White Jade Necklace
After it is obvious nothing will be settled at lunch the two men finish their food not making meaningless conversation. Chen Huan has already taken care of the bill before he left so they leave. Qiao Rui is going to buy LiMei a necklace to give her when he goes over for dinner. Kuang Bo wants to call Xinghi to see if Dr. Woo contacted him
LiMei lays down on the bed clutching her pillow what should she make, her spicy pork ribs are good she saw there were ribeye steaks she wonders if Grandma Gu has a little grill she could borrow. Maybe string some lights on the rooftop patio. She should go ask and get Chang's number at the same time. She changes into some sweat pants and a sweater, she puts her long hair up in a ponytail, wearing a wig is very uncomfortable but she can't have Chen Jianyu recognize her.
As she is knocking on the door downstairs Chang walks up. “Feng LiMei your phone has been off since last night!”
“Chang I lost my phone I have a new number get your phone out we can exchange numbers. Do you know if your Grandpa has a little grill I could borrow? Maybe some lights in the garage.”
“I know they have a small grill, I can look in the garage, are you fixing up your patio?”
“Yeah the Doctor is coming over for dinner,.”
“The old man is coming over? I didn't think you could cook all I see you eat are instant noodles.”
“ Stop calling him the old man..haha. I had to cook for my father's family all the time but cooking for one isn't any fun. If you help me fix the patio up you can come eat later and see what a fantastic cook I am..haha”
“Here give me your phone.” Chang has his phone in his hand to put her number into it.
LiMei hands him her new phone, Chang's eyes get big when he sees it. “Holy Shit LiMei how did you afford this phone?” Admiring it he inputs his number and hands it back to her.
“It was a gift.”
Chang frowns she shouldn't accept such expensive gifts, “Did the doctor give you this? It is the latest iphone it barely just came out they cost 12,000 yuan.”
“Really? Well I already used it, I can't return it. I will offer to pay him in installments.”
“...” Chang thinks LiMei is naive no man gives expensive gifts without expecting something in return. “Let's get the grill.”
They find the small grill then go to the garage to see if there are any lights. Chang brushes through some cobwebs to find a box in the corner. He dusts them off, “I remember these lights from Grandma's birthday a couple years ago they should still be good.”
"Chang do you think they would mind if I borrow the glass table in the corner with the two chairs? I want to ask them. “
“I'm sure it is fine, some of this stuff got stored in here when my dad went back to the Army and mom and I moved to a smaller place. But I don't know if we can get it up the stairs you don't look very strong.”
“Be quiet! I can do it, here let's lift it out into the yard.” She starts pulling it out, Chang hurries to help her, they get it up the stairs they are both out of breath. “Do you want a drink Chang?”
“Sure.”
LiMei brings out a couple glasses of orange juice and a cloth to clean the table. “I think with the lights it will be pretty out here.” A big tree hangs over the corner of the patio. “We can string the lights through the tree and across to the roof. I have some candles too.”
“I will go get the box of lights and the grill.”
“Thanks!”
When he gets back they set up the grill then Chang climbs the tree to put the lights on it when they are finished LiMei turns them on, they twinkle giving the patio a romantic vibe.
“So Chang what time is the swim meet on Saturday?” LiMei is drinking her juice admiring their handiwork, without Chang she wouldn't have been able to fix it up.
“It is at Dichen Prep at 10:00 AM.”
“Good I can definitely come, I am helping out at Doctor Qiao's clinic in the afternoon then I need to work at the Crescent Moon Hotel.”
“I'm going downstairs to play video games you want to play?”
“No, I'm going to take a nap then start dinner, come back at eight to eat. Take this box of food to your Grandma, I have too much here.” That will give her time to talk to Rui before dinner.
Chang leaves and LiMei lays down on her bed, so tired! She sets her alarm for six o'clock so she is sure to wake up.
Meanwhile downtown Rui enters an expensive jewelry shop, what type of necklace would she like. He wanders over to a glass case, too gaudy. Something simple would suit her, an old man with a young woman approaches him, the old man recognizes Rui as the heir to the Qiao Corporation. “Qiao Rui I haven't seen you since you were a boy, how are you?”
Rui vaguely recalls him, the Chairman of a large electronics firm, he is an old friend of his grandfather's so Rui doesn't want to snub him. “Chairman Wang it has been a long time”, he smiles broadly at the old man. The old man heard he had difficulties with his family and just recently returned, he always had a good impression of him.
“Qiao Rui this is my granddaughter Rebecca she just graduated from Harvard.” The beautiful girl next to him smiles shyly at Rui, she remembers going to the Qiao mansion to parties when she was young, she has had a crush on him since then. She is tall wearing the latest designer dress that accentuates her large bust and small waist, her hair is stylishly fixed in a retro hairstyle.
“Rebecca, congratulations on graduating from such a prestigious University.” Rui doesn't want to be rude but he wants to find a present for LiMei then go home to shower and change.
“Thank you.” she smiles at him fluttering her eyelashes seductively. “I hear you are expanding your hospital to include a holistic healing wing. I majored in Finance so if I can be of any assistance to you..” She hands him her business card, she opened a consulting firm with another graduate when she returned to Pushong City last month.
