Reborn: The Return of the Villainous Mr. Liu

Days passed by after the confrontation with 'Guiying' and Ai had quite slowed down a bit with her story progress. So today, she was at Sky to seriously work on it with Xing Bi.

"So it is at this point that the male lead would learn that the female lead is reborn?"

Ai nodded.

"And then you show that their lives were somehow connected in the past. From then, their love grows stronger and deeper for each other."

"Yes."

"Aiyaaa, can I fangirl over you?" Xing Bi tightly hugged Ai. "Hehe, readers would be so thrilled to know that the mention of the female lead being reborn in your short story was actually true. I must say as an editor, your story is taking a good turn!" She brightened. "I am so proud of you. You are improving so much from your first story. Hoho, I can see how much Liu Jun has changed you and your writing style~ Especially writing the heart thumping romantic scenes. Previously, I said that it was hard to feel their connection, right? But now I squeal so hard!"

Ai blushed with embarrassment. Getting praise from Xing Bi made her feel prouder too. "Thank you, Xing Bi."

Since Ai's short story was based on true events that happened between her and Jun, she naturally decided to pursue the same for her sequel. The story wouldn't be an exact replica of their lives and events would be changed here and there, but the basic skeleton would be based on Jun and Ai's past and present lives.

Whenever she thought about Jun and herself, her heart would thump in excitement and her fingers trembled with the urge to write. From the bottom of her heart, she knew that she wanted the whole world to read their story because there were a lot of things to be learned from their decisions that shaped their experiences. It was a journey she wanted everybody to know.

Her trance broke when Hou Lin, the Chief of Secretary overseeing Sky's management and who Jun introduced to Ai at her time of joining along with Sun Bai and Xing Bi, knocked and stepped in. "Excuse me, Miss. Xing."

"Mr. Hou," she politely smiled.

"These are some presentations I have created for Miss. Zhou's new marketing purposes. If we have enough source material, we can create a teaser video for the to entice her readers. I have also listed other methods. Please go through it once you get the time. Then we can discuss later."

Xing Bi clapped her hands once in delight. "That's wonderful! You are so diligent Mr. Hou."

He sincerely bowed. "That's my job."

She coughed. "But you smile too little."

Hou Lin didn't know how to answer that. Then he replied. "I don't find many things to be amusing to smile for."

Xing Bi choked at first but then she laughed. "You must find at least something interesting."

"My job, yes. Apart from that, nothing much."

She curiously asked, "Not any woman either? You must definitely have a girlfriend!"

Hou Lin stared at her blankly. "Forgive my ignorance, but I don't know how the topic got diverted to my girlfriend."

"..."

Now, Ai burst into a chuckle too.

Xing Bi's mouth twitched. "Well…anyway! You don't have a girlfriend, Mr. Hou?"

"No."

"Aish. You are so elegant, serious and handsome. I thought you definitely must have a girlfriend. Don't you ever get confessions?"

"...I have."

"So, so?"

"Then nothing."

"..."

Xing Bi sighed. "That reminds me. Miss. Sun is also single, right? She is so smart and beautiful too…"

But recalling that night when she heard Sun Bai talking to somebody and then giving her a 'friendly' suggestion which she doubted was friendly, her brow slightly twitched.

Ai nodded. "She is really dedicated just like Mr. Hou."

Hou Lin bowed. "Thank you for the appreciation."

Xing Bi then probed. "Oh yeah, I didn't see Miss. Sun today."

Hou Lin said, "She is on sick leave today."

"Oh."

"Is anything the matter? If you need any help, I can do it for you."

"Oh no, no," she waved her hand. "Just curious, that's all."

Hou Lin nodded. "I will take my leave now. Thank you for your time."

He promptly left their office, after which Ai giggled. "Nian will be heartbroken to see you curious about another man."

Xing Bi's gaze darkened. "Don't even utter his name!"

"What happened?"

"What happened? This!!" Xing Bi showed her phone in grievance and pushed it in front of Ai's eyes. "Look. He is asking for our second date. Non-stop! Look at the number of his messages! A hundred and twelve since our first date ended! Is he crazy?"

Ai held onto her laughter.

"Don't laugh!" Xing Bi cried. "Hmph. He is getting too arrogant. Why does he feel I will agree to a second date? I haven't accepted him yet!"

"Maybe something happened to give him that sign. How did your date go after the carnival?"

Xing Bi instantly remembered the time Nian spent at her house. The time in the kitchen and then the time when he left. Till today, she wasn't sure if Nian had really pecked on her forehead or not.

T-that man is too daring!

Ai smiled, observing her expression. "So something did happen. See? That's why he is so hopeful."

She glared at her. "No need to be so hopeful. He is just a sneaky man!"

She absentmindedly touched her forehead.

Sneakily kissing me like that…or did he?

Uhhhhhh!!!

Xing Bi waved away the imaginary clouds of Nian's annoying face and snorted. "Let's not talk about him anymore. Let him keep suffering. I want to ask. Did Miss. Sun look any different to you these days?"

Ai blinked once. "Miss. Sun? Not really. Why are you asking?"

Xing Bi thought about that night again and scratched her chin. "I had seen her late at night in the office once. I thought I was the only person left, but I was wrong."

"She might have been working like you."

"Yeah... Might be."

Though that phone call and then her behavior sounded strange...

Ai tapped on her shoulder. "What is it?"