Grit and Determination

Grandma Co loved how easily the sunny girl saw through her mother's cunning mind. Finally, somebody could put up a fight with the imperious Yiu Lala.

The stand-off between the mother and daughter was cut-off when a helper wheeled in a vintage solid brass tea trolley that was polished to sparkle under the glow of the crystal chandelier. Its arrival intensified when the sweet smell of pastries partnered with the aromatic tea wafted in the room. 

"Oooh that smells nice," Jenny could not help but express her excitement.

"Pastries of the day from La Maison du Chocolat, fresh from their oven and delivered straight to the Huang Household especially for the third young miss," the butler said, his voice was smooth and his smile was smug and full of confidence. He knew how fond the third young miss was for pastries and today was his lucky day for going the extra mile. 

He had to go through a needle's eye just to get his hands on this wide-array of pastries that would only be discarded by the end of the day. The hassle from last night's last-minute overseas purchase could certainly be considered a success. Who knew that the third young miss would finally get out of her room after days of voluntary seclusion?

"I'll take your word for it," Jenny said and sent a wink at the butler. The butler felt his bald head suddenly grew an inch of hair from the third young miss's sunny mood. 

Auntie Lala was happy to see her sunny sweetie back, temporarily ignoring her attitude a few moments ago. Her eyes darted to the direction of her failed guinea pig and could not help but curl her lips.

"MMMMMMM!" Jenny closed her eyes and savored the small bite of almond heaven in her mouth and sent a thumbs up to the butler's way.

The tea room went awfully quiet when the helpers left. The rhythmic tic-toc from the grandfather's clock served as their background music. And even the eyes from the Huang ancestors' portraits hanging on the wall had more life than the tea party itself. 

Jenny scanned the room, took a sip of her fine tea and decided to break the ice in the room. Her voice was like a tiny drop of water that fell from a leaf and sent ripples on a sleeping pond.  

"Who is that lady, mother?" Her grip tightened at the teacup handle almost to a breaking point. She would not let this mother of hers go scathe-free. 

Grandma Co took a sip of her tea to hide the sneer on her face. Who else could make Yiu Lala speechless but her own daughter of course?

Auntie Lala held her anger, the armrest almost broke in two, "My new assistant, Chaste. She caught me when I… when I fainted with the news," her voice softened by the end of her sentence. She almost could not say it.

Auntie Lala averted her gaze from Jenny. The thought of her collapsing for this insolent daughter irritated her more. 

"Oh."

"Yes 'oh'. So do me a favor and let me keep her, okay? I almost split my head in half on the runway when… when I heard the news."

"Ahahaha!" Grandma Co's sardonic laughter at Auntie Lala's overreacting made everyone in the room smile - even the fuming Auntie Lala herself.

"Omo! Matriarch Co, it's true that I fainted. And stop laughing at my misfortune," Auntie Lala protested with a silly smile on her face. She safely placed the teacup on the table to fan herself from the unusual rush of mixed joy and anger in her bones.

Grandma Co squeezed Jenny's hand thereafter and continued, "Now, Jenny darling, I'm glad you are almost back to your old self."

Meanwhile, inside the walk-in pantry, a sniffle was heard that earned a raised eyebrow and ears to perk from the helpers nearby. Aunt Mari walked in with a glass of water to calm the shaking lady who managed to hold her tears until she reached inside.

"I cried on my first day too. Just keep your eyes away from each man you encounter if you wanted to keep your job for a long time." She exhaled at the sight of the poor girl. She was lucky this time that it was only the third young miss, what if it was the madam herself? Aunt Mari patted Chaste's back and left right away.

Chaste sniffled one last time and took to heart Aunt Mari's words of wisdom. Her lower lip quivered when she glanced at the exit, "Eyes away from the men. Eyes away from the men," she repeatedly warned herself. 

She blew off the remaining steam in her body and put her brave face on as she wiped the trail of tears off her face. She checked her outfit one last time for any tear stains or creases but saw none.

A deep breath.

An ounce of grit and determination.

Chaste walked back to her post as if nothing happened and… as if nothing even broke.

Edited by Swaning