163 Mom's boyfriend
“Mom!” An Xiulan left the breakfast table to run towards the door when she heard her mother’s voice. She had been living with the Lu family for three days. Her experience could neither be said to be bad nor good. She spent her time with her stepmother and little brother. Yesterday, she went shopping with her brother, stepmother and father. They even saw a movie. Yesterday was better compared to the other day that she spent here.
“Seemed like I was worried for you in vain, ” An Qinyan’s eyes softened up as she patted her daughter’s head. Since she was in heels, An Xiulan didn’t reach her shoulder. She hugged her and said, “My baby got chubby cheeks again. Are you sure you are following the diet plan that you were supposed to?”
“Mom, Lu Xuan missed you a lot!” An Xiulan threw her brother under the bus when her mom mentioned her food habits. Her teacher who was responsible for training her for the upcoming beauty pageant put her on a strict diet but she didn’t follow any. She had been eating good food nonstop.
“Mom, “Lu Xuan walked toward his mother while giving a look to his sister asking her to behave. He hugged his mother and kissed her cheek like a good boy and began asking about her health, unlike a certain someone. “Did you overwork again? Why are your eyebags more prominent? Did Uncle Gu not take care of you well?”
“Ah Xuan, I’m a grown-up woman. I can take care of myself. Eyebags are just the result of spending too much time before the computer, “An Qinyan assured her.
“Who said grownups can take care of themselves just fine?” Lu Xuan asked. “You are just like Teeny. When you immerse yourself in your job, you forget about your health. Since you don’t worry about yourself, I need to take the matter into my hand.”
“Alright. Alright, “An Qinyan helplessly smiled. “Aren’t you guys going to ask your mother if she wants breakfast?”
Both Lu Xuan and An Xiulan were alerted.
“It’s time for breakfast, “Lu Zhaolin said in a calm voice. “Why don’t you join us for breakfast and the children can tell you stories about their summer camp?”
An Qinyan didn’t want to cause any problems in the Lu family and so she agreed. It had been a long time since she came to the main house. And she still felt that she didn’t fit well here. She had never felt that she could ever fit in this family and house.
Today, she was one of the personalities that held a major portion of the world’s wealth in her hands. What had she not seen and acquired? She owned luxury and rare properties all over the world. She owned many islands. Yet, Lu mansion was a place that she felt she would never be able to fit in. It was as if she was too inferior to ever enter this family or house.
The reason for this could be the fact that when Old Madam Lu brought her to this family after the death of her father, she always felt as if she was at the mercy of the Lu family.
Her gaze fell on a pretty girl sitting next to Old Madam Lu and her gaze paused her for a while. She greeted Old Madam with respect and nodded at Song Yifei politely.
“Father, are you fine?” An Xiulan ended up asking as she took a big sip of the milk.
Lu Xuan, who was putting dishes in his mother’s bowl, paused in his movements and closed his eyes. His twin…she was certainly going to do something unthinkable.
“Yes, Xiulan, “Lu Zhaolin said with a frown. “Why are you asking?”
“Oh, no, I’m just curious, “An Xiulan said as she placed her elbows on the table and her chin was propped on her hands. “How does it feel to share the breakfast table with your ex-wife and current wife?”
An Qinyan, who had put a bite of food in her mouth, choked and Lu Xuan passed her water with a look of concern on his face. He patted his mom’s back like a good boy.
Lu Zhaolin took a deep breath but still maintained a smile on his face. “Xiulan, how is your preparation for the monthly test that is going to take place after the summer vacations?”
An Xiulan zipped her mouth and threw curiosity out of the window and focused on the food. Her father was no fun! No fun at all!
Song Yifei hid her smile behind the mug of coffee and shook her head in mirth. The father and daughter were bonding in their own way.
“Our daughter has a colourful mind and…mouth, “Lu Zhaolin commented with a wide smile on his face as he glanced at his daughter who narrowed her eyes at him.
“Father?” An Xiulan ended up calling him out.
“Yes, Xiulan?” He glanced at her.
“Do you know the rhyming word for flinch?” An Xiulan asked in English. ρꪖꪕᦔꪖꪕꪫꪣꫀꪶ
Lu Zhaolin’s English vocabulary was limited, to begin with and so he shook his head.
Lu Xuan and An Qinyan shared a look and went back to eat their breakfast. They didn’t want to be a part of their joke.
“It’s snitch, “An Xiulan smiled widely at him. “Do you know what it means or would you like me to Google it for you?”
“Xiulan, do you know what else is broken other than your sense of humour?” Lu Zhaolin asked his daughter in a rather kind tone.
“Your sense of humour?” An Xiulan asked in hesitation. “Or your power to digest secrets?”
If a person could digest three meals a day, they can surely digest a conversation that they must not tell someone else.
“Eat!” An Qinyan looked at An Xiulan and said in a firm tone.
When the father-daughter stopped attacking each other verbally, An Qinyan looked at the unknown girl and asked Song Yifei. “Is it Xueyun? I almost didn’t recognise her.”
Song Yifei chuckled and shook her head. “No, this is Lily. She is Ah Xuan’s childhood friend and mom’s sister’s granddaughter.”
“Hello, Auntie, “Zhao Liling smiled at the lady. Initially, she didn’t want to greet An Xiulan’s mother as her grandmother never liked her but when she saw how Lu Xuan cared so much for his mom, her attitude towards An Qinyan changed. One day, she would marry Lu Xuan and so she had to make a good image before the lady.
“Hello, Lily. It’s so nice to meet you, “An Qinyan said as she went back to eating breakfast.
“I heard you are settling in China, “Old Madam Lu initiated the conversation and An Qinyan nodded her head.
“Are you settling here for your children? “Old Madam Lu asked.
“My children are one of the reasons, “An Qinyan said. Another reason …
“Do you have a boyfriend?” Old Madam Lu asked. “I’m sure you don’t have one. My friend’s son just divorced last year. He only has one daughter. Your father left you in my care. You are still single at this age. Why don’t I arrange a blind date for you?”
“My mom has a boyfriend, “Lu Xuan announced. “Grandma, you don’t need to arrange a blind date for mom.”
An Xiulan placed her chopsticks on the table and narrowed her eyes at her twin brother and mother. Did these two leave her out of the important conversation? How did her mom have a boyfriend without her approval? She didn’t even approve of the guy. What if he was a swindler? Should she ask her bodyguard uncle to run a background test on the man?
“You have a boyfriend?” Everyone else asked at the same time.
“I have a boyfriend?” An Qinyan asked herself. When did she have a boyfriend? Would someone remind her when she got herself a boyfriend?
“Yes, dad, “Lu Xuan took this matter in his hands. “Mom has a boyfriend. You all know Uncle Yanxi. He is young, Handsome and understands mom a lot. They finally got together.”
“What the hell?” An Xiulan asked herself. She threatened this Uncle Yanxi, didn’t she? She knew that she was pretty amazing but he didn’t need to work too hard to be her stepfather!
“Zhaolin, Xiulan is participating in a beauty pageant. The dates for the pageant just came out today and so I ran back home, “An Qinyan said, trying to divert their attention. “I’m bringing children home. If Ah Xuan wants to spend the summer vacation with you and Lily, I don’t mind. But Xiulan needs to come with me. The contest is going to take place this week.”
“What’s the need of participating in this pageant?” Old Madam Lu. “The girls of reputable homes don’t go showing around their bodies to the public. She should focus on her studies. No one in our family has always entered that circle. Look at Lu Mingze, such a beautiful name but he goes around calling himself Mochi. I’m telling you Qinyan, you shouldn’t let your daughter go around wasting her time and spoiling her reputation.”