Ru kept her eyes on the odd woman before her eyes as she stroking Ru's soft hair and mumbling incoherent words to herself with a goofy smile. Why Ru called her odd? What else could she say, the woman was showering her motherly love on her; a demon.
"Oh," suddenly recalling something, the woman lifted the lid of the pots on the table and said, "Look mom waited for you at dinner as always. Mom made it herself." Ru frowned at the last statement. The woman wasn't even sane, how could she cook? "Eat it. Mom is a bit forgetful so there might be something missing. Don't mind that, okay?"
Ru saw her nervously rubbing her hands together and an innocent look on her face. But she was lost in her own thoughts as her words had triggered some old memories.
*Flashback*
"See what mother has brought for you. I made it all by myself." Young Ru gazed at her mother's face and sat down on the cushion.
"How will I eat?" Ru grumbled as she lifted to show her bandaged hands to her which was the result of her own mistake.
"Who told you to touch a hot kettle?" Her mother reprimanded her lightly but her voice had a tinge of worry in it as well. "I know you are hurt. That's why I made the food for you. Come, I'll feed you myself."
Ru smiled happily and leaned closer to her mother's side to snuggle up. She didn't want to brag but her mother was really a breathtaking beauty. It was rare for her to have her mother all to herself, so she wanted to take as much advantage as she could.
"Ah..." Ru opened her mouth and heard a light chuckle from her mother who rubbed her hair before feeding her a spoonful of rice and soup. After chewing a bit, Ru made a face and said, "There is too much salt in the soup."
Seeing her mother pressing her lips together, she felt bad about her comment. She knew how busy her mother was being the Matriarch of the Clan. But she still managed to find time to cook for her, it was already a huge deal. She shouldn't be complaining. "Just eat it. Mom is a bit forgetful these days. Don't mind that my dearest son, okay?"
Ru nodded her head instantly changing her mood and said, "Mama, you know I'm a girl. Can't you at least call me your daughter when we are alone?"
Looking into her hopeful eyes, her mother's eyes dimmed. "My baby, you are not my daughter. You can't be. For me, you can only be a son. The day you became my daughter, I might lose you. And mom doesn't want that." There was strange sorrow in her voice that made Ru tense up.
"Mama, what do you mean?" Young Ru gazed at her mother with her big black eyes twinkling brightly.
She saw her mother wiping a tear as she turned her face to hide it from her. "Nothing. Mom is a bit stressful these days. I don't even what I'm saying. You rest properly. Don't you dare sneak out!" Saying that sternly, her mother left her alone.
*End of Flashback*
Coming back to the present, Ru couldn't refuse the odd woman and picked up the chopsticks to eat the food. She had let her own mother down by sneaking out, she didn't want to leave this mother down.
While eating, Ru realized there were no spices in the soup. She smiled to herself but didn't comment at all. How could she? This food was made with love, even without spices, she found it way better than her own.
Seeing her heartily eating, the woman was satisfied. "Did you like mom's food?" She asked as she looked at the empty bowls with glimmering eyes.
"Yes, I loved it," Ru answered softly, it wasn't a lie anyway.
Someone knocked on the door and the woman got anxious. "My baby bean, you should leave now. Don't let them know you came to me. They will give you to that horrible woman again. You should go. Yes, you should go." She started pushing Ru towards the window from where she actually entered.
Her nervous look made Ru uneasy as a million questions bubbled up in her mind. But she couldn't get an answer. At least not from this odd woman. Before she turned to jump, her hand was held by a soft but cold hand. She looked back at that woman and heard her, "You will come to see mom again, right?"
Say no, young master Ru. She's not your mother.
Ignored her inner self she nodded. You did it again!
She saw that pale face blooming up with her single nod.