《Unexpected Gift》


 Unexpected first encounter

    The clock on the wall pointed at ten o''clock. Lin Longwei was sitting on the couch, waiting. He unbuttoned his jacket and crossed his legs. Shen Peng was slightly late, making the young man displeased.


    He was curious to find out why that man wanted to meet him, and a bit worried. It was not easy to deal with one of the leaders of the underworld in Hei city.


    Just a couple of minutes later, the butler announced the guest.


    Shen Peng walked in with long steps as if he was the owner of the place. He showed his devilish smile while sitting down slowly.


    ?Dear Mr Lin, I have to thank you for your help with the matter of last month. If it weren''t for your family''s ships entering the harbour before mine, I would be in deep trouble right now.?


    ?I don''t think that just a routine inspection would create you any trouble. Maybe just annoy you a little.? Longwei answered coldly.


    He agreed to stand the inspection and the consequent loss of time because he didn''t want to make an enemy out of Shen Peng for this small matter. His business didn''t have anything to hide, anyway.


    ?Yes, yes, I know. But you lost money, didn''t you? I have two presents for you. First, I will recommend you a friend of mine that has a company in the cosmetic industry for your intended investments...?


    ?How do you know that I want to invest in perfumes?? Lin Longwei asked.


    Shen Peng glared at him with irony for a few seconds, lifting the right tip of his lips. Then, he resumed his talk like he didn''t hear a word from Lin Longwei.


    ?And my second present will surprise you a lot.?


    After finishing the sentence, Shen Peng wrote something on his phone, and his assistant entered followed by a girl. He handed a little black box with a few buttons to Shen Peng and went out of the room silently.


    ?This is a new device that entered the black market a few days ago, after being tested by my people. It is an electric collar. You can use it to make people obedient. Look, with this knob you can adjust the power you want, and pressing here you release a shock.?Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    The girl behind him twitched but didn''t utter any sound. Lin Longwei looked at her in disbelief but remained silent to not make Shen Peng upset, with possible consequences for the both of them. His eyes returned quickly to the man in front of him.


    ?If you want to keep the person alive, it is better not to press it for too long,? Shen Peng continued, without noticing the atmosphere surrounding him. He seemed to be having fun.


    ?It''s enough, I understand,? Lin Longwei said, tired to see the girl suffering for nothing.


    ?Are you sure you don''t want to see what happens exactly?? Shen Peng asked giggling.


    ?It''s fine, I''ll find out myself if I become interested.?


    Shen Peng released the button and, in the same moment, the girl fell on the ground, trembling but not whining. Her silence surprised Lin Longwei, but Shen Peng didn''t pay attention to it. How long had he been torturing that girl?


    ?Nice, then. I''m leaving now. I hope you like your present.?


    The man stood up to go but remembered something. He left a paper on the table.


    ?Ah! You can keep the girl too,? he whispered and walked out with a big grin.


    When Shen Peng had left, Longwei asked the butler to call for the doctor and walked to the girl. He crouched next to her and observed her face.


    She was very young, in her late teens or maybe early twenties. Her long hair was messy and dirty, and some dark bruises covered her shoulders and arms. When she lifted her head to look at him, Lin Longwei''s gaze met a pair of bright, clear eyes, similar to mountain springs. Her face was delicate like that of a princess.


    Lin Longwei tried to unlock the collar to set her free, but she moved back by reflex. One of her hands was sustaining her on the floor. It slipped when she moved, and the girl fell flat.


    He tried once again to reach the collar, but she bit his hand.


    He screamed, more for the surprise than for real pain. ?Ok, ok, let go! I won''t touch you! I promise!?


    She moved back a few centimetres, trying to put some distance between them. She attempted to get up, but her arms failed her again. She glared at the man, following his actions with alertness.


    She was ready to fight back, even if her body wasn''t reacting the way she wanted.


    Lin Longwei sighed and let the girl sitting on the ground. He returned to the couch, waiting for the doctor. He wondered who that girl was.


    He could tell that girl wasn''t a regular teenager.


    She had a wild gaze but delicate hands. The bruises weren''t enough to hide her beauty. Shadowed by the trembling, her movements had an intrinsic elegance.


    She must have been the young lady of a prominent family. At lest, Lin Longwei thought, a well-standing one.


    The man''s eyes stopped on the paper on the table. He picked it up and read the information on it summarily. He chocked on his own saliva, seeing the name that was on the top.

 Do you want my help now?

    <div>


    Xu Mei.


    The girl lying on the floor of his leaving room was Xu Mei, the granddaughter of his greatest political opponent, Prime Minister Xu Yanhuo. Lin Longwei laid his forehead on a hand and sighed. That was surely a complicated situation.


    The rest of the report in front of him was about the girl''s daily life, including her studies and nearly non-existing political engagement.


    Xu Mei was a junior at the A University, majoring in Maths and Minor Degree in Philosophy. Lin Longwei skipped the information about Xu Mei''s family circumstances, as he already knew a thing or two about it. He read the last sentence: involved with the Insurgents, probably knows some big shots.


    Lin Longwei sighed again.


    So, that was the reason she was in Shen Peng''s hands. Instead of drinking tea safely in her residence''s garden, she had been causing trouble with the Insurgents. What reason could a young princess have to side against her family, though? Was she in a rebellious phase, or was there something more to the story?


    He folded the paper and put it away in his pocket, before turning to the girl.


    He recalled seeing that girl in a couple of official events. She had always been a step behind the Prime Minister. He had never seen her talking with anyone except for her family members. She had a younger cousin that was friendly and talkative, the exact opposite of Xu Mei.


    That girl looked like all the arrogant young ladies from prominent families. She didn''t talk to strangers, and no one knew what she thought. Even in that kind of situation, her dignity was still untouched.


    ?I know your grandpa,? Lin Longwei sentenced, slowly.


    Xu Mei glared at him with a sarcastic expression with her eyes half-closed.


    Really? She was in an unclear situation, and she still dared to challenge him with her gaze. He smiled, surprisingly amused by the girl''s reaction.Stolen novel; please report.


    ?I mean, personally.?


    She didn''t react at this last statement.


    ?I think you should take off the collar by yourself since you don''t want my help. Or should I guess that you like this kind of stuff??


    She wanted to say something, but changed her mind at the last second and closed her mouth. She tried to unlock the collar, without luck.


    ?You want help now?? he asked.


    Xu Mei nodded and let him take off that device. She was still trembling.


    ?Are you afraid of me?? Lin Longwei asked while sitting on the floor next to her. He kept some distance, to not alarm the girl more than necessary.


    ?I am not afraid of Shen Peng, why should I be afraid of you?? she asked, finally talking. Her voice was soft yet cold, without any emotion in it.


    ?Are you sure? Does Shen Peng know that??


    Her back stiffened, and Lin Longwei lifted an eyebrow. That reaction was somehow clumsy for an overbearing princess.


    ?Maybe a little,? the girl whispered, looking to the side.


    ?The doctor will be here soon, do you want me to carry you to the sofa??


    ?No, thanks. I can walk on my own.?


    ?No, you can''t,? he observed. ?If you truly are not afraid of me, then your body has some issue.?


    At that moment, a middle-aged woman entered the room in a hurry. ?Senator Lin, what is the problem??


    Lin Longwei pointed at Xu Mei, still on the floor.


    ?What happened to this girl?? the doctor asked briefly, hiding her surprise and suspicions.


    ?Electric shocks. Probably a lot of them.?


    ?Help me carry her on the sofa.?


    He followed the doctor''s instructions, while Xu Mei turned silent again. She didn''t struggle when he picked her up, but her ears turned red like peppers.


    The doctor examined Xu Mei thoroughly before formulating her diagnosis.


    ?Her nerves seems to be damaged, but I need some equipment to perform further analysis. She is young, and she will probably return to her former self soon. She may have psychological traumas too, I suggest you consult an expert, but that can wait. The first days she will not be able to move on her own very well, so you will need a nurse to help her.?


    ?Understood,? Lin Longwei nodded.


    ?She needs to drink a lot of water, force her if necessary. I prefer not to use an IV in her condition. I''ll prescribe some sleeping pills, one each night for at most a week. I''ll be back tomorrow to see if she improves.?


    ?Anything else??


    ?She is malnourished as if she didn''t eat for two or three days. I suggest some light soups for today and sweet tea.?


    ?Thank you, doctor. The butler will see you at the door. This is a sign of gratitude for your professionalism and discretion.? He let a check slide into the pocket of the doctor''s jacket. The woman made a quick bow before vanishing.


    Lin Longwei went back to the sofa and sat near Xu Mei.


    ?It seems that you owe one me, now,? he sentenced with a somehow evil smile. The girl turned her head away, hiding her expression.

 The Governor candidate

    The man was sitting quietly by Xu Mei''s side, looking at her like she was an exotic animal.


    Xu Mei had seen him previously at some of the events her grandfather forced the girl to attend, but she has never spoken to him directly. She wasn''t sure what was his name, so she didn''t try her luck but pretended he was a total stranger.


    ?My name is Xu Mei,? she said.


    ?Nice to meet you. I am Lin Longwei.?


    Ah, so he was one of the Lins. Lin Longwei... She thought for a bit and then remembered why that name was familiar. He was one of the candidates for the Governor position. He already had a job in the government, probably working in the Senate.


    She looked at him while replying: ?Nice to meet you.?


    The girl had noticed immediately that Lin Longwei was quite tall. He was strong enough to carry her without much effort, and he had big, intense eyes with long, long eyelashes.


    Insanely long, she thought while examining his face.


    For the rest, he had masculine traits and thick sexy lips. His hair was a bit longer than the current trends, and it curled on the tips, giving him the air of a fallen angel.


    When Xu Mei was satisfied with the examination, she moved her gaze away. Indeed, that man was quite handsome. Looking for too long surely wasn''t so good of an idea.


    ?The doctor said you need to rest. She will be back tomorrow. If she agrees, I will arrange for you to go back home after her visit. Do you want to talk to your family now?? he asked, keeping his voice low to not scare the girl.


    She shook her head. She didn''t want to call her mother in that state, she didn''t want to worry her.


    As to her grandfather, she was sure he didn''t expect her to contact him by herself. It was always him that used to send her orders.


    ?I''ll let you rest then,? Lin Longwei said after some minutes of complete silence.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    He took out a blanket and helped her to cover, fixing the pillows to make her as comfortable as possible. She didn''t want to sleep in that unfamiliar environment, but her eyes shut as soon as she put down her head. Her body was still trembling, and the bruises hurt like hell, but the last time she actually managed to sleep was three days before.


    She was so tired that she didn''t have any dream.


    When Xu Mei woke up, she wasn''t on the couch any more. Instead, she was lying on a soft bed, between smooth silken sheets of the colour of peaches.


    It was nearly evening, and the light of the sunset filled the room.


    At a table nearby, Lin Longwei was reading some documents with the laptop open in front of him. He was sipping coffee. The girl knew it was coffee because it was the scent that woke her up. She wanted to ask for a cup of the dark liquid, but she was sure that they wouldn''t let her have it. However, she had another problem she needed to solve sooner.


    She turned in the bed, looking for water in the offing.


    A cup of tea, already cold, was on the bedside table.


    She tried to grab it, but her arms were shaking, and she spilt all of it on herself. The noise of the cup falling down and breaking in a hundred pieces distracted the man from his work.


    ?You are awake,? he noticed.


    Tell me something I don''t know, she thought nearly crying. She was so thirsty, but she just wasted her source of water.


    He didn''t seem to notice her grief. He got up and took a clean glass from the table, filled it with still water and helped her to drink.


    ?Slower,? he whispered when Xu Mei almost choked.


    If only she wasn''t so thirsty, she would have refused all that attention. At that moment, though, she couldn''t think about her pride. She was barely able to drink, let alone be arrogant.


    When she finished the glass, she asked for one more. And then one again.


    ?I think it''s better if you eat something now. I told the cook to make some ginger soup. Do you like it??


    Xu Mei laid back on the bed and nodded, while a maid took care of the mess she had caused.


    The following day, the doctor allowed the girl to eat something substantial. Xu Mei was finally able to feed herself, even if her hands were still trembling.


    The doctor also said that she would be better in a week time and that she could go back to class after that.


    ?I think it''s better if you make some tests to be sure there is no neural damage, but your reflexes seem fine to me. You need to rest and relax a bit.?


    The doctor then turned to Longwei. ?If you want her to recover faster, you should take care of her like a little child, making sure she eats and drinks, and that she''s warm all the time. Until her nerves return to normal, she may not be able to perceive accurately.?


    The man nodded, seeing the doctor to the door. Xu Mei looked at his back, wondering how she ended in his house just days before the Governor elections.


    ?This morning, I called Prime Minister Xu. He asked me to take care of you for a couple of days more. Then, he will come to see you,? he informed her before leaving the room.


    When Xu Mei heard that, she shivered.

 Prime Minister Xu

    <div>


    Xu Mei was a quiet person. She didn''t talk a lot to strangers. That Longwei knew already.


    In the past, Lin Longwei had thought that the girl was a cold and arrogant beauty. There were many girls like that in the families involved with the government. He couldn''t imagine that she was just shy.


    During the three days she stayed in his residence, Xu Mei didn''t talk much and, when she did, it was always with him or the maid he assigned her.


    With the other people in the house, she just nodded or shook her head.


    She avoided looking to people in the eyes when not communicating with them, and she seemed like she was lost in her own world most of the time.


    When her grandfather, the Prime Minister arrived, they were sitting in the living room. Longwei was writing emails, while the girl was reading a newspaper.


    ?The Prime Minister Xu Yanhuo is at the door,? the butler said.


    ?Let him in,? Longwei ordered, putting his laptop away.


    Xu Mei closed the newspaper, sighing annoyed. She looked like she didn''t want to see her grandfather. Longwei pretended to not notice.


