Chapter 418: Taken for a Fool
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Du Jingtang might be in favor of Chu Lui’s decision, but he knew Chu Lui still had to face his father-in-law. He was bound to be reprimanded and nagged at. It was indeed a dilemma for both parties.
He could only hope for the best and pray that his cousin’s father-in-law wouldn’t punch him in the face.
Chu Lui’s thin lips stretched into a nonchalant smile. “He can do whatever he wants.” He wouldn’t be the Chu Lui from the past. They owed him. However, he wanted to continue playing. That meant he wouldn’t make things easy for the Li family like losing out on a major deal this time.
Du Jingtang was clearly puzzled by Chu Lui and his words. He would have to call a doctor to be on stand-by to treat his poor cousin’s wounds. He hoped that old man would not hit his cousin hard or cause him to become a handicap. He wished there wouldn’t be a need to treat a fractured bone.
Li Manni changed her attire. She ran her hand around her belly. Her features were brighter and gentler after she had gotten pregnant.
When a car stopped right in front of her, she smiled tenderly as she walked towards it. However, when the door to the driver seat opened, the smile fell off her face.
“Madam, Master said he has something to attend to… so he will be making his own way to your parent’s place. He wanted me to come and drive you there.” The chauffeur explained diligently and opened the door to help Li Manni in. She curbed her temper. There was a need to maintain her gentle poise in front of an outsider. Regardless of how tough it was, she must continue with her act. The chauffeur was aware of Li Manni’s foul mood as she sat in the car without a word so he dared not risk being too chatty. He concentrated driving his mistress to the Lis.
Fortunately, the distance between the two homes was not far away. They arrived before the doorway of the Lis’ two-storied house in less than thirty minutes.
The chauffeur held his breath while Li Manni got off the car. Once she had entered the house, he sighed in relief as his hand went to his back. His clothes were soaked with his sweat.
The murderous look was too much.
Mr. Li and his son’s faces were as dark as the night sky when Li Manni entered the house. The father and son had prepared to taunt two persons, but only one showed up. They had to bite their tongues when they saw Li Manni, and their expressions froze as though they had eaten something disgusting.
“Where’s Chu Lui?” Mr. Li asked, exasperated.
“Is he so afraid of coming here?” Li Manxuan asked, sneering as he picked up the remote control from the table. After pressing the b.u.t.tons for a few times, nothing came on the television screen. He had been nursing the fury in him, and it was burning him to death. Now was not the time to watch television when his family had been played for fools. Did they look funny?
Li Manni’s reaction might be slow, but she had also noticed the foul mood in her father and brother. Chu Lui was the obvious cause of their bad moods. However, what did her husband do that could make them hate him so?
“Dad, Brother, what’s the matter?” She sat down. The atmosphere at home was not very pleasant, and it made her uncomfortable, too. Has Lui done something wrong? For the past four years, he had treated all his family members well. She knew her family had done many wrong things to Chu Lui, and they should be sorry. Chu Lui knew, too, but he chose not to be too calculative and never took it to heart. After so many years, this was the first time the two families had a dispute.
She could feel a headache coming. It was making her uncomfortable, and she began to feel nauseous.
Mrs. Li came out and quickly pulled Li Manni away from the toxic atmosphere. “Manni, are you alright? How is my grandchild?” Mrs. Li was full of worry now. The unborn baby in her daughter’s stomach was more important to them than anyone. Grudgingly, she glared at her son and her husband who were too short-sighted to see the bigger picture. They only lost a business deal. That was nothing compared to the inheritance that their grandchild would gain in the future.
Mr. Li suddenly remembered that his daughter was pregnant. Somehow, he calmed down; and his expression was no longer that aggressive. However, Li Manxuan was a different story. The angry ball of fire burnt bigger and brighter. He threw the remote control away. He even refused to acknowledge his own sister as he stood up from the sofa. He wouldn’t be giving his brother-in-law the same treatment after the humiliation he had suffered.
Some time later, a car stopped in front of the Li family’s doorway. It was Chu Lui’s favorite one that he drove on a daily basis. It was very low-key, slightly modified, and a type of military vehicle with a state-of-the-art security system.
Chu Lui entered with both his hands in his pockets as he strode towards house. The corners of his lips were slightly curled up, but one would hesitate to say he was smiling. His profound dark eyes were unpredictably cold and distant.
He knocked. No one came to open the door after he stood and waited outside for a long time. If it was in the past, he would have waited no matter how long it is. However, now…
He turned around, made a beeline towards his car, and got in. Then, he drove off.
When the egoistic Mr. Li heard the sound of the car starting, his expression changed in an instant.
“Quickly, open the door!” he roared at the maid who jumped in shock from the sudden shouting. She hurriedly ran to the door, but when she opened it, there was no one. She turned back into the house, looking moody.
“Sir, there is no one outside.”
Mr. Li felt as if he was being played for a fool again. He wondered who was leading whom. He had wanted to gain an advantageous position for himself when Chu Lui arrived, but they had reached the point of no return.
He was actually breaking out in cold sweat right now without knowing why. He just felt something had gone really wrong.
“Manni, is everything alright between you and Chu Lui?” Mr. Li narrowed his eyes and asked his daughter. His instinct was telling him that Li Manni was the root of the problem, or else Chu Lui would have greeted him with a proper ‘Dad’ regardless of what happened. His character and upbringing wouldn’t allow him to disrespect his elders.
“Nothing. Everything is fine.” Li Manni shook her head, but she was gently biting down on her red lips. Could it be Xia Ruoxin? Chu Lui had promised he wouldn’t divorce her because of that woman even after the things she had done. Chu Lui would remain married to Li Manni for the sake of their child, and he would also look out for the relations.h.i.+p between their two families.
“No?” Mr. Li didn’t believe her words. He narrowed his eyes; his nose could smell the bad things that were happening. It was telling him that thing was coming from his daughter.
“There’s really nothing.” Li Manni repeated the same words, but her mother’s expression had changed.
She grabbed her daughter when no one was around and asked her softly.
“Manni, is it because of that Xia Ruoxin?”
Mrs. Li’s teeth whispered that name with her teeth clenched together. How she wished she could feast on that woman’s flesh and drink her blood.
“Who else do you think there is?” Li Manni’s lips curled into a sarcastic smile. “Mom, why can’t she just die? How fantastic will that be? No one will be able to come between Lui and my marriage.”