Chapter 157: I’m not, you are
Li Lanni did not force Xia Luna to speak up. However, this matter concerned her too; and if Li Lanni knew what was going on, she would be on the look out and would not fall prey for whatever Li Xiyan was surely going to do once she knew Li Lanni’s whereabouts.
"Have I told you about my... our stepmother?" She asked.
"No." Li Lanni shook her head. Forget the stepmother. Xia Luna had not told her much about herself. Li Lanni had numerous questions to ask, but this was not the right time to ask them so she could only let Xia Luna speak about the details she was comfortable divulging.
For the whole matter to make sense, Xia Luna briefly explained everything from where it started, as explained to her by her paternal aunt.
"Actually, you knew about this before but because you have forgotten, I guess I will just start over. Our grandmother didn’t like our mother. I don’t know what business they have against each other but that’s their business. For whatever reason she hated our mother, grandmother tried every means to get father to leave her and be with another woman instead."
Xia Luna paused, disgusted by what she was going to say next. "When father showed no interest in other women no matter who they were, grandmother found one who is somewhat similar in appearance to our mother. Getting her own son drunk to the point of blacking out, she sent Li Xiyan to his bed."
Li Lanni frowned. What kind of mother does that? To her own son?!
That was not the end of it. Xia Luna continued.
"Our mother was heavily pregnant at the time. Once she found out what had happened, she was angry at grandmother and suggested moving out with father. However, grandmother adamantly refused to let that happen. She even threatened to commit suicide if father really moved out.
Mother had no choice but to bear with it. All was going well until we were a few months old. Li Xiyan showed up with a little baby younger than us, our step brother."
"What?" Li Lanni was shocked. There was a brother?