"Xu-jie, please get off."

"No."

He sighed. "I want to be alone."

"No, you've been alone for too long. I'll go wherever you go, I don't care. I won't say a word. I'll be silent if you prefer that. But, I'm going with you."

He sighed again. "Suit yourself." He fetched a spare helmet and gave it to Xue Jinxu which she wore accordingly.

He revved the engine and left shortly after. He went off without a plan nor destination. And oh, was he not reckless! Xue Jinxu who was seated at the back had to strap herself onto Guangxi just to make sure she's well-secured. Her heart pounded every second of the clock. She couldn't catch up as to where they were heading. She couldn't even open her eyes. While keeping herself safe and sound, she was praying to the heavens for their safety.

"G-Guangxi, you're going too fast… You're overspeeding, Guangxi… Slow down…" She pleaded meekly, however, to no avail.

Xue Jinxu was truly frightened for her life at that very moment. 'Is it right to go with him? Yes, it is! He isn't himself! I have to keep an eye on him!' She thought while tightening her arms around her brother's waist.

'Oh my G.o.d! Oh my G.o.d! Oh my G.o.d!'

'Chen Linyun! Father! Mother!'

"Guangxi, please slow down, please!"

Finally, Xue Guangxi slowed to a halt. He parked the motorcycle then got off without much giving notice to his sister.

Xue Jinxu followed suit and blocked his way. She spanked him hard on his arm. "Guangxi! Will you pull your act together?!" She nudged him on the chest with her fist. "Stop it altogether! Let's go home!"

Xue Guangxi was ignoring her. He walked past her, entered the establishment which was a pub, and settled himself on a high stool by the counter. He ordered hard liquor.

"I don't want to go home, Xu-jie. I don't want to continue living."

"d.a.m.n IT, GUANGXI!!!" She exploded. "WHAT THE h.e.l.l HAPPENED TO YOU HERE?!! WILL YOU JUST SPIT IT OUT AND GET IT OVER WITH???!!"

"THERE ARE LOTS OF PROBLEMS IN THIS WORLD TO ADDRESS AND PRIORITIZE!!! LET ME UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU ARE COMING FROM!!!!"

She really, truly snapped.

The few people who were inside the pub looked into their direction and were quite stupefied at the random outburst of a lady who just entered the establishment. The moment she stormed in, she began immediately with a commotion.

Xue Guangxi shuddered and even cowered a little both from fear and from embarra.s.sment. He was reminded of what law and order meant, of the word discipline and how it was to answer to someone higher because of all this while he was the boss. His bodyguards could not impose on him. Previously, Xue Jinxu had been mild and lenient. He certainly forgot one single fact about his sister, and that this very woman was THE lioness – the woman who could singlehandedly order around and still garner respect in their company. She was that powerful and authoritative. He simply was an exception from all her subjects.

"IF I HAVE TO DRAG YOU FORCEFULLY WITH YOUR BODYGUARDS I WILL DO THAT, XUE GUANGXI!!! GET YOUR a.s.s HOME!!!"

The lioness was not finished yet.

"ARE YOU LISTENING?!"

"Xu-jie, Xu-jie, calm down, please! Sit down, sit down!" Xue Guangxi put his arms around his sister in an attempt to guide her towards the empty high stool. Jinxu pushed his arms away powerfully with her own arm hurting them both. She threw her arms in the air some more times – a gesture to reject any more of Guangxi's attempt to get closer to her. She had enough of him for a day.

He was sweating profusely from all the embarra.s.sment his sister was causing. And whose fault was it?

Xue Jinxu sat on the empty stool her brother originally pointed her to. She bit her lower lips trying to control her emotions, however, while still quivering from her outburst, her tears started to roll down her cheeks uncontrollably.

"Hey, kid, I don't know what's happening and not that I'm being nosy and all, but you just made the girl cry! Not so cool, man!" The waiter behind the counter remarked.

The onlookers were shaking their heads. It made Xue Guangxi feel a lot guiltier.

"Xu-jie, Xu-jie… Please don't cry… Stop crying, please… I'm sorry, alright?" He pleaded helplessly.

"I… *sob* I want to go home…*sob*" A lot more tears came. "Guangxi, don't you know we were too worried about you… But here… *sob* here you are… *sob* You don't even care!" Heavy pouring of her tears ran down her cheeks.

"Just so you know, you're a big hot mess even at home, while you're not even there! Gossips about you were prevalent…*sob* Your reputation…*sob* The company… *sob* *sob* In the company they want to… want to… impeach you…" She was gasping for air in between sobs.

"Brother too… They want to meet with him… It was so chaotic!" *sob**sob*"

The kind-hearted waiter pa.s.sed clean sheets of tissue paper to the crying lady.

"Chen Linyun…*sob* *sob* Grampa…*sob* the wager *sob*"

"I might lose him! Guangxi, do you know that!" She wailed and wailed.

"Here you are not caring about us! Not even caring about yourself!" Xue Jinxu's tears were almost subsiding. She was getting riled up again.

"Waiter, tequila please." She ordered. "That's for me." She said to Guangxi.

"You want to drink? Let's drink!"

All this while Xue Guangxi kept quiet. The more Xue Jinxu disclosed about the situation at home. The smaller he felt he was becoming until he could feel that he was no more than an insignificant dot.

She heaved a deep breath. "So tell me, Guangxi, what really happened to you here? It better be worth all this fuss!"

Xue Guangxi fidgeted in his seat. He was already extremely embarra.s.sed ever since they entered the pub, but he felt so much more now. Face flushed, he couldn't make himself say it. However difficult it may be for him, he knew he had no choice but to tell his sister everything.

"To sum it up, well… Kang Sola has got herself a boyfriend, and I felt bad about it because apparently, it's not me."

"Tsk." Xue Jinxu clicked her tongue in annoyance.

Xue Guangxi felt so much smaller.

"In other words, Kang Sola hit your sore spot, your ego, bulls-eye! Maybe I should treat her to a meal sometime."

"You should take your medicine like a man. [1] It's a very good life lesson for you, Second Young Master. You cannot have it all. You cannot make people like you. You cannot get all you want, even if you're at the top of the food chain."

In his mind, he could only mutter, 'Stop. Stop. Stop.' And 'I get it, okay!' But he could not voice it out.

[1] accept something unpleasant without complaining