Paris, Mu Mansion.
Two years had passed. Mu Lan was grinning year to year while playing with Oscar. Oscar was trying to catch butterflies and entertaining his beloved mistress.
“Mommy, you are here and I was looking for you everywhere.” Three years old rice ball number one was in front of her. He was wearing blue shorts and a white shirt. He looked annoyed.
Mu Lan smiled deeply and raised her hands towards him. “Come to mama.”
Rice ball’s poker face turned red slightly. He coughed like his elders and looked elsewhere. However, he didn’t refuse her and obediently got closer to his mother.
When he sat on her lap, Mu Lan hugged him and kissed his forehead. “What happened, dear?”
Oscar saw his friend. He said “Woof! Woof!” and ran closer. Rice ball patted his head and said, “Mommy, can you tell papa that Ling and Uan don’t want to go to school now? They want to play a bit more.” Ling was the second rice ball and Luquan was the third rice ball. Rice balls call Laquan “Uan”.
Mu Lan blinked. “You are still so young. Why do you have to go to school now?”
Little rice ball raised his head to look at his mother and said, “Last night papa called us in his study room and told us that we have to go to boarding school.”
Mu Lan gasped. She never heard anything from Mu Liang. Why would he decide everything without telling her first? It was the first time I did such a thing. Thinking every possible way, she replied, “I will talk to him. So, did you agree to go to school?”
“I don’t mind going to school now neither does Lin (the fourth rice ball). I want to study hard and protect mommy.” Rice ball showed his determination.
Mu Lan melted at the sight. “Aww! You are so sweet! Who told you that you can protect me if you study hard?”
Rice ball innocently answered, “Papa told me. Lin also agreed to study but he wanted to have a personal tutor. He doesn’t want to go to school and papa agreed.”
Mu Lan’s lips twitched. “Your papa said that! That’s funny!”
Rice ball cute blinked and asked, “Why mommy? Is papa wrong?”
Mu Lan scratched her left cheek. She wasn’t sure how to answer. In the end, she said, “Well, if you study, you gain knowledge and you learn about the world. Of course, it’s not only about reading books. You have to travel and watch with our own eyes and understand how the world goes on. You have to know both the good and bad sides and have to decide what path you choose. Only choosing the right path will make you the best.”
Rice ball asked, “Is that way I can protect mommy?”
“Of course! You have to be like papa to protect me.” Mu Lan stroked his small head.
Rice ball showed a serious expression. “Mommy, then I have to go to the military instead of school. To keep you safe, I’ll learn fighting.”
‘My rice ball is so cute!’ Mu Lan rubbed her cheek against his small face. Little rice ball’s chubby cheeks flushed. He snuggled closer to his mother and stayed silent.
———
It was almost lunchtime. Assistant Ju Long prepared a file for the next meeting. Afterward, he went out and, in the corridor, he met Mu Lan. He instantly flinched. “M-madam!”
Mu Lan stopped on the track and asked with a smile, “Assistant Long, are you alright?”
Assistant Ju Long started sweating. He couldn’t look at her. He averted his gaze and replied, “Y-yes, I’m alright. I was just surprised that you visited the company so suddenly. I didn’t know you would come or I would prepare lunch for you.”
“It’s alright. On my way, I already ordered from where you ordered for my husband every time. I’ll be going to meet him. You go have your lunch.” Mu Lan walked past him.
“W-wait! Madam!” Assistant Ju Long didn’t know how to prevent her from going to the Presidential office.
Mu Lan looked at him. There was a slight smile hanging on her lips but her eyes weren’t. She looked scary.
“N-nothing…” Assistant Ju Long cowered. He could only pray for his friend and boss.
Mu Lan turned around and went inside the Presidential office without knocking. She saw Mu Liang was sitting on the sofa and a visitor was sitting in the opposite of him. That person was a nun.
Mu Liang was startled seeing his wife but immediately relaxed. Mu Lan gave him a bright smile. She said, “Surprise!”
The nun also turned to look at the intruder. Mu Liang introduced his wife to the visitor, “Xiao Lan, this is Sister Augustine. She is the Vice Principal of St. Xavier School. Sister, she is Mu Lan, my wife.”
The nun was almost forty years old. She looked elegant and strict. Despite her age, she looked young. She stood up seeing Mu Lan.
Mu Lan walked closer and shook hands with her. “It’s an honor to meet you, Sister Augustine. I heard so many things about your school. It’s the famous boarding school in Germany.”
“The honor is mine. Our school is a humble house of Jesus Christ.” Sister Augustine said. She knew how to talk to her clients.
“You are so humble, Sister.” Mu Lan sat down beside Mu Liang and asked, “So, what business do you have here?”
Sister Augustine looked at Mu Liang. She was puzzled.
Mu Liang’s hands became sweaty even though the air conditioner was turned on. Mu Lan glanced at her husband. “Is there something you want to say to me?”
Mu Liang coughed and answered, “Our sons have to come to a proper age to go school. So, I chose the best school in Europe. They will learn whatever they want and also, they will be taught discipline. They will grow up perfectly. We have nothing to worry about.”
Mu Lan’s eyes landed on the papers which were on the table. She tilted her head and took the papers before her husband could stop her. Those papers were her sons’ documents with their pictures.
