Chapter 17

Beholding her little sister in a hug, Li Rui laughs but unbeknown to her, all the concern and love sported in Li Mengying's face was the illusion and fake love toward her.

Did she know how badmouthing her little sister was spouting behind her back? A moment ago, Li Mengying was sitting with her mother, but here she acts like a generous sister to Li Rui.

"Why did she come that early? Always ready to spoil our happiness." Qian Chiao frowned and her eyes went on Li Rui's figure and her fair complexion. When she was holding Li Mengying in her embrace.

She can't even see Li Rui being happy for a few moments. Knowing all were illusions to her. Still, she wasn't satisfied.

Li Rui strokes Li Meng Ying's back, and they both separate from each other.

"How are you Li Mengying?" asked Li Rui with a smile planted on her melted lips.

"I am well and happy to return home to see you all," Li Mengying replied.

If someone says it was the world's biggest lie right now. No one would believe it to see Li Mengying's acting skills.

But Li Mengying expresses it like it's not a lie but a happy truth of the family.

"Good…" Li Rui commented.

Li Wenhao looked at his both daughters together and saw them like. He was happy as he was the world's happiest person. But he was far away from the truth, which was hidden behind that smile. 

One was hiding her pain behind her sweet smile.

And Another one was too mischievous and cunning to be noticed by Li Wenhao's innocent eyes.

Li Rui reached home after the long journey from the airport to home. She wants to ask Li Mengying. When did she reach? Did she not see her at the airport? And before her, Qian Chiao's indifferent voice reached Li Rui's ears and broke her run of thoughts.

"Li Rui, did you plan to starve Li Mengying? when she only came back after years?" Qian Chiao said, breaking the warm environment.

"Qian Chiao! What are you saying?" Li Wenhao stated, looking at his wife's face. As his eyes were asking her different questions, which only he and Qian Chiao knew.

"Mother!, why would my elder sister do that?" Li Mengying asked with a smile.

 To ease the atmosphere as she acts innocent in front of her sister. Like she doesn't know anything about what Qian Chiao was up to.

"If that was not the case. Then why is she so late?" Qian Chiao said with a smile, as if she was just joking and her overwhelms smile were too fake to notice.

Li Rui precisely saw her mother's face, as many things were inside her. She wants to ask why? She didn't tell her that Li Mengying was already at home.

Then would she even be late?

However, she did not dare to ask directly from her mother.

Else she knew what answer would come from her mother. Which she doesn't want to hear.

Li Rui only stood silent there, and a smile never left her face. As she didn't mind her mother's words like she understands her mother was only joking.

But that was not true. She felt hurt but didn't show on her face.

Li Wenhao's attention drove to Li Rui after hearing Qian Chiao and he remembered to ask Li Rui about something.

"Li Rui, why are you late to return home? And why didn't you come with Mengmeng?" Li Wenhao question.

"Father, …"

"Sister, did you had gone to the airport too? But I didn't see you there." Li Mengying interrupted Li Rui before she could even utter something.

 Li Mengying had not given her any chance to explain. She asks in surprise, she knows nothing, that Li Rui had gone to the airport for her.

However, Li Mengying had seen Li Rui there, standing at the airport. But she hid from Li Rui's eyes. As she didn't want to show herself to Li Rui. She left the airport, ignoring Li Rui's standing figure. To wait for her invisible figure. 

It happened, as Li Mengying had gotten information from her mother, that Li Rui was going to pick her up there. So, she planned to not be caught by Li Rui's eyes and left her there in the burning sunlight.

How cruel planning and plotting this mother's and daughter pair had done behind Li Rui's back.

"Rui, if you were not in the airport, then where have you gone?" Li Wenhao asked Li Rui. He knew that, if Li Rui had said she had gone there, then she had.

But he doesn't understand why Li Mengying said something distinct. 

"Father, I was there and could not find Mengmeng there, so I thought to wait for her." Li Rui explained.

"Mengmeng, didn't you see your sister there? When you were out." Li Wenhao asked another question to Li Mengying. shifting his confused gaze from Li Rui to her side. He knows his elder daughter and her temperament. how she did the thing, which she resolved to do. He trusted Li Rui instantly.

Li Mengying said nothing, as she had nothing to explain. How did not she saw Li Rui? when she evaded Li Rui.

She stared at her Mother Qian Chiao. Mengying's shot a murderous glared at Li Rui in her mind and her eyes asking for help from Qian Chiao.

Qian Chiao's heartbeat fastened, and she spoke before Li Mengying.

"Darling! Why are we discussing this? Li Mengying is at home now, let's forget the past event." Qian Chiao becoming closer to her husband, Li Wenhao. She rubs his shoulder to persuade him to not ask further questions to Li Mengying.

Qian Chiao tried to divert the topic when she noticed the question was going on with Li Mengying. As she does not want their tricks to be out in front of her husband.

Qian Chiao sights fall on Li Rui's figure.

"Yes! Father, Mengmeng is now home. Maybe I was at another exit, that's why she had not seen me." Li Rui told Li Wenhao and didn't want the matter to get bigger, as Qian Chiao was glancing at her.

It seems her eyes say to divert the conversation, which she could capture in Qian Chiao's eyes.

Li Rui said to her father that it was her fault, not Li Mengying, for not seeing her.

Li Rui had taken Li Mengying and Qian Chiao's blame on her.

Li Rui didn't want a hazard in a happy and peaceful family.

The family left for the dining room for lunch as Mr Li Wenhao had prepaid dishes for his daughters.

....