"Actually, I was going through the blood group of the Zhang family members to see if it is related to the reason Zhang Liling could get close to you." Chuanli explained himself.
"Did you find anything related to my case study?" Mr. Fang asked with a sharp gaze.
Chuanli was quiet for a moment before replying, "No, but I found something weird..."
Mr. Fang put up his hand and said, "I don't want to hear anything that is not related to me." There was no room for negotiation.
Chuanli released a sigh. "Fine!" Then he went on to make a request. "But I have an urgent request that will help to facilitate the experiment."
Bolin and Mr. Fang glanced at him curiously. "What is it?"
"I need a small sample of Miss Zhang's blood to..."
"No! Don't even think about it!" Mr. Fang immediately rejected that idea. He didn't even want to wait till he finished his explanation.
Bolin was not that surprised by his request since it was inevitable. In experiments, samples from human, animals, waste, etc could be used, especially when trying to find out the cause of something.
Chuanli was almost frustrated. He just knew that he would reject him outrightly, but what's this one about not allowing him to finish his statement?
At least he should have allowed him to finish talking, before determining if he made sense or not.
"Why are you so against this? I need to study the serum and plasma to know if that's where the cause lays. I need to know the kind of environment she grew up in Paris. Her diet, and everything about her, including her scent and the kind of products she uses. I can't let even an ant to slip by!"
After talking too much, Chuanli became thirsty and used his eyes in search of a nearby bottle of water.
Mr. Fang and Bolin heard everything he listed and stared hard at him.
"Why don't you take Zhang Liling to your lab instead and turn her into a lab rat?"
Chuanli was a millisecond away from rejoicing, until he heard the last part of Mr. Fang's statement. The hint of joy on his face quickly disappeared, without resurfacing.
"Bingwen, how can you joke with me like that? There is nothing wrong with taking a small sample of Miss Zhang's blood with her permission and your approval. I am not doing anything illegal here."
Bolin glanced at him, before moving his gaze to Mr. Fang. "If this is about taking a blood sample for an experiment that concerns, Mr. Fang, I don't think Miss Zhang would ever refuse you."
"And why do you think she will not refuse him?" Mr. Fang asked with furrowed brows. He really wanted to hear his response.
It was as if, he was waiting for him to make a mistake with his response, and get thrown out from his house.
Even Chuanli was interested to know what Bolin would say.
"I don't know exactly, but it should be the same reason she found her way here," Bolin replied smartly.
How could he dare to say otherwise without proof?
"And what is that?" Just as Chuanli asked, a soft knock sounded on the door.
'Miss Zhang is back?' 'She is back?' The three men thought alike, while moving their gazes to the door.
Zhang Liling, who was standing outside the study, knocked softly for 3 good times, before gently bending the door handle, and helping herself in.
When she stepped into the house earlier, she met Butler Gu and took careful steps towards him.
"Has Mr. Fang finished his lunch already?" She had asked softly, afraid that Mr. Fang would hear her.
She had come back a few minutes past lunch time, but everywhere was quiet. She couldn't hear the 'clang' sound from the cutlery and glass wares, so she thought that he must have finished eating.
"You are back? Mr. Fang is yet to have his lunch. Did you buy the bed sheet?" Butler Gu had asked after shifting his gaze from her face to the big shopping bag in her hand, and then back to her face.
"Yes I did, but I didn't see the exact colour. And had to get the only one in stock," Zhang Liling replied.
Butler Gu encouraged her, "It is still better than coming back empty handed. You should go and show it to Mr. Fang"
"That's where I'm headed now,"
"Mr. Fang's personal assistant and his doctor are upstairs with him," Butler Gu reminded in a gentle tone just as she turned her back to leave.
It was because of his caution that Zhang Liling was careful with her knocks, and only let herself in after knocking thrice.
"Wow! Miss Zhang is back!" Chuanli said while smiling from ear to ear as soon as he saw Zhang Liling come in, and noticed the cautious attitude from her.
Zhang Liling greeted him politely before taking two steps and stopped in her track.
Mr. Fang glanced at her from where he was sitting. His gaze moved from her face and down to her hand, to see the big shopping bag she put down beside her.
Bolin secretly glanced between Zhang Liling and Mr. Fang to know the kind of expression the latter held, before letting out a silent sigh.
Chuanli on the other hand, stared at Zhang Liling intently before standing up and taking some steps towards her. He only stopped when he came to stand in front of her.
"Why does your face look this bad, and you are sweating..."
Before Zhang Liling could respond, Mr. Fang was already asking Chuanli and Bolin to leave his study.
"You both should leave my study, I need to speak to her."
Chuanli smiled at Zhang Liling and then glanced at Mr. Fang, "Alright, we will be waiting downstairs for you. Don't take too long." Turning to Zhang Liling he placed his warm palm on her shoulder and said, "Miss Zhang, you need to rest."
Bolin stood to his feet, before bowing slightly to Mr. Fang, and then leaving with Chuanli who was almost at the door.
After the men left, there was absolute tranquility in the study, which made Zhang Liling very uncomfortable.
Mr. Fang leaned into his seat and relaxed his back comfortably before saying to her, "Zhang Liling?"
Zhang Liling immediately raised her head before quickly stepping closer with the shopping bag, "Mr. Fang, I'm really sorry about last night."
There was another round of silence before Mr. Fang decided to speak again.
"Do you remember all the things you did last night?" He asked quietly. His tone lacked the signs of his current emotions.
Any time he spoke that way in that kind of similar situation, Zhang Liling was usually more afraid.
It would be better if his tone was heavy when she did something wrong, and light on a normal day. But for it to be light on the day she committed a crime, that was abnormal.
Zhang Liling quickly shook her head, "No Mr. Fang, but Butler Gu said I went into your room, and made you sleep in the study last night. I'm sorry about that, I didn't mean any of it."
"Why did you summarize what you did last night? You are making your actions seem so simple when it isn't." Mr. Fang asked with a finger rubbing his lower jaw. His gaze was still on her.
As for the emotions in his eyes, they were totally blocked by his reading glasses.
"I'm sorry Mr. Fang! I'm too ashamed of my actions last night to talk about it."
Mr. Fang shook his head and said, "I want you to tell me in details of what you did last night. Tell me everything you remember and everything you were told by the butler, I want to confirm something from you."
Mr. Fang wanted to see if she remembered anything that happened last night, and most importantly, the most outrageous atrocity she committed.
Zhang Liling bowed and started to reply with her gaze down, but Mr. Fang forced her to look at him while explaining.
"I only remember meeting butler Gu when I stepped into the house. Then, I think I went toward the stairs. I can't remember anything that happened after that, and why I would take the stairs, but from what the butler said, I went up the stairs. He said I went into your bedroom and laid on your bed while you were in the bathroom." Zhang Liling got to this point and stopped.
"Why did you stop, is that all?" Mr. Fang asked with a dangerous gaze.
Zhang Liling had no choice but to continue, "He said that you called him to come and take me out from your bedroom, and that I must have done something more when I was there because, you were very angry when you called him. He doesn't know what I did and I can't remember anything. After that, he said you went into the study to spend the night because I left my alcohol scent on your sheets. Hence, the reason I had to air your bedroom this morning, and get you another bed sheet."
"Is that all?" Mr. Fang asked with furrowed brows. He refused to believe that Zhang Liling suddenly had a memory loss.
'What does he want me to say again?' Zhang Liling cried out in her heart.
"He said I should buy the new bed sheet and come to your study with it."
Mr. Fang scoffed and leaned towards his desk before asking in an audible tone, "Zhang Liling, don't you remember kissing me last night?"
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