บท 14: Under CD's Guidance

~PHONE RINGING~

Shi Lian fell asleep while crying. Her phone is continuously ringing which makes her wake up from her sleep. Grabbing her phone, she looks at the screen. It is from Evelyn, her best friend; she forgot to give her a call after arriving here.

She slides on the answer icon and is invited by her friend's voice. "Shi! Have you reached?" she asks in her cheery tone.

"Yes, I have" Shi Lian answers in her sleepy voice.

"You do not sound good. Are you feeling jetlag?" she asks with concern about her friend.

"No, I am fine. I was sleeping earlier and just woke up" Shi Lian says yawning.

"You are still as lazy as ever," Evelyn chuckles and Shi Lian joins too. She is feeling better talking to her; she is the closest one to her. Shi Lian has shared everything about herself and her life and she trusts her the most after her parents.

"So everything okay there?" she asks. Shi Lian tells her everything that has happened an hour ago and Evelyn is fuming with anger on the other line listening about Hu Meng Yao's arrival.

"What a fickle woman!" Evelyn grimaces. "She was horrible to you and now she is feeling sorry for that? That is ridiculous! Do not fall for that, she may be lying and scheming something big behind your back" she advises with a detective tone.

Shi Lian laughs hearing Evelyn's weird thoughts. "Yes yes madam, I will remember that," Shi Lian says like a commander. They both burst into laughter saying stupid things to each other. They talk for a while and when Shi Lian gets a call from her mother downstairs she hangs up.

"Gotta go. Talk to you later" she ends the call and walks downstairs.

"I am here Mother," Shi Lian answers, walking down the stairs.

"I want to ask you about what you would like to eat at dinner? I will make it myself," her mother boasts, feeling all-energetic.

"Mother's special Fried Rice!" She exclaims. Mo Sha Sha smiles seeing her daughter happy again.

"Let's get to dining then!" her mom exclaims raising her hand in the atmosphere.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

"It smells amazing!" Shi Lian compliments opening the lid of the pan, inhaling the delicious aroma of her mother's dish. Mo Sha Sha chuckles seeing the way Shi Lian behaves, just like the way she used to do. She loves to see her daughter happy and carefree and if her dish can make her jovial, she can make a thousand of them.

"I can't wait to dig in!" Shi Liam is hyped to taste her favorite fried rice that she cannot wait any longer.

"Ask Nanny Zhang to set the tables. The dish is ready to be served" her mother announces with a bright smile on her face. Shi Lian nods and walks outside the room to call Nanny Zhang like a playful child. Cold and savage Shi Lian is for the outside world; for her mother, she is still the playful and sweet girl she was. No matter how strong she seems now or how different she appears now, she is still the same Shi Lian for Mo Sha Sha.

"Nanny Zhang, Nanny Zhang!" Shi Lian calls, looking for her in the living room. Within seconds' nanny, Zhang appears from the backdoor and smiles brightly finding Shi Lian in front of her.

"Nanny Zhang, where are the dishes?" Shi Lian asks innocently. The Nanny shows her where the plates and the dishes are placed inside a big cupboard. Shi Lian thanks her and open the door.

"Careful Miss! Let me do it" Nanny Zhang insists worrying about Shi Lian.

"I got it" Shi Lian assures her by taking out the dishes and carefully closing the cupboard door.

"Miss, it is my job to do it. Please allow me to-"

"Let me do it" Shi Lian cuts her midsentence and takes the dishes from her hands and walks over to the dining table.

The dining table is huge for just three people; it can cover 13 to 15 people at most.

"Miss, it is my job to do it! You shall leave it to me" Nanny Zhang urges her to give her the plates but stubborn Shi Lian has decided to do this on her own.

"I am bored anyway so why not just help you? You can do the half and I am doing the other half" Shi Lian sighs looking at nanny Zhang's worried face. Nanny Zhang's face immediately brightened up and she goes over to take half of the dishes. Even though only three people are eating but it is a habit to set the tables for each compartment on this dining table.

"You have changed so much Miss" Nanny Zhang smiles at her as they continue to place the dishes and set the glasses.

"In a good way or a bad way?" Shi Lian solicits with a smile, arching her one eyebrow.

"In a good way" nanny Zhang gives her her best smile, which Shi Lian loves the most, her motherly smile which is more than just a smile. The placing and setting up of the dishes are completed so Shi Lian pace in the kitchen. "Mum, the table is set" Shi Lian informs her as she enters the kitchen.

"The dish is also ready" her mother smiles, stirring the raw pudding.

"What are you making now?" Shi Lian asks curiously.

"I thought of making your favorite, chocolate pudding. With this, Shi Lian shrieks with joy and hugs her mother tightly.

"Thank you mother" Shi Lian appreciates her dear mother giving a warm hug.

"Silly" her mother pinches her nose again and Shi Lian lets out a cry which makes both her mother and nanny Zhang laugh.

"Zhang, help me with these" she orders her, untangling herself from her daughter's embrace.

"Mother, I am going in my room for a while," she tells her and heads upstairs. On her way, as she approaches each stair a sounds echoed. The doorbell rings and instantly Shi Lian runs to open it. It must be father, she thinks as she opens the door. Indeed yes, the man in front of her is her father in his business attire.

"Father!" Shi Lian exclaims and reaches to hug her father. Her father embraces her as she reaches to hug him.

"My dear Shi" her father sniffs, whispering in her hair. They untangle themselves and look at each other with bright smiles on their faces.

"Let's head inside, father" Shi Lian welcomes him. The housekeeper closes the door as they head to the living room.