Translator: Kingbao Editor: DarkGem
When Qiao Anhao reached the main hall, Lu Jinnian was already at the counter, paying for his room. He then headed towards the entrance with his luggage.
Qiao Anhao focused her gaze on him, not daring to relax. Hurriedly, she followed after him. When she reached the entrance, he had already hailed for a cab.
She ran down the steps, but when she was about to hail for a cab, her phone vibrated. [Mr. Lu booked a ticket to America. Miss Qiao, head directly to the airport now. I have already booked a seat on the same flight. As for Miss Zhao, please bring Miss Qiao’s passport and a few set of clothes to the airport for her.]
After ensuring that everything was in order, he added, [Miss Qiao, you must follow Mr. Lu closely once you reach America. If you were to lose trace of him there, it will be the end.]
When the second message arrived, Qiao Anhao had already hailed a cab. She glanced down at the message before hurriedly getting the driver to send her to the airport.
After less than ten minutes, she received a reminder for the flight that was just booked.
When she reached the airport, Zhao Meng was already at the entrance, waiting for her.
Qiao Anhao paid the cab before following the instructions to the international gate 3. Before she could even spot her friend, she had already pulled open the car door to shout for her. Zhao Meng slammed the door shut and ran towards her, passing the passport over. “Qiao Qiao, here’s your passport, but I didn’t pack your clothes. If Mr. Lu were to see that you don’t have anything, it would help to weaken his resolve.”
Qiao Anhao nodded her head aggressively, thanking her. When she was just about to leave, Zhao Meng pulled her hand over and placed a small box in her palm. “Qiao Qiao, this is for you.”
Qiao Anhao opened the tiny box to see a white pill lying inside. She raised her head and asked, “What’s this?”
Zhao Meng’s face turned slightly red. She scanned the surroundings before coughing lightly. Slowly, she lowered her head to Qiao Anhao’s ears and whispered softly, “Sex enhancement pills. They melt in water and doesn’t harm the body. If you can catch him in America, you can count on this!”
She moved away from her ear, then winked and smiled brightly. “You can go now.”
–
From the clearing for emigration, all the way till she boarded the plane was she not able to see Lu Jinnian.
When she finally caught sight of him, he seemed to be exhausted as he leaned against the backrest with his eyes shut.
The moment she saw him, she paused slightly. He seemed to have sensed something, for his lids flew open. The moment he saw her, he frowned slightly and shut back his eyes.
“Excuse me, what’s your seat number?” An air stewardess asked when she realized that Qiao Anhao wasn’t moving.
Qiao Anhao smiled apologetically to her before heading to the economy seat.
Shortly after she was seated, the doors to the plane were shut and the safety instructions started to play.
Qiao Anhao took out her phone to send one last message. [The plane is about to take off.]
Translator: Kingbao Editor: DarkGem
Zhao Meng: [Qiao Qiao, I wish you success!]
Lu Jinnian’s assistant: [Miss Qiao, press on!]
Zhao Meng: [Qiao Qiao, I really hope that when you’re back, it will be with Mr. Lu!]
Lu Jinnian’s assistant: [+1]
As Qiao Anhao scrolled through their responses, she felt touched. [Thank you], she replied with one last message and switched off her phone.
She shut her eyes while leaning against the backrest. She raised her arm and clenched the box in her pocket, her heart strengthening slightly. Silently, she promised herself that she would definitely return with Lu Jinnian.
–
After fifteen hours of flight, the plane finally touched down in America, Los Angeles.
Besides phone, wallet, and passport, Qiao Anhao didn’t have anything else with her, so she didn’t have to wait for her luggage. Instead, she hurriedly walked down the economy section towards the door.
When Lu Jinnian’s assistant had booked the tickets, there weren’t anymore seats in the business class left, so she could only sit in the economy class. When she reached the gap that linked the economy and business class, the air stewardess stopped her. “Sorry, Miss, you will have to wait a moment. You can only pass through when the business class passengers in front have all alighted.”
Even though the air stewardess had spoken softly, the words still reached Lu Jinnian who was in the midst of packing. He glanced over briefly. When he caught sight of her gaze, he didn’t react, as though it didn’t concern him, and continued to pull his luggage out of the plane.
