When Shao Yan arrived home that night, Li Xiqing had just finished cooking dinner for them.
He heard the door was opened, and he peeked from the kitchen door. He saw Shao Yan just entered the foyer, and was hunched down and was about to take off her shoes, "Oh you"re home. Go wash your hands now, let"s eat," and then he walked over to her.
He saw a glimpse of her face, and then he rubbed both of his hands on both of her upper arms, "Your cheek and nose tip are red. Is it that cold out there?" Li Xiqing kept rubbing her arms up and down, hoping it could warm her.
Shao Yan was initially looking down at her feet because she was about to take off her shoes. When she finally lifted her face up to him, then Li Xiqing saw both of her eyes were glossy and swollen.
He abruptly stopped rubbing, and quickly cupped both of his palms on her cheek, "Yan Yan, what"s wrong? You were crying?" His eyebrows were scrunched and his eyes were searching for hers, while at the same time, his hand stayed on her cheek; worrying over his beloved.
Shao Yan gave a sheepish smile, she placed her hand over his on her cheek, "Xiqing, I"m hungry. Let"s eat first? And then I"ll tell you later. Don"t worry I"m fine. These are tears of happiness," she quickly said when she saw his forehead was scrunched deeper and he already opened his mouth and was about to say something.
Shao Yan saw that he was still looking skeptically at her. She suddenly laughed, and then she quickly took off her shoes and then hooked her arm around his, "I"m not lying, Xiqing. Come on now, I"m really starving," she dragged Li Xiqing to the dining room.
"So you"re saying, you just met your grandma?" he said and then he started to munch on a chicken.
Li Xiqing cooked a three meal course tonight. The weather suddenly turned colder today, so he cooked winter melon soup with minced pork in pork bone peppery broth. He also stir fried some bean sprouts with garlic and dried shrimp and lastly, he also whipped up some sweet and sour chicken.
Shao Yan was slowly munching on her rice and nodded slowly, "En. Risa brought me to her to finally meet her today. Oh and guess what? Risa is actually my cousin, too," and then she reached out and picked up some bean sprouts and put them into his bowl, "here, eat more vegetables."
Li Xiqing had just picked up some chicken and put it into her bowl, and then he paused, "Hold on. So.. You"re saying that this is your first time ever that you"re meeting Grandma?"
Li Xiqing put down his chopsticks slowly while looking carefully at Shao Yan, "Yan Yan, I did not know that you have never met Grandma Wu before. I"m sorry."
Shao Yan was biting on her chopsticks tips and tilted her head to the side, "Why are you apologizing? I didn"t know about her existance at all and so I never told you. How are you at the fault now?"
Li Xiqing slowly leaned back to his chair, and was thinking what to say to her, "After the incident with that woman a few months ago, do you remember what I have promised you? That I will definitely settle some score with her at the court?"
Shao Yan was confused who he was referring to. She slowly thought of the events that had happened over the past few months, and then she finally remembered, "Er? I think so? Xiqing, are you referring to Pan Meifang?"
That time, she was accompanying Qi Ling to K jewelry office to help Xiqing and AG International on one of their client"s case.
On that day, all of them had met Pan Meifang, who was actually Shao Yan"s neighbour who then turned to be her stepmother by law. When they saw each other again, Shao Yan had been trying to ignore her, but, Pan Meifang kept insulting her and even trying to accuse her of prost.i.tuting herself.
That time, Shao Yan remember Li Xiqing was really angry and promised to bring her to court to sue her over false accusations and slandering.
Li Xiqing nodded, and continued, "En. So, I have been working with my lawyers to really settle her good this time. They already have evidences, and some witnesses that are willing to testify, but we still need more," he peeked at Shao Yan to check on her reaction.
But he did not see that Shao Yan was upset at all, so he continued, "They told me to look for people who can testify over her character. The lawyers suggested that I started with family, because those usually are the easiest. They want to find someone who can testify that your father might be tricked into the marriage."
Shao Yan understood, and she slowly put down her chopsticks on the table, and pondered a little. Li Xiqing placed his hand on top of hers, "Yan Yan, I really didn"t know that you have never met your grandmother before," he squeezed her hand lightly, "I didn"t mean to investigate your background at all."
Shao Yan kept shaking her head from side to side, "It"s really fine, Xiqing, I actually have to thank you for that. Grandma was able to find me because of what you did."
Shao Yan quickly finished her story so that Li Xiqing would stop worrying.
As she told her story, Li Xiqing kept his hand covering over hers. Sometimes he would squeeze lightly. Sometimes, his thumb would absentmindedly caress her skin. But never once he showed any impatience.
He kept listening attentively.
When they were done with dinner, she went to the kitchen sink to start loading the dirty plates into the dishwasher, all the while she was still telling the story to Li Xiqing.
He stood next to her and helped her with the plates; watching all of her little expressions. He caught her smiling eyes, or her sheepish smile. He didn"t want to miss any single giggle.
All of this was to show her that he was there for her, he would keep walking the road with her, no matter how rocky it will be, they will face it together.