It was already late spring. Sun rose earlier than usual. Maids were cleaning up the house in the forest when Feng Yi Lan came in. Seeing the servants diligently working, she didn't disturb them. Instead, passing on the smile to everyone, she simply walked up to Sister Margaret and greeted her to ask.
"Good morning, Sister Margaret. Where is my little chipmunk? Has she gotten up?"
The old lady turned and shook her head. Then curling her lips, she said, "Young little miss is still sleeping soundly in her room. We went to wake her up but seeing her sleeping so peacefully, we couldn't bring ourselves to disturb her."
She said and Yi Lan frowned. "Sister Margaret, that shouldn't be the way things should have worked. If you go on like this you would spoil her. Do you think if Li Xue had been here, she would have allowed her daughter to sleep and ruin her good habit of waking early?"
She said, and at the mention of Li Xue, the air suddenly changed. The servants paused in their movements while Sister Margaret also downed her head to hide her sorrow.
"Aiyah! It's already been a month and you guys are still making it look like it happened a few days back. We have to move on so don't let yourself and your heart linger in the past, okay?" Feng Yi Lan suddenly said, cheering everyone up and slowly seeing everyone nod.
Seeing them get back to work once again, she was satisfied. Then scanning to look around the house, she asked. "By the way, Sister Margaret, where is Brother? Is he not at home?"
Sister Margaret once again shook her head, "Young Master has returned home late at night and has left early in the morning. He rarely stays at home these days."
"What the heck? Has he become crazy? What is he even planning to do now? Working like a psycho. Does he think that committing himself to work will make him forget Li Xue all easily? How childish! Does he not care that he has a daughter back at home whom he needs to accompany and spend time with?" Feng Yi Lan was truly enraged at her brother's attitude but more than enraged she was disappointed in her heart. Her brother was capable of so much, yet he was forcing his life to an extent of destruction from where he could no longer return.
"Young Master returns home on time and sits beside young little miss all night to read her the story. But the moment young little miss sleeps, he goes back to the study room to work. The lights remained on until it was dawn. And when it finally gets switched off, one of the maids saw him heading out of the house." Sister Margaret said and Feng Yi Lan couldn't help but massage the space between her brows.
"I can't speak to him more. Every time I go to advise him, he shuts me out as if I am some virus that would infect him. I can't go and beg him every time. So, let's not bother about him. He will get back once he understands that what he is doing is nothing good but wrong. And at that time only regret would serve him right." She huffed and the old lady could also just heave a sigh of disappointment.
After all, none had the guts to speak to Feng Shufen in the end. If before he was cold and aloof, now he had become more unfathomable. Except for Li Wei, none held the courage to even approach him.
After having a small talk, Feng Yi Lan was ready to climb up the stairs to get to Li Wei's room when suddenly, Sister Margaret rushed forward in a hurry. Sensing her desperation, Feng Yi Lan paused in her steps and turned to look at her to ask, "Is there something else, Sister Margaret?"
The old woman hesitated at first but then mustering up her courage, she asked, "Young Miss, is there no way now?" Her voice held a concern that Feng Yi Lan understood very well.
But there was nothing she could say or do. So, disappointedly, shaking her head, she rejected. "I don't find any, Sister Margaret. With my brother's overly stubborn personality, nothing would change until he wants it to change." She said and then walked away.
Behind. Sister Margaret could only sigh in her heart.
Sometimes one person becomes all enough to beautify and also destroy. Li Xue was also one of that kind. When she appeared in Feng Shufen's life, she made it as beautiful as anyone could think of. But now that she was gone, her absence has destroyed it all to an extent where no one could hope of it getting back to the state where it was before.
Upstairs, at the same time when Feng Yi Lan pushed the door open of Li Wei's room, she was surprised. She was expecting WeiWei to be sleeping comfortably on the bed, but there she was sitting after getting all ready to begin the day.
Looking at the little one tying the shoelace on her own, she sighed and strutted in to get on her knees to help her out. "Aye, our chipmunk is so sensible. Here I was thinking that I would have to come to wake you up but here you are already sitting all ready for the day."
The little girl blinked her eyes at her aunt and smiled. "Mama has taught Weiwei to be an early riser and WeiWei has always been obedient to her Mama. How can WeiWei not follow her teachings? So, when the sun came to wake me early, I got up and went to get ready for the day." She said as she saw her shoelaces getting tied up.
