Chapter 137: Phantom Plan (17)
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
Inside Jin Xiangdong’s office at the BUA Building.
Jason was sitting across Jin Xiangdong to report. “About the personal information requested regarding Ian, the second investigation turned out to be the same as the first one. There is nothing new. As for his personal itinerary, apart from working, he has been dating Professor Lu quite often recently!”
Jin Xiangdong could not help but twitch his mouth to hear the latter part of Jason’s sentence. It was offensive to his eyes to look at the pictures and files Jason handed to him. In the pictures, Lu Jia’er and Ian were in an intimate position.
“He must have made a perfectly sound plan before he appeared out of nowhere. There is no way we can dig out anything else about him!” Jason summarized the investigations.
Previously, Jin Xiangdong had the same idea. But at this moment, he shook his head. “No, truth be told, the fact that he showed up is a betrayal to his intentions!”
Jason felt like he had become a detective those days. However, his brain could not process this information. “Betrayal to his intentions?”
“I will take care of this matter. Go back to work!” Jin Xiangdong clearly had made a decision.
Jason nodded and then said to Jin Xiangdong, peering at him, “If it turned out to be what we are thinking, what will you do?”
Jason could not read Jin Xiangdong’s expressions. “We cannot arrive at any conclusions before the fact is confirmed.”
Jason knew Jin Xiangdong’s temper so he said nothing and left the office.
Just as Jason came back to his own office, Li Zheng knocked and came in. He put some files in front of Jason. “Can you sign this for me?”
Jason took over the file, signed his name and gave it back to Li Zheng.
Li Zheng did not leave at once. Instead, he asked, “Have you and Ace been plotting something huge?”
Jason looked up at Li Zheng, “No, we have not!”
“Really? How come I feel the two of you have been so mysterious recently?” Li Zheng asked.
The matter about Lu Jia’er and the fact that Jin Xiangdong’s laptop had been hacked were only known by Jin Xiangdong and Jason. It was still confidential. So, Jason decided to play dumb. “Have we?”
“I know that something is going on. Look at your face!” Li Zheng said. “Have Ace and Professor Lu broken up?”
“Where did you get this?” Jason replied with a question.
“Is it true or not?” Li Zheng bent over to look into Jason’s eyes. At the moment, for Li Zheng, the urge of gossiping was surging. He was dying to know more about the inside story.
“No!” Jason flatly denied the idea.
Li Zheng was confused. “Then how come Professor Lu is leaving our research team so suddenly?”
“Who told you that Professor Lu is leaving our team?” Jason asked a question in reply.
About the fact that Lu Jia’er was leaving, previously, Jin Xiangdong said her employment was to be terminated but the contract had not been signed yet.
“Are you telling the truth? It had been days since Professor Lu showed up!” Li Zheng was still beaming with curiosity.
“Nothing like that. Less gossip, more work!” Jason used Jin Xiangdong’s words to answer Li Zheng.
Li Zheng grinned. “Fine, I will go back to work! But I have to say this. It does not bode well when people from the same circle are starting relationships around the same time!”
Jason looked at Li Zheng. “Has Su Han said anything to you?”
Li Zheng’s intention was to steer the conversation to Su Han by paving the way with so many words. “Nothing much. Su Han just asked if you have been busy lately.”
So, this was about Su Han. Jason could not help but become nervous. “What did you say to her?”
Li Zheng looked Jason up and down before he replied, “I told her that you were busy as a bee lately!”
Jason sighed in relief. “I have been busy indeed!”
“I understand that. But it is still not okay to hang your new girlfriend out to dry. Aren’t you afraid that she will dump you?” Li Zheng said.
Li Zheng was ignorant about the reasons and Jason could not say too much to explain. All he said was, “No, I shouldn’t have!”
“Find a time and apologize Su Han. Don’t let people have the misconception that we coders are stone heads and that all we know is work. You must know that it is already hard to find a girlfriend when we are working overtime every day. Do not appreciate the happy life one enjoys!” Li Zheng nagged Jason.
Jason nodded. “Duly noted. That being said, stop bothering Su Han so much from now on!”
“Jason, now, this is mighty petty of you! Besides, it is Su Han that contacted me. As your friend, I have been putting in a good word for you. How can you turn around and hit me with a rake! Next time Su Han contacts me, I will inform her against you. Watch me!” Li Zheng did not try to veil his threat.
“Fine, okay, I am sorry. I take it back!” Jason apologized at once.
“Okay, I have fulfilled my duty as a messenger. If you don’t cherish her, then I will swoop in!” Li Zheng joked.
