Li ZiChen dropped himself in front of a luxurious house. The gate had opened manually, letting his black car to enter. As soon as he arrived at the door of the mansion, he was met with a woman with a strict face. Her maids had stood beside her, holding the same firm expression as if they were carved out of the same mold with the same emotion of emptiness on their faces.
Upon finding him, the woman spoke with the even tone, "I have been waiting for you, Mister Li."
"You can call me ZiChen," Li ZiChen was the one who showed a polite smile as he knew the woman in front him was someone who couldn't smile.
Upon looking at her again, he realized the lot of similarities on her features which AiLin also has. That face free from smile was indeed daunting but that foxy eyes that seemed to be both cold and hot really was similar. She is really her birth mother, much more similar to AiLin than Mrs Jiang herself.
Hua Valentine, her name was chosen by her mother who was someone as strict and cold as a mountain of ice. Apparently the reason why she was name "Valentine" despite others suggesting a more traditional name was because Madam Hua, AiLin's grandmother, didn't want to gave birth to her. Madam Hua had chosen an english based name not because it was unique but rather a name she had told her cousin to name as she didn't want to bother herself naming a baby she couldn't love.
Ironically, Valentine was a more romantic name of a baby girl who was fated to be despised by her own mother.
"Indeed calling you ZiChen would be the most efficient as I have called your father as Mister Li as well," answered Hua Valentine in a composed tone.
People say the women of the Hua Family never had blood running in their veins instead was ice and frost.
But he doubted that was correct as AiLin was one of the most warmhearted person in the world.
Li ZiChen couldn't help but smile which made Hua Valentine to look at him with her eyes slightly narrowed behind her glasses.
"Anything that I have said was funny to you, ZiChen?" Hua Valentine was not only bearing a strict face and an emotionless mien but also clothings that consists of only black colors, black eyeshadows, and black rimmed glasses. She looked grim when she narrowed down her eyes but Li ZiChen was the only person who could never be daunted by her gaze.
He shook his head, "I was thinking how similar you are to your daughter, Mrs Valentine." And he could see how Hua Valentine's eyes widened a little upon hearing this fact. She then moved her hand to cover her face and pushed the rim of her glasses.
"How is the child?" Hua Valentine asked.
"She is doing better, I suppose she is going to visit a place today," Li ZiChen uttered as he looked at the bandage on Mrs Valentine's forehead where she had been hit by the vase at.
"Where is she visiting now?" Hua Valentine asked with her voice taut, "The Jiang Family?"
"No, you see. AiLin loves to leave the best for the last. She also loves to leave the ginger chicken at the end after finishing her rice because she loves ginger chicken the most," Li ZiChen then looked up, "I won't tell you where she is going yet. As we have agreed, I will only tell you about it when AiLin has met you first. I have made a promise to her and I want you to respect her boundaries since she is still shaken to find out about her birth family."
"I won't go back on my words, ZiChen," said Hua Valentine as she looked aside and the glasses gleamed, hiding the emotions in her eyes, "I just wanted to offer help to her from afar if I could."
"You should leave it to AiLin, she has her own plan and she isn't someone who would mess her own plan," ZiChen crossed his arms, "But shouldn't we enter first Mrs Hua? It seemed that you have forgotten to let me in."
Hua Valentine frowned and stared at the nosy young man who had one day came to her house knocking and telling her that he could help her. She felt unsettled by the all knowing attitude that Li ZiChen had but as someone who is helping her daughter, Mrs Hua had no choice but to believe in this young man. He wondered how many people have fallen to Li ZiChen's plan and hope her own daughter won't be one of them.
However every maids who heard Li ZiChen's brave words as he demand to be let in began to feel nervous. They looked at Hua Valentine whose temper was known as more explosive than an active volcano. The gaze that Hua Valentine had was cold and demeaning, enough to make anyone who wanted to be angry at her to instead feel ashamed and small. But Li ZiChen seemed unaffected, instead he appeared to be all smiley today, an odd contrast to the rumors who said he was as cold as ice like Hua Valentine their mistress.
"Then come in," Hua Valentine stepped aside, "I believe we have some things to go through as well."
Li ZiChen chuckled as he walked into the house. He looked around and then at Hua Valentine, "Is your wounds better now?"
"I suppose, it was merely a scratch after all I could remove it by today."
"You shouldn't," Li ZiChen felt the quizzical gaze directed to him by AiLin's mother and he grinned, "Remove it after you meet AiLin. I don't like doing this but she would feel pitiful if she sees you're wounded. Making an emotional connection to her will also be good for your sake."
Hua Valentine pressed her finger on the bandage and frowned, "You spoke as if you have done it this dirty trick to her. I will warn you jot to do anything you will regret Li ZiChen."
"Calm down," sang Li ZiChen as he could feel Hua Valentine's anger brimming. He spoke with ease, "I haven't done it, not yet. Nor will I do it but I can't promise. I am desperate you see."
He is indeed desperate. He needed to tie down AiLin before she ventures to do something dangerous. The only reason why he would go this far instead of coming clean was for her sake.
Hua Valentine however eyed him, for now Li ZiChen is an ally but if he proves to be an enemy, Hua Valentine swore to crush him.
"Let's start then," Li ZiChen sat down on one of the chair and crossed his legs, "An eye for an eye, isn't it?"
"Yes," Hua Valentine answered firmly. "What do you want from me in exchange of my help?"
"I'll tell you soon," Li ZiChen grinned as he smiled, "Because this has something to do to do with AiLin."
Hua Valentine frowned at once, "I won't agree in anything if she doesn't agree to it."
"Yes," Li ZiChen's eyes became starry as he seemed to have caught Hua Valentine in a trap. "So you agree? That I would be granted for my wish regarding AiLin if and only if she also agreed with it?"
"Yes," Hua Valentine answered but why does she feels as if she had agreed to a devil's request?