Granting You A Second Life

Bao Ai didn't want to waste any more time with these people: "Security!!"

Four security guards began approaching Li Xiuying. Two came from behind whilst the other two came from either side.

The Qin bodyguard moved swiftly. His moves were quick and accurate, hitting all of them in the neck. The four security guards were all on the floor knocked out in mere seconds. He stood in front of Madame Qin who was carrying little 4th close to her.

Li Xiuying: "Mmm I see, so this is the way that City bank likes to handle business?"

Bao Ai found herself staring into Li Xiuying's eyes, she couldn't seem to look away. Every instinct in her body was telling her that there was a predator in front of her and if she turned away for even a second she would breathe her last breath.

Li Xiuying: "Well Bao Ai you've made quite a few assumptions about the three of us. Why don't I deduce some things about you?"

Bao Ai began to feel anxious.

Li Xiuying: "I've read quite a few books analyzing human psychology and body language. So everything I say is mere conjecture. Once I'm finished you can confirm whether I'm right or not. You're currently wearing several layers of makeup on your face and neck, probably to make yourself appear several shades fairer than you are. Unfortunately for you, you missed a few places on your neck and you forgot to also alter your hands. The bleach you used must have damaged your skin on your body and face, especially your lips which have probably lost their natural shape and color. Chronic use of skin whitening agents can be very dangerous especially if it's started when you're a child. It can cause a paradoxical effect called exogenous ochronosis."

Bao Ai subconsciously touched the skin surrounding her eyes which had turned blue-black in some places. She couldn't even leave the house without makeup now.

Li Xiuying "You kept saying that we should return to our village, are you from a village?" Li Xiuying smirked as she watched Bao Ai's eyes dilated in fear.

Li Xiuying: "There's nothing wrong with working your way up and trying to better your life. But you seem to bear a grudge. Perhaps its misplaced guilt? Maybe your family members sold the land that's been in the Bao family for generations?" It was common for parents to sell their property to allow their children to have a better life in the city or to pay for schooling.

Bao Ai bit her bottom lip 'was this woman a witch?!'

Li Xiuying saw Bao Ai was getting increasingly nervous.

Li Xiuying: "Hmmm but the money wasn't enough. You had to keep buying designer goods to make others envious, to prove to you were better than them. You s.u.c.k.e.d your family dry to the point they were struggling to live. Whose death did you induce?" The typical spoiled child who had to have everything they wanted without worrying about the repercussions on anyone else.

Li Xiuying took small steps towards Bao Ai.

Li Xiuying: "Your father?... Your mother?... Ah, Your grandmother?"

When Bao Ai heard the word grandmother she started shaking. A single tear ran down her cheek.

Li Xiuying: "Your parents refused to give you any more money after your grandmother's death. But our Miss. Bao Ai had to live up to expectations. You had to keep up appearances, didn't you? That's why you're wearing fake designer brands paired with a counterfeit designer perfume. However now instead of enjoying the praise from other's, their words feel hollow and empty right? It's not enough to fill the black hole of guilt."

Bao Ai now had two lines of tears mixed with mascara down her face.

Li Xiuying: "Oh but all that I said was just mere conjecture."

Li Xiuying just made logical deductions based on Bao Ai's physiological responses to her statements. Bao Ai's story was not uncommon, many people traveled from villages to make a life for themselves in the city. Some helped their family to better themselves and others pulled their family into debt and despair.

As for Bao Ai's appearance that was self-explanatory. She wore layers of makeup and doused herself in perfume. Her self-esteem was based on ridiculing and demeaning others like Mao Sya. Bao Ai was a typical example of someone who projected what they disliked about themselves onto others i.e. she constantly referred to Li Xiuying as a 'country bumpkin'.

Li Xiuying looked at the name badge of the man standing in support of Bao Ai. Yang An.

Li Xiuying: "Hmm and this man beside you...Yang An. Bao Ai and Yang An has a ring to it. "

Yang An: "I don't know what you're talking about we're not..."

Li Xiuying turned her predatory gaze on Yang An. He was just like Chen Wei. Chen Wei would always say "Yu Yan and I are like brother and sister, there is nothing going on."