    Prime Minister Xu entered with the same confidence that Shen Peng used a few days before.


    ?Good afternoon to everyone,? he greeted them cheerfully.


    ?Good afternoon, Prime Minister,? Longwei answered, while Xu Mei remained silent. ?Let''s drink some tea together. What do you think??


    ?It''s a good idea.?


    The butler served the tea to the three people awkwardly staring at each other.


    The most indifferent was surely Xu Mei, Longwei noticed.


    Her grandfather was staring at him, weighing whether to ask about how she ended in that man''s house.


    Lin Longwei, on the other side, didn''t know how to start the conversation.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    ''This girl just doesn''t want to help me,'' he thought.


    ?So, Senator Lin, it would be nice to explain how my granddaughter ended up in this state.?


    ?I found her not far from here three days ago. She was being targeted by a group of delinquents, so I helped her. Once home, I noticed that she was your granddaughter, but it was late in the evening, and I decided to call you the next morning. I haven''t called the police yet, as you are a public figure.?


    ?I am grateful for that. The elections will be held in two days, it would be bad for everyone if a scandal arose right now.?


    While saying this, the Prime Minister was looking at Xu Mei with disappointment.


    ?I am sorry to trouble you even more, but is it too much if I ask you to keep her until after the elections?? he asked, with a tone that didn''t really admit a no.


    Longwei turned to look at Xu Mei, but she was ignoring both of them while sipping tea. The cup in her hands was trembling, but she was already able to drink by herself. She didn''t seem interested in the conversation, even though she was its major topic.


    ?Naturally, everything shall remain a secret between the two of us,? Xu Yanhuo continued. ?I will be very grateful in the future.?


    ?Three,? Longwei said absently.


    ?Three what?? Xu Yanhuo thought, for a second, that the young man was asking for money.


    ?There are three of us in this room. To keep a secret.?


    ?I want to go back,? Xu Mei spoke, out of the blue.


    Xu Yanhuo frowned but restrained his temper immediately.


    ?You will, dear granddaughter. As soon as the media find something to focus on,? the elder explained, with the tone the one would use to talk to a dumb kid.


    Xu Mei rolled her eyes and prepared to speak.


    ?Now you are all resting at home because of the regulations concerning the elections. When the results are out, the media will search for both of you to demand declarations. How will I be able to go out of here unnoticed then??


    That was the most extended dissertation Lin Longwei had ever heard from her. She probably said fewer words during the whole permanence at the Pearl Palace than in that one breath. And what she was saying made sense.


    In fact, the law about elections was changed the year before. It became obligatory for the candidates to restrain their activities the whole week before the day of the polls. That was the reason why Lin Longwei had been able to stay at home and take care of the girl.


    She was right, but the old man in front of Lin Longwei seemed to disagree.


    ?You are too young to understand this kind of things. You shouldn''t express opinions about stuff you do not know,? the Prime Minister scolded her. ?Senator Lin, what do you think??


    ?I think Prime Minister Xu is right. She should remain here and rest for a few days more.?


    In truth, Lin Longwei didn''t understand Xu Yanhuo.


    The reasoning that Xu Mei had just expressed seemed correct. Still, the man wanted to keep her nearby for some more time. He looked at her, smiling politely. His eyes became warmer, and he grinned even more brightly, pleased by the expression on her face.


    Her eyes were looking at him with discontent, wounded. Her voice was colder than ever as she murmured: ?birds of a feather...?


    ?Senator Lin, will you be so gracious to let me have a word alone with my granddaughter?? the Prime Minister asked, after noticing the looks between the two.


    <div>

 The deal

    <div>


    ?Can you even imagine what the press would write if you are seen like this? My granddaughter is not some frightened puppy, do you understand??


    Xu Mei looked at the cup in her hands and put it down. Her grandfather seemed to think that she was trembling for some psychological trauma. Maybe, it was for the best.


    The man continued with his talk, not waiting for an answer. ?I will hire a specialist for you to recover and send him here. When you are suitable to appear in public, someone will fetch you, and you will stay at home until complete recovery. Am I clear??


    As expected, the girl didn''t reply.


    ?An alternative is to send you abroad,? he stated, and Xu Mei lifted her head abruptly.


    Abroad she wouldn''t be able to see her mother and take care of her little sister.


    ?Fine, I''ll stay,? she accepted in the end.


    ?While you are here, you should become close to Lin Longwei. He''s a tough opponent and may become a problem in the future.?


    ?You want me to hook up with the next governor of Hei city??


    Xu Yanhuo looked at the little girl as if she had just told him a joke.


    ?There is no risk that Senator Lin won. Your uncle is going to be reelected again. I was talking about a farther future. After all, Lin Longwei is still a senator, and a problematic one at that.?


    ?How can you ask me something like that? I am still your blood.?


    ?That is specifically the reason why you should help your family.?


    ?I want something in return.?


    ?Are you bargaining with me?? Xu Yanhuo uttered, with a displeased look.


    ?No, I''m stating my conditions.?


    ?Let me hear before I decide,? he conceded.


    ?In two years, Wen will start junior high school. I want her to attend my former school. And you will finance her education from that moment until she finishes a university of her choice. And you will do it anonymously. My mother has not to suspect anything.?Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    ?That girl is not fit to attend...?


    ?That girl is my sister, she is smart enough to obtain anything by herself. But some divine help is certainly not bad,? Xu Mei interrupted him.


    The elder was indeed annoyed by her manners, but he needed her cooperation. Thus, he decided to listen to her.


    ?Deal.?


    Said that the Prime Minister got up and walked to the door, where he met Lin Longwei.


    ?Already leaving, Prime Minister Xu??


    ?I have to run a country, I certainly am a busy person.?


    Lin Longwei greeted the elder casually before approaching Xu Mei. He brushed the girl''s hair gently, asking her whether she was feeling fine.


    Xu Mei noticed he was standing slightly to the left so that her grandfather would be able to see the two of them.


    ?I''m just a bit tired,? she answered.


    ?You seem more disappointed than tired.?


    The Prime Minister already left, so there was no need to act any more, but he was still caressing her hair.


    ?Can... Can you let go of me?? Xu Mei stuttered.


    He winced but agreed without further argument. ?Sorry, I was lost in thought.?


    ?You know what he asked me in private, don''t you??


    ?I can imagine.?


    ?You seem good at seeing through people''s intentions. I don''t understand how Prime Minister Xu didn''t think that you would realise his plan.?


    ?He did think of that. I''m sure he did.?


    ?Then, why did he ask me that? He already knows it won''t work, right??


    ?I can understand that, as well. Dinner is ready. Since elections are nearby, my assistant will join us. I hope you won''t mind,? Lin Longwei said, glad that he had a pretext to change the topic.


    ?As long as you don''t drag me into weird conversations, I''m fine.?


    She got up and reached the dining room. There, she sat at her usual place.


    ''Weird that I already have a usual place,'' she thought, sighing.


    When the two men entered the room, she didn''t pay attention to them, but when someone sat in front of her, she thought it would be really too much to ignore him, so she lifted her gaze.


    ?What are you doing here?? she asked, startled.


    The young man in front of her, Wang Meng, was her former schoolmate. They did lose contact during the years, but she knew he had graduated earlier and already started to work. Yet, she never asked about details, so she couldn''t imagine she would meet him in those circumstances.


    ?That''s my line,? Wang Meng replied. His face didn''t change much since high school, and his freckles were still sparse on his cheeks and nose. Judging by his answer, his character didn''t mature too much either.


    ?I asked first,? Xu Mei uttered.


    ?I work here. And you??


    She didn''t know how much she should reveal, so she turned to Lin Longwei and looked at him confusedly. She wasn''t worried about Wang Meng hearing about her misdeeds, but she wasn''t sure that he knew about his boss'' shady deals. After all, no politician would like it if words that he''s in contact with Shen Peng was spread.


    ?You know each other?? the man asked, shifting the focus of the conversation.


    ?We were in the same class in high school, Senator Lin,? Wang Meng answered briefly.


    ?So you were born the same year?? Lin Longwei continued with a surprised expression. ?Xu Mei, are you already twenty-two??


    <div>

 Wang Meng

    ?What''s so surprising about it?? Xu Mei asked. ?Do I look younger??


    Longwei looked at the girl''s eyes carefully, secretly enjoying her wounded expression. At that moment, she looked right like a kid. Finally, he decided to lie: ?not at all!?


    Her face didn''t change much, but he was sure she was a bit angry at him. He chuckled and drunk some tea to hide behind the cup.


    ?Did you get involved with the Insurgents again?? Wang Meng asked out of the blue, visibly annoyed.


    Longwei choked and coughed for a while, but the other two didn''t seem to notice him.


    ?No, not again,? she answered, and Wang Meng sighed relieved. ?I never stopped being involved.?


    ?Are you mad??


    ?Yes, quite mad. However, is it alright to mention it in front of your boss??


    ?Isn''t you being here related to your extra-curricular activities??


    This time was Xu Mei that choked.


    ?How do you know? Did you guess??


    ?You are covered in bruises, either Senator Lin found you wounded or he caused those wounds himself.?


    ?Yeah, but causes may have nothing to do with the Insurgents.?


    ?Sure,? Wang Meng finished and shifted his attention to the food.


    ?You would know everything about it if you didn''t betray me back then,? she whispered angrily.


    Years had passed since their high school days, but they both remembered what happened and the promise they made to each other after. Xu Mei was sure Wang Meng was working for Lin Longwei in part to fulfil that same promise.


    The silence ruled for some minutes until Longwei broke it.


    ?Wang Meng, we were talking about hiring an analyst for our further work. I think we can give it a try. Shortlist some candidates and send me their information.?


    ?Yes, Senator Lin.?


    ?Do you have any suggestion right now??


    ?Of course.?If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ?Let''s hear.?


    ?You already have one here. In front of me.?


    ?Xu Mei?? he asked, surprised. ?You are studying maths, right??


    She nodded.


    ?What are you specialising in??


    ?Statistic.?


    He turned to Wang Meng once again: ?didn''t you say your candidate was majoring in AI techniques and machine learning??


    Xu Mei frowned and murmured: ?It''s the same stuff.?


    ?I didn''t know.?


    ?Now you know,? she said, this time more relaxed.


    ?How could artificial intelligence help us, exactly?? Lin Longwei then asked.


    ?Well, it depends on what you need. For example, you can cluster the people that vote and then analyse the data to find out how to convince a certain category to trust you. You can simulate the market and forecast how your product will sell. You can use statistic tools to play games where you don''t have all the information, like most card games, or when the possible situations are too much, like chess.?


    When Xu Mei finished with her explanation, she waited for questions with her head slightly tilted to the left.


    Lin Longwei was listening with attention and nodded to her. ?So, you can predict the future??


    ?If I have enough data, I can guess anything, even in the past. You use statistic to estimate information you don''t have. Like the population, that tends to grow with some known rules. You can estimate how many people lived in this city the year that the census couldn''t be performed.?


    ?I understand.?


    The girl lifted her eyebrows, unsure whether Lin Longwei really understood or just wanted to change the topic.


    ?The point is that you identify the state or behaviour of a large number of individuals. So, if I am correct, you can say whether a law will be approved but not who exactly will vote for it or against it.?


    ?Yes, that''s correct. In general, I cannot foresee individual behaviour, but there are some exceptions. You can use statistics to identify outliers, that is to say, people with really unusual behaviour. This way, you can reduce online swindles or find people with rare talents.?


    ?Is it really possible??


    ?It has been done a lot of times already, but nothing is a hundred per cent certain. The smaller the number of data, the less the precision.?


    ?Makes sense,? he said, holding his chin with his left hand. During the conversation, his gaze didn''t move from her, not even for half a second.


    ?It doesn''t just make sense. It works,? Xu Mei pointed out.


    She was sure the man didn''t grasp all that she''s said, and she didn''t make any effort to make herself understood.


    She had used to explain her thoughts with more precision in the past until she had found out that her audience was usually not interested in what she was saying. The only exceptions were her classmates, but they didn''t need too much explaining to understand her.


    She was sure Lin Longwei would give up as well.


    They had finished dinner, and Xu Mei was drinking tea, while Lin Longwei was smoking a cigarette. Wang Meng was reading something on his phone lost in his thoughts, not paying attention to the two of them.


    ?And how do you know that you have enough data??


    ?Depends on the problem.?


    ?Let''s say clustering. How do you know that the data you have contain the cause of the discrimination??


    Xu Mei raised her bows, surprised.


    They continued their discussion in the studio, where she could use some paper and a pencil to better explain her thoughts.


    Wang Meng continued to work by himself, interrupting them from time to time to talk with Lin Longwei.


    When Lin Longwei noticed that Xu Mei was tired, he decided to end their gathering. He accompanied her to her room and wished a good night before coming back to the office to finish his actual work.


    It was nearly dawn when he poured himself a glass of brandy, lit a cigarette and went to the terrace to relax.

 The sleeping beauty

    ?Did you work all night??


    Lin Longwei turned to the sweet voice that startled him. Xu Mei was on the terrace in a light nightgown, with her hair moving in the wind.


    ?Something happened, and I had to deal with it,? he answered calmly.


    ?What can have happened at this hour of the night? You falling behind your schedule? If you had work to do, you could just say it.?


    ?Listening to you was much more satisfying,? he stated sincerely and enjoyed her cheeks turning slightly red. ?And you? Have you problems sleeping??


    ?I''ve slept for nearly four hours. It''s enough,? Xu Mei answered while looking into the night.


    When the wind became a bit stronger, Lin Longwei shivered. He was wondering how the girl was able to stand the cold when he remembered the doctor''s words of a few days before.


    In two steps, he was already at her side and held her forearms. Her skin was icy.


    ?You should take care of your health. Why are you here, wearing nothing?? the man scolded her, hugging her to keep her warm.


