Girl, Long Time No See

The metal letters 'MZ' atop the headquarters of the MZ Group glinted in the sun. The impressive building, comparable to the Empire State Building, stood in the most prosperous area of the Wall Street.

The 88th floor was home to the CEO's office, which was done up in a monochromatic color scheme. The redwood desk and the pure cashmere carpet from Australia pointed to the owner's simplistic but luxurious taste in interiors.

A tall and slender figure stood brooding in front of the huge French window. He was swirling the scarlet liquid in the wine glass in his hand, and he looked lonely.

Knock! Knock! Knock! There were three raps on the door.

"Come in," called the indifferent voice in the room.

A man with seductive eyes entered with a smile on his lips.

"Mr. Lucian, here is the financial statement of the Caspar Manor, the hotel in China, which is affiliated to the MZ Group. The manager of the hotel is requesting to expand the scale of operations in China." The assistant's voice was gentle and polished.

"Well, let them submit a proposal of the expansion first. I will discuss the specifics of the plan when I go back." Lucian Mu's voice was cold and emotionless. He opened his thin lips and sipped the wine in his glass.

"Okay. I've booked your flight ticket to go back. Do you want me to inform your brother?"

"Let him come back a few days later. I guess he is very busy these days."

"Okay, sir."

"You may leave now."

The kindly assistant smiled and slowly walked out, closing the door with a soft click.

The tall figure slowly turned around and looked at the yellow painting on the desk. His beautiful features instantly softened and a glimmer of light flashed in his deep eyes. He raised his head and drank the remnants of the liquid in the glass, his Adam's apple moving sexily as he did so.

The carpet was dappled with the last rays of the sun, which filtered in through the window, adding a touch of warmth to the otherwise cold room.

"Madam, it's time to get up!"

Leah Ye turned off the alarm and stretched sleepily. She opened her eyes and sat up slowly. She had to pick up her boyfriend at the airport today.

Then she rose from the bed and went to the bathroom. After washing up, her fair skin glowed, making her look even more beautiful. Her almond-shaped eyes sparkled with vitality and joy. After a simple breakfast, she took a taxi to the airport.

Reporters had already gathered outside the airport, following the rumors of MZ's CEO Lucian Mu's arrival.

Lucian Mu kept a low profile and rarely made media appearances, so it was not easy to get a photo of him. This was a golden opportunity for the reporters to finally get a picture of him.

The sound of the airplane landing pierced the sky and the commotion at the airport gate became deafening.

"He's out! He's out!" one reporter shouted excitedly. Then the others started jostled each other to get a peek.

He finally appeared at the gate in a tailored Zegna suit, which made his lean figure appear even taller.

"Mr. Lucian, how did you create MZ in the past eight years?"

"Mr. Lucian, why did you return suddenly?"

"Mr. Lucian, MZ is now among the top ten companies in the world. What's your future plan?"

It was impossible to read the emotion in his eyes as they were covered by a pair of trendy sunglasses. Only his slightly knitted eyebrows revealed a trace of impatience, while the rest of his features remained unaffected and cool.

"Rain!" he said sharply.

Rain Han, who was standing behind him smiling, raised his eyes and said, "Okay everyone! Mr. Lucian will not be answering any questions today but you are welcome to attend the MZ Group's press conference if you are interested."

Rain Han signaled to the bodyguards on either side of them. They immediately surrounded Lucian Mu and escorted him out of the airport.

"Mr. Lucian, please..." A particularly persistent group of reporters tried to get past the bodyguards beside Lucian Mu with little success.

Amid this chaos, a beautiful fair-skinned woman appeared at the gate of the airport. She was stunned to see the number of reporters present.

Leah Ye looked at her watch and wiped the sweat on her forehead. Fortunately, she was not late. She had encountered heavy traffic on the way here so she was worried that she might be delayed.

Leah Ye stepped past the reporters and was about to enter the arrivals hall, but she didn't expect the crowd to be so rowdy. She struggled to get out, but the harder she tried to squeeze past, the more anxious she became. Her dainty face was flushed.

Being of petite built, she almost drowned in the sea of reporters. She slipped out nimbly like a fish and was about to cross the outermost layer of the crowd when someone suddenly stepped on her foot. As the reporters pushed and shoved, she lost her balance.

Leah Ye winced. 'What's the matter with everyone? The airport is like a war-zone today.'

She was flailing backward, bracing for the pain to slam into her upon impact with the ground. However, it didn't happen. Instead she found herself in a warm embrace.

