Mama's Princess Is Daddy's Beloved

Li Xue's eyes contracted when she heard Lin Xinyi mentioning the Queen's name in between. She gazed back at the board with some thought, remembering well the last encounters she had with the lady. Her lips, curling up for a bit on her own thoughts, leaving the manager more confused at her attitude.

"Li Xue, any problem?" Lin Xinyi asked again, neither understanding the reason behind her earlier question nor the reason behind the known smile.

Li Xue shook her head in denial. "There is nothing important, Sister Xinyi. But is it important for me to reply about this contract right now? I mean I want to give it a thought prior to signing it", she said, turning to look at the woman with some meaningful depth in her eyes.

Lin Xinyi paused, looking at her but then nodded. "Sure, give it a nice thought and tell me soon. Don't delay it too much if you really want this opportunity to not slip out your hands".

"Mhm – hmm. I will let you know soon, Sister Xinyi." Li Xue nodded, before again looking at the board. "And also thanks a lot for preparing so much for me. If I am not wrong, preparing this plan chart according to the royal project is what kept you in this office yesterday night".

She added gratefully but Lin Xinyi just waved off her hands. "It's nothing to thank me for. That's my job and I will be paid for it."

Li Xue smiled at her words, seeing well the layer of modesty over the woman's attitude. Nodding according to her words, she looked back at the board. One look and anyone one would be able to tell the story of hard work behind it. Though it was just some letters of alphabets and numbers scribbled on it, the data analysis done was no easy thing to wave off.

"I understand, Sister Xinyi". She said before pressing a smile over her lips to make the woman blush.

***

On the other side, in the Royal Palace.

Chen Rui could not help but smile, hearing her secretary. "So they have yet not responded to it?" She was expecting it already, after all, as far as she has known Li Xue … The girl would never accept the things without giving a proper check to them.

Linda, the secretary nodded. "Yes, Your Highness! They have not yet responded. And I don't feel like there will be any positive reply coming from them". She said in a doubtful tone which made the queen raise her brows at her.

"Any special reasons behind such thoughts?"

The secretary felt flustered slightly but holding herself rightly at her grounds she nodded before saying, "Yes, Your Highness! Though the model, Li Xue has a good capability, her standing in the industry is still weak. And with that weak footing, I don't think she would want to put the career at risk. After all, we can't forget the severe risk this project term holds".

The reason that the secretary stated was perfectly right, but still, it only made the woman curl her lips.

"No doubt on your reason, Linda." Chen Rui nodded, giving her proper thought to it but then pausing with a doubt. "But won't the success of this project be enough to make her have a strong stand again in the industry? Just one job will be enough to bring back all the credits she has lost in the past years. I don't feel like they would like to miss the opportunity. Though the risk is too much, so is the profit. Let's wait and hear them say yes soon".

The Queen said and with her words the confidence was evident. Having no other choice the secretary also nodded before bowing a little to leave.

"Why have you not yet started breakfast? It's already late" Suddenly a concerned voice snapped the lady out from her thoughts. "I see, you are getting bad habits these days." Shin Tinming said, coming to the table with a frown. His eyes, looking at the untouched food kept on the plate.

Hearing him complain like that, Chen Rui pressed her lips together. "Like really? Am I to be blamed here? Who is coming late for breakfast?"

"Even if I am late, you should have already started by now. Why were you waiting for me at the table? You know I got the habit to come late for the meals and …" Shin Tinming defended his words but his words were bitten back before even he could complete.

"Should I clap for you, Tinming? If you want, just let me know. I will do it because as far as I can see you are bantering with me like a little kid with an inappropriate reason". The Queen said, pursing her lips. "Coming late for the meals and saying that you have gotten into that habit. Are you planning to praise yourself for that wrong habit or are you …"

The king at once raised his hand up in surrender. "Fine, I was at fault. But let's not drag this too much. Let's finish breakfast first and we can talk about the rest afterwards." He said, before pulling his chair to take his seat at the table and a maid came forward to serve the food on his plate. "Where is You Jun? Is he not coming for breakfast?" He asked, not finding his son at the table.

"Your son has taken after your bad habits. Do you expect him to be here on time? If yes then you definitely hold your expectations too high". She said, before forking her salads and putting them in her mouth. The husband could not complain so instead of saying anything more, he also started to dig into the breakfast.

After having half of the breakfast in silence, Chen Rui suddenly looked up to her husband and stared.

Feeling the gaze on himself, Shin Tinming also paused in his movements. "Rui, if you have things to say, you don't have to think too much and give me such stares. Just say and I will hear".

He said, matching the stares of the woman. The queen gave a sheepish smile to his words before nodding. "I know that. But I was just thinking if you will be interested to hear it, after all, your head always grows horns when you hear something related to Li Xue". She said and the man could not help but pause in his action without giving any response.

But after a long time, he said, "What about her? Did she refuse your offer?"