Chapter 43: Hello father?
Immediately the Mei family got home both Rong and Jiaying hurriedly went upstairs to check in on Lijuan. They very much suspected the early departure of the brothers had something to do with her.
Rong flung open the door to Lijuan's room and heard Jiaying's gasp of surprise when they found the bed empty. She hated that she had been right. She really hated that her twat of a sister kept interfering with her plans.
Now where was she? Where had she gone to or what had she done to have made both brothers leave the party without a moment's delay.
Rong stormed downstairs to the sleeping quarter of the maids with Jiaying in tow. She knocked on their door rudely until they were roused from sleep.
"First Senior Mistress. What is wro.." The chief househelp asked with a frown.
"Where is Lijuan?" Rong cut in without letting her complete her sentence.
"The Second Senior Mistress?" She asked.
"Is there another person in this family bearing that name?" Rong asked with a disdainful look on her face.
"One of the maids saw her leaving earlier." The Chief househelp informed her.
"Am I supposed to extract the information from you piece by piece?" Rong asked in irritation.
"Sorry ma'am. According to the maid, the second young mistress said her friend wasn't feeling very well so she had to go take care of her." The lady said hurriedly.
"I want to see the maid who saw her leaving." Rong ordered her.
The Chief househelp quickly called for the maid to join them outside.
"You're the one who saw her leaving?" Rong asked with a raised brow.
"Yes, First young mistress." The maid said without raising her head.
"What was she wearing?" Rong asked wanting to be sure she hadn't gone to the club or any fun place.
"She was dressed in a male outfit." The maid said conveniently leaving out the backpack Lijuan had been carrying.
"Can you remember the time she left?" Jiaying cut in. She didn't want to be left out in the conversation.
The maid paused to think about it "She left in about an hour or more after you all left for the party." The maid said nodding her head. She couldn't remember the exact time but she did know it was up to an hour after they left because she had been amused thinking Lijuan was probably going to the party like Cinderella.
"Do you know if anyone picked her up?" Rong asked again.
"I don't think so. She ran off hurriedly like she was really worried about something. She had mentioned her friend was sick" The maid said.
"Alright. You can return to bed." Rong said without apology nor gratitude before returning to the main house.
"Shouldn't we tell father?" Jiaying asked maliciously. She really wanted to pay Lijuan back for ruining her night. Even without showing up at the party she had managed to ruin things for them. "I do not think she actually went to see Shan like she claimed and—"
"Of course she didn't. Why would she go see Shan dressed like a man?" Rong interjected.
"Judging by what the maid said, it is possible they left the party because of her." Rong said thoughtfully.
"Are we telling father or not?" Jiaying asked again impatiently.
"Quit being so childish! You can't solve every problem by always running off to complain to father." Rong scolded her harshly.
Jiaying glared at Rong angrily but said nothing as she sat down and waited to know what Rong was planning.
"But is it possible Shan is really ill? Maybe that's why Jinhai ran off. I hope she dies of whatever it is." Jiaying muttered to herself.
"That's the best you can think of?" Rong asked with a scoff.
"You're more childish than I thought." Rong said before going to her parent's room.
She tapped on the door lightly, and when her father grunted his approval for her to come in she pushed open the door and stepped inside the room with Jiaying behind her.
Jiaying couldn't help but roll her eyes. So much for calling her childish when she was doing the exact same thing she she accused her off.
"What is wrong?" Chairman Mei asked as he sat up reaching for his glasses which was in his bedside drawer.
Mother Mei looked from Rong to Jiaying and she could tell this was about Lijuan. She had suspected Lijuan was up to something all night especially when she noticed the white gown Lijuan had spread on her bed earlier.
"Lijuan is not in her room." Rong said with a false concerned expression.
"What? Did she tell you she was going anywhere?" Chairman Mei asked turning to look at his wife.
"I'm not sure. What were you doing in her room anyway?" She asked glaring at Rong and Jiaying.
"Is that supposed to be your major concern right now? Shouldn't you be more worried about her whereabouts?" Chairman Mei asked angrily as he quickly got up from his bed.
"I already talked to the maids. One of them saw her leaving." Rong said.
"Yes we talked to the maids." Jiaying quickly added wondering why Rong was speaking as though they didn't do it together.
"Where did they say she went to?" Mother Mei asked. She really hoped it wasn't the auction and if it was she hoped Lijuan hadn't been stupid enough to say so.
"She said Lijuan claimed Shan was ill and she had to care for her." Jiaying said without waiting for Rong to speak.
"So why are you reporting when you already know where she is?" Mother Mei asked angrily.
"I thought we should check on Shan to know how she is feeling just to be sure Lijuan wasn't telling a lie." Rong said looking directly at her father.
"Then do that. I'm going back to bed." Mother Mei said turning to switch off her bedside lamp.
"We don't have Shan's number. We were hoping you have it." Rong quickly added.
"Have you called Lijuan?" Chairman Mei asked as he took out his phone to dial Lijuan's number.
After several rings and Lijuan didn't take the call he frowned deeply before turning to his wife. "You should call Shan if you have her number."
Mother Mei reluctantly got up and dialed Shan's number on her phone. She was pleased when Shan didn't pick up initially but suddenly the call connected.
"Put it on loud speaker. I want to hear what she says." Chairman Mei told her.
Mother Mei reluctantly pressed the loud speaker button.
"Hello?" A male voice greeted making everyone frown. Mother Mei glanced at her phone's screen to be sure she had dialed the correct number.
"I want to speak with Shan. Who are you?" She asked with a frown.
"I'm Wang Jinhai. Shan can't talk right now, She isn't feeling well and the drugs the doctor gave her is making her sleep." Jinhai explained.
Jiaying turned pale before storming out of the room when she realized her Jinhai had actually left her at the party just to go watch over a sick Shan.
They all watched her leave but none said anything to stop her.
"Ask him where Lijuan is." Chairman Mei muttered.
"Is Lijuan there with you?" Mother Mei asked, hoping he would have the good sense to think up something.
"Uhm, yes. But she is sleeping. She is really exhausted." Jinhai lied.
"Wake her up and give her the phone. I need to be sure she is alright." Chairman Mei ordered immediately he took the phone from his wife.
Jinhai looked at the sleeping Shan and thought about waking her to take the call but on a second thought, he wanted to let her rest.
He blocked the speaker on his phone with a hand so the people at the other end wouldn't hear him and cleared his throat.
He pleaded with the heavens to help him do this..
"Hello father?" He squealed into the phone in a feminine voice that made Chairman Mei throw the phone on the bed in shock.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone