Chapter 8: Lock your pet at home
Zuli's face didn't even change and only look at her with ridicule,
"Maeve, In the past, I didn't argue with you because I respected you as an elder sister, but that doesn't mean that you can just point fingers at my face. You shouldn't get confused that when someone treats you warmly, you'll treat them as an idiot who can't differentiate from right or wrong."
Zuli slowly walked toward Maeve and calmly adjusted Maeve's messy dress. then she took a step back and say in a calm tone laced with mockery.
.
"I know that you are a pig, but you shouldn't act like a dog and just bite anyone."
Maeve almost spewed out blood, she didn't expect Zuli to say such words.
Isn't she afraid that her elder cousin might think that she is a malicious girl? Maeve tried to open her mouth but no words come out. So, her lackeys come to the rescue and supported Maeve who's looks like going to faint from anger. Lola who's not afraid of death said to Zuli with indignation.
"Zuli! You've gone overboard! You!"
Before she could finish her words, Zuli sneered and cut her off with a wave of her hand then said to Joshua who was smiling brightly.
"Joshy, shouldn't you lock your pet at home? Aren't you afraid, that it might cause trouble and turn into a mutated pig with a dog face that bites people? What will you do if I get contaminated? and become ugly like her." she purposefully pointed at Lola.
Everyone's face was turning red from holding back their laughter, and Joshua who was enjoying the drama was speechless. Eve who was not afraid of death laughed unabashedly
Joshua, who is an innocent onlooker almost choked himself to death, he repeatedly asked himself in his mind
'What did he do again? Why is he part of the drama all of a sudden?'
Seeing that everyone is staring at him to mediate the situation, Joshua could only accept his fate. He coughed twice before saying in a somewhat serious voice.
"Maeve you should go back and clean yourself first, don't embarrass our family just because the second aunt doted on you. you must always remember that you are no longer an orphan. you represent the Eckart family where ever you go so mind your manners."
Joshua's words were quite harsh in everyone's ears but his telling the truth. Maeve is sometimes arrogant because she was adopted by the Eckart family. Hearing his hurtful words, Maeve felt truly humiliated so she left furiously with her lackeys in tow. she will be utterly embarrassed if she doesn't walk away now, she can't possibly win the argument against Joshua. Zuli is already enough to make her suffer.
Zuli was not surprised by Joshua's attitude; Grandpa Vincent will not choose him to become a CEO in her past life if he was not capable enough to handle such small matters. Walking towards Sheira, she said in a concerned voice,
"Are you okay? You should go to my room first to get change."
Sheira only bowed her head to look at her wet yellow dress and spoke in a small voice,
"Next time if someone tries to spill me with juice, I should just cut their wrist with a scalpel first. So that they won't do it again."
She then raises her head to look at Zuli innocently and added.
"don't you think so too, Lily?"
Joshua got goosebumps all over his body, hearing this from a little cute girl makes it even more creepy.
while stroking her wet hair, Zuli only smiles and said in a coaxing voice.
"Little Shiera, no need to use violence you'll dirty your hands, you shouldn't use your personalized scalpels with these dogs, it is degrading for one's talent."
Eve also added in a confident voice while patting her chest,
"Yes! yes! This elder sister here is enough to smash their faces!"
Joshua's lips twitch noticeably these little girls' conversations are quite scary.
Zuli could only smile, she then said to both of her friends.
"Alright! alright, that's enough I'll accompany you both to my room, let's go!"
Holding each other's hands, the three was about to leave when Eve paused her footsteps and looked back at Joshua.
Who was ignored by them,
"Elder brother! thank you for earlier, if you need to beat someone in the future, you can look for me and I'll beat them for you!"
Shiera also turned her head to look at him and spoke in a monotone voice,
"If you need to dissect someone you can also look for me."
Her soft voice and pale white face don't match her words. Most of Sheira's family members are doctors. So, it's not surprising that she talks about dissecting the human body all the time. Her older brother is a professional pathologist and sometimes he would bring Sheira with him to the laboratory.
That's why Shiera become introverted because she was surrounded by weird people.
After the three of them returned, Zuli accompanied the two and sat down together to eat and chat.
They're laughing when Butler Assisi walks toward them and whispered in Zuli's ear.
