Chapter 129 - Chained Wolf

Li Bingbing frowned. Bai Keran? So it really was the Bai family that she was thinking about. There was only one prestigious Bai family, back then, it was on the same level as the Lu family, the only difference was that they did not have any immunity against the government. There were three families that topped the business industry for decades and they were the Lu family, Bai family, and Nan family. Although one of those families' businesses, particularly, the Bai family slowly began to crumble and instead, was replaced by the Yong family. To keep their business going, the head of the Bai family didn't have a choice but to beg for partnership with one of those families. This was where the Yong family willingly took the risk on that partnership.

Bai Xiuying was Lu Yifeng's ex-fiance. She even ordered Xia Meilin to be kidnapped back then. She was now gone tho, Lu Xian Yu took care of her and was never to be seen again. Since then, the Lu family and the Bai family became a complete rival. Bai Keran is Bai Xiuying's father. Did he know that Lu Mengjie is a part of the Lu family? That can't be possible, if he knew then he wouldn't take Lu Mengjie and take care of her.

"I was married to his grandson and now, we have a child."

Xia Liqin frowned. "Did he force you to marry him?"

Li Bingbing's blood started boiling when she thought that Bai Keran forced her daughter.

Lu Mengjie shook her head lightly and replied, "no... He didn't. I fell in love with his grandson and since I saved grandpa's life, he gave me his permission to marry into the family."

"We can't take Mengjie back," said Shi Enxi. They can't take her back with her memory gone.

Xia Liqin scowled deeply, disapproving of his auntie's words. "What? No way! We have to bring jiejie back. We need to help her regain her memories!" 

"Liqin, Enxi is right. We can't bring your sister back yet." If Bai Keran learned that Lu Mengjie was a part of the Lu family, who knew what would happen. Aside from that, they can't just take her away when the Bai family has her daughter's child.

"But mother-"

"Not yet, Liqin. She can't come with us yet." Li Bingbing repeated.

"I... also don't want to go. I have a family here... Maybe one day, but not now." She was waiting for someone. She loved her future husband. She also promised Bai Jingye to help him. There were so many reasons for her to stay.

"That's fine." Li Bingbing held her daughter's hand. "Mengjie... You have to keep your real name a secret from the Bai family."

Shi Enxi ended up looking at her sister. Was it because of the rivalry between the Lu family and the Bai family? In the business world, everyone knew that the two families were not getting along together.

Li Bingbing continued, "you need to keep your identity a secret if you want to protect yourself and your child."

She knew that. She may want to go back to her family but her priority was about the safety of her own child, so she didn't have a choice.

"You don't have to worry about a thing, we will keep in touch with you. For now... You have to lay low from the Bai family. Don't be deceived by them, okay?"

She has almost been deceived by that crafty old man. If not for Bai Jingye, she wouldn't be able to find out about it. She couldn't imagine how things would turn out.

"But miss-I mean, mother... Won't the Bai family find out my real identity? The Bai family has so many connections..." She asked, looking all worried. 

Xia Liqin smirked, "Jiejie, you have always been an amazing person in hiding you know. Even when we were kids. If you can hide your identity from me and mother, how much more the Bai family?"

The good thing about Lu Mengjie even before was that she tends to have a low profile so not many know of her or have seen. She was the kind of person who went to different countries in search of beauties. If she was not doing that, then she would be in her hideout with her men.

So that only confirmed her speculation about Bai Keran. There was a possibility that he was actually working along with whoever kidnapped her.

Li Bingbing nodded at her son's words. "You don't have to worry about that. Just be safe, okay? We have your back."

Lu Mengjie was touched by her mother's words. It was actually comforting, knowing that she has someone she can depend on. Yes, that was the kind of woman her mother was. She has someone on her side and it brought warmth inside her to the point her eyes became teary. 

'Don't cry, Mengjie… don't cry.'

She tried her best to hold back her tears. She didn't want to cry in front of them and show how much she missed them. She has a role to play.

Now that she remembered her daughter's harem, Li Bingbing turned to look at her son and inquired, "do you know where her men are?"

"Yeah... But I'm not going to tell you." It was his secret with her sister after all.

"They probably are looking for Mengjie as well, you have to deal with them and explain the situation to them. It would be bad if one of them found out where she was. Also... You can't let 'him' know about this," his mother instructed. Lu Mengjie's situation might become worse, especially now that she is married and has no memories of them. Those powerful men were well-trained people. They were all dangerous. Lu Mengjie has high standards when it comes to collecting people and she was the only one who was brave enough to control them. They have to hide her away from them, especially from Lu Mengjie's fiance.

Shi Enxi was really worried for her sake. She also knew that Bai Jingye, Lu Mengjie's husband, was one of Shi Yi's friends. Yes, the Lu family and Bai family may have a rivalry but Bai Jingye didn't care much about it since he was still working with Shi Yi who was now in partnership with the Lu family. Because of that, a feud ended up happening inside the Bai family. There was even news recently that Bai Jingye's brother was going to become the new head of the family instead. 

"Since I'll be staying here for a while, we can meet each other a few more times," Shi Enxi offered.

Xia Liqin nodded in agreement, he turned to his mother. "How about you, mom?"

"Your father is sick, I have to return at once." Now that they have found Lu Mengjie, it was no use if she was going to stay in Japan for long. She can't bring her daughter back as well so it was better for her to return alone.

"My father is... Sick? My father?" Lu Mengjie was surprised to hear that. For some reason, she felt her chest tightened when she heard what her mother said.

Li Bingbing saw how worried her daughter was. Even if she didn't have her memories, she was sure that her daughter was subconsciously feeling something for them.

"It's nothing serious, Mengmeng. Uncle only has a fever," Shi Enxi explained, trying to reassure her.

Lu Mengjie ended up believing her and this made her sigh in relief. "Ah... I'm glad."

She wanted to visit her father, know what kind of person he was but her situation wouldn't allow her to do so. Was her father looking for her also? Was she the reason why her father ended up getting sick? When those thoughts entered her mind, she suddenly felt so guilty. Inside her, she wanted to go, she wanted to let her father know that she was fine but then... She was like a wolf, chained, and couldn't run free.

For them, they all thought that the current Lu Mengjie lacked confidence in standing against the people who bullied her. She was now a coward who would shrink away in fear and hide. It was not only Shi Enxi who was sad about this fact, but Li Bingbing and Xia Liqin were also too.

"Can I hug you?" This time, the mother was gently gazing at her daughter. She really did miss her a lot and after learning what happened to her, it really pained her.

Lu Mengjie hesitated at first but upon seeing her mother's gentle gaze, she finally nodded, giving her permission.

Li Bingbing reached out and carefully pulled her daughter in her arms to which her daughter ended up snuggling in. At that moment, she felt her mother's arms squeezed a fraction tighter which made her breathe more slowly, her body melting into her mom's as every muscle lost its tension. In her mother's arms, she was safe and her worries disappeared like rain on summer earth. In that embrace, she was cocooned better than any butterfly-to-be. She felt her soft skin and the gentle squeeze on her own. The warmth she was receiving was so familiar. Yes, her body remembered her mother's warmth. Tears formed on the side of Lu Mengjie's eyes. Her mother. She has been missing her and now, she was finally able to see her mother again.

Xia Liqin and Shi Enxi quietly stared at the mother and daughter duo, allowing them to enter their own world as they finally got reunited again.