Friends

Han Ru left Song Luli alone in her office. 

Afterward, she invited her business partner to discuss more ideas about the projects she wanted to work on. 

Once she finished work, Song Luli turned off the lights of her office, stepping into the hall. It was quiet and nearly empty; only the cleaners were left, working under dim-lighting. 

Song Luli acknowledged them before she headed home. She hopped into her car, fastening her seatbelt, and driving out of the parking garage when security stopped her. 

"Hello, Miss Song. Sorry to stop you. We are taking extra precautions as there has been a breach in the security system," the guard said. 

"A breach?" Song Luli asked. 

"Not to worry," he responded, "A representative from Long Group has updated the security system all throughout the building. Your father authorized it."

Long Group? 

"All right. Thank you," Song Luli said to him before passing through the gates.  

She decided not to overthink it. There has been a security breach, and Long Group was the one that took care of it? 

Song Luli shook her thoughts away. 

It was evening when she arrived. And instead of parking in the driveway, she decided to park in the garage. 

Song Luli could tell Long Jie wasn't home, so she quickly went inside, making a meal before she went to the study room, revising some of the screenwriter's work. Lan Shufen wanted to perfect the draft before presenting them to the producers, and just because Song Luli was the future Chief Executive Officer, did not guarantee the support of her team. It had to be good. 

Hours passed as Song Luli revised the screenplay in the dark. Her vision adjusted to the low-lit setting of her computer screen when the lights suddenly flicked on.

She grimaced, blinking wearily as Long Jie stepped into the study room. He had already changed into casual sweatpants and a grey shirt that hugged his upper body tight.

His face appeared to be surprised to see her. 

Song Luli squinted. "Why did you turn them on?" She asked him. 

Long Jie thought momentarily. "I..." He began, "I came to do some work, as well." 

Song Luli narrowed her eyes curiously. "All right then," she responded suspiciously. 

Taking her response, Long Jie walked towards the table, settling down on the seat across her. He didn't plan on working. 

When he arrived home, he didn't see her parked car. Indoors, it was dark throughout. He decided to visit her room when he noticed the bedroom door was ajar, the same way she left it in the morning. 

So, he searched the house to find any sign of her. He went to the study room as an inkling, but he didn't expect to see her there. He thought she hadn't made it home yet, and he was worried. 

It was not like she updated him on her whereabouts, and he didn't expect her to. But still, if anything were to happen to her...

Long Jie's mind drifted. He decided to take out a sketchpad and jot down some ideas for work. He occasionally glanced at Song Luli, who held a reserved expression as she worked ardently. 

He drew up some sketches for designs he would create, but afterward, he no longer felt like working. Long Jie had already stayed back at the company longer than he should, but he needed an excuse as to why he went to the study room in the first place. 

He glanced at Song Luli again, but she barely spared one look back, so he began to draw again. 

When he finished, his fingers marked with pencil shading, as he passed her the drawing and said, "This is how you look when you're concentrating." 

He did it for a laugh, but when Song Luli looked at it, her neutral expression broke out into a soft smile. "It's lovely," she told him gingerly, almost happily. 

It surprised him. He didn't know the name or the word for this feeling. But he was glad Song Luli liked it. She then took out a pencil and his sketchpad, drawing quickly. She passed it back to him when she finished, and it was a stick drawing of him. 

"You've certainly captured my eyes," he said, gazing at the two blue circles she drew in an O-shape. 

Song Luli chuckled, placing a hand over her mouth. It was contagious. Long Jie tried not to, but he smiled broadly, laughing at how she drew him poorly in comparison to his. 

"Drawing is not my specialty, as you can tell," Song Luli commented. 

Long Jie caught her eye. "Then what is?" He asked her, low and curious. 

Song Luli leaned back in her chair, casually letting herself loose. "I'm not sure. I can't say what specifically. Do I have any talents?" she shook her head. "I'm not like you," she said almost with envy, but she wasn't envious of him, she admired him. Long Jie was good at a lot of things, and she wondered what else he was good at. 

"That's not true, though," he said. 

Song Luli shot her eyes to face him. 

He continued. "You don't take things from anyone, in fact. That's an admirable quality." 

Song Luli listened, stunned. 

"Take credit for the things you're good at. Working hard, managing your team, taking care of those who work for you, that's all you, Luli." 

He said those words so casually, and it was the only indication that what he told her was from the perspective of someone who was her equal. Had it been a different tone, she may have misunderstood him for being affectionate with her. 

"Long Jie," she called out to him. 

"Yes?" he answered softly. 

"I want to update the terms of our marriage contract," she said. 

Long Jie's heart pounded, frenzied. He did not anticipate what she meant by it. 

"What would you like to change?" he asked her. 

"It's stated that we, the married couple, are supposed to maintain a platonic relationship, except a physical relationship. But I don't want us to be platonic anymore," Song Luli said. 

His chest hastened, fastening its speed. What was she referring to...?

"What would you like?" he asked her.

"I want us to be friends," she admitted. A hint of a flush bloomed on her face as if she was embarrassed by making the request. 

And Long Jie thought she was referring to...

He cleared his throat. "Friends?" 

"Yes," Song Luli responded. "I want us to get to understand each other better. I want to be someone that you can rely on. If we are to be married for who knows how long, I want to be someone that you can talk to," she said. 

He felt the same way, he thought. 

"And would you do the same. Will you rely on me if you needed it, and not keep it to yourself?" Long Jie asked her. 

Song Luli bit down a flush. "I will try," she said. 

"Then friends it is," he said, stretching out a hand. 

Song Luli took it, shaking it. "Friends," she said with a subtle smile.