Lijuan was shocked upon hearing what her cousin just told her. She felt scared, so she quickly called Xiaohui to accompany her and tell her everything.
The first successor among the cousins, Cui Ying, the oldest, is planning on assassinating her based on what her cousin, his sister, said.
Cui Ying is known as the notorious "what he wants is what he gets" guy. He doesn't back down on challenges, especially if they involve the grand fortune of the Cui family.
He's been trying to get inside the Ren Family business, trying to propose projects, but would always be rejected for being too simple and too expensive for society.
Ren Family would want to dedicate its other businesses to everyone, wanting to give equal rights to the wealthy and the poor in the main city.
Yet, all Ying wanted was a dime of their multi-billion-dollar industry because that would set the whole Cui family on a whole new level.
And when the Master of the Cui announced that whoever is closest to the Ren family, he'll reward them with the whole Cui fortune to handle.
Whether they are a woman or a man.
And almost everyone went to work immediately. The Master of Cui would announce who had made the greatest progress, and it would always be Lijuan.
Considering she's inside one of the companies where the alleged heir of the Ren family is working as the CEO, as well as someone tipping them that the CEO is residing in Jiangqiao.
They have seen Jiang Yanlin continuously around Jiangqiao.
The situation upsets Ying; he was sudden to decide to execute Lijuan to remove one of his competitors.
"Lijuan."
The mentioned woman looks up from the table and sighs, seeing Xiaohui with Meixiu in the restaurant. She quickly stands and hugs the former while smiling at the latter.
They broke the hug immediately, and Meixiu was quick to pull a chair for Xiaohui and help Lijuan sit down on hers.
"What's the matter? You sound so disturbed on the call."
"Ying wanted me killed."
"Does your grandpa know?"
Xiaohui suddenly felt scared for her friend. She wouldn't be able to do anything to protect the woman, unless...
She looked in front of her, seeing Meixiu attentively listening to Lijuan's answer to her wife's question, and Xiaohui suddenly had an idea.
Considering she's married to the successor of a mafia clan that has been actively dominating the notorious space of the illegal world, isn't it a great security her friend can have?
But then, Meixiu told her that she'd be stopping the illegal activities the clan had done and going the good route.
So what's the point of trying to ask for better security?
"What am I going to do?"
Lijuan couldn't help but cry in front of the couple, her hand hiding her face, not wanting anyone in the restaurant to see her in this state.
The food came in. Lijuan ordered in advance not to waste any time because she knew she was being followed, and she felt relieved when Xiaohui went immediately.
"Thank you."
Meixiu helped the staff put down the food on the table, not wanting to spoil the moment between the two friends who were both scared and Xiaohui comforting Lijuan.
Meixiu let Xiaohui sit beside Lijuan; they were facing each other, and she saw how her wife looked at her earlier as if she were thinking of something.
She's not dumb, and she knows it's probably about Lijuan's safety. But Xiaohui chose to stay quiet about it.
Does that mean she made a great decision by telling Xiaohui that she's a mafia member, or worse, the mob boss herself?
But then it could be that she's thinking of another way.
"Lijuan, I'm sure they'll never touch you."
"Xiaohui, I don't know anymore. I don't feel safe in my apartment."
Meixiu tensed up when her wife glanced at her; it felt like Xiaohui's calculating her next move, and she already knew what the woman would offer her friend.
"You can stay in our house for a few weeks."
Xiaohui stares at Meixiu as if waiting for what the taller woman would say. Meixiu smiled and nodded, her hand sliding towards Xiaohui's, which lay on the table.
The smaller woman smiles widely at her action. Lijuan looks up from her hand, her eyes tearing up more at what she heard from her best friend.
"Are you sure? Auntie might get mad."
"I'm sure she'll be alright with it."
"Thank you so much!"
Lijuan sobs, her hands wiping the tears that fall from her eyes as she sniffs in the process.
She quickly grabbed her handkerchief to wipe away the mess she had made. She smiles at the couple and invites them to eat the food she ordered.
-
"Where will she be sleeping?"
Lijuan hears the conversation inside the main bedroom, which is where Xiaohui and Xiaowen are talking to each other.
Meixiu put down the tea she made on the coffee table, which the smaller woman was grateful for, and thanked her.
"It seems like Auntie can't accept it."
Lijuan said, her eyes darting at the door and hearing Xiaohui explain things to her mother.
Of course, leaving the details of Lijuan wanting to be killed by her family member.
Because that will potentially scare Xiaowen and not let Lijuan stay for a while.
Meixiu sighs and sits down on the couch beside Lijuan. The woman glances at her a little before grabbing the tea cup and sipping a little.
"How are you going to sleep here?"
Lijuan opened up a conversation, seeing as the couch is smaller than Meixiu's tall complexity. The taller woman smiles and leans back on the couch rest.
"I can manage."
"No, seriously, you'll have back pains. You should sleep properly on the bed."
"Lijuan, don't mind me. I'm alright."
Meixiu said, standing back up from the couch as soon as the door opened, revealing a smiling Xiaowen with Xiaohui following her behind.
"Lijuan, you can be comfortable for a few weeks here; if you want, you can stay here until you want to go back to the main city."
Xiaowen smiled widely, her eyes looking respectful towards the younger woman, which she couldn't understand.
Then she suddenly looked at Meixiu, who was standing on the right side of the coffee table.
"Meixiu! Put the luggage of Lijuan in the bedroom and prepare dinner!"
She said, her eyes burning in disgust and angriness, but the taller woman didn't mind and grabbed the medium-sized luggage from Lijuan.
"Let me put it in the room."
She said it respectfully as Lijuan nodded, letting go of the luggage. Xiaohui quickly glares at her mother before walking towards the couch and sitting beside Lijuan.
Xiaowen stands up a little closer to the two women.
"Lijuan, feel free to make yourself at home. I'm sorry for the small space."
Lijuan shakes her head, her hands grabbing her friend's as she holds them tightly with gratitude inside her eyes.
"Please, I should be the one apologizing for crashing in."
"Oh, you don't have to, my dear."
Xiaowen spoke, her lips curving into a smile. Lijuan smiled at them before she stood up. A small stone suddenly rolled toward Meixiu and Xiaohui's bedroom door, which also opened up.
Lijuan widened her eyes, seeing the stone she picked up after the stranger helped her.
Meixiu's eyes landed on her feet, seeing a familiar stone, and she quickly picked it up.
"Throw it away; what is that stone doing here?"
Xiaowen ordered, her eyes staring toward the taller woman who had just gone out of the bedroom.