"Miss Chuntao…"

She'd been away for too long and hadn't come home to know them well. Except for Su Ling whom she had met before migrating overseas, she wasn't familiar with Hou Chen and Song Zexi.

"What is it?" She questioned before turning her attention to the financial reports saved in her sister's email account.

"Young Master Shen is here. Should I bring him in here or would you like to meet him outside?" Hou Chen replied. Her tone was a little somber as she looked at Li Chuntao's face. She couldn't help but remember her deceased friend and felt bad about it.

"Bring him here. I wouldn't mind his company today," Li Chuntao said without breaking her focus on the screen in front of her. She would rather be in Shen Zichen's presence than be with that b.a.s.t.a.r.d.

She didn't wait too long for Shen Zichen to enter the study, look around, and sit across her. Li Chuntao was wearing a white b.u.t.ton-up s.h.i.+rt with her top b.u.t.tons loose, letting him see the light bruise on her collarbone. He'd seen that she had already removed her bandages and her wounds were healing well.

"Hou Chen told me Mu Jianyu has been coming here everyday. Is he still trying to convince you to move in with him?" He asked with unconcealed irritation on his tone.

His irritation made Li Chuntao chuckle. This man could never be in the same room with Mu Jianyu without starting a fight. Her sister was really such a rare beauty that she was able to make men fight against each other.

"What else? Mu Jianyu brought his wedding photos with Ying to prove his claims. Can you believe it?" Li Chuntao stopped what she was doing and leaned back to her seat, properly facing the man sitting across her.

"Do you really plan to continue pretending to be Ying?" He asked incredulously. "Have you informed your uncle about this?"

Shen Zichen was aware of what Li Chuntao was planning. Although he also wanted to seek justice for Li Xiuying's death, he didn't approve of Li Chuntao's way of revenge.

Was it really necessary for her to become Ying for the sake of ensnaring Mu Jianyu? What if Mu Jianyu forces himself on her? Shen Zichen wouldn't be able to protect her if that happens.

As if sensing his distress over her decision, Li Chuntao stood up, sat on the edge of the desk, and looked at him.

"Brother Zichen, do you really think I couldn't handle this alone?" Her fingers reached up and ran under his chin, forcing him to look at her eyes.

Shen Zichen was a bit startled at her boldness. He'd always known that Li Chuntao didn't care about what people think but he didn't know she was this straight forward. She wasn't as overbearing as this before.

"It isn't because I don't trust you, Chuntao. The one I don't trust is that man." He countered and looked away, the warmth of her fingers leaving his skin.

Li Chuntao chuckled in amus.e.m.e.nt over his reaction. He was still the same Shen Zichen she knew.

"Tsk. Brother Zichen, you should know better what I'm capable of. Unless Mu Jianyu wanted to suffer from a broken arm or die in his sleep, he wouldn't dare to recklessly touch me."

The Li twins had been taught basic self-defense but Li Chuntao also took lessons in Judo and could properly defend herself from physical attacks.

"I think you're mistaken here, Shen Zichen." There wasn't a hint of playfulness on her face anymore. Her hand painfully gripped his chin again, forcing him to face her.

"Shen Zichen, know your place. You better not forget who's the one in front of you." Her voice lowered dangerously. Shen Zichen must be acting like this because of Ying but he shouldn't mistake her for her twin sister. Li Chuntao wouldn't allow him to ruin her plans.

"You only care for me because of Ying and because I am her sister not because I am Li Chuntao," she said with a grim. "I know this Shen Zichen. We're together now because we have a common enemy but if Ying wasn't involved in this, you wouldn't be wasting your time being here with me."

Shen Zichen met her gaze, refusing to back down. When he lifted his eyes to hers, he was met with an almost dead expression. Her face held no emotion as her eyes were dull. He was beyond confused.

He couldn't look away from her and couldn't find the words to say in return. He wanted to tell her that she was wrong but what she just said made sense to him.

Li Chuntao released his chin and looked outside in boredom, watching as the gray clouds continued to drown the city with its pouring rain. It had been raining since Li Xiuying's death. She could barely see the sun these days.

"The chances are in our favor right now. We better not waste it. Once we've reached our goal, you and I will part ways. You will be free from your guilt and I would have fulfilled my promise to Ying when the time comes." She said bluntly. "Until then… Brother Zichen, you need to know where to draw the line."

Shen Zichen almost chokes on her words. Why? Why was it so easy for her to cut her ties with him? Had he done something wrong to her aside from failing to protect Ying?

He was upset that she thought of him this way. Didn't she know that all of his actions and concern for her was genuine? He couldn't care less about what would happen to him now as long as he could protect her. Yet she only sees it as an obligation he had to do for Ying's sake.

What upsets him the most was her eagerness to cut ties with him when everything was done even though she doesn't have to.

"The celebration banquet for the film was rescheduled and will be held in two weeks' time and Ying is invited. The news about Ying suffering from amnesia has already started to circulate." Li Chuntao paused and glanced at him. "What are the chances that you have something to do with this?"

Since the Li family hadn't made a move yet and the only person who knew about the misunderstanding between Mu Jianyu and Li Chuntao was Shen Zichen, Li Chuntao had a.s.sumed that Shen Zichen had used his influence to prepare the game, which she didn't mind at all.

This was a good way to startle the hiding snake in the bush and would force Lin Meirong out.

Shen Zichen frowned before confessing what he did. He only asked his Aunt Lilou to spread this so that once Li Chuntao appeared to the public, people wouldn't suspect her.

"Do you really have to ask? Isn't this what you wanted? I'm giving you the stage. Don't disappoint me, Ying," His mouth twitched as he tested the name he would have to be accustomed with whenever he is in public with Li Chuntao.

Li Chuntao's eyes flickered with amus.e.m.e.nt.

"Then Brother Zichen, you should accompany me to that banquet. I would need your help."