138 Pretty please eyes

Tang knew that even though her wounds were not fatal, the nightmare which they had experienced would never leave them. But he wanted to bury it under the weight of future happy moments with Jia Li.Soon...he would have to be patient for now.

"Btw, I agree with Wei. You should definitely come to Shanghai. I will make arrangements at one of our office's guesthouses. You will be well looked after at that place," Tang told her.

"Why would she stay at a guesthouse? I am taking her home with me," Wei stood up and announced.

His voice held a hint of challenge, daring Tang to take the bait.

Resisting the urge to smack Wei's face for trying to take liberties with her, he turned to Jia Li and said, "I was only making a suggestion. You may be uncomfortable around people whom you don't know. But the decision is yours."

She looked from one to another, "my head has started to hurt with your verbal attacks at each other. Do both of you realise that I am not a pawn in your game of who's got more testosterones? I do not intend to go to Shanghai. I have to clean the mess at my house and last I checked, I had a job to go to."

"The house is still being surveyed by the police. I will ensure that once they are done with it, all the mess is cleared away. As for the job, you have the boss's permission to bunk it for as long as you like, without getting your salary docked. Lastly, and most importantly, till the time Fu is not caught, I will not let you stay here alone," Wei spoke in a no-nonsense tone.

Surprisingly, Tang nodded his head in concurrence with him, making Jia Li sigh with resignation.

"Trust you guys to agree on something which I don't want to do. Fine, I will go to Shanghai BUT I will find my own accommodation. I will stay in a populated area till the time Fu doesn't get caught," she relented.

"Jia Li, you don't understand. Henceforth, till the time Fu isn't caught, I am not letting you out of my sight. So if you don't want to stay at my place, I will come stay next to where ever you choose," Wei maintained his serious demeanour.

"I know I wasn't trapped in that house, but that doesn't mean it wasn't a nightmare for me. I died a thousand deaths from the time your call came till the time I held your cold body in my hands. So anything you say in this matter won't move me," his voice broke in the end with the emotions.

Jia Li took one look at his pained expressions and made an effort to get up from the bed. Looking at her struggle, Wei immediately leapt to aid her.

"I am sorry. I didn't mean to make light of your sentiments. I just don't want to be a burden or inconvenience anyone," she said in a small voice.

"If you are done with your mutual feel good society, can we talk about practicalities? I suggest hiring a couple of bodyguards for her for the time being. We don't know when will the police manage to nab him. And even you can't stick to her all twenty four hours, not that it matters. I was with her at the time that bastard laid his hands on her and all I could do, was watch helplessly," Tang's mouth tightened in anger.

"Stop it, both of you. Are we going to live our life in fear of that man? Whether and when he gets caught, we need to get on with our lives, right," she looked at them with determination.

Wei's phone trilled. It was Ethan calling him to inform that Fu had finally been caught at the outskirts of the town. They had taken him for questioning to the police station and Ethan was headed there now.

"I am going to the station," he informed both of them.

"I will come with you as well," both Tang and Jia Li spoke in unison.

In the end, all three of them were delayed by the hospital's discharge process, causing them to snap at each other. Once at the station, both Jia Li and Tang submitted their statements. They were informed that Fu had refused to utter a single word.

"I want to see him," Jia Li addressed the officer.

"Jia Li…" both men raised their voices in protest.

"If I don't face him today, I won't be able to exorcise the demon from my mind's closet ever," she appealed to them for understanding.

"I don't believe this. You choose to use your 'pretty please eyes' at me today and that too for this?" Wei muttered.