Chapter 23

Zhong Yi was drawing in her room. She had already quit the job at the club and would spend half a day with her grandmother at the hospital every other day. She’d spend the rest of her time learning how to draw at the Li’s. She had always enjoyed drawing, but never had the resource to have any proper training in it. Now that she was given the opportunity, she particularly appreciated her current life.

Halfway through her drawing, her cell phone vibrated.

Zhong Yi opened up her cellphone and realized that her adopted mother had sent her some messages – two video clips.

Ten or so minutes later, she started at the screen at a loss. She had some speculations after she had lost the business card. She suspected her good friend on one hand, and on the other, felt that it was very wrong and dark of her to suspect her own friend like that. Perhaps, she had misplaced the card herself.

But why would Jiang YaGe do that to her? She thought they were best of friends.

When they started school, Zhong Yi and Jiang YaGe were not particularly close to each other. They were both considered pretty by others and were compared with each other. It was when both of them ended up working at White Crane and the secret had brought them together.

In Zhong Yi’s eyes, Jiang YaGe was too naïve. YaGe’s personality was too blunt, and it was too easy for her to be bullied on. She made Zhong Yi want to protect her and Zhong Yi did that often.

All of a sudden, the newfound knowledge exploded in Zhong Yi’s brain and it was drawing a blank. She wasn’t sure how to face Jiang YaGe going forward.

Zhong Yi heard knocking on the door and recollected herself.

“I have cut up some fruits that you like. You want to let me in?” came Jiang YaGe’s tender voice from the outside.

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Zhong Yi opened up the door and Jiang YaGe was standing right outside. The dress that Jiang YaGe had on was Chanel’s newest design for the season and her smile was as pure as Zhong Yi had remembered.

“Oh, you. Don’t just draw all day long. You need to learn to relax from time to time. Don’t push yourself too hard now.”

Both her actions and her words were so thoughtful.

“YaGe, I found the person who stole my business card.”

Jiang YaGe looked up and her dubious look was so genuine. “I thought you’ve misplaced it yourself?”

Zhong Yi said, “I mentioned it to our boss, and she looked through the security footage for me. Ge Yan was the one who took it.”

Jiang YaGe’s pink lips parted a little and she looked angry. “I would never have guessed. She didn’t look like that kind of person.”

Zhong Yi looked at Jiang YaGe closely, not wanting to miss any micro-expressions on her. “Ge Yan had admitted to it already. She said you were the one who told her about it.” She tried to trick Jiang YaGe with words, but deep down inside, she still refused to believe that Jiang YaGe would do such a thing.

“She was lying! Did you believe her? I thought you will always be on my side?” said Jiang YaGe emotionally and her eyes started to tear up. “Ge Yan saw that you were very happy those few days, so she got curious and came and asked me about it. That’s when I mentioned to her how Mom had proposed to adopt you.”

She bit her lower lip with her white and neat teeth, looking hurt and pitiful. “I really didn’t think she’d be so envious that she took your card.

“She had always looked down on you, which was why I said what I said to her.

“I’m sorry. I guess I have been too trusting with others. It was my fault.”

What could Zhong Yi say to that? From the security footage, it was obvious that Ge Yan knew exactly where to find the business card. How’d she knew if Jiang YaGe hadn’t told her?

Had Jiang YaGe admitted to it and apologized, she might still be able to forget her. But now that she has put on the front that she has been wronged… Zhong Yi had made her own decision.

There were tears on Jiang YaGe’s long eyelashes. “Do you not believe me?”

Zhong Yi closed her eyes for a bit. When she reopened them, her voice had calmed and she said to her, “I’ll trust you this one time.”

But this will also be the last time.