CHAPTER 3

By the time Li Jing arrived at her destination, it was already 6pm. The taxi driver took her up the hill till where the tarred road stopped and helped her unload her things from his boot.

It took her some time, but she successful took her luggage to a small house up the hill. It was covered and protected from outside eyes by the tall trees surrounding it.

The house had a great view of the beach, making it the perfect hide out she needed. How she had come to acquire such a wonderful possession was still something she could barely believe.

Two years ago during one of her camping trips with her friends from school, she met an injured old lady and helped her. This house was indeed the old woman’s home and she lived alone.

Li Jing assisted the old lady to her house and nursed before leaving to regroup with her friends. Since then, she had visited the old lady once ever week and ensured she had everything she needed.

Li Jing even went ahead to help her with her medicines, doctor’s appointment and food supplies. Unfortunately, the old lady passed away some months back and her grandchildren came to bury her.

Li Jing opened the windows of the house to allow in fresh air. It was her usual routine back then when the old lady was alive. She turned around and took in everything in the house.

It was just as the old lady left it. She did her best maintaining it that way in honour of the kind old lady. As she admired the house, her thoughts drifted down memory lane.

**Flashback**

It was after her funeral that they handed over the house to her.

“Li Jing, Grandma Jiaye left something for you in her will,” a tall and dashing young man dressed in an all black suit said to her softly.

His name was Tang Zixin, the first grandchild of the old lady, Tang Jiaye. It was not until after her death that Li Jing knew the old lady was the matriarch of the prestigious wealthy Tang Family.

“There really is no need, Young Master. I was happy accompanying her these past year and the half,” Li Jing rejected his offer politely.

“I am sorry, Li Jing but this is not something that you can refuse. Before Grandma Jiaye’s passing, she called and instructed me to follow her will accordingly. It was her last will and she made me promise to fulfill her wish,” he explained to her.

“I do not know what to say. That is very thoughtful of Grandma.”

“Wait until you hear what her will entails.”

“Alright, Young Master Tang.”

“Call me Tang Zixin.”

She nodded in understanding and waited for him to pass the message.

“She wanted you to have her house by the beach and this parcel. She said she knows you would be the best person to take care of this house the way she would and she wanted you to have it as a token of her appreciation for all those years you were with her.”

Li Jing was speechless as the words left her mouth. She would never have expected such a gift from the old lady. Her mouth hung agape as she stared at the young master in front of her.

“Also,” he continued, breaking her from her train of thoughts. “She also instructed that this parcel be giving to you,” Tang Zixin said and brought out an envelope from his suit’s pocket and handed it over to her.

She was reluctant to collect it but Tang Zixin took her hand and pressed the envelope into her hands. Li Jing’s gaze fell on the envelope in her hands perplexed. All these felt like a dream to her.

‘Just how generous is Grandma Jiaye anyway?’ she found herself asking in her mind.

“She wanted you to open it only when you are in a dire situation and in need of help,” he added her last words.

Her eyes teared and she blinked severally, trying her best to clear the water gathering in her eyes and looked up at the handsome fellow, causing her eyes to water with his words.

“Thank you. Really, thank you, Tian Zixin,” she raised her head and thanked him, looking in him the eye.

“You are welcome. If you need anything and at anytime, do not hesitate to call me. You are Grandma Jiaye’s favourite person and she wants me to offer any help to you at all times.”

He brought his card from his pocket and presented it to her. “Feel free to call, Li Jing.”

“Thank you. I would try to make use of this if the situation arises.”

“I hope you will. Goodbye for now,” he greeted her with a smile before turning around and left.

**Flashback Ends**

“Thank you, Grandma Tang Jiaye. Thank you, Tang Zixin. With this home, I can start my life anew,” she muttered to herself and gently wiped her tears away.

After a minute, she moved over to her luggage on the ground and picked up two, one on either hand, then walked towards one of the big rooms.

‘After getting settled in, I would go visit the beach. It’s been long. Perhaps it is what my aching heart needs.’

–––––––

Ye Cheng arrived not too long at Star City’s Harbour. He got down from his car as quickly as possible. He took one look around and his gaze fell on a small yatch with some men all wearing black trousers, shirts and jacket.

He took a heads count as he walked closer to the harbor. He roughly counted twelve men and smiled to himself.

‘Good, I can take them on.” He thought to himself confidently.

Within a minute and a half, he was already at the harbour and from this point, he noticed the men were all surrounding something in their centre, blocking his view of what that was.

His brows furrowed at the thought of their suspicious behaviour. His eyes caught sight of a feminine pair of shoes and legs, making him panic a bit.