Chapter 22

(WARNING: Long chapter & drama ahead )

4 Days Ago...

Dong Hua is readying himself to go to work. While fixing his tie and coat, he was smiling widely facing the mirror. He remembered the Pillow talk he and Xiaobai had last night. He is excited also when they discussed having kids already. He went out of their walk-in closet and he overheard his wife talking with someone so he stopped. He felt embarrassed in eavesdropping yet he took the guts in doing it since he is familiar with the voice his wife was talking to.

"Are you happy sweet thing? Married I mean. "

Ohhhh its the other best friend of his wife. It's the Ye Qingti guy. Dong Hua is excited to hear what his wife will say so he just stood there and waited.

"I am happy. " Dong Hua felt his heart soar when he heard the reply from his wife but that was short-lived when he heard another thing that disturbed him so much and made him afraid.

"Feng Jiu... Have you ever think of liking me, as more than friends?"

A stretch of silence. Dong Hua is not liking this at all. He knew from the silence that there is a big chance that his wife may like this guy. Then Dong Hua's mind raced back to the events that transpired before they got married and his heart sank. One way or another he somewhat forced Xiaobai into marrying him and he left her no choice but to agree and marry him. Now he realized one of the piling mistakes he has done towards his wife. He really didn't give his wife a chance and a free will to decide if she wants to marry him or not. The guilt that started when the Bai elders disowned Xiaobai is really eating him up. He is ashamed of what he has done. As a man, he already lost his pride and his ego is also bruised. To add more vinegar and lemon to his bruised ego and shredded pride Qingti said,

"I've talked to your grandfather and we have set a meeting tomorrow to discuss some business venture."

Dong Hua heard the excited laugh of his wife and that is the first time he heard this kind of genuine laugh coming from her ever since he married her. Dong Hua's shoulders slumped in defeat. Qingti is formidable. Qing is actually close to the Bai elders and he is fully accepted than he is plus he can make Xiaobai happy and laugh. As a man and as a husband the reality sank in him that this is actually his first relationship and he can't and doesn't know how to control these surfacing emotions.

Dong Hua never thought that a day will come that he will feel inferior and insecure towards another male but reality hit him hard. He cannot provide his wife with this kind of genuine happiness since he just forced her in marrying him and Xiaobai's elders don't like him. Compared to Qingti and him, Qingti has more advantage than him.

Dong Hua's emotional core is shaken. All the revelations and realizations have left him weak. Only with Xiaobai, he had become like this and he doesn't like how his wife can make him easily weak and open. Dong Hua decided to just leave the house and focus himself on work especially that another headache is brewing, Su Ji Heng.

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While at work, Dong Hua realized that Ji Heng can be serious and not bitchy at work. He also saw some changes in her like she had less interaction with him and she isn't a brat this time. He gave a silent sigh of relief. At the end of the day, he approached her and said,

"Good work today Ms Su. "

Dong Hua saw Ji Heng smiled back at him politely and replied,

"Thank you Mr Dijun. Coming from you, that's a compliment I presume. "

Dong Hua gave her a small smile and nodded. Then Ji Heng said that it surprised Dong Hua,

"Uhm, I apologize in bringing this up but I heard that your girlfriend Bai Feng Jiu is close with the Ye Qingti is that correct? "

Suddenly the person Dong  Hua likes to forget popped up again. Dong Hua didn't realized that his face turned sour in which Ji Heng clearly saw.  Ji Heng smirked inside her thoughts. She's going to start and subtly stir trouble. She commended herself when Dong Hua approached her first. So now, she's going to start by manipulating his emotions and she's very confident at it because it's her forté.

Ji Heng walked away from Dong Hua and started cleaning up the files and documents that are on her table and while doing that, she started to talk.

"What about Ye Qingti?" Dong Hua asked.

"Since your girlfriend and Ye Qingti are from the fashion industry and also I heard they are close too. I would like to ask for his business card if you have? The fabrics produced by Ye Qingti's family is really good especially silk. The Ye's silk is traditionally woven and it's gaining clientele from all over the world. It's hard to find this kind nowadays. I'm going to attend a business gala and I need to personally visit their main office to personally talk to him." Ji Heng covertly eyed Dong Hua under her lashes and she saw that his jaw is moving. She smiled inside.

