Chapter 403 - Influence

"I didn't introduce Fai to dad," Zhai Yanjun knocked on his head as he recalled that. 

"You don't have to," said Hyson. "We already met."

"Huh? When?" questioned Zhai Yanjun.

"When I went over to see Lieutenant, he was there," answered Hyson honestly. It was not like it was a secret or something. 

"Ohh..." Zhai Yanjun stared at Hyson's face for a moment longer before looking towards his own father for a moment. He was trying to see if his dad caught on to something after seeing Hyson but then he realized that Hyson didn't even look like his Aunt Yue. And neither his personality matched with her. For people who didn't know that they were mother and son, it'd be hard to make a connection between them.

"By the way, why do you keep calling Weimin Ge, Lieutenant?" questioned Zhai Yanjun in dissatisfaction. "You even call Xian Ge but you don't give me that respect. And we are the same age! Weimin Ge is even older than us, can't you just call him Ge?"

"That's absolutely up to me," was Hyson's response. "I call Xian Ge as my Ge because I want to do so. I don't call you one, because I don't want to do so."

"How can you be so willful about this?"

"I can be as willful as I want," retorted Hyson. "Right, Ellie?"

"Absolutely," was Raelle's response as if she would say anything to refute his words.

"Saozi, do you ever say no to him?" asked Zhai Yanjun in pure curiosity.

"I do," replied Raelle.

"But I can turn that no into a yes before she even realizes it," Hyson told him proudly as if it was his biggest achievement in life.

"Feeling proud?" 

Hyson nodded his head, "It's something to be proud of. How many people in the world do you think there are in this world who can go against Raelle Xiang? Let me tell you, there is only one! ME!"

Zhai Yanjun looked at Shui Xian, "Don't you have anything to say about this?"

"He is telling the truth," said Shui Xian. "I don't think I can say anything about this. Especially since it's between best friends. I or any other person in the world can't come between them."

"Xian Ge is keen," commented Hyson. "That's why I like him so much."

"Are you indirectly saying you don't like me?" asked Zhai Yanjun.

"You currently have nothing that could make me like you," said Hyson.

"Ouch! That's hurtful!"

"That is also one of my talents." Hyson gave him a sickly sweet smile as he added, "I learned it from the best of the best."

Zhai Kuijun was baffled to see this side of his son for the first time. He had never seen him bickering with anyone so stubbornly in his entire lifetime. This came as a shock to him and for a moment, he didn't know what to say or think. But one thing was for certain, it made him interested in knowing about Hyson. 

"So, Xian, how is your dad?" asked Zhai Kuijun as he turned his attention to Shui Xian. "And what is he doing these days? I feel like he disappeared since the time he chose to retire early."

"Bà is just at home enjoying his secluded and private space," answered Shui Xian. 

"Doesn't he get tired of staying at home though?" questioned Zhai Kuijun. "He had never liked doing nothing at all. He always said he felt like he was losing time by doing nothing. In fact, he doesn't even come out to meet friends or attend any banquets at all."

"As I said, Bà is really enjoying himself," said Shui Xian. "Especially since I got married."

"Huh?" Zhai Kuijun was surprised by that statement.

"Why wouldn't he be happy now? He can spend hours discussing books with my wife. He can drag her to play video games with him. He also goes over to play chess with Grandfather Xiang." Shui Xian shook his head in amusement. He believed his father was really having way too much fun these days. He looked more energetic and relaxed as well.

"He really seems to be having fun," stated Zhai Kuijun. "But I did not expect that President Raelle would have played video games in her free time."

"You can just call me by my name," said Raelle to him. "And I don't really play video games in my free time."

"No, she only plays when Fai drags her to do so and now Bà also joins their team," added Shui Xian for her. "In the end, it's still as Fai earlier said, she'd do things that she doesn't even like if he tells her to do so."

"Wow! I never knew someone could have such an influence on you," said Zhai Kuijun to Raelle. 

"He is my best friend," was Raelle's only answer to that. She didn't feel like there was a need to do so. In her opinion, that sentence alone was the biggest and comprehensive explanation she could offer people.

Hyson smiled knowingly when he heard those familiar words from her all over again. It never got old actually. These words always managed to bring a smile to his face whenever or wherever he heard it. Even he didn't know why these words had such an effect on him but they did. Those words coming from her were like a promise to him that she was always there for him.

On the other hand, Xiang Weimin who sat there silently was going through some intense emotions even he couldn't understand at all. He already felt weird when Zhai Yanjun introduced him to Raelle. He found it quite ironic how he was meeting his sister for the first time at someone else's house and that too as a stranger. That made his heart feel unsettled. 

It felt like they had nothing to do with each other. Even though they didn't grow up together, the fact that they were siblings couldn't be changed.. But perhaps, the fact that he couldn't just barge into her life couldn't be changed as well.