Chapter 16

"Since when did you go deaf? If you didn't hear me, then why did you turn back?"

Ding Jiaying spat back, turning around to face her mannerless daughter.

Her eyes were filled with all the bore and nonchalance she could muster as if she was uninterested in what was happening.

At the very least, she wasn't the one who had drove Li Jing away, so why should she worry?

She had initially been watching her daughter from the corners of her eyes and saw how she got affected by the news.

If there was one person Li Xiu feared, it was her father. Even though he didn't pay close attention to Li Jing, it didn't mean he completely neglected her.

Previously when Li Jing had wanted to leave and study far, in another city, he refused it. Later on, when she wanted to move out of the house, he still opposed the idea, saying family should stick together.

What would happen now if he found out Li Jing left?

They hadn't thought of that as they were too busy rejoicing about her being gone.

Now, things changed. Her father had gone and once he returned, so did things.

"Mother! Don't be like that. I just wanted to be sure I heard clearly." Li Xiu said softly, trying to coarse her mother with her words.

Her brows arched up at her daughter. Like seriously...

'This daughter of mine... Oh well, she needs me.'

"Mother, see I was just a bit tired. The stress got to me."

"Stress? I do not think so. After all you had a swell time dinning with Duan Tian," Ding Jiaying retorted.

"Mother come on, please let's not waste any more time. What is this about dad returning home tomorrow? I thought he was to come next week?"

"Apparently, plans changed, his meetings finished on time and he is returning."

Li Xiu sighed, just when she thought she could have some rest after all the strenuous exercise she did with Duan Tian at night, changing different styles and positions.

"Ahhh! Can't a girl have some rest!" Li Xiu lamented out loud, her hands falling to her sighed.

"Rest? Can you hear yourself? How can you rest in such a situation? Anyways since you want to rest, I assume you already have figured out what you want to say to your father when he comes."

"Mother, I never said that. Okay, what should we do?"

"Do?"

"Yes, do. Where is Li Jing?"

"And how are you expecting me to know that?"

"I don't know, but you were here when she left and I wasn't. Didn't she leave any cue behind about where she was going?"

"Sometimes I wonder if I was the one who gave birth to you? Don't you use your brain? How would she leave a cue behind, when she has been finding all possible ways to leave this house?" Ding Jiaying spat back at her senseless daughter.

"Mum, why am I now the one being insulted? Who was to be insulted before? Me?"

"That's not the point." Li Xiu waved her hand, dismissing her mother's taunt. "We need to find her. Have you tried calling her?"

"Tell me something I do not know! Why did you think I was pacing earlier on? I kept on calling that good for nothing, ungrateful girl, but just like you, she refused to pick my calls." Ding Jiaying explained to her daughter.

Her brows deepening into a frown at the thought of a lot he headaches she went through because of her daughter.

"This is not good. Let us try again," Li Xiu suggested.

She bent her head down as her hands fumbled with her silver bag, trying to get her phone out.

"It is of no use. Don't bother trying, she already blocked my number. She may have as well blocked yours."

At her mother's words, Li Xiu dropped her hands to her side. To say she was stressed and frustrated was small...

Li Xiu was mega frustrated at this point.

"But you can still try. Let's hope that she didn't block your line yet, seeing as I was the one calling her phone non stop."

"Okay, let me give it a try."

Finding her new found hope, she unlocked her phone with her fingerprints and clicked on the contact icon to get Li Jing's number and dial it.

Seconds later, her face dropped. Ding Jiaying noticed it and bombarded her daughter with questions.

"What is wrong? Have you called her so fast? Is it not going through or is it that she blocked you too? Ah," she let out a pained laugh. "I knew it, what can one expect from an ungrateful brat?" She added, turning her fa e away and not giving her daughter time to speak.

When she was done, it was Li Xiu's turn to have an outburst.

"Mother! That's not it. Would you quit jumping into conclusions and let me speak?" she half yelled at her mother.

Half yelled because she didn't want to ruin her mother's mood and risk the chance of not having her only ally side by her.

"She didn't block me neither was it any of the things you just said."

"If she didn't, then what is the matter? Why do you look stupefied?"

"It's all that stupid secretary's fault." Li Xiu quickly placed the blame on her innocent secretary, who must have sneezed at Li Xiu bad mouthing her.

"What has your secretary got to do with this, now?" Ding Jiaying asked. Her eyes narrowed at here's remark as her feet tapped away on the floor impatiently.

In truth, she was already getting tired of her daughter.

"It is because she refused or she forgot... I don't know which one..."

"Li Xiu get to the point!" Ding Jiaying shouted at her, she was clearly running out of patience.

{{Yeahhh... My readers are getting impatient as well, Li Xiu. Spit out your lie, since it is all you are good at.}}

"I am getting there, mother," she said with a sigh. "I do not have it."

"..."

0_0

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{Hehhe... Who found that hilarious? She is blaming her secretary for not having her sister's number? I wonder what her mother's reaction would be like hahha...}