Chapter 30: A Complaint by Phone

"Sister, I didn't mean it; I only wanted to borrow it for a moment." Li Xuehui’s eyes welled up with tears of distress. "Please, don't misunderstand. I have never once thought of taking anything away from you."

"Anything that truly belongs to me, you cannot take away," Li Chuxi replied, her voice haunting and calm as she looked at Li Xuehui. "Whatever can be taken from me by you was never mine to begin with."

Just like these blood relatives of hers.

In truth, if she wanted to, she could still find ways to win them back to her side. But now, she held no expectations for what was called family affection. She had ceased to care about her parents' blatant favoritism or the way her brothers sided against her.

Watching Li Chuxi, Li Xuehui felt as though she were on the verge of a breakdown.

Since the last time, she had noticed that Li Chuxi seemed to have changed in ways she found unsettling. The current Li Chuxi gave her a sense of unease, as if things were slipping out of her control.

"Li Chuxi, whether you like it or not, you will lend that necklace today," Li Kunjie said, his expression darkening. "Everything you possess belongs to the Li family; you have no right to refuse."

"Chuxi, just lend it to Xuehui!"

Unlike Li Kunjie’s rigid stance, Li Fengmei’s tone was softer, yet the message remained the same. "It’s just a necklace; why must you be so calculating? Besides, you have plenty of jewelry. It’s just borrowing it for a bit—we are all family, don't be so petty."

"Are you all certain you want me to lend it?" Li Chuxi’s eyes shimmered with a strange light. "Don't regret this."

"Sister, I really am only borrowing it," Li Xuehui said, heartened by what she perceived as Li Chuxi’s compliance. She kept her joy hidden, offering promise after promise. "I will return it to you the very moment the competition ends."

Of course, these were mere pleasantries. Once the necklace was in her hands, there was no chance it would ever be returned. She would naturally invent other excuses to keep it until it became hers by default.

Li Kunjie and Li Fengmei’s expressions eased considerably.

Only Li Xingjue, upon seeing the faint, ambiguous smile on Li Chuxi’s face, felt a lingering sense of dread in his heart.

Under the gaze of everyone in the room, Li Chuxi took out her phone and made a call. Once connected, she spoke, "Grandmother, Mom and Dad are trying to take away the 'Heart of Radiance' you gave me for my coming-of-age ceremony."

Li Kunjie and Li Fengmei clearly had not expected Li Chuxi to report them. By the time they moved to stop her, it was already too late.

The Li family’s patriarch and matriarch had always doted on their granddaughter, Li Chuxi. Even over these years, despite the many messes she had made, they had never abandoned her. Even the younger generation of the Li family held their cousin in high regard.

After all, the Li elders had two sons, but neither had been able to provide them with a granddaughter. It was their daughter, Li Fengmei, who had given birth to Li Chuxi. Among all the younger members of the Li clan, Li Chuxi was the only girl; she was the apple of everyone’s eye.

Though she had visited the Li household less frequently in recent years, her status remained untouched. They never imagined she would resort to complaining at the slightest provocation. Li Xingjue and Li Xuehui were stunned; they had not anticipated such a turn of events.

Soon, Li Chuxi handed the phone to Li Fengmei with a bright smile. "My dear mother, Grandmother wants to speak with you."

Looking at the phone in Li Chuxi’s hand, Li Fengmei hesitated, as if staring at a ferocious beast. Li Kunjie, standing beside her, let out a breath of relief, though his expression remained grim.

"You had better answer quickly," Li Chuxi said, her tone gentle yet chillingly sharp. "If you keep Grandmother waiting any longer, she might get even angrier!"

There was no escape. Taking a deep breath, Li Fengmei accepted the phone and murmured, "Mother."

Immediately, the powerful, stern voice of the Li matriarch erupted from the receiver.

"You call me Mother? Do you still see me as your mother? You are actually colluding with an outsider to bully your own daughter—have you lost your mind?"

"The 'Heart of Radiance' was the coming-of-age gift I gave to Chuxi. You actually have the gall to make her hand it over to that adopted daughter?"

The verbal barrage continued unabated. Had it been anyone else, Li Fengmei would have erupted in a rage, but because it was her own mother, she dared not retort, nor dared she hang up. She could only listen silently as she was scolded. The elder Mrs. Li was a woman of refinement; she could scold someone for a long time without ever repeating a word, causing Li Fengmei’s head to sink lower and lower.

After more than ten minutes, Li Fengmei passed the phone to Li Kunjie. "Mother wants to talk to you."

Li Kunjie’s face turned ghastly. Since her youth, the elder Mrs. Li had possessed a fiery temper. After marrying into the Li family and enjoying years of indulgence, that temper had only grown. He didn't dare refuse to take the call, fearing what she might do if he ignored her. As expected, he was severely reprimanded.

Finally, the phone returned to Li Chuxi. The matriarch showered her with reassurances and promised to send her even more and better jewelry.

Watching this, Li Xuehui seethed with hatred. She never imagined Li Chuxi would be so despicable as to run to the elder Mrs. Li.

"Li Chuxi, you’ve done well for yourself," Li Kunjie muttered through gritted teeth, looking as though he wanted to strike her.

"Much obliged," Li Chuxi said, smiling brilliantly. She scanned the living room and continued, "That’s why I said—you’d better not make decisions about my things so casually. As long as I don't agree, you won't be able to take anything."

"You—" Li Fengmei was rendered speechless with rage.

"I’m going upstairs to grab a few things. Bye-bye."