Chapter 904: …in Imperial

The time soon came for Yue Ling to make her way to Cloth Co. She put on her coat, grabbed her handbag, and left her office but didn’t forget to stop by Liu Shan’s office. 

However, just when she was about to reach the door, she was met by her assistant.

“Boss, are you ready? I have the car parked in the front already.”

Unlike his disheveled appearance when he first came to work, Liu Shan had changed into a more put-together outfit with his hair adequately groomed.

Yue Ling stares at the man standing in front of her. The corners of her mouth slowly rise, and she walks past him to exit the room.

“It’s good to have you back.”

Watching her leave, Liu Shan was surprised by her sudden words. He slightly frowns as he can’t grasp the meaning behind her words and scratch his head.

Did he go somewhere that he can’t seem to remember?

Of course, this feeling only lasted for a split second.

His frown was soon replaced with a sighing smile.

“Ah, I see.”

He turns to look at his boss’s figure, walking away towards the elevator. He doesn’t follow her right away but sighs again inside.

He thought he had hidden his feelings pretty well, but it seemed he could never escape her eyes. 

However, who can he blame but himself?

Any person suddenly confronted would think the person facing them is behaving strangely.

Deciding not to dwell too much on the subject, he walks after her at a quick pace. He made it just in time to enter the elevator with her.

He presses the button for the first floor and then takes a step back to stand shoulder to shoulder with his boss.

As the elevator descends downwards, he steals a glance at her before contemplating something.

“Um, boss… there’s something I need to tell you.”

Yue Ling remained calm and collected. Her eyes focused in front of her despite hearing the slight nervousness in his voice.

“I’m listening.”

Liu Shan held his hands together with thumbs fidgeting around. He knew he should be able to relax since she was calm, but he couldn’t help feeling like a nervous child in front of his mother.

He gives her another side glance before taking a deep breath to calm himself.

“I’m sorry for my childish tantrum earlier. It’s just… After I left your house last night, I went to meet with Uncle Luo and….”

He closes his eyes and squeezes them before continuing his words.

“When he told me about what happened, I was in denial. I didn’t want to believe that you were hiding such a secret from me, so I came to find you first thing in the morning.”

His eyes gradually open, and he stares at the closed doors in front of him.

“But when you confirmed the story, I was angry.”

He lowered his gaze to the floor, and his expression turned complex.

“I wasn’t angry that you hid the truth of Uncle Luo’s children or that you took out Shadows by yourself.”

He forced a faint smile filled with regret as he held his hands together tightly.

“I was angry that I didn’t suspect anything was amiss that night when you returned to Fate covered in blood. I am your assistant… the person who is supposed to know and understand you better than anyone, but I didn’t even see it.”

His lower lip began to tremble, and he looked at the beautiful woman next to him with eyes on the verge of tears.

“What if we had lost you that night?”

Yue Ling stared ahead and listened. Now she understood why he came to find her first thing in the morning. 

Because he met with Manager Luo, he became aware of what happened eight years ago.

However, when she heard his voice quiver when he asked the question, she turned to look at him.

“Shan, it’s not yours or anyone’s fault.”

She raises her hand and gently places it on his shoulder.

“If anything happened to me, it must be my fate.” 

She would be lying if she wasn’t afraid eight years ago when she went to Shadows. 

That night, she was afraid.

But it wasn’t of Shadows that she was afraid.

It was the fact that if anything happened to her, she would be leaving behind the people she promised to take care of and her promise to Manager Luo.

She stares at the man in front of her and smiles at him.

“Whatever happened already happened. I purposely did not tell you or the others because it was something I had to do on my own.”

Liu Shan didn’t know how to respond to her words. He could only stare back at her with a heavy heart.

“I…”

Seeing his expression turn into one of trouble, Yue Ling’s smile widens, and she moves her hand from his shoulder.

“It’s alright. It’s not your fault, and I’m sorry for keeping you in the dark all this time.”