"Are you okay?" Lucian Mu asked, gazing down at her as he held her waist.

Leah Ye raised her eyes and saw an attractive face. He was frowning slightly and a pair of sunglasses was perched on his aquiline nose. He was looking at her with cool indifference.

"I'm all right. Thank you." Snapping out of her daze, Leah scrambled up to her feet quickly.

Lucian turned to the crowd of reporters and ordered, "Get out!"

He had a commanding voice and his tone was intimidating. Feeling the murderous aura emitting from him, the reporters scattered like a flock of birds.

Looking at the dispersing reporters, Leah smiled brightly at Lucian and said, "Thank you once again!" Then she dashed towards the exit gate.

Looking at the mysterious woman running away, Lucian felt a sense of familiarity. He smiled bitterly and thought to himself, 'It's impossible. I must be missing her too much.'

He composed himself and walked towards the Rolls-Royce parked outside.

Leah stood in the arrivals hall and looked around for her boyfriend. Suddenly, she saw a man in a casual white shirt at the exit. She beamed and made her way towards him.

"Hi, Charlie!" Her beautiful eyes shone with excitement.

"Mr. Charlie, is this your girlfriend?"

Leah heard a coquettish voice ask. It was only then that she noticed a gorgeous woman standing next to Charlie Rong.

"Who's this?" Leah's heart skipped a beat.

"This is my new friend, Alina, who I met abroad." Charlie put an arm around Leah and then turned to the beauty next to him. "This is my girlfriend, Leah Ye."

A friend! Leah suppressed the unhappy thought in her head and held out her hand politely. "Hello, Miss Alina! You are so beautiful."

Alina shook Leah's hand and smiled enchantingly. "Really? Mr. Charlie said so too."

The corners of Leah's mouth twitched and a lump formed in her throat.

Alina satisfactorily noted that Leah's face had turned ashen. She smiled more broadly and turned to Charlie Rong, winking at him. "See you later." Then she walked away, wiggling her sexy hips.

"All right. So who do you think is more beautiful, she or me?" Leah pouted.

"Ha-ha! Are you jealous?" Charlie Rong looked at the woman in front of him with a doting smile, but inwardly he couldn't help sneering. He didn't know why his grandfather had asked him to chase this woman. She was born in an orphanage and didn't deserve him.

"Well, jealousy only means that I love you." Leah stared back at Charlie doe-eyed.

"Whatever!" Charlie smiled and shook his head.

"Anyway, let's go and get something to eat.

I haven't had anything since this morning."

"Oh, that's not good for your stomach ache." A touch of concern and pity flashed in Leah's eyes.

Charlie then led her towards the exit.

A Chevrolet pulled up to the Paul Restaurant. The doorkeeper quickly walked to the car and respectfully opened the door for the guests.

A pair of shiny leather shoes hit the ground. Charlie stepped out, looking dapper in casual Armani suit. The arrogant expression in his face intimidated the man holding the door for him.

Leah stood next to Charlie, clad in a stunning white dress. Her eyes sparkled and the corners of her mouth raised in a beatific smile. There was overt joy on her face.

Charlie turned to Leah and signaled her to follow him.

The restaurant was owned by Charlie's family. The manager knew him very well. He walked up to them with a broad smile to welcome them. "Mr. Charlie, how come you are here today?" The waiter next to him bowed respectfully.

"To have a meal. What else do you think I can do in a restaurant?" Recovering from the sting, the manager said hurriedly,

"Yes, yes, of course. Forgive me. This way please, sir." The manager nodded and bowed obsequiously, and led Charlie to a table with the best view. Leah followed him obediently without uttering a single word.

Charlie sat down elegantly, while Leah sat opposite him.

"Mr. Charlie, what would you like to eat?" the manager asked with an ingratiating smile.

"Why don't you ask the lady what she would like to eat? Are you being disrespectful towards her?" Charlie snapped.

"No! No! Miss, what would you like to eat?" the manager stuttered nervously. He realized that Charlie was upset and looked at Leah.

"I'm fine with anything. It's up to Charlie," Leah said.

"Umm..." The manager was in a dilemma now.

"Wellington steak, goose liver paste, milk and corn soup, honey juice and salmon..." Charlie rattled off a few dishes casually and glanced at Leah, who looked clueless.

She watched in admiration as Charlie deftly chose the dishes. The way he said the names of the dishes was so classy and impressive.

"Certainly. It'll be ready shortly." The manager bustled into the kitchen and personally supervised the order.