    Xu Mei struggled weakly but didn''t push Lin Longwei away. He pulled her into the study. He made her sit on the sofa and cover with a blanket. Xu Mei observed him silently, not understanding his panic.


    Lin Longwei then sat next to her and rubbed her hands for a while.


    Xu Mei froze in place, surprised by the sudden physical contact. Still, the man didn''t look like he had any bad intention. On the contrary, his expression revealed a considerable share of apprehension.


    She let him have his way, sighing.


    After a few minutes, however, she heard the sound of rhythmic breathing.


    Xu Mei looked at the man next to her. He was deep asleep, his head resting on her shoulder. The girl decided to not wake him up but covered his body with the blanket and closed her eyes with patience. His face was just a few centimetres away, and she could reach out for it. She could feel his breath tickling her neck. She decided to ignore the race her heart was running.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    She didn''t notice she fell asleep until the door opening woke her up. She couldn''t see clearly the clock, but it seemed like half nine in the morning.


    Soft steps reached the desk, and she finally saw Wang Meng laughing with himself. Their eyes met, and she signalled him to keep quiet.


    Wang Meng pulled out his phone from his pocket and took a picture just at that moment. Xu Mei''s expression turned angry, but she didn''t say a thing.


    She got up, paying attention to not disturb Lin Longwei, and went out of the study room.


    Once in the hallway, she started scolding Wang Meng.


    ?Does your boss know that you enjoy taking photos of him while he''s asleep??


    ?It''s the first time I see him sleeping. I was wondering whether he was human. However, it''s his fault for giving more importance to flirting than work.?


    ?Delete the picture. Now.?


    ?No way, it may be useful to me in the future. By the way, how come you are staying here??


    ?I was ordered by Prime Minister Xu,? the girl explained in a dull tone.


    ?And you just accepted that without any complaint? Aren''t you afraid of Senator Lin??


    ?He''s harmless. And I know something about him he doesn''t want to be public. At least, I hope.?


    ?He is not harmless at all. He may behave civilly, but he has still a lot of power in this city. People like that are seldom harmless.?


    ?Wang Meng, I don''t have time to argue with you,? she started, trying to walk away. She couldn''t trust Wang Meng just yet, even though she knew he meant no harm. ?I''ll go to study.?


    ?So, you even know how to study. You''re finishing the third year, right??


    ?Yes, if you consider time. I left some exams behind, though.?


    ?You''re taking your time.?


    ?I''m in no hurry. When I finish, Prime Minister Xu will arrange a wedding that benefits him. And until I''m married, I will not be able to administer my assets nor taking decisions for myself.?


    ?Honestly, I''m surprised that you haven''t run away yet.?


    ?I have people to protect, I can''t just leave. And you promised me something, do you still remember??


    ?Of course, I remember.?


    ?Why would I run away if I have you as my backup plan??


    ?Regardless, I''m going to work now,? Wang Meng uttered. At that moment, he was striving to finish their conversation even more than Xu Mei. He went into the studio and closed the door under the ironic smirk of the girl.


    That same afternoon, Xu Mei received a package from her grandfather. Inside, there was a cellphone with her old number, a credit card and a paper with one single instruction: ''Be present at the gala, the day after tomorrow.''


    ''The day after tomorrow'', she considered, ''is when the results will be announced.''


    Being present at the ball was going to be a nuisance, but she couldn''t refuse just yet.


    Her bruises have almost all recovered and were nearly negligible, and her nerves were already stable. She was also full of energy and decided to do some taichi to release the stress and clear the mind.


    She was ready to return at the dormitory of her university, so she left a message for Lin Longwei on the desk. She considered writing down her phone number, but in the end, decided to avoid a move that bold. Instead, she appointed the username of one of her Weibo accounts.


    ''Anyway, Lin Longwei won''t contact me,'' she thought while leaving the residence. Once out, she observed the surroundings.

 Zhou Anan

    Lin Longwei''s principal residence was located in the Pearl Palace. His building was the most distant from the entrance and consequently ensured more privacy.


    Going in and out the Pearl Palace was not an easy deal. The entrance consisted of a big gate for cars and a smaller one for bikes and people. It was equipped with a fully automated security system that opened upon face recognition.


    When Xu Mei saw her face in the monitor, a green led turned on, and the small gate opened. It was faster than the image recognition programs she had seen until that moment.


    She decided to use the subway to reach the dormitory.


    It took her nearly one hour because she had to cross the entire city. She asked for her key at the reception and went to her room.


    It was empty since her room-mates were probably attending classes.


    She decided to use that time for herself. She made a face mask and put on light blue nail polish. She applied a fruit balm in her hair and finally took a long and hot shower.


    For the gala, she had to find a suitable dress. She browsed online for a while to choose the shop where to go. It was nearly lunchtime when she went out for shopping.


    The shop Xu Mei chose was quite expensive. The girl didn''t like that kind of places. Still, she had to maintain designated standards if she didn''t want to displease her grandfather.


    She was examining one cream-coloured dress when a group of young women walked in the shop. The one leading them was Zhou Anan, the fianc¨¦e of her older brother, Xu Ting.


    Xu Mei didn''t want to provoke any conflict, but she was sure that trouble was coming for her the moment she saw that woman.


    Xu Mei had purposely chosen to visit the shop during lunchtime, to avoid the crowd. She sighed and shifted her attention to another dress, this time a red one.


    She always had light-coloured dresses during the events her grandfather compelled her to attend. The main reason was that she wanted to pass unnoticed. Wearing something so eye-catching was out of the question. But, the quality and shape of the dress were indeed exceptional.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    She imagined how she would look in it and, for a moment, she considered buying it all the same. Unfortunately, the money the Prime Minister sent her was not enough for two dresses.


    ?Look who''s here!? a voice a bit too loud said.


    Xu Mei didn''t get along with her soon-to-be sister-in-law but, for the sake of peace, didn''t pick up fights. She used to ignore that woman and never responded to her provocations.


    Luckily, Xu Mei stayed most of the time in the dormitory or at her mom''s home, so she didn''t have to restrain all the time.


    ?Hello, Zhou Anan.? she greeted politely.


    ?I already told you that you don''t need to be so polite. You can call me sister-in-law.?


    ?You are not my sister-in-law, yet. When you officially marry my brother, I will call you that way.?


    Xu Mei was strict from that point of view, and she didn''t use appellatives when not necessary. She seldom used informal forms too, so the Prime Minister was her grandfather. The last time the girl had called him grandpa was when she was around seven years old.


    That was all to distance herself from the Xu family, who treated her rather poorly.


    ?Are you going to buy that dress?? Zhou Anan asked.


    ?I was considering it,? Xu Mei nodded.


    ?I like it! If you opt for another dress, I will buy this one.?


    ?I''ll tell you when I decide.?


    ?Do you think you can pull off that type of dress? You are too plain, sister,? one of the girls behind her popped in their conversation.


    Zhou Anan liked to pick on Xu Mei but, at the same time, she had to take care of her own image when in public. In that kind of environments, she had underlings do the work.


    ?Now I really like this dress,? Xu Mei answered calmly, only her cold eyes showing how much she was upset. Still, she stayed calm.


    ?As you wish, but you will only make a fool of yourself,? the vixen continued. The girl didn''t realise that the more she talked, the less Xu Mei was eager to let go.


    ?I will make the evening livelier. Don''t you thing, Zhou Anan?? Xu Mei continued. Making Zhou Anan say something unpolite in public was almost impossible, but Xu Mei couldn''t refrain from teasing her.


    ?Oh, don''t listen to her, sister-in-law! You have to choose the dress you like, without considering the opinion of others. In the end, it''s you that will have to wear it,? Zhou Anan answered, squeezing Xu Mei''s shoulder with elegance.


    Zhou Anan was a tough challenger: she wasn''t easy to provoke, and she had been taught since young to act like a lady.


    That was the reason why Xu Mei''s brother often stood on the side of his fianc¨¦e, instead of that of his own blood.


    Zhou Anan''s actions were more impeccable, the more her real target was dirty. She had managed to drive the brother and sister pair apart with her little schemes during the nine years she frequented the Xu residence.


    When she first met Zhou Anan, Xu Mei was still too young to see through that woman, and when Xu Ting proposed to his girlfriend, two years later, it was too late to unmask Zhou Anan''s true self.


    Her appearance was flawless, only her soul was dark like a night without moon.

 Shen Tian

    Xu Mei wasn''t enough of a strategist to be able to make people lose control because of anger. She didn''t know a lot about people''s hearts.


    ?I think that Zhou Anan will indeed wear this dress better,? she said, bowing her head as she cared.


    The women in front of her thought she was yielding and were all laughing like a pack of hyenas.


    ?It''s a pity I will not be wearing it for your wedding,? Xu Mei added with ease.


    Zhou Anan kept her breath and bit her own tongue to not say something too much.


    Xu Mei knew that the nine-year-long engagement that was not seeming to be evolving into marriage was her weak point. Zhou Anan didn''t succeed to convince Xu Ting to marry her officially in all the years they were together.


    The woman smiled politely and made the shop assistant wrap the dress up before leaving without further words.


    If she had stayed longer solely to make things more difficult for Xu Mei, the latter would have certainly countered. That may have stained the reputation Zhou Anan had in high society: she was an angel from the heavens, gentle and forgiving. Not a rude vixen that liked picking up fights.


    With that thought, Zhou Anan marched out of the shop with her friends. She was proud for not having submitted to the provocations of that little bitch that was the sister of her future husband.


    Xu Mei waited that they were far from the entrance and then returned to the dress she was examining earlier. It was loose and soft at the touch. It had a bateau neckline, not exposing too much skin. Nevertheless, it was quite short, showing off her long legs and hourglass body.


    ?You don''t need to struggle for things you don''t care about,? a man''s voice said behind her. ?I like your philosophy, but one day you may regret it.?


    Xu Mei turned to face the owner of that voice.


    The man was in his early thirties, with a healthy complexion and light brown hair. His eyes were golden like those of a tiger. His aura resembled that of a predator relaxing under the shadow of a tree.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    Once again, Xu Mei was sure she was supposed to know who that man was. Once again, she didn''t have a clue.


    ?I don''t have time for pointless activities like fighting for items in a shop.?


    ?Sooner or later they will target something you really like. Then, you will not have practised your defence and will not be able to stand for yourself.?


    ?I won''t fight for something as useless as a dress,? Xu Mei repeated, puffing.


    ?It may be something different from a dress. However, I wouldn''t say that clothes are useless. Especially for women.?


    He examined her from head to feet. Xu Mei shivered under his gaze, not realising what was wrong with him. She turned her back on him and reached the cashier.


    ?If that day really comes, I''ll figure something out,? she said while the assistant was wrapping the dress for her.


    ?Miss Xu, do you want us to send the dress to your residence?? the clerk asked while taking the credit card Xu Mei gave her.


    ?No, thank you. I don''t plan to shop further. I''ll just take it with me.?


    ?Thank you for your patronage,? the woman bowed while Xu Mei was picking up the bag and the card.


    ?It''s the first time in my life that I see a woman buying only what she needs,? the man behind her said.


    Xu Mei had nearly forgotten about him, but he seemed rather persistent in communicating with her.


    ?Have you already had lunch?? he asked. ?I know a restaurant nearby. It would be my honour to treat you to a meal.?


    ?I''m sorry, but I am in a hurry,? Xu Mei lied with a candid face.


    She knew he probably saw through her act, but she didn''t care about his feelings, anyway.


    ?You cannot postpone your other commitments??


    ?Not really.?


    ?What about another time?? the stranger tried, then.


    ?I will be in a hurry another time too,? Xu Mei finished trying to leave the shop, but the man stopped her.


    ?This is my visit card. You can find my number on it. Call me if you change your mind.?


    ?Sure,? she said and left swiftly.


    Once in the subway, Xu Mei took out the card and looked at it for a few seconds. Shen Tian, CEO of Green Light Entertainment.


    ''Who knows if he''s related to that criminal Shen Peng,'' the girl asked herself. The entertainment industry looked like an easy way to launder dirty money.


    When she returned to her room, she found one of her room-mates resting on the bed while playing with the phone.


    ?Xu Mei, you''re finally back! One of your classmates asked about you yesterday. He said that there will be a test next week and that you should attend.?


    ?Do you remember which classmate was it??


    ?Silver hair and yellow eyes. The cutest one on the whole campus.?


    ?I''m going back home for the weekend. The results will be announced this evening, and things will be chaotic after that. I''ll be back Monday at the latest.?


    ?You go back again? Do you have to attend celebrations?? the girl asked, peeking in the bag with the dress.


    Xu Mei nodded without any word.


    ?It must be really nice to be related to the Prime Minister,? she sighed while Xu Mei was heading out.


    ?The best,? the latter answered coldly.

 The gala (1)

    The ball was held on the roof of one of the hotels owned by the Xu family, but it was an official event. So, all the parties involved with the elections were invited, regardless of the results.


    As expected, the second son of the Prime Minister, Xu Manho, was reconfirmed Governor of Hei city''s province.


    Xu Mei was standing in a corner. She had a glass of wine that was no longer cold in one hand and a neutral expression on the face. With her cream-coloured dress, she was trying to blend in with the wall, hoping her family would forget about her, with no luck.


    A waiter approached her and whispered to her: ?Miss Xu, the Prime Minister wished for you to stay by his side.?


    Xu Mei placed the glass with the warm wine on the tray the waiter was carrying around, and she headed to the centre of the terrace.


    Her grandfather was chatting with his colleagues. He tenderly smiled when he saw the girl approaching.


    Xu Mei felt her stomach revolt when facing that smirk.


    ?Xiao Mei, you''re finally here! I was worried you would feel bored.?


    The girl tried to smile, but her muscles didn''t cooperate with her intentions. She bent her neck to avoid meeting anyone''s eyes.


    ?Your granddaughter has grown up fine, Prime Minister. How old is she this year??


