"Ah Li, I think it's time that you show them their rightful place. I mean, look at you now. Why are you even afraid of seeing those scum? If you want I will cancel my filming and accompany you to Hong Kong! Let's face-slap that family with money! Hmph!"
Lily let out a chuckle at the sight of her best friend's over dramatic gestures. "Ah Shan, you really should stop directing films and start a career in acting instead. I think it would suit you better."
Li Shanshan pursed her lips before rolling her eyes at her friend. "You are trying to change the subject here! I will accompany you to see them next week! Let's see if they will dare underestimate you once they see who you are now."
Seeing Lily turn silent at her words, Li Shanshan did not continue to voice out her opinion anymore. She poured another glass of red ginseng tea and gave it to Lily Qin. "Alright, have some ginseng tea… Ah Li, you really should stop drinking like this ah." She let out a sigh. "Here, my grandmother specially cooked this and asked me to give this to you. This will help with your hangover."
Lily Qin continued to drink the tea silently and ate the rice cakes that Li Shanshan gave her. She looked at the time and grabbed her phone from the bedside table next to her.
"I called your secretary before I came today," she heard Li Shanshan mutter. "You're lucky I decided to visit you today. Or else no one would take care of your drunk ass again."
"Thank you, Ah Shan," Lily softly said before smiling at her.
"Alright, stop giving me that smile of yours. I will go make some porridge for breakfast."
Lily watched as her friend walked out of her room before the smile on her face disappeared. She furrowed her brows while clutching her head. Li Shanshan was right. She really should not have drank that much last night.
She let out a long sigh. Her face slowly turned pensive. Seven years ago, her grandmother, Ye Xiaoxuan was also helpless. She was not able to help her. In the end, she ended up hating her for what happened.
However, years later, Lily Qin realized how dumb she was for hating the only person who loved her in the Qin family. She felt deeply embarrassed for what she did. She had not even considered calling her to apologize in the past.
Now, she could only regret everything and wish that her grandmother could forgive her.
She then thought about the events that transpired seven years ago.
As the young miss of the prominent Qin family, Lily's life was not what everyone expected it to be. Her stepmother, Tang Lingyun, never allowed Lily to develop her skills and talents. Since Lily was born with a weak constitution, she forbade her to attend events under the pretense of being caring towards her. Everyone applauded her stepmother for her kindness.
Of course, even Lily was fooled and thought that her stepmother truly cared for her. That was until she met the boy whom she was supposed to marry, Xuan Hui. He was the young master of the Xuan Household, another prominent family in the country.
The Old Masters of the Xuan and Qin families were once comrades. Because of this, they promised to have their eldest grandson and granddaughter marry. And that was Xuan Hui and Lily Qin. At first, her stepmother, Tang Lingyun, raged when she found out about this arrangement. She wanted her daughter, Qin Fei, to marry Xuan Hui, not the foreigner, Lily. However, with Lily's grandmother's support, Tang Lingyun was helpless and was forced to accept the engagement.
Lily thought that everything was fine, that fate had favored her for giving her such an outstanding future husband. Who would have thought that it was just her wishful thinking?
Together, Tang Lingyun, Qin Fei, and Xuan Hui thought of a scheme that would even render her grandmother useless. They thought of a way to embarrass her and make her the laughingstock of the whole country.
Lily Qin let out another sigh, refusing to think of the things that happened on her supposed wedding day anymore. She then went to the bathroom and took a quick shower before going to her kitchen to eat whatever her best friend had cooked.
"Come, come… give my new porridge recipe a taste. I learned how to cook it when I was in Thailand last weekend. Hahaha. Ah Li, I met this businessman who looks really smart. I want to introduce him to you…I feel like you two will like each other..." Li Shanshan continued her endless chatter. She started telling Lily everything about her trip abroad.
Lily nodded her head as she silently listened to her friend. She was already used to Li Shanshan's chattering.
"I was thinking of visiting Hong Kong next week for a film that I am working on. The company is looking for an Asian actress that we could use. Do you want to come with me so we could settle the Will and you could move on with your life?" Li Shanshan asked, concern written all over her face. She knew how the Qin family still affected her best friend, and this was the only way that she could think of helping her.
"Alright," Lily answered while resisting the urge to tell her friend that she had long moved on. Although she didn't want to see anyone from the Qin family, she wanted to see her grandmother for one last time.
"Really?" Li Shanshan asked, excited. "Like, are you sure?"
"Why not? I am not afraid of them. Plus, I need to take care of the business we just acquired."
"You mean the Arison's?" Li Shanshan laughed. "Aiya… I always knew you had a hidden agenda for agreeing to marry that ass. Hahaha…"
Lily Qin only shrugged at her words. Liam Arison wanted to marry her because of the Facci family's influence. He thought that by marrying the heiress of the Facci family he would be able to save their subsidiaries abroad. He thought that he could hide his illicit relationship with his younger cousin and childhood lover.
Did he think that Lily Qin could become a tycoon at this age if she were dumb?