Ji Heng knows how to hit men where it hurts especially the most... It's the EGO. It is said that the prouder the man, the bigger ego he has and Ji Heng can see a checkmate on this based on Dong Hua's reaction. Ji Heng learned from the business dealings and from her father that a man's ego is extremely fragile. Men's ego is the structure around which men builds their feelings of competence and purpose in the world. Take out the ego and you'll make men feel useless. Ji Heng smiled. She realized that Dong Hua is emotionally weak. This will be very easy. Ji Heng silently thought.

"I'll ask about it from Xiaobai. "  Dong Hua replied but to Ji Heng, she certainly shook the tree. Ji Heng smiled back at Dong Hua and bid her goodbyes.  She walked out of the meeting room carrying with her is a smile of victory and the knowledge that Dong Hua is affected.

Dong Hua is still standing where Ji Heng left him and it bothers him to his very core the rise of uncertainty and irritation when Su Ji Heng mentioned Ye Qingti. Remembering how Ye Qingti touched Xiaobai's cheek 3months ago fanned his jealousy and dislike towards the guy. Dong Hua noted that this issue with Ye Qingti is getting out of hand and he's afraid he'll lose himself if this continues. He decided to visit his wife in her boutique. Paparazzi's and tabloids be damned! He throws caution to the wind. He loves his wife and the world needs to know that he married Bai Feng Jiu.

Before stopping in Xiaobai's boutique, Dong Hua bought flowers. He parked his car on the parking lot of the boutique. Good thing that her boutique is almost empty and when he got inside, Migu, he presumes welcomed him and told him to just enter the office of the boss in which Dong Hua nodded and smiled. He is excited to see his wife in all honesty and he can't wait to hug her and kiss her. Dong Hua held and turned the knob of her office door but before he opened it wide, he heard the conversation of his Xiaobai and the other voice he realized who it was is Cheng Yu.

"Are you saying that your family threw and discarded you because you chose Dong Hua Dijun?"

Dong Hua stood frozen and he stopped. He waited for Xiaobai to answer.

"Yes. "

"Jiu -jiu. Among the four of us friends, you're the most sensible and has lots of common sense but seriously why? You just met him and did I hear it right? That he coerced you into marrying him? He got the balls! "

There. Dong Hua realized another thing... Xiaobai's friends don't like him. Nobody in Xiaobai's side likes him for her. His chest and heart hurt. He is feeling sad.

"But... I love him Cheng Yu. Please don't speak of my husband like that. "

"Love? Seriously Bai Feng Jiu, what do you know of love when Dong Hua Dijun is the only man you've ever loved? You have the beauty, the brains and the bank but you lack common sense. I tell you now, I don't like him for you and I don't like how your relationship started with him. "

Like a knife, it cut through Dong Hua. Now, he's vulnerably open. He is the man that doesn't care of the opinions of others but being with Feng Jiu means opening himself up to prove to her that he loves her but all these emotions are all new to him. He doesn't know how to handle it and what nailed the coffin is of his insecurity is what Cheng Yu said next,

"I talked to your aunt Bai Qian and I heard that your grandfather and father seriously considered Ye Qingti to be your potential husband before isn't that exciting? But alas, Dong Hua got you first. If only Ye Qingti confessed-"

"Cheng Yu, seriously give me a break. I am a married woman now and I will not tolerate you saying something more about my husband like that. Can't you just be happy for me please?"

Dong Hua left. His emotions cannot take more and especially how his wife pleaded for his sake. He felt like a child right now. His guilt, his uselessness and even his love and his intentions were being doubted by the people around Xiaobai. He throws the bouquet in the trash bin and informed Migu not to tell Xiaobai that he came and visited her. He rode his car back to Dijun empire-building with a bruised heart, shredded pride and stomped ego.

Su Ji Heng kept his troubled thoughts at bay by talking sincerely and asking legit questions about the details of the business. He realized that the woman is nice and... Pretty. Dong Hua had lunch with her and he also laughed at her jokes which lightened Dong Hua's mood.

