Chapter 281 My Youth
Unlike many of the grandmothers eyeing the young man in hopes of introducing their granddaughters, Hua Yuxi did not like Yang Feng a bit. A relationship with that man would be simply too dangerous — she knew of his background. Ruling over the Wangs from behind the curtains was none other than this Matriarch, who refused to let anything come in harm's way of her grandchildren — especially Zhao Lifei.
"Wai-po, where is Yang Feng going to sit?" Zhao Lifei questioned upon realizing the chair beside her was occupied. That was strange. She had informed her grandmother in advance that Yang Feng would be coming. How come there was not a seat reserved for him? Unless, she did not like him even before the meeting…
"Oh him? He can sit at the table in the corner." And far away from you. Hua Yuxi thought to herself, hiding the smile on her face.
She ignored the chilly air from behind her, turning summer into winter. She was not daft. He was a Yang and any inch of disrespect towards them would not be tolerated — no matter who they were, unless, it was Zhao Lifei. For her, Yang Feng was willing to bend all sorts of rules as long as she could remain nestled in his arms and within his reach. She seated him in a place that was far from the main table, but still in a respectable area surrounded by esteemed guests.
"Wai-po." Zhao Lifei squeezed Hua Yuxi's hand to grab her attention when she was seated down. "Who is sitting beside me?"
"You'll find out soon enough." Hua Yuxi gently stroked Zhao Lifei's cheek before she allowed herself to be whisked away by the other guests.
Yang Feng placed his hand behind Zhao Lifei's chair, standing in front of her. "She does not like me."
Zhao Lifei strained her smile as she grabbed the one hand resting on his side. His rough, calloused skin met hers and she gripped his hand tighter. "Just a bit, but she'll warm up to you. Don't be angry."
Yang Feng's thumb brushed her chin, stroking her soft skin. He was irked and displeased at the old woman's treatment towards him. No one was that audacious and bold to blatantly disrespect him. He could see where Zhao Lifei got her behavior from, combined from the one she learned from Zhao Moyao, Zhao Lifei was quite a fearless little thing.
Captivated by her eyes, with lightened hues because of the crystal chandelier above her and her skin that glistened in a healthy glow, he could see the love she had for him tucked between the folds of her eyes. He was at a loss for words.
She loosely wrapped her arms around him, resting her head upon his body. She could feel her grandmother's dissatisfied stares, combined with the envious and scheming ones of others. She did not pay attention to the latter.
Yang Feng's heart melted at her gesture. He caressed her hair before he nodded his head. In a mellow and calm voice, he whispered, "Alright, my love." He bent down and kissed the top of her head, gave the area a pat, and then stood to his full height to play with her hair. He was mindful of the people's curious and nosy eyes upon him, but as long as she did not care, he did not either.
- - - - -
The dinner had started.
Zhao Lifei sat down on her chair with the desire of personally speaking to her grandmother, but the minute she sat down, the gossiping aunties struck up a conversation with her. She was placed just one seat away from her grandmother, but with how talkative these women were, she knew she would have no way into the conversation.
The seat beside her was pulled out and down sat a man. She sighed. So her grandmother truly was attempting to set her up with another man.
"It's very nice to meet you, Zhao Lifei." He began, turning around to charm her with a thousand-watt smile. "I'm sure my mother must have already introduced me, but I am the Vice President of Ren Toy Inc."
A tall presence approached him from behind whose murderous chill was like a hand that strangled his throat.
"Scram." Yang Feng snarled, hands tucked inside of his pockets, with the appearance of a triad leader. His soulless eyes landed upon the man and he did not need to be told twice.
He left his seat and went elsewhere, presumably towards his mother.
Hua Yuxi glanced up, a disapproving frown on her face, but Yang Feng surprised her by pushing the chair into the table. He did not plan on sitting down beside her.
Hua Yuxi felt a bit nervous when Yang Feng's dark, sinister eyes pierced hers as if warning her to back off. He then bent down to give Zhao Lifei a peck on her cheek and walked back to his table, leaving a heavy silence in the atmosphere.
The seat next to her remained empty the entire dinner.
Soon, the lively chatter resumed when waiters came out with plates of food.
- - - - -
Zhao Lifei approached her grandmother with a single question, "Putting the lines aside, there are other reasons you do not like him. Am I right?"
Hua Yuxi turned around to face her granddaughter whose piercing stare resembled Zhao Moyao.
"Take a stroll with me through the gardens." Hua Yuxi's voice sounded older to Zhao Lifei. In her years of absence, she did not realize just how old her grandmother was getting. She did not want such a thing to happen, but time was running out faster than she could chase it.
Zhao Lifei glanced back where Yang Feng was standing in a corner, watching her like a hawk. Rarely touching his food during dinner and never indulging in the conversations people tried to strike up with him; all of his attention was dedicated to her. No matter where she went, she was within his line of sight.
Zhao Lifei's head tilted to the large french doors that lead to the gardens. Then she folded her elbows and allowed Hua Yuxi to place a hand on the nook of her bent arm. Together the two strolled down the Millenium Path Garden, a place she frequented in her youth. The peach blossoms had yet to shed their petals, presenting a wondrous world of pink and white, a tranquil and breathtaking scenery to witness when the wind picked up.
"In the viewpoint of a bachelorette, Yang Feng is a well-sought out one. Many would kiss the ground he walked on." Hua Yuxi started off. Her fingers brushed against a petal that softly fell off a leaf. "But you are not like that. You do not cling onto him nor do you chase him. He likes that because you are different."
She sharply turned around. "But what about your other characteristics? What happens when this push-and-pull game ends? What shall happen to your relationship then? " She answered her questions for Zhao Lifei. "He will grow old of this game. He will grow old of your feistiness." She spoke from experience.
In her youth, her behavior greatly resembled Zhao Lifei's. The Head of the Wang Monarch was deeply infatuated by her because she was different from the rest. When women did everything to please him, she did everything to annoy him.
He chased after her, tripping over his legs, and when he finally conquered her, he soon became bored with her. The game was, after all, over. The chase was done. What was still left to do?
His feelings towards her were intrigued that a woman half his size could have that much confidence bottled up inside of her.
He did not love her.
He loved the idea of conquering a stubborn little thing like her. And look at where it landed her; a marriage tainted with affairs. After placing Hua Yuxi in his house, like a trophy, he sought after other trophies who would also give him a hard time. In order to secure her position, Hua Yuxi birthed him many children.
"You can tell me all you want that he is a different man from my husband." Hua Yuxi did not hide a lot of secrets from Zhao Lifei. When Zhao Lifei was younger, Hua Yuxi had already told her everything there was to know about her relationship with Patriarch Wang.
Zhao Lifei knew what her grandmother was referring to. Even now, her maternal grandfather was nowhere in sight. It was his wife's birthday, but he was trying to conceive another's birthday. "He loves me and I love him."
"Love... what a wonderful yet tainted word. A person's heart can be changed like a light switch. Once he sees someone who gives him a harder time than you, will his heart remain true? You are beginning to relent to him because of your feelings. You've been acquired by him."
"Do not make the same mistakes that I have made, child." Hua Yuxi gave Zhao Lifei's hand a gentle pat. "I do not want to see you bear the same pain and frustration I did in my youth."