"Oh! It's the Ming family," says Mrs. Lu.
"Ming?" Muyan asks.
"Yes, remember the large mansion that was built about a month ago? The family that owns the property moved in today. Our neighbor Mrs. Pang was saying it is a prestigious family coming from North. Well their mansion alone says a lot for that and now the order also makes sense. Maybe they shifted in rush and thus ordering so late. But anyway, all the more reason to deliver well." her mother finishes, looking at her and the invitation time to time.
She hands it to her and again starts to instruct others. After thinking for a while, Muyan puts it back into the envelope and places it on the desk. But as she turns around, her elbow hits one of the wall mirrors, used as decoration, falls to the ground. It shatters into big and small pieces. Mrs. Lu immediately turns back and Muyan stands there, caught off guard.
She looks down at the broken glass, showing countless reflections of herself.
"Muyan! Are you okay?" her mother runs to her, panicked.
"Yes, ma I'm sorry. I don't know how it..." she stops midway.
"Ah, it's okay, did it cut you anywhere?" saying she checks her daughter's arms, legs and body.
"No, don't worry. I'll clean it." she offers.
"No, I will. How about you just go take some rest honey?" she says tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "You look so tired."
"I will go when you do. I'll bring the broom." she leaves saying.
Her mother only sees her going to backroom, a weird void in her heart. She looks down and sighs.
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(Castle Peak Road)
It was about 9:30 when they were returning. Their car stops in front of their home. As they get out, Mrs. Lu points the brightly lit new mansion just two houses away from theirs.
"It looks even more beautiful at night. The glass work on the windows are ashtonishing, lights are making it glow like crystal, right laogong?" she says, admiring.
"It is. But isn't it too much to put glass everywhere? To me it doesn't even look like you can open these windows." her husband responds.
"Ah, it's unique. You men never appreciate unique things." she responds.
Muyan doesn't say a word, following their parents into the home. Mrs. Lu rings the bell. Meiran opens it a few seconds later. Mingxia, sat on the sofa holding something, also stands up and walks to them as they walk inside.
"Ma, baba, we got an invitation from the new people of the mansion." she hands it to their father.
"Ah, they came to our home to invite as well?" he speaks.
"What do you mean as well?" Meiran asks.
"They gave us a huge order of flowers and the same envelope." Muyan answers while chugging down a glass of water.
"Ah, I see. They asked about our business as well." Meiran says.
"Asked what?" their mother asks.
"Not much, they just said that they knew that we run a flower shop. A woman came with two men; she's the mother of the girl whose birthday we are invited to. She did most of the talking. Oh, and she gave us a huge fruit basket as a welcome gift for being new neighbors." she says pointing at the basket on the dining table.
"Oh." Mr. Lu responds, visibly happy. "This is a jackpot for me. Such good people hehe." he adds more, grinning.
"And for Muyan as well." Meiran says, smiling.
"Aigh, I am going to start plating dinner soon.Laogong, Muyan, get fresh. Meiran, come with me and take the dishes out from fridge to reheat." their mother says.
"Aiiiiiiiiiiih." Meiran follows her mother.
"Ah, laopo, we need to sort out a good gift for them, these fruits are exotic!" their father strolls into the kitchen behind them.
"Jiejie." Mingxia calls Muyan.
"Hm?" she answers.
"Isn't your new classmate 'Ming' as well? And she said she just got moved with her family. What if it's her mansion?" she breaks down the possibility.
"Who knows?" Muyan responds thinking.
"It will be so cool if it is." Mingxia exclaims, eyes beaming.
"What is so cool in it?" Muyan asks.
"Have you seen that mansion? It's like a palace!" Mingxia describes, hands going in directions.
"You're exaggerating, it's just another house, just a bit fancy." Muyan responds, before leaving for her room.
Mingxia pouts.
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(Dinner Time)
"Ma, Pa. I forgot to tell you something about Mrs. Ming." Meiran says while eating her fish.
"What now? She has an apple garden?" Mr. Lu jokes happily as Mrs. Lu elbows his shoulder.
"I won't be surprised if she does. Money." Meiran answers back, looking up.
"Eh?! Really?" Mr. Lu exclaims.
"Aigh! Stop making up stories. What is it Meiran?" Mrs. Lu adds.
"Hm, when we requested her to step inside to at least have some water, she denied but she kept looking at something. When I followed her gaze, she was looking at those." Meiran points at the wall beside the table.
The wall had a TV as well as frames of family and individual photos of the Lu family. One photo was of Mr and Mrs Lu's wedding, one was of their grandparents, three about the girls when they were babies and three more of them fully grown.
"And then she said we look very good together and if we were three sisters because she could only see me and Mingxia at that time. So I said yes, we do have another sister in between us and that was her in the pictures." Meiran explains as everyone except Mingxia who is too engrossed eating the chicken wings, watch her.
"And?" Mrs Lu asks, sitting into her chair.
"And....well she didn't ask anything more. She just smiled and left, reminding us again to visit. We didn't also say anything else and just bid them goodbye." Meiran completes.
"Oh, well that's sweet of her." Mrs Lu responds.
"Yeah....but ma, she was looking at the photos like this." Mingxia makes a awed face, eyes bigger and still. "Who does that?" she adds more.
"Aigh, don't make faces, eat your food." Mrs Lu orders.
"Anyway, Mingxia you have music class tomorrow, have you practiced?" Mr Lu asks.
"We have taken a leave for this week, our mid year function is in two days pa." Mingxia says.
"Oh yes yes, function. But in two days? Isn't it colliding with the day of invitation?" he asks.
"No, it is on the day after tomorrow. The function is the next day from that." Mrs Lu answers.
"I see." he replies.
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The dinner ends and all the girls are back to their rooms.