04. Not everything is as it seems

Xiaoqing stood in front of the big room and inhaled deeply. Behind her stood Zhenzhen and smirked and then pushed her back to get inside.

"Qinqing..." Her mother rushed to pick her up but then stopped as she heard a voice behind her. With a sigh, she stood beside her husband and looked at her with worry.

"Lee Xiaoqing, do you know your wrong?" An older man sat on head position and looked at her with a serious expression. His hair was completely white but his face was surprisingly still youthful. Then she remembered that in olden times they got married in early youth.

Xiaoqing bowed her head and then made a decision. With a thump she kneeled and bowed deeply towards them, making them flustered. Zhenzhen tried to make her stand up but Xiaoqing shook her head and looked at her.

"Big sister, thank you for your heart but some things must be done now." She turned her head towards her grandfather and bowed again making him change his expression to worse.

When she rose her head Xiaoqing smiled brightly at him. "I, Lee Xiaoqing was a very unreasonable child and ask Elders to forgive me..." Then she blinked cutely and smiled at him."...Please?"

The ray of cuteness that shone from her face made the old Lee Elder completely speechless. Xiaoqing held Zhenzhen's hand and stood up and bowed one more time.

Not even giving them a chance to react, her eyes turned into half-moons and she chuckled brightly. "I wanted to ride with Dajie together and thought it was easy, as I saw her easily doing so. I guess I overestimated myself. Sometimes a person must fall to know how high the sky is. Hehehehe."

A loud laugh could be heard from the side. "Our Qinqing seemingly became smarter since fall."

She turned her head and saw a bright face staring just a few inches away from her face. He winked at her and then with both hands pinched her cheeks. With surprising eyes she saw him laughing loudly and this time the others joined the laughter as well.

Lee Weiming. The oldest son of Lee family and Zhenzhen older brother.

Actually there are not many children and grandchildren in the family. Lee Elder Had three sons and daughter. Zhenzhen's parents had just her and her older brother. Xiaoqing parents had one small son and her and there was one more uncle that got married and had a bunch of women in the household but only two daughters.

She pouted cutely at him. "Dage... My cheeks are not a dough. Stop pinching it."

As soon he let her cheeks of, she puffed her cheeks that had clear marks of his fingers. She turned her head to Zhenzhen and pointed at her cheeks. "They are red again, right?"

Zhenzhen saw her eyes filled with tears and patted her head. "Don't worry. Big sister will help you."

She took her handkerchief and let the servant pour some water on it. Then she carefully dabbed her cheeks. "Is it better now?"

Xiaoqing nodded. "Thank you. Big brother likes to bully me, but I know that this time I was wrong so I can't even cry as it was my fault. This punishment I need to pass with an open mind. Now next..."

With big eyes, she looked at her grandfather and then at her grandmother. "Uhm, what is my punishment?"

The old lady waved her hand for her to get near and patted her head. "As long you know your wrong there is no need to punish you." But then flicked her head and chuckled. "I hope next time you will think twice before doing something so foolish. Scared us..."

With funny expression, she rubbed her forehead and snickered. "I definitely won't try to ride a big horse anytime soon, that is true..."

Listening to her words Lee Weiming started laughing and everyone else join him.

Zhenzhen took her by hand and they sat down on their seats and as they spoke Xiaoqing looked at her mother and saw her looking at Zhenzhen with hatred. Wait, maybe it was not everything that girl fault if someone implanted such thoughts from small on...

She wrinkled her eyebrows and searched trough the bits of memories. She didn't get whole memory. Just bits and pieces here and there. But in some, she saw this woman talking, and stuff she said made her face become completely dark.

Lee Weiming looked at her expression and her movement as her body stood in front of Zhenzhen protectively. He knew that woman's thoughts but using her own daughter... Then he looked at Lee Xiaoqing taking Zhenzhen out and giving cold glance towards her own mother and knew that this child was not as simple as he thought.

She is Lee, after all. Deep in his heart, he felt that it was time he needed to protect that child as well. The fall was not as simple as everyone was thinking.

Only by chance, she fell into the straw, if she fell on the floor... His eyes darkened and he looked at his grandfather that just nodded. It seems he had the same thoughts.

Her own brother was smaller than her. Looking at a young boy attempting to eat nearby stone she started laughing and rushed to take it away from him. Looking at the servant that should be taking care of him her face became cold.

"You... are... fired..." Her three words were said trough pressed teeth as she saw the woman just lazily sleeping on the side.

The woman slowly opened her eyes and chuckled. "You can't fire me..."

"But I can..." Xiaoqing turned her head and saw her father looking coldly at the woman.

"Master I..." She was a pretty woman and started winding in front of him but he just pursed his lips in despising smile.

"Just a mere servant speaking back at me. It seems there is no master in your eyes. My daughter is a young miss and your master as well. Why do I even explain? Servants, pack her stuff and kick her out the house, right now!" His could voice resonated trough whole yard.

Two strong mamas held her by two arms and dragged her away under her protest and one young servant just stuffed her mouth with her handkerchief and helped them.

Just when they were about to drag her away a female voice screamed. "Stop... What are you doing?"