They went from one store to another, and as time passed, Li Caiyi ended up choosing everything from him. After walking a lot, she was drained but couldn't complain. That was why when Meng Renshu finally said they should go home soon, she brightened up like a bulb.
"Do you have to look so happy? It's kind of hurting my feelings."
"Brother Renshu, just how long do you want this to go? We have been doing this for hours!"
"That's strange. Aren't girls usually very energetic when it comes to shopping?"
"If I buy things for myself, then yeah, perhaps." Li Caiyi rolled her eyes.
"Then why didn't you choose something for yourself? I won't mind if you pick something for yourself."
"Well, excuse me for not being as well-off as you."
Meng Renshu's brows raised in confusion. "What are you talking about? You can easily ask me to buy it for you."
Li Caiyi scoffed, "So I can owe something to you again? No, thanks."
"Haha, you got me there."
"Anyway, with this, my job here should be done, right? It's already so late." Li Caiyi said as she gazed outside the giant window. They were so busy shopping she didn't notice it until just now.
Meng Renshu was reluctant. While they were shopping, he realized he had never gone out to shop with her in his previous life. Per his order, every gift he gave her was purchased by his assistant.
Before, he noticed her eyeing a few items during their 'hunt', but she never once mentioned it to him. It'd be better if Li Caiyi was a greedier woman. She could ask him to buy her things, and he wouldn't complain. Unfortunately, she wasn't that type of person.
Was it really too late to do something for her? He wanted to be with her just a little longer.
"Aren't you hungry? Let me treat you to a meal as my thanks for today."
"No, it's really fine. I'm just fulfilling my promise."
"I also have something I want to discuss with you. It's about the circumstances around Xiaohua's poisoning case."
Li Caiyi's body stiffened. She nervously tucked her hair behind her ears before answering, "Is there any need to talk about that anymore? I was found guilty, and that's the end."
Meng Renshu had expected that. That case was the final straw before she decided to end her life. It probably left a very wide and deep wound in her heart.
"Do you prefer not to talk about it?"
Li Caiyi: "...."
As much as Meng Renshu didn't want to see that distressed expression on her face, he had no choice.
Everything about that case was suspicious from the beginning. Meng Renshu initially didn't want to doubt her and planned to investigate it quietly. However, the news about the incident spread quickly, despite his effort to silence every possible witness.
Li Caiyi was accused, ridiculed, and harassed as an evil woman who didn't hesitate to murder her sister because of petty jealousy. Meng Renshu tried his best to keep her safe by confining her to their house. He even went so far as to refuse her wish to visit Li Chunhua in the hospital.
But all his effort went to a drain. In the end, he failed to protect her.
The case ended with Li Caiyi being deemed the culprit of attempted murder. However, Meng Renshu actually still had so many suspicions about that case.
And he felt that Li Caiyi probably held the final piece of that puzzle.
"Fine. Let's talk about it. It's not a topic I find pleasant, but if it has something to do with the current situation, then we must talk about it."
Meng Renshu raised his head in surprise. "Will it really be okay for you? I know it must not be easy to talk about that."
Li Caiyi closed her eyes in resignation. "I have always been afraid to face it, but this might be a good chance to come clean with everything. It was all in the past, so you don't have to worry about me."
"I see." Meng Renshu smiled. There was a tinge of bitterness in his mouth.
After that, they changed the place to a renowned five-star restaurant located on the highest floor of that mall. Meng Renshu rented a VIP room where they would get a space for themselves. That way, they could talk undisturbed by anyone.
"So, where do you want me to start?" Li Caiyi asked stiffly once the waiter who delivered their food had left.
"I know I have no right to ask this, but I want to ask if there is a specific reason why you would give up? You denied the accusation initially, so why did you suddenly confess to something you didn't do?"
Li Caiyi clenched her hands. She knew he would ask her this. "If I tell you, would you even believe me?"
Meng Renshu's heart stung. He had no right to feel hurt since he was the one who made her distrustful towards him, but it was still painful when he heard it directly from her mouth.
Holding back the sour feeling inside him, he smiled. "I won't be asking if I didn't plan to trust you in the first place."
Li Caiyi cast a dubious glance at him. "Alright. It's up to you to believe me or not, but what I will say from now on is nothing but the truth I have seen and heard by myself."
"Sounds fair enough for me."
Li Caiyi took a deep breath, calming herself down before she slowly started talking.
"At that time, I was…."
***
In the dark room with the moonlight as the sole light source, Li Caiyi curled herself into a ball on her bed.
She was still wearing the dress she wore to the party. The ivory-colored dress was now stained with red wine and blood. It felt sticky to her skin, but she didn't care about it.
She still couldn't believe what had happened.
She remembered going to an empty room to clear her head with a glass of wine in her hand. Then, Li Chunhua entered the room, so they chatted a bit. Her sister asked if she could take a sip of wine since their mother didn't let her drink too much.
Li Caiyi gave her drink, but after a sip, Li Chunhua suddenly coughed up a lot of blood. Everything happened so suddenly, and soon the horrible sight of Li Chunhua sprawled on the floor with blood dripping from her mouth was the only thing she remembered.
"Heck!"
Her head was in so much pain whenever she tried to remember. Whenever she closed her eyes, the memory of Li Chunhua in her white dress, lying in the pool of blood, would resurface.
The pain kept getting worse, but she was too afraid to sleep. She anxiously waited for someone to contact her, telling her that her sister was fine, but nothing came.
How many hours have passed since then? Li Caiyi had no idea. She had been holding herself in her room as soon as she returned home.
Then, there was a knocking sound on the door. Her body tensed up.
Was it Meng Renshu? Did he finally come home?
Li Caiyi didn't know the floor felt so cold until she ran toward the door barefoot.
"Husband, is that you?"
"Madam, it's me."
Her shoulders slumped once she heard the familiar voice. "I don't need anything, so don't bother me."
"I'm sorry to disturb your rest, but the Grand Master was waiting for you downstairs."
The Grand Master was the title used by the servants to call Meng Yaoshu. These people were originally servants from the main house. Ever since Meng Renshu became their 'Master', they began to call her father-in-law 'Grand Master', instead.
Li Caiyi felt energy returning to her body, knowing that someone finally came to visit her. Although Qing Xiangjun and Meng Shuchun were mean to her, Meng Yaoshu has always treated her kindly.
He never demanded her to be a perfect daughter-in-law or forced her to do anything. He often comforted her whenever Qing Xiangjun treated her unjustly. For Li Caiyi, he was the only ally she had except for her husband.
Li Caiyi bit her lips, thinking about how Meng Renshu hadn't tried to reach her after that. He must be busy worrying about Li Chunhua. A substitute like her shouldn't hope for him to think about her, the prime suspect in this case.
"Please prepare refreshments for my father-in-law. I'll soon come down after I get changed."
The most uptodat𝓮 n𝒐vels are published on (f)reew𝒆(b)novel.𝗰𝗼𝐦