"Let's head home now." Yang Feng guided her in the direction of the double French doors. A thin, flowy curtain attached on either side of it weightlessly blew. It was like an illusion, for the second the curtains rested, they were gone.
Zhao Lifei's wrist felt oddly warm. It wasn't a suffocating kind, but one that calmed the iciness of her fingertips. She glanced down and realized there was nothing there except for the bracelet.
"My grandmother failed to mention the jadeite used to make the bracelet was found in an eruptive volcano a long time ago. Due to how well it was preserved, it might feel warm to the touch. If you don't like that, we can have a protective layer of coating upon it."
"No, it's fine. I like the warmth. My hands get cold easily."
"It means you need more iron in your life." Yang Feng mused, slipping his hand over hers. Alarmed at the cold, he immediately took off his suit jacket and helped her into it. Originally, he thought she wanted to show off her outfit, thus, didn't make her wear a jacket. It wasn't that cold today, but he overestimated her tolerance to the cold.
"Wear gloves tomorrow." He grabbed both of her hands, squeezing them and raising them to his mouth to gently blow hot air upon it.
Zhao Lifei opened her mouth but closed it when she saw Zhao Moyao from the corner of her eyes. He was conversing with Ge Yafan with a smile.
From a distance, people would think they were having a civilized conversation. She couldn't see Ge Yafan's expression but knew her grandfather well enough to know a passive-aggressive conversation with faux smiles were occurring. He was not happy. The smile never reached his stony, rigid eyes.
Yang Feng followed the direction of her curious gaze, "Are you still angered by him?"
"Wouldn't you be angry at someone who altered your course of life?"
Yang Feng thought over her words. "He had good intentions."
Zhao Lifei's head snapped to his direction. His brows tugged together, worried she might have a whiplash. "I thought you would be irritated by his actions?"
"I used to be." He truthfully answered her. "But then, I pondered his reasoning and viewed everything from his perspective." He placed a hand on her cheek and brushed his thumb upon the surface of her skin. "Even in my youth, I had a list of enemies who'd love to kill everything I held dear." An arm snaked behind her waist as he guided her body closer to his while being mindful of her stomach. The hand resting on her face slipped down to lovingly rub her stomach. The bodyguards around them prevented anyone from taking nosy glances their way. She was beginning to slowly show, but it looked more like she had too much to eat for breakfast.
"If it'll guarantee your safety, I would've done anything in the world. His approach was not the best, but his intentions derived from a good place in his heart." Yang Feng bent his head and kissed her on the forehead. "Your grandfather wished to protect you. No one could've predicted the future. None of the people expected the outcomes of his mistakes."
"I know." Zhao Lifei murmured, her eyes glassy and staring into the distance. He was saying everything that she had been contemplating for a long time now. A part of her still held a grudge for what he had done to her. She sighed through her nose and placed a hand on her stomach, resting it upon Yang Feng's roughened knuckles. "I won't deprive my child of their great-grandfather."
"And will you deprive yourself of him?"
Zhao Lifei became silent. She glanced through the window of the hallway they were standing in. Her grandfather had stopped smiling.
"The next time you pull a stunt like this, it will be the last time you ever see my granddaughter." Zhao Moyao harshly bit out, his eyes glaring daggers into her skull. "I didn't bring you onto my team to betray me."
"If your granddaughter couldn't handle this test, she would never be ready for Yang Feng's world—"
"She has already been exposed to the dangers of the Underworld." His eyes narrowed. "For the record, his world revolves around her."
Ge Yafan's eyes widened at his unexpected words.
None of the men in her life had cared for their wives or lovers. They regarded them as property and prized possessions that would further increase their wealth. It was the same for Yang Qianlu, who married his wife not only for love but also for convenience. The Fans were people with a good reputation and an ample amount of wealth.
Yang Qianlu was a man that valued his emotions. Unfortunately, prosperity and priorities were his deciding factors. He wanted to choose a marriage partner based on a person of his choosing and it was just through his luck that he was able to fall in love with Fan Jielan. She was obedient and bent herself to his will, up until recently when she began to defy his dominance. His world did not revolve around his wife. It was centered on his children.
This was the same for Ge Yafan. Yang Mujian married her out of convenience and fragments of delusional love. She was a possession that he was mesmerized by her. He didn't care about her desires or wishes and placed his own above hers. It was suffocating. She loved him dearly, but in return, she was placed in a pretty little cage. Nothing made her more petrified than entering their bedroom, where the remnants of her identity were discarded at the door.
"I—"
"If you hadn't given her the heirloom today, I would've stormed out long after her performance." Zhao Moyao sniped, pressing his lips into a thin line before strolling off with his secretary, Li Xuan in tow.
Ge Yafan slowly turned to the piano that was alone on stage. It was hauntingly beautiful. The spotlight was on it, but it didn't need the light to shine.
- - - - -
"Xiao Fei," Zhao Moyao's surprised voice tooted Zhao Lifei's footing. He was a few meters away from her when he saw the tiny back of his granddaughter.
Li Xuan paused, his eyes rested on Zhao Lifei. As she slowly turned around with President Yang accompanying her actions, he noticed the smallest bump from her well-fitted but flowy dress. His eyes glanced towards his Boss whose eyes moistened at the sight.
"How… is the child?"
"You mean your great-grandchild?" Zhao Lifei calmly asked in a respectable tone.
"M-my great-grandchild?" Zhao Moyao choked out through the lump in his throat. Astonished by her words, he continued to stammer, "O-of course. Who else would it be?" He seemed to be talking to himself, rather than her.
Zhao Lifei wondered if she had been too harsh on him. Nonetheless, she said, "You shouldn't torture yourself, Grandfather. I don't think I can ever bring myself to forgive you; however, that doesn't mean you don't hold a special place in my heart. I welcome you to visit me and the child, but please do not expect forgiveness."
"I never expected forgiveness. I never wanted forgiveness. Let me live with this guilt. It is by feeling this that I am reminded to survive." Zhao Moyao didn't know the most startling fact of his words was that his will to live was not because of guilt. She was his motivation to continue living.
Zhao Lifei knew better. She could see it in his eyes that his real intentions of living were not because of guilt, but because of something else. "You have to realize, Grandfather, that perhaps without your actions, I might've never changed. I would've remained spoiled and unable to recognize my flaws."
"Don't try to comfort me."
Zhao Lifei chuckled, "Do I seem like the person to do such a thing? I am merely speaking the facts."
"You're indulging in 'hypothesis' and 'what ifs'."
"But that does ease your worries doesn't it?"
"..." Zhao Moyao scowled at his cheeky granddaughter and her smug little smile that consistently reached her eyes. "Whatever makes you happy." He grunted, shifting the cane from one hand to another.
"I see you've stopped hiding the cane from the public." Zhao Lifei stated as she raised her brows, curious at his reasoning. He never wanted to give the press something to nitpick at. It was a miracle that they haven't caught wind of it. Seeing as none of the news firms were publishing an article about it, she inferred today was the first day he was seen with the golden handled cane.
"Yes. The half-decade meeting is approaching in a week." His words left room for implications.
Zhao Lifei's relaxed posture didn't change even with the taunting pressure on her shoulders — he wanted her to be present at the meeting.
"I will not take no for an answer. You are expected to be there promptly at nine in the morning. It is time for a new era." Zhao Moyao sharply told her, his words weighed heavily on her heart.