The moment Xu Mey placed the phone against her ear an alluring but lazy voice rang out, "Dear student, I heard you were at the hospital last night." It wasn't a question and Xu Mey knew it very well.
"If you know that then you must know why I was there, Sensei," A smile was lingering on her lips curling them upwards.
"I know about the allergy and I also know you went to Xu Residence yesterday. So, I don't have to think much to figure out anything else. What I want to know is how are you?" The voice transmitting from the other side felt like feathers tickling her ears. She still couldn't figure out how a person like her Sensei had such an amazing voice.
Whether it was the voice texture or the manner of speech, it was so poised, lazy and delicate yet made one feel cold shivers running up their spine.
Xu Mey sighed as weariness was overcoming her. "I'm fine... Just tired."
"Tired? When did I accept such a weak disciple like you?" The words were spoken with irritation but Xu Mey could hear the underlying concern. Her Sensei was indirectly asking for the reason of her tiredness.
Xu Mey chuckled. "Sensei?"
"Mm..."
"I had a nightmare last night."
She heard some shuffling at the other end. "It's been almost over a year. What triggered it?"
Xu Mey recounted the discussion with Ye Jie without hiding anything. Then she depicted the entire nightmare with perfect details. After that, she had to narrate the story of today's events with her mother-in-law.
"'I won't be caged!'" The voice at the other end repeated her words. "We like to cage the beautiful birds because ugly ones are not worth much. And we love to cage our ugly sides while flaunting our beauty. Such a weird world we live in."
"Why do you care about his mother? Why does it matter whether she likes you or not?" After a silence came a curt voice.
"Sensei, she's my husband's mother after all. I have to impress her." She took a pause to think, "Earlier, she seemed nice to me. I don't know what changed suddenly." That was bothering her all this time. For a girl who never had the love of a mother, she really wanted a good relationship with her mother-in-law. But now, it seemed impossible.
"My dearest disciple, how can you be so gullible even after everything you went through? Don't even dare to forget, even a rose has thorns much less a human." Came the reply. "I taught you before, this world is two-faced. Beauty and ugliness are only said to not co-exist. But in reality, we all live with beauty and ugliness hiding within ourselves."
"But I only saw beauty in you," Xu Mey said.
She heard a hearty laugh from the other side making her shake her head. "Are you sure, you're my first disciple? How can you be so credulous? I have beauty? Why didn't I get the notice?" Xu Mey rolled her eyes at the mocking tone. "My dear dear dear disciple, don't always fall for the deceitful roses. Trust this Lord, a cactus that shows it's ugliness is a lot better than a rose which displays its beauty."
"I can't possibly call you an ugly person. Sensei, you saved me."
"Oh no, my dearest... I didn't save you... I just showed you a way to save yourself... As I said back then if the darkness is within you than look for a small light outside. Every day, find that light to show you a way out of that darkness." The calm, languid voice spoke.
She remembered those words clearly. She also remembered what she asked after hearing that, "Sensei, do you look for light as well?"
The reply was, "Nope... I don't need a light to show me my way. I've befriended the darkness. Now, this darkness shows the world to me."
Coming back to the present, Xu Mey said, "Ye Jie asked me who taught me how to cook?" There was amusement in her voice.
"Did you tell him that you learned it to bribe this Lord and in the end, this Lord was the one who had to teach you as well. Ironically, the person who wanted the bribe had to first teach you how to give that bribe, Wow!" Xu Mey chuckled at this. She had to pester her Sensei to help her with something and being the biggest foodie on the planet, that person said, "Give me a bribe first."
Xu Mey had to learn how to cook but in the end, she made her sensei teach her how to cook as well. That was the reason, she didn't like cooking for others. She learned it for her Sensei, so she believed only that person should get to eat her food.
"Hehe... Sensei... I still learned, didn't I?"
"Yes, you did..." There was silence for a minute. "Did you say that your husband was about to argue with his mother for you but you stopped him?"
"Yeah... Why are asking that again?" She scowled.
"Because I think that's where your answer lies."
"Huh?"
