You, CEO’s Secret Wife

"Sure!" Jian Yun nodded in agreement. Although Zhou Shaolong seemed to have left a good impression on her, it wasn't to an extent that she liked him. For her, he was just another acquaintance she had gotten to know, and a walk around the mall was certainly a good way to pass the time.     

    

Since breaking up with Xu Haiyang, she had been single for around six years. Ever since then, she had been going on tons of blind dates just to please her mother, but she had deliberately made herself look ugly every single time. Although, Jian Yun had certainly never gone shopping with a stranger before. This was certainly a first, and she was not used to the feeling.     

    

Fortunately, Zhou Shaolong was very talkative, so the atmosphere wasn't all that awkward.     

    

As the two of them strolled around the department store, there were tons of men who would give her the second look. Unlike the other women with heavy makeup and suffocating perfume, she already had dark eyelashes and rosy cheeks. Her beauty was as clear as day, like a flower in its everlasting bloom. She was certainly eye-catching.     

    

Noticing the envious looks thrown at him, Zhou Shaolong grinned and walked even closer to her.     

    

Even he didn't expect that he'd be introduced to such a beautiful woman when he had been asked to go on a blind date. Who knew that taking a shot could win him the lottery?     

    

"Jian Yun, why don't you pick out a dress," he said, pointing to one of the racks. "I'll buy it for you."     

    

"There's really no need. Besides, I just bought some clothes a few days ago." Jian Yun tactfully refused.     

    

Her refusal had only satisfied Zhou Shaolong even more. Even with her good looks, she still wouldn't take advantage of the man she's with. She was certainly every man's ideal wife.     

    

It seemed that he had really discovered a treasure this time around!     

    

The two strolled around for a while. Noticing that it was already getting late, they found a Xinjiang Cuisine restaurant at the other side of the mall and decided to eat there instead.     

    

Just as she was done ordering the dishes, Jian Yun habitually tied her hair up with a scrunchie. After ordering the first two appetizers, she passed over the menu to Zhou Shaolong only to see that he was staring in her ear. A weird mix of awe and curiosity was painted all over her face that she couldn't help but furrow her eyebrows.     

    

"What's wrong?" She subconsciously touched her ear. It was only then she realized that she had forgotten to take off her earrings.     

    

"Is that a pink diamond?" His eyes twitched. "That must be very expensive!"     

    

"Ah, no, it's fake." Jian Yun faked a smile. How could she tell the truth–that the diamonds on the earrings were the same as the Lover's Heart? Yesterday, even the rich and famous were surprised to see such a rare and expensive diamond hanging on her neck. If she'd told him the truth, he might misunderstand her.     

    

"Ah, well, that's good..." Upon hearing her words, he breathed a sigh of relief. Only a few seconds had passed when he noticed how wrong he must've sounded. Immediately, he waved his hands up in the air. "I–I didn't mean any offense, of course, it's just..."     

    

"It's fine. Why don't we order some more food? I'm hungry." And that was the end of their conversation.     

    

After they finished ordering, they waited for a while. Zhou Shaolong went to the bathroom, and Jian Yun decided to play with her phone for a while in complete boredom. However, as her fingertips brushed against her earrings, her heart was suddenly moved. She opened up Baidu and typed in the words 'Lover's Heart.' The first entry that had pooped up was an encyclopedia.     

    

When Zhou Shaolong had finally returned, he found Jian Yun staring blankly at her phone.     

    

"What are you looking at?" He asked, but she still didn't respond. He knocked on the table again, and Jian Yun looked up as if she had just woken up from her stupor.     

    

"What are you looking at?" Zhou Shaolong asked with a smile.     

    

"Oh, it's just a novel that I've been reading for a while. The author just posted another chapter." As if right on time, the waiter had started to hand out the dishes. She used this time to slip her phone back into her bag. However, that still didn't stop her from getting lost in her thoughts.     

    

Xinjiang Cuisine was truly distinctive and tasty. The dishes were all sprinkled with the right amount of spices and cooked at just the right temperature. However, Jian Yun was far too absent-minded to even notice it. She'd pick around her food from time to time, nodding silently at Zhou Shaolong's jokes every now and then. She still couldn't help but bring her fingers to her earrings, tweedling around the diamond lying perched on her skin.     

