44_Tailing

"Is there anything else?" Mu Lihai inquired his assistant for any work-related news. His eyes were glued to the laptop on his desk and he was busy looking over the data. There were 30 minutes left before he would be off from work and go to fetch Li Yao.

"As of now, nothing. The matter in Country X has been settled and they're progressing well. But.." Zhu Kang halted his words to look at Mu Lihai's expression.

"What?" Mu Lihai frowned. Was there a problem?

"I got some intel just now that there are someone who's been tailing us since we boarded the plane from country X." Zhu Kang told Mu Lihai.

"What..?" Mu Lihai was surprised. He was well aware that having a prominent name such as Mu was not a small matter because they could attract attention. But he couldn't believe that there was someone who would dig into his life. He had been silent and away from the country for six years after all.

Or could it be a business rival?

Because he just took over the company?

Seeing Mu Lihai deep into his own reverie, Zhu Kang proposed an idea.

"Young master, I think we should just wait for further information. I'll tell our security details to lay low and wait for their move." Zhu Kang suggested.

Mu Lihai knitted his brows together as he didn't get what his assistant was saying. Then, an idea popped up in his head.

"You realized that they're not harmful?" he asked Zhu Kang.

"It seems so, young master. Their motive is still unknown but according to our observation, it looks like they're looking for something instead." Zhu Kang answered like a motivated assistant as he was.

"Hmm.." Mu Lihai hummed and nodded lightly.

Mu Lihai was sure that he didn't offend someone recently or in the past six years so the tailing might not be threatening. He suddenly remembered his early teenage years where he had whined and complained to his parents for putting security details around him. He didn't like it. He felt trapped and everything he did would be known by his parents soon after. That was why he was kind of wild when he was in highschool before. It was a sign of protest to his parents. He liked trying new things that Liu Gaonan suggested. And by new things.. new and reckless things teenager often did. Like smoking, driving without licence, playing and dominating the arcade, going back late, crashing at his friend's place for several days without going home etc..

Thinking back to his stupid old days, Mu Lihai sighed a breather and shook his head a couple of times. He was lucky though, he had friends he could count on for real and not just friends for benefit to leech. But of course they wouldn't leech off him. His friends were all from prominent families themselves. Why would they leech?

"Hey, Zhu Kang." Mu Lihai faced the bespectacled man. Zhu Kang's eyebrows raised slightly due to his boss calling him with his name. He glanced over the clock and found that there were still 20 minutes before office hour ended.

"I won't call you assistant Zhu anymore." Mu Lihai stated.

"Huh?" Zhu Kang tilted his head. Confusion laced his countenance.

"I'll call you by your name but you can call me like how you usually did. I don't mind." Mu Lihai said as he started sorting out some paperwork and closing his laptop.

"Uh.. sure?" Zhu Kang honestly didn't prefer to be called by his name because he tended to forget his identity as a professional assistant. He might act like childhood friends around Mu Lihai. That was why he asked to be called as assistant Zhu.

But oh well.. who cared anymore?

They were still friends no matter who they were at work, right?

When Mu Lihai got up from his seat, he told Zhu Kang to keep him updated with those people tailing him. Mu Lihai now felt very thankful for his parents who insisted on him having his security whenever he went to. Because he didn't plan to do it himself- his parents were the ones who manage his safety ever since he was young. Since he couldn't care less about it.

Then suddenly, Mu Lihai's step stopped after he realized something very crucial.

"Does that mean my parents know?" he faced Zhu Kang.

"They know.. the bodyguards they hired for you reported to them first before they informed me." Zhu Kang told Mu Lihai to which he saw his boss slumping on his seat back again.

"Damn.. they definitely won't keep quiet about this." Mu Lihai complained to himself. His tone a little bit frustrated.

As far as he wouldn't like to admit- Mu Lihai's parents were very protective of him. Especially when they knew he had that desease in him due to the bacterial infection.

He was their only child and they almost lost him because his condition always put him at risk since his immune system was weakened.

And that incident six years ago triggered Mu Lihai's nightmare and his condition worsened because of the lack of sleep.

Now.. which parents wouldn't get worried for their son all the time?

"I'll get it from them.." Mu Lihai groaned, disatisfied.

"Sorry to interrupt your mourning, young master. But I guess that's how it is for being the only child in the family." Zhu Kang teased. His eyes shone with a bit of mirth.

"The 'perks' of being the only child.. but I'm one with issues at that. How terrible my fate is." Mu Lihai answered Zhu Kang sarcastically with word 'perks' being stressed notably.

Zhu Kang stiffled a laugh as he helped Mu Lihai walked out from the office by opening the door for him. Then the two of them were no longer in sight as they went inside the private elevator.

*

Both Mu Lihai and Li Yao arrived at her apartment after he went to fetch her from work. Mu Lihai stripped out of his suit jacket and as if in cue, Li Yao took it from him and hung it on a stand. She put down an oversized home slippers that she bought after the first time he came over and told him to wear them.

The slippers were as usual, fluffy with cute lion ears sticking out on the edge. It matched hers which were in cute bunny ears. Li Yao deliberately chose the fluffy ones for Mu Lihai as it helped in keeping him warm. The tile floor had gotten super cold now that it was winter.

"Come." Li Yao then pulled her boyfriend towards the kitchen to help her cook. She had a wide smile all over her face and it made his heart skip a beat.

When she finished preparing all the ingredients, just to cook them in a pot, she stopped. Li Yao thought of going to get a shower first before they continue now that all ingredients were ready.

Li Yao took a good glance over Mu Lihai who was rinsing some vegetables in the sink. He had his white shirt's sleeves folded until his elbow. There were some muscle veins popping out faintly from his wrist up to his arms. She found the sight alluring. Even the first two buttons of his shirt were opened, allowing his pale skin chest to show like a display.

Now that she realized.. Mu Lihai had a pale complexion. Even his body. His body wasn't like typical men's which was toned. If she was to compare, then he might be paler and whiter than her.

Was this due to his condition that was sensitive to cold?