*********

CHAPTER 230

"Oh, I see. I am glad you are with me. My gain, their loss. You are intelligent Li Jing. Brilliant with a high IQ in fact but your true potential is hidden and that is why the word does not know who you are."

"It is okay."

"No, you deserve more and forgive me but that is another reason why I want to show out to everyone. To show the world a hidden genius." A small blush appeared on her cheeks at his compliment and she averted her gaze downwards on the table."

Ye Cheng returned her blush with a smile of his. Heavens knew he liked this girl so much. He gently rubbed on her palm before speaking. "Time to eat. Time to start this year on a good note and not something terrible."

"Sure. Thanks, Ye Cheng."

"Anytime, Li Jing. Eat up."

***

By mid-noon, Ye Cheng got himself ready and left her home. She was the kind of close friend he wanted in a girl and he enjoyed her every company.

It was only painful that the next two days, he would have to go back to work and would not be able to spend enough time with her as he wished.

Regardless, that was why he stayed to enjoy every minute he could get from her while he could. If only Li Jing could see what she was doing to him.

Ding Dong! The bell to Mr Lin's mini-mansion rang and the door pulled open seconds later to reveal a young beautiful maid.

"Oh, young miss, please do come in," The young girl greeted as she bowed her head a bit then stepped to the side for Li Jing to enter.

She did not need to introduce herself anymore as her grandfather made sure that all those working for him knew her as his long lost grandchild.

"Thank you, dear," Li Jing said before taking a step inside. "Where is grandfather?"

"He is in his study now. I would notify him of your arrival right away, ma'am."

"Okay, please do." Without further ado, Li Jing was shown to the living room first and another maid came to ask her for what she would care for while the first went ahead to call her grandfather.

Mr Lin who was busy in his study looking at photos of his lost daughter could only cry silently as he had done for the past twenty years.

He felt bad for all that had happened and blamed himself for his daughter's disappearance.

If only he could just rewind time, he would do that a million times just to correct his wrong and have her with him.

He had lost his wife early and all he had was the sweet little girl she bore for him but that sweet little girl, he let her go himself and now he was lonely, living his life in regrets and vowing to himself to find her.

"My Quinyang, baby come back to father. I would always be here for you, baby. Just give me a sign to know that you are alive and hearty." He lowered his head and let the tears take over. It had been almost thirty years since he last saw her.

And even though he wasn't very old, his bitterness has turned him that way.

KNOCK! KNOCK!

A knock came on his door, pulling him back to reality.

Quickly he got his handkerchief out and wiped his tears away before answering who was at the door.

"Come in."

The door pushed open to reveal the young maid. "Master, the young miss is here to see you," The young maid announced.

"Okay, thank you for the information. I would be with her shortly."

"Yes sir," she turned around and left the room, leaving him to continue with what he was doing before.

Mr Lin sniffed and cleared his throat as he got set to see his granddaughter. He did not want her seeing him like that but right now, he hoped she would not notice easily that his eyes were red and that something was wrong.

With no other way to hide his pain again, Mr Lin left his study and went to receive his visitor.

"My darling."

"Grandfather." Li Jing immediately stood up the moment she heard his voice and turned around to look at him with her glass of fruit juice in her hand as she wore her best pleasant smile.

However the moment she laid eyes on him, she knew something was definitely wrong and her smile dropped instantly.

"Grandfather. What's wrong?" She dropped her juice and walked up to meet him, then enveloped his waiting arms with her body and hugged him close. "It is okay. I am here now. You do not have to be worried."

Mr Lin did not know what to say other than to nod his head at his caring grandchild. "I would be okay, dear," Mr Lin said as he pulled away from the hug.

"I hope so. Happy new year, grandpa."

"Happy new year, baby." His face radiated when he saw her smile and returned her smile as well. "Come."

"Where to?"

"My study. I need to show you something."

"Okay." Without questioning him, Li Jing followed carefully behind her grandfather till they came to a stop in front of his study room.

He unlocked the door and stepped to the side to allow her entry. "Please do have your seat and make yourself comfortable."

'Thank you." She did as he said and went ahead to have her seat while she waited for him to close his room and join her at the table.

"Welcome once again. I asked you to come here so that we can have the room to ourselves and talk." Li Jing whose mind was already busy thinking her grandfather wanted to caution her about having a guy home and stuff, was already thinking and letting her mind go places.

"Oh… About what?" She found the courage to ask after sometime."

"The truth about your mother and why she left."