Chapter 2: Turnaround

(translated by peanuts and edited by lidge)

The sun set in the west. The late afternoon sunlight covered the sky.

He Yi Chen stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows in the office on the tenth floor, surprised at why he was in the mood to admire the setting sun.

Perhaps, because she came back.

Mei Ting opened the door to see lawyer He with his back to her standing in front of the windows. He held a cigarette in his hand and had a desolate appearance …… Desolate? Mei Ting simply doubted her own eyes. Can this word be used for lawyer He who has always been full of confidence, calm and collected?

Yi Chen heard the door open, turned and asked: “What is the matter?”

“Oh,” Mei Ting snapped out of her own thoughts and quickly said: “Lawyer He, Vice President Zhang of Hong Yuan Corp. has arrived.”

“Invite him to come in.” Yi Chen push away his chaotic train of thoughts and wholeheartedly engrossed himself into his work. He glanced at the clock on the wall——five o’clock, but she had not come yet.

Finally, he sent away Vice President Zhang, Yi Chen wearily leaned back in the chair and closed his eyes to rest. Suddenly, a large palm slapped his shoulder, Yi Chen grudgingly opened his eyes. “Lao Yuan.”

After graduating from university, he declined postgraduate study offer and instead started work in”‘Yuan Xiang Law Firm,” which has now been renamed as “Yuan Xiang He” since he became one of the partners. Lao Yuan and another partner Xiang Heng were also University C alumni. Xiang Heng graduated a year earlier than him whereas Lao Yuan graduated many years ago.

The tall, sturdy and big person who looked more like a bandit leisurely sat down across from him and arrogantly crossed his legs. “What do you plan to do later?”

Yi Chen said without looking up: “Overtime.”

“Cannot be la!” Lao Yuan shrieked. “Hey, today is the weekend!”

“So what?”

“So what!” Lao Yuan repeated his words and shook his head. “This really sounds like something a cold-blooded, ruthless and workaholic He Yi Chen would say.”

Yi Chen squinted. “I certainly did not know you are so good at rhetoric.”

“NO, NO, NO.” Lao Yuan shook his hand. “This is the consensus from all the females who know He Yi Chen.” Lao Yuan leaned forward. “Yi Chen, I have been wanting to ask you, actually are you gay or have an unmentionable illness?”

“Regarding this kind of silly nonsense, only someone who is crazy will pay attention to it,” He Yi Chen thought. Mei Ting came in with two cups of coffee, and Yi Chen asked her: “Did a Miss Zhao come today?”

Mei Ting thought for a moment, shook her head and said: “No.”

Yi Chen grunted to show that he heard and said to Mei Ting: “I don‘t have much to do here so you better go home early.”

Mei Ting shook her head and said: “I’m in no hurry. Lawyer He, when are you leaving? Do you need me to help you to buy something to eat?”

“No need, thank you.”

Mei Ting got the message and left with a disappointed look on her face.

Lao Yuan laughed heartily: “Hey, pretty girl Mei Ting is interested in you. An office romance, oh that doesn’t sound bad!”

“She is a decent girl so you better not say such nonsense.” Yi Chen warned him.

A heart of stone! Lao Yuan subtly shook his head. Yi Chen’s attitude towards women has always been courteous and thoughtful, but never more. All these years, who knows how many women have had their hearts broken by the name of “He Yi Chen.”

But the women coming in droves cannot be blamed as even from Lao Yuan‘s male perspective, He Yi Chen was outstanding. Disregarding his heroic spirit and compelling outward appearance, merely these few years, his reputation in the legal circle rose rapidly. In addition, his firm, persistent and upright image was more than enough to attract any proud and beautiful woman.

3.07: “What kind of woman do you actually like? So many women, none can touch your heart. That beautiful woman who was the director of a foreign company, her body figure was very hot ah! That television hostess who has cooperated with you for such a long time. Don’t tell me there is not even a little sparkle? There is also our able and efficient peer Xu Pi Li. I met her in court today, and she was still subtly asking me about you ……”

The more Lao Yuan talked, the more excited he became. Yi Chen turned a deaf ear, letting him continue on talking nonsense.

