Saving the overbearing CEO

Chapter 56: First World: I Missed You Ran-ge

A human heart might be said to be fickle but not Zhao Huan's heart. Her plan had been even more successful than she initially thought and she finally knew Qie Ran's true feelings. She deduced that him being cold and indifferent towards her was just a mask when it truly came down to it, the man was willing to kill for her.

Three days had passed with her being confined in her courtyard under her grandmother's supervision. The elderly woman wasn't messing around when it came to her headstrong granddaughter neither was she stupid. She was fairly certain that this whole situation was her granddaughter's doing but was still speculating on what the motive could have been.

On the forth day, Zhao Huan finally had the chance to leave the house as her grandmother had gone to some tea thing with some ladies. She didn't even care to know what the old lady was up to all she cared about was seeing Qie Ran. The itch inside her heart worsened with each passing day and the cure was simple. Just a glimpse of Qie Ran would make her feel whole again and so she left the mansion as soon as she got the chance.

Her servant followed closely behind while engaging in silent protest. When the Miss left without her, she was the one who got ten lashes for failing her job. Before Madam Zhao left she had already threatened her saying that if Zhao Huan steps one foot out that courtyard she the servant would receive twenty lashes not that her Mistress would care.

Just as the boys finished eating breakfast, Zhao Huan arrived with a perky smile that could stir up the seven seas. She enthusiastically greeted them but to her surprise, she didn't get the response she expected. The boys pretended not to have seen her while walking around her to exit the room with their heads bowed down. 'Such ungrateful brats, don't they know who l am?' she thought still wearing the kind warm mask that could easily fool anyone.

The boys cleared the dining hall leaving behind Zhao Huan and her confused servant. "My lady, l think we better leave," said the servant in a soft-spoken voice. They had been to the shelter numerous times before but it had never been this hostile. She worried that Zhao Huan would cause trouble and earn her more lashes thus she decided to speak up.

Zhao Huan tore up her mask finally showing her anger. "Who do they think they are ignoring me like that? Those filthy orphans are actually lucky to be breathing the same air as me yet they dare ignore me. Such disrespectful and ungrateful bastards," she said gnashing her teeth. She had never been disrespected like this even worse disrespected by mere peasants. If it wasn't for Qie Ran she would have torn this place apart and have it gone by sunset.

Manchu who had just been informed of Zhao Huan's arrival went over to take a look. He was fully aware of the reason why the pampered Mistress had graced them with her presence but there was no way Qie Ran was going to tend to her especially in his current state of mind. The atmosphere in the shelter was extremely gloomy with no ray of sunshine in sight.

The absence of Lin Jin had cultivated such an atmosphere that could dampen anyone's spirit as soon as they walked in. Desperate to cheer up Qie Ran they had even gone as far as visiting the Lin Mansion trying to convince saozi to come back with them but each time they were turned back with the same response. The boys couldn't bear seeing Qie Ran like that and so when they heard footsteps walking towards them they had assumed it to be Lin Jin as he was the only person who could walk in without announcing himself.

You can only imagine their disappointment when they saw Zhao Huan strutting around like she owned the place. They didn't like her and made no attempt to hide their true feelings especially when they now knew she liked their older brother. That is was they rudely walked out leaving Manchu to deal with it.

Manchu was just about to enter the dining hall and find a polite excuse to drive her away when he heard her speak ill of his brothers. Her spiteful tongue knew no bounds saying whatever she felt like saying as though she was in her own home. Her words angered him but restraint himself when he thought of Lin Jin who had always spoken highly of her.

He immediately walked in ready to drive her away no longer interested in hearing any more of her insults. Manchu was about to rip off the bandage as quickly as possible when he was met by Zhao Huan's pitiful bloodshot eyes with tears accumulating at the rims of her lovely eyes making him completely forget what he wanted to say.

'Fuck! How can she change skin this fast?' he thought seeing that piteous face he would have easily believed if he hadn't heard those hurtful words she was blurting out a second ago. Seeing him startled like this, Zhao Huan kicked it up a notch pleading with him while holding his arm.

"Brother Manchu please let me see him. I have to thank him for saving my life that day. I want to see him and make sure he's okay. Please l beg you, brother Manchu, just this once," she said almost kneeling down to the floor crying. Manchu was stupefied staring at this woman who deserved to be a world-renowned actress. She was so convincing that he started to doubt what he had overheard before.

Manchu was about to peel off this sticky girl from his arm when he heard an icy menacing voice coming from the door saying, "Why are you here?" The room was suddenly filled with an oppressive bone-chilling aura that had Manchu and the servant girl quivering.

In all this Zhao Huan was the only exception running straight into Qie Ran's arms as she broke into tears saying, "I missed you Ran-ge."