Alix smiled naughtily and daringly, she placed her hand on Caishen's shoulder and playfully moved her fingers around.
"For the last few years of my life in this house all I was ever called was, that wench, rotten thing, damn girl, wicked thing, crippled bastard.."
"Alix." her father shouted at her.
"What?" she raised her voice as well.
Caishen raised his hand to her shoulder and touched her fingers.
"Calm down," he told her.
Alix took a deep breath and tightened her own fingers around Caishen's, making sure to hold him tightly as if he was anchor, keeping her tied to one place. It was rare to meet her father and have a sane conversation, every time they talked, a big argument ensued.
"Calm down." Caishen repeated.
"En." she responded.
Her heart which had started racing as soon as she started raising her voice also slowed down.
"You have such a great relationship already, son-in-law, this really shows that you two were meant to be together. It's great that grandpa Zhang betrothed you as children." her father in that same desperate voice said.
Alix could see the deep satisfaction in his eyes and she could read what he was thinking.
If Caishen was in love with her, he could use her to infiltrate Zhang construction.
Continue plotting, scummy dad, you will fall in your own trap eventually.
Caishen moved his wheelchair forward and with a calm expression he said, "We should have that breakfast now, I have to go to work and my wife, XI-Xi has a class to teach."
Lin Qianfan, Alix's father was very excited, he clapped his hands and laughed so pretentiously.
"Son-in-law, you already know my Xi-Xi's schedule as well. You are such a great husband. Xi-Xi, you should be happy, father chose well for you."
Alix almost wanted to hurl, all this slimy Xi-Xi this, Xi-Xi that her father kept saying as if he was so close to her was disgusting. But no matter how hard her father worked at ingratiating himself with her now, it would not work.
At the dining table, Alix noticed that the table had been set for five people.
She, Jing Hee and her father were all sitting in the places they always did normally, at least where they did when she lived here. The empty place at the table was where Billi sat, and because there was a cup, plate and utensils, she took a wild guess that the run away bride was finally about to make an appearance.
Pretentiously, as if she was unware of the trouble she would be starting, Alix spun the empty cup of tea before her and said slowly, "So, Billi is in the country, huh."
Caishen closed his eyes, sighed and rubbed his temple slowly. Alix sure loved to stir the pot. What happened to calming down?
The fake smile on Jing Hee's face was frozen, her father was griping his chop sticks and she was smiling innocently.
"What are you talking about?" Jing Hee asked in a sort of panicked voice. "Billi is still out of the country." she lied.
Alix pointed to the extra place setting and said slowly, "An exquisite and expensive cup from Hua pearl ceramics, the gold spoon, gold chopsticks and gold plate from Hilton are all hers. You forget that I used to live here.
Billi has specific utensils, the best and expensive at the table or she won't eat. Also, that's her seat. The one time I sat there your fat housekeeper threw me to the ground and.."
"Alix!!" her father yelled sternly.
He shot daggers at her, wishing that he could throttle her right there where she was sitting.
Seeming unbothered, Alix said, "I don't care if Billi is back or not but I just think it is offensive that my husband has been given such cheap things to use while your princess uses such exquisite things.
Do you even know what quality of utensils are used in the Zhang family? These chop sticks are scratched and this cup, it has fading flowers and a chip on the bottom.
Did you bring out fake old china that was about to be thrown out for my husband to use?"
She picked up the old cup and hurled it at her stepmother. It flew over her head and hit the plump housekeeper on the arm.
The housekeeper was carrying a bowl of porridge in her hands. It slipped, and poured on her legs.
Her scream, like that of a pig being butchered was heard from every corner of the house.
Suddenly, an image crossed Alix's mind and she saw the bowl of porridge falling on her own legs and the housekeeper smiling slyly as she apologized.
Her legs tingled and she felt a hot sensation slithering on her legs.
Was this a form of bad luck which the bracelet had saved her from? Was that bowl of porridge meant to burn her?
She looked at the brown bracelet on her hand and noticed that one bead had turned black.
"You damn wench." Jing Hee shouted and glared at Alix.
Alix stared back at her and stood up, pushing the chair back so hard that it fell to the ground. "If you will not respect my husband, we might as well leave."
She looked at Caishen and said, "Hubby, we have fulfilled tradition, I think we can leave now."
Lin Qianfan jumped up immediately, desperate to convince Caishen to stay. In his mind, he cursed Alix over and over. Why couldn't she shut up and simply follow his instructions.
Similar to him, Jing Hee was cursing Alix in her mind. What gave the damn wench the right to act so haughtily in this house?
Marrying her into the Zhang family might have been a mistake on her part. She had obviously grown wings now.
And what_, she was doing all this because she they were disrespectful of her husband!!
The same husband she had pleaded desperately not to be married to!
"It seems like I am not welcomed in your house Lin Qianfan." Caishen said, dangerously slowly.
His wheelchair was already moving to the doorway and Alix was following him, matching his pace.
"Young master Zhang, it's not true. How can you not be welcome here when you are my son-in-law.
Alix misunderstood, no, her mother made a mistake. The gold utensils were for you, who else is more important at this table than you?"
Keep groveling, Alix thought, pant after him and this is just the beginning.
Caishen stopped his wheelchair, looked at Lin Qianfan with a contemplative gaze. He then took his phone out of his jacket pocket and dialed someone.
"Biming, take Lin power holdings off the list of our new building material distributors." he hung up and exited the house.
Alix turned around just before she left the house, bowed politely with a smile on her face and said in a cheerful voice, "Mother, father, thank you for hosting us today. Sorry we didn't get to eat the wonderful meal you prepared, we shall eat next time."