Chapter 132 - Enigmatic family

Chapter 132 - Enigmatic family

It was a normal custom to have the butler sent to bring in an important guest. Along with a myriad of servents.

Passing from the front door, the housemaster, Su Donghai, would have been informed of her arrival. Yet no one showed up to receive her. If it wasn't belittling her then what?

But Jing Lihua didn't need any of it. Because she had brought her own servants. Whit a click of her finger, half a dozen of black-clothed men surrounded her. One of them grabbed her purse and they guided her inside with the true protocol that she deserved.

"Shall we go in?" Jing Lihua's eyes flashed; her expressions were inexplicable. There were some memories associated with this place that she would rather avoid. But now that she was already here things couldn't be avoided. "I am not going to run away this time." Determining in her heart she walked into the manor.

...

Su Donghai was informed when Jing Lihua's car had first entered the mansion. He was surprised at her sudden appearance. "What could she here be for?" By now he had realized that this Jing Lihua wasn't a simple person. He scoffed. "No matter what, she is still the daughter of that woman. How different can she be any different from her?" The unreasonable hate in his eyes was clear.

"Housemaster, how shall we receive her?"

"Recieve her?" Su Donghai closed his newspaper and stared at the butler. "There is no need to receive her. She can find her own way in."

"But, Housemaster." The butler was puzzled. The situation was unexpected. After all, if anything ever went wrong those servents would be the first ones to be blamed.

"Silence. Just do as I told you!"

He followed the House Master words. But they could not have expected that Jing Lihua would bring her own army of servants. The Butler quickly rushed to Su Donghai to give him the update.

Su Donghai's face turned red with anger when he heard the Butler. "Who does she think she is?!" He threw away a few newspapers onto the floor. After a second, he lashed out at everyone in the sight.

"Spread this to every person in the mansion. Do not tell her a single thing. If she asks any question about directions, ignore her. Pretend she isn't here!"

...

Jing Lihua knew her way in. She had been here in her past life. The mansion was massive and intricate. She was here for a purpose and she didn't need to stay long. Inside the Mansion, she observed whenever a servant would accidentally encounter them, he wound quickly run away and disappear from sight like a terrified kitten.

Jing Lihua shook his head: "I wonder what Su Donghai had told them to have them act this way." That man surely hated her guts.

"You guys wait here. I will find my own way inside."

In the cold silent Mansion, her steps echoed. She knew exactly where she was headed for. There was a steady smile on her lips. But her eyes held a certain degree of sadness. As she approached closer, with uncertain steps, she reached the room she had aimed for.

Inside the room, a middle-aged man was sitting across the chess table. However, he was alone. There was no other participant in the game. With a contemplative frown, he was looking at the table. It seemed like he was in a difficult position in the game he was playing with himself.

Jing Lihua invited herself in with a smile. She picked up a piece and moved it forward.

"Brilliant!" The middle-aged man suddenly cried out. Not minding the intrusion, at all. "You must be a genius to know this move." When the man finally looked up at the intruder, he froze. Someone reflected in his eyes. But he was quick to hide it and replaced it with a small smile.

"Fancy a small match? This old man has been lonely lately."

Jing Lihua laughed and readily took a chair across the table without introducing herself: "How can this old man be lonely? There are plentiful of servants in the manor. You can ask anyone to come to match against you."

Su Guozhi kept his eyes low for a moment. It seemed like he was struggling to hide something. "True. But they are not worth a match."

"And what makes you think I am?" Jing Lihua arranged the chess pieces on the table.

"We will know that once we start." Su Guozhi looked up and so they both started.

...

The match lasted a long time. Su Guozhi was an expert. Jing Lihua or anyone was no match for him. In fact, he had purposely stalled the match and strectched it longer to have Jing Lihua stay. In the end Jing Lihua who had to suffer the defeat.

"And checkmate." Su Guozhi seemed to be enjoying himself a lot.

Jing Lihua pressed her lips into a thin line. Even if it wasn't what she was here for, she wasn't particularly happy about being lost. "Don't get too over yourself. You win because I got distracted."

"Why would you be distracted?" Su Guozhi laughed assuming it was just an excuse. This Jing Lihua, she was just like her mother; Tang Yuyan.

"I am in a hurry. I have to leave and arrange some things."

Su Guozhi paused then he looked up. "Then fancy another match in the future?" There was something inexplicable in his eyes. Like he wanted to say some words but he would never be able to say them. Other than that, there was this wish in his eyes. He wanted her to stay. He seemed to be enjoying her company even if they didn't talk much.

Jing Lihua had caught this all. But it wasn't anything new to her. This whole Su family was totally enigmatic to her, ranging from their hate towards her to the totally different attitude of this father-in-law. Jing Lihua had a vague idea about the reason behind it.

"Just forget it. I am sure you would be very busy." Su Guozhi went back on arranging the pieces to have another match with himself like before with a smile.