to take responsibility?"


    Needless to say, Yanmei''s plan was a fail. In her case, making friends with her half-sister would seem like a mere illusion. Thus, after that day, she never contacted them again.


    A week followed and the news was spread about her sister''s wedding. Apparently, Yi Meixu and Bai Han made up. Their marriage will finally be realized.


    Bai Han still contacted her a few times, but she ignored him. One time she replied to his text saying, "Han, please be happy with my sister. I no longer want to have any affiliations with them¡­ and you as well. Thank you for the friendship back in college."


    He finally stopped after that, but Xia Gang told her that Bai Han often parked his car meters from the house. Yanmei lied and told her grandfather that Bai Han had a friend in the neighborhood. It was just a coincidence.


    Bai Han never knew that Yanmei moved to her own apartment. It was because of this that he came by Xia Gang''s home, hoping to get a glimpse of her. However, after doing so five times, he realized Yanmei was no longer living with her grandfather.


    Yi Meixu''s wedding happened within the weeks that followed and Yanmei was never invited to the wedding. Still, she did not care. She had officially forgotten that she had a father and especially having a half-sister. The only families she now considered were the rest of the Xias and her mother.


    She swamped herself with work and focused on helping her cousin manage the business. She went from being Xia Ting''s personal assistant to one of Royal Dragon''s Operations Supervisor then Director in one year. Her achievements were well recognized that on her birthday, her grandfather gave her his most valuable asset.


    "Happy Birthday, Yanmei. This is my gift for you," said Xia Gang while extending to Yanmei a brown envelope.


    She opened the contents of the envelope and saw a transfer document of her grandfather''s share of the Royal Dragon.


    "I regret having given 1% to your father. He does not deserve it," her grandfather declared. "I want you to have this now. My pension and a few of my apartments are enough to keep this old man alive. I don''t need so much any longer."


    Yanmei pouted her lips, looking at the piece of paper before saying, "Grandpa, this will make father come after me again, but you are right. He truly does not deserve his shares. He will only use it for Yi Liling. Thus, I will take it."


    True to her prediction, Xia Zihao was furious after learning that his father''s remaining 3% shares of the Royal Dragon was handed to Yanmei.


    He walked back and forth in his living room thinking of what to do.


    "This is a very simple problem," said Yi Liling. "Darling, we just need to use your friends in the company to get to her. Also, being your father, you have every right to ask support from her, now that she is officially richer than you."

 Chapter 12: Harrassment

    Xia Zihao has proven to be an awful father to Yanmei. He had requested his friends to make her stay more difficult in the Royal Dragon.


    The main office''s administration manager, Ms. Wang, was also very jealous of Yanmei''s quick rise to the top that aside from doing Xia Zihao a favor, she was willing to help. Of course, this woman was not made aware of how Yanmei got shares of the company.


    She helped spread rumors about Yanmei being an ungrateful child who took advantage of her father''s kindness by purposely delaying her studies in order to receive more support money.


    A week after another news spread that Yanmei had manipulated her grandfather to giving her shares to the company.


    Soon the story about her trying to steal her sister''s fiance also reached the office that her personal assistant had to raise the rumors with her.


    Yanmei''s only reply was, "How long have you worked for me? Do you honestly believe that I am capable of doing that?"


    "No! I couldn''t. That''s why I brought it up with you," said her assistant.


    "Then, follow your heart," Yanmei simply said before resuming her work.


    One day, as she came into the office, she found her very own space filled with notes with different messages, but all pointed to Yanmei being a disrespectful child and a home wrecker.


    Eventually, she went to Xia Ting''s office to report the harassment, and they ultimately found out that the orders came from Ms. Wang.


    It was only then when Yanmei was reminded of the fact that Ms. Wang was a friend of her father. Although she had always suspected it was Xia Zihao, never in her wildest dreams would she think that her father had become so desperate to use such cunning means to get her attention.


    Ms. Wang was naturally dismissed, but the damage to Yanmei''s reputation had already been done. Nonetheless, it did not matter to Yanmei for she and the Xias know the truth. To her, those that help spread the news were also victims of Ms. Wang''s manipulation.


    It did not take long for her father to be in contact and demanded to see her, but like always she ignored his request.


    Since she refused to see Xia Zihao, another friend of his went to her office and relayed the message. It was the Director of Sales at one of Royal Dragon''s umbrella company, Mr. Zim.


    Yanmei did not just receive agitation from her father but also from Mr. Zim, bothering her for not being able to confront her father and for taking what was rightfully his. One day, she gave in and met her father.


    "Give me the shares that your grandfather gave you," Xia Zihao demanded.


    "No. You are just going to use to please your mistress."


    "How dare you say - "


    "No! How dare you? Using your friends to get to me, you did not even care if they would lose their jobs just for your sake!"


    What Yanmei did not know was, his father had helped Mr. Zim get a recommendation from Bai Han to secure a higher position at the Bai Industries. Thus, he was willing to make the exchange. It was only Ms. Wang who acted without anything in return.


    "Okay, then at least pay me back for all the years that I have supported your masters!" Her father made his last bargain.


    Yanmei was tired of negotiating with him and because she did not want to waste any time, she gave him a check for a hundred thousand dollars. She said while handing it to him, "Take it or leave it."


    She thought it had ended there since her father immediately accepted the money. However, after a month, he contacted her again.


    When they met at a cafe across the Royal Dragon main office, her father appealed differently, requesting that she give her sister at least half of the shares.


    "You know very well I can''t do that. Xia Ting gave specific instructions for him to approve any sales to the shares. I''m pretty sure he will not allow the transfer. Besides, father. Xuxu is already a Bai. There is no need for her to be part of the Xias."


    As soon as she let out those words, she bid goodbye and walked out on him.


    At that point, Yanmei was getting tired of her father''s pestering. Upon returning to the office, she went straight to the CEO''s office and told her cousin, "I am resigning and I will give you the shares grandfather gave me. I never knew that having that on me would bring unnecessary trouble for me. Besides, I have worked so hard over the year. I need a break."


    Xia Ting was in disagreement, but he understood her. Instead, he arranged a different way for Yanmei to still help the company without going to the office. As for the shares, he said, "Let''s have the shares transferred to me, but that is still yours technically. I will have my assistant personally transfer the regular earnings to your account... When you are ready to take it back, just let me know."


    Weeks later Yanmei was lounging in her apartment, plainly being lazy when Xia Zihao called her again. This time, however, she was excited to meet him.


    They met in a restaurant at her father''s favorite restaurant and saw that Yi Liling and Yi Meixu was there with him.


    "Yanmei, I heard that you left the company. Is that true?" Xia Zihao asked the moment Yanmei took her seat.


    She gave a relaxed expression before answering, "Yes. I quit. Are you happy now? You have successfully made me give up on the Royal Dragon."


    "What about the shares?" Her father asked without a second to spare.


    "Oh, Brother Ting was so upset with me for quitting that he forced me to give the shares to him. If you want it so badly, go try to take it from him."


    Xia Zihao froze with the suggestion from his daughter. Just with the idea of trying to confront Xia Ting, he would rather commit suicide than to be killed by the current CEO''s devilish glare.

 Chapter 13: A New Bestie?

    Yanmei was smiling from ear to ear as she walked down the aircraft, having just landed in Korea. She could not explain the joy that she felt knowing she was oceans away from her father. She told herself, "Finally no one to bother me in this country."


    It has been more than seven months since she left the Royal Dragon Corporation, only to receive occasional project work from her cousin. Yet, her father continued to pressure her into getting Xia Ting to give back the shares to him. In the end, the pestering of her father and Yi Meixu did not stop.


    When she was offered the opportunity to work for China''s second largest company, Lu-Wei Enterprises, she took the chance, knowing her father has no affiliations to a company that was based in a different city.


    What came as an even better surprise for her was the offer to manage the company''s expansion and investment in Korea. This happened just merely after two months of working for the new office.


    Lu-Wei Enterprises happened to be owned by the Lu Family. It was Andrea Li, now Andrea Lu who initially invited her over to join the company. Technically, the company''s CEO, Lu Fang was now a brother-in-law to her cousin, Xia Ting.


    Now, here she was at Incheon International Airport ready to face her new undertaking.


    Carrying a piece of huge luggage, she came out from the airport''s VIP arrival area. Her meet and greet included her direct boss, Lu Fang, his wife, Andrea and Xio Hanxi, Andrea''s good friend which she strongly considered a brother. It was very easy to spot as behind them was a 2019 Mercedes Maybach.


    "Yanmei! Over here!" Andrea called out to her, eagerly.


    She walked confidently towards them and gave a sweet smile before exclaiming, "Oh, don''t worry. I can see you well!"


    She extended her hand to them and said, "Lu Fang, Andy. Thank you for giving me this opportunity and putting your trust in me."


    Yanmei received a warm hug from Andrea and she heard her say, "Welcome! Welcome to Korea. How was your flight?"


    "Very good. Their wine was exquisite. I could not dare to complain. You had me in first-class!" She responded pleasantly. She loved a good long flight with wine. It was perfect for taking a beauty rest.


    She then turned to Lu Fang, who was all smiles at her. He said, "Good afternoon, Yanmei. We are happy to see you and we wish you all the best in managing the company''s investment."


    Looking down at Andrea''s belly, Yanmei was reminded that Andrea was about four or five months pregnant that she said, "Wow, the babies are starting to grow."


    "Yes, it''s true," said Andrea as she looked down to her stomach before adding, "and that is why we need your help. We will have difficulty in travelling to Korea so this is where your role comes to in."


    "Absolutely! I look forward to drowning myself with work!" Her response invited mix reactions. Nevertheless, they all ended up laughing.


    Soon, they boarded the vehicle. While on the road, they discussed the location of the office and the environment at work.


    "Our investor for this expansion is my brother, Anton Yeong," Andrea said before explaining to her how they have different last names. Yanmei then recalled having this conversation with her in the past, that she just grinned in response.


    "For now, my brother gave us half a floor at his building, though he intends to have a new skyrise constructed where we can have more space," said Andrea.


    "So we are technically under your brother''s company?" asked Yanmei as she sat back on her inclined seat. She was sitting in front of Andrea as they spoke.


    Andrea nodded before confirming, "Yes, we are under JKW Investments. It is in this company name where my brother and his family hold several partnerships with many other corporations within the country and a few of them outside. His prized and most cared for, however, is the Yeong Guns and Ammos Corporation, the biggest arms manufacturing and dealership business in the country."


    "So technically, you will report to both Anton and to me, but for the most part, you will only be sending me reports and answer to any of my queries," Lu Fang explained.


    The three talked more about what Yanmei should expect until she noticed Andrea take a moment to pause as if she was about to break the bad news. "There is one very important detail you should know about my brother. It''s something, we are hoping you could live with."


    Xia Yanmei''s eyes opened wide in curiosity, "Oh? What is it? He is not a scumbag, is he? By the way, I don''t like pervs!"


    Andrea laughed but was quick to say, "No! no, no¡­. The thing about my brother is¡­ He hates women."


    Her words made Yanmei frown instantly. She said to herself in silence, ''Great now I have to deal with a woman-hater?''


    "What''s so wrong with women?" she asked.


    "Nothing! He treats me fairly - "


    "You are his sister, Andy," Yanmei cut her off while trying to prove a point.


    She clearly saw Andrea gulped in her own fluid before disclosing, "He''s gay! Yep¡­ We think he is gay."


    "Oh¡­ I see what you mean," said Yanmei. She recognized that some gays, when still hiding their true selves, acted as if they disliked women.


    Andrea nodded several times and added, "Umhuh¡­ So he might push you away, but it doesn''t mean he dislikes you. I just hope you''ll be patient with him, considering he is in denial."


    Xia Yanmei was in deep thought. The truth was, she always felt sorry for those who had a different sexual preference, yet could not express it. She had a few gay friends herself back in the States where she studied. Eventually, she came to concede with plans of helping Anton Yeong be himself.


    "But, Yanmei. You must not tell a soul about our suspicion. He is going to deny it for sure and he will not like it - "


    "I understand, Andy. Such a powerful man like himself, he would feel the need to hide the truth to everyone." Yanmei''s expression turned soft thinking about the circumstance of Andrea''s brother.


    Then out of nowhere, her eyes brightened, and she immediately announced, "I''m already thinking of setting up your brother up with a gay friend of mine who lives in New York! I''m sure he would be delighted to fly to Korea at any time."


    The thought excited Yanmei. One of her best friends was gay, and she does not mind getting a new gay friend in Korea. While smiling with excitement, she told Andrea, "I think it''s great. I will have a new bestie."

 Chapter 14: A Man in a Womans Body

    Yanmei was taken aback by the sight of the building they were about to enter. She swiftly turned her gaze to Andrea saying, "it''s huge! Nearly as big as the Royal Dragon''s main office!"


    Seeing Yanmei''s reaction, Andrea giggled and nodded before saying, "Yes, and that is just one of the company that the Yeongs own. The weapon factor is based in another city. I''m sure you''ll get a chance to see it too."


    Yanmei became excited. Although she has yet to meet Andrea''s brother, she could feel her bright future was here in this very company and in this country.


    When they reached the building, they took a private lift to the top floor where the President''s office was located. Yanmei''s eyes wandered, and she was quickly amazed at how serious each staff was working. It reminded her of the Royal Dragon''s environment, but she concluded silently, ''though, this office feel seems a bit stiffer than Brother Ting''s.''


    Entering the CEO''s office, she saw the surrounding area was spot clean. The floor shone better than her shoe. The interior was nothing but a mix of white and black and the same could be said about the man sitting behind the huge desk.


    She stood behind Lu Fang and Andrea, but she could see well the man''s ferocious look that was plastered on his ruggedly handsome face. He had a slightly wavy hair up to his neck and a scar on his brow.


    She gulped while staring at him. She had never seen such an intense gay person in her entire life. She thought, ''this girl needs some loosening up!''


    "Hi Yeong! So -So I like - I told you about the representative from our side who will be working with you - "


    "And?" Anton Yeong asked, cutting off Andrea''s words.


    "Brother, here she is," said Lu Fang as he stepped back and placed a hand behind Yanmei''s shoulder.


    Before Anton Yeong could react, Andrea quickly made introductions in an excited tone, "Bro, this is Xia Yanmei. She is a cousin of Brother Ting and acted as Lu Fang''s stand-in in Beijing."


    "Yanmei is a fast learner and can sweep through a pile of work without making any mistakes! She would greatly contribute to the success of our venture with JWS Investments," she heard Lu Fang add.


    Yanmei looked left and right to both Lu Fang and Andrea while nodding her head, smiling. It was not like her to humble herself down but seeing Andrea''s brother; she concurred that he was scary, even more frightening than her cousin, Xia Ting, back in the day.


    ''Although he was good looking, there was nothing else pleasing about this man,'' Yanmei told herself as she closely studied the man in the black suit.


    Anton Yeong was not responsive. With his eyes, he merely threw daggers at her, making her utterly uncomfortable. She tried her best to stay cool and kept her smile until she heard him should, "I don''t like women directly reporting to me!"


    Yanmei immediately thought, ''Boy, he got it bad. Poor guy. He badly needs help.''


    She quickly recalled how it was with Garry and some of her gay friends that she blurted out, "I understand how you don''t like women and I support you wholeheartedly."


    Andrea and Lu Fang looked at her with confusion.


    She said the words with great sincerity and concern on her face that made Yeong confused. He repeated himself, "Are you a lunatic? I just said I detest women!"


    ''Of course! You like men. I get it.'' Although these were the words that played in her head, what came out in actual were, "Oh, you were referring to me?"


    Yanmei laughed all of a sudden, further surprising Andrea and Lu Fang.


    "I''m sorry. Sometimes, I forget. I am actually a woman. The truth is, I am a man trapped in a woman''s body!" She said out loud before laughing again.


    "Haah!" Andrea exclaimed while taking a few steps back, looking like she was ready to faint. She called for husband saying, "Babe, carry me to the lounge area. I want to take some rest."


    Lu Fang quickly lifted his wife, but just before leaving, Andrea glanced at Anton Yeong and warmed him, "Yeong! You better make this work! I can''t have my husband flying here almost every week as my stomach gets bigger every day¡­ Work with Yanmei or these babies aren''t seeing Mommy Soon!"


    Yanmei did not fully understand what was happening or know who was Mommy Soon, but what was evident to her was the fact that she also needed to make this man trust her. She said to him, "Mr. Anton Yeong. I don''t know why you had let go of those words, saying you do not like women working for you, but whatever is your perception of women that made you look down of us - please, please give me a chance to prove you wrong."


    Yanmei saw Anton Yeong''s expression had earlier been sour following Andrea''s threat, but after giving her two cents, she saw his face changed. She watched as he took a deep breath and suggested surrender, saying, "Tell me about yourself!"


    Yanmei''s lips curved into a smile and she quickly narrated her work background and achievements. She also shared a few things about her personality and towards the end, she said, "I promise to never steal your men - whoever it is - I mean, I am not into men. You¡­ have my word."


    She was about to say more when they heard a knock on the door. A girl in her mid-twenties came inside with her head down while taking steps. "Mr. Yeong. I''m sorry to come up but the Vice President was still entertaining the new clients in his office. He asked me to bring this to you. Your assistant is on break."


    "Put it here," Antong Yeong said.


    The girl slowly walked towards the table and the moment she dropped the folders she quickly stepped back.


    Yanmei saw an immediate opportunity that she praised the girl, "Wow, you are so beautiful."


    She then saw her hurriedly left and when the doors were shut back again, her mouth fell open and her eyes glistened in excitement. She said, "So cute, don''t you think? That is absolutely my type!"

 Chapter 15: What is Wrong With This Woman?

    Anton Yeong was a man who grew up to be indifferent. This was because his childhood was a difficult one. His biological parents taught him that life has full of enemies and that he could only trust family.


    While studying, he had come to the conclusion that women only talked about irrelevant matters like shopping, spa, idols, looking beautiful, backstabbing and lastly, women talked a lot about boys. He would often hear girls talk about boys in the hallways at school or at the stairs. Thus, he did not like spending time with girls.


    For him, he had better things to do. He cared not about what others do to their lives and on their own time, so long as it does not involve him. He spent most of his time working on himself.


    He was trained on how to fight for as long as he could remember, strengthening himself so he could protect his family and his empire. He had no time to socialize or make friends, especially with women.


    Despite him being aloof, he still often caught the attention of women.


    Back in college, his mother celebrated her birthday and held a party. His classmate, Baek Hei-ran, a daughter of his father''s business partner, pretended to sprain her ankle. She immediately requested assistance from Anton.


    Baek Hei-ran was a sweet and beautiful girl. Her family came from one of the wealthiest and she had everything, but unfortunately, the boy that she fell in love with just would not give her any attention. Since she was young, she had long liked Anton. Back then, she had hoped her scheme would bring them closer together.


    Anton''s father, Yeong Jae-won grew fond of Hei-ran as she was a charming child that often come to their home and requested to play with Anton. Unfortunately, his son''s games were not something that Hei-ran appreciated. Thus, seeing her get hurt, he immediately instructed Anton to attend to her.


    Anton''s face instantly turned gloomy at being asked to help a woman, but because he respected his father, he carried her to another room. He left her for minutes to get an ice pack and some bandages. After his return, he helped her feet get some cold compress before wrapping it with bandages.


    "Are you okay now?" Anton Yeong asked.


    "I feel better now, thank you," said Hei-ran with a delicate smile on her face. She then tried to stand up with his assistance but all of a sudden she fell on top of him on the floor.


    He heard her chuckle and said, "I''m sorry, Anton. I''m so reckless."


    Anton Yeong could feel her stare at him, but he only looked the other way and asked, "can you get off me now?"


    "But, don''t you want me? Don''t you want me at all?" He heard her say before hugging him strenuously, pressing her breast against his chest.


    Since Hei-ran would not get up, he pushed her away and said, "You should be okay, now. I''ll ask my bodyguard to assist you walk back - "


    "No! Anton, no!" She ran to him and hugged him from behind and even went as far as touching his manhood.


    Anton Yeong felt he had lost his patience. Apparently, her ankle was not hurt at all. Realizing this, he swung his body vigorously until she had no choice but to let go. He then turned to her and put two of his hands around her neck. He gave it just a little strength, enough to hopefully scare her away.


    He asked, "Why? Why are you bothering me when I never gave you any attention?"


    Seeing the fear in her eyes, he soon let her go but he continued to ask, "Why do you keep bothering me? Answer me!"


    "Because - Because you are handsome and - so mysterious!" He watched her hesitate and slowly look up to him. A tear fell down her cheek before she added, "To me, you are being so mysterious is attractive... I can''t help but love you!"


    He shook his head in disgust. He could not understand it. He was distant and unfriendly, yet Hei-ran still found his mysteriousness attractive.


    Since then, he stayed up in his room when his parents held parties. He had grown his hair longer, hoping to look less attractive, and he wore dark-colored clothes to help give him that dark aura. He thought he could at least scare away the women around him.


    Women had made less attempt to seduce him after changing himself until he became the CEO of his father''s company. He became one of the most eligible bachelors in the country, making him more tempting to everyone''s eyes. This was especially true to the eye of his previous assistant who drugged his drink, hoping to get laid with him.


    Unfortunately for her, Anton Yeong had good self-control. Instead of getting laid, her previous assistant nearly got injured by Anton''s anger. It was after that incident that he officially declared war against women.


    He ended the contract of those women who would need to converse with him and most often only hired male new employees.


    Back to the Present.


    Anton Yeong was caught off guard at Xia Yanmei''s actions. He had never met a lesbian before. He asked himself if this was real, but seeing her casually talk to him with confidence, it meant he did not affect her.


