Chapter 53: Gift opening
Bai Yi Yang hang around the living room as she play with her phone.
"Right, I put the Zhang elder's gift inside the room at the right." Bai Yi Chen said.
"Ohh, I forgot about that." Bai Yi Yang open the right side room and bring all of it outside to the living room.
She opened the shopping bags first since she is curious about the contents. It is a famous clothing brand for kids to young adults. The first bag contain a white short sleeve top with pink dots pattern and matching light pink dungaree dress at Bai Yi Fang size, then a solid ruffle sleeve white top with small flowers and butterflies pattern and a matching light beige dungaree dress for Bai Yi Ling, off shoulder baby blue plaid dress with puffed white lace sleeve in casual style for Bai Yi Yang.
Bai Yi Yang look at the girly design in her size, isn't this too girly? When will she have the chance to wear this? She loves beautiful dresses, but it is more suitable to be worn to party. She had even seen Bai Yi Fang in the other world wear this kind of dress.
"This is so pretty." Bai Yi Fang like hers very much. Bai Yi Ling looks satisfied too with hers.
Then the second bags contain the boys clothings, it is comfortable sweatshirt and sweatpants set, black white yellow colour for Bai Yi Mo and blue white for Bai Yi Chen.
"Ge, see, we have matching colour." Bai Yi Yang said to Bai Yi Chen and laugh. Maybe the Zhang family knows that they are twin so they got a matching set.
"En.." Bai Yi Chen look and immediately turn his head, feeling a bit shy. It has been long since the twins has matching clothes, maybe only when they are small. They don't really look alike, people who don't know them well in school doesn't know that they are twins too. Maybe only amongst their classmates since their name is similar.
Bai Yi Yang didn't tease him more. This clothes must have cost a lot, anyway it was only clothing she will gladly accept it.
Then she unpacked the stationary sets, there are three sets in it, and also some colouring books and colouring set.
The cocoa set box is a little interesting, it was exquisitely made, the brand is not something that she is really familiar with, is this a luxury item that is not widely available? There is more than 10 types of chocolate bar with different flavours, dried fruits coated with chocolate, chocolate spread, cocoa powder, chocolate balls and waffles, cocoa induced candies and a few more.
"What brand is this?" Bai Yi Yang ask. Her smaller sibling are already excited just looking at it, there are so many chocolate ah.
"Most probably their family brand. I noticed the cookies also has similar brands." Bai Yi Chen answer. Bai Yi Yang look at the stacked transparent cookie box. There are 5 cookies box, each display beautiful cookies in different flavours.
"En, I agree." Bai Yi Yang nod. Since this is their family brand then the huge basket with various products must be from Zhang Yong own supermarket.
She open the outer wrapping and look at the products one by one, there are various products packed together, just some random things that you can find in supermarket, but it was more towards the organic direction or healthier choice, but it also screammexpensive. The snacks looks too healthy for a snack, then there are various dried herbs and tea that looks imported. There are also seasoning and spices from all over the world. What a global supermarket this is. He wanted to sell her dried mushrooms there? Well sure, it really suit it well.
"Why is this salt pink? Himalayan?" Bai Yi Ling read. Bai Yi Ling who already knows how to read labels looks confused. Bai Yi Yang chuckled.
"It's an expensive version of a salt." She answer.
"Does it taste better? How can salt taste different? Isn't salt just salty?" Bai Yi Mo ask, he tried smelling the salt but it doesn't have distinct smell.
"En, it's just a salt." Bai Yi Yang agree.
After looking through all the gifts, Bai Yi Yang asked the younger one to bring it back to the room before she let them taste the cookies from the bunch of gifts.
"Taste good?" She ask.
"En." Bai Yi Fang immediately nod. After that Bai Yi Yang also have a taste, it indeed taste exquisite, not sweet like there are a lot of sugar added, but more to the aroma and natural sweetness from the ingredients.
"Yang Yang, what do you think the Zhang family means by this?" Bai Yi Chen ask. He can already think like an adult, strangers being nice without reason is rare.
"Well..the first reason may be because they really pity us and Zhang Yong has been telling them good words about us. The second reason is that they saw potential and wanted to 'bribe' us to cooperate with Zhang Yong. But honestly I don't mind, human relationship is like that, other than real family like us siblings, no matter how kind a person is, there is always a reason of certain action. Ge, don't worry too much, these gifts are nothing in their eyes." Bai Yi Yang said with a small smile. She and Zhang Yong can be considered good friend now, but they also have other relationship called business now.
"En..then, you really are going to sign contract with him?" Bai Yi Chen ask. He had heard about this a bit while they chat during lunch.
"Why not, our mountain has unlimited resources, what I promised him, of course I am sure I can fulfilled it. Ge, you don't worry." Bai Yi Yang smile.
"I just don't want it to affect your study. Now is still holiday, you have a lot of time. But we will have exam, extra classes and school activities." Bai Yi Chen said. He is trying to be reasonable here. During holiday, they have a lit of time to spare, but when they enter school, they will be quite busy. Will there be time for Bai Yi Yang to do business with Zhang Yong?
"Ge, you still cannot believe my ability after teaching you all that previous homework?" Bai Yi Yang look dumbfounded, she shake her head and pretend to look disappointed with her brother.
"You…" Bai Yi Chen was speechless and laugh in the end.
"Alright, I was wrong." Bai Yi Chen said.
"When the school start, I will only attend the formal class and compulsory school activities. As for extra class ah, extra club activities ah..I will not attend.. Ge, you don't attend them too, then why should I?" Bai Yi Yang state. Bai Yi Chen works part time after school, just doing some random job like giving away brochures and so on before, while she joined the evening session too.
