————-

Yue Ling walked back to her table. However, before she could sit down, Zhao Ya'Er was already gathering her things. Her eyes were red and her expression was filled with anger, like a balloon on the verge of bursting. She looks at the woman and frown. She hadn't even left for long and something already happened?

"Ya'Er, what's wrong?"

Gathering her and Yue Ling's shopping bags, when she heard her best friend's voice, Zhao Ya'Er's body slightly jumped. Closing her eyes, she takes a deep breath to calm her angry heart. When she opened her eyes again, she glance to a far away table before shaking her head.

"It's nothing, let's just go. Our lunch is ruined because of some people here."

She reaches for Yue Ling's hand and guide her out of the restaurant. As they pass each table, Yue Ling glance in the direction Zhao Ya'Er had looked.

Even if she didn't say who, Yue Ling has eyes of an Eagle. She looked directly at the table with three women. Seeing them, the corners of Yue Ling's lip curl upwards.

Ning Mei, Xie Na and Ji Chu Hua.

Turning her head away, she continues to walk out of the restaurant with Zhao Ya'Er. When they arrived outside, Zhao Ya'Er sighed and she turn to face Yue Ling.

"Yue Ling, I'm sorry. Our lunch date is ruined because of my clumsiness."

Looking at her, Yue Ling arch a brow. She doesn't know what happened, but something definitely happened when she left the table.

Zhao Ya'Er forces a smile and hands Yue Ling her shopping bags, then points to a direction. "I called my driver already. He's waiting for me over there."

Yue Ling nods her head at Zhao Ya'Er. Taking a few steps forward, she hugs the woman. Her angelic and soothing voice sounds into Zhao Ya'Er's ear.

"Let's hang out again."

Hearing those words from her idol, Zhao Ya'Er smiles and nod her head vigorously. Waving bye, she heads in the direction her driver is waiting.

From behind, Yue Ling sighed and watch until Zhao Ya'Er's figure disappears. Turning her head, she looks at one of the restaurant's window and to the three figures chatting and laughing inside.

Her bluish green eyes dimmed into darkness. She could have asked Zhao Ya'Er what happened, but if the woman didn't want to tell her, she won't pursue in it. However.....

This just added a few more reasons to her plans. Ji Chu Hua is bound to go down because of her scheming family, Ning Mei is near her end for what she did, and Xie Na... well, just for this, she is on Yue Ling's blacklist.

Looking away from the restaurant, she heads to her parked car.

Sitting inside the backseat of her car, Zhao Ya'Er looked down at her hands on her lap. She held a piece of napkin that belonged to the restaurant they just left.

"Miss, are you alright?"

The driver asks as he glance through the rear view mirror to the beautiful woman. Earlier when he dropped her off, she was in a very good mood, but now.....

"I'm alright, just send me home."

Zhao Ya'Er leaned her head against the seat and stare out the window. Earlier when Yue Ling left, she was just enjoying her lunch when a waiter came up to her. He passed her a napkin and without much thinking, she took it for use.

However... the napkin had a note scribbled in it. It said she was a liar and disgusting, if she doesn't know good from bad, for her not blame the person for what's going to happen.

Just from the handwriting, she knew who it was. Closing her eyes, she sighed. Every friend she makes always uses her to get close to something. Yue Ling is a very good person and she doesn't Yue Ling to be caught up in this mess.

Only Ling Ni and Yue Ling are her real friends.

However, she's never told anyone about her struggles with reality.

—————

This time at De L'amour, inside the conference room was in an uproar. Yue Ling's design team were in a very intense discussion. Not only was her design team here, both Liu Shan and Lin Hui were also here.

"What did you say?!" *baang*

Tang Zhong Hui angry spoke out as he slam his palm on the table and stood from his seat. His eyes turned murderous as he looks at Liu Shan.

Not feeling any kind of threat, Liu Shan's expression remained the same. "Zhong Hui, you just arrived from Milan, don't ask too much. I haven't finished explaining."

Hearing Liu Shan's words, Tang Zhong Hui pout his lip and sat back down. He knows he had spoke out of line. His anger wasn't because of Liu Shan, it was because of what he just found out. When he and the others left to Milan, it was all part of their boss's plan. However, never did they think everything turned out to be exactly as she had said.

Qi Li, the illustrator, looks at Tang Zhong Hui, then to Liu Shan. "Shan, so what you're saying is, Boss was followed by some people and those people happened to be the same people who 'stole' boss's materials in Milan?"

