38 The First Dinner

November 8, 20XX (Thursday)

On the Road, Sheng Garden Restaurant, and Zhao Manor

Mother Zhao motioned for Mei Li to seat at the front as she hurriedly sat at the back. Yang hid his smirk by turning his head to the opposite side, acting as if he was adjusting his rear view mirror.

Mei Li knew she was tag teamed by the mother and son but because she was hitching a ride, she did not comment on it and merely obeyed. She owed them a lot too.

In the tarmac, the staff that had been employed by the young CEO had their jaws dropped into the ground with speechlessness as they watch their employer drive off. Were they hallucinating or was their boss acting like a teenager with his first crush?

After minutes of silence, Yang asked while taking a peek at his mother on the rearview mirror and then glancing at the woman beside him, "So Dinner?"

"Isn't this on the way to the manor already?" Mei Li averted her eyes, peering over the moving background of Beijing's streets to her left.

"Not really," Yang drawled the two words, somewhat expectant to her replies.

Horrified, she shouted a "No!"

"No to dinner?" He insisted. Yang could see his mother smirking at him. Why can't she help him a little bit?

Mei Li crossed her arms in front of her with a humped of disapproval, "No to everything! Take me to the manor or I'm going out of the car."

Suddenly the car stopped and a tall building came into view. Mei Li eyes immediately zoomed into Grandfather Zhao's restaurant located on the second floor. She glared at the CEO with annoyance.

"Look at this coincidence, we're at a wonderful Chinese restaurant…"

Mei Li's hand twitch as her need to strangle this man became imminent.

]It was then that Mother Zhao burst out laughing at the back seat. Her son was more shameless than his father could ever hope to be. This, she approved, was for her future grandchild; children if possible.

Going along with her son's wishes, Mother Zhao quickly got off with a large grin that mirrored her son's as she called Mei Li who was crossing her arms with the largest pout on her lips.

Yang grin widens when Mei Li sighed and followed after Mother Zhao despite her complaints. He quickly got off his Roll Royce, locked it, and then followed after the two women with large strides.

When it was time to order, Yang could only touch his nose with helplessness as his mother soloed the menu, then ordered food for the three of them and Mei Li had only quipped that he was given only water and no other juice or alcohol. He chuckled at the painter's childish revenge; as if he was scared of water.

Yang ignored the approving nod and thumbs up Mother Zhao gave Mei Li. This time it was him being tag teamed. His mother had no loyalty at all.

In fact, Mother Zhao had unwavering loyalty but not to them but to her future grandchild. To the mind of Mother Zhao, her future grandchild was more important than their comfort.

The three people on the private room ate slowly and the only chatter that could be heard was Mother Zhao's and Mei Li's chat because Yang could not relate with their topic which was about art. Yang was disheartened as he ate only the food he liked and never touched the rest of the vegetable like a child.

Suddenly, he was served with a dish that included carrots and cabbages.

"Eat it," Mei Li softly muttered to him.

He dutifully ate it in silence seeing as the arm serving him had pointed at the vegetables. Again, he ignored the approving nod and thumb up his mother gave the painter.

Yang interrupted Mei Li and his Mother's conversation when he noticed that they were nearly done eating their food, "Mom, when will the painting you bought to be delivered here?"

Yang twitched when Mei Li's hand touched his leg and pinched it without mercy. He tried not to let the pain show in his face but it had hurt! Damn this woman! If she wasn't attractive, he would have already returned the pain ten folds! If she wasn't interesting and beautiful, he would have already planned for her demise... but she was attractive, interesting too, and very beautiful. Damn, the injustice of life; to make him like a woman who was as strong in character as his mother!

"The painting will be sent next month after the exhibition is done! I'm so excited about it! I've already planned to put it on the hallway near your room." Mother Zhao excitedly bounced in her chair like a kid given a lollipop.

"Can I have it? I need something to display in my office..." Yang droned out as if he was talking about the weather.

His Mother scoffed at him in displeasure and said a firm, "No. You can't."

Yang shook his head and said in jest, "I'll just ask Miss M to paint me another one then."

Mei Li's hand pinched his leg three times, each succeeding pinch more painful than the last. This time Yang could not help but yelp on his chair causing Mother Zhao to raise her eyebrows at him in confusion. She acted as if she did not know about Mei Li's identity and she acted as if she didn't know about the hand on her son's right leg. Mother Zhao snorted after she saw Yang's and Mei Li's back reflected on the floor to ceiling glass window. Really, she could see everything from where she was seated.

The Zhao Matriarch inwardly rolled her eyes at her son's antics. If this keeps up, he would not attract Mei Li at all! Mei Li was someone who didn't like to be teased.

After that, there was nothing eventful with their dinner. Yang had refrained from teasing the painter as his leg still had lingering pain from her pinches.

The most momentous event happened when Mei Li feel asleep on their way to the manor and would not wake no matter how much Yang had poked and pinched her cheeks. Although, admittedly Yang had not tried hard enough because of his ulterior motives.

He buckled off the seatbelt that prevented Mei Li from falling flat to her face and positioned her into his arms, carrying her like a princess to her new room which was 'coincidentally' located beside his.

Mother Zhao had followed after her son with a proud smile. She had raised her children right. Upon arriving in the room Mei Li would be staying, Mother Zhao noticed how gentle her son was as he took the painter's shoes off, dampen a towel to clean Mei Li's face, tucked her into the sheets, quietly placing the paper bags that were carried by the servants neatly on a row in her closet connecting the bathroom, and then charging up Mei Li's low battery phone.

Mother Zhao quickly goes to the master bedroom and retelling all the things she saw to her husband. The Zhao couple then counted the days of possibilities when they could meet their grandchild.