"Is that really okay with you? I am used to it." Bai Yi Chen cannot refute this matter.
"Of course. If you don't believe me, wait until the midterm in May, if I can't beat our class top student, I will join the extra class." Bai Yi Yang made a vow.
"It doesn't have to be that way.." Bai Yi Chen said but he actually think that beating the top student is quite possible now.
"If I said I will do it then I will. This is a promise, I will not act clever if I really can't." Bai Yi yang said confidently.
After they finished sampling the cookies, Bai Yi Yang brought her siblings to go brush their teeth and wash their face. Then she make two bottle of milk to be fed to the puppies. The puppies are sleeping but when they smell the milk that Bai Yi Yang place near their mouth, they immediately moved to find the source of the smell. Bai Yi Yang hold both bottles and let the puppies drink it.
"Aren't you feeding it too often?" Bai Yi Chen crouch next to her and poke the puppies round stomach.
"They will need to go hungry until tomorrow morning. You know they are just like babies, they go hungry very fast." Bai yi Yang said.
"Tomorrow let the kids feed them, it was them who wanted to bring them home." Bai Yi Chen said. He is also influenced by Bai Yi Yang way of teaching the children, ask them to be responsible for their actions.
"En, they are still not used to it. Tomorrow I won't meddle." Bai Yi Yang agree. After feeding the puppies and putting them to sleep, Bai Yi Yang went into the room and Bai Yi Chen also bring Xiao Mo to return to the East house.
The night passed peacefully and Bai Yi Yang woke up early the next morning. She repeat her morning routine and cook a few packets of ramyeon, this is their breakfast since they can only cook using the clay pot on the brazier.
[1 point earned. Total points:203]
Bai Yi Yang woke up her siblings while the water is boiling. If she put the noodle now, it may become soggy.
It was really early, only 6.30 am so her siblings was still sleepy. As a result, they only ate and then Bai Yi Yang let them return to bed. As for her, she went to the forest to pick mushroom. Now is the best time to pick mushrooms, there must be a lot after the rains.
Bai Yi Chen also woke up, he didn't return back to bed like her other siblings, if it were not because he need to take care of the house and receive Zhang Yong team later, he would have joined Bai Yi Yang.
When he finished washing the dishes, he arranged the doors that Bai Yi Yang had made and lean it onto the wall in the corridor, Bai Yi Yang told him that they shouldn't be exposed directly to sun like drying vegetables, but if they are overlapping, it will be difficult to dry. After arranging the doors that covered both East house and Main house wall, Bai Yi Chen was already sweating. The doors are quite heavy ah.
Seeing the mixed up wood piles, he went to arrange it according to type and shape. Bai Yi Yang must have cut down a big tree for the door, there is actually still a lot of wood and she already made a few more yesterday.
He doesn't know what type of hard wood is this, it has reddish brown colour and very heavy, and it looks stronger than pine wood that is pale yellow/creamy white.
But no matter which wood, her craftsmanship is really good. Seeing at Bai Yi Ling plants stand that is filled now, it really look like a master's work. Bai Yi Chen cannot help but praise Bai Yi Yang.
After feeling satisfied with his job, he enters the workshop, he was going to clean up the wood dust a bit, it's not good staying long in this dusty environment for Bai Yi Yang. She is sometimes to lazy to clean the sawdust, so he will sometimes go inside the workshop and clean it for her.
"Yi Chen, where is the rest?" Zhang Yong and his team arrive on time. Zhang Yong thought it was Bai Yi Yang inside the workshop but it was Bai Yi Chen.
"Yang Yang went to pick mushrooms, the rest is still sleeping." Bai Yi Chen answer. He is not as close as Bai Yi Yang to Zhang Yong, but he is still polite.
"Already? This early?" Zhang Yong continue to chat while the Hu Yu Guang and Zhang Li Li went to the kitchen first.
"Yang Yang went early one time before." Bai Yi Chen said.
"Oh, I see. Did you had breakfast? We bought some steamed buns." Zhang Yong said.
"We had..Mr.Zhang can keep it for yourself and your team." Bai Yi Chen said and continue to sweep the floor.
"No, no. I will put it in the living room. Let the children eat when they woke up." Zhang Yong said and walk to the living room, he act like this is his own house now, making Bai Yi Chen a bit uncomfortable. Zhang Yong pretend that he didn't notice it until they start working in the kitchen.
"I think the young lad doesn't really like me.." He voice out his concern to Hu Yu Guang and Zhang Li Li. The younger ones like him, Bai Yi Ling was always quiet so it is understandable but Bai Yi Chen definitely treat him like a stranger. Still calling him Mr.Zhang.
"You control yourself. No matter what, Yi Yang is half grown girl, of course his brother wouldn't like an old man like you getting too close to her." Zhang Li Li said. She noticed that Zhang Yong will take every chance to talk with Bai Yi Yang. Yi Yang this, Yi Yang that, it's easy for people to misunderstood.
"I think Li Li is correct, that is probably why." Hu Yu Guang also agree.
"You two are talking nonsense. I am just a little friendly to Yi Yang okay." He refute. Of course he knows what they are talking about, but talking to Bai Yi Yang is like talking to his peers, how can he not talk more with her. She simply doesn't feels like a normal teenager girl and she understand him and can relate with him. Since he found a good buddy, why must he stay away from her?
"I am just telling you this, all for your good." Zhang Li Li said.
Zhang Yong didn't say anything again. His thinking is actually a bit wrong too. No matter what, Bai Yi Yang is only 16, how can he treat her like someone their age? So, he concluded that he should treat her more delicately, like how someone is dealing with teenage girl.
Of course, when he really did this in the future, Bai Yi Yang laugh at him for a long time and he ends up treating her like his friend again