The three were still amidst their conversation when they suddenly heard a racing sounds of footsteps coming toward them. Lifting her chin up, Li Lian saw an old man stepping down the staircase and stopped to fix his eyes toward Li Jun Wei before trailing his eyes at Li Lian's hand that was wrapped lightly over Li Jun Wei's arm.
The old man eyed Li Lian's face, expressively switching his expression which was hard to understand for Li Lian. He looked behind at Li Xiao Chen, speaking with his eyes before walking down toward Li Lian. Li Jun Wei bowed his head, followed by Li Lian reflexively. "Good night, grandfather. I apologize for the late greeting."
Grandfather? Li Lian questioned in her mind, her eyes switched to a surprise one but she kept her surprise hidden well. "Good night, grandfather." her tone was a little unstable but fortunately, no one other than Li Jun Wei could pick up her nervous voice. After the silence which ensued from her greetings, Li Lian kept her lips pursed to a thin line. She waited for Li Bing to reply to her with her heart racing. In her mind questions flooded, what if they see her as a troublemaker? Knowing Li Family and their wealth, it wouldn't be a labor to dig one or two stories of her bad image that was created by Xie Hue Lin. If that happens, would they oppose to their marriage and ask her to divorce Li Jun Wei? She didn't want that to happen.
Li Jun Wei felt her hand tightened over his arm firmly, looking at her expression which was hidden beneath her hair, he covered her hand. Warmth transferred between their touch, the warmth that made her anxious mind calmed again.
"Good! Good!" Li Bing spoke aloud with a wide smile. "Your grandmother and I had been waiting for your arrival!"
Hearing the unexpected words from Li Bing, Li Lian looked up with surprise visible upon her black eyes. They had just met each other when an old woman with a young man walked toward them hurriedly. "You must be, Li Lian." Li Huian said with a gentle expression and patted his husband's shoulder. "What are you doing? Halting one's path, let's go to the family room." Li Huian added hurriedly, pushing the men who don't know the etiquette to greet the new guest to the family.
Li Bing walked up to discuss with Li Jun Wei while Li Huian used her moment when her grandson was preoccupied with his grandfather. Li Lian felt a hand wrapping to her palm to be Li Huian's hand. Smiling gently, the old woman spoke to her. "You must be Li Lian, Xiao- Wei had talked many things about you, I'm very curious to meet you but I heard that you were still in the middle of your rehabilitation. Are you alright now?" her eyes worriedly held Li Lian's gaze. Li Lian was initially worried but after being greeted by the two kind couple it made her forgot what she was worried about before.
"Yes, I am. I apologize for not being able to greet the family earlier, grandmother." Li Lian replied for the old woman to shook her head. "Don't be, I know that it must have been hard for you after the accident. Jun Wei stayed beside you for a very long time and we were worried about his state that time but fortunately, you are awake now and that is the best news." Li Huian was a woman who spoke her heart aloud, perhaps not to other and Li Lian knew she was speaking the words for her sake.
"Thank you, grandmother." She whispered and the old woman's smile became softer. "Let's continue our talk at the family room, I want to know more of you." offering the kind words Li Lian responded with a nod. They walked toward the family room. Li Lian had thought that there was no other house that could be bigger than Li Jun Wei's residence but now she turned her thoughts again. The house was even bigger magnanimous than Li Jun Wei's residence. Although their beauty could be argued, Li Lian had her opinion better at Li Jun Wei's house, partly due to the fact that she felt his home was much of her own home.
The maids that saw the families entering in had their eyes tossing glances around at Li Lian although they didn't dare to do it for a long time, Li Lian didn't miss their probing peer.
"the reasons must have been due to the descending from the outside factors." Li Lian heard Li Jun Wei replying to her grandfather's question of their work matters and had their eyes met each other. Seeing his face, Li Lian unconsciously pulled a smile. Li Jun Wei contagiously smiled for Li Huian and Li Bing exchanged their awed faces.
As the door was opened by the servants, Li Lian entered with Li Huian still holding her palm gently and saw the people across the room sitting together on the couch. The uncles, aunts, and cousins had been waiting for their arrival beheld Li Jun Wei first before their eyes stopped at Li Lian. They had heard Li Jun Wei was married quietly with a woman and had been waiting to meet the woman that he had gotten married too. As the marriage was too sudden, they held the rumors between themself, most of them being one that no one would ever want to hear. Expecting the woman had gotten pregnant before marriage Li Lian noticed them to have their eyes over to her stomach before glancing around to see whether she was holding a baby. Why are they looking at my stomach? Li Lian wondered. Has her stomach become fat after staying all the time at home? She tapped her stomach a little feeling the side figure of her waist when suddenly she hard Li Jun Wei whispering gently beside her. "You are not fat."
She looked at him, whispering back. "And how do you know that? They said people who are often with you wouldn't notice the change." she giggled thinking their little talk ended there.
"I did know it," he lined his hand on his neck vaguely, hinting the woman who made his neck filled with adorable bites and kiss marks that were made not too long ago. "I saw it after all."
Li Lian had her head blanked from his words. Her eyes stared at him, fixing as she felt her whole face turning beet red. "What happened that night?" the words slipped from her rosy lips. "You told me that nothing happened."
Li Jun Wei saw a strand of hair staying on the side of her cheeks and reached out his fingers to brush away the strand. "Nothing did happen." His minty breaths brushed her eyelashes. "If that is what you remembered."