CHAPTER 7

“Come on, you stubborn jerk. You cannot die. Your death can’t be on me!”

She hit his shoulder, before moving in and giving him a breath kiss again. She broke away from his lips, her chest heaving up and down as she panted heavily, then began pumping on his chest again.

“COOH!”

He coughed, letting the water pour out from his mouth, his eyes still slightly closed.

“Ahh! Thank God!”

She was truly happy he was alive. Seeing him raised his head slightly, Li Jing moved close. Just when she leaned in and was about asking a question, his head fell back down and head tilted to the side with his eyes closed shut.

Taken aback by what just happened Li Jing couldn’t help the words that left her mouth next. “What!”

With her mouth slightly hung agape, she muttered, “He fainted.”

After a minute, she got herself back, blinking her eyes thrice before thinking of what to do.

‘I cannot leave him here like this. He needs to be attended to. Hmm, should I get him to the hospital? But what if the people who did this to him are searching for him? It is too risky. There is only one thing to do.”

Her sharp innocent eyes darted back to his sleeping face and she let out a sigh.

********

In a fancy looking, well-decorated office, a man in his late sixties is seen sitting on one of the leather cushion chairs in an adjourning relaxation room to his office.

Ring! Ring! Ring!

The phone beside him lit up and played a serene tone at an incoming call. Slowly he tilted his head to the side, to look at the caller on the phone screen.

Without much thought, he moved the glass of wine in his right hand to his left, picked up the phone and answered the call.

“Speak.”

His deep baritone voice came out strong and authoritative with just that one word.

“Boss, it is done,” the caller at the other end said, a male to be precise. His voice was filled with joy as he continued. “We got him.”

“And the documents?” The elderly man asked.

His face was blank and void of any emotion as his fingers twirled the glass cup in his hands.

“My apologies boss. Unfortunately, he threw it into the water and refused to comply.”

‘Stubborn mule! One could expect much.’ he thought to himself.

“Your boys couldn’t handle such a simple task. What good are they?” His voice was slightly raised as he spoke into the phone.

Although he didn’t yell, but the coldness in his voice could send chills down the spine of anyone who heard him. “Clear all evidence and await further instructions.”

“Yes, boss,” the person on the other end of the call said and the call cut.

“Is it done?”

“Yes, time to move on to phase two.”

The elderly man took a quick but slow sip of his drink before he replied to the person who just spoke to him.

“Alright.”

**********

At the Li mansion, a car pulled up in front of the house and a lady stepped out. Before leaving, she bid the driver farewell, then made her way over to the house.

The doors to the entrance of the house opened and the lady walked in. Immediately a girl in a housemaid outfit walked over to greet her.

“Young lady Li Xiu, welcome back.” The maid said respectfully.

“Hmm!” Not bothering to spare the girl a glance, she scoffed and walked in.

A few steps into the living room and a middle-aged lady in her late forties walked down the stairs.

“Where is Li Jing?” she asked the lady coming downstairs in a raised voice.

“Is Li Jing the only important thing in this house, for you to forget to greet your own mother?” Ding Jiaying replied to her daughter’s rude remark with one of her own.

“Mother!” Li Xiu started to say but stopped when her mother arched her brows at her. “Fine, I am sorry. But seriously mum, is Li Jing still here?”

“No, that good for nothing spoiled brat packed away finally.”

“What of dad?”

“He isn’t back. As for now, he doesn’t know about this.”

Li Xiu let out a breath she didn’t know she had been holding in and mumbled, “Good.”

“You said?” Ding Jiaying asked her daughter since she couldn’t hear her mumbling.

“Nothing mother, I said we would just make up an excuse and say she wanted to live on her own,” Li Xiu said with a shrug.

“Alright. How is Duan Tian by the way? When would your engagement be announced?”

“Soon mum, but first, I need to make sure Li Jing pay for all those years I had to share with her.”

“Come,” she beckoned on her daughter with her hand, moving down the stairs to where her daughter stood.

Moving in close to her daughter’s side, Ding Jiaying whispered, “What did you do to Li Jing?”

“What do you mean, mum?”

“You need to see her when she came, whatever you did really made her look like a homeless wretch,” Ding Jiaying added, a small grin spreading across her face at her own statement.

“She only found out today that she had been dumped by Tian long ago. It was about time though.”

“What did Daun Tian do to her?” Ding Jiaying quickly question her, hoping for some gossip with her daughter.

“Nothing, he just slapped her. Anyways, I’ve got things to do mum. I’ll be in my room.” Li Xiu wriggled out of her mother’s grip and said.

“Okay, I would have your dinner sent to your room.”

“Thanks.”

Without looking back, Li Xiu made her way upstairs to her room.

***********

In a fairly big room in the small house on the hill, Li Jing is seen sitting on the only chair in the master’s bedroom, with her legs crossed in front of her and her hair tied up in a messy bun.

Beads of sweat decorated her smooth white forehead as her small hand moved up to massage her temples. Taking in short, deep quick breaths, her chest rose and fell with each passing second.

With her current appearance, it was obvious she was stressed out.