243 Old Relatives, New Connections (1/2)

To the Li family, money mattered more than blood!

Li Yimei was three years older than Sam but was still too young to get engaged, atleast in Irene's opinion. She herself had been the same age when a fellow graduate student had fallen in love with her and proposed. She had accepted, quit her studies and followed him blindly. Till date that remained her biggest woe.

But, the circumstances were vastly different between the two of them. That was whirlwind love while this seemed like a pre-approved, planned association.

”How long would we have to stay there? I have my preparatory exams starting in a month,” Sam's sulking voice broke her reverie.

”Just for a week, my love. Unless, you change your mind and fall in love with China,” her mother teased her gently.

Rolling her eyes at the near impossibility of such an event, she braced herself for what awaited her.

Sam's heart had pre-decided to hate, not just her father, but also his wife, who she assumed would be a shrew and the daughter who would be a conniving witch as well. As soon as they got off at the huge wrought iron gates outside the Li manor, Sam gave a pained look to her mother. Their tiny flat in Sutton was a far cry from this palatial property.

”It seems as if we are Father's step family,” she muttered under her breath before being ushered in by the security.

”Come here under the light. Let me look at you properly,” Grandpa Li spoke authoritatively.

He was a severe looking man with bushy white eyebrows and a stern mouth. But right now, his features didn't look so harsh.

Sam obliged and moved ahead to stand directly under the massive chandelier which hung in the double storeyed living room. Tipping her face up, he gave her a thorough look.

”Hmmmph, not so bad. There is enough Li blood flowing through your veins,” he said after a couple of minutes.

”Oh! Are you a Chinese doctor or maybe a sage?” she asked, arching her eyebrow.

She meant to imply that he couldn't have figured that out simply by looking at her face.

Her father scowled at her and then at Irene, for not coaching the child properly. This was not the way to address one's elders.

But much to everyone's surprise, Grandpa Li cracked a smile.

”I am not a doctor but I hear that you plan to become one,” he said, not unkindly.