Reborn: The Return of the Villainous Mr. Liu

"Cheers!!!"

Everybody clunk their glasses. It was a close gathering in the Liu villa tonight for the year end celebration. The chandeliers cast a soft golden light that glittered on the colorful lightings. At the centre of the hall, there was a table with rows of glasses filled with wine stacked on top of each other like a pyramid.

The upbeat music livened the place with its rhythm. Couples danced in the area around the table with the wine glasses. Everybody's laughter brought more vigor to the celebration.

"Get your hands off my spring roll, you stupid son!" Liu Hai roared.

"Shut up, old man! What kind of a father are you stealing his own son's food!" Jinhai's younger brother, Liu Jing, scowled at his father.

"That piece was mine!"

"Yeah like all the other pieces you secretly and shamelessly stuffed in your mouth?"

His nostrils flared. "Don't throw mud at your father!"

"Then don't do things that will make me throw mud at your stinky face!" Jing gnashed his jaw.

As always, any party was incomplete without the father-son bickering pair. They brought a whole new level of cheeriness in the atmosphere.

Liu Chunhua, Liu Hai'a wife, separated her husband and son. "For God's sake, stop it you two! Today is the last day of the year. Maintain some peace! You two are so old now, but you still fight like kindergarten kids!"

Jing mumbled. "Tell that to your husband. He is getting old. He should watch what he eats or he will die soon," he sneered.

Liu Hai scoffed. "This body is trained to stuff anything in its stomach. You can only wish that I die!"

"Your stomach is crying, but you are too deaf to hear it."

Nuo came to her grandmother's rescue and took away the plate with spring rolls.

"Hey!" The whined in unison.

With a stern expression, Nuo berated. "Nobody gets to eat if you two won't stop fighting. That includes the feast and the cake."

Liu Hai and Jing clutched their hearts as if they got a massive shock. Tears pooled in Jing's eyes. "How can my lovely niece be so mean? You want me to stay hungry? Then isn't this party completely useless?"

Her brow twitched. "Are you here only for the food?"

He gasped. "Parties are only there for filling our tummies! Other than that, they are a waste of time!"

"..."

"So spending some lovely time with your family doesn't matter?"

"AFTER food!" Liu Hai joined in this time. "Food is more important, okay?"

Jing covered her mouth in heartbreak. "My niece is bullying me! What has the world come to? How can I continue to live on now? I need my lover's warmth and embrace. Where are you, my Yukito? I am coming to soak my tears in your shirt!" He dashed away in search of his husband.

Somewhere as he was getting ready, Yukito, Nana's younger brother, sneezed. "Achoo!"

Yukira, his twin brother, asked, "Did you catch a cold?"

He rubbed his nose. "No. It's not cold. I think something really annoying is going to happen," he dryly said.

Nuo sighed at her side. "Am I really his niece?"

She watched Liu Hai happily licking his fingers as he continued eating.

"...Am I really your granddaughter too?"

She looked up and her eyes shone in happiness seeing a certain family arrive.

"Siying…" she looked at Liu Hai. "Grandpa, I will be back. Don't eat too much, okay?"

He waved his hand. "Ah young love…"

"Siying!"

Siying, who was looking for Nuo too, felt his breath stuck in his throat. Donned in a light blue dress with frilly sleeves, Nuo looked absolutely breathtaking. He touched his cheeks that seemed to heat up to give a cherry like blush.

They were about to hug when something dark and sinister turned down the temperature by several notches. It put an instant brake, and they stopped.

Nuo didn't need to turn to know the source of that radiating evilness. Her smile faltered. "Dad…"

Jinhai pulled his daughter to his side and threw a murderous gaze at Siying.

Siying maintained his smile. "Good evening, Uncle Jinhai. Thank you for inviting-"

"Other than you, everybody else from your family was invited. Why are you here?"

His brow twitched.

This is going to be difficult…

Nuo tried to diffuse the tension. "A-aunt Xinyi, Shui, you two look so pretty! Uncle Zhiyuan is so dashing too."

Zhiyuan grinned. Xinyi hugged her and cupped her cheeks. "Aish, my future daughter-in-law is so beautiful. I so wish you and Siying could get married right now, haha."

Siying grinned which he didn't let it go any further as the murdererous aura surrounding Jinhai only deepened.

Zhiyuan poked. "Why do you look so salty, Liu Jinhai? Xinyi didn't say anything wrong."

Jinhai was about to retort when Nana said, "Of course, she didn't."

Nana and Xinyi shared an excited hug. Nana brightened. "I am so happy! Our children are in such a lovely relationship. What else do we want? Right, Jinhai?"

Jinhai didn't respond.

Nana narrowed her eyes. She asked slowly this time, "Right, Jinhai?"

"...Sure."

Xinyi chuckled. "Yeah. It's such a blissful time."

Zhiyuan chimed in. "As far as Shui and Jun are concerned, it's not really so-" he immediately shut his mouth facing a dangerous glare from his wife.

Say anything stupid and be ready to sleep in another room for the whole month.

Zhiyuan coughed and looked away.

Shui, on the other hand, felt uneasy with this conversation. She looked around and asked Nana, "Aunt, Jun is…"

Jinhai squinted his eyes. Nana replied. "Oh Jun must be on his way. Nuo talked to him, so don't worry," she patted her head.

"Oh, okay," she smiled.

From a distance, Jin noticed the unease in Shui's expression.

Bro Jun is coming tonight, right?

He stepped away from the crowd and gave him a call. At first, it rang but then he heard a click sound.

"Bro!" Jin was relieved.

"Hm?"

He didn't fail to notice the lack of enthusiasm in his voice. Jin couldn't help but clench his fist, feeling the distance his brother was putting.

"Bro, when will you be here? Everybody is waiting for you and…Shui is also here."

Silence.

"Bro?"

Jun replied. "I got a meeting at the last moment, so I am flying out of the city. I am not coming," and he hung up.