Through the memories, Leslie was able to grasp the strained relationship between Charlene and her parents.
A complicated web of emotions tangled in the unfortunate young lady as her feelings toward her family had a mixture of love and hatred.
After scouring the memories she had just recently gained, Leslie still was not sure why Old Madam Li treated Rowan harshly. All of her attention went to Geoffrey, her second son.
'What leads to the huge difference in treatment?'
Because of this, Rowan became a pushover. He didn't have the dignity of the eldest son that most firstborn males of high society possessed.
If Old Madam Li and Geoffrey demanded Rowan to do something, he would do it without fail even at the expense of his own little family.
Geoffrey's eldest child was a daughter, Gladys. She was of the same age as Charlene. She was as malicious as her father.
Throughout the years, Charlene had to endure different kinds of bullying caused by Gladys. Rowan did little to protect her because Old Madam Li and Geoffrey insisted that the torment was just children's play.
Charlene was constantly disappointed in Rowan, a father who couldn't keep her safe. She wanted to get out of the Li family's ancestral home but, her parents always told her to be patient with Gladys.
In the end, she succeeded, all due to Calix picking her as his bride.
Pressing her lips hard, Leslie kept her gaze on Rowan. He was talking to Calix and Vernon. At the same time, Lucille shared a conversation with Bianca. The women mostly chatted about children.
'Before her accident, what had happened?'
The novel briefly mentioned that Charlene fell from stairs at the Li family's ancestral home. It was the incident that pushed her into a coma.
Most of Charlene's injuries were superficial. Unfortunately, the back of her head bumped into a sharp corner of a cabinet.
'Pendant. She told me to find her pendant.'
Leslie remembered the first time she met Charlene. The latter requested her to find two things, one of them was a pendant.
According to Charlene, the pendant should be with the one who pushed her down the stairs. It meant the perpetrator.
The second thing to find was...
"...huh?"
Leslie blinked. Confusion washed over her heart as she stared blankly at the dining table.
'What's the second thing? She has told me before.'
Leslie was appalled once she realized that she couldn't remember the particular memory. She only recalled that she understood why Charlene wanted her to look for the second item.
Something like...
'No... I can't remember it.'
Horrified, Leslie shook her head a few times. She couldn't believe that she had forgotten one of Charlene's requests.
'Mimo... It should know, right?'
Caught in her trance, Leslie didn't notice that Calix was subtly looking in her direction. He parted his lips slightly, seemingly wanting to speak but, he knew he needed to keep up the facade.
During that time, Old Madam Xu cleared her throat after taking a sip of her tea. When she spoke, her words were directed to Calix despite looking at Rowan and Bianca.
"Even though the children got married in a hurry, Calix still should visit the bride's home on the third day. Because everyone might be busy during the day, how about having dinner together?"
Calix abruptly withdrew his gaze from Leslie. He looked at Old Madam Xu and Rowan back and forth before saying, "I understand, Grandma. I'll pay a visit to... Charlene's home tomorrow."
Calix almost said Leslie's name instead of her legal one Charlene.
"I'll inform my mother, Old Madam Xu. Having dinner together like right now is a good choice," Rowan also agreed. He was actually secretly happy inside.
Calix's visit to the bride's maiden home would show that he was serious about marrying his daughter Charlene. The people of the Li family couldn't wag their poisonous tongues like they had been doing.
"Send my regards to your mother," Old Madam Xu's smiling eyes had a flicker of coldness, "We're all getting older. She should tone down her bad habits, isn't it?"
Rowan momentarily froze because laughing awkwardly. Bianca and Irene said nothing. They didn't expect to hear Old Madam Xu talking bluntly about the Li family's matriarch.
Dinner ended around nine. Everyone was served with desserts at the end of the main meal. Despite sharing conversations for hours, the Li family still seemed to be uncomfortable with the Xu family.
"I won't send you off to the door. My old body can't take it anymore," Old Madam Xu rose from the seat with Vernon's assistance.
Staring at Rowan, she said, "Charlene is the daughter-in-law of the Xu family. We have never treated our sons or daughters-in-law differently than our own children. So, don't worry about your daughter."
Old Madam Xu's words were a jab at the Li family's practice. She knew full well how hostile Old Madam Li could be, no matter if it was her own child or the child's spouse.
In this case, Rowan and Bianca.
Rowan was stunned. He almost stuttered, "...thank you, Old Madam Xu. I'll entrust Charlene to Calix. I really, really appreciate your benevolence act."
Next to him, Bianca looked down ashamedly. Irene worriedly held her mother's hands.
"It's nothing to thank me about. See you again."
Old Madam Xu waved one hand, telling Rowan not to fret about it. She slowly walked out of the dining room, assisted by one of the maids. Vernon had returned to his seat.
Rowan shifted his gaze to Calix. Smiling faintly, he asked, "Calix, can we talk in private? I have something to tell you."
Calix nodded. He briefly glanced at Leslie. Her attention was also on her father.
"We should go to the balcony then, Father. Follow me."
Rowan stood up, leaving his wife and daughter to Vernon and Lucille. His new son-in-law brought him to a balcony near the dining room. The majestic night view of the courtyard greeted them.
"Father, what do you want to tell me?" Calix gestured at the bamboo chair sitting under the extended roof, "It is about Charlene?"
Rowan bit his lower lip. He quietly sat opposite Calix, pondering how should he bring up the matter.