Everybody around the table erupted into laughter. She joined them sheepishly barely able to maintain a smile on her face while giving lethal looks to her husband.

The waiter served them with wine first. Some of the girls became tipsy and started laughing loudly trying to attract his attention. One of them stood from her place and came near her, held his bow tie and pulled him up. He was startled and politely removed her hand from his tie. She grabbed the sleeve of his coat and pulled him outside on the deck laughing all the time.

"C'mon let's go out," she said seductively.

He didn't say anything in front of the people but as soon as they reached the deck he pushed her aside and warned her not to touch him again.

"Don't you dare to touch me," he sounded intimidating.

Poor woman who wanted to have some fun retracted immediately and went inside with a sheepish expression. She needed another drink.

Yang Xinyu pulled out a cigarette from the packet in his suit pocket and lit it. He puffed and formed smoke rings. The rings disappeared in the chilly air of the Thames. He missed her and he could feel the pain in his chest. He flicked the cigarette in his hand as if it was his only comfort and his companion. Sprinkling the ashes on the deck he inhaled deeply, letting the smoke settle in his lungs before exhaling it out. He stared at the cigarette that was now short enough to burn his hand. He extinguished it, his mind wandering back to Wu Lina.

He will get her for a romantic dinner cruise on Thames one day. He dished his phone out of the pant pocket and opened to see its wallpaper. His heart filled with warmth. He had an urge to call Wu Lina. He knew that it was 3am in City H and she must be sleeping.

He called her…

Wu Lina was sleeping on her bed after a tired day. When her phone rang, she reached out for it from within the blanket. She fumbled around to look for it. When she couldn't find it, she switched on the bedside lamp. She found it and sleepily smiled at the familiar number.

"Missing me?" she was sounding sleepy.

"Hmm…" he responded lovingly.

"When are you coming back?" she asked.

"I wanted to come back today but had to stay back… I want to see you," he said. "Can you come on video chat?"

"Yes…"

He cut off the phone and started a video call. She picked it up and smiled at him. He looked forlorn against the backdrop of lonely night with dim light falling on his face. Even though he was very tired, he looked extremely handsome and elegant. She could hear the sound of water flapping against the ship. It was relaxing.

"You look tired," she said. "Where are you?"

"I am on a dinner cruise…" he replied.

"Why are you standing out CEO Yang? You should be with the people at the dinner," she chided him affectionately.

"Hmm… I miss you terribly… Once we are married, you have to accompany me to every trip I have to take…" he said in a grave tone.

"I will…" she replied sleepily.

"I can't wait to see you…" he said.

"Me too…" she answered softly. She was waiting for him like crazy, but didn't reveal it otherwise he would have ditched his dinner companions and rushed to her.

Her eyes were droopy and she was beginning to doze off. He looked at her half-open eyes that resembled a waning crescent and stroked them on his phone.

"Sleep, my love…" he said and disconnected the phone and looked over at the river that appeared gentle as the ship cruised over it. He ran his fingers through his hair and loosened his tie.

After a while he returned back to the dinner table and waited for the cruise to end.