A one-man show so Lao Yuan stopped in frustration. A while later, he said excitedly: “I know, it must be your little sister Yi Mei. You treat her the best.”

Yi Mei often came to the office so Lao Yuan was very familiar with her.

“She is my sister.” Yi Chen quickly said.

“Come on, both of you are not blood related.” Lao Yuan said knowingly.

“That does not change anything.”

Yi Chen’s tone was quite mild, but Lao Yuan could still hear the firmness in his voice. Lao Yuan shook his head and did not say anything anymore as he had experienced Yi Chen’s stubbornness before.

“Lawyer He.” Mei Ting came in, holding an envelope. “A lady just sent this here.”

Yi Chen knew what it was just by touching it. “Where is that lady?”

“She left immediately after leaving this envelope.”

“Gone already?” Yi Chen looked disappointed. “How long has she gone?”

“Less than a minute.”

Yi Chen did not think much. He just picked up the car keys and coat and went out. Lao Yuan followed him from behind and shouted: “Where are you going?” He did not seem to have heard.

At the front door, Lao Yuan happened to meet Xiang Heng, who had just returned from court. “What happened to him?”

Xiang Heng looked at the direction He Yi Chen left, said thoughtfully. “I think I know why.”

“You know? Say quickly, say quickly.”

“I just saw a person downstairs. I thought I saw wrongly, I did not expect it could really be her.”

“Who? Don‘t keep me in suspense.” Lao Yuan said impatiently.

“What kind of person do you think Yi Chen is?” Xiang Heng did not answer but instead asked him.

“Calm, rational and objective.” Lao Yuan’s fair evaluation.

“In that case, this person will make him not calm, not rational and not objective.”

Lao Yuan asked curiously. “A woman?”

“Yes, his former girlfriend.” Although Xiang Heng was one year ahead of Yi Chen, they lived in the same dormitory so he knew very well about Yi Chen’s past.

“Girlfriend?” Lao Yuan had the expression of someone who heard a fantasy story, “He had a girlfriend before?”

“Yes, Yi Chen’s girlfriend broke up with him because she went to the United States.”

“You mean ……” Lao Yuan opened his eyes widely. “Yi Chen was dumped?”

“Yes, moreover she left without telling him. After she had gone to the United States, he then found out about it. This incident was very widely known at university. Yi Chen was very depressed for a while. At that time, he started to smoke and drink.”

“Impossible la ……” Lao Yuan really could not imagine what kind of woman could abandon He Yi Chen. No wonder he would not go near women, a case of once bitten, twice shy.

5.36: It was rush hour as everyone left work. Mo Sheng was not in a hurry to go home so she wandered aimlessly in the crowd on the streets.

Until just a moment ago, she had no choice but to admit that she had changed. Before, it would be absolutely unlikely that she would avoid him, now obviously she really wanted to see him yet she did not dare.

Back then, no matter how indifferent Yi Chen was, how his resistance made it feel like he was a thousand miles away, she happily followed him around with a smile on her face. Now, she did not even have the courage to say a few words to him.

Yi Chen said she was ‘sunshine‘, the sunshine he wanted to refuse yet could not. But now, even the sunshine in her own heart had disappeared so what could she use to shine on others?

A white BMW abruptly stopped in front of her. Mo Sheng did not look up and tried to avoid it. Then, she heard a familiar voice. “Get in the car.”

She looked up in surprise, it was him!

Yi Chen saw her looking distracted, frowned and said again: “The car cannot stop here so get in.”

Mo Sheng did not have time to consider what was going on as the car brought them in to join the endless traffic.

“Chinese or Western food?” Yi Chen asked her while paying attention to the traffic situation in front.

“Chinese food.” She replied reflexively, then started to feel something was wrong. What Chinese or Western food, could he want to treat her to a meal ah?

Yi Chen glanced at her coldly. “Do you still know how to use chopsticks?”

Mo Sheng pretended she did not hear his sarcasm, instead cautiously asked: “Do you want to treat me to dinner?”

“You picked up my wallet so it is reasonable that I ought to thank you.”

“Actually, you do not need to be so polite.” Mo Sheng mumbled, suddenly feeling dejected. When did they resort to saying such impersonal things?

