422: Chapter 422: The Past Molds The Present

Chapter 422: The Past Molds The Present

After breakfast, people got ready to start the day. While the Li and Bai parents left to attend to the family business, the children were left in the villa.1

Gabriel and Li Yifei were still a bit tired from last night so they went back to their respective rooms to recover. 

Lillie still has a call she needs to make so she and Ethan also returned to their room for privacy. 

"Yao-jie," Lillie dialed Shan Yaoyao's private number. 

[Meimei, it's been a while. Before you say anything, I think I know why you called.] Shan Yaoyao replied. 

"Is that so? Well then, your answer?"

[Negative. I authorized nothing. That was all Vermillion Dragon's doing. That, or someone gave him permission without letting me know.]

"Weird things are happening in the Underworld, Yao-jie. Someone is making a move to overthrow us. Besides my design, someone else is breaking She Gu's pillar of support. Azure Tortoise still hides in her shell. Something or someone must've spooked her. I stopped antagonizing her when she stopped attacking me. The things currently happening to her are not my doing."

[I've guessed as much. I've sent Death on a mission to spy on Qilin. The bastard has been awfully quiet, more than usual. The next Royal Underworld Banquet is scheduled soon, are you going?]

"I might. This would be a good opportunity to appraise things." Lillie said knowingly.

[Good, good. I'll make sure to stock up the wine you like.]

"Ah, I don't think I'll be able to drink at all. But thank you for considering me."

[Anything for my dear successor.] And for Death's junior sister, was left unsaid. 

"You know, I ought to lock you and Senior Brother in a closet soon if the two of you keep up with this farce. What's holding you up, Yao-jie?"

[I'm old fashioned, Li-mei. I don't make the first move.]

Lillie just sighed at her antics. "Senior Brother and gentleman don't go together, Yao-jie." 

[If he makes me wait long enough, I might strap him in a chair and force him to watch some educational videos on gentlemanliness until he begs for mercy.]

"Don't be too harsh on him, jie." Although, Lillie was unsolicitedly aware that Death likes Yao-jie being rough on him. The amount of alcohol she drank to erase the memory of the confession wasn't enough if the thought surfaces now. "I'll call you again soon, jie. Good luck on your conquest."

[Thanks, meimei. Be safe now and stay vigilant.]

Lillie hung up before turning to Ethan who was waiting for her to finish her phone call from the bed. "Ready?" He asked.

"Hm, let's go."

The two drove to the city to meet up with Elliot and Andrea at the hotel they're staying in. The drive wasn't long and they got there around 10 minutes. 

"Good morning, CEO Bai, CEO Li." Lillie's executive secretary and his assistant received them at the lobby.

"Good morning, you two. How was the flight?" Lillie made small talk as they walked further inside the hotel. They went in the elevator and it took them to the presidential suite, where Elliot and Andre will stay for the duration of the event. 

Yes, they share a suite. And everyone involved consent to it. The place has three spacious bedrooms and a living room. It has a minibar and a large balcony that has the best view of the city. 

Lillie had this reserved 3 months prior. This suite is where she was supposed to stay during this year's fashion week in Fenhua. Yes, she and Elliot. But that was before Ethan settled himself nice and cozy in her life. 

Besides, it wouldn't be strange for Lillie to share a suite or a room with Elliot. They've been in past situations where they even had to share a bed. They had to pretend to be lovers in past missions, nothing beyond appropriate happened so Lillie thought nothing of it. He's a good friend and loyal to the bone. She never considered him as more than that. 

She's not blind to his charm and qualities. If she was someone else, it wouldn't be difficult to fall in love with him. But she's not. 

She's Lillie Bai.

And Lillie Bai holds no romantic feelings to anyone who's not Ethan Li. Not even to Wei Fang when they were children who had more things to learn. She was certain that the feelings she bore for him before wasn't love, but simply of someone who would look at an idol. 

But that was before Wei Fang broke her trust. 

The fool believed the words of strangers and Yu Mei over his friend of 4 years. He didn't even give her a chance to explain. 

Yu Mei was Lillie's friend before Wei Fang, but the two had never met until later when they were in their second year of middle school. Lillie and Yu Mei had different classrooms in the first year, that's why they never really knew each other. And Lillie doesn't talk about Wei Fang to Yu Mei because she doesn't want it to be weird with them.

But when Yu Mei met Wei Fang, things went downhill. Yu Mei suddenly had a crush on him and was jealous of Lillie for being friends with him. She was upset at her "best friend" for not telling her that she was friends with the boy she likes since their 1st year of middle school.

Which was strange because that was the first time Yu Mei met Wei Fang. And if Yu Mei likes someone, she wouldn't shut up about it. She would make sure Lillie knows because "Thea is such a good friend. I'm sure she wouldn't like the person I also like, would she?"

Her 'dismay' was not left unknown.

The "betrayal" was spread all over the campus. Students began calling her a snake and a shameless skank. How dare she, a toad, wish to eat swan meat? [1] 

Because Lillie doesn't pay much attention to her looks and the way she presents herself, compared to Yu Mei who obsessed over hers, she was considered the ugly witch who stands in between the fairy tale romance of the angelic Yu Mei and sweet Wei Fang.

Lillie should've done something from the moment something strange was going on. Sad part is when the students were degrading her within earshot, Wei Fang stayed silent as if he was deaf. 

He did nothing to defend her, and that should've been the sign that he was never her friend, and never will. 

Poor young Lillie, so naive and trustful. She learned her lesson the hard way. 

Recalling the unsavory past does nothing good for the health, so Lillie lets go. There's nothing she could do about it. And if she ever had the power to change it, she wouldn't. Because the past is what made this present. She wouldn't exchange it for anything in the world.

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