«Put me down! Now!» Xu Mei complained while Lin Longwei carried her out in his arms. «What if we are seen together?»

«No one will leave the gala, for now. Trust me.»

«How can you be so sure?»

«Let's call it karma.»

Xu Mei looked at him in silence, waiting for more details.

Lin Longwei appreciated her expression and defenceless trust. She wasn't struggling any more, in his arms.

«Is it really all right for you to leave so soon?»

«The newly appointed Governor already finished his speech. Now the journalists are making questions. There is no reason for me to stay any further.»

«What if someone notices your absence?»

«No one will notice. All the people on the roof are focusing on something else, right now.»

«But...»

«You'll surely know everything from tomorrow's news.»

They reached the car in the underground parking while chatting spontaneously.

Wang Meng was already sitting in the passenger's seat. He was wearing headphones and watching something on his phone, laughing from time to time.

The driver waited for them to be seated and then started the engine. They headed to the Prime Minister's residence.

At the same time, on the rooftop, the Governor Xu Manho nervously loosened the tie of his suit. He didn't expect the journalists to be that persistent.

«Governor, how do you comment your daughter's shameful behaviour?» one of them asked.

«What are you talking about? You should watch your tongue, or we will report you to the authorities.»

«I'm not making up anything. Didn't you see the photos circulating on Weibo? She has been photographed while flirting in a drunken state in a dance club.»

The other people present opened Weibo on their phones. One of the trending topics at that moment were the pictures of Xu Bao where she was dancing provocatively. In one of them, she was kissing a guy whose face was blurred.

The source of the photos was a famous profile, PaparazzoLuv, but the actual person behind the scandal was unknown.

Xu Bao's hands were trembling, and she had a lump in her throat. Who dared to take pictures of her, the Governor's daughter and Prime Minster's granddaughter? Who dared to make her look like a little slut?

She remembered, at that moment, the chill she felt right after she pushed Xu Mei in the pool. She didn't pay much attention to it, thinking it was because of the pleasure brought to her by the suffering of that little brat.

Maybe, someone was looking after her cousin from the shadows. She wasn't sure, but the suspicion that the two events were linked somehow started to grow inside her. It was too coincidental that her photos were exposed minutes after she pushed her in the water. She thought about Wang Meng, that covered her cousin with a jacket, ruining her initial plan to let the world see the girl's underwear.

«It cannot be,» she mumbled to herself. «There's no way Wang Meng has that much resources.»

'Xu Mei, you slut, let's see how I get back to you,' she thought with anger, while Xu Manho was still struggling on the stage.

Xu Bao's father wasn't as clever as the Prime Minister. Yet, their family name was sufficient to make him the best candidate for the position of Governor in Hei city, the country's capital. He had never faced a scandal in his whole life, so he wasn't sure how to act.

Xu Yanhuo grinned his teeth at the incompetence of his second son and went on stage.

«This evening we are supposed to talk about our city's future. As for the photos you are talking about, we will answer your questions another time,» he pronounced in front of the microphone.

«Prime Minister Xu, when will that time be?»

«We will consider the circumstances but, since it's about my family's private business, we will probably refer to a trusted newspaper or broadcast. For today, this is all. I wish you all a good night.»

Xu Yanhuo didn't look at his son and granddaughter while heading inside. None of the journalists dared to stop him nor ask any further. They weren't looking forward to challenging the most prominent figure in the country.

Wang Meng put away the phone as soon as the broadcast ended. He removed the headphones and turned to the back of the car.

Xu Mei was looking the scenery out of the window while meditating, while his boss was looking at Xu Mei with no restraint.

«We are already here,» Wang Meng said, distracting the both of them from their viewings.

Xu Mei sent a message with her phone and turned to Lin Longwei.

«Thank you for the ride, Senator Lin.»

«You are still barefoot,» the man reminded her.

«I know. I asked a maid to bring me a pair of shoes.»

«Give me your phone for a moment,» he asked. «I want to save my contact.»

Xu Mei let him do as he wanted. Lin Longwei saved his number in her phone and then called himself so that he would also have her private number. Then, he gave her the device back.

The girl greeted Lin Longwei and Wang Meng, before heading home.

As soon as they left, Lin Longwei asked Wang Meng: «where are her shoes?»

«In the luggage van.»

«You're really a good assistant. I won't fire you soon.»

Wang Meng sighed and rolled his eyes. It surely was tiresome to work for a lovestruck boss.