Bab 71: Mei Li's Aunt Part 2

November 27, 20XX (Tuesday)

Zhao Manor

Eight people had filled the room with laughter and chatter. The complete Zhao family had gathered in Zhao manor for tomorrow's small barbeque into the thirtieth for the grand banquet for Yue's 26th birthday celebration. They had sat on the round table that was able to seat twelve people around comfortably with a lazy Susan in the middle.

Although Yue's birthday is still about 7 hours from now, the Zhao family had feasted and celebrated in advance. After everything, Yang felt his draining energy because everyone had teased him especially when his grandmother knew that Mei Li was on the manor for a month and he had prepared the room beside his.

Grandma Zhao was not subtle when she high gives Yue for a job well done on convincing Mei Li to stay; if only Yue could convince Mei Li to bear his children too.

Getting up to exit the room, someone had followed his person even when he strode to his room.

Yang was not surprised when Aunt Qinyang had followed after him, stopped him with a soft touch of his back, and had casually talked to him as if she hadn't been making his life hard before, "Is she joining us at the party tomorrow?"

Yang had wanted to retort sarcastically but refrained himself from angering the aunt of Mei Li. He could only nod with a "Yes."

"Do you know?" her question had put him in a stupor at first. As expected of a Xue family member, she was observant. She must have noticed how he had scanned them when Grandmother had made a mistake.

Yang nodded, "About Mei Li's past? Yes."

"You know about the dangers she faces, right?"

The CEO sighed, and with another nod, he answered, "Yes."

Aunt Qinyang's right hand had gripped Yang's left wrist highly when she demanded with a fire burning in her eyes, but her face had grown gentle, "Then you must protect her."

Yang wanted to roll his eyes. Another third wheel in the making this aunt of his is potentially becoming. He could only nod with the same answer, "Yes."

"Is the only reply you know is yes?"

Yang grinned when he answered, "...no."

Zhao née Xue Qinyang's left eyebrow twitched in irritation at his cheekiness. If this nephew of hers will hurt that secret niece of her beloved cousin, she doesn't know what to do. She sighed with indignation, "Did you tell her?"

Yang's eyes blinked in astonishment. Wasn't she finished with questioning him yet? He tried to relax his shoulders and replied continuously, " I hinted at her and showed her a copy of her files with level 3 clearance. If she noticed it or not, I don't know. She was silent when she read it."

"Are you really interested in her and not because you were pushed to be?" Aunt Qinyang had said it with the most suspicious glared at him.

Zhao Yang couldn't help but question his past deeds; has he been so deviant that nobody would believe that he had already fallen in love fast? He grunted his unsatisfactory thoughts away before replying, "... I regretted not meeting her earlier as you guys said. Maybe if I did, I wouldn't be suffering like I am now."

"She's stubborn like her mother, but she's worth it."

Yang was again surprised to note how gentle Aunt Qinyang's expression had turned while her eyes gaze out from the glass windows to the garden as if transfixed in her nostalgic memories of old.

"I know, she's amazing." Yang agreed without hesitation.

He was happy that he and his aunt have now found a common interest in the form of the beautiful woman named Mei Li.

Maybe, he'll get along well from now on.

"... Just don't hurt her intentionally or I'll cut your little brother in your sleep without anesthesia, and your mother will probably hold you still. I'm sure Yue would help."

Yang sweatdrop, forget mentioning just his mom and his little sister! His whole family would help! He knows for a fact that his father had orchestrated many plots just for him to meet Mei Li!

When Aunt Qinyang left him to go back to her husband, Yang touched his nose helplessly and sighed as if his shoulders had the biggest worry in the world. For him, his biggest concern was not failing in his business endeavors. His biggest concern is his progress with courting Mei Li.

'Baby Steps, Zhao Yang!' he reminded himself.

But before he went to bed, he peeked inside Mei Li's room to make sure she was sleeping properly. He flickered the lights on and saw her unusual sleeping position had pushed her blanket off of her with her right leg exposed. It was another form of temptation for Yang.

He covered her exposed leg with a sigh; this woman had the power to break his heart, and it would never heal if she did. She had the most control over him than any other person yet she did not know it.

He prayed that his heart was ready for whatever her decision is going to be.