    ?Twenty-two,? the Prime Minister answered, sounding proud.


    ?Ah, I have a nephew a few years older.?


    ?Then we can arrange for them to meet, but my Xiao Mei has to finish her studies first!?


    The girl''s gaze wandered on the terrace, unconsciously searching for familiar faces. She attended lots of events of that kind, but her brain seemed unable to remember the people she met.


    ?Prime Minister Xu! Congratulations, your son won again!?


    Xu Mei winced when her eyes met two deep oceans. Lin Longwei was in front of her, just a couple of meters away. She hadn''t seen him for less than three days, but she already felt like she missed him. She smiled lightly, trying to hide her face once again.


    ?Senator Lin, this time was a close win. Next time we may not be so lucky.?


    The Prime Minister''s answer was not as cold as the people around them were expecting. Their ears straightened to better hear the words they were exchanging, and their eyes opened wide to not lose any detail of their interactions.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ?Long time no see, Prime Minister Xu,? Wang Meng greeted the elder from behind Lin Longwei. All the attention immediately shifted to the boy.


    ?You don''t need to be so polite, I saw you grow up. You can call me Granpa Xu as you always did.?


    Wang Meng smiled politely.


    ?I''m surprised to find you as my opponent, Xiao Meng. You could have asked me to introduce you to politics,? Xu Yanhuo continued.


    ?Prime Minister Xu right. There aren''t more qualified politicians than our Prime Minister in the entire country,? one man agreed.


    ?I''m doing my best to learn from Senator Lin. He''s also among the most outstanding businessmen in our country, isn''t he?? Wang Meng defended his employer without a second thought.


    ?You''re preparing to take charge of the family business, aren''t you??


    While they were talking, Lin Longwei get closer to Xu Mei and discreetly examined her.


    The girl took a glass of wine from a table nearby to keep her hands busy. She felt the man''s gaze on her but didn''t dare to reciprocate, in fear that someone would see through her.


    ?Miss Xu, are you feeling all right?? he inquired.


    ?Yes, Senator Lin.?


    ?You seem distracted.?


    ?I always am,? Xu Mei stated before sipping the wine.


    The discussion among the men around them became louder, but the two of them weren''t paying attention. They were in their own world.


    ?I like your dress, but I''m afraid you feel cold.?


    Xu Mei was speechless. Lin Longwei had the guts to flirt with a girl in front of her grandfather! In that case, the said grandfather was also his principal opponent!


    Xu Mei tried hard to find an appropriate answer but, before she succeeded, they were interrupted.


    ?Right, Senator Lin?? one of the Prime Minister''s men voiced.


    They turned simultaneously, with no idea what was the topic of the question.


    Lin Longwei smiled artfully and looked at the man in front of him like he was meeting potential electors.


    At that moment, Xu Mei could witness the full power of that man''s charisma.


    At that moment, if she could vote, she would vote for him.


    ?I think we all know, right?? he simply said and turned to Wang Meng before anyone could ask for further details. ?I''ve seen someone I need to talk to. Let''s go.?


    The group was already back to the conversation, so they couldn''t hear the exchange between the two men that were heading away. Xu Mei seemed to hear Lin Longwei praising his assistant: ?good job, Wang Meng. You deserved a bonus for this month''s salary.?


    A few minutes after Lin Longwei left, a smiling young girl in a black dress ran to the Prime Minister.


    ?Grandpa, grandpa. We''re finally here!? she said, holding the Prime Minister''s arm.


    ?Xiao Bao, where is Manho??


    ?Father is greeting some people at the entrance. He''ll be here soon,? the girl explained


    ?It''s predictable, Prime Minister Xu, that the new Governor has a lot of people wanting to talk with him. Your second granddaughter is grown up too.?


    ?I''m almost twenty-one, magistrate Shi. I''m no longer a child,? Xu Bao said with elegance while holding arms with the Prime Minister. Xu Yanhuo was smiling to her just like he did before with Xu Mei, but this time his eyes were full of warmth.


    ?Xiao Bao, the youth is all near the pool. You should go to meet your friends with your sister. You don''t need to bore yourself with our talks.?


    ?Granpa, you are never boring to me. But I''ll go if that''s what you want.?


    Xu Bao smiled to Xu Mei, and they headed together were some young people where gathered.


    ?That dress is so plain,? Xu Bao said the moment they were alone. ?At least, it will become transparent,? she uttered after touching the material of her gown.


    ?What are you talking about?? Xu Mei asked, moving away from her cousin''s hand.


    At that moment, they were passing near the pool. Xu Bao pushed Xu Mei back while tripping her with her left foot.


    The girl didn''t expect her cousin to move so soon, so she didn''t make resistance and just fell in the cold water.

 The gala (2)

    <div>


    The water was cold, and that freshness was pleasant on the girl''s skin. If Xu Mei didn''t need to breathe, she would have remained there forever.


    She swam to the surface of the pool and pulled herself out. People were gathered around her to see what had just happened.


    ?Oh my, oh my! You shouldn''t wear high heels if you don''t know how to walk in them,? her cousin said with a cunning grin.


    One of Xu Mei''s shoes was near the pool border, while the other was probably still in the water.


    The girl was going to get up when she noticed that her dress was glued to her body, and the wet fabric had become transparent.


    So that was what Xu Bao was trying to say...


    ''Your fashion knowledge is indeed enviable,'' Xu Mei thought.


    At that moment, the girl felt humiliated. She embraced her body, trying to cover as much as she could.


    She didn''t know how to get up without showing her figure to everyone until a pair of familiar hands covered her with a black jacket.


    Wang Meng was standing next to her, but he was still wearing his own jacket. Then whose was that?


    Lin Longwei was talking to some people, not paying attention to the scandal a few meters from him. He had just his shirt on.


    Xu Mei clung to the warm coat, getting up and heading to the exit of the terrace with her head bowed.


    ?Grandpa, I''m afraid cousin got hurt,? Xu Bao cried.


    Unbelievable, why was she crying? Xu Mei couldn''t resist but wonder how far that brat could go.


    Xu Mei didn''t understand the thought process of most of the people around her. Still, she knew that her cousin hated her from the depths of her heart. Why it was that way, Xu Mei couldn''t guess.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    ?Xiao Mei, go to a room to dry yourself. It''s getting chillier at night,? the Prime Minister advised the girl in front of everyone and accompanied her to the door.


    ?It''s better if you go home now,? he whispered with a disappointed tone when they were alone. ?You managed to shame me quite quickly this time.?


    Xu Mei nodded and headed inside.


    In front of the room, she met Lin Longwei.


    She was still wearing his jacket and didn''t want to return it yet. She bowed her head, ashamed of the ridiculous spectacle of a few minutes before. She intended to pass quickly by the man''s side, but he grabbed her forearm.


    ?Are you all right?? he asked.


    ?Yes,? the girl answered and tried to push his hand away, without success.


    Lin Longwei dragged Xu Mei inside the room and grabbed her chin with one hand. He used a tissue to wipe the smudged make-up on her face. His touch was delicate and caring as if she was some kind of treasure.


    Her eyes got wet in an instant. Xu Mei was sure he noticed that she was fighting to keep tears back, but he pretended not to see.


    ?Why didn''t you fight back?? he asked her.


    ?Because I am a coward.?


    ?How can a coward be fighting with the Insur...?


    Lin Longwei couldn''t finish his sentence because the girl''s hand was pressing hard on his lips.


    ?Don''t mention them here,? she whispered in his ear. ?Do you understand??


    Xu Mei''s hand had moved on her own when she guessed what he was going to ask. When the initial panic had vanished, she realised how close they were, and she retreated.


    ?I''ll be done in about an hour. I''ll send you home,? Lin Longwei said and walked out.


    When the door closed, Xu Mei looked at her burning hand. Her brain recalled the perfect shape of Lin Longwei''s lips, and she felt the blood flowing in her cheeks, and her heartbeat fasten. She never felt that way in her life, so she didn''t understand what was happening with her body.


    She took a shower and worn the clothes that a maid delivered to her together with her purse. She lied down on the bed and looked at the watch on the wall.


    She had to wait for forty minutes more. She didn''t realise she fell asleep until a light knock woke her up.


    Lin Longwei was wearing a spare jacket that Wang Meng prudently prepared for him.


    He entered the room and leaned on the wall, waiting patiently as Xu Mei collected her belongings. The girl started to search for her shoes, and Lin Longwei put his hands in the pockets.


    The pair she had used for the evening was probably still in the swimming pool, and it seemed like the maid had forgotten to bring a new pair to her.


    After a few minutes, she gave up her research and turned to him with a difficult expression.


    ?I don''t have shoes!? the girl exclaimed, opening her arms with desperation. ?How can I go now??


    Lin Longwei smiled mischievously, amused by her reaction.


    ?I have a solution to your problem, miss.?


    Xu Mei tilted her head to the side, curious.


    <div>

 The gala (3)

    ?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.?Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    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.

 Prime Ministers scolding

    The next day was Sunday. Xu Mei got up after a surprisingly long sleep of six hours.


    Maybe it was a side effect of the electric shocks but, those days, she slept for five to six hours per night, nearly doubling her previous average.


    That might have been the reason she felt relaxed the whole day. Her mood was so good that the improvised family reunion didn''t bother her a bit. It was apparently the most satisfying one that she had ever attended.


    They were having breakfast in the dining room.


    Elder Xu was sitting at the head of the table. Xu Manho was at his right, followed by his daughter. On the left, there were Xu Mei and Prime Minister''s head assistant, who was used to eating with the Xus more than Xu Mei herself. Xu Manho''s wife, Xu Mei''s aunt, used to sleep till late, so she was not present. Xu Mei''s brother, Xu Ting, was abroad, so he was absent as well.


    Their family meals were often like that, with half of the family missing.


    ?I am really disappointed,? the Prime Minister stated once he finished eating. He joined his hands in front of him and scanned the causes of his disappointment with a grimace.


    He looked at Xu Mei and scolded here briefly: ?you have to know how to behave on public occasions. If something like this happens again, I will hire an etiquette teacher for you. Understood??


    ?Yes, grandfather,? she nodded patiently. Since her falling in the pool was immediately forgotten by everyone, Xu Yanhuo didn''t want to lose time with her. There were more prominent problems to solve.


    Xu Mei sipped her tea, waiting for the rest of the show. For once, it was not her that was causing damage to the Prime Minister''s image.


    ?Dad, I think you shouldn''t get angry. It''s not good for your health,? Xu Manho intruded.


    ?I shouldn''t?? the Prime Minister asked, hitting the table with his hand. ?And whose fault is it that I am angered? Does anyone at this table actually care about my health??The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    ?Everything will be fine, eventually. There is no need to worry so much.?


    ?How are you so sure? Do you even know what has to be done to resolve a scandal like that??


    ?People will forget, sooner or later.?


    ?If they don''t forget soon enough, it will impact my position as well. Xiao Bao, you won''t leave this very residence for the next month, unless you are ordered by me.?


    ?Granpa, why?? Xu Bao jumped on the chair, surprised by the strictness the elder showed to her for the first time in her life.


    ?Dad, Xiao Bao is just a child...?


    ?Yes, and a spoiled one.?


    The Prime Minister put down his cup of tea. His eyes were dead cold, his expression inflexible.


    ?One month is too much,? Xu Manho tried once again to defend his only daughter.


    ?You are no better. You froze on the stage. That''s something unforgivable for a politician!?


    ?What should I have done, when I didn''t even know what they were talking about??


    ?You are nearly fifty, but you have so much to learn. If only Gaoli was still alive...? Xu Yanhuo showed a rare sad expression.


    ?I won''t do it again, grandpa. Please, forgive me for this once!? Xu Bao''s eyes where full of tears and her lips were trembling. She looked like a kid about to throw a tantrum.


    Xu Yanhuo waved with his hand, impatiently. Then, he turned to Xu Mei once again. The girl straightened her back, ready for the second round of scolding.


    ?In a few months, we will submit an important law proposal to the Senate. We will need Senator Lin''s votes to approve it, so I need you to convince him to side with us just this once.?


    Xu Mei stood still, waiting for the rest.


    ?Thanks to your cousin, we cannot try to conquer more consent with early elections, so we have to wait until the law is passed.?


    ?You are overrating me, Prime Minister,? Xu Mei uttered. Why did her grandfather think that she could convince anyone to side with him? Furthermore, they were talking about his most fierce opponent, not just anyone.


    The other two were staring at the grandfather and granddaughter pair with wide eyes.


    Xu Bao looked at Xu Mei with contempt. She didn''t know about politics, but it seemed like Grandpa had problems with his underlings and wanted to use Xu Mei to convince them to do their job.


    Just imagining her trying to... convince an old senator made her feel cheerful. What did grandpa say? Was it Lin?


    Old Senator Lin was indeed one of her grandfather''s most trusted men. How come he was making problems?


    Xu Bao dispelled those disturbing thoughts, ignoring the faint voice in her mind reminding her that there was another Lin in the Senate. Xu Yanhuo had the majority in the Senate. Even if he had problems with his underlings, he would target one of the smaller parties.


    And of course, someone as plain as Xu Mei couldn''t possibly reach that Senator Lin.


    The Prime Minister instructed Xu Mei for some time more, and Xu Bao was nearly laughing out loud.


    Finally, the Prime Minister left with his head assistant, to find the better way to clean his family''s name.


    Xu Mei stayed at the table, with only her uncle and younger cousin.

 Shes evil

    <div>


    At the table, Xu Mei was sipping coffee, enjoying its bitter taste and rich aroma. She was the only one in the Xu family drinking coffee, a habit she had taken from her mother. She had a peaceful expression on her face and didn''t pay too much attention to the other two people sitting with her.


    Xu Bao, on the other hand, was feeling pleased about the situation but couldn''t stand that little slut showing off her calm in front of her.