"Use your brain, my foolish disciple." Xu Mey pouted at the choice of words. "Lose the frown and that adorable pout." Xu Mey opened her mouth to ask but the reply came before that, "Did you forget? I know you better than you know yourself." Xu Mey had to nod in agreement at this. "Now, what I think is that your mother-in-law was fine until you were an unimportant person. But today, she saw how Ye Jie wanted to defend you in front of her. So, she became hostile towards you."
"That seems unlikely..." Xu Mey was doubtful.
"You don't believe this Lord? Humph! Think yourself, he had an argument with his mother for his ex and suddenly his ex broke up with him and even left the country without telling him. Now, he was going to argue because of you, so she became rude and uncaring towards him. Doesn't it seem fishy?" After a pause, "It's clear your mother-in-law has some authority issues. She wants to keep Ye Jie as her obedient son and whoever enters his life should also be like him."
Before she could say anything in reply, the call was disconnected. 'Sensei is throwing tantrums now. I was just a tiny bit doubtful but really Sensei can't handle it when someone doesn't show trust.' She thought to herself.
Last night, I was a bit upset when I saw the ranking of my book. It was barely at 84. I was so downhearted that I got angry with myself for not being good enough. Everyone wants to get acknowledged after all the hard work.
But the moment I woke up, I was brimming with new spirits. I thought if I love to write, you love my story than ranking doesn't really matter.
So, I hope you enjoyed this chapter.
Next one will be up soon...
Xu Mey's past made her a selfish person. She never thought of herself to be selfless. Other than a few people in her life, nobody gave her a reason to be selfless. Mother Ye was like her in this aspect. Mother Ye was selfish when it came to her family. But unlike Xu Mey, Mother Ye made her selfishness to turn into a storm inside of her. And now that exact storm was destroying her own inner peace.
With a filial, obedient, and most importantly, astute son like Ye Jie, one could hardly not want to be selfish. But it doesn't explain the fact that why doesn't she want to see her own son happy?
Xu Mey shook her head to get rid of all these thoughts. 'It's all Sensei's fault!' She groaned and looked at the long forgotten laptop in her lap. There were plenty of emails waiting to be read but a particular one caught her attention.
It was from the CEO of Glow Gemstones- It was gemstones dealing company with mines in different countries. The company was not old but it had a very strong footing in the business world. Xu Mey's Vintage Gems started their collaboration about a year ago. Although Xu Mey stopped involving herself with the gem collection department she knew about Glow Gemstones.
The title of the mail was: 'Jade Stones deal plan for CoCo Jewels'
She squinted her eyes and clicked on the email. It read:
'President Xu,
I've heard about how Jade Stones snatched the CoCo Jewels deal from Vintage. And I know the way, they did it. I've attached their collaboration plan. You should take a look and devise a suitable counterattack. I believe in President Xu's capabilities. The only thing I ask of you is to make sure that Jade Stones loses its credibility. If you need me for anything, please feel free to contact.
Jacob, CEO of Glow Gemstones.'
"Interesting... Very Interesting..." Xu Mey commented with a beguiled smile gracing her beautiful cherry lips.
Having friends in the business world was quite hard but having enemies was too easy. Like sometimes, your mere existence makes you the subject of dislike. We might find friends after looking through the whole city but we'll find at least one enemy at every other corner.
For Xu Mey, it was not surprising that someone wanted to help her in crushing the Jade Stones but she was more curious about what did Fu Lan or Xu Liqing did to offend Glow Gemstones. In just 5 years, this company controlled most of the gemstone market in the entire country. Offending them was like suicide for a jewellery designing company like Jade Stones.
Because every jewellery needs precious gems or stones and Glow Gemstones already held control over that. In the future, if Jade Stones wanted gems, they'll have to look for overseas companies. And that will need extra resources and money. Suddenly Jade Stones seemed very pitiful to Xu Mey and she couldn't help but click her tongue at their future miserable state.
But Xu Mey didn't need Glow Gemstones help in making Jade Stones miserable at all. She had done her homework very well. But to reject someone's kindness was not a good gesture. So she wrote a reply to that email.
