Chapter 157 - When A Random Call Saves You From A Devil...

Nothing significant happened after Li Bai Yuan became from grudgingly accepting Chen Yi to becoming a fan of Chen Yi. Li Luxian came back sometime later. Wang Hualing glanced at him from time to time but never dared to approach him. Her resentment had only one outlet, Chen Yi; she would frequently glare at her.

Chen Yi ignored her.

When they were leaving, Chen rubbed her arms to chase away the chills. With the weather changing, her nose had been tingling these past few days. A moment of neglect and someone grabbed onto her wrist and dragged her away. 

"What are you doing?" Chen Yi asked once Li Quang finally stopped walking. None of the departing guests took this route to leave so whatever Li Quang had to say, no one would interrupt. 

Li Quang looked at both his sides to double-check. Easing his shoulders, he settled his eyes on Chen Yi and asked solemnly. "Chen Yi, I can not play this game with you anymore. Tell me honestly."

Chen Yi gazed at him in thought. "Tell you what?"

Li Quang took in a deep breath and asked in one go. "Is this marriage real?" He fell silent after that and just gazed into her eyes, searching deep for an answer. 

Chen Yi raised an eyebrow. She did not reply at once. 

Li Quang felt the silence was uncomfortable. "Look I know there must have been some understanding between you and Li Luxian to not say anything regarding this. But I swear, I won't tell anyone."

Instead of answering, Chen Yi asked. "Why are you so curious?"

"You might have forgotten our time together. But I have not." Li Quang blurted out before a flush crept up to his face. "I mean, we have once been close. I just don't want you getting in trouble."

Chen Yi couldn't resist a smile. "Oh, so the little Li family son is worried for me?"

"It's not like that!" Like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, he bristled. Chen Yi from back at school days was such an innocent, easy-going girl. This Chen Yi really had a habit of teasing him. 

Seeing him like this, Chen Yi took pity after chuckling. "Alright, I won't be getting in trouble. You can rest assured."

Li Quang looked up, appearing fairly unconvinced. He didn't say anything but it looked like he had a thousand things bubbling forth in his mind. 

Chen Yi sighed deeply. "Isn't it what you are worried about. Know this, your worries are baseless.?"

Li Quang realized Chen Yi wouldn't be direct with him. She wouldn't tell him if this wedding was real or not. Still, knowing Chen Yi's personality and knowing his cousin, Li Quang was inclined to think it was not.

Thinking hard to this point, he decided it would be best in Chen Yi regard t stay cautious."I shouldn't be saying this but Chen Yi... About this cousin of mine, you better stay careful. He is not what he seems."

Chen Yi was genuinely interested this time around. What was he implying? What was there more to Li Luxian. 

Li Quang appeared to be struggling whether to say more or not. In the end, he finally opened his mouth. But before any words could be said, a voice called from behind.

"So you are here? I wondered where you had run to."

Chen Yi whirled around, finding Li Luxain approaching them in slow steps. His gaze shifted from her face and settled somewhere else. Chen Yi followed his eyes and found him staring at the point where Li Quang held onto her wrist.

Even if it was pure, innocent touch, Chen Yi felt guilty for some reason. With a jerk, she freed her arm. She even took in mind to stand some distance away from Li Quang. 

Li Luxain nodded towards Li Quang. Once they both exchanged a formal greeting, Li Luxain slipped his arm over Chen Yi's shoulder and brought her close to him. "I will be taking her back."

For some reason, Chen Yi felt that the air between them was not so harmonious.

...

"How do you know him?"

Chen Yi was rubbing her nose to end the persistent tingling. Pausing, she noticed Li Luxian looking straight ahead, not facing her when he asked her. "Is there a problem with Li Quang? I mean you two didn't look close."

"We have never been close to my Father's brother's family. I am certain you felt the friction today at the gathering."

"Yeah, couldn't have missed that," Chen Yi said before adding cautiously. "But this Li Quang... Isn't he somewhat different? I mean he kept away from all that farce his family was insistent on pulling."

At this, Li Luxian didn't have anything to say. But he didn't agree either. Meaning he thought there was still something wrong with Li Quang.

"I know him from high school. Back in those days, we used to be close."

"How close?"

Out of a sudden, this question was asked. It struck somewhat too fierce. "I..." Chen Yi didn't know how to respond. Obviously, they were quite close. In fact, it wouldn't be wrong to say that they were inseparable. But something told her if she said this out aloud, Li Luxian wouldn't appreciate this. 

"As the two kids sticking to each other for support when boycott by the entire class, I bet quite close." There was satire somewhere in those words. 

Chen Yi frowned all of sudden. It was obvious Li Luxain was unaware of her link to Li Quang. How did he know this much?

Wait a minute!

Back when Chen Yi engaged in a long playful banter with Li Quang in the back garden... Chen Yi couldn't shake off this feeling as if someone was watching her from the shadows. 

Come to think of it! When she had come back, she didn't find Li Luxian by his grandmother's side. 

And there she had victoriously thought, she had slipped out unnoticed and noiselessly. Turned out Li Luxian's eyes had always been on her, like a hawk fixated at his prey, never missing any movement from her. 

President Li, you are really... something.

"I mean I know the sensitive position I have as your wife. Don't worry, I won't get too close to him." She said sourly whilst tactfully declining to mention how close they were.

She might have declined to say but Li Luxian, the perceptive devil noticed it right away. Looked like it was time to torture Zhang Xun to scramble for years-old CCTVs and intel. "Try keeping a distance. My Uncle's family is problematic."

"Okay..." Chen Yi acquiesced but she didn't sound good.

Li Quang, that rascal, although he irked her endlessly, they had after all shared some bitter and sweet memories from childhood. Chen Yi was somewhat looking forward to catching up with him.

But okay.

If President Li says 'ignore him', she had to ignore him. How could she dare object?

"There is another thing that's bothering me." Li Luxain paused as if waiting for Chen Yi to give permission.

"Ask away."

"My grandmother can't be mistaken." He said slowly. "And what my Aunt said is not wrong either."

Chen Yi had a bad feeling about this.

"That leads to the question, where did you get those scrolls?" According to what Zhang Xin pulled all his strings for, there seemed to be no relationship between the 'Chen' family and the Royal family. Yet Chen Yi so casually claimed that a member of the Royal Family gifted away these scrolls to her Mother?

Those who were unclear about Chen Yi's family bought this explanation.

But it didn't sit right with Li Luxian.

Just as Chen Yi was dreading how to tackle this, a timely call from Shen Yi saved the day.