"Ma chérie~!"

"Mom," Lillie wrapped her arms around her eccentric mother to return the hug, before acknowledging her father with a nod and saying, "Dad." ​​

"Little Flower, I heard you and Ethan were together the whole afternoon?"

"Yes, we had lunch together." Lillie did not denied. "Since I had nothing else to do in my office, I figured it was alright to spend my free time with him."

"It's definitely alright!" Mrs. Bai piped in happily.

Released from her mother's bearhug, the mother-daughter duo approached the table where her father was already sitting.

They were on the Empire's rooftop garden lounge, specifically on the gazebo, where there was a round table and three chairs prepared in the middle.

The table was covered by a white and red, silk tablecloth adorned by a glowing clear vase filled with flowers, plates and silverwares, and three wine glasses—with two already filled with the red, luscious liquid.

It was the evening, and the sky was already painted navy blue with gem like dots lining it.

The moon hung on the horizon, illuminating the earth with its silver light. Autumn air was chillier in the night, and it prickled Lillie's skin.

If it weren't for her coat, she would've been shivering.

She couldn't help but sigh lightly through her nostrils. Of all the places they set their dinner date, it just had to be on the rooftop.

"Your hairstyle looks lovely, sweetie. Did Elliot braid it again?" Mrs. Bai admired the elegant and delicate, half-up-half-down, crown braid that embellished her daughter's ash-blonde tresses.

"Ethan did it." Lillie replied nonchalantly, sitting down.

"He did? Oh my, how lovely!" She can't wait to let her dear friend, Lucy—Ethan's mom—know that her beloved son finally knows how to braid hairs! And wonderfully so, too.

Parents and their one and only daughter fell into peaceful conversations as the dinner Mrs. Bai cooked for them was brought out and spread on the table.

"I'll have water instead." Lillie held her hand out in a halting gesture as her mother was about to pour wine on her glass.

Her parents looked at her, surprised. "Really? But it's your favorite, 1898 Riche Liberté [1]." Mrs. Bai said, lifting the bottle for Lillie to access full view of it, making her see what she's missing out.

"I'm not exactly...in the mood for it." Or rather, there's this warning bells ringing at the back of her head. "It's alright, you two enjoy it."

Their daughter, Lillie? Not in the mood for wine?

"If you say so." Mrs. Bai recoiled to her seat and shrugged, glancing at her husband. "More for us, then."

They may appear to be oblivious, but Mr. and Mrs. Bai sense that something was amiss.

Their dear daughter has always been an avid wine lover like her mother. And the only times she refuses to have a glass if it's either poisoned, or she's not feeling well.

The latter was the most logical and reasonable explanation.

Questions brewed in their minds, curious of the reason of this oddity. However, they knew their daughter well enough that she'll keep her mouth shut with all her might if she refuses to disclose anything.

Patience is the key. They'll just simply have to wait until Lillie's ready to talk about it with them.

With stomachs sated with delicious food and wine—water, for Lillie—the three family members finally get down to brass tacks.

"Could you do mommy a favor, sweetie?"

"I will not be your model."

"Aww, I haven't said what it was yet."

"With how frequent you try to persuade me with it for half of my life? Don't be surprised if I saw it coming from miles away." Lillie deadpanned, not averting her attention from her cup of plain water.

Because lifting her head would result in her seeing her mother's dejected and tearful, kicked-puppy look.

And that equals trouble, considering that Lillie had yet to be completely immune from it.

Lillie had anticipated the purpose of this dinner date, and the pretty much obvious goal her dear, Fashion Queen mother wanted to accomplish.