To Love You Again

Old Lu frowned, "Aren't you able to follow them?"

"We did. These cars both entered the capital. However, my men lost them in the capital. But I think that this is enough for us to know that the Qian family is alive and well. What's more, they have put people in the capital. Near you."

Old Lu still wore a deep frown on his wrinkled face as he fell into deep thoughts.

Mistress Tang observed him for a while. Then she sighed. "Don't stress yourself too much. You had just recently collapsed."

"That is already a week ago. It was only because I can't stomach that bastard's face that I fainted."

Mistress Tang reached for her cup of tea. "Show some restraint, old man. It's because you lost your temper in front of everyone that I became the subject of those nasty rumors."

Old Lu softened his expression. "Pardon me. That bastard now knows that we are colluding against him. Considering that he did not bother to hide his rudeness to you that day, he will definitely come up of ways to deal with you."

Mistress Tang waved her hand. "Ming Zhi Yi? I am not afraid of him. It is true that my men is lacking compared to his ability in martial arts. Even your eldest grandson is following his footsteps. However, I am not afraid of the power backing him."

Old Lu felt moved by Mistress Tang's words. "I will make sure that the Lu family will repay this debt."

"No need. There's something else I want to know."

"What is it?"

"How is the Qian family related to all these things? Just your assumption? You haven't answered any of my questions regarding this family before."

Old Lu stilled.

The Qian family...

The elder closed his eyes tiredly. "You might call me paranoid, but lately, I've been having dreams about that family..."

"No wonder. You caused their destruction, so it is normal that you will be haunted by their memories. It means you are getting old," Mistress Tang said. 

Old Lu's serious expression remained the same.

Mistress Tang sighed. "You are being ridiculous. Do you really think that that family is in cahoots with Ming Zhi Yi? What power or possible advantage can they offer to him to bring you down?"

Old Lu shook his head. "The Qian family was once a family that could almost stand together with us in the past. Perhaps, they have some other means. I have investigated Ming Zhi Yi before, and he is from a humble background. No matter how many years he worked, he cannot possibly gather that much resources and power in just over a decade. How can he easily become a King without a powerful background? And now, he even possess the ability to swallow IAmFashionista. This is something a person cannot just do alone in this limited amount of time."

Mistress Tang was silent. 

Old Lu has a point.

But they could not find any connection at all pointing to the Qian family approaching Ming Zhi Yi. 

"You are being biased. Why do you think that it is the Qian family of all people who is helping Ming Zhi Yi?"

Old Lu turned silent.

...How could he say it?

Whenever he met Ming Zhi Yi, especially in their most recent meeting, he could clearly feel Ming Zhi Yi's palpable bloodl.u.s.t and hatred through that fake smile.

There was an uncanny feeling that he had faced this aura of hatred before.

The same feeling of overwhelming hatred that left with the greatest impression was more than forty years ago. 

It was in an incident that he could never forget.

A piece of memory played in his mind.

The only young blood of the Qian family rushed to him on his way to his car. He was easily subdued by the guards. 

Sprawled on the ground, the young boy's dark eyes looked up at him, filled with hatred. He screamed and cursed at him.

[I will kill you! I will kill all of your family and make them suffer like what you did to mine!]

Usually, the Master of the Lu family would never let go of anyone who cursed at his family, no matter who they were, young or old. At normal times, he would be ruthless and tell his people to teach the boy a lesson and send him half-dead in a far and desolate forest, leaving him there to die. 

But at that time, his kind little daughter was with him. She took pity to the dirty young boy and wished to send him a bag of food and money.

Master Lu spared the child with his life, because he felt proud of his daughter's kindness.

However, the child did not feel grateful at all and spouted cruel words brimming with hatred.

Master Lu only looked down coldly at the boy.

Old Lu blinked and returned to his consciousness. 

He was only reminded of that time because lately, he kept dreaming of that certain past.

"I just felt like it is connected somehow. Ming Zhi Yi's actions nowadays are always unfavorable towards the Lu family, as if he held a deep-seated grudge. I cannot help but think that it is not coincidental. Sigh~ Maybe it's just me. I don't have proof. I just... want to make sure."

"Alright. For your sake, I will try to dig deeper. Maybe Ming Zhi Yi met the descendant of the Qian family after getting engaged with your daughter back then."

Old Lu frowned. "If that's the case, then I will never forgive him."

Mistress Tang just nodded. It was another family's affairs, so she could not comment much.

"Now, what are we going to do to the power which Ming Zhi Yi is gathering? Based on my investigation during Tang Yin's banquet last time, their target is definitely IAmFashionista. I have also confirmed that as we guessed, they are intending to swallow IAmFashionista."

Old Lu scoffed. "Ming Zhi Yi really has a big appetite. Is he not afraid of retribution? Being greedy has its own limits."

"But he has the capability to do it. IAmFashionista's yearly event will be in four months from now. Perhaps, we should discuss this matter with the other families? If we gather our factions together, we can still stop them."

Old Lu was silent. 

Could they trust Old Xiong and Old Guan?

But if they did not act now, IAmFashionista, this big pie, would fall into Ming Zhi Yi's hands. If that happened, the balance would break and the other factions including the legendary families would be forced to raise their hand to suppress Ming Zhi Yi.

It would be great if they could just subdue Ming Zhi Yi. But what if Ming Zhi Yi was more capable than they think and drag this matter into an all-out war?

That would be an outcome where all sides would lose many things. 

However, despite the outcome of whatever their choice would be, there was one thing that was clear. 

They needed to stop Ming Zhi Yi as early as they could.

After hesitating, Old Lu sighed.

"Alright. Let's set-up a meeting with them, before the yearly event starts."

*****