Chapter 1: Are You In Trouble?
Chapter 1: Are You In Trouble?
Huo Yao was on a cool, black bike. She was slowly riding past the small shop by the street corner when the sweet, old lady shouted to her.
Huo Yao gently pressed the brakes and put her feet on the ground to bring the bike to a complete stop. She expertly took off her helmet. Each of her movements was fluid. Her long ponytail cascaded down her shoulder instantly, enhancing her beauty. She was born with delicate and beautiful facial features, to begin with, and at the moment, her posture added a mighty, heroic bearing to her.
The old lady stared at Huo Yao, exclaiming to herself that pretty kids did have natural advantages. Even during an act as simple as riding a bike, Huo Yao looked out of the ordinary.
“Umm, I think you have got some guests at home. The person came in a very, very impressive limousine. My son told me that the limousine is worth millions. No car in our county can compare to that car...” As the old lady moved forward with her story, she made some exaggerated gestures.
Huo Yao listened to her words, making her immerse deep in thought. But she showed no expression on her face that would indicate anything unusual.
Since Huo Yao was not responding, the old lady took a careful look around and then stepped closer to Huo Yao to whisper to her. “Yaoyao, tell me. Since when does your family know these rich people? Or... are you in any sort of trouble?”
The old lady remembered that someone drove a car to her house last year and a big fight had broken out.
Huo Yao’s eyelids were twitching now. The old lady’s thoughts were wandering in the wrong direction, which Huo Yan found both amusing and annoying.
To avoid any more misunderstanding, Huo Yao replied in a gentle voice. “Probably a distant relative has come to visit.”
As soon as she gave this answer, the old lady became suspicious. But before she could inquire any further, Huo Yao had already put her helmet back on and waved her a quick goodbye. “Grandma Huang, time for me to go now.”
The old lady watched as Huo Yao rode away. A long while later, she mumbled to herself. “Isn’t your family famous for being a household in hardship?”
What distant relative?
Not to mention someone so rich.
***
Huo Yao rode home quickly. Even from a distance away, she could see that ‘very, very impressive’ black sedan parked in the alley outside the yard.
The logo of the sedan was a soaring eagle. The car had a solemn yet classy look to it.
This was a Bentley. No wonder the car would cost millions.
Huo Yao’s lips stretched into a sarcastic grin. There were enough thoughts on her mind but she hid them well. She got off from her bike slowly and then clicked some buttons on the bike as she had done innumerable times earlier.
In a blink, the bike folded up automatically and now was suddenly smaller than an 11-inch laptop.
The gate to the yard was wide open. Huo Yao picked up her bike effortlessly, and stepped into the yard. Before she got to the living room, she could already hear someone’s shrill, harsh voice.
“Mom, why are you being so stubborn? What is so special about this shabby place that you cannot bear to leave it behind?”
“I have already told you that I bought you a big house downtown and I hired a nanny solely to look after you. No matter how you think about it, that life will be much better than the one you are living currently.”
“Take a look at this dirty floor, the wall’s color is fading and water still leaks upstairs during rains, right?”
“You are in poor health. Why do you have to stay in this worn-out, moldy, old house? People would think that we are poor and that we are abusing our elders...”
Huo Yao was still standing in the yard. Upon hearing these words, she sunk into deep thoughts. But soon, she raised her head back up.