61_What If

"What's taking them so long?" Mu Lihai took a glance behind him where the door to the common study was seen. He just finished his phone call and saw that Li Yao was still with his parents.

Did they argue about it? They wouldn't accept Li Yao after knowing that she was the woman's daughter from six years ago?

Mu Lihai heaved up a deep sigh. Were his parents still hung up over that? Well, of course they were. It was hard to pretend to be okay in front of his parents. But they still managed to figure him out like an opened book. He was just acting fine until recently.

As he took his first step towards the door, aunty Zhu came forward to stop him. He frowned.

"What's wrong?" he inquired.

"I'm sorry young master, but Master Mu asked for you not to come inside until they finish their talk." the old woman said.

"Is that so?" he scratched his head lightly. Should he wait?

"Why don't you try my new parfait? I made it for you." aunty Zhu smiled softly. Her wrinkles were apparent in her face yet she still looked sweet.

"Is this the french style parfait that I asked you to make before?" he asked her. Interested, his eyes were even twinkling from her words.

"It is. How could I forget to make you something that you asked for, young master?" she knew that Mu Lihai wasn't fond of sweet, but he didn't hate it either. And he especially loved her cooking. Sometimes he would suggest new recipe for her to try.

"You know I can't resist your every creation." Mu Lihai thought for a second then he decided to just follow aunty Zhu to the kitchen. He believed that his parents would accept Li Yao as he was confident in her ability to handle this alone. He took one last glance but the door to the study was still closed.

"Come, young master. I also want to hear about your girlfriend." her words sparked more interest in him as he began to grin. He would tell this old woman all about her future young mistress.

"I'll tell you." he told her in his proud voice which made her smile wide. She was happy for him. Then they disappeared into the kitchen.

*

Inside the study, the area was gloomy.

"I want you to keep this a secret. Don't tell anyone even Lihai himself. Can you do this for me?" Mu Zhi asked Li Yao. Although he didn't look like it, he was actually very concerned about his only son. Mu Ruan also shared the same sentiment, she looked at Li Yao's fair face with a complicated gaze and a sad smile.

Li Yao didn't think that hiding the truth from Mu Lihai was going to be the best action. They promised each other that they wouldn't keep secrets and would always be honest at all times. But considering the fact that this was a request from his own parents, she didn't have the heart to betray their trust.

"I promise. But I'm aware that secret can't stay secret forever. If Mu Lihai wants to know about this one day, I'll do anything in my power to help him out." Li Yao said as she sighed internally. Things became complicated after just a single talk with his parents. She wanted to wipe a slate clean, now it just got even dirtier. Unknown muds came out of nowhere and she didn't know how to handle this situation.

"Li Yao.. I appreciate your intention to not lie to him but we have our reason. You don't know how terrible it was for him for the past six years.. the him you now know isn't the him from what we recognized. Lihai changed after that incident.. he's totally changed." Mu Ruan started to sob again. Perhaps it was per mother's instinct that she became so emotional once she recalled that particular memory.

Hearing this, Li Yao didn't know what to say. She subconsciously lowered her head down and just frowned. It was hardly two months ago that she and Mu Lihai knew each other, and a little over a month that they were in a relationship. But now that when they wanted to take a step forward and leave the past behind- this scenario came up.

It was far more complicated than she thought.

"So Mu Lihai really didn't know what happened to him six years ago? Did you find out who was the perpetrator?" she faced Mu Zhi after reconsidering her questions.

"He had no idea that he was brainwashed with memory alteration, how could he remember the real thing?" Mu Zhi answered with a sigh. He also didn't know why his son was attacked.

As far as he knew, he didn't have enemies capable of having the technology such as memory alteration machine. Because this country's military force especially banned such high-tech machinery to be used by any non-government individuals. They were particularly strict about this.

"I don't have enemies capable of doing this to my son. At least not someone from this country." he answered and Li Yao furrowed her eyebrows. She waited for him to continue.

"So I sent someone to look for people I know from overseas but I didn't get anything." his words made Li Yao ponder over something. She was a lawyer who must know how to judge a person and something told her that there was a hole somewhere in master Mu's words.

"So you want to say that this wasn't caused by someone you know? Maybe.. Mu Lihai just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time? That's why in order to silence him up, they resort to such means.. then.." Li Yao was having a mental war with her own ideas and since she was smart, she was able to decipher it by herself without Mu Zhi explaining everything. He nodded at her words and he was slowly getting familiar with Li Yao. He started to like her more.

"You're correct. But these people.. they're powerful."

"I don't understand. I.. don't want to be rude but.. isn't it easier to kill Mu Lihai rather than have his memory altered?" she raised her head with troubled face. She didn't want to say this but nobody could stop her rational thinking.

"I also want to know that.. but on second thought- I don't. I'm just glad that they spared his life." Mu Zhi shook his head and he received a soothing rub on his shoulder by his wife. Mu Ruan looked at him without a sound.

"We don't want to get involved in this since we don't know who our enemy is. We just want Lihai to live peacefully like nothing ever happened." Mu Ruan told Li Yao. She was silent most of the time but now she began to feel better.

"Although Mu family is considered one of the top families in the city, we can't actually antagonize people without considering the circumstances. We're a civilized family bound by law." Mu Zhi continued after his wife.

"All we can do is place some security around Lihai. He didn't question our way since he thought it was because of his physical condition." Mu Ruan said. Her eyes weren't showing sadness anymore instead there was a trace of love and care.

Li Yao recognized that gaze immediately- it was the same gaze her mother once gave her everytime they were together. The gaze of a real mother. She suddenly had a thought that made her stomach churn.

What if...

"I'm confused.. what does my mom have to do with this?" Li Yao muttered to herself. Her heart shook when she thought of the possibility that her mother died not because of getting hit by Mu Lihai nor commiting suicide- but because of a murder. Something completely different from the fact that she now believed.