    

Once they were finished eating, it was still early, so he suggested that they should go to the movies while they were at it. Agreeing with him, they bought two tickets from the popular movie–"The Mermaid".     

    

It was actually a funny movie with its fantasy themes and crazy characters.     

    

Everyone in the movie theatre, including Zhou Shaolong, would laugh foolishly as film flashed from screen to screen. Howls and screams echoed throughout the theatre as they enjoyed the film. Yet, no matter how much she tried to concentrate and laugh along with them, she still seemed slightly out of sorts.     

    

How could she concentrate when all she could think about was the entry she had just looked up about the Lover's Heart?     

    

It was said that the diamond was famous not only because of its price–being the most expensive diamond in Sotheby's history–but also because of the special meaning behind it. It was said to have been sold to a mysterious buyer for $120 million a year ago in an auction. No one knew who it was...of course, until the night of the banquet.     

    

There was a legend wrapped around the lover's heart. Back then, it was said that there was a prince and a woman who had loved each other so much, but when the war had broken out, the prince was forced to lead his troops to battle behind him. When news had gotten back to the palace, it was reported that the prince had died from the fight, and the woman died from grief upon hearing the news.     

    

However, it came as a surprise to everybody that the prince had been saved. When he ran into the palace gates, he was only met with the corpse of his beloved. He had cried and cried, yet none of them could assuage him. In the end, he had cut open his chest and placed his heart right next to his lover. The grand act had moved even the gods themselves that the prince had lived despite ripping out his heart, and they had even brought the girl to life. The heart that had been cut out turned into a diamond–its pink hue symbolizing the blood trapped under the hard metal. In the end, the two of them lived happily ever after.     

    

Therefore, this diamond had another name–Loyalty Heart.     

    

Everyone knew that the legend was merely just that–that the auctioneers were simply trying to raise the price by adding a more mythical feel to the jewelry. However, the meaning behind the diamond was real.     

    

Loyalty–was that what Huo Liancheng was trying to tell her?     

    

She clutched the side of her head, suddenly having a headache.     

    

After the movie had ended, Zhou Shaolong noticed that Jian Yun was still distracted. He frowned. "Are you not feeling well today? Why aren't you in a good mood?"     

    

She turned to look at him. Under the dim lighting, she could still see the corners of his handsome face, but she also noticed that his eyes had considerably darkened.     

    

"It was really cold last night–probably gave me a headache," she explained. It wasn't totally a lie. Jian Yun really had a headache, but it wasn't because of the cold but because of Huo Liancheng's confusing behavior. There really was no telling her as to what to expect from him.     

    

"You should go home and rest then," he said considerately, placing a hand on her shoulder. "How about I'll send you off?"     

    

"There's no need. My uncle's house is nearby." She smiled. "I'll just go there."     

    

"Okay. Take care of yourself!" Zhou Shaolong said once again before walking away.     

    

It was already past three o'clock and Jian Yun still had to head over to her student's home at four-thirty. After they had finally separated, she decided to go to a nearby cafe and order herself a cup of coffee. She sat there, staring blankly at the white magnolia blooming outside the window.     

    

She had always been living a quiet life, with her heart unperturbed. Yet, there was something about Huo Liancheng's presence that had set her off. He was like a fire coursing through her system, one that she couldn't easily remove. No! She couldn't accept a man like him into her life!     

    

After everything that had happened, she had realized that a man like him was just far too bright. He was like a sun shining in the sky, and all she'd be left with was to just stand in his shadow like a lifeless puppet. She had already lived that life, and she realized that she needed something far more than that.     

    

Now, all she ever wanted was to live a normal and ordinary life. After what her mother had been through, all she could see in men were potential problems–potential threats to her already broken heart. Therefore, Jian Yun stayed away from them as much as she could. After all, she already had enough problems on her plate.     

    

When Jian Yun left the cafe, the coffee was already cold to touch and she still didn't drink a single sip. Besides, she had never liked coffee. After living such a bitter life, why would she need another taste of bitterness?