Little Things Around

After Han Yun Xiang told the young woman what were the needed set up she should do, Han Meixiu's eyes never left the screen of her laptop.

"Is there anything else?" Han Meixiu asked. She was actually puzzled why she had to set up several other programs before logging in.

"Cover the cam of your laptop."

"Huh?" With a knitted eyebrows she accepted the medical tape her father was holding.

"Camfecting."

"I see." Han Meixiu never thought of this danger.

Camfecting is a process where hackers will gain access to a device's camera without the permission of the owner even if the screen is not really active.

Since her father made sure she didn't have any important files on her laptop, the last thing they should do was to secure the webcam couldn't get their faces.

It was just a simple precautionary measure.

"Remember, don't ask questions. Just follow what I have to say. If you want to ask questions, save them later."

"Understood." Han Meixiu quickly answered.

"We shouldn't waste a single second." Han Yun Xiang reminded the young woman.

"I'm ready." Han Meixiu said as she inhaled deeply and even rubbed her hands together before her fingers positioned to the home keys.

Han Yun Xiang started to speak while Han Meixiu diligently followed.

While following the instructions provided by her father, Han Meixiu realized there were different 'categories' of black.com's client. The one that her cousin got was the lowest category.

She actually felt amazed how intricate the process of requesting in it's website.

With a non stop beating of her heart as she excitedly and cautiously navigate the site, her eyes twinkled in anticipation while her fingers were dancing in an unknown rhythm on the keyboard.

When she finally arrived to the personal record of the 'client' she saw something.

"There was a reply."

"Copy it to your note. Then exit following the last set of steps I told you."

Han Meixiu quickly followed.

"Turn off your laptop."

When the laptop finally shut down, Han Meixiu faced her father.

"We're not going to check the list?"

"Not now."

"Why is it too complicated to just access your own 'profile' and send a request?"

"The more important the 'client' is, the more complicated his log in process."

"You're also a client of black.com or you just got someone's record."

"Both. I need a high 'client's' profile to get your mother's attention. If I will follow the usual process and begin from being the lowest client, I will be just wasting my time. My requests would just go to some random people."

"Do you need me to do something more?" Han Meixiu asked lowering her head.

"What do you mean?"

"Requests, uhmm...help?"

"No. That's all."

Han Meixiu sighed. The excitement was short lived. But at least she learned something new today. She couldn't help imagining how she would inform Liu Zijian about it.

She was pleased with herself these days as they enjoyed discussing this kind of topic.

She just didn't learn something about LCG but black.com as well. Although she couldn't possibly infiltrate and snoop in black.com, she already had an idea how it worked.

As for LCG she would have a training on the job soon.

Every time she learned something, she developed a hobby of sharing it to him and listening to his opinion and reaction afterwards. But she herself never realized it just yet.

Han Meixiu only thought that she enjoyed doing so and didn't think further about the meaning of her actions.

The more she experienced, the more she realized that being idle was something she didn't want to be anymore.

"How will you get the box? You're still here and under treatment." Han Meixiu hinted that she could do the job.

Unfortunately, she was destined to be disappointed.

"I will not get it."

"Huh? Why? You asked for it but don't want to get it?" Han Meixiu questioningly looked at her father.

"The box was intended for her." Han Yun Xiang simply said.

If his calculation would be correct, the leader would be interested to his request. Before the completion of the 'task' the item could be delivered directly to the 'client' or could be stored in the black.com if there would be no response from the client.

Han Yun Xiang hoped, her curiosity would be enough to check the box. Even if she would not open it, she would know for sure what were the things inside because the box was hers to begin with.

"Oh," Han Meixiu responded parting her lips and nodding.

"Father, how did you know the box is in Cousin Yu's house? Is it because he's the head of Zhang family now?"

"Yes. All of the important things of your mother and grandparents are with him."

Remembering in her wedding, Zhang Yu gave her a trinket.

"He gave me an egg-shaped trinket. He said it was your first gift to mom."

Han Yun Xiang smiled softly. He remembered the time he was so stressed what to buy for his Ling Ling.

He wanted it to be special but he didn't know what she liked.

On his way home, he saw a newly opened shop with a lot of girls coming in and out wearing smiles on their faces.

He thought there must be something good inside. Even though he was the only man inside the store, he didn't care.

He spent checking every single thing and finally settled on that egg-shaped trinket. It was not in the place where it could easily be seen.

It was as if the owner didn't really want to sell it.

When he asked about it, the owner said it's missing a stone and considered defective. He still bought it and went to jeweler and asked to put rubies around it.

His Ling Ling was fond of wearing ruby stud earring.

After a week he gave it to her.

It was also the first time he received a warm hug from her and a dashing smile exclusively for him.

That was the day they started dating.

Han Yun Xiang smiled.

"Father, I can give it back to you."

"It's already yours. Keep it."

The memories were more then enough for him.

*

The next day, feeling extra excited, Han Meixiu took the trinket and the box together with her laptop to her father.

Arriving earlier than usual, Han Meixiu smilingly greeted her father.

These days, maybe because of her or his treatment was indeed effective, the older man was feeling better.

"Father look, here is the trinket." Han Meixiu said. Even though her father said that she could keep it, she saw on his face the memory attached to that elegant little thing.

If it could some what ease his pain, she's more than willing to be part of it.

Upon receiving the trinket, Han Yun Xiang inhaled deeply. He's indeed getting emotional and it gor worse when Han Meixiu continued to speak.

"It represented both of you and mom in my wedding."

The silence that followed that lasted for few minutes was deafening but wasn't uncomfortable. There was a tacit understanding between the father and the daughter.

"Grandfather Han also asked me to give this box to you." Han Meixiu spoke breaking the silence.

"Father?"

Han Meixiu nodded and gave the box to her father.