Win My Husband Over to Find My Child
Chapter 48: I Like the Quiet Lily-Of-The-Valley Than the Vibrant Rose

Chapter 48: I Like the Quiet Lily-Of-The-Valley Than the Vibrant Rose

"W-well, CEO Xu has brought many gifts here. Shouldn’t we open them?"

To dissuade the tension in the air, Geoffrey stepped forward by saying they should open the gifts brought by Calix. Old Madam Li swallowed her anger as she followed her favorite son’s suggestion.

"Sure. I believe my grandson-in-law is a considerate young man. I wonder what he got for us."

Calix smiled brightly, "Grandmother-in-law, I only brought good things here. Feel free to see them."

Under Calix’s calm gaze, Geoffrey and Deena started to open the gifts. Rowan and Bianca wanted to help but, they were stopped by the couple.

Expensive health tonics, dried herbs, fresh fruits and Chinese white wine were among the gifts. Some of them were more expensive than the ones from yesterday’s dinner.

"I wish good health for you, Grandmother-in-law. I’ve made sure to get the best among the best for your own good."

Calix flattered Old Madam Li as if he hadn’t made the situation awkward earlier. The old lady returned his smile with a fake one.

Everyone could tell she was holding back her dissatisfaction.

Geoffrey and Deena looked at each other in worry. Gladys lowered her face in shame while Derek appeared as if he didn’t care about anything.

Rowan, Bianca and Irene remained quiet. Yet, they weren’t swept away by the invisible tension coming from Old Madam Li. Somehow, the way Calix behaved toward the matriarch relieved the pressure.

As for Leslie, she was enjoying the show without anyone’s knowing – except for Calix. She stood by the wall next to the couch where the young man and Rowan sat.

"Thank you for all this, Calix," Old Madam Li passed one box set of health tonic to Geoffrey, "I can see that you took great care with these gifts. You also came to visit us today amid your busy schedule."

Even though Old Madam Li loathed the fact that Calix chose Charlene instead of Gladys, she couldn’t deny that her pride swelled.

Many madams and young ladies in high society had Calix in mind as their prospective son-in-law and husband. They would drown in envy with her soon!

"Mother, you’re right. As the CEO, Calix will be very busy," Geoffrey chimed in. He changed the way he addressed Calix, "How’s work, Calix? I heard the news of Xu International’s subsidiary expanding to Europe."

"It’s still in discussion," responded Calix with a polite smile, "Well, why don’t we push aside business talk for now? I’m here to get to know my new in-laws personally. After all, you’re Charlene’s family."

Geoffrey blinked. He was caught in a daze before a gentle poke from Deena pulled him back to reality.

"Haha... yes, yes. That’s true," Geoffrey laughed awkwardly. He looked from his elderly mother to Calix, "To be frank... we’re still shocked to learn of your marriage to Charlene. It’s hard to imagine... you being with my niece, haha."

"What’s so surprising about it?" Calix replied calmly. His next words turned everyone speechless, "I fell in love with her, that’s it."

Leslie almost choked once she heard that. Wide-eyed with surprise, she stared at Calix who had lied flawlessly.

This guy ah... Didn’t he feel embarrassed saying such a thing out loud?

It seemed like CEO Xu really didn’t care about maintaining his image in front of the Li family. Perhaps, he only thought of them as a troublesome group.

Rowan and Bianca had already learned the reason from Calix but, their expressions were the same as the rest. None of them couldn’t take the young man’s words seriously.

Calix kept smiling. He didn’t mind being the receiving end of the Li family’s incredulous looks. Let them doubt him all they wanted.

Haha...

Their disbelief fell in line with his expectations. They couldn’t comprehend the fact of a glum and disfavored young miss like Leslie to catch the attention of the Xu family’s heir.

Well, that was not his problem.

Old Madam Li tried to discern Calix’s true intention. But, her experienced eyes saw nothing behind his calm yet happy appearance. She could say that this young man was adept at controlling his emotions.

"Charlene is my eldest grandchild," Old Madam Li lowered her voice. She brought in the helpless tone of someone who was worrying about another, "Since young, she’s always a gloomy child."

Old Madam Li’s words caught Leslie’s attention. Calix also did the same. Both of them wondered what else the old woman had to say.

At the same time, Rowan, Bianca and Irene froze where they were sitting. They subtly looked at Old Madam Li. The family of three was concerned about a similar thing.

Would this old lady speak badly about her own grandchild? In front of the said person’s newlywed husband?

Old Madam Li exhaled a sigh. She placed a palm over her right cheek, her brows sunken.

"I’m always worried about her. She’s a child with so many flaws. What if she unknowingly taints your family name? I can’t stop thinking about that. She’s so different from Gladys who’s the rose of society. They’re poles apart."

"..."

Leslie enlarged her eyes. Her fury drove her to glare at Old Madam Li despite the latter couldn’t see her.

Hah!

This old lady was worried about her grandchild?!

If she really was, she wouldn’t use such words to describe her first granddaughter. She also wouldn’t drag her beloved second granddaughter’s name to lead people to compare the two.

Leslie gnashed her teeth. Her eyes glowered ferociously as she seethed in fury. Her previous life’s memories rushed to resurface in her mind, bringing along their accompanying pain.

Leslie didn’t want to compare her life with Charlene’s but, it was hard not to.

Old Madam Li was just like Leslie’s paternal grandmother in her previous life. Both of them had blatant favoritism to their grandchildren.

Fortunately, Leslie’s maternal grandmother cared for her. The old woman treated her and her spoilt younger brother the same, much to her parents’ dismay.

Grandparents were allowed to have biases among their grandchildren. But, rubbing the fact onto the disfavored ones by treating them badly was not a good move.

"Give the candies to your brother. You’re his big sister. You should act like a grownup."

"Why did you push him? Want me to beat you? Give your toy to him!"

"Don’t be so weak! Your brother’s fever is more serious. Go and make him some congee!"

No matter what Leslie did, everything was useless in her paternal grandmother’s eyes. She existed simply to be her younger brother’s servant and her parents’ punching bag.

"Hurm... I don’t think she’s that gloomy, Grandmother-in-law. I like a quiet Lily-of-the-valley more than the vibrant rose."

Leslie’s eyelashes fluttered. Calix’s familiar voice gently floated her ashore from the abyss she was falling. She stiffly turned her chin to look at him.

Calix’s eyes remained on Old Madam Li. Under the old lady’s stern look, he calmly resumed talking.

"Have you heard of how people change to be more positive if their new environment is better? I think Charlene is like that. She might only have a bit of inner peace when she lived here."

Once Calix finished the rest of his words, the drawing room was instantly enveloped in a pin-drop silence. Everyone’s jaws almost dropped to the ground, including Leslie’s.