Kai had left Tian and Liling looking ready to fight so his brain didn’t automatically get the cheesy grin on Qian’s face.
“Since when does a finance meeting take this long?” he shrugged, wondering what issues they were facing in such a short time that needed a one-on-one with her. Boss mind going to company problems rather than friend thinking in the gutter.
“The kind where you get naked.” Qian shrugged, scooping up one of the croissants he brought casually, as though this was a nothing statement, taking a bite as Kai’s head snapped up.
Qian had no doubts. He had often watched his cousin and friend on a blow-out weekend. Tian, when relaxed, let loose, and drunk, was as bad as Kai for being a fiery and spontaneous man slut. He may have been reserved with women he dated in the past, but Tian had broken beds with one-night stands after partying. Qian had walked in on Tian screwing one of those girls in the bathroom of a rich friend’s birthday bash. He had it in him to be all hot and heavy and want sex on demand no matter where he was. He may have chosen the celibate path of no women in the last couple of years, but at the core, he had still been that guy.
“And?” Kai was invested now, too, like two nosy crows getting juicy titbits.
“I’m more shocked that he’s gone for round two with Huo, given his regret after the convention. I swear he was taking bleach baths and booking therapy after that mistake.” Qian had seen the after-effects and grumpy bear behaviors of a man regretting life decisions, yet here he was, making the same one again.
They paused to ponder that fact and nodded in complete unison, mentally praying for their friend. She was fierce and bolshy and the complete opposite of their Mr Ice Cold friend.
“He better not ask me to wipe down the surfaces for him afterward. I may resign.” Qian grimaced and shuddered.
Both men drew ‘eww’ faces and cringed in unison before leaning in to swipe a hot paper cup each and sitting back like two bookends to sip them.
“Old dog, he is. I will never let him live this down.” Kai chuckled to himself, wondering how on earth Tian expected this to go under the radar and unnoticed. Gossip surely would go wild just by being in there alone all this time. Huo’s position did not warrant a two-hour meeting with the CEO. Tian didn’t seem to care when it came to Liling Huo.
“Did you finish your statement?” Qian interjected, distracted now that he had imparted that juicy gossip and was more interested in why Kai had come here today. It was great to poke fun at their friend’s sexual transgression, but it was weird to linger over it.
“Yeah. I emailed it to our busy bro to check before I publish it on the employee wall. You wanna read it and tell me what you think? I am in two minds about what I have written.” Kai leaned in, placed his cup down, and typed a few keys on his laptop to retrieve the original document before turning it to Qian, who nodded.
“Read and tell me. It’s hard to be objective, but I aimed for logic and professionalism to ensure nothing came back on her.”
“You hope she reads this, right?” Qian chuckled, seeing that the very first point of this statement clarified that there was no romantic relationship between Kai and Anna. A very official and well worded putting the records straight from the get-go. They were childhood friends and work acquaintances with close families. There had never been or would be a romantic entanglement, so all rumors of such should cease. Qian hoped Meilei saw that part as truth, given the rest of it was a complete fabrication.
“You think it’s going to do the trick?” Kai knew he was a master at this kind of thing, being one who actively helped with PR statements for Yanhue, but it was a delicate situation. He had so much to make up for, and he was always fearful of making it worse and having her hate him more. Lying to cover up what went down with them was nothing in the grand scheme of things. He would do anything to protect her now.
Yuelin and Meilei should never be put in the spotlight again, and he would do anything in his power to ensure her life would be plain sailing for the rest of it. That was the promise he had made himself when he processed the life he lost with her. To always be there by her side and right behind her to ensure her life was never sad or painful again. Even if she never again let him close enough to be real friends, he would ensure there would be no more ripples on her lake.
He had felt sick to his stomach writing this, unsure if she would welcome it or hate that he was shining a temporary spotlight on her again. He had doubts and was rethinking it from sheer nerves over her reaction.
“It clears her of all wrongdoing and makes it sound like an internal HR mistake in selecting her as your EA. It then makes it clear she tried hard to meet requirements up here to be able to go back and help her department reshuffle their management skills.” Qian knew the rumors got personal and were about Kai’s obvious cold treatment towards Meilei, but most of it was hearsay. This was not witnessed by any but executive floor staff, who would not dare argue against this statement. The rumors would clap down fast because he would know who to aim for should they persist. One floor alone, and they would all know it. “It does what you want it to. It’s good and hell. Even I half believed it.” Qian smiled.
“I’m not making this worse, right?” Kai was backtracking again. Now that he had done the work, it all hung on pressing send. He kept picturing Meilei’s reaction to it and honestly did not know which mood it would cause. She wasn’t the same girl of five years ago, and when it came to him, he knew he was a trigger for her.
“Is that code for not sleeping together yet and barely holding hands.” Kai mocked him, genuinely pleased to see Qian looking so happy lately. At least one of them should find luck in love. He had no issues with his cousin getting with a woman who sheltered and protected Meilei when he failed her. Suying was a good woman, and he had respect for her.
Dating her was like being in school again, and third base was out of bounds. He was willing to wait years until she initiated more, which did not bother him, and Suying was the shy and reserved type who needed time. Qian knew she was the first girl to make him fall hard and fast, and getting to know her better only made it more concrete and special. She was his idea of the perfect girl, and sex was not important. He knew it would rock his world when they got to it because he would be utterly in love with her by then. No matter how inexperienced her first time was.
“I am guessing you have no regrets about setting up home in this city then. Choosing OTS as the end goal.” Kai had been thinking about this since he started seeing Yue regularly. That this was now where his life would be, and he had no qualms about it. He had lived here once before and had no intention of leaving Meilei back then. It wasn’t hard to reimagine a future in his home city, seeing as he had been fine with it once before. Meilei and Yue were the only reasons he needed to stay.
He worried about that for her but worried more about the living conditions of that hellhole.
Anytime he had gone down there for pick up and drop off, he had to bite his tongue at the shabby building, its lack of security, and the million alarm bells it raised. He was sure it was not up to code, and that old repairs were failing. The whole place was fit to be bulldozed, and he wondered if Meilei would ever see sense and move them somewhere safer. A nicer, cleaner neighborhood. A secure apartment with a gated entrance or at least a security main door. He had grown up in money, so all that was a major thing to him. He wanted to protect his girls, but that building was falling apart. Meilei was too set and stubborn to hear it and still wouldn’t take the bank card he had set up for Yue. It was a point of tension whenever he saw her and tried again. Walking on eggshells at their interactions because he did not want to push her, but he was losing patience.