Lost Bunny Charm
LiMei looks in the window of a shop, this part of town has exclusive designer shops ridiculously expensive but definitely beautiful clothes.While she is admiring a sparkling sheer light blue gown with thin straps, a low cut bodice embroidered with very tiny flowers in the window she sees the woman who owns the Morning Glory Cafe through the glass.
She and a salesgirl appear to be arguing pointing at the dress on display, from what LiMei can guess she wants that particular dress, but the salesgirl is shaking her head no. The beautiful woman's face is contorted and flushed. She gives the salesgirl a nudge then walks straight up to the window display, haha..the beautiful woman is on the step in 10 cm heels her skirt hiked up grabbing the mannequin out of the window. She looks so funny carrying it down the steps with the salesgirl trailing behind her.
A small crowd outside the window is starting to gather discussing the situation. LiMei checks her watch she should hurry so she can have some lunch before going to the hotel for her night shift. If she could take a taxi that would save time, although she doesn't mind taking the bus she would like to take a short nap.
She opens her wallet she still has some money left from the pervert, why not splurge and get a taxi. LiMei waves her arms as she sees a yellow taxi at the stop light. It is one lane over, she runs through the first lane to catch it, the traffic starts to move and a black Porsche screeches to a stop almost hitting her. She gives the driver a big smile as she runs past his driver's window over to the taxi.
He has his hands gripped onto the steering wheel, stupid girl he almost hit her. Why do those eyes look familiar? He answers his phone, “Yes, I have surgery at three I will meet you after for dinner, I'm driving to the clinic now. Make sure he knows this will cost him.”
Qiao Rui makes a sharp turn at the next light heading to his exclusive downtown clinic. He parks his Porsche still wondering about that girl earlier, maybe she had been a patient of his at one time. His cell starts ringing, “Dr. Qiao get back over to the Crescent Moon Hotel immediately, CEO Chen just woke up.”
Qiao Rui looks at his watch, it is 2:30 Chen Jianyu slept this long. “Wang Li, have the house doctor check him I have surgery in thirty minutes.”
“I can't let him know what happened to the Boss!”
“Tell the old doctor he has the flu, his system has broken down the aphrodisiac by now he will never know.”
“The Boss has questions he said if you don't arrive within the next thirty minutes he will make a call.”
Fucking bastard, if I hadn't been drunk that night in the private room of the Club with him he never would know my secret, now he has me by the balls. Qiao Rui went to University with Chen Jianyu that's when they became friends, Chen Jianyu knows he only went to work for the Underworld because he needed to pay back school loans after his family disowned him. Dammit!He holds it over his head every time he wants something from him.
“Tell your Boss I will be there.”
He dials another number, “Have you prepped him for surgery yet?”
The nurse at the other end responds, “No, we were waiting for you to arrive.”
“Well don't, an emergency came up I will have to reschedule, tell him we will discount the fees for the inconvenience.”
Losing money is something Qiao Rui hates even more than being threatened by Chen Jianyu. He will definitely have to overcharge him for this visit. Pissed off at having to discount the surgery, he gets back into his car and speeds out of the parking lot, he would like to kill whoever drugged that pain in the ass.
In the penthouse Chen Jianyu wants some answers, he recalls getting out of the shower feeling his body heat up realizing he had been drugged. After that his memory is blurry, he can remember a woman, more like a girl, her scent of jasmine, the feel of her lips but not what she looked like.
“Did you find out any information about who drugged me? How was I able to withstand the aphrodisiac?” He can tell he didn't have sex last night, as far as he knows that is the only way to relieve the effects of the drug. He has never been schemed before but his good friend Sun Zhong had to marry the conniving heiress of the Liu family when she drugged him ending up pregnant. He would have had her killed after she gave birth, Sun Zhong leads a miserable life now being pulled around by the nose by that woman. He gets out of bed still with a pounding headache. “I'm taking a shower when I get out I want answers.”
Wang Li doesn't have any answers, there are no traces someone was in his penthouse except for a small golden rabbit charm he found by the bed stuck into the carpet. He does have the tapes CEO Chen wanted anyway maybe that will at least take some pressure off him.
LiMei arrives at home later than anticipated, she decides just to fix some instant noodles, the hotel supplies a meal to kitchen employees, she will eat after her shift. This will also save her some money, so it's good she got a job there. Tomorrow is Thursday, she hasn't heard anything from the Hushang Group, not that she was expecting to after her interview.
If she was in the Accounting Department would she run into Director Chen? Probably not. She sets her uniform on the bed, they said she will get three more uniforms,she gives it a smell she was too tired to wash it last night, one more shift in it will be fine..
After she showers she puts on her uniform, that's when she remembers her gold bunny charm was in the pocket of her skirt last night. She feels in her pocket, it isn't there she becomes frantic. How could I have lost it! It must have been when I was in the rich man's penthouse! How in god's name am I going to search for it? I have to find it, I don't care what I have to do to get it back.