She isn't sure if this is too forward but she wants an opening to see him again. No other man compares to him in looks and intelligence, she can't believe her good fortune to run into him today.
The Chairman can see his granddaughter's interest in him, normally she is indifferent and aloof, clearly she is flirting with him. He will need to speak to Chairman Qiao maybe they can make a marriage arrangement, Rebecca and him would be well matched.
“You should come to her graduation party on Saturday, the invitations have been sent to your Grandfather.”
“I am going to be out of town but thank you for the invitation.” He reads her business card,“You should contact Chen Jianyu he might be able to use your services now that he is in charge of the Hushang Group.” He can sense the Chairman wants to push them together, he will deflect the attention to Jianyu, she looks like his type. Having her pursue Chen Jianyu will also annoy Lau An and complicate his life.
He tells the old man, “When I get back we should play a round of golf. I need to hurry to pick out a necklace for my girlfriend I am meeting her later.” That should do it.
The old man and Rebecca watch as he takes a few long strides to the opposite side of the jewelry store. Rebecca's cheeks turn red, who is his girlfriend? She checked his information and he hasn't been seen dating since he last went out with Lau An. Now she finally runs into him and he is shopping for his woman.
No, now that she has seen him again she will work hard to break them up and make him hers. She coyly puts her arm on her grandfather, “Let's look at their jade pieces over there.” She nonchalantly glides to the end of the counter where Rui is looking at necklaces.
Rui sees a pure white jade piece it is simple and it reminds him of LiMei..pure and bright. He calls the salesman over to look at it more closely. When it is in his hands he feels it is perfect for her it is a teardrop shape with thin tendrils of gold swirling around the edges like the wind. Yes..it is perfect.
He doesn't ask the price handing the salesman his black card. The salesman is shocked he didn't even ask the price, the necklace is a one of a kind creation by the master jeweler Kang. It costs 250,000 USD.
The salesman places the necklace in a black velvet gift box, highlighting the pure white jade.Rui is very satisfied with the necklace. Rebecca is watching him under the pretense of looking at the necklace in her hand.
His dazzling smile is mesmerizing as he looks at the jade in the gift box, he has the look of a man in love sparing no expense on his woman. Rebecca is wracked with jealousy as she sees his eyes thinking of his girlfriend, she has rejected every suitor in hopes she could come back to Pushong City and catch Qiao Rui.
Rui puts the gift box in his pocket and gets into the backseat of his car. He instructs his driver to take him home. He leans back in his seat with a satisfied expression on his face, LiMei I can't wait to see the look on your face when I give this to you.
LiMei's alarm goes off she rolls over, now she is regretting making plans for tonight she would like to continue napping then watch some television. She crawls out of bed and scratches her head, she marinated the pork before she went to sleep and chopped the vegetables now she needs to take a shower then start cooking.
She turns on the water letting it run down her body, she washes herself with some new body wash she got shopping yesterday, it smells really good, she is surprised it was on sale for 35 yuan.
After she finishes washing her hair she steps out wrapping herself in a towel, her eyes have been bothering her from the contacts they are really red, she leans her head back putting eye drops into her eyes. Oh that is soothing, she decides to lay on the bed with her eyes closed letting the drops work. before long she is fast asleep.
At Rui's house he takes off his suit and goes into the bathroom to take a shower. He can't let himself have negative thoughts she accepted the phone and called him to have dinner, she wouldn't just say good bye. His mood isn't good as he considers the possibility she might want to end things amicably that is why she invited him. He shakes his head, no he will apologize and give her the necklace.
When he is finished he goes to his closet choosing a casual black cashmere sweater and gray pants, he decides to wear some black Adidas. He puts on a limited edition Cartier watch , he then brushes his hair drying it with a blow dryer. It is 6:30, he calls his driver to pull the car around.
He grabs the giftbox and a leather jacket then locks the door. On the way he has the driver stop and pick up some beer and wine he isn't sure which LiMei would like or what she is cooking for dinner.
He arrives at LiMei's, he tells the driver he will call when he wants to leave. Rui looks up to the rooftop patio to see she has turned on lights on her patio, how cute. Rui quickly climbs the stairs and is about to knock on the door and sees it isn't closed tight.
He still thinks he shouldn't just walk in so he knocks,LiMei doesn't come to the door. Maybe she is in the back of her apartment in her bedroom. He slowly opens the door to see her sprawled on her bed in a towel sound asleep. He glances around the apartment is tiny this seems to be the only room.
Rui gulps as he looks at her messy long black hair on the pillow and her legs spread apart with the towel barely covering her creamy white thighs. Her inviting lips are parted, as she breathes her chest tempts him as it rises up and down with each breath barely covered by the pink towel. Rui shakes his head what should he do, after his actions last night he is afraid to wake her.
He leaves the apartment closing the door quietly, he takes out his phone and dials her number, after it rings a few times a sleepy voice in a whispering tone says, “Hello.”
“LiMei it is Rui I am outside but you didn't answer the door are you busy?” he chuckles to himself picturing her lying on the bed, really though what if someone else had come to the door, he needs to warn her to lock her door.
“Oh Rui! I'm sorry yeah I was lying down and fell asleep. Give me five minutes and I will get the door.