Chapter 21 - Classmates

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As the uncle and niece almost finished with their lunch, a notification tone chimed from her phone. Edith sent an apologetic smile to the man in front of her before she looked at the message.

Seeing that it was a text from her friend, Lily Zhao, Edith quickly replied to her text and placed her phone back on the table.

Neil Mo has been observing the girl for a while. Noticing the slight frown on her face, Neil lowered the cutlery in his hands as a thought crossed his mind. "Are you in a hurry?"

Edith looked up in surprise. "Huh?" Her gaze met with President Mo's sharp gaze and she was startled for a while. It took her a few seconds to register his question in her mind and answered, "No. I'm not."

The thought that he had perhaps disturbed her on a date suddenly made him uneasy.

Sensing his uneasiness, Edith then explained. "It's alright. I was the one who invited you to sit here. It's fine. You don't have to worry, President Mo. I only hang out here to kill some times before my next appointment."

Hearing her words, Neil Mo pursed his lips and did not say anything.

Once he had finished his lunch, Neil Mo paid for everything on their bills and the three of them left the cafe together.

Earlier Edith had received another message from her friend and she was planning to wait for her friend outside the cafe. There were still people who wanted to go in and dine. As both Neil and Hazel had finished eating, Edith did not feel right to hang around the cafe for too long.

Neil turned around as they exited the cafe. "Thank you."

"President Mo, you have said these words to me a few times. If you keep thanking me, I would be embarrassed," Edith said and smiled. "I did not do anything much but accompany Hazel. You don't have to be too polite about it."

Neil stared at her with a hint of surprise. Then his lips tilted into a small smile. "I understand."

The smile, although it was quickly disappeared managed to stun Edith for a few seconds. She had heard about Neil Mo's unsmiling personality from everyone around her that it was surprising this rare sight. For a second, Edith was wondering that perhaps she was imagining things.

"Edith!"

Suddenly, Edith heard someone called out her name. She turned around and saw that her friend, Lily was walking over to her with her son, Alex He beside him.

Lily's face changed the moment she saw Neil Mo and Hazel beside her friend. Her steps halted, but she quickly regained her composure when her son pulled her forward.

"Yi? Hazel!" Alex He exclaimed when he saw his friend. He looked at Hazel and their teacher back and forth. "What are you doing here with Auntie Edith?"

"Alex! Why are you here as well?" Hazel stared at Alex with her eyes wide. Then, she sifted her gaze to her teacher and frowned at the boy. "Auntie Edith? Why are you calling Teacher Qian as Auntie Edith?"

Alex touched his nose as he thought for an answer. "We're not at school. So, I'm allowed to call Teacher Qian as Auntie Edith. Mummy said so."

Lily Zhao approached with a smile on her face. She poked at her friend's waist and raised a brow as if asking for an explanation. However, Edith only blinked her eyes as if to tell that she will explain everything later.

Bending slightly, Lily waved at Hazel. "Hello, Hazel."

The little girl stand up straight and greeted, "Hello Mrs. He."

"Teacher Qian and I are friends. That's why Alex is allowed to call Teacher Qian as Auntie whenever we are not in school," Lily explained.

"Oh! So that is why." Hazel looked at her teacher and her friends back and forth before she finally stopped at Alex. Her wide eyes showed that she was shocked at this new information.

For a second, Hazel was jealous that Alex was closer to their teacher. Back at the kindergarten, although Alex had never fight to catch their teacher's attention, Hazel could still tell that the two were close. After all, Teacher Qian would always ask Alex to help her with anything.

Seeing the man beside them stood straight watching their exchange, Edith took the initiative to introduce him. "President Mo, this is Lily Zhao, Alex He's mother." She patted at Alex's shoulder and continued. "Alex and Hazel go to the same kindergarten and they are classmates."

Neil's expression changed upon hearing Edith's introduction. At the thought that he will have another interaction with Lily at the kindergarten, Neil decided to greet her politely. "Hello."

"Hello, President Mo," Lily replied, looking flustered. She had come to shop around with her friend and did not expect that she will run into Neil Mo.

"Hazel and I better move," Neil Mo said. He then turned to his niece. "Hazel, say goodbye to your teacher and friends."

"En." Hazel nodded before she turned to the others and waved her hand. "Teacher Qian, bye-bye. Alex, bye-bye. Auntie He, bye-bye."

Edith smiled. "Hazel, bye-bye. I will see you at school tomorrow, alright?" She watched as the niece and uncle disappeared from their sight and was surprised when she turned to her friend.

Lily's eyes glittered with excitement. She shook at Edith's hands and spoke, "Talk. Now. Why are you with President Mo?"

Edith Qian rolled her eyes at her friend's enthusiasm. She then raised both hands in defeat before explaining her encounter with the uncle and niece. Of course, she did not mention anything about sharing a table with both President Mo and Hazel or else, her friend would start bombarding her with more questions. Edith was not that crazy to dug her own grave.

When she was done, Edith found that Lily's interest in the encounter has faded when Lily found nothing worth gossiping about. Lily glanced towards the direction where the two had gone and sighed. "Looking at them, it looks like President Mo has been treating Hazel well."

Edith Qian nodded absentmindedly. "He does."

"I wonder why people would say that he's an emotionless robot? He doesn't look like one." Lily said. "He looks like the type of person who would only treat those around him warmly and ignored those who unrelated to him."

"You can tell after one meeting with President Mo?"

Lily gave her a sideways glance. "I can tell by the way he treats his niece. Didn't you see it earlier? He was so gentle with Hazel."

"Are we still going to shop after this?" Edith asked, trying to change the conversation.

"Why? Do you have any other plan?"

"I'm asking casually." Edith shrugged.

"Then, let's go.." Lily then dragged her friend to shop around.

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