Chapter 87 - There Is No Room For Negotiation
One Year Later...
Jia Li is sketching on her sketchbook with a headset on her ears. She looks more beautiful and a little mature than before.
As all her concentration was on her work, and with the music on, she didn"t hear the knocks on her door.
Butler Lu who was standing right outside Jia Li"s bedroom, was in a hurry as he continued knocking.
He tried to push the door open, but it was locked.
It seemed that Jia Li had eyes at the back of her head because at that time Butler Lu turned the door handle, she became distracted and suddenly looked over.
Jia Li took off her headset and heard the knocks on her door, coupled with the familiar voice.
"Miss Qin, are you there?" Butler Lu asked as he continued knocking on her door.
Jia Li walked towards the door and opened it. With a smile, she apologized to him.
"Butler Lu, I"m sorry, I had my headset on, so I didn"t hear the knocks on time."
"It"s okay. I know you"re working now, but can you share a few minutes of your time, The Old Sir has something to tell you." Butler Lu revealed.
"Okay, I will be there in a minute!" Jia Li replied with a smile.
Butler Lu smiled and bowed before walking away.
Jia Li walked back to her room to put her things in order. She placed her pencil on the page she was sketching, before closing the sketchbook.
When she was through, she left her room for Grandfather Fu"s Study. Now standing in front of the door, she knocked and Butler Lu opened the door for her.
She smiled at him and walked in, but right then, she felt the energy in the room wasn"t good. She could feel the tension in the study, so she looked up to see Grandfather Fu staring head-on at someone.
From the position she was standing, she couldn"t see the person"s face, but the back view was easy for her to recognize, so she knew it was Fu Hua.
"Grandfather, I"m not going to marry her." Fu Hua said in a firm tone.
"I"m not asking for your opinion." Grandfather Fu in a serious tone.
"Did I come in at the wrong time?" Jia Li thought. But she was jolted back to the present by Butler Lu who announces her presence.
It was only Grandfather Fu that looked in her direction with a smile. As for Fu Hua, he didn"t even bother to look over.
"Jia Li, come over. Come and sit here." Grandfather Fu said as he pointed to the chair beside Fu Hua.
Jia Li thought it was a bad idea to join them at the desk, but since he already gave out the instruction, she had to comply.
"Thank you, grandfather!" Jia Li said with a smile as she walked towards the desk to sit on the chair beside Fu Hua.
"Jia Li, I learned you were working when I called you over, I hope I don"t disturb you?" Grandfather Fu asked with a kind smile.
"No, it"s okay, grandfather." Jia Li said with a smile and she waved her hands.
"Good. I called you today to tell you something important. I know it may sound sudden and a little inappropriate of me, but this is the matter I have dwelled on for such a long time, and I am convinced it is a good idea." Grandfather Fu said with his gaze on her.
Fu Hua glanced at his old man when he said he had dwelled on the matter for such a long time. But he was too annoyed to say anything to him.
Jia Li remained calm, but she was still a bit nervous deep inside because she could feel the cold aura of the person sitting next to her was dissipating.
"Jia Li, I want you and Fu Hua to get married!" Grandfather Fu, dropping the bombsh.e.l.l.
"What?!" Jia Li said in shock. She didn"t even know when she reacted that way, but she was probably too shocked.
"I know this matter may seem absurd to you, but I have considered it for such a long time, and I know it"s the right thing to do." Grandfather Fu said immediately when he saw how shocked Jia Li was.
"Grandfather, what are you really thinking? Do you still think I am a child that you have to set up my marriage with anyone without my consent and approval?" Fu Hua asked angrily.
"Brat! What are you saying?! Is Jia Li just anyone? Jia Li has been with us for more than a year now, so you are familiar with her. And I don"t need your consent to select a marriage partner for you, because I have always had the power and right to do so before your birth!" Grandfather Fu said to him angrily.
He was angrier that he degraded Jia Li by addressing her as "Just anyone."
"So this is the reason you brought her back to live with us? You have already made the plans silently before carrying them out. Grandfather, look around you, this is the 21st century, and I am an adult. I have every right to choose who my marriage partner will be, and besides, I have a girlfriend."
Fu Hua said all of these without mincing words. He couldn"t believe his grandfather has had such plans for a long time, and he had no idea about it.
How could he try to set him up with someone just like that without asking for his opinion?. Did he ever mention to him that he was looking for a woman to marry?
"Fu Hua, you have to listen to me. Well, you don"t have a choice. Your parents can not intervene in this matter, because this decision has been settled many years ago. If you had a girlfriend, who are you only saying it now? Are you trying to make up excuses just to get away from this?" Grandfather Fu queried.
"Grandfather, you should know me by now that I don"t give silly excuses. I really do have a girlfriend, and we have been dating for more than five years now." Fu Hua revealed.
"If you had a girlfriend and you two have been dating for so long, why haven"t you introduced her to us? And when your parents asked if you had a girlfriend, why did you deny it, who are you trying to fool?" Grandfather asked with a fixed gaze on him.
Jia Li who has been silent all this while as she was trying to digest the sudden news and revelation from the two people, s.h.i.+fted uncomfortably in her seat.
"Since when did Grandfather have this idea about me and his grandson?"
"If Fu Hua has a girlfriend already, why is grandfather still insisting that we get married?"
"Am I even allowed to voice my opinion?".
Grandfather Fu glanced at the dumbstruck Jia Li before turning to Fu Hua to say...
"Fu Hua, no number of excuses you mention can forfeit my decision. I have already said what is necessary, and I have made myself clear. Since you are going to get married to Jia Li, you can start spending more time with her, to get to understand her more. You two can leave!"
Grand Father Fu said as he waved his hand, sending them off.
Fu Hua looked so angry as he got up from his seat.
If not for the deep respect Fu Hua had for his old man, he would have long given him the piece of his mind.
What he disliked the most was someone enforcing or imposing something on him. This time around, he wasn"t even given a choice.
Fu Hua refrained from using harsh words on the old man as he walked away in anger.
As for Jia Li, she was still shocked by everything that was happening. She only came back to her senses when she heard the sound of the door close.
She glanced at Grandfather Fu and said slowly to him, "Grandfather, I really don"t want to get married, at least, not for now."
Grandfather Fu slowly gazed at her as he said in a disappointed tone. "Jia Li, even you want to go against me?"
"No, I just wanted to voice..." Jia Li started saying, but her words were cut short.
"Let"s talk about his matter some other time, but let me tell you beforehand that there is no room for negotiation. You can leave, I am tired."
Jia Li bit her lips as she glanced at the old man that had already shut his eyes. He looked tired. She didn"t know the reason she suddenly felt guilty.
"Shouldn"t I be the one wronged, Why do I have to feel guilty about voicing my opinion?" Jia Li thought to herself and gave Grandfather Fu one last look before leaving the study.
Hearing the sound of the door closing, Grandfather opened his eyes and glanced in that direction.
"Sir, do you think this will work?" Butler Lu asked.
Apart from the old man, he was the next person that knew all about his plans to get Fu Hua and Jia Li married. The old man told him about the matter two months back.
Author"s note: Dear Readers, I don"t know how to thank you enough. I have been releasing 1 chapter a day since this month, and this book is still able to get 300 power stones at the end of every week. Thank you so much, I love and appreciate all of you!
I had a little problem in school, so I"m on it and will settle everything soon.
From the 22nd of this month, I will start with the usual 2 chapters daily update, and on the first week of September, you will get a ma.s.s release of 5 chapters.
Thank you for your love and support so far, I appreciate you all ??.)