Chapter 24
About two days later, I finally received some very exciting news.
That morning, my mother and Mr. Yajing were not at home. There were only Angel, me, and two servants who took care of the household chores at home.
Rei Furuya came here disguised as a courier and brought me the latest news about Aunt Huimei.
According to very strong intelligence, Aunt Huimei appeared near a pharmacy in the suburbs of Morocco the night before.
When I heard this, I immediately became nervous: "Pharmacy? Is Aunt Huimei injured?!"
"We're still unclear about her exact condition, but based on our informant's description, it's 90% certain that she's Ms. Huimei. At least we can confirm that Ms. Huimei is still alive and her mobility doesn't appear to be impaired... That's already very good news."
I saw that his brows were slightly furrowed. It didn't mean 'good news' as he said, but I soon knew why.
"Since our people have been able to find Sister Huimei's whereabouts, the terrorists must have received the news as well... The hardest battle is coming next. They will definitely try every possible means to counterattack and force Sister Huimei to reveal herself... Nana, I'm afraid your situation will be even more dangerous. However, I've taken a look at this community. Many business and political figures live here, including ambassadors from various governments. The security is better than other places. And considering the population, I don't think they would be stupid enough to attack so blatantly in this community."
Does that mean I'll be safe as long as I stay here?
Seeing my worry and fear, he smiled again. "It's not convenient for us to deploy personnel to this complex, but we are closely monitoring the area outside. Don't worry too much."
As he spoke, he took out a necklace from his pocket. On the thin silver chain hung a small platinum nameplate with the English word "luck" engraved on it.
Me: "Is this a blessing amulet for me? Can you please take it seriously?"
"At least respect some local customs and give me a good luck charm for the entire Sensoji Temple. Otherwise, I should go to the temple and ask for a yellow talisman or a cross..."
Although she kept complaining about him, she took it very consciously and looked at it from left to right.
Well, it's pretty shoddy and looks like something you bought at a 100-dollar boutique.
Tsk tsk tsk, men only use such cheap things to make girls happy, so Zero must be a bachelor who can’t find a girlfriend!
"It's equipped with the latest satellite positioning tracker, and the signal can cover the entire Japanese area. If there is any accident, we can track your location immediately, so please be sure to carry it with you at all times..."
Before he finished speaking, I immediately put the necklace on my neck and said, "I love this gift so much. You are so thoughtful."
Tsk, you change your expression so quickly.
"As long as you like it."
As he said that, he handed over another box.
"Why is there another surprise?"
I took the paper box with some surprise.
"It's not some kind of self-defense weapon, is it? It's so handsome?"
Dagger or bow and arrow?
But the size of this box looks...could it be a pistol?!
Zero winked at me and said, "If you want to use it as a self-defense weapon, that's not impossible..." !!!
My eyes lit up immediately, and I couldn't wait to open the box, only to see inside -
A pot of cactus. And this species is... White Star Cactus!
Both the cactus itself and the style and color of the flowerpot filled with sand are exactly the same as the one Aunt Huimei gave me before.
However, I asked back: "You call this a self-defense weapon?!"
The hairy thorns appear to have absolutely no lethality at all.
He raised an eyebrow and answered confidently, "So I was talking about what if... Didn't you say before that it was a pity that the cactus that Senior Sister Huimei gave you was lost in the explosion... So I went to the flower and tree market to look for it, and as expected, hard work pays off, I found it."
I never thought that just a few random complaints from me, something I didn't even care about and would forget soon, would still be remembered by him, and he even took the trouble to help me find the exact same ones...
".......Thank you."
However, I immediately realized another problem.
"So, that cactus wasn't something Aunt Huimei dug up from the African savannah!"
*
I named the new cactus "Little Red No. 2".
I immediately took a few photos and sent them to Cactus Senior, with the caption, "Every time I see her, I feel a lot more relaxed!"
This is the truth. I feel that in this huge house, apart from some items I brought with me, the only thing that truly belongs to me is this cactus.
But I didn't tell him that the previous pot was blown up in the explosion. I thought, since the two pots look the same, it shouldn't matter.
However, I still underestimated the observation skills of this cactus expert.
[Lovely Cactus: Yes, caring for plants is a great way to relax. Congratulations to my junior for mastering this little secret! [Cat patting head jpg.]]
[Cute Cactus: But, is this your second pot of White Star Cactus? It seems like she has a special liking for this variety...] !!!
I immediately picked up the pot of cactus and looked at it left and right, but no matter how I looked at it, this pot of white star cactus was exactly the same as the original one. How did he tell the difference?
I hate Fuji the most: Well... before, Xiaohong, um, had a little accident, so one of my brothers found me another pot that's exactly the same. Anyway, this pot is called 'Xiaohong No. 2'!
I hate Fuji the most: [cat rolling around jpg.]
I was trying to get away with it by being cute, and as if that wasn't enough, I immediately changed the subject -
[I hate Fuji the most: Does your family have many different kinds of cacti?]
[Cute cacti: Not too many, would you like to see some?]
[I hate Fuji the most: Eh? Is that okay? rwkk!]
About a minute later, the other party sent a photo.
I clicked on it and saw that the picture showed a four or five-story, stepped shelf outdoors, filled with all kinds of cacti. It was a large green area, some of which had already bloomed with very brightly colored flowers. The dazzling sight looked very pleasing to the eye.
This was the first time I felt his love for cacti so intuitively. His careful care could be felt in every pot of cactus, and each one looked its most beautiful.
Simply put, I was blown away.
Is that you?
The ancient Greek god who was in charge of cacti!
However, after I repeatedly enlarged the picture and looked at it, I suddenly had a question -
[I hate Fuji the most: Why isn't there a little blue on the shelf? ]
Could it be that his Xiaolan had the same unfortunate fate as my Xiaohong and also died unexpectedly?
[Cute cactus: Because I put Little Blue on the small balcony in my room. ]
Cute cactus: This is Blue's special treat! [Cat winks jpg.]
A simple sentence made my face hot.
Special treatment or something... Actually, you don't need it...
"Sister, what are you looking at?"
Angel's babyish voice suddenly sounded behind me, scaring me so much that I almost jumped out of my seat.
I turned around and saw her standing behind me, her round, curious eyes looking at me. Was she so silent because she was so young?
"Why don't you knock when you enter someone's room?"
But she looked at me with grievance: "I knocked on the door for a long time, but my sister ignored me. Then I accidentally pushed it lightly, and the door opened by itself... Then I saw my sister sitting by the window, grinning at her phone for at least half a minute."
Nonsense! Where was I smiling?!
Me: “How come you can say half a minute so accurately?”
She proudly held up the digital watch on her wrist: "This is the latest Xiaoxtian phone watch that Dad bought me. It has a counting mode, silly sister!"
I seriously doubt you're selling advertising brat!
Also, who would be so bored as to open a counter and count?
Oh, it's you. That's okay.
"Sister, what is this?"
She pointed at my white star cactus, turned into a curious baby, stretched out her fingertips and gently touched the white thorns.
"Wow, it's amazing! So furry!"
I was afraid that the child would accidentally smash my Little Red Number Two, so I immediately held the flower and the pot in my arms and said, "Don't touch your sister's things. This is called White Star Cactus, it is..."
"Is it something very important to my sister?"
“.......”
Who on earth taught this kid to be like this? Why is he so direct in his words?
She stuck out her tongue. "Because my sister seems to treasure it very much, Angel holds the things she treasures in her arms like this... But, I didn't know that cacti can be so beautiful, and they don't prick your hands."
She looked completely clueless, so I decided to play it safe and started explaining to her:
"Of course. There are many kinds of cacti in this world. Only a few of them will prick you. Some also bloom very beautiful flowers... Different species of cacti have different living habits, but most of them are very easy to keep alive..."
Seeing her looking at me with starry eyes, I suddenly felt full of a sense of accomplishment (vanity).
"Really?! Then will it be afraid of strong winds? Will it blow all its thorns off?"
Ah, what kind of wind can blow off all the thorns on a cactus?
