Chapter 88 - Would You Accompany Me?
CHAPTER 88
That week came and left like any other week. Li Xiu's meeting went well, but Mr Kang wasn't as pleased as she thought with it. So as not to give her a heartache, he agreed with the deal but on a small scale and cut down on the money he was going to invest in the business.
What he was more interested in, was how to get Li Jing under his wings and have her working for him.
He knew she would be so much more. She would be great if her potentials are not locked and she is given the room and opportunity to shine.
After his meeting with the eldest Li sister, he decided to meet with the Li Jing herself and hear from her.
Even if she refused him again, he was going to find other ways. There were just so many ways to work with her. She could be a contract staff if she wanted.
They could do collaboration work together and in other ways. He only wanted to see her as he believed no one could see him and refuse his offer.
For Ye Cheng and Li Jing, the week was as stressful as hell. Li Jing tried her best to finish the entirety of her work by Thursday and took Friday to relax and attend to other duties that needed her input.
By Friday morning, all their reports were on her table and waiting for her judgment.
Since Ye Cheng ended up been busy all week, he pushed the general meeting to Monday and hoped to have gotten more leads on the criminal activities going on in his company and also monitor Hao Huizhong.
Up till that day, Li Jing and Ye Cheng barely saw as he no longer picked her up from work or dropped her but rather sent his driver to take her and bring her safely to work each day.
He was cooked up with duties and responsibility and she was choked with hers as well.
By the time Li Jing was done with every and any little thing, she had all she needed for the presentation to Ye Cheng on Monday.
By three, she was already done with reviewing all the files the members of the finance team sent and decided to check up on Ye Cheng.
Ring!
She was about leaving the office when her phone rang and she left it on her working table. Letting out a deep sigh, Li Jing hurriedly made her way back to her table to answer her call.
'Ye Cheng! Speak of the devil, well in your case it is anger or demigod, hehe.' She laughed at her thought and answered the call.
"Hello."
Hearing his voice after so many days was like she was breathing a refreshing air after being caged up.
Subconsciously, she took in a deep breath and exhaled sharply before replying him. "Ye Cheng, hi."
"How are you? Sorry for not checking up on you all these days."
"I know, you have been swamped with work. It is understandable. I am equally sorry for not doing so myself."
"I heard from Han Qing Qing that you went through all the companies financial files within 4 days and finished before those under you. Impressive."
"Thank you. As the head, I needed to lead by example, besides I needed to fix everything before the meeting on Monday."
"I understand. Anyways that was not why I called."
"Really? What did you call?"
"To check up on you…"
'And…'
"And to ask if you would be able to follow me for a business associate's birthday party?"
'Is that a date or something? I would accompany him as his date? Oh boy!'
"Umm, I seldomly go for those, Ye Cheng."
Li Jing was about to refuse him and he was not ready to take a no for an answer as she was the only one he could trust now.
"Do not worry about anything. It is just a formal, casual party."
<Author: Okay, that came out wrong, Ye Cheng.>
<Ye Cheng: What were you expecting me to say? Ask her properly. What is formal, casual party?>
<Ye Cheng: Easy for you to say. You aren't the one asking.>
<Author: Just ask her to accompany you as your date. What is so hard in that?>
<Ye Cheng: Last I recall, you were the one doing the talking.>
<Author: Oh yeah, I forgot.>
"A formal, casual… I do not think I follow." Li Jing voiced out her confusion to him.
"My bad. Li Jing, would you accompany me as my date for tonight's party?"
"Umm…" she hummed thoughtfully into the phone as she was thinking about whether to go or not.
The problem was that this social life of the rich wasn't one she was allowed to witness.
Whenever something like this came up, Ding Jiaying would make sure only Li Xiu went and ask her daughter to task Li Jing with a lot of office work that she would have to miss the party even when her father asks her to attend.
So after some years, Li Jing dropped the thought whenever there was an event such as that and would other feign being sick so as not to be asked to come along by her father and Li Xiu wouldn't load her with work.
She did not know the first thing or the last thing about such high and formal parties for the rich.
���You do not have to bother much. I just need to show myself there for a short while and leave. This is to honour the invitation as he is one of our very important business clients."
No matter what he said, Li Jing still felt somehow about it. Social events were definitely not her thing.
"I am sorry, Ye Cheng."
"Okay, consider this as work. I would pay you extra $30000 if you agree to follow me."
Now that was an interesting offer. He knew Li Jing had applied for her PhD and was saving up to start it. Thus, she needed all the money she could get. Of course, she would never accept it for free but when put in such a way, that she was being paid for her services, she could consider.
"You want to pay me?"
Judging from her toe, Ye Cheng did not know whether she felt offended or not about his offer and so decided to quickly set things right.
"It is needed for the image of the company."
After adding that last bit, Li Jing could no longer reject the offer. It was such a nice offer and she gets thirty thousand dollars for her time.
"Fine. I would go. Tonight's charge is free. It is for the company."
'Yes!' Ye Cheng mentally high fived himself.
Normally, he did not ask for this as Bai Qing Mei would be the one to force him to go and be his date. On other occasions when it was strictly business, Han Qing Qing would have to follow as his assistant.
But now, Bai Qing Mei was no more and Han Qing Qing had an emergency, so she had to deny her boss as her health was frail, leaving him with no other choice than to ask Li Jing.
She was the only other girl he was close to other than Bai Qing Mei.
Now the only problem that remained was what she was going to put on to this party. Since she never had once attended, she did not know what she should wear.
Besides, she never knew she would be going for such a function and did not pick any outfit like that from the clothes brought for her fitting.
Luckily for her, Ye Cheng was not going to leave her stranded.
"You do not have to bother about what you would wear. I would have your outfit sent to you this evening. And I would come to pick you up at 8:30 pm."
"Okay then. By the way, are you in the office?"
"Yes, but I am sorry. There is still some work left for me to finish. I would not be able to take you home today."
"No need to worry. Thank you for sending someone to pick me up and take me home daily, but please can you not do so today. I would like to take a taxi."
"I am sorry, Li Jing but not until the threat is off, I do not think I can do so."
"Alright. It was worth the try. Let me leave you to work, then. Bye."
"Take care."
Beep!
The line went dead and the unknown breath Li Jing was holding in, she finally let it go. Since she resumed work in his company, someone had been sending her home and bringing her to work.
As nice as it was, she did not like the special treatment. First, she was worried people would begin to talk and think she got the job as his lover or something, which was not the case.
Secondly, she wanted to know her environment very well and jump a bus, take a taxi, stroll around, just to familiarize herself with the area but Ye Cheng would allow it.
"I better review some files and plan next week."