Chapter 12

Lan Zhuo inserted the key into the door and initiated the security system. He finished the process and asked Xiulan to get her finger prints and retina scanned. The door then unlocked and she entered inside. She was surprised. She slowly took in the interior. It was minimalistic and elegant. It was painted in bright colours. The kitchen was of a modern design of the open type and was ready to use. The living room was huge with French windows and curtains complementing the paint, a wall mount television and a telephone. The display for the camera mounted near the front door was also present. There was an elegant sofa set and a compact dining table Infront of the kitchen. The bedroom was also spacious with a queen size bed and a walk in closet and attached bathroom. There was a balcony attached to it facing the river. There was another room which was the study. The room was a little smaller and had shelves arranged with books occupying two thirds of it. There was a sofa set and a table Infront of it.

Xiulan was very happy with her new place that she forgot the presence of Lan Zhuo. Lan Zhuo had already added his own details of identification into the security system and was observing Xiulan's reactions. Finding that she was pleased with the place, he relaxed and let a breath out.

Xiulan who was in the middle of her thoughts of wanting to jump into her new, soft bed, realised that she had forgotten about Lan Zhuo. She turned and went back to the living room. When she found him standing near the door, she felt guilty. She walked towards him and said "Mr. Lan, please come in. Why are you still standing here?"

Lan Zhuo glanced at her and said "That's fine. I still have some things to take care of so I will be leaving."

He turned to leave but paused. He turned around and said "If you have any doubts, you can contact Zhao Yufeng or me. You will have two body guards assigned to you. They will accompany you wherever you want to go. Your new hand set with a new SIM card will arrive in about a few minutes. All your previous contacts as well as our contacts will be added. That is all for now. Make yourself comfortable."

Lan Zhuo made his way to the door when he suddenly felt a tug on his arm and heard a "wait"

Xiulan said "Umm Mr. Lan, I would really thank you for the help you have provided me so..... If you don't mind, can I treat you to dinner tonight? I will cook so we don't have to waste time going to a restaurant. Please say yes?"

Lan Zhuo looked at her with apprehension. He didn't trust her but he did have a favourable impression of her so far. He thought for a second and said "Okay".

Xiulan visibly brightned and said "Thank you Mr. Lan! So what do you want to eat?" Lan Zhuo looked at her with a blank expression and said "I will let you decide on the menu." He turned around and left.

Xiulan was feeling happy. She locked the door and let out a squeal. She ran to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. She was surprised to see it all stocked up with fresh ingredients. She took some time to look through them and finally decided on cooking Mapo doufu, Wontons, Manchou soup, pecking duck and sticky rice cakes. She took out the relevant ingredients from the fridge and set them on the counter.

Xiulan heard the doorbell ring. She looked at the display and saw the attender who had previously given them the apartment keys. She opened the door. The attender said "Ma'am, this is the new hand set that had been ordered. Please check them and call us if you need something." Xiulan thanked him and closed the door. She was not surprised when she saw the latest model of the phone which had been released by FeiYi. She smiled softly. She set the phone aside and went to the kitchen to start cooking.

It was almost half past eight in the evening when she was finished with cooking. She washed her hands and wiped them with a towel. She set the dining table and looked at the wall clock. It showed 8:47 pm. She took her phone intending to call Lan Zhuo when the door bell rang. She looked at the display and saw Lan Zhuo. She smiled softly and set the phone down. She opened the door and said "Welcome back Mr. Lan! You're just on time. I was about to call you and you came!"

Lan Zhuo's gaze softened a little bit. He just nodded and came into the house.