The evening has come. Stores are closing, workers are going home, clubs and late night restaurants are opening. The last day of the weekdays is almost over.
Today, Bai Renxiang and her family were as usual gathered together in the dinning table ready to eat.
What is for dinner today?
Jiang Meilin made a simple dish. Spaghetti and meatballs, fried fish their all time dinner favourite and apple pie for dessert. Enough for everyone to have their fill. Digging in, they ate and groaned in pleasure of the taste as the juice if the meat assaulted their taste buds and the spaghetti is so soft to chew and the tomato sauce was delicious.
"Mama cooking is the best in the whole of City S," Bai Xiaojin praised his mother with his little thumb raised to compliment her.
Everyone burst out in laughter and also agreed to the little kiddo's comment. The food is indeed tasty.
"Not too much pepper another brownie points for her," Shin added. He was not a fan of pepper.
"I love love love love the fried fish. I have not tasted anything better," Shane followed.
"Hmm. I love everything here. But I am so attracted to that apple pie," Bai Renxiang pointed to the apple pie seated gloriously at the center of the dinning table.
"Everyone will get to eat the pie for dessert. I made enough because we will be playing or discussing till we are tired," Jiang Meilin said.
"Yay games. I want to play snakes and ladders. Can I play mummy?" Bai Xiaojin said with an exciting and expecting gaze fixed on his mother.
"Of you can play my love. I will be your partner as always," Bai Renxiang readily agreed.
After they all ate, they moved on to play the game. They played for about an hour and thirty. Bai Xiaojin was the first one to sleep off so they decided to call it a day and retire to their beds yo sleep while Shin and Shane went back to their apartment.
Bai Renxiang placed a call across her grandfather.
"Hello gramps," she said.
"Hello my dear. How are you all?" Old man Jiang asked.
"I am fine. I just wanted to let you know that I resigned from my job today."
"Hmm okay. That is very good. I will tell Charlie to send you some files to help you with the company. It is like a summary. The names of the members of the board of the company and other important details," he said.
"Okay thank you grandpa. That will help a whole lot. With it I will be able to familiarize myself with the company. That is really thoughtful of you grandpa. I really really appreciate it," she thanked him.
"There is no need for that. I do not want those scums to look down on my granddaughter, that's all," he said.
"I understand. Oh there is something I need your opinion on. I have thought about it and it will be helpful for Bai Xiaojin. I already told mum, I just wanted you to know." She said before he could hang up.
"What is it then? Let me hear it," he gave her the go ahead to tell him whatever is on her mind.
"The thing is about Bai Xiaojin. I want him to change school when the next term begins," she said.
"Okay. There is no problem with that then,. If you want I can tell Charlie to help you with that," He asked.
"Okay. But before Charlie does that, please tell him to contact me," she said.
"Hmm. If that is all then have a good night. Say hello tou your mum and my little champ, okay?" Old man Jiang said.
"Alright. Good night gramps."
Bai Renxiang climbed into her bed. She gazed lovingly at the sleeping Bai Xiaojin. She was careful not to wake him up as she caressed his hair and his soft cheek.
He is her precious gem. Her ray of hope and source of joy.
"I will not let you suffer and go through what you went through before. With this opportunity that your great-grandfather has given to me, I will make sure that you live happily and provide for you the best that there is," she spoke softly.
"Good night my love."
With her promises and determination set, she allowed herself to succumb to the sleep that has been lurking in her eyes.
****
"Hey bro."
"What's up Chen?" Yang Wenkai asked. Yang Chen decided to give his elder brother a call this night. It had been a while they talked since he arrived at City S.
"Everything is good over here. How is mum?"
"She is fine. She just went to bed it quiet long ago."
"What? By this time she is supposed to be dreaming," Yang Chen frowned as he checked the time on his phone's screen only to see thirty minutes past eleven.
"She could not sleep. At I thought that she would be tired from the outing with her friends but it was the opposite. She was list in her thoughts during dinner," Yang Wenkai informed him.
"Do you know the reason? Did something happen at the outing? Did she visit dad and sister Wenna at the cemetery?" Yang Chen asked.
"Yeah. We went to the cemetery before heading for the golf course to meet up with our uncles and their wives."
"Oh," was all Yang Chen could say.
"But she was happy and chirpy at the cemetery."
"I think the vacuum in her heart left by dad and sister Wenna is taking so much time to heal than I thought."
"Yeah. I... guess."
"You know, when you left, mum was totally broken. She would cry and blame here for not being able to care for you and that was why you left. She even stopped going out with the others.. It was not untill you made the first call after two years that her mood was uplifted a little."