THE CEO's LOVE 146 Love Struck

Jingyao checked his time. "This place looks deserted."

"This is their shooting area," Zhaolin said.

"We have been here for some time now, when is she coming out?"

"Soon," and he picked out his phone to send her a message.

Mei Han sucked in a breath as she followed after Xueyan. Xueyan had asked for the night's leave as the scene was completed.

Xueyan saw the black car packed some distance away and paused. It wasn't one but two and another Four Wheels vehicle.

As soon she got close enough she saw the two friends, who were deeply conversing.

"Wait, isn't that Zhaolin?" Mei Han whom was a big fan of Zhaolin asked.

"Yes?"

"It's really him," she held her chest. "I remember your friend talking about him at the hotel... You really do know him?"

And Xueyan nodded.

Mei Han couldn't believe she was meeting her idol for the first time. "He looks so handsome up close. What do you think? Should I act normal? Or just, or just... I can't believe this."

"Normal would do," Xueyan didn't want Mei Han doing it over.

Dai Jingyao was the first to notice her, he flashed her a smile. "She's still that beauty," and it made Zhaolin follow his eyes direction until their eyes met.

"And who's the beauty beside her?" Jingyao questioned.

"Her a.s.sistant,"

"Woah!" And Zhaolin turned to look at him.

"What is with you?"

Dai Jingyao shook his head. "Nothing."

Zhaolin then walked up to Xueyan and took her hand in his. From the corner of his eyes he saw Jingyao grinning at Mei Han, meanwhile she was watching him.

"h.e.l.lo," 

Didn't this moron come here to help me? Zhaolin wondered seeing as Jingyao attention was all on Mei Han. 

"Jingyao," Zhaolin looked down at his shoes then back up at Jingyao, the man's smile froze.

"Oh, so long no see." He flashed her another smile. "Miss Bai Xueyan, how have you been?"

She smiled back at him. "Great,"

"Yeah," and the awkward smile crept up his face. He had been so sure on helping his friend get his woman but now he felt totally helpless in front of a total stranger. He turned back to Mei Han, "h.e.l.lo," for the second time.

"Hi," Mei Han answered then looked back at Zhaolin. She sized the man up and Zhaolin felt totally uncomfortable with her eyes.

Xueyan's eyes squinted at this two. Was she seeing things? And Mei Han? What is wrong with him her?

"Jingyao, don't tell me you're actually love struck." Zhaolin statement shocked everyone excluding himself, he didn't get the reason why his friend was shying away. So he thought asking wouldn't be bad.

"..." 

"..."

"..."

Zhaolin opened his mouth to continue but Xueyan pinched him. She even felt awkward with merely watching, but Zhaolin? He was asking the obvious.

She pulled him away a little and through gritted teeth she asked. "Are you truly that dumb when it comes to relations.h.i.+p things?"

"What?" He understood nothing of what she had just said.

"Why did you say that out aloud?"

"It was a simple..." And it dawned on him. 

"You know nothing aside going to work daily, making designs and money."

"No," he wouldn't take that direct insult. "I'm good at other things too,"

"I wonder what they might be,"

His sudden grin made Xueyan wished she had never asked. "You want to know?" The mischievous grin spread on his face.

"No," she rejected and went back to the two, awkwardly standing there with their hands folded.

"We will be leaving first," she said to Jingyao whose head tilted a bit at Zhaolin.

"Uhm... Actually," he couldn't even form a single word with Mei Han listening intently on what he was about to say. He felt utterly stupid, for once in his life.

"Let's go out for dinner," Zhaolin said coming from behind her, he pulled the car door open for her.

She wasn't going to leave Mei Han though, just as she turned Jingyao offered. "Get in my car, I'll drive you."

Before Mei Han could open her mouth, Zhaolin answered for her. "Sure, it's not a bad idea. Now Xue, get in."

He saw Xueyan make faces at him because of how he had referred to her.

Xueyan took out her phone to message her driver to head back first, when the message was successfully sent, she put her phone back into her bag.

