CHAPTER 15

~Li's Residence~

Li Xiu walked to the house carrying two shopping bags and a silver purse with her.

The moment she got inside, a maid rushed up to meet her and greeted her.

"Welcome, young lady." She slightly bowed her head to Li Xiu.

"Yes, take these to my room." Li Xiu stretched forth her hands and let go of the handles, as the younger girl moved in sync and quickly placed her hands under the bags.

"Carry those bags with care and do not let its contents drop to the ground."

"Yes, ma."

Li Xiu snickered at the young girl and walked away, leaving her to tend to her bags.

She got to the living room only to be met with a strange sight.

Her mother, Ding Jiaying paced to and fro in the living room.

Both of her hands were crossed in front of her chest tightly, with her head lowered and shaking from side to side every now and then as her feet parades the parlor.

She had to admit, it had been ages since she last saw her mother behave this way.

But today, she was like this. Something terrible had definitely happened for her to be in such a frenzy.

Ding Jiaying suddenly stopped pacing. Her gaze was now fixed at the window, staring blankly ahead with her back facing Li Xiu. 

Li Xiu took a step in, her chest heaved up and down slowly, taking in a deep breathe as she proceeded inside.

Even with the noise from her footsteps, Ding Jiaying didn't even know when her daughter's slender form approached her.

It was when she turned around on her heels to pick up her phone on the glass table in center of the living room that her eyes locked with the person standing behind her.

In shock, she tilted her head back and widened her eyes. "Li Xiu!"

Badum! Badum!

Ding Jiaying's right hand moved up to clutch her chest through her chiffon top. She really was shocked seeing her daughter standing quietly behind her.

"Mother! What are you doing?" She arched her brows at her mother as she moved her hands and crossed them in front her.

"Since when did you arrive?"

Ding Jiaying questioned her daughter, trying her best to ease the fear in her mind.

"Few minutes ago, why? You have been calling me non stop. What is it, mother? Why have you been pacing?"

At the mention of the missed calls, Ding Jiaying's face contorted into a frown.

"So, you knew I have been calling and yet you didn't pick your calls, let alone call me back? Li Xui!"

She could not understand this her unfilial daughter sometimes. She behaved as though she was possessed most times.

"Mother, I was busy with Duan Tian, I couldn't answer any calls. I did not want to ruin my dinner with him. Besides, it was just thirty missed calls." Li Xiu shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly, earning a glare from her mother.

"Just thirty, you say? How in this world is thirty missed calls just?!"

"Calm down mother, or else you may have a high blood pressure or something."

Li Xiu rolled her eyes at her mother, before proceeding to the couch to sit down.

By now, Ding Jiaying's nose and ears were red, fuming with anger with her daughter's 'I don't care' attitude.

'What can I do with this child? Her attitude is something else. If she didn't already have Duan Tian, I would have said it would almost be impossible to get a man for herself, but then again, she's got great looks that she inherited from me. So, I guess that would do.' Ding Jiaying mentally noted.

After a minute, she inhaled deeply then let out her breath sharply before her anger dissipated a little bit.

"Why didn't you return my calls?"

"Like I said mother, I was having dinner with Duan Tian."

"I know what you said. What about after that or did you have dinner the whole night till this morning?" Ding Jiaying questioned her, not letting her daughter off simply.

"No, we didn't. I placed my phone on silent mode and kept it in my bag. It was when I was in the cab home, that I checked it and saw your calls," Li Xiu answered truthfully, although without much care to it.

Her gaze was fixed on her fingernails, checking and admiring her new nail do.

"Aren't you going to ask me why j called so many times?"

Ding Jiaying could not believe her daughter. It was as though she mega changed since Li Xiu left.

"I was going to... "

"When?" Ding Jiaying interjected.

"If you cut me short again mother, I would just go and relax in my room," she threatened.

0_0

"Anyways, as I was saying. I was going to, but then again, I figured if it was important, you would have told me sooner, rather than questioning me about where I was. It looks like I worried over nothing seeing you pace around like that."

"Li Xiu!"

Li Xiu arched her brows at her mother's sudden yelling of her name.

'What's with this woman anyway? It's as though since Li Jing left, she didn't have anyone to taunt and she is restless. I guess I have to find her a new hobby to do then. I can't stand all these headaches and nagging.' Li Xiu thought inwardly.

"If that is all mother, I would take my leave first."

She stood up after that, ready to leave the living room.

By the time she got to the entrance, her mother's voice rang out behind her.

"I guess you already have something to tell your father, about Li Jing's disappearance when he comes back home from the states tomorrow."

"What!" Li Xiu turned around abruptly only to be met with her mother's back. "What did you just say?"

Ding Jiaying smiled to herself at getting her daughter's attention.

'I thought she didn't care? Oh, it seems Li Jing still has much effect on her. Good, it would teach her to respect me more since she needs my help.'

"Mother! What did you just say?"

"Since when did you go deaf? If you didn't hear me, then why did you turn back?"

***********

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{Hohoo... The mother and daughter duo are having it strong. How did you see Li Xiu's reaction at been told her father was coming back?

If she doesn't fear her mother, would she fear her father?

🤔🤔 comment your thoughts guys}