They had dinner at the famous Qin Ji, where the beautiful setting, delicious cuisine and attentive service could not improve Mo Sheng‘s mood. Facing that expressionless face across the table, she was doomed to have indigestion.

The musical ringtone from the mobile phone broke the quiet atmosphere. Yi Chen answered the call. “Hello …… yes …… I am at Qin Ji …… no, there is also Zhao Mo Sheng …… met by coincidence …… okay.”

Suddenly, he gave the phone to her. “Yi Mei wants to talk to you.”

Mo Sheng took it. “Hello.”

“Hello, Mo Sheng.” A gentle voice came from the other side.

“Yi Mei, long time no see.”

“Yes ah, long time no see.”

Both sides were silent, not knowing what to say so finally Yi Mei said: “Mo Sheng, how have you been all these years?”

“Not bad, until recently I was reluctant to leave the U.S.” Mo Sheng tried to act casual and did not notice Yi Chen suddenly looking at her closely.

“Oh.” There was another silence, then Yi Mei said: “Can you give me your contact number? We will find time to meet up.”

“Okay.” Mo Sheng told her the mobile phone number.

“All right, then good-bye la.”

“Goodbye.”

After finishing the call, she gave the phone back to Yi Chen, but he did not take it. “Enter your phone number into it.”

Mo Sheng was stumped for words and lowered her head to enter the number, but she encountered difficulty when entering the name.

“What kind of Chinese input method do you use?”

“Stroke.”

“Oh.”

She still could not type it out. “How to type the word ‘Mo‘?”

Yi Chen reached out to take the phone from her hand. “I will do it.”

Mo Sheng felt embarrassed while watching his slender fingers gracefully and rapidly typing on the silver phone. After a few seconds, he finished typing and put it away in his pocket.

“You have even forgotten how to write your Chinese name?”

“No, it is just that I do not know how to use your mobile phone.” Mo Sheng mumbled her explanation.

He glanced at her and no longer spoke. Dinner was eaten in a silent atmosphere, even until he drove her home.

Getting out of the car, Mo Sheng said: “Thank you for driving me home.”

He nodded his head and sped away.

Mo Sheng stood there, feeling at a loss. She did not know how long she stood there until she realized people passing by glancing at her strangely, only then did she snap out of it and hurriedly ran upstairs.

8.47: “Blind, blind date?” Mo Sheng shouted at the top of her lungs.

“Keep your voice down!” Hua Xian Zi covered Mo Sheng’s babbling mouth. Then Hua Xian Zi warned her: “You are not allowed to yell out, okay?”

Mo Sheng nodded her head quickly, waited until she was let go and asked: “You want to go on a blind date?”

“Not me alone, it is we.”

“We? Why, why?” Mo Sheng looked critically at Hua Xian Zi.

“We are two of the oldest staff in the agency who do not have a boyfriend. Do you know, if we don’t seize the day, we will not be able to get married?” Hua Xian Zi rushed to check the calendar, “Today’s target is two XX Co. system engineers so you and I going are just right.”

“If go, you go yourself. I am not going.”

“They have two people ah, I cannot handle la …… Ah Sheng, normally do I treat you well? Whether I can get married or not this year is all depended on you.” Hua Xian Zi looked at her pitifully, like an abandoned puppy.

“You can date one at a time ah.”

“No, that is too inefficient. I also need your help.”

“What kind of help?” Mo Sheng said cautiously as it was never easy to help Hua Xian Zi.

Seeing Mo Sheng backing down, Hua Xian Zi took out a lot of things from her desk such as black-rimmed glasses, weird looking wigs, earrings big enough to be bracelets and some very colorful clothes.

“What are those?” Mo Sheng stared at the pile of stuff.

“To make you look ugly to bring out my beauty!”

“…… I am your victim number what?”

10.03: When it was time to get off work, Hua Xian Zi grabbed her and ran downstairs. When they finally reached downstairs, she screamed: “Ah! I forgot to take my ‘sure-win’ lipstick.”

She rushed back up to take the ‘sure win’ blind date lipstick.

Mo Sheng was waiting for her at the front door, suddenly she felt heated. She turned around and unexpectedly saw He Yi Chen.

He met her line of vision and nodded his head at her to send greeting.