"Mm. I tracked everything boss ordered. The pieces connect together. Those people are from Black Dragon."

Ju Suo frown and her kid like voice sounds in the room. "But isn't the leader for Black Dragon a man of reasons. He wouldn't attack unless he was attacked."

"It wasn't him, but his younger brother."

This time, it was Lin Hui who spoke out. He sat beside Liu Shan with both his arms crossed over his chest. Scanning every person in the room, he continues his words.

"The younger brother, Chu Li Xiang is 'personally' connected to Chen Limei."

Hearing this, everyone, besides Liu Shan, gasped in shock and the room turned into silence. Never did they think Chen Limei to be involved in the underworld, let alone be in a secret relationship with one.

Shan Sinan, the textile designer was the first to break the silence, "So, what now? Not only did Chen Limei ordered those people to steal from boss, right now, Boss is even a target for them."

"Once Black Dragon's leader finds out that it is his younger brother out to get Boss, who do you think will be in more trouble?"

Gui Zhongming, the stylist spoke out with a dark look on his face. How dare these tiny gangs try to harm his beautiful boss when he is away? Now that he's back, he can't wait to sabotage them.

Everyone looked at Gui Zhongming and nod their heads in agreement. Black Dragon's leader is an old acquaintance of their boss's father. Not only that, their is a story being the Black Dragon brothers.

Liu Shan looks at everyone then at the wall clock. Standing up from his chair, he reminds everyone.

"We'll discuss this another time. A certain someone is arriving. Also, the fashion show is coming up, once boss gets here, everything with proceed to her designs."

Finishing his words, he walks towards the door with Lin Hui following behind him. Grabbing the door knob, he frown and swung it open.

"Ahh—-!"

A woman's voice shrieks as she stumbles onto the floor. Everyone turn to look at the woman and their eyes darken. Speak of Cao Cao and Cao Cao will appear.

Liu Shan tilt his head and he scoffed lowly, "Miss Ming, its unusual to see you here this early."

"I-I—"

Ming Yue was so shocked, her body was shivering in fear. Even her words to answer were stuck in her throat.

She had arrived an hour ago, she saw Lin Hui and tried to follow him. However, she didn't think he'd go into the conference room.

What shocked her the most was that the entire design team was also there. Didn't Chen Limei say she took care of the people Yue Ling sent to Milan?

She didn't think much into it and decided to listen to their conversation. However, when the door closed, she then realized that she couldn't hear a single word from the other side. Even when she pressed her ear against the door, there was still no sound.

After a long while, the door suddenly swung open and she was caught off guard.

Liu Shan looked down at the woman. Not showing a change in expression, he walks away without giving a hand. Behind him, Lin Hui didn't even look at Ming Yue, he avoided her like she was some kind pest.

Ming Yue glare at the two men that ignored her and didn't bother to help her. Her hands clench into tight fists.

Everyone else in the room glance at each other before standing from their chairs. Since Ming Yue is here, there's no need for them to stay here until their boss arrives.

Just like Liu Shan, no one bothered to help Ming Yue. Each person walked pass her without a single shred of care.

Sitting on the floor, Ming Yue lower her head and gritted her teeth. Never has she been this humiliated before. Her status at De L'amour is superior than any of the people here, yet they disregarded her like trash. Angry, she quickly helps herself up. However, half way, a hand appears in front of her.

Ming Yue looks up and see a man with glasses. His looks were not as outstanding as Liu Shan and Lin Hui's but he had his own kind of charm.

Lifting her hand she place it on the man's hand and stands up. She pats away the dust on her clothes and her cheeks flush in embarrassment and shyness.

"Thank you, Qi Li."

Qi Li stare at Ming Yue with a straight face. His hand reach into his pocket and takes out a handkerchief.

Seeing this, Ming Yue smiles inside. She bashfully stretch her hand and takes the handkerchief.

"I'm okay, I don't need the handker—-"

Before she could finish her words, her body froze and she was struck dumbfounded.

"...."

Qi Li had lowered his head and leisurely used the handkerchief to wipe his own hand. His gesture as if Ming Yue was a disease he wanted to sanitize away. When he finished, he toss the handkerchief into a trash bin and fix his glasses up.

"Miss Ming, I suggest you don't do anything that you will regret. Once it's done, it can't be undone."

Not waiting for a reaction or response, Qi Li turns around and walked in the direction everyone had went. He only helped Ming Yue up because they were coworkers. If it wasn't because of that, he wouldn't even give the woman face.

"....."

——————-