    ?Dad, I think it''s all Xu Mei''s fault,? she started.


    ?Xiao Bao, don''t say unnecessary things. How can it be her fault??


    ?Everything happened right after I pushed her into the pool!?


    ?So you did push her!? Xu Manho looked at his daughter with rage. ?Apologise to her, now!?


    ?I don''t want to,? Xu Bao refused, crossing her arms and glaring at the girl in front of her.


    Xu Mei looked at the show with a grin. They didn''t even wait for her to leave the table to make fools of themselves.


    ?Xiao Bao, be reasonable. Even if Xiao Mei took pictures of you, she wouldn''t expose them for such a petty matter.?


    ?You don''t know her the way I do, dad! She''s evil!?


    ?Xiao Bao!?


    ?Just you wait, Xu Mei! I''ll make you pay for that,? she threatened, remembering that the girl was still in the dining room with them.


    ?I can''t wait for your revenge,? Xu Mei articulated with her eyes half-closed. She leaned on the back of the chair and put down the empty cup. She smiled at a Xu Bao in a nervous breakdown. That brat''s face was so different when their grandfather wasn''t present.


    ?Uncle, I hope you will convince my cousin to avoid doing anything stupid. Before she hurts our Xu family''s reputation... even more,? Xu Mei pleaded while getting up. ?I''m heading back to the dormitory. I have a test tomorrow. Have a good day, both of you.?


    The girl left the room without looking back, escorted by Xu Manho''s uneasy stare and Xu Bao''s poisonous voice whispering ?slut!?.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    While she was in the subway, her phone vibrated. She read the message with a curious expression.


    - Did you sleep well? LL


    That guy had saved his number under the name of ''Favourite Senator''.


    - Yes


    She answered immediately and then waited for a response.


    - I''m relieved.


    - Why didn''t you contact me on Weibo? I left you my account.


    - The username was too weird to be true. Is your grandfather angry?


    - He is, but not at me for once. It''s refreshing.


    The signal was not optimal since the subway ran nearly a kilometre under the ground. Xu Mei had to receive and send all the messages at the stops, which had some degree of connectivity.


    - Are you busy next week?


    - I''m supposed to study for the midterms. I''ll attend classes


    - Nice. Do your best!


    - I always do.


    Xu Mei smiled, getting off the train. Her good mood hadn''t dispersed yet.


    She decided to spend the money left on the credit card the Prime Minister gave her to buy a dress. She went to a nearby high-class restaurant and bought takeaways.


    Then, she headed to her room.


    The two girls that Xu Mei shared the room with were studying in silence.


    ?I bought lunch. I hope you haven''t eaten yet,? Xu Mei greeted, walking in the room with the food.


    The two girls opened their eyes wide and hugged her while screaming: ?I can''t believe you actually brought us food from a famous restaurant!?


    ?I was in a good mood.?


    ?It''s because your uncle got elected again, isn''t it??


    ?Yeah, right,? she nodded with a light smile.


    ?If I could vote, I would vote for him every time!? one of them said.


    ?Don''t talk nonsense. Where have you ever seen a woman voting?? the other answered without too much thought.


    ?I was just saying... Well then, I will convince my future husband to vote for the Xus!?


    ?You can be bought with just a meal, don''t you feel shame??


    ?I think it would be nice to be able to vote or be elected,? Xu Mei explored the ground with her roommates.


    ?I don''t know. It seems so much trouble. In exchange for that, you would have to serve the army.?


    ?It doesn''t seem too bad, to me,? Xu Mei uttered.


    ?Regardless, I would not be able to vote even if I were a man since I''m too poor,? the girl said while finishing the food.


    ?You know what would be even nicer?? the other asked. ?Having my own money. It''s hard to put aside enough to buy the things you like.?


    ?Yes, you are right,? Xu Mei agreed while thinking of the estates and various company shares that she was not free to use as she wanted.


    She had to obtain her tutor''s written permission for every move. And her tutor was her grandfather, as the closest man alive that was related to her. Her older brother was still too young when their father died, fifteen years before, and her grandfather refused to leave that role to him later. He didn''t want to trouble Xu Ting''s life and future marriage with pointless responsibilities.


    ?I''m going out for a walk. I''ll throw the trash? Xu Mei informed the two girls while heading out.


    In the end, her mood was ruined before the end of the day.


    <div>

 Mu Jian

    That Monday, Xu Mei finally attended classes. She sat on her usual place in the back of the enormous auditorium.


    She took out her laptop and opened a file with exercises. She didn''t attend school for half a month, and the midterms were approaching. For the time being, she needed to understand the minimum required to solve some of the problems.


    She started to work and didn''t notice that the first lesson had soon ended.


    In the break before the next class, students got up from their seats and chatted in groups or went for a short walk to distract a bit. At that moment, she noticed the young man sitting two seats from her.


    ?Mu Jian, you''re here,? she greeted him coldly, before returning to her work.


    ?I have been here for quite a while.?


    ?I''ll use this time to study a bit more if you don''t mind.?


    ?I don''t mind, but it doesn''t seem it''s the same for him,? Mu Jian uttered. He smiled, pointing with his chin at a point behind the girl.


    Xu Mei turned to see who Mu Jian was referring to.


    Lin Longwei was getting close to their seats. He sat right next to her.


    ?Good morning, miss Xu? he greeted, observing the papers she was surrounded of. ?You seem busy.?


    ?Good morning? Mu Jiang greeted with a mischievous smile.


    At that moment, Lin Longwei noticed that he and Xu Mei weren''t alone.


    He examined that unknown man. He was young, probably Xu Mei''s age, and stood out with that long silver hair. When their eyes met, Longwei felt a bit familiar. They were yellow like those of a wolf.


    He remembered where he already saw eyes like that.


    ?Are you perhaps related to Senator Mu Li??


    ?He''s my father? Mu Jian answered, smiling.


    ?I happened to replace someone in the vaccination control commission, so I worked with him for a while. My name is Lin Longwei.?Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    ?I see... You are my dad''s colleague. So, can I call you Uncle Lin??


    Lin Longwei''s expression froze. He wouldn''t care too much of a naughty brat if they weren''t in front of Xu Mei. He shifted his gaze a bit and confirmed that she wasn''t paying attention to either of them. He sighed relieved.


    ?I''m not much older than you, little Mu. I am twenty-nine.?


    At that moment, the girl lifted her head and asked, looking at him: ?you''re not even thirty??


    ?Do I look older??


    His expression was calm, but his eyes were revealing sadness. Xu Mei regretted her joke for a moment. She wanted revenge for when he didn''t believe to her age, the previous week, but she didn''t expect to hurt his feelings that much.


    ?Xiao Mei, don''t be that impolite,? Mu Jian intervened. Xu Mei glared at the young boy, confused.


    ?What are you doing here?? she then asked Lin Longwei.


    ?I wanted to see you.? Lin Longwei smiled sincerely.


    ?As you said, I''m busy right now, and the lesson is starting soon.?


    ?As far as I know, university lessons are open to the public. What are you doing for lunch??


    ?I have classes until this afternoon, I don''t have a break for lunch, today.?


    ?And for dinner??


    The man stretched his hand and moved a rebellious lock of hers behind the ear.


    ?I''ll probably study,? she mumbled, not reacting at the contact.


    Lin Longwei nodded, considering her words.


    ?I''ll send Wang Meng to pick you up at half-past five. I have something I''d like to talk to you about.?


    ?See you later, then.?


    She turned her attention back at her exercises.


    Lin Longwei greeted Mu Jian with a nod and went out the auditorium right before the next lesson started. He had a little grin on his face, sign that he got what he wanted.


    ?You have a lot to update me about!? Mu Jian started and moved closer to Xu Mei. His eyes were shining like gems, curious and excited by the sudden development. He was surprised that someone as quiet and reserved as Xu Mei could meet one of the most influential people in the Senate. Judging by the slightly red cheeks the girl had, they didn''t just meet.


    ?Don''t be a nuisance. I''m trying to focus.?


    ?You can use the time your insomnia gives you to study. Now I want to know how you hooked up with ''The'' Senator Lin??


    ?What are you talking about? I didn''t hook...?


    ?He touched your hair and survived.?


    Xu Mei didn''t know how to respond to that last statement, so she pretended to be writing something on her notepad. Then, she remembered how Mu Jian had called her a few minutes before, and couldn''t hold her curiosity.


    ?And what''s got into you? You''ve never called me Xiao Mei!? the girl whispered. What was that moron planning?


    ?I wanted to see Uncle Lin''s reaction.?


    ?Why would he have a reaction??


    Mu Jian stared at the girl for a few seconds, unsure whether she was kidding or she was really dense. He decided to not inquire further. He would find out, eventually, what had happened.


    ?I was really worried this time. We didn''t have news about you for days. Are you coming to the base soon??


    ?Today, I don''t have time. What about tomorrow evening? I have some things to report.?


    ?Is Lin Longwei related to your disappearance?? Mu Jian couldn''t refrain from asking.


    The girl sighed, pondering how much to reveal to her friend.


    ?No, but he''s the one to thank that I''m back in one piece...?

 Dinner with the Senator (1)

    Wang Meng was rigorously on time. He picked up Xu Mei with an ordinary-looking car and didn''t even try to get off to open the door for her.


    The girl sat on the passenger seat and fastened the seat belt. Indeed, she was too efficient for wasting time with formalities.


    ?How are you feeling?? the boy asked immediately.


    ?I''m fine.?


    ?Luckily, you didn''t catch a cold. Did Xu Yanhuo scold you too badly??


    ?No, he didn''t. He ordered me to seduce your boss instead.?


    ?We expected that much.?


    ?We? Lin Longwei and you? Were the two of you the culprits behind Bao''s scandal? Did Lin Longwei cause all that mess out of spite? Because my uncle won the elections this time??


    ?I don''t think that''s the reason behind his actions.?


    ?I can''t understand politicians.?


    Wang Meng sighed and focused on driving.


    ?Wang Meng, why are you working for him?? Xu Mei asked, at some point.


    ?Because I want to learn from him whatever I can. Both business and politics.?


    ?Is that all??


    ?I happen to agree with him on some topics, and I want to help him.?


    ?Is he that good as a senator??


    ?He''s the strongest opponent your grandfather has in the Senate, and he has quite a lot of consent. Nearly a third of the Senate is under his command. If he continues on this path, he may enter the State Council soon. Not he personally, I mean, but one of his people.?


    ?So, he may win the next governor elections five years from now??


    ?I think he will. Unless he aims for a higher position when the time comes. And your uncle won''t last for that long. He will retire sooner.?The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    ?You look informed.?


    ?It''s part of my job.?


    ?Speaking of jobs, what do you need me for??


    ?I have no clue.?


    ?How?? she asked, surprised. She thought Wang Meng was the right-hand man of Lin Longwei. Was it possible for him to not know something?


    ?We''re here.? Wang Meng pointed out while the gate of the Pearl Palace was opening.


    Two and a half minute later, he stopped in front of Lin Longwei''s residence.


    ?I am not coming in, see you soon,? he greeted her. He noticed how the girl was still relaxed, and he sighed. Didn''t she have any self-preservation instinct?


    Xu Mei got out of the car and headed to the entrance. She rang the bell puzzled.


    Lin Longwei opened the door in person.


    ?You''re finally here!?


    ?There was a lot of traffic.?


    Xu Mei looked at the clock. It was twenty to seven, almost dinner time.


    She had thought that reaching the Pearl Palace by car would be faster than using the subway. Unfortunately, traffic jams were everywhere at that hour of the day. Wang Meng had done his best, but they still lost a lot of time on the road.


    However, at that moment, refusing to eat with Lin Longwei would be quite impolite. Xu Mei realised it was probably a trap set for her.


    ?What do you want to talk about?? she asked while stepping in.


    ?Supper will be ready soon. Do you want some wine before eating?? Lin Longwei offered, instead of replying.


    ?I want an answer.?


    ?I will show you later all the data I have. It has been a long day for me, right now I''m relaxing my brain.?


    ?You had the time to come find me this morning.?


    ?Yes, I managed somehow,? Lin Longwei confessed with a grin. ?I also want to ask you something more private, but I don''t want to make you angry.?


    ?If your question can anger me, then it''s probably better if you forget it.?


    Xu Mei sat on an armchair in the living room and picked an apple from the table. She tried to bite the fruit, but Lin Longwei stopped her by seizing the apple and putting it back in the basket on the table.


    ?Don''t spoil your appetite!?


    ?Yes, uncle Lin!? Xu Mei replied, rolling her eyes.


    Lin Longwei winced hearing the girl calling him uncle. He didn''t know how he was supposed to react. He wasn''t that older than her, in the end.


    ?Be a good baby-girl and listen to me, then,? he finally said, patting her on the head.


    ?I am not a kid? she complained but didn''t chase his hand away.


    ?I know you''re not.?


    ?Did you want to ask me about Prime Minister Xu??


    ?What did he want you to do??


    ?How do you know?? she asked surprised.


    ?I know a lot of people like him.?


    Xu Mei looked down, considering whether to confess her grandfather''s plan or not. She didn''t dare to say that words to Lin Longwei''s face.


    Her heartbeat quickened, and her hands started to sweat.


    What would Lin Longwei do if he knew?


    Xu Mei didn''t want to make trouble for Lin Longwei, but if he decided to avoid her from that moment on, her grandfather would surely know it. Her mother''s family would be in danger again if she didn''t do what the Prime Minister asked of her.


    ?What does he want from you?? Lin Longwei repeated his question and observed the girl in a panic.


    Her breathing was accelerated, and she didn''t dare to look at him.


    His eyes turned dark with anger.


    ?Answer.?


    She flinched on the armchair but didn''t raise her head yet.


    Lin Longwei was losing his patience.

 Dinner with the Senator (2)

    <div>


    Lin Longwei observed the girl in front of him. He didn''t want to frighten her, but his harsh tone was misunderstood.


