Lingering On and On

Chapter 9: Reencountering Long Che

It was already 11 o'clock at night after Tong Yuling got home and took a shower.

She didn't go to bed immediately. Instead, she turned on her computer and launched MSN. Seeing that the familiar profile picture was lit up, she quickly typed a message and sent it.

There was no response, so she sent it again and even added a "screen flash vibration". After waiting a few more minutes, just as she was about to give up and log off, a reply finally came from the other side. "Xiaoling, you're still online so late? Are you back from the dinner?"

"Yeah, just got back. Where have you been? Your profile picture is on, but there was no response!"

"Sorry, I was in the library. I was just looking for a book."

Tong Yuling suddenly realized. Remembering what Yu Xiaoling said yesterday and thinking about Xiao Zhenghua's strangeness tonight, she couldn't help but ask, "Xiaohao, I... I have something to tell you. At the dinner tonight, there was a guy from that company who seemed interested in me!"

Unlike the usual immediate reply, there was a pause on the other side.

Is he unhappy? Tong Yuling felt a glimmer of joy in her heart and continued, "Xiaohao, are you still there? Didn't you go to look for a book again, did you?"

"Uh, I'm here. That man... must have very good conditions."

"Not bad. He's good-looking, young and successful, intelligent and capable."

"A beautiful girl like Xiaoling should be adored and cared for by a good man. Congratulations, Xiaoling!"

"Besides congratulations, don't you have anything else to say to me?" Tong Yuling asked involuntarily.

There was another silence on the other side before he said, "How do you feel about him?"

"I... I..."

"Hehe, look at how silly I am. I asked such a question. With such good conditions, you should like him, Xiaoling."

"What about you? Xiaohao, do you like me?" Tong Yuling's fingers typed this sentence uncontrollably. But in the end, she deleted it and asked again, "Xiaohao, do you think I should accept him?"

Finding that he was silent again, Tong Yuling's previously dormant heart reignited with hope. "You don't want me to get to know other men, do you? Do you?"

"How could it be? I'm not such a tyrannical person, and I don't have the right to do that either."

That little bit of hope disappeared again! So, Yu Xiaoling was right. It was all just her own wishful thinking. Xiaohao didn't have that kind of feeling for her at all! Well, he's a student who studied in the UK. How could he take a fancy to an ordinary person like her? The sudden sense of loss and melancholy made Tong Yuling feel weak. She didn't know how to continue, so she chose to say goodbye. "Xiaohao, I'm a bit tired. I'm going to bed."

"Uh, okay. Then I won't disturb you. Go and get some rest! Good night!"

"Good night!" After typing the last two words, Tong Yuling logged out of MSN, turned off the computer, and then absentmindedly went to bed. She stared blankly at the ceiling, her expression still extremely lonely and sad. There seemed to be something stuck in her chest, causing her great discomfort.

Lying in the warm quilt, she couldn't fall asleep. She usually fell asleep easily, but tonight she had insomnia because the dream she had been longing for suddenly shattered...

In the lobby of a high-end club.

The off-white granite walls looked extremely magnificent and luxurious under the bright lights, showing off the elegant temperament of royalty in a stunning way.

The people who came in and out here were all from the upper class, either rich or noble. And the three men sitting around the table by the window were the cream of the rich. They were dressed in famous brands, young, handsome, and had an extraordinary bearing. They were natural focus figures.

"Hey, I didn't ask you to come here to drink tea and play around. I asked you to give me some ideas!" Seeing his friends looking so relaxed and carefree, Long Che became even more irritable and lit another cigarette.

Zhang Shaoqi shrugged, looking helpless.

Li Jun had an amused smile on his face and took the opportunity to tease. "Che, I told you long ago that women are nothing but a spice in a boring life. The more, the merrier. If not, it doesn't matter. You didn't listen to me. Now you know you're at a disadvantage!"

Long Che glared at him. "Master Li, if you're so capable, then quickly give me a good plan!"

Having known Long Che for many years, they knew when to joke and when to be serious. So, Zhang Shaoqi spoke first. "This year is your grandmother's 80th birthday. Tonight's banquet will surely be more grand than ever. The female companion you bring must be from a noble family, elegant and generous. There can't be any mistakes!"

"Cheng Jiawen has gone too far this time. She only said today that she couldn't make it back. Obviously, she didn't give you time to find another woman. I think you should find a better woman and don't let her always take you lightly. Why not find a celebrity? They're the best at acting and will never embarrass you!" Li Jun also put away his cynical expression and seriously analyzed and suggested.

Zhang Shaoqi immediately vetoed it. "The slightly better-known celebrities are generally well-known. Everyone knows them. Your grandmother is from a royal descendant. She's a standard aristocratic lady and looks down on actors the most. If she knows that you have something to do with a celebrity, she'll be furious! It seems you can only be a lone ranger tonight."

"Not only do you have the blood of a British royal descendant, but you're also the heir of your mother's family's Qiu Group and the chairman of the Felice Eurasian Bank. You're always a focus figure. Others are all attending with partners. How can you be alone?" It was Li Jun's turn to object.

Watching them argue back and forth but not coming up with a constructive result for a long time, Long Che felt even more annoyed. He absentmindedly looked out of the window and accidentally saw that small, slender figure in light purple. He was startled at first and then stood up.

"Where are you going? Your grandmother's birthday banquet starts in a few hours!" Zhang Shaoqi and Li Jun were surprised and called out to him.

"I have something to do. I'm leaving first. Do as you please! As for the female companion, don't worry about it! See you later!" Long Che said and walked straight to the door without looking back and left the club...

In front of the Crown Bakery.

Seeing the queue getting shorter and shorter, Tong Yuling became more and more happy.

She came here today to meet a client nearby. When she was about to leave, the client suddenly gave her two bakery cards. The Crown Bakery is the most famous bakery in the city. The cakes there are not only delicious but also have top-notch hygiene in the production process. The business is naturally excellent. Especially in the afternoon, there are an endless stream of people coming to buy cakes, and the queue is like a long dragon.

If there wasn't a branch of this bakery near her home, she really wouldn't be willing to queue here. But thinking about her family happily tasting the delicious cakes, it was worth the effort.

Tong Yuling was still lost in her nice fantasy when she suddenly felt her arm being grabbed forcefully. When she clearly saw the tall and muscular figure and that extremely handsome and cool face in front of her, she was stunned.