Chapter 76 — When You Licked, Was He Sweet?

When Pei Yueran got home that night, she called Su Qianhua to tell her about Jiang Philip's coming. Su Qianhua started talking immediately she picked the call.

"Oh, your background has changed. Don't tell me you're back home?"

"Yes. Why do you sound disappointed?"

"Of course I am! How could you leave your delectable CEO alone?"

"Qianhua, don't start. Delectable? Is he a type of dessert? Chocolate?"

"Only you, my dear Ranran, would be able to answer this question. When you licked, was he sweet?"

Pei Yueran began to feel a headache. She could really understand Li Chuanmo's anger when his friend was spouting off nonsense the other day. How did they get friends like this?

Still she couldn't help but recall their moment in the study that night.

Su Qianhua caught her blushing and screamed. "Aha, I knew it. So you've actually licked? And judging from that blush, he must have been sweet. Ranran, I'm so jealous of you!"

Pei Yueran had to cover her ears to protect her eardrums from rupturing. "Whatever. That's not even why I called. But it's a good time to tell you that we're in a proper relationship now."

Su Qianhua jumped up and squealed louder. "You know what, I'm late for my shift, but this is too juicy to miss. Give me details."

So Pei Yueran gave her the gist of it, emphasizing on the confession and skimping on the details of what followed.

Su Qianhua narrowed her eyes, "I know you're definitely hiding the juicy bits, but I forgive you. This is really great news. Congratulations girl!" The joy in her friend's eyes was infectious, and she was genuinely happy for her.

"Thanks", Pei Yueran said with smiles. Su Qianhua was a true friend.

"That reminds me Qianhua, the main reason I called was to tell you that a friend of Chuan and I would be coming to City A tomorrow. You heard about the leaked software right? He would need your help to track the culprit."

"Yeah, I wanted to call you but our unit has been terribly busy and I haven't had a break in ages! I heard the news and watched a video of the press conference. How are things now?"

"Under control, but the culprit was traced to City A, so we want to investigate."

"No problem. I'll help anyway I can. But I'm not very sure I'll be available tomorrow morning. My shift might end late."

"Oh no problem. He should be able to handle himself for a few days. Maybe he'd be able to come to your station after settling down."

Su Qianhua's tone changed. "He? Is he handsome?"

Pei Yueran just stared at her, unsurprised. Both of them were really similar— they focused on the same point.

"So what if he is? Would you be less busy?"

"Definitely. Send his number and picture ASAP."

"Huahua, when will you change?"

"Never. I'm just right! And don't call me that." Su Qianhua said playfully.

She whistled loudly when she received Jiang Philip's picture. He was wearing a wine colored suit and looked like he belonged on the pages of a fashion magazine.

Su Qianhua marked him as hers the moment she saw him. "I'll be there!"

"Alright, I'll send his flight details to you."

"You're a true sister Ranran. I'll treat you to a meal after we make some progress."

Pei Yueran wrinkled her nose at the hypocrisy. "I think you would enjoy meeting him. Both of you are...a nice fit."

"I'll pretend I didn't hear the sarcasm. I'll be off to work now. Ciao!"

Pei Yueran shook her head as Su Qianhua ended the call as quickly as she picked.

She was curious about what the outcome of their meeting would be.

*****

Xie Weiwan cracked her knuckles and exercised her wrists. She had been typing for a long period of time, but she was glad she was able to complete her job for the day. She would earn quite a bit from this particular task.

Looking at the time, she needed to be home in about thirty minutes in order not to arouse Chu Ningtian's suspicions. If not for the fact that he had been going out everyday lately, she would not have been able to sneak out so frequently.

She walked hurriedly in order to get home even earlier. Thirty minutes was a lot, but Chu Ningtian could be very unpredictable, and she didn't want her face that was just regaining its normal look to be battered again.

Turning down the corner that led home, she stumbled over a newspaper lying on the group. Just as she was grumbling about the kind of person that would leave such a thing carelessly on the road, her eyes caught one of the headlines and she paused.

She bent down to pick it up with trembling hands.

There, on the front page, written in bold was the sentence: "Chairman of the Li Conglomerate Addresses the Issue of the Leaked Software in a Press Conference."

She quickly turned to the page on which the story was written. As she read, she started shaking.

She was familiar with the Li Conglomerate as she knew it belonged to Li Chuanmo's family. Because she had not been in contact with the outside world for so long, she didn't even know that Li Chuanmo had returned to the country and was now the Chairman.

After Chu Ningtian broke her will, she was not even interested in the events around her and just focused on living from day to day, hoping it would all come to end somehow.

Now that she had seen this, she was very excited. Hope sprouted within her, its tendrils growing crazily fast. If she could get in contact with Li Chuanmo, he would help her. She was sure of that. She would explain to him and beg him to forgive her. Everything will be alright again.

Just as she convinced herself, she paused. No. She couldn't go and see him like this. At least not yet. If Chu Ningtian found out, he would expose her secrets and destroy every chance of Li Chuanmo ever forgiving her.

She had to plan this steadily. Yes what she need the most right now was money. She needed to work some more, gather money to make a fake ID and new documents, and run far away from Chu Ningtian. Once he lost all traces of her, she would go and reunite with her husband and son. They would live happily.

That Li Chuanmo was now her "ex-husband", by her own doing, did not once cross her mind.

She carefully tore out that newspaper page. The page did not have a picture of Li Chuanmo, but she rubbed it lovingly all the same, imagining his face. She then folded it cautiously, putting it in her purse. She had to keep this newfound secret. It was her ticket of escape from hell.