Chen Yi had always been curious about Li Luxian Uncle's side of the family. Even after her marriage, both Li Luxian and his family never introduced her to their family.
It appeared they had some reservations from his Uncle's side...
But aren't reservations for those who can't be trusted? So as to say, his own extended family side can't be trusted?
But then Chen Yi thought back to her own family, thinking of their flowery words all the while keeping a knife deeply hidden to stab her at the weakest point.
Her family owned but little wealth compared to the Li Empire. And look what sort of conflicts spurred owing of that wealth.
Then the Li family assets were insurmountable. All sorts of power struggles, greed would make it impossible for genuine familial feelings to exist.
The so-called extended family should be the first one to be suspected of any conspiracy.
"You have to stay cautious." Li Luxian's said, confirming she had to attend. The gathering couldn't be avoided. Now with grandmother's presence, it couldn't be.
She had to attend. Likewise, she had to be on guard.
Chen Yi debated whether to ask this or not. But she could not hold it in, Li Shanguaan's grieve-stricken face carved a hole in her chest. "About your grandmother..." Chen Yi paused to have Li Luxian's full attention. "Li Yuan told me that she dotes on you a lot. She had woven herself woven a sweater for you. To go as far as this, I assume she is certainly not someone stingy with emotions. Am I right?"
How could she have made things difficult for Li Shanguaan when she viewed Li Shanguaan's son so favorably.
This... didn't make sense.
"Li Yuan is growing more and more talkative, I observe. Someone needs to pull back his reins." Recalling the memory of the specific sweater that had Chen Yi mistook Li Luxian for a bumpkin, Li Luxian's eyes darkened.
"Hey, forget the past. Let's focus on the problem at hand." Chen Yi waved her hand before Li Luxian having an idea what was going through his head.
Li Luxian sighed. "Grandmother is not bad at heart." He revealed with a complicated expression. "It's just she is somewhat naive, easy to manipulate. You have met my grandfather. He is somewhat strict, likes to handle things on his own, has a somewhat traditional view when it comes to women. My grandmother being the typical housewife back from the olden days, lacks exposure. Furthermore, both my grandfather and grandmother were the only offsprings in their generation. She didn't have to face competition, she doesn't understand all those things as family politics."
Chen Yi got a general understanding of things.
...
Ye Zan, Li Guan Yu, Li Min, Li Quang.
"Mother, you are here." As soon as the car arrived at the door, Ye Zan approached to receive Li Bei Yuan. Her weariness depicted she had been on the stand for a long while, waiting for her mother-in-law. Despite this, she energetically said. "Let me help you up. Where is Father-in-law, he couldn't manage to make it?"
"Your father-in-law had other things to do." Li Bei Yuan replied before angrily saying. "How many times I have told you not to wait for me? Look at you now!"
"This... Mother-in-law." Ye Zan looked embarrassed before hurriedly changing the subject. "You are here early, others have yet to arrive, I'm afraid Mother would get bored."
Li Bei Yuan's face was plump and roseate sporting only but a few signs of advancing age. If there was one thing that indicated her advanced age, that was those untouched white hair, thick, undyed, and plentiful tied neatly over her head. A string of buddha's beads hung around her neck. She supported herself with a walking stick, she looked healthy and robust.
There was a subtle hint of attractiveness, one could tell during her adulthood she had been one devastating beauty.
Unlike Li Fu Tong, there wasn't a hint of strictness or severity in her presence. Instead, the air around her was quite gentle.
"Nonsense! How could I get bored? I couldn't wait to see my grandchildren. Of course, I had to come early."
"Mother came early to greet them but I'm afraid... they..." Ye Zan's voice died down as Li Min approached Li Bei Yuan.
"Grandmother, you are here." Putting her arms around, she gave Li Bei Yuan a light hug before holding don't her hands and acting spoiled. "Grandmother, you always have Li Luxain in your mind; I even heard you personally knit him a sweater. Grandmother, I'm also your granddaughter, why don't you pay attention to me?"
"This..." Li Bei Yuan didn't know how to reply but her heart couldn't help but warm up at the sight of her granddaughter. She touched her head, affectionately. "Grandmother would make you something next time, alright?"
"Min'er stop annoying your grandmother." Her mother, Ye Zan reprimanded her daughter. "Are you trying to compete with your cousin? Li Luxain is the first grandson of the Li family. Of course, grandmother would dote on him more. You are a girl, know your position."
Li Min pouted in protest, her eyes tearing but she nodded in acquiescence before stepping away from Li Bei Yuan.
"Ye Zan, don't be harsh on the girl. Although girls can't carry on the family's name, Min'er has our Li family blood running through her. How could she be ignored?" Although Li Bei Yuan said this, hey eyes still wandered around. "Speaking of which, where is Li Luxian?"
Neither Li Min nor Ye Zan spoke.
"Mother, he is not here yet. Why don't we head inside?" She rushed forward to help Li Bei Yuan.
"Why is he not here yet? Wouldn't he always be the first one to come out to greet me?" Li Bei Yuan expression changed.
"Grandmother, cousin just got married. Of course, he won't have too much free time for the family any longer." Li Min laughed.
It was supposed to be a light-hearted comment but those words made Li Veui Yuan smile disappear completely before she said. "Oh, so it's like this."
"Min'er, how many times I have to tell you not to interrupt when elders are speaking? Where are your manners?"
Li Min bit her lips before bowing her head in embarrassment. "I'm sorry Mother, I was just joking."
"Ye Zan, don't scold the child." Li Bei Yuan sighed as they walked towards the manor. "Didn't Li Guang change a lot when he married that woman? He had been obedient all his life. But after marrying her, he even openly disobeyed his father." Li Bein Yuan shared what was in her heart without any reserve. That's how she had always been.
"Mother shouldn't blame brother-in-law; he had his heart set on sister-in-law. There are some things that are not under one's control. If not for this, would he ever had been disobedient? Anyhow, it all happened in the past." Ye Zan never said a word that would make Li Bei Yuan think negatively of Li Shanguaan and his family.
And Li Bei Yuan noted that and appreciated that. And she let down her guard.
As she thought over Ye Zan's words, as if sudden lighting came down crashing, her heart froze.
Author Note
The novel is based on a Chinese world.
Chinese people, the older generation in particular still hold these believes that boys are superior and extend family tree while girls are to married away.
There is also this scene of believing in monks, spiritual things, and marriage should be decided by parents, respect for elders no matter what they do, filial piety, and other such cultural things. These things are also present in other Asian countries.
Even though the culture is fading in the newer generation, it is prominent in the older generation.
Since the novel setting depicts a modern Chinese setting, with Chinese Pinyan names for characters and all, to give a realistic approach to the story progression such things are included by the author.