**********

CHAPTER 159

The strawberry blonde hair guy smiled at her response. He was very pleased that she was okay and the trauma was gone.

"That is nice then. No need to thank me. I just did what any normal person would have done to someone in distress."

"I know, still it was quite nice all the same. The whole thing happened too fast and I just… Well there was no excuse and I should have known better."

"Nah, do not blame yourself. It can happen to anyone. I just hope the big guy did not scold you so much?"

Li Jing raised her brows at his words. 'The big guy! What big guy?' Li Jing thought to herself.

*Ding*

It suddenly clicked in her mind and then she understood what he was talking about and a knowing smile formed on her lips as her eyes narrowed and she looked at him.

"Yeah the big guy," the strawberry blonde haired guy chipped in again, nodding his head at her.

"Oh, Ye Cheng."

"Yes, the boss."

"Well, he did but I survived it." She shook her head at the naughty way the guy had referred to Ye Cheng. If only he knew just how much his workers sometimes fear his mood.

"That is good. He looked like he was going to eat your head up and I was worried about it."

"No, he didn't. He was just concerned that was all. Anyways, my name is Li Jing, well you may already know."

"Yeah," the guy smiled at her again, ignoring her outstretched hand as he stared at her beautiful face.

"Huh, hello." He blinked, coming out of his trance and looked at her face in confusion. Li Jing directed her gaze on her outstretched hand and that was when he got the cue.

"Oh, mind my manners. I am sorry." He took her hand, shaking it lightly before letting go. "My name is Haoran, Hong Haoran. It is a pleasure meeting you, finally."

"Finally?"

"Do not mind me. It is an honour to meet the dazzling beauty that stands close to Ye Cheng."

"Hehhe, you flatter. Thanks anyway. I am really grateful and I apologise for how he acted earlier on."

"Nah, it is okay. He is the boss."

"Still, it wasn't all too right. You saved me from them. I do not know how best I can thank you."

"Well, if you feel the need to, perhaps dinner would be nice. I would have said lunch but it is long past lunch already."

"Oh, okay. In that case, a dinner would seat well. When?"

"Umm, how about tomorrow seeing as you are stressed."

"Okay, I can do it tomorrow. Thanks again."

"My pleasure." Hong Haoran replied her with another one of his charming smiles and after that, both of them stood in silence. No one knowing what to say next.

After some minutes, Li Jing broke the silence and asked, "You are leaving, right?"

"Yes and you?"

"Yeah. I had a very stressful day. I need to rest early so I can continue work."

"Yes indeed. Okay, shall we?"

"Yes." Both of them walked out of the building, talking about minor things and Hong Haoran escorted her to the car waiting to pick her up before biding her goodbye and went to enter his.

Immediately, Hua Duyi drove off, Hong Haoran followed, driving out of the compound. By now all the protesting so-called fans had all gone and everywhere was free.

Seconds later after they left, the door to the entrance opened and Yi Wang Lei stepped out with his left hand in his pocket and his phone and car keys in the right hand.

He had a small smile on his lips as his eyes wandered in the direction where Li Jing followed.

'Ye Cheng, be careful.' Yi Wang Lei thought to himself as his gaze left the road and went up top the last floor where his friend's office was.

He did not need someone to tell him that Ye Cheng liked Li Jing but his friend's stubbornness would cost him, Li Jing.

She was beautiful no doubt and there were many sharks ready to go for her.

*****

In Li Xiu's apartment, she sat down in front of the television in the living room as she waited for her maids to serve her meal when her phone began to ring.

She picked it up and answered. "Yes?"

"Ma'am, everything is going according to plan. I could get her."

"Good. What about plan B?" Li Xiu asked, her lips curving up into a smile at the good news.

"Well I would contact her and see how far she had gone with hers but I think there would be progress nonetheless."

"Great then. Keep me informed and posted on the happenings. Is that clear?"

"Sure."

As soon as the call went dead, she raised her hands in the air at her upcoming triumph.

"Yes, count the days, Li Jing. Count it well. I would make you suffer."

Just then a maid walked in. "Ma'am, your meal has been served."

"Okay. What about mother? Wouldn't she be coming down for dinner?"

"Yes, Rita has gone to inform her about dinner," the maid politely responded with a bow of her head.

"Very well. I would be there soon."

****

By the next day, Li Jing got prepared for her dinner date with Hong Haoran and unknown to her, Yi Wang Lei was careful to watch out and was lurking when Hong Haoran told her the time they would meet and the venue.

Without asking for help from Yin Lifen, Li Jing got prepared and ready for her dinner. After all it was just a thank-you dinner with a new friend.

And since it was past working hours, she did not bother calling for Hua Duyi and called for a cab to pick her and take her to her destination.

Due to this, Ye Cheng was not aware of her outing and was busy planning for the bidding proposal.

It was already time for Li Jing's dinner date with Hong Haoran. And by the time she got there, she found that he was already inside, waiting for her and have placed orders for drinks and was busy downing a glace of wine when she got to where he sat.

"Ah, welcome," Hong Haoran greeted and got up to shake her hand.

"Thank you. I see you have already started before me." Her gaze left him and wandered off to the table before them as she had her seat opposite of him.

"My manners. I was very thirsty and decided to get an early start to also help me calm down. You know I do not do this very often."

"Wow, you do not look it."

"I get that. Many think I am this outing, partying type because of my looks but in reality, that is not the case at all. I love being to myself."

"Cool. I guess I can say the same about myself."

"That is nice. We have something in common then and not just our workplace."

Li Jing laughed at his obvious joke before picking up the menu to place her order.

Right outside the restaurant, a car pulled up and the car door opened to reveal a dashing young man. In no time he walked into the restaurant and took his seat opposite of where Li Jing sat down and waited for the waiter.

"Welcome, sir. What would you be having?" The waiter asked him.

"Water is good."

"Okay, sir. Are you waiting for someone or just here alone?' The waiter asked again. He could not see the handsome man's face due to the shades he wore but from his jawline and facial structure, he could tell he was handsome.

The young man averted his gaze from what he was looking at and pulled his shade down a bit. The moment the waiter saw who he was, his mouth dropped open in shock.

"Sir, I apologize…"

"Leave." That was the reply he got and the waiter scurried off, leaving the young man alone.

Now that he had no interruption, he looked over at Li Jing and let his gaze remain fixed on her.

"Okay, what would you be having? Li Jing asked Hong Haoran.

"Umm, I guess the same with yours."

"Okay, you would love it, that I can guarantee."

"Sure. Waiter!" A waiter came over, took their order and left. "Aren't you tasty?" He motioned towards the other glass of wine on the table.

"Oh, thanks." She picked it up and took a mouthful of the drink. "Hmm, it states different," she remarked after some time.

"Well, it is a different kind of wine. Try more and you would see that it is better than before."

Just as she brought the glass close to her lips, a hand held her wrist, preventing the glass cup from touching her lips and forcing it back down.

Hong Hoaran got angry at the rude intervention and was ready to yell at the idiot that dared to butt in.

"Get up, let's leave."