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CHAPTER 232
Mr. Lin paused and looked away from her. He stared at nothing in particular as though there was something he was pondering on. Just about the time she was going to speak, he spoke first and what he said had left Li Jing thinking.
"In time, you would come to know he was who he was and what he did."
His words seemed clear but they weren't particularly clear as well. It had some deep meaning to it and they hid some secrets with them. Li Jing was not one that loved riddles. She liked things to be stated plainly and move on with her life.
But now, this? There was obviously something her grandfather wasn't telling her and she would soon come to know. One way or another.
"Grandfather, what do you mean? Do you know who my father is/"
"Let's leave the discussion there for now. I do not want to drain the joy of the first day of the year in sad tales. Come, let us go downstairs, shall we?"
She hesitated and wanted to decline but it was certain that she could not force some kind of things even if she wanted to. Resigning her fate, she stood up after him and they left the study.
They spent time talking that day and Mr. Lin told her about the party he intended to throw at their city and how he would also like for her to come and take over the family business.
At first Li Jing did not want to see fit with the whole arrangement as it meant her changing her environment and what she grew up getting used to, but this was her heritage and one she was very much needed in.
"Grandfather, I understand what you want from me alright but things are a bit too rushed.
"Rushed?"
"Do not get me wrong. I do not know how to put this to you now. I think the company can hold without me being there for a while. I still need to put some things in place first."
"As true as that may be, I would have someone I trust to assist you in any way possible. Forgive me if I do seem to be rushing but the truth is Li Jing, I lost once, I do not intend on losing again."
"You have all the time in the world with me grandfather. I am still here."
"Are you? I lost all the years of your growing up. Please do not let me lose more Li Jing. Let me enjoy each day with you and make up for all the love you lost as a child, please."
His words were so touching that they warmed her heart and the tears started flowing down her cheeks.
He meant well and meant the world to her. What else could she had been asking for?
Perhaps her freedom to do as she pleased but with him, she could do so much more. After some thoughts on the matter, Li Jing finally succumbed to her grandfather's wish but based on her own terms.
"Okay, it is going to be like this. Delay the introductory party till liker the 7th day of the month. Let me have time to say my goodbyes and all. Then after that, I would be coming back here to help finalize a work that I was to do and after which I can resume and take over. Basically speaking, grandfather, expect me in February."
"If that is what would make you happy then I am glad. It is okay. I have waited for so long. What is one more month that I cannot wait for again?"
Li Jing was very happy that he was understanding her. It meant they would not be having issues in the future if he was ready to give in to her and they had a mutual understanding about things.
"Deal, grandfather?"
"Deal, baby girl."
"Thank you."
"What for? I should be the one thanking you."
"For not giving up the search for mother and finding me somehow."
"It is nothing. It is my responsibility and what are family members for if not to love and support each other?"
"I totally agree."
"That's my girl. Now, come. Let's go shopping shall we?"
Just like that Li Jing and her grandfather went to one of the best shopping malls in the city. He wanted to get his granddaughter something nice as a new gift. In fact, anything she set her eyes on that caught her fancy was hers that day.
At the end of it all, she was so joyed and not because of the bags, shoes, dresses and some office wears she bought, no, but because she got to do it with the only family she had with her.
It really made her feel warm and cozy. It was something she never got the opportunity of doing. For the first time in her life, she felt the father figure strongly and wished that her parents were okay, wherever they may be.
Unknown to her, all through her shopping, a certain human being saw her with him.
The lady quickly pulled out her phone from her bag and placed a call to someone. "Good evening ma, sorry to disturb you but I just saw something that I think would be news to you."
Hearing her words clearly, the other caller's interest was particularly peaked. "What is that?"
Even she tried to sound uninterested, the lady could still sense the eagerness in her voice and knew she was bait. "Ma'am, I just saw Li Jing at a shopping mall."
"Seriously? You called me to tell me this?"
"I do not understand ma, but I thought you have been looking for Li Jing especially since …"
"Since what!" The other lady yelled into the phone. "Since what? What in this life do you know about anything huh? What Yang Yan Mei?"
"Ma, I have not yet finished what I was saying."
"Yang Yan Mei, please do not waste my time. Do not spoil my new year's day more than it had already been spoilt. Leave my phone this instant."
"It would interest you to know that your sister, Li Jing is really the mistress you called her. I just saw her with an old man, he brought her for shopping."
Gbanghan!
Due to the events of the watch-night day, Li Xiu left the house first thing on the new year morning to hang out with her friend and help calm her angry and pained heart down.
Unfortunately, she was not in the house when Mr. Lin came and had no bloody idea that the old man being mentioned was indeed Li Jing's grandfather.
What was worse was the fact that Ding Jiaying did not call her daughter to inform her. She was much too happy to be able to now extort something from Li Jing and after Mr. Lin left she went to concoct plans on how to take more from him while practicing in her brain how to get li Jing to say favorable things for her.
"You said?" No longer was she boiling. Her anger flew out the window instantly as Yang Yan Mei succeeded in getting her attention back.
"She had been shopping with a man old enough to be her father or even worse. You should see the affection in his eyes as he watched her pick her outfits. If not that I saw it myself. It still felt like a dream."
"This proves everything. That was how she got her way to the top by sleeping around and acting all high and mighty. Chameleon is what you are Liu Jing. Do not worry, I would make you suffer the humiliation I suffered," Li Xiu muttered to herself.
"Miss Li Xiu, I did not get what you said."
"Oh, nothing. I just… it was nothing." Even though she tried to throw Yang Yan Mei off, she had no idea that she heard everything she said.
"I would send you a picture. I snapped them a while ago."
"Okay, you are smart. Just send me the picture. Kindly do that ASAP."
"Yes, ma. I hope that with this I have successfully made your day less annoying and would get something for being a dedicated worker?"
No answer!
She quickly pulled the phone from her ears to check and saw that the call had ended a long time ago.
'That bloody bitch! How dare she caught the call on me? I am only using her to get a promotion and she cannot even be appreciative of it. Just you wait, Li Xiu. Your bossy attitude would soon come to an end when I am done with you. For now, I have bigger fish to fry. Let me make Li Jing public ridicule for the slap she gave to me then.'
With that, she paid for what she bought and hurried outside to catch up with Li Jing as she was leaving too.
