My Angel, My Guardian (GL) - Chapter 9

Chapter 9

“Sister, what do you want to eat tonight?”

Li Mingxi sent the text message after editing it on her phone. Before long, Jingchun replied.

“I’m eating out with a friend.”

Li Mingxi frowned at her phone. A friend? What kind of friend? Male or female?

“Do you want me to pick you up?”

Li Mingxi sent the message as fast as she could. Picking her up was just an excuse; her real goal was to see exactly who this so-called “friend” of Jingchun’s was.

“No need, I have my car.”

“Alright then. Stay safe, and remember to call me if you need anything.”

Since Jingchun had said so, there wasn’t much else Li Mingxi could say. She pursed her lips, put her phone away, and stood up to head to the pantry. Standing there, she absentmindedly brewed her coffee.

“President Li, the employees sent from the head office have arrived to report. Should I have them come to your office?”

Wang Yi’s voice sounded from behind her. Li Mingxi snapped out of her thoughts and took a sip of her coffee.

“Have the ones for the Marketing Department come to my office. As for the rest, assign them to the departments corresponding to where they were at Nitian Head Office. Then, notify all staff that I’m treating everyone to dinner tonight at the banquet hall on the top floor of Fushoulou Restaurant.”

Li Mingxi thought that since she would be alone at home anyway, she might as well treat her colleagues to dinner to build some rapport and let them know she wasn’t a cold-blooded robot.

“Understood. Are there any other instructions?”

“That’s all.”

Wang Yi turned to leave. Li Mingxi finished her coffee in the pantry before heading back to her office. Pushing open the glass door, she saw ten well-dressed men standing inside.

“Sit.”

Li Mingxi pointed to the nearby sofa. Once they were seated, she pulled up a chair to sit opposite them.

“I have the addresses and appointment times for three hundred manufacturers here. I want you to take our existing local staff and visit all of them to sign the contracts. Don’t let the original staff take the lead—keep an eye on them. I don’t want to see any kickback schemes. Do you understand?”

Li Mingxi was afraid the original employees were too used to taking bribes, so she had requested these people from Nitian to both train them and supervise them.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Good. Take these materials, pick your teams from the Marketing Department, and head out. I expect all contracts to be finalized within a week. Baijia opens in a month, and I don’t want to see a single missing contract by then. Also, drive the prices down as much as possible. Got it?”

“Understood.”

The men divided the addresses and left. Li Mingxi then dialed Shen Jingwen’s office.

“Vice President Shen, please come to my office.”

She hung up, and shortly after, Shen Jingwen pushed the door open.

“Did the General Manager need me for something?”

“Sit.”

Li Mingxi pointed to the chair across from her. Shen Jingwen sat down and looked at her. Li Mingxi handed over a folder.

“This is a piece of land the city government intends to auction soon. I want to buy it. I’m putting you in charge of this. We must win this plot at all costs because it’s a vital step in making Baijia the industry leader once again.”

Shen Jingwen opened the folder. The land Li Mingxi wanted was a commercial plot in the city center. It used to house the municipal government, which had recently relocated, leaving the site vacant. Almost every major developer was eyeing this “fat piece of meat”; winning it would be no easy feat.

“I will do my best,” Shen Jingwen said softly. No one could guarantee a win until the final hammer fell.

“Good. You may get back to work then.”

Li Mingxi was satisfied with the answer. If Shen Jingwen had boasted about a guaranteed win immediately, Li Mingxi would have considered someone else for the job. She disliked people who talked big; fortunately, Shen Jingwen was not one of them.

That evening, in the banquet hall of Fushoulou, the entire company was present. Li Mingxi had ordered the best food and wine. As the drinks flowed, the employees’ resentment toward her gradually faded. Some even got bold enough to throw an arm around her shoulder and ramble drunkenly. Li Mingxi didn’t get angry; after work, she was quite easygoing.

Li Mingxi had also drunk quite a bit. As she bid farewell to her employees with a slight wobble, a hand caught her arm. She turned to see Wang Yi.

“What is it? Something else?”

Li Mingxi swayed unsteadily. Wang Yi supported her.

“General Manager, you’ve had too much. I’ll take you home.”

She guided Li Mingxi toward her car. Though drunk, Li Mingxi’s mind remained sharp. She wanted to know if this girl had an ulterior motive for getting close to her, so she faked her level of intoxication, nodded, and handed the keys to Wang Yi.

“General Manager, tell me your address.”

Wang Yi asked softly. Li Mingxi leaned back and mumbled her address. Ten minutes later, the car pulled up at her building. Wang Yi helped her out and through the entrance.

“Isn’t this Miss Li? What happened? Do you need help?” The security guard stepped forward to ask. Wang Yi shook her head; although help would make it easier, it wasn’t appropriate to have a male guard handle Li Mingxi.

“No, thank you. Just press the elevator for me, please.”

As they waited, the elevator doors slid open. Jingchun, who was just about to head out to look for Li Mingxi, stood inside. Her face went cold when she saw the two of them clinging to each other. She stepped forward and pulled Li Mingxi away from Wang Yi.

“Hey, who are you?” Wang Yi questioned, stepping into the elevator. At that moment, Li Mingxi opened her eyes.

“Sister?”

Jingchun glanced at her and nodded. Hearing the title, Wang Yi realized she had overreacted.

“I’m sorry. The General Manager had too much to drink. Since you’re her sister, I’ll head home now.”

Wang Yi turned and left. Once inside the apartment, Jingchun dropped Li Mingxi onto the bed. She went to the bathroom, dampened a towel, and began wiping Li Mingxi’s face. Li Mingxi caught her hand.

“Sister… it hurts,” Li Mingxi said, half-faking it.

Jingchun sighed inwardly. She put the towel down, moved Li Mingxi’s head onto her lap, and began gently massaging her temples. Whether from exhaustion or the alcohol, Li Mingxi soon fell asleep in her arms. Jingchun took off Li Mingxi’s jacket and covered her with a blanket. Just as she tried to get up, Li Mingxi grabbed her wrist and pulled with a sudden force, causing Jingchun to tumble onto her.

“Sister, stay with me. Don’t leave me. Don’t throw me away,” Li Mingxi said with a sob in her voice.

Jingchun felt a pang in her heart. She wiped away Li Mingxi’s tears, slid under the covers, and let Li Mingxi hold her. This was all she could do.

Li Mingxi slept soundly, but Jingchun remained awake all night. By the dim glow of the bedside lamp, she watched Li Mingxi’s face. This girl had been by her side for fifteen years. To be with her, Li Mingxi had started school three years early and protected her all the way through university. No matter how much Jingchun pushed her away or tried to flee, this girl remained in the same spot, waiting. A single smile—even a perfunctory one—could make her happy for days. At eighteen, while other kids were enjoying college life, she had already graduated and taken over the responsibility of a household, shielding Jingchun so she could live willfully.

“Sister, I love you,” Li Mingxi murmured in her sleep.

Hearing those words, Jingchun’s heart ached even more. What had she done to deserve such devotion? She felt she didn’t deserve her at all.