Li Caiyi had received several chats from Dai Shenqiang throughout the night. He kept apologizing for something that was not his fault at all. Li Caiyi felt bad, so she replied to assure him she was fine, but he was not convinced.

With the way Li Caiyi barged out of his house yesterday, it was no wonder if he did not believe her. Li Caiyi had spent a night reflecting on her behavior, and thought she should apologize to Dai Shenqiang directly next time.

Meanwhile, Li Caiyi noticed that Li Chunhua had gotten closer with Su Suyin. They kept chatting and gave each other food during breakfast. The movie night the other day might have helped cultivate the mother-daughter relationship between them.

Before, Li Chunhua would still talk to her, but now there was no one to talk to in this house. Li Caiyi had become a stranger in her own house. What a familiar feeling.

Li Caiyi did not feel so good, so she waited until Li Chunhua left first with Li Junjie, before she quickly stood up after she finished her breakfast. However, before she got to the door Su Suyin said to her.

"Come home early today. You still have to prepare for Renshu's party next week. Even if you don't want to, you still have to do it because our family name would be at stake. Don't embarrass us."

Li Caiyi nodded her head briefly. "I understand."historical

Su Suyin looked at Li Caiyi's calm attitude and felt a bit irritated. It had been a while since they talked, but that was all she was going to say?

At first, Su Suyin was reluctant to stop making her portion. No matter how disobedient she was, Li Caiyi was still her flesh coming out of her womb. Su Suyin reassured herself that she would not deliberately make things hard for her anymore if she apologized. Li Caiyi only had to apologize and she would forgive her.

However, who would have thought that not only did she never apologize, but she also learned to take care of her meal by herself? For Su Suyin, that was the same as Li Caiyi trying to tell her that she did not need her mother at all. This was supposed to be a hard lesson for Li Caiyi, but Su Suyin felt like she was the one who was getting slapped for trying to do something silly.

Su Suyin did not understand why it was so hard to communicate with Li Caiyi these days. She used to be the easiest to coax, and Su Suyin had always felt grateful because she was so sensible. But now, it was as if she changed into a completely different person. Su Suyin could not find it in her to care for her as she used to anymore.

"Do you really understand? You can't go out to play with your friend this time."

"Yes, I know."

"Renshu had especially asked our permission to let him take you as his partner, so use this chance well. Even if you are not good at studying, as long as you can be with Renshu, you will have nothing to be worried about in the future."

,m Li Caiyi sneered inwardly. What was so good about being married into that family? The only things Li Caiyi received from the Meng family during her marriage were pain, humiliation, and abandonment. Even if they offered themselves on a silver plate, Li Caiyi would still not take them.

"My marriage, I will be the one to decide them." Li Caiyi said decisively.

"Y-you! Are you going to talk back to your mother again?!" Su Suyin berated with both hands on her hips. "You are still young, so you don't know what's good for you. Renshu is a kind and responsible boy. You won't have a hard time if you follow him."

"Mother. Do you mean 'me' or 'our family', who would not have a hard time following him?"

Su Suyin did not like how Li Caiyi said it. It was as if her daughter was mocking her for being a hypocrite. Even though she only had her best interest in mind.

"Li Caiyi, you are really disappointing me. I gave you a chance to redeem yourself many times, but you keep saying nonsense in front of me. Why can't you be more like Xiaohua? Unlike you, she was much more suitable to be with Renshu!"

Li Caiyi clenched her hand into fist, and resisted the urge to just walk away from this place.

A painful and suffocating place. That was what the Li Family's house was.

Li Caiyi smiled bitterly. "If Mother prefers Xiaohua to go with Brother Renshu instead of me, then you should have said so. I will gladly give it to Xiaohua. After all, she is my younger sister and as an older sister I should always make a way for her, shouldn't I?"

Su Suyin's heart was pricked seeing Li Caiyi's heartbroken face. She did not mean it that way. She was just upset because Li Caiyi kept talking back to her these days, so she hoped that she could learn to be more like Li Chunhua who was cute and obedient.

Never had she thought of forcing Li Caiyi to relent her position to Li Chunhua. After all, this would be a good chance for Li Caiyi to gain a foothold in front of Li Jirong, as long as she could make use of the chance well.

"Xiaoyi, that's not—"

"Don't worry, Mother. I will do as you said and talk to Brother Renshu about it. If he refuses, I don't mind either if I go to the party as Xiaohua and my sister took my place. We are twins, so no one could tell the difference anyway.

Having a twin daughter sure is convenient. Isn't that right, Mother?"

Su Suyin felt a chill run down his spine when she looked at Li Caiyi's smile which did not look like a smile at all. Her tongue stiffened, and she could not say anything back.

Li Caiyi stared at her mother with a distant gaze, feeling like her hand could never reach Su Suyin no matter how she tried. There were only a few steps between them, but her mother was so far from her.

She did not want to think about this anymore. "If that's all, then I'll leave for school first."

Su Suyin watched Li Caiyi leave until she could not see her figure anymore. Her chest was stuffy with indescribable emotion.

Li Caiyi did not cry or raise her voice even once. She also did not complain after Su Suyin ignored her or refused to make her meals for days. She even willingly said she would consult Meng Renshu to let Li Chunhua take her place.

Li Caiyi was still the same person deep down. She truly cared about her family.

Su Suyin bit her lips and felt her conscience had been pricked by a needle. Did she went too harsh on her earlier?

Recalling Li Caiyi's face, Su Suyin knew the words she had said lightly must have hurt her eldest daughter terribly, and it left her with bad taste in her tongue.