“Achoo!” I wiped my nose. This was the thirty-seventh sneeze after I came out of the tub. And the culprit was this unreal man who was sitting in mid-air, looking at me arrogantly. Because back in the bathroom, he refused to leave, so the water in the tub turned freezing, so…… I caught a cold!
“What about it? Cooperate with me!” He asked.
I glanced at him, hesitating. Him? I don’t know why, but I have this feeling, that I shouldn’t get too close to him. There’s a strange feeling in my heart that I can’t describe, but it was dangerous. Yes, I must stay far away from danger: “No!”
“No? We are gra.s.shoppers on the same string; you can’t escape, and I can’t run away either.”
I knew he was talking about the Yin gu. Thinking about it, my face that finally calmed down blushed red again. n.o.body could imagine that feeling, so creepy and magical, yet I actually found that I didn’t dislike doing it with him! My body even felt very satisfied. I started to detest myself in my heart.
He just frowned, looking at me, as if expecting me to answer, but I was wholly focused on chasing away the images in my mind.
“Are you saying that although you know clearly that she won’t let you live, you still want to stick with your idea?”
“I…… ”
Yes, after this night, I finally understood what kind of a person Yun Li was. She wasn’t how she looked; her heart was much more cruel and ruthless than her actions. Wanting to find a way out in hands of people like her was extremely hard. Plus, she never planned on letting me leave here alive.
An Qiang! This was the first name that appeared in my mind. Right, there was still her. Even though I know Yun Li didn’t want me to live, but I still didn’t want to take revenge and such; I only wanted to leave this place, leave him! I glanced at his face. Him and me, no matter dead or alive, were people in two worlds, and should not be together. Everything that happened was just a mistake.
“I’m tired!” I buried myself deeply under the covers.
His voice didn’t sound again. When I was sure he really left, I lifted up my head from the quilts.
Was An Qiang worth trusting? Would she turn into a second Yun Li? That pale face and bloodshot eyes appeared in my mind. Her bruised body, she shouldn’t……
Waking up sleepily, I glanced at the clock beside my bed. It was already twelve o’clock noon; why didn’t Matron w.a.n.g come wake me up? The hunger in my stomach made me unable to lie in bed anymore. I got up, planning to fill my belly first.
Just when I got to the second floor, I heard Stepmom’s voice from downstairs.
“If she still doesn’t stir till evening, you can go clean up!”
“Madame, but…… ” Matron w.a.n.g answered, sounding conflicted.
“But what? She died from disease. You only need to find her, then tell the true circ.u.mstances. Leave the rest to me.”
I opened my mouth wide with shock, were they talking about me? To clean me up?
“Yes!” Matron w.a.n.g agreed. I saw her sigh lowly, then turn to come upstairs. But I just stood there, forgetting to react.
“Mis-, Mistress?” Matron w.a.n.g looked at me, her expression frightened, and fear also flashed across Stepmom’s eyes. My heart, which was still nervous a moment ago, suddenly calmed. I looked at Matron w.a.n.g and nodded, walking down slowly.
“Sorry to make Stepmom worry, I just caught a cold yesterday!” I walked down naturally. Matron w.a.n.g still stood at the bottom of the stairs silently. Only when I pa.s.sed by her did she look like she suddenly woke up.
Yun Li walked towards me swiftly, squinting slightly. After looking me over, she said, “I’m glad it’s nothing! I’m glad it’s nothing! Quick, Matron w.a.n.g, prepare some food.” This was Yun Li; clearly a minute ago she was talking about cleaning up my body, but a second later she could pretend nothing had happened.
After Matron w.a.n.g went into the dinning room, I noticed a black figure, An Qiang!
“Sister-in-law, this is the invitation my dad wants me to give you!” An Qiang put a down red invitation on the table, not directly handing it to Yun Li.
Yun Li smiled coldly, twisted her snake-like waist as she walked over and picked it up, her mouth not stopping, “An Ming is getting married? That’s not easy! Just this time, for how long can this bride live?”
I frowned. For how long can the bride live? What did she mean?
“You!” Aunt bit her lip and wanted to retaliate, but after a “you”, she fell silent. Until she had almost walked away, did I hear her say: “This time, my younger brother will definitely protect her!” Before Yun Li could say anything else, she left.
Yun Li smoothed her clothes. Holding the red wedding invitation, when she pa.s.sed by me, she stuffed the invitation to me, “I don’t have time to go, so you go represent the Huo family. After all, you are the mistress of the Huo family.”
I looked at Stepmom in confusion, but couldn’t find anything useful in her expression. When she walked upstairs slowly, I fixed my gaze on the invitation. What did Yun Li mean by this? Did she accept me finally?