"Little miss, the old master called you and said that you should walk to the stage"
Hearing this Zuli has a puzzled look on her face, she then asks hesitantly to the butler.
"What for? Is he going to announce something..." Zuli paused and her eyes opened wide realization dawned on her, turning her head to look for Cai, she also saw him slowly standing and preparing to walk towards the stage? her face is enveloped with black lines; she's having a bad premonition.
Cai felt someone staring at him, he turned his head to look and saw Zuli staring at him with a complicated gaze. He didn't quite understand why is she staring at him like that.
Butler Assisi looked at his little miss constantly changing face, from wonder, a shock to horror.
Seeing that she was not moving and was still in a daze, he calls her again in a worried voice.
"Young miss? young miss? Are you feeling well?"
Getting back to her senses, she smiled faintly at the butler and respond "huh? Oh... Ah yes, I'm fine"
Gracefully standing up she looks calm outside but she's cursing that troublemaker Maeve a hundred times from the bottom of her heart. she almost forgot about the engagement!
Zuli's back was drenched in a cold sweat, her palm was also sweaty. she can't stop herself from cursing in her mind,
'This is bad! This is bad! What should I do?'
Grandpa Jerome slowly walks onto the stage, his back is straight and dignified. Under the gaze of the guest, he smiled politely and open his mouth to speak.
"I thank everyone for attending my precious granddaughter's birthday banquet!"
Everyone claps their hand and focus their attention on the stage, grandpa Jerome added with a complicated expression in his eyes,
"My granddaughter is mischievous and arrogant all the time, but I'm blessed to have her, so please bear with her. Up to this point, I can't even beat her when it comes to an argument."
Everyone has begun to giggle at his joke, but Zuli didn't have time to appreciate his love for her. she ever wanted to crawl just to make time pass slowly, but the reality is bitter. Walking slowly towards his grandpa she reached the stage in no time. she gives him a happy smile, but her eyes are covered with mist-like she was about to cry.
From everyone's perspective, she looked very touched. Zuli almost pukes blood from their encouraging gaze.
who is not clear about this arrangement? this party is arranged grandly to announce their engagement.
meanwhile, Ella who is in the corner talking with Cai's mom, almost can't hide the jealousy oozing out from her body. that smiling facade of her almost cracked by the passing second. taking a peek at the overlay excited Cai's mom by her side, she wanted to tear Zuli's pretty face to bend her anger.
Seeing that his granddaughter was already walking toward him, he spoke again lovingly.
"Cai and lily come forward!"
Beckoning the two of them, Zuli's anxiety reaches a new height. Left with no choice she could only bet the bullet and come forward and gave a stiff smile, Cai also came forward and stood beside her.
Seeing that both have arrived, grandpa Jerome has begun crying again like he lost something, wiping his tears he continued,
"Our Williams family and Eckart family decide to connect our family and support each other, so we decide to announce tonight that my only granddaughter and the first young master of the Eckart family will be officially..."
Before grandpa Jerome could continue his words, Zuli fainted on the spot. She swayed slightly before she dropped to the ground, Cai was also shocked but he didn't catch her. Grandpa Jerome's face turned pale, he quickly crouches down to check his granddaughter and shout to the butler.
"Go! get the car quickly! We're going to the hospital"
Everyone was so shocked that they can't come back to their senses, the butler immediately prepared the car and grandpa Jerome lift his granddaughter from the ground and run towards the prepared car.
Back in the garden Everyone was quiet for a while, but they also begin to pick up their belongings and left understandingly. what a joke who would have the guts to continue the party, when the protagonist is not around.
Linda's mother, Aunt Freya thank the guest and led them to the entrance, she apologized to every guest and order the other maids to wrap up. Eve and Sheira stayed at the Mansion to wait for news, they were quite nervous and worried about Zuli's condition.
Cai and his family send Grandpa Vincent home and followed grandpa Jerome to the hospital to check Zuli's condition. Grandpa Vincent grows up with Grandpa Jerome in City A, so even though Cai's Family choose to live in the capital out of convenience, grandpa Vincent didn't sell his old mansion. he decided to live there when he gets older.
thinking that he might become a burden because of his old age, he let his grandsons go and check Zuli's condition.
