บท 5: All her fault
Lihua was tired after her performance at Cosmo dome, but being on the stage made her happy.
Walking in Xioayun private garden she let out a heavy breath that she was subconsciously holding in. The relentless pursuit of Yang Corporation to acquire shares of Hua de World was taking its toll on her. It had been an ongoing battle for a week, and there seemed to be no signs of Yang Corporation backing off. They would only let it go unless they had a face to face meet with the company's president.
Lihua's phone rang, and upon glancing at the caller ID, she hesitated for a moment before answering the call. "Hello Grandpa."
"Can you stop scaring this old man? Why won't you visit me?" her grandfather's voice blared out of the phone. She hadn't heard his deep, old and sensible timbre in two years.
"Grandpa..."
"You were missing for two years and this is how you show up? You have quite a nerve.", Grandpa Xia's tone turned a bit tender after hearing Lihua's syrupy voice.
"I'm sorry grandpa. I couldn't tell you." SShe understood the pain and worry her sudden disappearance had caused her grandfather. For two long years, she had vanished without a trace, leaving everyone in a state of uncertainty and concern. It was because Feiyi had hidden her tracks but her grandpa was hellbent on finding her. He even announced in public that if someone found his youngest granddaughter then Xia family would award them with 100 million dollars.
"You are sorry? This is why I sent to you Music & Arts academy in United States? Then you fled to Europe without saying a word about it! I thought you will become a classical singer. Why did you become an idol? It's a disgrace for Xia family. Quit it."
"Grandpa, I don't want to be a classical singer.", Lihua blatantly lied. She wanted to be a classical singer more than anything, but couldn't because of her vice family who had different plans for her.
For six years she was the shadow singer of her cousin. For six years her family had thoroughly used her. Her family had threatened her that they would get her vocal cords operated if she told anything to Grandpa Xia. So she had begged him to send her abroad so that they couldn't use her anymore. Then after graduating in America she had disappeared, not letting her family know about her whereabouts because they would make her life miserable again if she returned to her family home.
"If you don't want to be a classical singer then come join Xia conglomerate! You don't have to sing, just manage the company." Grandpa Xia cherished Lihua the a lot. Out of all his grandsons and granddaughters he trusted Lihua the most. He would hand the company to Lihua in a heartbeat because he knew that she was a genius when it came to handling businesses. He regretted sending her to an Arts School instead of a business school.
What grandpa didn't know is that Lihua had established her own company and she had no interest in taking over Xia Group. Taking over Xia Group meant more family wars and inviting tumults because she was the youngest among all Xia members.
"No grandpa, I have no interest in taking over Xia Group. Isn't Xia Wenjin the rightful heir."
"That brat is totally incapable! I can't hand over the family business to someone who is incompetent."
"Hah-" Lihua gave a chuckle. "Last time I heard that Wenjin was doing really good and Xia business was flourishing because of him."
"But I'm sure that the business would soar hundred times higher if you inherit the company.". Grandpa Xia nursed himself with a mug of coffee waiting for Lihua's response.
"I really don't know grandpa."
"At least meet this old man. I will not take no as an answer." His favorite granddaughter rejecting him? That was not happening!
"Alright." Lihua hummed before cutting the call.
***
[Xia family mansion]
"Dammit!" Xia Tianyu threw his wine glass at the big screen television. It fell to the floor and broke into pieces. The screen had sustained quite a few scratches. "Did you know that this unfilial bitch would debut as an idol singer?"
"Dad! Calm down", Xia Mengrui quickly went to sit beside her father. "Even uncle Tianlin, her own father and grandpa didn't know, how were we supposed to know."
"Hmph." Xia Tianyu was irate seeing that lately all music channels only broadcasted Lihua's performances. "And look at you, you couldn't even debut as a soprano yet!"
Xia Sirong heard the commotion in living room and watching her daughter getting scolded she immedietely pulled Xia Mengrui behind her, putting the blame on her husband. "Why are you getting mad? It's not our Mengrui's fault."
"What if she decides to disclose that she was Mengrui's shadow singer in the past?!" Xia Tianyu bristled.
"That bitch wouldn't, otherwise she wouldn't get her mother's properties." Xia Sirong spoke in a tough manner. "If that brat breaks her promise she is as good as dead."
Mengrui's voice carried a hint of reluctance as she broached the subject with her father. "Also, dad, I've been considering joining an idol show."
"Bullshit! Your grandfather wouldn't let you be an idol!" Xia Tianyu spoke loudly, startling Mengrui.
"If Father-in-law hasn't disowned that insolent Lihua for disgracing the Xia family and debuting as an idol, then he shouldn't oppose Mengrui either," Xia Sirong asserted, firmly.
Xia Tianyu's tone turned stern as he expressed his frustration and discontent. "Father only favors that girl. He wouldn't accept Mengrui being an idol...our daughter was supposed to be a sprano!"
Mengrui gritted her teeth and bent her head low. Her singing had deteriorated through years. Her teacher said that she wasn't fit to be a classical singer. She couldn't hit the high notes in class and the professors told her that she would have been kicked out of school if she didn't belong to Xia family.
If only her cousin, Lihua hadn't gone abroad and continued to be her shadow singer then this wouldn't have happened to her. It was all her fault!
"I'm considering dropping out of school."
"What?! I paid for the best Soprano Academy in the north so that you could be a soprano one day and you are thinking of quitting!"
"Calm down honey, it's better for her to be an idol. She also has a big fanbase on Weibo. People will support her if she becomes an idol singer.", Mrs Xia reassured. "She will become more popular."
Xia Tianyu didn't pay any heed to his wife's words instead his words were directed to his daughter. "What happened in the Annual Soprano competition?"
"I didn't win." Mengrui felt more guilty cause she wasn't even selected in the final round, but she had told her father that she was selected as a finalist.
Xia Tianyu obviously knew that her daughter wasn't selected. His lips pursued into a thin line hearing his daughter's white lies. "You are a disgrace to Xia family, you are grounded. Reflect on yourself!" He got up and walked out of the room not sparing the mother-daughter pair another glance.
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