"Welcome to my humble house, Miss and Mrs Lin!" He mischievously bowed to them with a bright smile, which earned him a snort from Qingyue, and some giggles for Celine.
"You call your Palace a 'humble house'?" She smirked at him and then looked again at the beautiful Palace she was standing in front of. "It's a beautiful home, Keith. Magnificently beautiful..."
"I know." He chuckled at her and then turned his attention solely on Celine. "I can see that she is making you work out."
"Really?!" She asked in delight that her effort was noticed.
"Yes." He nodded his head. "Your skin has a healthy glow about it, and your posture is way more relaxed than I last remember it."
"Thank you!" Celine sweetly smiled at him. "But it should be due to the diet you recommended me. Qingyue is really strict about it, and sometimes I forget that I am the mother." She pouted a little and then put up a pitiful front. "She didn't even let me touch any wine since you had dinner with us."
"Is that so?" He smiled at Qingyue and found her stubbornly looking back at him. "You can drink all you want today, Aunt Celine."
"Really?" Celine surprisedly asked.
"Yes."
"Yay!" She playfully pumped her first in the direction of Qingyue, who sighed and then glared at Keith.
"She will be fine." He assured her. "I am her doctor."
"You are the best!" Celine laughed merrily, which made her daughter helplessly smile at her delight.
"Do you guys want to see the Manor from inside, or are you up for a walk?"
"The gardens are beautiful Keith, and since it is such a pleasant day, let's go for a walk!" The older woman decided for them. "It's been nearly 20 years and this place is still as beautiful as I remember it."
Keith only nodded to her with a smile and then gestured them to follow him towards the Gardens.
Celine seemed to know the way and led them all to the place she wanted to see the most. It was the Rose Garden at the back of the Manor.
As soon as they neared it, the floral scent invited them towards it, and both the ladies already had their eyes sparkling in anticipation.
"Wow..." Qingyue rarely found herself at loss of words, but the Rose Garden was simply breath-takingly enchanting.
She never thought she loved the Roses, and always preferred Orchids over them, but now, as her eyes scanned her surroundings and held in the colors and the profound fragrance, she was smitten with these beautiful flowers.
There was a wide variety of Roses here, which included even some of the rarest in the world. Some were artificially created, such as the Rainbow Rose, but then some were naturally cultivated with utmost care over the years, such as the Juliet Rose.
"Venessa always loved Roses." Celine crouched down next to a beautiful Blue Rose and gently traced its petals. "What's your favourite flower, Keith?"
"Rose." He informed them and then fondly smiled at the next section of the Garden where Black Roses were being cultivated.
"And you prefer the Black?" She smiled when she caught him looking in the direction.
"I do, but I like the Blue and Red Roses just as much. In fact, if I had to pick a favourite, it would be a type of Red Rose."
"Which one?" Qingyue scanned the surroundings and found quite a few series of Red Roses in different shapes and shades.
"Come. I will show you." He left the two of them further into the Garden, where the floral scent was the most potent.
The two ladies watched him curiously as he couched next to a plant, and then carefully plucked out a rose, before getting rid of the thorns from the stem.
"Here." He smiled at the grey-eyes girl and presented to her the flower he was most fond of. "It's called Osiria."
Qingyue stared at the beautiful cherry red flower with alternating white on the petals, and carefully accepted it from his hand. She raised it up to her face and then as she inhaled its scent, she felt a little dizzy at how pleasant it was.
Seeing a pinkish glow appear on Qingyue's cheeks, which was the indication of how much she loved its scent, Celine giggled mischievously.
"If I remember right, Osiria is the symbol of eternal love." She grinned brightly as she caught her daughter's eyes widen in surprise, but then pouted when she heard Keith chuckling at her words.
"It's true." He nodded and then looked at the flower in Qingyue's hand. "But it's not because of it that I like it so much. I just find its color and fragrance the most fascinating of them all. The Black and Blue Roses are just as fascinating to look at, but they can't be compared to Osiria when it comes to the fragrance."
