19 19....failure as an elder...

There was an awkward silence.

These family matters were put under her care but still, it was quite awful to be reprimanded without being able to speak back, right?

Qin Mo knew he was being childish.

After Xia Jingyi left, he ran from his responsibilities, he forced Qin ZiXuan to his limits without providing the necessary support and if not for Meilin's come back, he might still be suffering under all the mountains of responsibilities he was given, alone, without anyone to support him!!

Yes, he was a failure as an elder....

He cleared his mind and thought about the matter, this time, rationally.

No matter his current state, he was still a legend in the industry and was a very capable man, just that, he was led by his emotions when it came to his family...

About his son taking over the market he didn't have much to say. Even though his son had run away from his responsibilities back then and for all the things he did, Qin Mo will never forgive him in this lifetime, he was still his blood and he knew of his son's prowess well plus he knew what Qin Melin did, was already finalised.

He didn't have a say in it, as he had left everything there to Meilin's hands, it was for her to decide what she wanted to do and he knew that she will never make a wrong decision when it came to the company. her family was responsible for, she was too strict with herself to do it...

Anyway, as long as, she was here, it was impossible for her to take care of things there anyway, his useless son should at least compensate her a bit for everything she had missed since childhood because of him....

Qin Meilin took their silence as their approval and got up.

"I'll brew some drinks to go with the sweets I bought, I hope that you clear and sort everything out before I come back", it was not her asking for something from them but it was an outright order.

They nodded mechanically to this.

Meilin was satisfied.

She wanted to get some tea but before she could move away, she felt a tug and looked back at the hand, which was still being held by Qin ZiXuan and saw him smiling at her.

Qin ZiXuan also got off of the couch, giving a toothy grin, he said, "I'll help too!"

Qin Meilin was a bit taken aback by that childish and sheepish grin but when she registered what he said, her face darkened and black lines appeared over her head.

She remembered the day she had returned and he had said that he would brew some tea for her.

She was a bit startled because of it as before she went abroad, he loved Aunt Xiao's and her cooking and had said that he would not learn it, so that, they will have to feed him forever but now.....

Her XuanXuan had grown up without her realising it.

She was feeling a bit stuffy because she thought, he won't need her anymore, that he could fend for himself and could live without her presence and that she didn't matter.

She had thought that she would be glad to find it as such, back then when she left him,.... that it will better for him to forget her or at least for him to be able to live without her presence.

She didn't want his light to become murky because of her feelings and because of her but like always her life was playing a bad joke with her.

Now, she felt her heart shred into pieces because of such a small matter, how could she bear being not needed and not loved??

Just as black clouds had started gathering over her head and her mood was darkening, she heard someone yelp, as if, cursing or maybe due to experiencing some pain or maybe both.

She frantically ran into the kitchen to see a disheveled XuanXuan, who had put his hand under the gushing tap.

She got worried and ran over to his side.

When she was closer, her eyes unconsciously went to the boiling pot, she noticed that there was no water on the pot while the base was still red and it could only mean one thing and that was, rather than water being boiled in the container, the water had burned out !!

"..."

She somehow felt deeply relieved and almost laughed out loud, his stoic face in contrast to his clumsiness was so--- so,

'Gap-moe!!!!! He was just so cute~!!!'

'Yep! XuanXuan still need some tie to grow up.' she thought to herself.

After that she went to get the ointment for the man who was desperately trying to keep his aloof face but was probably in too much pain as she could see beads of sweat on his forhead.

He probably didn't want her to worry and was bluffing it, but how could she not worry, right?

After that Qin ZiXuan had pouted for a while and had put on the blame on the pot, to which Qin Meilin dotingly indulged him and had asked him not to care about such things like chores as she would help him.

"Really!! You won't leave me again", his voice was slightly high pitched and his eyes were sparkling as he was excited but still, his voice held a bit of relief and sadness.

Her heart skipped a beat.

She was really guilty, afterall.

Due to her insecurites and her wrong feelings she left him alone without giving any reason, her bangs hooded her eyes before her emtions could run amok inside them and got noticed by him...she patted his head and smiled.

"hmm"

She had wanted to say, 'Yes, forever' but held back, it was better for only her to know about it, she will forever help him keep his smile, she will always be there for him like she always was since they first met...

Back to the present, as she watched him, she dotingly smiled and ruffled his soft hairs, though she had to look up as he was too tall she was already acustomed to it, "I'll do it, I won't be needing your help."

After she said that, she felt like she saw his imaginary ears and tail droop down; she let out a chuckle and continued, "But I don't mind you company".....to which he visibly brightened up as he followed her to the kitchen.

Just before entering the kithen Qin Meilin turned back and called, "Grandma."

Xia Jingyi, who was trying to diminish of sense of existence until now, sat up straight and nervously replied, "Yes?"

"It's nothing much but I expect that, you've not forgotten what I spoke to you this morning, right?" Qin Meilin replied back as she narrowed her eyes on her.

"Of- Of course not...haha...haha..ha..ha"

"hmm...then it's fine...."

Qin Meilin flipped her body backward and entered the kitchen.