Chapter 147
Upon hearing Huo Yunxuan's words, Li Zhiwei said nothing, merely lowering her head as thoughts of her father alone in the capital occupied her mind.
She actually harbored some doubts about what Huo Yunxuan had said earlier.
But a little voice inside her insisted it was true.
Huo Yunxuan's thinking was much simpler. Since he had intentions towards Li Zhiwei, he naturally wanted to take advantage of her being in Li'an County to make his presence felt more often.
"Miss Li, what I said is true. The Prince of An clearly isn't sincere in seeking to marry you. Otherwise, why would he be willing to buy counterfeit wine for your father? He's obviously after the Li family's wealth. We are different. The Huo and Li families are of comparable status. My family isn't short of money, so it's impossible we would harm you and your family for such a reason, isn't that right?" Huo Yunxuan patiently persuaded Li Zhiwei.
Li Zhiwei did not respond to Huo Yunxuan's words, but her mind drifted to the actions of the Marquis of Ru'an's household in seeking her hand in her previous life.
Their aim had been nothing more than the Li family's wealth.
If it were about other things, Li Zhiwei might have argued, but when it came to money, although the Li family was the wealthiest, the Huo family truly wasn't far behind.
Moreover, back then, the Li family had prepared a large portion of their assets as her dowry, which had now all been confiscated by the state treasury.
Nowadays, it wouldn't be surprising if the Huo family had more money than the Li family.
"Surely you are aware, Young Master Huo, that His Majesty has decreed the marriage between me and the Prince of An?" Li Zhiwei still felt the need to remind him.
She was a woman betrothed. Before dissolving her engagement with Xu Heming, she couldn't possibly have any entanglement with the Huo family.
"Well, well! So this is why you've always been unwilling about Xin'er's marriage proposal. It's because of her!" A sudden, sharp voice rang out.
Li Zhiwei frowned.
A bad feeling settled in her heart.
Huo Yunxuan also hadn't expected to encounter his eldest sister here.
"Eldest Sister, what brings you here?" Huo Yunxuan glanced apologetically at Li Zhiwei before standing up to address Huo Yunlan beside him.
"If I hadn't come, how would I know you've been secretly associating with unsavory characters behind the family's back?" Huo Yunlan said displeasedly, glaring at Li Zhiwei.
"Eldest Miss Huo, isn't that a bit harsh? What do you mean by 'unsavory characters'?" Li Zhiwei frowned, stood up, and voiced her disagreement with Huo Yunlan's words.
"Hah, so it's you, Eldest Miss Li. Weren't you supposed to be married off to the capital? Did the noble in the capital not want you, so now you're trying to cozy up to my brother?" Huo Yunlan still remembered her brother previously expressing a desire to marry her, and how the Li family head had stated they would only accept a live-in son-in-law.
Her brother was the sole male heir of the Huo family in this generation. How could he possibly become a live-in son-in-law for the Li family?
For this reason alone, Huo Yunlan was unwilling to give Li Zhiwei a pleasant look.
"Eldest Miss Huo, you'd best watch your words. Trouble often comes from the mouth!" Li Zhiwei said unhappily.
"Eldest Sister, don't talk nonsense. I was the one who invited Miss Li here," Huo Yunxuan said with a headache.
He felt his sister harbored a clear hostility towards Li Zhiwei, but he didn't understand where it came from.
The Li family was on equal footing with their Huo family. Wouldn't a union of two powerful families be beneficial?
"Yunxuan, since you're here, it's perfect. I came out with Xin'er today. Let's go over; you should meet Xin'er. Trust your elder sister, once you see her, you'll definitely like her!" Huo Yunlan deliberately spoke loudly in Li Zhiwei's direction.
Her purpose was to tell Li Zhiwei that her brother would never marry a woman whose engagement had been broken off. Only a girl like Meng Xin'er was worthy of the head of the Huo family.
"Eldest Sister, Miss Li and I still have matters to discuss," Huo Yunxuan frowned. He had no desire to meet this Meng Xin'er; he only wanted to be here with Li Zhiwei.
Seeing the situation, Li Zhiwei had no more interest in lingering with Huo Yunxuan either.
She stood up, intending to leave.
"Miss Li, since we've met today, why not join us?" However, Huo Yunlan, seemingly struck by a thought, called out to stop Li Zhiwei just as she was about to leave.
Li Zhiwei had absolutely no interest. This Eldest Miss Huo clearly disliked her. She wondered what whim had struck the woman to invite her along.
Hah, wasn't she afraid Li Zhiwei would ruin her plans?
"Mother, you really are here!"
Before Li Zhiwei could answer, a cheerful voice rang out. Who else could it be but Xu Qingshi?
Li Zhiwei breathed a sigh of relief, thinking Xu Qingshi's timing was perfect. She could use this to refuse Huo Yunlan's request.
Xu Qingshi happily ran to Li Zhiwei's side.
"How did you get here?" Seeing Xu Qingshi, Li Zhiwei still felt some distance in her heart. She couldn't face him with the same calm attitude as before, especially when she thought his father might truly have wanted her own father's life. The thought made her want to distance herself from Xu Qingshi.
"Mother, did I do something wrong? Please don't be angry with me, okay?" Xu Qingshi pitifully tugged at the hem of Li Zhiwei's clothes, pleading.
"My, my! I must be out of touch. I didn't realize Eldest Miss Li's child was already this big!" Huo Yunlan, fully aware Xu Qingshi wasn't Li Zhiwei's child, deliberately remarked.
"You little brat, stop calling her that! She's not your mother! Didn't your father teach you not to call just anyone mother?" Huo Yunxuan stepped forward, dissatisfied, scolding Xu Qingshi.
He thought to himself, Xu Heming's child was indeed as annoying as Xu Heming himself.
"I'm not calling her that randomly! She is my mother!" Xu Qingshi, like a little lion, positioned himself in front of Li Zhiwei and roared at Huo Yunxuan.
He was extremely dissatisfied. After all, this beautiful mother was one he had personally chosen.
This bad man must be trying to steal his mother. The thought made Xu Qingshi even more unhappy.
"Miss Li couldn't possibly have given birth to a child your size in two months," Huo Yunxuan said sarcastically to Xu Qingshi.
In truth, Huo Yunxuan's words weren't just for Xu Qingshi; they were more to inform Huo Yunlan that this child wasn't Li Zhiwei's.
"Mother, tell this bad man, you are my mother, right?" Xu Qingshi walked to Li Zhiwei's side with a wronged expression, hugged her leg, and whined pitifully.
"Enough, Young Master Huo. Why argue with a child? Since Eldest Miss Huo and Young Master Huo have other matters, I won't keep you company. Qingshi, let's go home." Having said this, Li Zhiwei took Xu Qingshi's hand and left.
Huo Yunxuan frowned, wanting to chase after them, but was held back by Huo Yunlan beside him.
"Can't you see? Even if that noble from the capital didn't want her, she's already found her next target. What are you still foolishly waiting here for?" Huo Yunlan looked at her brother with an expression of disappointment in his inability to meet expectations.
"Eldest Sister, you don't understand!" Huo Yunxuan said angrily.
So what if she had found her next target? As long as he wielded his hoe well, Li Zhiwei would be his!
