154 Scumbag
Lily smiled triumphantly as her eyes glanced at the girl whose head was bowed.
“Child, why don’t you accompany me to tea? Your mom told me how you have been learning to brew tea, “Old Madam Lu said to Lily who was now smiling at her.
Lily nodded her head and followed the old lady like an obedient little girl.
“Young Miss, are you alright?” Housekeeper Liu asked the girl as she patted her head but the girl surprised her by tightly hugging her. Her body was trembling badly as she hugged her.
“Auntie, I want to go to my mom, “An Xiulan whispered. She couldn’t understand the intensity of fear she would have whenever she was facing the old woman. She didn’t know why she always got so scared. But she could tell that it was instinctual. If the old lady even pointed her finger at her, her body flinches on its own.
She didn’t like this feeling. It was as if she had an urge to cry but she couldn’t tell why it was so.
“Young Miss, do you want to share the room? I can move your stuff to a different room, “Housekeeper Liu asked. Although she knew that it was wrong of Lily to demand to share a room with An Xiulan, she believed it would be better for the latter to move out to a different room instead of sharing. She could smell bad blood between the two girls.
“I want to go home, “came the reply.
An Xiulan knew that she was being a coward but she would rather live alone at her home where she was wanted and loved than here.
Downstairs…
“Ah, isn’t it Lily?” Lu Zhaolin said with a smile on his face. Today was the rare day when he wasn’t going to the office. He was embarrassed to admit it but he agreed to stay at home to spend some time with his children. His wife taught him that it was never late to try to be a decent father.
And so here he was…
“You have grown so much, “Lu Zhaolin commented. “Have you met my daughter? She is the same age as you. You will surely be friends with her once she gets to know you.”
“Yes, our Xiulan makes friends real quick, “Song Yifei commented with a smile.
Old Madam Lu scoffed as she heard them. “Your daughter made Lily cry so pitifully. I gave her a piece of mind. That An woman gave her daughter such a crooked upbringing. Making guests cry on their first day.”
“What are you saying, mom?” Song Yifei quickly asked. She didn’t have a good feeling about this matter. “What did you say to An Xiulan?” ρꪖꪕᦔꪖꪕꪫꪣꫀꪶ
“Lily liked the room that you prepared and she asked that girl to share the room with her, “Old Madam Lu sneered. “She was so cruel that she made Lily cry. She refused to share the room. I asked Liu to move her stuff to the guestroom if she refuses to share the room with our Lily.”
Lu Zhaolin took deep breaths to calm himself down. He didn’t want to shout at his mother before the young girl. He was a filial son but it did not mean he would let his mom do anything she deemed fit.
“Mom, you asked Xiulan to move out of her own room?” Lu Zhaolin asked in a calm tone. “You scolded her because she refused to share the room with Lily. I’m sure her refusal might have hurt Lily. But how does this make her cruel? Did you forget the time when Ah Xuan beat his tutor black and blue?”
“Ah Xuan is a child, “Old Madam Lu argued.
“And Xiulan is even younger than him,” Lu Zhaolin argued. Looking at his wife, he said in a soft tone, “Feifei, help Lily to settle in a different room and give mom something to cool down.”
According to him, teenagers are moody and rude. However, they realised their mistakes soon too. He couldn’t call An Xiulan a bad girl if she refused to share a room with a guest who could have chosen a room from several empty ones. He recalled that when he was a teenager he had done many things more rude than this.
An Xiulan was a child with an attitude just like her brother. Although the girl appeared kind and sweet, the kid had a righteous attitude. He knew it from the time she had beaten the thief in the mall. She wasn’t wrong yet she was. She was a sixteen years old girl who believed that she could teach that thief a lesson better than the law authorities. He didn’t blame her as she was just a sheltered little girl who hadn’t seen enough of the world.
With this said, he ran upstairs. When he reached her room, he saw his daughter hugging the housekeeper and crying so pitifully. He was a bad father yet he couldn’t bear to see her crying. Her crying made him feel something so painful in his heart.
“Master?” Housekeeper Liu looked at him and he signalled him to leave. She quietly left, leaving a teenage girl with snot and tears all over her face.
Lu Zhaolin walked ahead and poured his daughter a glass of water. She was hiccuping, not meeting her eyes with his.
“Here, “He handed her a glass of water and wiped her tears. She quietly drank the water. “This is my daughter’s room. She will not leave this room for anyone.”
“I’m not your daughter, “An Xiulan replied in a hoarse but spoiled voice.
Lu Zhaolin didn’t know why but he felt like laughing. Did he mention he liked her showing attitude? It was better when Lu Xuan showed the same attitude.
“Okay, “Lu Zhaolin said with a small smile. “But I’m your father.”
“You are not my father, “An Xiulan retorted.
“Then, who am I ?” Lu Zhaolin couldn’t help but ask.
“You are a scumbag who hurt my mom, “An Xiulan truthfully replied.
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