The door swung open, and she raised her head and swollen eyes to look at the figure. As her eyes scanned his face, she was taken aback as she stared at him.
"This? Who is this?" she thought.
The man had long legs hidden in well-ironed trousers, his suit was not on him, and he wore a black shirt with one loosened button allowing a peek at his toned skin. He had a perfect jawline and a raised nose. His thin lips were pressed into a line, and his jet-black eyes stared at her. His fan-like eyelashes cast a shadow on his face.
"Why am I here?" Li Che asked after she snapped out of a daze.
"I'm Mo Jingze," he said with a deep voice, and she was taken aback once again.
Who doesn't know Mo Jingze in China? The thirty-year-old man who shocked the world by launching his first company at sixteen, and for the past fourteen years, the company has proceeded to an international level with branches all over the world. But this outstanding man was yet to be married, even at thirty, and that made him the most eligible bachelor in China.
"I'm Li Che," she said after recovering from her shock.
"I know," the man said and sat on the sofa lazily crossing his legs.
"I asked why I'm here," Li Che asked with raised eyebrows.
"Oh," he replied and threw some documents at her.
"What?" she screamed and scrambled to her feet. "What is this?"
"You are sold to me," his mouth only produced five words.
"This can't be," she shook her head forcefully. "It is. For a billion," Mo Jingze said and stood up to leave.
"This is illegal, I could sue you," Li Che shouted furiously.
The man slowly turned to look at her with a hand on his pocket as he raised his eyebrows.
"Go ahead. Who do you think Mo Jingze is? You can't pay for your grandfather's treatment, and you want to sue me," Mo Jingze said mockingly and walked out of the room.
Li Che slumped to the floor in tears. Whose father will sell his daughter for a business contract worth a billion? Was she only worth that much in his eyes?
She hugged her legs and cried herself to sleep.
Next morning, Li Che opened her eyes and slowly stood up; her legs felt numb, and she massaged them. She looked at herself in the mirror and saw her swollen and bloodshot eyes. She dragged her feet into the bathroom for a warm bath; she had to re-energize, she had stuff to deal with.
After the bath, she walked into the wardrobe. All the clothes were branded, and she casually picked up a yellow floral skirt and a brown T-shirt with a yellow scarf tied on her neck. After packing her hair into a bun, she applied little makeup to hide the paleness of her face.
She opened the door and walked out, descending the stairs. She saw the man sitting on the dining table eating. He was wearing a grey suit; she couldn't have been bothered with him and directly walked past him.
"Li Che, come here and have breakfast," he ordered.
"Breakfast? Where should the appetite come from? I'm stuck with you, and you expect me to be happy?" Li Che shouted, and Mo Jingze raised his face to stare at her.
He couldn't understand what he did wrong. When she came downstairs, her yellow scarf caught his attention, and he could see her paleness at first glance. No girl had ever spoken to him this way; he was the one giving the cold shoulder and attitude.
"It's not like you would leave if you don't eat," Mo Jingze said and returned his attention to his food.
Li Che looked at the bodyguards who stood by the door and threw her hands in surrender.
"Fine," she said and sat down stuffing food into her mouth.
After leaving Pearl Villa, Li Che stopped over at Su Wanwan's apartment.
"It's a good thing," Su Wanwan said after listening to Li Che's complaint.
"A good thing?" Li Che asked, exasperated, and Su Wanwan nodded.
"You are privileged he is interested in you; he could have killed you or turned you into a sex slave, and you shouted at him. Are you eager to die?" Su Wanwan asked, and Li Che gulped down nothing.
"You should get into his good books," she added.
"How can I?" Li Che asked, and Su Wanwan motioned her to come closer as she whispered into her ear. Li Che jolted back and glared at Su Wanwan.
"You only know how to bully me," Li Che complained and watched Su Wanwan laugh heartily.
After leaving Su Wanwan's apartment, she stopped over at the Li family house. She walked past the gate and knocked on the door and the old butler, Butler Nang opened the door.
" Fourth Madam"Butler Nang said awkwardly. She ignored him and pushed her way into the house.
"Fourth madam" Butler Nang said awkwardly. She ignored him and pushed her way into the house. "Li Xiang! Li Xiang! Li Xiang!" Li Che called loudly.
"Why are you shouting your dad's name at the top of your voice?" A middle-aged lady climbed down the stairs; it was her stepmother, Bei Feiling.
"My dad? Where is that heartless man?" Li Che growled.
"Hey" she heard his voice and turned to look at him, behind him was Li Rou, her immediate elder sister who was half a year older than her and was also in the entertainment industry as a famous actress.
"You are being rude" Li Rou chided. Li Che snorted in her heart and decided to ignore her.
"Mr. Li, what reason do you have to sell me" Li Che questioned.
"I'm your father" Li Xiang said.
"You're not" Li Che stated.
"Yes, I am and I own you" Li Xiang said coldly.
"Really?" Li Che asked.
"Yes" Li Xiang nodded. "Am I only worth one billion in your eyes?" Li Che asked coldly as her eyes glistened with tears.
Li Xiang stared at her and walked away.
"You are worth less than that" Li Rou said and snorted before walking away, following her parents.
Li Che looked at their backs and ran out of the house.
"Poor girl" Butler Nang muttered.
A knock was heard on the door, and Mother Shen opened the door.
"Li Che" she called and pulled her into an embrace.
"Sister Che" Li Hao called.
"Hey, what's wrong?" Li Che asked as she sat down.
"Where were you last night?" Mother Shen asked.
"Uhm... A friend's house" Li Che stuttered, and she could see Li Hao staring at her suspiciously.
"Li Che, why are you lying to mum?" Mother Shen asked.
"Mum, I'm not. I won't be staying here for some time, but I will make sure to call daily and visit when I can" Li Che said and stared at her feet.
"Li Che! Sister Che!" Mother Shen and Li Hao called.
"Mum" Li Che flinched. "I'm not running away" she said and blinked her eyes coyly, making Mother Shen's heart soften.
"Okay, little Che" Mother Shen said. "You should go see your grandparents" she suggested, and Li Che nodded before standing up to go to her grandparents.
Li Che walked into Pearl Villa a little bit past seven in the evening; she headed into her room and took her bath before putting on pink pajamas and walking downstairs.
She could see a middle-aged lady preparing the table; she was hungry and was about to drool just staring at the laid-out food.
She sat down in a chair and dug into the food; she drank the soup hurriedly and burned her mouth.
"Ouch!" she exclaimed.
After eating her fill, she returned to her room and lay down as she fell asleep.