"Lili, I heard that you are going to have lunch with your grandfather.", Feiyi walked into Lihua's vanity room startling her.
"Just because you have the key to my estate doesn't mean you can come here anytime, uninformed!"
"What can I do, it's lonely to live alone in my penthouse." Ling Feiyi said, sheepishly.
Xia Lihua rolled her eyes at her melodramatic friend. "Yes, I'm leaving."
"Is he giving you the company?", Feiyi's voice was suddenly filled with enthusiasm.
"No, I won't take the company. At least for now." Xia Lihua's face turned grim. Her aunt and uncle had her mother's property transfer papers. Even her own father wouldn't let her have it. They were the reason why her mother had committed suicide, she would never forgive them in this lifetime.
"I think you should first ask for some shares to warn your family that you still have the right to inherit the company." Ling Feiyi was serious.
Xia Lihua thought for a while. "I think you are right, but I'm scared that they would-"
"Don't worry, they wouldn't dare to touch your mother's properties. You have another wild card. You can threaten them that you were that evil bitch's shadow singer."
"Alright." On a second thought whatever Ling Feiyi said seemed reasonable. "I'll talk with my grandfather."
A black Maybach was waiting for her at the gate of the villa which was sent by her grandfather. "Long time no see, Mr. Tang."
"Yes, young madam Xia." Tang Huolin courteously greeted her despite his displeasure. Elder Xia had specifically ordered him to escort his youngest granddaughter to Sunrise restaurant sharp by 2 pm, but they were already late. He was fearing a cut off in his salary when it was not his fault.
Stepping out of the car Xia Lihua garnered a lot of attention from the onlookers. She was wearing a Dior red dress which ended a bit above her knee, but her appearance was very decent and trendy. She looked like the female actress in a contemporary chinese drama.
The women were envious of her latest handbag, beauty and her long legs which men were practically drooling at.
"Who is this beauty? Have we seen her before?"
Someone recognized her in the crowd. "Look it's new artist Xia Lihua!"
The women stopped glowering at her when they realized who she was and why she was wearing those expensive brands. Obviously she had to be an idol who was rich and pretty.
"Oh! It's Xia Lihua! I'm a huge fan."
"Wait, it's her? I couldn't recognize her first. My mom is a huge fan of her too. Her singing is too good!"
"I heard her song just one time and immediately became a fan."
"Xia Lihua can you give me an autograph please!"
"I want an autography too for my friend. She listened to your new album!"
"Look at me please! Look at me!"
Someone clicked her pictures and posted them on Weibo with caption 'I met rising idol Xia Lihua at Sunrise Hotel. She is so pretty in real life.'
Xia Lihua skipped the long line and headed straight towards the restaurant, but the crowd followed her.
"I expect the people present here will give me and my granddaughter some privacy.", a deep voice resonated in the hall and the crowd backed off seeing the old man's cold and solemn eyes.
"Grandpa!", Xia Lihua smiled at her grandfather. She hadn't seen him for two years and it seemed that old age had crept into his wrinkled face.
"Xia Lihua is Elder Xia's granddaughter? Why didn't I know that?"
"I was wondering why a common girl like Lihua would debut under a top company like Hua de World. Of course she has strong backings."
"Another celebrity who was born with a golden spoon."
Tang Huolin somehow managed to control the excited crowd amidst the uprising criticism that were taunting Lihua's birth origins. He then guided her and Elder Xia towards the VVIP section.
"I apologize for being late grandfather. I hope you weren't waiting for me too long." Lihua cursed Feiyi inwardly. If she didn't make her try on different dresses then she wouldn't have been late.
"No you don't have to worry, you weren't that late. I came here 5 minutes ago. Sit down." Elder Xia sat down followed by Xia Lihua.
"I never got to know how was your time in Milan.", grandfather Xia said.
That's because Ling Feiyi assisted her in accurately concealing her whereabouts and information. No one had any suspicions since everything was executed flawlessly. Her dear family had assumed she was dead until she stepped into the streets of the main city.
Grandpa Xia was unaware that Xia Li Hua had survived a near-fatal accident; it was as if she had risen from the dead. She didn't want to say anything to him because he'd be concerned; she had resolved to teach the scumbags on her own.
"It was good. I enrolled there in a top-tier vocational school there to learn more about business after graduating from States. Grandpa, I believe you already knew that.", Lihua grinned. Although it wasn't a lie, it was partially the truth.
"You could have told me that you wanted to study in Europe. When Tang Huolin claimed your whereabouts couldn't be determined, I was so scared. For the past two years, I wasn't able to reach you. Did you want this old man to die?!" Old mater Xia had a faint flush on his face. He was so happy to see his beloved granddaughter after such a long period that he became easily agitated, unable to control his emotions. At the same time, he felt joyful, sad, and enraged. He thought it was his fault to send her to US in the first place, he shouldn't have let her leave.
"I wanted to do something without your help grandpa."Xia Lihua's voice was lovely but lonely, like a forlorn kitten and it struck his heart; he felt sorry and wanted to protect her this time. He would not repeat his prior mistakes.
He coughed to mask his worry and said, "I knew that you were doing good in academics, but I wanted to know about your personal life there."
"You are asking me if I was dating a foreigner there?" Xia Lihua mused.
'No, he doesn't. He is trying to change the topic, young miss.' Tang Huolin's lips trembled as he tried to hold his laugh, but he didn't express his thoughts out loud.
"What are your future plans Xiao Lihua? Will I pass away without seeing a grandson-in-law and my great grandchildren?"
"Grandpa I just know that you won't be dying anytime soon.", Xia Lihua teased him back and held the menu briskly.
"You don't have to bother with the menu, I already ordered your favourite pork belly with cherry barbeque sauce and braised eggs."
"Please add steamed rice and green stew to that then."
"Alright.", he motioned one of the waiters to note it down and they immediately hurried towards the kitchen. "I was expecting you to marry that Yang brat. You were so in love with him."
Lihua's expression became sullen at the mention of her childhood crush's name. Her crush was one-sided. He would choose Xia Mengrui over her any day.
"You can never compare to Mengrui!"
That's what he had said and she decided to call off the engagement, setting him free.
Noticing the change in her expression elder Xia continued, "But the Yang and Xia had to keep the marriage, so Xiao Mengrui was betrothed to him, but I still wanted you to marry him."
"He didn't love me grandpa, it's better this way." Xia Lihua let out an exasperated sigh. She was over him even though her heart protested.
"Alright, then please get married! I won't mind you marrying an Italian as long as I get a great grandchild."
Xia Lihua almost spurted out the black coffee which she had just sipped. "Stop joking grandpa, it's not funny."
"Then why are laughing?", elder Xia was dead serious while Tang Huolin's lips twitched, internally fighting not to laugh at the scene
Lihua quickly wiped coffee from her lips and hands with a tissue and said, "I'd rather talk about company affairs."
"Hmm." Elder Xia raised an eyebrow, his hawk-eyes monitoring his granddaughter. "So are you interested in taking over the company?"
"Not really, but I would definitely not refuse some shares of Xia enterprise.", Xia Lihua said with a calm expression.