Chapter 107 - Hide and seek

"Heng Huang and Lang Lan had been creating trouble for us. If I start the orphanage at this point, they would use it to get back at me." Xu Boazhai looked gloomy. "Elder Heng had just passed away. The hearing of his will be announced soon. He always used to favor Heng Bingwen as the eldest child. It was not until cancer took him down that Heng Huang and his mistress found the opportunity to oppress us. Now they fear the will would be in Heng Bingwen favor. They don't want him to be present on the hearing day so he does not lay any claim."

"Isn't Heng Bingwen his own child? Why would he not want his own son to inherit? I have heard he treats Heng Bingwen well." Jing Lihua was reminded of her father. She shook her head. That man was not her actual father. Thinking about that made her feel better. Relatively, though Heng Huang abandoned his wife, rumors had it he still kept the communication with his son.

"I suspect they must have thought that since they had mistreated us, Heng Bingwen would get revenge at them. Besides until now, Heng Huang had been nice to Heng Bingwen only because elder Heng was alive. With Elder Heng's demise, he doesn't need to deceive anyone. Xiao Jing, now that you have provoked Lang Lan, she wouldn't sit quietly." Xu Baozhai looked worried about Jing Lihua.

"I know. I'll be ready. They can't get at me so easily. Let me arrange the dishes." Jing Lihua gaily walked out of the kitchen, set the table with the dishes not paying Lang Lan any mind who was still kneeling. Like she wasn't even there.

Lang Lan couldn't believe it. While they sat and dined, amidst the chatting Xu Baozhai put down her forks. "Xiao Jing, we should let her leave, don't you think? Its been enough punishment."

"Why auntie? You are being so kind. It's far less than what she deserves for bullying you all those years."Jing Lihua fished the dumplings from the soup. She caught the look in Xu Baozhai's eyes. "But you are right. Having another person in our precious time together is such a nuisance."

Xu Baozhai let her leave. Before leaving Lang Lan bowed to Jing Lihua and thanked her surprising both of them. Once she left, Jing Lihua commented. "She is smart. She knows I have the upper hand with the video." Jing Lihua laughed. "But I saw past through all the vengeance brewing in her heart through her eyes the moment before she left." Jing Lihua shook her head then looked into Xu Baozhai's eyes. "Tell me, auntie, what did you want to tell me that you had to shorten her punishment?"

"You have done a lot for us and I'm ashamed of asking for more"

"Auntie, you are my elder. Don't say that." You have done so much for me in the last life that I can never return your favors. Jing Lihua didn't say that but it was true.

"You see that rascal of the son I have, I know he won't rest easy until he gets what elder Heng left for him. I have tried to stop him but he wouldn't listen to me. It is not about wealth. Heng Bingwen admired his grandfather. He had once promised his grandfather that he would look after his empire once he passed away. And that Heng Huang and his son, you would have already known."

"I know. They prefer their private benefits our the benefits of the family business. Ever since the elder heng fell because of bad health, the family business had seen a rapid decline." And that had everything to do with their cooperation with the Su empire. "They are filling their own pockets at the expense of the family business in fear that Heng Bingwen might come to claim his right as the eldest son."

Xu Baozhai sighed. Jing Lihua knew everything.

"Don't worry Auntie Xu. I have already decided to help Heng Bingwen even before you asked. If that makes you feel better, I am not doing it as a favor on you guys. You don't not need to feel indebted. It is because the Heng empire requires a new President. Heng company has invested a lot in our company. We can not simply sever the connection. But at the same, Heng Huang is siding with my enemies. The only alternative is to deprive him of his position."

Xu Baozhai looked into Jing Lihua's eyes. There was a complicated expression in her eyes. "Sometimes I feel like you have been sent by God to help us due to some good karma I must have done in my last life."

Jing Lihua laughed. "You might say so." It was not untrue. Xu Baozhai had done great good to Jing Lihua in the past. It was indeed her good karma that was making Jing Lihua look for her. "And can you pack a serving the soup for me? There is a friend that I fear wouldn't have had dinner by now." Jing Lihua smiled.

Later that night, Jing Lihua got out of the apartment and traveled to her apartment with 'still hot' serving of Auntie Xu Baozhai dumpling soup. When she entered her apartment, she wasn't surprised to see the lights on. But she couldn't find Li Zhiqiang anywhere. "Wants to play hide and see, do you?"

With a smile, she went to the kitchen and poured the soup into a bowl. She went into the living room and put down the soup on the table. It was steaming hot. She had asked Auntie Xu to make extra spicy for him. Remembering how he had embarrassed her during their spice fight in Hong Kong...

She looked around and frowned. There were still no signs of Li Zhiqiang. Suddenly, fear settled in her heart. She had been too careless. With Li Zhiqiang's connection, it was inevitable that a good amount of people would want to claim her life.

She heard a noise coming from her bedroom. With cautious steps, she approached her bedroom. With a jerk, she opened the door. But just that moment, lights went out.