Reborn: The Return of the Villainous Mr. Liu

Alix had an early flight to Beijing the next morning so yes, she was awake, but like a zombie. Zombie because she couldn't get decent sleep.

Firstly, it was Jin's house with his lovely grandparents. She would have preferred her lonely silence in her lonely hotel room. But instead she got the company of cheery and chatty grandparents who doted upon her the entire evening like she was their granddaughter. They even gave her some gifts she found hard to accept but was forced to anyway.

Seemingly, both sides of his family - Jinhai and Nana's, were lovely and kind and doting. She cursed Jin until she ran out of breath.

With which stars was he born to get a family like this? Damn you! May you get stuck to the bed like glue and never be able to get up!

If the grandparents were the first part, Jin was the second source of her problems.

'Yes, I played a losing game. And I would do it again in a heartbeat.'

Alix would say that was ninety percent of why she couldn't get her well deserved beauty sleep. She kept tossing and turning in the bed, letting out another string of curses.

"Who the hell plays a losing game like that? Games are supposed to be won," Alix made a disgruntled expression, clearly against Jin's perception about a game's wins and losses.

"Why would he pointlessly do all that contract farce when I could have just used his cheque and still wouldn't have to marry him? Shouldn't he have thoroughly used the situation to his favor? Then don't go around making those helpless princess faces like a fool in love!" She gritted her teeth.

She didn't know why his openness to willingly lose peeved her more than his chances to win against her. It made her in turn feel that she lost against him somewhere.

Alix dragged her tired body that somehow dragged her luggage out of the room. It was still dark and silent outside, which was the perfect chance to slip away before anybody woke up.

At least, I will have my flight in peace.

She turned the doorknob with a click and heard.

"Why are you leaving already?"

Fuck you, Liu Jin.

But then she remembered his counter to that curse.

Damn you, Liu Jin.

She turned and saw Jin with his luggage in the living room too and got a bad feeling.

"What's with that luggage?"

"Flight back to Beijing."

There was only one return flight at that time and her gaze darkened.

"So we will leave together."

"You are stalking me everywhere."

He smiled and stood in front of her. "Let's have a safe flight back, neighbor."

It took her a second to realize.

"You changed my seat too!?" She could barely hold back her voice in this ungodly silence.

"I upgraded you from first class to business class. I thought I would see a more cheerful face."

"There is nothing cheerful about being your neighbor."

"You'll get used to it."

Just then, Liang Xiao Dan and Liang Zou stepped in too, bidding their goodbyes.

"We will miss you. Take care of yourself and don't ignore your health!" She puffed out her cheeks. "You too, young lady. These days, you youngsters don't care about a proper diet at all."

Alix stiffly cleared her throat. "Yes."

Liang Zou smacked him on his head. "Instead of making us miss you, give us a reason to come to Beijing. How about you send that wedding card already?"

Jin threw a glance at Alix, who in turn looked away as if she had nothing to do with this conversation.

"Hopefully soon, Grandpa," he smiled.

Alix inwardly snorted at that lofty aspiration and claim.

Such foolishness is not possible even in your dreams.

—

But it seemed like Alix spoke too soon because as soon as they landed at Beijing International Airport and barely stepped out, her phone was ransacked by a hoard of missed calls from Mui. She made a face.

I already messaged her last night that the deal with Alicia is resolved so why this mess still?

She dialed back and Mui picked up on the first ring.

"Sis…"

From the low whisper of her voice, Alix got a strange feeling.

"You better have a solid reason for almost murdering my phone."

"I…" her voice was close to crying.

"What?" She asked impatiently.

"O-Our company's bank accounts have gotten frozen, sis."

She blinked twice. "What? Why?"

Jin saw a furrow form on her face and stepped closer.

"I-I don't know how but the tax investigation team suddenly arrived at our office yesterday and t-they said that our accounts would be frozen until their investigation is over. N-Not only is it causing a backlash in the media because now everybody thinks that we have been misusing our investors' money for corruption, but the p-payroll is also severely hit.

It's the month end and they are not allowing us to even pay our employees salaries and the vendors we are in contract with. So employees are heavily protesting against their delayed payroll because it would mess up their finances and the vendors are threatening to break their contracts with us!"

Alix stared ahead without a word in response.

"Dad and I have been trying to calm down everybody's anger and reassure them but it's only causing them to become more violent. No matter how much he tried to talk to the audit team, they didn't listen to him, neither our employees nor the vendors. Sis, Ren Designs is on the brink of collapse a-and seeing everything come down at once, Dad e-even got a stroke…"

Mui broke down. "I-I had to get him admitted to the hospital…H-He has become very weak sis, a-and Mom's own health is not in any good shape either…I-I don't know what to do…"

Mui cried and cried with exhaustion and fatigue to which Alix listened in silence.

"Take care of Mom and Dad for now. I will be there in some time," Alix quietly said and hung up.

Before Jin parted his lips to speak, Alix turned towards him, facing him straight in the eye.

"That contract. I'll sign it. Let's get married."