Looking at the dreamy expression in Leah's face, Charlie was filled with contempt, but he didn't show it. "Leah, pay attention to your image. This is a high-end Western restaurant. I know I'm handsome, but don't act smitten like a fool, okay?"

"I'm sorry!" Leah blushed and lowered her head like a child, who had just been rebuked for doing something wrong.

"It's fine. Just look up and be careful from now on," Charlie ordered, looking at his phone casually.

The reason Leah didn't like Western food was that she didn't like going to Western restaurants. She felt like a clown and completely out of place. Charlie had grown up abroad and liked Western food. If it hadn't been for him, she would never have stepped into these snobbish restaurants.

Suddenly, Charlie's phone vibrated and a wicked smile appeared on his cold face. "Excuse me. I need to go to the bathroom."

'Why can't he take the call in front of me?' Leah wondered glumly.

In the bathroom, Charlie answered the phone. "You temptress!"

"Come over to my place tonight?" asked the coquettish voice from the other end of the line.

"Right now? Why are you in such a hurry?" Charlie narrowed his eyes.

"Aren't YOU in a hurry?"

"I'm afraid I can't make it. My grandfather has forced me to propose to my girlfriend tonight," he explained with disappointment.

"Why does your grandfather give your girlfriend so much importance?"

"I don't know! She is just an orphan. Does she really think that she can be my wife and enter the Rong family? What a joke!" He smirked.

"And what about me?" asked the female on the other end of the line.

"It depends on your behavior. I'll be there later."

"I'll be waiting for you."

Charlie hung up and read the message from his grandfather. "Convince Leah to be your wife. That is the only requirement for you to inherit the company."

He didn't understand why his grandfather was so hell-bent on making this orphan a part of their family. He couldn't stand the thought of having a wife with no reputable background.

Charlie was disgusted, but he quickly composed himself and hid his true emotions.

The delicacies had arrived on the table but Leah didn't begin eating.

"Why didn't you start?" Charlie sat down and placed his phone on the table.

"I was waiting for you." Leah smiled gently, glanced at the black screen, and back up at Charlie.

"Okay, let's eat." A look of derision appeared on his face.

Leah used the knife and fork gingerly, fearing that the cutlery would clang against the plate and make a noise.

Shooting an annoyed glance at the woman sitting opposite him, Charlie couldn't help but jeer inwardly, 'What an uncouth!'

He picked up the glass beside him with his elegant fingers and took a sip of the red wine. After hesitating a while, he said, "Leah, let's get engaged."

"What?" She was choked with emotion. Two years had passed since they started dating, and she could tell that his attitude had changed towards her. She thought that their relationship was still unstable, so she was taken aback with his sudden proposal.

"We have been together for two years now and I like you so we should be engaged," he stated, setting his glass down, and looked at her solemnly.

"Can I take some time to think about it?" Leah asked apprehensively, clenching the knife and fork in her hands.

"Why are you hesitating?" Charlie demanded, looking at her troubled face.

"I will definitely give you an answer soon. Please," she pleaded.

"Humph! Okay." He had originally planned to get engaged to her come what may but unexpectedly he agreed.

"Charlie, you are the best!" Leah said and her dismayed expression was replaced by a bright smile.

"Just finish your dinner and after that, I'll drive you back."

The Great Ravine was the poshest area of Wilson City. Every villa there was designed by famous architects.

The Great Garden was the largest villa in the Great Ravine. European and Chinese styles were married perfectly to create a gorgeous and ingenious structure.

The servants, security guards and bodyguards at the handsome villa had been busy all month long as the owner of the house was returning shortly and everything needed to be perfect. The staff consisted of more than 100 people in total.

A shiny Rolls-Royce stopped outside the gates of the Great Garden.

"Hurry! Open the gates! Mr. Lucian has arrived."

The gold-plated gates gently swung open. Inside, the security guards stood in attention with no expression on their faces, but the cold sweat on their foreheads gave away their nervousness.

The car rolled into the Great Garden. Hugh Pei, the butler, was waiting in front of the villa. As soon as he saw Lucian's car entering the gates, he immediately ordered the servants to welcome him.

The car stopped in the middle of the yard. Hugh Pei quickly walked up to the car and opened the door bowing. "Welcome back, sir."

"Hmm." Lucian nodded and stepped out of the car. He strode towards the main house with no expression.

The interiors were a combination of Chinese and Western styles. As soon as Lucian entered, the maids bowed subserviently.

