Chapter 58
Chapter 58: Evidence (Part 1)
Since the day Lin Dai arrived on the cruise, he was trying to meet Gong Ouyang . While his company was a big one, if it had to grow any further and expand into the international market, it was important to work with companies like NE .
But even when he personally met with Gong Ouyang’s personal assistant he was brazenly brushed off . At this Lin Dai could only grit his teeth and bear the discourtesy in silence . In this country, there were only two companies that one could dare to treat even the richest like dirt, and Gong Ouyang owned one of that .
“Mr . Gong is still busy, I’m sorry but there is no time to make an appointment Mr Lin,” Gong Ouyang’s personal assistant Xuan Bai said politely .
As the assistant left to deal with others Lin Dai’s face turned red in anger . Tang Yi standing a little further away from him immediately went to his side to placate his mood .
It was a dog eat dog world after all, so Lin Dai went away making plans to approach Gong Ouyang one way or the other .
Gong Ouyang on the other hand was truly busy meeting with potential partners, clients and friends making decisions on policies to support and issues to lobby for or against . Baja cruise truly was the place where the countries policies regarding business export, import and manufacturing regulations were made . After all, 90% of the government of the country was in the pockets of people on this cruise .
In the mean time, Xiaonian put on a dress to look presentable and made her way to the second balcony to meet Tang Yi .
Due to her excitement, she arrived half an hour earlier than the appointed time and waited for Tang Yi to come .
Just as it was about to be 7, Tang Yi made her way towards her along with the middle aged man she saw her with . Xiaonian looked complicatedly at this occurrence . She thought she would be able to talk to her one on one but instead it looked like she’ll have to ask Tang Yi to talk to her privately .
“Xiaonian” Tang Yi greeted her with a smile as she saw her . She wore a long black dress sewn with some shining material that sparkled with every step she took making her look like a sultry woman one would find on male magazines .
When Xiaonian knew Tang Yi, she was a very conservative girl who was cheerful and talked less before strangers . The person before her now though looked like Tang Yi, none of her old self was seen . She now behaved like a sophisticated woman who has seen a lot of life .
“This is Mr Lin of the Lin corporation,” she introduced the man to her, “darling, this is my classmate Shi Xiaonian” she said turning to Mr Lin .
“Hello Mr Lin” Xiaonian greeted him politely .
She knew a little about Mr Lin and as far as she knew, he was still a married man . With each second, she felt as if the once sweet girl had vanished .
Lin Dai was famous in his circle for going after any woman indiscriminately, and once he fancied Xiaonian he followed Tang Yi to meet this beauty to steal her away for himself .
“Where is your boyfriend?” Tang Yi asked Xiaonian looking around for a geeky looking man . She knew about Lin Dai’s interest in Xiaonian but she had been in this world long enough to know not to make fuss about things like that . As long as she got what she wanted from Lin Dai, she was perfectly happy to share him with others .
Xiaonian was startled at the unexpected question . She stuttered to give a reply, “T . . that, he . . um . . he is out talking with some acquaintances” she mumbled slowly .
She should have prepared a good answer for this ah! she thought belatedly . But she can’t tell them that she was with The Gong Ouyang now, can she?
But it’s over now, she didn’t have to worry about that bastard anymore . She could almost taste the freedom on the tip of her tongue .
Lin Dai smirked at her reply . Like he thought, that chap was someone upcoming and useless . “I have a good contact circle and network, stay close with me tonight and I might introduce someone worthy to you tonight” he said with a smile slowly laying his trap .
Xiaonian was taken aback at his offer . She quickly shook her head, “No no Mr Lin, I don’t want to trouble you and I have to keep my…um . . boyfriend company after this . I just wanted to talk to Tang Yi for a bit, it has been a long time . Don’t know if I can take her away for a while?” she asked him tentatively with her most polite smile .
But Tang Yi, unlike her, was not in a hurry at all . Seeing Xiaonian’s answer, she thought that she too was here with someone in the capacity of mistress or a something, otherwise why would she hesitate so much to talk about this boyfriend of hers . Heh .
“Don’t be shy Xiaonian, after all we are good friends . Listen to Lin Dai, he really can introduce you to some rich business here” she said slyly .
Xiaonian whose thought process was focused on something completely different did not connect with their thinking and easily missed the obvious signs . She was confused at what Tang Yi said but ignored it and tried to get Tang Yi alone .
“Ah, no need really . That, Mr Lin, is it okay if I talk to Tang Yi privately for a while?” she asked .
Lin Dai who was pleased at Tang Yi’s approach was in a good mood and nodded magnanimously while his thoughts drifted towards lechery .
Seeing him nod Xiaonian pulled Tang Yi towards a corner and immediately asked her question about three years ago, “Tang Yi, remember we worked together here on Baja three years ago?”
“Yeah” Tang Yi replied with a flick of her head .
“We roomed in the same room, remember?” she asked further .
“… yes” Tang Yi looked confused at where this was going .
“Ah, that then do yo-” Xiaonian went for the most important question but she was cut midway by someone else’s voice .
“What are you doing here?” An imposing voice drifted from the doors opening into the hall .
