In the tea house, the tea’s fragrance filled up the room, making people feel relaxed and calm.
Usually, Ji Bo loved drinking tea because the fresh and elegant feeling it gave him, made him think of… Shangguan Ning.
But at this moment, he was not at all in a mood to drink any tea.
He poured himself a cup of Biluochun and swallowed it down, losing his air as a gentleman from a noble family. If someone had drunk tea this way in front of him, Ji Bo would have looked down on that person and considered him as someone uncouth and vulgar.
He had been waiting for Jing Yichen for more than one hour in the tea house but he was nowhere to be seen.
It was impossible for Ji Bo not to be anxious.
His wait had him thirsty and annoyed.
Two hours later, the door opened and Jing Yichen entered. He looked noble and indifferent, as usual.
Ji Bo stood up instantly. Instead of showing his usual pride, he said with courtesy, “Master Jing, you are finally here!”
The way he was behaving today differed slightly from his normal decorum.
Jing Yichen noticed the change too. But he showed no reaction. It was impossible to guess his thoughts.
“What does President Ji have to talk to me about?”
Jing Yichen had actually guessed what Ji Bo was about to do, but he did not point it out and stared at Ji Bo with a calm expression. What he had not understood was why Ji Bo would suddenly change his attitude.
Without saying anything, Ji Bo took out the papers from his briefcase and gave them to him.
If he wanted Jing Yichen’s help, or to be more precise, if he wanted to depend on Jing Yichen, then he had to do this.
Ji Bo had been in a high position for a long time and had never bent down in front of anybody. But he knew that the success of a matter was determined by the attitude and triviality.
He decided to meet Jing Yichen because he was sure that his action would move him. And he also realised that the difference between him and Jing Yichen was far from being just ranked number one and two on some business magazine list.
Although he always ended up being furious after dealing with Jing Yichen, he had full faith in Jing Yichen’s ability. He had never admired anyone since he was young, yet even when they were the worst enemies, he still thought that Jing Yichen was someone worth trusting.
Jing Yichen would never have guessed that one of the key reasons why Ji Bo changed his attitude was because he hero worshipped him!
As he was handing over the papers to him, Ji Bo said in a serious tone, “Master Jing, I, together with Family Ji and Ji’s Enterprise would like to seek Family Jing’s shelter. Please accept us!”
Jing Yichen took the paper and looked at it.
Just as he had guessed, it was the share transfer certificate. Ji Bo had just given him back the 20% shares of Jingsheng Enterprise.
In addition, what Ji Bo said, startled Jing Yichen.
Did he change his mind and attitude so fast because he was up to something with Yang Muyan again?
But the share certificate was authentic, and that meant that the shares had really come back to Family Jing again.
Jing Yichen’s heart eased out but he kept his face neutral. He asked in an unfeeling tone. “So, you mean to say that you are representing the entire Family Ji?”
Ji Bo stiffened, but soon recovered.
He had been tormented by Jing Yichen numerous times and this was nothing.
Jing Yichen was sitting opposite Ji Bo who, however, was standing. He was trying to show his sincerity and humility.
“I understand that you may be confused about me suddenly wanting to seek refuge with you. I can not speak for the entire family, but if Master Jing could offer some help, I would be the spokesman for Family Ji within a year’s time.”
Ji Bo sounded determined.
“You want me to help you take control of Family Ji?”
Jing Yichen raised his eyebrows slightly.
Ji Bo shook his head and said, “No, I am confident enough to take that back myself. What I need is help from you so as to get Ji Enterprise out of trouble right now.”
He glanced at Jing Yichen’s expression, which had not changed since the moment he entered the room. It was impossible to tell what he was feeling at this moment.
“I made some mistakes before, but Master Jing, you are a broad-minded person, and hopefully you will not hold on to it…”
Before he finished speaking the words, Jing Yichen interrupted him and said, “No, you are wrong. I am a narrow-minded person who always remembers the past. I believe that you are well aware of this trait of mine.”
Ji Bo looked slightly embarrassed, but he continued from where he had left off. “Alright then, Master Jing, you can punish me in whichever way you want. I had become greedy and plotted against you with the intention to harm you. Whatever I receive will be reasonable! I combined forces with Yang Muyan because I wanted to make use of her ideas to cause trouble to Family Jing, and take advantage of the chaos in the process.”
As he spoke, emotions swelled up in his heart. In just a couple of months, he had fallen down into hell from heaven. Now he was not only hounded by journalists but also had been ostracised by his own parents. He had even annoyed the Old Lady of the Ji Family and was not left with even a single position in Ji’s Enterprise after so many years of effort.
The people who used to suck up to him earlier were now going out of their way, just to avoid him!
They badmouthed him behind his back, and none of them had stepped up to defend him.
“I have paid greatly for what I have done and learnt a befitting lesson too. What made me change my perspective was none other than Yang Muyan who is living in my house, currently.”
“It was not until today that I realized – if the Yang Family had not offended the Jing Family before, Jing Family would not have hurt them. Yang Muyan is in the current state because she deserves it. Siding with her has only made me cruel and put me on the path to hell.”
Ji Bo showed a bitter smile when he said these words.
“I admit that I can not beat you, and Family Ji is not a match against the Family Jing. My family were probably better aware of this point than me. When they heard about Yang Muyan’s real identity, they only had one expression, that of horror! They were all scared that because of Yang Muyan, Family Ji would become Family Jing’s worst enemy.”
Although the Jing Family and The Ji Family have been in competition for years, both were always engaged in a fair game.
It was Ji Bo who turned them into deceitful opponents.