"Mama, did you again do something?" The little girl asked, looking at her mother. She sounded like a little a.d.u.l.t mother who knew all well that her child was the naughtiest in the town and could never restrain herself from pulling naughty pranks around.
Li Xue raised her brows at her daughter and then sighed with some deliberation. "Yes, I think I did something bad, sweetie. Maybe you got your naughtiness instincts from me. Sigh, I might have upset your Daddy Angel very badly today."
She said and then her eyes went to look towards the window of the lighted study room. He did not say anything to her and had directly moved to his study room.
Little Li Wei too followed her mother's gaze and strained her head a little to lookup in the direction her mother was looking. Then shaking her head for something, she turned to give her attention to her mother.
Tugging lightly on her sleeves to get her attention too, she said in a solemn tone, "Mama, being naughty makes you look more cuter and adorable. I am so happy to get my naughty instincts from you. It made people around to love me more. So don't worry Daddy Angel will also love you more for your naughtiness. He had already said before that he cannot remain upset with us".
And with those words, Li Xue did not know what else she could say to her. Was her daughter explaining to her why being naughty was a good thing? Who gives her such good reasons to support her thoughts? And even her reasons seemed so right and tough to retaliate.
So devilish – cute, she was! Just like her daddy Angel! Her nous was so identical to Mr. Beelzebub that sometimes she feels like …
Without letting her mind wander more into impossible stuff, she simply shrugged her thoughts off and said, "Okay I got you, my princess. Now be quick to finish your food first. You have your school tomorrow so be early to bed, okay?"
The little girl looked at her mother and nodded with a smile.
***
Tucking her daughter to sleep, Li Xue again came out of the room. It was already late but she could see the lights of the far study room still on.
Pursing her lips to herself, she thought, 'Is he really upset with me? Even if he is then he should let me know verbally. Why is he giving me a silent treatment?'
Li Xue sighed knowing that it was her fault this time, not Mr Beelzebub. Not like he has ever been at fault, every time it has been her making the things complicated.
Right at this moment, a polite aged voice interrupted her thoughts from behind. "Madame, should I serve you dinner? It's already quite late and you still have not had anything for the night!"
"Ahh! Sister Margaret, you are still awake? I thought you have already gone back to your quarters", she said, turning around to find the old lady standing with full polite etiquette. Hands slightly cupped at the front while eyes slightly lowered in respect.
In her haste, Li Xue forgot to notice the way the old lady has addressed her. But it soon struck her when she saw her genteel posture and heard her words again.
"How can I, Madame? It's my duty to look after you. I cannot leave my work until I confirm all your necessities to be fulfilled. You still have not taken your dinner so it would have only been right for me to stay back and make sure that you had something for the night"
Though the old lady has always been courteous and polite to her from the very first day, still the way she was looking at her today was a lot different from the past days. Hearing her now makes her feel more like … like she was already a wife of Feng Shufen and the mistress of the household.
Getting all flushed at the thought itself, she coughed a little and said, "Sister Margaret, you don't have to be this mindful and polite with me. I am just not used to it. Please stay the way you have always been. Call me Li Xue same as you did before and also you don't have to stay back just to make me have dinner. You need to rest too and it's already very late".
The old lady did not pull her head up. She remained in the posture she was and added in a mild voice. With her tone, one can easily guess that she was happy and content about something inside.
"I appreciate your courtesy Madame, but this is the job for which we have been appointed. It would be out of our discipline if we did not follow this. Don't worry soon you will get used to all this".
Used to all this! Maybe, yes! She would get used to this one day but that day was still not that this near.
She wanted to say something more but when saw time and Sister Margaret, she went against the thoughts. "Okay! Did Shufen have his dinner?" She asked, her eyes again trailing to the closed glass windows from where frail lights were still coming out.
"No, Master has yet to have his dinner but earlier when I went to ask him he said that he would have it afterwards and I should go and make sure that you have your proper fill first!" Sister Margaret responded to her question.
She still remembers that it was the master who has included in his words to refer to the lady as 'Madame'. Though it was not an order from him, still it was nothing less either.
Li Xue let out another sigh of disp.l.e.a.s.u.r.e. 'Is the man now planning to ignore her? No! In no way, she was going to accept this. That will be the worst punishment she could ever ask for.
It was same as the predator has been asked to leave the prey, after tasting a part of its delicious flesh! Can a predator ever accept to do that? Then how can she?
In their scenario, Li Xue was the predator and the overwhelming beauty of Mr Beelzebub was her prey. In no way she was going to take the punishment of letting it slip off her grasp.
"It's okay, Sister Margaret! You don't have to listen to him" she said without taking a note of her words but when felt the confused gaze of the old lady she quickly explained, "I mean just help me prepare two plates. I will have my dinner with Shufen in his study! We can't let him work day and night without having food. That will affect his health".
She said and a smile made her lips curl up to form a beautiful curve. Sister Margaret too smiled at her and then nodding, went to fulfil the orders. But little did Li Xue realize that the thing she was denying moments before, her senses had already gotten used to it now.
With her words just now, she was not only looking like the little wife who was all concerned for her husband's health but was also living the dignity of the mistress of the very household by giving orders to the old lady.