COLD CEO AND ARROGANT WIFE, VOLUME 5 - Season 9 Episode 25

“By the way, I forgot to tell you,” said Xiang Wai. “I just got a call from mom.”

Xiang Weimin looked at her inquisitively.

“She is calling us out for lunch,” told Xiang Wai. “Do you want to go?”

“Are you going?” asked Xiang Weimin in return instead of answering her question.

“I am,” replied Xiang Wai.

Xiang Weimin nodded his head, “I’ll come with you.”

Xiang Wai smiled knowingly at him. Of course, she knew he’d come if she was going. He’d only hesitate if he had to meet their mother on his own. But as her best brother, he’d follow her anywhere without any hesitation.

“Then I’m gonna take a shower and change,” said Xiang Wai. “I’ll see you in fifteen minutes. Then we’ll go together.”

Xiang Weimin nodded his head. Then he went back to his iPad and continued to look through the designs he received from the research center.

“Your aunt isn’t back yet?”

Xiang Weimin didn’t lift his eyes as he replied to his father’s question, “Nope. Not yet.” Suddenly, he put down the iPad and looked straight at his father, “Dad, whom did she go to meet? It’s been a while and she didn’t even take you along.”

Xiang Hulin gave a look to his son, “What do you mean that she didn’t take me with her? Am I her bodyguard? She went on a date with her friend. Why do I have to join her?”

“That’s also true,” said Xiang Weimin. “But really, who did she go to meet? Is it someone important?”

Xiang Hulin shook his head at his son, “Son, just keep in mind that all your aunt’s friends are important. I can’t even list down all the people she knows.”

“At least, she had always been more popular than you.”

“You don’t have to taunt your own father,” retorted Xiang Hulin. “It’s not like your friends can circle around the globe.”

Xiang Weimin mentally rolled his eyes.

“Ge, I’m done. Let’s go, I’ll be driving.”

Xiang Hulin looked up at his daughter and asked, “You both are going somewhere?”

Xiang Wai went silent while Xiang Weimin replied to him, “Mom called us out for lunch.”

Xiang Hulin’s brow jumped up slightly and he nodded to himself.

“Do you want to join us, dad?” asked Xiang Weimin.

Xiang Hulin gave his son a look, “And why would I want to go out on lunch with my ex-wife?”

“Maybe because she is still the mother of your children,” suggested Xiang Weimin.

Xiang Hulin pursed his lips and shook his head saying, “Have fun.” He didn’t say anything and left to look for his own father to spend time with. He didn’t expect Song Xin’ai to show up so soon. He just told her last night about the hospital and today she showed up already. That was fast considering her track record. He was actually a little curious to know how her meeting with Raelle went but this curiosity wasn’t enough for him to join her over lunch. It was better for him to just curb this curiosity instead.

Xiang Wai slapped her brother’s arm, “Ge, why did you tell that to dad? And you’re even teasing him?”

“When did I?” retorted Xiang Weimin nonchalantly. “Okay, don’t pay attention to him. I told you even when we were young. You have to stop paying attention to what is going on between your parents. Pay attention to your own life. Live however you want and stay happy. No matter what kind of a relationship we all share, it’s a fact that everyone wants you to stay healthy and happy.”

“I know,” replied Xiang Wai.

It took them close to an hour to reach the restaurant. They entered the private room and found Song Xin’ai already waiting inside. She was leisurely sipping on tea as she looked at the garden through the window. Hearing the sound of the sliding door, she looked over and smiled at them.

“You’re here.” Song Xin’ai put down the tea and sat straight. “Take a seat.” She said gesturing towards the chairs before her.

Once they sat down, she added, “I’ve already ordered. The food will be served in a while.” Then she looked at Xiang Weimin and asked, “How are you recovering, son? Is everything alright? What about the medicine I gave you last time?”

“It was quite effective,” answered Xiang Weimin. “Even the doctor was surprised to see my legs recovering so well. Thank you.”

