Chapter 835 Alive

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CHAPTER 834 — Alive

Just as she was drowning in her thoughts, the rescuer near the butler spoke again. “He is alive, ma’am,” the voice continued, sensing her distress. “Unconscious but alive.”

A wave of nausea washed over her, but Li Jing clung to that sliver of hope. “Thank goodness,” she croaked. “Please check on Ming Xi. Take them both out of here. Where’s the ambulance? Or the first aid kit? Hurry, someone help them!”

The rescuer, a broad-shouldered man with a determined expression, knelt beside her. “Madam, please calm down. They’ll be attended to.”

“No, I want it now,” she spat, frustration mixing with the pain throbbing in her leg.

“They are being taken out now,” the man assured her, his voice firm yet gentle. “Please calm down and let us help you.”

Li Jing wasn’t convinced. The smoke stung her eyes, making it hard to see, and the throbbing in her ankle intensified with every movement. But a more pressing concern gnawed at her.

The imposter. With all the commotion, she would have undoubtedly used the chaos to escape.

Ignoring the searing pain, Li Jing pushed herself up, using the rescuer’s arm for support. “Forget about me,” she said, her voice low and urgent.

“Madam,” the man protested.

She squeezed his arm, her grip surprisingly strong. “This is important. Whoever set the bomb must still be around here. She’s dressed like me, in case that helps.”

She knew the description was vague, especially considering their current state, but it was all she had.

“Find her before she escapes, no matter what.”

“But, madam, your health is…”

“Someone has to pay for this,” she interrupted, her voice laced with steel. “And unless you plan on visiting jail to answer for her crimes, I suggest you hurry.”

Despite the chaos surrounding them, the glint in Li Jing’s eyes spoke volumes. This wasn’t just about revenge; it was about justice.

“Find her, tie her up, and bring her to me at any cost,” she commanded.

Seeing the unwavering resolve in her eyes, the rescuer understood the gravity of the situation. With a curt nod, he relayed his orders to another rescuer before turning back to Li Jing.

“We’ll get you outside, ma’am,” he said gently, his voice a stark contrast to the urgency of his previous actions.

With that he scurried off through the open kitchen in search of the imposter. As they carefully helped her out of the kitchen, Li Jing knew this was just the beginning. The explosion was a message, a declaration of war. And she wouldn’t rest until she found the one responsible and made them pay. ~*********~

Across town, in a sleek, modern skyscraper, Ye Cheng sat at the head of a long mahogany table, facing a dozen stern-faced board members. His voice, usually calm and collected, held a hint of impatience as he addressed a particularly troublesome shareholder.

“Mr. Wangfu, with all due respect, your projections for the new marketing campaign are overly conservative. We need a bold approach to capture the younger demographic.”

A heated debate ensued, with charts and graphs flashing on the screen behind them. Ye Cheng, however, couldn’t shake off a gnawing unease in him. He kept glancing at his phone, the silence from Li Jing unusual. He’d expected her to call or text about the meeting with her investors if it was going well, any minute from then.

Just then, his phone vibrated, a shrill ring cutting through the boardroom tension. Quickly, he excused himself, a frown creasing his forehead as he saw the caller ID – it was the mansion’s landline. ‘Hmm.’ He answered the call, his voice tight, “Hello?”

A frantic voice, laced with panic, filled his ear. “Mr. Ye, Madam Li… explosion… kitchen… injured…”

“What?” He found it hrd to connect the dots on those words. Suddenly he heard someone mutter something and took over the call. “My apologies for the disturbance sir. There’s been an explosion at the mansion! Madam Li…” the voice choked back a sob, “…she’s hurt!”

The blood drained from Ye Cheng’s face. The world seemed to tilt on its axis as his heart hammered against his ribs, a cold dread seeping into his bones. Explosion? Li Jing hurt? His mind raced. Images of his wife, injured and alone, flashed before his eyes. Who could it be?

Chairman Zhang? Why?

Was this his revenge? But then another detail registered, a detail that sent a shiver down his spine. “Sir… Someone impersonated Madam Li,” the voice stammered on the other end.

Ye Cheng’s heart pounded heavily in his chest. This wasn’t a random attack. This was calculated, and deliberate. At that moment, the board meeting, the expansion plans – all of it became insignificant.

“Where is she? Is she…?” His voice cracked, the question catching in his throat. Suddenly anger swirled in his eyes. No. He couldn’t be weak in such a situation.

Before his staff could respond, he barked a few quick orders into the phone, his voice cold and hard. “Get the best doctors there.”

“Hospital…being taken now, sir,” the voice replied, slightly calmer now.

“Good. And find whoever did this. Now!”

Slamming the phone shut, he turned back to the boardroom. The room fell silent, everyone staring at his pale, grim face.

“Gentlemen,” he said, his voice devoid of its usual smooth charm, “this meeting is adjourned. A family emergency requires my immediate attention.”

Before anyone could protest, he was striding out the door, leaving behind a trail of bewildered stares.

~************~

Meanwhile, in the conference room at Li Jing’s company, frustration simmered. Investors tapped their feet impatiently, eyeing their watches. Li Jing was late, and Yin Lifen, despite her best efforts to maintain composure, was growing increasingly anxious. She was finding it harder and harder to appease them. Every passing minute felt like an eternity.

It was supposed to be a quick exchange – the document and a hefty investment. She warned Li Jing about going back. Just as an investor, a well-dressed woman with a sharp bob cut, leaned in and whispered, “Ms. Yin, perhaps we should reschedule?” Yin Lifen’s phone buzzed, cutting off the woman’s suggestion.

Relief washed over her as she glanced at the screen, her heart jolting at the number. It was the Ye mansion’s telephone number. Li Jing had used it on a few occasions to contact her. Eagerly, she picked up.

“Li Jing, finally! Where have you been? The investors are getting-”

But the voice on the other end wasn’t Li Jing’s. It was a panicked young woman, one of the maids at the Ye mansion..

“Hello?”

The maid’s voice, barely comprehensible through choked sobs, blurted out, “Madam Yin! There’s been a terrible accident at the Ye residence! Madam Li – there was an explosion!”

Yin Lifen’s scream tore through the professional veneer of the conference room. Her carefully constructed facade crumbled as raw terror took over.

The investors recoiled in shock as she slammed the phone down on the table, her face contorting in horror. Tears welled up in her eyes as she looked at the stunned faces around her.

One of the female investors with a concerned frown, rushed to Yin Lifen’s side. “Mrs. Yin, what’s wrong?” she inquired in a low voice.

Yin Lifen, tears welling up in her eyes, could only manage a choked whisper, “L-Li Jing,” she stammered, her voice cracking. “There’s been an accident. An explosion.”

The carefully constructed world around her crumbled. All that mattered now was Li Jing — her bestfriend. Without another word, she grabbed her purse and rushed out, leaving the bewildered investors staring after her in a cloud of dust and unanswered questions.

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