To Test …

Ai Li proudly pats her chest: “You’ve found the right person for this matter today. I’ve extensive experience in affairs of the heart, so I can help you to test if he is sincere or a hypocrite!”

I am pleasantly surprised and look at her: “How to test ah?”

Ai Li extends out her slender hand: “Come here, give your mobile phone to me.”

I quickly follow suit, pull out my phone and hand it over. Ai Li briefly flips through the phone book. Then she very decisively calls Lu Jun’s number. I am scared until I get cold sweats: “What are you doing?”

Ai Li casts a glance at me and full of confident tells me: “You need not bother about anything. Afterwards, just tell him your current location.”

The phone has already been picked up before I’ve time to ask further. I quickly sit upright and nervously giggle at the phone: “Heehee, general manager!”

His voice is low and calm: “What’s up?”

I glance at Ai Li and pretend to say in a relaxed tone: “Nothing important, I just want to talk to you.”

He sounds calm: “Like this ah …… then you talk la, I am listening.”

I did not expect him to be so cunning to counter attack me. Could it be that he so fast already realized the purpose of my call is not so simple? When I am hesitating and do not know what to say, Ai Li winks at me. I recall what she told me just now, so I quickly get straight to the point by saying: “I am in the city centre bus station.”

Lu Jun asks in a calm and compose tone over the phone: “Okay, then?”

Ya! Then what? Allie did not tell me what to say afterwards ah! I scratch my head to think hard. When I am about to cast a cry for help gaze at Ai Li, suddenly I feel a sharp and piercing pain at my thigh. I can’t help but scream out loudly in pain.

I glare angrily at Ai Li. Before I’ve time to question her why she suddenly struck a vicious blow at me, she has already s.n.a.t.c.hed my phone and disconnected the call. At the final moment, I vaguely hear Lu Jun asks in an anxious and puzzled tone over the phone: “Xia Ye? What happened to you? h.e.l.lo? Xia Ye?”

“What are you doing ah?” I frown and look at Ai Li but see her decisively switches off my phone. Then she proudly raises her eyebrows and says: “Done!”

I glare resentfully at her. On one hand, I am feeling anxious and want to s.n.a.t.c.h back the phone. On the other hand, I angrily say: “What is done? Faster, give me back my phone. Why did you suddenly disconnect the call? General manager will feel worried.”

“Exactly, I want him to feel worried!” Ai Li looks at me like she is looking at an idiot: “Why are you such a stupid girl? Don’t you want to test if his feeling for you is sincere? Your scream was so piercing just now. The phone was suddenly disconnected. Hence, he will surely think you’ve met with an accident. If he really loves you, within half an hour, he will certainly rush over at lightning speed. He’ll come here to look for you in panic.”

It suddenly dawns on me that this sly girl has such a plan!

Still feeling the ache on my leg, I complain resentfully: “You don’t need to use such brutal strength ah. I am sure my thigh is bruised now. Can’t you tell me first so that I’ll cooperate by pretending to scream?”

Ai Li gives me a look of contempt: “People like handsome Lu is a business elite who has encountered all kind of situations before. Thus if we don’t act natural and real, do you think you can deceive him with your IQ and acting?”

I think about it. Although what I’ve heard is not very pleasing to the ear, it sounds reasonable. However, suddenly something flashes across my mind. I remember Lu Jun’s phone call before I came out and immediately start to feel anxious: “Oh no, he told me before that he will be going on a business trip after he has finished a very important meeting.”

“A very important meeting?” Ai Li raises her eyebrows, claps her hands and says with a cunning face: “That’s even better, like this can test better if he is sincere towards you. If he leaves his meeting to come to look for you, then I’ve to congratulate you. Because fortune favours a fool like you to finally find a loved one who you can entrust yourself. On the contrary, if he continues to work and put you aside, it shows that in his heart, you are a lot less important than his career. If this happens then, you will have the answer you want to know, right?”

What she said sounds reasonable, but I still feel a bit hesitant and look at Ai Li in an apprehensive frame of mind: “Like this …… really can?”

Ai Li nods confidently and pats me on the shoulder: “Believe me, you can’t go wrong!” While saying that, she takes her bag and stands up. Then she turns gracefully, ready to leave. I quickly ask nervously: “Where are you going?”

“Go home ah since what happen thereafter only concerns both of you. I don’t need to follow you around foolishly.” While shaking my mobile phone, she says: “By the way, I will temporarily confiscate your lousy phone to prevent you from switching on the phone. Then you would have suffered the pain on your thigh for nothing.”

After saying that she turns around immediately without giving me the opportunity to retort. Then she walks away swaying like a typical wise and virtuous lady.

In the following period of time, I begin my arduous and lengthy wait. My heart is extremely looking forward to what Ai Li has said that Lu Jun is worried about my safety and will disregard everything to hurry over. I wait every minute impatiently, looking in all directions with my eyes wide open like a rabbit. I am afraid to miss the first moment of the arrival of his anxious figure.

