Chapter 22 - Legendary Phoenix

'Cousin? finally she knows how to talk to her elders.' Mandy thought.

Satisfied with the way that Lina called her, she forgot about Wade's anger and went back to the bag in her hand.

"Aunt, does your daughter have a problem with understanding our language? I heard that you guys stayed abroad for many years." He asked with concern.

"No, dear. Why do you ask?" Lucille answered him like the proper and elegant woman that she was.

"Then how come she's still opening my bags? When I thought I made it clear before, didn't I?" He innocently asked.

Mandy who had thought that her father had ordered these for her, froze at what he said.

"What are you trying to say?" She asked with a bewildered expression.

He looked at her like she was a three year old and repeated his words.

"That bag" He pointed at the one in her hands.

"Is mine!" He pointed to himself.

"So please put it down." He pointed at the couch from where she had picked it up.

Feeling humiliated at being treated like a kid, she put that bag down and reached for the one next to it.

"This one isn't yours right?" She looked at Wade, mocking him for being stingy.

He just nodded his head and sat down beside Lina.

Just as she was about to open the bag from NEO, he spoke again.

"But you can't open that one as well." He said with a lazy tone.

Not wanting to argue with this new cousin of hers, she put it down and picked the next one.

"Nuh-uh." Was all he said and she moved to the next.

This continued a couple more times and then Mandy's limited patience ran out.

"So why don't you tell me which one is mine?" She practically yelled at him.

"Big brother?" She continued and forced a smile, when she saw her mother glaring at her.

He scanned the bags, like he was trying to find the bag meant for Mandy. Then he looked back at her.

"None." Was the answer Mandy got after the suspense.

The smile on her face fell while Lucille also tried to control her face from changing.

"I think I heard you wrong, brother Wade." She asked him to repeat himself.

"None of them are for you, Mandy. These are Lina's." He diverted the attention back to Lina who had now moved onto munching cucumber slices sprinkled with salt and chilli powder.

Feeling eyes on her, she lifted her head and found everyone staring at her.

She swallowed and waved at them.

Seeing the cute look that she gave them, Wade smiled.

"She just spent the last five hours dragging me around Phoenix Mall."

He ignored Mandy's shocked look and turned to the butler.

"Butler Ping, can I also get some snacks or is that only for her?" He pointed at Lina who shielded the plate in her hand when he tried to reach out and pick a slice of cucumber.

"All these are Lina's?" Asked Lucille.

She knew that Phoenix mall was very expensive and exclusive because Mandy had raved about the place and wanted a membership card to show off to all her friends who had their own cards.

'How did Lina even get in? She just returned to the country and there is no way that she could get the card by cutting in the long waiting list.' Lucille wondered as even she and Mandy were put on the waiting list.

"I thought of taking her out for some 'welcome back' shopping. Did I do something wrong?" He asked Lucille innocently, like asking an elder's opinion.

'Wade surely can work in movies! Look at that face!' Lina praised his acting skills and took notes that she could use later.

"You have a Phoenix card?" Mandy asked with sparkling eyes.

Lina took the black card from her pocket and waved it to show Mandy the card, who rushed up and snatched the card from her.

The card was black with Wade's name etched in gold at the front and had a silver shiny phoenix bird soaring at the back.

"A black card? Wow!!" She exclaimed.

The membership cards to Phoenix mall were called Phoenix cards. They were divided into four colors. Every card could gain you entry into the mall but different cards got you into different stores inside the mall.

The Silver Phoenix card could get them the most basic amenities of the mall. They could enter the stores and make normal purchases.

The Golden Phoenix card could do whatever the Silver did and also gave you entry to a few secret cafes and stores in the mall.

The Platinum Phoenix card included the features of Gold and also gave entry to the seven starred restaurant on the rooftop which others couldn't even set foot in.

The Black card had all the above features and the card holder gets preferential treatment above others. They could be the first in receiving the latest products without ever being on the waiting list.

These black cards were not for sale and were only for investors' friends and family.

All four cards had the card holder's name etched into it and had a silver Phoenix on the back.

There was also the Legendary Black card with a golden Phoenix on it's back, that was only provided to the owner's family.

"Mandy, mind your manners! " Admonished Lucille when she saw her daughter acting like a hooligan.

"Sorry." Mandy then handed over the card to Lucille who had stretched her hand out.

Lucille took the card in her hands and after examining it, she passed it to Wade.

"Wade? That's a black card. How did you get one?" She asked, trying to get some information from him.

"The owner is a friend of mine. He gave it to me but I rarely ever use it." He nonchalantly uttered.

"Then can I have it?" Blurted Mandy, as she got up to take it back.

"No can do, sister." He shook his head.

"It's Lina's now." He said and then passed the card to Lina.

Mandy was once again angered. "Why does she get to have it?"

"Because she asked first." Wade gave a simple answer.

'But I wouldn't give it to you even if you asked first!' He said in his mind.

Mandy would never bow to Lina and therefore just thought of forgetting about the card for now.

'I'll ask him after a few days. Maybe he'll take it from this Lina and give it to me.' She decided.

"Brother Wade, would you like to drink some tea?" She asked with a sweet voice.

"No thanks. I'm dying to eat Mrs. Ping's food after so many days, so I'll save up my appetite for dinner. " He smiled at her.

Lina got bored of them playing nice and asked Butler Ping to move all her bags to her room.

She then looked at Wade and said.

"Wade, wanna rest for awhile before uncle comes back for dinner?" Lina said as she knew that he had something to discuss with Patrick.

'Hopefully it's that apology that was long overdue.' She thought.

"Yes, I think I will." He agreed.

They both got up and walked to the stairs.

Lina was expecting a repeat of what had happened to her when she first tried to walk up the stairs, but too bad, Mandy behaved herself this time.

Before he got on the stairs, Wade turned back.

"Aunt, sister, I'll be seeing you again at dinner. Don't be late!" Then turning again, he walked up the stairs.

'Did he just treat us as guests?' Lucille thought.

She looked at the servants who were picking up the bags and asked the young servant.

"Why did he go upstairs? Is he even allowed to?" Then she waited for an answer which she did not receive.

The young servant did not know who the man was, while the older ones refused to answer her.

Gnashing her teeth, she looked at Butler Ping.

"Young master Wade and his brother were brought to the Yang Manor by Madam Yang after their parents died in a plane crash."

The Madam Yang that he was talking about was Lina's mom, Diane Luo.

Lucille had run away after getting pregnant so she did not know what had happened in Yang Manor after her escape.

"They have been staying here since they were teenagers and only moved out after news about Ms Mandy came out." He answered truthfully.

"So where are they staying now?" Lucille asked, trying to probe for more information.

"That I can not answer. You could ask the Young Master about it at dinner." Then not waiting anymore, he just walked away.

'Even the damn servant's head is in the clouds here!' She got up and walked to the exterior block.

Mandy, who was in a daze with all that had happened, quickly followed after her mother.

Only the sounds of heels clacking on the floor was heard until it disappeared.