During the thirty minutes of introduction to everyone, Ru was tired. She tugged at Xiao Zhiren's arm saying, "My face is hurting."
"Why?"
"I don't think I've smiled this politely ever in my life before," said Ru while rubbing her jaw.
Xiao Zhiren chuckled softly at her reply. "You and your excuses..." he shook his head as he continued, "Both are really cute."
He wanted to pinch her nose but she swatted his hand away like an annoying fly. "Can't you put a lock on your cringe-worthy remarks?"
Xiao Zhiren shook his head in negation. "Nope. It gets difficult when you're standing right beside me looking like a damn femme fatale."
"Don't say anything anymore. I'm getting dizzy with your words." Ru pushed him away and walked towards a corner. Clicking her fingers together, she called for the server and picked up a glass of sparkling champagne.
"If you stand here alone, someone might take your boyfriend from right under your nose." This voice made Ru tilt her face and she looked Ji Yifeng standing not too far from her. He was looking at Xiao Zhiren and Ru also followed his gaze to see a couple of girls trying to strike up a conversation with him.
'And he said, she was the honey who attracted unwanted bees.' Ru shook her head at her own thought.
"He can do whatever he wants," Ru replied nonchalantly.
"You don't care or do you have faith that no one will be able to snatch him from you?" Ji Yifeng was curious to know the answer since Ru's relaxed face was really strange to him. How could she be so calm?
"I want to say I don't care but this stupid heart is leaning towards the second option." Ru's reply amused him and he laughed out.
"By the way, I'm Ji Yifeng."
"I know," Ru replied knowingly making his raise her brows. "You're Zhiren's father. Isn't it obvious that I'd know?"
With a bitter smile, he said, "Something tells me, he's not the one who told you about me."
"He doesn't have to. I have my own ways." Ru took a swig of the bubbling champagne and said, "Anyhow, let's not talk about him. Let me introduce myself, I'm Quinn. Quinn Knight."
"It's a pleasure meeting you, Ms. Knight."
"Please, you can call me Quinn. No need to be this formal."
"You're not from here, are you?" He asked.
"What gives that away?"
"I think you'd have been the talk of the town if you're from here." Ji Yifeng stated. "Just like now."
"Now?"
"Mhmm..." He hummed in reply and said, "Everyone in this room is looking at you. They are talking about you and trying to find ways to get to know who you really are."
"Why? Aren't I like every other girl here?"
"That's where you're wrong. Something is different about you." Ji Yifeng sighed out. "Although everyone here is from an aristocrat family. Your aura is different. And that aura of yours is making you stand out between others."
"Really? I thought I stood out because of how beautiful I am."
Ji Yifeng laughed out and said, "Yeah. That too."
Ru's behavior really surprised Ji Yifeng. He really didn't expect Xiao Zhiren's girlfriend to have a good impression of him. But somehow he didn't detect any contempt from Ru's voice. Was she good at hiding or she really didn't have any views about him, he couldn't tell.
"Love, what are you doing here?" Xiao Zhiren held Ru's arm and pulled her to his side while glaring at Ji Yifeng. Now, this contempt from his son was something very familiar to him.
"Can't you see or those girls' sparkling lovestruck eyes made you blind already?" Ji Yifeng pursed his lips to stifle his laughter. He didn't think Ru's answer could be so straightforward.
"Are you jealous?" Xiao Zhiren asked forgetting all about his father who was in hearing range even now.
Ru snorted unladylike, "Jealous? Aren't you getting too full of yourself?"
"I am full of myself. But slightly lesser than you," replied Xiao Zhiren with a grin.
Ji Yifeng was smiling looking at their interaction. He felt lighthearted seeing the love in their eyes and their bickering. Wasn't this how married couples behaved? They looked adorable to him and being a sensible elder, he excused himself to give them some privacy.
"You're impossible," Ru said disbelievingly.
"Well, I have to match my little chili in every way possible." Xiao Zhiren replied holding back his laughter. He knew she'll punch him if he laughed at her face. And he had no mood of getting beaten blue or black in front of his family.
"Is there a room we can borrow for ten minutes?" Ru asked suddenly making Xiao Zhiren frown.
"We have a room of our own. Why do we have to borrow? What do you need it for?" He asked curiosly.
"Let's go to that room then," Ru pulled his hand and started dragging him out the ballroom.
"Why are we going to the room? What are your intentions?" Xiao Zhiren sounded all suspicious and vigilant.
"Don't worry, what I want to do can only be done behind closed doors." Xiao Zhiren choked on air and coughed profusely.
"Love, are you serious?"
Ru knocked on his head saying, "Of course, how can I beat your arse up in front of everyone?"
Xiao Zhiren's face fell as his not so innocent dreams were shattered in a minute by her. Wasn't she really cruel?
"You're really cruel, love," said Xiao Zhiren with a scowl.
"Oh, really?" Ru stopped walking in the hallway and placed her hand on her hips threateningly.
"Yes. You're boring and cruel."
"How so?"
"You don't appreciate my presence." He grumbled feeling wronged. "You don't even value the moments we spend together."
"And that makes me boring and cruel?"
"It does. After all, if you won't enjoy the present than you'll only be left with memories filled with regrets." Xiao Zhiren spoke righteously as he tried to dump some sense into her brain.
"Memories are always filled with regrets," Ru stated matter-of-factly.
"Wrong. Not all memories are regretful." Xiao Zhiren argued back.
"Yes, they are. Because the memory in itself is a regret. After all, you can't bring that moment back; happy or sad, it'll still be just a memory in your heart."
"Do you know who cherished people are?" Xiao Zhiren asked and Ru nodded.
"Cherished people are the ones who are precious to us," Ru replied calmly.
"So, imagine if you one day lose someone who you cherished the most. Would that person's absence make him any less cherished one in your heart?" He asked again.
Ru was left in deep thought as she contemplated his words. The people she cherished were her family and they were away from her but in all those years, they didn't become any less important to her. If anything, she now cherished them more than ever.
So, her reply was, "No. I still cherish the ones who are away."
"Then how can a cherished memory become a regret? Cherished memories are the treasure which is priceless. And it only becomes sweeter and lovelier with time."
Ru nodded her head in a daze, "I guess you're right."
Losing his educating persona, he slid close to her and said, "So, don't you think we should be making some cherished memories as well?"
Ru looked at him with a frown and said, "No, I don't think so."
Xiao Zhiren's whole mood was spoiled by her reply. "Can't you ever play along with me?"
"I can but I don't want to."
"Why not?" He was exasperated now.
"Because I don't like your stupid ideas about playing along."
"You!" Xiao Zhiren's body trembled in anger. "You know what, you'll only cherish me when I'll become a memory as well. Hmph!"
Ru's heart shook violently as he said those words. She felt suffocated as if someone had stopped her supply of oxygen. Watching him turn away coiled her stomach in the worst way and she felt like puking up. Why was it so difficult watching him leave? Why was her heart hurting so much?
Why did it feel like if he walked away, she'll lose him? Why the idea of losing him was so painful? And why was the idea of loving him not so detestable?
The questions were plenty but the answer was none. Or there was one? Ru looked at his back as she heard a whisper in her mind, 'He's the answer.'
Ru walked behind him and held his hand to stop him. Xiao Zhiren stopped but didn't turn to look at her. During this time, Ru's eyes caught a very familiar figure behind Xiao Zhiren and her eyes widened.
How could she forget that this person would be here? All her questions were thrown out the window as new questions were forming up in her mind.
Swallowing her saliva, she pushed Xiao Zhiren against the wall and crashed her lips on his leaving him stunned.