Chapitre 39: Rumours
Although Xiao Yan was busy having fun and dancing, he couldn't help but notice a lot of guys approaching Feng Jiu. He turned over to Si Ming and said, "Feng Jiu is certainly popular! Look at all those guys buzzing around her, vying for her attention."
"Don't worry, Feng Jiu has her own way of chasing those guys away." Si Ming replied calmly.
"Wait! Why is that guy sitting beside Feng Jiu?! Is he harassing her?! Maybe she can't get rid of him? I need to go help her! Be right back!" Xiao Yan exclaimed.
"Come back! I'm sure it's nothing." Before Si Ming could stop Xiao Yan from leaving, he had already started walking back to their table.
Feng Jiu was starting to feel cold, and she began to rub her hands together, trying to warm them up. Upon noticing that she was feeling cold, the guy offered to lend her his jacket, but Feng Jiu politely rejected it.
Xiao Yan immediately slammed his hands on the table, trying to distract them, and then he interrupted into their conversation. "What are you both talking about?" Then he winked to Feng Jiu, trying to hint her that he was there to help her get out of the 'awkward situation.'
Dong Hua, who was sitting nearby, saw what Xiao Yan did. He raised his eyebrows, curious to see what Xiao Yan was up to.
Feng Jiu gave a puzzled look to Xiao Yan, as she was confused about what he was trying to hint at. Then she replied, "Oh. We were just talking about school-related stuff, and now we are talking about sports."
"Oh. Sports?" Xiao Yan assumed that Feng Jiu was hinting him with the word 'sports', so he immediately turned towards the guy and said, "So did Feng Jiu tell you that she's good at kickboxing?"
"Oh. She didn't mention that to me. By the way, you are?" The guy asked.
"I'm Yan Chiwu, and Feng Jiu is someone important to me. So if anyone tries to hurt her, they have to go through me first." Xiao Yan was trying to scare the guy off, but he was clearly making it more awkward.
"Uh... okay? Nice to meet you..? So what department are you from?" The poor guy tried to make small talk with Xiao Yan to lessen the awkwardness.
Dong Hua instantly felt jealous after hearing Xiao Yan say that Feng Jiu was important to him, and then he continued to eavesdrop.
Feng Jiu then whispered to Xiao Yan, "What are you talking about?" And he whispered back, "I'm trying to help you out, Feng Jiu! Don't worry, just let me handle it." He winked and then gestured Feng Jiu to sit back. She was still feeling confused, but she sat back and continued drinking, letting Xiao Yan do the talking.
"I'm from the design department, and I work with Feng Jiu. How about you?" Xiao Yan asked coldly.
"Oh, that's nice. I'm from the HR department." The poor guy casually replied.
"HR department? Human Resources or Harassment Report department?" Xiao Yan replied sarcastically, and he glowered at the guy.
Feng Jiu almost spat out her drink upon hearing that, and she quickly replied, "Don't mind him, Xiao Yan is a funny guy. He's just joking around." She smiled awkwardly. Then she turned over to Xiao Yan and whispered, "What are you trying to do?!"
"I'm trying to help you!"
"Help me with what? I don't understand!"
Upon noticing them whispering, the poor guy felt awkward, and he immediately said, "It was nice talking to the both of you. I'll head back to the dance floor now. Have a great night." Then he swiftly walked towards the dance floor and disappeared into the crowd.
Dong Hua smiled when he saw the guy leaving, but then again, he frowned when he looked back at Xiao Yan. "One down, another to go." he thought to himself.
Feng Jiu then turned over to Xiao Yan, "So, can you explain to me now about what you were trying to do?
"Well, I noticed a few guys approaching you, but you managed to chase them off immediately. Then I noticed this guy sitting down with you. He was harassing you, right? Just tell me if you need help next time."
"Xiao Yan... It was a misunderstanding, and he wasn't harassing me like the other guys. He's an old school mate that I'm not close to, and he was just talking to me about school. But I appreciate you trying to protect me. You're such a great friend!"
"Of course! Who do you think I am? I'm Xiao Yan, the most loyal friend you could ever have! I'll always have your back, Feng Jiu. Do you want to come to dance with us now?"
"Hmm... I don't think I want to dance tonight. I just want to sit back and relax. You go ahead and have fun."
"Alright! I'll go back to find Si Ming now!" Xiao Yan then ran back to the dance floor.
Dong Hua overheard their conversation, and he had mixed feelings about it. "Maybe Xiao Yan isn't as bad as what I thought, at least he's a loyal friend to Feng Jiu." He was jealous of them being close, but at the same time, he envied their friendship.
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Feng Jiu sat alone again and continued to drink. She usually wasn't the type to drink so much, but tonight she wanted to let her hair down and relax.
