Chapter 660   - Life Without You (2)

Li Meili hadn't returned to Beijing after Tang Beixuan's funeral. In fact, she had chosen to confine herself inside her apartment, refusing to make any effort to take care of herself aside from showering and drinking water whenever she was thirsty.

Her phone was constantly vibrating on top of her coffee table, but she refused to to answer any of it. At this point, she didn't care what would happen to her and to her business anymore. She had already lost the will to live when she lost her beloved.

The last bouquet of flowers that Tang Beixuan had given her had already wilted, ready to be disposed of by her anytime now, but Li Meili ignored it instead and laid on her bed unmoving. What was the point of living if she had already lost the motivation to continue any longer? She already knew what was waiting for her at this point.

Her parents would eventually force her to marry some sc.u.mbag she didn't love to protect the interest of their family business. Li Meili knew that she could not rely on her brother's help for too long as he would eventually be pressured to get married and produce an heir for the Li family too. She wasn't even sure about the status of Li Yuanyi's relationship with Meng Yanran now, although she heard from her acquaintances that the two were being spotted together.

Li Meili heard her doorbell ring but she only g.r.o.a.n.e.d and hoped that whoever it was, they would leave her alone. She neither wanted to see nor to talk to anyone right now and didn't want to start an argument with her parents if they were here to nag her to marry the person they deemed suitable to be her husband.

The ringing continued until Li Meili jolted up from her bed, throwing her blanket on the floor. She wanted to pull her hair out of frustration. Just who was brave enough to annoy her right now?

Darn it! Was it really hard to have some peaceful time for her to grieve properly? Why couldn't they just leave her alone? Even Tang Moyu could understand what she wanted right now and only left a voicemail for her, telling her that she's welcome to come and see her anytime she wanted to.

Walking towards her front door, Li Meili's stomach grumbled from hunger. She couldn't remember the last time she had a decent meal since Tang Beixuan's passing. When she opened her door, she wasn't impressed at all seeing her older brother scowling in front of her as Meng Yanran stood awkwardly behind him.

"Miss Li, we're here to see you." Meng Yanran said before nudging Li Yuanyi's side to get his attention. He was the one who wanted to see Li Meili, but why was he acting annoyed right now?

Li Yuanyi had asked her for a favor to help him see his sister. He was shocked when he found out that his younger sister was seeing Tang Moyu's little brother who had recently passed away because of a car accident. No wonder Li Meili insisted on not honoring their parents' wishes for her to marry because she was already seeing someone.

If he had known earlier about the relationship between the two, he would have done his best to convince their parents to let her off the hook. He was the eldest child, a son on top of that. Shouldn't the pressure of getting married be directed to him and not to Li Meili?

Li Meili looked at her brother and at the woman standing next to him. Heh, who would have thought that her spineless, irritating brother would be able to muster enough courage to pursue Meng Yanran? At least her hard work to set the two of them together wouldn't be for naught. She opened the door and allowed her guests to come inside her apartment.

"What brings you here?" She asked Li Yuanyi, who took his sweet time to look around her small apartment.

For a popular designer like The Black Nightingale, Li Yuanyi assumed that his younger sister would get a better place than what she had right now, but he should have known that unlike other heiresses in their circle, Li Meili could be considered frugal.

"You weren't answering your phone. None of us could reach you. Of course, we are worried about what happened to you." He replied.

"Miss Li, here's some food packs for you." Meng Yanran placed a bag she was holding on Li Meili's table. "Your brother prepared this ahead before we came here so it should still be hot. It's freshly made just for you."

Li Yuanyi looked away, aware that his sister was giving him an odd look. Li Meili took a peek in the bag and saw several dishes neatly packed in clear containers. Her stomach grumbled once again after she smelled the delicious aroma coming from it.

"You are just in time. I'm hungry." She admitted before going to her small kitchen, opening her cupboard to get the silverware and plates she kept.

"Join me for lunch?" She asked the couple. It was obvious that they were an item now, given how Meng Yanran easily understood her brother's unspoken words. "I can't possibly finish all of them." She pointed out.

"Sure. We would love to." Meng Yanran replied, bringing her designer bag that might have seen better days, and followed Li Meili to her dining area.

Li Yuanyi sighed dejectedly and followed the two. He remained silent, paying more attention to his sister while Meng Yanran chose to keep their conversation going.

"Aren't you planning to return to Beijing soon?" Li Yuanyi said bluntly. "The deadline for sending entries is getting closer. Are you still joining?"

Li Meili put down her spoon and looked at her half-eaten dumpling. Looking at the dishes they brought with them, she realized that Li Yuanyi brought her favorites. He was truly concerned about her welfare.

"I'm not sure anymore…" She admitted.