Neil Mo stopped as soon as he heard his niece's voice. He turned to the little girl and asked, "What is it?"
Hazel glanced around the cafe and gestured for her uncle to lower his body so that she can whisper the words to his ear.
Neil raised a brow upon seeing his niece's strange behavior. However, he went along with what she had asked and crouched down to be on her level.
Soon, Hazel went towards her uncle and placed a hand beside his ear. Then, she went closer and whispered, "Uncle, I need to go to the bathroom."
The frown on his face disappeared upon hearing her request. Neil had thought of various things that Hazel might tell him, but he was not expecting this. "Alright." He nodded.
Neil tried to stand up, but his movement halted when Hazel tugged at his arm. He went back to his crouching position and waited for the little girl to speak again.
Hazel placed her hand at her uncle's ear again. "Uncle, can I ask Teacher Qian to go with me?"
Neil frowned at his niece's request. "If you need to go to the bathroom, I can take you. There's no need to trouble your teacher."
"But," Hazel looked at her teacher and then back at her uncle, "I'm a girl and you're a boy. You cannot enter the girl's restroom and I cannot go into the boy's. Mommy said it's not right. I am big enough to know the difference between a girl and a boy."
It was then that he understood her concern. Neil stared at his niece with surprise on his expression. He did not think that at this age, Hazel was taught of the difference between a boy and a girl. It seemed that his sister-in-law had taught her daughter well.
As someone who had never look after a child, Nei had never thought that this would be a troublesome issue.
However, he cannot allow Hazel to go to the bathroom alone.
If something happened to her when he was not around... Neil was not sure how he was going to face everyone, and especially his brother.
Neil stood silently as he weighed his decision. His head turned to the woman behind the table before he stood up again, and head over the table with Hazel.
Edith Qian looked up when she sensed someone stood next to her. She immediately stood up when she saw that it was Neil Mo and his niece, Hazel. "President Mo… can I help you with anything?
Neil stared at the woman in front of him for a while. From the way she was looking at him, Neil could sense that she was frightened of him.
"Sorry," Neil said. "Did I startle you?"
"No," Edith shook her head quickly. "It's fine." She forced a smile.
Neil glanced at Hazel when he felt his niece shook his hand impatiently. He looked at the kindergarten teacher again and spoke, "Teacher Qian, can I ask for a favor?"
A confused look flashed through her eyes briefly as she wondered what kind of favor he was going to ask from her. "Sure. I will try to help you if it is within my ability. What is it?"
Neil Mo glanced at his niece again. "Hazel needs to go to the restroom. Can you take her with you?"
Edith looked at Hazel and saw that the little girl was staring back at her with a pitiful expression. Once she learned of Neil Mo's difficulties, her expression softened and a smile curved on her lips.
"Of course. Sure. I'll be happy to help you." She grabbed her purse and glanced at the books and notes on the table.
"I will look after your stuff," Neil Mo said.
A look of relief flashed on her face. "Thank you." Edith then turned to the little girl and stretch out her hand. "Hazel, come on. I will accompany you to the bathroom, alright?"
Hazel glanced at her uncle before she held on her teacher's hand. Then, the two girls walked out of the cafe holding hands.
Edith searched for the restroom in the mall and took Hazel in. She watched Hazel entered one of the cubicles and waited at the door.
Seconds later, there was music coming from her purse. Edith took out her phone and slid her fingers on the screen. Then she pressed her phone to her left ear. "Hello?" her voice low.
"Edith, this is Lily," the person on the other line spoke.
"En, I know," Edith smiled. She saw Lily's name on the caller ID and knew that it was her friend. "What is it? Are you here yet?"
"No. Not yet," Lily said. "I called to say that I will be late for our appointment. My mother-in-law called earlier and said that she was going to drop by to send something. I have to wait for her before I can leave the house."
"Oh," Edith glanced at her wristwatch to look at the time. "Alright. I will stay at the cafe and wait for you."
"Is it alright?" Lily asked. "Sorry, Edith. I will make it up to you."
"Don't worry about it. Lily, I'm in the restroom. Just call me when you have arrived, alright?"
Just as Edith hung up the phone, Hazel came out from the cubicle. Edith slid her phone back into her purse and turned to Hazel with a smile. "Have you finished?"
"En." The little girl nodded.
"Then go and wash your hands." Edith watched the little girl walked over to the low sink to watch her hand. She then helped the little girl to dry her hand and noticed the way Hazel pulled at her crooked ponytail.
Looking at the way her hair was tied, Edith was sure that the little girl was feeling uncomfortable. It looked as if the pink hairband was going to slip off her hair anytime soon.
"Hazel, would you like me to redo your ponytail?"
Hazel looked at herself in the mirror and frowned. Then she turned to her teacher. "Can you help me, Teacher Qian?"
Edith laughed. "Of course I can." she crouched down and said, "come here."
Hazel obediently went to her side and turned around to let her teacher combed and restyled her hair. "Nanny Ann and the others are not around on Sundays. So my uncle helped to tie my hair this morning," Hazel said voluntarily.
A smile curled on Edith's lips as she got the explanation of Hazel's crooked ponytail.
"Are you getting along with your uncle well?"
Hazel was quiet for a few before she spoke again. "It's not the same as living with my parents, but uncle lets me do anything I want. But uncle has been treating Hazel well. Earlier today, we went to visit my parents."
Edith paused briefly as she recalled the conversation with Neil Mo a few days ago where she had told him that Hazel has been missing her parents. After listening to her words, the man had taken his niece to visit her parents.
She quickly recovered and smiled as the little girl's hair was properly tied.
"It's done," Edith said.
Hazel checked herself in the mirror again and a wide, satisfying smile curled on her lips. "Thank you, Teacher Qian."
"Come on. Let's go back before your uncle started to worry about you." Edith said. She took Hazel's hand and led her back to the cafe.