Jin waited at a nearby café for a long time before Zhen Qing was released. The time was however was well spent as he managed to read up on his Nineteen Lazy Astral Panda cultivation manual while waiting for her.
Zhen Qing saw Jin’s message when she was released and belongings returned. Jin later offered to buy some coffee the moment she arrived and gave her time to rest before she started to talk.
“I am sorry for the trouble that I had caused.” Zhen Qing lowered her head as she whispered her apology.
“Hmm? No worries. Most importantly, you are safe. That is all I care about. You have been through a lot today. I believed you must be famished. Do you want to eat anything? My treat.” Jin passed the café’s menu to her to let her choose.
“No, no, I should be treating you, for all the help you have rendered!” Zhen Qing was frantic and wanted to return the favour.
“It is… Alright, if you insist. I will have a turkey bacon sandwich with fries then.” Jin said as they ordered the food and had a quiet dinner. Jin knew that Zhen Qing had many things in her head that she needed to think about and not to mention she was exhausted from the whole ordeal. Even Zhen Qing was relieved that Jin kept quiet and enjoyed the peaceful dinner. In return, Jin had called a cab for Zhen Qing and paid for her ride home.
While waiting for the cab, Jin suddenly broke the silence between them. “I know this is a bit too much but, would like you to stay at my lodging and complete the main dish that you were preparing for the past week or so? This way, you have less travelling to do and you can be more focused. While I could not guarantee your safety previously, I promise this time will be different. Not to mention, it…will also give some time for your dad to adjust.” Jin cited these reasons as excuses to keep an eye on her especially after the warning that Yang Ling had given to him.
“For my father to adjust?” Zhen Qing was a little perplexed by that sentence, but the cab arrived disrupting their conversation.
“You will understand when you get home.” Jin pondered for a while before deciding not to say too much.
“…I will consider it.” Zhen Qing did not question him any further and took the cab.
When Zhen Qing got home, she saw her father sitting on the sofa anxiously waiting for her. “Zhen Qing!” Zheng Hui was delighted to see his daughter was still fine and dandy. However, Zhen Qing did not say a word and walked straight to her room. However, her father got up and caught her.
“Lynn! Wait!” For the first time since the incident, Zheng Hui said Zhen Qing’s real name. This gave some pause to Zhen Qing, and she reluctantly listened to her father’s plea.
“What do you want?” Zhen Qing said with a tone of disgust. Only then, did she realise Zheng Hui was in tears as he knelt begging for forgiveness.
“For the wrong things, I did to you, for blaming your mother’s death onto you. For treating you like an item in exchange for debt. For hating my daughter instead of supporting her. I am sorry for all of it. The whole time I was waiting for you…I have been thinking of all the horrible things I did to you. ” His eyes were shifting before he dared to look at Zhen Qing’s eyes.
“Your Boss, Jin had made me realise that there is still some kindness in this world. Not that he was willing to save a damned soul like me, but for taking you under his care. I had forgotten all of this and realised how terrible I am as a father.” Zheng Hui said.
“I know that your mother’s death was not your fault at all. Jin had briefly explained to me what happened with you and Mimasaka Sensei. I am sorry, I did not trust you.” Zheng Hui said with regret.
“I hope I am not asking too much, but I hope you can find it in your heart, that you could forgive my ignorant ways one final time. I will leave this place tomorrow and strive to work hard till I die if I have to. That is my only way from breaking the current reprise I am in as a redemption for the sins I had committed.” Her father wept as he said those words.
Zhen Qing was speechless. This was not the first time he was doing this apology act, but it was doubtful it would be his last. However, she finally felt a feeling of guilt and remorse coming from him unlike the times when he did it to beg for more money.
“Will you consider accepting my apology? Just this one last time?” Zheng Hui asked as he placed his head on the floor.
“I will not forgive you until you show me some results.” Zhen Qing answered in a firm tone.
“But I will be the one who will leave this place tomorrow. Not to worry, I will continue to pay the rent for this place. What I ask of you is to get up and start finding proper work.” Zhen Qing eyes were also teary when she said this.
Her father did not say anything much but nodded his head as he rubbed his tears away and went to his room. Zhen Qing, on the other hand, started packing the rest of her items and prepared to leave the house by the next morning. She had decided to accept Jin’s offer and finish the main dish recipe first.
—-
The alarm rang, Zhen Qing woke up only to smell a scent of cooked eggs. She tidied her bed before leaving her room, just to see a plate filled with bread, eggs and bacon alongside with a cup of milk. “Lynn. Before you go, I was hoping to have one last breakfast with you.” Zheng Hui was formally dressed this time around with an apron on. Zhen Qing guessed this was his way of repenting and decided to accompany him for breakfast.
Only later during breakfast, did she realise that he had been searching for a job at night when he was in his room. Not just that, it was apparent that the house was cleaner than last night.
When Zhen Qing fell asleep, Zheng Hui continued to stay awake to clear the entire house of his mess. All those extra food trash, empty alcohol bottles, beer cans and the likes of it. He felt that if he wanted to start anew, he should start from within.
“It was just a part time job interview at Lele café to get things started so…here I am. Apparently, your Boss, Jin, helped me out to have an interview with that place when I asked him for a favour last night.” Zheng Hui said as he ate the eggs only to find it rather bland.
“Gah, the eggs you cook, are 100 times better than this urgh, I am sorry Lynn.” Zheng Hui apologized as he covered the bland taste with lots of salt and pepper.
“Haha, it did take me some time to master how to cook an excellent plate of scrambled egg too. Well don’t worry, I hope you eventually have some training to make a proper scrambled egg in Lele. I heard the boss cooks some pretty good breakfast set.” Zhen Qing finally smiled towards her father for the first time as she finished the breakfast despite the poor cooking sense of her father. She then saw her father had the urge to smoke as he took out a cigarette from his pack and later realised Zhen Qing was staring at him.
“I promise Lynn, I will start over again…but this one…erm give me some more time.” He laughed bitterly as he placed the cigarette back in the pack and into his pocket.
“In any case, you should be going soon. Good luck with your interview, Dad.” Zhen Qing said as she offered to help to clean the plates before she leaves.
“Thank you, Lynn. I hope all the best with you and Boss Jin.” Zheng Hui teased Zhen Qing and started to rush for the work interview.
“Baka Oyaji.” Zhen Qing blushed a bit and smiled non-stop as she cleaned up the plates.
