chapter 23

Zhanan Corporation which had once been the biggest leading company had suddenly closed down. Subsequently, Xia Corporation had taken the mantle of becoming the new empire in business and had even surpassed Zhanan’s original influence. There was a rumor that it was all because of a newly-hired general manager who was secretly the true decision maker of the company because CEO Xia Chao was freeing his hands of company matters.

No matter what the truth was, everyone knew for sure that the Xia family’s power was strengthening and as the Xia family’s only heir, Xia Fengguang’s identity was soaring sky-high. And she was not yet married.

Fine, she was getting married in three days, but until this moment, she was never married and still doesn’t have a husband yet, right?

Fengguang was stuck inside the wedding dress boutique. How many times has it been now? A rich young master had coincidentally run into her and then invited her out for a candle-lit dinner.

She eyed Yu Li who was not too far away pretending not to witness this scene. She felt that he was being petty. Bai Zhe only tricked him once and he was still mad? In her heart, she thought that Yu Li would probably not help her out and she tried to suppress her impatience. Towards the man in front of her, she politely smiled.

“Mr. Zhang, I’m very sorry to have to decline your invite but I don’t have time for it.”

“If you make time for it, you’d be able to make it, Miss Xia. I’ve long heard that you were really pretty but now that I’m seeing you in person, the rumors don’t do you justice.” Normally speaking, Zhang Fang was not bad looking but he was famous for being a playboy. He was known for admiring pretty girls and not a single one would be able to escape. Today, he had decided to be upfront in his approach. “Our encounter is technically a meeting of fate. I’ve already booked the best restaurant so it all depends on you, Miss Xia.”

“I already said I don’t have time.” Fengguang’s polite smile disappeared.

But Zhang Fang still wouldn’t give up. “Miss Xia, as long as you’re willing to go with me, I promise that you won’t regret it.”

After he finished saying this, he gave out a smile that was full of testosterone.

Fengguang harrumphed and directly went around him to leave when Zhang Fang grabbed her arm with a lot of force. She tried to wriggle out but his grip wouldn’t loosen. “Zhang Fang, let go of me!”

Sometimes women like dominant men.

Zhang Fang held onto Fengguang’s arm and closed their distance. “Miss Xia, why the rush, hm?”

Fengguang grew goosebumps all over her body and was suddenly reminded of Song Mo, who she hadn’t seen in a very long time. Unfortunately for Zhang Fang, the dominant CEO route never worked for her. She coldly looked at him. “Let go of me. Do you not understand what I’m saying?”

“It was very difficult for me to grab hold of you so how could I let you go so easily?”

Her heart felt like horses had trampled it through the mud and grass.

Yu Li finally decided to stop watching the drama and was about to head over to help Fengguang but there was a person who was heading over faster than him. When Yu Li saw who it was, he laughed and retreated to call another person out of spite. “Bai Zhe, your fiancee is about to get taken away.”

Thus, he continued to watch the drama unravel.

Zhang Fang’s arm was suddenly pulled off and because it was abrupt, he was completely unprepared for it. When he turned to see who the cockblocker was, danger rang in his ears.

“Don’t touch her.” Song Mo’s face was covered in frost.

Fengguang was surprised to see the man in front of her, shielding her.

Zhang Fang naturally knew Song Mo from having been in the same circle. If it had been before, Song Mo was not a person he could mess with but now, was Song Mo even worth anything anymore? “And here I was thinking who it could be. So it was Mr. Song.”

“Zhang Fang, I didn’t know you liked to force girls into relationships. Has your personality become so bad?”

“Mr. Song, how do you have the right to criticize me? I remember when Mr. Song was still living the good life, you made countless girls accompany you for dinner.”

“All of them were willing women.”

“Yes, and now there is only… one Cinderella by your side, Mr. Song.” Zhang Fang deliberately paused in the midst of his sentence.

The cancellation of Song Mo and Miss Xia’s engagement was not a secret and neither was his reason for the cancellation. Back then, Song Mo was the epitome of people’s admiration but now, everyone saw him as a joke. Many elders would use him as an example to guide their children on what would happen if they were to follow their so-called true love.

There were clear thorns in Zhang Fang’s words and Song Mo remained silent. He was no longer the Song Mo he used to be. He had learned to say less and he was less prone to action.

Fengguang suddenly felt bad for him.

Zhang Fang directed his on-brand smile towards Fengguang. “Miss Xia, you must not like that he’s interrupted us. I can help you get rid of annoying flies like him. You just need to say the word, Miss.”

“If that’s the case, how about you get rid of yourself first?”

Zhang Fang had very thick skin. “Hey, I’m not in the same class as Song Mo. I think I’m more of a butterfly if you had to describe me.”