I almost thought, "Of course not."
"Wow! What about the rain?! Is it afraid of the rain?"
Me: “Probably not…”
She immediately became excited, "Wow! That's amazing! Angel's mom used to grow lots of roses, but one day it rained, and all of Angel's roses died! Then mom...mom got very sick, and they withered just like the roses... Dad never grew roses again, and Angel doesn't like roses anymore. Now Angel likes cacti! I'm going to tell Dad to grow lots of cacti, so that Masako's mom won't wither..."
I didn't know what to say for a moment.
The girl's eyes were clear and bright, as if filled with all the beauty in the world. However, I didn't know how to tell her that even a cactus will wither and die one day...
Maybe because of the cactus sharing incident, Angel became more familiar with me. After just a few words, she said mysteriously that she wanted to go back to her room to get her treasure to share with me.
It was the same music box from before. She was interrupted before she could fully show me the box that day, and only today did she remember to share it with me.
"Here! This is Angel's baby! It's my birthday gift from my mom!"
The music box in her hand was only the size of a palm, but it was exquisitely made. It had a matte black shell, and the edges were inlaid with golden patterns resembling vines and flowers, with her name engraved in the center.
It opened with a "pop" sound, and a puppet in a white dress appeared on the central stage. As the music sounded, the puppet's dance moves also changed rhythmically.
The little man danced Swan Lake.
Although the dance steps are a bit choppy due to the mechanical reasons, it is amazing to be able to achieve this level.
After all, the puppets in the music boxes I've seen before have almost the same movements, simply spinning in circles to the music. This is the first time I've seen a music puppet that can move so flexibly.
I couldn't help but sigh: Is this what they call money power?!
Your rich world really has everything...
"Is your...mom also a dancer?"
Angel shook her head. "Mom said she wanted to be a dancer when she was little, but she became a lawyer when she grew up."
If you don't understand, what's the connection between her childhood dream of becoming a dancer and her later becoming a lawyer?!
"Mama Masako dances so well! The first time I saw her dance, it reminded me of my mother's music box!"
As she spoke, she opened her arms and turned around in a circle.
"Masako's mother told me that your sister is also a great dancer. Is that true?"
"Sister, can you dance for me later?"
I closed the music box and returned it to her. "No, Masako's mother was wrong. She lied to you. She loves to lie..."
"Sister, I'm not good at dancing at all. Sister... Anyway, Sister will never dance again in her life."
Angel was about to say something when we heard the sound of something falling to the ground at the door. We both subconsciously looked in the direction of the sound.
I don't know when Masako Takahashi stood at the door, and I don't know how much of what was said just now she heard.
*
I thought she would lose her temper and ask me why I said that, or pretend to be a good parent and talk to me earnestly, but she did neither. She just silently picked up the apple that rolled to the ground, waved to Angel, said "Get ready and come down for dinner", and left.
This is a bit surprising to me.
But I didn't think she would give up. Sure enough, the next day, she said she would take me to meet a friend.
Mr. Yajing was rarely free, so he took the initiative to take on the duties of driver. Perhaps because of the easing of relations with Angel, that guy followed me around like a little tail all day long, calling me "sister" all the time. In the eyes of outsiders, we looked like good sisters.
Perhaps because of this, Mr. Yajing also began to like me a lot more...
Tsk tsk tsk, he is really a daughter slave...
I initially thought Takahashi Masako was going to take me to a new school to transfer. I'd even considered how to refuse. I also wondered if she was going to drag me to meet some dance icon and ask him to teach me, just like she had done before...
But I didn't expect that she would actually take me to see a doctor.
There is a small nameplate hanging at the door.
Mingcheng Psychological Clinic
I had imagined many possibilities, but I never thought that my mother would take me to see a psychiatrist.
Does she think I'm crazy?
"I didn't know you had a friend who was a psychiatrist in Japan."
I laughed in anger, stood at the door and looked at her, questioning,
"What's wrong? Is it because I didn't listen and didn't transfer schools or do that damn dance as you asked, that you think I'm sick? Or do you think that if you give me some psychiatric drugs or give me electric shocks, I'll become the obedient puppet I used to be?"
