Empress Of The Lost Kingdom

"A post for me?" Ning Jing asked once again, "Who sents letters for me?"

"Yes, madam, I found it in the letterbox. Maybe it is from your fans.

"Ah, okay," Ning Jing took the envelope from the housemaid.

"Do you need anything madam?"

"No."

"Then I will leave," The housemaid turned to walk away.

"Wait a minute," Ning Jing stopped the housemaid who was about to leave the room. "How long you have been working here?"

"It hasn't been that long, since I have started working here madam.

I used to work as a housekeeping staff in the hospitality department of Tang Corporation's regional office.

Since I live nearby, I got appointed by grandmaster to take care of the mansion and do the house chores whenever young master visits." The housemaid replied. 

"Does Wei Sheng come here often?"

"No madam, this is the second time he is visiting Xi city."

"Other than Wei Sheng, does any of his family stayed here?" Ning Jing asked the housemaid in order to find out the real owner of the jewellery box.

"No, ma'am, this mansion was grandmaster's birthday gift for the young master." The housemaid answered honestly.

"A few weeks ago, the young master came with his secretary and assistant Li."

So Li Juan stayed here, Ning Jing took a note in her mind.

"How many days did they stay here?"

"Secretary Yang went back to Jing city the next day. Young master and miss Li stayed here for two days."

"Li Juan, she stayed here?" Ning Jing asked again.

"Yes, young master and miss Li had something to collect from Tu valley. Miss Li stayed here even after young master returned to Jing city."

Ning Jing stood in front of the housemaid with an expressionless face.

"Miss Li was indeed a good assistant. She even cooked meals for young master. 

You must've known that the young master is a picky eater." Housemaid tried to remind Ning Jing.

"Thanks for letting me know." Ning Jing smiled and let the housemaid go back to her works.

Li Juan used to work as Tang Wei Sheng's assistant and she lived under the same roof with him. 

But Li Juan didn't mention any of that to Ning Jing.

Added to the engagement ring and now this assistant title confused Ning Jing about Li Juan's relation with Tang Wei Sheng.

All the informations she found till now, none of them seems believable, it is better to ask Li Juan and hear it from her. Ning Jing decided and went back to her room.

Ning Jing looked at the envelope in her hand. 

Did her fans found that their idol is in Xi city now?

"What is it? Greeting cards?" Ning Jing was curious.

Receiving greeting cards and gifts from fans has become a part of her lifestyle. 

Though Ning Jing started her acting career as a medium to get closer to Tang Wei Sheng, after being in the entertainment industry for two years, she loved being an actress.

Even though people used to criticize her in the beginning, there were moments when she felt overwhelmed by the love and compliments received from her fans.

"Oh, photographs!" Ning Jing casually opened the envelope and took a look at what is inside.

The moment Ning Jing saw the first photograph, she felt a bolt of lightning struck her.

It wasn't the photographs sent by the Ning Jing's fans.

It was the photographs of a couple embracing each other.

Ning Jing immediately recognized the man and the woman in the photographs.

It was Tang Wei Sheng and Li Juan....hugging....beside a road, surrounded by flowering trees- it looked surreal.

Li Juan hugged Tang Wei Sheng from behind and rested her head on his shoulder. Her eyes remained closed and her lips curved into a beautiful smile as if she has reached the ultimate level of bliss. 

The next photograph was also captured at the same place. 

Tang Wei Sheng and Li Juan was looking at each other,

They were about to kiss.

The next photograph captured at the garden in front of the Hill-side mansion.

Li Juan was watering the plants and Tang Wei Sheng hugged her from behind.

Tang Wei Sheng rested his chin on Li Juan's shoulder and was smiling like a child who is holding his precious toy in hands, with love and care.

In the three photographs, Tang Wei Sheng and Li Juan were cuddling each other with tender love. 

One look and anyone can tell they are in love.

It wasn't just an affair between a CEO and his assistant, flamed by lust. 

It was love.

"They were in love."

Ning Jing's eyes burned with jealousy. The Tang Wei Sheng she knew, she hasn't seen him smiling like this in front of anyone.

While they were in the university, Ning Jing has always wondered about what kind of boyfriend will be Tang Wei Sheng if he ever falls in love. And today her curiosities has been cleared.

A man with a cheerful and radiant personality, how gentle and delighted he appears when he is with the person he loves? 

The contented smile on Tang Wei Sheng's face was the prime evidence that he went heads over heels for Li Juan.

It was true, Li Juan, she is the one whom Tang Wei Sheng loves,

She was the one he wants to marry and spent the rest of his life.

But, out of all of the women in the world, why Li Juan?

Why it must be Li Juan and not Ning Jing?

She wants answers.

Ning Jing took her mobile and dialled a number. After a moment the call got connected,

"Miss!"

"I wanted to know the details of someone from Jing City." Ning Jing spoke in an authoritative voice.

"Li Juan, she is a research scholar at archaeology department at Jing University."

"Yes, miss."

"I want all the details within in an hour,"

"Yes, miss."

"And try to find about her relationship with Tang Corporations. Keep it confidential, don't let anyone know, especially grandpa," Ning warned and ended the phone call.

