On the other side of the City S, a certain man sat on his executive chair, with his feet at the edge of the table. The flat screen TV was currently showing the recent happenings outside the Li Headquarters.
Rubbing his chin, he cannot help but shook his head. CEO Li has made a mistake. Although Young Master Li was not interested in the CEO position, his younger sister was definitely eyeing the position. And knowing Young Miss Li's creativity on business, he can say that CEO Li's foresight faltered on this one.
What will his woman do? Licking his lips, anticipation flashed in his charcoal eyes. "I know you will not disappoint me, babe," he whispered, standing up and heading towards the adjoining door of his office.
Meanwhile, after the call has ended, Li Nuxie's heavy breathing made Hong Chi squirmed in her seat. The rough texture of her denim shorts provided comfort to her clammy hands. Although Li Nuxie doesn't throw things when she's angry, or at least, Hong Chi hadn't seen her doing it, she knew from her grim expression that a tribulation was in order.
Hong Chi's mouth set in a hard line when she thought about Liu Lanzhi. Li Nuxie might allow her opponents to achieve a spare but never a strike. She will demolish all her pins at the first instance before the other side got the chance.
With a tight-lipped smile and eyes that burned with anger, Hong Chi knew that her friend was slowly descending into the abyss, with no chance of redemption. Putting her fingers over her lips, Hong Chi's arm leaned on the table, supporting her chin. She straightened her back when Li Nuxie stood up abruptly.
"Xiexie, where are you going?"
"Out," Li Nuxie replied curtly.
Hong Chi sighed exasperatedly, rubbing the back of her neck as her sight followed Li Nuxie disappearing from the kitchen door.
Li Nuxie did not bring her car when she left the Hong Ancestral House. Wearing a black hooded jacket, she wandered through the streets, counting each step she took. Taking only a credit card, she placed her hands inside her pockets. She didn't even bring a mobile phone.
Although the ancestral houses of Hongs and Lis were in the same community, the Lis was far from the Hongs so Li Nuxie was not worried that she will see anyone from the Lis. The Pavilion was three kilometers away from the main road. But Li Nuxie did not notice it. She was a runner way back in the university. She was also used on walking long distances as part of her training when she climbed mountains.
The honk of the car brought back Li Nuxie to her senses. A yellow Audi TTS Coupé drifted near her, the screech made her jump. The car window went down, revealing Li Chanying with eyes that flickered with worry.
"Xiexie, hop in!"
Li Nuxie peered at her cousin. Her eyes were filled of mixed hesitation and anxiety.
"Come on, I'll give you a ride. It's not practical to walk right now." Li Chanying continued. She held her breath as she eyed Li Nuxie. When her cousin walked towards the car slowly, Li Chanying blew a sigh of relief.
Li Nuxie got inside the car and wore the seatbelt. "Bring me to Townsquare," she told Li Chanying.
"Right away," Li Chanying put her right foot on the brake pedal and pushed it down. Keeping her foot on the brake pedal, she shifted the gear lever into "Drive" as the car started moving.
Li Nuxie kept mum throughout the whole drive as her cousin kept glancing at her, the grip on the steering wheel was rather tight. However, she was not in the mood to break the silence. She leaned her head against the car window, thinking of her current predicament. Closing her eyes, the conversation between her and Li Jiayie played in her mind. A knot formed in the middle of her brows.
Li Chanying stepped on the brake. Slightly opening her eyes, Li Nuxie saw a red light. They already reached the Horseshoe Drive. Both sides were jampacked with different kinds of car.
"Why is the media branding that witch the next empress? She's so pretentious. Duh," Li Chanying sneered.
Li Nuxie turned her head towards the woman in the driver seat. "Who?"
Li Chanying didn't speak. She doesn't need to. Li Nuxie already caught it in her sight. In a building not far from them, the LED billboard has displayed the smiling picture of Liu Lanzhi, taken outside the Li Headquarters. Under her picture was a question "The next empress of City S?"
The reigning empress of City S was Xu Hina, just because her daughter-in-law was a half-foreigner. The City S was very much traditional, often rude to those of mixed descent. However, during the recent years, the city has been slowly accepting foreigners particularly those in entertainment and modelling industries.
By tradition, the empress of City S was the Young Madam of Xu Family. The City S was the business capital of Country C. Of course, the acceptance of the business world played a great role in that title. The Empress of City S embodies elegance and intelligence.
Li Nuxie's shoulders shook until she cannot hold it. Her laughter erupted inside the car. Li Chanying's eyes went wide as she stared at her cousin. Did she lose it?