Dong Hua evaded his problems by evading the cause of it, his wife. He made sure that when he comes home,  she's already asleep and he goes to work she's still asleep. He missed his wife but his unstable feelings made him cold towards her. He felt useless every time she's around and so. On the 2nd night, he didn't go home and just gave his wife a lame excuse of I am busy at work and Su Ji Heng is the cause. And his wife believes his excuse. Now he started to feel more guilty by lying to Xiaobai but what can he do? He can't easily tell her his inner struggle and inner turmoil. He's afraid that Xiaobai will lose interest in him if she knew that he is feeling like this.

On the third day, he felt more relaxed around Ji Heng. They started to talk and share anything every breaktime which resulted from Siming and Lian Song calling him out on his behaviour in which he dismissed and told them that they read too much on Ji Heng and his interactions. Dong Hua felt good around Ji Heng. There is no feeling of guilt around her. So when Ji Heng asked him to have some drinks outside after work, he gave in easily. There is no harm in getting out and enjoy some drinks with your colleague right?

But Ji Heng doesn't think of Dong Hua as a colleague. Ji Heng has a secret obsession towards Dong Hua. She's silently celebrating that it's just Dong Hua and her alone drinking at the hotel bar where she is currently residing. Ji Heng made sure that Dong Hua will get drunk and she successfully did it. She brought Dong Hua to her room with the help of her ever-loyal secretary Min Su. When they lay Dong Hua on the bed, Ji Heng dismissed Min Su.

She caressed Dong Hua's face but it's a shame that Dong Hua is so drunk that nothing will happen to them tonight but it doesn't mean Ji Heng can let go easily of the situation. Ji Heng smiled while biting her lip and she slowly undressed Dong Hua. She's been fantasizing of him ever since and she got it already. After making sure that Dong Hua is already nakedly bare, she shed all her clothes off and lay beside Dong Hua. She stared at his sleeping face and sighed. Ji Heng felt sad that she needs to use tactics like this just to be with Dong Hua and then she remembered to take evidence that they sleep together. She got her phone on the bedside table and she arranged herself in his arms to make it look like they were cuddling. When Ji Heng is satisfied with the photo, she placed her phone back on the bedside table and slowly she fell asleep with a smile on her face.

Dong Hua slowly woke up. He groaned. He felt his head pounding. What happened? He thought. And Dong Hua slowly grazed his left arm to pull Xiaobai but his arm and hand touched nothing. He slowly opened his eyes. It is empty and he wondered where his wife is. Then he heard the shower. He smiled. His wife is taking a bath. He sat on the bed still eyes closed then when he opened them, he froze. He is in an unknown room and he looked down and realized that he is fully naked. He wracked his brain and tried to remember what happened the night before but before he can come up with an answer, the door of the bathroom opened and there Dong Hua's eyes widened and he was shocked. Su Ji Heng in a white mid-thigh bathrobe and she was drying her hair. Ji Heng turned to his side and she smiled at him and said,

"Good morning Dong Hua. Did you have a nice sleep because I did? I had a wonderful night spent with you. "

Ji Heng slowly walked towards the bed and Dong Hua moved to hold the blanket to cover his lower extremities. Still, tongue-tied, Dong Hua couldn't come up with an excuse. He lowered his head and closed his eyes. His hands clenched. His jawline moved in anger, embarrassment and disappointment to himself. I'm sorry Xiaobai. He thought. Before Ji Heng can sit on the bed he dragged the blanket and got off the bed. He slowly picked up his clothes that are lying on the floor and he hurriedly went to the bathroom before he closed the door he heard Ji Heng laughed and said,

"Take your time Dong Hua."

Dong Hua turned on the shower. He felt the cold water cascading on his body. He leaned his hands on the tiled wall and when the clarity and weight of what he did sink in, he closed his eyes and punched the tiled wall. He punched and punched and punched. Every punch only makes him feel how worthless, stupid and useless he is. Because of his stupidity and weakness, he committed an unforgivable sin towards his wife and their marriage. Dong Hua only stopped hitting the tiled wall when he can't feel his knuckles anymore. He didn't feel that his knuckles are bruised and bleeding. His tears un-noticed to him streamed down his face. He quietly sobbed. He loves his wife so much and he can't fathom why he did what he did just last night.

