January 9, 20X2 (Thursday)
Various Places"What do you mean you have nothing on her?!" Ye Lan"s voice echoes loudly in her office. Her hands slammed on her large wooden desk, making the private investigator that she had hired to flinch.
Scared of Ye Lan"s usually temper tantrums, the private investigator made himself as small as possible. He really does not want any objects to be thrown like yesterday. He had tried to look for any information or rumor that could ruin the reputation of the now Mrs. Zhao Mei Lin, but he always found himself being blocked even if he searched for it online or hiring hackers to hack government and private files. He knew that whoever was covering for Mrs. Zhao was not someone to be crossed. The private investigator had tried to take back his contract with Ye Lan, but when he did, Ye Lan had blown a gasket and threatened him with his family"s life.
Forced to do Ye Lan"s bidding, the private investigator can only do his best. He had tried to push back from the threat, but he found his mother being kidnapped and held in Ye Lan and her men"s hands. Praying for the safety of his old mother, the private investigator did his best to satisfy any demands that came from Ye Lan. He just hoped that the Zhao family would end his suffering sooner.
Ye Lan took the pile of papers on her desk and threw it at the man in front of her with clenched teeth. Useless men all around her! She stamped her feet in anger; her eyes were blazing with a fire of envy and greed. If she cannot find anything from Mei Lin"s past, then she can spread rumors herself. In these times, nothing is ever impossible to make. The technology was advanced enough to make everything happen.
Dialing someone on her phone, Ye Lan motioned for the private detective to go out. Her eyes rolled as the detective scrambled like a dog who had his tail cut off. Such a weak man, Ye Lan felt bile rising in her throat. Putting the phone into her ears, Ye Lan spoke when the person on the other line answered, "I have something for you to do."
Meanwhile, at Zhao Manor, Mei Lin was in the library, teaching Ling Ling to read short words while Chang was reading a large textbook about History of the world. Trisha and Elias were on another table doing business and compiling the needed doc.u.ments that Mei Lin was required to sign. Mei Lin sighed at the work that piled up on her. She was grateful that at least Chang could be left alone to read any book that catches his fancy. Mei Lin could now imagine how Yang felt as he juggles many companies at once and also added to the fact that he has a tremendous responsibility in the black market and even the safety of the family. Mei Lin did not complain when Yang asked if he could leave Ling Ling and Chang to her every day.
"Mom, can I read with big brother Chang?" Ling Ling tugged on Mei Lin"s sleeve. Her head tilted on the side. Ling Ling"s signature pigtails were now gone and were turned into a ponytail as she had insisted. The pigtails looked much cuter but since Ling Ling wanted the same ponytail as Mei Lin"s, and Mei Lin did not have the heart to deny her daughter asking for the same hairstyle as she had. Even Yang melted when Ling Ling asked for it with those innocent eyes.
Mei Lin glanced at Chang and called out, "Chang, Ling Ling wants to read with you. Is that alright with you?"
Chang looked up fast, making his cheeks bobbed up. His little murky brown eyes look at Ling Ling for a while before he patted the seat beside him, signaling his little sister to sit down. The little girl squealed with happiness and ran to her brother with a large grin. Mei Lin covered her mouth as her lips mirrored Ling Ling"s large smile. Chang was such a good and responsible brother.
Chang carefully allowed his sister to lean into his book and then looked up to meet his mother"s eyes while saying, "Mom, Ling Ling and I will be here. You can work with Aunt Trisha and Uncle Elias. I will watch over her for a while, so don"t worry Mom..."
Mei Lin controlled the giggle that was threatening to sprout from her lips from the cuteness of her children. She nodded her head and kissed Chang and Ling Ling"s forehead, acting serious, but when her back was turned, her lips widen into a grin. Trisha and Elias laughed at her foolishness.
Before she sat beside Trisha, Mei Lin made sure her children were safe. Focusing on the doc.u.ments, Mei Lin worked without knowing the events that will soon follow.
In Y Building, a certain Uncle Wu Tian Li saw a particular private investigator snooping around the net. Of course, he had reported everything to Yang about all his discoveries, but Tian Li was starting to be annoyed by this Ye Lan character that was doing so much background checks on Mei Lin. She was not only supporting the terrorist, but she was also sleeping with the main man behind the remnants of Arcadia.
He hummed and flipped a coin; heads and he would destroy the reputation that Ye Lan have, tails and he would just put some negative pasts of Ye Lan on the net. Wu Tian Li wished it would result to head. It would be more interesting that way.
Flipping the coin and s.n.a.t.c.hing it in mid-air, Wu Tian Li clicked his tongue in frustration. It seems that he cannot destroy a b.i.t.c.h today. Better luck tomorrow. For now, Tian Li will just put one of Ye Lan"s s.e.x scandal on the net.