After the shower, Shi Lian goes inside the closet room to pick an outfit for herself. Since she does not like too much jazz or anything, she chooses boot-cut jeans and an oversized white shirt.
She keeps her hair free, the length of it touching her mid-back. Shi Lian doesn't like doing makeup when she is at home, so she skips the makeup part and heads downstairs quickly.
Watching her come, Sha Sha beams and takes her to the dining room which is like a big hall, attached to the kitchen. She pulls back the Victorian brown chair and sits down on it. Sha Sha takes her seat as well. "Mother, I am so hungry" Shi Lian groans, the aroma of the dishes making her stomach growl. Sha Sha chuckles and passes the dishes one after another.
"There's no rush, darling. Eat until you feel stuffed" she says and she means it. Sha Sha thinks staying in the States has made Shi Lian thin. She has become skinnier than before and she worries if Shi Lian took care of herself there or not.
"I missed eating your food so much!" Shi Lian lets out in between chewing.
"How is Evelyn?" Sha Sha asks. Sha Sha remembers the first time she saw Evelyn. After a week Shi Lian got settled in America, Shi Lian introduced Evelyn to her as her roommate. At first, Sha Sha was a bit skeptical of her because she thought Evelyn is a foreigner and Sha Sha was not much open to people who are not from her homeland.
But Evelyn surprised her when she spoke in their native language. Evelyn then told her story that her mother is Chinese and her father is from America. Her father fell in love with her mother, and that's how the story started their love life. Evelyn looked very much like her father, with her half brown and half blonde hair, and wide set brown eyes, she gives off American eyes. No wonder Sha Sha got confused about her ethnicity.
"She is great. Shoot! I was supposed to call her! She must be going crazy there thinking if I reached or not."
"Why not call her now?" Sha Sha chuckles and suggests Shi Lian. She also wants to have a chat with Evelyn. Sha Sha likes her. Her bubbly personality and her caring nature, and also the fact that she took care of Shi Lian there, really mean a lot to her.
Shi Lian pauses and dials Evelyn's number. She puts her call on a video call and waits for her to pick it up. When she picks it up, Shi Lian places her phone in front supporter by the china bowl so that her face is visible. She gestures to her mother to scoot closer so that they both can fit on the screen.
"Hey!" Evelyn's cheery tone comes from the other line. She is wearing a lazy grey sweatshirt and her hair is in a messy bun. Her smile widens when she sees Sha Sha sitting beside Shi Lian. "Oh my god! Sha Sha Aunt! How are you?"
"I'm good, sweetheart. How are you?"
"I'm coping, trying to get myself together because Shi Lian left me here, alone" Evelyn pouts which makes Sha Sha laugh. "By the way Shi Lian, what are you eating?"
"Braised chicken," Shi Lian says, showing a piece of meat on the screen with the help of chopsticks.
"Damn you! You get to eat all the delicious food Aunt prepared for you."
"Evelyn dear, come sometimes and you can also get the chance of trying it out," Sha Sha says with a smile.
Evelyn leans back in the chair and with an apologetic smile, she says, "I don't know aunt when I'll be able to go there. But if Shi Lian comes back do send the dishes with her!"
Sha Sha's smile falters and she glances at Shi Lian who is animately chatting with Evelyn. The thought that Shi Lian will go back to the States never occurred to her. Sha Sha thinks Shi Lian will now stay here, forever but now she knows she is wrong.
Sha Sha gets up and excuses herself, "I'll be right back. You girls talk."
When her mother leaves, Shi Lian says to Evelyn, "Hey, aren't you being too cheeky, huh?"
"Honey, I am always like that" Evelyn boosts, smiling like a spoiled princess. Shi Lian shakes her head, smiling. "Well um...so what is the matter there? Is uncle home?"
"No, I don't know yet. Father is in the company. I'll ask once he returns."
"Doesn't Aunt Sha Sha knows?"
"I don't think so and if she did, she would have told me by now. "
"Right. By the way, I got a piece of good news for you!" Evelyn squeals like a happy child. Shi Lian asks and Evelyn continues, "You know I applied to a few companies before our graduation? I got the result from two of them!"
"You got accepted?" Shi Lian, anticipation pumping in.
"Oo yea baby!" Evelyn grins. "I got the acceptance letter from Rovial Inc– which is my third priority, and then the Magnolia SS– which is not in my top five list."
"So what's your plan?"
"I'll wait until I get all the replies. If I got accepted in Danielle and San, I will definitely go for that, if not, I will join my second choice."
"Can't believe, Eve will now go to work. Night does change fast" Shi Lian snickers. Evelyn laughs, agreeing with her. Five years ago, Evelyn had no idea what she wanted to do. She only knew she loved to paint and sometimes design jewelry. Now, here she is, all prepped for her future.
"I'm really proud of you, Eve" Shi Lian says with a genuine smile.
"Thanks." There's a knock on Evelyn's door and she gets up to open it. "I think it's the milkman."
Shi Lian finishes her food while Evelyn goes to find who is it. "Hey, Shi I am gonna talk to you later, okay? The plumber is here. Bye."
"Bye."
She finished her food as well as talked with Evelyn. A few minutes later, Sha Sha comes holding a bowl in her hand. Shi Lian eyes it curiously and her eyes sparkle finding the sticky rice ball sweet.
While Shi Lian takes a bite of the dessert, Sha Sha after contemplating for a while, blurts out, "Will you go back to America?"
Shi Lian pauses and looks at her mother. She notices the uneasiness in her facial expression. Shi Lian puts down the bowl and faces her mother, she says, "Mother, I am here because father needs me. I won't be here at the moment if not for that. About going back, Mother, I graduated from there and there are great opportunities for me. I am not saying I'll stay there forever. I will come here from time to time whenever I am free from work."
Sha She's face falls. "I thought you will stay here forever. There are tons of opportunities here in Shanghai as well, Shi. Why don't you look here?"
"I know your concern, Mother. I'll look into it surely."
Sha Sha smiles, a little hopeful that Shi Lian will not go back there. She wants her daughter here, close to herself. She doesn't care if her wish is selfish or anything. She stayed away from her for five years, and those years were difficult. She doesn't want to experience that again.
"Alright, I will be going to my room, Mother. Call me if you need something."
"Sure, darling."