Her heart beat faster, could he be here to look for her? It had been almost a month since the ‘silent dinner‘. They have not been in contact so this time, could he be here to look for her ah?

She involuntarily walked towards him.

“How come you are here?”

“Waiting for a person.” He replied briefly.

“Oh, wait ……”

“Yi Chen!” A slender and beautiful woman with a soft feminine voice appeared in her line of vision, making Mo Sheng’s heart sink.

“The person I have been waiting for is here so I will go first.” He flatly told her and left together with that woman.

“Okay, good-bye.”

She just stood there blankly and watched them walk to the direction of the car park. Actually, she did not have the strength to move her feet until Hua Xian Zi appeared and pulled her away. “Why are you standing there foolishly? Walk faster as we are going to be late. I also need to help you put on make-up. Remember, oh, you have to behave a little worse than me ……”

Mo Sheng simply did not need to pretend as during the blind date dinner, she really looked dull and unresponsive, perfectly helping to highlight Hua Xian Zi’s radiance personality.

11.24: He came to wait for her again.

Mo Sheng looked down from the floor-to-ceiling windows and saw He Yi Chen in a simple shirt and pants looking handsome downstairs. In this month, he would come here once every four to five days, then leave together with that beautiful woman.

Today was the weekend, he came again.

He never waited for her before.

“Ah Sheng, Ah Sheng.” Hua Xian Zi squawked. “Hey, today is the weekend, you follow me ……”

“Okay.”

“Uh?” Hua Xian Zi was surprised, “You know what I want to do?”

“Blind date!” Mo Sheng tiredly said. Given her previous “outstanding performance,” Hua Xian Zi regarded her as her “blind date companion” so every weekend, she would drag her to go to blind dates.

But it was really fun to go to blind dates with her since she would not have to worry that men will like her. She only needed to go have dinner and watched Hua Xian Zi put on a show to amuse others.

“Today, what kind of man are you seeing?”

“Hehehe, today is a young and talented man ah, a surgeon, having Western food, hahaha ……”

Mo Sheng could not help but be amused by her attitude. It can’t be deny that she was quite a pro as the blind dates got better and better. Unfortunately, no man has been won over! Instead, due to inexplicable reasons, they either became her good friends or her friends’ husbands. Hua Xian Zi, who was twenty-nine years old and considered old for marriage, vowed to marry any man who would have her.

Due to the need to go home early to “make up”, Mo Sheng left work on time. Thus, it was inevitable to encounter He Yi Chen, who was waiting downstairs. Mo Sheng only wanted to walk pass him with her head down. She did not expect Hua Xian Zi to suddenly stop and look with fierce eyes at He Yi Chen’s……beautiful companion, who was standing beside him.

“This is too much!” Hua Xian Zi gritted her teeth and said angrily. Before Mo Sheng can react, she was pulled by her to stand in front of Yi Chen and that beauty.

“Vixen, you are still seducing men.”

That beauty, although looked delicate and soft, surprisingly said boldly: “Blind date maniac, you’re still dragging other people to accompany you to go to blind dates?” She glanced at Mo Sheng. “She looks a lot prettier than you so you will just be a wallflower and not be able to get married in this lifetime!”

The two people actually began to quarrel. Mo Sheng was dumbstuck and greeted Yi Chen awkwardly. “Hi!”

His complexion seemed rather bad, which was understandable since anyone would not be happy to have the girlfriend being scolded as a vixen.

“Uh, I’m sorry, although she speaks harshly, it is without any bad intent.” Mo Sheng tried to defend Hua Xian Zi.

Yi Chen gave her a killer stare, and his voice sounded cold as ice. “Are you going on a blind date?”

“Uh, yes ……” Mo Sheng did not know what to say but her hesitant attitude would only reaffirm his opinion.

He did not say anything, his expression frigid as he glanced at her then turned around and left.

“Yi Chen, wait for me.” That beauty who quarreled with Hua Xian Zi stopped fighting and hurriedly followed when she saw him leaving.

Mo Sheng temporarily did not have time to sort out her mood because Hua Xian Zi’s expression was really weird, as she actually was …… crying?

