Troubled, Xu Jia Li couldn't help but shudder, she didn't know what happened but all she could think of was that a part of her wanted to give Zhou Jiayin a chance. The heart that once hated the man suddenly turned soft, an ounce of hope emerged on it, leaving her speechless.
All those years her heart had been filled with the utmost desire to get revenge. Since her mother died, she lost a part of her where compassion and love were left buried in the deepest part of her heart.
Her heart had been frozen... unable to forgive...
Hate dominated her being...
'Mom... am I letting you down? Am I being fooled by the false exterior of this man? Just like what happened to you? Just like how he led you on and made you believe that you are his only love?'
She bit her lower lip, trying her best to remain calm and cool, suppressing the tears building in the corner of her eyes.
'Mom... please tell me what to do... You want this, right? You deserve to be avenged and let these people suffer. Please, help me, mom.'
Xu Jia Li let out a sigh as she let go of Zhou Jiayin's arm and pretended to smoothen down her dress. She couldn't take it anymore. Her chest tightened until she felt suffocated.
'Why am I so weak, mom? I won't let him fool me. I promise you, mom.'
Xu Jia Li stood straight as she looked fearlessly on Zhou Jiayin's eyes. She was trying to find the motivation to hate him again, until she dropped her gaze, afraid that her real feelings would be revealed.
She made up her mind, she couldn't continue being good to him when all she wanted to do was made him pay.
Made him pay for all his debts...
To her...
And most especially...
To her mother, Yang Yi Fei...
She remained looking down on the floor until she calmed her nerves and told herself that she shouldn't be getting fooled by a good-for-nothing man like Zhou Jiayin.
'I will not be fooled by you, Zhou Jiayin.'
The baffled expression on her face suddenly turned into hatred when she saw the press coming towards them. She shivered which made Zhou Jiayin turned to look at her. She heard him asked,
"What's the matter, Xiao Li?"
"Oh, it's nothing, Uncle Zhou." She gave him her sweetest smile as she turned her gaze towards the approaching press.
A tall, skinny man in his thirties wearing round eyeglasses smiled at Zhou Bingbing as he approached the three of them. He nodded at Zhou Jiayin and looked past Xu Jia Li, not acknowledging her presence. Xu Jia Li only shrugged her shoulders not minding the rudeness of the reporter which the name she didn't remember.
The man was with three more reporters from other companies. He smiled his broadest showing teeth which were yellowish with stain. 'It may be due to smoking.' Xu Jia Li thought, keenly observing the man's every move.
He took out his phone and began to record before he spoke, "Ms. Zhou, could you grant us an interview?"
Xu Jia Li started to turn her back when Zhou Bingbing called her, "Ms. Xu, you should stay and grant them interview, too. Right, Mr. Ming?"
"We are here to interview you, the actress of the year, but we can do a short interview for Ms. Xu, as well." One of the three reporters answered instead as she smiled at Xu Jia Li.
"Of course, it could help you in clarifying... things." Zhou Bingbing let out a bitchy laugh as she put her hand on her chin.
"Thank you, Ms. Zhou for thinking about my welfare but I really need to go. Do enjoy your interview." Xu Jia Li answered as she began to walk away. She had no time for Zhou Bingbing's bravado. However, she was stocked on her track. She was only in her 3rd step when she was stopped mid-step after she heard Mr. Ming's words.
"Why in such a hurry, Ms. Xu? Still on hiding? Why not try explaining the issues you are in?" The look on his face told her that the man didn't like her. There was something dark hidden on those black eyes.
'This must be another one of Zhou Bingbing's plot.' She told herself as she paced back. She was full of disdain for her. Hiding her mocking stance, she smiled her sweetest. She composed herself and said, "Who is in hiding, Mr. Ming? As far as I know, I've never hide anything in my whole life."
She remarked sarcastically before she gave him a nonchalant smile. She tilted her head and focused her gaze on Zhou Jiayin.
As if not hiding anything, Zhou Jiayin's face was as innocent as ever. No sign of guilt or concern about her response.
'What are you hiding, Zhou Jiayin? How can you act so innocent?'
Suddenly, she heard him say, "Oh, I think I should get going. This interview doesn't have to do with me, anyway." He laughed before he turned his gaze at Xu Jia Li,
"Good night, Xiao Li. I hope you'll take time to visit me at home, eh? I'll be expecting you."
Xu Jia Li only nodded when Zhou Jiayin patted her shoulder. The scowl on Zhou Bingbing's face was bliss. "Bye, dad."
Xu Jia Li grinned before she saw him walked away. No matter how Zhou Bingbing hated her, the pretentious woman could only smile in front of the reporters – acting all demure and sweet-tempered.
She heard Mr. Ming asked questions to Zhou Bingbing. The two continued exchanging more information that all she wanted to do was to walk away. Xu Jia Li didn't really focus on most of it as she stood there not really minding them.
What caught her attention was the snide comment of Mr. Ming about her and Si Weimin. She took a glimpse at the two and said, "Yes, Mr. Ming? You were saying?"
"What Ms. Xu? Aren't the articles about you real?"
"Oh, Mr. Ming, don't be like that to Ms. Xu. Be a little kinder." Zhou Bingbing said with her face full of sarcasm.
"Ms. Xu, we saw CEO Si with Ms. Zhou earlier, since the two of them have relationship, what is your relationship with him?"
"Yes, Ms. Xu. Do tell us what is really happening?"
"Ms. Xu, we heard that Sweet Memories is to be banned, what can you say about this?"
She only smiled before another question was thrown to her, "Ms. Xu, the fans are furious, can you explain what you did to make to make CEO Si support the movie?
"Is it true that you used your body in exchange for it?"
The reporters asked one after the other which made Xu Jia Li laughed inside. When she was about to say something, Mr. Ming said again,
"We all know that Ms. Zhou Bingbing is beautiful. She's the best actress and won international awards. I know that Si Weimin will only choose a woman like her."
The rest of the reporters agreed as they looked at one another. Zhou Bingbing answered with a blushing face, "You flatter me, Mr. Ming."
"Isn't that the truth? Unlike those women in the industry who play dirty tricks and those who feed rumours because they need to create media hype for exposure. Right, Ms. Xu?"
"Rumours are rumours, Mr. Ming. People who believe them are no better than having a pea-sized brain – unable to decipher what's right from wrong. When you have nothing to hide, explaining won't do any good at all. Isn't creating hype only for desperate people?"
"W-what? Are you saying that I have a pea-sized brain?"
"I didn't say that, Mr. Ming. However, you did."
She smiled and vowed her head slightly before she began to turn her back. She walked proudly as the people inside the venue looked admiringly at her exquisite form.