    Most women would blush or stole glances at him, but not this woman. He said to himself, ''Maybe she really is a lesbian?''


    It took him minutes before he finally decided. He stood up from his seat and said to her, "I will give you a chance, but only for a month. If I find out you are not gay, you are done. If I find out that you are flirting with men in any way, you are gone! You understand?"


    He saw her gave several nods and after his last statement, she said, "I absolutely understand! Don''t worry! You can have them all. All the men! They - are -yours and yours alone."


    Yanmei then smiled and gave him a thumbs up.


    His brows drew together and he asked himself, ''What is wrong with this woman?''

 Chapter 16: His First Rejection

    ''What is wrong with this woman?'' Anton Yeong asked himself. He could not understand what she was trying to imply. He was about to dismiss her and have his assistant guide her to the new office when he thought of testing her.


    Anton abruptly stood up to study Yanmei properly. He loosened his necktie as he walked around her, looking at her from head to toe.


    He first looked at her alluring eyes. He instantly saw they were admirable. He allowed her to see him properly, yet despite his aggressive approach, she was not bothered. Instead, she looked back at him without hesitation. She barely even blinked as they looked at each other.


    Yanmei did not look away from his light brown ones that seemed to swallow her whole. They were intense, but they were beautiful at the same time. She asked silently, ''Wow! Is he wearing contacts? Wonder what shade is that?''


    He looked down at the crook of her neck and saw she was wearing a Saturn inspired necklace. It wasn''t a typical girlish type of pendant. He was used to seeing fancy necklaces around a rich woman''s neck.


    Yanmei watched him stare at her jawlines and her slender neck. When his eyes came looking back up, she extended her neck for him to see visibly while pouting her lips. She wondered if he was jealous of her, just like her friend, Garry.


    She made a comment in secret, ''I hope you don''t consider surgery. Andy might get heartbroken. Huhu.''


    Wearing a black turtle neck dress and a burgundy shaded coat, Yanmei looked simple but stylish. Anton Yeong recognized that although she seemed to have a good figure; she was not showing off any skin nor was she posing to attract him. Her choice of shoe was elegant but not glittery nor daring in color.


    His actions were giving Yanmei mixed assumptions. It dawned to her that aside from being jealous of her female body, he also liked her clothes, so she blurted out, "I have a red color just like this, but - " She cut herself off observing how the tall and how well built he was, there was no way he would fit in her coat.


    She gave up on the thought and offered an alternate option instead, "You know what? I can have a customized coat made for you - "


    "What? What are you talking about?" Anton asked before folding his arms across his chest.


    Yanmei''s eyes moved from left to right before responding, "You - like - my coat?"


    He frowned at the sight of her brows raising while confirming her thoughts. He quickly answered, "No, I don''t like your coat."


    ''Yeah, right? Fine. Deny all you want,'' Yanmei said to herself before she laughed and said, "You are hilarious."


    "I was not even trying to be funny!" He firmly replied before putting both his hands on his waist.


    Anton was expecting her to melt away with his stares and pretend advances, but instead, she thought he liked her coat?


    ''Maybe it''s really possible,'' thought Anton Yeong, ''Let me give my final test. Most women would fall for this in an instant.''


    He had long used this technique for years. He was questioning women''s motives, getting close to him in any way. So far, all of those women failed miserably that he was certain Yanmei would also fall for it.


    He would suggest for a kiss and every time he tried this on a woman, she would either fall into his arms or attempt to kiss back.


    He took two steps forward while his eyes remained glued to her. He then blinked and looked at her beautiful lips before moving closer.


    Yanmei saw him lean over. Her mouth formed into a circle and her brows knitted together, wondering what he was up to. She asked herself, ''Was he leaning in for a kiss?''


    Her head was frantically trying to find the answer and then, an idea popped into her head. "Oh! I am so sorry! I did not realize you are into that¡­ You must travel to Europe a lot."


    She also leaned over that their cheeks nearly touched. Slightly tilting her head up, she blew a kiss in the air. She pulled back, giving him a smile and did the same on the other cheek.


    "There, there," Yanmei said. "I''m sorry. It took me a while to recognize you were about to welcome me the Italian way - but some of my friends do cheek-kiss. It''s pretty typical for some of my ga -"


    "My friends... Haha!" She managed to stop herself from saying gay.


    Anton Yeong was stunned, to say the least. He offered a pretend kiss, but the woman in front of him gave him a cheek-kiss, merely blowing it in the air. Their cheeks did not even touch.


    He stepped back as a frown appeared on his face.


    Just very timely, his sister came to check on them and that was his signal to let her go. Obviously, she did not show any romantic interest in him. At least¡­ for now.


    He quickly sat back behind his desk, disappointed. He did not look back at her and merely called for his assistant, "Junsu, come inside and show Miss Xia Yanmie to the new office."


    "Thank you¡­ Thank you for giving me a chance, Mr. Yeong. I assure you, you won''t regret it," said Yanmei while giving a bow. She maintained her smile even until she followed Junsu and shut the door.


    When Anton was left alone in his office, he was in deep thought. Was it really possible that there was such a woman who showed no malice toward him? He was asking this, but the truth was, he was dismayed that Yanmei did not respond to him.


    He looked fearfully at the window when a realization hit him; it was literally his first rejection from a woman.


    "What am I thinking? Why am I even angry? I was only pretending, anyway," Yeong said before letting out a heavy sigh and returning to his work. "Xia Yanmei, I''ll be watching your every move."

 Chapter 17: A Lesbian?

    Yanmei was relieved that she made it through the day having no conflict with her new and second boss, Anton Yeong. ''Wow!'' She thought, ''such a stiff guy for a gay person.''


    She could not help but compare Anton to Garry, who was almost always a jolly person. She figured it was because he has yet to reveal himself.


    Following Junsu to her new office, she met some staff along the way; those who were expected to work under her care. They were transferred from different departments and lines of businesses to accommodate anew.


    Yanmei was introduced as the Operations Manager from Lu-Wei Enterprises, China who will manage the new joint venture.


    Yanmei immediately noticed that strange look from some of the staff. She asked Junsu curiously, "Is there something wrong with my face? Why do I get this feeling that they don''t like me?"


    Junsu laughed before saying, "It''s not that at all, Ms. Xia - "


    "Pfft! Please, call me Yanmei," she said while brushing off the idea with her hand.


    Junsu was stunned to see such a relaxed person. He had longed hope for someone to give life to this chilling office.


    "Well then, Ms. Yanmei. It''s primarily because they rarely see a manager who is young and¡­. a woman. The more you stay here you will find out that many managers and supervisors working for JKW Investments are men. There are a few women, but they are usually in their late fifties and already married," explained Junsu. "It really is a long story but our boss - "


    "Oh, I know - I know about it. Andrea already gave me a heads up," said Yanmei before patting Junsu in the back. "Thank you for taking me here."


    She saw Lu Fang and Andrea waiting for her in her office. She could tell they were curious about her conversation with her new boss. She gave them a thumbs up, suggesting she passed with flying colors.


    The moment she entered her space, she excitedly opened her mouth, ready to report how it all went when Andrea silenced her saying, "Shhh¡­. Let''s talk about it outside." Yanmei saw Andrea pointing her fingers to the surveillance before whispering, "My brother has eyes and ears everywhere¡­ Let''s talk more over dinner."


    "Junsu, can you please arrange an assistant for Yanmei?" Lu Fang asked before Junsu could take a leave.


    "Oh - I really prefer working with a girl. I hope there is one in this building?" Yanmei pleaded after giving a sneer.


    They all laughed at her request but Junsu soon answered, "There are a few. Don''t worry. For entry-level positions and non-managerial, we have quite a few women working for the company." Glancing at Yanmei, he said, "I''ll check with the other departments and see who can immediately transfer to your care, Ms. Yanmei."


    During dinner, Andrea and Lu Fang took Yanmei to a five-star restaurant, and it was there that she revealed how she convinced Anton Yeong to give her a chance.


    "I persuaded him that I was gay too. This way, he would not worry about me stealing all the men around him!"


    Yanmei saw Lu Fang spat out his drink back to his glass, nearly choking. She wondered if she said anything wrong. "Everything okay?"


    "Haha! He is fine, don''t worry about it, Yanmei. He just choked on her drink," explained Andrea. She saw him seemingly convincing her husband. "Right, babe?"


    "Right! Sorry, Yanmei," acknowledged Lu Fang.


    Yanmei noticed both of them were acting strangely like they were hiding things from her but she dismissed her suspicions and went on explaining her assumptions towards Yeong''s predicament.


    "You see, I think the reason he doesn''t like women around is that he hates them taking men''s attention. He is still in search of Mr. right after all." She paused for a moment before expounding, "You see, my gay friends always hated bringing me along on dates as I would end up attracting their partner."


    Yanmei noticed Andrea paled. She was about to express her concern when she heard her spoke, "But, you are not a lesbian, are you?"


    The question made Yanmei laugh hysterically that she asked back, "Well, what do you think, Andy?" She then turned to the also puzzled man beside Andrea and asked, "What about you, Mr. Lu? Do you also think I am a lesbian?"


    The couple gave stares at each other and later Andrea answered, "Well¡­ we hope that you are not¡­"


    Yanmei laughed again but eventually answered earnestly, "No! I am not! I only said that so he can be comfortable with me." She winked at them and added, "You see, now he does not see me as a threat!"


    "So relax, will you. I am not going to steal any of your brother''s collection of handsome men! Did you noticed how many young and good-looking men are working for JKW Investments," disclosed Yanmei before taking a sip of her drink.


    "Makes me wonder if he has had a relationship with any of them - "


    "No! definitely not¡­ I would know," said Andrea, cutting off her thoughts.


    That night, Yanmei stayed in a hotel while an apartment was being arranged for her. She took the time to learn more about her new boss, Anton Yeong, searching through the internet, using her laptop.


    Sitting on a couch, she googled and googled but found very little information about him. She realized he was such a private person.


    She only found one article which was dated a few years back. She breezed through it and read out loud her findings, "The new CEO of JKW Investments and Yeong Guns and Ammos Corporation. Single¡­ Took over the company at a young age of twenty-seven..."


    Yanmei paused for a second reading the next line, "rumored to have been in a relationship with a model and actress, Baek Hei-ran?!"


    A picture of the actress was included in the blog article and she could not help but exclaim, "Oh, my gosh! She is so beautiful!"


    "Oh, my poor beauty¡­ I hope she is just a paid actress¡­ Wait¡­ what if she is a cover-up? Tsk, tsk, tsk¡­"

 Chapter 18: The Private Lift

    As always, Anton Yeong arrived early at the office. Work starts at nine in the morning for most of his employees, but he came every seven or seven-thirty.


    "Sir, would you like me to wait in the parking area or would you like me to drop you off in the office entrance?" Asked Minsuh, his personal driver.


    "I''ll be at the office today, Minsuh. Please go home and attend to mother''s needs," Anton replied while getting some last-minute work done on his laptop. He realized they were about to pull out the driveway.


    After closing his laptop, he saw Xia Yanmei getting off from a taxi. He noticed she wore the same coat, but underneath it was female trouser.


    The moment he saw her enter the office building, he immediately squinted and went to open his laptop again. His fingers speedily made its way to the office''s security system and made some modifications.


    "Sir, we are here," said Minsuh.


    "Thank you. I will call you in the evening if I need a driver," he said before stepping out of his black Mercedes.


    Entering the office, the security opened the glass doors for him. "Good Morning, Mr. Yeong."


    The concierge who was a hundred meters away did not miss his powerful presence and greeted him the same as he walked towards the elevators.


    Only the woman up ahead did not seem to notice him at all. He cleared his throat to catch her awareness, but still, she did not even turn to his direction. Instead, she walked passed him, calling out for assistance, "Security, there is something wrong with the revelators."


    ''How dare this woman ignore me,'' He told himself in silence as the corner of his eyes crinkled.


    Xia Yanmei had been pressing on the elevator buttons for minutes, but nothing happened. She figured they were not functioning at all.


    She thought about taking the stairs, but she did not bring any extra clothes with her. She will surely sweat, going up to the 20th floor.


    After asking for assistance, she hurriedly walked back to same spot and bumped into a man with a very, very firm chest.


    ''Oooh! Armani,'' she thought. ''He smells really nice.''


    She looked up to find out who it was and realized it was her other boss, Anton Yeong. "Oh, my gosh! I''m sorry. Boss - Mr. Yeong. Good Morning¡­Did I - did I hurt you?"


    "How could someone like you hurt me?" His only words.


    She laughed at his sarcasm and poked his chest with her finger saying, "Well, obviously.." She then simulated to show her biceps before adding, "You are pretty strong! Of course, how could this frail body of mine hurt you."


    Anton ignored her remark and pressed on his private lift. It opened freely, and he heard her say, "How unfair."


    He walked inside and held down his elevator, waiting.


    Nothing happened. There was no reaction from Yanmei either.


    He put his hands inside his pockets and waited again.


    Yanmei was curious about what he was waiting for but she only pouted her lips and said to him, "Bye, Mr. Yeong."


    ''Stupid,'' He thought. He shook his head before saying, "I did not wait this long if I had no intention of letting you ride with me."


    "Oh, I''m sorry Mr. Yeong. My apologies. Thank you for letting me aboard your golden elevator," said Yanmei as she hurriedly went inside.


    ''Impressive,'' she thought. It really was made of titanium-gold, stainless steel.


    Yanmei quickly pressed on the 20th floor and stood in silence the entire time. She smiled from time to time when their eyes met from the wall''s reflection.


    When the doors opened for her, she stepped outside without delay and turned to appreciate Anton''s generosity, "Thank you for the ride, Mr. Yeong. Rest assured, I will not disturb you on your private lift moving forward."


    She smiled professionally and bowed her head before taking a leave.


    The next two days, the same thing happened again. She ended up riding with Anton Yeong, using his private lift.


    On the third day, Anton asked, "I thought you said, this would not happen again?''


    She laughed at him without saying a word. Once the door opened, she rushed outside while thanking him altogether.


    Yanmei did not understand how the elevators would fail early in the morning when her staff confirmed that it was always working for them.


    One of the security guards told her, "Ms. Yanmei. We don''t understand ourselves. It only does not work each time you arrive."


    On the fourth day, the same thing happened again and like before, Anton Yeong arrived at the office lobby. When she saw him, her eyes went round and her jaws nearly dropped.


    This time, however, she came prepared. Instead of riding with Anton Yeong, she took the stairs knowing she had an extra blouse with her that day. She never liked coming late to work and had always made it a habit to arrive earlier in the office, but as of recently, it may not be such a good idea.


    That day, Yanmei already had an official assistant. Her name was Yeona. She was five years younger than her yet, despite being young, she was a sophisticated thinker and Yanmei loved that about her. They instantly clicked and decided to go shopping together after work.


    It was already late when Yanmei finished her presentation for Anton and Yeona waited for her. They hurriedly fixed themselves before taking the elevator down.


    "Oh, Yoena. Your mascara smudged!" said Yanmei.


    "Oh, no - "


    "Here, let me help you clear that," Yanmei offered, taking out a tissue from her bag.


    With her back facing the elevator doors, she removed the stain on Yeona''s lower eye. Just as she was done, the sound of the lift rang, suggesting they were already at the ground floor.


    "There, all pretty now," said Yanmei with a smile.


    "Thank you, Ms. Yan - Mr. Yeong! Good evening," Yeona cut herself off, seeing Anton Yeong staring at them from outside the lift.


    "Good evening, Mr. Yeong," said Yanmei, after she quickly turned to greet her boss.


    Anton Yeong saw Xia Yanmei being intimate with a woman using the company elevator. It was no wonder she would rather take the stairs than to take the private lift with him.


    He merely nodded at them and walked away with dismay written all over his face. Since it was outside the office hours, it was technically none of his business. He preferred not to confront Yanmei.


    Since then, Yanmei had not had any trouble with the elevator, regardless of what time she arrived at the office.

 Chapter 19: Mommy Soon

    Andrea and Lu Fang came to visit Yanmei in her office before returning to China. She wished she could send them off, but work was in the way and she wanted to prove Anton Yeong that she was deserving of the opportunity.


    "Goodbye, Yanmei and please, take care of yourself here¡­If you need anything, just asked for Junsu or you can call or text me¡­ I will bug my brother to attend to your needs," said Andrea after giving her a warm hug.


    Turning to Lu Fang then back to Andrea, she assured them, "Don''t worry about me. I''m a chameleon. I can easily adapt to wherever you put me."


    Andrea smiled at her and studied her for a moment. Soon enough, she said, "In any case, I left an angel to look after you, by the name of Mommy Soon."


    "Mommy Soon?" She asked with her brows raised.


    "Yes, Mommy Soon. She will be your guiding light," Andrea giggled before winking at her. "Don''t worry. She will visit you soon."


    Before seeing them go, she thanked the couple for trusting her with the job and for the very wonderful apartment they had arranged.


    She had seen the apartment the other day with Yeona, tagging along. It was a fully furnished apartment, chic and very spacious, conveniently near the office. She would move in during the weekend and Yeona offered to help.


    It did not take long for her to meet her angel. One afternoon, she was occupied revising a document when she noticed a woman with elegance walking towards her office. Her space was only divided with a glass wall and she preferred not using blinds. The set-up allowed her to see her staff''s activity from where she sat.


    Yanmei could not help but appreciate the lady''s beauty and style. She could tell she was a woman of wealth. Her face was clear, white as a pearl. Her hair shone and bounced as she took steps. Her jacket definitely spelled Chanel all over and the same could be said with her bag. She was pretty sure her shoes would also be a product of the same brand.


    The lady waved at her and gave a pleasant smile. She noticed everyone bowing their heads to her like she was the boss. Her brows drew together wondering who could this goddess be.


    She could not hear her but her lips formed into words saying, "Can I enter?"


    She merely nodded, still awed by her grace and beauty.


    "Good afternoon. Xia Yanmei, right?" The woman asked with the biggest smile on her face.


    Yanmei''s mouth parted, surprised that she knew her by name. "Yes, that''s me."


    "Oh! I knew it!" The elegant lady walked towards her hastily and said, "Let me take a look at you. Stand up, stand up!"


    For some reason, her gut told her to follow as directed. She looked outside and saw all her staff was plainly looking at her office. Some had their mouths hung open and she could see others gossiping.


    She raised Yanmei''s chin and said, "Beautiful¡­ Turn around for me, dear."


    Yanmei did not know what came over her, but she merely turned for the lady. She heard the woman say, "Beautiful! Just like what Andy said."


    She watched the lady cover her mouth as she giggled then she heard her say, "Hello, I am your Mommy Soon. It''s nice to meet you, my dear."


    She gave her a hug before saying, "I''m hungry. Let''s go grab a bite?"


    "Oh, I''m afraid I''m working. My boss is a little grumpy - "


    Yanmei heard Mommy Soon laughed and said, "He is grumpy¡­ like an old man. Haha! Don''t worry. I can appease your CEO... I''m a shareholder of this company¡­ No need to worry."


    "But - "


    Mommy Soon held Yanmei''s wrist and gently dragged her outside her office. As they walked toward the elevator, she heard her staff bid goodbye while bowing their heads.


    "Goodbye, Madame."


    Madame, it was nice seeing you."


    The lady turned to them and said, "Now as you were. Back to your work. Be diligent and make sure to submit your reports to my daughter on time, okay."


    "Daughter?" Yanmei asked. Her team also had the same question.


    "Of course, dear. I''m Mommy Soon to you and you are my daughter¡­Now let''s go."


    Yanmei was stunned to see the lady use the private elevator of the CEO. She realized she was indeed an important person in the company.


    "I - I don''t mean to be rude, but may I know exactly who are you?" She said while trying her best to display the sweetest smile.


    The lady giggled and said, "I''m your mother."


    Instead of going down, they were headed to the top floor. She knew exactly where they were going that she tried to negotiate, "Ah, Mommy Soon, I''m not sure if this is such a good idea."


    Mommy Soon held her hand and placed it around her arm before saying, "Rest assured, dear, I know exactly what I am doing."


    Exiting the lift, Yanmei saw Junsu swiftly approaching them. "Madame, you are here. Good Afternoon."


    The lady simply said, "Open the door, Junsu."


    She was about to go to Junsu and asked who this powerful lady was when she heard her calling, "Yanmei. Come in with me."


    Yanmei saw Junsu signaling for her to follow and so she did. "Okay."


    Entering Anton Yeong''s office, the first thing she heard was, "Mother, what are you doing here and why are you bringing Yanmei with you?"


    "Mother?" She mumbled before talking to herself, ''So this is Anton Yeong''s mother.''


    Yanmei let out a heavy sigh, relieved to know that Mommy Soon could indeed appease Anton Yeong.


    "Why not? Andrea wanted me to look after Yanmei and so I came here to have coffee with her¡­ And since I am here, I might as well invite my son. Right?"


    Yanmei did not know how it happened and what were the words spoken. She was in a daze the entire time. Before she knew it, they were riding the private elevator with her boss and his mother, Yeong Soon.

 Chapter 20: Yanmei is Different

    While in the parking lot of JKW Investments, Yeong Soon insisted that they take the normal car, saying, "Oh the limo will catch too much attention. Let''s just take the car. All three of us can fit in the backseat."


    Anton Yeong was about to sit in the front seat with Minsuh, for his mother and Yanmei to sit in the back when he heard her mother call out to him, "Where are you going?"


    "I want us all to sit in the back. You first, my son," said Yeong Soon, gesturing for Anton to get inside the black Mercedes. She then smiled at Yanmei who was waiting for her cue and said, "You''re next, Yanmei. Come on and get inside."


