His Rui

After the study room was finally empty, Xi Ying put away his cold façade and leaned against the headrest of his chair.

His eyes had the pain as he remembered what An Shing had told him just now.

After so much had happened, he had now learned to read Li Rui's moves and mind.

How could he not know what Li Rui was trying to do?

She was filling her courtyard again with her own people to protect herself and her children…against him.

Xi Ying smiled bitterly.

'How can I make you understand that I am the last person you need to be wary of, Rui?'

He already had asked An Shing to allow a few people inside the Plum Courtyard as long as Li Rui wanted them inside.

An Ju had told him how Li Rui had asked her whether she was kept by her side to keep an eyes on her.

Xi Ying sighed again. 

'Let her do whatever makes her feel safe. As long as she was no leaving Xi Manor, he could do anything for her.' 

  His thoughts were interrupted when the door of his study room was knocked.

Xi Ying's eyes instantly had his usual coldness and indifference as he permitted whoever was outside to enter the room.

An Shing stepped inside the study room and Xi Ying frowned as the shadow guard had left only a few moments ago.

On the other hand, An Shing bowed his head.

His face didn't have any emotion when he informed Xi Ying.

"Master, First Madam Li, and her eldest daughter had come to Xi Manor. Both of them are already inside Plum Courtyard."

An Shing didn't address Li Rong and Li Na as Li Rui's relatives.

After he had seen whatever happened during the banquet, he didn't think that they deserved to be his master's wife's relative.

While Xi Ying's eyes were cold and his lips had a cold smile.     

'It seems that these foolish people don't understand his soft language.' 

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Inside the Plum Courtyard, Li Rui was sitting in the front hall with Li Hua standing behind her chair.

In front of her, Li Rong and Li Na sat on their chair placed around the round table. None of them spoke making the front hall silent.

"Rui, how have you been? Everyone in the Li Manor worries about you."

Li Rong suddenly asked in a very soft voice with concern all over her face, She looked completely different from how she was scolding Li Rui on the third day of the banquet.

Li Rui, however, looked very calm as she answered Li Rong's question.

"First Aunt does not need to worry about Rui. Rui is living very well in Xi Manor."

From the corner of her eyes, she glanced at the silent Li Na who had her head lowered since the moment she had entered Plum Courtyard.

Doubt flashed through her eyes as she immediately sensed that all of this pretense could be a part of Li Na's some new plan.   

Standing behind her, Li Hua's thoughts were no different from Li Rui.

"First Aunt suddenly visited Rui…is everything alright in Li Manor?"

Li Rui asked calmly as she picked the cup of tea form the table in front of her and took a sip from it.

A nervous smile lingered on Li Rong's lips when she heard Li Rui's question and it didn't go unnoticed from Li Rui's eyes.

Li Na whose head was lowered cleverly held her mother's hand under the table as if silently reminding her purpose of their visit.

She could not help but smirk as she remembered her mother's plan.

'We will first make Li Rui agree. After that, she herself will talk to Lord Xi about this matter. Didn't you see how much Lord Xi care for Rui? If Rui will talk to Lord Xi…then he would not be able to refuse her and after everything is decided, we will inform your father.'

It was a good plan or that was what she thought.

Li Na knew that Li Rui knows about their plan against her four years ago…that it was she and Li Caihong who drugged her. That's was why she was afraid that Li Rui would reveal it in front of everyone if she went against Li Rui again.

Hence, she could only use her mother and father to do what she wanted. However, since her mother refused to tell her father anything and came up with such plan …it made everything easier for her.   

She came out of her thoughts when she finally heard her mother saying

"Rui, actually…Aunt came here to have an important talk with you."

Li Rong said hesitantly.

Caressing the rim of cup in her hands with her fingers, Li Rui hummed and said to Li Rong.

"Sure, Aunt can go ahead."

Li Rong smiled as she looked at her daughter, Li Na's lowered head and then looked at Li Rui as she started

"Rui, you already know what happened to your sisters during the banquet."

Li Rui nodded her head as she set down the cup in her hands on the table and Li Rong continued

"Rui, you must know what kind of rumor would be going around the city after all this, after all, you have experienced this four years ago yourself."

Li Rong said her words without any hesitation.

Li Hua looked furious at her words while Li Rui still looked very calm as she waited for Li Rong to continue

"Rui, it is very difficult for your sisters to get a good house to marry now...so Aunt is here with a request from you."

Li Rong looked at Li Rui to say something like 'Rui will help Aunt' but Li Rui didn't say anything and it made Li Rong's heart fill with frustration.

She looked at Li Rui with scrutinizing eyes as she tried to check whether Li Rui was doing it intentionally but seeing her calm face, Li Rong could not conclude that.

Her head was also starting to ache so she pressed her temples with her hand.

She looked around the courtyard that looked so isolated from other courtyards in Xi Manor and Li Rong's eyes flashed suddenly.

Looking at Li Rui again, a thought suddenly entered Li Rong's mind and her heart became excited again.

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Hello Lovelies, the author had made an Instagram account. If you are on Instagram you can follow me. My username is ada52_53. A few pics that I find suitable for some scenes in the novel, I will post there. Those who were rewarded with a 100 coin coupon code but still didn't get it, can also contact me through Instagram also. Also, I am thinking of making a server on discord where spoilers for further chapters will be shared every few days. Do tell me if you readers are interested because all of this is new for me and I need your support. You can leave a comment if you want such a server or not. It will mean a lot to me. 

Thanks for reading 

Ada:)