When he calmed down, he checked his knuckles and winced when he saw what a bloody mess he made. Good thing that the bathroom of Su Ji Heng has a first aid kit. He cleaned his torn knuckles and wounded the white gauze around it. He knew he did a lousy job in bandaging his wound but he didn't care. He wanted to go out of the room and go far away from the hotel as possible. He will later deal with his problem with his wife but first, he needs to address this issue with Su Ji Heng.

When Dong Hua came out from the bathroom, he didn't see Su Ji Heng around. He fished his phone out of his pocket and he realized it was turned off. Dong Hua slowly went to the door but he saw a sticky note on the mirror that says,

I'll see you soon in the office my love. 💋

Dong Hua crumpled the note and he felt disgusted. He proceeded to exit the room and the hotel. Dong Hua drove fast and went to Dijun Empire building. He went inside and his employees didn't bother in greeting him seeing that he is not in the mood to acknowledge anyone. When he reached his office, Lian Song is already waiting for him.

Lian Song on the other hand saw Dong Hua coming in and his friend is not in a good mood. What caught Lian Song's attention is Dong Hua's clothes. He knew that Dong Hua doesn't repeat what he wore twice in a week and Lian Song had an idea what happened that he started to feel anger towards Dong Hua. When Lian Song saw Dong Hua sat on his swivel chair he said,

"Your wife called me last night and was looking for you. I told her you're in a meeting with the finance department. "

Lian Song saw Dong Hua stared at him. He knew that look. Lian Song released a sigh. It seems that his friend did something very bad.  To Lian Song's dismay, Su Ji Heng came in and smiled back at Dong Hua. The look Su Ji Heng is throwing at his friend is all too familiar to him and he shook his head in disappointment towards Dong Hua. He looked at Dong Hua who just looked back at him and Lian Song saw Dong Hua nodded back at him. Lian Song felt guilty for not telling Feng Jiu the truth but Lian Song's loyalty is towards his childhood friend.

Ji Heng looked at Dong Hua like he is her prey. She slowly yet seductively walk towards him and Dong Hua just eyed her. Ji Heng sat on the edge of the table beside Dong Hua's swivel chair and she smiled at him. Dong Hua didn't blink his eyes. He is cold towards her but Ji Heng knew this is only a facade.

"What do you want?" Dong Hua asked with a cold voice.

Ji Heng traced her finger from Dong Hua's lips down to his neck and down to his muscled chest and before it comes down to his crotch, Dong Hua held Ji Heng's finger and he said in a fit of silent anger.

"Stop playing with me, Ji Heng. You already got what you wanted last night so stop it. "

Ji Heng released an irritating laugh that made Dong Hua wanted to roll his eyes when he heard her say,

"But I want more Dong Hua. I want more from you... "

Ji Heng slowly bent her body and slowly lowered her face on Dong Hua's face and said,

"I am not yet satisfied with your performance in bed. I want you to show me what you've got. " then Ji Heng kissed Dong Hua hard on the lips. Ji Heng sat on Dong Hua's lap and she felt Dong Hua didn't move his lips but since she's an expert in seducing men, she grounded her bottom on Dong Hua's crotch. She smiled triumphantly when she felt his hardening thing on her bottom. Soon Dong Hua kissed her back. Ji Heng closed her eyes and savoured Dong Hua's hungry and intense kiss. She grabbed Dong Hua's hands and put them on her chest. She slowly unbuttoned his shirt and before they could do something further, Dong Hua pushed her and then she opened her eyes, there she saw the crying and angry Bai Feng Jiu pounding her bag on Dong Hua's head. She got off Dong Hua and she is shocked.

Dong Hua tried to stop the person who was pounding something hard on his head and he stopped when he saw that it was his wife... Xiaobai! He thought. His mind can't think properly seeing the tear-stained face of his wife. She was shaking and heaving in anger. He realized that his wife witnessed what he and Ji Heng did and he knew then and there... He already lost her. He tried to touch his wife but he didn't expect that she will slap him hard. He froze while holding his cheek. It hurts. He wanted to apologize and grovel on her feet but the words will not come out from his mouth. Then he heard Xiaobai said that broke him completely,

"I've sacrificed a lot for you since I have loved you. I chose you over my family because I believed in you but in the end... You betrayed me. Is this how you show your love?" Feng Jiu said in a whisper.

