A Billion Dollar Exchange

 ''Liling...

''Liling… are you there?

Liling… if you can hear me, you need to wake up. Please you can't do this to me, please…''

The body on the bed was motionless, her eyes tightly shut. No matter how much Xin Yong screamed her name she did not move, she did not budge. It was past ten in the night but Liling had not shown any signs of waking up.

That night, after she fainted, Jin Yue carried her immediately to the car and Xin Yong helped him put her into the back seat, after which she sat beside her placing her head on her laps.

She did not stop calling her name and crying until they reached the hospital. Liling was rushed into the emergency ward and they were both instructed to remain outside. The doctors checked her up after which they put her on drip as they waited for her to wake up.

As soon as they allowed them to go in, Xin Yong who had been crying since dashed into the ward and sat down beside her friend.

Liling's face was so pale, and although she was unconscious, tears were still dropping from her eyes. Her brows were squeezed into a frown, as though she was holding in a lot of pain.

Jin Yue walked in quietly into the room, closing the door behind him. He walked over to the window and stared outside the starry night, lost in thoughts.

They said men could not cry but at that moment, Jin Yue felt like crying. His chest was too suffocating that he had to undo his buttons to be able to breathe properly. Almost at the same time, his phone began to ring.

He took it out from his trouser pocket and was surprised to see that it was a strange number calling. After sometime, he swiped up picking the call.

''Was… was he in that plane?''

Jin Yue was thrown off balance by the first thing he heard as he picked the call. He looked at the screen again to be sure that he did not know the person talking. He wondered why she was sounding so informal.

''Liu Wei… Was he in the crash? Liu Wei's flight is today right? He said it was today, why is he not back yet? Uh?''

Jin Yue was getting more confused than ever. He was trying to fix the points. The only woman in Liu Wei's life he was sure of was the one lying presently on hospital bed. So who was she on the phone?

''Miss, who are you, please?''

He could hear muffles from the other end of the phone, as though that person had been crying.

''I'm sorry, I am …''

Da Xia was rendered speechless as she did not know who to say she was. An ordinary accountant should not care so much as to inquire informally about her bosses' whereabouts. It was clear that she did not think it through before calling him.

Now she would have to also explain how she got his number. Da Xia shut her teary eyes regrettably as she thought of a good lie to tell.

''Miss?''

''Oh…'' She cleared her throat and immediately put up a professional voice.

 I'm… I am his father's secretary; he said I should inquire from you, if his son was in the plane crash since he had told him that he was coming back today.

Truthfully, Liu Wei had told his dad that he was returning that day. His father had called to ask to see him but he had explained that he was not in the country, that he was out for business. Da Xia was with him that day so she overheard everything Liu Wei said.

Mr. Fang then inquired to know when he was returning, that was when he told him that he was coming back that Friday, so he would meet with him on Sunday, since it was mostly free.

Da Xia was watching a soap opera with her dad when he changed the channel to a news channel. She wanted to grumble but her tongue stuck to her alveolar as her eyes saw the news headline. 

She stopped moving for a good five minutes as she tried to remember the flight time Liu Wei had told his father. She was sure it was that day and in the morning but she did not know the time.

She quickly sprang up from the seat and raced upstairs to her room ignoring her father's calls.

Picking up her phone, she dialed Mr. Fang's number first to confirm his flight time. She did not want to call at first, since she was afraid that she would hear what she was most afraid of.

She took in a deep breath to put herself together and not sound so nervous, although she knew she already was.

''Father, how are you?''

''Da Xia, I'm fine, how are you?''

''I'm fine, father, what time was Liu Wei's flight?''

She asked in the calmest voice she could muster. Mr. Fang laughed heartily and then replied.

''Ha-ha, you miss him already? He should be back now since his flight was by nine in the morning…''

Da Xia's hands began shaking terribly as she heard what his father had said. That meant that Liu Wei was on that plane. No, Liu Wei cannot die just like that. No, no…

''Da Xia?...''

''Father, I'm here. That means we'll meet with him on Sunday then.''

She held in her cries as much as she could as she tried to end the call as soon as possible.

''Yes, he'll come by the house on Sunday.''

''Alright, thank you, father. I'll be hanging up now.''

As soon as Da Xia disconnected the call, she burst into tears. She did not know him much but it felt as though she had known him her whole life. She had plans, plans of getting him to see her, to like her. How was that going to happen now he was no more?

No… No, something must have happened, it was happening too fast. Maybe he changed his flight, or he had an emergency. Yes! His best friend, I should ask his best friend. Maybe he changed his plans at the last moment.

Da Xia flung up immediately from the bed and dashed to her study room. She pulled out the drawers and searched until she found a document. She flipped through the pages then paused at a certain page. She took out her phone and dialed the number.