The lunch was more than just a joyous occasion. It was the moments that Xu Mey spent laughing and talking with her father and grandfather without hiding herself behind any facade.
Seeing her laughing so contently, Xu Cheng couldn't stop the tears that had pooled up in his eyes. He was lost in his own thoughts with a tender smile on his middle-aged face.
Xu Mey saw her father wiping his tears and asked anxiously, "Dad, why are you crying?"
"Nothing..." Xu Cheng shook his head but Xu Mey wasn't convinced at all.
"What nothing? Something must be up? Otherwise, why would a fully grown man like yourself cry?"
Xu Cheng patted her head like a little kid and said, "I'm crying because I'm really happy seeing you laugh freely. These are the tears of joy."
"Aiyo! Dad, you should get used to this laugh now since your daughter is not planning on losing it again."
"Oh, really? And what made my Xiao Mey decide this?" Xu Cheng asked curiously.
"Mm... Someone recently reminded that I should start living for love in my life instead of hate. And since I have so much in my life, why would I be sad? I'll only laugh now." Xu Cheng was happy hearing that from his daughter. And something in him knew about the person who must have said those words to her.
Until today, he didn't know how to thank that person who became the guardian angel of his daughter.
Xu Mey was planning on staying for the night but then she received a text and decided to leave. She hugged them goodbye and walked out of the Xu Residence.
Coming out, she caught sight of a silhouette that seemed to have been lurking around the mansion. Xu Mey didn't open the door of her car and walked towards the shadow that she had seen.
Outside the main gate, there seemed to be a young man pacing back and forth while he kept biting his nails nervously.
"Can I help you with anything, Mr?" Hearing Xu Mey's voice, the young man jumped up a bit.
"Ah! You scared me!" Xu Mey heard his polished voice. And when he lifted his face to look back at Xu Mey, she was startled.
Looking into his dark eyes, for a second she had an illusion as if she was looking at her own reflection. She shook her head to get rid of such absurd thoughts.
"Why are you hanging around my house?" Xu Mey asked the question for which she came to him.
"Oh, you live here?" He asked in return.
"Not anymore but still, it's my father's house." Xu Mey replied calmly staring at the man before her. He had a strange boyish charm to himself. And yet he seemed refined, responsible, and spirited.
Just like Xu Mey was surveying him, he was trying to read Xu Mey as well. "You're Ms. Xu Mey, right?" Xu Mey raised her brow at him.
"How do you know? Are you a stalker?" Xu Mey narrowed her eyes at him as if trying to intimidate him.
But for some odd reason, he smiled beautifully giving Xu Mey another jolt. "I'm not a stalker. You have been all over the news. Showing off with your husband." Was he being sarcastic? She couldn't tell. "Also, I'm your new neighbor. I just moved into that house two days ago." He pointed at the house right opposite of Xu Residence.
"If you're a neighbor, why were you lurking around my house?" Xu Mey didn't forget to interrogate him again. Perhaps, staying with her sensei had made her paranoid. She was always suspicious of people.
"About that..." He scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "I was planning on introducing myself to my new neighbors. But I thought you rich people might not like that. So, I was in a bit of a dilemma."
His explanation seemed reasonable to Xu Mey and she couldn't question him further. "Well, since you're a neighbor. Let's introduce each other officially. Although you already know, I'll still tell you, I'm Xu Mey."
She extended her hand and he looked at it for a moment before holding it in his own. "Hi! Ms. Xu Mey. I'm your new neighbor. You can just call me Kaden." Xu Mey felt a little strange when his hand touched her own. Almost like, he was someone very close to her. As if, she knew him.
But she was sure that she would have remembered such a handsome guy if she had ever come across him. So, she concluded that she was overthinking.
"You're not from here?" Xu Mey asked this question, not because of his name but rather because of his mannerism. He was refined and civilized but it still showed that he grew up elsewhere.
He smiled and answered, "No... I grew up in States with my mother."
"Who else lives in your house?" Kaden seemed curious but he was acting nonchalantly. "I mean I should know this much about my neighbors, right?"
Xu Mey didn't think much about his question and told him, "My father lives here. But for now, grandfather is also staying."
"That's it?" Xu Mey frowned at his question.
"Yeah! That's it. Who else will be there?"
"No... I mean, you mother or siblings..." He didn't continue his sentence.
"Well, I don't have a mother and certainly not any siblings." She scowled and said, "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to leave." She turned to leave.
"Okay... Nice to meet your Ms. Xu!" Xu Mey heard his voice from behind but didn't stop to reply.
She got into her car and drove out of the Xu Residence but on the road, she stopped the car beside Kaden. Rolling the window pane down, she said, "It was a pleasure meeting you too Kaden." With that, the car revved on the road leaving Kaden behind with his eyes stuck to her car and a gentle feeling visible in his eyes.
"It was indeed a pleasure meeting you, big sister!" He whispered softly and walked towards his house.