I'm sorry Xiaobai. Your husband is weak. Your husband is useless. He wanted to say it but his words are stuck in his throat. Then he heard her spoke again,

"You're not saying anything? You'll just stand there and look at me? Is that it?"

Dong Hua saw his wife smiled bitterly. Then her phone rang. He saw that Feng Jiu fished her phone inside her bag and while her eyes are still on him, she answered her phone and just said,

"Come and get me. I don't want to stay anymore." He saw her turned off her phone.

"Cat got your tongue now Dong Hua? Where are your promises now huh?"

Dong Hua can't and didn't say anything. He just stood there frozen. He didn't know what to say to make Xiaobai feel better but he knew. What he did is unforgivable. Then he heard Ji Heng spoke,

"Aren't you an outsider? What are you doing here barging in someone else's office building? " He saw Ji Heng frowned at his wife which made him frown towards Ji Heng. Then he heard Xiaobai replied,

"And what are you doing in someone else's lap? You are in my husband's lap." Xiaobai replied calmly which is not a good sign.

"Husband? " Ji heng asked.

Dong Hua saw his wife smiled sweetly back at Ji Heng and she slowly walked towards her and said in a quiet yet venomous tone,

"Yes, Su Ji Heng. Husband. He dragged me and married me and also, had our secret yet lavish wedding ceremony in the Maldives. "

Feng Jiu slapped Ji Heng hard that it echoed through his whole office. Dong Hua pulled his wife away from Ji Heng. Dong Hua doesn't want his wife to be physically hurt if Ji Heng decided to fight back. His wife tried to wiggle out of his hold yet he didn't release her. Dong Hua wanted his wife to stop so he said in a loud voice,

"That's enough Feng Jiu! " but Feng Jiu only turned to him pushed him hard but he never let her go.

"Let me go, Dong Hua. I'll not attack your mistress again! " His wife replied with the same tone he used and he felt hurt again. Mistress? The weight of his actions is already clear to him. He cheated on his wife on broad daylight.

To Dong Hua's surprise, he felt something hard hit the left side of his cheek and he realized he was already sprawled on the floor. He touched the side of his lip and he saw blood. Dong Hua saw Feng Jiu stared at him. He looked at the person who knocked him down and he saw his wife's best friend, Ye Qing. When Qing started to move to knock him again, he saw Feng Jiu stopped her friend by hugging his waist and he heard her released a sob.

Dong Hua saw the look the guy gave his wife and he shook in anger. The guy is in love with his wife. Qingti gave his wife a softened look and smiled back at her then he heard him said quietly,

"Let's get out of here sweet girl. I'll send you home."

Dong Hua saw Feng Jiu nodded. He felt beaten and more like a looser when Feng Jiu gave Qingti a trusting look that she has given him before. Then what numbed his emotions is seeing Feng Jiu opened her palms and let the rings fell on the floor and said,

"I give you up Dong Hua Dijun. May our paths do not cross in the future. "

He stared at his wife's retreating back and being led away by his nemesis Ye Qingti. Dong Hua crawled on the marble floor and retrieved the rings his wife left. Dong Hua's world is falling apart. Aside from a bleeding hand and mouth, his heart is also bleeding. His stupidity cost him the love of his life. Dong Hua stared at the rings in his palm then he heard Lian Song spoke,

"Are you going to just stay here and wallow on how pathetic and loser you are? Will you let another man get your wife just like that?!"

Clearly no! Dong Hua thought full of determination. He slowly stood but Ji Heng stopped him by holding his arm. He pushed Ji Heng away and said,

"You can tempt me but you can't have my heart. " and he left. He ran and tried to stop them from leaving and for the last resort, he shouted,

"Xiaobai! "

But it's too late now. His wife left him with another man ready to take his place.

