Chapter 80 - Meeting Her Adoptive Parents
Oblivious of what was happening on Tristan's end, Zhen-Zhen met her adoptive parents, Alice and Thomas, in their new home that was given to them by Tristan.
Alice's face brightened up when she saw Zhen-Zhen. Thomas gave her a gentle smile. The tender expression on the faces of Alice and Thomas seemed that they were looking at their own daughter, Lillie.
"Ma! Pa!" Zhen-Zhen called them out with a bright smile. She put FaMo down for the meantime.
She remembered Tristan's words. She asked him before what name she should call her adoptive parents and Tristan told her to call them 'Ma' and 'Pa'.
Zhen-Zhen liked it. She had Mo-Mo and Fa-Fa. And now, she got additional family, her Ma and Pa.
"Lillie!" Alice immediately pulled her into a hug.
She was really happy to see Zhen-Zhen once again. Zhen-Zhen calling her Ma gave her a blissful feeling. The sorrow brought by her longing for her dead daughter suddenly lessened because of Zhen-Zhen's presence.
While the two women were still hugging, Thomas greeted Matthew who accompanied Zhen-Zhen.
"Hello, Mr. Wilkins. Thank you for bringing Lillie here." Thomas politely said to him.
Matthew nodded at him with a faint smile.
"Sir, you can just call me Matthew or Matt for short. Mr. Wilkins is too formal."
Thomas just returned his smile and said, "Okay, Matthew. Thanks again."
After hugging Alice, Zhen-Zhen also greeted her adoptive father, Thomas. He patted her head while giving her a doting look.
"By the way, where's your boyfriend, Tristan?" Alice asked Zhen-Zhen while peering outside. She was searching for Tristan.
"He wanted to apologize for not able to come and visit you today. Something came up and he needed to see his family." Matthew explained to Alice.
"He doesn't need to apologize. We are grateful to him for everything he has done so far for our family. We are just asking since we also want to thank him personally." Thomas said to Matthew with utmost sincerity.
Thomas and Alice knew that Matthew had no idea about the deal between them and Tristan. Matthew was not aware that Lillie was not their real daughter.
"It's alright, Mr. and Mrs. Meyer. Tristan is just doing his responsibility as your future son-in-law."
The husband and wife were happy to hear that. Alice turned to Lillie once again.
"Are you living with us now, starting today?" Alice asked her with excitement.
Zhen-Zhen didn't know the answer to that so she glanced at Matthew asking him for help.
"As for that Mrs. Meyer, I think we will have to wait for Tristan's decision. Currently, Lillie is living in his Condo Unit. But don't worry, if she stays with Tristan then you can always visit her anytime. Same with Lillie, she can go here anytime. That's the main reason why Tristan chose this place. It is just near his Condo Unit." Matthew answered Alice on Zhen-Zhen's behalf.
As for Zhen-Zhen, she was not against the idea of living together with Alice and Thomas. She also wanted to be with them and to experience once again the feeling of having parents.
But deep inside her, she wanted to stay with Tristan. She was used to seeing him everyday. The moment she would open her eyes in the morning and the moment she would close her eyes at night, Tristan was the first and last person she wanted to see.
She didn't want to get separated from him. That's what she truly felt. She was very happy every time she was with Tristan.
"Alright, let's go, grab some snacks first. My wife cooked something for everyone. She prepared it especially today because she learned that our Lillie would be coming to see us." Thomas said, inviting them to the dining area.
But before they could proceed to the dining area, Zhen-Zhen stopped them. She carried FaMo who was silently watching them since their arrival.
"Ma, Pa… this is my friend… I mean my pet FaMo. He is cute, isn't he?" Zhen-Zhen cheerfully introduced FaMo to Alice and Thomas.
"Oh, our daughter… you are right. He's very cute… and chubby." Alice said while looking at FaMo.
Thomas also chuckled as he agreed with his wife.
"FaMo, greet my Ma and Pa." Zhen-Zhen requested FaMo.
FaMo gladly complied with her request. "Meow! Meow!"
Everyone laughed when they heard FaMo's meowing.
"Omoh. Aside from being cute, he is also smart. He listens to Lillie." Alice was commending FaMo while looking at him with amusement.
Soon, the four of them began to eat including FaMo. Alice cooked pasta. She seldom cooked that ever since they moved to that mountain. She would do it only for special occasions like Lillie's birthday. They were just an average family, living simply at the foot of Mt. Calypso.
They already felt content by eating three times a day. The sources of their foods were the fruits and vegetables in their backyard garden.
They were still eating when Zhen-Zhen suddenly stood up while averting her gaze to the closed door.
"Tristan." She mumbled.
Zhen-Zhen didn't waste any more time as she dashed towards the door. She felt Tristan's presence. It seemed like he was calling her. That's why she didn't think twice when she rushed out of the house to welcome Tristan.
When she was already out, she saw Tristan alighted from the Taxi that was parked in front of the entrance gate. Her heart could finally feel at ease since Tristan was already here.
Though she was happily conversing with Alice, Thomas and Matthew a while ago, Zhen-Zhen couldn't help but worry about Tristan. She felt that something was off when they got separated in the airport.
With her sparkling blue eyes and a warm smile on her face, Zhen-Zhen ran towards Tristan's direction. When Tristan saw her running figure, Tristan also sprinted towards her.
After closing their distance, Zhen-Zhen threw herself at him and Tristan gladly caught her in his arms. They hugged each other tightly as if they haven't seen each other for a decade.
"Zhen-Zhen…" he softly mumbled in her ear.