When the business class passengers alighted, the air stewardess smiled at Qiao Anhao, signaling her forward. “Miss, you can go now.”
Qiao Anhao disregarded the air stewardess and ran out to the doors. The moment she entered the airport, she hurriedly looked around. Just then, Lu Jinnian was preparing to make a turn on the left isle. Hurriedly, she followed behind.
Seemingly out of coincidence or maybe it was fate, every time Qiao Anhao was about to lose him, she would always catch a glimpse of him somewhere – Just after he hailed a cab, she got one as well!
Qiao Anhao had no clue where she needed to go, so she simply got the cab to follow Lu Jinnian’s cab.
It was currently daybreak in Los Angeles, so there weren’t many cars on the road. The cabs went one after the other as they streamed towards a hotel in the city center.
When Qiao Anhao alighted, Lu Jinnian was still retrieving his luggage from the cab’s boot. She footed the bill before following after him into the hotel.
Lu Jinnian checked into the presidential suite, so Qiao Anhao used her identity card to order another suite.
Both of them paid using their cards, so when they were required to sign the receipt, both Qiao Anhao and Lu Jinnian looked towards the pen placed on the front desk. Accidentally, their hands touched when they both reached for it at the same time.
Qiao Anhao widened her eyes, turning to gaze at Lu Jinnian, but he didn’t bother to look at her. Instead, he moved his hand away without any emotion and asked the front desk staff for another pen in fluent English. After signing the receipt and making payment, he pulled his luggage towards the elevator.
Qiao Anhao followed suit, hurrying after him.
Translator: Kingbao Editor: DarkGem
Lu Jinnian and Qiao Anhao took the same elevator up to the top floor. The entire journey up was silent. Other than two staff members, there weren’t other people in the elevator.
Lu Jinnian stood in the corner silently, with one hand on his luggage, while Qiao Anhao stood beside him, her gaze on him. He disregarded her then entire journey up, not even giving her a tiny glance.
Qiao Anhao was slightly affected by his coldness. From the moment she saw him, she had wanted to explain herself but at the cemetery, he left the moment he saw her; at the granny’s house, he sent her out instantly; when she mentioned Valentines Day in the hotel, he got unusually infuriated and threw her out. Right at this moment, they were both in the same elevator, why couldn’t he talk to her….
Just then, Qiao Anhao broke the silence.
She was afraid that he would start to strangle her before she could finish her sentence, so she spoke the gist quickly. “I was in the hospital.”
The two staff members were Caucasians who didn’t seem to know Chinese, but they thought that Qiao Anhao was speaking to them, so they turned to smile at her, only to realize that she was staring at Lu Jinnian. Turning back, they stopped the words that were already on their lips.
The words that had been suppressed inside Qiao Anhao were finally let out, allowing her to relax a little. She continued, “On the night of Valentines Day, I didn’t come because I was in the hospital…”
Lu Jinnian’s fist tightened on his luggage, taking a deep breath before a self deprecating look entered his face.
When he had heard that she had been in the hospital, he couldn’t help feeling a hint of heartache.
He was indeed hopeless, even after she had hurt him so much, he could still feel something for her.
When he saw her coming to America alone, he instantly knew that she was following him and had deliberately slowed down to wait for her several times.
“I told you I don’t want to talk about that!” Lu Jinnian wasn’t clear it he was getting mad at himself or her, but his tone was angry when he interrupted her. “I don’t care if it’s real or just an excuse, I don’t care and I don’t want to know about it! I’m sure we both know that it wasn’t your absence that’s the problem…”
Lu Jinnian stopped.
Lu Jinnian, how much longer are you going to torment yourself?
You have already promised to forget, so why bother saying so much?
Unless you intend to make the same mistake again?
Lu Jinnian shut his eyes, swallowing the next half of the sentence back before snapping, “Forget it!”
When he reopened his eyes, he was much calmer and back to his usual cold demeanor. “Miss Qiao, I don’t care why you are here, but let me make this clear, I don’t want to have anything to do with you.”
Translator: Kingbao Editor: DarkGem
The elevator sunk into silence that lasted till the top floor.
Lu Jinnian stood still in the elevator seemingly deep in thought. After a moment, he said in a low voice, “If possible, I hope that you will never appear in front of me again.”