However, after half an hour, he does not appear. After an hour, he also does not appear. After one and a half hour, he still does not appear. After two hours …… Big boss Lu, even if you finish your meeting and go home comfortably to take a hot shower. Then after drinking a cup of coffee leisurely, you drive your fancy sports car for a ride but come to look for me en route, also will not need such a long time, right? Or you simply don’t care about me and has boarded the plane to go to your business trip? However a weak little girl like me is still out at night. Then suddenly after such a real scream, the call was disconnected. I might have a car accident. I might have been robbed. I might have met a pervert …… so many possibilities. Don’t tell me, you are not even a bit worried about me?

Due to my bitter disappointment, my perfectly round eyes have gradually turned semicircle. Then due to my exhaustion, the eyes from semicircle gradually become a narrow slit. The street lights shine out dim yellow light ray. The platform is bustling with activity with wave after wave of pa.s.sengers. Except I am sitting foolishly here from beginning to end. When I think of the little details, I realize I’ve imagined my love is reciprocated. Then I think of my painful lost of chast.i.ty in Guilin and another slip last night, I could no longer withstand the grievance in my heart and start to feel a bit bitter.

Another burst of cold wind blowing through, I fold my arms and shiver. Suddenly I come to realize a very serious problem. Looking at my current situation, I don’t think I will be able to catch a wealthy husband like Lu Jun. If I continue to expose myself to the wind here and end up catching a cold, I have to pay for my own medical expenses and suffer a big financial loss.

Thinking about it, I quickly pat my backside, stand up and set foot on the bus home in a bright and distressed mood.

“I tell you, no man is good! For example, my boss is so terrible!”

I sit next to the window in the last row. Initially, I estimate I’ll reach home in less than half an hour, but I did not expect the traffic jam to be so bad because of an accident on Central Road. When I am feeling terribly bored, I hear the two young girls in front of me are gossiping in a low voice. From the outset, the topic of their conversation caught my attention. I p.r.i.c.k up my ears and vaguely hear the other girl asks: “If like this, then why are you still willing to be your boss’s lover?”

“He usually treats me well and takes good care of me in work and life. As time pa.s.ses, I nearly has the illusion that he sincerely loves me.”

“Why are you so sure this is an illusion? Maybe he really loves you?”

That girl sighs with disappointment: “Aiya, it is impossible. Modern society is very realistic, ah. People is a rich big boss, will he take a fancy to a dowdy office worker? At most, you’ll be considered something to spice up his life. The newly built latrine will still smell good for three days. However once this novelty wears off, there is nothing left. ”

The other girl sympathetically comforts her: “What you’ve said is also right. In reality, there is not that many Cinderella, so you better accept and get over it ……”

I empathized with her and could not help but nod profoundly: “Yes ah, I should accept and get over it.”

The two girls turn around in puzzlement and look at me strangely. Then I only realize I gave myself away. Thus I give them a fake smile in embarra.s.sment. They obviously understand something because their gazes gradually turn compa.s.sionate ……

Due to the traffic jam, it is already very late when I arrive at my bus stop. However since Lu Jun has gone on a business trip, I should be able to slack off and take a nap tomorrow. At least there is a little consolation.

Unexpectedly, when I’ve just arrived at the neighbourhood doorway, I see my mom comes up to meet me with a tense face. Her big and broad hands are gripping my shoulders and she says in an excited tone: “Oh Xia Ye, you’ve come back ah? Are you okay ah? Nothing happened, right?”

“I’m fine ah!” I am shocked by her reaction and ask in puzzlement: “Mom, how are you?”

“Fine?” Mom looks quietly at me from head to toe. After confirming that I am really all right, all of a sudden, she slaps the back of my head: “You bad girl, you scared your aging mother to death!”

The slap makes me a little dazed: “Mom, what happened?”

“You have the nerve to ask what happened? People little Lu has been searching everywhere for you. At the moment, it is estimated he has already scoured all the hospitals in the city! Where did you go today? Why did you come home so late? Why cannot get through to you on your phone? Coincidentally there was a car accident on Central Road today. Hence we thought something unexpected has happened to you …… you bad girl, why do you make people worry ah!” While talking, mom starts to choke with emotion.

My head explodes with a bang, Lu Jun is looking everywhere for me? Wasn’t he busy in a meeting and busy going on a business trip? He really came to look for me tonight?

While my train of thought is still in chaos, I see my mom holding my hand tightly. Her face appears sincere and remorseful. Then she heaves a sigh: “Daughter, ah, when I realize that you might have a car accident today, this is the first time I feel so regretful. I really should not have, should not have ah …… ”

Looking at mum tearfully giving her moving speech, I feel grieved. Finally, you know the importance of your daughter. Finally, you realize that you cannot lose me. Finally, you regret not treating me good enough ah! While thinking about it, I could not help but hug her tightly: “Never mind mom, I don’t blame you. I know actually you have always been very concerned about me.”

Mom seems not to hear my words, as she continues to say in a remorseful tone: “I regret ah, I should not be reluctant to pay a little money and didn’t buy a life insurance for you. That’s a large sum of money, enough for me to use for the rest of my life ah.”

I: “……”