"Why do you think I won't be happy with her?" He asked in a hushed tone.

Lihua continued, unaware of Wei's fluctuating emotions. "Because she is so rude and hurtful!"

Poor Uncle. She should have stood up to defend him against that Grandma, but she kept quiet like a statue! Stupid woman! How could she see Uncle bearing all the humiliation?

She would have already told the incident at the store to Wei, but Jiang Weizhe instructed her not to say a word about it to him. She was helpless.

Wei blankly looked at her.

Rude? Hurtful?

He couldn't understand why Lihua would think of herself as hurtful. Then his eyes widened in realization.

Is she talking about how she lied to me to meet that man?

"And secondly, I feel she is not a good fit for you. She should find another man who can pamper someone like her."

She rolled her eyes.

Duh! Only a man who doesn't care about his hard-earned money would marry such a lavish spendthrift like her.

Wei silently clenched his jaw.

I…don't pamper Lihua enough? But that other man does?

*Snap*

Lihua jolted at the sudden sound of his chopsticks snapping into two. She was taken aback to see the grave and mortified expression on his face.

"Boss…?"

But Wei couldn't hear her.

I am better than him. I can cook. I can clean. I am rich. I will always protect Lihua. I stay next door so I will always be there for her if she gets into trouble. I will pamper her more than any other man could think of!

He didn't realize but his chest was slightly heaving in breathlessness from how angry and annoyed he felt. Even after showing his good sides to her, Lihua still thought about that man.

Lihua tilted her head and waved her hand. "Boss?"

She tapped on the back of his palm and he snapped out. Wei stared at her and narrowed his eyes. "I will not leave my woman."

She froze.

"She is mine," he gritted his teeth. "She will always be mine. I won't let any other man take her away from me. She can be as rude and hurtful as she likes. I don't mind. I will bear everything. She can think about money as much as she wants. I will give her everything I have. If it's less for her, then I will keep earning more and more until she is satisfied. She doesn't need to find another man to pamper her because I will pamper her to no end. I don't want to have any second thoughts about her. She is the only woman for me I will ever accept. If it's not her, then it cannot be anybody else either!"

Lihua stared at him, dumbfounded. She was so stunned at his sudden outburst that words failed to escape her mouth. But the tears from her eyes did.

Huh? I-I thought that maybe Boss doesn't like Shi Ruomei. But he l-likes her so much. Then...what about me? I see…

I never had any place in his heart. It was always Shi Ruomei. Haha...Hahaha…

No wonder Bobo calls me so dumb. I am dumb indeed.

Wei thought that now Lihua would understand his intentions as he clearly told her everything. But to his shock, he saw Lihua burst into tears.

"L-Lihua?" Wei sprang up to his feet and rushed to her side. "Lihua? What's wrong? Wh-why are you crying? Don't cry."

Lihua suddenly got up. "I-I am full. Thank you for taking the trouble for all the cooking and cleaning. You can leave Boss."

Hiding her crying face, she ran inside her room.

"Lihua!" Wei followed her and banged on the door. "Lihua. Open the door. Why are you crying?"

Lihua softly said, "B-Boss please leave. I am fine."

"How can you be fine? You will not cry if you are fine. D-Did I do something wrong?" Wei panicked. "I-I only said the truth."

That felt like a sharp knife that stabbed her heart.

Truth. Yes, it is the truth. But it is bitter as hell! I didn't know that Boss likes someone so much. Then why did he act as if he didn't understand emotions?

A man cannot be so possessive about someone unless he has even a bit of feeling for her. Damn Shi Ruomei is so lucky!

She cried more, thinking of losing such a good man like Wei. There was no chance for her at all. The pain of her unrequited love pierced her heart into pieces.

"It's so painful.." she mumbled as she sobbed hard.

Wei paled outside. His sharp ears heard the faintest of her voice. "Where is it painful?" Fear and anxiety made his stomach churn. "Lihua. Tell me. Where is it painful?" He tried to coax her.

"..."

He heard that?

"No-nowhere. Boss, I told you to leave…"

"How can I leave when you are in pain? Wait. Don't be afraid, okay? I will call my acquaintance. He is a doctor. He will treat you in no time."

Lihua's eyes flew open. "No! No! I-I am not sick! Boss please... leave me alone for some time."

"Lihua-"

"If you don't then I will never talk to you!" She lashed out.

Wei froze.

"And don't trouble anybody for coming here. You heard it wrong. It's not painful." Tears streamed down her cheeks. "Boss don't talk please..."

The more I will hear your voice, the more I feel hurt in my chest.

Wei slumped in defeat.

She is angry. She is so angry at me…I don't understand.

A gripping pain emerged in him by her indifference and ignorance. He wanted to break open the door and hug her. He wanted to check on her if she was still in pain. He wanted to apologize to her if he hurt her. But before her meek voice that urged him to leave her alone, he couldn't bear to force her.

Lihua…

---

The next morning, Lihua woke up with even more dark circles than before under her eyes. This was the second night that Lihua couldn't get any sleep at all and so did a certain Mafia King.

Lihua dazedly picked up her phone. Her eyes widened to see missed calls from Mo Huojin.

So many missed calls? Did he find something?

After what happened last night, Lihua didn't get any chance to check her phone. Her heartbroken feelings had consumed her for the entire night.

She quickly dialed his number. "Mo Huojin!"

Mo Huojin yelled. "Dumb woman! Where were you? I was calling you for the entire night! What were you doing?" You even hung up my call!"

Lihua was taken aback. "Huh? When? I didn't hang up on any call."

"Don't lie! I called you the first time and you hung up on me. Then I called you so many times, but you didn't pick any of my calls."

Lihua had no clue what he was talking about. She had no recollection of cutting off his calls.

She sighed. "Maybe there is some mistake. Oh, and I am really sorry for missing your calls…"

Mo Huojin noticed the change in her voice. "Any problem?" He toned down.

'I will not leave my woman.'

Lihua had an urge to cry as she recalled Wei's words. "No-nothing. College stuff and all. You tell me. Did you find anything?"

"...I got a few leads on the other companies."

Lihua quickly said, "Then I will quickly come."

Mo Huojin paused. "Are you sure? You sound tired. Take rest."

"No," she firmly said. "I will be there."

"Alright."

As Lihua ended the call, her shoulders slightly slumped.

Lihua! You have to concentrate on sis now! She needs my help! I have to leave my... feelings for Boss behind me and focus on finding sis Jia now.

Somehow, she felt relieved that she had something to do that would take her mind off Wei. Otherwise, it would have been impossible to forget him. Finding about Song Jia gave her a mission that would keep her mind occupied.

Lihua quickly got ready and stepped outside, but also screamed in fear as she bumped into Wei. She was stunned to see him in her house. He was in his same clothes as last night.

Wait...was he here the entire night?

She stammered. "B-Boss...what are you doing here?"

Silence.

Wei stared at her in utter silence. He was awake from the moment he heard some faint noises in her room. The entire night went restless for him. He wanted to talk to her so badly, but she had shut herself off. When she woke up, his dull face brightened to know that she would come out at any moment and they would resolve their misunderstandings.

But his happiness was short-lived when he heard Mo Huojin's name. The light in his eyes faded away when he heard her talking to him... again. She was heading off to meet him again.

Again and again, she left him alone to meet Mo Huojin. Again and again, he felt the distance between growing because of him.

"Where are you going?"