Mi Rae was totally lost in confusion.Holding the cupcake in her hand,she looked at Neil for help but he had already turned towards the boxes and was now trying to coax Alicia into giving him one.Looking at his puppy dog expression,she was shocked.Taking into consideration last night"s pyjamas and his current whining,if she had not seen his ruthlessness with her own eyes,she would never have believed that he was not some 8 year old boy but a grown man with a formidable reputation.She was thoroughly disillusioned.Just then she heard the clink of a plate.Ryu Long had placed a plate of steamed dumplings in front of her and was now eating his own breakfast peacefully while his wife and brother bickered.
Just then Neil pointed to her and said,"You gave her a cupcake before breakfast."The two of them were suddenly looking at her..
Mi Rae suddenly put down the cupcake and immediately stuffed her mouth with a small dumpling lest she be dragged into the fight.The dumplings were amazing and she would have moaned in appreciation if she was alone.Turning to Alicia she complimented,"These are delicious and well made.Thank you."
She was about to go back to her eating when suddenly Neil scoffed,"Ha!".Coming to her plate,he took the chopsticks out of her hand and stole a dumpling from her plate!Then,after eating the delicacy he said,"Who is being a chauvnist now?You!You automaticaly a.s.sumed that these had been made by Alicia!These ones are made by Ryu.Al"s dumplings are drier than wood usually!"
Mi rae was a bit shocked at his behavior but turned to politely thank Ryu.But Al,whose food had just been insulted came to Neil and bopped him on the head."Since I make such bad food,why are you whining for the cupcakes I made?You can forget them."
As Alicia was about to hit Neil again,Ryu got up,pulled Alicia back to his side and put her in his lap.Just as she was about to open her mouth to scold him,he stuffed a bite of the dumpling into her mouth.
Then looking at Neil,he said,"Neil,eat!"
Sitting down like a chastised little boy,Neil started eating.Soon Alicia and Mi Rae were done eating and Alicia was itching to know more about what she had interrupted earlier.So,she directly questioned,"Ms Zheng?What brings you here?"
"My car broke down just as the blizzard started and Neil helped me with a roof on my head."
Alicia who had been nodding in understanding added helpfully,"And clothes."
Mi Rae felt speechless at that.But then she continued,"I was looking for food in the refrigerator when Neil came in and I suddenly got scared and banged my head..Neil was taking a look..that is when you came in.."
"Ahh."
She looked at Neil to corraborate her story but he was lost in eating.He had already finished a lot of dumplings.Wow!The man could eat!She had wondered why Ryu Long and his wife brought so much food but now she had her answer.How was the man so fit?"
There was an awkward pause where Mi Rae did not know what to say and she was about to excuse herself from their family time when suddenly,Neil looked up from his plate and said,"Al my pal.She is the one that sent Onita to me.You can start your questioning there!After all that is what you came here for!Mi Rae,Al here happens to be Onita"s bff from the past.She had already bribed you so you can explain."
Al and Ryu both did not miss the intimacy in Neil"s tone.Yes,he usually called people by their first names but this time there was something different in his voice,not that he was aware of that.And of course they made note of the similarities in name also.
Al had no idea how Zheng was involved so she asked directly,"Ms Zheng can you please explain to me what is going on?"
Mi Rae looked at the anxious look on her face and decided to start from the beginning.She had known she would be approached soon but she had not expected this done in a personal setting.And not to Alicia Long!So she began,"A while back,Hu Ge approached me regarding the case for custody of Alicia Dew.He wanted me to take the case pro bono or pretend to be willing to take the money on installments.And he wanted me to win the case by hook or by crook.I refused until he told me the whole story.Hu Ge and Hu Wei were my cla.s.smates in school,so I obviously knew their closeness as well as Elder Lu"s shamelessness.And as I got to know the whole story I almost pitied Onita.I was about to accept the case but my company threatened me with firing so I had to back down!I would have left the company,I plan to anyway,but not so that somebody can take credit for my work.You know the celebrity couple Lee and I am fighting on behalf of Mrs Lee.I have worked hard to win that case and if the company fired me then someone else would takover the case.So I suggested that Hu Ge handover the case to Neil.But by then Elder Hu had started doubting him and had set his spies on him so he asked me to guide her to you.I did not expect much and was preparing to call you asking for a favor but I guess you already knew her personally so you accepted."