His Rui

Chapter 88 - A Father's Selfishness

The next day Li Rui woke up very late. The three maids didn't wish to disturb her peaceful sleep.

Even when General Li returned from the Imperial Court to Li Manor, she was on the bed.

Back in his courtyard, Yi Jie was pacing outside when he returned.

"Heng…"

Yi Jie called her husband when she saw him.

"What are you worrying about?"

General Li asked seeing the frown on his wangfei's forehead.

"Rui…Heng, what happened yesterday inside the Imperial Palace?"

A sigh of relief escaped General Li's lips when he saw that she didn't know anything.

"Nothing happened. Just a little fight between Princess and Li Rui. I have told His Majesty that Rui will not go to Imperial Palace for a few days."

He comforted her with his lies.

Yi Jie frown smoothened at her husband's words.

"Oh…"

After coaxing his wangfei, General Li went to his daughter's courtyard only to hear from the maids that she was still sleeping.

General Li looked at the small lump on the bed and sighed again.

'It is not easy for him to keep his precious treasures happy.'

He went out of the room and came back a few moments later with something. Stepping near the bedside, his sight fell on the small clenched fists. 

On the bed, Li Rui's eyes were closed and the whole incident of the previous day was revolving in her mind.

She didn't open her eyes even though she was awake. She didn't want to get up because she was very upset.

She flinched when she felt something soft on her cheeks.

"Rui, get up and see what Father has brought for you?"

Instead of opening her eyes, Li Rui closed her eyes tightly.

The soft-touch went away after a few moments and she heard her father's voice again.

"Since you don't want it, then alright. Father will give these rabbits to Li Na and Li Caihong"

The eyelids fluttered and the clean black eyes like grapes were filled with a new shine.

Rabbits.

She instantly jumped up from the bed. Turning around, she saw the two small white and cute rabbits in her father's hands.

General Li hid his smile and turned to walk out of the room with rabbits.

Climbing down from the bed as soon as she could with her small legs, she clutched her father's sleeve to stop him.

Standing on her tiptoes, she tried to look at the white rabbits in her father's hands.

"Father, give one to Rui."

Her eyes were filled with anticipation as she looked at his Father. 

General Li raised his eyebrow and said

"No, you go and sleep. I will give them to my nieces now."

He had just taken a step forward when his waist was grabbed by the little arms.

Little Li Rui clung to her father and shouted.

"No Father. Rui will not let Father take rabbits away."

"What are you doing? How unladylike!"

General Li scolded his daughter who was not ready to leave him but Li Rui didn't mind his scolding.

In the end, he gave her the rabbits to let her leave him.

.

.

.

Sitting on her bed, Li Rui touched the rabbit's soft fur with amazed eyes.

"You must have done some big favor on me in my past life that I have to repay by having you as my daughter."

General Li said as he looked at his daughter with narrowed eyes.

But Li Rui didn't pay any attention to him.

"So soft…" she muttered.

"Can they sleep with Rui?"

General Li patted his daughter's forehead and said

"With the way you sleep, either you will smash them or suffocate them in one night."

Li Rui rubbed her forehead and pouted at her father's words. Her attention was soon attracted by the rabbits in her lap again.

She patted the rabbit's head softly said with a bright smile.

"Wenwen will be so happy when she will s…"

She stopped amidst her words when she realized what she was going to say.

Her heart became sad again because she realized that Wenwen would never see them. Because she doesn't want to see her.

She was suddenly picked up from the bed.

With the rabbit still in her lap, General Li placed his daughter in his lap and made her look at him.

"Rui…"

General Li started with a serious face.

"Forget about the Princess."

"But Father, Wenwen needs to know the truth. She…"

"Rui, even the Empress believes that it was you who pushed her daughter inside the pond. The Empress is Princess' mother. Who would Princess believe more? You or her Mother?"

Li Rui eyes were dimmed when she heard her father's words.

General Li stroked her hair and said gently.

"The Princess wanted a friend and my Rui became the best friend she could ever have. Now if she doesn't want you, there is no need to chase her."

"Sometimes we have to let the things go the way they are going. You can do nothing but explain yourself but your explanation is nothing but a lie in their eyes."

"It is enough that you know, you're not wrong, there is no need to prove it to others."

Li Rui heard everything her father said with her head lowered.

Her eyes were filled with tears but she didn't want to cry.

General Li knew his daughter and hugged her to his chest.

He might be teaching something wrong to his daughter but General Li didn't care as long as it could assure her safety. He wanted nothing but his family and clan's safety.

A part of his heart was relieved that now Li Rui would be away from that vicious place.

It was good that everything ended like this. This incident…he will press it down even if he had to threaten the Emperor itself.

At least Li Rui will not have to go to the Imperial Palace every third day.

She will slowly forget the Princess also and everything would become like it was before.

If only General Li knew how wrong he was.