    ?I''m not angry,? he tried to comfort her with a sweet tone. ?Not at you, at least.?


    ?I''m not frightened? she defended herself, but she was still in a cold sweat.


    ?Is the Prime Minister blackmailing you??


    ?No!? she denied immediately. Too fast.


    Lin Longwei leaned on the armrests preventing her from getting up and whispered in her ear: ?why are you so nervous? I won''t hurt you, I promise.?


    ?Can I trust a promise from a politician?? she asked mockingly. She was a bit more relaxed than a minute before, but her back was still straight and her senses on alert.


    Lin Longwei smiled and retreated.


    ?Dinner is ready. Let''s eat.?


    When Xu Mei headed to the dining room, the man stopped her.


    ?Wait a moment.?


    He hugged her from behind and rested his head on her shoulder.


    ?I''m so tired. Let me stay this way for a minute only, sixty seconds. You can count.?


    Xu Mei sighed but didn''t push him away.


    She planned to tell him about the order her grandfather gave her but was still afraid of his reaction. That was the main reason why she didn''t refuse his hug.


    His arms were hooked around her waist, and his hair was tickling her neck. After a few seconds, her body finally got rid of the distress. Her head naturally bent and leaned on his. She was still counting the time in her mind, but the numbers were flowing slower.


    When she reached sixty, she parted unwillingly.


    ?I''ll tell you everything at dinner,? she said while walking and looked at him.


    He was smiling tenderly, and the aura around him was so gentle that she didn''t fear any more his reaction. She felt safe, for the first time after a long, long time.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    Lin Longwei moved the chair for her and personally poured her tea. He didn''t force her to talk but waited for her to be ready.


    She ate with appetite. After the overflowing emotions of before, she was finally hungry.


    ?My grandfather asked me to stay by your side to convince you to support him to pass some kind of regulation. He said that he planned to force early elections to try to gain more seats at the Senate. However, since Xu Manho showed on-air his incompetence, he would not be able to obtain so many votes anymore.?


    ?I figured that much, thank you.?


    ?That is the truth!? she defended herself.


    ?I know, I know, but it cannot be all.?


    ?Well, it''s pretty much everything.?


    ?So you were panicking for that??


    ?Yes...??


    Lin Longwei felt his mood improve. He had thought the Prime Minister would send his granddaughter to do the Gods know what to help him gain more votes. That idea angered him so much that he didn''t realise his temper frightened that little kitten that was calmly eating alongside him. He felt the urge to comfort her and protect her from the brutal world she was living in.


    ?So are you going to proceed with the plan?? he asked sneering.


    ?If I wanted to, I wouldn''t admit everything to you.?


    ?It may all be part of a larger plot.?


    ?I''m not like my grandfather. Or like you.?


    He laughed for a few seconds. ?Is it that bad to be like me??


    ?Can I ask you one thing??


    ?Go on.?


    ?Did you plan to create a scandal at the ball in advance, to prevent early elections??


    He looked at her in disbelief. The only reason he ordered Wang Meng to send the photos to the paparazzi was that he saw that young brat push his Xu Mei into the pool without any reason. He couldn''t refrain himself from a little revenge, but he didn''t know if coming clean would gain or deduct him points with the girl. He decided to keep it a secret.


    ?I planned that move long ago. I didn''t expect I would use those photos so soon, but the situation was too alluring.?


    She nodded. ?I''m just asking, I''m not complaining. In the end, you indirectly helped me.?


    ?Then, you owe me again.?


    ?No, I didn''t ask you to do anything!?


    ?I''m kidding.?


    Xu Mei sighed relieved. She already owed him one for not revealing to the Prime Minister how they met. However, she would return the favour by helping him with the data analysis they talked about a few days before.


    ?Did the Prime Minister investigate your incident?? Lin Longwei asked, scanning her expression.


    ?You mean the bruises? No, he said that he searched for the culprits, but his men failed to find anything. I don''t think he has time for such a small matter.?


    ?I don''t understand one thing.?


    ?What??


    ?Your own grandfather is treating you like a tool. Your little cousin pushed you in a pool at night with no second thought. Why the hell are you still staying in that family??


    ?I usually stay at the dormitory or my mom''s home. I spend as little time as I can at the Xu residence.?


    ?They don''t deserve you.?


    ?They don''t even know me truly,? she stated.


    ?There are other things I would like to know, but we''ll talk another time.?


    Lin Longwei wanted an excuse to invite her over again, so he didn''t ask any further.


    ?Let''s talk about work now.?

 The other way around

    In the study, Lin Longwei turned the desk computer on and tapped on the keyboard for a few minutes. Xu Mei sat on the couch patiently.


    ?I have retrieved the data we were talking about last week,? he said after a while. ?Do you want to see??


    ?Yes!?


    Xu Mei walked to him, looking at the large monitor. On the screen, there was a file full of raw numbers.


    ?I see. I''ll need to clean the data first.?


    ?What do you mean??


    ?First, I''ll analyse the columns to deal with the missing records. After that, I''ll normalise to get rid of measure units.?


    ?Normalise??


    ?Now you have numbers that can be rather small or quite large. I''ll bring all of them in the range between zero and one, or minus one and one. I''ll decide later. Then, I''ll search for correlations to find some columns to drop. That will increase the algorithms'' speed.?


    ?Do whatever you want.?


    Lin Longwei surrendered: he didn''t want to annoy her with too many questions. He got up and let her sit at his place.


    Xu Mei snapped her fingers and stretched her arms before starting to work.


    She sent the files to her email and pulled out her laptop from the rucksack she brought with her. She had all the programs she needed already installed there. She would spare time using her own computer.


    She put aside the keyboard and opened her computer. She started typing as soon as a couple of shells opened.


    Two hours later, she sensed the aroma of coffee and, when she looked around, a cup was laying on the desk. She lifted her gaze and met Lin Lingwei''s reassuring smile.


    ?You have a lot of records. I can bail out something useful with this, but I don''t have enough resources here for an extensive analysis. Do you have access to cloud computing??You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    ?I suppose I do. What do you need??


    ?I''m writing the program myself right now. I just need a cluster to run it. Since I didn''t know if you lawfully obtained the data, I didn''t trust the existing services.?


    ?Good girl,? he chuckled, ?but you don''t need to worry. Everything is legal.?


    ?I think that every service in the country refers to the Government. You better avoid market tools, if you don''t want the Prime Minister to have your information without paying any fee.?


    ?Are you tired??


    ?Not really.?


    Xu Mei sipped the coffee. The bitter taste wakened her, and the aroma made her muscles relax.


    Lin Longwei sat in front of the girl and read some documents in silence. She returned to her work with a clear mind.


    Lin Longwei couldn''t keep up with Xu Mei''s rhythm, and he soon started to feel sleepy. He moved to the couch to sit more comfortably but soon fell asleep.


    Xu Mei, on the other side, was used to sleepless nights. She planned to stay up till dawn to write the code and then debug it.


    When she noticed the cadenced breathing of the man on the sofa, she covered him with a blanket. She made sure he wasn''t feeling cold and caressed his forehead carefully. Her hand slithered to his cheek and chin, stopping right before reaching his perfect lips.


    She woke up from her daze and realised what she was doing. She retreated her hand and stepped away from the sleeping man.


    She went back to the desk to finish the work. She looked at the watch on the wall: it was still midnight. She had a lot of time ahead, but she needed to focus.


    When Xu Mei finished, she set up the cloud platform to run the program and packed her things. She was leaving the room when Lin Longwei got up.


    ?Done?? the man asked while passing a hand in his hair. Xu Mei followed the movement with her eyes, fascinated by how handsome he could be right after waking up.


    ?Good morning, Senator Lin. Yes, I''m done. Your results will be ready soon. They will be displayed reasonably, so you won''t need me to interpret them.?


    ?I''ll send you home. Are you going to the dormitory??


    ?I''ll take the subway since it has already opened.?


    ?You can sleep here and go later.?


    ?The world is waking up, and I want to avoid being noticed by journalists walking in the night.?


    ?One more reason to let me drive you.?


    ?I think it''s worse if they see me with you,? she chuckled. ?I don''t know how grandfather may react.?


    ?You worry too much, you know? Isn''t it exactly what the Prime Minister wanted?? Lin Longwei asked, getting close.


    Xu Mei looked into his eyes and remembered her audacious behaviour of a few hours before. She blushed and shifted her gaze.


    She didn''t want him to notice her embarrassment. However, at the same time, Xu Mei feared that he would see in her eyes what she had done while he was sleeping.


    He took advantage of her head''s movement to reduce the distance between them. He held her waist with one arm while, with the other hand, he moved a lock of hair from her neck. She thrilled but managed to push him away.


    Lin Longwei lifted an eyebrow elegantly and moved his hand away from her neck but didn''t let go of her waist.


    The girl noticed, at that moment, that something was not quite right.


    ?It should be the other way around!? she claimed.

 No more deals

    ?What do you mean?? a confused Lin Longwei asked.


    ?It should be me jumping on you and not the contrary.?


    ?I won''t complain.?


    Xu Mei casually hit him on the chest. ?I''m serious. What are you doing??


    ?You want me to be more of a challenge to conquer??


    ?No, it''s not...? she was suddenly silent, perplexed.


    Lin Longwei was messing with her mind!


    ?Why are you touching me all the time??


    ?Does it bother you??


    ?Answer my question first!?


    ?Because I like to. Now you can answer me too.?


    ?It doesn''t bother me.?


    ?Then I don''t have to stop.?


    He tightened his embrace and moved his face closer to hers.


    ?Wait!?


    Xu Mei pushed him and made some steps back. She stopped when her back touched the wall. She finally could breathe.


    Lin Longwei didn''t come any closer but waited for her to clean her mind.


    ?Are you taking advantage of me?? she asked when she recovered her ability to speak.


    ?Yes.?


    Xu Mei didn''t expect such a direct admission, but it made sense. Lin Longwei knew about her involvement with the Insurgents, and he was sure she wouldn''t try any trick on him because of that. He knew what the Prime Minister wanted her to do, so why wouldn''t he rip the best benefits from the situation?


    ?I won''t work for you if you do that,? Xu Mei stated, a bit disappointed.


    She had thought Lin Longwei was different from the people she was surrounded by in the Xu family, but why would he be? He was the same: he had the same education and social status, the same wealth and family background. There was no reason for him to be more human than the people she was trying to break free from.


    ?You know I can find another expert in no time.?This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    ''Right,'' she thought, and her body froze.


    She could leave whenever she wanted, she was capable of escaping from Pearl Palace. At least, she could try. Though, that wouldn''t be a wise move.


    Xu Mei couldn''t foresee Lin Longwei''s reaction, so she had to make sure he wouldn''t retaliate later.


    ?I am more useful than you think.?


    ?I know,? he smiled mischievously.


    She fought against herself to not fall under his charismatic spell. She had to clear some points before losing her mind for good. What more, she needed a solution to the fact that she liked that smile, or she would be staring at that attractive devil non-stop and wouldn''t be able to do her job!


    ?Then you should let go of me.?


    ?But you already are free to come and go from here as you wish.?


    She swallowed. Her brain wasn''t working any more. It was the first time in her life that she didn''t have control over a situation.


    Even Zhou Anan or Xu Bao could bully her solely because she let them. That man in front of her was the first person that could make her lose her keen mind.


    Lin Longwei moved a step in her direction.


    ?Stop there! Don''t come any closer!?


    ?Are you afraid of me??


    She shook the head, but Lin Longwei didn''t believe her.


    ?I already told you that I don''t want to hurt you. And I won''t touch you any more without your consent, ok??


    His voice was tender and seducing. Xu Mei didn''t know whether she could trust him, but a part of her had already surrendered.


    Lin Longwei moved another step forward. The girl''s reaction had initially been a pleasing sight. Seeing Xu Mei all worked up for his embrace had pushed him to tease her even more. But then, she had started to panic again.


    Lin Longwei understood that he didn''t like to see her frightened, even if the reason for that reaction was him.


    ?I was joking.?


    Xu Mei flattened against the wall to get further from him.


    ?I won''t do it again, I promise.?


    ?You are lying,? she uttered with a broken voice.


    ?If I do it again, I''ll let you take revenge. Deal??


    ?No deals with politicians any more.?


    ?No deals, then.?


    Lin Longwei had already accepted that crossing the line would make Xu Mei leave forever. The man leaned on the wall, paying attention not to create any contact between their bodies. He knew that, if he just let her leave like that, there was the possibility he wouldn''t meet her again.


    ?Let''s go see the sunrise.?


    ?What?? she frowned. ?The sun has already been up for some time.?


    ?Here.?


    ?What??


    ?Here is up, but five thousand kilometres from here it''s still night.?


    ?You want to teleport??


    ?Teleportation is not safe yet, I''m talking about bullet trains.?


    ?Are you messing again??


    ?Do you want to try it? The safety testing just ended, and it can be now used by humans.?


    ?Seriously?? she inquired with sparkly eyes. ?So the rumours about the underground tunnels are true? How fast are the bullets? How much energy do they require? What material are they made of??


    ?Details are confidential but, if you want to take a ride, we can go now.?


    Xu Mei nearly followed him before realising it. At that moment, the rational part of her being was entirely under his spell as well. There was no trace of resistance anymore.


    Still, she tried to put an act, to not let him notice how easy it had been.


    ?But how? You are just a senator after all.?


    ?Who said I am only a senator??


    ?It''s impossible! It''s too much: you have a corporation to manage, political issues to solve and also military-level clearance? Who are you??


    ?It''s confidential.?


    ?This is a trap.?


    ?I don''t need to trap you, now, do I??


    ?Indeed.?


    Lin Longwei smiled victoriously. He had realised long before that curiosity was her weak point and used it. Still, he needed to make sure she wouldn''t follow around other people just like that, in the future.

