บท 41: Face Off
While NU C capped off its launching in Country P, a face off was currently ongoing at the Shu Gallery in City S.
Old Madam Xu was browsing thru the extensive collection of the gallery when someone caught her attention. At the far corner was the last person she wanted to avoid for her whole life.
She took a step towards 'her' most hated person.
"Well, well. Look who's here," Xu Hina said, pretending to look at the portrait hanging on the wall.
The person turned around. "If it isn't the Old Madam Xu," she greeted back, albeit sarcastically. "To whom do I owe your visit?"
Xu Hina arched an eyebrow. "Oh? Isn't it the other way around? Did you and your daughter-in-law mend your ties, then?"
Li Jiayie pressed her lips together, crossing her arms.
It was not a secret in City S that the Old Madam Li does not like her daughter-in-law who was a descendant of the Shu Family.
"I believe outsiders shouldn't meddle with the Li Family's affairs," Li Jiayie finally said.
Xu Hina shrugged her shoulders. "I hope that goes the other way too. After all, I met Shu Rue during my trip to US. I hate to say this but I give proper credit to people. Your son has good taste," she said, lifting her chin.
She wanted to see how Li Jiayie would respond to that.
"Grandma, something's wrong?" a voice behind Li Jiayie interrupted them.
A woman wearing a white bodycon dress paired up with black blazer came forward. Her stature came with confidence. The kind which Xu Hina hated most. She sized the woman up, the way the woman did to her.
"Oh, Lan, it's nothing. I just happened to meet an old acquaintance," Li Jiayie smiled at the woman, linking her arm.
The woman was none other than Liu Lanzhi. She made headlines when she took the helm of Li Textile, completely eliminating the legitimate successors of the Li Family.
Liu Lanzhi gave Xu Hina a warm smile. But somehow, Xu Hina raised her guard up. This Liu Lanzhi was not an ordinary person. To be able to get the position of CEO from the Young Master Li was no easy feat.
"Madam, may I know from which family are you? So that I can pay my respects?"
Xu Hina sneered inwardly. She really didn't like people who were full of pretensions. Smiling, she inclined her head to the side.
"How could you occupy the CEO position of Li Textile without knowing me?" Xu Hina raised an eyebrow. "Li Jiayie, you're disappointing me with your choice," her mouth curled up as she turned away from them.
Meanwhile, Xu Ming's shoulders were shaking as he witnessed how the Old Madam Xu made her opponents shut up. Served her right, he thought, glancing at Liu Lanzhi's face which became white as paper. He also noticed how she clenched her fists.
Liu Lanzhi must know that Xu Hina was the Old Madam Xu but pretended not to know her. Xu Ming shook his head before chasing after his grandmother.
Li Jiayie patted Liu Lanzhi's shoulders. She gave her a sympathetic smile. "Don't worry about it, Lan. That Xu Hina was always like that since then," her mouth formed a thin line when she remembered something from the past.
Liu Lanzhi forced a smile before taking a deep breath. "I know, grandma. She seems powerful like her grandson."
Both of them started walking towards the exit. Li Jiayie wrinkled her forehead. "Grandson? Who?"
"The First Young Master Xu," Liu Lanzhi said, smiling coyly.
Li Jiayie smiled knowingly. "You met him?"
"Twice. Once in US and once during the building of Octagon Hotel," she said.
Upon hearing that, the smile on Li Jiayie's lips faded. The profile of her youngest granddaughter entered her mind. She ordered Dao Ze to monitor all the movements of Li Nuxie. But Dao Ze's team was unsuccessful.
The last thing she knew about her was her visit to the hospital after she threw her cane towards Li Nuxie.
Liu Lanzhi noticed that Li Jiayie went silent. Thinking that it was about the earlier fiasco, she grasped Li Jiayie's hand gently.
"Don't worry about it, grandma. I know it's not easy to approach the Xu Family."
That brought back Li Jiayie to her senses. "Why would you approach them?"
Liu Lanzhi leaned closer towards Li Jiayie. "That's the first step on becoming the First Young Madam Xu," she whispered.
Li Jiayie's steps faltered. She stared at Liu Lanzhi. Why was it that whatever she wanted for Li Nuxie, it always ended up with Liu Lanzhi?
"Grandma, are you alright?"
Li Jiayie touched her temple. "Yes but I think I need to call it a day. My legs are somehow failing me."
"Okay, I'll call Dao Ze," Liu Lanzhi opened her bag, getting her phone.
From a distance, a man pulled out a phone and dialed a number. The other line picked up on second ring.
"Boss, Miss Liu said she wanted to be the next First Young Madam Xu," the man reported.
A snicker was heard. "Continue monitoring her."
"Yes, boss."
=0=
Li Chanying's eyes followed Li Nuxie and the man she was dancing with. She knew that there were only two men her cousin has been slightly intimate with. Was there a third one? Was her cousin becoming a player? She shook her head.
It's impossible. Unless Li Nuxie waited purposely to become 29 then flirt at her heart's content.
"Totally unimaginable," she said loudly but it was drowned amid the music.
"What's totally unimaginable?"
Li Chanying turned her head and saw Hong Chi. The music slowly died down and the chatters once took over the room. "Xiexie becoming a player at 29?"
Hong Chi twitched her lips. "Did you research that Mr. Book and Black Emperor?"
"Black Emperor is ongoing. But about Mr. Book, I didn't even know his face. I mean, Xiexie sucks at describing people," Li Chanying ranted as her eyes looked for Li Nuxie.
She grasped Hong Chi's hand tightly when she cannot find her inside the room. "Xiexie is missing!"
Hong Chi rolled her eyes. "Xiexie is a grown up woman. Stop fussing around."
"But-"
"Instead of being protective, why don't you find someone you like?"
It was Li Chanying's turn to roll her eyes. "Please, my standard is high no man I know will make the cut."
Hong Chi just laughed.
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