Dinner Together

Shen Ru watched as Liling glanced at the clock for the umpteenth time that day. 

She didn't blame Liling for her lack of focus, after all, if it were her brother lying in a hospital bed after a heart transplant, she'd also want time to speed up so she could see him,

It was 9 minutes before 6 pm, and Liling found herself engulfed by the incessant ticking of the clock which only seemed to reverberate within her mind, disorienting her headspace,

She had been nursing a headache since the day before from her lack of sleep and worry and silently gritted her teeth in frustration while glaring daggers at her mahogany office door.

What was with the sudden noise?

She could practically hear the excited whispers coming from behind the door and couldn't help but wonder what was going on, no scratch that, whatever was going on, she wanted it to stay on the other side of the door,

Liling's day seemed to be taking a turn for the worse. Just as she had made up her mind not to get involved, a persistent knocking echoed through her door, disrupting her thoughts.

'What now' she asked whispering under her breath as she pinched the space between her brows, why couldn't she be left in peace?

Shen Ru attended to the door and before the two of them could process what was happening, they watched as their CEO nonchalantly strolled through the door and gave himself a tour around,

She glared pointedly at Shen Ru for letting him but was met with a wide-eyed shrug. How was she supposed to know Mr Li was waiting behind the door?

Accepting her situation with resignation, she drew in deep breaths, preparing herself mentally for the upcoming conversation."

Noticing the tension in the room, Shen Ru stealthily departed, resembling a mouse trying to escape the attention of a group of watchful cats.

"How can I help you Mr Li?", she asked as she stood next to him watching as he lazily scanned through the contents on her bookshelf, 

Her eyes caught on to the object that had caught his eye, it was a small framed photo of her and Xu Ming. He was just three months old, swaddled in a blue blanket, and placed on her lap. 

She was 5 in the photo, and she could vividly remember the fondness and warmth she felt cradling her little brother that day, it was one of her most cherished memories of her childhood,

That was.

Until everything collapsed.

"Not really, I just wanted to give this to you", Li Hao finally spoke up handing her a bunch of documents,

She scrutinized them, they were just the approved budget for their subsidiary entertainment company- Shooting Star Entertainment

She raised a brow in disbelief, there was no way he had come to her to deliver documents, so why was he really here?

"Is that all?"

"Actually, I was also hoping we could have dinner together"

Understanding dawned on her, no wonder he had refrained from discussing it at the hospital,

"I'm sorry Mr Li, but can we reschedule, I'm going to visit my brother in the hospital this evening"

"No need for that, I can tag along and then we can have dinner later on"

She was about to turn down his suggestion again but quickly realized this would mean he would come to her office again, he was just like a flashlight and would bring her unwanted attention,

So with a resigned sigh she agreed, but only on the condition that they would be taking her car