Lastly, it was Raelle's turn to open the wooden box in her hand. Even the wooden box had an intricate design. Zhai Yanjun looked at her with anticipation in his eyes. Clearly, he was waiting for her to open it but Raelle had just placed the wooden box aside with no intention of opening it here.
"Ellie, he wants you to open the gift," reminded Hyson with a smile lingering on his lips.
?
"I'll open it later on," answered Raelle.
"Why don't you check it now?" suggested Zhai Yanjun. "See if you like it and if you don't, I'll get something else for you." He took a pause before adding, "Actually, it was easy to know what Granduncle Xiang or Miss Mu would like but it's different in your case. No matter how I tried, I couldn't find out anything about what you'd like." He continued to look at her cautiously as he went on, "In fact, I even asked Xian about this. He also said it's hard to say what you'll like."
Raelle turned to Hyson, "Once you give away a gift, you can change it if the other person doesn't like it? I didn't know there is such a rule."
Hyson's smile deepened, "There are no rules when you give someone a gift."
"Still, if he wants you to see it, you should," added Mu Chenyan.
"Alright." Raelle agreed readily when Mu Chenyan said it. She opened the box and a scroll came into her view. She picked it up and opened it. A beautiful Chinese traditional painting came into her view.
The painting felt surreal with how alive it looked. Yes, alive! A lady stood under a peach blossom tree with her gown flowing as if the gentle wind was tickling her. The peach blossom flower lied under her feet and some petals were drifting lazily.
"Do you like it?" asked Zhai Yanjun apprehensively.
"She does," answered Hyson when Raelle didn't speak up. "You can see it on her face." Zhai Yanjun looked at her ever so expressionless face and frowned since he couldn't see anything. Hyson shook his head saying, "It seems you can't see it." He tugged Raelle's arm, "You should say something."
Raelle finally moved her eyes away from the painting in front of her and shifted her eyes towards Zhai Yanjun. "Thank you! I like it."
"Really?" Zhai Yanjun asked in obvious excitement.
Raelle nodded her head, "I do... But," she took a pause and added, "This is me. Am I right?"
Zhai Yanjun's smile deepened as he nodded his head vigorously, "That's right. My grandma thoroughly fell for how beautiful you are. And she couldn't help painting this with her own hands. She'll be very happy to know that you like it."
Raelle didn't ask any further. She already knew that Zhai Yanjun's paternal grandmother was a well-known traditional painter. But she had never had a chance to see her work before.
"Say, thank you to your grandmother for this," said Raelle.
"I will," answered Zhai Yanjun.
Since Zhai Yanjun had promised his grandparents that he'd have dinner with them, he didn't stay for dinner even though Raelle asked him to. He left right when the sun was about to set. Thinking of something, he called Shui Xian's number and focused on driving. The phone was attached to his car, so he didn't have to worry about being distracted.
As soon as the call connected he said, "You're a lucky bastard!"
Shui Xian was surprised to hear Zhai Yanjun talking like this. "I also think so," he replied cheekily. "But I wonder what made you say this?"
"I'm saying it because of your wife," elaborated Zhai Yanjun. "You really got lucky." He shook his head saying, "I guess grandpa is right. Setbacks are there to push us on to the right track."
Shui Xian leaned back in his chair and said, "You're right. I really got lucky."
"Huh! It's only because of your father. Or else someone like her might not even spare you a second glance."
"Well, at least, my father became the cupid for us." Shui Xian had no shame in accepting that he only managed to marry his wife because of his father. "By the way, how come you're talking so highly of my wife all of a sudden? You don't even know her for that long."
"You don't know her for that long either," retorted Zhai Yanjun.
"There is no need to be so bitter just because you failed to get lucky."
Zhai Yanjun snorted, "I wasn't gonna be the lucky one. After all, I'm not her type."
"Oh, so I am her type?"
"No way," shot back Zhai Yanjun. "You aren't her type either. You just got lucky!"
Shui Xian couldn't help chuckling at her words, "Yanjun, why did you really call me?"
"To tell you that I had a very good day," answered Zhai Yanjun.
"That's it?" inquired Shui Xian with raised brows.
"Yes! That's it," was Zhai Yanjun's answer.
"I can't seem to understand you today," said Shui Xian truthfully. "But I can feel that you're in an exceptional mood."
Zhai Yanjun smiled when he heard that, "I am in a good mood. And I wanted to share it with you. Someone just reminded me that I shouldn't just share my bad times with a friend but sometimes, I should also share the happy things."
"Woah! You're sounding profound," commented Shui Xian. "Got some enlightenment?"
"You can say that," said Zhai Yanjun mysteriously.
Just talking like this, Zhai Yanjun already reached the gate of his grandparents' place. He wasn't just saying it. He really was in a good mood. It was even hard to describe what he was feeling. He just knew he felt a warmth like never before.
Spinning the car key around his index finger, he hurried inside the house but his smile stiffened when his eyes noticed the person waiting for him inside.
An elegant lady was sipping tea as she sat on the couch. There was an arrogance in her every gesture that was hard to ignore. Noticing Zhai Yanjun, she lifted her eyes but turned back.
Seeing this attitude, Zhai Yanjun didn't bother greeting and stepped away to go to his room when her voice from behind, "Did you learn no manners?"
Zhai Yanjun stopped and turned to face her as he replied, "No, I didn't. My mother was too busy attending parties. She didn't have time to teach me manners."
The woman's eyes blazed with anger when she heard him say that. She almost slammed the cup on the table as she stood up to face him, "It seems your wings have hardened now."
"I don't have time for small talk here," said Zhai Yanjun.
"I'm here to see you since you don't even bother coming to see your mother."
"You certainly didn't come here because you missed your son," retorted Zhai Yanjun. He knew his mother well enough to know that she won't come to him unless she needed something. She was just that kind of a mother. She didn't come to see him for the last two years but suddenly thought of her son? Obviously, she had her own intentions for being here.
"Sit down," instructed Yue Lan in a stern voice. She definitely wasn't pleased with the way her son was talking to her but she didn't lose her temper at this moment. She decided to use the soft tactics for now.
Zhai Yanjun took a seat impatiently, "Don't beat around the bush and get to the point."
"Did your father tell you that he is thinking of divorce?" asked Yue Lan as she looked at her son.
"Of course, I know," answered Zhai Yanjun. "Took him long enough to take this decision."
Yue Lan narrowed her eyes at his words, "Talk to him about it. Tell him you don't want this."
Zhai Yanjun scoffed, "How old am I? Do you really think I'll cry just because my parents are getting a divorce?"
Yue Lan took a deep breath, "I need you to help me. I want to take my dad's position in the office. My divorce will have an impact during the elections."
"So?"
"If I become an official, it's beneficial to you as well."
"I never needed any help from you," said Zhai Yanjun. "You never even managed to become a mother to me, and now you want to be of some help? Do I look like I need your help?"
"Don't be so hasty with your decision," said Yue Lan. "Think about it carefully."
"If you had said that you want to save this marriage because you care," began Zhai Yanjun. "I'd have agreed to talk to my father. But you are just thinking about your benefits as always. Whether you get a divorce or not is none of my concern. Stop disturbing my life. I've had enough with your marriage issues." He stood up to leave and said, "It's better if you leave now. I have nothing more to talk to you."
The source of this c𝐨ntent is fre𝒆w(e)bn(o)vel