"There is something different about you." Beatrice commented as she parked the vehicle close on Cauldron Street.Hu Lei"s mind drifted back to the activities of the previous night and the early morning. It was almost as if Zhong Feng"s warm lips were once again scalding her skin. Her internal temperature seemed to rise a little higher and she blushed.
"What do you mean different? What could possibly be different about me?" She denied unconvincingly.
Beatrice looked her up and down as they both stepped out of the car. She truly did think that something about her little boss looked strange. Her observation did not yield fruit. The only thing that she could say was that Hu Lei seemed a little more relaxed and happy.
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Since she could not point out to something specific, she dropped the topic with one final look.
"What are we doing here?" She changed the topic, looking at the quaint street.
Hu Lei"s face lighted up.
"There is an old grandpa that has a shop around here. I wanted to visit him for a few moments." She felt an inexplicable closeness with old man Huo. If she had to explain her feelings, she would say that Elder Huo gave him the feeling of family. Maybe it was because he was involved in medicine like a father.
"What old man? What if you are kidnapped and sold?" Beatrice said with a frown.
Hu Lei glanced at Beatrice with humour in her eyes. "Even you would not be able to kidnap me easily." She tuck out her tongue playfully.
Beatrice felt her heart skip a beat. Did Hu Lei know that she was trained and was actually also her bodyguard? Though she had not lied to her, she did not want matters to become awkward between them. Their relationship was good. It would be bad if it was ruined by misunderstandings. On the other hand, it would be too weird to confess now.
"Do not worry. He is a nice grandpa deep in his heart." Hu Lei led the way to the Apothecary store. Before she could knock, the door opened. Old man Huo"s face had its usual grumpy expression.
"How deep are we talking?" Beatrice wondered, but she did not speak the words out aloud. If that face was any indication, a joke would not be met with laughter.
"You are back so soon?" the tsundere man spoke. "You better not think that I will give you more free tea."
Elder Huo was actually extremely happy. He had been checking intermittently through the window, even though he knew that his granddaughter would not come back so soon. After all, she did not know that they were related at all. When he saw her from the distance, he could not hold back.
He only realised his actions after he had opened the door prematurely. His words were only for remedying his mistake. If he was too anxious, his cute granddaughter might think that he was an old man with nefarious intentions.
"But you told me I can"t afford your tea. I can only look up to you for charity." Hu Lei understood the old man too well, but she did not embarra.s.s him.
"Humph! This ancestor will admit that my tea cannot be bought with money. I will brew you a cup." His pride was apparent.
Hu Lei smiled in her heart. "This is my friend, Beatrice. She would also be honoured to have a cup of tea."
The old man looked at the girl, no older than his new granddaughter, dressed in a neat suit. He frowned. He felt that there was a definite sense of familiarity. But he did not think that he had met her. His mind tossed and turned but could not find the answer.
"h.e.l.lo, elder." Beatrice could not decipher the expression, but she did not feel like the old man had an evil mind.
"Come in." He went back to the shop and they followed. "If you want this ancestor"s tea for free, you should at least work for it. Help me clean up."
This shop was his personal hobby. He had only reopened it after leaving his family and coming to reminisce the good old days in Supreme City. He did not feel that it was necessary to hire someone to clean. He was not so weak that he could not do some light cleaning. But he would not say no to more time with his granddaughter even though it involved cleaning.
Beatrice was puzzled but she followed Hu Lei"s lead. She was no stranger to cleaning, but she was surprised to see how meticulous Hu Lei was in sanitising and sterilising. She could not help staring at her motionlessly for a while.
Hu Lei noticed the look and smiled. "My father was a doctor. I would help him out in a lot of things. I never wanted to be involved in medicine directly. But I still learnt a lot of things." She answered the unasked question.
Beatrice felt bad for causing Hu Lei to feel sad. She did not know the story, but the loss was obvious "I am sorry."
"No, it"s alright. I had a lot of happy adventures with my father. And he taught me a lot."
Beatrice was silent for a while, but the old man who was tinkering with something on a bench top spoke up. "What about your mother?"
Elder Huo was curious about Hu Lei"s relationship with her mother. He did not like Lu Liang, but she was still the girl"s mother.
Hu Lei paused as she cleaned the surfaces of a cabinet. "We are not close." She did not offer another explanation. Her formerly happy face became a little colder.
"I am sorry for bringing up bad memories." The old man apologised immediately.
Hu Lei realised that she had reacted poorly. "No, I have overreacted. It is just a sensitive topic for me. I don"t know her that well."
There was silence in the room for a while.
"What about your family?" The old man turned to Beatrice. It was not uncommon for elders to ask about families, so she did not think much of it.
"My family is just a normal military family. I also wanted to join, but my father forbade it." She sighed.
Hu Lei looked at her with a lifted brow. "You don"t seem to be someone who follows rules."
Beatrice made a miserable face. "He used an extreme form of carrot and stick. He would put me through tough drills along with my brothers. Then, he would allow me to relax, go shopping, travel and everything fun which would not be allowed if I joined the military. The cycle was endless. I eventually lost my firmness, and he won."
Hu Lei laughed. Even the old man showed a smile.