Heaven's Daughter

Chapter 17 - Taking Over the Manor

"Stop the act, Xiao You! No one will believe you!" Feng Jiu cried.

"I've seen enough to know the truth! Jiu Er, Xiao Er is even speaking up for you! If you didn't hurt her, why would she keep me from seeing the injury?" General Feng asked.

"It's all lies! I didn't slap her!" Feng Jiu defended.

"The servants saw you do it..." Kairi said with tears in her eyes. When General Feng eyed the servants, they all nodded furiously. If Kairi had handed them all a free lifeline, why shouldn't they take it? Feng Jiu saw each one nodded in unison and her anger shot up to the roof. She had never been humiliated before especially by her own sister and she wasn't about to let her off scotch free.

"She's lying! I really didn't slap her! Look at what she did to me! What about my injury?!" she shot out. Her words infuriated General Feng further.

"How could Xiao Er hurt you? Before we left Liu Sect, Grandmaster Liu specifically told me that Xiao Er cannot cultivate and will have a hard cultivating in the future. How could she do any damage to you?" General Feng spat. That was news to Kairi. After passing out for days from cultivating, Grandmaster Liu had forbade her from cultivating so she hadn't noticed. Tonight, she was going to try cultivating to see if what General Feng said really was true or not.

"But Father--!" Feng Jiu was quickly cut off because Madam Feng had intervened. Kairi noticed the deep hatred look Madam Feng had been giving Kairi but she didn't care. She wanted her to know that she wasn't that innocent little girl anymore and there was nothing she could do about it.

"Feng Jiu, apologize to Xiao Er," Madam Feng said sternly. Feng Jiu gasped as she looked up at her mother.

"But Mother, she--!" Feng Jiu pointed an accusatory finger at Kairi only for General Feng to scream back at her.

"Feng Jiu! Apologize to Xiao Er or I'll whip you myself!" General Feng roared. Feng Jiu bit back a sob and meekly replied, "Xiao Er, Second Sister apologizes for hitting you."

General Feng breathed heavily as he glared at the mother and daughter duo.

"Four years ago, I left Xiao Er in your care and you failed us both miserably. If I find that Xiao Er is mistreated in any way, mark my words, I took you off the streets, I can put you right back there," he hissed. With that said, General Feng led Kairi away. As she was being led away, she made sure to smirk right in Feng Jiu's face. Feng Jiu fought to chase after but her witch mother held her back.

They both entered General Feng's room and he sat her down in one of the beautifully carved chair. His room was much fancier than her room. He quickly grabbed his medicine chest and pulled out a brown pill.

"Eat this, it'll heal you right away," he said warmly. Kairi smiled and took the pill right away and she felt the bruise fade away instantly. She suddenly felt guilty for lying to this old man. He really was a caring father. Unfortunately, Xiao You just never got to experience it because her father had realized too late how precious she was.

"Xiao Er, Father apologizes. All those years, I should have taken better care of you. If only I had known you were still alive, I would have brought you back home. From now on, I swear no one will hurt you ever again," he said.

"I believe you, Father, and I don't blame you. I know you work hard to keep up the Lan family name in honor of Mother. I also promise I won't hide anything from you from now on either. If I had just spoken up a little bit then maybe things would have been different," Kairi said. She thought this was something Xiao You would have wanted to say.

"How are you settling in?" he asked.

"I'm settling into the Lotus Villa pretty well," she said and she really was. It was fun doing hard labor for a change.

"The Lotus Villa? Why that damnable woman! The Lotus Villa isn't livable! How dare she put you in that living quarter?!" he hissed.

"It's alright, Father. I quite enjoy it. I learned how to garden and I'm enjoying the sunshine there. I remember being told that Mother also quite enjoyed spending her time in the Lotus Villa too," she replied quickly. She smiled brightly at the thought and then added, "I really want to fix up Lotus Villa to how it was before. I'm sure Mother would be happy if we did it. Would it be alright if I pull some money out of the family fund?"

"Of course, spend as much as you want," he said.

"But... it would be quite troublesome to constantly go ask Stepmother for approval for funds. Would it be alright if the financial duties were handed over to me? If you aren't sure about handing over the duty, Madam Liu taught me a lot about financing and I even help her with Liu Sect's finances." This was mostly true. She did help out with Liu Sect's finances at first but quickly fell into the job of making money because of her master. As for learning finances, that was something she learned in her previous life. She never thought her financing skills would come in handy now. That'll keep those grubby greedy hands off Xiao You's mother's money and the future of the Lan Manor.

"This way I won't have to constantly go to Stepmother and it'll be good in the long run when I take over the duties for the Lan Manor," Kairi suggested. General Feng let out a laugh and nodded.

"Anything you want. As long as you're happy, I'll make sure it happens but for the time being, why don't you stay in a different living quarter until Lotus Villa is fixed?" he added.

"Okay, deal!"

"My good child. Your mother had always been weak but she was kindest person I knew. She married this poor father of yours and gave me the most precious gift, you. Unfortunately, your mother passed away before she could see what a beauty you've become," he said while stroking her head lightly.

"I really miss her," Kairi said solemnly. The real Xiao You would also want this, she thought.

"So do I, child. So do I."

Right after Kairi was healed, General Feng ordered servants to pack up her belongings and set her up her stuff in the True Beauty Villa instead. It seems to be one of the bigger and better villas because Feng Jiu spoke up right away only to get shot down by General Feng.

"But Mother said that I could move in there next week!"

"Enough. Seeing as I didn't punish you, you got off easy. I don't want any more protest from you," General Feng said sternly. Feng Jiu could only bite her tongue afterwards. He then ordered Madam Feng to hand over all the official documents and anything pertaining finance.

"But, Husband, Xiao You is much too young to take care of Lan Manor finances," Madam Feng argued.

"Xiao Er will do just fine. She's learned much from Madam Liu in Liu Sect. This will be good for her as she will soon take over all duties within a couple of years," General Feng replied.

"Don't worry, Stepmother. I'll work real hard," Kairi said sweetly. General Feng laughed heartily and patted her head affectionately. Anger flared within her eyes but it quickly dissipated when General Feng turned his attention back on her.

"Of course, if Xiao Er thinks she can handle it, I'll hand it over," Madam Feng said. "But if I find that Xiao Er is struggling, I suggest that I take over right away again. We wouldn't want any mishap for the Lan Manor."

"I quite agree, Stepmother," Kairi said. Madam Feng smirked thinking that there was no way Kairi would be able to handle it but Kairi only smiled back confidently.