“Baby? Have you seen the file I had last night?” YuZhi was wandering around the Livingroom, pulling up couch cushions and kneeling down to check under furniture, trying hard to remember what he did with it. Frustrated with himself for losing something so important in one night and clock watching because he was already running late. He was tired, head already buzzing with so many details about today and agitated with this delay.
“Try the bedroom. You came in with it, I think, when I was falling asleep.” TangShi was in the bathroom tying her hair up into a high ponytail for a day at school, checking the time while YuZhi seemed unusually scatterbrained. His normal CEO composure out the window today. He had been like this since he jumped out of bed with his alarm and seemed to be out of whack. Losing things, his schedule upside down and he had even showered without eating breakfast today.
“God dammit. It’s the proposal for this morning&r
“Babe?” YuZhi came back from the bathroom sliding his phone into his inside pocket, deflated in mood and tone, and spotted her getting ready by the main door. Coming to slide his own shoes on and eyeing her with a remorseful frown. Cute boy face firing on all cylinders and she immediately knew something was wrong.“I need to drop you off fast and get to the office. ZhengLi has problems. I may have to cancel tonight’s meetings and fly early to Hong Kong instead of this weekend. I might be gone all week.”TangShi’s heart dropped, and her eyes widened in disappointment, already not looking forward to him going away as it was but now he might be gone for days. Sometimes things like this happened but this was a first where it was more than a day or two.“I know, don’t look at me like that. If you didn’t have school and this show I’d be taking you with me.” YuZhi was upset about it too. Feeling li
“We’re heading over now. Grab your things.” Rong Cai appeared at TangShi’s desk, startling her out of her daydream and she scurried to grab her bag and phone and put her paints aside. It had been a hectic week of prepping new artwork and today was the last day of overseeing the hanging in the gallery for the opening in the morning. In terms of work the days were swift, but in terms of missing YuZhi it felt endless. She was glad it was getting close to being over.“Coming.” She called after him, swiping up the last framed piece, a small one from YuZhi’s study that she really wanted to be included and knew exactly where to hang it. He had bought it long ago before they were even friends and yet it was the only artwork that graced his office. It made her happy anytime she walked in there and saw how much he appreciated her skill, even when he didn’t like her. So she wanted that small piece of sentimentality displayed in among the p
“Hello.” She answered with sudden enthusiasm.“Hey, baby, how’s the set up going? Are you almost done? Did you eat yet?” YuZhi stretched out in his office chair of the temporary room he was working from, straining his neck side to side and ignoring the mountain of files sat in front of him. He needed a break, and he missed his girl.“All done. Just a few tweaks and we’re all set for tomorrow. How’s things on your end today?” She walked to a quiet corner and leaned against a wall, closing her eyes to picture her gorgeous fiancée and sink into the sound of his husky, sexy voice. Missing him so badly it made her suddenly tearful, and she hoped he really would come back tomorrow.“Up to my eyeballs in paperwork. I have a flight to you at four pm, so I’ll get to you a little after seven. I need to get on one back to Hong Kong at two am, but I can’t miss your first show.” He knew the
TangShi was tired but pensively watching the door and checking her phone and watch obsessively. It was almost seven thirty and YuZhi hadn’t been in touch since he left for the airport before four pm earlier in the day. She had no idea if he was delayed or stuck somewhere.“Girl, I love everything you create but that one is coming home with me.” Linlin gave her a nudge, pointing at a large painting in the center of the wall, hushing her voice so nearby lurkers wouldn’t know TangShi was the artist. Another pond scene, only this one had multicolor fantail goldfish that looked ethereal and magical like underwater sirens. A palette of pastel colors that gave a warmth like a summer day.“This one is my favorite in the whole gallery. I’m sure you may have to fight me for it.” Rong Cai cut in, walking up be
“Come on. I know of the perfect place that still serves until late.” YuZhi let go of TangShi and took her hand, walking them out in search of steamed dumplings without a backwards look at Rong Cai.They bid farewells to the doorman and walked out into the unusually warm dark evening. It seemed peaceful in this area of Shanghai, and they were far enough from traffic to enjoy some subtle sounds of nature and domestic life of nearby buildings. It was somehow serene and added to the glow of happiness emanating from both of them. Walking with their entangled fingers, arms swinging between them merrily, like children, TangShi couldn’t help but admiring YuZhi dressed like this. “I like this look on you. Casual and sexy.” She smiled shyly, eyeing him up.“It&r
“Good job, everyone. The show was a success and many of the pieces you guys were willing to sell, have sold.” Rong Cai stood in the middle of his group of students, raising a glass to them now the venue was cleared of all visitors and the doors were locked. Puffed up with pride that their annual event was another roaring success and had pulled in applicants for next term too. Sponsors were knocking down the doors at the school to get involved.TangShi quietly clapped her hands and looked around at her family of students, patting the nearest on the shoulders and giving them words of congratulations. Excited to see how happy they all were and sharing joy in their success. She had not put any of her work up for sale as most pieces had been personal favorites from her own collection, or from YuZhi’s study and she preferred to supply the print shop with the art instead. She didn’t need the money and was pleased to have just heard the praise for her wo
Rong eyeballed her moving off, unamused that she always seemed to put distance between them. He watched the way the students spread out around the oversized table that could sit sixteen and yet their party was only seven today with the extra students who came to help. The view out at this height gave an unobstructed view of the Oriental pearl tower, which seemed incredibly close and would be gorgeous when lit up as it got darker.Rong walked around after they were all seated and slid in next to TangShi, pulling some smirks from a couple of the students who could see the blatant obviousness that he had a thing for her, and passed raised brow glances to one another. TangShi was oblivious and too busy setting her napkin on her lap and surveying the huge amount of food before them. A nice array of dishes and sides and began helping herself eagerly as the center table slowly turned to give them constant access.The meal soon became relaxed, and chatter and time began to fre
The bang, bang, bang, of a severe thumping noise infiltrated into TangShi’s sleepy brain, pulling her out of a dreamless darkness as light hit her eyes and made her recoil in pain. Screwing up her face as her head pounded crazily and she couldn’t distinguish if the noise was her own headache or something else. Invading her senses and making her reach out to pull her cover over her face. Blinking to adjust to searing brightness and aware her throat and mouth were as dry as arid desert and she felt so nauseous and dizzy she didn’t want to get up.Rolling over in bed, squeezing them shut again and feeling around the sheets. She tried to find her bedmate, knowing he should have come home by now if the sun was dazzling through their bedroom curtains this strongly.“YuZhi? What time is it?” She mumbled, her voice hoarse due to a raspy throat that felt burned, as though she had swallowed fire or ground glass, and she lifted her heavy head to try