Little 4th shouted excitedly: "Big Sister YingYing sit next to me!"Li Xiuying walked around the table and sat next to the enthusiastic little bun.
Elder Qin: "Dr. Li this is my wife." He gestured to the woman beside him.
Li Xiuying raised both her eyebrows. There was confusion written all over her face. She looked around the table and then between Madame Qin and Elder Qin.
Madame Qin picked up on Li Xiuying"s confusion.
Madame Qin: "I"m his second wife, I am 45 years old and my husband is just 55. We were also surprised when I fell pregnant with Little 4th. My husband has informed me about your confusing regarding little 4th"s ... conception." She gently giggle.
When her red-faced husband had told her last night about pills comment she had laughed until she had tears in her eyes.
Li Xiuying nodded her head. She also cast an a.s.sessing eye over madame Qin. She had finally concluded that she was terrible at guessing people"s ages. She had thought Elder Qin was in his late 70"s. Now that she looked at his face, he looked much younger than he did yesterday even with the white hair. Li Xiuying concluded that Elder Qin looked older yesterday because he was worried about little 4th"s condition. Hence he seemed to have gained several decades.
Madame Qin: "Dr. Li thank you so much for everything you have done for Little 4th. I don"t know how we can repay you for all you have done."
Li Xiuying automatically quoted her fees: "I charge 100k for every 5 minutes. Cheque or cash."
Madame Qin wasn"t put off by Li Xiuying abruptness. Instead she laughed elegantly at Li Xiuying"s lack of EQ.
She thought to herself: "This girl"s straight forwardness is like a breath of fresh air compared to all those lotus flower socialites."
Madame Qin turned to her husband. "Make sure you calculate the total and write a cheque for Dr.Li"
Li Xiuying: "Why am I here?"
Qin Xian Jun: "When we entered Little 4th"s hospital room we found you on pa.s.sed out on the floor. We had some doctors check you over and run some test. They said it was just due to exhausting. We also mentioned that you were hit with a car. They said there were no internal injuries or broken bones. They provided some creams and ointments for the scratches and bruises on your body." He looked awkwardly at Li Xiuying.
Li Xiuying remained silent.
Qin Xian Jun: "We thought it wouldn"t be appropriate if we just left you by yourself, so we brought you home. The maids bathed and changed you. Mother bought you various things you may need."
Li Xiuying nodded her head.
Li Xiuying: "Thank you. I"ll be leaving now." She started to stand up. Li Xiuying had tasks to accomplish, she also wanted to recover from the day"s events. She hadn"t felt like herself since waking yesterday morning.
Elder Qin: "Please at least have some breakfast before you go. We waited for you so we could all eat together. I was also hoping to discuss some things with you."
Li Xiuying sat back down. She didn"t want to appear to be an ingrate and refuse their hospitality.
She looked at the table that was filled with numerous breakfast foods.
Li Xiuying reached out and put a bowl of congee in front of the little bun, then she took his plate and placed two steamed buns and half a jiānbĭng. She then did the same for herself.
Little 4th"s eyes sparkled like the milky way.
Little 4th and Li Xiuying began eating.
Everyone else around the table was shocked. This was the first time that Little 4th was eating without having to be coaxed or forced.
Madame Qin was beginning to like Li Xiuying more and more. Anyone who could win over her precocious little baby was in her good books.
Elder Qin: "Are you the famous Dr. Li? The Dr. Li who graduated from medical school at the age of 15 having done an accelerated course and gone on to become certified in countless specialties?"
Li Xiuying nodded.
Elder Qin: " Then your father was..."
Before Elder Qin could finish Li Xiuying looked at him with a penetrating gaze.
Elder Qin was shocked. He had faced down countless CEO"s of big corporations, he has met numerous prime minister"s, presidents and foreign dignitaries and he hadn"t even batted an eye lid.
But one look from this little girl was enough to make him choke down his words.
Elder Qin cleared his throat.
The rest of the Qin"s took this opportunity to fire questions at Li Xiuying.
Qin Song: "What are the areas you are specialized in?"
Qin Jie: "Did you really go to medical school in the UK? How did you mange to qualify by 15 isn"t the minimum age to gain entrance into medical school 18? How many years is the accelerated course you did?"