    When Yanmei took a peek from the door, she saw Anton, crossing his legs and his hand caressing his brows. He gave her no attention and thus, her head looked down as she took a step inside. She gulped at the thought of sitting next to him, but she had no choice. Mommy Soon practically forced her inside the car.


    "Woah!" Exclaimed Yanmei. She nearly fell face down on the seat, if not for Anton''s strong hands, catching her by the arm.


    "I''m so sorry, Mr. Yeong - "


    "No, that was my fault. I was in a hurry to get inside. Sorry, Anton," explained Yeong Soon, interrupting Yanmei''s apology.


    Using her sweet smile, Yeong Soon also apologized to Yanmei, "I''m sorry, my dear."


    "So sorry about that again, Mr. Yeong, " Yanmei repeated herself, but she never got a reply. Anton only looked outside the window until their driver sped off to the road.


    Anton Yeong did not know what came over his mother, coming into the office and inviting for coffee. Worst, she did not want to ride the limo. With the three of them seated on the back, he felt it was just too crowded.


    He was about to complain when Yanmei was once again pushed by his mother towards him. Yanmei''s hair brushed against his face, allowing him to savor the scent of her locks.


    She apologized once again and as a result; she held her hair with one hand, putting it on the other side of her shoulder, exposing her pale and slender neck.


    He frowned, thinking, ''Is she trying to catch my attention? No - she likes women. What am I thinking? This is all my mother''s fault.''


    Yanmei could not understand Yeong Soon. She continued to tell that she needed her space because of hip displacement. She said, "Sorry, it''s my subconscious self telling me to move as my body needs more room."


    Yanmei wondered; if Mommy Soon, needed more space, she should have let Anton sit in the front of her! Better yet, she should have allowed Anton to take the limo instead.


    Arriving at the coffee shop, a block away from the office, they took the table where it was mostly private. Yanmei noticed Yeong Soon kept asking her personal questions. She knew she needed to be careful with her words, otherwise, Anton would find out she was not into girls after all.


    "Yanmei, have you ever had a boyfriend?" asked Yeong Soon.


    She immediately noticed Anton look at her with his light brown eyes, ready to feast on her response.


    She bit her lips while trying to find the answer. She told herself, ''Technically, Bai Han was not my boyfriend.''


    Despite her line of thinking, she answered, "Technically, no. My father forced an engagement on me, but thankfully it did not work out. I have been single since I could remember."


    "I see, but you never had a real relationship? like you know dating - "


    "No, no, Mommy Soon - "


    "Haha! Did you hear that Anton? It fits perfectly well - She called me, Mommy!"


    "And your point, mother is?" Anton asked with his forehead completely creased and his brows drawn together.


    Yeng Soon looked at Yanmei in the eye and back to Anton saying, "Yanmei is the perfect daughter-in-law!"


    "Oh my goodness! Yanmei!" Exclaimed Yeong Soon.


    Yanmei literally fell off her seat. It was no wonder Mommy Soon was so accommodating. She was looking forward for her to be a daughter-in-law? She could only laugh at the idea. If only she could tell her that her son, Aton Yeong was not into women!


    "Are you okay, dear?" Asked Mommy Soon.


    After letting out a sigh, she said, "I''m sorry to scare you. Haha! That was humiliating. Haha! I''ve never - I''ve never fallen off a seat like that before! So much for grace!"


    She kept laughing at her misfortune that tears formed in her eyes and her stomach began to hurt. The next thing she knew, Yeong Soon laughed with her. "Oh, my goodness, Yanmei. You are too funny! It''s amazing how you can turn it around into. an enjoyable conversation."


    Anton watched them chuckling from the other side of the table. Soon enough, he noticed Yanmei''s infectious smile. In the end, he found himself grinning at her. He could not help but agree with his mother''s words.


    Recalling how Baek Hai-ran''s heels broke during their graduation practice, a few of her friends laughed at the circumstance, but she ended up in an argument with her own classmates. Even to the point of banning them from joining the graduation ceremony.


    He continued to steal glances at their direction while saying in silence, ''Yanmei is indeed different¡­ Too bad, she is not into men.''


    Yeong Soon was still at it when she noticed her son grinning. She fell silent for a second before exclaiming, "Oh my goodness! Anton can smile!"

 Chapter 21: The Picture

    Yanmei tried her best to stay away from the topic of "daughter-in-law." Not only was it an awkward discussion, but the man Mommy Soon was trying to pair her with was gay. However, despite her efforts, Yeong Soon continued to linger on the possibility.


    "Anton, you are already thirty-two years old. Five years of running your father''s company, surely, you have already surpassed the adjustment stage," said Yeong Soon, addressing Anton.


    She turned to Yanmei and explained, "He told me before he was not ready to see anyone because he was still adjusting to being the new CEO of the company."


    "Oh, I see," Yanmei''s only response before giving a fake laugh.


    "Mother, if you do not stop this right now, I will walk out of here. Yanmei is not interested in me, nor am I interested in her! She is not my type! Now¡­ are we going to have a decent coffee or not?" Anton threatened, his previous smile had disappeared, only lasting for seconds.


    Hearing his earlier words, Yanmei told herself, ''Even if you were a real man, I would not be interested in you too! You are also not my type!''


    She did not understand it, but somehow she felt disappointed with his declaration. For Yanmei, he seemed to have suggested that she was not likable.


    Yeong Soon realized his son was already agitated. She gave up the idea for now, but it did not mean it was the end of it.


    "Anton, we should invite Yanmei to your birthday dinner. She is your sister''s friend, after all. She is not a stranger¡­ and I heard she is alone here in Korea - "


    "Fine, fine. She can go," said Anton, stopping his mother from saying more.


    "Birthday?" Yanmei made sure she heard her right.


    "Yes, dear. It is a rather advance invitation, but I wanted to make sure you reserve that day only for us," explained Yeong Soon.


    When they finished their coffee and snacks, they returned to the office to resume work.


    Yanmei instantly became famous, having been named as Yeong Soon''s daughter. Her team kept probing about her relationship with the boss''s mother. She immediately knew, the issue needed to be addressed.


    She called for her staff''s attention and explained thoroughly saying, "I have a good working relationship with Lu Fang and his wife, Andrea Lu. I am also a cousin of the boss''s brother-in-law in China. This is how Andrea had left me in the care of Yeong Soon. To make the long story short, she considers me a daughter because¡­"


    Thinking hard what to say next, she could only reason out, "¡­ because she liked the idea of having a daughter¡­ There is really nothing special about it. Please, everyone. Let us not make this a bigger gossip."


    Carefully looking at everyone she suggested, "Let us just focused on work, shall we?"


    Gossiping was not allowed in JKW Investments and most employees abide by the rules. However, there are still a few, especially new employees who did not understand the consequences or how the company seriously considered it as an offense.


    Within the week, Yanmei''s assistant, Yeona heard a rumor that Yanmei was the future daughter-in-law of Yeong Soon. Yeona was quick to report this with Yanmei, but she figured Anton is not the type to entertain such gossips. She dismissed it completely.


    The talk about Yanmei being in a relationship with Anton Yeong would have died sooner if not for Yeong Soon''s regular visit to Yanmei''s office. It did not also help that Mommy Soon was so vocal about her wishes that everyone could hear.


    "Oh, there is my daughter-in-law¡­ You are so beautiful, today."


    "My dear daughter, should we have lunch together with Anton today?"


    If Yeong Soon was not able to visit, she would send over her housemaid to give Yanmei pack lunch.


    What Yanmei did not know was, every time Mommy Soon came to the company, she pestered her son before going to her office. She regularly reminded Anton to find a girlfriend. In his office, she was constantly creating drama, saying words circling around the idea of having a relationship.


    One time she said, "Look at me, my son. I am growing old and I don''t have a grandchild¡­ Now unless you can have your sister bring her babies here on a regular basis, I demand that you give me a grandchild soon!"


    Yeong Soon suddenly took out her phone, smiled and showed him a picture, "Oh look, son. Yanmei is so beautiful here. We took this picture the other day. Don''t you think she looks lovely?"


    Anton was shocked by his mother''s sudden change in temperament; from demanding to sweetly persuasive.


    "Would you like me to send you a picture?" She asked him as her eyes glistened. "Give me your phone¡­ I know you want it!"


    "Mother, please. I have work to do," said Anton with a flat tone.


    "I''m not leaving until you give me your phone - "


    "Fine! Here!" With his voice already raised, he gave his mobile to his mother just so she would finally leave.


    After sending her son Yanmei''s picture via bluetooth, she smiled triumphantly and soon bid goodbye to her son.


    Anton was busy the entire day that he never took out his phone. He was about to give his driver a call when he saw the picture saved on his screen. He was utterly startled that his heart raced and he dropped his device. He exclaimed, "Oh, what the f**k!"


    Junsu, who was still inside his office, picked up his phone asking, "Anything wrong Mr. Yeong?"


    "Check my phone... Mother did that," Anton said. He then instructed, "Remove the screensaver, will you, Junsu?"


    Junsu could not help but chuckle a little with the thought of Yeong Soon playing cupid. However knowing his boss, he quickly wiped off the smile on his face and adjusted the settings on his device.


    When he was done, he asked, "Mr. Yeong, do you want me to delete the picture of Yanmei?"


    "Ye - "


    Anton was about to give an answer, but he thought for a moment. His face abruptly turned into a frown and he said, "My instruction was to remove the screensaver. I did not say anything more!"

 Chapter 22: The Gift

    Anton Yeong''s birthday was in a few days and Yanmei was utterly puzzled with what to buy as a gift.


    She approached Junsu once and was told that in the previous years, Anton received Rolex watches, perfumes, neckties, cars, memberships, and knives. She learned that Anton collected knives as a hobby.


    Yanmei went to the mall one day with Yeona, with hopes to settle down on a gift. She found herself lost in a wide range of choices. She was certain he would have more than a dozen of watches, perfumes and since he collected knives, who knows, he probably had a house full of knives.


    She arrived in her apartment empty-handed.


    There was only one way to identify a good gift for someone who was also gay. She called Garry, her bestie, to ask for some advice.


    "Good morning New York!" Greeted Yanmei.


    "Why are you waking me up so early! Damn, Yanmei. What''s up, girl?" Garry said after answering her fifth call.


    Y: "Girl, I need help with something."


    G: "What is it?"


    Y: "What is a good gift to give to someone who is gay?"


    G: "Pfft! Have you not given me enough gifts?"


    Y: "Not you! My boss!"


    She began to share with Garry her new adventure in Korea. She told him about Anton Yeong''s circumstance and how he was her new boss.


    G: "I see, so you don''t know much about him?"


    Y: "Nadda!"


    G: "Well, generally, you could consider buying a dildo."


    Y: "Whaaattt? Hahaha! Pervert!"


    G: "Excuse me, but all my friends love dildos. Of course, the real one is better, Yanmei, but if he is still in denial, heck, it would be a good gift!"


    Y: "I''m not buying him a dildo - "


    G: "Porn Videos, hormones, lubes! Yanmei, there is a bunch you can give him!"


    Y: No! I''m not giving him any of that stuff! You are not being helpful at all!"


    G: "Okay, then give him something comfy. Aside from our desires, we like to cuddle. What do you always give me as gifts?"


    Yanmei was smiling on the other line, realizing what Garry meant. She said, "Thank you, bestie. You are the best. I miss you."


    "I miss you too. I will visit you in Korea soon. Do introduce me to your boss. Is he a hottie?" Garry asked, getting excited after changing their conversation.


    "I - I guess he is good looking. More like ruggedly handsome - "


    "Oh, I love bearded! They tickle... Promise me you''ll hook me up with your boss!" Garry interrupted Yanmei after getting a brief description of her boss.


    "Yes, actually. I was planning to do that. He is not very friendly thought - "


    "Trust me, bestie¡­ He will become friendly in bed!"


    Their conversation ended with a series of laughs. Yanmei''s battery nearly died with how long their conversation revolved around Garry''s latest boyfriends.


    The day of Anton''s birthday finally came. It was a regular working day and thus, she reported for work. Talks were everywhere about the recent gifts that the CEO was presented with.


    "Did you hear the actress, Baek Hai-ran gave our boss a brand new car as a birthday gift?"


    "Yes, oh my gosh! I heard he had it sent back to the showroom."


    "Yes, that is right. Our boss is so cruel!"


    "Boss, needs to be presented with the right kind of gift. He already has lots of cars! Of course, he did not need another new one!"


    The news made Yanmei worry. She was carrying with her Anton''s birthday gift in a huge paper bag. She wondered if he would return it as well. She took a deep breath and told herself, "If he returns it then, good. I like his gift. I could keep it for myself."


    Anton Yeong took a half day from work to have an early celebration with his family. So it was only Yanmei and Junsu that left for the Yeong''s estate in the evening. Since it was a busy day at the office, they arrived rather late.


    Yanmei was in utter shock, seeing the large mansion of the Yeongs. She swore it was definitely larger than her cousin''s home. It spelled of complete luxury from inside and out. There was no doubt that the Yeongs belonged to the elites in Korea.


    "Yanmei, you are finally here!" Said Yeong Soon, embracing her the moment she and Junsu appeared in the dining area. She then introduced Yanmei to Anton''s father and Yeong Jae-won as well as the rest of their direct relatives.


    Yanmei received compliments about her beauty and charm, especially her eyes that Anton could not help but look her way to confirm their opinion. He stole glances at her until she walked closer from where he sat.


    Before sitting down next to Mommy Soon, Yanmei turned to Anton and greeted him, "Happy Birthday, Mr. Yeong."


    "Thank you, enjoy dinner," said Anton, briefly giving a nod at her.


    They dined at a long table filled with a variety of delectable dishes that Yanmei felt she was in a five-star buffet restaurant. She had never seen so much food in one sitting.


    The time came to finally give Anton his gifts. He received the usual from his relatives. Yeong Soon gave him a necktie and cufflink set. His father, on the other hand, gave him a golden handgun.


    "Woah! Nice. I love it, dad," said Anton, giving his first smile of the day.


    Yanmei pulled Junsu by the arm and asked, "I thought he liked knives -"


    "I already gave him a golden knife, Yanmei," said Yeong Jae-won. "I gave it to him when he was just eighteen years old."


    Yanmei smiled at Anton''s father and said, "How nice. I guess... the next is a golden bullet!"


    Anton''s father laughed at her remark and it also made the others giggle. One said, "Nice one¡­ Good choice there, Yeong Soon!"


    "Pfft! I know!" Exclaimed Yeong Soon. Her smiles were uncontrollable at that point.


    Yanmei could tell they were referring to her, but she did not know the details and figured she will ask Yeong Soon another time.


    "Well, it looks like it''s my turn to give you a gift," said Yanmei. She stood up and grabbed her gift from another table and handed it to him.


    Anton carefully opened the paper bag and when he saw its content, his face turned confused. He was not sure how to react.


    "Go ahead, Anton. Show your gift to everyone," suggested Yeong Soon.


    He pulled out a teddy bear, holding a heart that said, "Hug Me."


    Anton turned to Yanmei who had the brightest smile on her face. He heard her say, "Everybody needs a hug!"


    Soon, Anton chuckled and everyone in the table was dumbfounded. It was Anton''s second smile of the day and it lasted longer compared to being given a golden handgun.


    It was literally, the first teddy bear Anton had ever received in his life.

 Chapter 23: A Cold Person

    At first, Anton did not know how to react, being given a teddy bear. He thought, ''Whatever did Yanmei think of me that she gave me a stuffed toy? How daring can this woman be?''


    However, because nobody dared to give him such a plaything, the idea amused him so that he could not stop the grin from appearing on his face.


    He looked at Yanmei''s smiling expression and saw pure intentions. Base on how her eyes glistened, he realized she sincerely gave him the teddy bear as a birthday gift. He shook his head and in a flat tone, he said, "Thank you for the cushion."


    "Awww¡­ That is so sweet, Yanmei. Something for Anton to hug at night," Yeong Soon added, trying to break off the odd reactions from everyone else in the table.


    Soon the shock from Anton''s relatives turned into light giggles. They themselves had never given him such a gift.


    As a child, Anton received electronic cars, flying helicopter tops, or gadgets. His adoptive father had already started giving him a collection of knives at an early age, knowing his background.


    Everyone in the Yeong''s side knew Anton as an indifferent person. He was a smart, handsome, a skillful fighter, but he was unsociable, curt and most often bad-tempered. No one would ever think to give him a stuffed toy.


    Anton Yeong is an adopted son to the Yeongs. They took him in when he was still fourteen years old. His birth name was Anton Li and now changed to Anton Yeong. His close friends, however, including his sister only call him Yeong.


    He and his sister, Andrea, was put up for adoption after the death of their parents. They had considered adopting Andrea as well, but there were other families who were after the siblings. They were only able to secure Anton.


    Despite Anton being an adopted son, Yeong Soon and Yeoon Jae-won cherished him so. Especially since they could not bear a child of their own and especially knowing how gifted he was as a boy. When they took him in, he was already an adept martial arts fighter. He was also very proficient in defending himself with the use of knives.


    They knew that as a child; he was taught to be a strong warrior. Although Yeong Soon tried to turn him into a normal teenager, his heart was already filled with skepticism to the goodness of the world and that his life demanded constant defending. The Yeongs could not blame him. Knowing the history of Anton''s biological parents, he had every right to be prudent.


    Instead of changing Anton, Yeong Jae-won decided to hone Anton''s skills further. It was also because of his growing empire that he needed a son to reign ruthlessly against his rivals. He provided him with all the training he required, supported his methods and even created a private facility for him to form an army of followers under his leadership.


    Everything that has led him to this day, turned Anton into a cold person and it was only now that the Yeong''s realized their mistake.


    Anton Yeong grew up to be doubtful of the world, dubious of building relationships and uncaring to women. Yeong Soon and Yeong Jae-won were given the impression that their son had no plans to ever marrying and giving them a grandson.


    It was a painful truth that Yeongs only recognized when they saw their friends and relatives having grandchildren. In their circle, they were one of a few couples left who remained to have no little toddlers running around their big estate.


    When Andrea, Anton''s sister told Yeong Soon that she is trying to match Xia Yanmei to Anton, she was hesitant at first. They had long paired her son to other beautiful women in the country, but no one captured his heart. They never even got to the friendship stage. They were all utterly ignored by Anton, not even considered as an acquaintance.


    When Yeong Soon learned that Yanmei and her son were in talking terms. She saw a glimmer of hope. She called Junsu to ask if the matter was true; that Anton had a decent conversation with a woman. After getting all the juicy details, she agreed Andrea to help achieve the goal, playing cupid between her son and Yanmei.


    What Yeong Soon did not know, Yanmei had a righteous side. It was because Yanmei did not like an unfair judgment that Andrea told Yanmei Anton was gay when, in fact, he was not.


    Back to the dinner party.


    It was getting late and Yeong Soon offered her son to bring Yanmei home," Anton, please bring Yanmei to her apartment."


    "Oh, it''s alright, me and Junsu can take get a cab on our own - "


    "No! No, my son has his own penthouse. He does not live with us all the time. Your apartment is in the same way," reasoned Yeong Soon before turning to Anton. "Right son?"


    Anton glanced blankly at them for a second but soon said, "Junsu and I will take you home."


    After a while, Junsu began loading all the gifts inside the limo. He opened the door for Anton and Yanmei at the back while he took the front seat, next to Minsuh.


    They did not speak during the entire ride but as soon as Minsuh pulled over at Yanmei''s apartment building, Anton said, "Thank you again for your strange gift."


    "Pfft! Strange?" Yanmei asked while giggling.


    "No one has ever given me - a stuffed toy," he explained.


    "Then - " She paused for a moment before resuming her words, "They don''t really know you at all?"


    Yanmei gave a big smile after that, waiting for his reaction.


    Puzzled, Anton ignored her and said, "Good night, Yanmei."


    "Good night, girl."


    Anton immediately turned to her asking, "Girl?"


    "Oh, sorry. My expression sometimes when calling a friend." She then turned to Junsu and said, "Good night Junsu - girl - Junsu, girl. Haha! Girl¡­ I say that unconsciously."


    "Good night, Mr. driver, girl!"


    "Haha! She is a funny one," said Minsuh. "No wonder our boss likes her - "


    "I do not like her! Mind your own business!" Anton scolded after hearing his driver suggest he was giving in to a woman. He thought, ''No, that will never happen. She even dared to call me a friend?''

 Chapter 24: The Doctor

    At five in the morning, Anton Yeong received a call from one of his men. "Sir, a group of men is trying to get in the south factory. We are holding them off, but they are too many of them."


    Anton immediately got up from his bed and asked, "Have you already called the base?"


    "Yes, sir. They are heading here - but. They are still further out - "


    "I''m coming."


    Knowing he could reach there sooner, Anton quickly got changed and called two of his men that were on standby at his penthouse suite. They hurriedly drove to the south arms factory, equipped with night vision goggles, knives, and handguns.


    From time to time, Yeong Guns and Ammos experienced infraction. Sometimes small theft, but on rare occasions, highly organized crimes attempting to steal weaponry from their factories. This was one of the main reasons why Anton Yeong had formed a team of highly skilled men to protect his territory over the years.


    Law enforcement was too weak to handle the job. He learned this the hard way in the past.


    While they were on the road, Anton instructed the back-up team to make contact before proceeding to engage. He said, "We are on our way. Make sure to warn us upon your arrival and avoid shooting at our own."


    It was a thirty-minute drive, and as soon as they got closer, they turned off the headlights, avoiding being seen.


    Anton quietly got out of the car and just before spreading out, he called for his men inside the building, "We are here. Aim for the ground below while we take them out from behind."


    "Copy, sir."


    He then signaled his men to take the other directions while he advanced at the frontmost entrance.


