....
An Qi Yan sat at the couch quietly while her son sat on the floor with his back leaning against the couch. Since they knew that most channels would be talking about the incident yesterday, they decided to watch the Food Network instead.
Every now and then, she would glance at the clock and sigh softly as if there was something heavy in her mind.
"What's wrong with you?" asked Kai An before he placed a chip in his mouth. He was holding a huge can of Pringles in his other hand which his mum handed to him when he asked for a desert.
"Nothing..." answered An Qi Yan listlessly before she lied down on the couch.
"If it's nothing, then why are you acting like a forlorn teenager..." murmured Kai An while he gave his mother a quick glance.
His mother had been sighing constantly ever since she got home from her date with Sima Erden. When he made the connection, he gasped loudly in an exaggerated manner before turning to his mother.
With his eyes narrowed at her, he asked, "Wait...Are you dumped by Sima Erden? Tell me, mother! I will skin him alive!"
An Qi Yan sighed as she gave her son a wry look, "My dear firstborn...My only son...Please fix your brain...Is it even possible for the women of this household to get dumped?"
"Then why are you acting that way?" asked Kai An before eating another piece of chip.
Ignoring his question, An Qi Yan turned around to face the couch before sighing loudly. When they heard the doorbell, An Qi Yan sat up immediately. She wanted to rush to the door but instead, she ordered Kai An to do it.
"Are you on your period or something..." murmured Kai An as he walked towards the door. Along the way, he placed the can of Pringles on top of a shelf.
His mother's odd behavior made him felt as if he was dealing with a living time bomb. Living with two headstrong women, he did not feel the need to hurry up and get a new girlfriend. Two was enough to get on his nerves. When he imagined living with three of them, his body shivered involuntarily.
The moment he opened the door, he was surprised to see Old Madam Du and Old Mo at the door.
Ever since he found out that his sister was dating Du XiAn, he had been doing a little digging. Thus, when he saw her, he was able to recognize her immediately. However, he did not know who the man was.
"Erm, Old Madam Du?" asked Kai An as he scratched the back of his head. He was curious as to the reason why she was here.
"Is this how your mother raised you kids? No wonder your sister acts like a hooligan..."
Uncomfortable with her words, Kai An was about to retaliate when he heard his mother said, "Invite her in, Kai An. I'm sure Old Madam Du knows better than to pick a fight with a junior."
When she peeked from the living room, she was hoping that it was Sima Erden. So when she saw that the guest was Old Madam Du, she felt disappointed. However, she quickly rebounded as she knew that the latter probably came with a score to settle.
With Kai Xin dating one of the richest men in the country, she had expected it to happen sooner or later. She had intended to be cordial at first. However, when she heard Old Madam Du's snide comments on the way she raised her kids, she got annoyed.
"If it's a fight she wants, then I won't back down..." thought An Qi Yan as she stood up to greet her. When she offered her hand, Old Madam Du snubbed her. Instead, it was Old Mo who shook it as he introduced himself to her.
Old Madam Du looked at the house in contempt and pretended to dust off the couch with a handkerchief before she sat on it.
Even though it bothered Kai An slightly, An Qi Yan was unperturbed by it. She knew that getting angry or upset would cloud her judgment and it would not help in this situation.
Kai An and An Qi Yan leaned against one of the walls. Both of them had their arms folded and their legs crossed as they waited for Old Madam Du to settle down.
"Don't you know how to offer a drink?" asked Old Madam Du before she shook her head disappointingly.
"What for? I'm sure Old Madam Du did not come here uninvited just for a cup of tea..." replied An Qi Yan with a polite smile.
When he heard her reply, Kai An felt so proud of his brave mother. If one did not know her personally, they would never have expected her to be a single mother with two children.
She was humble but she would never allow anyone to step on her. She definitely would not allow anyone to talk badly about her children.
Old Madam Du glared at the woman who had her hair tied up in a loose bun. She had not expected such strong resistance from a single mother who was a mere manager in a small company.
Hence, she decided to cut the trip short and go straight to the main point. With her back straight, she said, "You look like a smart woman so I won't be playing games with you. Please tell your daughter to leave my son alone. She does not belong in his world..."
"Maybe you should tell your son to leave my daughter alone...He is the one who keeps hassling her," replied An Qi Yan with a kind smile.
She was not about to take any abuse from anyone about her beloved daughter. Even if she was rich, Old Madam Du had no right to talk to her like that.
Annoyed at the way An Qi Yan spoke to her, Old Madam Du stood up as she snapped, "Don't waste my time. Tell me how much money you want..."
As she watched Old Madam Du took out her cheque book, An Qi Yan laughed, "Old Madam Du...Is money the only thing in your poor world? For someone as highly educated as you, there's definitely something lacking in your personal development."
While the old woman was reeling from the insult, An Qi Yan turned to her son and said, "Kai An, please send Old Madam Du and this sir out of our house. I'm tired and I want to rest."
Kai An nodded and said, "Old Madam Du, this way please..."
Not used to being treated so indifferently, Old Madam Du scoffed as she walked towards the door, "Like mother, like daughter! You will regret this soon enough!"
Before they left, An Qi Yan pointed out, "My daughter and your son are in love. I've seen the way those two look at each other and there is nothing you can do that would separate them. If you continue to be blind and stubborn about it, the only one you would be hurting is yourself..."
Old Madam Du did not retaliate. Instead, she turned and left immediately.
After closing the door, Kai An asked, "Aren't you afraid of her?"
"What's there to be afraid of?" asked An Qi Yan as she went to the fridge to get a drink. After she popped the tab off, she asked, "Who do you think holds the power in the Du Family? Her or her son?"
"Ah..." said Kai An when he realized what his mother was saying.
If DX really loved Kai Xin, he would do everything he could to protect her. If he did not, then it means that he was not the one for her. At that time, the one who would break them apart would not be Old Madam Du.
Just as they were about to go back to the living room, they heard the bell rung again.
"Is it her again?" sighed Kai An as he dragged himself to the door. He was about to say something when he saw Sima Erden at the door. As usual, he was wearing his sunglasses and in his hand, he had a white cane. The only difference was the fact that he came with a big luggage bag this time as if he was about to go somewhere.
With a smile, Sima Erden said, "Tell your mother that I'm ready to take the risk."