Chapter 69 - You wouldn't believe what I saw!

When Jing Lihua called him 'President Li' a long silence fell into the room. A silence that showed no signs of ending anytime soon. They both stared at each other. A Lion and a tigress. Caught into a relentless glaring competition.

In the end, it was Li Zhiqiang who laughed and walked to pour him a glass of Champagne. "How long have you known." He brought the glass to Jing Lihua.

"Actually I've always been suspicious after I heard your voice on the phone." Jing Lihua accepted the glass. "I would be a fool if I didn't realize it by now."

"But exactly what gave me away? I'm very interested to know."

"Your involvement with my being poisoned incident. And then your appearance right the next moment in the hospital. That already made me suspicious when we talked through the phone and I found your voice familiar. Secondly, when I set off to your office, only you knew where I was. And it was you who happened to find me. That further strengthened my suspicion. Sunset square apartments were President Li's personal residence. And President Li and your appearance at the hotel at the same time... Your easily getting excess to whatever room you wanted... I must be a fool if I hadn't realized by then that it was not you." Jing Lihua took a sip. She liked the taste. "If you intended to hide who you were from me then you did a very bad job. Instead, you brought me to your own restaurant. And the staff treated us with the attitude that was only deserved by a member of the 'Li family. That is not-so like you. You could have done a better job hiding your identity. You disappoint me, President Li."

"Actually I never intended to hide my identity from you. All that times you assumed I was being careless, I was actually trying to hint you that who I was."

"Is it why you appeared at the fashion show using that as a chance for me to know who you were?" Jing Lihua laughed and placed the glass down without finishing. The last thing she wanted was to get drunk. "But too bad. I missed to see you." Jing Lihua sighed. "If you didn't mind me knowing you could have just told me."

Li Zhiqiang poured him another glass and chucked it down. Though his exterior looked calm and collected, inside he was very nervous. Only after drinking it all down, he felt a little calm.

"Now that we both know who you are, you can clarify the relation I had with you in the past... That made you help me behind the scene." Jing Lihua thought of something and said. "Back then the rise in the share of Qin Jua construction company had something to do with you, hadn't it?" She said it with a smile. In reality, she just wanted to show this President Li that she wasn't someone to be underestimated. That she knew a lot more than he had expected. She wanted to... impress him. "And the Wang Yi... He s also your man. Isn't he?"

Li Zhiqiang smiled. Jing Lihua had no idea that the one whom she was trying to impress was already a nervous mess facing her. "Your proficiency lives up to your reputation."

"Please clarify the relation I had with you in the past." As Jing Lihua said that, she didn't look so confident anymore. Her sharp softened. Even her voice showed an edge of vulnerability.

The question Li Zhiqiang was most afraid of was asked. His hold over the glass tightened. Jing Lihua noticed that. "If you don't want to tell me then it's alright."

"No. You'll know it today that what I was to you... And what you were to me." Li Zhiqiang grabbed her arm and guided her out.

...

Outside, Zhao Liying had been keeping her eye and ears open. And just the next moment, she captured a glimpse of Jing Lihua being dragged away by a man who looked... who looked suspiciously like President Li!

"Mo Liang, Wake up! WAKE UP!"

"Ah! What happened?" Mo Liang had just fallen asleep on the table. It was only right. He had been drinking with a few old friends from Hong Kong the previous night so he hadn't gotten a nice sleep. Besides today they had been very busy. And it was already eleven pm.

"You wouldn't believe what I saw!"

"If I wouldn't believe, why tell me?" He mumbled. Zhao Liying glowered at him. Mo Liang sighed and said. "Just tell me." He was still a little dazed from just waking up.

"Quick come with me first. There is no time!" So Zhao Liying grabbed Mo Liang and dragged him toward the elevator. They rushed down. Mo Liang was still trying to get himself fully awake but what Zhao Liying said next ended up his struggles because he automatically felt fully awake.

"It was President! The famous, terrifying, ultra-powerful President Li whom she was dining with!"

"You gotta be kidding me!"

"Do I look like I'm kidding? But that's not important! President Li was dragging her out rather forcefully. I'm afraid for her safety." Zhao Liying looked panicked. "What if he forced her? Our Xiao Hua is pretty. It can't be denied. Any man would feel attracted to her! What if he has taken a liking towards her!" Being from the entertainment world Zhao Liying had seen many rich businessmen who thought that they could have their way with any woman. So her concerns were genuine.

"Calm down first. We need to think of a plan."

"There is no time. We must follow them. If we lost them it will be no use even if we call help from Beijing. There will be no way to find where he took her!"

"Zhao Liying, calm down! President Li doesn't seem to be that type of man. I had a conversation with him at the fashion show. He felt... different from the typical businessmen."

"What do you know? I've encountered more such men than you." Zhao Liying continued to convince Mo Liang as they entered the car. "They know pretty well how to hide from people's eyes. There is no way to know what they really are. Even if he is not a bad man, it'll cause no harm to take precautions. But in case he intends to harm our Xiao Hua, I'll personally strangle him to death."

They chased the car until it led them into the Sunset square apartments. They climbed out and followed them upwards to the terrace. As the door opened and they stepped into the terrace they saw something they couldn't have expected.