Without waiting for any response, he left with his luggage.
Qiao Anhao stood in a daze, watching alone in the elevator as he disappeared.
She had already told him that she was in the hospital, so that’s why she couldn’t turn up, but he hadn’t believed… He had even said that he didn’t want to have anything to do with her and wanted her never to appear before him again… In that instance, her enthusiasm faded.
Her eyes darkened, and she hung her head low, her lips in a straight line.
Only when the elevator doors were about to shut did she finally snap out of her thoughts and slowly left the elevator. When she walked past a corner, she saw Lu Jinnian talking on the phone at the end of the corridor.
She glanced at her room number on the hotel card, walking along the corridor towards the number. When she approached him, she realized that her room was directly in front of his.
He glanced over, his gaze cold. In fluent English, he said into the phone, “See you tonight.” He then hung up and entered his room without acknowledging her.
–
Qiao Anhao had slept on the plane, but she was still sleepy from the poor quality rest. After taking a bath, she laid down on the bed, her mind filled with the conversation with Lu Jinnian.
He seemed to be determined, as though he really didn’t want to have anything to do with her anymore.
When it was just the two of them, it wasn’t impossible to get close to him.. Was Zhao Meng’s solution the only way?
Qiao Anhao climbed out of the bed and walked towards the pill box that Zhao Meng had stuffed into her hands. She stared at it for a moment more before making up her mind.
Regardless, she would definitely find an opportunity to ‘sleep’ with him.
Just as what Zhao Meng had said, even if he didn’t forgive her afterwards, she could still use the baby as a weapon.
After making the decision, she didn’t sleep the entire night, leaning against the door while waiting for any movement in the opposite room.
Lu Jinnian was probably getting rid of his jet lag, for he stayed inside the entire morning, but at 1 pm, a waiter entered his room with food.
When he left the room, it was 5 pm. He was in a fresh suit and looked dashing as usual. Before he left, he glanced over at her door, seemingly noticing her spying.
Qiao Anhao hurriedly ran back to her room to grab her wallet, her phone, and the pill box before leaving as well.
She slammed the door on her way out, attracting Lu Jinnian’s, who glanced over, attention.
As she thought about her scheme, she lowered her head guiltily.
When they entered the elevator, there was another couple inside who seemed to be French.
Translator: Paperplane Editor: DarkGem
Qiao Anhao had never studied french, and so she didn’t understand what the two of them were chatting about. However, as they both wore smiles on their faces, and every now and then, they’d kiss when no one was looking, you could make out that they were definitely telling sweet nothings to one another.
On the way down from the top floor, Lu Jinnian and Qiao Anhao didn’t make any contact. Qiao Anhao secretly glanced over at him a few times, but he still had that look on his face as though she didn’t exist.
When the elevator doors opened on the first floor, Lu Jinnian’s phone rang. He accepted the call. Qiao Anhao, who stood behind him, heard him say in English, “I’ll be right out.”
Qiao Anhao then trailed behind him out of the hotel. He held his phone up and scanned the area around him. When he noticed a beautiful blonde woman standing in front of a red Ferrari, he hung up and strode up to her.
The woman seemed really happy to see Lu Jinnian. So much so, she rushed over and gave him a hug. The two of them stood by the side of the road, whispering about something, then got into the car.
Qiao Anhao’s mind didn’t quite register what had happened until the car slowly drove away. She blinked, snapping suddenly back to her senses. She then hastily ran over to an empty taxi by the roadside. She pulled open the door, and told the driver to follow Lu Jinnian’s car.
Eventually, the red Ferrari stopped in front of a restaurant. Lu Jinnian and that blonde woman stepped out of the car and walked inside. Qiao Anhao paid the taxi fare and followed them in. By then, the two of them were already sitting at a table by the window.
The woman was holding the menu, telling her order to a waitress. It looked like she was asking Lu Jinnian for his thoughts. She even said a few words to him with a bright smile. Lu Jinnian calmly gave a nod and inadvertently turned his head to see that Qiao Anhao had walked into the restaurant. It was just a quick glance, and he pulled his eyes away from her.