Qin Xian Jun: "Why were you so battered and bruised when we found you? If you have so much money why were you walking around in such a state?"
Elder Qin recovered from his shock and joined in the game of 20 questions
Elder Qin: "Do you have a particular area of interest you like to focus on? Do you work by the case or by the hour? Are you free to work for any hospitals?"
Little 4th: "Is the food tasty big sister YingYing?"
Madame Qin: "I"ve heard before that you"re currently engaged is that true? Was the marriage arranged by your family? Did you have a choice? Is this open for discussion?"
Li Xiuying didn"t even look up from her plate and continued eating. She thought all the questions made sense except Madam Qin"s. "Why is Madame Qin asking me about my marriage status?"
Li Xiuying finally lifted her head up. "Little 4th the food is okay, the jiānbĭng should have been made with fresher eggs. The steamed buns had an incorrect ratio of filling to dough. The congee needs more salt."
Little 4th looked at Li Xiuying in awe: "Wow Big Sister YingYing you can even diagnose food!!!"
Li Xiuying had always been able to pick up the slightest discrepancies in food and in medication. She used to play the food guessing game with her parents; her parents also found her ability to taste a novelty.
The Qin"s each tasted the congee, steam buns and jiānbĭng. They found what Li Xiuying said to be accurate.
Little 4th picked up one of the shrimp dumpling"s and put it on Li Xiuying"s plate. "What about this one big sister YingYing."
Li Xiuying bought the dumpling to her mouth: "The shrimp should have been diced more finely and there is 1/10th too much green onion."
The Qin family took turns to push plates towards Little 4th so he could place it on Li Xiuying"s plate for diagnosis.
....
In the Hallway.
Click, click, click.
Att.i.tude Ang-Yin was leading a beautiful woman towards the dinning room.
The young woman wore an electric blue fitted wrap dress that made her milky skin look even fairer and enhanced her curves. She had a small powder blue clutch hanging from one shoulder. She wore floral peep toed high heels that were at least 6 inches high and made a sharp clicking noise when she walked. Her hair reached below her shoulders and had well placed waves through it. Her face was the size of a palm and she had exquisite features.
The woman turned to the maid and inquired: "So they brought a random woman home yesterday and she"s now having breakfast with them?"
Att.i.tude Ang-Yin: "Yes miss, the second master carried her in yesterday. Apparently she"s some type of doctor."
The woman nodded as she continued walking. Although she already knew about everything that had happened yesterday night she just liked to make sure she had the facts correct. Her information network had never failed her in the past but that didn"t mean they couldn"t make mistakes in the future.
She entered the dinning room led by the att.i.tude Ang-Yin.
She looked at the scene before her in bewilderment. There were cooks standing behind Elder Qin writing seriously into note pads. Even various butlers and maids were standing around the table staring at a small woman while she ate.
The Qin"s were staring at her intensely, even her Qin Song looked intrigued.
She cleared her throat to signal the maid to proceed.
Att.i.tude Ang-Yin: "Miss Zhou FengMian is here."
Everyone glanced at Zhou FengMian.
The staff dispersed with sour looks on their faces at having their fun spoiled. The cooks thanked Li Xiuying before leaving with wide grins on their faces. They had gained so much insight into improving their recipes.
Zhou FengMian glided over to Elder Qin and Madame Qin.
Zhou FengMian spoke with a gentle and respectful tone: "Good morning Elder Qin and Madame Qin. I"m sorry for disturbing you all so early in the morning."
Elder Qin nodded whilst Madame Qin stayed silent.
Zhou FengMian then turned to Qin Song.
Zhou FengMian then did a complete 180. Her voice changed from gentle and respectful to whiny and grating.
Zhou FengMian: "Songgggggggg Darling, please don"t hate me for coming unannounced. I was really worried when I didn"t get a call or message from you last night. I thought it was very unusual since we talk everyyy night. I came to check if everything was okay." She pouted at Qin Song.
Zhou FengMian looked at Li Xiuying from the corner of her eye.
Hmph! This woman better understand that Qin Song is mine!