The Focus of Attention

The man entered the mansion and was guided to the reception room, by the house staff.

Shortly after his arrival, a tall lean man followed inside and took a seat in the armchair. He had long black hair pinned at the back of his head, he was wearing a camel turtleneck cashmere blouse, paired with checker light grey trousers and black leather house slippers.

The air was calm and peaceful, the man lit a cigar and signalled his maid to serve them the tea. The room was silent while the cigar smoke started to get denser and denser.

After he finished smoking, the man snuff out his cigar in the ash tray and addressed the other man.

"Has she returned?"

"Yes Sir!" Replied the thin man.

"Hmmm I see!" Said Lu Ye Han, while his eyebrows furrowed deeper. He held no regard for this woman whatsoever. If she would have gotten into his man's car that time, at Lin Yan's birthday party, she would have been long dead by now.

The woman imposed a great obstacle for him. He was concerned that she would gain the sympathy of his Great Grandfather if she would become pregnant with his step brother. So eliminating her before that, was his best chance to take over the Lu family's head position.

He knew that his other relatives thought the same and they might want to act against her first, as the only factor that threatened his step brother's position as the Patriarch, was the fact that he didn't married and produced an heir as yet.

"Let's wait. Ask someone to keep an eye on her, I believe that there are other family members interested in her life as well. Maybe they can do the job instead of us!"

"Yes Sir!" Said the man expressionless, then left.

A week later Jo was in a very cheerful mood. There were two days left till Christmas and she had just finished decorating the house.

She chose to do a white and red colour theme this year and lots and lots of Christmas lights. She even changed the maids uniforms and asked them to add their personal Christmassy touch to their outfits. Lu Ye Ze took this time of as holiday as well, so he helped her with the shopping and decorating of the house.

At the moment he had climbed up on a ladder and was hanging a wreath on the large entrance doors, under Jo's precise instructions.

"Do you like it?" Asked the girl with a pair of sparkling eyes. The man stepped off the ladder and approached the cheerful girl. He looked at her pleased little face and nodded in agreement.

Jo instantly displayed a broad smile on her face, she was happy that her husband had acknowledged her hard work.

"Too bad that we don't have snow!" Said the girl looking a bit regretful. Lu Ye Ze pulled her in his embrace an patted her head. The corners of his mouth turned upwards.

The time past in a flash and it was already Christmas day. All the Lu family members, will be celebrating the event at the old mansion. They are not celebrating Christmas per say, but the memorial of the late Mistress of the house Zhang Ziyi the wife of Lu Shaoting. She had passed away on the 25th of December 2010 and since then, the whole family will gather and walk up Mountain Yi for prayers and lit a candle in the honour of the deceased Lu family members.

This memorial was the most important event of the year for the Lu family, aside from Lu Shaoting's birthday and it will also be a very important event for Jo. She would be meeting all the relatives of her husband and most importantly she would be the focus of attention as the wife of the Patriarch and the new Mistress of the Lu family.