34 PRIMED FOR A FIGH (1/2)

Hu Lei remembered the look in Zhong Feng's eyes as the elevator doors closed when she left with Vladimir. She felt a pang of guilt and a strong need to explain the entire matter clearly. But what would she say? Her helplessness and frustration turned into anger against the man who seemed completely uninterested in the fair but insisted on walking around carefree.

”I did not know Mr Romanov was interested in technology.” She said caustically.

The man had not paid attention to a single showcase since they had arrived on the conference site. He might as well have been walking through an empty field. When the face of the big boss drifted into her head again, she felt positively murderous. Had he put on his production of 'old acquaintances' in the office for the sake of hilarity?

”Please call me Vlad like you used to.” He replied with his wide smile.

”Oh, do you mean Vlad the Impaler?” Her voice held a frosty bite.

He laughed lightly, and they continued to work in silence.

Like Vladimir, she was not interested in technology that much. However, she still could not help checking out a couple of the fun exhibits. She was particularly interested in virtual reality. How nice would it be if she could experience a full life without going outside?

The appearance of this old friend had proved that the world was not safe even in her homeland. For the life of her, she could not remember why she had accepted to work in Etude Technologies. However, now that she had accepted the job, she would commit for the sake of her professionalism and reputation, she thought righteously. Her determination had nothing to do with anyone else!

When walking around the showcase area, she could recognise some familiar faces from the marketing level. She nodded politely. The person who had made the greatest impression was that strange woman who had approached on the day she got caught sleeping.

She nodded towards her in greeting when she saw her. The marketer nodded back before leaning to her companion in their booth to whisper in her ear. They both looked at her before they giggled. It was obvious that something unflattering had been shared.

Hu Lei shrugged and kept walking.

When Vlad finally got tired of his charade, they left the site and went to a local restaurant. Hu Lei did not want to indulge him, but she wanted to talk to him before he continued with his antics and ruined everything. She needed to make sure that he would not interfere with the life she was building.

Silence fell in the room as soon as the hostess left the private room. The two people sized each other properly for the first time. Hu Lei's eyes looked cold and hard like diamonds, and her entire being seemed primed for a fight. Right now, the girl was completely different from the adorable kitten that Zhong Feng had come to know and love.

On the other side of the table, Vladimir finally seemed to show a serious face. He observed the girl that he had known about five or six years ago. She had naturally grown up as all people did. However, not in the way that he had predicted. If anything, she had become something completely different.

After a long moment, Vlad smiled cheekily at Hu Lei. Unfortunately, the naughty smile coupled with that manly face and the ugly scar made something that she did not want to see. She could not help picturing the beautiful small smile of the evil emperor to cleanse her mind.

”So, you and the president, huh?” he spoke with perverse joy.

Those words poured a bucket of cold water over her. Her ears reddened in spite of her efforts to remain cold and indifferent before this devil.

”There is no me and the president.” She spoke in an uncomfortable voice.