"Brrr. Why is it getting colder?" Feng Jiu shivered a little. She also started to rub her both hands up and down her bare shoulders, trying to keep them warm.
Dong Hua watched her closely, and he smiled to himself. To his delight, his brilliant plan was actually starting to work.
After a while, Feng Jiu couldn't take the cold anymore, and she wanted to leave the ballroom. Before leaving, she walked over to Si Ming and Xiao Yan and told them that she was going to take a stroll in the garden. She also told them not to wait for her and continue to have fun.
Feng Jiu then took a small bottle of wine and left the ballroom. Dong Hua also excused himself from the ballroom and followed her.
Feng Jiu was already feeling tipsy from all that drinking, and she stumbled through her way to the garden. Then she settled down on a nice bench in the garden. The cool night breeze whistled softly, blowing lightly through her hair. It was indeed a beautiful night, and there was also a full moon tonight.
She leaned her head back against the bench and looked up at the moon. Suddenly, she felt a sense of familiarity, as if she had seen this before. And then she had a brief flashback memory, that she was dressed in pink robes, and she sat down with a man, admiring the moon together.
"I must be drunk." She thought to herself, and then she continued drinking.
Dong Hua, who was following her closely, sat at the bench behind her. He continued to look at Feng Jiu, but he didn't know how to approach her. After all, it was always other people who approached him and not the other way round.
Then he noticed Feng Jiu slowly leaning towards the side, and she eventually lay down on the bench. He started to feel a little worried, so he slowly walked over to check on her.
"What are you doing?" Dong Hua said in a soft tone while staring down at her rosy and flushed cheeks.
Feng Jiu lifted her head curiously and saw Dong Hua standing there, staring down at her.
"Why are you here?" She rubbed her eyes and then she slowly sat up. Dong Hua helped her up, and he sat down beside her.
"You're drunk." Dong Hua gave a half-smile.
Feng Jiu smiled back and nodded her head, "Maybe just a little." She nodded her head with so much force that her bun came loose.
Dong Hua tucked her long hair behind her ears and stared into her eyes. Then he said softly, "Can you still find your way back to your room?"
Feng Jiu immediately leaned closer to Dong Hua and lifted her index finger to point at him. "You're a liar! You promised to take me on a date, but you didn't keep your promise!"
Then she started to complain, "Dizzy. Feng Jiu feels dizzy!" and her body promptly fell towards the other side of the bench.
Dong Hua was trying to figure out why Feng Jiu called him a liar, and he curiously asked, "When did I say that?"
Feng Jiu sat up and replied firmly, "It was just recently!"
Dong Hua felt confused as he didn't remember saying anything like that, so he replied, "I think you have mistaken me for someone else. Do you still know who I am?"
Feng Jiu then drunkenly started to lean closer towards Dong Hua. She rubbed her eyes again and took a closer look at his face.
"Yes! You're Dong Hua!" She replied confidently. Feng Jiu then stared at Dong Hua for a long time, and suddenly she remembered something.
"But... Dong Hua, you're the worst!" Feng Jiu sat up straight and poked his right shoulder with her index finger.
"Why am I the worst?" He shockingly replied.
"Because... Because you forgot all about me!" Feng Jiu whined, and she started to pout.
Feeing confused, Dong Hua instantly replied, "I don't remember this. I don't think I...."
Before he could finish his sentence, Feng Jiu fell forward into his chest. It turned out that she was too drunk, and she fell asleep.
Dong Hua lowered his head to look at the seemingly asleep Feng Jiu, and he patted her head gently. He took off his jacket slowly and covered her with it.
Then he silently sat there and thought to himself, "Silly girl, she can't even hold her liquor. She probably said all these in a drunken stupor".
As it was starting to get chilly, Dong Hua carried Feng Jiu in his arms and headed back into the resort. She buried her head into his chest and cuddled him gently.
Before he carried her back to her room, he proceeded to the front desk counter first. He told the front desk personnel to check for Feng Jiu's room number and to unlock the room for them.
While they were both at the front desk counter, a few people noticed Dong Hua carrying Feng Jiu, and rumours started to spread.
"Who is that girl?" "Our President's girlfriend?"
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Dong Hua laid Feng Jiu down on the bed gently, and then he tipped the Hotel Concierge, who opened the door for them. After that, he closed the door and walked back into the room.
Dong Hua tried to take his jacket back, but Feng Jiu wouldn't let go of it, and she was hugging on to it tightly. Then he tucked Feng Jiu into her bed and pulled the blanket over her. He stared at her sleeping face, gently running his fingers against her soft and rosy cheeks.
This was the first time that Dong Hua felt so close to a girl, and he was immediately drawn to her beauty.
Then he thought to himself, "Silly girl, you're lucky that you bumped into a gentleman like me when you're drunk. What would happen to you if you bump into a bad guy instead?"