Song Xin’ai smiled at him, “As long as you’re fine now.” She took a pause and went on, “Don’t worry, it won’t take you long to fly back into the sky.”

Xiang Weimin hummed in response.

Xiang Wai took a sip of the water and asked, “By the way, how come you thought about having lunch with us? I thought you’d be stuck in the lab for another six months at least.”

“I had to take a short break,” answered Song Xin’ai. “I heard about Raelle’s accident so I went to see her.”

Xiang Wai almost spurted out of the water when she heard, “You went to see Raelle? And she didn’t do anything to you?”

Song Xin’ai was amused by Xiang Wai’s reaction. “She isn’t as emotionally charged as you are.”

Xiang Wai nodded to herself, “True. She is emotionally detached like you.”

“Like me?” repeated Song Xin’ai in a soft voice. “Is that so?” Her eyes lowered as she looked thoughtful. In fact, she didn’t think Raelle was like her. Maybe their intelligence was. But neither Raelle was emotionally detached nor was she. It’s just that they both gave off the same impression.

After all, Song Xin’ai learned to bury her emotions at a young age, and Raelle never truly understood emotions.

“She really didn’t say anything to you?” asked Xiang Weimin.

Song Xin’ai looked at her son and answered, “She asked why I got a divorce.”

Both Xiang Wai and Xiang Weimin were startled to hear that. Even they never asked that question. But clearly, Raelle’s thought process was different so she could ask anything and everything. Who would stop her? Strangely, people didn’t even mind when she asked such uncomfortable questions to them.

“What did you answer?” asked Xiang Wai.

“I didn’t seem to give her an answer,” replied Song Xin’ai. “She understood it on her own. In fact, it’s a surprise that she understands my thoughts better than you two.”

“What’s the point? Even if I’m not smart, you’re stuck with me. After all, you chose to abandon Raelle on your own,” responded Xiang Wai. Xiang Weimin held her hand under the table to stop her from continuing. Xiang Wai cleared her throat, “I mean, people don’t even know she is your daughter.”

Song Xin’ai continued to smile as she said, “You’re right. I’m just a nominal mother. It really doesn’t matter. But I only mentioned it because it’s the first time someone is willing to not only understand me but also, pay attention to me. She seems to be on the wavelength as me. It’s refreshing.”

“She almost made Ge cry when they first met,” said Xiang Wai. “What about you?”

“This was our second meeting but at our first meeting, she indeed made me want to bawl my eyes out,” replied Song Xin’ai honestly.

“I knew it!” Xiang Wai clapped her hands. “She really is talented. She can make such strong people cry. But why didn’t she do it with me.”

“Maybe you weren’t challenging enough,” said Xiang Weimin. “So, she took pity on you and let you go.”

“Ge! Is it okay for you to insult me like this?” asked Xiang Wai.

“I’m just stating facts. If Raelle had chosen to speak with you as she did with us, she’d have made you cry for a week. Your mental strength isn’t that strong, to begin with. She is way too rational and she already knows you’re emotional. Let me make it clear to you, that it’s easier to manipulate emotions. Especially for someone like her who makes her brain really work for her.”

“Your brother is right,” agreed Song Xin’ai. “You should be glad she went easy on you.”

“So what if she went easy? She still isn’t willing to be my sister,” said Xiang Wai with a sigh.

“That might be difficult,” said Song Xin’ai. “But you can try your best. Who knows your sincerity might move her.”

“I heard they say she has a heart of stone. You really think, I can move that stone with sincerity?” asked Xiang Wai.

“She doesn’t have a heart of stone,” said Song Xin’ai. “She is just too practical. Once upon a time, you chose to keep your distance from her. At that time, she might have a need for a sister in her family but now, she has completed her family and feels like there is no need to add more people into it.”

“You both would have been very close if our family situation was different,” commented Xiang Weimin. He could see it clearly. Song Xin’ai and Raelle would have really been a pair of mother and daughter besties with their understanding of each other. But now, that was impossible.