Chapter 789: The Li Family Changed
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Old Master Li? Why was he here?
Xia Ling was filled with questions and raised her head from Li Lei’s naked chest. “I don’t want to see him.”
Li Lei reached out and stroked her soft hair. His black hair s.h.i.+ned in the morning light with a fascinating l.u.s.ter. He warmly said, “I will see him. If you don’t want to, you don’t have to appear.”
She nodded and watched as he got up, wore a robe, and went downstairs.
She tossed and turned on the bed for some time. Initially, she wanted to go back to sleep, but no matter what, her mind was just occupied by what was going on downstairs. After hesitating for some time, she sighed and gave up. She got up, took a shower, applied makeup, and made herself look flawless before she walked downstairs wearing the latest dress of the season.
Li Lei and Old Master Li were in the tea room together.
The j.a.panese styled paneled door was slightly ajar.
She heard Old Master Li’s voice. “That’s our ancestral purple jade bracelet. Only the mistress of the Li Family is worthy of wearing it. I’ve brought it here. Give it to her and tell her that the Li Family is willing to accept her.”
Li Lei’s voice was low and deep. “It’s too late, grandpa. If you took the bracelet out before we boarded the Blissful Paradise cruise, Xiao Ling would be really happy. She is a soft-hearted girl, and you don’t know how happy she would’ve been if you treated her well then… However, she’s also a very fragile girl. Once she’s hurt, it’s very difficult for her to get over it. She won’t accept this bracelet.”
Xia Ling stopped in her footsteps. She stood at the doorway and listened to their conversation quietly.
Old Master Li’s voice was somewhat hoa.r.s.e. “You know that I never cared about her status. When I was choosing your wife, I only cared about her personality. Based on this, Ye Xingling can never match up to Su Tang. If she isn’t willing to marry into the Li Family, it’s fine. She’s the one unwilling, so Preceptor Xia can’t blame us. You would be happy after getting Shaohui back and marrying that girl as your wife.”
Old Master really did not care about family status.
After learning about their relations.h.i.+p and The Preceptor, he was overjoyed and thought of the enormous benefits that would come if the Li Family and the Xia Family were united by marriage. However, after calming down, he was afraid. He was on bad terms with Xia Ling, and that girl did not look nice to mess with. In the future, she could ask her family to destroy the Li Family with just a word.
That sort of possibility was too terrifying.
Now that Old Master was willing to let Xia Ling marry into the family, he had to worry more about the revenge of the Xia Family than ever.
If Xia Ling was unwilling to marry into his family, the Xia Family could not find any fault with him. Wasn’t that something to be happy about?
Outside, Xia Ling understood Old Master’s intentions. Years pa.s.sed by coldly. She did not expect that after seeing close friends and family stab each other in the back, she would have to witness it again.
She did not hear the rest of the conversation. She silently walked away.
When Li Lei sent Old Master Li away, he saw her on the swing in the yard.
Wearing a light pink dress, she was drenched in sunlight. Holding the ivy-covered handrails with her white fingers, she swayed like a b.u.t.terfly and looked lost in her thoughts.
Li Lei called her. “Xiao Ling.”
As if she suddenly returned to reality from her deep thoughts, she turned around and looked at them.
Old Master Li took a few steps forward and spoke in a genial tone. “Miss Ye, I’m very sorry for coming over and disturbing you early in the morning. I brought over a gift. Xiao Lei will hand it to you later.”
Xia Ling did not want to talk to him. Faintly, she responded. “I’m a little tired.”
After being in charge of the Li Family for so many years, he never experienced the cold-shoulder before. He almost shot her a murderous look. However, Li Lei was sharp and noticed it, so he quickly went up to separate them. He smiled as if nothing happened and said, “Grandpa, be careful on your way back. I will find some time to visit you.”
Old Master look at his grandson deeply. Slowly, the unkind expression on his face faded.
After living for so long, he knew when it was time to endure. He took a deep breath and his kind tone was restored. He urged his grandson. “Take care of Miss Ye.”
Li Lei acknowledged him and watched as Old Master Li walked out the fence door of the villa.
Xia Ling continued to sit on the swing unhappily.
Li Lei reached out and helped her push the swing lightly. “Xiao Ling, you’ve suffered a grievance. Grandpa is the head of the family and has to consider how the marriage of his grandson will affect the family. He did not target you on purpose.”
Only then did she raise her head and slowly said, “You knew that I was outside?”
He chuckled. “If I didn’t cover it up, grandpa would have known. Xiao Ling, don’t do something so dangerous in the future. In the eyes of a veteran in battle, the way you tried to eavesdrop was child’s play.”
She glared at him. “This is my home.”
“Yes, this is your home.” He pushed her swing gently again. “In the future, the entire Li Family will become your home.”
She looked at the tree a short distance away. The green leaves sparkled in the golden sunlight. Out of spite, she said, “I won’t marry into the Li Family.” She was not willing to degrade herself to that extent by marrying into a family who looked at her with disdain. That would be lowering herself and it would bring shame to her family.
However, Li Lei said, “There’s no rush. I will wait until the day you are willing.”
Unexpectedly, the day she was willing came very soon.
After Old Master Li visited the villa, Xia Ling recorded music and finished her jobs as usual. When she was bored, she called her brother and asked to bring Shaohui over. After being ruthlessly denied, she took her anger out on Li Lei. Hitting Li Lei when she was eating or sleeping became a common occurrence.
Li Lei gladly endured the hards.h.i.+p and smiled as she took advantage of him.
It was to the extent that she even forgot that he was a big boss who could make people shudder with his authority. She did not ask what he was busy with because she was also very busy. In order to rush for a job or a concert, she would disappear for ten days.
Suddenly, on one day when she partic.i.p.ated in a commercial shoot, she overheard the staff discussing something. “Big news! Big news! The internal structure of the Li Family has changed. Old Master Li Shanhe stepped down and gave his position to his grandson Li Lei! This is revolutionary!”
In shock, she pulled the staff over and asked, “What’s going on?!”
The staff looked at her and was more shocked than her. He stuttered. “Miss… Ye… You don’t know about this? The news said that Old Master Li and Second Young Master Li had a ceremonial ritual at the headquarters yesterday. Since then, Old Master Li is no longer the head of the Li Family. The true head of the family is now Second Young Master Li Lei!”