"Sir..." Hugh Pei was about to say something, but was cut by Lucian.

"Not now. I'm tired." His dismissive voice made Hugh Pei and the maids shiver.

"Yes, sir." Hugh Pei immediately signaled the maids to leave.

Lucian went straight to the second floor to the main bedroom and peeled off his suit. He grabbed a bottle of red wine from the wine cabinet and slid into the cane chair on the balcony.

The room overlooked the lovely garden. Lucian drummed his slender fingers on the table. A gentle breeze blew and the flowers in the garden swayed delicately.

He pulled out the photo from his pocket and stared at the little girl in it. With a faint smile on his lips, he picked up the glass and took a sip of the warming liquid. His vision became more and more blurred.

The breeze carried the fragrance of flowers and the dim sunlight fell on the balcony, making the atmosphere more lonesome.

He opened his mouth and muttered warmly, "Little girl, I'm back."

The next day, Leah went to school early morning. As a graduate student, she was busy with her thesis these days.

Being a student who excelled in her studies, her resume had already been sent to major companies, and the offer letters had come pouring in. When she graduated successfully, she would be able to land a job at any one of these prestigious companies and enjoy a good salary.

Of course, for that she needed to graduate first. Her thesis was already written, but her tutor hadn't approved it for a long time. He was still dissatisfied with it and she didn't know why. However, she was determined to get the approval today.

Leah went to the office and handed over her thesis to her tutor.

"Sir, this is my revised thesis. Please have a look." she said earnestly.

"No, rework these bits." said the tutor almost immediately and started marking the document with a red pen.

"But..."

"No buts! Take it back and modify it," he said impatiently.

Leah was furious. She had already changed it seven times and would be defending it in a few days. She stormed out of the office.

The tutor stood by the window, watching Leah walk away. He pulled out his phone.

"Hello, Mr. Charlie. She came again today." the tutor informed in a flattering tone.

"Okay, do not allow her to graduate easily, understand?" Charlie commanded.

"But why do you want to do this to her? She has written a good thesis."

"Do I need to explain myself to you?"

"No, no. I will do as you say, sir."

The tutor hung up and wiped the sweat on his forehead. He shook his head and sat down. 'What could Leah have done to offend Mr. Charlie this much? He seems set on ruining her future.'

Leah walked to the campus. She had no intention of changing her thesis. Her tutor had been very good to her throughout the term. So there must be a reason for the sudden change in his attitude. It seemed like he had made up his mind to make things difficult for her. So no matter what she did now, he would not agree.

Suddenly her phone rang, interrupting her musings.

She checked the caller ID and saw that it was Manager Guo. She had worked part-time at the Caspar Manor through college. Manager Guo was a kind soul, who looked out for her.

She answered the phone, "Hello, Manager Guo."

"Leah, come to the hotel this afternoon. Our big boss will be coming for an inspection."

"Big boss? Who is that?" Leah was surprised.

"Mr. Lucian. Don't you know that our hotel belongs to his company?"

"Oh, I didn't know that."

"Anyway, come early. We have to prepare for his arrival."

"Okay!"

Leah hung up, thinking about this Mr. Lucian. Why did she feel like she had heard this name before? Where had she heard it? She tried hard to recall but couldn't.

Suddenly, her mobile phone vibrated again. She looked down and saw a message from the butler of the Ye family. "Miss Leah, the living expenses of this month have been transferred to your account. Please check and confirm."

She was taken back to the Ye family from the orphanage when she was thirteen years old. Not only did they let anybody know her true identity, but they also treated her like a maid. After going to college, they only gave her one thousand a month and cared nothing about her. That was how her father treated her.

There was nothing more important than self-reliance and Leah was used to it.

After lunch, she went to her rented apartment to change her clothes and then headed to the hotel.

"Ah, here you are, Leah." Manager Guo commented when he saw her. He appeared stressed.

"Yes, sir." she replied with a smile.

"All right, now that everyone is here, let's have a quick meeting." Manager Guo stood in front of the waiters and security guards who had lined up. He cleared his throat and spoke in a serious tone. "I'm sure everyone knows that Mr. Lucian is coming for inspection this afternoon. This is his first check-up since he has returned. We can't make any mistakes. Do your job well and don't let Mr. Lucian down. Do you understand?"

"Yes sir!" everyone replied in unison.

"Very well, go get changed and get ready for work."

The crowd dispersed. All the waitresses went to the dressing room, including Leah.

