Ji Weixi glanced at Jian Jie and quietly reminded her. âRelax. President Li would protect you whatever happens, as long as you tell the truth.â
Jian Jie clenched her fist and glanced at Qian Jia by reflex.
Qian Jia had a horrible look on her face and kept gesturing at Jian Jia for silence with her eyes.
However, Jian Jie summoned her courage and walked up to Chen Libin.
âI did it,â she said.
âItâs you!â Lin Xiaoman screamed before Chen Libin could speak. Standing up, she was ready to slap Jian Jie but Ji Weixi reacted quickly and caught her arm.
âLet me go! Iâll kill her!â Lin Xiaoman struggled as if she was out of control.
Nonetheless, Jian Jie added, âMiss Lin, I do apologize as the culprit, but you must know that someone made me do it.â
âWho is it!? Tell me, Iâll kill her!â
Jian Jie looked at Qian Jia. âItâs Miss Qian.â
Lin Xiaoman looked at Qian Jia in disbelief, who was looking just a little flustered. Be that as it may, she got to her feet calmly and smiled. âLady, I donât even know you. Please donât try to frame me.â
âShe approached me one day after work, looking for a moment when no oneâs around to pass me a bottle of lavender essence, telling me that she would give me money if I put some on Miss Linâs clothes.â Jian Jie continued apologetically. âMiss Lin, I really didnât know that youâre allergic to lavender, and I really needed the money... thatâs why... but it really was Qian Jia who forced me to do it!â
âLady, mere casual words with no evidence could get you into prison.â Qian Jia shot back with composure and no flustering at all. âI have been Xiaomanâs manager ever since she started out as an artist, and you could I say I raised her from the start. Why would I hurt my own client? It wouldnât benefit me.â
Lin Xiaoman nodded, convinced by her words. âThatâs right. Qian Jia has always been my best friend. Thereâs no reason she would hurt me or force you to do such a thing.â
On the other hand, Jian Jie was a little helpless since it was the first time that she was involved in such a scene. âReally... it really was Qian Jia who forced me to do it! She even blackmailed me, saying that she would tell my grandmother and give her a heart attack!â
Qian Jia sneered. âLady, I donât even know you. How could I threaten you? And can you show some evidence?â
Jian Jie pointed at the security guard behind them. âHim! He knows! He heard it on the day you sought me out!â
The security guard was Huo Feng, and Ji Weixi had already prepared him for this before he entered.
Hence, he nodded. âYes, I have definitely heard both of you talking about putting lavender oil on Miss Linâs clothes.â
Qian Jia started clapping as soon as he said that, however, applauding them.
âWhat a magnificent performance,â she said, and turned to Ji Weixi with a mocking look. âMiss Ji, I know that this was supposed to be your responsibility. You could have avoided admitting it and get President Li to back you since you are untouchable, but donât pick some random person to frame me, please!â
Mocking Ji Weixi in front of Li Shaoling face? Was she braver than a bear?
Still, Li Shaoling was smiling instead of getting infuriated. âMy woman is untouchable, thatâs true.â
He then paused, and shot a cold, sinister look at Qian Jia. âBut nor should you mention her name with your stinking mouth.â
Only he could use Ji Weixiâs name, and no one else.
Qian Jia immediately choked, afraid to talk despite her anger.
Beside Li Shaoling, Ji Weixi was a little embarrassed.
What was he saying?
Everyoneâs here, and he was declaring that she was his?!
Shameless! And who would want your backing!
That being said, Ji Weixi knew that Qian Jia would never admit her wrongdoing so easily, and as such got the truth out of Huo Feng before coming in.
Qian Jia was aware that Huo Feng knew about her deal with Jian Jie although Jian Jie had assumed otherwise. She had even bribed him, and had him delete the video footage of the day.
Qian Jia just did not expect that CBS surveillance systems had backup even in case of deletion, and Huo Feng had wisely given himself a way out.
And knowing that Qian Jie would never admit her guilt without evidence, Ji Weixi forthrightly told Lin Xiaoman, âMiss Lin. Please come with me to the control room and you would understand.â
âFine! Weâll see what truth is!â Qian Jia exclaimed with a laugh of schadenfreude. âAnd would you be offering an explanation if it turns out to be not my fault?â
Ji Weixi smiled coolly. âOf course.â
***
With Huo Feng leading them, they went to the security control room with Qian Jia laughing along the way.
Her laughter soon died when Huo Feng deftly showed the security footage on that day.
In the black-and-white video, Qian Jia was indeed shown talking to Jian Jie and passing her a small bottle, and later Huo Feng whom she handed a check.
The truth could not be more obvious.
Qian Jia was left dumbstruck.
âH-how could this be?!â She exclaimed in rising agitation and pointed at Huo Feng. âBut you deleted that in front of me! Why is it still here!?â
Slapâ
Lin Xiaoman landed a vicious slap on her face. âWhy would you do this, Qian Jia!? I never could have thought that it was you! You tried to kill my career, even when I treated you as a best friend!?â
Chen Libin was enraged too. âThe gall! I never treated you unfairly, how could you do this to Xiaoman?!â
Qian Jiaâs face had gone askew from the slap, but she actually laughed as she held her aching cheek.
With things having come to this, she no longer had to pretend.
Her laugh soon stopped, and she glared at Lin Xiaoman hatefully.
âYes, I did it. But donât you think you deserve it, Lin Xiaoman? Why am I a manager in the first place? Because you forced me!â
âI was supposed to make my debut too, but you went behind me and sent me all wrapped up to the higher ups, who toyed with me like a pet! In the end? All my sacrifices made you what you are now, and you even feigned sympathy and have me be your manager. Do you know how much I hate you? You destroyed my life!â
âDonât you know how much I want to strangle you when I saw how popular youâve become!?â
Qian Jia grew in agitation even as she spoke, even attempted to strangle Lin Xiaomanâonly to be kicked to the floor by Chen Libin.
âYouâre no longer her manager!â He roared at her, before turning to Li Shaoling with an apologetic smile. âPresident Li, Iâm really sorry...â
Li Shaoling merely shot him a look of disdain and coldly cut him short. âGet lost.â
Brushing off her tears, Chen Libin held Lin Xiaoman in his arms as they left.
But unbeknownst to all and at an angle where no one could see, she was smiling as if she had gotten what she wanted.
After they were gone, Huo Feng chased out Qian Jia, who had been bawling crazily at the control room.
With Jian Jie having apologized but also becoming paler, Ji Weixi got Li Shaoling to have someone escorting her back to Ocean City, since the old lady must be worrying about her back home.
Ji Weixi breathed a long sigh of relief with the whole incident finally coming to an end, but just as she was about to call Tian Miaomiao and tell her the good news, Li Shaolingâs phone rang.
âShaoling, Iâve arrived. Come fetch me!â
Li Shaolingâs lips curled into a smile. âOkay.â
Ji Weixi could hear it clearly: that was a womanâs voice, as tender as it was feminine.