“A butterfly?” A deep male voice abruptly appeared from behind Zhang Fang and just as he turned to see the speaker, a heavy fist landed on his face. He cried out in pain as he roughly hit the floor.

The attacker was an elegant man. He appeared so graceful that he didn’t seem like such a violent person. He smiled, radiating his good looks. “Then I’ll just have to make you a butterfly with clipped wings.”

“Bai Zhe!”

A sweet voice called out and it was like a doll was wrapping herself around Bai Zhe. He held her arm to prevent her from falling off. Ever since he left Zhanan Corporation, he stopped wearing glasses. So when he peered down into her eyes, she could directly see his overflowing warmth. “I came late, are you alright?”

“I’m fine!” She shook her head and then satisfyingly buried her head into his neck. “I’m so glad you came.”

Bai Zhe kissed her on her cheek.

“Bai Zhe! You dare hit me?!” Zhang Fang clumsily got up from the floor and was still not steady on his feet when he got bumped again by a person coming from behind him.

Yu Li asked with concern, “Mr. Zhang, are you alright?”

His voice sounded very dear but he did not lend a hand to help Zhang Fang up.

Zhang Fang stayed on the floor for a while longer.

Yu Li decided to throw all the responsibility onto Bai Zhe when he said, “Bai Zhe, how could you hit somebody? Zhang Fang is the only son of the Zhang family. If something were to happen to him, would you be able to bear the responsibility?”

“Hey! Little Fish!” Fengguang lifted her head.

“I think you’re mistaken,” Bai Zhe lightly patted Fengguang on the back. “This store is under Miss Lu’s name. If Zhang Fang were to end up in an accident here, then Miss Lu needs to bear some of that responsibility as well.”

Yu Li’s expression changed and grinded his teeth. “Fine, Bai Zhe, you win. Zhang Fang, let’s go have a chat, you and I.”

“Who are you, let go of me!”

His objections were useless. The poor Zhang Fang had only just gotten up and was now being dragged by Yu Li to go have a “chat”.

After the extras had left, Bai Zhe naturally turned to Song Mo. No one could tell what he was thinking by his expression while Song Mo was only quietly looking at him.

Fengguang felt that the atmosphere was becoming odd. She decided she’d acted enough as a koala and stood up straight after letting go of Bai Zhe. She grasped Bai Zhe’s hand. “When Zhang Fang was still harassing me, he came to help me.”

Bai Zhe smiled a smile that didn’t seem like a smile. “Mr. Song, thank you for helping my fiancée.”

“I’m just not used to seeing women being bullied by men.” Song Mo glanced at Fengguang. Truthfully, his mood was not great, considering that Bai Zhe used to be his employee while Fengguang was his fiancee. And even though Bai Zhe was smiling at him, Song Mo could tell that Bai Zhe’s smile was a declaration to him.

That everything should have been his.

“Song Mo, I’m done changing!” Qiu Niannian came down the staircase. She was wearing a wedding dress and her makeup made her look adorable. Because her belly was growing, they had to customize a wedding dress that hid her stomach. She went to Song Mo’s side and was shocked when she saw Fengguang and Bai Zhe. The happy expression on her face disappeared but she still politely greeted them. “Hello.”

Bai Zhe gently started the conversation. “So Mr. Song was here to accompany Miss Qiu to try on wedding dresses.”

“Hmph, what did you think I was here for?”

Bai Zhe smiled and didn’t reply.

Song Mo pulled Qiu Niannian towards the stairs and after a few steps up, he stopped and turned to say, “Bai Zhe, don’t think so little of me. The things I’ve given up, even if I regret it, I wouldn’t go back and beg for it.”

This seemed like a decision he was announcing to Bai Zhe and to himself as well. Shortly after, Song Mo and Qiu Niannian disappeared out of sight as they went upstairs.

Fengguang looked up at Bai Zhe. “What did he mean by that?”

“Nothing important.” Bai Zhe replied as he fixed her slightly ruffled hair. “How could you go to a fitting without me?”

“Aren’t you busy? I can come by myself. It’s fine.” She was understanding of his circumstances. Even though her dad had technically approved of Bai Zhe, in reality, it was his way of dumping every work-related matter to Bai Zhe. Bai Zhe was now a busy man.

“I already pre-ordered a custom-fit wedding dress.”

Fengguang was surprised. “When did you pre-order it? How could I not know about this?”

“It was a month ago and it’s already been delivered to our home. When we go home, will you try it on for me?”

“Of course!” She expressed her happiness in her smile and dove into his chest.

How could I let anyone else be the first person to see her in a wedding dress?

Bai Zhe kissed her on the forehead. Tonight, he could personally help her put on the wedding dress and also, personally help her take it off. The faster she became his, the less people there would be who dared to covet her.