"What are you talking about?!"
When she heard what I said, her voice suddenly rose several tones, filled with the rage and anger of being exposed. Seeing that the noise of their conversation attracted the attention of other people in the clinic, she deliberately lowered her voice.
"How could you think that of me? This is a legitimate clinic... I know you're in adolescence and have a lot of thoughts you're reluctant to share, so I wanted to find a professional to talk to you... Is it wrong for me to care about you?"
"I think the problem is you. Maybe you should have a good talk with your friend..."
She took a deep breath and made a final effort to convince me: "Nana, be obedient, mom is only doing this for your own good..."
Before she could finish her words, I covered my ears and screamed, "Shut up, shut up, shut up! Don't tell me you're doing this for my own good! You're always doing this for your own good!!!"
My almost crazy state attracted the attention of everyone in the clinic. She was embarrassed and started arguing with me.
"If I wasn't doing this for your own good, would I have been running around for you all these days? I'm worried about your studies and have searched all over Tokyo for the best schools, wanting to give you the best school resources. I'm worried about your food, clothing, housing, and transportation, buying you the best of everything. I hope you can continue to dance and continue to shine on the stage, so I found the best instructors for you and tried to give you the best of everything... If this isn't for your own good, then why is it?
"Is it that young man who gave you the cactus who's good to you? Or is it that 'senior' who chatted with you on the phone and tempted you into a premature love affair who's good to you?"
"As a human being, you should be grateful. Do you know how much your mother went through to give birth to you, and how much she gave up for you? Is this how you think of her?"
"That's enough. Did I put a knife to your neck and force you to give birth to me? Or did I force you to give up your so-called career? Or did I force you to abandon me in America when I was only six years old and leave me there without a care? Or did I force you to send me to an orphanage where I almost became an unwanted child? If it weren't for Aunt Huimei, what would I be like now? In an American orphanage, competing for the few resources with other orphaned children, and becoming a scum who does nothing but good things?"
I finally spoke out all the resentment that had been pent up in my heart for years, ignoring the strange looks and whispers from people around me.
"It's your choice to get married, have children, and give up your career. Why should I pay for your choice?"
I looked at the charming woman before me. I used to think my mother was so noble and beautiful, but now I realize she's nothing special. Even someone as strong as her would blush in embarrassment when faced with her own daughter's questions and the pointed gazes of others, unable to utter a single word in rebuttal.
My heart actually became calm at that moment, as if a dark cloud that had been pressing there for a long time had finally dissipated, and my heart became extremely open.
Mr. Yajing finally arrived after parking his car and appeared in the corridor.
I said to the woman who was about to retort, "Mom, do you still want me to continue? Saying things in front of Mr. Yajing that you probably think are dirty secrets and will never tell anyone else in your life."
This is a blatant threat.
As expected, she didn't dare to say another word. She just looked at me with tears in her eyes, then looked at Mr. Yajing, and her silence seemed to contain infinite grievances.
It's as if I was the bad guy from beginning to end.
After not seeing him for these years, his acting skills have improved a lot.
But I'm too lazy to expose her.
"One more thing,"
I took a deep breath and said slowly,
"I really, really, really hate dancing! But I was so naive back then. I thought that even if I hated it, as long as I persisted, as long as I endured, the relationship between Mom and Dad would improve. I thought that would make Mom happy, and as long as everyone was happy, I just had to be patient for a little while..."
"But now I won't tolerate it anymore."
Because patience is meaningless, only change is meaningful.
When I passed Mr. Yajing, I paused for a moment, looked up at him and asked him with an innocent question:
"Will Mr. Yajing send Angel to a mental hospital like this one day?"
"If she can't be the 'good kid' you imagined."
Mr. Yajing was a little surprised, "Sorry, I didn't know..."
I didn't listen to him anymore and just left the place.
If Mom naively thought that a man like Mr. Yajing could be controlled by simply controlling his daughter.
Well, Mom, you are still a little too naive.
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