1042 [Bonus chapter] Small Gardener
“How about you just shave off all the hair?” suggested Raelle. “That’s clearly not just a bald spot. It’s almost like half the head is bald.”
“And you think going bald will help?”
“Yes,” replied Raelle.
“I don’t look ugly enough?” asked Tang Hebe. “You want me to go bald now?”
“At least, it’ll look symmetrical,” said Raelle. “Right now, it looks weird. So not aesthetically pleasing.”
“Is it just I or you’re trying to get on my nerve?”
“It’s just you,” replied Raelle.
“Okay,” said Tang Hebe.
“I can help you shave off the rest of the hair,” suggested Raelle.
.....
“You? Have you ever done this before?” asked Tang Hebe. “No, wait. When did I even agree?”
“You just did,” said Raelle. “And although I’ve never done it before. You can have faith in me. I’m a fast learner. I’m suddenly interested in this.”
Tang Hebe covered her head and looked at her with a guarded expression, “No moving!”
“Oh.”
Tang Hebe patted her chest when she saw that Raelle had stopped.
“What are you doing here?” asked Tang Hebe. “I don’t think you came to inquire about my health.”
“You don’t think I am that nice?” asked Raelle.
“No, I don’t,” answered Tang Hebe honestly.
“Oh, well, it seems you do know me then,” were Raelle’s words. “I’m obviously not here just for that. I just thought of asking about your health along the way. You know as a basic courtesy.”
“I thought so,” said Tang Hebe. “So, which wind blew you to my place?”
At this point, Raelle pulled out the invitation card she prepared and offered it to her, “I am here to invite you to my engagement. You must have heard about how I proposed to Xian and he said yes. You must have, it was all over the internet.”
Tang Hebe first looked at the invitation card and then she looked up at Raelle and had a complicated look on her face. She took a moment before questioning, “Raelle, are you here to show off?”
“No,” replied Raelle. “I want to invite you to the engagement.”
“You’re clearly showing off,” said Tang Hebe. “I never thought you’d be this childish one day. You’re here to brag that you’re getting engaged to Shui Xian? Do I need to remind you that you’re already married to him?”
“I know that,” replied Raelle. “Besides, I came to invite Justin. You’re just an extra person.”
“Oh, I am very flattered.” Tang Hebe read the engagement card and sighed before she looked at Raelle again, “Congratulations.”
“Are you saying that because you’re not coming?”
“I’ll come!” said Tang Hebe. “Why won’t I come? What am I afraid of?” She shrugged, “Besides, people will only call you brainless for even inviting your husband’s ex-wife to your engagement. It doesn’t concern me. I haven’t been to a party in a long time. I’d be happy to attend your engagement. After all, it’s one of the most talked about events of the year. People are scheming to get the invitation card and I did nothing to get it.”
“Why would I be called brainless?” asked Raelle. “I think there is a higher possibility of you being called a schemer and shameless for appearing at the party. So, you have to be mentally prepared. I can’t possibly shut people’s mouths.”
Tang Hebe laughed at that, “Are you concerned about me?”
“Why would I be?” asked Raelle. Then she took a moment and said, “It seems I’d really have to do something to shut people’s mouths. What if Justin heard that nonsense and it hurt his fragile heart? That won’t be a good thing. We can’t take risks since he is so young.”
Seeing her actually thinking about Justin’s well-being, Tang Hebe was momentarily taken aback but then she smiled to herself. No matter what kind of a person Raelle was to others, she was good to her son. She should be thankful for that.
“I think I should thank my son,” commented Tang Hebe. “I got the honor of having President Raelle coming personally to invite me to her engagement.”
“Of course, it’s all because of Justin,” Raelle didn’t deny it all. “By the way, where is he?”
“He just went to his small garden,” Tang Hebe pointed toward the other balcony which was designed like a small garden, and through the window, Raelle could see a small boy crouching down and working tirelessly to maintain his plants.
Raelle was wondering why Tang Hebe was sitting so close to the window when the sun was at its peak. Now, she understood. It was because she could get a clear view of Justin working in his garden.
“My family’s little man wants to do everything on his own,” said Tang Hebe. “He doesn’t like it when people touch his flowering plants. It’s a big no-no.”
“Since he likes to do it, there is no harm in letting him do it,” commented Raelle. “He isn’t that young either. He is already at the age to go to kindergarten.”
“Miss Raelle, have some Longjing tea. Sorry for the delay. I thought of making a few pastries for you to go with the tea,” came nanny Mi’s voice as she served Raelle tea and pastries that she freshly made.
“You didn’t have to go through the trouble,” said Raelle.
“How is it trouble? I was already making these for the Little Master,” told nanny Mi. “You should have some. Little Master likes these a lot.”
“Thank you,” said Raelle.
“There is no need for that. You should stay for lunch. There isn’t that much time left,” said nanny Mi.
“I won’t be staying for lunch,” replied Raelle. “I’ll have lunch with my husband.”
“Nanny, let her be,” said Tang Hebe when she saw how nanny Mi still wanted to convince Raelle to stay for lunch. “We are not as pleasing as her husband. She’d rather have lunch with him than us.”
“You’re right,” agreed Raelle. “Just seeing him can make me eat a few extra bites. Seeing you might make me not want to eat at all.”
“You don’t let go of a chance to insult me!”
The source of this c𝐨ntent is fre𝒆w(e)bn(o)vel