*ding

Just as her last word fell, the elevator chimes on arrival at the first floor. The door slides open, and she turns to look outside the metal box.

“Let’s end the conversation here since we’ve cleared this misunderstanding.”

She doesn’t look back at him and steps out of the elevator.

Liu Shan stares at her figure from behind without moving a step. He returned to their last conversation in her office and parted his lips.

No more secrets.

He clenches his fists tightly at his side and takes a deep breath.

“Faith is in Imperial.”

He closes his eyes after his words and awaits her response. However, seconds passed, and there was only silence.

  Unsure of the reason behind the silence, he opens one eye to check. Could it be that his boss didn’t hear him?

To answer his question, he sees that Yue Ling had stopped walking. Her back to him, giving the image of a lonely figure lost in the world.

He suddenly felt an aching tinge flash across his heart at the sight of her. 

He swallows a gulp and steadies his composure. He had promised Qin Jun and the others that he wouldn’t tell her, but he had already promised her that he wouldn’t hide any secrets from her.

However, if anyone deserves to know the truth, it’s her.

He exits the elevator and walks over to her. He stops three feet behind her without closing the space between them.

“Faith is in Imperial.”

“I heard you the first time.”

Yue Ling responded immediately as she stood unmoving the moment she heard him mention Faith. It was as if something sharp had pierced right through her chest and made time stop.

Her hand holding the handle of her handbag ever so lightly tightens as her thoughts wander into the deep abyss.

She had been going around in her head debating if what she saw was a figment of her imagination. However, hearing her assistant, now she can confirm that she did indeed see Qin Jun amongst the crowd.

Her lips slightly part to speak, but nothing seemed to come out of her, no matter how much she wanted to talk.

She finally returned to her senses after what felt like an entire day had gone by. 

She takes a deep breath, and without looking at Liu Shan, her angelic voice sounds.

“Let’s go.”

As much as she wants to ask, she knows this is for the best. She cannot keep dwelling on the past.

She takes a step forward, then another, and makes her way to exit her company.

Liu Shan stares at her, walking further away, and he felt his emotions become complex. He could sense that his boss wanted to ask him why Faith was in Imperial, but she was trying her best to avoid the question.

He couldn’t help but wonder if he should just tell her. After all, it was his fault for suddenly bringing up the people that were once the closest to her.

His lips pursed a bit with the expression of someone who had messed up big time.

He curses at himself for not keeping his mouth shut. Maybe he should have waited another day to tell her instead of just blurting it out.

However, knowing he cannot undo what is done, his shoulders slump, and he drags his feet to go after his boss.

Outside of De L’amour, Yue Ling didn’t wait for Liu Shan to open the door for her and calmly got inside the car’s back seat.

Once she was seated, she took out the tablet from her handbag. She turned it on and began to work while she waited for her assistant to enter the car.

Her eyes focus on the screen as she hears the movements of her assistant, followed by the engine turning on and the car moving.

However, despite hearing all of these, she seemed to be in her own world.

Like she remembers to blink, she returns to her consciousness and sets the tablet on her lap.

She doesn’t say anything but turns her head to the window and looks at the passing buildings.

Her expression was calm like usual, but only God knows what was truly on her mind.

In the front seat, Liu Shan held an expression full of regret. His lips are pressed tightly together as he glances at the rear view mirror.

He wanted so badly to slap himself for causing such feelings to rise in her.

If he could rewind time, he would do so as he does not wish to see his boss look so sad. However, he knows that this is only his wishful thinking.

“Boss…”

He looks ahead at the road, then glances at the mirror before focusing on the road again.

“Are you alright?”

Yue Ling’s gaze never moved from the window despite hearing her assistant. Her thoughts remained unreadable before her lips parted.

“I’m fine.”

She reassures Liu Shan but doesn’t utter another sound. She looks away from the window and lowers her gaze to the tablet on her lap.

Picking it up, she clears her mind by brushing away any thoughts unrelated to work.

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