Jason’s reply to Li Zheng’s words was a contemptuous look. Li Zheng hurried away from Jason’s office at once.
While Li Zheng issued that threat, Jason believed Li Zheng was not that kind of man that would steal another’s girlfriend. However, the situation at the moment was delicate. Jason himself was unclear about his relationship with Su Han.
If Jason were to answer the questions he posed to Jin Xiangdong in the latter’s office, Jason believed he could not have an answer for now.
Those thoughts were melancholy. Jason had to pray again and again, hoping that his a.s.sumption was wrong.
In a headquarters building of an international energy company in China.
Ian, who was listening to the video presentation by the person in charge of the projects in the southern part of China, heard his phone ringing on the table.
Ian wanted to press decline but his action paused when he saw the number. He signaled the man in the video to stop his report for a moment. “Let us pause for a moment. We will get back to it in 10 minutes!” With that said, Ian turned off the video and picked up his phone.
“h.e.l.lo. Who is there?” Ian sounded just as usual.
“I believe you know who this is, Mr. Song.” Ian heard Jin Xiangdong’s deep and low voice.
Ian curled his lips a bit. “I am sorry, but I don’t know who you are.”
“I am Jin Xiangdong. Let’s meet in person.” Jin Xiangdong came straight to the point of this phone call.
“Jin Xiangdong.” Ian repeated the name and said, “I don’t think there is any business dealings with us!”
“You are right. We do not have any business deals going on, but you will agree to a face-to-face with me.” Jin Xiangdong said.
Ian smiled at those words. “Mr. Jin, have you always been so full of yourself?”
“You are the arrogant one.” Jin Xiangdong replied, calmly.
“I am arrogant. You cannot just meet me whenever you want.” Ian answered.
“Do not be so sure, I will send you the address of this meeting to your email in a moment!” Jin Xiangdong hung up the phone after he finished speaking.
Ian heard beeping sounds of phones hanging up. A few seconds later, Ian got the address sent by Jin Xiangdong in his email. Looking at that address, Ian’s lips curled. His expressions could not be understood.
Eventually, he cancelled all his tasks in the morning and left for the address Jin Xiangdong gave him.
The location Jin Xiangdong chose for this meet-up was a temple built on a hillside.
This temple was not a famous one in City B. Besides, since it was a working day, there were only a few guests in this temple. There was the sound of chanting and the faint smell of sandalwood. No matter how restless one was, one would calm down here for a few seconds.
Jin Xiangdong had been here for 20 minutes. At the moment, he was gazing into the view in the distance, having little idea that his tall figure had become the view in other people’s eyes.
Not long afterwards, another person came. Jin Xiangdong looked to the side. The person was Ian, the one that came out from nowhere and replaced Jin Xiangdong as Lu Jia’er’s boyfriend.
Jin Xiangdong looked back into the distance and said slowly, “This view is quite nice here!”
Ian was filled with mixed feelings to see how confident Jin Xiangdong was. Ian gazed into the distance as well when he asked calmly, “Did you have people look into me?”
Jin Xiangdong answered, not mincing his words, “Yes, I did.”
“And what is the result?” Ian questioned.
“The result is that you are here to see me!” Jin Xiangdong replied.
Ian grinned at this reply. “I am meeting you to give you some warnings!”
Jin Xiangdong grinned as well. “What warnings?”
“Don’t act on the strength of your own imagined cleverness!” Ian sounded composed. There was no change in his emotion.
“Really?” Jin Xiangdong put on a sardonic grin.
Ian looked at him. “I do not tell lies.”
Jin Xiangdong turned over and looked into Ian’s eyes. “Same here. What a coincidence!”
“Do not do this the hard way.” Ian said with a smile.
Jin Xiangdong was not scared at all. “If everything were the way it used to be, you could exist in this world like a ghost. It just so happens that you have broken the rules. Every man has a joker in his sleeve.”
Though Ian was wearing a smile, his look became fierce.
Once again, Jin Xiangdong looked away from Ian’s face and gazed into the valley not far from here. “I believe my theory is right when I see you here.”
“Your theory?” Ian sneered.
“Here is a piece of advice to you. You’d better restore my girlfriend to her original state.” Jin Xiangdong said.
Ian laughed sarcastically again. “What do you know? Just like you said, every man has a joker in his sleeve!”
Jin Xiangdong turned around. “Ian, I may have yet to find out your background and your intention. But you have broken the rules. Later on, I will not be the only one that knows. More and more people will notice. You cannot stay in isolation.”
“Whether I can stay out of it is my concern!” Ian replied with a sneer.
“Do not be c.o.c.ky.” Jin Xiangdong looked at the man in front of him and gave a cold response.