The mother and daughter slept in the same room that night and chatted a lot. It was only near midnight when her mom asked, "Lanlan, would you like to go back to China with mom?"
Qinyan had asked her daughter many times if she wanted to go back to China but every time, Xiulan refused. She didn't want to go back to China. But today, her answer surprised Qinyan.
Of course, it would be surprising as the woman didn't know that the answer wasn't given by her own daughter.
"Okay."
A month passed, An Qinyan made every preparation to shift to China while Xiulan was recovering from an accident and familiarizing herself with this new world. Today was the day they would be shifting to China.
"Do you want to say goodbye to your friends?" An Qinyan asked her daughter.
An Xiulan stared at her mother, not knowing what to say. They weren't her school friends and she didn't even know how to say goodbye to them.
Thus, in the end, she shook her head.
"Alright, "An Qinyan wrapped her arm around Xiulan's shoulders and entered the airport to board their flight.
…
After reaching City B in China, An Qinyan brought Xiulan to the Peach blossom villa. She had purchased this villa a month ago when she had asked her daughter about what kind of place she would like to live in. Xiulan's thinking was clear, she told her mother that she didn't want a big house where she would not be able to find her mother.
Back when she used to live in the Duke's huge estate, there were many courtyards yet she was locked in an old and isolated one. Now that she finally found a chance to have a house of her own, she didn't want it to be a very big one where she wouldn't see people. She craved to talk with people, most of all, she liked her mother to be present before her eyes.
The reason An Qinyan agreed to buy a small villa in the south of the city was to make her daughter as comfortable as possible in the new country. What she didn't know was that her daughter was more comfortable here with her own people. At least, people here look like her. Their eyes and hair were just like her.
An Xiulan who was never allowed to leave her courtyard in her previous life never knew that people could have so many colourful eyes and hair.
The villa's Butler was surnamed You and given name You. Yes, he was called You You. He was very excited to receive Miss An Qinyan in her new house in China. He was a trusted man who used to work under her and now was very happy being the butler of her house. When he saw An Qinyan entering the house with a young girl, he was stunned.
An Xiulan was a short girl with a delicate face, big black doe eyes and shoulder-length hair. If he didn't know better he would have thought that his boss was coming with a Barbie.
"Madam. Young Miss. Welcome home," Butler You said with tears in his eyes. He was so delighted to see his madam coming home after all these years. Life had been tough for An Qinyan from the beginning but she never gave up. Today, she built a billion-dollar empire with her hard work and intelligence.
"Mr You, thank you for your hard work all these years," An Qinyan said with a sincere smile. She turned to look at her daughter and added, "Lanlan, this is Uncle You. Greet him. He handles my work in China. Uncle You has been with me since the death of your grandfather. He had cared for me like a daughter."
An Xiulan looked at the kind old man and bowed in respect. She did a perfect bow as expected of a woman of ancient time, "Xiulan pays respect to Grandpa You. Please keep on taking care of mom and Xiulan promise to take care of Grandpa You."
Butler You laughed with tears rolling down his cheeks. It was all worth it. He rubbed Xiulan's head like a proud grandfather.
An Qinyan shook her head. Her daughter seemed to be watching too many historical dramas.
"Grandpa You will take care of both Madam and Young Miss, ''he announced, stroking his beard. Later, he gave them a tour of the entire house.
While Xiulan was getting acquainted with the staff of the new house, An Qinyan briefed Butler You on Xiulan's health.
"This poor child. Why must she suffer so much?" Butler You looked at the sky and said. He looked at the fragile-looking girl talking sweetly to the maids and felt bad for her.
As he was staring at the girl in an utter grievance, the so-called fragile girl ran at the lightning speed to the garden when she caught sight of an ivory coloured rabbit jumping in the garden.
She ran so fast and skillfully that the little rabbit was left speechless at her skill and speed.
Butler You laughed heartily as he glanced at the girl's clothes stained with mud and garden grass. "Does our Young Miss want to pet the rabbit?"
An Qinyan smiled behind them. If her daughter wanted this rabbit as her pet, she had no objections to this. It would be good if Xiulan agreed to keep a pet. At least, she would learn to take care of someone.
Xiulan looked at the old man with blank expressions. When she found that all of them were waiting for an answer, she shook her head and announced, "Xiulan caught the rabbit because she wanted to have it for dinner."
The girl baffled everyone with a bright smile.
The old man was unable to maintain his laugh, he looked at her in horror.
'Nevermind,' An Qinyan said in her heart when she heard her daughter's answer. She was still young.
That night, the dining table was filled with various dishes made from the rabbit meat An Xiulan had caught in the garden.
"Young Miss, you really don't regret not keeping that rabbit as your pet?" A maid asked Xiulan when she was warming the water for a bath.
Xiulan's slanted brows crinkled to form a crease on her peerless forehead. "My mom is working hard to raise me. We don't have enough money to feed an animal."
Also, animals were for eating not petting.
The maid was left gaping at the girl. Does she even know her mother was An Qinyan? The self made billionaire?
Of course, An Xiulan had no idea how much money her mother had. Even though she was living in the modern world for more than a month, she had no idea how to survive here.
Althea: A tale of Love and Vengeance is out! add to your library