“ She's with me ” An oddly familiar voice says from behind.

Lianmin turns to look at the person who is talking.

‘ Zhou Leicheng? ’ Lianmin's eyes widens in surprise.

“ So we meet again ” Zhou Leicheng smiles.

Flashback

At the office

Leicheng stepped out of the office, Xiamen patiently waited for him outside the Empire.

“ Let's go ” Leicheng ordered

“ Do you plan on attending Meigui's Gala tonight? ” Xiamen asked once Leicheng got close to him.

“ Honestly speaking I'm not sure I'd like to take such a long journey tonight ” Leicheng gave excuses.

“ Long journey? That's quite the word ” Xiamen scoffed

Leicheng phone rang and he got into the car.

“ Who might that be if I may ask? ” Xiamen started the car.

“ I have no idea why Yao has been calling me nonstop... ” Leicheng looked outside the window as he spoke to Xiamen.

“ You should hear what she wants to say to you ” Xiamen advised.

As though on cue, Leicheng phone rang again.

“ Speak of the devil ” Leicheng smirked and picked the call.

Xiamen snickered and shakes his head.

“ Zhou Yao ” Leicheng addressed his mom by her name.

“ Do you want me to die before my time? ” Zhou Yao cried over the phone.

“ What do you mean? ” Leicheng asked coldly.

“ Today I was with my friends and... ” Zhou Yao was interrupted by Leicheng.

“ If what you're aiming at is making me feel guilty then...” Leicheng snapped at Yao coldly.

“ It's not going to work ” Leicheng said coldly and cuts the call.

Xiamen felt deep anger emanating from Leicheng. Having been his secretary and close friend for quite a while, Xiamen knew how well Leicheng hated feeling guilty.

“ Let's go to the Gala ” Leicheng said out of the blue.

“ Yes ” Xiamen agreed, that was the best thing to do to cool Leicheng's temper.

The ride to Meigui's event center was quiet. Leicheng found himself deep in thought, ever since his father passed away a year ago, his mom had been so keen on him settling down, he knew it was part of her fears and he was meant to reassure her but Leicheng hated being pushed around.

Suddenly the car stopped and Leicheng returned from the world in his head.

“ Are we there? ” Leicheng looked up.

“ Yes ” Xiamen replied and exited the car, he opened the car door for Leicheng to step out.

Leicheng walked further away from Xiamen to call Meigui.

“ I'm here at the entrance ” Leicheng said in a low tone when Meigui answered the phone.

“ I already informed the guards that you were coming they're expecting you ” Meigui responded happy that he honoured her invitation.

“ Okay ” Leicheng said crudely and was about to cut the call when Meigui spoke.

“ I'll meet you at the entrance see you soon ”

Meigui hanged up.

Leicheng walked back to Xiamen and noticed Xiamen had a surprised expression on his face.

“ Isn't that Jiang Lianmin? ” Xiamen asked surprised.

“ Who is Jiang Lianmin? ” Leicheng asked confused.

“ Your ‘ mystery woman ’ Xiamen teased and Leicheng frowned.

“ Jiang Lianmin ” Leicheng muttered to himself.

‘ So that's her name ’ Leicheng thought.

“ She seems to be having troubles with the security guard ” Xiamen said to Leicheng.

“ Let's go ” Leicheng walked towards the entrance of the hall.

“ She's with me ” Leicheng said to the security guard leaving Xiamen confused.

Lianmin slowly turned and her surprise was evident in her eyes when she saw Leicheng.

“ Why help her? ” Xiamen whispered to Leicheng.

“ She owes me ” Leicheng whispered back to Leicheng.

‘ Zhou Leicheng? ’ Lianmin's eyes widens in surprise.

“ So we meet again ” Zhou Leicheng smiles mischievously.

End of Flashback

***

“ I know....” Lianmin thinks of a proper way to start her apology to Leicheng when they got further from the entrance of the Gala hall.

“ I've caused you too much troubles over the past few days Mr Zhou ” Lianmin continues.

“ But it wasn't my intention to do so ” Lianmin says and Leicheng looks at her in surprise, he did not think he would see her and not here of all places.

“ You know I also suffered emotional damages because I bothered you ” Lianmin says when he does not reply her.

Leicheng remains quiet leaving Lianmin tensed, she keeps on thinking of what is going on in Leicheng's head.

“ Compensate me or I'll sue you for defamation ” Leicheng says the first thing that comes to his mind.

Lianmin goes blank for a while before finding her tongue.

“ I can't give you more than a hundred dollars ” Lianmin protests.

“ Services... Pay me with services ” Leicheng says crudely.

“ What kind of services? ” Lianmin asks, she wonders what Leicheng was keeping at.

Meigui stands at the entrance of the hall and watches them with clenched fist, she angrily walks away.

Leicheng excuses himself from Lianmin and places a call to his mom.

” What do you want to choke me with your voice now? ” Leicheng's mom asks.

“ Yao... Are you so convinced that the woman in those photos is my girlfriend? ” Leicheng says ignoring his mom's former words.

“ Yes ”

“ Wait outside for me... I'm coming home and I'm bringing someone ” Leicheng says and cuts the call.

He walks back to Lianmin who was waiting patiently for him to come back.

“ Come somewhere with me ” Leicheng says sternly.