"Dong Hua... Dong Hua..." Feng Jiu mumbled under her breath.
"What did you say? I can't hear you." Dong Hua leaned closer, trying to hear what Feng Jiu was trying to say.
Feng Jiu immediately hooked her arms around Dong Hua's neck, pulling him close to her.
Suddenly, the scene of them kissing in Feng Jiu's apartment flashed through his mind. He blinked his eyes a few times and rubbed his temples lightly, trying to get that image off his mind.
Then he looked down back on Feng Jiu's face, and he subconsciously moved his face closer to hers. Before he lost control of himself, he immediately broke free from her grip and left the room.
Dong Hua stood outside the door and held his palm up to his chest. "What is this warm, fuzzy feeling that I'm experiencing?" He couldn't understand what it was, because he had never felt this way before.
Then he straightened his shirt and walked back to his room.
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The next morning, people were spreading the rumours from last night.
"Did you hear what happened last night? Someone saw our President carrying a girl in his arms. They even said that he went to her room! I wonder who is that girl?" One of the employees gossiped with her friends.
"Our President?! Isn't he well known for being a disciplined man with no emotions and desires? Are you sure it's true?" One girl replied.
"Yeah! Many people saw it last night! It's real!"
"I'm sure it was the girl who seduced him! She must be a gold digger, trying to trap our President. So shameless!" One girl bitterly replied.
Dong Hua, who was seated nearby, overheard them gossiping. He didn't mind people spreading gossips about them being together, but he was furious because they were talking bad about Feng Jiu.
He immediately walked over to the group of employees, and then he cleared his throat loudly and stared at them sternly. The few employees who were caught gossiping started to apologize upon seeing Dong Hua, and they were afraid of him.
"All of you are fired." Dong Hua said in a cold and stern tone.
He gave a stern warning to everyone around, "If I hear anyone talking bad about the girl from last night, you will be terminated without cause." Dong Hua then walked away.
Everyone started to gather and they continued gossiping.
"Our President actually fired them for talking bad about the girl from last night?"
"She must be his girlfriend!"
"Who is it?"
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On the other side, Feng Jiu was slowly waking up.
"Mmm... Whose jacket is this?" Still not fully awake, she looked at the jacket that she was hugging on to.
"Wait! Why am I hugging on to Dong Hua's jacket?!" Feng Jiu immediately recognized Dong Hua's jacket, after noticing the unique logo on it.
Feng Jiu instantly sat up, trying to recall what happened last night. The last thing she remembered, was her drinking on a bench in the garden. Then she pondered, "So how did I end up back in my room?"
Even though Feng Jiu couldn't recall anything from last night, she knew that she had to return the jacket to Dong Hua.
"Why am I always doing such embarrassing things in front of Dong Hua?! I hope I didn't do anything stupid last night! Oh ya, this is our last day in the resort, so I would need to return this jacket to him before we leave the resort."
Then she quickly went into the shower as she was still wearing her black dress and had her makeup on.
Feng Jiu left her room after that, and she went to meet Si Ming and Xiao Yan for breakfast.
"Si Ming, did you see Dong Hua around today?" Feng Jiu whispered to him.
"I heard that the management team would be having a meeting at 11 AM, so he should be there too. Why do you ask?" Si Ming whispered back.
Xiao Yan immediately interrupted upon seeing them whispering, "What are you both whispering about?"
"Oh, it's nothing. Continue eating your breakfast." Feng Jiu was actually feeling embarrassed and she didn't want Xiao Yan to know about her past with Dong Hua.
"Are you keeping secrets from me?! How could you guys do this to me?!" Xiao Yan whined, and he started fake crying.
"Who taught a grown man like you to cry and whine like that?" Si Ming shook his head lightly while staring at Xiao Yan.
Xiao Yan immediately pointed to Feng Jiu and replied, "Feng Jiu said that guys could whine and cry too. She also said that Gender Equality is a human right!"
At this point, Feng Jiu didn't know if she should laugh or cry. Then she decided to tell Xiao Yan about her past with Dong Hua, but she kept it short and only told him that her love for him was unrequited.
"Why do you like Dong Hua too? Such bad taste. Well, I think you should know by now that he already has a secret girlfriend. You should give up on him, Feng Jiu." Xiao Yan frowned.
"I know. This is why I gave up all my feelings for Dong Hua. But it's okay, I have almost moved on."
"Let's skip this subject and enjoy our last day in the resort." Si Ming replied.
"Yes! Don't think about it. Eat more, Feng Jiu!" Xiao Yan started to put more food onto Feng Jiu's plate.
"I know that it will be easier for me to move on once we leave this resort. I worked 6 months in Tai Chen Group as an Intern, and I didn't even get to see Dong Hua much." Feng Jiu silently thought to herself.