Li Xiuying interrupted Yang An: "Not lover's, just colleagues. Yes? "

Li Xiuying: "So for whose benefit are you keeping your relationship with Bao Ai a secret? Is there perhaps a woman at home?... A girlfriend?... no, a wife?"

Li Xiuying noticed Yang An's pupils dilate.

Li Xiuying: "A wife at home, Bao Ai at work. Is there anyone else perhaps?"

Li Xiuying looked around the bank and as she met one woman's eyes, the woman quickly looked down. Li Xiuying smirked a little: "And another woman in the workplace."

Yang An felt beads of sweat dripping down his forehead 'How can this small woman be so intimidating? How does she know all of this?!'

Li Xiuying turned back to Bao Ai.

Li Xiuying: "So Miss Bao Ai what's the reason for your misplaced rage? Is it the fear of your beauty disappearing? Is it the knowledge that you drove your family to the brink and even indirectly led to the death of your grandmother? Is it that Mr Yang An has a wife and a mistress but keeps promising he would leave them and that you're the one he truly loves? Is it all of the above? Or perhaps it's just that your life isn't going the way you dreamed it would... all the schemes, treachery, sacrifices and lies and what have you got to show for it?"

Bao Ai fell to the floor and sobbed. Guilt, anger, fear, resentment, loneliness, sadness and confusion were all the emotions running through Bao Ai. She cried out all the feelings she had repressed for so many years.

Everyone had their individual weaknesses. The deep dark insecurities that they would try to hide from the world. Most people had similar fears.

Broken bones can be mended, scars can be healed but psychological trauma can last forever. The words Li Xiuying had said to Bao Ai were all striking at Bao Ai' s weakest points. Forcing cracks to appear in her feeble Armour.

How do you protect yourself against your own mind?

Yang An: "Shut up!!! Who are you to come here and spew your lies! I'm calling the police."

That's the problem with truths; who would want to swallow a bitter pill of truth when the lie is a surgery syrup that's easy to swallow?

The branch manager and the City bank heir had heard the commotion and came to see what was happening.

Yang An: "Manager Gao this woman is deliberately causing trouble. She refuses to leave the premises and has viciously slandered colleague Bao Ai. She also got that thug behind her to knock the security guards unconscious." He pointed at the Qin bodyguard.

Manager Gao waved his hand at the staff watching from the sidelines: "Why are you all just standing there? Help get Employee Bao Ai up off the floor. Check on the security guards, see if they can be roused. Call an ambulance if necessary."

Manager Gao then faced Li Xiuying: "How dare you come here and cause trouble?! Do you think this is some market place? Not only have you injured my guards, but you've also affected business and insulted my employees. I demand you apologize to her, all my staff members and customers here right now."

Li Xiuying had a smile on her face. She took a step towards manager Gao causing him to subconsciously take a step back. Manager Gao swallowed his saliva.

Manager Gao realized he had stepped back and stopped himself from retreating further. He noticed Young master Ren who was with him didn't say anything.

Ren Longwei heir to city bank was standing behind Manager Gao. He looked at Li Xiuying and then at the woman and child behind her. He froze and felt like he had lost his soul when he looked at the boy who was non-other than the 4th young master and the little prince of the Qin family.

Manager Gao interpreted Ren Longwei's silence as permission to continue to deal with the situation.

He thought to himself 'He must be agreeing with the way I'm handling things.'

With that thought in mind manager Gao continued to berate Li Xiuying: "Aren't you ashamed of coming out in public, look how young you are and you already have a child."

He turned to Madame Qin: "And you, shouldn't you have educated your granddaughter better? But as the saying goes the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. I bet you..."

SL.A.P!!

The sound of flesh being hit rang out. Manage Gao held his right cheek and looked at Ren Longwei in a daze: "Young Master Ren what did I do?"

Ren Longwei was fuming. These stupid people may have cost him his family business. Ren Longwei put all the pieces together... who could get close to Little master Qin apart from his family?! He had heard from various sources that Madame Qin often dressed in a disguise when she went out so people didn't recognize her.

He faced Li Xiuying, Madame Qin and Little Master Qin.

Ren Longwei: "I would like to apologize on behalf of City Bank for..."

Li Xiuying: "If sorry solved everything why would there be 18 levels of hell?"