271 Naked Truth

"Enthralling, ravishing like the dew on a rose petal…such beauties have tough lives."

Lei Xinyi rolled her eyes at the dramatics of the old woman according to who it was the best way to excuse misfortune or impaled injustice on women.

The fact was it was what fate had in store for you. No other component did differ the situation. It was what it was...

She was no stranger to the concept of the women's story. They were some naked truth people shoved in their faces when the reality was ugly women too were not safe from the brutality of this world.

Rapers didn't see faces they saw their carnal needs. Her grandfather didn't see their face when he gave the death sentence on all their lives. So far nothing that was insinuated on her was because of the face.

Her mother didn't bother with her face when she left her with no one else in the world, her uncle didn't see her face that had confusion and devastation all over it when he was trying to force himself on her nor did her grandfather see her face that was brimming with disbelief and betrayal when he sold ger off to a stranger.

There were several women with pretty faces who were living lives as if they were in nests Like that chipmunk. So there was nothing that people had was because of what they looked like.

Lei Xinyi looked at her in an unbothered boring way with hooded eyes. She didn't even bother voicing her opposite point of view of her thoughts but Housekeeper gave a disapproving tsk of her tongue and continued.

"So youthful, so delicate yet so perilous like a wild rose. Any man would be taken with you but not every man can take you but...him."

Lei Xinyi scoffed and rolled her eyes, so ironic people thought he 'had' her! She was no one's puppet and nobody forced her in or out of relationships against her wish! No King had ever owned a Queen nor will they ever!

"How fitting, they call you a siren, drawing men to their death." The woman whispered as if it was something skeptical with a secretive smile.

Lei Xinyi glare turned sharp and her eyes bared the hostility she possessed. Her hand slid to the inside of her thigh keeping it on her dagger. If it compromised her position here or if the woman knew of something she shouldn't be snooping about she wouldn't hesitate to make the woman old news.

The woman was talking about the men's deaths who were killed by her while she was having s*x with them...as it was assumed. Or as the rumors went that she slits men's throat after having intercourse with them. The woman shouldn't even know about these rumors! No common folks should!

Housekeeper Yang saw her alerted stance and tense muscles but smiled like she wasn't bothered or scared for her dear life. 

She further divided the hairs into further two sections into both sides with clips and began rolling them loosely in ringlets from her shoulder downward.

In her soft innocent voice, she continued, "I worked in this household even before his Mother married here. My mother worked here and I helped around. His Mothe, she wasn't a pretty face, the woman was just so full of life. Master Li took notice of her on their engagement for the first time. Unlike what most believed Master Li was taken with her…for a while at least."

She talked busily all the while working on her hair. Lei Xinyi frowned at the woman and her tales. There was no behavior on her part that told the woman she could do gossips with her about her Masters's life and she would take an interest.

Her grip on her dagger loosened. She could see the woman was not one to strike; she was one to play a dangerous art of manipulation and subtle intimidation. Now she was interested to know the woman's agenda but didn't show her interest on her face.

Despite her great boredom, she didn't stop the old woman she wanted to see where she was taking her by telling her about Li Yuan's immediate family.

Housekeeper Yang smile widened a little more at the young woman's hard effort of subtlety, "She was a decade younger than him, feisty, stubborn yet elegant and poised, alienated in his insipid, bland world. He was in awe of her and that awe turned into something vile…obsession. She had chastity and innocence yet a spirit to oppose the world. She was like a challenge, a thing stranger to him. And then he lost interest but not his obsession over her."

Lei Xinyi didn't need details she could see the visual of it all by her hinted words only. The Yu's are aristocrats, though they are no bacon of truth and honesty, you can see they try to refrain from the underworld. Madam Li was the daughter of their family.

For them making a dirty deal over living being was an issue of spirituality and religion. They were the kind that thought of karma and retaliation. Yu Youhan was an example enough, he hated taking underhanded deals, he would rather chew off his foot.

It was a matter of time before Madam Li knew of her husband's job and when Li Yuan's father was the one leading the business, he dealt in prostitution, drugs, and all that sh*t. It was even heard he had several s*x slaves of his own.

By the sound of it all the young Madam Li who was in her teens when she birthed him a son must have been a sheltered daddy's girl who was sent for slaughter and when all that was shoved on her she would be aggrieved, depressed, helpless.

Her rebellious nature would have emerged at the reality of the man she had given her heart and chaste body to but such man quietened woman…physically, emotionally, and mentally.

Most men in power weren't about all the flowers and sweet nothings; they were abusive, power-hungry. They had tempers and they grew frustrated and then they took it out on the women in their legal beds.

It wasn't unheard of, it was a price to be in shiny shimmering flashes and smooth silk garments they were forced to pay.

Housekeeper Yang saw the understanding flash in her eyes and affirmed with a nod, "He brought her the world, every luxury men could name, nothing that he won't give her at her demand. But he was a man…a man made of blood and flesh who needed to express his…dominance. He had his affairs but he took 'care' of those women so they never dared anything more. After his every spree he would come back to her, eventually."

"Were you?" The Housekeeper's hand stilled in her hair and her hold on the iron tightened that her knuckles turned white, "Were you one of those women?"

She wouldn't be surprised if she was, the woman was a beauty even now and in her youth, she must be a sight. If Li Yuan's father was that lecherous as he was known to be then what was stopping him from taking a slice of meat in his own den?

But then she was here so maybe not. As a woman like Madam Li wouldn't ever let a woman in her competition remain after the death of her husband. 

There was an undermined hatred in her tone despite her serene voice and expression when she talked about the deceased Master Li so it was obvious she wasn't really fond of him.

But then Lei Xinyi saw the glint in her eye which wasn't vulnerability but lividness so maybe... a failed assault?

And women don't talk freely about their assaulters or former bed partners like that. There was always an intense dormant hatred present.

Housekeeper Yang frowned in displeasure before schooling her features to nonchalance, "No, I was already engaged to my husband who worked in the Li's Elite forces then and even then I would never betray my honor to a married man."

Lei Xinyi hummed lightly like she totally made sense but both of them knew it didn't stop the predators. She was engaged or she was with a child would have meant sh*t for him but Lei Xinyi could tell the woman wasn't a normal woman who was a hired help.

There was much about her than the surface and Lei Xinyi would like to dive in sometime…

Lei Xinyi shrugged and gave her a fake sympathetic look, "Pity; most woman would dream big."

The woman gave her one of her sconed glare and Lei Xinyi didn't hide her pleased smirk. It was clear to her now that the woman had no connection to Master Li...physically at least. But the look on the peculiar woman's face was worth her bullsh*t.

Looked like she was getting on the Pandora box nerves. Great!

After giving her one of her laser-sharp glares the woman continued, "Second Young Master Li Qiang is five years younger than Li Yuan…