Page 20 of He Is My Bride

Yes, this other young man must have been those Wangs, who were trying to wrest control of Wu Pharma. But this Wang Xinyu seemed like a nice boy, so Li Ying decided he would not let his family background affect how he should treat him.

Li Ying sat at the back of the company BMW while Wu Yiyi got in the driver’s seat and started the engine.

“Anyone coming from that side?” Yiyi asked Xinyu while driving slowly through the property gate.

“No, keep going,” Xinyu said while keeping an eye on his side of the car.

As soon as they got on the road, the navigator urged them to make a U-turn.

“You turned the wrong way,” Xinyu noted.

“I know! Uh, what now?”

“Just drive, wait for it to recalculate the route.”

“I’m sorry, Miss Li, it’s a company car, and I just got it.”

“He just got his license,” Xinyu explained.

“But you’re totally safe with us, don’t worry!” Yiyi hurried to assure.

Li Ying quirked an eyebrow, but smiled. “Take your time. I’m on a holiday and not in a hurry anyway. So, how old are you?”

“I’m eighteen,” said Yiyi.

“I’ll turn eighteen in January,” said Xinyu. “I can’t drive yet, but I asked Yiyi if I could watch him so I’ll learn ahead of my classes, I hope that’s okay?”

“Of course! Are you an intern at Wu Pharma as well?”

“Yes!”

“So what grade are you boys in?”

“We’re in second grade in senior high hchool.”

Li Ying kept chatting with them, about what school was like for them in China, how long they had been interning at the company for, and what they wanted to do when they grew up.

Both of them wanted to work in business and finance of course, just like their dads, who had also set up both of their internships at the company.

Surely they had bought them the fine suits and leather shoes, too.

The boys drove over to the financial district in Pudong and stopped in front of a towering high-rise office building.

“Can you take Miss Li inside while I park the car?” Yiyi asked Xinyu.

“Got it. Please follow me, Miss Li.” Xinyu got out of the car and held the door open for Li Ying.

Li Ying swung his legs out with his knees held firmly together, mindful of his short skirt and the fact that the young man’s eyes may be wandering, and indeed: when Li Ying looked up, he saw Xinyu turn away, blushing.

Don’t tease the baby, don’t tease the baby, don’t … Li Ying smiled at Xinyu, tilting his shoulders daintily. “Thanks, A-Yu!” Okay, tease the baby just a little!

Li Ying was drunk on his new power to make boys lose their marbles. Xinyu was all red in the face, and he stammered:

“P-please, right this way!” He led Li Ying through large revolving doors into an airy lobby.

There was a wide desk with two smartly dressed receptionists and a guard by the door, and a seating area where people in business attire were talking on their phones and checking their watches. All-granite surfaces shone with polish.

“Let’s start from the upper floors.” Xinyu led Li Ying towards the row of elevators.

Walking across the wide, open lobby, Li Ying’s heels echoed rhythmically with his well-practiced strut, drawing gazes, he noted.

Don’t look at them like you care, let them look. Be a boss.

He certainly felt like a boss while announcing his presence with every step.

He was no longer a baby giraffe in his heels, but a graceful, powerful lion consort coming to meet his king in his territory, and indeed, he felt ready to step into the kingdom of the Wus.

For all anyone knew, he was Hanjun’s woman, and Hanjun was the boss.

At least, when Chairman Wu Yiheng wasn’t around.

If I bump into him, I’ll be perfectly pleasant and civil. Give him another chance to be nicer to me.

They stepped into the elevator, and Xinyu pressed the button for the thirty-seventh.

“You speak English, right?” Xinyu asked Li Ying. “Maybe we could talk in English so I can practice?”

Just as the doors were about to slide shut they heard running steps, and a rolled-up local newspaper was forced between the doors.

“Sorry! I didn’t see you—Grandfather!” Xinyu exclaimed as the reopening doors revealed a tall man with an imposing presence.

He who didn’t wear a good suit here was akin to one who had come to a battlefield without armor, and grandfather Wang, Wang Guosheng, Hanjun’s first cousin once removed from his grandmother’s side, was well-fitted for battle: his tailor-made dark burgundy suit and monk strap shoes were matching color.

White shirt, black tie, golden tie pin and cufflinks.

Thinking back to how Wu Yiheng dressed with an understated elegance, Li Ying had to admit Wang Guosheng dressed more like how he’d expect a boss to dress, as the man’s appearance exuded almost aggressive authority.

Wang Guosheng didn’t appear ‘grandfather’ -age at all, and while he must have been around the same age as Wu Yiheng, he looked more like he was in his late forties.

He was taller than Hanjun, and therefore taller than Li Ying was even in his heels.

As Wang Guosheng stepped into the elevator, his aura seemed to take over the entire space.

But Li Ying had seen his share of big egos in his time and stood unaffected.

Unlike Xinyu, who seemed to shrink before his grandfather.

“Then pay more attention,” Wang Guosheng said and Xinyu lowered his gaze .

Wang Guosheng then looked at Li Ying, and Li Ying felt like he was seen through by that piercing gaze. Li Ying ignored the shiver in his spine and smiled politely.

“Grandfather, this is Li Ying,” Xinyu began. “Wu Hanjun’s, um…”

“Hello,” Li Ying offered his hand, meeting Wang Guoshengs eyes, “Li Ying. I’m here as Wu Hanjun’s guest. Your grandson has been very kind to show me around.”

A vein on Wang Guosheng’s temple throbbed, but his mouth smiled.

He took Li Ying’s hand into his own: it was large, the obvious strength of his grip politely restrained.

The scent of his leathery, masculine cologne surrounded Li Ying.

Wang Guosheng’s thumb caressed across Li Ying’s knuckles once, twice.

A crooked smile spread on his thin lips.

“Wang Guosheng.” His voice was deep bass like a lazily purring tiger.

Before Li Ying could figure out how to react, it was over.

What was that? Li Ying kept smiling, and he hoped the disgust that had set in his belly hadn’t reached his eyes.

Wang Guosheng stepped back next to his grandson and slapped the newspaper to his chest. Xinyu took the paper—it had been opened on that page—and said to him while still looking at Li Ying:

“Remember, you are here to learn to do business, not chaperone Wu Hanjun’s ‘companion.’”

The elevator slowed down. “It was a pleasure to meet you, Missy Li,” Wang Guosheng said.

Li Ying hoped his smile didn’t look as dead as it felt. He didn’t say anything, because if he opened his mouth, nothing pleasant would have come out—he would have spoken his mind.

Wang Guosheng left the elevator, and luckily Xinyu led Li Ying out and to the opposite direction.

“I’m sorry, did I put you in a bad spot there?” Li Ying asked Xinyu once they were out of the man’s earshot .

“No, not at all. I’m sorry, I didn’t know what I should have said.”

“About me and Hanjun? You can say I’m his girlfriend if someone asks.” Li Ying smiled.

Xinyu nodded. “Okay. Sorry.”

“It’s okay! Now, will you show me around your office?”