34_Imaginary Hatred

"Why are you here.. some people might recognize you.." Li Yao said in a low voice while still in Mu Lihai's arms.

"I just returned from abroad not too long ago. They won't recognize me." he whispered in her ear.

Li Yao's ears weren't wrong after all, his voice sounded restrained and hoarse. She then realized that his body was far too cold than normal. His face also held a hint of fatigue.

"Why are you so cold?" she looked up to see his face but he told her to stay put.

Then he pulled her to the car and they drove away from the building. Head Attorney Wang saw everything and he heaved up a long frustrated sigh.

In the car, Li Yao hovered over Mu Lihai to make his body warmer. She even took the liberty of instructing the driver to switch on the heater to a higher level.

When Mu Lihai saw this, his heart swelled with happiness to a degree of no return. He was really in love with this woman. He felt that time was precious whenever she was around.

"You're so cold, what if you get admitted to the hospital again?" Li Yao was worried.

"I'm fine.." he took her hands in his. When he realized how she was safe in his sight, he suddenly felt tired.

"You didn't answer the phone and didn't reply to my messages. I'm so worried.." his words trailed off until he leaned his head over to her shoulder. The next moment, she realized he was quiet.

"Mu Lihai?" Li Yao stared at his face. He looked exhausted and deprived of sleep.

"Mu Lihai, are you okay?" she tried again but he didn't respond.

"President Mu might have fallen asleep. He just returned from country X since he had to settle things in the subsidiary company there." the driver took the chance to enlighten her. He could see that the woman was truly worried about the president and that she wasn't pretentious or clingy.

Li Yao had that look of surprise and he then knew she didn't know of it.

"He was there since Saturday morning and was supposed to come back tomorrow. Yet he finished things earlier and went back today." the driver told Li Yao.

She suddenly felt very guilty. He must be worried sick that he couldn't contact her at all for the past few days.

'I'm so selfish..' she told herself while pursing her lips into a thin line.

Li Yao shifted her position so that she could hug Mu Lihai for more warmth. His breathing was even and she felt satisfied knowing it. She caressed the man's head lovingly and her face looked like she was almost crying. But she wasn't. She just held it in.

"I'm sorry." said Li Yao.

*

The driver thought of driving Li Yao home first before sending the president to Mu Estate. So when they arrived at her apartment complex, he was surprised to hear her asking him for assistance to bring the president into her house.

Nevertheless, he helped her still.

When Mu Lihai was laid upon the soft mattress of her bed in the bedroom, she asked the driver to tell Mu Lihai's assistant that he was with her. The driver nodded and he went away.

Li Yao got inside the bathroom to prepare some warm water in a basin and a clean cloth. She got back to the bed and she took off Mu Lihai's long coat. She also got rid off his black leather gloves and socks. When that was done, she stilled.

Was she really going to do this?

Still hesitant, she nodded her head firmly. Then Li Yao continued unbuttoning his suit jacket, and putting it on the bedside table. The feelings she got when taking off his cufflinks was something that she couldn't explain. It felt like she was really his wife, taking care of her husband.

Her heart beat faster and faster and her face flushed red. Worse, she remembered the intimate things they did on this very same bed in her room that night.

Her heart palpitated further. She felt her body turned hot although it was cold due to winter.

"Focus, me!" Li Yao finally got herself back on track after a few times of trying. Mu Lihai's charm was even more dangerous when he was fast asleep. She definitely wouldn't tell him this!

Li Yao continued taking off his shirt and she warmed his torso with warm water. His tired and pale face made her heart shrink and she felt sad. The fact that he didn't even stir in his sleep when she was doing all this was a straight giveaway that he was really in a need of a deep slumber.

When Li Yao was done, she went to the other room where her father's old study was located. She rummaged through an old box and found what she was looking for. Her father's long-sleeve top. She was thankful that she didn't throw the boxes out when she started to live here.

Li Yao donned the shirt on Mu Lihai's body carefully as if she was taking care of a child. When she was done, she curled him up with a blanket then she covered him with a quilt.

Now he looked so peaceful in his sleep that she couldn't help smiling. He was even cute while sleeping! She couldn't get enough of him.

Li Yao stared at the man for a long time while she touched his fringe softly, her eyes a definition of pure love. Then she put the temperature of the air conditioner to a higher degree and then decided to take a bath.

Her chest filled with love and joy as she was able to look after him. Li Yao suddenly thought of how their life would be like when they got married. Her heart skipped a beat at this thought and she couldn't help but become a bit hopeful.

She thought of how stupid an idea of hating this man was. She could never hate him in this lifetime and in another. She could never blame him for what happened to her mother.

Li Yao didn't know whether he was aware of this or not but that wasn't the matter anymore. She wanted to let him know and cleared up all her thoughts on this, once and for all.

Because she loved him. And her love for him far surpassed her imaginary hatred that she had built over the years.

That was what she came to know after being alone for the past few days.