Driving to Pushong Part 1
LiMei sits at the table, The Driver is next to her with the needle stuck in his forehead leaning back on the chair. The short bald man has his head sideways in a bowl of noodles. Over on the floor is the muscular pervert, his arm is still bleeding, she doesn't want him to die from blood loss. She sets the beer down and picks up a needle from the ground, there is a bottle of whiskey on the counter she pours it over the needle.
Walking over to his body sprawled on the floor she splashes some whiskey where the bullet entered. Then she sticks her needle in an accupoint to stop the blood flow. The bullet exited, she can see it over on the floor behind her, that is a powerful handgun for the bullet to pass through his arm. He should be fine until they are discovered. Looking at the pervert's watch she can see through the blood covering it, the time is nine forty five, she needs to see when Rui left. Damn that nuisance Chen Jianyu.
Leaving the kitchen she hurries into the room to get her purse, Chen Jianyu hasn't awakened yet. She steps over the man on the floor and grabs her cell out of her purse, how is she going to face Rui? Her cheek she can feel is swollen and there are most likely marks on her neck from the pervert trying to strangle her. How will she explain?
Taking a deep breath she looks at her phone, there is one text: Got held up leaving now. Rui. She can see the time was only ten minutes ago. She needs to stop him from coming back to the resort, he can't be too far out of Pushong City. She quickly texts him: It is so late, I don't want you driving you must be tired. I need to be at work early, I am going to take shuttle down there,one is leaving at 10:30. We can meet for lunch tomorrow if you have time. Smiley face, heart heart heart, smiley face. Now she just won't answer her phone she is sure he will call.
Her phone starts ringing, she doesn't answer it, she doesn't want to ruin everything by him seeing her in such a state. LiMei never wants him to know what she is capable of being, why does fate keep throwing her together with Chen Jianyu!
She has healing cream in her apartment for her face and she can wear a scarf tomorrow. Her phone keeps ringing. Rui tightens his hand on the steering wheel, is she angry he took so long? If she leaves at 10:30 there is no way even if he speeds he can get there in time. He bangs his hand down on the steering wheel. He tries her cell again no answer, as soon as he can he exits off the highway screeching into gas station, he texts her: LiMei please answer your phone you won't have any charges. I need to talk to you.
LiMei clutches her phone to her, what should she do? She doesn't want him to be angry with her. Chen Jianyu lifts his head his eyes are about to open, LiMei runs out of the room, she needs to take care of a few things before she unties him. Another mess created by that arrogant man!
Her phone is ringing she can't ignore him. “Rui,..”
He calms himself he doesn't want to scare her away but he was looking forward to seeing her when he got back to the resort. “LiMei, have you left yet? he looks at his watch it is only ten fifteen. “Stay.”
LiMei can hear his anxious tone, she wants to kick Chen Jianyu, in a cajoling tone,“Rui you must be exhausted after last night and rushing back down to the hospital. If anything happened to you on the way back because you were tired I .. really this is better. I need to get up at 5:00 AM so by the time you came back we would need to leave again, she chuckles so he can see she isn't angry with him.”Can you meet me for lunch tomorrow? I can tell you about my first morning at work.”
What she says actually makes sense but dammit he wanted to hold her tonight, continue where they left off in the garden earlier. He can detect the concern in her voice, sometimes he regrets being a doctor, emergencies can't be avoided.
“Breakfast then I can drive you to work.”
LiMei is afraid if she protests he will be upset, she can figure it out in the morning, his sports car is too recognizable though for him to drive her to the Hushang Group. “I would love that.”
Rui brightens up a bit, he can wait a few hours to see her. “Don't take the shuttle I will arrange a car.”
“I already paid and it is leaving soon, I'm fine but thank you. ”
“Call me when you get to your apartment.”
“I will.”
“Don't forget.”
“Of course I won't forget, I want to hear your voice before I go to sleep.”
This last statement makes Qiao Rui very happy. The sound of her sweet voice saying this makes him feel a warmth he hasn't felt since he was young. He is surprised at himself for how upset he was earlier when she didn't answer her phone, his heart was pounding and he felt very anxious. Even Lau An never gave him this feeling, he has been thinking of LiMei constantly since he left her, the fragrance of jasmine on her body, her soft lips as he kissed her. He can't get her out of his mind.
