Entering the comfort room, Ru looked around and found the window which she was looking for. The window was right behind the huge jacuzzi with the view of a beautiful flower garden. Ru had a complete sketch of the Ji Family Mansion in her memory and it made it easy for her to get out of the comfort room and jump her way straight to the third-floor balcony.
She craned her neck and tried to look through the white chiffon curtains that were lightly fluttering in the night breeze. The room was brightly lit but there was no one in sight which made Ru a bit confused.
"I didn't know that young men these days actually value their words," that voice made Ru look at the corner of the balcony. And there was the person she had been looking for in a beautiful skirt that reached her ankles. What surprised Ru was that she didn't even felt her presence. It was like that woman was merged with the darkness making her presence inconspicuous.
"Don't know about others but I do value my words more than life itself," Ru answered, keeping her eyes trained on that woman's face that looked different for some reason. As her glistening eyes were looking at the distant sky, she seemed... normal?
That was one way to pique Ru's inner nosy self.
"I brought Xi'an Pancakes for you," Ru pulled out a couple of pancakes wrapped in a plastic packing. The woman looked at that crispy treat in her hand and gave a small smile before accepting it.
"You're not my son, you didn't have to bring this." Her words confirmed Ru's doubts. The woman was indeed normal tonight. It was like she was a completely different person.
"Even if I'm not your son, you fed me with a proper meal. I had to repay." Ru's words startled the woman before she could take a bite of the stuffed pancake in her hand. With a smile, she finally took a bite of the pancake and gave an appreciative look.
"Did you make it yourself?" Ru gave her an inquiring gaze as if asking how did she know and her unasked question was answered in the next moment, "No street vendor can make something this delicious."
Who doesn't like compliments? Obviously, our proud peacock was someone who loved basking in compliments. There was a time when she didn't like it that people complimented her culinary skills but coming from this woman was exactly like her mother used to say. She felt touched.
The odd woman touched Ru's head and said, "You are one handsome young man. Truly fatal for both males and females. Your future wife would be very lucky."
Ru pressed her lips together not knowing what to say. After a moment of contemplation, she said, "Actually, I wanted to bring Lanzhou Noodle Soup but it wasn't easy to sneak that in."
"Young man, you are taking too much risk for a stranger. This is not some ordinary territory." The woman's voice made Ru think about her words carefully.
But in the end, she had an answer just like herself, "And I'm not an ordinary person."
"That I can see..." The woman's eyes stayed on Ru.
"Since I'm not supposed to call you mother, what should I address you as?"
"You can call me Zhi." As her words registered in Ru's eyes, she was stunned to her spot.
"Zhi?" She asked hesitantly.
"Yes."
"What about the family name?" Ru asked cautiously.
"Family name?" The woman named Zhi took a moment of silence before saying, "Forget it. I've forsaken my family for love. I have no right to use my family name casually."
Her words put Ru in a deep dilemma. "I should get going. It's been fifteen minutes." Ru said in a bit of haste as she turned to jump back down.
"Will you come again?" Ru stopped as she heard that voice again.
"Do you want me to?"
"I'd like to talk to someone. It's been years I haven't had a normal conversation like this." Even Ru could see that herself.
"I'll come again." Ru couldn't stop the words from flowing out of her mouth. It was like she had no control over it at all.
If this woman's name was Zhi, was there a possibility that she was connected to Xiao Zhi Ren? She could be the mother! But no, Xiao Zhi Ren's mother died. He said he saw her dying right before his eyes. Then what connection is here?
Ruffling her hair in annoyance, Ru closed the thinking doors of her brain. It was not the time. And most importantly, it wasn't her damn business!