    He slowly walked towards the pale sounds of firing rifles. From where he stood, he could see five men up ahead, shooting aimlessly at the factory building. They were smart enough to use a silencer, but not wise enough to use night vision goggles.


    Anton pushed back his jacket, revealing a belt of army knives. Each of his hand puled one blade out and swiftly threw it at the men in front of him, puncturing their backs.


    When their groans of pain were heard, his hands sought for his back and pulled out one golden handgun and one black semi-automatic.


    BANG! BANG! BANG!


    He quickly took down the other three capable invaders, shooting them where it mattered most and preventing them from fighting back.


    Anton then came approaching the other two who were merely stabbed with knives and shot their arms and legs. "There, there. You aren''t going anywhere."


    Soon, he heard other shots fired from the direction of his men. He assumed that they had taken down the robbers successfully.


    He looked around to find other perpetrators and just as he turned, a man came approaching him at high speed, holding up a knife.


    Anton managed to block him with one hand, before throwing a powerful punch to his face. The culprit tried to fight back, kicking and slashing the knife in an uncertain direction that he managed to cut Anton by the chest.


    It upset Anton that he made his entire body fall against the attacker, paining him with Anton''s firm and large elbow, landing first against his chest. He shot him in the legs and arms then after.


    When his opponent was down, Anton dove to the ground and looked out for perpetrators around. However, after just minutes, he felt his phone vibrating. He knew his men had arrived.


    He quickly answered the call to confirm. "Sir, we are here."


    With the arrival of their back-up, the lights surrounding the factory including those from their vehicles were lit up, clearly exposing the culprits who were in hiding.


    They had earlier purposely switched off the lights to gain an advantage of the situation. They were not only more familiar with the factory''s surroundings, but all of Anton''s men also had night vision goggles.


    Seeing that everything was under control, Anton instructed his men to clean up the mess as he was to proceed straight to work. The office was half an hour away, and it was already almost seven in the morning. He figured he would just get changed from his private room.


    He and Yanmei had an early appointment with a client that day. He did not want to miss it as it was still their third client to take part in his new business venture with Lu-Wei Enterprises.


    Realizing he was cut with a knife, he called Junsu and asked the office doctor to immediately come to the office and attend to his wounds. Thankfully, the cut was not deep enough that he merely used a towel to stop it from bleeding.


    After driving to the parking lot, Anton went up to his office, covering his chest with a jacket.


    When the elevator opened for him, he saw Junsu was already there. He immediately told him to have Yanmei come to his office so they can prepare for the early meeting.


    "Yes, Mr. Yeong¡­ And the doctor is waiting inside," said Junsu.


    "Good morning, Mr. Yeong," said the doctor. "I heard you were wounded."


    "Yes, there was a robbery attempt at one of the factories," explained Anton. He then took off his shirt to reveal his cut for the doctor to get started. "Quickly now doctor, I have an appointment."


    "Yes, Mr. Yeong." The doctor efficiently disinfected his wound and sewed together the cut, then covered it with a bandage before asking permission to leave.


    "Thank you, doctor. Off you go then," said Anton while heading to his private room.


    Seeing the stained cotton balls and bandages, the doctor took a little more time cleaning up before finally leaving the CEO office.


    When Yanmei arrived at Anton''s, she knocked on the door a few times, but there was no answer. She turned to Junsu with a puzzled face, but he merely gestured for her to enter.


    Just as she opened the door, the doctor came out of Anton''s office in his casual yet crumpled clothes. He was not able to wear his white coat beforehand and because Junsu rushed him to come early; he was not able to iron his shirt.


    Yanmei saw the doctor startled by her presence, but he quickly recovered saying, "good morning. Ms. Yanmei. Right? Excuse me. I''ll be on my way."


    She merely smiled at him and walked inside the CEO office. She sat on the chair in front of Anton''s desk, wondering where the boss is. Still, she waited patiently.


    After nearly twenty minutes, Anton came out of his private room, still putting on his tie, looking freshly washed.


    Her eyes instantly grew wide and her mouth hung open. Her fingers were pointing back and forth, wanting to express in words, but the only thing that came out of her mouth was, " The doctor?!"


    Anton did not understand anything she was doing. He saw her pointing at him and at the door, referring to the doctor. He shook his head and said, "Yes, he is the company doctor."


    "Oh. Haha!" Yanmei was laughing out of the blue. It took a minute for her to bounce back. She gave him a thumbs up and said, "Way to go, girl!"


    "Yanmei, I have no time for this. Run by me the proposal before we head to the client''s office."

 Chapter 25: They Are Not Lovers?

    Anton Yeong observed as Yanmei presented to the new client. He noticed a sudden change in her demeanor. Her bubbly self disappeared instantaneously the moment they stepped inside the Kwan Land Corporation.


    As she discussed the benefits of the partnership and the cost involved, her gaze did not leave the client''s eyes. While occasionally smiling, she reverted to showing her intellect and assertiveness.


    Junsu even whispered to Anton''s ears, saying, "Ms. Yanmei seem to have a split personality, right, Mr. Yeong?"


    His eyes merely narrowed at Junsu before saying, "at least she knows to display authority."


    There was no need for Anton''s presence, nor his background and name to convince the client with the partnership. Mr. Kwan, the president of Kwan Land Corporation immediately signed the contract, even cutting off Yanmei from her closing statement.


    He said, "Very impressive. You have shown me all the benefits well, from the most rewarding to even the least noticeable advantage."


    Mr. Kwan shook Yanmei''s hand, giving a joke on the side. He said, "How would you like to work with me?"


    Anton instantly cleared his throat, loud enough for everyone in the room to hear. He gave intimidating stares to Mr. Kwan, making him let go of Yanmei''s hand abruptly.


    "Of course... the Kwans can never compare to the Yeongs! Ms. Yanmei, you are in good hands with JKW investments." He then turned to Anton and gave his bow. "Anton, please say hello to your parents for me and thank you. Thank you for this opportunity."


    Finishing up their appointment, they went to the nearest five-star hotel to have their lunch. They reserved a private room and ordered for a heavy meal. Anton was famished. He had been up since five in the morning, fighting robbers at the south factory, and only had water before leaving his office.


    "Girl, you are certainly hungry," Yanmei made a comment, seeing him dive right into a large portion of steak.


    "I am very hungry," Yeong said while his mouth was chewing the meat. He completely dismissed being called a girl.


    He was eating so fast that he nearly choked on his food, making him cough. He lightly tapped his chest, trying to get relief. As he was doing so, he felt wetness from inside his jacket. He pulled out his hand and saw there was a stain of blood. He knew it came out from his wound.


    He took off his jacket for a better view and heard Yanmei scream. "Ahhh! What happened to you? You are bleeding!"


    "Don''t overreact, it''s just a small wound," Anton simply said, after peeking inside his shirt. When he saw that it was nothing serious, he put back his jacket and wiped his hand with a tissue.


    Turning to Junsu, Yanmei saw him shrug like it was nothing. She looked back at Anton with her mouth partly opened and heard him say, "Finish your food so I can get my wound covered with another bandage."


    "Can - can you - can you at least tell me why you are wounded?" She could not get it out of her system. She had to know.


    "Someone tried to stab me with a knife - Hand me the pork chops, will you?" Replied Anton, with no expression whatsoever. He just continued eating.


    She was left speechless. The bloodstain was half the size of her hand. She wondered how this man can see it as nothing¡­ It gave her the impression that Anton was used to this.


    When Anton was fished with two main courses, he looked at Yanmei and saw her still staring at him in shock. He said, "The gun factory was nearly infiltrated early this morning, so I rushed there to help my men. I got hurt in the process."


    He drank a glass of water and asked her, "Are you satisfied now?"


    Yanmei nodded and soon, reluctantly ate her food.


    While feeding, Yanmei was in deep thought. She was wondering if there are a lot of gays out there that were willing enough to engage in a fight. None of her friends did¡­ maybe just defend themselves but not necessarily get involved voluntarily.


    They quickly got back to the office and the moment they arrived, they went straight to the CEO office, expecting the doctor to be there, already waiting. Yanmei came along with them, not knowing why. She just thought that Anton may still need something from her and decided to wait until she was officially dismissed.


    Exiting the elevator, a female nurse was waiting by Junsu''s desk. She greeted them and said, "Mr. Yeong. The doctor is out for his lunch. Earlier, one of the front desks had an asthma attack which needed his attention. He was not able to take his lunch on time."


    "No," Anton plainly said. He turned to Junsu, saying, "You''ll have to cover my wound."


    Yanmei recognized that Anton did not want to be attended by the female nurse. So, out of concern she said, "Let me."


    Anton and Junsu turned to Yanmei and heard her repeat herself, "Let me cover your wound."


    "No, it''s okay, Ms. Yanmei. I can - "


    "Junsu, you need to make an important call to the south factory and check on their development. Now!" Ordered Anton.


    Junsu was suddenly puzzled. It was not like his boss to entrust him with such important matters. Nevertheless, he quickly went to his desk and made the call.


    Yanmei took the medicine kit from the nurse and gestured for Anton to get inside his office. She watched him take off his jacket and put it on his table. He opened his shirt on one side and turned to face her, revealing the cut on his chest.


    Walking closer, she gulped to the sight of his glowing skin and very lean chest. It was just part of his torso but it was enough to make woman water. She thought, ''Yanmei, please. There are lots of gays out there whose bodies are equally sexy¡­ stop it.''


    She quickly put down the medicine kit and opened it. She disinfected his wound while trying her best not to touch his skin.


    While wiping his cut, she asked, "So¡­ Earlier, the doctor was attending to your wound?"


    She felt Anton''s gaze fixed on her. She was not looking, but she swore she felt like she was melting away. She heard him answer, "Yes, he was."


    "Oh¡­ I see," Yanmei replied before asking herself, ''So they are not lovers?''


    After covering his cut, she raised her head, finding Anton looking at her intensely, their faces ten inches away.


    They were looking at each other in silence for seconds. He studied her small face, her smokey eyes, her slender nose, and the pinkish-red glow on her lips. He had to admit, the woman before him was very appealing.


    Anton realized Yanmei was responding to his gaze. He suddenly felt his heart beating faster. He asked himself, ''What if she can like a man as well?''


    "Mr. Yeong?" Asked Yanmei as she looked deeper into his light brown eyes.


    He moved even closer, answering, "Yes."


    "I was wondering, are you wearing contact lenses? Because, girl, I swear they are so beautiful."


    Anton shut his eyes immediately and looked away. He put back his shirt saying, "You can leave now."

 Chapter 26: The Idea

    One busy day at the office, Anton Yeong was agitated, learning that another group of men tried to get into the old gun factory. It was their biggest factory, but it was completely secured. He imagined the criminals may have thought it was an easy target, being located the farthest from the city.


    Unfortunately for them, Anton had anticipated this beforehand. He had made sure the factory had more than enough men to protect it. It was fenced twenty feet high, armed with the latest security system made by his genius sister, Li Wen. There was no escaping it.


    However, Anton recognized that because it was the second attempt to their factories, it meant the organization behind it was determined to get their hands on a good amount of firepower.


    The worse part was, his most trusted right hand was with her sister in China. He had to be the only one making the difficult planning.


    He was on the phone with one of his men when the door opened without him knowing. He frowned and looked up to find his mother, Yeong Soon.


    "Oh, Anton! How are you, son?" She said while swaying her hips, walking to his table.


    "Mother. I am busy."


    "I can tell¡­ You did not come home for more than a week," said Yeong Soon. "Such a horrible thing to do to your mother and father, don''t you think?"


    Anton shook his head. He had no choice but to end the call. He seriously gave his attention to his mother and asked, "Mother. What do you need? Why are you doing this to me? Haven''t you heard from, dad? There is another attack at the old factory - "


    "Oh, I heard. That''s nothing that you cannot handle¡­. I''m not worried at all - "


    "Mother?! What are you doing here?" Anton asked again, this time his voice already raised.


    "Listen to me, Anton. You cannot do this to me. I am your mother after all¡­ You are asking me what I am doing here? Well¡­ I am bored¡­ I''m thinking of helping you here in the office," she said while raising her hand, checking her nail polish.


    "Really now, mother. You easily get bored even with work. I''m pretty sure you will end up going home after an hour," Anton said, utterly doubting Yeong''s Soon''s sincerity.


    "Well, if you give me a grandchild soon, then I won''t necessarily get bored now, would I?" She answered without looking at her son. She merely took out her compact power and looked herself in the mirror. "But, really, son. There is no rush. We can start with having a girlfriend."


    Yeong Soon turned to Anton and gave a mischievous grin. She added, "How about it? Huh?"


    Knowing his mother, Anton just proceeding to doing work while she lingered in his office. He thought she was easily tired and would leave soon enough.


    "Anton, I heard Yanmei did a great job at her presentation with Kwan Land Corporation. She must really be such a reliable person," he heard his mother said, out of the blue.


    Anton was back to his laptop when his mother said those words. He simply answered, "Yes, she did well."


    "She is not only beautiful, she is smart and funny too!" Yeong Soon exclaimed as her eyes sparkled.


    Soon began a series of Yanmei FYIs. It surprised him that his mother knew so much about Yanmei. She practically stayed in his office, merely talking about Xia Yanmei. It was as if; she was suggesting that Yanmei would be a suitable girlfriend.


    However, he knew too well that Yanmei would not be interested in him. He kept telling her, "Mother. I''m telling you, Yanmei would not even look my way."


    After an hour and a half, Yeong Soon already gave up. She told herself, ''There will be another day.''


    She got up from her seat, yawning. She said, "Son, you are so boring. How will Yanmei ever see you romantically? You have to work harder, you know... I''ll be back tomorrow. I''ll go see my daughter-in-law now."


    He sat back in his chair in disbelief. It was at that point that he knew his mother was not going to give up. He had to find a solution. Otherwise, Yeong Soon would continue to bother him at the office, on a daily basis or worst, humiliate him in front of Yanmei.


    What worried him the most was that Yanmei might think he would actually like her. A sudden fear crept into his mind, the thought of Yanmei avoiding him, if she ever thought that a man was interested in her.


    The next day, he ordered Junsu to give him a list of ten most eligible bachelorette in the city. He was finally considering at least dating for one night, just so he can keep his mother from coming to the office for a few days.


    At the top of the list was his former classmate, Hei-ran Baek. He immediately gave a sneer and said, "Yuck!"


    He went to the second list and said, "Too much make-up."


    Proceeding to the second one, he said, "Brainless."


    To the third one, he said, "Slut."


    On to the fourth one on the list, he could not help but comment, "fake, nose, fake cheeks, fake boobs¡­ even the hair is fake!"


    Down to the fifth, he said, "too vain."


    Up until the last one of Junsu''s list, he was disinterested. He said, "breast job gone wrong."


    He let out a heavy sigh, upset with the list Junsu gave him. He stepped outside the office, agitated. He was looking for Junsu, but did not find him at all.


    He went around the office and passed by some clerks, merely chatting during working hours. They were talking about a Korean drama where an heir to a company contracted a wife to receive his inheritance.


    Normally, he would not give them a second to continue gossiping, but he found the concept to be interesting. As soon as he got the gist of the story, he approached the clerks and said, "Because you are being unproductive during working hours, you will be suspended for five days!"


    After reporting the clerks to the Human Resource Department, he began formulating the idea of having a pretend girlfriend. At least, this way, he did not have to like the woman he was to pretend with¡­ or have a romantic relationship.

 Chapter 27: Scared Her Away

    Yanmei was invited by Yeong Soon for a stroll and dinner after work on a Friday. She could not say no to her. Also, she figured it was better than staying in her apartment all alone.


    They went to the mall, with two bodyguards constantly following them. They spent only an hour going around, but Yanmei already had six bags of newly purchased clothes and shoes bought by Yeong Soon.


    They then proceeded to have dinner at a fine dining restaurant, where Yeong Soon purposely booked a private room.


    Just as they were ordering food, the door opened and a man emitting a powerful aura appeared from behind Yanmei. She turned, sensing the cold presence.


    Seeing Anton Yeong, she immediately got up, greeting him, "Mr. Yeong." She turned to Yeong Soon who gave a smirk. She knew well it was Mommy Soon who invited her son. She looked back at Anton, saying, "it''s nice of you to join us, Mr. Yeong."


    "Mother? What is the emergency? I was at the south factory, dealing with security measures and you called me saying there is an emergency?!" Said Anton, his temper already raised from all the running around, finding his mother.


    He turned to Yanmei also upset. He was about to blame her when Yeong Soon stopped him, "That was all me! Yanmei had nothing to do with it."


    Anton immediately shot his mother an angry glare, yelling, "Mother! Do you know what you have done? You might as well kiss the south factory goodbye - "


    "Then so be it, Anton! What good is having so much wealth if I cannot even have a grandchild! Go ahead and let the robbers steal everything!" Responded Yeong Soon, also flustered by her son''s approach.


    Yeong Soon started a pretend cry, hoping it would make Anton stop from all the yelling. "I - I just wanted to have dinner - with my son¡­ Why is that so difficult!"


    Anton was at a loss. He cared for his mother, but her means of getting his attention was getting out of hand. He immediately turned to Yanmei and pulled her outside the restaurant by force.


    Yanmei''s eyes grew wide. She kept calling to him, "Mr. Yeong. M. Yeong?"


    She tried to pull away from his hand. However, his hold was too strong. She could not release herself from his grip. Yeong Soon also tried to prevent her son from taking Yanmei but Anton was too fast. She heard him say, "Wait here, mother!"


    Dragging Yanmei out in the street, Anton pulled her to the side and said, "Yanmei, are you and mother trying to get to me? Tell me the truth! Behind your lies, are you into me?!"


    Yanmei was caught off guard by his line of thinking. Her mouth hung open, utterly shocked at being doubted. She said, "I swear, I had no idea she was contacting you or asking you to come - and why are you asking me this when - when I''ve already told you, I''m into girls¡­ I don''t like you at all!"


    She forcefully let go of her wrist and managed to break free. "After this, I will no longer meet with your mother - if - if this is how it''s going to be, then I''d rather not meet with your -"


    "No! Don''t," said Anton. He put his hands on his waist, slowly taking a full turn. "F**k!"


    Anton did not know what came over him. He lost his cool completely. He already knew that Yanmei was not into men, but he could not help but question her that night.


    Seeing her and his mother, he wondered if Yanmei was in on it with Yeong Soon. After all, he had experienced many schemes from other women, especially Hei-ran Baek.


    While he was contemplating on his actions, Yanmei quickly hailed a cab, not wanting to spend any more time with him nor with Yeong Soon. She planned to just apologized to Mommy Soon the next day, but as for now, she wanted to calm herself, away from Anton Yeong.


    Only when the taxi had pulled over when Anton realized it was Yanmei who signaled for the cab. He called for her, "Yanmei! I''m - F**k!"


    He wanted to apologize, but it was too late. He watched Yanmei leave in a taxi, not looking back at him. He shook his head, knowing he made a mess, but it was over and done with.


    More than an hour ago, he was at the south factory, overseeing the installation of a new security system. It was expected to detect a possible breach up to one mile away from the factory, using satellite detection.


    He suddenly received a call from his mother, merely saying, "Son, help me, please! It''s an emergency! Please come to me... Come to me!"


    Yeong Soon had suddenly dropped the call, not answering any further. It made Anton worry that he stormed out of the south factory in a rush to find her.


    His mother knew her phone had a tracker. Eventually, Anton would find her, regardless of where she went.


    Anton Yeong went back to the restaurant alone, and it alarmed Yeong Soon. "Where - where is Yanmei?"


    Her eyes immediately threw daggers at Yeong, asking, "What have you done?!"


    Never in a million years had a woman walked out of Anton. Yanmei''s reaction was not what he had expected. He looked at her mother and said, "She - she left. I - I think I scared her away."


    While in the taxi, Yanmei was ranting all by herself. "What the - Into me, my ass?! Why in the world would I want - would I want a handsome bearded man who is filthy rich!"


    The taxi driver looked at her and said, "Ahh - Yeah - I mean, you could hook up with a fat poor man like myself."


    "But he is gay!!!!!"


    Her face was incredibly red. She looked outside the window, asking herself, ''I have been accused before by Bai Han and Xuxu but why¡­ why is this happening? Why did he get into my nerves?''

 Chapter 28: The Apology Letter

    The succeeding days, Yanmei made sure to avoid Anton. Even as he dropped by her office to give the clothes and shoes Yeong Soon had bought her, she gave him very little attention, only thanked him for his efforts.


    Anton was not the type to apologize for his mistakes, so he never did. He tried to make a conversation with Yanmei pertaining to a new client. He said, "Yanmei, maybe we can discuss thoroughly your plan for the new client - "


    "Mr. Yeong, the services we offer are the same, regardless of which client. The only thing that will be different for a condominium is how the plan is carried out. Don''t worry about me, I got this covered. I''ll leave a draft of the presentation to Junsu for your perusal," said Yanmei. She quickly turned back to the computer and resumed her work.


    Seeing that Anton was not about to leave, she looked back at him without any reluctance and asked, "Can I help you with anything else, Mr. Yeong?"


    Anton became even more disappointed, seeing her treat him differently. Gone were the days that she called him "Girl." Yanmei had completely turned into a different person. He sensed that she was true to her word from their conversation last Friday. Even Yeong Soon told him that Yanmei barely answered her call.


    Under normal circumstances, he would have been relieved, but he could not understand why it was eating him up. Apart from his mother''s constant pressure, it bothered him to the core.


    He was in his office, thinking of what to do. He called Junsu over to his office and when he took a seat, Anton asked, "How do you say sorry without saying the world itself?"


    Junsu''s eyes scanned his boss''s expression before saying, "Mr. Yeong. What is this about?"