Then she continued stuffing herself with more food.
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The three of them decided to spend their remaining time at the resort, shopping around on the premises.
"I'll join you guys later on. I forgot to pack up my stuff, and I won't have enough time to do it later." Feng Jiu made an excuse to leave so that she could return the jacket to Dong Hua.
"You're so forgetful, Feng Jiu! How much stuff did you bring?!" Xiao Yan exclaimed. Si Ming then turned to Xiao Yan and replied, "Girls." Then he gestured for Feng Jiu to go ahead and dragged Xiao Yan towards the souvenir shop.
Feng Jiu went back to her room to pick up Dong Hua's jacket quickly, and then she headed out towards the meeting room area because she knew that he had a meeting there.
She waited around the corner, trying to find a chance to approach Dong Hua. Then her opportunity came when she noticed Dong Hua walking out from the meeting room alone.
This time Feng Jiu made sure that the management team wasn't around because she didn't want history to repeat. She didn't want anyone to see her returning the jacket again. But she still couldn't approach Dong Hua now, as there were many people around.
Feng Jiu then zipped her hoodie up all the way and put the hood over her head, and then she started to follow Dong Hua secretly.
She followed Dong Hua from a distance, trying to find a chance to approach him. Suddenly he picked up his pace, and then he disappeared into a corner.
"Wait! Where did he go?!" Feng Jiu anxiously thought to herself, and she started to run towards the corner, where Dong Hua was last seen at.
The moment she turned the corner, she bumped straight into Dong Hua's chest. She looked up to see Dong Hua staring, with a smirk on his face. Feng Jiu immediately jumped back and took a deep breath.
"Are you stalking me?" Dong Hua asked calmly, while he was looking down on his jacket that Feng Jiu was holding on to.
"I... I wasn't stalking you!" Feng Jiu replied nervously.
"Oh. I guess I'm overthinking then." Dong Hua gave a half-smile and turned his back to leave. He knew she was following him, but he wanted to tease her.
"Wait! Where are you going?!" She yelled.
"Oh. So now you want to know where I'm going so that you can continue stalking me?" He replied sarcastically, as he turned back to look at Feng Jiu.
Feng Jiu immediately thought to herself, "Dong Hua is still so shameless!" Then she stuttered, "I.. I just want to return your jacket!"
Then she reached out her hand and passed the jacket back to Dong Hua.
"Why did you drink so much last night?" Dong Hua calmly asked.
"I didn't even drink that much! Wait. So how did I return back to my room last night?!"
"I carried you back."
"Carried?! You carried me back to my room?!" Feng Jiu immediately widened her eyes in shock.
"Don't worry. I didn't do anything to you. But you refused to let go of my jacket, so I left it there." Dong Hua replied calmly as he continued staring at Feng Jiu with a blank expression on his face.
"So what did we do last night?" Feng Jiu asked because she wanted to know if she did something stupid last night.
"Oh. So you wanted me to do something?" Dong Hua teased Feng Jiu.
"That's not what I meant! I just wanted to know if I said or did anything stupid last night..." Feng Jiu then looked down at the floor and avoided eye-contact with Dong Hua.
"Oh? You said a lot last night. You even...."
"Even what?! What did I do?!" Feng Jiu interrupted.
Dong Hua suddenly felt embarrassed upon thinking about him wanting to kiss Feng Jiu last night, so he immediately stopped teasing her. Then he cleared his throat and replied calmly, "You shouldn't drink so much, especially in front of other men. You're lucky that you bump into a gentleman like me, and I carried you back to your room."
"Gentleman?! More like Iceman!" She snickered and murmured under her breath.
"What did you just call me?" Dong Hua stared intensively at Feng Jiu.
"Oh! I said, nice man." She immediately replied.
"I see. Of course, I'm a nice man." Dong Hua smiled proudly.
Feng Jiu smiled smugly, thinking that she had outsmarted Dong Hua. He then looked at her smiling to herself, and he thought to himself, "Silly girl, she thought that she could fool me."
This was the first time Dong Hua met someone who wasn't afraid to call him names in front of him. But surprisingly he wasn't mad at all, and if it was someone else who did that, they would be fired immediately.
At this moment, Feng Jiu noticed that there were a lot of people staring at them and whispering among themselves. It seems like everyone had overheard their conversation.
Feng Jiu immediately felt embarrassed, and her face flushed. She then quickly pushed the jacket towards Dong Hua and ran away. "It's a waste that she didn't join a marathon, considering how much she likes to run." Dong Hua thought to himself while looking at Feng Jiu running away. Then he slowly walked back to his room, too.
Everyone continued to whisper to each other after they left.
"So, the rumours were true."
"That's the girl?"
More rumours then started to spread in the company.
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone