Chapter 22 - Challenging them

When Jing Lihua woke up in the morning, she was in a daze.

What happened last night? Why was she so dizzy? She sat properly and tried to recall everything. Flashes appeared in her mind. She got drugged. Su Liwei... he was here. She quickly inspected her body.

"That jerk didn't fall so low to force me while I was unconscious." Even though Su Liwei hated her, he had never done anything dirty in her previous life. Even if it was one's enemy, there is a fair way to play the game. In her last life, he could have her r.a.p.ed and stripped with a single order. But he never succ.u.mbed to anything that low.

"Eldest Miss, here are the cups you asked for."

Jing Lihua smiled sincerely. "Thank you, butler Zhou. I'm sorry if I dragged you in the trouble. In the future, I'll remember to pay your debt"

"There is no need eldest miss. Your mother was always good to me" Suddenly, his eyes saddened. "After her death, I couldn't protect you from those vicious people. I can't dare to accept your gratitude."

"Elder Zhou, don't be hard on yourself. You were helpless. Don't worry things would change. I would make sure to make them pay back ten times who made my mother suffer."

Eldest Zhou looked at Jing Lihua. Her brilliant green eyes looked determined. His heart warmed with happiness. House Mistress, your daughter has grown up.

Jing Lihua walked down, after taking a bath and dressing moderately; she took a table at the breakfast. Everyone ate, ignoring her presence as if she wasn't there at all to which she was very grateful until her father said to her.

"Yan'er told me that you wore a dress in the show made by designer Mo Liang before it was even put on sale publically? Do you have an acquaintance with him?"

"Yes." Jing Lihua said simply, not interested in whatever he had to say.

"Good. I want you to try to bring him to sign a contract with our company. Tell him that we are willing to agree to his all requests. We will pay how much he wants. We will meet all his demands."

Jing Lihua scoffed inwardly. It was the first time her father talked to her and it was for no reason other than his own profit?

No asking about how her husband been to her. No asking about how's she been away from home. Jing Lihua could pretend it didn't affect her. But the fact was the man was her father, and it did hurt her.

"Are you listening to me?"

"He wouldn't agree."

"Convey our message to him. Use your connection with him if you have to. Use all possible means to make him agree." Jing Shuping was desperate. "You should think about the best of your family. We've taken care of you since you were a child. And all you have done until now is only to bring shame to my name. You haven't ever contributed to the family's welfare like Jing Tian has." Jing Shuping had a sense of righteousness in his tune. "That amateur quickly made his name in the company owing to his fame from his ex career. He has such arrogance! Our Jing boutiques is one of the best out there but wouldn't even agree to meet me! Right... Consider it as a chance for your redemption. If you succeed in bringing him to our company, I'll overlook all your past mistakes."

If it was the previous Jing Lihua, who was always eager to please her father, she would have been fooled by those words. But now... Who needed his forgiveness?

"Whatever means I use, he wouldn't ever agree" She gracefully cut a piece of vegetable. Her actions infuriated Jing Shuping.

"Just do what you are told. Or else should I conclude from your reluctance that you are unwilling to contribute to the welfare of the family?" Jing Shuping didn't like her attitude and raised his voice to scare her. "Are you questioning your father's command?"

That line used to always work on Jing Lihua and she would immediately yield. Of course, Jing Lihua always used to concede to whatever his father ordered. She still remembered how countless times she was beaten by that man brutally with a simple word from her stepmother.

"I'm not questioning my father's command" Jing Lihua smiled lightly. "I'm outrightly refusing to accept it."