The Inconceivable Flame: A Fallen Angel's Disguise

Meanwhile at SnapVise Technologies...

"Ran Zi, why aren’t you working today?" Xiao Zhi Ren questioned Ji Syaoran seeing that his brother was languidly sprawled on the leather couch in his office.

"I’m not ditching work. I was done with my meetings. So, I decided that I should come to you and invite you out for some fun." Ji Syaoran answered with his eyes glued on his cellphone screen where he was playing some online game. "Ahan! This is what you get for messing with me bastard!" Xiao Zhi Ren’s low growl made its way to Ji Syaoran and he tilted his head to give an apologetic look saying, "Sorry, bro! But this guy called me names first. I had to retaliate."

Xiao Zhi Ren rolled his eyes at his childish brother and said, "Who told you to play games like teenagers? You are already twenty-three."

"What does age have to do with gaming? We are young as long as we believe we are." Ji Syaoran asked sulkily. "Anyways, are you coming out with me or not?"

"I can’t. Go find your friends." Xiao Zhi Ren waved him off with a single sentence.

"But you are the only friend I have. Don’t do this with me." Ji Syaoran left his phone and came to plead with his eyes. He felt wrong for being abandoned by his brother like this.

"Ran Zi, if you don’t have a friend then make one. Grandma was complaining about that as well." Xiao Zhi Ren understood why his grandmother was going on and on about this. All of the siblings have the worst interpersonal skills.

"Come with me or I’ll ask grandmother to find a blind date for you." Ji Syaoran threatened since Xiao Zhi Ren could go against anyone except for his grandmother. That iron lady was not to be messed with. Old Madam Ji or Lady Jin Mi as people called her started her own business in her teenage years. Her International Group of Toys manufacturers was one the top in the world even now. She really was not someone to be messed with.

Xiao Zhi Ren glared at him. "Ran Zi!" His voice was stern but Ji Syaoran wasn’t planning on backing off. "You are the only person who knows that I can’t be with anyone else."

"Bro, how long are you going to wait for that girl? Who knows if she is still alive or not?" Ji Syaoran said in exasperation.

"Don’t you dare curse her. She’s alive." Xiao Zhi Ren’s voice turned sharper.

"And how are you so sure?" Ji Syaoran challenged. Xiao Zhi Ren didn’t answer instead, his lips curled slightly upward in a smile as the scene of last night’s stolen kiss resurfaced in his mind. Ji Syaoran frowned a bit curiously before asking cautiously, "You found her?" Xiao Zhi Ren nodded his head and Ji Syaoran’s eyes widened. He immediately came to tug at his sleeve like a kid. "Bro, where? When? How is she? How did you find her? Who is she? Where was she? Why didn’t we find her earlier?"

Xiao Zhi Ren swatted his hand away from his own sleeve and glared at him. He was throwing questions at him without a break.

"Why are you curious? Didn’t you say I won’t find her ever?"

"I said that because I wanted you to move on from her. Just because of one girl, you never even tried to be in a relationship with anyone else. I didn’t want you to stay a loner for the rest of your life." Ji Syaoran looked distressed as he recalled the past.

Xiao Zhi Ren ruffled his hair and said, "Stop caring about me and focus on yourself. Now that I have found her, I won’t let her get away ever again."

"Is... Is she alright now?" Ji Syaoran asked with a bit of concern.

After a moment of pondering he said, "Physically? Yes. Mentally? Except for being a proud peacock, she seems fine. But emotionally... I don’t know. She knows how to conceal her emotions."

"Wasn’t it obvious?" Ji Syaoran started, "Don’t you remember when she woke up from the coma. The doctor said he had never seen anyone as calm as she was after knowing that she can’t see. It was like she didn’t care at all. There wasn’t a hint of pain on her face."

"You are right. She certainly is a tough girl." Xiao Zhi Ren stated fondly.

"Tough girl? I have never seen a more persistent person than her. Even being heavily injured, she held onto dear life fighting with even her last breath." Ji Syaoran would never forget the time he met Ru as well. After all, he was also with Xiao Zhi Ren when they found her half dead in the mountains.