The house is quite spacious and thoroughly modernized, it's a 3 story upper class home with stunning wooden floors and flashy paneled walls, many of the rooms are large and well lit with natural light from the large windows.

Meilin is surprised to see her father as she enters the dining room with meiying.

"Good morning dad" She greets her father, dad must have come home earlier just to surpise us. He's so predictable.

"Morning honey" Charles puts down his newspaper and gets up smiles.

"Papa! you're back" Meiying jumps into his embrace.

"Haha, morning my little butterfly" Charles lifts up the small Meiying up and pecks her cheek.

"That's embarrassing papa!" Meiying Squirms out of charles hug.

Meilin observes her father, he's a tall man with striking blue eyes, strong nose, wide jawline, short black hair, close shave and a well defined figure.

Her mother comes out of the kitchen with their breakfast, she radiates a natural grace, has glossy black hair tied in a bun with the excess covering her cheeks, pheonix like eybrows, beautiful figure, button nose and beautiful grey crescent moon eyes.

Her parents are a match made in heaven she feels.

Meilins father is the heir to the wealthy Ellard family and the reason she, her sister and mother traveled from china to the US.

Apparently her father and mother met during an attempted robbery, specifically a pickpocket had lifted her fathers wallet while he wasn't looking and it was noticed by her mother who later tripped the thief as he was walking past and quickly notifying her father.

It was love at first sight they said.

Meilin laughs to herself. 'Quite cliche indeed'

"Did you get back when we were asleep?" Meiying asks curiously.

"Yes my dove, my flight arrived late last night and I didn't want to wake you" He replies.

Meiying giggles "Say papa, am I a butterfly or a dove?"

Charles puts on a thoughtfull expression. "Now that is a difficult question. Maybe.. you're a duck!" Charles laughs and taps Meiyings nose.

"Ahh that tickles!" Meiying pouts, her little face blushing.

"Well, welcome back dad" Meilin interrupts and gives her father a hug.

Charles looks at his daughter and clicks his tongue "Meilin, you and your little sister's new uniforms are really stylish! I didn't hear about the uniform change?" Shiny black leather shoes with a cute buckle, knee high white socks with blue stripes at the top, above the knee grey skirt, white summer school shirt, light blue jacket finished off with a cute red ribbon.

Meilin blushes and replies "Ms Evie was dissatisfied with the bland uniforms before so she designed new ones and had the principal order them made. They only recently arrived and now they're mandatory, Ms Evie was kind enough to offer them at 75% off"

"Your teacher is interesting as always" Charles laughs but suddenly feels a chilling feeling from behind, the hair on the back of his neck stands up.

Frozen like a statue he finally hears a feminine snort and breathes a sigh of relief.

Charles nervously changes the subject "Anyway, how have you been? I heard from your mother that you finally got your Intermediate license! you can put to use that car we bought you last year"

"Umm.. I think I'll wait until I've bought a car myself dad, that car.. is a little hard on the eyes"

Meilin looks away, 'Seriously dad?! you had to get a prius?' She cries a little on the inside.

"Haha! Nonsense, it'll grow on you eventually. I have great taste!" Charles proudly declares.

"Hurry up and eat your breakfast" Baiyu solftly grumbles. Feeling a little annoyed from being ignored.

*Cough, cough* Charles clears his throat nervously.

"Anyway.. are you girls thrilled? this school trip sounds exciting!" Charles is feeling a little sad, why couldn't he come along?

His wife adamantly denied him saying this was a good chance for some mother daughter bonding as she rarely got leave from work.

"What's so exciting about a big hole in the ground and a bunch of rocks? I'm more interested in the second part of the trip where we get to tour vegas!" Meilin is extremely excited about going to las vegas, stars could be seen in her eyes.

"Too bad you're not old enough to visit the casino's, With my skills your old man could show you a thing or two" Charles winks.

"Hmph, meilin don't listen to your silly father" Baiyu snorts in disdain. 'Husband with your so called skills you'd lose every time you bet'

"Hey dad, did you get us some gifts?" Meilin is certian her dad got some.

"Oh yeah! papa give" Meiying looked at her dad with puppydog eyes.

"Hmph! you girls think papa would forget something so simple? fear not! I'll go get them" Charles is ecstatic, now's his chance to gain some more brownie points.

Charles returns with a black bag. "Come have a look" Charles pulls two small lanterns out of the bag. "They're made with the latest tech, aren't they wonderful?"

"A lantern? really dad, you shouldn't have" Meilin is a little disappointed.

Meiying's excited expression deflated like a balloon.

Not noticing his daughters disappointment, charles explains its various features. "They're crank lanterns so you just need to crank this handle here to charge it, there's a small compartment at the bottom that has a multi-tool, flint and fishing line and hook included! Lastly, there's a usb port on the side so you can charge your phone, isn't that neat?" Charles is obsessed with collecting survival tools, a true aficionado.

Baiyu shakes her head. 'Husband, your daughters are not interested in your survival gadgets'

"Papa.. thank you" Meiying is feeling disappointed but tries not to show it.

"It should be useful on your trip" Charles finally notices his daughters sad expressions.

"I also got you these two matching pendants each with a picture of your mother and I" Charles grins taking two little boxes out of the bag. "Both were made by a master goldsmith, he was.. a strange man"

Meiying opens the box "Waah, papa it's so pretty!"

Meilin opens the other box "Oooh I like this" She looks at the pendant closely, it has a gold surface with delicate engravings. The detailed engraving depicts a renaissance gazebo surrounded by beautiful flowers and trees. Strangely, there are several people inside the gazebo drinking tea. She opens the pendant and inside is a portrait of her mother and father smiling happily.

"Dad thank you, I love it! Help me put it on" Meilin turns around.

Charles takes the pendant helps Meilin put it on. "Meilin you need a haircut, it's getting a quite long"

"Papa me too" Meiying looks at her new necklace with a large smile.

"Meiying, let mama" Baiyu is sighs inwardly. 'He finally grew a brain perhaps? he's always been a bit of an airhead'

"Okay you two, go get your stuff. I'll drive you to school with your mother"

As the two girls leave to get their bags, Baiyu starts cleaning up. "Darling here" Charles pulls one more box out of the bag and gives it to Baiyu.

"What's this?" Baiyu exclaims in surprise.

"How could I forget a present for my lovely wife?" Charles is grinning from ear to ear with an expression saying praise me.

Baiyu opens the box and inside is a necklace no inferior to her daughters, engravings of roses and a similar gazebo with just two inside. A husband and wife she thinks, as she opens the pendant there's a picture of her family including herself, daughters and husband. The words "Forever yours, charles" are etched on the back.

Baiyu's eyes grow moist, tears begining to form. "Thank you darling, I love it! I thought you forgot about little old me" Baiyu pulls charles in, arms around his neck and gives him a sweet kiss.

Charles enjoys the praise and holds his wife gently.

The two seperate after a long embrace. "Just wait till I get home a few days from now, I'll squeeze you dry till you're a bag of bones" Baiyu whispers seductively with a teasing expression.

Charles is stunned by his wife's reply, a feverish expression could be seen on his face seconds later.

"Mama, papa! let's go!" Meiying rushes into the dining room excitidly, her bags in hand and meilin in tow.

"Lets be off then," Charles can't wait till his wife gets home. 'Bag of bones she says? I am a peerless dragon between the sheets, this proud and arrogant phoenix will be slain by me!'

Charles is laughing foolishly thinking about his future battle, completely forgetting the fact that he had been slaughtered by that arragont phoenix many times before.

Meilin and Meiying look at their fathers giggly delusional state and shrug.