    Anton leaned back on his seat before letting taking a deep breath. He said, "I angered Yanmei last Friday when she was with my mother."


    "Well¡­ Mr. Yeong, honestly? You simply need to say I''m sorry," suggested Junsu. He then saw his boss try to say the words. His mouth opened and simulated the message, but no sound came out. It made him realize that Anton may not have apologized to anyone before.


    "If it is so hard to say it in words, maybe you can write it instead, Mr. Yeong."


    "I have bad handwriting!" Anton Reasoned.


    "Ah, email? print it? Text her? You have her number, right, Mr. Yeong?"


    "Yes, I do. Okay, I''ll text her," said Anton while pulling out his phone. He went to his contacts and clicked to compose a message. He then looked back at Junsu, asking, "Do I simply say sorry? How do you even say sorry!"


    Anton Yeong threw his phone on the floor, upset of putting so much effort to apologize. He shook his head, realizing; he lacked the skills of doing such.


    Junsu immediately went to grab his phone. It was a good thing he had a durable unit and always had it with a shock-proof case.


    After handing his boss back his phone, he said, "Mr. Yeong, let me be the one to send the message to Yanmei instead."


    Junsu opened Anton''s phone and just before composing the text, he asked, "May I know what your argument revolved around on?"


    Anton could not take it upon himself to explain to Junsu what had happened. How could he ever tell him that he accused Yanmei of being interested in him? Thus, he gave up the idea, telling his assistant, "Nevermind! You are not very helpful after all! Get out!"


    Junsu frantically left the CEO''s office, scared out of his wits.


    Anton''s day ended with little accomplishments at work. Never had he had a very unproductive day. He went home to his penthouse, finding Yanmei''s gift on his bedside table. It reminded him further of the pending apology needed to be done.


    The next day, Anton came to the office as early as six in the morning. His driver could not help but notice the dark circles around his eyes. He could tell his boss did not have a good rest.


    Anton went straight to his office after arriving. He took off his jacket and loosen his tie just before taking a seat. He opened his laptop and searched online: How to apologize without saying "Sorry".


    After getting a few pointers, he opened his email and took a deep breath before he began composing his apology letter.


    Yanmei arrived a little over seven in the morning, and the first thing she did was check her outlook. She immediately saw an email from Anton with a subject line: Meeting Today.


    She wondered if she had forgotten an appointment. She seemed not to have penciled any on her calendar. She quickly opened the email and read.


    After going through the message, she said to herself, "Wow! Can this guy get any less serious? He could have just said I''m sorry."


    When she read the last part, her eyes grew wide in complete disbelief. She said, "So I have to set up an appointment?!"


    She soon ended up laughing hysterically at Anton''s efforts. She had never received such an expression of regret yet still demanding at the same time. She said, "Girl, you badly need to chill!"


    Anton''s apology letter read:


    Dear Ms. Xia Yanmei,


    Greetings!


    It was unfortunate that my work last Friday was disrupted by my mother''s actions. Supplementary to it affecting my valuable time, I was led to believe that my mother may be in danger. You can imagine one''s frustration under such a circumstance.


    It resulted to my indiscretion, and my confrontation with you has made me regret. I spoke without thinking, and my approach degenerated into something reprehensible.


    I recognized that I was at fault and I wish to speak with you today so we can go over what went wrong. We must rectify the situation.


    These are the available times for me today, kindly coordinate with Junsu your equally convenient time for us to discuss this over coffee.


    11 AM


    3 PM


    5 PM


    I look forward to your favorable response.


    Sincerely,


    Anton Yeong

 Chapter 29: Office Romance

    Anton has yet to hear from Yanmei. It was already lunchtime, and she had confirmed no appointment with him. His hands itched that his fingers opened the surveillance cameras inside Yanmei''s office.


    He wondered what she was so busy with that she had not made a call to Junsu at this time. After minutes of keeping the window open, Yeona came inside and he immediately noticed the smile on Yanmei''s face. The audio recording from the camera was loud enough to hear their conversation, and he thought to listen in to their chat.


    "Ms. Yanmei, I did not get to finish my task the other day, I was hoping I could get an extension," said Yeona.


    "Of course, Yeona. How about this? Let''s work on it together, and you know what? I prefer a different environment. How about going to a coffee shop or better yet at my apartment?" Yanmei suggested.


    Anton''s eyes narrowed at the thought of the two of them being alone together. He swore he had to talk to Yanmei about having an office romance.


    After Yeona left, Yanmei made a call to Junsu. "Hello, Junsu. I''d like to confirm the 3 PM appointment with Mr. Yeong."


    Junsu, who was not aware of the appointment, got confused. He was about to call his boss when Aton beat him to it. He saw the other line blinking, and he asked Yanmei to stay on hold.


    "Mr. Yeong?"


    "Tell Yanmei 3 PM appointment is confirmed and have her proceed to the parking lot when the time comes," said Anton.


    Junsu was alarmed. His boss was once again monitoring him through the cameras. He wondered how he had the time to keep on watching him.


    "Y -Yes, Mr. Yeong. Thank you."


    After Junsu confirmed with Yanmei, the supposed coffee appointment, Anton no longer monitored Yanmei. He went back to work as usual and at exactly 2:30 PM he got ready.


    He made sure to fix his tie and his coat before running his fingers through his hair. When he was done, he realized something, ''Wait¡­ am I anxious? Am I fixing myself for a woman? Worst, a lesbian?"


    He quickly messed his hair and walked out of the office.


    He made his way to the parking lot in ten minutes. He started the car and waited inside and soon began a countdown of when Yanmei would arrive.


    "2:40 PM."


    "2:45 PM."


    "2:50 PM."


    "2:55 PM."


    Anton was literally checking his watch every five minutes. At exactly 3 PM, he opened the door to his side and waited.


    "Good afternoon, Mr. Yeong." Yanmei arrived at exactly 3:02 PM.


    He turned to her, shaking his head. He said, "You are late."


    Yanmei saw the time and realized what he meant, she said, "I''m sorry, Mr. Yeong, Yeona had some questions before I - "


    "Yeona, Yeona, Yeona¡­ You realize, you often talk about Yeona," Anton said as his eyes narrowed at her.


    Bewildered, Yanmei asked, "I do? I did not notice that - "


    "In any case, I want you to know that office romance is strictly forbidden!"


    Yanmei''s mouth hung open at his words. She immediately realized he was referring to her gay self. "Pfft! Haha! Right, Mr. Yeong. Right¡­ I''m not into Yeona though¡­ We are just friends."


    "Really?" He asked without looking at her.


    "Yes, really."


    "Good! Good. Let''s go." Anton drove to the streets in silence, and brought Yanmei to a different coffee shop, nearly four blocks away.


    When Anton pulled over, He said, "I like the coffee here."


    Just before he got out of the car, Yanmei called him out, "Wait! Wait!"


    "What?"


    Yanmei cleared her throat and slowly opened her bag. She took out her comb and handed it to him. She said, "I think you''d look better after using this."


    She had earlier noticed his messy hair. She was not about to go in public with a man who could not fix his hair, even if he was handsome.


    He did not use her comb. Instead, he used his fingers to brush his hair and looked himself in the mirror. When he was satisfied, signaled for them to get off the car.


    Upon entering the establishment, Yanmei was caught by surprised seeing the marbled tables and chandeliers from the ceiling. The place was also spot-clean. The tables and chairs were arranged in perfect angles and the color theme was black and white. Somehow, it reminded her of Anton''s office that she then blurted out, "I bet the owner has OCD."


    Anton walked a few steps forward, leaving her slightly behind.


    "Mr. Yeong! Good afternoon," said one of the attendants. He quickly made his way to the door and gestured for him to take a seat. "Your usual table."


    When the attendant saw Yanmei, he said, "Good afternoon, miss. The seats over here are not take - "


    "She is with me."


    The attendant nearly slid from the glossy floor, shocked at hearing Yanmei was with Anton. "Ah, Mr. Yeong? She - She is with you?"


    "Do - I - have - to repeat myself?"


    "No! No, definitely not. Mr. Yeong. Please, take your seats ."


    After taking their orders, the attendant went back to the counter and prepared their requests.


    Yanmei could not help but notice that all the staff were men. It once again gave her a feel of the office. "I think the owner of this cafe likes men."


    He disregarded her remarks and merely proceeded to their agenda. He looked at Yanmei saying, "You read my email?"


    "No, I did not read your email - "


    "It was marked read."


    "So, apparently, you knew it was read¡­ So why exactly did we have to meet after having read your email?" asked Yanmei.


    "I want to know if you have accepted my explanation," Anton asked as he crossed his arms against his chest. He had earlier practiced on how to repeat his apology in front of her but he could not say the word "sorry".


    ''Say it! Say it!'' He told himself, but eventually, he caressed his forehead and said, "It is what it is in the email so let us put it behind us."


    Before they could continue, the attendant brought the pastries and coffees at their table.


    Yanmei''s eyes grew wide seeing the beautifully arranged rainbow-colored sugar cubes at the base of the coffee mug. It suddenly reminded her of Garry. She said, "Haha! The owner of this shop might as well be gay - "


    "I - own - this - coffee shop," said Anton.


    "Or not! Just because you serve rainbow sugar cubes, it does not make you gay. Definitely not!" Yanmei took back her words frantically. She told herself, ''Sheez. He could have just said the place was his from the start.''


    Anton immediately turned to the attendant saying, "No more rainbow cubes! Only black ones. Understood?"


    "Mr. Yeong? I don''t think there are black ones - "


    "Contact the sugar company and order only black sugar cubes!"

 Chapter 30: I Am Not Your Rival

    The black sugar cubes were the final solution. There was no going around it.


    Yanmei ended up scratching her head, knowing it was all her fault. Now, instead of smiling at cute rainbow sugar cubes, the customers will fear their sweeteners.


    While Anton was cooling down his temper, they both maintained a period of silence, just merely drinking their coffee and eating their pastry.


    After Anton was finished with his hot drink, he said, "So? Are you amenable to forgetting what happened last Friday?"


    Yanmei was utterly disappointed at Anton. He absolutely did not know how to ask for forgiveness. However, she was not a difficult person to deal with. She rolled her eyes before answering, "Just forget about it. I know how one can get upset sometimes... I supposed you owe me the same courtesy."


    He pressed his lips together and nodded his head. "Fair enough. Now... You have to see mother again. She is bored and in need of a companion... and she is constantly bothering me about what happened."


    "Now, girl. I hope this is not about your mother forcing you. I honestly hope this was your sincere effort," Yanmei said as she folded her arms together.


    Anton''s eyes squinted at her. She once again called him "girl" and worse, she doubted him. He leaned forward and slowly enunciating the words, "You - have no idea - how - much of an effort - this is for me."


    She saw his eyes nearly closed while Anton tried to convince her further. Eventually, she shrugged and said, "Okay! Let it be and sure, I''ll answer to Mommy Soon''s calls and her requests... I hope no more accusing next time."


    Yanmei finished the last piece of her pastry and checked the time. She said, "Oh my... Time runs really fast. I think we better get back. I have work to do, and Yeona and I will be working on some documents after work."


    His mouth twitched before saying, "Yeona."


    "Yes, Yeona. She is my assistant, so it''s natural that we work together - accompany each other once in a while!" Yanmei explained, knowing he may still think there was something between her and Yeona.


    "So, if Yeona is not your type. What is your type of woman?" asked Anton after clearing his throat. As he said this, he pretended to look at his phone.


    ''Oh, my gosh! Wait¡­ wait.'' She told herself in panic before saying out loud, "The assistant that came to your office on my first day and¡­ The actress - Baek Hei-ran?"


    Anton''s face turned dark, hearing the name he had sworn to detest since college. His thought said, '' I am a better choice than Baek Hei-ran.'' However, what came out was, "I am better than Baek Hei-ran!"


    "Pfft! Haha!" Yanmei laughed without hold for seconds and only slowed down after catching her breath. She fanned her watery eyes and said, "Of course, girl! You are way much better... You are so fine that you blow my mind!"


    Her answer gave Yeong complete cofusion. He began to wonder if it meant that Yanmei was considering him better than Baek Hei-ran or she was just joking. He asked himself, ''Can a lesbian turn straight after all?''


    When he realized his thoughts went overboard, he scolded himself, ''Yeong stop it now! So what if she turns straight or not?''


    Just as he was thinking this, the person they were talking about came inside the cafe. "Oppa! You are here!"


    Anton literally wished he could spit out blood in front of this woman. Baek Hei-ran came walking towards him, swaying her hips with an effort, flaunting her curves. She was immediately irked at the sight of Yanmei.


    Her hands clenched into a fist. Never had Anton been seen with a woman, let alone have coffee or have a decent conversation with him. She asked herself, ''What makes this woman so special?''


    Baek Hei-ran looked at Yanmei from head to toe after lowering her shades. Deep inside, she was furious. She found Yanmei attractive, and it scared her.


    Despite secretly acknowledging Yanmei''s charm, she raised her brow and asked Anton, "Oppa, who is this woman? Has she been bothering you?"


    She then turned to Yanmei saying, " Excuse me, but Anton does not like to spend time with cheap women."


    Yanmei was earlier smiling at the actress that stepped inside the cafe, but after hearing her insult, she placed a hand on her mouth while both her eyes grew wide. She asked, "Cheap women?"


    "Show respect to anyone I am with! She is not what you think but one of my managers!" Anton said firmly. He wondered if he will ever get tired of this woman''s lack of etiquette.


    "Excuse me, Ms. superstar, but just because you are rich and famous, you can just talk to anybody that way," said Yanmei. She then looked at Anton and said, "I want to go back to the office now."


    "Already getting up," said Anton, ignoring Baek Hei-ran completely.


    "Oppa!" She called to him, holding his arm, but Anton was quick to push her hand away. He rushed outside the cafe, not looking back.


    Anton could not remember when Baek Hei-ran started calling him "oppa" but he hated it the most. It gave the wrong impression to others that they had a special relationship.


    Yanmei was still getting her bag when Anton walked out of the coffee shop. When she was about to walk past Baek Hei-ran, she felt a hand on her arm.


    "Listen to me well, woman. If you steal Anton away from me, you are going to experience hell! Stay away from him, you understand me?" She threatened Yanmei without hesitation. Her beautiful face turned into monstrous.


    She had been after Anton for as long as she could remember. She was not just about to give him up to a newcomer.


    Yanmei let go of her arm and said, "The truth is, I am not your rival, but if you challenge me that much I don''t mind playing a game with you."

 Chapter 31: Call Me Yeong

    Anton Yeong waited outside the coffee shop, but he noticed Yanmei had not yet stepped outside. He peeped through the glass door and saw both women throwing daggers at each other with their eyes.


    Yanmei pulled her arm back and added to her earlier words, "I used to feel sorry for you but meeting you now, I can say that Anton, even as he is, deserves someone better."


    "Let''s go, Yanmei," Anton called and the two hurriedly got on his car agitating further Baek Hei-ran. Yanmei, for one, could feel a hole burning on her back from her fiery gaze.


    As Anton sped through the road, Yanmei said, "Mr. Yeong, how could you leave with - "


    "I''m sorry. She is crazy. I had to get out of there," Anton tried to justify his actions.


    He then heard Yanmei laugh. She said, "You know what she said? If you steal Anton from me, you are going to experience hell! She absolutely does not know you at all!"


    Anton frowned and cleared his throat, asking, "What do you mean?"


    Yanmei nearly choked, realizing she was about to bring up the gay word again. She collected herself and said, "that you know - you don''t like to get close to a woman in general¡­ So it''s really not likely that we would - especially since I''m not into men! Haha!"


    "I''m sorry, Mr. Yeong. I''m not making sense - "


    "Yeong," he plainly said. He recognized that not many knew him at all. As for Yanmei, just months of working with her, she had understood him more than anyone else.


    "What?" She asked with a puzzled expression.


    "Those who really know me, call me Yeong," he explained. "Except for Junsu of course, he still need to maintain calling me as such."


    "Right¡­Yeong? But that''s your last name?" She made sure she heard it right.


    "It''s a long story, but I prefer to be called by Yeong than Anton and Mr. Yeong is too formal," said Anton.


    "I think I remembered Andy calling you by Yeong," said Yanmei. She then looked at him and smiled. "Yeong it is, girl. I mean Yeong."


    Anton shook his head. Yanmei called him "girl" again.


    It was after the sugar cubes incident that Anton patched up with Yanmei, even without personally saying the sorry word. They were back to working healthily together while Yanmei returned to accompanying Yeong Soon in the days that followed.


    Since then, Yanmei had called him Yeong while occasionally being called "girl". Although Anton found it irritable, Yanmei was very good to excuse herself by calling others the same. Junsu was also often called by "girl." He reckoned it was a mere expression of hers.


    One evening, Anton''s father requested his presence at their home for dinner. Yeong Jae-won rarely asked for such favor, and so he agreed.


    However, to his dismay, the dinner had something to do with Baek Hei-ran. "Anton, their family is asking for a marriage alliance. I am not going to force you, but if you really dislike her then, then maybe you should settle with someone you like and maybe Baek Hei-ran will give up."


    "I-I received a call from her father, saying she was very devastated and that you seemed to have favored a normal working woman than her."


    Yeong Soon who was listening to the father and son conversation gave her agreement. She said, "Anton, it''s time to give roses to Yanmei-"


    "Mother," Anton warned. "Look, I will decide who to marry or who to date. I hope this is the last time I hear of this."


    Anton finished his dinner quickly and left the house. He did not want to have to show his dismay towards his parents.


    Just as he stormed outside the mansion gate, he saw a familiar car that blocked the road. It was Baek Hei-ran. She got out of the car and demanded to talk to Anton.


    "What are you doing?! Get out of the fucking road?" Yelled Anton as he took a step on the pavement.


    "I wanted to talk to you," she said. The fact that Anton was seen with a woman threatened her and she could get it out of her system.


    "You told me before you had no plans to have a relationship, but why¡­ Why are -"


    "Stop this right now! Yanmei isn''t who you think she is. She is a lesbian. She is not into me," explained Anton.


    Hei-ran suddenly began to laugh. She said, "and you believe her? Anton, I can tell when a woman is gay or not and that Yanmei is definitely not!"


    "Enough! Get out of the road or I call security and have you arrested!"


    "Listen to me Anton, that girl is just waiting for an opportunity. Mark my word, if you find yourself alone with her, she will seduce you to bed! She will then announce that she got pregnant with your child and force you to marry her!" Baek Hei-ran pinned onto Yanmei the plot that she had originally planned for herself.


    "I''m calling security now." Those were his only response while going back to his car.


    She tried to hold him back, saying, "Anton, I am just looking out for you. Please believe me!"


    It did not take long for security to arrive, and Baek Hei-ran had no choice but to clear the path for Anton. It was only then that Anton was able to leave.


    Even if Yanmei had not done anything wrong nor had she attempted to seduce him once, Hei-ran''s suggestion lingered on his thoughts that in the succeeding days, he avoided going to the office, merely working from Yeong Guns and Ammos factories.


    He started distancing himself again from Yanmei until a storm hit Korea and he was obliged by his sister to check on her. Anton and Andrea were on the phone, talking about his predicament, involving a syndicate that had been attempting to steal from their factories.


    "Yeong, please be safe," pleaded Andrea. "Can''t you just leave with it the police?"


    "What can they do? How long will they need to capture all of them? I''ve already captured a few of their men and know their base location. I have more reliable men than the police force."


    Yeong went on and on about his disappointment towards the authorities when Andrea changed the subject, "How is Yanmei?"


    Y: "She is fine. She is very close to mom¡­Anyway, I better go now. The signal is getting bad. There''s a storm coming - "


    A: "What? Yeong, please check on Yanmei. She is all alone!"


    Y: "She is a grown adult, and you chose a good apartment for her - "


    A: "At least, call and make sure she is fine."


    Y: "Why me? Why don''t you call her?"


    A: "Duh, long-distance calls are so expensive! Bye, I have to go. Call her!"

 Chapter 32: Silk Robe

    A heavy storm hit Korea, and Anton Yeong had been trying to contact Yanmei for the past thirty minutes. He could not get through to her.


    As he watched the news, he picked up that some residence buildings lost power. It made him wonder if his sister chose for Yanmei, an apartment building that was equipped with a generator.


    "This woman, why is she not picking up!" Exclaimed Anton. He checked if his messages had been replied to, but there was none. The very last text from her plainly said that she could not come to the office because of the storm. He thought it was silly of her to ask, even he himself did not go to the office.


    He was staying with his parents'' estate, calling from the third-floor balcony when his mother approached him, "Anton, is Yanmei okay there at her apartment? The storm is really bad. Perhaps you should check on her. I''m a little worried about her. She had has not replied to my messages."


    "What if - what if there is no power or the security in her building did not report to work? What if there are thieves that managed to get inside the apartment building?" Said Yeong Soon in the most dramatic way before adding, "Anton, you have to go to her!"


    It was thanks to Yeong Soon''s words that Anton was prompted to leave despite the heavy rain. The roads were barely visible, but he made it to Yanmei''s apartment building on his own.


    Upon arriving, he scanned the lobby thoroughly. Fortunately, they had security. He asked the two men on guard if there was a power disruption; they confirmed that they lost electricity for about an hour. He decided to go up to her flat and make sure she was fine.


    He quickly found his way and knocked on the door a few times. The moment Yanmei''s door opened, he took a step back, seeing her in her sleeping wear. She had a silk robe on top of her nightgown, but the plunging neckline showed off her more skin than he expected. It was also the first time he saw her face freshly washed without makeup.


    He gulped, instantly recognizing Yanmei''s alluring look. That, together with her slim figure, was enough to make Anton''s cheeks give a little tint of red.