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Feng Jiu and Qingti were not allowed to leave Dong Hua's building. They were stopped by guards. They are gaining attention from the employees and what Qingti did surprise her. Qingti knocked one of the guards and he grabbed her hand and they ran out of the building. Qingti dropped her hand and told her to go ahead first. Feng Jiu is getting dizzy again and abdomen started to get hurt. She didn't realized that she stopped in the middle of the street and it's too late for her to move. She saw a car coming towards her fast. She just closed her eyes and waited for the impact but instead, she felt being pushed. She sprawled on the pavement and when she opened her eyes she looked at the road and saw that the person who saved her is no other than Ye Qingti. Her body shook and she heaved. Her heartbeat fast. Although her knees still wobbled in shock and pain she tried her hardest to attend to Qingti.

When she reached on Qingti's side, she saw that his head is gushing out of the blood. Feng Jiu tried to stop the blood from coming out. She saw the Qingti isn't moving. She silently cried and called out Qingti's name. Qingti slowly and weakly opened his eyes, he smiled at her and he weakly raised his hand to her face. Qingti caressed Feng Jiu's face and she held his hand and said while her tears continuously fall,

"You'll be alright Qingti. I'll bring you to the hospital right away okay? Just hold on. "

Feng Jiu saw Qingti shook his head weakly. Feng Jiu started to sob at this point. She felt dying inside. Not her best friend too.

"In the next life. I promise that... I'll protect you too. It doesn't matter that I will only be your best friend. As long as... you'll let me stay beside you, then, that will be enough for me. "

Feng Jiu's heart broke into pieces again. Her sob is getting louder and she bobbed her head in agreement and she can only say,

"I promise. " She saw Qingti smiled at her and then slowly he closed his eyes and released a long breath. Feng Jiu realized that it was Qingti's last breath. She cried and sobbed louder now. She held her best friend on her lap. Then she felt a foot in front of them. She slowly raised her gaze and she realizes it was Dong Hua. She felt numbed. She doesn't want to talk or even see him. Then someone slowly took Qingti's body off her lap. She realized it was the emergency response team. She felt soul-less at this point. She just sat there. Slowly Dong Hua helped her to get up. Feng Jiu didn't brush him off for she doesn't have the energy to do so and then her knees gave up and good thing Dong Hua held her on the waist but then she felt a liquid trickling down and so Feng Jiu looked at her legs and realized it was blood. Another wave of fear gripped her heart. She looked at Dong Hua who is also looking down at her legs. It is clear in Dong Hua's face that he didn't understand what's going on.

Then Feng Jiu felt an intense pain in her abdomen. She held and recoiled and she nearly fell. She screamed in agony. Dong Hua carried her and brought her inside his car and drove off. 

"What's happening Xiaobai? Why are you bleeding?"

Feng Jiu felt a cold sweat slowly broke out of her forehead. Her hands are getting cold too. Good thing that there is a nearby hospital and Dong Hua called for a stretcher. While Feng Jiu is lying on the stretcher, she started to lose consciousness but she tried her best not to succumb to it. He heard a frantic Dong Hua being stopped by some nurses to come inside the emergency room. But his voice is drowning. Then she heard the doctor spoke after checking her.

"I'm sorry miss but you already lost the baby... "

Feng Jiu's heart, breathing and the world stopped.

"... You need to calm down now, you're still heavily bleeding. You need to rest. "

Feng Jiu didn't bother in hearing what the doctor has said she wants to die too. There is no reason for her to live now. She just lost her husband, her best friend died for her and now her baby. Feng Jiu closed her eyes. Before the doctor left she stopped the doctor and said,

"Please let my husband in. I want to speak to him before I leave. Please... " she begged. The doctor looked at her and then nodded. A minute and two passed she saw Dong Hua wearing a mask on his face and he attended to her. Feng Jiu felt the life slowly slipping from her. She looked at her husband and she smiled bitterly at him then said,

"Whatever happened between us, let bygones be bygones. I want to thank you for loving me for a short while and making me happy. But I release you of anything that binds us, Dong Hua. I am severing what we have now. " And she smiled back at him. Feng Jiu slowly closed her eyes. And she felt like in a tunnel. She heard Dong Hua called her but she is slowly falling far far away and then darkness enveloped her consciousness.

[] End of Story Arc 1 []