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CHAPTER 99

"When you return, you would be briefed. If you want to know so much, then board the next plane back home. I need people I can trust by my side."

As soon as he finished speaking, he reached for his phone to end the call but stopped midway when the person n the phone asked a question.

"What about Hao Huizhong?"

"Just return home."

"Okay. See you soon, bro."

****

As expected, the news got to Ye Cheng's father, but the latter refused to call his son about the issue and kept quiet as though, he knew nothing.

~LI JING'S APARTMENT~

Up until now, Li Jing had still not heard the news as her phone was mostly on do not disturb mode.

She had been working all through the night on a business proposal and plan, that she failed to rest and watch the news.

To her, that was just a distraction and she needed to finish her plan before Monday so that she could show it to Ye Cheng.

Even though she was no longer in the marketing team, ideas still pumped in her mind every now and then and she usually put it down just in case the need arose someday and her idea was asked to be pitched.

Although, right now, she was making side ideas to keep for when she started something of her own.

It was already late noon when Li Jing finished and decided to take a break before she went to reviewing the files one more time for any error.

Growing up in the Li's residence had thought her to be extra thorough as any mistake she made, Ding Jiaying would use it against her.

She was not ready to redo things and even more, as that was what her punishment usually entailed. Her adopted mother would make her redo the work at home if there was one spec uncleaned or one error noticed at work.

So she learnt the hard way and learnt how to crosscheck things.

She left her work on her bed and made her way to the kitchen to get a juice and some cookies she made the previous day, from the refrigerator.

Removing her phone from do not disturb mode, Li Jing took her things to the living room to relax.

By the time she was done bringing everything with her, she sat down in front of the television and switched it on. Immediately the news about herself and Ye Cheng started, leaving her wide-eyed at the screen.

"Oh my goodness!"

Just then, her phone rang, pulling her attention from the screen and back to reality.

"Yin Lifen!"

It had been a week now since she last heard from her friend and that was due to the fact that she always kept her phone on 'Do not disturb' mode as she was swamped with work that week.

It was then she recalled that she still had not told Yin Lifen who he was, the stranger in her house.

They had completely forgotten the topic the other day when she came to her house. The discussed some little things and their time in the university before her grandmother came and joined them.

In as much as Yin Lifen wanted to ask her, she did not want he grandmother butting in and giving her a query for not bringing a man as well.

So whenever the discussion was going that way, she tried to avoid it. That was how she failed to find out about the stranger that harassed her friend.

She intended to get the truth unfailing during the week, but Li Jing's phone was never going through.

But today when she saw the news, she told herself she must get through to her and kept on calling non-stop till when Li Jing's phone rang.

"LI LING!" Yin Lifen screamed into the phone. She was almost having a heart attack because of her friend.

Quickly, Li Jing pulled the phone away from her ears to avoid her eardrums from getting destroyed by her angry friend.

She was sorry though, as she knew what a worrywart her friend was. She could not blame her, neither could she blame herself. It was how she was when she had work to be done and needed her focus.

"I cannot believe you can stay a week without talking to me, Li Jing." Yin Lifen's voice broke, it almost felt as though she would begin to cry any minute from now.

"Yin Lifen…"

"Do not say anything. No. Let me talk, let me pour out all of my anger on you." She closed her eyes, trying to recall all the pain and heartache she had thinking something bad had happened to her friend.

"Okay, speak I would not…"

"You are already interrupting me. Shh, Li Jing. No talking."

"Hmm," Li Jing nodded into the phone as if her friend could see her.

"Li Jing, do you know how worried I was over you? I did not hear from you neither did you think of calling me. What have I done to you? Does our friendship mean nothing?"

"I…"

"Save it. No excuses from you young lady." She inhaled deeply and released her breath slowly, taking her time with controlling her anger.

Even though she was mad at her, she knew if she screamed at Li Jing too much, the latter would break into a heap of tears and she could not allow that. She was still fragile, so she had to be careful.

"I called you countless times Li Jing but your number never went through."

"Why did you not come over?" It was only logical that since calling did not work, at least he knew her place, she could have dropped by.

"Says who I didn't?!" Yin Lifen yelled at her again.

"I am sorry."

"Like hell you are. If you were, you wouldn't do this to me. I came to your place on two different occasions. One time, I came in the morning and the other, at early noon but I always found your place locked."

Yup, she wouldn't meet her because Li Jing was at work.