Jinhai immediately understood. His father was a really perceptive person. When Huian clarified that everything was okay when she left, he deduced that it must have something to do with Jinhai.
Never give excuses.
“Yes.”, Jinhai simply said.
“And did she forgive you?”
“Yes.”
He looked at his son and said, “Better.”
After a pause, Jinhai asked, “Dad?”
“Hm?”
“You were really that sure that it was my mistake? You never doubted her?”
He smiled. “Do you want to know what she said to me? In the car?”
He thought a moment and said, “Yes.”
“I don’t think there is anything for me to forgive. I was the one who apologized. It was my mistake. It is up to him to forgive me or not.”
Jinhai stopped in his steps.
Liu Hai smiled sadly, “Her eyes said everything. That child has suffered. Something terrible. Like a nightmare. And when you reach a point in life when it becomes a habit for you to apologize, then it means that she was never given any choice BUT to apologize.”
He continued after a pause, “She has a very kind heart. She offered me a treat. Even if she thought of me as a cabdriver. She didn’t judge. That was why I was upset with you. She is the simplest person you can ever meet. With no intentions. You had no right to demean her when you couldn’t even understand such a simple fact as that.”
They reached the dining hall.
They both searched for a particular girl.
And there she was. Completely immersed in her work.
He patted his shoulder, “Sometimes a single meeting is enough to know the person for a lifetime, and sometimes with even hundreds of those meetings, you feel that you don’t know the person at all.”
Liu Jinhai slowly nodded.
“By the way.”
“Yes, dad?”
“What is her name?”, Liu Hai asked after he finally realized what he was missing.
“…”
Like, seriously? You praised her the whole way, practically the whole evening and you ask that now?
Jinhai sighed. He looked at her from a distance and said, “Nana. Her name is Nana.”
—
“Liu Hai! Jinhai!”, his wife said, “You both are still here? Just how slow were you walking?”
“Pah! How can that be possible? I’m the one who is dying to eat the most here, okay?”
Like a child, he quickly took a plate and started stuffing every dish that was there.
This husband of mine!
In a matter of minutes, everybody started praising the food.
People with diet considerations were truly impressed. They could even feel the concern about their health through their food.
“It’s so delicious!”
“The steak is lovely!”
“You have got to give me the recipe for this pasta!”
“I have never tasted anything like this broth before.”
“Who is the chef? I must say I can eat this food everyday!”
“There is even a dessert where the chef has used healthy sugar to make it. It does not affect your diet. So I don’t need to worry about the fat anymore.”
Even when Liu Chunhua ate the noodles, she couldn’t help but remember her times with Liu Hai. After university, almost every other day they used to go to a local shop that was famous for its noodles recipes. That was how they bonded over time. He even proposed her over there.
She smiled.
“Did you remember our naughty memories?”, Liu Hai winked.
She blushed and hit him.
“You are the only one who thinks about that! I’m remembering all those innocent and pure memories where we used to visit that noodle shop.”
“Yeah but then they were not so pure anymore when we kind of used to make love after-“
She elbowed him hard.
“Ouch! You wait! After this party is over I will very nicely remind you of our good times together. The part of those memories which you are refusing to remember.”, he smirked.
She blushed hard.
“Go to hell!”.
Liu Hai laughed.
—
Suyin was dining with Mo Ya when she saw Mother Chen and Father Chen.
She thought about something and said to Mo Ya, “I will come back in a minute.”
Mo Ya saw along Suyin’s line of sight and said, “Are you sure Suyin? Aren’t you worried that they won’t give you any face at all?”
“Don’t worry. I know what to do?”
Mo Ya just sighed.
Suyin got up and went to them.
She smiled and greeted, “Aunt Chen. Uncle Chen.”
Mother Chen looked and her mood turned sour. Father Chen – Chen Guiren, was a quiet person by nature so he just kept quiet.
Nevertheless, Mother Chen still smiled, “Hello Suyin. How are you? And how is your business going on? The one you wanted to start two years back?”
Her smile froze.
She tried to maintain her composure, “Yes Aunt Chen-“
“I forgot to clarify but it’s Mrs. Chen and Mr. Chen for you now.”
“Aunt…”
“Suyin, I hope you understand that you cannot go back now. You made your decision two years back. I had given you a choice. You chose your path. You proved what was more important to you. That’s why I told you that time to decide very carefully. You both are successful in your lives two years later. Now you cannot come and say that you want your finger in both the pies. That doesn’t work.”