Mei Han's lips went down, she felt disappointed. What was she even thinking? But wait, Zhaolin taking Xueyan out... They not only know each other, they seem to be very close.

"Miss, get in." Jingyao brought her almost wandering attention back.

At the location, Zhaolin pulled a chair out for Xueyan then sat the sit close to hers as they had picked a square table for four people. He let her chose what she wanted to eat.

She picked Hunan cuisine, which contained of: steamed fish head with chopped chili, steamed preserved meat, chairman Mao's red braised pork, spicy salted duck, fried pork with chili, Hunan rice noodles, Changsha stinky tofu and tasty lobsters.

When Mei Han was asked what she wanted she said she'd share with Xueyan and Zhaolin frowned. "If you want Hunan cuisine, then you get it. You don't need to share with her."

"Xueyan, are you still a foodie?" Jingyao asked, surprised.

Xueyan chuckled.

"And what has that got to do with you?" Zhaolin didn't like the fact that Jingyao was questioning her eating style.

"Nothing," Jingyao said truthfully. "Just surprised."

They all ate, while making some jokes.

*

A while later, they exited the restaurant.

Jingyao once again offered Mei Han a ride forgetting why he had come there in the first place.

Mei Han bade the two goodbye and left with Jingyao in his car.

"Tell me, how was your day?" Zhaolin asked once the other car drove away. He pulled the car door open for her.

"Fine, just a little bit of trouble here and there."

He went over to his side and got in. "Tell me about it,"

"It's nothing to worry about," she smiled at him.

He smiled back. "Fangxi, right?"

The smile on her face slowly vanished. "Are you still tracking me,"

"You don't realize how much your safety matters to me," with that idiot so close to you.

"I really wish you can stop,"

"So I do lose you like in the past? So you'd suddenly disappear and reappear when I'm old and wearing out? No! Never again!"

Xueyan was touched by his words but still felt it wasn't necessary.

"Also, if you want, I can help get rid of Fangxi and get another second female lead."

"No," she quickly rejected. "You won't do something as useless as that. It's ridiculous."

"You think so?" He frowned. "And she bugging you is what?"

"I don't want you to do any ridiculous thing just to make me feel a moment's happiness then the next I'm regretting it. I can deal with them, if what you're scared of is them hurting me."

Without warning, he closed the distance between them. His lips brushed against hers...

For a moment there, Xueyan thought she'd faint from the tingle it caused.

No! This is wrong! This is wrong!! She screamed in her head then pushed him away.

 "Please stop,"

And he stopped. Xueyan looked out the window as Zhaolin started the ignition of the car and drove away.

"How long will the shoot last?"

"Not sure,"

"You aren't planning a holiday trip with Qing'er?" 

The way he referred to her, and her baby always cut Xueyan's heartbeat. "No?"

"Why?" He turned to look at her.

"I don't think I'll have enough time to,"

"Then let her go with Zhihao," he offered.

Xueyan's neck snapped towards him. "What?"

"He wants to go to Hawaii, since I won't be able to go with him and you won't be able to take Qing'er to anywhere, I think it'd be a good idea if they went together."

Xueyan tried to smile. Aren't they going a bit far, by allowing their children become friends? "Uhm..."

"Ask Qing'er, and hear what she has to say. It would be easier for you to decide after that. They will have two maids with them, guards around them... The most important part, they will be safe."

She couldn't even think about it without getting chills in her body. She might be away from home acting, but was rest a.s.sured of her daughter's safety because her family were around. But leaving the girl to travel with loaded pack of strangers excluding Zhihao.

"I know what you're worried about, but..."

"No," she couldn't let her daughter go that far.

He didn't question her and just drove on. When they got to the estate, he help her pull the car door open once again.

Author: Gentleman... They are rare! (Smiley face)

She thanked him for the dinner, while he took her hands up to kiss them. Then the picture of Xiujun kissing her hand popped up in his mind.

"Can you do me a favour?" 

"What is that?"

"Don't get too close to Xiujun."