บท 189: The Pieces (12)

'She wants to make this introduction so that I can gain a new important contact in the business. Yes, that has to be it!' Qing Qing thought to herself. One could not fault her for thinking so because Joann had consciously and subconsciously delivered help onto her before so Qing Qing saw no reason this would be any different. Her Sister Joann had always been generous to her.

Qing Qing's conceit drowned out the voice of alarm in her head and this was most evidenced by this thought that she had, 'Furthermore, they wouldn't have been smart enough to entrap me anyway.'

However, that confidence she had got shaken quite badly after this little exchange. "Sylvia, do you mind telling me what publication are you currently working at?" Qing Qing just wanted to make small talk, she did not expect the answer would cause her such great distraught.

"Of course, I don't mind." Sylvia smiled brightly at Qing Qing and the latter felt weirdly unsettled like the smile was hiding plenty of knives. "It is at XX Papers, perhaps you've heard of it?"

The smile plastered on Qing Qing's face wavered when she heard that name. That was the paper she used to slander Joann's name before her source there abandoned her and she sought a new channel elsewhere.

Even the smallest change to the young woman's face did not escape Joann's eyes. She saw how the mask on Qing Qing's face fractured for that one second before she quickly recovered once more. Again, Joann could not help but be impressed by Qing Qing's acting skill.

At the same time, it made her skin crawl. She could not imagine she used to treat such a fraudulent human being as one of her closest confidants for such an extended period of time. She was truly blind back then.

"Wow, that is a famous publication, I'm sure you have plenty of work to do then. Please do take care of me in the future." Qing Qing turned her attention towards Sylvia. She realized then Sylvia presented a bigger variable compared to Joann.

If Sylvia knew something about her former dealings with the publication, then Qing Qing would need to watch out. However, the young woman believed her former partner would not have sold her out that easily. After all, it would put his own career in jeopardy as well. The company was also a big one, perhaps Joann's daughter did not even know the man and this was just a big coincidence.

And if was truly just a coincidence, Qing Qing was definitely not going to let this opportunity slide. XX Papers is a powerful voice within the industry and if Qing Qing had the ear of one of its reporters, it could make or break her or other people's career. She didn't want to end the collaborative contract with her former partner but he was far too clever for his own sake.

Qing Qing did not like working with people that she could not manipulate. There was simply too high of a risk. However, if the girl was as dumb as her mother, which Qing Qing believed she was, then this Sylvia was going to be her golden ticket in her journey to reach for the top.

"Yes, things are busy but I have my colleagues to help me..." Here Sylvia took a pause to hold Qing Qing's gaze before adding, "And one of them is called Ming Tian. Perhaps you have heard of him before."

When Qing Qing heard that name, her heart felt like it was dropped into cold water. 'So she does know something.' Qing Qing scrambled frantically for an answer before the young woman could expose her. In her mind, Sylvia had not told her mother the truth yet or else Joann would not have been so kind to her earlier.

This could only mean one things, Sylvia only had a speculation and this was her way of feeling her out. Perhaps Sylvia had heard wind of certain rumours at work and had asked her mother to schedule this meeting so she could get a better read of her. Qing Qing was clever enough to warn herself to not walk into any traps. Now that she knew Sylvia came with not-so-friendly intention, Qing Qing understood she needed to be a lot more cautious.

The first thing she did was to deny the connection. "No, I've not heard of that name in my life."

"Is that so? Because Ming Tian said he knew you quite well and there was some kind of contract involved." Sylvia's lips curved into a smirk. She enjoyed watching Qing Qing slowly break down as her past caught up to her.

It was then that Qing Qing knew Sylvia had already known everything. That smirk on Sylvia face had practically verified it.

Qing Qing understood she needed to make the preemptive strike. Before the aggression was directed her way, she needed to turn on the offensive. Since denial was not going to cut it anymore, Qing Qing relied on a classic courtroom tactic during cross-examination, which was to undermine her accuser.

"But I swear I have not heard of the man's before, that means he is a liar. He probably just wants to use my name for his own selfish purposes. You shouldn't believe what he says. Everything that comes out of his mouth is probably a lie." Qing Qing prefaced this with a wealth of concern for Sylvia. It was as if she saw herself as Sylvia's closest friend and was warning her against other people who might want to mean her harm. She only had Sylvia's best interest in her heart.

Sylvia was shocked and honestly disgusted that Qing Qing had the audacity to give her such an advise. The woman had put Ming Tian's credibility into question even before Sylvia could say anything. Sylvia was impressed by Qing Qing's slick tongue. If she had not reveal the truth to her mother already, she would be worried because Sylvia was not sure she would win Qing Qing in an argument.