17 The Golden Cage

One traffic lights after another. One skyscraper after another. All the high rise buildings and the modern architecture of each shops at the side of the street came into view.

I had never seen such a unique and eye-catching design before. The restaurants and the cute cafes all looked inviting with their unique decorations and theme. As today was a weekday, many people were hustling about here and there. It was relatively a busy day.

From all these, it showed how different the place where Li Fei and I had lived. She was a city girl and I was a countryside girl. She was a young mistress and I was just an ordinary Airi. But nevertheless, we were one and the same from this day onwards.

After thirty minutes of drive, the scenery outside began to change. There were less buildings and shops as the car drove further away from downtown area. Until after a turn to the left that the view was completely shrouded by trees.

The long winding road we were driving on was the only one through this way. Trees grew on both sides of the road. Orange and russets, they glowed in beauty, coloring the forest.

I rolled down the car window and almost immediately, the wind grazed my skin. I could feel the coldness and the dryness of the air. With it, the wind brought along two dry leaves and settled by the couch.

I picked one up from the car seat. My fingers traced the edge of the leaf slowly. And like a muscle reflex, his voice rang inside my head.

"There's something on your hair."

"Huh? What is it?!"

I reached out franticly trying to brush it away but his hand went faster than mine. He took it off of me.

"It's just a leaf."

"Oh. Geez, you surprise me!"

His laughter lingered between us. I smiled unknowingly as I felt my cheeks burning.

"Here. For you." He gave the orange dry leaf to me.

"What would I do with a leaf?" I chuckled.

"Keep it."

"And why should I keep it? It's just rubbish."

"It's not rubbish. It's from me....

"That's what makes it special," I mumbled as I gazed at the dry leaf in my hand.

I smiled bitterly.

'Indeed, it is special.'

But now, it wasn't anymore so I let go and the wind carried the leaf before it dropped to the ground, crushed beneath the car wheel.

...

"Mrs. Lu, we're here."

My body flinched at the call of that title and my eyelashes fluttered, opening my tired eyes only to see a man dressed neatly in a formal attire with two maids standing behind him.

I stared blankly at this scene unfolding outside the car.

Even from behind the window, I could see the disapproving gaze from the butler's eyes. His face remained expressionless but nevertheless, it was cold. I could sense the unfriendliness emanating from him.

From Li Fei's memory, she always catered to everyone and acted politely with hope that they would love her. Although it was all in vain, every greeting was answered with silence. Perhaps there was time when they were a bit more polite to her and it was at the beginning of her marriage.

But still, there was no kindness in their attitude or the natural respect they had for their master. It was just a courtesy, something they had to do to keep their job.

I kept silent as I continued to watch from behind the window while still leaning against the car seat. The same position I had been when I was asleep a moment ago.

Truth be told, I didn't even know how cold my eyes were at the moment and how my expressionless face only made the temperature around me dropped several degrees.

From the corner of my eyes, I sensed the confusion written all over the driver's face as he looked at me with a tinge of panic in his eyes.

Perhaps he was wondering why I didn't come out from the car. Honestly, I was confused too of what to do. My heart was absolutely disinclined with me getting off the car and entering this golden cage in front of me. Thus, my body froze at this juncture.

But without knowing it, turned out to them, my action was perceived as anger. To them, my emotionless face and empty gaze were my cold attitude towards their impoliteness for not opening the car door.

Hence, the driver got off and ran towards my side to open it.

I was rendered speechless at his action. I wasn't a diva or that much of a primadonna that demanded people to serve me here and there, although it was true I was currently a young mistress.

But still, if I could protest, I actually didn't want him to open it. If he didn't, maybe then I could buy myself a few more minutes to stay here inside the car.

Like I said, I was not ready. But did I have a choice right now?

No.

I squeezed the fabric of my jeans and steeled my heart before getting down.

"Mrs. Lu," the butler, Mr. Zhuang, greeted, though he didn't bow even the slightest. He merely glanced at me.

I heard the maid snickering quietly as they gazed at me. I turned my head to look at them and oddly enough, they immediately quietened down.

I blinked when I caught the slight tremble of their shoulders under my gaze. Again, I was confused.

I was just looking. What was the problem?

However, what I didn't know was how frigid my expressionless face was and how my emotionless eyes was showing such intense gaze subconsciously. Perhaps if I could see it myself, I would have known why they all looked away.

It wasn't intentional. It was just my current expression was built after three months of silence and the death of my heart.

So, my response towards their action was ignorance. I didn't care.

The only thing in my eyes now was this grand entrance of Lu manor that looked like a gate that could seemingly lead me straight to hell.

Honestly, it was burning my eyes now. But no matter what, I couldn't shake the hopefulness and the excitement that had suddenly welled up within me.

My lips made a straight line at this instant reaction of Li Fei's body towards entering the manor.

'Oh, Li Fei, how pathetic you are. Even in death, you still leave traces of hope in your heart for your husband and his family.'

I might be sixteen at heart and mind. But, even I, a teenager, had clearer head than this Li Fei.

And lo and behold, the sneer and the look of disdain I received from their eyes the moment I stepped into the living room.

Such spectacle only felt normal in my head somehow and that proved how Li Fei had gotten used to being treated so after all these years. But, she chose to not see it.

On the contrary, this scene crushed any expectation that blossomed in my heart and I involuntarily had to feel the anguish that the original host felt.

But after this, I was certain, anything that was left of Li Fei had now gone because it took only a few seconds before my heart returned to its original slumber. Not to be awaken again to any emotion.

"What are you standing there for?" asked one of the woman who was dressed in a white cheongsam coldly.

"Sit!" She ordered harshly.