Zhang Liling couldn't have been any more happier when she got to leave the stuffy room.
She had so longed to escape her father's ugly gaze that rested on her for several minutes and finally, she was free.
In the car, she turned to her mother, "Mum, why did you agree to let me work in a different company, is it because of Shi Wenqian?"
Song Jujing retracted her gaze from the outside view to reply, "As you said earlier, you are an adult."
Without her needing to explain further, Zhang Liling understood her words clearly.
Smiling to herself, she turned her gaze back to her phone.
********
Tungmei was currently having an important conversation with her parents concerning the company she would work in.
"Why don't you tell your friend to help you secure a position in her father's company?" Mr. Lim suggested with a serious gaze.
Tungmei sighed and wondered how she got this kind of father. The man was only interested in money and things that could bring it.
All four of them including her mother and younger brother were currently sitting in a cafe chatting over a combo meal.
"Dad, I can't ask my friend to help me." Tungmei stated.
Mr. Lim glared at her. "Why can't you ask her for help? What's so hard about it?"
During the graduation ceremony, he watched his daughter interact with Zhang Liling and knew their relationship was doing well, so he was expecting for things to be easy for them.
Tungmei glanced at her father and shook her head. She couldn't tell him that Liling and her father were not in good terms so she gave a a different kind of response.
"Dad, it's the same way you can't ask your friends for help, I have pride too."
Mr. Lim glared at her while her mother nudged her shoulders. "How can you make that kind of statement?" She chided.
Tungmei shrugged and picked up her glass of water. She was not bothered. At least now, her father would not bother her again.
Truly, Mr. Lim did not bother her again as he didn't want to be angered by her.
All of them ate in silence and when they were done, Tungmei escorted them to the bus station before going back to her shared apartment.
*******
Song Jujing spent 2 more days in City S before traveling back to Paris, but before leaving, she had a conversation with Liling about her choice of location.
"Do you really like this city this much? Don't you want to come back to the country you have known since birth? At least it's better than this place where you have nobody to protect you."
Zhang Liling could see the worry in her mother's eyes and smiled.
She understood that she was getting apprehensive with her being alone without her father's protection since angering him with her decision.
"Mum I Will be fine." Liling so badly wanted to mention about Mr. Fang, but she refrained from doing so.
She couldn't talk about him without his permission, and that was fine with her.
Song Jujing finally gave up trying to convince her to move back to Paris, but she was still disturbed about something.
'Liling, don't blame me if I do something you don't like. You only have to know that as your mother, I will always protect you."
*******
Zhang Liling felt so happy to move back to Mr. Fang's house, but not after hosting Tungmei who came for a sleepover at her place the night her mother left for Paris.
The two young women talked about their parents opinion and interference to their decisions, and that was when Tungmei learned that the relationship between Liling and her father had turned worse.
Even if she had been tempted to ask for help with securing a good position as an intern at Zhang Group, she couldn't do that anymore.
*******
Zhang Liling happily pulled her luggage with her from the gates after the cab driver dropped her off
The little woman was happy to be back here.
Getting to the villa at last, she sighed in relief and keyed in the password to the door before pushing it open.
The butler greeted her sight as soon as she stepped in.
"Miss Zhang, welcome back." Butler Gu greeted with a small smile.
"Thank you Butler Gu," Zhang Liling replied amicably and walked past him pulling her luggage behind her.
Zhang Liling was was still all smiles when she bumped into the man she has been yearning to see. There was a surprised look on her face as she called out to him, "Mr. Fang?"
Mr. Fang's gaze hovered over her as he nodded. "You are back." He stated.
"Yes," Zhang Liling acknowledged.
Steady steps approached them, causing him to look past her head to see the butler coming over. Then without a word, he turned to leave, and headed for the stairs.
Zhang Liling saw him leaving just like that and quickly followed him with her luggage.
Mr. Fang did not realize that she was following him until he got to the stairs and still heard the sound of the luggage tires sliding against the tiled floor.
He had to turn around to glance at her. Knowing fully well that she wanted to follow him with probably having something to tell him, he didn't let her say anything.
"Have you had breakfast?" He asked.
Although Zhang Liling was surprised with the sudden question, she hurriedly answered, "I only ate some cookies and drank a glass of milk tea, I am yet to have a proper breakfast."
"Good. Go and eat something before coming up the stairs." Mr. Fang said and then turned to continue in his steps without looking up.
Zhang Liling could only stare at his retreating back with a helpless gaze.
Half an hour later, she finished eating and went to meet Mr. Fang. This time around, she found him in his bedroom.
Unlike before when he always glared at her everytime she stepped into his bedroom in his presence, he had a neutral gaze on her.
"You wanted to see..." Before he could finish his question, the small figure at the door immediately rushed to his side and enveloped his sturdy body in her embrace.
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