Bab 9: My man
For a while, everyone looked at Yura, Caishen's mother, waiting for her to respond and either chastise Alix or be understanding towards her. They were also baffled by her sudden announcement of cutting off ties with her family.
How bad had life been for her with the Lin's to make her cut off ties with them?
"I will have them moved." Yura said and she picked up the cup of tea in front of her.
Most people looked at their breakfast which was almost completed, they could breathe a bit easier. But the peace at the table did not last even five seconds.
"Talking tough, haven't you married my brother? Wasn't he Billi's fiancé?" Zhang An humped and asked the question in a haughty way.
Everyone's eyes were moving back and forth, from Zhang An to Alix and then Alix to Zhang An. Why was there no middle ground between these two?
Alix looked at her and declared confidently, "No, young miss, you are wrong. Zhang Caishen is my man, he was engaged to me first and Billi stole him briefly. I simply took back what was mine.."
She turned her head to Caishen, pointed to him and proclaimed, "This man is my man."
Once more, in a matter of minutes, Alix managed to stun everyone at the table.
All eyes moved to Zhang Caishen, he felt them probing him and the lemon tea in the cup his hands felt more flavorful. He could feel a smile forming on his face and he rushed to cover his lips with the tea cup as he ordered himself not to smile.
He could not help feeling flustered for some reason. She is just saying this to make a point, he told himself. Caishen had given up on being genuinely loved by any woman as soon as he was told that he would be crippled for the rest of his life. He did not believe that Alix loved him, it was easier to believe that she wanted something from him.
"I am done." he said, putting down the cup of tea in his hands. "I am going to the office."
A male bodyguard who was never far from Caishen's side came around to the table and stood besides the wheel chair.
"I need a ride." Alix suddenly placed her hand on the wheelchair and said.
"Follow me." he told her.
Alix smiled at the elders, bowed and said, "Thank you for breakfast."
"Where are you going?" Yura asked her.
Alix smiled and replied, "I have a small music school along the central street in the Shinjin commercial building. I have students to teach and I need to speak to my teachers. I also need to go and visit my sick nanny that is staying with my friend. I will be back in the evening mother."
Yura nodded stiffly, very much still awkward around Alix. "Behave yourself appropriately out there, remember that you are now a Zhang, don't do anything which will end up staining our family name."
"Yes mother." Alix responded sweetly. "Bye older brother, and Xiaobo."
The only person who did not get a farewell from her was Zhang An who she ignored out of sheer pettiness. And when she was leaving, she turned around and scoffed at her.
"Ho, auntie An, I think you have finally met your match in this house." Xiaobo told her.
"Grandma, did you see her? She was mocking me." Zhang An complained.
Grandma An replied with an unbothered smile, 'You started it. Little Li is a very good girl, I feel more at ease with her as your brother's wife than the other one."
Zhang Bo suddenly laughed and he asked, "Did you see how she declared ownership of him?"
"This man is my man." Grandma Zhang mimicked Alix with laughter on her face, as amused as Zhang Bo was.
Everyone laughed, including the servants who did so secretly.
"Maybe she will be good for Caishen." grandpa Zhang said. "He has been too isolated since the accident. He has not even allowed visits from friends, I hope that their relationship will develop successfully and the union will bear fruits."
Grandma Zhang was on board, and she nodded.
Zhang Bo was undecided on the matter. Just because Alix was funny did not mean that she would be a good wife for his brother. But she was a bit of a comedian and she had brought a smile to his face.
Yura was just the same as Zhang Bo, but a part of her was hopeful too. Maybe this absurd marriage might produce a positive outcome. It was not as if they had many options anyway, her son was not the old proud, most sought after man in Beijing.
"I don't support this." Zhang An said. "You all should side with me, not her."
"What is it that's so wrong with little Li?" grandma Zhang asked her.
Zhang An thought about it and she could not come up with a genuine reason for the unwarranted dislike she had towards Alix.
The prejudice she had had been formed mostly with things Billi told her about Alix, all of those things negative. Alix was a thief, she was cheap and slept around with rich old men. She was lazy and rude, and she always stole all of Billi's things.
But she could not trust Billi's words because the other had stood her brother up at the altar. Was the Billi she knew the bad guy after all?
"You should face the fact that the other girl did not bother to show up for the wedding, she did not even step in the country for a whole month. She also rushed to congratulate little Li on the marriage to your brother.
That Bibi was not a good choice, right from the beginning. She only ever wanted our wealth and name. If she truly loved your brother, why did she not show up even once after the doctor's declared his legs useless? An-An, don't bring her up in this house ever again."
"Grandmother," Zhang An called out in dismay.
"Do not bring her over to visit as well. We don't need anymore scandals in the family." grandpa Zhang added.
Zhang An bit her bottom lip and forced herself to nod but everyone had a feeling that the strain between Zhang An and Alix would not be fixed that easily.
Hadiah
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