"Anything else?"
"The woman returned."
"Oh," He was surprised that the woman didn't run away after she was given a freedom. She chose to return. He wasn't expecting that.
"Also Third Master Chen, she said something that you should know."
"What is it?"
"Han Meixiu visited the Old Han." The man answered.
When the woman returned, they were surprised as she has been begging to be released several times. Not that they let her leave, she returned. But this time, she was somewhat different from before. Most of them actually wondered what happened but didn't ask in the end. They're simply being together because they have the same employer, nothing more nothing less.
Chen Dewei who was still in K Country finalizing the deal he's having before the summit wasn't aware that the young woman went to Q City.
He had men observing the apartment she's been renting but Han Meixiu never visited that place again after their brief encounter. She also seldom went out and if she did, they would know it only after she's back in their house.
It was simply hard to get even a slight glimpse of the young woman thus he instead busied himself with his other agenda in K Country.
His train of thoughts was interrupted when the man from the other line spoke again.
"The woman also asked if she could talk to you."
Chen Dewei paused for a while before he answered. "Okay, give her the phone."
Han Meili who was standing outside the room was called in.
"What do you want to say?"
Before she visited her grandfather, she went to look for her mother. But the latter didn't even recognize her. She then decided to go to her grandfather while her hatred was burning but after she saw him, she couldn't do what she intended to do. After she poured out all of her pent up emotions, she then decided that from that moment on, Han Meili would no longer exist.
"Please give me a name." She decided to be fully part of Chen Dewei's men.
The man on the other line smiled in an enchanting way. He found a golden tool to be used. He perfectly understood what's the hidden meaning on her request.
*
The dinner ended fine but for some reason Han Meixiu was a bit puzzled about the 'interaction' of the two men. It was as if something was off between them.
Technically speaking, Liu Zijian was his usual self when meeting with other people aside from his family, cold and indifference. But this time, it seemed that there was an additional invisible layer that he placed in between him and her cousin.
Inside the car as they slowly passed the congested main road of Q City, Han Meixiu popped up the question that has been bothering her since they left the restaurant.
"Zijian, did something happen between you and Cousin Yu?"
Liu Zijian who was reading something on his laptop glanced at her before he answered.
"Why do you think so?"
"It's like you're more indifferent than usual. I was wondering if he did something bad to you or the Liu Family or probably to.. me?"
Finally, Liu Zijian stopped what he was doing as his lips curved into a thin mesmerizing smile that was too captivating that Han Meixiu forgot what she was asking for a while. She was bewitched.
Sometimes, Liu Zijian would be surprise with his wife's level of observation. She could be a very keen observer if she wanted to. He was actually thinking of letting her join the other 'business' of the Liu Family but he's also a bit worried.
"He was the one who gave the Old Han the idea of marrying you off without your consent."
"Huh? But it was also him who asked father in law to help me, right?"
Liu Zijian nodded. He was waiting with her analysis.
Han Meixiu fell in a deep thought. She couldn't believe that her cousin would make the two families clashed against each other. It was as if he wanted to eliminate one. But her cousin fully knew that against the Liu Family, Han Family wouldn't stand a chance. It was as if he really wanted the Han Family to suffer.
"Does he have a grudge against the Han Family?" She voiced out her question but didn't really want to be answered.
"Was it because of my mother?" Her conclusion wasn't definite but at least it's reasonable.
"You can ask him." He simply answered. He wasn't disappointed with her deduction. He then pulled her closer and let her leaned on him as the car started to speed up.
*
Han Meixiu was speechless when Liu Zijian handed her the black box. It was just last night when she remembered to mention her grandfather's favour to him.
"That was the box found in his study."
She simply nodded and turned the small box upside down. It looked so ordinary with no distinguishing features except for the intricate combination key located on one of its side. The worn out edges gave an idea that it's already old. It wasn't heavy as well.
She was wondering what's inside but since it wasn't for her; she didn't plan of opening it. The next question was how could she give it to her father?
She then decided to keep it for the meantime. Although she didn't believe that her father's promise of visiting her would happen eventually, there's no harm in trying to at least hope for it.
There's also one thing she wasn't able to ask when she visited the Old Han. Remembering that Liu Family was good in terms of gathering information, she didn't hesitate to ask her husband.
"Why did my father leave the Han Family?"
Liu Zijian who just returned to his seat and started to read a document on his table stopped and thought for a while if he should answer her question or not.
Witnessing his reaction, Han Meixiu concluded that her husband knew the reason. But why was he hesitating? Was he worried that she might get emotional again? The revelation she received the past few times were indeed out of her expectations but that didn't mean she would stop asking questions merely because she's afraid of the answers.
So she waited for him to speak.
"I'm not sure if I should tell you." He finally said. The reason was connected to the entire Liu Family thus he would be able to answer only if all the men agreed to it.
"Oh," Han Meixiu dejectedly said. Honestly speaking she was a bit affected by the fact that he couldn't tell her but she also understood that it must be a sensitive issue thus she didn't asked further. She then tried to change the topic by asking why he was staying at home today instead of accompanying his father like always.