2.11

It was the day that the Li couple was supposed to visit the Li family patriarch at the old house.

Hao Junli who for the first time ever, experienced morning sickness was grouchy as he dragged his luggage down the stairs. The rollerblades made a thumping sound every time they hit the nosing of the stairs.

On his way out the door, Hao Junli grabbed a reclining umbrella from the stand before locking the grills.

Feng Mian looked at him and then towards the clear sky, perplexed. "Why are you bringing an umbrella? It's not even raining."

Hao Junli pushed the button upwards and the umbrella sprung up to shade him from the sun. "It's Gucci."

"..."

'Alright then, curb your grievances with as many designer products as you want.'

Before Feng Mian could open the car's driver door from its handle, his toned body had been shoved out of the way by a petite lady's.

She lifted an eyebrow at the cranky little Hao Junli.

"I'll drive." Hao Junli had already slid into the driver's seat.

This housemate of hers sure was particularly volatile today. Feng Mian felt that she should be more lenient to her pregnant housemate and conceded. Sliding into the passenger's seat, she habitually turned the radio on.

'Cause you were Romeo, I was a scarlet letter

And my daddy said, Stay away from Juliet

But you were everything to me

I was beggin' you, "Please don't go, " and I said...'

System 555: "Why is this song so awfully familiar?"

Feng Mian changed the channel immediately.

Hao Junli was driving too fast and as soon as they hit the highway, he pressed the accelerator down to its maximum speed. He overtook every car in his way, passing them by expertly and manoeuvred the steering wheel as if the cars owed him money.

"Weh Hao Junli, can't you slow down a little?!" Feng Mian yelled grievously.

Hao Junli honked at the car in front who was about to cut into his lane.

System 555: "Your housemate is crazy ba! Was he a race car champion in your world?"

Feng Mian had never seen a pregnant lady drive so fast. Knowing that Hao Junli usually spends his weekend F1 driving back in their world, she wasn't too worried about crashing and just let him be. He was probably venting his feelings.

Luckily, old man Li's mansion wasn't too far from the city and the drive-from-hell was short-lived. Hao Junli felt the drive exonerate his pent up stress, so he was in a better mood by the time they arrived.

The stewardess greeted them at the door. "Young master, Young madame, Old Master Li is waiting for you at the garden."

When old man Li saw them arrive, he treated his grandson as air and went around her to hug his granddaughter-in-law first. He looked at the faint blush on Hao Junli's cheek due to the previous adrenaline rush and took it as a sign of healthy parlour. He nodded in content.

"I thought this Xiaofeng brat had mistreated you when I wasn't looking. Thankfully you look quite well."

In front of old man Li, Hao Junli behaved like a well-mannered daughter in law and showed a reserved, well-behaved look. "Thanking grandpa for caring about Junli. Xiaofeng has treated me really well."

Feng Mian: 'I really have.'

Old man Li nodded even more enthusiastically. The more he looks at her, the more satisfied he is with this granddaughter-in-law of his.

"Yoh, cousin! You're back already?"

It was Li Haoran, the novel's third male lead who greeted him. Feng Mian eyed this third love interest of the female lead and tried remembering Li Haoran's role in the original novel.

Li Haoran was the male lead's cousin, a child from the second branch who managed a subsidiary housing company of the Li industry. Their relationship was neither hot nor cold, only filled with the basic courtesy of that belonging to distant relatives. Feng Mian smiled.

"Li Haoran, long time no see."

The second male lead gave a boyish grin that revealed his canine tooth. As one of the male leads, his charisma and charm were only second to Li Xiaofeng.

"You brought sister-in-law back home?" Li Haoran nudged her shoulders. "Lucky bastard, you caught a pretty one."

"Are you jealous? I can catch another pretty one for you to marry."

"Xiaofeng is right, it's about that for this playboy brat to get hitched. Xiaofeng, why don't you introduce someone to him? Maybe this way, he'll show up less inside the mansion to irritate this old man," Old Man Li heckled.

Li Haoran rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Haha, don't be like that cousin, I was joking just now. I still want to look at the world for a few more years."