 Why can I see you?

    They left Pearl Palace in a brand-new white car. Lin Longwei drove, while Xu Mei tried in vain to sleep. She was too excited to see with her own eyes the technologies Lin Longwei described to her.


    She opened her eyes and asked: ?when will we be there??


    ?Soon.?


    ?Ok.?


    The silence filled the vehicle for a whole minute.


    ?I''ll see the road to the secret lab this way. Will you kill me later??


    ?No, I won''t.?


    ?Is it far from here??


    ?You''re quite troublesome as a travelling companion, you know??


    ?Do you prefer quiet girls??


    ?Are you asking me about my type??


    ?No.?


    ?Do you want to know??


    ?Not at all.?


    ?I don''t have a type of girl I particularly like.?


    ?Are you gay??


    He braked suddenly.


    Xu Mei looked at the road trying to identify the source of danger but didn''t see anything.


    ?You''re quite brave.?


    She turned immediately and realised why he stopped the car for no reason.


    ?I... It''s not...?


    ?I should show you whether or not I am gay,? he stated and got dangerously close.


    ?You just said that you wouldn''t harass me anymore!?


    ?You are right,? Lin Longwei answered simply and resumed the drive.


    Xu Mei was surprised but said nothing.


    Half an hour later, they arrived at the lab. The car entered the large base secured by soldiers.


    ?Good morning, Mr Lin,? the guard at the gate greeted. ?Is the miss your guest??If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ?Yes, she is.?


    ?Then please wait a minute.?


    The guard typed on his keyboard for a while, and then he nodded to the two. The car proceeded to the parking, and Lin Longwei showed the way to the lift. He pressed a button, and the doors opened.


    Once inside, he pressed the floor number and then inserted a code using a small screen. The elevator started to move downwards.


    Xu Mei followed the man''s actions closely. When she realised that she was peeking on a security procedure, she turned her eyes away and pretended to not have seen anything.


    After a quarter of an hour, they finally arrived at the destination. The doors opened with a ding, and the couple could walk in a spacious hall with modern furniture.


    They approached the reception desk, where a woman was sitting.


    ?Good morning, CEO Lin. It''s a pleasure to have you here. Good morning, miss.?


    Xu Mei observed the woman attentively but couldn''t figure out her face. She could recognise one detail of her features at a time, but never the complete picture. She saw light eyes, then thin lips and even a little scar, but couldn''t see the whole countenance.


    She bent over the desk to look closer, but it didn''t help. It was the first time in her life that something like that happened. She even wondered whether she was going mad.


    She turned to Lin Longwei and could see him clearly.


    ?It''s for security. You cannot see the faces of people while in the base area. It''s one of the security measures taken in here,? Lin Longwei explained. ?So that the people working here are recognised only when necessary.?


    ?And voices??


    ?Voices are also hard to recognise.?


    ?That must be why you aren''t afraid that your higher-ups will punish you for bringing me in.?


    ?Wrong, I''m not afraid because I am the higher-ups,? he explained with a grin. ?I''m the only shareholder and investor.?


    ?Shareholder? Isn''t this a national lab??


    ?No, it''s my private.?


    ?Why can I see you perfectly??


    ?That''s because you love me so much that you can remember my face at all times.?


    She raised her eyebrows. ?Is it true??


    ?No, I''m an exception. Some of the guards and I need to see and be seen.?


    ?So you can see me too, but she cannot??


    ?Right,? he said gently.


    The woman observed the two interact and smiled politely at her boss. ?Do you want me to show the miss around??


    ?No need, I''ll do it.?


    ?There are some people from the Government visiting right now, I thought you were here to meet with them,? she explained.


    ?Good to know,? he waved his hand before leaving. Each time they met people along the way, Xu Mei felt their gazes on her.


    ?Are we really going to use bullet transport??


    ?Only if it is available. Behind this door, there is the teleport experiment station. Nowadays they are working on fruits only.?


    ?Is it fine to tell me so many things? Really??


    ?I told you already: I am the boss here.?


    ?If you say so... You said they teleport fruits.?


    ?Yes. If you want, I can introduce you to the head scientist. He will be able to explain everything in detail.?


    Xu Mei''s eyes lightened, and she nodded with conviction. Lin Longwei laughed at her enthusiastic expression and returned to walk towards the end of the hallway.


    ?Do you have a time machine??


    ?It''s forbidden to research time. Since messing with time may cause the end of the world, the Government forbid private researches on time travel.?


    ?It''s the same with teleportation. You can create black holes with teleportation machines.?


    ?I have the necessary concessions, don''t worry.?


    ?And the bullet transport? Is it under concession??


    ?No, but we are cooperating with the Military because it needs a special infrastructure to work and they don''t have enough funds for it.?


    ?Makes sense.?


    ?Wait here for a while, will you??


    Xu Mei nodded and sat on a chair in a rest area nearby.


    Lin Longwei came back soon.


    ?The bullets are under test, and we can''t use them today, but I can show you around.?


    ?Ok,? Xu Mei shrugged. She was already happy to see with her eyes such an advanced laboratory.

 The mysterious officer

    ?Senator Lin, you are here as well??


    They turned, following the voice, and saw a group of people in shirt and tie. Xu Mei stood near Lin Longwei in silence, not too interested in them.


    ?Yes, I am. Are you inspecting the work??


    ?We have just finished,? the same man answered.


    Xu Mei felt familiar but didn''t give weight to it, because she probably already met that man on another occasion. Those people were seemingly the officers that the secretary had mentioned when Lin Longwei and the girl just got in.


    ?Is everything all right?? Lin Longwei asked, totally unbothered.


    ?Seems so. Do you have time for a chat??


    ?I''m busy right now.?


    ?I see.? The man looked briefly at Xu Mei but didn''t examine her further. Either way, he couldn''t see her face. He could just guess that it was a girl and, judging by the cheerful colour of her dress, a young one.


    ''It must be the cousin,'' the office thought. It was a very well-known fact that Senator Lin used to spoil his younger cousin, Lin Yulan.


    Meanwhile, Xu Mei observed the man in silence, noticing how his relationship with Lin Longwei seemed that of two rivals respecting each other. His fair skin testified he was near Lin Longwei''s age. She tried to remember the people from the Government she knew that were young enough. None of them matched the height and physique of the officer in front of her.


    ?In that case, we will go. I''ll trouble you another day about the documents I requested but didn''t receive.?


    ?Such a thing happened?? Lin Longwei asked suspiciously. ?What kind of documents??


    The man thought for a moment about how to reveal the minimum amount of information. He needed to be understood by Lin Longwei but not the person next to him. Even if it was someone the man trusted, the project was a matter where the Government was involved. Not anyone could listen to its details.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    ?I would like to see the accounting reports on the project that the Government invested in. However, it''s not an urgent matter. It can wait.?


    The officer fixed the sleeve of his shirt with a swift movement. Xu Mei kept her breath, realising who was in front of her.


    That movement... She knew only two people with so much elegance: her grandfather and her older brother.


    Lin Longwei noticed her reaction and greeted the people in front of them quickly. He surrounded Xu Mei''s shoulders with an arm to distract her, but she managed anyway to glimpse the man''s mouth and a tiny mole on the lower lip.


    Wasn''t he supposed to be out of the country at that time?


    ?That was...? she started as soon as they were alone, but Lin Longwei signalled to keep quite.


    ?You... I can''t believe how much of an actor you can be!?


    ?How can you be so sure you know him??


    ?I know my brother! And I saw the mole on his lower lip,? she whispered so that only Lin Longwei could hear.


    ?You saw it??


    ?Yes. What''s so surprising??


    ?You shouldn''t be able to.?


    ?Why? You cannot see a whole face, I get it, but you can identify people from the details. I''m sorry to say that your system isn''t flawless.?


    ?Mei, normal people don''t see the details.?


    ?Ah.?


    Xu Mei looked at him, disoriented. In part, she was afraid that they would do experiments on her to find out why the system failed. The rest of her confusion was due to Lin Longwei saying her name out loud for the first time.


    ?I was joking. I cannot see anything!? the girl defended herself, laughing nervously.


    ?I won''t hand you over to the scientists,? Lin Longwei voiced.


    ?Mhm. There is no need since I see... Ehm...? What was she supposed to see?


    ?Theoretically, you should forget a face as soon as you see it. Then, the brain tries to construct an image that won''t cause inconsistency with your current knowledge. It''s usually a blurry image, like smoke or fog. The face is forgotten before your brain has time to construct it. At least, this is how they explained it to me.?


    ?It''s odd enough this way. I cannot imagine how weird should your employees feel every day.?


    ?They say you get used to it.?


    ?Well, your lab sure it''s crowded during the night,? Xu Mei noticed. ?What time is it??


    ?Almost eight o''clock. It''s not that early...?


    ?I have a test in two hours!? Xu Mei remembered all of a sudden.


    Lin Longwei chuckled.


    ?I need something from my office, and then we can leave. Do you want to come with me??


    ?Of course. If I stay here, people will stare.?


    ?They see you are a guest from your outfit,? he explained while passing the gaze on her light yellow shirt and short jeans, on her long legs and finishing on her black sandals. ?It''s quite cold here.?


    ?I''m fine, thank you,? she uttered and preceded him on the hallway.


    ?It''s the other way.?


    ?Oh!? She turned around quickly.

 The Insurgents

    Lin Longwei dropped the girl in front of the university right before the classes had started.


    Xu Mei entered the classroom imprecating silently against Lin Longwei for not letting her sleep at all. She had tried to relax on the way back, but the excitement caused by the visit to Lin Longwei''s secret lab hindered her rest. What was the worst, she didn''t even see the bullet transport tunnels!


    Mu Jian sneered when he saw the dark circles around her eyes. Xu Mei was too tired to answer to his provocation, so she decided to ignore his cunning smile. She would have gone home to rest if they didn''t have a test that morning.


    ?I see you were busy all night,? Mu Jian said while entering the auditorium.


    ?I was busy writing code,? she replied. She didn''t need to lie, in the end.


    ?So busy that you didn''t change your clothes.?


    ?I realised the time too late.?


    ?Who do you think you''re lying to? Simple coding can''t possibly make you look that bad. You have been doing something else.?


    ?Think what you want,? she ended the conversation and sat on her usual place. The professor entered just in time and handed the paper tests to his assistants.


    She focused on the test, trying to do as much as she could.


    When time finished, she delivered her answer sheets and headed back to sleep.


    ?Are you already leaving?? Mu Jian asked, following the girl.


    ?I''m going to sleep. We''ll meet after dinner as we''ve already agreed.?


    Xu Mei went into her room and didn''t have the strength to change but directly collapsed on the bed. She didn''t wake up until dinner time.


    She ate fast and took a shower before going out. She made sure to leave her phone in the room.


    Mu Jian was waiting for her in the park near the university.


    They walked in silence, both lost in thoughts. They reached a little house used for keeping tools for the park''s maintenance and entered. Inside, they opened a trap-door and went down a narrow spiral staircase.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    Once down, they used a torch to make light along the way. They finally reached a door with an electronic lock. They entered a code and could see the headquarters of the Insurgents.


    The first room was empty and dark, but the next one was quite crowded.


    The large central table was surrounded by people playing cards and drinking while, on the sides, some souls were talking in small groups.


    The two youngsters crossed the room and reached the end of the lounge. They walked in a dark hallway.


    ?You are finally back,? a man''s voice uttered with worry.


    A forty-years-old man was standing in the dark with his arms crossed. He was tall and had a trained physique. He signalled with his head to enter in a small office. His dark hair was wet, and his eyes had the same shape as Xu Mei''s.


    ?Uncle Ling, it''s a pleasure to meet you ag...? Mu Jian started, intending to ease the tension.


    ?Shut up and go play with the others. I need to talk with the girl.?


    ?Understood, boss. See you later!? the boy retreated after being roared at.


    Xu Mei followed the man in the office and sat sprawled on a shabby chair.


    ?What happened??


    ?During the operation, I failed to reach the satellite dish and couldn''t disrupt the signal. The security guards found me, so I fled. I was nearly out of danger when I met some underlings of Shen Peng.?


    ?How did you survive??


    ?Well, I''m not sure. Shen Peng simply delivered me as a gift.?


    ?To whom??


    ?Lin Longwei.?


    ?That''s an interesting divergence,? the man considered while writing on a notebook.


    Xu Mei ignored his sentences when she couldn''t understand them fully, which happened quite often.


    ?He has a secret lab developing strange stuff,? Old Ling said while tapping his chin with the pen.


    ?I know,? Xu Mei answered directly.


    Old Ling happened to have a lot of information at hand, and no one could guess how he obtained it, but she was used to that.


    ?Did you visit it??


    Xu Mei raised her eyebrows. ?Does Senator Lin bring anyone there??


    ?Not anyone. Consider this as an intuition, but I think you''re the first person he showed his toys to.?


    ?How can you predict something like that? Are you an oracle?? the girl asked, getting up.


    ?Something of that sort.?


    Xu Mei sat back and sighed.


    Old Ling was a monster. Not only he could find information no one else had, but he could also predict outcomes with frightening precision.


    Xu Mei had heard stories about how he guessed the lottery numbers when the Insurgents were at the very beginning and needed fundings.


    ?Did Xu Yanhuo already take advantage of the situation??


    ?He gave me orders.?


    ?He''ll try to pass a law that orders people to install under-skin chips. For sanitary reasons, they''ll say. It cannot be approved, by any means.?


    ?I don''t know, I didn''t inquiry exactly which regulation was my grandfather talking about. He said he needed more than half for the quorum.?


    ?Then it''s about the voting process. I''m not sure yet. It may be about increasing the number of representatives in the Senate or the conditions for eligibility. Both the reforms are in Xu Yanhuo''s plan, and they may seem innocuous at first glance. However, the Prime Minister has hidden purposes. It''s better to delay the approval until we find out more.?


