Six

Too stunned to speak or react to her husband's question, Li Yuxi stayed firmly beside her friend who still had his arm around her shoulder. The look of vexation on Lee Qiang's face was so hard that it made her shudder. Just as she wanted to explain the situation, Lee Qiang rushed over to them and yanked her away from Lin Wei.

"I asked you a question, did I not?" Lee Qiang squeezed her arm a bit.

Li Yuxi forced a smile on her face as she could not react to how painful his grip was. She made eye contact with a worried-looking Lin Wei before glancing at Lee Qiang.

"Th-this is a colleague at work," Li Yuxi replied.

"Hello, Mr. Lee. I am Lin Wei. I work at the Xianshi Gallery." Lin Wei stretched out his hand for a handshake, which was not received.

"Do you visit all your married colleagues at eight in the night, Mr. Lin?" Lee Qiang asked, his voice heavy with suspicion.

Li Yuxi chuckled. "I told him to bring something for me. Besides, he's a junior at the gallery. He's the youngest and even recently joined us earlier this year from his college. Right, Lin Wei?"

Li Yuxi stared at Lin Wei, with eyes pleading that he understood. This was the first time that someone witnessed a little percentage of how Lee Qiang treated her. Additionally, the blank look on Lin Wei's face wasn't helpful as she suspected he was going to be rebellious at any second.

"Mr. Lee. I am a very straightforward person and I would—"

"Ah, Lin Wei. Remember you have to meet the others at that place tonight," Li Yuxi cut Lin Wei off and grabbed his wrist, then pulled him with her toward the front door. "Come on. Time for you to go."

"But, I wanted to say—"

"Yes, I know. You can say it the next time you visit," Li Yuxi said and opened the door then pushed him out of the house. "Bye-bye!"

Once she shut the door, she began to play with her fingers. Sweat started breaking out of her skin and her throat tightened.

"Within twenty-four hours, you have shown your true colors."

Li Yuxi slowly faced him and bowed her head to avoid his judgemental eyes.

"You now bring men into my house?!"

The place was silent for three seconds. The only things she could hear during those seconds were her heartbeats and her pants.

"Give me one reason why I shouldn't chase you out of my house?!" He barked. "You cannot even be grateful for the things I do for you yet you bring your lovers into my house and shamelessly touch each other!"

"Stop!" She yelled, body shaking and eyes watering. "Stop, please!"

"You dare raise your voice at me?!"

Li Yuxi cowered. "Forgive me but stop telling lies. Lin Wei is nothing but a twenty-year-old boy. I am five years older than him. I will never cheat on you."

Li Yuxi didn't wait to hear his next words. She went straight to the coffee table and picked up the box. She glanced at him one last time before walking away while fearing that he would attack her from behind. The fear made her rush up the stairs, through the hallway, and into her room, which she locked. Li Yuxi exhaled in relief and pressed her back against the door.

"That was close," she whispered.

‡‡‡

The following day, Li Yuxi was at work, going through some cardboard boxes in a small storage room that was filled with sculptures, cardboard boxes, and paintings. As she opened a different box, someone cleared their throat. She looked in the direction the sound had come from and her eyes widened at the woman standing at the entrance to the storeroom.

Li Yuxi was in awe at how beautiful and expensive she looked. She was tall and elegant with her hair cut below her ears. Her fashion sense added to the expensive aura she had which made Li Yuxi self-conscious, as she never had the time to play dress up.

"Hello," Li Yuxi said and approached the woman.

The woman didn't respond, rather she eyed the storeroom with a small grimace on her face. Li Yuxi followed the woman's wandering eyes and slight movements before glancing at her work ID. Li Yuxi gasped at her identity.

"Wang Lifen!" Li Yuxi bowed curtly. "Oh, my. You're my idol. I can't believe you are here!"

Out of excitement, Li Yuxi held the woman's hand and shook it aggressively. She felt stupid for not recognizing the woman but the last time she had seen her on television, she had a little weight and longer hair.

"Wang Lifen, you have inspired a lot of my collections. You are so amazing with your archaeological discoveries." Li Yuxi fangirled but flushed when she noticed how uncomfortable the woman looked. "Sorry."

"I hear that a lot but it's good to see some fans once in a while." Wang Lifen walked past her.

The clacking of her heels echoed in the storeroom as she walked around. Li Yuxi turned to watch the woman and couldn't help but admire how she carried herself. Her shoulders were straight, her back straight and her face tilted in an aristocratic manner. She looked like a well-mannered princess that had Li Yuxi straightening her posture to match hers.

"I am looking for Li Yuxi."

"I am the one!"

Wang Lifen glanced at Li Yuxi and smiled before walking back to her.

"I have heard about you ever since I arrived here. They say you are quite diligent and have the best discoveries. I love people like you, which is why I want you to become my assistant."

Li Yuxi was guffawed at the news that she squealed internally. She bowed repeatedly to thank the woman until Wang Lifen motioned for her to stop.

"I recently arrived from London. So, I'm still not familiar with things around here. I'll need help with sites, and a rundown on the discoveries this gallery has made. I hope you can deliver?" Wang Lifen asked in a hard tone.

Li Yuxi gulped. "Yes, Wang Lifen."

‡‡‡

Before seven that night, Li Yuxi got home and found Lee Qiang sitting in the kitchen with his laptop in front of him. She smiled at him before going straight to her room. Once she walked into her room, she whipped out her phone and dialed Lin Wei's number. She paced around the room while it rang before spotting the cardboard box from yesterday on top of the bedside table. She went to it and opened the box.

When Lin Wei did not answer, she dropped her phone beside the box and carefully took out the vase. She brought it close to her face, to have a closer look at the vase. There were tiny scratches on the vase, which she suspected came from being buried for a long time.

"This vase looks like it's going to give me a lot of homework because I do not recognize the writing or design. As I said before, it could probably be a lost treasure," Li Yuxi said and placed the vase beside the box.

Li Yuxi made a move to walk away but froze with a hiss when her vision blurred. She held her head and blinked hard a few times to clear her vision.

"I haven't eaten today," Li Yuxi said and her stomach growled. "Yeah, I'm hungry."

Seeing that she would not hold the hunger, she went downstairs to the kitchen only to still find her husband in it. She ignored him and went to the fridge.

"I have a friend coming over tomorrow. You have to cook lunch," he ordered.

"Huh? I have a job tomorrow, Lee Qiang," she complained and went closer to him. "Please, I just got employed as an assistant and—"

"Did I marry you to give me excuses? You have to serve me and my guests. So, do not provoke me," Lee Qiang angrily said and marched away.

"Don't provoke me." Li Yuxi mocked. "Why did I get married to such a loser? I am never lucky in this life… when will something good come to me?"

After grabbing a leftover, Li Yuxi returned to her room and placed the plate beside the vase.

"I need to put you away before I break you," Li Yuxi said and stretched her right hand to move it over the vase, only for the vase to tip over the table after her hand knocked hit it.

Li Yuxi's heart stopped beating for a second and froze for a second before moving her hands widely to catch the vase but she was too late and the vase crashed on the floor, shattering into multiple pieces.

"Oh, no," she said in horror, only to gasp when a dew-like cloud formed over the shards.

The dew moved away and spiraled a few feet away from where she stood. She watched in confused silence as the dew spiraled more aggressively, making some clothes close by flutter from the pull.

A red glow suddenly flashed, almost blinding Li Yuxi who shielded her eyes. Through her fingers and squinted eyes, she noticed that the light had died down. She slowly dropped her hands and gasped louder than before at the sight before her.

"I have been waiting for you," a deep voice came from the man sitting on the floor, backing her.