Feng Yi Lan pouted her lips out before reaching up to brush the little one's nose. "You are now even trying to fool your teammate., Do you think that I don't know what you have got in your head while getting up for today?"
Li Wei gave a small smile before shaking her head, "But Aunt Yi Lan, why would WeiWei fool you. Since we are a team, I am just hiding it to not expose ourselves. Otherwise, wouldn't our plan fail?"
Feng Yi Lan laughed but nodded, "You are doing it right, dear. But didn't we agree that we would not go out until we are done with all our work here?" She said as her eyes darted to look at the books kept at the study desk.
WeiWei followed her gaze as well but then chiming, she said, "But Aunt Yi Lan, WeiWei has completed all her weekend homework. There is nothing left for me to do."
Feng Yi Lan's eyes widened. As she turned to stare at her books she asked, "You completed it all? But I saw it just yesterday evening. There was a lot to do. It must have taken a while for you to complete."
Little WeiWei nodded, "Yes, there was a lot of homework, but yesterday waiting for Daddy Angel at night, I completed half of it and for the rest, I completed it today in the morning. So, it was all done."
Feng Yi Lan was impressed. But then only if every child had been this efficient in their work, would the parents never have whined about them. But they always state how troublesome it was to raise the kids. But then seeing WeiWei, it seemed so simple. No doubt she never heard Li Xue ever complaining about her. The little one was already responsible to take care of her own work
In the future, she would make sure to bring up her children the same as Li Xue has brought WeiWei. That way, raising the kid would never become troublesome.
When after a while Li Wei didn't hear her speaking, she slowly nudged to ask, "Aunt Yi Lan, now that I have completed my work, should we not go?"
Feng Yi Lan gave a sheepish smile and nodded. "We would go, dear. But it's still too early. Earlier when I made the plan, I thought that you would need time to complete your schoolwork. I never knew that you would complete it so soon. But now that you have done it so early, we have to make adjustments to our plan. Are you ready?"
WeiWei pondered for a moment, but then nodding, she agreed. Feng Yi Lan smiled and then brushing away her hair from her eyes, she said, "Great. Then we will discuss the rest of the plans while having breakfast. Let's go." Then tugging her along, they soon got to the dining hall.
When saw the little girl appear, Sister Margaret was quick to serve breakfast. Since the little girl was living alone with them, the maids and chefs were catering to her every like and dislike. But the little girl never seemed to put any interest in it as she used to give earlier.
Once the breakfast was complete, keeping down her cutlery Weiwei turned to look at Feng Yi Lan. and sensing her eager gaze, Feng Yi Lan also followed the suit and nodded. "Fine then. Since we have done our breakfast and are ready for it. Let me make a call."
She said as she pulled out her phone to dial a number. Soon the rings went through and not just after it the call was answered.
"Hello, Yi Lan!"
"Hey, Li Xue! Where are you, girl? Do you even know how badly I need your help now?"
***
[NOT RELATED TO THE CHAPTER: Although it is a bit long, please read it full.]
P.S: Dear reader,
Thank you for always been patient and understanding towards me. As I have also said before, your love and support has been all that has kept me going these two years. Yeah, you read it right, it's been two years. I know I have not given many mass releases to impress you guys in this journey but believe me, I was simply incapable of that, I guess. I even made you wait for the chapters many times. But I am grateful that you all have been still been along with me all this while.
The book is about to end now. I thought to end it this month. But then as you all know; I have to shift to a different city for my studies which I have done last week and that's why the updates stopped for a meanwhile. Shifting to the new city took a toll on me. I fell ill terribly, and the updates were further delayed. All of this was not my intention but it happened.
I have still not fully recovered but I am better now and will start updating from today on. So welcome back. The story could end anytime soon, so don't stop supporting it in its ending days.
Before last month, my CE informed me that the book could get the highest ending event that would include exclusive badge, frames and other benefits for readers. And I was so excited for it thinking that my hard work of the two years would be well paid off. But recently that I have not released a few days, she informed me that the stats of the book dropped and not it's not enough to get the big event. I really wanted the book to get one and there is still some hope. But for that I would need all of your help. In return, I will try to release more chaps.
So, please if you think that I and the book deserve this, please help me support it with votes and gifts. Your every vote and gift will make a change, so vote and gift it. The book has never received any big gift, if anyone of you think that it has deserved one then please gift one. Sorry for the shamelessness, this is the first time I am asking it.