Little Miss Witch: Revenge of the Tainted Angel

The day before the celebration banquet for the film 'To You With Love', an unexpected guest arrived outside the Li twins' penthouse. Su Ling raised a brow when he saw her while Hou Chen was curious as to why Lan Jinyao suddenly showed up and requested to meet Li Chuntao. 

Lan Jinyao was holding the same box that contained the evening dress her Sister Ying had given to her. She shyly asked Hou Chen to see her benefactor's twin sister. 

Li Chuntao had held herself in the study, reading and comparing the financial reports of the Li Corporation for the past three years under her ex-brother-in-law's directive. 

Just like what Ying had told her before her passing, there were suspicious contracts that Mu Jianyu entered without the board's permission. There were also discrepancies over the cash flow and expenses that were being used by the R&D department. 

She supposed that her brother-in-law had resorted to underhanded tricks to inflate the funds of the production line which didn't bring money back to the company. Not only did he divert the funds but he also let the company lose more money due to his failed attempts to develop new high-end products. 

"Miss Chuntao? Lan Jinyao arrived and requested to see you. Should I let her in?" Hou Chen knocked on the door to get her attention. 

"Lan Jinyao?" Did she hear Hou Chen right? 

Li Chuntao lifted her head and sighed. She wasn't expecting any guest today but perhaps Lan Jinyao's presence was more preferable than her brother-in-law's face. 

"Let her in. I wonder what she wants from me," she told Hou Chen. 

Of course, by now, Li Chuntao already knew who Lan Jinyao was and how she was related to her twin sister. Su Ling did a good job of informing her with a detailed explanation and reports about the people her twin sister socialized with during the last seven years of her absence. 

Those who might have known her and Ying since childhood had a higher possibility of suspecting her identity but those whom Ying met after her departure would have no idea of her existence or personality. 

However, this Lan Jinyao had managed to find out who she was during her sister's passing. If Lan Jinyao hadn't witnessed her pitiful state when Ying died, she wouldn't even be aware of her existence.

Li Chuntao leaned her back and looked outside. The sky had a thick clump of clouds hovering over the city and the sun was nowhere to be found. When will this never-ending cycle of rain cease? She wondered. 

"Miss Chuntao…" 

Her name was called, bringing her attention back to her guest. Li Chuntao saw her standing bashfully across her desk with a box on her arms. She raised her brow, not understanding the purpose of this woman's visit. 

"Miss Lan, please take a seat. There's no need to be nervous. You are Ying's friend and I won't harm you." Li Chuntao was used to seeing people looking at her like this. 

Lan Jinyao chewed her lower lip and did what Li Chuntao asked her to do. She placed the box carefully on top of the desk and sat stiffly on her seat. Even if Li Chuntao looked like Ying, she still couldn't help but be wary in her presence. 

"I'm… I'm here to return this…" she stuttered out of nervousness. She was deeply aware that this wasn't the same Li Xiuying she was accustomed to. In fact, she wasn't sure why Li Chuntao was pretending to be Ying. 

Of course, she knew the fact that the real Li Xiuying was already dead, so imagine her surprise when she heard from her assistant that 'Li Xiuying' was invited to the banquet. 

Li Chuntao's face remained impassive. There was no need for her to pretend as Ying when she's at home. It's the only place where she was able to shed the mask of pretense that she'd been wearing these days. 

"May I know why?" She asked curiously. Su Ling had told her that Ying had given Miss Lan an evening dress before she and Song Zexi were involved in the accident. She was also aware of Ying's intention regarding the gift. 

"I don't think I deserve it," Lan Jinyao said truthfully. By just looking at it, she couldn't help but remember how she met Li Xiuying before her death. She shouldn't have met her that day. Maybe… just maybe if she didn't meet Ying that day, the turn of events would be different. 

"Since my sister gave it to you, you must treasure it." Li Chuntao replied with an elbow resting on her armrest while both hands twined in front of her. 

Looking at her, Lan Jinyao's heart clenched painfully in her chest. She still couldn't accept the fact that the woman sitting across her wasn't the 'Sister Ying' she befriended a few weeks ago. 

Li Chuntao was the perfect replica of her friend, except for a couple of differences, which were their eyes and the aura they emit. While Li Xiuying's eyes were bright and warm, Li Chuntao's eyes were cold and sharp. Both had a regal stance of their own. Li Xiuying was adoring while the younger twin was intimidating. 

"But I…" she wanted to refute but Lan Jinyao couldn't find the words to express herself. 

"Ying believed in you, believed that you would be able to become a film empress someday. Although she isn't here anymore to witness it, I hope Miss Lan would still fulfill it for my sister's sake. She might not be here anymore but rest assured, the support you've received from my sister will not cease." 

Lan Jinyao's eyes were stung with tears. She owed Li Xiuying a lot and regretted she wasn't able to do anything back for her. When she was drugged and was about to lose her innocence, it was Li Xiuying who stood up for her when nobody else would.

"I know you think it's unfair but since Ying promised you her help, I'll extend an olive branch to you anytime you need it. There's no point regretting what could have been now. You and I know we could only move forward." Li Chuntao continued. She understood now that she wasn't the only one having a hard time accepting that Ying was gone. 

"Then… can I keep it?" Lan Jinyao asked in between her sobs. Her tears rolled down her cheeks as clenched her hands on her lap. 

"You should, Miss Lan. It has to be yours and no one else's. Since this is my sister's gift to you, I hope you'll make use of it." 

Lan Jinyao stood and wiped away her tears with the back of her hand before taking the box from the desk. 

"Thank you, Miss Chuntao. I promise I'll still fulfill what Sister Ying wanted me to do." She made up her mind. Since Li Xiuying believed in her capabilities, she would try her best to become a film empress. "Also, please don't hesitate to call me if there's anything that I can help you with." She offered. There wasn't much that she could offer anyway. 

Li Chuntao pondered Lan Jinyao's offer, thinking that maybe… just maybe she could get something from her. 

"Actually, I think you can help me with something, Miss Lan… are you interested to hear me out?"