“I need to use the restroom before we leave, I will call you!” She can hear Chen Jianyu rocking around in the chair trying to loosen the ropes. The sooner they get out of here the sooner she gets home.
“Go. Call me I will be waiting.”
“Bye Rui.”
Whew..now to take my needles back I'm not wasting my energy tying them up they will be out for awhile and we aren't going back to the resort. She takes the needle out of the Driver's forehead and the ones off the floor, then removes the silver needle in the pervert's hand. I'm also not taking the time giving them a false memory let them remember a girl did this to them, they won't have the nerve to tell anyone, they would be humiliated. My head really is hurting, I hope hitting my head on the table didn't aggravate the injury I got while riding the bike with Du Chang.
She pours whiskey over the needles, puts them in her purse she will sanitize them when she gets home. Her energy is depleted, glancing over at the Driver she decides not to bother with the police he would come out of this better dealing with the Serpentine Syndicate. He was just the Driver.
Going into the room Chen Jianyu is awake, he looks at Kang Mei, what the hell happened to her, there is blood on her white dress, her hair is disheveled, and her cheek is swollen and red. She bends over and takes the knife she brought from the kitchen to cut the ropes.
“What happened to you?” He will make sure the people who did this pay, he is not going to fuck around with Sun Yichen anymore.
“You Chen Jianyu, You happened to me.”
He stands up and tries to hold her to look closer at her face. Where did all that blood on her dress come from, is she injured somewhwere.
“Let go of me.” her voice is hoarse from the pressure on her throat when the pervert was strangling her.
“ What is wrong with your voice?”
“I caught a cold.”
Her voice didn't sound like that earlier, Kang Mei..I..” he doesn't know what to say he never thought Sun Yichen would stoop this low just to prevent the merger.
“Your car is at the resort right?”
“Yes.”
“We need to get back to Pushong City.”
“...”
“Let's go.”
“Wait what happened to the men who brought us here?”
“I need to go to the kitchen wait out by the car.”
LiMei goes to the kitchen, picking up the gun she wipes it off with her handkerchief she will dispose of it when she gets home, even if she wiped off her fingerprints she doesn't want to take a chance. She then reaches in the Driver's pocket for the keys to the SUV, as she holds them and is about to leave the bald man is starting to stir, she knocks him in the head with the butt of the gun. She grabs two beers that are in the refrigerator and puts them in her purse,rubbing her cheek, he really landed a hard slap. She takes the bottle of whiskey too, it will be a long ride back to Pushong with that idiot Chen Jianyu.
Chen Jianyu is standing in the doorway watching her methodically wiping off the gun and calmly hitting the man with his face in the noodles. The tall man on the ground with blood all over him, is he dead? She killed him? He is shocked by the scene, she is so fragile looking how did she fight three men? He is standing there with his mouth open, LiMei grabs him by his arm startling him out of his daze, “I said wait at the car!" She pushes him towards the door. he doesn't seem like the type of person who listens!
As he walks by the motionless man on the floor "Is he dead?
"No." The less she needs to talk the better, no one has ever tried to strangle her before, she shudders, it was scary as she was about to black out she thought she was going to die.
She hands him the keys, “I need to get back to Pushong City tonight, so we will leave this car in the parking lot of the resort and take your car. You can't stay at the resort tonight they will send someone else for you when they discover you escaped.”
“Who are you?”
“Apparently I am your Guardian Angel but I would like to never see you again. When we can see an address put it in GPS and the destination The Mountain Cloud Resort.”LiMei leans her head back, Oww!
Chen Jianyu hears her moan in pain. “Did you hit your head? My friend Qiao Rui is a doctor staying at the resort I will have him look at you.”
“No time.” Oh my God, it is a good thing Rui is in Pushong.
LiMei pops a beer and starts drinking it.
“You shouldn't drink alcohol if you have a head injury.”
“I'm drinking it because I do have a head injury.”