She looked at the photographs in her hands in disdain. 

She wanted to know what made Tang Wei Sheng fall for Li Juan.

Li Juan, what qualifications she has to love someone like Tang Wei Sheng? She is not even that pretty.

Within an hour itself, Ning Jing received a mail from Jing City. It was sent by the PR department of Ning family in Jing City. They've collected the details about Li Juan.

As Ning Jing doubted, Li Juan wasn't Tang Wei Sheng's assistant.

Tang Wei Sheng and Li Juan used to know each other from the school days itself. Li Juan was Tang Wei Lan's only friend.

Even though they weren't a proper couple, the whole school knew that Tang Wei Sheng was overly protective towards Li Juan and declared her as his girl in front of everyone.

Ning Jing couldn't help but doubt Tang Wei Sheng's taste in woman. 

She wondered what would've made Tang Wei Sheng like her. 

There is no feature, whether it is beauty or character, nothing in Li Juan that could attract a man. 

She is nobody.

She is weak in every possible way when compared to Ning Jing.

For the first time in her life, Ning Jing felt confident about her decision to love Tang Wei Sheng.

There is no way Li Juan can be her rival in love.

"I will never lose Tang Wei Sheng for someone like her." Ning Jing said with a firm and confident voice.

Tang Wei Sheng came back to mansion around nine in the night. Ning Jing was sitting in the living room watching television.

"Good evening" she greeted him as soon as he entered. "Did you have your dinner? Ning Jing asked him with her angelic smile.

Tang Wei Sheng looked at her in confusion.

Suddenly, Li Juan's memory resurfaced in his mind. Not long ago, Li Juan stood in front of him and asked the same question at the same place.

"No." He involuntarily replied. 

"Oh, I will tell the maid to serve the food." Ning Jing went to the kitchen and informed aunty Zhao. Within a few minutes dinner was served on the dining table. 

"Thank you," Tang Wei Sheng thanked and got ready to have his dinner. Ning Jing sat opposite him with a gentle look on her eyes.

"I hope you are not overworking. You went to the office in the morning and came back to meet the team. Since we need to travel within two days. Why don't you take rest tomorrow?" Ning Jing suggested.

"I won't be able to rest if I keep anything pending. And for tomorrow's schedule, I will be going for air route check with Cheng Tao." Tang Wei Sheng said with a calm face.

"Hmm, yeah, I heard a lot about your diligence."

Tang Wei Sheng looked at her in doubt.

"You are a perfectionist. Grades, medals, titles, they are the fruits of your hard work." Ning Jing praised him.

"Where did you hear about it?" 

"Did you forget that both of us went to the same University?"

"Oh..."

"Maybe you don't remember, I auditioned for Tang Zi before joining Starlight entertainment. You were the first director who increased the profits and share values of an entertainment agency in C country within the first year of establishment. And because of your diligent efforts, you got promoted and became the CEO of Tang Corporations by bagging all the votes from the board of directors." Ning Jing tried to remember all the information she knew about Tang Wei Sheng.

"You know a lot of things about me." Tang Wei Sheng casually commented on her words.

"People in the expedition team, they talk about you." Ning Jing smiled and continued. Even though we are a fake couple, I can't help being proud of how good is my fiance."

Tang Wei Sheng ignored her words and continued to eat his food.

"Well, I heard that Li Juan used to be your sister's best friend at school."

"They are still friends,"

"She is really good, Li Juan... hmmm today I met manager Zhang, even he knows Li Juan." Ning Jing faked her excitement and looked for Tang Wei Sheng's response. 

"Hmmm."

"All the team members like her a lot. I have even seen men from excavation team trying to get closer to her. But her "Boyfriend" is too protective." Ning Jing emphasized on the word "Boyfriend" to get a response from Tang Wei Sheng.

"Boyfriend?" Tang Wei Sheng looked at her.

Did she see jealousy in his eyes?

"Yeah, that cute guy who is always with her, that foreigner,"

"He is not her boyfriend." Tang Wei Sheng corrected her.

"Oh, I think I made a mistake." Ning Jing said with a pretty smile," But they look good together as a couple."

Tang Wei Sheng remained silent to that comment. 

"Can I ask you something?" Ning Jing tried to gain his attention.

Tang Wei Sheng looked at her.

"Your girlfriend, Is she okay with me staying here? If you have any problem, I can move to the hotel." Ning Jing tried her luck once again.

"It is a matter of one night, do as you wish." Tang Wei Sheng was getting annoyed by Ning Jing's questions.

"Do you hate me, Win? After all, we got engaged on a whiff. To be honest I am worried about your girlfriend." Ning Jing said with a worried face, but in reality, she just wanted to check whether Tang Wei Sheng is going to reveal his relationship with Li Juan or not.

"It is none of your business Miss Ning." Tang Wei Sheng looked at her and said in a firm tone to express his disapproval. " I am done" 

He kept his chopsticks away and got up from the seat.

"Okay, don't confess, keep pretending that you don't know Li Juan." Ning Jing looked at Tang Wei Sheng who is heading towards his room and said.

"Just wait and watch, how I am going to kick your so-called girlfriend out of your life."