Chapter five

As the late noon science department meeting ends, the lecturers filed out of the seminar hall in a uniform of prim and proper outfits and clacking shoes.

LiNa remains seated at the table, waiting for the crowd to disperse while thinking distractingly.

"Earth to LiNa, hello," Zhang Xiu said, waving a hand in front of her face.

She laughed softly, grabbing Xiu hand and squeezing it before letting it go. "Sorry, was I drifting off again? I've got way too much on my mind. Start over and I swear you'll have my full attention." she took a sip from bottled water on the table in the seminar hall and focused on her best friend from the same college but different department.

Xiu waved her hand in the air, taking a seat on the table. "No, I don't blame you for ignoring me. I was only complaining about my hairstylist and how he almost trims off my bangs, his hair styling is getting really bad this time around."

LiNa laughed, training her gaze on her perfectly—as always—styled blonde hair. "I do see what you mean. You've been ruined. I can't believe you'd subject the world to the troubling image that is your bangs." she pretended to shudder.

"Oh shut up! Seriously though so I'm counting down the days until my previous hairstylist maternity leave is over."

LiNa laughed, Xiu 's expected chatter lightening her mood. "Your previous hairstylist is in trouble when she comes back from her leave?"

"Definitely, So tell me what has you so distracted today."

"Oh the usual, The lecture schedules and my Parents especially my mom,. . . all very tiresome."

Xiu gave her a concerned look. "I thought things were looking better with your parents."

She sighed. "I thought so, too. It seems like every time I said I am not going to events, my mum flares up and start stating all my supposed deficiencies. And of course, I am supposed to go to a business event this weekend."

Xiu patted her hand. "It'll be fine. Forget about the so-called business party, you know what you need? some girl night out at the club. When was the last time you had some, you know? There's nothing like a good thorough body intimacy." She said grinning and winking mischievously at LiNa.

LiNa choking on a sip of water saw Xiu grinning mischievously. "If only I had free time on my schedule and candidate," she said, laughing guiltily when the image of Li-Jun sprang up in her mind. LiNa did love Xiu—she came across all sophisticated and chic, but she was liable to say the most shocking things just when she needed it. But Xiu was from an old-money background that had never had to worry about money a day in her life and she's also a recently divorced single mother at age Thirty-six. Taking care of her four years old child with her parents being supportive, she didn't feel bothered about the breakup of her marriage due to the infidelity of her ex-husband.

Xiu taking another sip of water. "Things will be all right. She said while patting Her friend's silky hair.

Of course." LiNa nodded.

"I heard that the Evasive CEO of the prominent Lu corporation just registered to be a master student in the Horticulture department, is it true?"

Linda stared at her for a moment. "Nope, I'm not aware of it

She shrugged. "I heard rumors about it when I visited the Plant Medicine Department the other day."

LiNa's heart clenched. She let her thought drift towards an image of a certain student due to his surname.

She didn't want to think about it and there was no use imagining something that was not possible, shaking her head to let such useless imagination float away.

"How's Le Le? "LiNa finally change the subject.

Xiu's eyes gleamed. "Oh, he's fine, busy as always. Getting back from school by his driver and watching cartoons, playing with his toys are his business for the day.

She gave her a small smirk. "Is he talking about the movie 'Black Panther" again?"

"Yup—you guess." Xiu smiled brightly, both of them moving out of the seminar room at the same time and launching into a story of her child's adventures with the avengers.

LiNa nodded occasionally to what she was saying, drifting off and thinking about the gown she will order for the event this Saturday, as she reached her white sports car parked at the faculty parking lot and saying goodbye to Xiu absent-mindedly, she drove off.