'Mr. Jacob,
I've received your email which is rather interesting. Although I'm delighted to know that you're trying to help Vintage. But I don't need their collaboration plan to destroy them. First, I don't like underhanded deals and second, because Jade Stones destruction is my responsibility. I can only assure you that by the end of the next week, Jade Stones shares will be in the ditch.
I'll make sure of that.
President Xu of Vintage Gems'
She sent the email and shut the laptop. Ye Jie came back to the room and saw her putting the laptop on the side table. "Didn't I tell you to rest?"
Xu Mey looked at him and scratched the back of her head sheepishly. "I had some work." She replied in an uncertain way.
Ye Jie sighed and headed to his side of the bed. "Are you scared?" He asked while laying down.
Remembering how she had her head buried in his chest in the morning, a blush tinted her ear red. "Nope... I'm fine." She replied hastily.
Ye Jie saw her embarrassed state with delightful expression. He snaked his arm around her waist pulling her to his own body saying, "We shouldn't take any risk."
Xu Mey was again buried in his chest as his heartbeat felt like soothing music to her. Easing her body and taking away the pain she felt in her muscles. Her weariness took over and she fell asleep instantly.
"I really don't know what's wrong with mom so suddenly. But don't worry, I'll make her like you at all cost and if I can't, then I'll make sure to stand by your side." Ye Jue spoke softly unbeknownst to the fact that she was already asleep. When he felt her steady breathing, he looked down at her face pressed against his heart and couldn't help but smile. "Good night, my dear wife!" He kissed the top of her head and hugged her even closer to his body before closing his eyes.
The next morning, as usual, both of them had small interactions during the breakfast which was prepared by the maid. Ye Jie asked Qu NaNa to stay back last night because he didn't want Xu Mey to do any work at all. But he knew, she was not going to avoid her office work just like him.
The unusual thing was the parcel that came early in the morning for Xu Mey. Ye Jie received the parcel from a young man who looked very familiar. After thinking for a while, he remembered, the young man came to his wedding with a gift for Xu Mey and today he had a parcel for her.
"Sir, pass this on to Ms. Xu, " He said politely extending his hands to pass the parcel to Ye Jie. Ye Jie took the parcel and said,
"I will."
After he closed the door, he looked at the parcel which was actually a wooden box with an intricate design of turtle doves on the cover. The design was so beautifully carved that Ye Jie had the urge to know which artist designed it.
As Xu Mey came to the living room, she saw Ye Jie looking closely at the box in his hand. Noticing her presence, he said, "This came for you." He passed her the box.
She held it with a curious expression but seeing the turtle doves at the top, a beautiful smile bloomed on her face. She instantly opened the box. She didn't hide the content from Ye Jie.
There were pouches filled with herbs neatly placed inside and a small note was underneath. Xu Mey pulled it out and read it,
"Boil the herbs and drink them before sleeping. It'll calm your senses and help you with sleeping.
Although I don't care about what your mother-in-law is like, I do care about you. Stop trying to impress others. And stop saying you turned your heart into a metal.
Even the hearts made of metal have to burn in the presence of fire inside of us. And the fire of revenge you have will only burn you.
So, instead of burning yourself, try sharing with your husband. Let me tell you, HE IS A KEEPER!!!"
There was no one the note was addressed to and even the sender's name was not written. But how could Xu Mey not know the unique style of her Sensei? But what surprised her was the last sentence. It was very rare for her Sensei to say something nice for anybody. That person only knew how to find faults. But today, the compliment was for Ye Jie, her own husband. She really had no idea what her Sensei was thinking while writing this note.
We all have passion that we love. But that passion is often forgotten cause of the people around us. When a single person say, you're not worthy of pursuing your passion, we get disheartened and with that one comment comes a million questions of self-doubt
But when we cross that stage of self-doubt that's when no one can take us down
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I need a small help from you guys. I wanted to change the synopsis of my story and apparently, I'm worst at it. If anyone of you can write it, I'll be thankful.