Milady's Fine Gentleman 165 SURVEY

"Why did you ask to meet out?" Chen Linyun annoyingly asked while setting into a high stool along the bar's counter. Although he was partially annoyed, there's a part of him that was relieved and even enthusiastic for this meetup. Somehow these two Chinese men who were brought up abroad just hit it. They even shared the same wavelength.

"To put it bluntly I like you." Zhu Li Qiang thoughtlessly blurted. "And we're business partners now, aren't we? I'm helping you."

Chen Linyun gawked at him, ready to puke what he had eaten last. "You're disgusting. Watch your words or else other people might mistake us to something else." He shuddered with utter revolt.

"Pffft. Ha! Hahahaha! You're funny Chen Linyun! Aren't you too sensitive? Too conscious? You're a married man after all! Anyone can see that ring on your hand. There's no chance for any misconceptions."

"You're such an absurd man." Traces of disgust were still depicted on his face. "Why did you call me here today? I'm busy." He went straight to the point.

"Just want to hang out. We should be friends. Our ladies are friends so we should be too." He grinned foolishly.

'Is he a dunce? Is he really the heir of Zhu Shipping Lines?' Chen Linyun thought while still gawking at him and his logic.

"You'll thank me for this." Zhu Li Qiang tossed a folded paper towards the countertop in front of Chen Linyun. He was still grinning with such pride for his achievement.

"What's this?" Chen Linyun picked up the folded piece of paper, eyeing Zhu Li Qiang cautiously.

"You'll see if you open it." The initiator answered enigmatically still grinning excitedly. He was of the same age as Chen Linyun, at aroung twenty-five years, but he acted as if he's still eighteen.

Chen Linyun proceeded in unfolding the paper.

It revealed an information sheet, duly completed with the very familiar legible handwriting of his wife.

"!!!!"

"What's this?" Chen Linyun repeated, becoming wary. "Why do you have this? Are you stalking my wife? Are you having her followed or investigated?"

"Woah, calm down, dude! I have my own!" He waved another folded piece of paper in the air. "This one's Teng Man Rui's."

Chen Linyun slightly tilted his head while staring at him suspiciously, but kept his silence. Sensing him, Zhu Li Qiang opened Teng Man Rui's info sheet and allowed Chen Linyun to take a quick peek, before retrieving it again. True enough it wasn't his wife's handwriting.

"You're welcome." Zhu Li Qiang commented at his buddy's quizzical look. "Come on, you still don't get it? Don't you want to know what your wife likes? Her favorites?"

"I don't need this."

"Then leave it." Zhu Li Qiang was about to grab the paper in Chen Linyun's hand.

Chen Linyun held onto the paper. "Keep your hands to yourself."

Zhu Li Qiang tapped his friend's back lightly. "You don't need to worry about me hitting on your wife. Past is past, dude! Give me a break!" He sighed. "It's Teng Man Rui now. She's so difficult to handle. So many complexities. It's easier if she likes me even just a little, but she's not even giving any hope. Then the boyfriend." He sighed again.

"You do know that Shi Fan Hai is not someone to mess up with, do you?" Chen Linyun asked deliberatedly, with an eyebrow raised, just checking if this man beside him still has some sort of rationality and sanity to know what he's getting himself into.

He already started unfolding the paper containing Xue Jinxu's information.

"I know. There were rumors going around about him. But then if I just turn around, how would I be able to be with Teng Man Rui? I can't even sit still knowing that she's with someone like that." He ruffled his hair with his hands. He was too vexed.

Chen Linyun ignored him. He was already reading the paper in his hand. The more he read, the greater his appreciation towards Zhu Li Qiang's initiative. It was admittedly brilliant.

There was a question which made his eyes glued to it. It went on, "Who is your favorite person in the world?" Xue Jinxu's answer was… 'My husband'...

Chen Linyun stroked her handwriting over those words. His heart felt warm as if summer has come.

'She still loves me, it seems.'

'She still thinks of me, holds me dear.'

'It's enough. We still have a chance together. We will get back together.' Chen Linyun's motivation at life was refueled by this piece of paper – no – by the lady's answers.

Zhu Li Qiang went blabbering about Teng Man Rui. "Hey, dude. Do you know milady's favorite color is purple? Oh, her favorite food is truffle pasta and her favorite dessert is oreo cheesecake. She's a coffee drinker and her favorite is cappuccino…"

Chen Linyun kept quiet. But as if in a competition, for every info that Zhu Li Qiang shared about Teng Man Rui, he recited its counterpart for Xue Jinxu, without reading the paper. "Her favorite color is yellow. She likes it because it's bright and jovial. Her favorite food is mapo tofu. It's her comfort food also especially whenever she's losing her temper. Her favorite desserts are dark chocolate and anything that's red velvet. She said it's just chocolate but with a twist that's why she likes it. She always likes something that stands out. Always levelling up. Always challenging the norm.'

'She's not a coffee drinker. She prefers tea over coffee, but she prefers red wine the most. Especially if she's perturbed by something… She herself is one-of-kind.'

"How did you think of doing this survey?" Chen Linyun asked Zhu Li Qiang.

"Well, I racked my brains for ways to know her better without, you know, pestering her. I usually stay at the library-café across Xue Jinxu's store. I wanted to go to Teng Man Rui and strike a conversation, but I am quite perplexed if that's a good idea."

"Yesterday, there were high school girls in the library-café who were chatting with each other about some homework, some survey. That gave me the idea. Instantly I sought the help of those high school girls to have my survey form get answered by the ladies across the street. They readily agreed after tempting them with gift certificates and discount cards. Those brats… Anyway, all the effort is worth it, isn't it?"

"Yeah…" Chen Linyun agreed. "Thanks for this, Zhu Li Qiang."

"I owe you. For repayment, I have some good tip for you." Chen Linyun offered. He didn't want to be in anybody's debt.

"Nah, it's nothing. You don't have to." Zhu Li Qiang brushed it off.

"Well, you'll want it." Chen Linyun insisted. "Listen carefully. There's a window for you. They're over."

"Chen Linyun, what are you talking about?! Could it be… She's single again!" He beamed in exaltation. He did some dance moves. It was humiliating.

"Thanks, bro! I got this!" Zhu Li Qiang left in the speed of light.

"You better snatch her away this time. Take her as far away from the devil as possible." Chen Linyun muttered under his breath, only thinking about its effect to his wife. He wanted to even widen the gap between her and all her friends from that devil.

Chapter end

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