Chapter 82 - HAVING TEA IN THE GREENHOUSE
Mo Yuan went to the greenhouse only to find Han Luo and Ma Rui there, drinking tea and gossiping to their heart's content. It was a sunny day, so they were in the greenhouse enjoying the beautiful flowers and smell of soil while drinking tea. On Han Luo's lap, there were two white, chubby rabbits. Mo Yuan knew them very well – they were Yin and Yan, Han Luo's precious pets.
Ma Rui noticed Mo Yuan first and beamed. "Good morning, my child. Have you slept well?"
Mo Yuan was confused when his mother spoke with such affection. He nodded. "I have slept well. When did you arrive?"
Ma Rui replied, "About two days ago." She poured tea for her son.
Mo Yuan had the same question as Han Luo. "Why wasn't I informed?"
'Oh my! Now they talk alike as well!' Ma Rui was thrilled. "I was barely at home and it also seemed that you were busy." She was grinning ear to ear.
Mo Yuan sat down and said, "No matter how busy I am, I always have time for my mother."
Ma Rui was happy to be with her son after so long. "Have you not become mature? After staying without a mother for so long, you must've missed me a lot."
Mo Yuan took a sip of the chamomile tea and answered, "Not at all. I was so busy with my studies and homework that I had almost forgotten about you."
"My!" Ma Rui exclaimed. She was upset that her son had yet to learn how to coax a woman.
"Big brother Yuan! You are really heartless, aren't you? How can you talk to mom like that after six years? You should hug her and say 'Mom, I missed you'. You shouldn't say that you had forgotten about her. It hurts a lot, you know!" Han Luo scolded him. Then she looked at Ma Rui and complained, "Mom, you have no idea what big brother Yuan told me after meeting me after all these years! He said that he had forgotten me completely. It hurt so much when he said that in such a nonchalant way."
"*Nani?!" Ma Rui thought that she was going to have a heart attack. 'My son, are you trying to ruin your love before it has time to bloom?' The thought of it gave her a fright.
Mo Yuan's countenance stiffened in embarrassment. "I was joking. I didn't mean it like that. Forgive me, Ah Luo." His voice was calm and sincere when he spoke. He didn't mean to hurt her; he was just trying to hide how happy he was when he met her after six years.
'Ah Luo?' Ma Rui was shocked to hear that her son was calling Han Luo so intimately. Her emotions were going up and down – wavering like a roller coaster. She felt as though she was dragged deep into the ocean, but in the next second, she was lifted into the sky.
"Hmph!" Han Luo didn't look at him and turned to look elsewhere instead. Her face was tinting red as she fumed in fury.
If Ma Rui weren't around, Mo Yuan would've tried to coax Han Luo, but he couldn't do that in front of his mother.
Seeing that the situation was going out of hand, Ma Rui came to rescue her son. She said, "By the way, Luo'er, did you visit the new school you were admitted into?"
"No, but I have a plan to go there later on. I should be in middle school this year, right?" Han Luo replied.
Ma Rui explained, "That is true, but in the UK, the education system is a little different from our country. There is no middle school here, just primary and secondary school. Right now, based on your educational status and age, you will be in year 9, which is the third year of secondary school. Your big brothers will be in year 10! When you enter year 11, you will have to sit your GCSEs (O level) and then go onto sixth form or college. So, your big brothers are going to have an important year next year."
She smiled and stroked Han Luo's head. "My Luo'er has grown up! She is nearly a teenager! I always pray that you will grow up to become a wonderful person."
"Mom, you will see, I will become greater than big brother Yuan. When he won't even remember us, we will stay together and be happy." Han Luo was still holding grudges.
Mo Yuan put down the empty teacup and apologized again, "I said I'm sorry! It won't happen again. I won't hurt your feelings in the future. I promise."
"Big brother Yuan is the worst." Han Luo's mood didn't lift.
Mo Yuan's face was enshadowed, akin to the night of the new moon. Just last night she said that he was the best and now that her mood was ruined by him, he became the worst. 'She really knows how to take back her words. She takes people to heaven when she is happy yet when she is upset, she doesn't hesitate to pull people down to hell.' After realizing her tactic, he decided not to be on bad terms with her. He was going to try his best to stay on the good side of her and be wary of his words.
-------
Back at Han Luo's house, during lunchtime, Han Sheng Ming was in a bad mood, just like his cousin. He wasn't able to see Han Luo today and couldn't imagine what that devil was doing to his precious little sister.
Tang Yujin came by and didn't find Han Luo. He was surprised to hear that she stayed at Mo Yuan's house. He offered, "Next Sunday if we are going to the zoo, let's drop by my house. You can stay overnight, and I'll let others arrange rooms for you."
"Good idea," Han Sheng Ming easily agreed. Both of them thought that for Han Luo, it was better than staying overnight at Mo Yuan's house.
*Nani – Japanese word for 'what'