Unexpectedly, the wedding was very far away! And Stepmom didn’t let me just go by myself; that drunkard Huo Xiaojin was also going! I stared at him. From that day on, he never appeared at home. And today he looked much more serious.
“Are you finished looking!” Huo Xiaojin glanced at me.
I hurriedly looked out the window, as if someone caught my tail, “Why are you going?”
“Are you really stupid or pretending to be stupid? The An family, although they’re no longer one the three largest shareholders of the Huo Corporation, their shares can still bring much effect. Just letting you go? That old man in the An family, who views face more than anything, will be comfortable? Do you really think your mistress t.i.tle is accepted?” He laughed. I heard the contempt in his laugh.
His words were like a bucket of cold water. I thought Stepmom accepted me, but I was still only a disposable decoration. In other words, if she doesn’t accept me, she would still be thinking about taking my life. There were too many questions in my heart. I looked around, but didn’t find that familiar figure —- Huo Xiaoran!
This made me feel very strange. Every time Huo Xiaojin was present, he seemed to appear rarely!
The car ride took a whole five to six hours. When Huo Xiaojin’s stylish sports car stopped, we were already at a magnificent mansion. In front of the mansion, twenty to thirty luxurious cars were parked neatly. I couldn’t recognize any of the brands, but their fancy looks already showed their expensive prices.
Walking through the green gra.s.s, we came to the large yard. It was decorated very sophisticatedly, and there were lots of people!
“Master Huo!”
A man in a white suit walked up, smiling warmly, and shook hands with Huo Xiaojin. After some conversation, he looked towards me, “This is?”
“Mo Xiaoya!” When Huo Xiaojin’s voice sounded, even I was startled. I thought he would say Huo Xiaoran’s wife or something, but he actually said my name. Slightly, there was some grat.i.tude in my heart. At least he gave me some infrequent respect.
“The wife of Xiaoran! So nice of you to come! I’m An Ming.”
His smile was warm and brilliant as he stretched his hand out to me. I almost lost myself in his sunny smile, because he reminded me of Yan Bei, that senior I once loved!
I only came back to my senses after Huo Xiaojin touched me unintentionally. I shook his hand a little awkwardly. An Ming seemed very casual, and after some greetings, told us to make ourselves at home, then went to welcome the others.
“He looks very young!” I said, puzzled. Aunt looked like she was in her thirties, yet An Ming only looked to be about twenty-five or twenty-six.
Huo Xiaojin pulled me to the food tables, and started to pick up desserts, “He only looks young, but this wedding, I hope it goes smoothly!” He handed the plate in his hands to me.
I was very surprised, not used to him being like this towards me. After all, the previous times when he appeared before me, he was mostly so drunk he couldn’t be called a human.
“What do you mean?” I suddenly remembered the conversation between Stepmom and An Qiang. I was already curious back then, and now that I heard Huo Xiaojin say it, I was even more interested. What happened to An Ming?
“An Ming’s marriages, this should be the sixth time!” He stuffed a small piece of cake into my mouth.
I looked at him, baffled. Wasn’t this action a little too intimate? Frowning and finally swallowing the food in my mouth, I was about to talk when he said, “We both didn’t eat anything for lunch, so you should be hungry!” Finishing, he stuffed another piece into my mouth.
I really wasn’t used to this! He was clearly a playboy, but why were his words, his actions, so caring and warm? I didn’t let him stuff any more things into my mouth, instead beginning to eat myself. Of course, my curious heart didn’t stop either.
“Did he marry and then divorce?” In my knowledge, rich people liked to do this. After all, my female seniors always said, a man’s love towards a woman cannot last more than two years!
“Divorce?” Huo Xiaojin suddenly put his mouth to my ear. My face turned red and I tried to dart away, but he held me tightly: “Five women who almost married him died on the day of the wedding!” His voice was very low, and I was almost scared to death by his words!
“Everyone! I appreciate that you all took out this time to celebrate my son’s wedding!”
An old voice sounded. I was still dumb, letting Huo Xiaojin pull me to a back seat. I looked over, and saw an elderly man standing on the platform joyfully. Just by looking at the features I could tell that he was An Ming’s father, because they looked so similar.
“Let’s not say too much, but watch my son and daughter-in-law walk the path of marriage happily!” After saying this, the elderly man mentioned towards the other end of the red carpet. I followed his gaze, and saw An Ming and a pretty girl in a white wedding dress already standing on the carpet. Two children walked in front of them, sprinkling the flower petals in their baskets.
Applauses sounded, and along with the music, the newlyweds began walking forward slowly. But my face was red from holding my breath! Because, behind the bride, was a black shadow, so glaring on the white dress! I looked at Huo Xiaojin hurriedly, but his expression told me, he didn’t see it……