    "Yeong, what are you doing here? I told you I could not come to work because of the storm. Was it necessary for you to come and pick me up?" Yanmei could only think it was work-related. There was no other reason for him to be here. She had earlier been lounging on her sofa, reading a book when the doorbell rang.


    Anton scratched his brows, listening to her protest. He looked down and placed both hands on his hip before answering, "I also have a heart. Yanmei. I look after those who give me added benefits."


    ''Benefits? He must mean work-related, right? Haha! Obviously, Yanmei,'' she quickly brought herself back to her senses saying, "So if I weren''t beneficial, I would not get this special visit?"


    "Nevermind that. I just came to check on you but seeing you are doing fine, I''ll be heading back." He turned his back without waiting, leaving Yanmei baffled.


    She pursed her lips before shutting the door behind her. She went to her room to grab her phone. It was only then that she saw Anton''s missed calls and that of Yeong Soon. "Oh, I must have worried them."


    After that, she replied to Yeong Soon''s text messages and went back to reading her book.


    Half an hour passed, and she was fixing herself a cup of warm chocolate drink. She heard her doorbell rang again. Her brows drew together, wondering who could it be. When she peeped through the hole viewer, she opened the door immediately.


    She asked as her eyes grew wide, "What happened to you?"


    Anton Yeong was standing in front of her, completely drenched. She heard him say, "I drove. I could not see. I left the car. I''m here."


    ''Wow! How brief,'' she told herself. She nearly laughed at his words.


    Realizing she was just staring at him, she hurriedly let him inside. "Come in! I''ll get you a towel."


    "There is a towel inside. Go take a warm bath." She directed him to the common bathroom before going to her room. She went directly to her dresser to fetch him a robe.


    When she came back to give the only clothing she could find that would fit him, Anton asked, "Don''t you have any other kind of robe? You know, the kind that actually keeps you warm?"


    Yanmei only extended her hand by the restroom door so to avoid seeing him possibly half-naked or worse. "I''m sorry. I only have silk robes. You can use the towel to dry yourself."


    If only Yanmei could see, Anton''s face was difficult to recognize. He was utterly disappointed by what he was about to put on.


    Anton did as recommended. He took a warm shower, dried himself with a towel, then got into a thin cloth of silk robe.


    He looked himself in the mirror and could not help but make a frown. He looked absolutely ridiculous. He shook his head and let out a heavy sigh before finally opening the bathroom door.


    Stepping outside, he walked towards the direction of the living room. He saw Yanmei absorbed, reading a book. He cleared his throat to make his presence be known.


    As soon as Yanmei turned to take a look, she scoffed before laughing fully at the sight of a strong and muscled man wearing a red silk robe up to his lower thighs. She was at it so hard that she snorted a few times.


    She definitely admired his physic body that she blurted out, "Girl, you look fine! Haha! Let''s have some chocolate drink and some girl talk while we get your clothes dry in the laundry."


    ''Girl talk?'' Anton wondered, completely puzzled. ''Here we go again, calling me girl.''

 Chapter 33: Pretend Girlfriend

    Sitting on her small dining table, Anton Yeong crossed his arms against his chest before scolding Yanmei, "Excuse me, Yanmei. Just because I have allowed you to become associated with me, doesn''t mean you can casually talk to me like that."


    Anton was still unsettled at being occasionally addressed as "girl."


    Yanmei bit her lip, recalling how he did not want to be known. Yet, she could not help but roll her eyes before responding, "Sure, sure, but you know¡­ You have to be honest with yourself."


    She stood up to put the hot chocolate in front of him and said, "the truth will set you free."


    Anton was now speculating that she might have taken alcohol, resulting for her to talk non-sense. He was about to react, but her actions completely caught him off guard.


    Yanmei cupped her breast saying, "gosh, I think I''ll have my period soon."


    If it were any other woman, Yeong would instantly think she was seducing him, but not Yanmei. He remembered well how she appreciated women more than men.


    ''Maybe, she just did not care about my opinions at all that she allows herself to be too comfortable around me?'' He thought to himself.


    It was late in the evening, and the storm was getting worse. Yeong''s clothes have already dried, but if he left for home, he would again be soaked in the rain, having parked his car a block from Yanmei''s apartment building.


    "Yeong, just stay here for the night. It''s impossible for you to leave in this condition. You can take the couch," said Yanmei.


    He did not like the idea. The fact that she offered a sleepover, it made him wonder if she was really into women. The words of Beak Hei-ran sneaked into his mind. ''What if she climbs on top of me as I sleep? I would end up killing her for sure.''


    Yanmei handed extra pillows and a blanket before leaving him on his own in the living area. "Goodnight girl! See you in the morning."


    Yeong''s eyes narrowed as he saw her enter the room and shut the door. She did not even look back.


    He stood there with his arms folded, expecting Yanmei to come peeping or checking on him, but minutes passed and he got tired of waiting.


    He laid on the sofa and tried to get in touch with his mother instead. He could only send a message, unable to make a call. The signal was becoming really bad. "Mom, I''m at Yanmei''s apartment. I''m stuck here due to the storm. I''ll wait an hour or two and if the rain slows down, I''ll head home."


    "Son, just stay with Yanmei. We don''t mind. Make sure she is safe for the night," replied Yeong Soon.


    "What is going on? This is not like you at all," he probed further.


    "Anton, I don''t want you to get into an accident driving in the rain. Please, just stay there. Goodnight."


    Yeong was in disbelief. Earlier his foster mother would not stop nagging about how he had abandoned her, not having been home for a very long time. Since a storm was coming, she demanded that he stay with them as she would feel assured, knowing he was safe.


    Yeong remained awake for another hour, worried that the Yanmei may have actually set a trap for him. Again, he was reminded of the words of Hei-ran Beak, "She will seduce you to bed! She will then announce that she got pregnant with your child and force you to marry her!"


    However, to his dismay, Yanmei never came out of the room. He immediately concluded that she was truly gay. He finally closed his eyes after two hours of waiting to be seduced.


    Morning came yet it still rained. Although not as heavy as last night, Yeong was not in a hurry to leave. Instead, he went to the kitchen and made breakfast.


    He was not a good cook but he could whip up a good omelet and he found a frozen ham to go along with it.


    When Yanmei woke up, Anton was once again taken aback. She came out wearing merely her nightgown, revealing a cleavage and morning nipples on top and slender legs below. He immediately complained saying, "Will you get some clothes on? Don''t you even have a sense of awareness?"


    Yanmei''s eyes moved from left to right and realizing how he was reacting. She placed both hands on her waist and posed like a model. She said, "Jealous much?"


    She quickly went back to her room without waiting for an answer to get her robe.


    Yeong could not understand her responses. The pieces did not seem to fit, but once again, he went back to the conclusion that Yanmei simply did not care about his presence.


    Yanmei was used to just being herself with her gay friends, not minding their actual gender because they were never really interested in her romantically. She was acting the same way with Anton, knowing he would never see her as a woman.


    The two had a peaceful breakfast, and it was then when Anton asked for her help. He had been pondering while chewing his food. Yanme would be a better choice compared to Junsu''s list of desirable bachelorettes. In his head, he weighed the pros and cons and eventually concluded that Yanmei was far better.


    He started with a clarification, "Yanmei, you are not interested in me, are you?"


    "Pfft! What kind of question is that? You''re -" She stopped herself realizing the word gay was about to come out of her mouth.


    She paused for a second to gain her composure and continued, "Yeong, you know very well that you are not my type¡­ and we both know I''m not your type either!"


    She winked at him during the last part of her sentence, leaving Anton with another confusion. Nevertheless, he dismissed it and went to the point, "Can you pretend to be my girlfriend so Mommy Soon can get off my back and stop bothering me at the office?"


    "What?!" Yanmei almost fell off her seat after being asked. It was the very last thing she expected to hear come out from Anton''s mouth.


    "I''ll give you a raise, courtesy of my company."


    "What? No!" Objected Yanmei.


    "I''ll give you a car."


    Yanmei''s eyes thinned at the thought of driving herself instead of taking a cab. "Hmmmm..."


    They carefully discussed his proposal but what he said next made her consider the idea.


    "Also, I badly need to make Hei-ran Bake realize, I will never be hers," added Anton. "Her family has been asking for a marriage alliance. It worries me that my father will like the idea, knowing I am not seeing anybody."


    She suddenly felt sorry for him. After meeting the actress, she knew she was a horrible person. Baek Hei-ran absolutely did not match Anton Yeong.


    Yanmei knew she was about to regret her decision but she ultimately said, "Okay. Fine."

 Chapter 34: Get To Know You

    Hours passed, but the rain continued to shower heavily. Anton Yeong could not find himself getting out of Yanmei''s apartment. Thus, he made use of his time wisely.


    "Yanmei, we need to sit down and plan how to make the relationship as real as possible, especially in front of my parents. I suggest we outline the things that people do on a date or being a couple," said Anton. He had the most serious look on his face as he sat in the living room, folding his arms.


    "S-seriously?!" Yanmei asked. Her eyes grew wide in surprise. Her inside almost wanting to fall to the floor and laugh at the situation.


    "Aside from having dinners, what do couples do? I am absolutely not kissing you, by the way," said Anton expressionlessly. "Not even holding your hand."


    She immediately raised her brow at him saying, "Excuse me, neither will I!"


    Yanmei put a hand to cover her mouth, trying to stop herself from reacting strangely at him. After taking a deep breath, she said, "Basically, couples talk. They get to know each other, go out and watch movies, shop together... Have you not done any of those?"


    "I''ve only been forced to take women to dinner a few times by my parents," said Anton. "Regarding your suggestion, let me put that on my notes."


    Yanmei, "???"


    Anton then looked at her and said, "How often do we need to talk and get to know each other?"


    "Pfft! Haha! When we have the time?" She said while trying to hold her giggle. "Girl, you are taking this too serious- "


    "And because we are doing this, you have to stop calling me girl," he strongly said after noting down Yanmei''s suggestions. "I''ll schedule with Junsu our get to know you dates on a regular basis... Maybe once a week."


    Yanamei''s eyes were nearly wet. She could feel her insides laughing out uncontrollably. She cleared her throat and said, "Okay, but seriously have you not even watched movies when two people date?"


    Anton stared at her before saying, "I prefer war movies, martial arts, and hero movies¡­ Anyhow, mother said I should buy you roses so I will have Junsu order one for you."


    She rolled her eyes, saying to herself, ''No element of surprise.''


    "So I guess we can make use of this time and make it officially our first date," he said. "Let me think for a second."


    Yanmei started laughing, bringing her head back and slamming her hands on her seat. Seeing Anton''s eyes thinned, she pulled herself together.


    "Are you mocking me, woman?" He asked with an icy tone.


    "Sorry, I just remembered something. I''m sorry. Yeah, I guess we can start," she answered quickly.


    He was silent for a moment, doubting Yanmei''s words, but eventually, he said, "Right." As he let out the word, his forehead creased. He then resumed, "Then I''ll start."


    Yanmei, got comfortable on the couch, putting her leg up to her chin. She didn''t realize she was exposing more of her legs to him.


    Once again Anton gulped at her actions. His cheeks puffed as he blew air while trying to look away from her slender legs. After shaking his head, he asked, "Have you ever killed, anybody?"


    Yanmei''s eyes moved from side to side. She asked, "What? No! Why would I?"


    Anton was immediately reminded that Yanmei lived a normal life. He crossed his legs before adding, "Hmmm¡­Yes, of course, you haven''t¡­ but it doesn''t mean you haven''t thought about it... Well then, if you say so¡­ Do you know the point system in a boxing match?"


    She gave a near frown and awkwardly said, "Ahhh¡­ I don''t watch boxing."


    He scoffed before saying, "Let me change my question then¡­ If a handsome stranger approaches you in a bar and offers you a drink, would you take it?"


    Yanmei burst out laughing. She could not understand why Anton was asking these kinds of questions. It took a minute for her to recover and she said, "That is not how to talk to someone are having a date with. Yeong! If it were any woman, she''d be scared of you by now. You are giving me a feeling that this is some sort of a test!"


    She could see clearly how his brows nearly touched as his eyes narrowed at her. She heard him say, "Then¡­ what do normal couples talk about?"


    "You know, questions like." Yanmei paused for a second, searching through her thoughts before finally giving an answer," Like¡­what were your first thoughts when we met?"


    "I thought you were a bed climber," he said outright, making Yanmei shake her head.


    It was now Yanmei''s turn to frown at him, but remembering his cold self, she let it be.


    Y: "You know what, Yeong. Let''s just talk about our favorites. What''s your favorite color?"


    A: "Black."


    Y: "That''s not even a color."


    A: "Okay, gray then."


    Y: "Pfft¡­ Whatever girl - "


    A: "No calling me girl!"


    Y: "Okay! Okay! What''s your favorite food?"


    A: "Japanese, sushi, western steak, barbecue, mostly anything spicy¡­ Live octopus thrills me."


    "Eww¡­ I heard people die from that you know," she sneered before adding another question. "Have you ever been¡­ in¡­ love?"


    Yanmei immediately gulped, scared the question might agitate him, but to her surprise, he said, "I fancied someone in college, but I never acted on it."


    ''Of course, I understand,'' Yanmei told herself. ''Must be hard.''


    Y: "Okay, then¡­ can you tell me why are you so stiff? Mean, indifferent? Cold?"


    Anton changed the position of his legs and leaned forward with both elbows on his knees. He looked at Yanmei intensely and said, "Yanmei, I will only give part of the reason - a tip of the iceberg¡­ Remember when I got cut from an attempted robbery at the gun factory? What I did not tell you was how the thieves were armed with guns."


    "That kind of life? Being attacked - engaging in fight is something that I have grown to get used to - Also, how my biological parents died¡­ I think - I think it is a risk to make relationships even as simple as friendship," He added.


    "What - what happened to your parents?" She asked, sensing that there is more gravity behind it.


    "I will consider telling you if you stay loyal to me as an employee for ten years," He plainly said while turning his gaze to the window.


    ''Ten years?'' Yanmei thought while raising her brows.


    Anton stood up to take a closer look at sky. He noticed how the rain had started to slow down. He said, "I think I can get going now."


    He turned to Yanmie and said, "Thank you for your hospitality. I will schedule another get to know you date. We can have it in the office, in the conference room."


    Yanmei went laughing hysterically again. She concluded that Anton is absolutely unromantic and dull.


    Anton walked towards her and slammed both hands against the cushion. Yanmei was literally in between Anton''s strong arms, her face inches away from him.


    He remained giving her a fierce look and asked, "What''s wrong with my suggestion?"


    Yanmei was taken aback. She gazed directly into his light brown eyes in awe, but still had the strength to say, "Nothing... the conference room is perfectly romantic."


    A wired smirk appeared on his face. ''So you wanted romantic?''


    After an hour, Anton already found his car. He got in and called Junsu. When his assistant picked up, he asked, "Junsu, what is a good romantic restaurant you know of? Must be exclusive - with a good view."


    "Okay, make dinner reservations this Friday evening."


    It was yet another dinner, but then again, that was all Anton knew about. He figured he would start from there.

 Chapter 35: Profile Update

    Yanmei woke up the next day thinking if her decision was right to help Anton. She imagined he had told his parents about their so-called relationship as Yeong Soon called her immediately, nearly crying for joy.


    She instantly felt guilty. It was while they were having their conversation when she realized how difficult it would be for her. She wondered how long they would keep pretending and how in the world can they prove their so-called relationship, considering Anton was far from being a relationship person.


    Still laying in her bed, she turned to her alarm clock and saw it was already six in the morning. Usually, she was already done at this time, ready to leave for the office.


    She noticed her phone ringing and Yanmei lazily got out of bed to answer it. She gulped seeing Anton''s name and sneered before picking it up. "Hello, Yeong?"


    "I''m down at your apartment. It''s time to go to the office," said Anton on the other line.


    Her mouth hung open, and she frantically went to the bathroom while telling him, "I - I just woke up! I did not get any rest last night!"


    "Yanmei - "


    "You can just go ahead of me, really. There is no reason for you to pick me up!"


    The call dropped, and Yanmei immediately assumed that he had left. She went straight to taking a bath, but in the middle of her shower, she heard her doorbell ring. "Oh - my - god. Please don''t tell me that''s him?"


    The doorbell rang again and soon it rang non-stop that Yanmei knew it was her new boyfriend that was at the door. She asked herself, ''Who else would be so impatient? it can only be Yeong!''


    Yanmei felt she had no choice. Still dripping wet, she rolled her eyes before stepping outside the bathroom wrapped in a small towel to take a peek.


    Sure enough, her instinct was correct.


    Yanmei shook her head and when she opened the door, she said, "I told you not to wait for me!"


    Anton was stunned to see Yanmei in a small towel, merely holding it with one hand. Her hair was drenched, and her skin formed droplets of water.


    Just yesterday, he saw her in sleeping wear and now; he saw her in a towel.


    Suddenly, he heard Yanmei''s next-door neighbor, also about to leave. Anton''s face turned into a frown, seeing it was a gentleman that came out of the apartment. He immediately went inside her flat and pushed Yanmei a few steps back. He yelled at her, "Woman! Are you crazy?!"


    While still in the hallway, Anton slammed his hands against the wall and in front of him was Yanmei, startled by his hasty anger.


    His nose flared and his eyes were the narrowest Yanmei had ever since. He said, "Why are you showing yourself wearing only a towel to a man!"


    Yanmei became puzzled. She was pretty sure the voice she had earlier heard was from the next door, which was about meters away. Her brows drew together and asked, "Ahh¡­ which man? The neighbor? He was too far away and besides, I would not have opened the door if you had stopped ringing the doorbell! You were being a nuisance!"


    Anton was about to answer, but she beat him to it, saying, "If you insist on waiting for me, then so be it! Take a seat. I''m going to finish my shower!"


    He watched her turn her back on him and head back to her room while his blood was still boiling. He took a seat, also contemplating his actions.


    The truth was, he was not sure why he was upset. He just instantly felt his head heating up with rage. He went to Yanmei''s kitchen and fixed himself a cup of coffee, cooling his temper with the scent of caffeine.


    When he finished his drink, he asked himself, "Yeah, why did I get angry?"


    He merely shook his head, realizing that it was, in fact, his fault. In the first place, he had not informed her that he was coming to pick her up.


    After Yanmei was already dressed, she was still upset that she kept silent all throughout. She just signaled him to the door, suggesting she was ready to leave.


    They walked down the apartment building not saying any word to each other.


    Yanmei only looked at the streets while Anton focused on driving. Deep inside, however, he cursed himself in silence, ''F**k! Now I have to make another apology letter.''


    Arriving at the office, Yanmei only said, "I''ll use the regular lift. Thank you for the ride, Yeong."


    Yanmei did not give him a chance to answer and walked out of the car without looking back.


    When Anton started with his day, he had very little progress. Again, he was affected because of Yanmei.


    He then recalled that his mother suggested giving her some roses or flowers. It might as well be his apology.


    He immediately called Junsu with a specific directive, "order bouquets of flowers for Yanmei."


    "Ah - Excuse me, Mr. Yeon," Junsu clarified.


    Anton had to repeat himself several times before Junsu finally accepted that the request was real, but before he could carry out his task, he asked, "Mr. Yeong, do you know Yanmei''s favorite flower? Or color?"


    "Hmmm," Anton said. He realized, he and Yanmei were still about to go on their get to know date. "Let me get back to you on that."


    After putting the phone, Anton called the HR department and ordered all employees to update their company profile.


    Almost immediately, talks within the office spread and even Yeona hurriedly informed Yanmei. "Ms. Yanmei, we better hurry. The big boss ordered us to update our profile on the internal site. I heard that whoever does not update their profile will not get the year-end bonus. Huhu."


    Just as she was about to clarify with the HR team, Yanmei received a call to give the same message to her team. Thus she unfolded it to her staff.


    Yeona went back to her desk and immediately opened the company''s internal site. A pop-up appeared and several questions were asked.


    The basics were required like any updated phone number, address and one other question appeared on the screen, asking, "Are you in a romantic relationship with your direct superior?"


    Yeona giggled. She looked at Yanmei and clicked NO.


    Another pop-up appeared saying, "If your answer is no, then there is a no need to answer the rest of the questions."


    Yeona then saw that her profile page was marked completed. She was puzzled but happy it was over and done with.


    On the other hand, Yanmei also opened her company profile and several pop-ups appeared with questions.


    "What''s your favorite follower?"


    "Which country do you like your flowers from?


    "What is your favorite color?"


    "What specific hue and intensity is your favorite color? Please choose from the color wheel below for precision."

 Chapter 36: No Cards

    "Hmmm," Yanmei said as her lips pouted. "Such a strange profile update."


    Yanmei answered roses and tulips as her favorite flowers. She did not care where they came from, so long as they were beautiful.


    Despite the peculiarity of the required profile update, she filled out the first set of questions and after the color inquiry were average questions about her address and contact information, but soon followed another set of unusual questions.


    "For emergency purposes, do you have the contact person of your neighbor? And what is his name?"


    "Ha?" Yanmei immediately asked herself, utterly puzzled. "What is HIS name?"


    She muttered as she entered, "I - don''t - know my neighbors, but - the - apartment building administration office number is +82-32-405-0671."


    There were no other questions that followed, and Yanmei later resumed her work.


    When Yeona went inside her office to hand over her accomplishments from the day before, Yanmei could not help but ask, "Yeona, didn''t you think that the profile update questions were strange?"


    "Oh, yeah. absolutely but either way, I answered. It did not - seem like it was something to worry about," Yeona plainly explained before leaving her office.


    Yanmei then felt reassured that she was not the only one who thought the questions are a little off.


