24 Cause and Effec

Yu Jian had just woken up when he heard an urgent knock from the door. Wondering who was the one on the other side of the door, to knock so loudly and urgently at his door, he had opened the door ready to give the person a thorough tongue - lashing. When he opened the door he saw Zixi standing there and was quite shocked since Zixi never came to the second floor if the matter wasn't too urgent and important.

He asked him to come inside. As soon as he came in the room he told him to listen to a recording and after he heard the entire conversation between him and Yueyue he was devastated. He hadn't thought that his heartfelt intention of accepting Yu Yan would have such adverse effects, neither had he any idea that Yu Yan wasn't a little lamb rather she was a wolf in sheep's skin nor that his first - born daughter would be so disappointed in him that she would just leave in the dead of the night but her last words were a source of warmth for his heart. Actually, he had already decided to curtail Yu Yan after the incident that day and to start imposing restrictions on her. He wasn't an idiot only he was foremost a father so he had the thought that they would live happily and have a united front. But now it seemed to be impossible. He had already understood the reasons for Yueyue leaving the house in the way she did and he had hear her unspoken message loud and clear. It was just he was pained by the thought that she would think so little of him, as if he was like those other people outside who would forego proper traditions or be muddle - headed enough to favour a spurious child over the heir - apparent. He had already had a severe talking to with Yu Yan and told her in quite certain terms that if she wanted to play adult games in the family, she would have to bear the consequences and punishent that were on par to that of a adult. He had halved her spending money, put restrictions on the people she could contact outside of things related to her study and taken Zixi off her charge.

He had thought that Yueyue would return at the end of the year but to his disappointment she stayed at the same college for another three years. All in all, she completed her entire college life outside the country. She also hadn't contacted him much over the past three and a half years. It wasn't that she didn't care about him since he could see her regard and care for him in her actions. She would always call his personal assistant every few days to ask about his health, whether he was taking proper rest, whether he went for a check - up regularly. She would also give his P.A. orders to not let him work overtime every day and to take proper care of all his needs. But not once did she return to the country in all these years.

The only thing she had relented upon was that she had allowed after much cajoling to let one of his subordinates to visit her every six months for a week. It was to assure him that everything was fine with her but even for that he had to sweet - talk her for one whole year. After she had agreed, he hadn't wanted to send his closest aides to her since that might seem as if he was trying to snoop around her life and he didn't trust anybody else with the well - being of his daughter. Moreover, one couldn't be sure of other people's lolyality so in the end he had asked if she was fine with him sending Zixi over and she had agreed.

It had been close to four years since she visited her own home and all his information about her had come from Zixi who visited her twice a year for a fortnight. She would also sometimes send over information through Zixi that had helped him in the business. When he had questioned her about the channels she had gone through to get the information, she had just replied with the vague answer that he didn't need to worry about her taking any kind of undue advantage of anyone or that she would use means and methods that would leave her vulnerable to other people's macbinations. When he had investigated he had found that she truly wasn't mixing in with the wrong sort of people or doing anything illegal so he had left her to her own devices. It looked like she was building her own power - base and he was happy with that. He wanted to see her soar in the sky with her wings wide stretched and if she ever fell, he - her father was here to catch her.

All of a sudden she had called him a week ago and told him that she would be returning to the country in ten days time. After listening to the joyous news he hadn't been able to keep the smile off his face for the last seven days and everyone knew that the Yu Princess was returning home. He was perplexed by her sudden decision nevertheless, he was happy and didn't want to question her. Afterall, this was her home so sooner or later she had to return and he felt it was better sooner rather than later.

Yu Yan had thought that since she had been successful in driving away the stumbling block on her path away from the country, it would be the end of the matter. She had thought that she would just need to grovel infront of father for a few months before things would turn back to the earlier days when she had just entered the residence. Reality had proved to be too difficult to overcome. It was as if it wasn't Yu Yue who had fled away rather it was she herself who had been excluded from the centre of power and left to drift off in the fringes.

No matter how she had tried to please father, it didn't soften his heart. Almost an year ago she had gone out with her friends to play, the others had said that they were tired to going to the same old clubs and establishments so they had gone to a bar which was on the seedier side of the city. All of them had been dressed in somewhat expensive clothes so the patrons had easily realised that they were rich second or third generation children. While in the bar, they had an altercation with a few thugs and ruffains who seemed to be doing drugs. When those people had realised their identity, they had panicked. The result being that though they had already called the police, it was too late.By the time police had arrived at the scene they all had been beaten black and blue by those beefy guys, how could their group as delicate young masters be a physical match for those bulky and rough people. Even worse, those hoodlums had tried to take advantage of the girls in the group. Somehow she had become their main victim. They had made lewd comments at the other girls but they had touched her face and delicate hands as if trying to taste a delicate delicacy. Thankfully, before it could reach an unbearable state the police had arrived.

No matter who had started the fight, the police had taken all of them into custody disregarding their identities. Even at such a low point of her life, her father had just sent the butler and one of his close aides to bail her out. It was as if her presence or absence, her well being or ill health didn't mean much to her father. He had really isolated himself from her. Since she couldn't obtain all his love and care as a daughter should recieve, she'll not let the other daughter recieve it as well. She hadn't been idle all these years. She had made some influential contacts and had friends on both sides of the law so she'll not let Yu The have an easy life as well. She had heard the princess would return in a few days. Let her return and watch everything being snatched away one by one.

Zixi knew Yueyue would be returning next week. He couldn't contain his excitement. He had met her a total of six times in the last three years. He had spent forty - two days with her in that time. They were some of the happiest days of his life. Everytime he returned back he would start counting the days to his next visit. He hadn't made much progress in making inroads to Yu Yue's heart. She seemed to be intentionally keeping him at an arm's length as if afraid of something. First he had thought that she had discovered his identity through some means but had soon realised that didn't seem to be the case. Once he had even asked her why she would always look at him but not see him. Why she was so all of and distant to him? He had also thought it might be due to him working under the interloper for a few months when she had entered the residence but before he could explain his reasons for that decision of his, she had stopped him and taken a long, long look at him. She had stared at him unabashedly for five minutes straight and told him that she didn't doubt his absolute loyalty to the Yu household. Afterwards, she had asked him a curious question that if there ever came a time that he was driven off the residence, what would he do?

The first thought he had after hearing her question was that maybe she was displeased with him somehow but has still answered her truthfully that if any such thing ever happened, he wouldn't be able to live with himself and would rather disappear off the face of earth. She had given him a strange smile after listening to his answer. This had happened about a year ago. Since then he had visited her twice, once six years after that odd conversation and once just last month. Both times she had observed him with a keen gaze, as if trying to decipher some clue about a riddle only she knew. Though he didn't understand the reasons behind her actions, he didn't question her and let her be. If she ever felt comfortable to talk to him without any of her masks, he would be a glad listener but until then he'll just try his level best to be there for her.