    ?Why do I feel like you already know everything??


    ?It''s all a mask. You should learn too. It may come in handy.?


    ?Old Ling, you have the talent to be a politician. However, can we go back to my kidnapping for a moment??


    ?Yes, what do you think??


    ?We have a mole.?

 Old Ling

    <div>


    ?I knew that already, but the mole I am aware of is under control? Old Ling stated while scratching his chin. He had his own strategy of dealing with spies. He would use them until they had any value, and he would get rid of them as soon as they were problematic or worthless.


    ?I''ll find a way to surprise you before I die,? Xu Mei said, a bit disappointed. That man''s sources of information were so reliable that there was nothing he couldn''t uncover if he wanted to. A spy was not a big deal for the head of the Insurgents.


    ?You already did, from my point of view,? Old Ling stated with a complicated expression. He often had that look, like he wanted to say something but couldn''t dare to.


    ?It''s a pity I wasn''t paying attention at that time.?


    Old Ling chuckled, amused. That little brat was his first asset and one of the first people to join the Insurgents. If there was someone he would bet all his stakes on, it was her.


    ?What should I do from now on?? Xu Mei asked.


    ?It may come in handy to know someone from the Senate.?


    ?You''re just like my grandfather? she observed crossing her arms. Despite her words, though, her face wasn''t showing any distress.


    ?You won''t take part in our actions anymore.?


    ?Why?? she complained loudly.


    ?It''s an order.?


    ?So it''s okay for me to climb into beds but not to fight??


    ?You don''t have to climb into beds.?


    ?You said the opposite a few minutes ago.?


    ?I didn''t talk about beds. Just do what you feel right? the man uttered looking at her mockingly. ?I already know how this is going to end, by the way.?


    ?Of course you do!?


    ?Just be happy.? Old Ling''s eyes were full of sadness. The pen was laying on the table, and he was playing with a little black box. Xu Mei had seen that device many times, and it has always been turned off. The girl didn''t know what its purpose was, nor if it even worked anymore. Maybe, it was an old phone Old Ling was keeping because of nostalgia.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ?Old regrets??


    ?Not my regrets. I''m still too young for regrets.?


    Once again, she didn''t fully understand whether he was joking or was serious. She didn''t even know if asking further would cause him pain. Maybe he was waiting for someone that would ask him.


    However, she decided to keep her questions for herself. If Old Ling wanted to tell her about her past, he would have already done it.


    ?If you say so, Old Ling.?


    ?Let''s go see the others. Mu Jian must be drunk and poor by now,? Old Ling changed the topic and got up. Then, he remembered something and turned back. ?Hold onto that Lin Longwei. He''s your lucky charm.?


    He opened the door and walked out of the room without further words. Xu Mei stayed still, with her mouth open because of the shock. She didn''t expect the head of the Insurgent to give her advice about relationships.


    In the main hall, the atmosphere was as lively as usual. Mu Jian was focused on his cards and didn''t notice Xu Mei sitting next to him and peaking at his cards.


    ?I would give up if I were you,? she mocked him.


    ?Xu Mei! Don''t give them information!? he complained but immediately returned calm and raised the stake, his yellow eyes still angry.


    ?I want to go home, haven''t you lost enough??


    ?Today, I''m lucky.?


    ?Do you even know the rules??


    The people around Xu Mei and Mu Jian laughed, and some of the players raised the stakes as well. They observed the exchange the two brats had, and they realised that the courage Mu Jian was showing should have been just an enormous bluff.


    The Insurgents wagered even more than they planned, foreseeing their immense profits and the things they would buy with their wins. And then they lost.


    Xu Mei and Mu Jian beat high five, cheering over their triumph.


    ?You finished your talk?? Mu Jian asked while collecting his gains.


    ?Yes.?


    ?Do we have orders, Old Ling??


    ?No. You have exams soon, don''t you? Use your time to study. I don''t want to see you here for a while. I''ll call if I need you,? Old Ling explained and went out again.


    Xu Mei and Mu Jian left the base and headed back to the dormitory.


    The Insurgents that remained in the hall continued to drink and play while chatting. They were emptying the bottles rather fastly, and they waited for Mu Jian and Xu Mei to be out of reach, before changing the topic of the conversation.


    ?Old Ling is especially considerate with those two brats,? one of them marked. The man ordered his cards and showed a displeased grimace. His hand was weak, for that round. He gave up immediately to avoid higher losses.


    ?Don''t be jealous, they are useful in other ways. I suppose.?


    ?Old Lin has always been protective of the Xu girl. And they look alike if you observe them one next to the other. Maybe they are family.?


    ?Who knows?? a younger boy uttered. He wasn''t so interested in that matter. He just wanted to play. ?Did the boss ever made a mistake? I''m sure he has a bigger plan. For little flies like us, trying to understand him is just a waste of time.?


    <div>

 Lin Yulan

    <div>


    Lin Longwei entered his office at the Lin Corporation''s headquarters, followed by Wang Meng.


    ?This afternoon, the Board is discussing the candidates to the position of CEO. Both the names you suggested passed the first selection, and we can assume that the new CEO of the corporation will be your man,? Wang Meng started. He put some documents on the desk and looked at his phone.


    ?Good,? Lin Longwei muttered.


    ?However, it will need a few months for him to take full charge. You will be quite busy for the time being.?


    ?It''s good. I''ll have an excuse to avoid boring parties.?


    Lin Longwei read the documents and signed a couple of them, while a female secretary brought tea.


    When the woman had closed the door, Lin Longwei returned to talk with Wang Meng.


    ?What do I have planned today??


    ?In the afternoon you have an interview for the national channel. I emailed you the expected questions they sent us and the analysis I made on them. There won''t be surprises, probably. By the way, it is not live. The show will be aired tomorrow. Considering the amount of work you have had recently, I made sure you had the evening free.?


    ?Have you looked into that matter??


    ?The investigators are still working, but I''ll report as soon as they finish.?


    ?Good. Anything else??


    ?Your cousin is here.?


    ?Now??


    ?Yes, sir.?


    ?What does she want??


    ?Just to see you, I suppose.?


    ?You suppose too often, Wang Meng. Tell the secretary to let her in. She''s probably the only person I''m willing to see right now,? Lin Longwei said while massaging his temples. His head was starting to ache.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    A young girl, barely an adult, broke into the office smiling.


    ?Big brother! I finally can see you. It has become an impossible mission to talk with you, you have too much work!?


    ?Yulan, I missed you too. How are you doing at school?? He smiled, the pain in part relieved.


    ?It''s fine, but I can''t wait for graduation. I have good grades, except for Business Management. I''ll ask you for help, is it okay??


    ?Wang Meng just said that I''ll be busy for a while. I''ll find someone to help you, okay?? Lin Longwei offered.


    Lin Yulan nodded, even though she was a bit disappointed. She didn''t think her big brother would simply designate someone else to deal with her.


    ?I was thinking... What if I do an internship in one of the Lin Corporation''s subsidiaries? Or I can work as your assistant! Anything is fine. My goal is to learn from experience,? she proposed.


    ?So, are you trying to steal the job from Wang Meng?? Lin Longwei asked.


    Lin Yulan looked at her cousin, confused, and then turned to Wang Meng.


    ?It was not my intention. I can''t do a better job than Mr Wang.?


    Wang Meng smiled politely to the girl. Even though she was very lively, she was indeed well-mannered and well-taught.


    ?I''m asking now because you announced you were quitting your job as the Lin Corporation''s CEO. Waiting means losing the chance to learn from the best in the field,? she praised her cousin.


    ?If I let you alone working in one of the subsidiaries, grandfather will directly kill me. On the other hand, your parents ordered me to not spoil you. Now tell me, what should I do??


    Lin Yulan sat quietly for a while, thinking. She let her grades drop to have a reason to ask her cousin to work with him, but she didn''t expect that the first challenge to reach her goal would come so early.


    ?I want to be of help to our Lin family in the future. I''m asking for a chance to show you how capable I am.?


    ?If you weren''t my little sister, I would ask you to join my party. You''re sharp and somehow diplomatic. What do you thing, Wang Meng??


    Lin Yulan straightened her back and looked at the boy next to her cousin. It looked like she valued his opinion very much.


    ?I think Miss Lin would do a great job, but finishing school should be her priority. Working for a corporation requires devotion. That is the reason why CEO Lin is retiring: because he''s busy in a lot of other fields. I''m afraid Miss Lin may end neglecting her studies in favour of her career. You''re still young, and that would be a real shame.?


    ?I understand? she agreed with a sad face, looking at her fingers. ?Then, I''ll take my leave.?


    ?Wait, Yulan,? Lin Longwei stopped her. ?I''ll have time for you during the lunch break. Choose a restaurant you like and make a reservation. You can stay in my office until noon.?


    Her face brightened up again.


    ?Copy that!? she pronounced and immediately pulled out her phone to search for a popular place where to eat.


    <div>

 Her lucky charm

    <div>


    Xu Mei stood in front of Pearl Palace''s gates for a while with her phone in hand. She was thinking whether to write a message to Lin Longwei to ask him if he was home or to turn around and go back at the dormitory unnoticed.


    It was Wednesday evening, past dinner time. She hadn''t seen him for two days already.


    She finally made the decision and got closer to the gates, but then again changed her mind. Before she could go back, however, the small gate opened.


    Xu Mei sighed and passed through. She had been discovered.


    The girl reached the last residence and knocked on the door.


    The butler opened to her. The man raised his eyebrows, surprised, and let her in.


    ?Good evening, miss. I didn''t know master was expecting guests.?


    ?It''s a surprise.?


    ?I see. Please, wait in the living room for a minute. I''ll call for the master.?


    Xu Mei sat on the couch, lost in her thoughts.


    The butler was surprised by her visit, which meant that he didn''t open the gate. Lin Longwei wasn''t waiting for her, so he didn''t open it either. Was she among the people with permission to pass through the Pearl Palace''s gates?


    She recalled the words Lin Longwei said to her the previous time they saw each other: ?you already are free to come and go from here as you wish.?


    Could it be that Lin Longwei had actually granted her permission to cross the gates at all times?


    Finally, Lin Longwei appeared.


    ?Good evening, Mei.?


    Xu Mei raised her gaze and noticed the dark circles around Lin Longwei''s eyes. The man was wearing a simple t-shirt and sweatpants, and his hair was messy, making him look younger than when wearing a shirt and tie.


    ?Good evening. Are you busy these days??


    ?Yes. One of the projects I''m overseeing is behind schedule, and it will be time to start campaigning soon. And you??


    ?Are you eating regularly? Are you sleeping enough??A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    ?You seem worried.?


    ?You look awful.?


    ?Thank you.?


    Xu Mei got up from the couch and approached him.


    ?I''m here to ask you if you have looked at the results of my program.?


    ?Yes, I did. But the numbers are not exactly intelligible.?


    ?How come? I even used the colours!?


    ?The report is a sheet full of numbers. Yes, some of them are coloured, but it doesn''t help very much.?


    ?I''ll explain anything you don''t understand,? she offered.


    ?Come to the study. I was just trying to make a sense out of it.?


    In the study, Lin Longwei sat in front of the computer and opened the files generated by Xu Mei''s program. The girl stood by his side until he pulled her by hand to sit on his lap.


    ?For example, this one is blue. What does it mean??


    ?This is the partial sum of the records until this point.?


    ?And those red and green??


    ?They are probabilities. Green means high, red low. They denote how much precise is the algorithm on test data.?


    ?There are only low numbers here!?


    ?Ah, yes. I should have thought about it: you businessmen are used to percentages. I''ll fix it in a moment, wait,? she said and started to type on the keyboard.


    Lin Longwei patiently waited while caressing her forearm absent-mindedly. Xu Mei stopped his hand after a while.


    ?You''re distracting me.?


    ?Oh, sorry? he apologised and moved the hand to her waist. The girl didn''t complain, so he left it there.


    ?Done,? she finally spoke.


    On the screen, there were now percentages where before were unadorned numbers between zero and one.


    ?I didn''t think about it because we don''t use percentages in this form. They are easy to understand and remember, but they are a bother for calculations.?


    ?Now everything makes kind of sense. Thank you.?


    Lin Lingwei turned to her and got closer slowly. She straightened her back surprised but didn''t move, unsure what was happening. When their faces were inches apart, he reached out his hand to pick the phone from the desk.


    ?Tomorrow, I''ll show the report to the marketing office of the party.?


    Xu Mei returned to examine the numbers. She didn''t understand why she felt so disappointed.


    ?Are the results so interesting?? he asked then.


    ?I''m just checking if they''re all right.?


    ?And??


    ?Everything seems fine.?


    ?Good. I didn''t ask you if you needed anything. I was quite surprised to see you.?


    ?Oh, not really. I have a test tomorrow, and someone told me that you are my lucky charm, so I wanted to check if seeing you helps or not.?


    ?Have you studied??


    ?Not yet. I have all night for that.?


    ?Now I''m afraid you''ll be angry if I don''t bring you luck.?


    ?Don''t worry, I won''t be angry at you.?


    ?Who is it that told you that, by the way??


    ?It''s a secret.?


    She started to get up, but he held her back.


    ?You have your books with you, right??


    She nodded. ?Yes, I came directly from classes.?


    ?Why don''t you stay here? Going back to the university takes a lot of time, and the room you used in the past is still available. I have work to do, too. We can keep each other company.?


    ?Okay,? she agreed. That way, she could make sure he slept early.


    Lin Longwei''s expression lightened, while his smile made Xu Mei skip a few heartbeats. She was still sitting on his lap and didn''t want to part yet, but she forced herself to get up.


    ?On one condition: if you feel tired, you''ll go to bed. Sleeping on the couch isn''t good for your health,? the girl ordered him.


    ?So you were worried, deep in your heart.?


    She rolled her eyes but didn''t deny.


    <div>