    Lunchtime came, and she and Yeona went to the canteen for their meals. Anton had sent her a message saying he needed to go to the south gun factory, which she merely replied with a simple okay. She was still upset with him at that time.


    Upon returning, she noticed her staff crowded from outside her office. Wondering what was the commotion about, she called their attention, "What''s going on? Why are you all there?"


    They all turned to her almost at the same time and moved away. Yanmei instantly saw her space was filled with purple, white and green shaded flowers, where roses mostly stood out. Her mouth hung as she entered her office. It smelled of botanical gardens, so refreshing to her nose.


    The flowers were all conveniently placed on vases, coincidentally highlighting her favorite shade of light purple and green.


    "Ms. Yanmei! You have an admirer!" Yeona exclaimed as she excitedly inhaled the flower''s scent.


    Her staff immediately clapped and teased Yanmei for her newfound love, and she blushed altogether. However, she was in a dilemma. There were no cards on each of the flowers. She wondered who could have given them.


    She began to look back at any of her interactions with men. She was pretty sure that aside from Junsu, Anton was the closest guy she had a decent conversation with.


    "Ms. Yanmei, who sent you the flowers?"


    "Do you already have a boyfriend, Ms. Yanmei?"


    Her eyes grew wide, unsure of how to answer the boyfriend question. She wondered if it was okay to say she had a pretend boyfriend, but then again, Yanmei was sure it was only for the purpose of showing Anton''s parents.


    She turned to her staff and said, "I - I honestly do not know who sent these. There are no cards on the flowers."


    "But - do you already have a boyfriend?" Yeona excitedly asked again.


    Yanmei gave fainted laugh and changed the topic, saying, "Guys, let''s just go back to work, please. I''ll find out first who these flowers belong to."


    While Yanmei was pushing away her team, someone had recently arrived at the south gun factory, watching the surveillance from her office. Anton''s lips twitched, and he immediately called Junsu.


    The moment Junsu picked up, he yelled, "Who sends followers without any card?!"


    Anton gave him another instruction, and this time, Junsu had to make the personal delivery.


    There were eight sets of flowers in her room and Yanmei carefully arranged them so as not to disturb her work and allow her team to come inside the office at any time.


    Nearly two hours passed, and Yanmei was still occasionally thinking about the flowers. She had sent Anton a text message asking if he had sent them, but he had not answered. Instead, he only said, "I''ll be back at the office at six in the evening. We can leave together."


    She frowned and asked through the text, "What? Why are you going to be my driver?"


    "I did say I will give you a car ride, didn''t I," replied Anton.


    "What? You said you''d give me a car!" She protested.


    It was only after an hour that he replied, "I ordered another car for you, but strangely the car company said it will take two months for them to deliver it due to high demand."


    "You are lying!" texted Yanmei. There were other brands out there. It was impossible for someone like Anton to take a month to get a car.


    "Call every car company there is if you want," he challenged her.


    "Whatever, Yeong. I have to go to work." Yanmei surrendered with the text argument. She figured, what are two months of waiting. She was also confident that his busy schedule will soon not permit it.


    It did not take long for Junsu to arrive, carrying with him a large bouquet of purple tulips flowers and everyone in Yanmei''s team stood up with their eyes wide open.


    The flowers could only come from Junsu or the boss himself, but seeing how expensive they looked, everyone immediately knew that it came from Anton Yeong.


    Yeona saw Junsu walking towards Yanmei''s office that she helped with the door. The moment the glass door opened, he announced as loud as possible, "Ms. Yanmei. This is a special delivery from your boyfriend, my boss." He then turned to the crowd and added, "Our boss, Mr. Aton Yeong."


    "Oh, my gosh!" Yeona yelled. She then clapped and cheered for Yanmei. Soon enough, her entire team came to tease their direct superior.


    They had seen Yeong Soon visit Yanmei a few times, and thus, the news somehow did not surprise them.


    After Junsu placed the bouquet on top of her desk, Yanmei shook her head, but she could not stop the grin on her face either. Finally, the bouquet had a card on it.


    The moment Junsu left and her team finally went back to work, she opened the envelope and read the only message on the card, " You are very welcome. From Yeong."


    Her face instantly turned red, and she laughed her heart. Her voice was so loud that her team looked at her curiously from outside her office.


    When she noticed everyone was staring at her, she fixed herself and mumbled, "Why did I even expect something more."

 Chapter 37: The Interview (I)

    Before six in the evening came, Yanmei had already received a call from Anton saying that he was waiting outside the building. She gave a scoff as she was not done with her work, but knowing how impatient he was, she rushed to clean her desk and immediately left her office.


    From the earlier flower incident, news spread like wildfire about Yanmei being the boss''s girlfriend. Yanmei thought it was unnecessary to announce it to the entire office, but since it had come to this, she had no choice but to go along with it.


    Everywhere she went that afternoon, she felt eyes either looking fiercely at her or were admiring her.


    For those who fancied the boss, they were obviously unaware that Anton was not into women, and thus; they were jealous of Yanmei. Mostly, however, were excited about their president, considering Yanmei was the very first announced girlfriend of Anton Yeong.


    Seeing Yeona was still busy at her desk, Yanmei gave her a sorry face, saying, "Yeona, I wish I could stay longer but Yeong - I mean Mr. Yeong is already downstairs -"


    "Ms. Yanmei, it''s okay. You are always working hard," said Yeona before lowering her voice. "It''s not good to keep the boss waiting."


    She rolled her eyes and said, "Tell me about it¡­ Bye, Yeona."


    "Wait! Ms. Yanmei!" Yeona called out to her, seeing Yanmei carrying only her bag.


    Yanmei turned to her and asked, "Yes?"


    "You will not bring any of the flowers to your house? You don''t want to upset the boss," Yeona said again in the lowest tone, but clear enough to be heard.


    Yanmei''s mouth turned into a circle. She realized that Yeona was right. She shook her head, recognizing her inexperienced self when it came to relationships, but also giving a moment to correct herself in silence, ''Wait! What am I thinking? This is not even a real relationship.''


    Still, she grabbed the tulips, and head for the ground floor.


    Anton was busy on his laptop at the backseat while waiting for Yanmei. As soon as he noticed her walking outside the office building, he felt proud of seeing her carrying the bouquet of tulips.


    A grin appeared on his face, but the moment his driver opened the door for her, his face quickly turned neutral.


    Getting comfortable at her seat, she said, "The flowers are beautiful - "


    "You are welcome. I hope that they served their purpose," he plainly said.


    While holding the flowers in her hand, she turned to him, asking, "What are their purpose?"


    "Are you still upset about this morning? Well, seeing you bring the flowers, I hope that you have already forgotten it," said Anton without looking at her. He merely resumed the work he was absorbed with since earlier.


    Before Yanmei could react, Minsuh, Anton''s driver, announced that they were leaving.


    Yanmei observed further her new boyfriend and recognized how Anton was very insensitive. She told herself, ''I have much work to do with my girlfriend.''


    Seeing that they were going in another direction, Yanmei asked, "Where are we going?"


    Anton cleared his throat before saying, "We are going to my parents'' house. My father wants to meet you."


    Yanmei gulped, worried that it will be an interview she was not prepared for. "Ah... We have already met. You know during your birthday dinner?"


    "That was different. My father wants to speak to you properly¡­ about our relationship," said Anton before finally closing his laptop and focusing his attention to Yanmei. "Don''t worry. Just act like your normal self, except that we are a couple now."


    It was because Minsuh was driving them that Anton leaned over to Yanmei. With his lips inches away from her, he said, " Just say that I asked you to be my girlfriend while I slept overnight at your apartment."


    "And if they should ever ask about marriage, say we are planning one next year."


    Yanmei''s eyes grew wide hearing his words. She immediately leaned back and said, "Already? Don''t you think that is too fast?!"


    Anton looked at her intensely and said, "Trust me. It will keep them off our backs!"


    Yanmei was nervous as they drove to the Yeongs'' mansion. They did not even get a chance to know each other well, and here she was, meeting Yeong''s parents after having supposedly established their relationship.


    She thought of every possible question that they might be asking and consulted with Anton. As they were talking, they remained whispering to each other so as not to be found out by the driver.


    Yanmei: "What if they ask about how you confessed your feelings for me? What will I say?"


    Yeong: "I would probably say¡­ Yanmei, you are the lesser evil amongst the women in Korea and so I am asking you to be my girlfriend."


    Yanmei: "Pfftt! What? That''s very comforting. So if I am a lesser evil, I can only imagine the other women!"


    Anton just shook his head and said, "Trust me¡­ That will work."


    It did not take long for them to arrive and as soon as Yanmei got out of the car, carrying her tulips, Yeong Soon nearly cried.


    She had been waiting for them outside the driveway for minutes and seeing Yanmei, she gave her a hug before saying, "Oh, this is really not like Anton to give flowers, Yanmei¡­ You are truly special."


    Yanmei faked a smile and kissed Yeong Soon in the cheek after giving her greetings.


    Anton helped store Yanmei''s flowers before having dinner while Yeong Soon brought Yanmei to the dining area.


    Anton''s father, Yeong Jae-won was already waiting for them and he pleasantly hugged Yanmei, saying, "Finally¡­ It had to take Andy to bring a daughter-in-law into our lives."


    Yanmei nearly choked at the words daughter-in-law. She knew they were really serious about hooking up their son.


    They quickly got prepared for dinner and soon began the series of interviews towards Yanmei.


    "So Yanmei, what is it about Anton that you like?" Jae-won asked.


    She beamed at Jae-won and turned to her so-called boyfriend. He was focused on eating his meal, not lending her any hand. Her smile instantly disappeared that she said, "He does not necessarily fake it to please me - I mean¡­ What I see is what I get."


    Anton''s Parents could not help but agree.


    "What else, Yanmei? What else do you like about Anton?" It was Mommy Soon''s turn to ask.


    She pursed her lips, digging through her earlier ideas and eventually said, "Well¡­ He is handsome¡­ and very fit!"


    He turned to Anton and studied him for a bit. Their eyes were fixed at each other when she added, "He is firm with his decisions about work¡­ a very reliable person in that aspect¡­ He is... He is actually caring without him realizing it."


    Suddenly, Yanmei giggled and said, "He unconsciously humors me with his unconventional approach!"


    They all laughed and after a few seconds, Jae-won asked, "So how did my son asked you out?"


    Yanmei felt her heart raced. She knew the question would come up. She did not like Anton''s answer so she came up with her own. She said, "Ahh... he said, you are the apple of my eye, so will you be my girlfriend?"


    Anton''s parent''s chuckled but eventually, Yeong Soon said, "That was a funny Joke Yanmei, but seriously, how did Anton ask you out?"


    Yanmei nearly gave a frown, seeing their reaction. She looked at Anton and remembered his words. She reluctantly said, "Well... his words were... Yanmei, you are the lesser evil amongst the women in Korea and so I am asking you to be my girlfriend."


    Anton''s parent''s laughed and Yeong Soon especially was teary-eyed hearing her response. She said, "That definitely sounds like Anton. Haha! I can definitely imagine my son giving out those words!"


    Yanmei, "!!!"

 Chapter 38: The Interview (II)

    It dawned on Yanmei that Anton''s parents have become accepting of his cold self, that even such an insane proposal was what they had expected from him.


    She gave a fainted laugh while staring at Anton, and he managed to let out a smirk. Not a smile or a laugh, but a smirk was enough to suggest that Yanmei''s reaction was adequate to tickle his heart.


    Yanmei''s earlier answer about him being handsome and fit made him touched his lightly bearded chin. He said to himself, ''Just wait till you see me clean shaved... Wait... What am I thinking?''


    He immediately shook his head. The fact that he was entertaining the idea of completely shaving his face was unlikely of him. He went back to eating his food, allowing Yanmei to drown with all the additional inquiries.


    "Yanmei, are you planning on getting married soon?" Yeong Soon asked before giggling. She then whispered something to her husband, and they both chuckled before returning his gaze to her.


    "Yanmei, please excuse us. You might think that we are asking this of you too soon, but we live in a world where arranged marriages happen. We can have you both married immediately - tomorrow if you are willing to!"


    Yanmei could sense the eagerness from Yeong Soon to have her son marry. She recalled what Anton said and so she did as she was earlier told, "It''s still too early, but we - if ever, maybe sometime next year."


    Even if it was not happening soon, Yeong Soon was satisfied. At least, there was light at the end of the tunnel, and she will eventually have a grandchild. She thought, ''In any case, I have my ways to make it happen.''


    "So Yanmei, when did you realize that you have taken a liking for my son?" Yeong Jae-won asked.


    She looked at Anton once again while finding the right answer. She smiled at Jae-won before saying, "I guess it started after - after he came back from getting wounded at the gun factory. I was jealous at the doctor that attended to his wounds."


    "Hmmm," said Yeong Jae-won. "Isn''t the company doctor a man?"


    Yanmei''s eyes grew wide in horror. She absolutely forgot about his parents not knowing Anton''s preference. She said, "Yes, but - I honestly thought it was a woman from afar! Haha! That was so silly of me."


    ".. and the second time was when he sent me an apology letter." Yanmei quickly changed the topic.


    She turned to Yeong Soon and reminding her of the time when Anton was upset about making him come after her. "He sent me an apology letter that completely made me laugh¡­ I instantly thought how amusing would it be to be with such a man¡­ that I - that I started to look at him differently."


    There was silence for seconds. Anton''s parents could not believe that their son made an apology letter. It was unnatural of their son to do.


    While his parents were in disbelief. Anton shook his head at Yanmei''s words. He could already foresee his mother crying as a result of discovering his admission letter.


    "Really, Yanmei?" Asked Jaeo-won.


    Yeong Soon was already teary-eyed and said, "It would be really nice to see that side of you, Yeong." Directing her gaze back to Yanmei, she asked, "Can I see his letter?"


    "Mother!" Protested Anton. "What good will it do for you to see?"


    Yanmei pursed her lips. She wondered if Anton''s parents will see the humor behind his apology letter, at least be entertained the way it did to her. She gulped before taking out her phone and opening her email.


    She hesitated, but ultimately handed her phone.


    Yeong Soon read Anton''s email and soon a tear fell down her cheek. She cried and laughed at the same time. She showed it to her husband he also nodded in agreement while caressing his wife''s back.


    After soothing his wife, Yeong Jae-won stood up to hand Yanmei''s phone and said, "You have really changed my son, Yanmei. It was more of a confession of his mistake, but he would never swallow his pride this way."


    "Well, except maybe to his mother but ultimately, this is such a different side of Anton, but - you are right! It''s very amusing! Haha!"


    "What is so funny about my apology letter?!" With his voice already raised, Anton asked.


    "Nothing!" Yanmei said. "It was cute!"


    With a frown on his face, he repeated in silence, ''Cute?''


    Anton Yeong shook his head many times that night. His parents were telling on him, and he could do nothing about it. He could only desire that this interview will be over soon.


    Yanmei''s interview came to a close. It was now time for Anton to be faced with his mother''s probing.


    While being served with desserts, Yeong Soon asked, "So Anton, what makes Yanmei different? Why of all the many women we have introduced you too, why have you chosen to be with Yanmei?"


    "Mother," said Anton. "You seem to forget you practically played cupid for both of us. No one has ever come close to our family except for Yanmei."


    "That is true, but still, you allowed me to," Yeong Soon reasoned.


    Anton could not deny it. If it were any other women, he would have already put a stop to their closeness, but what really made him tolerate it from the start was the fact that Yanmei was not into men. He could only answer, "¡­ Because Yanmei was the first woman who rejected my kiss. I ultimately knew she had no hidden motives."


    Yanmei''s eyes grew wide. She wondered when he ever attempted to kiss her. She tried to recall everything that has led them to this point, but there was no memory of a coming kiss. She turned to Yeong with a puzzled face.


    Seeing her confused, Anton reminded her, "You know when you blew a kiss in the air, thinking I was greeting you the Italian way!"


    ''What he wanted to kiss me then for real?'' She asked herself. Yanmei wanted to ask more, but she wanted no further questions that would lead them to their graves.


    When Anton''s father received a very important call and excused himself, Yeong Soon took the opportunity to ask both of them. She probed, "When Anton slept overnight at your place, Yanmei¡­ Did you sleep in the same bed?"


    "No."


    "Yes."


    Anton and Yanmei said simultaneously. One answer from Anton that would keep his mother from asking more and one truthful answer from Yanmei.


    "Well¡­ two different answers. Tsk, tsk," said Yeong Soon.


    Yanmei gulped before glaring at Anton. How could he even suggest that they slept together considering they became a fake couple only the following morning of his sleepover?


    Yeong Soon merely took a sip of her coffee and said in silence, ''There is only one way to find out.''

 Chapter 39: The Guest Room

    When Yeong Jae-won came back from his important call, he summoned Anton to follow him to his study. They were covering important matters in relation to the syndicate that has been trying to rob them.


    Yanmei and Yeong Soon continued to talk over coffee. All the conversations that followed covered the future grandchildren of the house that Yanmei could not help but feel her heart coming out of her chest.


    After an hour of chatting, Yeong Soon checked the time and said, "Oh my. Yanmei. It''s getting very late. I can''t have you go home at this time. You should stay over."


    "Umm¡­ It''s okay, Mommy Soon. Really, Anton will take me home," Yanmei insisted while putting a hand on her arm.


    "Yanmei, it''s already ten in the evening. You will arrive really late at your apartment and we don''t know for sure when the two will finish. Please¡­ please don''t give me a heart attack and just sleep here for the night. You don''t have to worry about clothes, I have plenty," insisted Yeong Soon.


    After letting out a heavy sigh, Yanmei cautiously agreed, "Okay. Mommy Soon. If you say so."


    Following Yanmei''s approval, Yeong Soon quickly stood up, worried that Yanmei might change her mind. She called for the maids to prepare a guest room.


    Yanmei can only bite her lip knowing there was no stopping Mommy Soon, but for a mere instruction to have the guest room ready, it took rather long for Yeong Soon to return. She wondered what kind of preparations Yeong Soon was making. Still, she let it be and resumed to finish her coffee.


    After more than half an hour, Yeong Soon returned and said, "See, the boys are not yet finished. It must be a serious matter that they were discussing. Yanmei, I have clothes in the guest room prepared for you. You should get your rest now."


    With a smile of surrender, Yanmei got up and followed Yeong Soon''s lead.


    Yanmei was escorted to her room and the moment she got in, she thought that room was rather¡­ MANLY. It was painted in black, white and gray. The curtains and the linens also followed the same shade. The decors were mostly minimalistic, and on the wall was a huge picture of a disassembled gun. Fronting the bed was a 60-inch flat-screen monitor.


    After studying the room, she could not help but comment, "Mommy Soon. Is this Anton''s room?"


    "What dear? No! I swear this is the guest room, but if you prefer staying in Anton''s room that can be arranged -"


    "Oh, no. Mommy Soon, this here is fine," said Yanmei. "I was just wondering if all the guest''s rooms were furnished this way."


    "Yes, my dear. It was Jae-won who did the designing, and he liked it this way," answered Yeong Soon.


    Yanmei continued to check the room and saw a display cabinet with uniquely designed knives carved with dragons. She immediately turned to Yeong Soon, but before she could ask, Mommy Soon beat her to it. She heard her say, "Oh, Anton''s collection is just too many that we had to use it as a decor in some rooms. He has an entire room filled with different knives."


    "Oh, I see," said Yanmei before looking back at the knives. "The blades are beautiful. It''s no wonder Yeong likes them - Oh, I mean Anton."


    "Did he tell you to call him Yeong?" Asked Yeong Soon. After seeing Yanmei nod, she smiled back at her. She was not sure if Yanmei knew the reason behind it, but she figured it was up to Anton to tell.


    Yeong Soon hugged Yanmei all of a sudden. She had a feeling that Yanmei was truly softening Anton''s heart. She remained holding her for seconds until she finally let go and said goodnight.


    After being left alone in the room, Yanmei went to the bathroom, ready to take a shower. She noticed there were two sets of everything; soap and shampoo for men and women. There was even shaving cream for men, but there were also facial necessities for women. There were two unopened toothbrushes and two pairs of bathroom slippers.


    "Wow," she said. "Ready for any type of guest?"


    She happily took a shower and dried herself. When she saw her sleeping wear, she thought she and Mommy Soon liked the same comfortable clothes. She put on the silk nighty and silk robe before finally resting on the bed.


    She breathed into the scent of the pillows and linens, saying, "Hmmm smells manly but really good."


    Anton Yeong and his father had a long discussion with one of their major stockholders through a video conference call. It was already past midnight when they were through. He was exhausted and wanted to take his rest.


    Seeing his mother come down from the stairs, he asked, "Where is Yanmei, mother?"


    Yeong Soon yawned and pretended to be confused. She pointed out to a room and said, "I - think she is in that guest room."


    Anton nodded before heading to his room. When he turned the knob to his door, he realized it was locked. He walked back to his parents'' room and just before he knocked on the door, Yeong Soon extended her hand giving him the keys. She said, "I figured you''d be looking for this."


    He grabbed the keys and returned to his bedroom. The moment he came inside, he gradually took off his clothes and left it on the floor, leaving only his undershirt and boxer shorts on.


    It was because he was too tired that he did not bother to take a shower or turn on the lights. Besides, he knew his bedroom layout well.


    Stretching his arms up high, Anton yawned before slamming himself on the bed.


    "Ahhhh!" Yanmei screamed after feeling a lumber fall on top of her. She got up and pulled up her blanket, and after a second, all the lights were turned on.


    "YEEEOOONG!!!!"


    "YAANMMEI!!!"


    "What are you doing here?" They both asked at the same time.


    Yanmei''s mouth fell open and began to analyze things. When she realized what had happened, she fell back on the bed saying, "Mommy Soon brought me here. She said this was a guest room."

