291 Stubborn, Irrational...

Jia Li knew that the business partnership had broken between the Xie and Wang family but she still went to the office to confirm the same, at the outside chance that she could glean about Tang's whereabouts from his previous secretary. But she wasn't allowed to meet any employee without the management's permission.

Reluctantly, she requested the cold faced receptionist to fix an appointment with Senior Wang. She was informed to come back at 4pm as Mr. Wang was out for other business engagements during the day.

Exhausted, Jia Li sat down in a café not far from the office and dialled Li Jie's number.

"Hey, any luck?" he enquired.

At her negative response, he said, "I had offered to come to Shanghai and help you but you, being the stubborn, irrational being that you are, said no. So now roam the streets of Shanghai shouting out Xie Tang's name. I have no idea as to why has the family disappeared or gone incommunicado but the chances of finding them, if they don't wish to be found, are pretty slim."

"Thanks for your kind, encouraging words. I am feeling much better after listening to them," she told him sarcastically.

Her head was pounding already with a stressful flight and the morning's failure. Li Jie's words felt like a sprinkle of salt on her already tender wounds.

"I'll call you post my meeting with Uncle Wang. I hope he would be a little more forthcoming than the other leads till now," she said.

"Uh… I know we have talked about it but have you considered reaching out to Wang Wei. He would bend backwards to help you, no matter the circumstances," Li Jie said softly.

"And what kind of a person would that make me? Asking someone to move Heavens and Earth for me when all I have ever given him is GRIEF. I meant it when I had told him that it would be better if we never met again. I don't have the courage to face him and I think he is better off without seeing me as well," she replied in an anguished tone.

"Argh… there you go on the solo guilt trip again. Can you stop it? He always knew about your feelings or the lack of it. You didn't do anything to encourage him or trick him. His falling in love with you is not your fault, nor is your inability to return his affection. That's another matter that you were perfectly suited to each other but we aren't talking about that anymore, right," he chided her.

She had had enough of the call already. Murmuring a hasty farewell, she ordered a strong coffee for herself and settled in a chair which overlooked the road.

"OMG, look who the cat dragged in. Lin Jia Li, is that you? What happened to your famous beauty? You look like shit," Mei Zhen's surprised, sharp words fell upon Jia Li's ears.

Turning, she cringed when she saw the smartly dressed woman in front of her. Jia Li had been worried about running into her nemesis here but had hoped that she would be in Beijing with her new beau.

"Hello, Mei Zhen. How are you doing?" she said politely.

Jia Li was wearing a pair of white formal shorts with a tucked in white shirt and a black jacket on top. A pair of plain black shoes completed her attire.

Taking in her pale face and plain appearance, Mei Zhen snorted, "well, it looks like I am definitely doing better than you? Are you not getting paid enough at your new job?"

Jia Li smiled politely in return and said, "considering you found out where I work and live, I am sure finding out my exact salary amount, wouldn't have been tough for you. By the way, I wanted to say thanks to you and Cheng Fu. Please let him know that the letter which you guys sent me, really helped me achieve clarity which I had been unable to gain up until then. So please accept my gratitude."

Mei Zhen spluttered in indignation, "wh-what… how dare you suggest that I sent you any letter and that too in cohesion with that criminal. Why would I care about where you are living and working. I had just made a general remark."

Jia Li shrugged her shoulders and turned around to show her back towards her. She had no inclination to engage into an argument with anyone at the moment. Unfortunately, Mei Zhen wasn't done talking with her yet.

"Finally you are eating the fruit of your deeds. Did you think that you will live happily after destroying my marriage? You know who I see in front of me -I see is a person who is alone, sad and drifting aimlessly in life," she said, her words oozing fake sympathy.

That's it. Jia Li was done being polite.