In the hospital, Zuli lay in the hospital bed unconscious. the doctor was checking her vitals and found out she was only having a fever. Grandpa Jerome heaves a sigh of relief, after a while the Eckart family also arrived. Celine, Cai's mom was crying out of worry while Cai's father, Zane was comforting her.
Mother Celine is emotionally sensitive and gentle, she also likes Zuli a lot because she is like a daughter to her.
She and Amber, Zuli's mom were best friends so she pities this child.
Father Zane saw his wife continues to cry, it makes him feel a little discomfort so he said softly,
"Why are you still crying, Zuli is fine you should take care of yourself instead."
Hearing this Mother Celine barked back with tears in her eyes,
"What do you know! Don't just stand there and do something! My lily is only 15 how could you say that! Are you his uncle? You! You're so heartless!"
She sobs as if someone had died. Father Zane was speechless; did he do anything to make Zuli feel sick?
Seeing that his wife is not backing down, He could only accept his fate and said in a very gentle voice,
"Alright, alright it's my fault, ok? So, stop crying. We will buy her supplements tomorrow."
Mother Celine was about to say something but is cut off by Joshua.
"Mom! can you stop crying? She's not dying and you're crying is not helping at all. we are in the hospital now, and many of the patients are sleeping already."
He was embarrassed about his mom's attitude; many passersby were staring at them with a strange look in their eyes.
Mother Celine was stunned by his youngest son's words, she stared at him accusingly. she pointed her fingers at him and spoke,
"it's your fault! You didn't take care of your little sister! How could I give birth to an unfilial son like you! Your younger sister, No! My baby lily is so pitiful. Hú..."
She wailed again even louder than before; Father Zane glared at his youngest son like he was going to skin him alive. Joshua felt the bitterness in his mouth and wanted to bang his head on the wall.
Caden looks at his twin brother sympathetically. shaking his head lightly, he then turns his head to his older brother and asks. "Older brother, why didn't you catch Zuli when she fainted?"
Everyone also stared at him questioningly, and even mother Celine stop crying for a moment.
Cai give Caden a weird look and said in a monotone voice,
"I thought, she was only joking"
Hearing this from his mouth, everyone almost puke blood, now they finally understood. When Zuli is still young, to get Cai's attention she sometimes purposefully acts like she was fainting and throw herself at Cai. So, it's not surprising that Cai, this emotionally incapacitated man was unmoved when he saw her fainting in front of him. Seeing that her son is not even a bit remorseful about his action, Mother Celine wailed even more loudly.
"My pitiful lily… he. Hú…"
Father Zane's lips twitch unnoticeably, how can he give birth to these unfilial and useless sons?
After waiting for a while outside the VIP ward, they saw grandpa Jerome walking out with the doctor, Mother Celine ask him in a concerned voice,
"Uncle, how is she? Is she alright?"
Grandpa Jerome nodded and look at her reassuringly,
"Yes, she is fine now and is only having a fever, except…."
His voice abruptly stopped, he looked at everyone's face and stopped his gaze on Cai's figure, everyone also followed his gaze and stared at Cai with a puzzled look in their eyes.
Grandpa Jerome was seething in anger but he suppressed it inside and continued with blame discernible in his voice.
"Except that her head is a little swollen, I think she hit her head on the floor when she fainted."
Everyone was speechless, Cai on the other hand was still cold, like he is not the person involved in the incident.
Father Zane coughs twice before he said to grandpa Jerome in embarrassment.
"Ahem, uncle now that we confirmed that Lily is fine, we should get going, we will visit her tomorrow."
Mother Celine also nodded and said in a worried voice,
"Uncle, call me anytime if something happens, ok?"
Grandpa only nodded at her, indicating that they should scram.
Seeing that he doesn't want to say anything, mother Celine could only leave reluctantly.
She tagged her husband's coat and give her three sons a look. After the five of them left, grandpa Jerome could only shake his head and thought in his mind.
'Maybe I should reconsider the engagement between the two, I should also persuade Zuli about this matter. She's still young, there are still lots of fish in the sea, that Cai boy didn't even catch her and let her get hurt! What about the future? Will she also suffer grievance worse than this? Who dares! He can't even lift a finger at her when she did something wrong.'
With determination in his eyes, grandpa Jerome entered Zuli's room and think of a solution to end this disaster once in for all.