Tears formed at the corners of Li Nuxie's eyes. She wiped it with her fingers.
"Empress, you say?"
"I didn't say that. You're more empress material compared to her," Li Chanying rolled her eyes.
"Of course. A thief is no empress," she paused as she curled her lips. "But an empress can be a thief."
Once again, the car moved along the busy thoroughfare.
"What's your plan, Xiexie? You know that woman—"
"Don't worry about it," Li Nuxie cut her. "A lowly woman wants to demolish me? She must be dreaming. Grandma might have adopted her, but that ends there."
Li Chanying's sight was focused on the road ahead. "Even so, she's already the next CEO. Grandma might give her the go-signal to marry First Young Master Xu. I mean, you know, she's very vocal about it," she glanced at her cousin before keeping her eyes on the road.
Li Nuxie tilted her head, her mouth curved into a smirk. "I'll ready my popcorn, then. I want to see how she will accept the rejection."
"How sure are you that First Young Master Xu will not accept her? Her body is to die for!" Li Chanying exclaimed.
She glared at Li Chanying. "Which team are you?"
"Hehe. I'm on your side, of course," her back shrinking at the tone of Li Nuxie's voice.
The car stopped at the vicinity of Townsquare. Before going down of the car, Li Nuxie threw her cousin a glance. "Be a darling and pick me up here three hours later."
Li Chanying just nodded. Whoever dares to defy the sleeping volcano? Oh wait, their grandma just did.
The sun was slowly setting down in the horizon, the reddish-orange glow was visible from where she stood. Strolling around the square with no particular destination, Li Nuxie's throat constricted. Her brother was happy, actually happy was an understatement. Li Chao was ecstatic when he knew that Liu Lanzhi was chosen instead of Li Nuxie, her own sister.
That's all she knew. But for Li Chao, he will not allow Li Nuxie to walk towards the path filled with distrust and destruction. It doesn't matter if it was Liu Lanzhi. She was already a poisonous woman. Little did he know that her sister will soon walk the same path.
Sitting on a bench, Li Nuxie's stiff shoulders gradually lost its pressure. Her eyes wandered around the park, noticing some teenagers bantering with each other. Their voice was so loud Li Nuxie can practically hear what they were saying to each other.
"Come on, it's ten thousand dollars. That's pretty much money," a teenage boy with red hair spoke.
"I know. But you know what will happen if I lose. They'll have my head," a lanky teenage boy said. He was biting his lips as he peered at his friends through his thick eyeglasses.
"What are you afraid for?" a third boy butt in. "You've been playing Forza Horizon for the last two years and you haven't lost yet."
Forza Horizon? Li Nuxie furrowed her eyebrows. That was her favorite car racing game. Whenever she has a free time, she will play it at home. However, she stopped when she went to Town G. Unstable internet connection and the fact that she doesn't want Li Chanying to track her down made her stop playing.
She stood up from where she sat and walked towards them.
"Uhm, excuse me?" a smile broke out from her lips. The three teenage boys stared at Li Nuxie with curious eyes. "I've heard you're playing Forza Horizon?"
"So what? Stay out of our business," the red-haired boy spat the words out.
Li Nuxie's jaw clenched. This boy has no manners at all. But anyway, if they don't want her help, then fine. She shrugged her shoulders. "Okay, my bad. But if I have to trouble you, can you tell me where the nearest computer café is?"
"Google is your friend," the red-haired boy answered rudely.
Li Nuxie's hands rolled into fists. How come teenagers were so disrespectful today?
"Uhm, t-there's an underground café not far from here," the lanky boy butt in.
The red-haired boy punched him at the shoulder making him winced. "You shouldn't have told her!"
"Stop it!" She pulled the boy to her side, placing her arms over his shoulder. "How could you just punch your friend?"
"We. Do. Not. Have. A. Friend. Who. Is. A. Loser," both of the teenage boys ran away from them.
Li Nuxie gazed at the lanky boy in front of her. His bones were almost protruding while his eyes were sunken beneath the thick eyeglass. "Where do you live?"
"With my step-dad," he whispered. When his stomach growled, he lowered his head. His cheeks were now covered in red tint.
Looking up in the sky, Li Nuxie sighed. "I'll bring you to one of my favorite places here in City S. In return, I want you to bring me to this underground café. Do we have a deal?"
The boy peered at her, a crease was visible in his eyebrows.
"Don't worry, I just want to play. I meant no harm," Li Nuxie reassured the boy.
After eyeing Li Nuxie for some time, the boy finally nodded.