The back of Li Haoran's knees was hit by old man Li's walking stick. "Tch, what seeing the world?! You mean you're going to the bars and nightclubs, right?"

Li Haoran grimaced in pain. He made a quick escape from the garden to avoid getting another round of beating.

Old man Li turned his attention to his granddaughter-in-law. "You're pregnant and need more rest. The housekeepers have prepared a bedroom, why don't you go upstairs first? The steward will show you the way."

Hao Junli agreed, both he and Feng Mian got ready to move upstairs. But old man Li held Feng Mian back before she could follow.

"You go up first," she told Hao Junli.

Hao Junli nodded and followed the steward to their room.

Old man Li always knew that his grandson was sensible but he was a little naive when it comes to the matter of the heart. As an old person, he felt that he should educate this future master of the family.

He spoke more seriously this time, "I heard that the young miss Chun made a scene at your company the other day?"

Feng Mian: 'Young miss Chun?'

System 555: "It's the mad Huang Chu lady, Xiao Mian"

"That miss Chun is young and overly sentimental and doesn't understand boundaries. I know that you have known each other for a long time, but it is not good if you are too intimate with each other when one of you is already married."

Old man Li expatiated, "This old man has already brought forth this matter with the Chun family head and they've agreed to keep an eye out on their family's young miss. With your wife already pregnant, I hope that you don't let her down."

He gave a weary sigh. "You are the pride and the Li family will have to rely on you in the future, your reputation must not become smirched because of a scandal. Do you understand Li Xiaofeng?"

Feng Mian sensed that this old man has a harsh mouth but a soft heart. There was the tenderness and consideration of an elderly for the young seeping through his words. She smiled sincerely.

"Grandpa is right. I will listen to grandpa's words."

The Li family head felt that ever since his grandson had gotten married, he became more mature and thoughtful. If Li Xiaofeng could continue on this way, he'll have fewer worries in the future. That granddaughter-in-law must be a good seed!

***

Feng Mian dived into the bed and rolled a few times. The bed here is more comfortable than the one at her Li family's villa.

"Chun Hua came to see you?" Hao Junli had his arms folded as he stood behind the door. He didn't mind letting Feng Mian know he had been peeking into their conversation.

"Waaah-- you scared me! Why are you hiding behind the dark for, playing hide and seek with ghosts ah?" Feng Mian scrambled back.

Hao Junli moved to sit on the bed. "So did she?"

Feng Mian nodded. "Girls are really persistent. Is that why you don't date ah, Hao Junli?"

Hao Junli looked at her without blinking. "So what did you talk about?"

"What's there to talk about? I told her she has no shame and should resign from being a homewrecker."

"Is that all?"

"En. Both she and the female lead are so irritating. Is this the fatal attraction of the male lead coming to play?"

Hao Junli paused. "You've met the female lead?"

"Yeah, Yu Yan. Didn't I tell you? She interns at the office now. Makes me wonder how someone who has her head in the cloud most of the time gets an internship at the company anyway. Must be a plot armour."

"You didn't."

Hao Junli knocked onto the rail of the bed with his slender hand, looking persistently at that one spot. Then he looked at Feng Mian who was eagle spread on the bed.

"I want to sleep on the bed," Hao Junli spoke.

"Then sleep ah."

"... You go down." Hao Junli meant that she should sleep on the floor.

"Why? The bed is large enough to accommodate an extra person in the middle. See?" Feng Mian rolled into one side of the bed, showing how much space there is in the middle.

"..."

System 555: "You don't have an awareness between man and woman. How could you just ask a guy to sleep next to you?"

Feng Mian: "The gender's all wrong anyway. What's the use of worrying about who's male, who's female?"

System 555: 'That's not the point.'

Feng Mian looked at the unmoving Hao Junli. She grinned playfully and taunted him, "JunJun, it can't be… that you're shy, right?"

The other side of the duvet was quickly snatched and lifted by Hao Junli with one grab. Hao Junli then cocooned himself tightly, staying on the outer edge as far as possible. Feng Mian could hear the muffled tone on the other side.

"Good night."