She is so stubborn, “Kang Mei I am sorry they took you with me I will compensate you. If I can make this meeting tomorrow you will have saved my company from losing a great deal of money.”
“Just get me back to Pushong City, I only have one request if you ever see me you pretend you don't know me. Never.. never under any circumstances reveal what I have done for you, this is my only request. Hey! The turn to the highway, you almost missed it watch the road quit looking at me! Should I drive?”
“...” He can't take his eyes off her she is like a little wildcat, so unruly sitting there with her legs crossed drinking a beer.
They are almost at the resort,“I need to go get some contracts from my room.”
“Well hurry, open your car, I will wait for you.. Leave your clothes so no one knows you have been back. Go in the back entrance not through the lobby. Get them quickly.” She touches her bunny charm around her neck she is glad she is wearing it or she would have to return to her room.
“Chen Jianyu why isn't your handsome muscular looking bodyguard with you? If you know people are trying to harm you isn't it stupid to go places by yourself, you should have ten bodyguards.”
She thinks Wang Li is handsome? She doesn't even look at him the most eligible golden bachelor in Pushong City. He grips the steering wheel, he feels undervalued for the first time in his life, maybe she likes men that are more muscular. He needs to start working out, he will ask Huan for a good personal trainer recommendation.
They pull into the parking lot, “Don't park this SUV by your car we can walk over to it.”
This girl must have trained as a bodyguard, maybe she would like to work for him. He just noticed she has been ordering him around since they were at that house. His lips curl up in a smile, he really doesn't mind it at all.
They walk over to his Maybach. She reminds him before he leaves to hurry. LiMei watches him walk towards the resort, he isn't going in the front door is he? She specifically said use the back entrance by the lake.
She drinks the rest of the beer and opens another one her throat really hurts. No more talkng.
Chen Jianyu goes to his room to retrieve the contracts, he doesn't take his bag, they can send it to him. He quickly leaves the resortand walks to the car. He gets in the driver's seat not realizing two men are watching him. He pulls out of the parking lot after they get on the highway LiMei notices a car following them, not too close not too far, it is 11:00 at night who would be heading down the road from the resort this time of night and it is a SUV similar to the one that the kidnappers used.
“Chen Jianyu didn't I tell you to go in the back entrance by the lake.”
“I wasn't going to sneak in the back way.”
LiMei rolls her eyes, “ Well, since you were too arrogant to listen to me we have a car following us.” She drinks the beer while looking in the side mirror.
He looks in the rear view mirror he saw the car but didn't think anything about it. “What makes you think they are following us?”
“It is. It will match its speed with yours, slow down, if it is an ordinary car it will pass you because you are going to slow.”
Chen Jianyu slows down , the SUV also slows down keeping the same distance behind.
“Satisfied?”
What she says makes sense normally a car would pass.
They are heading down the mountain up ahead the road winds around and the road becomes narrow. “Test them further then, how comfortable are you with speeding down this next part of the highway.”
“ My car handles well at high speeds.” He will show her his expertise behind the wheel, she should be impressed.
“Then speed up,the SUV will match your speed.”
Chen Jianyu presses down on the gas pedal accelerating to 90 , a dangerous speed for this section of the highway, but he is confidant. The car behind accelerates and speeds behind them.
LiMei finishes her beer, “Well, do you believe me now?”
“What should we do?” He is impressed even Wang Li might have missed that.
“Just drive at a normal speed now they obviously don't want to kill us or they would shoot a tire and the car would go out of control sending us off the side of the mountain. “
How can she say this so calmly? Chen Jianyu can feel his hands sweating on the steering wheel. He is going to take care of Sun Yichen when he gets back.
Her throat and head are very painful, she pulls out the whiskey bottle and takes a gulp, it tastes awful. Chen Jianyu sees her, what is she doing drinking whiskey now! “Kang Mei a couple beers won't affect you but you shouldn't drink whiskey, you need to be checked out by a doctor.”
“Chen Jianyu, my throat hurts and my head is throbbing I need to numb the pain. Be quiet now.”
He is speechless, how can he be so attracted to such an unruly girl. Her actions contradict the way she looks, she is as beautiful as fairy, flawless face, delicate body but she acts like a little gangster.