 Chapter 40: Some Teddy

    Anton Yeong hurriedly walked toward his parent''s room and knocked on the door relentlessly. When the door opened, it was Yeong Jae-won who faced him.


    "Father, I''d like to speak with mother," he said in the most dreary tone.


    Jae-won tried to hold down a laugh that Anton concluded his father was in on it. He said, "Give me a second, son."


    It took minutes for Yeong Soon to come to the door and the moment she saw Anton, she asked, "What''s wrong Anton?"


    "Mother, why is Yanmei in my room?" Anton said with his eyes nearly closed as he fixed his gaze at Yeong Soon.


    Acting all surprised, Yeong Soon put a hand to cover her mouth and said, "She is in your room? Oh, my goodness. I''m sorry. I am really getting old. It''s because you have not been home lately that I have completely forgotten which one is your room."


    She patted Anton on the back and added, "In any case, you are already working on giving me a grandchild so it''s fine even if you sleep in the same room¡­ You did say you slept in her room when you stayed overnight at her place, right?"


    He was unresponsive for seconds, but eventually, he said, "Yes. Yes, we have."


    "Well, what''s the problem?" She asked while brushing off her son. "Go back there and get some sleep. It''s already late."


    Anton turned his back, but just when he thought his mother had shut the door, he heard her say, "Oh, Anton. Make sure you take care of Yanmei, okay."


    "Hmmmm." he said.


    Returning to his room, Yanmei was resting herself on the bed, carelessly holding one pillow under her leg, her pose clearly showing her slender legs. He shook his head and asked, "Why are you sleeping like that? Put something else on!"


    "What? Girl, this is all Mommy soon gave me. Besides, what''s so wrong with it?" Said Yanmei, still thinking that Anton was a girl, like her. "You should just get some sleep. Nothing wrong with two gals - I mean two boys sleeping in one bed, or is it weird? Haha!"


    Anton still did not budge. He stood there like it was not his own bedroom.


    He decided to sleep in the other guests'' rooms, so he left Yanmei behind. Unfortunately, all the rooms were locked. When he decided to rest on the living room sofa, he noticed a familiar figure in the corner, observing him.


    "Anton, what in the world are you doing? Go back to Yanmei now. Poor thing must be worried sick of being alone." It was Yeong Soon. She had apparently been peeping from their room to see if her son would come out.


    Seeing him think twice, she asked, "Anton, tell me. Are you and Yanmei really together? Or is this just for show?"


    Anton finally realized that his mother was testing them, and he knew there was no escaping the situation. He said, "Mom, we are a couple. I''m just worried I won''t be able to control myself with the kind of sleeping dress you let her use."


    "The truth is, we have not done it yet. While it''s true that we slept in the same bed last time, we were not intimate¡­I''m sorry I lied, but we are really a couple." His face was slightly frowning when he said this, utterly shocked that he fell trap to his mother''s schemes.


    "Oh, I see," said Yeong Soon. She seemed to be in deep thought before asking, "Is she a virgin?"


    Yeong Soon giggled and walked towards Anton. She gave her a light punch on the arm and said, "You are such a lucky man, Anton. You go get her¡­ but you are right¡­ take it slowly - but it does not mean you have to suffer and sleep outside the room. You are a couple after all!"


    She hurriedly pushed Anton back to his room and said, "Now, go inside and take a rest. It''s already one in the morning."


    Anton watched his mother walk away towards the staircase. He asked, "Mother, where are you going?"


    "Oh, I will need to be up early in the morning to make breakfast. So I figured I''d sleep in the living room, son," said Yeong Soon with the biggest smile on her face. "Goodnight!"


    Scratching his head, Anton let out a heavy sigh. He knew there was no going around his mother. He returned to his room and witnessed Yanmei sleeping soundly.


    He pulled up a blanket and covered her legs. He put pillows in between them and tried his best, but how could he? There was a woman next to him. Even if Yanmei was a lesbian, the problem was she had a woman''s body, and he was a man, a very healthy man.


    He turned his back on Yanmei and began counting sheep.


    "One little sheep. Two little sheep. Three little sheep¡­. fifty little sheep. Dammit! " He knew well it would not work, but still, he gave it a try.


    He got up and did some workout. After a hundred pushups and fifty crunches, he felt tired. His shirt became wet from the exercise.


    He went to the bathroom and dried himself with a towel. He went to his closet to get another shirt, only to find it empty. He shook his head in annoyance knowing was obviously the work of his mother.


    It was because he felt his eyes were already ready to shut, that he went to bed half-naked, with only the blanket covering himself.


    Morning came, and despite sleeping so late, Anton still managed to wake up before Yanmei. When he opened his eyes, he gulped at the sight before him. Yanmei''s arm was across his chest, and her leg was on top of his pelvic area. All the other pillows seemed to have fallen on the floor. She obviously thought he was a cushion, a rather hard cushion.


    The worse part was, Anton was having his usual morning erection and her knee was directly on top of it. He cursed in silence, ''Fuck!''


    When he noticed Yanmei moving, he shut back his eyes and pretended to still be asleep.


    Meanwhile, Yanmei was in dreamland. She saw herself hugging a huge teddy bear as she rested on a bed. She smiled as she hugged the stuffed animal tight, but soon she felt its hardness that her eyes opened. The very first thing she saw was a strong arm. When her hazy eyes continued to make sense of it all, she saw a man''s chest.


    It took seconds for Yanmei to realize whose body was she looking at that she swallowed her own saliva. She did not want to wake up to this awkward situation that she closed her eyes again and pretended to remain asleep. She gave it a few seconds before she stretched to the other direction, yawning while she was at it.


    After nearly half an hour, Anton finally got up. She was not sure what he was doing, but he heard the door close. It was only then that Yanmei sat up. Anton was no longer inside the room.


    Although her eyes were cloudy when he saw some parts of him, she could tell how firm Anton''s muscles were. She took a deep breath and giggled before saying to herself, "That was some teddy bear!"

 Chapter 41: You are In Love

    Yanmei realized that there were no clothes in the closet. She pouted her lips to the idea of wearing the same dress as last night. However, Anton came back with already a shirt on. He was also carrying a bag of female clothes.


    "Here," Anton said, "Mother prepared this for you."


    She got up and thanked him but before she could shower, she heard him say, "I''m not going to the office today and you are not going either."


    "Hah?" Asked Yanmei with a puzzled face.


    "But, I have work to do - "


    "Let''s just go to the office on Saturday and make-up for lost hours," said Anton. "Under no circumstance am I going outside the house today. Besides, I can always work from home."


    "Whhyy?" Yanmei asked. It was not like him no miss a working day at the office.


    Yanmei watched him as he walked towards the window, seemingly avoiding her gaze. "What''s wrong with you? You are awfully strange? Yeong, let''s just go to the office, please. I don''t want to have work piling up - "


    "No! And that''s final!" He yelled without looking.


    "Why?! and why are you shouting?" Asked Yanmei, her face turned red in response to his voice raised.


    "Because," he said with fierce eyes. "Because I have this!" Anton was pointing to at a small inflammation on his face and as he said this, his brows furrowed completely, his nose flared.


    Yanmei''s earlier confused look turned into a frown, and eventually, she laughed completely. While catching her breath, she said, "You are not going to the office because of a mere pimple?!! Not like you have so many. There''s just one pimple!"


    "It''s not funny. I''ve never had a pimple since highschool. This is anomalous!" Anton replied so strongly that the muscles on his jaws flaunted by itself along with the sexy projection on his neck; his adam''s apple.


    Feeling her stomach hurting, Yanmei contained her laughter by taking a heavy breath. Only when she had composed herself she said, "Okay. I guess this is a girl''s day out¡­ on a freaking workday!"


    "Girl''s day?" He asked with his scared brow raised.


    Yanmei informed Yeona that she was not working today because of personal reasons. Naturally, Anton covered for her with the human resources department. There was no questioning the boss''s girlfriend.


    They had breakfast with Anton''s parents, and while at the dining table, the Yeongs studied the new couple closely. Yeong Soon was the happiest, seeing them so harmonious and deciding to both take a day off from work.


    Yanmei took a shower first and went to Yeong Soon to get more significant facial care products.


    When Anton came out from the bathroom already clothed in a cotton shirt and pants, Yanmei came back carrying with her the beauty regimen. She smiled and said, "Let''s get started, girl. Let''s both bond on some facial care."


    He shook his head again before saying, "I am not a girl. I am not having a facial?"


    "What? Not a girl? Pfft¡­ Well, not only girls have a facial. Men also need them. You forget easily, I am a man. Haha." She quickly placed the beauty products on the side table and pulled Anton over to the bed. "Sit down, will you?"


    "Woman, who are you to order me around?" Said Anton, refusing to have any facial as Yanmei pulled him by the hand.


    She merely giggled and said, "I am your girlfriend. So shut up, and behave! Take a seat or I am going to the office."


    For some odd reason, Anton did not want Yanmei to leave. Thus, he said, "I don''t want anything that''s colored pink on my skin!"


    She went laughing again before she blurted out, "Anton, I gotta love you. I swear you make me laugh."


    His forehead creased again, and he gulped before asking himself in silence, ''She loves me?''


    Despite his earlier wondering, he sat on the bed, seeing her act very casually in front of her. He figured it was not a serious expression of love, but merely a friendly statement.


    "Don''t worry. The products have it in your favorite colors. There''s white," Said Yanmei while holding up the cleanser. She then showed him the facial masked. "And there is gray."


    "Ennnn¡­"


    Starting with the cleanser, Yanmei spread a white foam on his athletic-looking face. After the cleanser, she wiped it away with a wet tissue and began to apply toner. "Do you know what it means to have a pimple out of the blue?"


    "No. What?" He asked straightway.


    "You are in love¡­ Pfft¡­ I wonder with whom," Yanmei said while resuming the application on his skin.


    Anton remained quiet as she began to put the gray-colored mask on his face. Of course, he heard about having a pimple means falling in love, but he thought it was stupid. He asked himself, ''Who would I fall in love with? I have only been spending time with this woman.''


    As he was pondering, he studied closely the features of Yanmei''s fine face and how her eyes were naturally attractive even without make-up.


    "There, you are done," said Yanmei with a smile on her face. "You can rest while the mask dries up. I''ll wake you when it''s done."


    He did as instructed and lay himself on the bed, but when he noticed that Yanmei was applying the same products on her face, he got up and said, "Let me do it."


    "It''s fine. I can do it, boss. Just relax and close your eyes," insisted Yanmei.


    Anton squinted at her, but because he strangely wanted to do it for her, he said, "No, let me do it. You are doing it all wrong!"


    "Eh? Since when did you become an expert?" She asked with her brow raised.


    "Just, let me do it. Give it to me."


    Not wanting to argue anymore, she gave the cleanser and let him do the work. He gently applied the foam using his big hands, spreading it across her face and up to her neck. More than a minute passed, and he was still not done. Yanmei said, "I think that''s enough, Yeong."


    He did not answer and continued to lightly massage her face with both his hands.


    "Yeong? It''s done already!" She protested.


    "No, your skin is so rough and you have dirt on your face. Five minutes more."


    Yanmei''s mouth hung open, along with her glaring eyes. ''How dare you?''

 Chapter 42: Funny

    Yanmei was still a little angered by Anton''s earlier opinion. She wondered if she had truly forgotten to take care of herself.


    They were both having tea inside Anton''s room, sitting around a small coffee table, drying their mud-mask on their faces with a facial headband on.


    "Why are you staring at me like that?" Anton asked, seeing Yanmei''s eyes squinted at him.


    "Nothing," she said before taking a sip from her cup. "Are you always blunt?"


    "Of course. How long is this going to take? I still need to get some work done," He asked after checking the time on his watch.


    "Just a few minutes more."


    Since they were killing time, Anton thought to ask about Yanmei''s words from yesterday''s dinner. "What was so funny about my letter of apology? And what did you mean by me unconsciously humoring you?"


    Just when Yanmei thought he was finished, she heard him add, "I am not a joker nor a clown."


    "Pfft¡­ See that? That? You are being funny and you did not even notice," she said while pointing her finger at him. " Hmmm¡­How do I say this? Your apology letter was not very ordinary. You are so stiff with your words and oh, when you asked me how I would react to a handsome stranger approaching me was rather creepy, but because our situation was different, it was hysterical to me."


    Yanmei saw his brows furrowed that she knew there was a need to explain further. "Yeong, I think it''s because you barely speak to normal people like me that you don''t know exactly how to interact with them, and how you answer or speak it''s strange but - sometimes really cute and funny. haha."


    Anton had a question mark on his face.


    "Oh, you''ll figure it out soon. Spending time with me will turn you into a normal being," she said after gesturing with her hand to end their conversation.


    As they waited, Yanmei learned about the Yeongs and Anton himself. She picked up how Anton was adopted and how he and Andrea met Li Wen, her cousin''s wife. She learned about Anton''s hobbies, which entirely revolved around learning how to fight and collecting weapons.


    In the afternoon, Anton brought Yanmei home, and they only met again the next day at the office.


    Yanmei came down to the CEO and invite him for lunch at the cafeteria. He agreed. He had not had breakfast, and his stomach was growling.


    After spending time with Anton, Yanmei felt more comfortable with him and she sensed they were truly becoming good friends. It was much easier for her to talk to him and invite him for a meal.


    They arrived at the cafeteria with all eyes on them. Seeing how fearful the employees were at the sight of their boss, she elbowed him and whispered, "Smile a little, will you?"


    "Why do I have to?" Asked Anton.


    "Because you are scaring them," said Yanmei.


    His eyes thinned at the employees who were giving them glances. He earnestly thought of giving a smile, but instead, his lip turned up with a sneer, quickly making everyone shifted back to their food.


    Yanmei can only shake her head seeing his efforts.


    After ordering their meal, Yanmei saw Junsu and with some managers. She quickly gestured for Anton to follow her.


    "What are you doing?" Anton asked.


    "Socializing. You know, so you get to learn how normal people actually talk," she said before turning her back at him and walking to Junsu''s table.


    "Junsu, Mr. Park, Mr. Yang, can we join you?" Yanmei excitedly asked as she placed her trace on the table.


    Except for Junsu, their eyes grew wide in shock. Anton had never joined them for lunch. It was only Junsu who answered, "Yes, Ms. Yanmei."


    Turning back to Yeong, she saw he was still five meters away, simply looking at her.


    Yanmei''s mouth fell open. She thought he was just behind her. She had to get up from the seat to fetch him. She said while keeping her voice down, "Come on! It would be good for you to start mingling with others for a change."


    He awkwardly followed and sat with them.


    The managers gave their greetings to Anton, and they shortly ate quietly.


    "Oh, my. Food tastes extra good today," complimented Yanmei.


    "Yes, I was surprised myself," said Junsu."It would seem like they were tipped that the boss was coming down to eat."


    They all chuckled at Junsu''s words while Anton made a mental note, ''check for spies among the secretaries.''


    Eventually, they began to have light conversations that the managers let out a few jokes. While they were at it, Anton''s mouth twitched suggesting he understood their lines.


    He then recalled how Yanmei said that he was funny so he thought of also giving a laugh. He said, "I have a joke too."


    Yanmei turned him with her eyes wide open. She then smiled and encouraged him, "Yeah, let''s listen to it."


    Everyone else echoed Yanmei''s words, waiting for their President to give his lines. Anton said, "An employee came to his boss asking for an unplanned raise. He said, boss my appraisal is very high, and I have been working for you for five years. Furthermore, three other companies have been after me. Can I possibly get a 20% raise?"


    Turning to everyone else, he continued with his tale. He said, "After the boss agreed to the raise, he asked which companies were after him. The employee said it was the electric company, the car company, and the water company."


    They all laughed at Yeong but apparently, he was not done yet. He said, "Why are you laughing that''s not the joke."


    Everyone took back their laughs and waited for him to finish. Junsu, said, "go ahead, Mr. Yeong."


    Anton nodded and resumed his tale, "After a week, the boss bought the electric company, the car company, and water company and he increased the collectibles by 20% only for that employee. Did he really think he could outsmart the boss?"


    As he said this, he nodded while raising his brows.


    The managers were left silent. They did not know how to react to Anton''s joke. Yanmei however, gave a fake laugh, and Junsu followed. Eventually, the managers also laughed with them.


    "Mr. Yeong is funny indeed."


    "Haha. How dare the employee."


    It was from that conversation that the managers concluded to wait for Anton''s approval of any unscheduled salary increase.


    On the way back to the CEO office, Yanmei and Anton were riding on the elevator. He lightly stroked his chin and said in the most serious tone, "So I guess I am really funny, huh? I made you all laugh."


    She giggled at his words, utterly in disbelief, but it was because he tried his best that she simply agreed, "Yeah, you really are funny."


    "Hmmm¡­ We have a date later, by the way. Get ready at five in the afternoon," said Anton.


    "What? Date? In the conference room?"


    "No. I''ll fetch you from your office."

 Chapter 43: Blooming

    It was still four in the afternoon when the employees under Yanmei''s care were taken aback to the sight of their CEO visit their humbled floor. Rarely does he lose his way, but since his girlfriend was their direct superior, it should no longer come as a shock to them. Still, his presence awed them in a not so likely way.


    "Good evening, Mr. Yeong," echoed Yanmei''s staff, but they received no reply.


    Anton walked past them merely giving a hand gesture, suggesting he heard their greetings. His face remained expressionless as he walked towards Yanmei''s office.


    Yanmei, who was engrossed with her work, did not notice his arrival until he opened her office door. With a puzzled look on her face, she asked, "Yeong, anything you want?"


    His cold aura became apparent. He immediately squinted at her and reminded, "our date."


    Yanmei checked on the time and saw it was still four in the afternoon. She said, "It''s still too early. Don''t you think so?"


    "We''ll, we still need to dress for the part. I had Junsu leak to the media about our supposed date - "


    "what? Why?" Interrupted Yanmei as her eyes grew wide in surprise.


    "Baek Hei-ran, remember? I need her off my back. She has been calling me from time to time. I had to block her number. After that, she used her brother''s phone to call me. Tonight''s dinner will end the bothering of the Baek''s pursuit for a marriage alliance," Anton said firmly as he took the seat in front of Yanmei''s table.


    "Or! You could just call them and let them know you have a girlfriend?!" Yanmei beamed after giving the suggestion, but her smile faded after Anton''s eyes once again narrowed at her, revealing his disappointment.


    She let out a heavy sigh and gave up. "Fine. Let''s go."


    Anton got up and opened the door for her. They walked side by side as they head for the elevator.


    They may not look romantic, or sweet, but Yanmei was the first woman the employees saw their CEO walk with. Moreover, they had earlier seen them have lunch together at the cafeteria. The staff honestly believed that Yanmei was a miracle.


    Minsuh, Anton''s driver pulled up in front of the office building as they walked out from the lobby. After getting on the car, Yanmei asked, "Where exactly are we going?"


    "First, to mother''s stylist. She insisted that we go there before our dinner," said Anton without looking at her. He brought his laptop with him and made use of his time while on the road.


    It was because Anton was busy with work that Yanmei merely played with her phone for the entire twenty-minute ride.


    Upon their arrival at a private boutique, they were met with Yeong''s Soon''s stylist who quickly studied Yanmei.


    "Hello, my name is Seo-jun. I am Mrs. Yeong''s stylist. It''s nice to finally meet the future daughter-in-law," said the stylist with a wide grin on his face.


    Yanmei nearly choked at being called the future daughter-in-law, but she had to stick by her agreement with Anton. Thus, she smiled back and said, "Yep. Unfortunately! The one and only."


    Anton''s eyes glared at her, but she dismissed him completely.


    Seo-jun laughed after realizing that Yanmei was not scared one bit of Anton. She did not even blush to be called the future wife of the man. "My, my," he said. "You are certainly different!"


    He walked in a circle, checking Yanmei''s hair, her figure and down to her shoes and he added, "You know your brand but you''re not revealing enough of your gifts! That is such a shame!"


    Yanmei looked down at her trousers and back up to her long-sleeved blouse. She had to admit; she covered herself well. However, he was discounting the fact that it was nearly winter in Korea. Plus, she just came from the office.


    Turning to Anton, he said, "Anton, my assistant will take you to your suit while I will beautify your girlfriend."


    Yanmei was hastily pulled over to a secret room where a make-up artist and a set of clothes were prepared for her to put-on, all were in different shades of purple.


    She tried several dresses and she liked most of them but both Yanmei and Seo-jun agreed that she looked the most beautiful in a laced sexy boat-neck, off shoulder fitted dress, embroidered with purple Swarovski stones. It featured well her slender neck and shoulders, showing just a bit of chest. The dress had sleeves up to the elbows, and the lace slowly faded by the hips.


    The dress hugged her body perfectly, revealing her slim waist and the beautiful curves of her breast and hips. Just five inches above the knee, although it did not show more of her legs, one could tell, Yanmei had beautiful long legs.


    Seo-jun was so amazed that he excitedly had Yanmei''s make up done, eager to see the final outcome.


    When they were through, Yanmei stood up to look herself in the mirror. She could not believe how she looked significantly beautiful. She felt herself glowing. "Wow! Is this really me?"


    Yanmei''s hair was mostly turned to one side, showing off her long neck. She had light make-up on, but to her, what really stood out was the beautiful cocktail dress.


    Turning to Seo-jun, her eyes glistened when she said, "You are amazing! You do miracles!"


    Completely perplexed, he said, "What? I did not do much. I just put on light make-up on you and a dress. You - You are blooming, my dear! Beauty is radiating within you. That''s what happens when you are in love!"


    Yanmei did not know why or how, but she felt herself blushing. She gulped at the idea of being in love. ''In-love with who?''