Lu Meirong stood frozen for a moment, the realization sinking in like a stone dropped into a pond. She couldn't deny the truth staring her in the face. That old man, Lijuan's grandfather, was the root cause of it all. She should have known he wouldn't easily relinquish control over his granddaughter, Lijuan. It was a miracle he had allowed Lijuan to be under her command for this long. But now, seeing Lijuan's outburst, she cursed the old man inwardly, wondering why he couldn't just disappear from their lives.
Summoning her best pitiful act, Lu Meirong turned to Lijuan, her eyes pleading. "An An, you know Old Master Hua doesn't approve of me. He must have said something to turn you against me. After everything we've been through, can't you trust me?"
