That night, Xiao Rufeng arrived on time for dinner with Yan Xiuchen. Because she was preoccupied with thoughts about her manager's current situation, she hadn't given any thought on what she should wear tonight. So, she brushed her long hair into a clean, high ponytail, leaving a few strands to frame her bare face and dressed herself in a pair of denim pants and white sleeveless blouse.
As soon as she knocked on the door, the scarred man opened it at once, allowing her to enter the dining area. He was still dressed in his business suit, and she wondered if there was a time Yan Xiuchen would wear something other than this.
"Good evening, Mr. Yan. What are we having tonight?" She asked as she took her usual spot at the table and waited for Yan Xiuchen to join her.
As usual, the place was lit by thick candles, which only made his scars more frightening in the shadows. Xiao Rufeng surmised that he was trying his best not to make her uncomfortable by hiding them, but in all honesty, it only made the atmosphere more awkward between them.
She wanted to have a good look at him, to see the scarred side of his face and figure out how it ended up like that. Xiao Rufeng had no doubt that there was a story behind it, and it was one of the reasons why Yan Xiuchen turned into the person he was right now. However, because she knew it made him uncomfortable, Xiao Rufeng forced herself to look somewhere else.
She looked at the flower vase at the center of the dining table, filled with red roses. If she didn't know any better, Xiao Rufeng would think that she was on a romantic date with Yan Xiuchen, given how he was dressed and how their dinner was set up every night.
"Venison steak." She heard Yan Xiuchen say as he sat on her left, hiding his scarred face from her again. He was careful to keep his face angled away from her.
If he wasn't a business tycoon, Xiao Rufeng would also think he was a person holding a high rank in the military, given how stiff he was and how short his responses were. He also had this kind of commanding air around him, not giving anyone a chance to doubt his authority, not only in this household but also in his vast business empire.
Yan Xiuchen reached over to the bottle of wine and opened it.
"Would you like some?" He asked and waited for her answer.
"Are you trying to make me drunk?" Xiao Rufeng teased and he stiffened at once.
She let out an awkward laugh and berated herself mentally. How could she make such a joke in front of him? Yan Xiuchen might misunderstand her words and be offended by it.
"Sorry. That was a joke." She then lowered her gaze and pondered for a moment. She should really watch what she was saying in front of him.
Su Xiaofei warned her not to get drunk, and she understood what her manager meant by that. Still, a part of her wanted to drink her problems away, even for just a moment.
She then extended her empty glass and allowed Yan Xiuchen to pour her a drink. She watched with fascination as he poured the wine with impeccable grace and tilted the bottle expertly without spilling anything.
His manners were on point, even his words were carefully chosen, but there was a part of her that wanted to see another side of him.
Xiao Rufeng thought that it must be odd that she was somewhat attracted to him. Whenever he was close, she couldn't help but be aware of him. There were even times when his mere words were enough to make her blush, but she tried not to overthink any of it.
She was familiar with these feelings, but she didn't want to admit it. They have only been acquainted for a short time, and she didn't understand what was pulling her towards him.
'You know how this will end, right?' She reminded herself, and that was enough for Xiao Rufeng to get herself back on the right track.
"You look sad. Is something wrong?" Yan Xiuchen asked as he waited for her to answer.
She forced a smile, knowing that she can't possibly tell him what was on her mind at that moment.
"Just thinking about President Su. I haven't heard anything from her yet." She lied. The pain she endured when Jin Qiu turned his back on her still lingers.
Yan Xiuchen stared at her for a long moment, and she wondered if he could sense her lie. She averted her gaze and started eating.
"I've heard the news from Lu Qingfeng too. They are trying to find a donor that could match her mother's blood type." He replied, much to her relief.
"Miss Yun was one of my greatest supporters when I was just starting in the industry. She and President Su made sure that I didn't lack anything since I joined Bluemedia."
"You want to return the favor?"
She nodded. Aside from keeping herself away from trouble, she wanted to be of any help to Su Xiaofei.
"But I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be a match for her. I'm willing to give her a part of my organs if that could help, but alas…"
"Don't stress over it. I'm sure your good will is enough for Su Xiaofei and her mother." Yan Xiuchen assured her. "Lu Qingfeng will be able to find a donor, but time isn't in their favor."
"Sorry. I didn't mean to put a damper on our night." Xiao Rufeng sighed.
"Not at all. I'm glad that you are willing to share such sentiments with me. I was just worried that you are feeling down because I'm keeping you company."
Xiao Rufeng gave him a curious look, but didn't smile. It wasn't his fault that she was being like this.
As if sensing her distress, Yan Xiuchen didn't ask her anything else and they ate in silence, which Xiao Rufeng found unnerving.
"So are you and Elder Meng the only ones living in this estate?" She asked Yan Xiuchen, hoping to break the silence around them. "Your place is nice, though. I guess I'm not really used to long silences like this."
"Not really. The household helpers are living on the other side, but if you want to ask if I have any family or relatives living here, the answer is no." Yan Xiuchen replied. "Just like you, I'm not on good terms with my relatives, not when they are shamelessly coveting what is mine."
"At times like this, I wonder if it would have been better to be born as a commoner." Xiao Rufeng sighed.
When Yan Xiuchen didn't say anything, she took it as a cue for her to continue.
"I mean… wouldn't it be better if I am a commoner and not a daughter of some wealthy family? I just want to lead a normal, happy life, but I guess that's too much to ask for." She continued.
"There's nothing wrong with wishing the best for yourself." Yan Xiuchen commented. "As for you leading a happy life, that's for you to decide and not your birthright, isn't it?"
"If I may be bold to say, I think you are doing well yourself. You don't ask your family for any favors and support throughout your career as an actor, and I think that's admirable. If it was another person, I wouldn't doubt that they would use their family name to advance themselves in the industry you are in."
Xiao Rufeng couldn't stop the blush that spread on her face. There it was again. It was times like this that Yan Xiuchen would catch her off guard and make her feel special, making her feel like she mattered.
His every word managed to get through her, reminding her that she was doing just fine, giving her the boost of confidence she needed. Xiao Rufeng didn't expect that she would hear the words and recognition she'd been waiting for from Yan Xiuchen and not from her own family.
"Why, thank you, Mr. Yan. That's very nice of you. You don't know how much those words mean to me." She smiled brightly at him, and he had this expression on his face that she couldn't comprehend. Was he blushing?
A small smile curved on his mouth before he hid it behind his glass as he took a sip from his drink.
"Then I'm glad. It must be challenging for you to come here and endure my company."
Xiao Rufeng shook her head, denying his claim. Was it weird that she felt comfortable being with him but couldn't stand being close with another man?
"Not at all. I'd rather be here with you than be somewhere else." She replied, somewhat aware that she had thrown Yan Xiuchen's words back at him.
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