Hey, Hua Xian Zi! The Hua Xian Zi who put on a show to amuse others daily was crying?

“Xiao Hong, you are crying just because you failed to win in your quarrel, very shameful ah.”

“What do you know!” Hua Xian Zi stared at her with widely opened and tearful eyes, “She stole my first boyfriend.”

Uh, indeed it was a bitter and deep-seated hatred! Mo Sheng immediately joined her in being angry and patted her shoulder. “There are plenty more fish in the sea. We will find a good one tonight to infuriate her.”

“I’m not angry at her for stealing the person I like. I am angry at her for not cherishing him, resulting in him having a car accident. Then, she abandoned him when he became crippled. How can she be like this ah? Why he still loves this kind of person? Why does he not like me, just because I am not as beautiful as her? Sob, sob …… ”

Mo Sheng listened in surprise. She did not expect the always starry-eyed infatuated Hua Xian Zi would have such a story. Indeed, the person with the more cheerful outward appearance will have a more vulnerable heart inside?

14.28: Because of the quarrel, both of them were late for the first time. Mo Sheng also did not have time to put on ugly makeup. Hua Xian Zi was depressed so she did not take the initiative or put on a show to amuse others. As a result ……

The two outstanding surgeons were actually very interested in them?!

Oh my God! Could this be regarded as a blessing in disguise?

Due to the men’s excessive enthusiasm, the four of them went to a movie, then to a karaoke bar and finally to supper. They stayed out later than eleven p.m. before returning home.

Finally, Mo Sheng was relieved when she saw her home in sight. “Dr. Zheng, I have reached my home. Thank you for sending me back.”

“Oh.” Dr Zheng stopped talking about heart disease and politely said: “Good night, Miss Zhao. I had a good time today.”

“Me too, good night!” Mo Sheng smiling said and waited for him to walk away before going upstairs.

The lights in the corridor were broken so it seemed a bit dark. She walked up to the fourth floor and fumbled for the door key. Suddenly, a tall and dark shadow appeared in her line of vision, Mo Sheng was shocked and dropped her keys on the floor.

“You ……”

Before she could finish talking, she was pulled into a strong embrace and her unsuspecting lips were pressed. He mercilessly ravaged her lips repeatedly. Those fiery kisses even spread to the neck, seemingly wanting to crazily pour out all the pent-up anger. His hand tore open her collar. She started to feel a slight chill in her upper chest, and he immediately covered it with kisses.

Mo Sheng did not have a chance to react but was caught up unprepared in the spellbound and delirious confusion. The ambiguous atmosphere was filled with the smell of alcohol. Alcohol? He had been drinking!

Mo Sheng became more clear-headed and exclaimed in unsteady breath: “Yi Chen!”

He stopped all his movements, buried his head in her neck and rapidly grasped for air.

A long time later, only then his hoarse voice was heard. “I have lost.”

What did this mean?

“After so many years, I still lose to you, suffering a crushing defeat.”

Why did he sound so bitter?

“Yi Chen, what are you saying? Are you drunk?” She asked anxiously.

There was silence, then he suddenly pushed her away. His beautiful eyes shone awkwardly and resentfully in the dark night. His voice sounded strangely sober and cold: “I’m not drunk. I am crazy.”

He turned and suddenly disappeared, like he had suddenly appeared. If not for the slight tingling feeling on the lips, she would think this was a ridiculous dream.

She picked up the keys to open the door. After entering the house, she just stood foolishly at the doorway. If the phone did not suddenly ring, she did not know how long she would stand there.

After picking up the phone, she immediately heard Hua Xian Zi’s excited voice. “Ah Sheng, how are things at your end?”

What? Mo Sheng temporarily did not understand what she was saying.

“Say quickly, ah, did that Dr Zheng say anything? Did he ask you when to meet up next time?”

“No.”

“How can that be?!” Hua Xian Zi cried out, “He obviously looked very interested.”

He was probably pleased to have someone willing to listen to his “heart and love” special topic lecture.

“How about you?” Mo Sheng did not want to beat around the bush so asked her directly.

“He invited me to watch a movie tomorrow, heehee hee ……” scary laughter came from the other side, “Ah Sheng, starting tomorrow, I want to behave like a lady!”