Qiao Anhao found a spot to sit that was near Lu Jinnian and the woman. Despite having not eaten all day, she wasn’t hungry, yet she ordered a steak meal anyway.
Lu Jinnian and the blonde woman sat opposite each other. Qiao Anhao didn’t know what they were chatting so cheerfully about, but every now and then, the blonde woman would let out a candid laugh.
Qiao Anhao may have been quite a distance from them, but she could still hear the sound of the woman’s laughter, which fell indescribably hard on the ears.
Though Lu Jinnian’s expression hadn’t changed much from the start, as Qiao Anhao had known him for so long, she could tell that his and that woman’s relationship had to be pretty good.
Qiao Anhao and the blonde woman had ordered the same meal. The waiter served their dishes at the same time.
When Qiao Anhao grabbed the fork to cut her steak, Lu Jinnian coincidentally elegantly cut the woman’s steak with his knife and fork.
Qiao Anhao stared at Lu Jinnian’s hand for a while, and couldn’t resist pouting. With a fuming sense of jealousy burning in her heart, she forcefully stabbed the steak on her plate.
What kind of relationship did Lu Jinnian have with that woman?
Lu Jinnian hadn’t believed her explanation and even said that he never wanted to see her again. Could it be that the real reason had something to do with this woman?
Translator: Paperplane Editor: DarkGem
At that thought, Qiao Anhao’s hand with the knife trembled, and she accidentally cut her other hand. The sharp pain in the finger made Qiao Anhao shudder. The knife in her hand hit hard against the plate, releasing a crisp scraping sound, and fell to the ground. The sound turned quite a few heads toward her.
When a waiter who stood at the side saw this, he hurried over and bent down to help Qiao Anhao pick up her fork. Just as he gave her a new one in replacement, he saw that a trickle of blood had escaped her finger, and couldn’t help but ask, “Miss, are you okay? Your finger is hurt.”
Only after hearing the question did Qiao Anhao lower her head to see that her finger was indeed bleeding. Luckily, the cut was shallow. She lifted her head, about to shake her head at the waiter, when she saw Lu Jinnian, who hadn’t once looked her way, staring straight at her finger.
For just a moment, she stared firmly right back at him. For that instant, she had the feeling that he wanted to get up and come over, but after about ten seconds, he turned his head and continued to chat away with the blonde woman in front of him.
The waiter brought over a plaster and placed it on Qiao Anhao’s table. “Miss, here’s a plaster.”
Qiao Anhao forced a smile and thanked the waiter. “Thank you.”
After the waiter left, Qiao Anhao picked the plaster and ripped it open. Very slowly, she stuck it on her finger. As she lifted her head, she sneaked a glance at where Lu Jinnian was seated. He holding a bottle of red wine and pouring the blonde another glass. The woman had her phone in her hand, and brought the screen up in front of Lu Jinnian. Who knew what she was showing him.
In that instant, Qiao Anhao was overcome by disappointment and devastation. Forget getting hurt, in the past, when she was tired from their strolls, he would crouch down and piggy back her without hesitation. But now, he was so cold towards her that he didn’t even look at her.
After she put the plaster on, she lost her appetite. She sat in her seat for a while, then eventually got up, called the waiter for the bill and left.
–
After sitting at the hotel lobby for almost two hours, it was not until around nine something in the evening that Qiao Anhao saw the red Ferrari slowly come to a stop by the side of the road.
She thought that only Lu Jinnian would be getting out of the car, but as it turned out, the blonde woman stepped out as well. With a “Weng”, Qiao Anhao’s mind suddenly exploded.
Did that woman want to join Lu Jinnian in his room? Foreign women were so open! A single man and woman alone in a room…
Qiao Anhao abruptly got up from the sofa, disturbing a foreign man reading a newspaper. He looked up in puzzlement and shot Qiao Anhao a questioning look.
Lu Jinnian couldn’t of really fallen for the blonde woman, right? Then what was she going to do? She still wanted to have a start over with him!
The more Qiao Anhao thought about it, the more confused she felt. She didn’t know where she got the courage from, but eventually, she stomped out of the hotel abruptly. In the heat of the moment, when she rushed over in front of Lu Jinnian and the woman, she didn’t think twice to cry in a sickly sweet voice, “Hubby!”
