Beg Me to Remarry
Chapter 520: Don’t Touch

Chapter 520: Chapter 520: Don’t Touch

Xia Ning’s smile grew even brighter as she folded her hands across her chest and said with anticipation, "He Xing, brother, Jiang Ling just made fun of me, saying that no one wants me for their movies. Could you give me the lead female role in your film?"

"Lead female role?" He Xing repeated, seemingly recalling something. After a few seconds, he spoke again, "I can’t give you the lead female role; it’s already been cast, and the character doesn’t suit you. I’ll have someone modify the script for the third female lead to be more likable. How about that for you?"

"And what about Jiang Ling?" Xia Ning asked, not reassured. She didn’t actually want to do the movie; she had just proclaimed boldly in front of Jiang Ling and couldn’t very well turn out to be all talk with no action, inviting ridicule.

"Jiang Ling is among the tentative candidates for that third female lead," He Xing said, returning to his expressionless demeanor, or it seemed that he was always like this when it came to work. "If you take the role, naturally she will no longer be considered."

Beaming with pride, Xia Ning approached He Xing, eager to take his arm, "He Xing, brother, it’s getting late. Let’s hurry on our way."

She had thought that since He Xing had just spoken in her defense, she could definitely latch onto his arm. However, she couldn’t even touch his sleeve.

With a cold face, He Xing pulled his arm away, "Xia Ning, if you have something to say, say it. Don’t be touchy."

His words were resounding. Although they didn’t turn the office into Snowland again, they made Xia Ning shiver. She dared not behave presumptuously any longer, standing quietly to the side and not daring to make another move, but the look of grievance on her face was more obvious than ever, her tears almost spilling over.

He Xing coldly turned his head away from Xia Ning, "You go out and wait for me; I will come to find you in a moment."

Pouting, Xia Ning’s disappointment was so profound she might as well have been carrying an oil bottle. Reluctantly, she left the office, but before exiting, she turned to glance at Fu Han, her expression couldn’t be more smug.

In the office, it was just He Xing and Fu Han left. Fu Han tapped the floor with her toe, sliding back to her own workstation on her office chair, "President He, I still have a lot of work to deal with. Please do as you wish if there’s nothing else."

"Xiaohan..." He Xing’s voice softened as he reached to pull Fu Han closer, "Xiaohan, I know the tone of my earlier words wasn’t kind, but you shouldn’t have spoken about Xia Ning like that."

"What did I say?" Fu Han shook off He Xing’s hand with a snap, turning back to look at him angrily, "Did I say something wrong? Isn’t it true that Xia Ning is implicitly threatening you using her mother?"

"I really don’t understand why you think so." He Xing looked helpless as he tried to reason with her again, "Xiaohan, think about it calmly. It’s natural for anyone to miss their mother and feel sad after she’s gone, right?"

"Yes, everyone can miss their mother," Fu Han retorted, her fury boiling over as she glared at He Xing, "But have you ever seen me mention my mother in front of Grandpa? Ever since I’ve grown up and understood things, I’ve never mentioned my mother in front of Grandpa, because I don’t want to make him sad."

"I know, I know you’re kind," He Xing said, his expression softening, using as gentle a voice as possible, "But, Fu Han, you can avoid making Grandpa sad by not talking about your mother, Xia Ning can’t do that. We can’t just accuse her for mentioning her mother to me, right?"

"But do you admit that Xia Ning is exploiting your guilt over her mother to coerce you into doing things?" Fu Han’s voice rose with increasing anger, especially as she noticed He Xing saw nothing wrong with Xia Ning and was trying to convince her.

The fury in He Xing’s heart flared again as he responded head-on, "But Fu Han, put yourself in her shoes. You never mention your mother to Grandpa because you don’t have to say a word for Grandpa to satisfy your wants; tell me, if Grandpa had raised you as a servant’s child, would you still have no complaints about him?"

"So this is what you truly think of me?" Fu Han’s eyes widened in shock as she looked at He Xing, as if seeing him for the first time.

He Xing turned his head away, not looking at Fu Han anymore, but his expression said it all, his voice couldn’t conceal his frustration, "Fu Han, you know that’s not what I mean. If you insist on thinking that way, there’s nothing I can do."

After these words, neither Fu Han nor He Xing spoke again. The two of them faced each other in silence, as if an invisible force was at work between them, eroding and opposing each other, each trying to swallow the other whole.

The silence was broken by the ring of He Xing’s phone. As the soothing music played in the quiet office, He Xing’s anger erupted like a balloon at its bursting point.

Picking up the phone with anger he could hardly express, especially when he saw the caller was Liang Tao.

He practically jabbed a hole in the screen as he slid to answer, "Speak, what is it?"

Liang Tao got a scare, taking several seconds to muster the courage to speak, "President He, Lady Xia Ning said you were going to the hospital this afternoon and asked me to bring around the nanny car. I... President He, may I park the car on the side of the road and wait for you?"

He Xing glanced at the time, realizing it was already past two o’clock.

A checkup was not a simple matter, especially since he planned to give Xia Ning a comprehensive one, meaning it would take even more time.

After hanging up, He Xing turned his gaze back to Fu Han, hesitating before speaking, "Xiaohan, I have to go now. If there’s time in the afternoon, I’ll pick you up after work."

Fu Han’s reaction was huge, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, as she lifted her head sharply, "No need, I have my own car, and I have hands and feet and a driver’s license. I can take care of myself; I’m not that fragile. You don’t need to pick me up."

The already tense atmosphere got even worse with that statement, He Xing staring at Fu Han intently for what seemed like several minutes, but she was determined not to look back at him.

Finally, He Xing spoke, resigned, "All right then, as you wish. I’ll call you when I’m done."

In a blink, Fu Han was left alone in the office. The tense expression on her face finally relaxed; under the sunlight, her tears slid down in big droplets, glistening like freshly washed pearls.

Whose sigh was it that traveled from the banks of the Wangchuan River, whose tears reflected a lonely and stubborn silhouette? Who stood alone in the vast expanse between heaven and earth?