CHAPTER 8: WHY DO YOU OVERWORK YOURSELF SO MUCH?

<p>On the way home, in the car, Zhao Haoran's head suddenly landed on her shoulder. Long Xia looked down to see his eyes closed. <br/><br/><br/>"Umm can you drive faster please?" She asked the driver.<br/><br/><br/>"Yes, ma'am." He replied as he stepped on the accelerator.<br/><br/><br/>Twenty minutes later, they arrived home.<br/><br/><br/>"Hey, Haoran, we've reached home."<br/><br/><br/>He didn't seem to hear her as he kept his eyes closed.<br/><br/><br/>"Haoran. " She patted his cheek but received no response. "Hey, wake up." No response. She removed his head from her shoulder only for it to fall back on her shoulder.<br/><br/><br/>She touched his forehead. " You have a fever?!" <br/><br/><br/>She called the butler and one male servant to help carry him to their room.<br/><br/><br/>Once inside, she removed her coat and folded her blouse sleeves, took the cold water and towel handed by the butler and sat next to her husband.<br/><br/><br/>She drained the water from the towel and placed it on his forehead. <br/><br/><br/>"Is there something else you need from me ma'am ? " <br/><br/><br/>" Yes, call Dr. Zhuo to come over quickly." <br/><br/><br/>"Yes, ma'am."<br/><br/><br/>The butler left to execute the order. <br/><br/><br/>Once she was left alone, Long Xia placed the towel on his head again.<br/><br/><br/>"Seriously, why do you have to overwork yourself so much? Why can't you be a normal being, Haoran, with a normal working time? Now look at you, you are unconscious and have a fever because of overworking yourself. What am I going to do with you?"<br/><br/><br/>Twenty minutes later, the butler opened the door to let Zhuo Li in the room.<br/><br/>"What happened?"<br/><br/>"He suddenly fainted in the car when we were coming home. He also has a fever."<br/><br/><br/>" Okay, no need to worry Xia. He is just exhausted. You know the week before you two met, he had been flying in and out of the country to finalize some business. He slept for at least one or two hours per day. Even the day you two met, he had just arrived from Canada. He didn't even rest and came straight to see you."<br/><br/>"Really?"<br/><br/>"Really. Anyway, these are the medicines he will be taking for the next few days. Today is Friday, try to keep him in bed for the weekend and ensure he takes his medication everyday."<br/><br/>Zhuo Li passed her two packets of medicine and put his stuff back in his briefcase.<br/><br/>"By the way, am I expecting a pretty niece or handsome nephew any time soon?"Zhuo Li smiled at her when she glowered at him. "What? Don't look at me like that."<br/><br/>"Go away."<br/><br/>"Okay.... okay am going." Zhuo Li winked at her before leaving .<br/><br/>Long Xia turned to the unconscious man on the bed.<br/><br/>"Just wake up already, Haoran."<br/><br/>....<br/>Still in the evening, Zhao Xia was preparing dinner when she heard shuffling of footsteps. She turned around to see a groggy Zhao Haoran entering the kitchen. <br/><br/>" Why are you out of bed?" She reprimanded.<br/><br/><br/>" I feel much better now."He sat on one of the counter stools, facing his wife who was preparing dinner for them.<br/><br/>" Even if you feel better, you will be staying in bed for the next two days."<br/><br/>" But..."<br/><br/>" No buts, Haoran. This is a matter of your health. Do you want to fall sick because of overworking?"<br/><br/>"No."<br/><br/>" Then, it's final, you are staying at home. And not working but relaxing. Okay?"<br/><br/>" Okay."<br/><br/>"Good." She said as she served him dinner.<br/><br/>...<br/>A week trickled by and the day of the banquet arrived. It was to be held in the evening and preparations were made during the day. Zhao Xia woke up earlier than her husband, prepared herself and left the house with her two body guards. She left him a note on the night stand informing him of her whereabouts.<br/><br/>She met Yang Liu at the entrance and the two headed inside the new built hotel to ensure the preparations were done to perfection.<br/><br/>"You are introducing yourself as the new boss in town today?" Yang Liu asked her bestfriend.<br/><br/>"Yes, I am planning on something dramatic."<br/><br/>"Oooh...tell me about it."<br/><br/>"Telling you will ruin the fun. You will see when the time comes." She chuckled.<br/><br/>*****<br/><br/>In the evening, expensive cars rolled up to the hotel's entrance as men alighted their cars with their wives or mistresses, all dolled up, clinging onto their arms.<br/><br/>Zhao Xia and Yang Liu were in the ball room, aligned with other waiters and waitresses,a tray of glasses of champagne or wine,in their right hand. Once the guests started streaming in, they took the champagne to them and served them.<br/><br/>"Where is your husband?" Yang Liu asked.<br/><br/>"Oh, he is waiting for me at the top floor. We will be attending this event together."<br/><br/>"And why did you decide to wear a waitress uniform?"<br/><br/>"To chase some nuisances out of my hotel." She said as she eyed Tang Linxu who had come together with her father. She kept looking around the hall , as if searching for something or perhaps someone. Well, how could Zhao Xia not know who she was searching for, who else but her husband.<br/><br/>Yang Liu followed her gaze and saw her looking at Tang Linxu. She was about to say something, when from the corner of her eyes, she caught a certain couple entering the venue.<br/><br/>"Xia, here comes our favorite couple." Zhao Xia turned to see her ex boyfriend and ex bestfriend heading towards them. ' Can this night get any worse.'<br/><br/>The two stopped in front of Zhao Xia and Yang Liu.<br/><br/>"Long Xia? You are working as a waitress?" Qin Bo, her ex boyfriend asked.<br/><br/>"Yes."<br/><br/>"You should not be doing such dirty jobs to earn money." Su Lin, her bestfriend suddenly said in a loud voice attracting some people nearby.It seemed like she was concerned about her but Zhao Xia knew what she implied was very different.<br/><br/>"You are a Long, you should be helping your father at the company." She continued.<br/><br/>"Wait, did Miss Su say that, that woman is a Long?"<br/><br/>" I heard so too." <br/><br/>"She is bringing shame to their family." <br/><br/> Unfortunately for Zhao Xia, her father had attended the event and overheard the conversation. He looked at her menacingly as if warning her to not open her mouth and spout nonsense.<br/><br/>Zhao Xia ignored the glare and turned her head towards this deceiving couple.<br/><br/>"I am no longer a Long."<br/><br/>"Oh. that's new."Su Lin commented.<br/><br/>" Excuse me." Zhao Xia said as she headed towards the kitchen . It was time to show who was the boss in here.<br/><br/>When she walked past a corridor to head towards the elevator, a hand grabbed her wrist.<br/><br/>She turned to look at the person. "What do you want now?"</p>