Xiao Mian's eyes narrowed slightly as she noticed her daughter walking past them without a word. She was surprised to see Li Yue at home, especially since she was supposed to be at her friend's place. It was unusual for Li Yue to come home unannounced and ignore them like this.
"Mom? Mom!?" Zhao Shui called out, tugging on Xiao Mian's sleeve. However, Xiao Mian was too engrossed in her thoughts to respond, her eyes fixed on Li Yue's retreating back. Zhao Shui's voice grew louder, but Xiao Mian still didn't budge, leaving her confused.
It wasn't until Zhao Shui followed her gaze that she realized what had captured Xiao Mian's attention. Her eyes widened in shock when she saw Li Yue.
For a moment, she stood still, unsure of how to react. Then, she called out to her in a hesitant voice, "Yue Yue?!" But Li Yue didn't stop or even look back.
Zhao Shui frowned and called out again, this time taking a few steps towards Li Yue. "Yue Yue! When did you come home?" Her tone was gentle, filled with worry. Xiao Mian also trailed behind her, looking concerned for her daughter.
Li Yue finally stopped in her tracks and turned around to look at them. Zhao Shui's face lit up with a warm smile as she quickened her pace, and held onto Li Yue's hands.
"Why didn't you tell us you were coming home today?" she softly asked, squeezing her hands tenderly.
Li Yue raised an eyebrow, "Why should I?" she retorted, her voice cold and detached, devoid of any warmth or affection. "This is my home, I can come and go whenever I want. I don't need to inform anyone before going out or after coming back."
Zhao Shui's smile faltered, her eyes widening in disbelief. "Wha- what are you saying, Yue Yue?" she stuttered, her expressions turning serious.
"I was just worried about you," she said, while glancing at Xiao Mian, who was standing beside her.
Li Yue's face remained indifferent and she shrugged Zhao Shui's hand off, "Thanks, but no thanks, I don't need anyone to care about me. You'd better just focus on yourself." she said in an impassive tone.
Zhao Shui's face fell, and she looked hurt. "I- Yue Yue... Why- why are you talking like that?" she stammered, her voice trembling as tears welled up in her eyes.
Xiao Mian had been watching them in silence all this while. She couldn't fathom why her daughter would speak to her sister like that.
For a moment, she stood frozen, but the sight of Zhao Shui's tears snapped her back into action. She quickly enveloped her in a warm hug. "Shh, it's okay, sweetie, don't cry." she whispered softly, trying to comfort her.
Then, she narrowed her eyes, and glared at Li Yue. "Why are you speaking so rudely with your sister? She was just worried about you, and this is how you repay her? Not only were you not grateful, but you also hurt her. Apologize to her right now!" She strictly demanded.
Before Li Yue could even respond, Zhao Shui quickly intervened, her voice muffled by her sobs. "Mom, don't say anything to sister. She must be in a bad mood. She definitely didn't mean it." Her tears spilled out as she looked at Xiao Mian with pleading eyes.
Xiao Mian's heart softened as she gazed at Zhao Shui's tear- stained face. Feeling bad for her, she turned to look at Li Yue, "Apologize to your younger sister"
"Heh!" Li Yue snickered "so now you're scolding your own daughter for an outsider?" She arched an eyebrow, her voice filled with sarcasm.
Xiao Mian was taken aback by Li Yue's words and didn't know what to say. "I-" she started, but her voice trailed off as she struggled to find the right words.
While she was contemplating her response, Li Yue swiftly turned on her heels and started walking away, her long hair swinging behind her.
Seeing that Xiao Mian angrily called out to her "Li Yue!" However, Li Yue didn't even flinch and made a beeline for the main gate, leaving both her mother and younger sister behind.
After she was out of sight, Xiao Mian turned to Zhao Shui, "Shui, don't be upset with your sister. She must be having a hard day." She tried to reassure her, hoping to ease the tension between the sisters.
Zhao Shui flashed a weary smile and shook her head in understanding. "It's okay, Mom. I understand," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Xiao Mian sighed and nodded at her. "You are so sensible," she complimented, while gently stroking her head. Then, she glanced in the direction where Li Yue had stormed off to, one last time. Her face was filled with a mixture of concern and frustration. She sighed again before turning around and getting back to her work.
~~~~~
Li Yue cruised down the highway in her sleek, black convertible sports car, the wind whipping through her hair as the speedometer climbed higher. Her sunglasses glinting in the sunlight.
Suddenly, Puff, the black raven perched on the passenger seat, spoke up in a smooth, electronic voice. "You were such a badass today."
Li Yue's gaze flicked towards Puff, her expression unreadable behind her sunglasses. "Who's this Young Master Fu?" she asked, her voice cold.
Puff's red eyes flashed as it accessed the database. A transparent, holographic screen lit up in the air before puff, displaying the relevant information. "He's the youngest son of the noble Fu family and the heir of the powerful Fu conglomerate," Puff explained.
"He's 18 years old, currently single, and has been elected as the most handsome, eligible bachelor throughout the country."
Li Yue smirked as she enjoyed the thrill of the drive. "Where's he right now?" she asked out of nowhere.
Puff surprised by the question, swiveled its head towards her. But before it could say anything, Li Yue said. "Don't look at me and tell me quickly – where is he?"
Puff's gaze snapped back to the digital screen, and it started searching for the requested information. "He is-" it suddenly trailed off abruptly.
Li Yue's eyes narrowed and she gazed at it. "what happened?" She asked, sensing something amiss.
But puff remained silent, motionless like a statue.