Chapter 564: Boss, She’s Here

Chapter 564: Boss, She’s Here

Compared with Li Ruobing, An Menglan was gentler, but she wasn’t as straightforward. Li Ruobing was direct, and it was rare to see her hide some knotty worry inside herself. An Menglan, on the other hand, sometimes kept things bottled up and struggled to work through them alone. That didn’t mean one personality was better than the other.

The differences in people’s hearts were part of what made the world interesting.

People’s personalities were complicated and multifaceted.

Beneath An Menglan’s identities as a “strong woman,” a “superstar of a golden age,” and the “legitimate daughter of a financial magnate,” there was also a little woman living inside her. You had to be in a relationship with her to see that side. She could set aside her dignity and elegance and seek comfort with a plaintive, almost aggrieved air, without worrying that the people close to her would think she was easy to push around…

As for Li Ruobing…

In private, she was actually difficult to get along with—at least for other people. But to Wu Chen, she was the “perfect woman,” someone who could satisfy something deep inside him, a “remedy” for the loneliness of life.

“Are we going to have to see each other less from now on?” An Menglan asked, holding Wu Chen around the waist. “It’s all my fault. I posted that Weibo message on impulse. I should have trusted you. Miss Li isn’t going to give me trouble anymore, but the paparazzi, netizens, and fans won’t leave me alone. They’ll follow me day and night, watching everything I do. They won’t give up until they find out who you are…”

“Some obsessive fans are even scarier than paparazzi. They don’t care about the law and are crazy enough to do anything. I’m so worried I’ll cause trouble for you.”

“But I also…”

“You’ve nearly turned into a little crybaby over the past two days,” Wu Chen said with a smile, still stroking her hair. “You know now that you should have trusted me, don’t you? So why not hold on to that belief? You should keep trusting me.”

An Menglan’s breathing caught. She suddenly looked up.

“You have a way to deal with this?” she asked, sniffing.

“If you do as I say, we can solve it.” Wu Chen cupped her face and brushed his thumb across the glistening corner of her eye. “Since the paparazzi are watching you, I’ll need your cooperation.”

“Okay, okay, I’ll cooperate! I promise!” An Menglan nodded rapidly, like a chick pecking at grain. Looking at Wu Chen, she suddenly seemed unable to restrain herself. She flung both arms around his neck and surged upward, changing position until she was practically hanging from him.

Kiss!

She was completely sober. There was no alcohol involved.

Yet she was acting like a girl in the throes of a new romance.

For two days running, she’d been consumed by the fear of losing him. She’d only made up her mind to be with Wu Chen two days ago. Their relationship as lovers had only just become official, and it should have been the sweetest time for them. Instead, one thing after another had gone wrong, as though heaven itself were against them!

To suffer such a blow at the happiest stage of a relationship made her feel all the more devastated and unwilling to accept it.

People were like that.

For example, if a wife of only one year and her newborn child died in an accident, the husband might collapse, wander the streets, or even lose his sanity, never recovering for the rest of his life. His memories would contain only the happiness and beauty of family life. To have it all shattered in an instant would be more than anyone could bear!

But if the couple had been married for many years… if they’d already endured arguments, boredom, or even mutual resentment, then losing the other person might cause pain, but it would be temporary. They wouldn’t necessarily be unable to move on.

An Menglan and Wu Chen were still in their “honeymoon period.”

That was why she was so sensitive and anxious at the thought of losing him.

Li Ruobing was acting a little out of character today.

In truth, so was An Menglan.

Enough kissing!

An Menglan was still holding Wu Chen, her chin resting on his right shoulder. After catching her breath, she straightened a little and drew back. “How should I cooperate?”

“You’ll find out this afternoon. First, let’s order some food. Aren’t you hungry?” Wu Chen said with a smile.

“I am. I’ll order, then…” An Menglan got up and picked up the thick menu from the side table beside the sofa. She could order a set meal or choose dishes individually; the hotel kitchen would prepare everything and deliver it directly to the room.

“But there are paparazzi outside. Won’t that be a problem?” An Menglan asked, looking up worriedly.

“Ruobing’s bodyguards are outside. It’s fine,” Wu Chen said.

An Menglan relaxed.

“Order a little extra. That way, even if the paparazzi get hold of the order, they won’t be able to tell how many people are eating in the room,” Wu Chen added.

