Chapter 14

The next day, Li Shaoze woke up early due to insufficient sleep again. He went to wash himself and got ready to go to the Li manor.

Li Junfeng felt that his brother was in a bad mood after his unexpected encounter with Pei Qian yesterday and he regretted rushing things early. So he planned to wait until Li Shaoze was in a good mood before he mentioned the topic.

Mu Ziyi came early to bring breakfast and after Li Shaoze was done eating, he instructed her to drive him to the Li manor which was located in the west part of the city, just around 45 minutes away.

Inside his head, Li Junfeng still held some little hope that this meeting with his grandmother would open a new chapter for Li Shaoze. Maybe there was a chance for them to reconcile and cultivate familial relationships? He hoped things would turn favorably for Li Shaoze.

If Li Shaoze knew what was on his mind, he would definitely scowl in disgust.

When Li Shaoze was finally at the front gate, he still had to wait until he got authorization to come in. Li Junfeng stayed silent inside the car since he knew his brother wouldn't want to talk about anything related to the Li family.

30 minutes went by and Li Shaoze used this time to look at some reports sent to his email. He didn't seem bothered as if he wasn't left here to be deliberately ignored.

Mu Ziyi who was the one driving could also sense the subtle injustice as she had coincidentally learned of some things from Zhu Zijin explicitly. She felt sympathy for her new employer and thought that even if he was rich, he still couldn't get familial affections.

Li Shaoze wasn't bothered at all and was unaware of Mu Ziyi's thought as he continued working with his tablet in the back seat. Li Junfeng who sat beside him also kept quiet even though he was already feeling very disappointed in his heart. It seemed that his wish for Li Shaoze to be treated well had come to dust.

Just when Li Junfeng was unable to wait longer and was about to fly over to the manor directly to look, the gate was finally opened. It took exactly 45 minutes for the Li's to get authorization for Li Shaoze, the one who supposedly had the same surname and was essentially a family member.

Li Shaoze didn't think much of it. This level of bullying was very insignificant to him.

When the car moved again after a long time of waiting, Li Shaoze also stopped working. He finished looking over four important reports and finalized two of them. So he didn't think it was a waste of time to have to wait.

An attendant was waiting right by the entrance when Li Shaoze alighted from the car. The butler himself was nowhere to be seen and such disrespect was actually normal for Li Shaoze to experience.

He walked slowly to the entrance and the attendant immediately showed him the way without greeting him or even a respectful bow. Li Shaoze didn't feel anything as he followed. He didn't even spare his eyes to glance around to see the interior of the manor. He didn't know whether things in this house had changed after 12 years or not. And he also didn't care to bother.

He sat in front of the Li family matriarch once he got inside a study. The old woman's face was full of ugly wrinkles and they seemed to be eaten by time. She seemed to still be grieving over the death of her 'only' grandson. Yet, Li Shaoze sat without any expression except for a short nod to indicate greetings.

"People should have forgotten about you long ago but you dared to show yourself during Junfeng's funeral," this was the first thing she said.

"People have started talking again and were asking around where you've been. I wished for you to just be out of my sight but since you've appeared at the funeral, it shows you still have some respect for your younger half-brother. That, at least made you come out decent as the bearer of our family name," Li Shaoze listened and didn't comment.

Li Junfeng was shocked as he listened to the nonsense his grandmother said. He walked over in front of her and exclaimed that enough should be enough. He felt very furious inside but everything he expressed wasn't seen nor heard by the old woman at all.

It made him angrier as he turned to look at Li Shaoze but found his brother looking expressionless as ever, just like 12 years ago. It froze him in place to see such expression.

Li Shaoze glanced at Li Junfeng and his eyes told him that he should stop doing what he was doing. Li Junfeng was surprised by the calm intensity in his gaze and his words got caught in his throat, unable to come out.

Li Junfeng had hoped that after 12 years had passed, things would get better. They could actually hold a decent conversation and try to solve the bad blood between them. However, he was still naive.

The old woman kept condemning Li Shaoze out of nothing at all and when she realized he wasn't responding to any of her provocations, she pursed her lips in disdain.

Then she said, "I want you to work in the company. Become the new vice president to replace Junfeng,"

Li Shaoze and Li Junfeng both had the exact opposite reactions. Li Shaoze wasn't the slightest happy nor sad and Li Junfeng was very shocked and in disbelief. The goal of the Li's was finally clear and Li Shaoze had understood the reason why he was summoned to this god forsaken place. He didn't even say anything as he stood up and began to walk to the door.

"I will have to reject your offer. Now, if you'll excuse me," he pulled on the doorknob.

"I wasn't giving you an offer! It's an order," the matriarch sounded cold as if she was really talking to her subordinate. She stuck the cane she was holding on the floor and one could see how angry she was.

"I'm not obligated to listen to your order," Li Shaoze said simply. His face devoid of emotions.

"You're still a Li in name! Have some respect towards me!" the old woman stood up and shouted angrily.

Lu Mimi had just woken up and finished her shower upstairs. When she heard her mother-in-law shouting, she immediately ran over to see. The unexpected figure of Li Shaoze in the house and under the same roof caused her to frown distastefully.

Li Junfeng saw this exact reaction when he looked over and spot the newcomer. His chest felt tight and he instinctively recalled many things that his brother had experience from their childhood. When his mother looked at him, she would smile as if he was her precious treasure but when she looked at his brother, her face would become ugly and she would rain various nasty remarks.

He was too young to see the difference.

He didn't know where this hatred came from and why it would matter. He tried very hard to think of a way to make his brother become acknowledged in this house but once he saw his mother's eyes, he once again knew how stupid he was.

No wonder Li Shaoze wouldn't even bother to come home after 12 years being abroad. If it wasn't for his death, Li Shaoze would actually stay in Country E forever.

This was also the reason why Li Shaoze was so reluctant on succeeding Qin Meili as a new owner of Quze Industries. He would have to stay in this country and left Quze A. Investment for other people to manage. He was also unreconciled to leave the company that he had built with his blood and sweat.

And once he took over Quze Industries, Li Shaoze would definitely have to go public and go toe to toe with Li Group, the rival in the same industry. It would make headline and his low-key lifestyle that he loved would be destroyed. By then, even the Li's wouldn't leave him alone.