She opened her assigned locker, took out her work clothes and quickly changed.

Meanwhile a group of waitresses started gossiping.

"Have you seen the news? I've heard that Mr. Lucian is super handsome."

"Oh yes. His profile is so sexy. I want to pounce on him."

"I want to have a child with him, waah, waah...!" They were all giggling and monkeying around.

Leah rolled her eyes at the group of smitten waitresses and said, "Come on, let's get to work. Otherwise, the manager will scold us."

"Leah, aren't you curious about what our CEO looks like?" asked one of the waitresses.

"No, because I know what he looks like."

"What? Have you met him? Is he as handsome as they say?" another waitress asked and her eyes lit up.

"He looks like any other men," Leah said flatly, glaring at them.

"Don't lie, Leah."

She shrugged. She was not interested in the legendary Mr. Lucian at all. She just wanted to know whether he was ugly or not, that was it.

The Caspar Manor was the largest hotel in the country. It was designed in the Chinese style of architecture. The environment was serene and unique. The employees were also very well-paid. When Leah had first applied for a part-time job at the hotel, she was refused repeatedly, but she was like an immortal fighter who kept re-applying again and again. The manager had finally relented and accepted her.

Despite being young and inexperienced, she was good at her job and learned the ropes quickly. Seeing her work, the manager had decided to let her stay, so that she could afford tuition and rent an apartment, although it was small and in a remote location.

Most of the people who came to the Caspar Manor were either rich or powerful, but there were also upstarts who behaved crassly unlike the aristocratic upper-class crowd.

Leah had inherited her mother's beauty at a young age. A few days ago, a certain Mr. Wang, who had come to the hotel for dinner, ended up having a crush on her. She prayed that she would not meet him today.

Leah was going about her work, as usual, taking orders for the guests and serving them deftly. She was about to go into the kitchen to place the orders when the manager came to her in a hurry.

"Leah, Mr. Wang is in Room 201. He has specifically asked you to take his meal order." The manager knew what kind of person Mr. Wang was, but, being duty-bound, he was in a dilemma. He had no choice but to send Leah.

"That scumbag!" Leah's face darkened. Why was God punishing her? Such a bummer!

She went upstairs and opened the door to his room. She suppressed her anger and forced herself to smile. "Mr. Wang, what do you want to eat today?"

"Leah, come in." Mr. Wang unbuttoned his suit. The shirt inside was stretched to its limit thanks to his beer belly.

Hearing his sleazy voice, Leah felt sick and tried to ignore his invitation. "Mr. Wang, please tell me your order. I'll write it down."

But he was not satisfied. "I'm asking you to come in. You'd better do as I say, or I'll complain to your boss."

Left with no other option, she said, "Yes, sir." She walked in warily.

"What would you like to eat?" "You, of course!" Mr. Wang smiled creepily and grabbed her hand and pulled her. She fell into his arms.

"Let go of me!" she yelped. Leah squirmed in his arms.

"Baby, I have missed you for a long time." Mr. Wang tried to take off Leah's clothes.

"You bastard!" Leah was seething with rage. She slapped his face instantly.

Mr. Wang's ego was shattered. "Bitch! How dare you hit me? You should consider yourself lucky that I like you." He continued to rip her clothes off.

"Ah!" Leah managed to take out her pepper spray and aimed it at his eyes.

Mr. Wang howled like a pig being slaughtered. He pushed Leah away and hopped up and down. Leah lost her balance and bumped her head on a chair. She could see stars and her eyes started watering.

"Bang!" Someone kicked open the door of the room and Leah suddenly felt a strong arm supporting her.

She blinked and looked up at the person. Her eyes widened in surprise. "Didn't I meet you at the airport that day?"

"Come, I'll take you to the hospital." Lucian ignored her question and carried her out of the room.

The manager heard the din and rushed over. He was shocked. "Mr. Lucian, this..."

"Take the guest to the hospital, and cover all the fees." Then Lucian strode out of the hotel with Leah in his arms.

"Mr. Lucian, I'm fine. You can put me down," said Leah, feeling very uncomfortable in his arms.

"No, you are my employee and I am responsible for your safety," Lucian said authoritatively, quashing her protests.

Leah didn't dare to resist after that. She couldn't risk annoying the big boss.

Lucian felt her soft, lithe body in his arms. It was strange but he felt a sense of familiarity once again. He had only seen her once. He lowered his head and gazed into her almond-shaped eyes. He felt that her eyes were similar to the eyes of his little girl in the photo.