Chapter 16 - Mothers Troubles 1

Li Hoy was just coming out from a hotel where he hoped he just finished having the last business meeting of the year, when he recieved the call from Joreen. 

He past few weeks had left him mentally exhausted because he kept having series of meetings. He had to close anything work related before going on the business trip with the family.

Vacation was fun, but prior to it and the aftermath of it wasn't fun at all, because before the vacation, they had to put everything in order which meant the schedules was always very tight and they would be meetings until late at nights just like right now. And when they returned, they were already lots of paper work piling up to welcome them. 

But he couldn't miss this vacation. It was compulsory for every member of the Song, Wang, Li and Luo family. Since they were all busy people with most of then running their own businesses, going on a vacation once a year during Christmas was the only time they could bond and catch up with everyone's lives at the same time. It was also an important time for the family because they had series of anniversaries and also the remembrance of Madam Li Sun, who raised the Li Corporation which they were benefitting from now.

This was another reason why their family was powerful. They had the kind of love that had been lost in other families because of greed and hate. 

Normally, he wouldn't have bothered to take Joreen's call now because he knew she was always stressing him mentally right from when she was a little girl, but he answered nonetheless and the first thing he heard was her angry voice. 

His secretary and friend, Mr Ping had told him she would get angry if she found out what happened with Han Yu, and he knew she would. But there was nothing else he could do about the whole issue. 

As he spoke with her for a while and began to head towards where his car was parked with his secretary waiting for him with the backdoor opened already. He got in and after a few seconds, the call ended. 

"How did the meeting go and why are you returning early?" Mr Ping asked him. He couldn't understand why he was asked to wait here when he was his secretary and was supposed to take notes on his behalf. What kind of businessman would specifically ask that he didn't want the other person to come with anyone else? Maybe it was a secret meeting? Or he had something personal or embarrassing to ask?

"It was a disaster." Hoy said as he began to go through another document he picked from the backseat. Being idle was not his thing. 

"What? Did something terrible happen?" Mr Ping asked while he still kept his eyes on the road but spared Hoy a glance through the rearview mirror.

"He was asking for a stupid favour." He answered, his eyes still skimming through the document he held. 

"He wants you to marry his daughter or niece?" Mr Ping asked with amusement but got silence as an answer so he knew it was probably related. He cleared his throat. "So I think some nosy reporters got a whiff of what happened with the actor, Han Yu. Do you think Miss Luo has seen it?" 

"I just got off the phone with her. She is mad, not surprising."

"Haha! She doesn't ever disappoint. She is still the same as she was when she was still a little girl, only now.. she is really pretty and is getting the attention of a lot of boys and even girls. You know she is quite unique." 

Li Hoy didn't say a word, neither did he stop skimming through the document in his hand so it made it a bit awkward for Mr Ping who cleared his throat again and finally got Hoy's attention.

They locked eyes briefly through the rearview before he kept his gaze ahead. 

"What is it you want to say to me?" Hoy asked him, his curious eyes probing for answer. 

"Well..." He paused. "My younger brother is—"

"No." 

"What? No? You don't even know what I am about to say." Mr Ping complained in disbelief.

"I do not care about whatever it is. My answer is no." 

"He is a big fan of Miss Luo. Just one date and I swear —"

"Date?" Hoy asked in surprise. "I thought your brother wanted to meet her for an autograph, but it was a date?" He asked in a voice filled with disbelief. 

"What? She will be 18 on new year's day! What better boyfriend can we give her but the brother of someone you trust?" 

"It's not in your place to give her a boyfriend. Neither is it in mine. And I do not trust you. So my answer is still a no." 

"Why are you being stingy with her? She is a woman now." 

"Do not trouble me." He said, going back to his working mood. 

Mr Ping could not stop glaring at his friend. He was weird everywhere. Sometimes he was cold, sometimes he was warm. Sometimes he didn't smile, sometimes he even laughed. But one thing never changed and that was his overprotectiveness concerning Miss Luo. He felt bad for the poor girl for having such a terrible guardian. No wonder she always threw a tantrum. 

"But Mr—"

"NO." Li Hoy cut him off before he could finish without even bothering to spare him a glance.

Li Hoy paid a visit home— the house his parents lived in. They had asked him to come over whenever he was free today so even though it was past 10pm already, when he called them, they asked him to come over. He already knew the outcome of their conversation but he went anyway. And just as he had expected, it really went that way. 

"Do you have a friend you are bringing with you? You told me you would give me an answer tonight." His excited mother said immediately he sat down across them. 

"I do have someone—"

"Yes! I knew something good would come out this year. Immediately I noticed you looked a bit indecisive, I told the others you were coming with someone and dear son, I do not mind you two sharing a room together." 

Hoy's eyes slowly widened. "Do not tell me you..."

"Yes my dear. We already sent the list two hours ago since we had to submit it before midnight. It seems a lot of other families are interested in sailing Serendipity so we had to act fast before the ship gets full. You can just give me her name so they can make the corrections tomorrow morning." 

Hoy looked at her and then his father who was quiet the whole time. 

His hand unconsciously went to the back of his neck. He immediately remembered that was Joreen's habit and put his hand down. 

"Actually... I was talking about my Secretary." He smiled sheepishly. "Now I have to share a room with him?"