Xiaonian turned around to see Gong Ouyang standing by the door with his personal assistant and a secretary behind him . His eyes quickly drifted over the person standing by her side and his eyebrows relaxed once he found out that the person accompanying her was a female .
“Come here,” he commanded her with his usual arrogance .
“Eh? No, you see-” Xiaonian tried to explain .
“Come here . Now . ” He repeated again narrowing his eyes when she did not move .
Xiaonian reminded herself that this was probably the last time she had to bend to him like this . She made her way over to him and stood by his side .
Her small delicate face looked at him and she told him excitedly, “that is my friend Tang Yi . ”
When Gong Ouyang just looked at her expressionlessly, she explained, “She was the friend who was with me on Baja three years ago . She was my roommate . ”
Gong Ouyang’s face remained expressionless even after hearing that but Xiaonian did not give up, “she is the evidence, you’ll know the truth now,” she said her hand automatically holding his as if trying to share her enthusiasm .
Gong Ouyang holder palm and put in in the crook of his elbow and looked at the woman standing by the balcony .
When Tang Yi realized that the other person was Gong Ouyang her expression instantly paled and her eyes darted around in nervousness .
What was this?
How was Shi Xiaonian with Gong Ouyang?
How was she to know that the man Xiaonian came with was Gong Ouyang!
Lin Dai who was watching them from a distance away immediately noticed Gong Ouyang and his eyes bulged with shock .
That girl was with such a high god! Why would she not tell him?
But, isn’t this a great opportunity for him?
Lin Dai, whose main prerogative was his business and money, hurried towards Tang yi and put a hand around her, “Haha Mr Gong, looks like these women know each other, they seem to want to talk with each other, why not we give them some time?” he suggested politely angling for an invitation .
Gong Ouayng dismissed the man who appeared in front of him suddenly and looked at Xuan Bai who quickly answered him .
“He’s Mr Lin Dai of the Lin corporation Mr Gong . ”
Gong Ouyang nodded at Lin Dai, “You are right, join us for dinner” he said putting a hand around Xiaonian and steering her towards his table .
Xiaonian took a deep breath at this development .
Thank god! Now she had a chance to talk to Tang Yi and make things clear once and for all .
“Yes, yes, let’s go” Lin Dai said almost obsequiously and followed after Gong Ouyang’s secretary .
Gong Ouyang had his own private dining area and once they got inside, the outside noises muted immediately .
Gong Ouyang sat at one end of the table pulling Xiaonian beside him and Lin Dai and Tang Yi sat opposite to them . Lin Dai looked jubilant at landing this opportunity but Tang Yi was clearly not sharing the same view as Lin Dai . Her face was still pale and she clenched and unclenched her fists continuously under the table .
As the dinner continued, the quiet was only punctured by Lin Dai’s enthusiastic quips and talk about his and NE’s business . Gong Ouyang ignored most of his talk and lazed back glancing at Xiaonian from time to time .
Xiaonian squirmed in her eat with pent up energy . She did not see Gong Ouyang glancing at her because she was busy sending quick peeks at Tang Yi . This continued for well over fifteen minutes before Gong Ouyang for fed up with the atmosphere in the room .
“You, get out,” he said in disdain at the fat man sitting before him . He did not want to continue this stupid pretense anymore .
Lin Dai stuttered at this sudden command and sat still for a while in daze before he scrambled out after the secretary who led him out of the room and respectfully closed the door behind him and told some things to soothe the ruffled man .
Gong Ouyang secretary’s job was to keep contacts close at hand and even though his master dismissed people, he had to make sure to have a good working relation with everyone in the industry, and most people were more than willing to take anything from the master as long as they can share some shade under the big tree that was Gong Ouyang .
Once Lin Dai left the room, Tang Yi became even more visibly nervous . Her eyes darted quickly from Gong Ouyang to Xiaonian to the nearest exit .
Gong Ouyang did not say anything immediately, instead he looked at Xiaonian and waited for her to speak .
When Xiaonian realized this, she was relieved . Looks like the great tyrant was also willing to look at the evidence .
She immediately turned to Tang Yi and asked, “Tang Yi, that, three years ago we worked here together and shared a room . Do you remember the last night?”
Tang Yi watched Xiaonian’s excited face, “Yes . Yes, I remember . You said that you were feeling unwell that day” she said not looking at anyone .
Xiaonian was slightly taken aback . “Ah, that’s right . I was slightly unwell and came back to room some 20 minutes earlier,” she said remembering her stomach ache that day .
“Yes . ”
“But, when you came back, I was in my bed all the night wasn’t I? I was in the upper bunk after all, there’s no way you could have missed . ”
Hearing Xiaonian’s question, Tang Yi looked strange . She bit her lip and said in a low voice, “that, Xiaonian, by the time I came back from the work shift, I was tired and couldn’t really see anything in the dim room . ”
Xiaonian suddenly felt muddled .
Huh?
What dim room?
“But I was there by the morning and you should’ve have heard me come if I came back late at night, the door to our room was very creaky,” Xiaonian persisted in proving her side of the story .
Suddenly, the excitement at finding Tang Yi to be her ticket out of Gong Ouyang’s life seemed to ebbing away .