"Do you want to go on a date with me tomorrow evening?" Mr. Fang asked with a sarcastic gaze.
If she was ready to forfeit his grandmother's birthday celebration which he knew she was very much interested in attending, then he would do that.
Just like his guess, Zhang Liling shook her head frantically with a frown. "Our date can come another day. I'm going to that party with you."
Fang Bingwen turned around and continued in his steps without another word.
With a smile tugging at the corners of her lips, she hurriedly gathered the plates and bowls before taking them to the kitchen a few at a time.
On her way to sending the last batch out, she met almost head-on with Ms. Chu.
"Why are you clearing the table yourself? You are no longer a servant here." Ms. Chu said with an alarmed look on her face.
"I don't need to be a servant to be able to clean after my mess. Don't worry, it's fine by me." Zhang Liling said with 3 streaks of lines appearing at the corner of her eyes.
The hosuekeeper keeper stretched her hands out to take the tray from her while saying with a face strickened by worry.
"I have to be worried, because this is not fine. Mr. Fang will surely not agree on this. The servants are not for fancy."
Zhang Liling smoothly avoided her hands, refusing to hand over the tray to her, she continued in her steps.
Seeing her leaving, the older lady had to follow her while listening to her response.
"Mr. Fang wouldn't scold you for something as insignificant as this. By the way, he is in the study."
*******
A woman putting on a knee length floral gown, sat cross-legged on a sea-green padded stool, typing something away on her smart phone.
Her back was turned towards the entrance of the bedroom, and her long wavy silky dark curls cascaded down the side, blocking the side of her face that wouldn't have been visible.
Suddenly, the entrance door was pushed open and a man dressed in a four-piece suit stepped in.
A slight frown hung at the corner of his lips as he shut the door behind him before taking a few steps towards the bed.
Seeing her husband, she unhurriedly put her left leg down before standing to her feet. Then putting down her smart phone on the bedside table, she turned to walk towards his direction.
"You are back." She said simply as she neared.
"Yes," the man said, giving her a curt reply as he put down his briefcase next to the bed before proceeding take off his suit jacket, revealing the same colour of vest.
Now only a few steps from him, a frown appeared on the woman's face as her nose scrunched up in irritation.
"You reek of alcohol, how much did you drink?" She asked with a hard stare on him while using her middle finger to block her nostrils, immediately reducing the airflow into her lungs.
"I can't count how many bottles I drank. I had no choice since there were a lot of seniors in the field to entertain." The man said nonchalantly as he carelessly threw his suit jacket on the bed.
"If your job is only to entertain people, then you should become an entertainment Lord proper." The woman said rolling her eyes slightly before taking a step back from him.
She didn't seem in the least bit happy knowing how much alcohol he had drunk, and she didn't bother hiding it.
On noticing her little actions of disgust, the man gave her the side eye before tugging on the two-colour printed tie knotted around his neck with his two hands.
"You were very much aware of what I do, and what my family does. After all, this helped your father ascend to his current height. Hearing everyone in the City and beyond know about his fame, are you still not satisfied?" He asked.
The woman scoffed and turned her back to him. Glaring daggers at the suit jacket with the alcohol stench he dropped on the bed, plus the necktie that came flying into the picture a moment later, she felt her heart pound so strongly in her chest with anger evident in her face.
"What has my father's fame got to do with me? Am I any way benefitting from it?" She asked angrily without turning her gaze to him.
The man standing behind her, dumped his vest on the floor before working on his sleeves while stepping a little closer.
Leaning in, he whispered softly to her ears carrying the strong alcoholic scent that caused the nose to sting.
"At least, everyone knows you as Mr. Zhang's daughter."
Disgusted by the alcoholic breath fanning the side of her neck, Zhang Xiaoling quickly turned to glare at him. But just as her lips parted and got ready to utter a word, she heard a low chuckle escape from his lips as he took a step back.
"Before you flare up completely, help your husband to remove this cuffs and unbotton these buttons on my sleeves." Tang Enlai said with a smile that reached his eyes.
Zhang Xiaoling stood rooted at the spot glaring daggers at him while bitting his lips for a few moment as he watched and waited patiently for her.
Unable to bear his attitude, she pulled his hand roughly and started to take off the red diamond studded cuffs before taking off the buttons on his sleeves.
"How about helping me with my shirt?" He asked with a wink.
"Did you lose your hands just like you lost your mind as well?" She asked as she rolled her eyes before walking away from him.
Nodding, Tang Enlai said to her with a sma smile while pointing a finger at her. "I will forgive your rudeness tonight just because you helped me."
Ignoring him, Zhang Xiaoling picked up her phone and walked towards the entrance door.
Seeing that she was about to leave, he sat at the edge of the bed and asked slowly, "Where are you going to?"
Without mincing words, she replied, "I'm going to call the servants to clean up your mess, because I am not in the mood to that today."
-------//-------
Dearest Readers, here is an extra chapter...
Enjoy!
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