Chapter 16 - It Is Irreplaceable

The moment Xiong Jingfei opened the door to her apartment, something came flying at her. Thank goodness, she dodged in time, or else it would have hit her on the forehead.

"S.l.u.t! Where have you been all night!"

Xiong Jingfei didn't answer her father, Xiong Guozhi. Instead, she turned around to see what was it that was thrown at her. Her shaking hand reached to cover her mouth, seeing the item on the floor.

"Did you not hear me?" Xiong Guozhi raged, wanting to drag her into the apartment. "Look at what kind of outfit you have on! Y-y-you..."

"Honey, calm down. It's not good for your health..." Li Roulan patted her husband back with extreme concern on her face. "Feifei is at the age where she wants to go out and have fun, right?"

Ignoring Li Roulan, she bent down to pick up the picture frame that had its glass shattered. Slowly, she picked up each glass piece as if each piece holds its own special meaning. Biting her bottom lip, she gripped tightly onto the frame. The colorful gems that were once decorated beautifully on it were no longer there. Her fingers quivered, picking up the fake gems scattered on the floor.

"Your father and I are just looking out for you," Li Roulan displayed a broad smile, holding onto Xiong Guozhi left arm. "We can't let you run around wild anymore. You're already an engaged woman... We don't want the Yang to think we have an unruly daughter, now do we?"

Xiong Jingfei eyes stung with tears. Every word coming out from Li Roulan's mouth were meant to provoke her. She clutched onto the last glass piece she picked up. Fluid sweep through her hand and dripped onto the hallway red carpet, dying it a shade darker.

Li Roulan backed away when Xiong Jingfei glared at her with hate in her eyes, screaming she's not her mother. Although, it did bring her a little happiness in succeeding what she wanted.

"Honey, look... She's mad at you all because of an old frame that should have been tossed a long time ago." Li Roulan tried to sow a cord between Xiong Jingfei and Xiong Guozhi to only quickly interject. "'Mother' will buy you a new one. Don't be angry at your father."

Holding back her tears, Xiong Jingfei set the broken frame on the kitchen counter. The frame, the glass, and the inexpensive gems were irreplaceable. It was the last thing her mother left for her before she passed away. The only memento she has left of her mother.

Xiong Guozhi sighed, feeling guilty about what he had done to his beloved daughter world possession. He knew how important that item was to Xiong Jingfei, it was the last memento his late wife left behind.

"Go get changed," Xiong Guozhi soften his voice, sitting back down on the couch.

She did as told. Quietly going to her room without putting up a fight with either one of them.

"Honey, why don't we have Changchang or Jiayi get married to Yang Zheyan instead of her?" Li Roulan suggested her two daughters. Trying to gain his favor, she went as far as to massage his shoulders. "Who really knows what the Yang will think of us once they find out about this? An engaged woman staying out all night and only returned late in the afternoon!"

"Be quiet. The one who should teach my daughter what is right and wrong is not you!" Xiong Guozhi warned. Even if he is harsh and violent at times towards Xiong Jingfei, he will never deliberately try to hurt her. The picture frame he threw was meant to miss her. At first, he thought had thrown one of the pillows on the couch, without realizing he had accidentally grabbed the picture frame.

"But-"

"No, but!" Xiong Guozhi roared in his loud voice, shutting Li Roulan right up. "Don't forget your place."

"I won't..." Li Roulan seethed with anger but kept her ever so sweet voice.

For the past years, she tried everything within her power to push Xiong Jingfei out of this arranged marriage. Then let one of her daughters squeezed in to replace her. One of the reasons why Xiong Jingfei never knew she was engaged. Li Roulan kept it as a secret from her and was able to persuade Xiong Guozhi too. It was to let her have a normal life and not worry about getting married. When the time is right, they will come out and tell her. Which was a plan Li Roulan never planned on doing.

She ran her brain on how to destroy Xiong Jingfei until it was completely burned out. Until one day Xiong Jingfei suddenly lost her voice. She thought, at last, the Yang family will definitely break off the marriage not wanting to have a mute daughter-in-law. Who knew, they would encourage on with the arranged marriage, and moved it to a closer date than initially planned. She also spread the news that Xiong Jingfei broke the arranged agreement by having a lover on the side. Yet that did not break off anything either!

She doesn't know what the Yang family saw in Xiong Jingfei. Both her daughters have the look, wealth, and background too. Even though her family lineage is not as strong as Xiong Jingfei's mother, Yin Yingtai. It doesn't shy far since Xiong Guozhi is her daughters' real father.

Plus, Ying Yingtai was disowned by her family a long time ago by marrying Xiong Guozhi. Who had nothing and worked a regular job every day. The only powerful connection Xiong Jingfei have now is through her father. Still, whatever she does seems to never affect Xiong Jingfei! Like someone was blocking all the attacks in the shadows.

Li Roulan bit down on her thumb, thinking hard on her next move. The arranged date was coming closer and closer, she doesn't have much time left. Having Yang Zheyan's family as her backing would make it impossible to touch her. Whether he comes to love her or not, she will be his legal wife. The Yang family would not let her meet any downfall at that point.

Xiong Jingfei walked out from her bedroom in time to see Li Roulan calculating face. She sneered and headed for the bathroom, shutting the door behind her.

"T-this..." Xiong Guozhi stammered.

Li Roulan looked at him at the corner of her eyes before rolling them. What did he expect? After damaging her precious dirty picture frame, he was expecting her to kneel down and kiss his feet.

"Darling, no need to fight with a child. She wouldn't understand." Li Roulan forced herself to console him again. Then with another attempt, "Feifei is starting to be rude to you already. She definitely won't listen to you once she gets Yang Zheyan powerful backing! If it were Jiayi, she would listen to everything you say."

"Jiayi has always been an obedient child." Xiong Guozhi said without changing his stiff expression. "Roulan, I already warned you."

Bam, a loud slam was made against the wall. Xiong Jingfei hand pressed against the door that hit the wall. She smiled, feeling better with fresh minty breath and bandaging up her hand.

"You haven't shown up once to discuss the wedding or participate in your marriage. Are you trying to break the bond we have with the Yang family? Do you know what are the chances to be in their good grace?" Xiong Guozhi started going off on her the second she sat down across from him. "Starting today, you'll be participating! Even if I have to tie you up and drag you to the wedding, so be it!"

Xiong Jingfei just nodded her head at each of his sentence. Which infuriated Xiong Guozhi even more, seems like it went into one ear and out the other.

"A week from now, you have an arranged date to meet up with Yang Zheyan." Xiong Guozhi handed her a piece of folded paper. He stood up and left with Li Roulan.

Xiong Jingfei opened the piece of paper, then tossed it into the trash bin. She had other things to take care of first.

On her kitchen counter, there remains the broken frame with bloodstains. Gently, she cleaned the blood off the broken glass and frame. She placed the damaged gem in a small clear bag.

The frame was made by her mother when she found out she was pregnant. Xiong Jingfei gazed at the photo with fondness in her eyes, tracing it with her finger. It was a photo of her mother holding her not long after she was born. This was the only photo she had left of her mother. Li Roulan threw out everything that reminded her she will never be the woman in Xiong Guozhi life.

Xiong Jingfei put the picture frame where it originally belonged, on her nightstand. Li Roulan dares to touch something precious to her, she'll make sure to return the favor sooner or later.