Chapter 110 - Truth Disclosed [1]

They reach inside the living room and she sees that Shi Lian is already there. 

Shi Lian is sitting there, quietly, reading a book. With the sound of heels clicking, Shi Lian turns to look. The three of them stand by, their eyes on her and Shi Lian cannot hide the smirk on her face. 

Closing the book, she gets up and reaches to greet them but Hui Yin passes her the blossoms and says, "We brought you this." 

Hui Yin's plastic smile is too obvious to Shi Lian. Shi Lian takes the bouquet and thanks to her politely. 

"Good to see you, cousins," she says to the both of them. Cai Li makes a sour face but says hello. Yinzhen is all smiley seeing her and blushes as she looks at him. 

"Congratulation Shi Lian" he wishes her. 

"Thank you, Yinzhen," she says and returns to her seat. Sha Sha guides them to the couch and makes sure everyone is sitting comfortably. 

The maids bring drinks and serve them graciously. Shi Lian refuses it and takes the water in return. Cai Li narrows her eyes at her, sitting opposite to her. Her father scolded her just because of her and Shi Lian is the root cause for that. She hates her. 

"I would like to thank Cai Li for being helping me out for the show. She did a great job" Shi Lian says as a way to pacify her. Hui Yin smiles broadly hearing her daughter's achievement and praises. 

Cai Li's jaw flexes and she is on the verge to snap at her when her mother places her hand on hers, stopping her. She then glances at Sha Sha who is smiling at her and controls herself. She cannot ruin her image, not in front of her aunt. 

"I am glad to be of help. After all, we are family" she forces a tight smile but her face betrays it. 

Shi Lian smirks, sipping the water. Her eyes move to Yinzhen who is staring at her. She cocks her eyebrow at him and he blushes, looking in another direction. She cannot comprehend what's wrong with him. In the past, he wasn't like that so it's hard to guess what he is thinking. Of course, she cannot believe him, she cannot trust anyone. 

"Where's uncle, Aunt? " Shi Lian asks innocently. She is curious why her clever uncle isn't here. She has seen very little of him, not that she cares but her uncle is always on her face, challenging her or threatening her. 

"Oh, he will be here soon. He is busy with some paperwork" she informs. Shi Lian ponders for how many years her aunt is mastering ethics. The way she is sitting, like an uptight lady of the upper class.

Sha Sha and Hui Yin busy themselves talking while the three sits idly. Shi Lian has no interest in sitting here and her body is itching to strip from this dress and get to her room as soon as can. 

"Shi Lian...I saw the show. It was worth watching" Yinzhen boasts, trying to make a conversation with her. 

Shi Lian nods, not in the mood to talk about the show. For almost a week, she is talking about the show and she is tired of it now. 

"I'll be going to my room. Be back in a bit" she tells her mother and she nods. Cai Li looks at her sharply, holding her temper to keep a firm hold. Ignoring her, she goes to her room, feeling relieved to be out from there. 

Once in her room, she closes the door and lies down on the bed. She is tired but at the same time, she is pulling herself from a state of sleep. She is beaten. Damn, she shouldn't have suggested inviting them. It is turning out to be a bad idea. She sighs and closes her eyes for a bit. 

A knock at the door makes her open her eyes. Wincing, she turns to go and open the door. Opening the door, Cai Li's face comes into view. Shi Lian frowns and thinks for what reason she is here. 

"What? You need something? " she asks, crossing her arms before her chest. Cai Li smirks and passes brushing her shoulder. 

"Oh, I just came to call you for dinner," she says and looks around the room. Her eyes roam around the room, it is her first time after so many years in this room. The room is still the same as it was but some slight differences. She was jealous back then and now she still is. She always felt Shi Lian has the best of all and she has nothing. 

"For what reason are you here, really? " Shi Lian asks, frowning. She does not like anyone barging into her room and definitely not whom she despises. 

Cai Li turns around and faces her. "You must be feeling really proud, aren't you? Getting all the praises and recognition."

"Thanks to you. If it wasn't you who helped me by getting the models, I wouldn't be getting all the praises and recognition" Shi Lian fires back, repeating her lines. 

The fact that she helped her, makes her angry. Why did she even agree to the plan? She was supposed to ruin the show, ruin her but it backfired her. She disappointed her father and he is barely talking to her at home. This is all because of Shi Lian. 

"You are such a bitch. You are not deserving of all the praises and recognition. If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't even get it. I gave you the chance. I helped you out and you are not being thankful!" Cai Li says, her eyes burning into Shi Lian. She thinks how she can shame her more. 

"I did thanked you, didn't I? And, it wasn't you who gave me the chance, it was ME who gave the chance to YOU." she inches forward, making Cai Li take a step back. 

"And there's more I need to ask you by the way"

"What? " she asks, her eyebrows creasing.

"My dresses were tarnished" she starts speaking. Cai Li's face starts to pale and she is hoping badly for Shi Lian not to find about the truth. "Out of all the people present there, you were the one who wasn't happy after you saw the original dresses." she continues and it only made Cai Li's heart beat faster. "Mind telling me why? "

"What are you talking about? You... You... Are you slandering me? You are taking this too far! " Cai Li says, spitting the words out furiously. But Shi Lian eyes her steadily.

"Am I wrong? " she charges, dominating over the area. "You do have something to do with it. "

"Stop with your lies, Shi Lian. You don't even have the proof!" Cai Li retorts. She is not going to lose like this. If she can get out of this situation, she will be free from her suspicion. 

"I heard your conversation with Uncle. How you both were planning to ruin my show... And me," she says confidently, her eyes threatening her. "What do you have to say about this? "

Cai Li gulps the heavy lump and she thinks that there's no way she can escape her questions.

They did talk about ruining her show and she has no idea when Shi Lian saw it. Maybe she is making things up, yes, she must be. Cai Li says this herself. 

"You are cooking up stories so that you can put the blame on me... "she says, laughing nervously to hide her panic state. 

"Are you that favorite to me? Is that what you think? I am stating what's true" Shi Lian scoffs bitterly. 

Cai Li grinds her teeth together, her palm curled into a fist. What should she do now? There's no way she can escape her question this time and look at Shi Lian, she is determined to get answers today, once and for all. 

"Your silence is making me more sure, Cai Li."

"So what if it is me, huh? You do not have any proof regarding that! You cannot do anything! " Cai Li spits out, completely out of control.

Shi Lian is surprised. She wasn't expecting her cousin will tell it so easily. She raises her eyebrows, surprised. 

"You were so lucky to get away with your stupid solution!"

"So it is you," Shi Lian says, satisfied she got her answer. But she is doubting Cai Li is the one who came up with the plan. Her brain is not that wide to be fitting for plotting and planning. So she guesses that it must be her uncle who is behind this. He is the mastermind.

Sure enough, he always likes to play the sneaky role. As a fox he is, he cleverly made Cai Li, his own daughter, the scapegoat. In case, if the truth was disclosed in front of everyone, Cai Li would be the one to get punished. No one will point their fingers at him.