Ten

Five Years After

Cheng Jie paced anxiously about his office while deep in thought then he heard the door open and he turned around to look at who had come in and the anxiety on his face faded to mild irritation at the sight of the handsome young man that came in.

"Why do you look so tense man, one would think that you would be breaking out the champagne bottle for celebration." Lee said as he lazily reclined on the couch and Jie eyed him and continued pacing.

"I have to say though, the Cheng family is so lucky to have you even if you are forced to bear some discomfort. It is all for the love of family." Lee said as he stood up and poured some whiskey and with a tired sigh Jie sat in his chair and pinched the bridge of his nose.

He felt extremely tense being in the office and he would rather be anywhere else but here but his hands were tied. He had left Osmanthus in search of living his own dreams of being a writer but that had been interrupted by the call of familial duty and he had begrudgingly returned.

His older brother Wong who had been in charge of the family's business, a shipping company had run the company's finances almost to the ground. Jie had been summoned to come and save the company's fate from being lost.

All of the expectation from everyone overwhelmed him and he felt like he would just pack up and leave them to sort out their issues by themselves after all he had not been responsible for the breakdown. He been constantly overlooked in the family and now they turned to him when they were desperate.

Fortunately for his family, before he could run away a very generous offer had come from an investor who came with the millions desperately needed by the company and he had become the hero almost overnight.

Stopping his pacing, Jie walked to the window and looked pensively at the traffic down below.

"I still don't know how i feel about this investor, it feels too good to be true." He murmured and Lee rolled his eyes.

"The investing company is coming out of town and wants to give you the many millions that is going to secure your family's company and your future as the heir." Lee said as he eyed his friend in exasperation.

"It is just too convenient and they are asking for so much of the companies shares which is dangerous if they decide they want more than just being a silent partner in the future. I am not very comfortable with them, something feels off." He mused.

When the offer had come he had originally been very excited then it slowly morphed into worry because it felt too good to be true. Why would a successful textile company want shares with their company when they could partner up with a better performing company?

"You are just seeking problems where there are none, of course they are going to ask your company for a lot of shares, did you expect them to just give them to you for free?" Lee shrugged them grinned mischievously.

"So, after you sign the contract, do you think that the CEO is going to come to the party you are organizing? I am very interested in meeting his wife, I heard that she is a very beautiful woman. I bet she is going to want a young man to show her what that old man isn't showing her."

"Why do you always have to be so in appropriate?" Jie asked tiredly and Lee looked offended.

"I am only doing a service that is needed. I am sure that such a young woman is in need of some tender loving care and I bet her husband has none to give. She will fall in love with me and we can spend his billions" Lee said and stood up and whined his waist suggestively.

"That is an extremely disgusting thought." Jie said with a from. "Don't you have work to do? Please leave before I am forced to call your father and tell him you are bothering some women." He went himself to the door and pushed his protesting friend out.

He went to his seat and almost immediately there was a knock on the door and his secretary poked her head through the door.

"Mr Cheng, the solicitor representing the Xheng company has come." She said.

"Have you taken him to the conference room and given him refreshments?" He asked.

"Yes sir." She nodded and he thanked her and she shut the door after leaving.

He took a deep breath and pulled out the contract which had been prepared and walked to the conference room.

*

"I am sorry miss but you cannot go into the VIP lounge." The steward stopped Bing from going into the lounge and her forehead creased in irritation as she looked down at them.

"How dare you stop me from going in, do you know who I am? I am VIP!" Her voice rose. "I want to see your manager immediately."

"The manager is currently attending to the customers in the lounge and will not be able to come out right now." The steward insisted, blocking Bing's view from inside the lounge but not before she caught a glimpse of king hair.

She hissed in disgust, it was probably some spoiled sugar baby whose sugar daddy had paid for the lounge. How disgusting.

She had just come back from a trip overseas and she wanted to wait in the lounge like she usually did and have a drink while her ride got to the airport but now this shabby human in ill fitting clothes was trying to stop her from going in.

Just as she was about to lose her mind and start yelling the manager emerged smiling and waved the steward away then smiled at Bing who was relieved but not ready to let that insult go.

"At last, someone who actually has some gravitas." Bing said with an eye roll and made as if to enter the lounge but was stopped by the manager with an apologetic smile.

"I have to apologize on behalf of my staff but the lounge is occupied today and we are unable to allow you in." The manager said while Bing looked on in disbelief.

"To show how apologetic we are, here is a coupon that you can use on your next visit." He said and handed her the coupon but Bing slapped the manager's hand and stomped away.

Who could be so important that they refused her entry into the lounge? She was curious and she wanted to see but she could not hang around like a thirsty fan.

Whatever! They could eat the entire lounge, she would never return here. As she was forced to return to one of the less elite lounges and grumpily wait for her ride.