Chapter 771: Serving Tea as an Apology
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Xia Ling sighed softly. In some situations, hate and love were intertwined.
Li Lei half knelt and held her hand beside the hospital bed. Looking at her with deep and quiet eyes, he asked, “Xiao Ling, do you think I was not vicious enough?”
She felt warmth in her heart as she shook her head.
She reached out and touched his soft short hair. “I just like it when you’re silly.”
This man she loved had principles and a bottom line. Even if he were provoked to the extreme, he would not do anything horrible or vicious. That was why she felt safe and could depend on him.
Thus, he smiled softly. “You’re the silly one.”
She touched his short hair again. “Yes. I was too silly, that’s why I fell for you.”
The two of them looked at each other gently and smiled.
Days spent on the cruise ship were as peaceful as water. Xia Ling laid on a luxurious and comfortable ward to recuperate. The room had floor-to-ceiling windows and the sea seemed to sparkle under the pale golden sun.
She recovered very quickly. She did not know what medicine the doctors prescribed her, but soon, she could get out of bed and walk by herself. While she was walking in half circles on the deck and wearing a loose robe, Xia Moyan found her. “I will go back to the mountains now. Are you really not coming with me?”
She looked up at her brother. “Please send my regards to mom and dad for me.”
Xia Moyan’s expression was unkind. It was said that married daughters were like water that was poured out. However, she was not even married yet. Why was she so insistent on being with that broken piece of wood?
It was time for him to teach that broken piece of wood a lesson…
Li Lei’s future brother-in-law had a worse impression of him now. Poor Li Lei!
Xia Moyan left by himself. Before he left, the owner of Blissful Paradise gave him the entire cruise ship as a gift. And in front of everyone, he gave it to Xia Ling without thinking twice.
Everyone was unable to remain calm anymore. What exactly was the relationship between this girl and Xia Moyan?
However, no matter how they asked, they couldn’t get a response from her.
This group of people started to take care of Xia Ling extremely well for the fear that they treated the girl that The Preceptor cherished too poorly at the start. This made Li Lei very at ease as he was able to spend most of his time with Shaohui.
This time, after being in Blissful Paradise, Shaohui witnessed too much darkness and was beaten cruelly by others. These left a deep scar in the child’s young mind and he did not dare to turn off the light every night when he went to bed. He usually screamed and was awoken by nightmares in the middle of the night.
However, he was a sensible child and did not tell this to Xia Ling.
He only pulled on the corner of Li Lei’s shirt and said, “Dad, I’m scared.” In his small mind, his mom had already withstood enough pain and was so weak that she could not bear any more burdens. As for his father, he was a strong and reliable man.
Li Lei gently comforted the child. Every night, he would remain by his child’s side and sleep with him.
Even in the day, he would play with him to distract him from the shadow of captive experience.
Xia Ling did not know what he was busy with and thought that he still had not recovered from his injuries when he confronted Li Feng, so she did not bother him. The cruise was slowly moving towards the shoreline. When she was free, she would make a pot of tea, sit on the deck, enjoy the sea breeze, and write some songs. Occasionally, seagulls would land on the fence.
On this day, she ate lunch as usual and sat on the deck.
Suddenly, she heard footsteps.
She looked up and saw Old Master Li.
Ever since that day Xia Moyan saved her, Old Master Li was nowhere to be seen and Xia Ling almost forgot that this person was on board. Now, seeing Old Master Li walk over, she folded the score in her hand.
“Is there something?” Her voice was clear, but she vaguely resembled Xia Moyan. This was a kind of indifference from the Xia Family when they were facing insignificant creatures.
Due to Shaohui’s incident, unconsciously, she started to treat Old Master as an outsider.
She stopped calling him “grandpa” as she did in the beginning.
Old Master was wearing a navy tunic and holding a finely crafted agarwood walking stick in his hand. Someone followed behind him with a tray with a cup of tea on it.
They walked in front of Xia Ling and stood still.
Old Master took the tea, lightly leaned forward, and placed it in front of her hand.
Xia Ling’s gaze was directed to the beautiful azure porcelain and the wrinkled hands and face of Old Master Li. She did not say a word and remained cold.
Old Master Li started to change his impression of this girl. In the past, why did he not realize that this girl could remain calm with poise? “Miss Ye.” Since she was not speaking, he spoke first and firmly. Although he had a humble posture, he was as sturdy as a massive rock. “I’m here to apologize to you with this cup of tea. It’s my fault for being ignorant and not knowing that you are close to The Preceptor. I have offended you many times. Please forgive me.”
Xia Ling only stared at him coldly and did not accept his cup of tea.
On the deck, this was a somewhat strange scene. As the old man bent down, his white hair scattered in the sea breeze, the young girl whose complexion was as pink as cherry blossoms remained cold and proud.
Old Master Li started to feel angry. He couldn’t help but say, “Miss Ye, I’m serving you tea.” As he had been an Old Master for a large part of his life, he had his head high up in the air and, when he spoke to Xia Ling, he was rather arrogant as if it was her honor to receive his apology.
Thus, Xia Ling smiled faintly.
“I don’t need a cup of tea.” She turned around and looked at the sea. “After causing my child so much harm, don’t you think that a cup of tea is not enough?” Some things could be forgiven, but not this. She did not dare to imagine what would happen to her child if she did not rescue him. At the least, his life would be controlled by others forever. If it were more serious…
Remembering the scene on Blissful Paradise, her heart felt like it was being pierced by needles.
Old Master Li did not have a deep understanding of her. For the most part, he relied on reports that Su Tang and his other subordinates. In their reports, they said that this girl was idiotic, impulsive, and weak. She was somewhat like that Miss Gu who was thrown into jail and only knew how to cry and depend on men when she needed help. By herself, she was incapable.
Now, after offending her, he realized how wrong his intelligence team was.
He couldn’t help but squint his eyes and re-evaluate her again in silence. This girl looked petite and small. She was like a quietly blooming flower. At first glance, she was not eye-catching and did not seem intimidating, as if she could be destroyed with the touch of a finger.
However, what was the reality?
How many people could give the cold shoulder to the Li Family which had been in the triad for generations, ruthlessly killed many people, and was able to impact the world with a small action?