Chapter 743: Above All Others

Xia Ling kept quiet.

Her eyelashes fluttered for a while as her body sank deeper into the chair.

Her dress was swaying in the wind, and her voice became as light as a feather, “What has that got to do with me?”

She was saying it to Li Lei as much as it was to herself.

She was no longer the little girl from back then that wanted nothing but to be with Li Lei. The person she was now had been through several heartbreaks and suffering for different reasons. Hence, as much as she wanted him… it was not enough for her to sacrifice everything anymore.

The journey up the mountain had reignited some passion inside her, but whatever it was, it had faded the moment the sentence was uttered.

Li Lei knelt down beside her chair and held her hand. “Xiao Ling, I’ve been treating your brother like my own…”

“So, you want me to treat your grandfather like my own?”

Her voice was calm and steady, with a hint of coldness and heartlessness, similar to how Xia Moyan usually spoke.

Li Lei paused for a seconds before saying, “This time, I will not let him hurt you. So please, give him a second chance? Grandpa is old and often harsh with his words, so I don’t expect you to treat him like he’s your own grandfather. I just hope you won’t leave me because of him.”

She was speechless.

He guided her hand to his chest. “Xiao Ling, I love you.”

Love, what a curse it was.

Xia Ling did not know what got over her, but she agreed to his request — she would not curry favor with his grandfather such that he would accept her, but she would not leave him because of his disapproval either.

Only then was Li Lei relieved.

Old Master Li arrived very soon. It was only 30-odd days until the announcement of Little Shaohui’s identity. With the accompaniment of the butler and several others, he made his way to City S.

Xia Ling saw the photo on the news.

Old Master Li arrived in a private jet, and Li Lei, along with Tan Ying, Su Tang and others were there to welcome him.

Li Rui was there as well. Initially, Su Tang was holding Li Rui’s hand and standing on Li Lei’s left, looking like a natural family. Thereafter, Li Lei gestured for Tan Ying to take a few steps forward and stand on his right, before he himself took one step up. With that, they did not look like a family anymore, but rather, a boss with his subordinates.

When Old Master Li alighted from the plane, he scanned the surrounding at once and called for Li Lei to support him. Li Lei was helping him on one arm, while he held Su Tang and Li Rui on the other and spoke to them affectionately. For the whole journey, Tan Ying, the bodyguards, and their family doctor walked behind them — just like a crowd of subordinates clustering around a wealthy family.

A reporter did an analysis on the three positions that everyone had taken and concluded—

Madam Su Tang yearned to stand beside Second Young Master Li, but he felt otherwise. Meanwhile, Old Master Li hoped to act as a matchmaker for both of them. Given the way he stood and moved about, he had completely taken Su Tang to be his granddaughter-in-law.

Xia Ling put the papers down slowly.

She knew there was nothing good about Old Master Li returning.

She stood up and looked out the rooftop office of Phoenix Down Corporation. Skyart Entertainment’s magnificent building was just opposite, and a large crowd of reporters was gathered at the foot of the building with their cameras. They were busy snapping shots of the people entering — Old Master Li, Li Lei, and Su Tang.

Old Master Li was being helped by his grandson, while he held Li Rui in the other hand and spoke with Su Tang.

They appeared to be a harmonious family.

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What was Old Master Li doing at Skyart? To observe them? Or to assert dominance against her? Or was it to announce to the world that Su Tang was the granddaughter-in-law he accepted?

Xia Ling was not sure exactly, but she knew it was nothing good.

She reached out and drew the curtains.

She heard a sneer coming from behind her and turned around.

“Lin Yunan?”

“I knew you’d feel bothered by it.” Lin Yunan exposed her. “So I’m here to remind you — you’re a Diva now, not the little celebrity of the past. Don’t send yourself to be at their mercy. If you’re chased out of their house again like the last time, it’d be utterly embarrassing.”

He couldn’t get over how she was chased out of the Li household years back.

Back then, she was still a minor celebrity and could bear with the disgrace.

But now, her fame and elegance were above all others. If she were to be chased out of someone’s household, it wasn’t just a matter of her pride anymore — her popularity and class would be affected, and her endorsements and advertisements as well.

She couldn’t afford it.

Xia Ling understood that. “Who says I’m going to throw myself at them?”

She looked at her watch.

Lin Yunan knew why she checked the time. “Usually, Li Li would pick you up for dinner at six o’clock sharp. And if you’re busy, he’d prepare some food and bring it over for you. Tsk, it’s almost six, will he be able to make it in time, given that the old man and Su Tang are there?”

“It doesn’t matter even if he can’t make it,” Xia Ling spoke as if it wasn’t a big deal. “Pei Ziheng has been inviting me to his place for a while, to have a taste of the red wine he got at the auction. It’s about time… we opened that wine bottle.”

Lin Yunan felt a chill.

Wow… it sure was scary to offend a woman.

Especially a woman that one could not call his own yet. Just a moment of inattention and she could abandon him.

Lin Yunan was still in a daze when Xia Ling left the room. She went to look for an outfit, some matching accessories, and applied her makeup. By the time she was out of the changing room, she had changed out of her comfortable loose-fitting dress and into a figure-hugging lined with diamonds and gems. Her purse was part of the limited edition set and came with the gown. With her stilettos on, she was simply dazzling.

Lin Yunan gave a whistle. “My queen, where would you like to go?” It was rare to see her dressed like this outside a performance.

Xia Ling smiled, and her shimmery eyeshadow seemed to shine beautifully. “Downstairs.”

She put one hand out, elegantly but naturally.

Meanwhile, it took Lin Yunan a while to realize what it meant before he went up to receive her hand. He thought, Women are horrifying when they’re up for a fight.

He looked up and saw that the clock had struck six exactly.

There were many stories in the Phoenix Down building, and it was designed to look like a phoenix nest — or rather, to look as luxurious as a palace, with every step of the stairway and every floor carpeted. Those who walked on them would feel classy just by setting foot around here.

Lin Yunan helped Xia Ling down every step of the way.

He knew what she was trying to do. Since she wanted to put on an act, she had to do it well.

About one-third of her journey down, they began hearing a commotion downstairs. Slowly, they started noticing flashlights and hearing sounds of a crowd coming up the stairs. Lin Yunan couldn’t help but smile as he whispered to Xia Ling, “It seems like you’re still on that man’s mind. He isn’t so silly as to let you appear in front of his rival dressed like this.”

Xia Ling smiled ever so slightly, almost unnoticeable.