Chapter 34: As Long As I Have It

Li Juan did not sleep well last night.

In the middle of the night, her older brother had suddenly returned, and their grandfather had summoned him and their father for a long, hushed discussion. Whatever trouble her brother had stirred up, her father, Li Kaijian, had returned with a grim expression on his face.

Having slept poorly, it was no surprise that she overslept the next morning. When Li Juan finally opened her eyes and saw the daylight outside, she scrambled to get dressed. She and her mother were responsible for cooking for the entire family; if a fourteen-year-old girl just sat around waiting to be fed, she would be mocked to death.

After pulling on her cotton-padded jacket and trousers, Li Juan reached for her beloved suede leather shoes. But just as she slid her foot into one, she saw a pair of black, petite, stylish, high-top leather boots appear before her.

Li Juan remained bent over in the act of putting on her shoe for a full five seconds before looking up at her younger sister, Li Ying, meeting her triumphant gaze.

"Do