Free Web NovelChapter 280: Chapter 280: Misunderstanding
"Jianjun, you’re here to pick me up." Seeing Zheng Jianjun arrive at the entrance of the department store, Li Yuan felt a surge of joy. She hurried forward and asked, "How did you have time to get me today? Is it because..."
Hope gleamed in Li Yuan’s eyes. ’Maybe Mr. Zheng and Zheng Jian Country have decided to help me,’ she thought. ’That must be why Zheng Jianjun suddenly came to get me—to share the good news.’
Li Yuan had been on edge all day. She had tried calling Li Aiguo, but no one picked up, leaving her feeling anxious. Now, she was pinning all her hopes on Zheng Jianjun.
"We’re going to your parents’ house today," Zheng Jianjun said to Li Yuan with a faint smile.
"Oh," Li Yuan’s heart sank a little. She didn’t want to go. ’Is it just me?’ she wondered. The Li family hadn’t done anything overt these last few days, but she couldn’t shake the subtle feeling of being kept at arm’s length, and she was sure it wasn’t her imagination. With everything that had happened recently, she was hesitant to be around her family. "Why today of all days?"
"Your second brother and his wife are back," Zheng Jianjun said. "I ran into your eldest brother today. He told me your second brother received a commendation at work, and the family wants to celebrate. So, they’ve called us all back for a nice get-together."
Li Yuan relaxed upon hearing this. ’Oh, it’s a celebration for my second brother.’ That made sense. They should definitely go. She smiled and said, "Okay, then. Let’s head over now. Do Xiao Jiang and Xiao Hai know?"
"Xiao Jiang and Xiao Hai made plans with a classmate to study at their house today, so they’re not going. It’ll just be the two of us."
"Oh, okay." Li Yuan didn’t suspect a thing. She smiled. "Fine, then it’s just the two of us."
That day, almost everyone in the Li family was present, except for the younger members who couldn’t make it back.
Li Fengshan was actually a little baffled. He had made some achievements at work recently and even received an award, but this was all very out of character for his parents. ’They’ve never been this showy,’ he thought. They would never normally gather the entire family for a celebratory dinner over something so minor. To be honest, he would have preferred not to come, since he still had a mountain of work to do.
But Li Fenghuo had insisted it was their father’s decision and that he absolutely had to be back on time that evening. So, Li Fengshan had no choice but to bring his family home to see what was going on.
"Yuqi, what’s going on today? Why did Mom and Dad suddenly decide they wanted to celebrate Li Fengshan’s award?" Song Qingwen whispered to Shang Yuqi as they helped the housekeeper prepare the grand evening meal in the kitchen.
"You’ll find out in a little while. Besides, Li Fengshan won an award. That’s worth celebrating, isn’t it?" Shang Yuqi didn’t tell Song Qingwen the specific reason. Normally, Song Qingwen was close with Li Yuan, so they were worried she would leak the truth. Because of this, the Li family had kept the matter of Li Yuan’s impersonation a secret from the second brother and his wife.
"What is it that’s so mysterious? Come on, Yuqi, just tell me," Song Qingwen said with a smile.
Shang Yuqi just smiled. "You’ll have to wait for Mom and Dad to announce it."
Song Qingwen looked at Shang Yuqi, then asked, "Is it about Eldest Brother? Is he getting a promotion?"
Shang Yuqi just smiled and said nothing. Song Qingwen took this as confirmation, so she smiled back and dropped the subject. Later, when Li Yuan arrived and was congratulating her, Song Qingwen whispered that she suspected their eldest brother was in for a promotion.
This remark put Li Yuan even more at ease. Which was why, when she later learned the true reason she had been summoned home that night, her anger and indignation burned all the hotter, and she grew to hate them all.
