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CHAPTER 320 – Dinner 4: Verbal Battle
"Is that true or not? If yes, what happened?" Liu Chao inquired, his eyes burning with pride at his achievement.
The silence continued for another thirty seconds. No one dared to speak. They knew it was a declaration of war but they refused to butt in.
Not because they couldn't but because the information was one, they wished to know the truth about.
Liu Xueyi clenched his jaw, holding back from leaving his seat and going over to punch the face of his cousin.
The effrontery to ask such of his girl!
Sensing the hostility in the air, Andromeda held her head high and gave her sincere shocking answer. "Yes. I did."
"Why?"
"Personal reasons," she responded almost immediately.
He had expected her to say that. It was a good and nice defensive strategy but, it was weak.
He did not mind it though. Howbeit he did not start this battle having just that up his sleeve.
"Now as a concerned cousin, I only wonder and hope you would not do the same to my cousin here seeing as he genuinely loves you."
Not being able to hold it in, Liu Xueyi slammed his palm on the table, shocking everyone and forcing the plates and cutlery to shake in its wake.
"And what do you mean by that?"
"Hey, hey, hey, calm down. Relax, bro."
"Liu Chao," Liu Houyi's voice trailed off in a warning tone.
He did not need to remind him of what happened to troublemakers and should he have forgotten who his big cousin was, then he was in for some soup.
With Liu Xueyi's actions, Andromeda knew Liu Chao was getting what he bargained for. Unfortunately for him, she wasn't planning on giving him such victory.
Pressing down on Liu Xueyi's hand she held onto it, she rubbed with her thumb on his skin, signalling him to give it a rest.
Thankfully, Liu Xueyi gave in and fell silent. Since she accomplished that, she needed to move to the next game.
"No. I would not leave your cousin."
"I am betting that was the same thought you had when you dated your ex?"
"Yes."
"And how did it turn out? You still left him, right? So, what grounds do you have to say those words firmly? You see, it is ladies like you I do not trust."
"Thank you."
"What?" He was least expecting her to agree to what he said. AT most Liu Chao expected her to defend herself, thereby spilling or trying to hide her secrets.
Given his family, they could easily pick when one was lying and their intelligent minds would find the error she so much wished to hide and deny.
"Why? You weren't expecting that?"
"No," he affirmed plainly. "I wasn't but now you prove more dangerous. Tell me, aren't you scared that the Liu family would uncover your secrets? Might I remind you that we are a warehouse of information?"
"And might I remind you that he who has no skeletons in his cupboard fears no barking dog?"
Liu Xiao Xin's lips curved upwards. Every time she spent with Andromeda or in her presence, the young lady showed her might and force.
She was not a push over and she was glad.
At this point, she could not wait to see how Andromeda triumphed over her cousin as she did with Gao Yuemi.
"I believe it is all a farce."
"Then you are no more intelligent than a child."
"And your scandals with men?"
"Name them, playboy prince."
"The kiss at the bar."
"An honest mistake. Drunk and confessed my feeling to Xueyi and kissed him not knowing it was my friend."
"Hmm, the one with Sun's goody-two-shoes prince. Guys with you every now and then, chasing you without you pushing them away."
"Which beautiful girl don't you see men admiring, Liu Chao? Secondly, I have male friends. Thirdly I wasn't kissed by Sun Yichen. Mind you, your cousin punched him for his sad attempt."
"Fair but…"
"Save it," Andromeda cut in, holding up her palm.
"Thirdly, should I go about running from every Tom, Dick and Harry that comes my way to prove to your low libido ass that I am faithful? No. If I am not chased, as I am a full-grown lady, wouldn't that mean something is wrong with me?"
"No. I did not say that."
"You may have very well done so," Andromeda retorted. "Besides, if you have a problem with me, go ahead and state it."
"No. I do not have a problem with you, Miss Kia."
"Exactly, you do not but you well as hell have one with Xueyi for being better than you at almost if not everything."
The fierce way and manner in which Andromeda hit the nail on the head after throwing off his baseless accusations made Liu Xueyi feel so proud of her.
Similarly, the Patriarch and matriarch of the family felt a strong vibe coming from her person and knew she could survive on her own in the business world.
The world was cruel and no one needed to be weak. If you do the strong shall rule over and crush you. That was a given.
Give and take. Dog-eat-dog, that was the kind of world they lived in.
"I do not justify my actions; however, I have made peace with my boyfriend and my heart."
"Good," Yu Ai acknowledged.
"Unfortunately, you only wish to paint me bad and have everyone see what kind of a poor choice he had in women. Now, am I right or am I right?"
Liu Chao could not speak up to refute her words. She took hold of the conversation and geared it in the way and manner she wished for it to go, not giving him a chance to do anything.
In the end, he gave her room to expose his true intent.
"You are right, love," Liu Xueyi finally spoke up after watching it all happen before him. "And I must say, I am disappointed in you, Liu Chao."
Liu Chao twisted his lips to the side and relaxed in his seat but remained silent. There was no use speaking anymore.
"Also, to whom it may concern, everything about her past, I know it. And the issue with her ex, I am well aware which is what is taking us to court soon."
He let his words sink into their brain before resuming.
"As for speaking ill about her, I would not tolerate it, family or not. I gave my warning to the general public and now this is another. Any disrespect towards her is a sign of disrespect to me. It won't be accommodated."
Even though his eyes lingered on the younger ones, it was an indirect warning to the older generation.
"Got it. I only wished to know…"
"And you know," Liu Xueyi cut in, silencing his cousin once more. "She's not leaving me and that is final."
"You get me wrong, cousin. I only wanted to see that dangerous side of her that auntie spoke off."
"Well, now you know," Liu Chao-Xing informed. Once more her idiot twin brother had proven his IQ was lower than hers.
She couldn't be happier about this. As a boy, some people saw it unfair she came out first but each time she proved to be better.
"Now that all this is clear, shall we proceed to dessert?" Mrs. Liu announced.
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