Chapter 297 - 298: Short Dinner-V

Li Lian entered to see Mrs. Jin and Jin Nu Yuan had seated themselves on the seat. Meeting Mrs. Jin's eyes, Li Lian received her smile in which she returned. Li Lian doesn't know how much Madam Li believes in Mrs. Jin and now she is about to find out how Mrs. Jin is treated with the family. To see that Madam Li welcomed Mrs. Jin well in the family despite the fact that their relationship was aunt and niece, she could faintly guess there was a large trust Madam Li had for Mrs. Jin that hadn't come from nothing.

Mrs. Jin never forget to visit Madam Li so much to where she often stayed at Li Family house more than her own house. As she often beside Madam Li, Mrs. Jin had found her way to be the person who Madam Li most confided herself in.

When Li Lian's eyes shifted to Jin Nu Yuan, she felt the young lady glared at her, thinking Li Jun Wei didn't see her when in truth his eyes watched his cousin foolish behavior like a drunk duck she was acting as.

"Li Lian must be very pretty today to you, Nu Yuan." Li Jun Wei remarked, his eyes falling short of emotions at his younger cousin.

Jin Nu Yuan crooked her brows, her mouth slightly opened oddly and her lips somewhat fell as she tried to bring it up in a few times, "W-What?" Was Li Jun Wei asking her of her opinion in whether she agreed that Li Lian was beautiful? Jin Nu Yuan's hand under the table clench tightened. Her brows furrowed when she looked at Li Lian not wanting to look obviously that her eyes looking at her was with disgust and anger.

Jin Nu Yuan swore over her death body that she will ever call Li Lian beautiful. The woman looked nothing less than a chicken! Jin Nu Yuan ground her lips.

"Nu Yuan." called Li Jun Wei lazily and when Jin Nu Yuan was about humph and vocalized her distaste to praise Li Lian as beautiful her mother, Mrs. Jin caught a hold of her hand and her fingers sank on her skin to remind her and stop her foolishness.

Jin Nu Yuan ground her teeth in anger. She would rather call piglet beautiful than Li Lian. To know that now Li Lian is in a higher position than her in the house and that they were family made her blood curl, her fists turned firmer. Mrs. Jin raise her brows at her daughter, tipping her chin to force Jin Nu Yuan speak, "yes." she replied her voice turned small in volume like that of a mouse's.

"Yes, as in beautiful? Or yes as you hear me speaking." Li Jun Wei could be as petty as he want when Li Lian is mentioned, he wouldn't let Jin Nu Yuan to use her eyes an glare on what she should not.

Jin Nu Yuan who can't bear the shame had her face turned red in embarrassment she wants to run from the dining room but she couldn't as soon Madam and Master Li would come to the place. There was the option she could prolong her time until her grandparents come but she still had the mind to know doing it would only dig her graves and her grandparents' disappointment. Last time, Madam Li had told her to apologize that was far more shameful compared to admitting Li Lian's beauty.

"Both, brother Wei." replied Jin Nu Yuan and she herself didn't know how she had managed to keep down her anger while saying the words.

"Of course that must be way you keep on staring at her, I can see you admired her." Li Jun Wei turned at Li Lian with a smile, and he whispered, "Do you know where I usually sit?"

Li Lian looked at Jin Nu Yuan first who was angry and Mrs. Jin who smiled at her then reached out her hand, "Let's take a seat, auntie and uncle will come soon."

Li Lian returned the woman's smile and her eyes shifted at the chairs wondering which Li Jun Wei would usually sit at, she then saw the far seat on the edge of the long rectangle table where usually the head of the house would seat with their wife, "On the far end?" asked Li Lian, unsure if he was right.

"Let's sit there then." replied Li Jun Wei, making their way to the the far end of the table while Li Lian still question herself if her reply was correct? By the choice of his words it didn't seem like she was right or she was wrong. When taking a seat, in less than two minutes, Madam Li and Master Li came through the same door Li Lian and Li Jun Wei used. Li Lian who was looking back at the large window glass turned her head and almost stood up until Li Jun Wei stopped her, she is now a family member and there was no need for her to be stiff with greetings.

Li Jun Wei could understand her stiffness came from Li Lian wanting to have a better relationship with Li Jun Wei's grandparents as his parents were no more in the world.

"Li Lian!" Madam Li first called Li Lian's name and the old woman with the help of a maid walked faster toward her side.

Madam Li smiled kindly to her that Li Lian returned her smile with the same one. She was a very kind and warm woman, thought Li Lian to herself. The smile Madam Li had was a smile from the bottom of her heart which was unusual seeing as Li Lian often seen people with twisted and corrupted personality like Mrs. Jin and her daughter. Being with Madam Li had her feel as if she had met with her own grandmother. Thinking of her grandmother, a slight sadness came over her eyes that disappeared by the time Madam Li took a seat beside her.

"Oh it is very good to have the family on the table with Li Lian and Li Jun Wei here we could finally use the vacant seat beside Li Jun Wei with your arrival," said Madam Li in merriment while Mrs. Jin who keep a smile on her face narrowed her eyes even lower at Li Lian.