Evelyn entered Mei's room, wearing a white T-shirt and light green sweatpants, her hair wet from a recent bath. "Does it fit?" Mei asked, eyeing the borrowed clothes. "Yeah, thanks for lending me your clothes, Mei," Evelyn replied gratefully.
Mei waved her hand dismissively. "Don't mention it." She sat in front of her mirror, applying cream to her face. "Come here, big sis, I'll help you dry your hair," Mei said, grabbing Evelyn's hand and leading her to the chair in front of the mirror.
Mei turned on her black hair dryer and began drying Evelyn's hair. As the warm air enveloped her locks, Evelyn's face relaxed, her eyes closing in contentment.
Evelyn's eyes widened as she suddenly remembered Landon's fight with her assailant. "Mei, is your brother trained in martial arts?" she asked, curiosity etched on her face.
Mei nodded, "Hmm, yeah, he is. He's the master of this dojo, but he only teaches kids here."
Evelyn's interest deepened. "Does he specialize in anything?"
"Actually, he's learned different forms of fighting techniques, and he's the heir of 'Ryu Arts'."
Evelyn's eyes sparkled with astonishment. "Ryu Arts?" she repeated, her voice laced with awe.
Mei's expression turned solemn. "Yeah, it's a form of fighting style passed down only to the Ryujin family for generations. My father used to teach my brother since he was little."
Evelyn's curiosity deepened. "Your father?"
Mei's face clouded with sadness, and Evelyn noticed the change in her expression through the mirror reflection. They turned to face each other, their conversation becoming more intimate.
"We don't know where he is" Mei said, her voice barely above a whisper. "People say he's dead, but we don't know. One day, he disappeared suddenly. Ever since that day, my brother hasn't been the same. He was only 13 years old... I was afraid he wouldn't live a normal life like the rest of them."
Mei's eyes pleaded with Evelyn. "Please take care of my big brother, big sis. Although he can be dense sometimes," she added with a hint of a smile.
Mei bowed her head towards Evelyn, who saw her neutral expression melt away. "You don't have to worry, Mei," Evelyn reassured her.
Mei's face lit up with a warm smile. "How about we go to sleep?" Evelyn suggested. "Tomorrow is your first day at the job, right?"
Landon sat in his room, typing an official email to the bank on his PC, which showed signs of wear from years of use. On the screen, he had written: "To the Loan Department, please consider allocating additional time for paying the debt under my father's name." Landon's hands hovered over the keyboard as he gazed at the half-written email, a helpless sigh escaping his lips.
Evelyn lay on the futon, her eyes wide open as she replayed the moment she hugged Landon in her mind. Her cheeks flushed a deep red, and she couldn't help but notice her own blush. "Am I blushing? No, that was just instinct," she told herself, trying to rationalize her reaction. "Besides, don't overthink it, Evelyn. You just met him today, and he's not that handsome," she added, attempting to downplay her attraction.
With a gentle tug, she pulled the blanket up to cover half her face, and her eyelids finally drooped shut, as if trying to shut out the lingering thoughts of Landon.
As the morning sun cast its rays on the dojo, Mei greeted Evelyn with a cheerful "Good morning!" in the dining room. Landon sat opposite them, his eyes fixed on Evelyn, who wore a clean dress, freshly washed from the previous day's commotion. Evelyn took a seat, trying to avoid eye contact with Landon.
Mei offered her a plate of pancakes. "Have some, my brother made them." Evelyn's eyes widened as she took a bite - it was incredibly delicious. "Is it good?" Mei asked, and Evelyn replied, trying to contain her emotions, "It's good."
Mei continued, "You know, you should try my brother's cheesecake sometime. It's the best cheesecake ever!"
"Mei, stop bothering her and let her eat," Landon said, trying to intervene.
"I'll try it sometime," Evelyn replied, making a mental note to sample Landon's cheesecake in the future.
With breakfast concluded, they left the house, where Rachel, Evelyn's secretary, stood waiting beside a black luxurious car, her face a mask of professional reserve, her expression cold and detached.