Why didn't I buy a chain for it like I was going to, she wants to cry. She does still have his room card but if she got caught entering for sure the police would be called, she would be arrested. Why did she bother saving him, her charm is worth more than his life!
Despondent LiMei leaves for work, she goes back in to get her windbreaker, it was cold last night. She can see the bus from the balcony coming up to the bus stop as she locks the door, she runs down the stairs to catch it. Maybe the man has recovered and will order from Room Service, she will just have to make sure she gets the ticket. If it fell in his room he probably wouldn't even notice it, it is not that big.
On the bus ride to work LiMei thinks about how happy she was when she was a young girl living with her mother and grandmother in the mountains. Her charm bracelet was her mother's she gave her, putting on a charm every birthday for her. The little bunny charm was her favorite because she used to see the rabbits in the forest by their home, they always looked like they were having fun.
Well, I will find it whatever it takes she decides, I will buy a chain then never lose it again!
LiMei checks in when she arrives punching her time card, then she goes directly to the kitchen. The only people there are the Kitchen Manager, QiQi, Mari, the cooks. I wonder is Han Wu will come back to work after last night or did the Song madam sort him out. She heard someone say that in the bakery Mrs. Song came raging in looking for her daughter Lanying, when she was waiting to punch in for her shift.
Before she has a chance to sigh in relief Han Wu comes through the door as though he owns the place. The Kitchen Manager calls a meeting. They all pull up a chair to the larger table then sit down. “Last night I'm not sure what happened but one of the owners registered a complaint.” He said he wants the kitchen staff assembled, he will be down to inspect the kitchen in a half hour.
The Kitchen Manager is on edge he has only seen Chen Jianyu once when he was chastising the Concierge for the condition of the courtyard. At that time he had been attending a large banquet, people were leaving cocktail glasses everywhere in the garden area, there weren't enough servers to keep up. He had an icy aura that was oppressive., the Concierge was sweating profusely while he was bowing apologizing, he had never seen the Concierge shaking like that before. He isn't looking forward to this inspection.
LiMei sits with her head in her hands listening, she doesn't care, she just hopes it doesn't take too long she needs to find a way to go to the penthouse.
Chen Jianyu feels a little refreshed after his shower but he hates the way his memory is hazy. He steps into the room, “Qiao Rui isn't here yet?”
“No, Dr. Qiao is on his way should be here soon.”
“I want to inspect the kitchen staff to see if I recognize anyone, the girl was definitely wearing a Room Service uniform. Did you find anything out Li?”
“Not yet but I found this by the bed.” he hands the charm to Chen Jianyu.
He holds it in his hand, it looks like a cheap charm, it must belong to the girl.”It doesn't look like something someone would return for.” He tosses it onto the nightstand.
“Boss I did bring the tapes you asked for.”
“Let's see.”
Wang Li puts the disc into the computer on the desk. Chen Jianyu sits at the desk ready to view it when there is a knock at the door.
Wang Li lets Dr. Qiao into the room.
“I don't know why you called me back the old fart on call here could have checked you out.” Qiao Rui is aggravated by this jerk.
“I have some questions.”
Dr. Qiao tells him to lay on the bed so he can examine him. “I didn't call you here to examine me I'm recovered. I want to ask you some questions.”
“Couldn't you have just called me later, I'm busy at the clinic.”
“...”
“Fucking sit down Rui, I want to know about the antidote. Li said you mentioned it wasn't easy to come by and it is expensive.”
“Yeah, I have no idea who would possess it and waste it on you.”
Chen Jianyu knows this guy's personality they were roommates for four years, he is pissed he had to come over, he must have had an operation to perform.
“Rui I will compensate you any money you lost by rushing over here but I want to track down not only who drugged me {I have a fairly good idea who that was} but the person that saved me.”
Qiao Rui brightens up when he hears this, “What do you want to know?”
“Is there a way to track who had access to the antidote?”
“Most likely not, it was made by a reclusive chemist by the name of Xingi. I have heard it costs a million USD to have an audience, he sits behind a screen, no one knows what he looks like.He is so well connected he has his own army, no one dares mess with him, his compound on a mountain in Cambodia is highly secured. Xingi's specialty is poisons, he must have formulated this for a special client. You know the use of aphrodisiacs to trap rich victims, politicians is on the increase.”
Chen Jianyu is baffled, although he can't remember her facial features when he was touching her body she was obviously young, why would she have an antidote for a potent aphrodisiac. How is she involved in this.
“If you think of anything else call my private number, Wang Li will pay you on your way out.
Chen Jianyu wants to know what the girl wants to gain by saving him, why hasn't she called looking for payment.
“Wang Li I will watch the tapes when I get back , we need to check out the kitchen staff.”