“What does Miss Li like to eat?” An Menglan asked as she looked through the menu.

“Just order what you like. There’s nothing you like that she won’t eat,” Wu Chen replied. “She’s not that picky.”

“What about you?” An Menglan asked.

“Anything’s fine with me,” Wu Chen said.

Forty minutes later.

Knock, knock, knock.

Wu Chen went to open the door. Several bodyguards in black suits stood outside. They were the only ones in the hallway; even the hotel staff bringing the meal had been sent away.

The room-service cart was in the bodyguards’ hands.

“In here,” Wu Chen said, stepping aside and pointing into the room.

Two bodyguards wheeled in the meal. They cleared away the leftover food and dishes from the previous night, then took the freshly prepared dishes out of the cart’s heated compartment and arranged them on the table one by one.

“Just set everything down. We’ll divide it up ourselves,” Wu Chen said.

The two bodyguards quickly finished setting out the food, then wheeled the cart away.

“Miss Li’s bodyguards are so professional,” An Menglan remarked from the sofa. She didn’t mean they were professional at delivering food. Rather, neither bodyguard had given her a single strange look after entering the room.

They hadn’t looked at An Menglan even once.

“When Ruobing chooses people, she looks for professional competence, of course, but she also wants them to be disciplined. Sometimes she can tolerate a bodyguard making a small mistake on the job, but she can’t accept a bodyguard having complicated thoughts or motives outside the job…”

“It sounds as though you’re formally introducing me to your superstar lover. You’re certainly considerate of her…” Li Ruobing’s voice came from the second bedroom. The door opened, and she walked out in a black dress, carrying her bag, her tone cool and teasing.

An Menglan was startled.

She hurriedly got up from the sofa, tense, as if she wanted to explain herself.

“Let’s eat.” Wu Chen didn’t even take the bait. He gestured toward the table. “Perfect timing.”

“I’m actually getting hungry,” Li Ruobing said. Wearing high heels, she walked around the sofa toward the dining table by the window. As she passed Wu Chen, she leaned over and kissed his cheek, leaving a red lipstick mark.

It was a casual little gesture.

Only An Menglan remained nervous.

She clearly wasn’t used to the way Wu Chen and Li Ruobing interacted. She thought they were about to quarrel, when in fact nothing of the sort was happening.

“Menglan, come eat,” Wu Chen called to her again.

“Oh… coming.” An Menglan answered and walked over to the table.

Time to eat!

Wu Chen and Li Ruobing sat facing each other. An Menglan was about to pull out a chair at the side, but Li Ruobing gestured for her to sit beside her. An Menglan didn’t dare say a word and sat down where she’d been directed.

“I just checked my phone. You were photographed by a drone?” Li Ruobing asked An Menglan, taking the initiative to speak to her.

“Yes, right outside the window!” An Menglan pointed toward the drawn curtains. Just thinking about it made her furious. “It was outrageous!”

“People who take pictures like that are scum. They deserve to be cut into a thousand pieces!” Li Ruobing said, cutting into her steak with force. Then she glanced at Wu Chen.

She found the whole thing strange.

An Menglan had been with Wu Chen, and the paparazzi had been tracking An Menglan. So how could Wu Chen have failed to guard against a drone? An ordinary person might not have thought of it, but how could Wu Chen not? Li Ruobing suspected this was another crucial part of one of Wu Chen’s plans. He knew An Menglan’s habits and knew she wouldn’t expose herself in the living room, which was why he hadn’t warned her.

Li Ruobing’s taking the initiative to talk helped make the meal more comfortable.

That was especially true for An Menglan. She hadn’t completely overcome her nervousness around Li Ruobing, but as the meal went on, she visibly relaxed.

It was around half past one.

They were still eating.

Ring, ring…

Li Ruobing’s phone rang. She took it out of her bag, checked the caller ID, which showed only a number, and answered.

“Speak.”

“Boss, she’s here,” the bodyguard said directly.

“Who is?” Li Ruobing asked, puzzled.

“Uh… is Mr. Wu there? He said earlier… I thought you knew too…” Hearing the voice on the phone, Li Ruobing looked at Wu Chen and narrowed her eyes.

Damn it! What had Wu Chen done with her phone?

“It’s for you…” Li Ruobing said. Rather than asking him about it immediately, she held the phone out to Wu Chen.