Chapter 683   - Do You Hate Me This Much, Dad? (1)

Li Meili's jaws dropped hearing what her father had just said. She didn't know how he found out about her pregnancy, but she knew she couldn't really keep it a secret for too long from her family. She recovered from her shock and pressed her lips into a thin line. She glanced at her older brother who only shook his head, denying that he was the one who sold her out to their father.

Seeing the subtle interaction between his children, Chairman Li's anger rose to another level.

"And you know about this?" He asked Li Yuanyi. "Are you trying to cover up your sister's mistake again?!"

"What mistake?" Li Meili couldn't stop herself from retorting her father's words. "Is that what you see me as, Dad? A mistake?"

"Meili." Li Yuanyi shook his head again, trying to convince his sister to not argue with their father anymore, but it was hard for Li Meili not to retaliate at all.

For the longest time, their father only made her feel like a failure, to the point that she could sense that her mere presence was enough for him to show discontent. Li Meili wasn't sure when their relationship as father and daughter started to crumble.

"The fact that you've gotten pregnant out of wedlock, isn't it because you wanted to anger me to death?! For me to end up being here, isn't it because of you? What have you done to your life, Meili?! Isn't it enough that you dumped your responsibilities on your brother and now you dare to come home pregnant!"

"Dear, please calm down." Li Meili's mother rubbed his back and glanced confusedly towards their children. "Don't be so angry. Why don't we listen to Meili's reasons first? I'm sure she didn't mean to anger you like this." She suggested.

Li Meili pursed her lips and remained silent. Even her mother was too submissive to their father. Why was he insulting her child? Just because it was a bastard? If Tang Beixuan didn't lose his life weeks ago, then they would have gotten married soon and her child wouldn't need to face this. It wasn't her fault. It was fated.

How could Li Yuanyi miss the remorse and grief in his sister's eyes? The immense grief of losing your other half wasn't a simple thing that one could overcome overnight.

He wasn't sure why Li Meili hadn't tried to come clean to their parents and reveal her relationship with the deceased Tang Beixuan, and reveal how she desperately needed help to protect her unborn child from the Zhang family.

"The way I see it, our daughter really wants to anger me to death!" Chairman Li clutched his c.h.e.s.t as he was having a hard time breathing again.

Li Yuanyi wanted to say something, but his sister beat him into it. Though her and her unborn child's future was not looking bright, she wouldn't stand still and accept this insult. It must be her hormones messing with her brain, but Li Meili really couldn't contain her anger anymore.

"In your eyes, am I really that kind of person to you? No matter what I do or say, you will never be pleased with me and you can only feel disappointment? Do you hate me this much, Dad?"

This time, Li Meili didn't bother to keep her tears at bay and allowed them to spill from her eyes, which rendered Chairman Li speechless. His daughter had never shed a tear in front of him like this. She looked so fragile at the moment. Seeing her like this made him want to weep with her.

Chairman Li was speechless. This was the first time he had seen Li Meili like this. Despite her stubborn and strong personality, he could sense the pain in her words. Had she been thinking of him like this for a long time? Was there really no hope for them to mend their relationship?

He was his only daughter, his little girl whom he was most proud of. How could he hate her? Chairman Li understood his daughter's personality and how stubborn she could be. Once she had decided on something, it would be hard to convince her to back out anymore.

Li Meili wouldn't even listen to him or her mother. The only people that could get through to her was Tang Moyu and her older brother. His daughter would never yield to anyone and he had never expected to see her broken and in tears like this.

He suddenly fell silent and calmed down, much to Li Yuanyi's surprise. He was expecting to hear another round of argument between his father and Li Meili, but that didn't happen.

Was their father willing to reconcile with Li Meili now? This was the time Li Meili needed her family's support more than ever. Li Yuanyi hoped that this time, their father would allow his sister to explain the real situation she was in right now.

Suddenly, someone knocked on the door and entered at once. Zhang Jiren stepped inside the room. The Lis turned their head at the same time, surprised that he'd come to see Chairman Li.

Zhang Jiren paused at the doorway as the door behind him closed. He could sense the tension within the room and wondered if he'd come at a wrong time. His gaze then caught Li Meili in tears and could somehow guess what had happened before his arrival.

"I heard Chairman Li was hospitalized, so I came to pay a visit." He strode toward the family and passed the bouquet of fresh flowers and a basket filled with fruits to Madam Li before he regarded Li Meili.

As he stood next to her, he pulled a clean handkerchief from his coat and wiped her tears dry, much to Li Meili's shock. What the hell Zhang Jiren was trying to play now?

After days of not hearing from him, she thought that he had opposed the idea of being contractually married to her.

"You are crying again. Didn't I tell you it's bad for the baby? You should have waited for me before discussing it with your family, instead of dealing with it yourself like this."