Qingyue subconsciously nodded her head to his words. It was the first time in her life that she was seeing this beautiful Rose, and influenced by her Mother and Keith's words, she found herself getting more fond of it.
Time passed, and he introduced them to all the different Roses in the Garden. The two of them were surprised by how informed he was on the subject, and he even knew the details of how the artificially created Roses in the Garden were cultivated.
"You take after your mother in this subject." Celine concluded and told him.
"I have always been more of my Mother's son than my Father's." He informed them with a smile, and both the ladies could discern a hint of pride in his words. And somehow, they found it really sweet.
The three of them entered the Manor after their walk, and both the ladies were looking all over the place without any reservations. Since it was not a formal visit, there was no need for them to be reserved, and Celine, who was always fond of Paintings took her time as she appreciated the artworks that were displayed in the halls and the hallways.
"How did things turn out for you in Magic City?" The older woman brought up the question after she stared at a painting that displayed a young man lost in his thoughts, surrounded by Nymphs, both naked and clothed.
"The wedding is set for 31st of December. It's going to be a family affair, but a few friends will be invited to it as well." Keith informed them and then smiled. "Now that you have brought up the subject, let me formally invite you two to my wedding. I will really appreciate it if you would show up on my special day, and become a part of my happiness!"
Qingyue frowned as soon as she heard his words, and the restless expression got past her defences and appeared on her face.
"We will be there, Keith!" Celine did not seem bothered at all and happily smiled at him. "But I am surprised that you are holding it so soon."
"She will be joining me in my Business, so we had to schedule it as soon as possible."
"She has a knack for business?" Qingyue narrowed her eyes and asked.
"Not really. She will do great, but her real talent lies in Architecture and Engineering. She will be the Head of my Construction and Designing Company." He told her and then lightly smiled at her. "Did you manage to convince your dad to support you in your venture?"
"I did not ask him about it." She shook her head. "Mama has some money, and she has agreed to lend it to me. It will be enough."
The determination in her voice made Keith smile, but he was smiling at something else too. He was happy that things were getting bitter between the Father and Daughter. And it was for the best that Qingyue did not have her father's money injected into her new company.
"What's the budget?"
"200 Million Neris."
"That should be more than enough." He nodded to himself. "When do you plan to start it?"
"I will file for it on 1st of January. And as for the Office and Staff, I am already working on it." She told him, but refused to go into details.
Keith only nodded to her and did not offer her any help. He knew that she would not ask for it even if he said it. Well, at least not before she would suffer a setback. And it was the best for her confidence that he did not say any words that would make her uncomfortable.
"Hey Keith, why are you wearing a glove on your left hand?" Celine could no longer contain her curiosity about something that was bugging her since she first saw it.
"I suffered a minor injury and I am keeping it covered because I don't like looking at my hand covered in bandages."
"That doesn't sound like a minor injury." She pressed and narrowed her eyes at him.
"It is fine. I don't even need the bandages, but they are only there to stop any irritation." He waved his hand at her. "Well, truthfully, I am hiding it from my mother. She would be unhappy looking at my injury."
"You should be more careful." She did not pry any further into the matter and only advised him.
"I will be more careful the next time." He told her with a palyful smile, and saw Celine narrowing her eyes at him at mentioning a 'next time' for something like this.
"What caused the injury?" Qingyue asked as she looked at his gloved hand.
"I was playing with knives." He said and when he found them still looking for more detail, he sighed. "It was a training accident. I am learning to fight with knives."
"Why do you need to learn such a thing?" Qingyue asked in disbelief.
"Just for self-defence." Keith told them and then turned to look at the maid who was approaching them.
"The Lunch is ready and set, Master Keith." The maid bowed to him and informed.
"We will be there in a few minutes. Please inform Minami that she will be eating with me." He nodded to her and directed her.
"I will inform her that she is expected at the table. Please excuse me." She bowed to him again before taking her leave.
"Minami?" Qingyue frowned at the Japanese name. As far as she remembered, his bodyguard's name was Yingying.
"She's my personal maid." He simply said and then gestured them to follow him to the Dining Room.