55 SHE'S STILL MY MOTHER!

She would then cook and feed him till he was over fed.

And then Zhaolin do send the guards to take him away, "He only knows how to eat and do nothing else. Comes here everyday to lie he hadn't eaten since the day broke. He won't study his books and complains all the time... Don't let him in again."

They might have been little but Zhaolin was very intelligent and bright. He was taught everything he knew by his grandma, his rights, status and age. So he used it to his advantage when Qiangshen and Yichen came over to eat.

He would even tell the security guards not to let Yichen in and to stop Qiangshen as well. But Qiangshen was much braver than Yichen and will always find a way to get in. 

Ru Yichen, Xing Jiayi's son never had much action and always cowered away behind his father. He was the youngest of them at age six. 

She had watched the three grow up, watched them fight for her food, watched them fight, kiss and make up but now due to the cold bloods in the family they have all gone their separate ways. If not for the fact that they are still siblings, they wouldn't even say hi to the other. 

Xing Tingting, Jingze's wife was worst, spiting her(Xiaocan) in front of her children. Telling them not to eat her food. But no matter what Qiangshen and Jingshi were two innocent kids with pure soul and beautiful hearts filled with love and accommodation. 

She brought him with her to the kitchen and took out the ingredients from the storage to make him, his favourite rice noodles with meatballs. 

Qiangshen watched his aunty slice the ingredients and felt like going back to his childhood memory. He smiled remembering when he had to stay at the main house, Zhaolin would always call her mom, he called his mother by her name so hearing it from Zhaolin he did the same. But Zhaolin would always tell him off, she's my mother! My mother and not your mother! She can only be my mom! Don't call my mommy your mommy, or I will throw you out. 

He still didn't listen and when his mother returned after two weeks to come take him back, he called his aunty mom, telling her he'd be back. When his mother heard it she was so angry that she ended up spanking him. You call me Tingting but dare to call her mom? I'm your mother! Not her! 

As a boy of four years old he couldn't differentiate right from wrong. Zhaolin was the oldest as he was seven and Yichen three. He didn't know any better just like Yichen so whatever Zhaolin did, they did thinking it was the best since he was the oldest. 

When he turned seven his mother took him and his sister overseas. He cried to be sent back but she never agreed to it. 

His smile broadened as he thought about the past. 

She's still my mother. Even after all these years, she still knows what I love to eat most. 

"Mom," his voice was like that of a singer, melodious and soft. 

Xiaocan beamed at him. 

This was all he wanted. To eat a lot of good food but his mother never once entered the kitchen to cook something good enough for human... 

*

The chefs were surprised when they saw Qiangshen. They just returned from break, came back to the kitchen to resume cooking when they saw the handsome young man seated on top of the deep freezer. 

Qiangshen bowed slightly in form of greeting at them, which they acknowledged. 

The female chefs started whispering amongst themselves. 

"Look how handsome, young and stunning he is. Way too handsome."

"I wonder why I had to be born before him..."

"Look, when he smiles he look more like Madam Fu. Madam Fu should have been his mother."

"And Young Master Zhao?" 

"He could have been the elder brother! It's sad that madam couldn't have more children, Young Master Zhao would have doted on his younger siblings the way he dotes on his son."

"Yeah. You are right about that. But he also dotes on Jingshi."

"Yeah yeah."

*

Some minutes later, Xiaocan served the rice noodles into a deep bowl and passed him a pair of metal chopsticks. 

He blew at the bowl of steaming rice noodles and dug in. Whoa! He gave her a thumbs up that made Xiaocan's smile broaden. 

"Eat slowly," she patted his back. 

By the time Qiangshen finished eating his mouth was all stained. 

"Oh my my. Who will believe a celebrity can eat like a child? He looks so cute."

"Awwn. Those lips will give me a sweet nightmare."

Xiaocan ignored the two female chefs and passed Qiangshen a serviette and he wiped his mouth. He put his hand on his chest and burped loudly attracting both the male chefs attention this time. He darted his eyes that way and this way as his face flushed in embarrassment. 

Xiaocan couldn't help but chuckle.

"I..."

"Granny!" An excited voice broke through his statement. He turned to the door leading to the kitchen in surprise and saw Zhihao running towards them. 

When Zhihao noticed him, he stopped. "Uncle? You're here too?"

"Yes, and what are you doing here?"

Zhihao smiled up at him, "I have been staying with granny since daddy went on a business trip."

"Oh." Qiangshen said. 

"Granny, granny. Zhihao finished his lunch pack before lunch break and now, he's so hungrrryyy." He exaggerated it by rubbing his tummy with his face crumpled. 

Qiangshen and Xiaocan both laughed. "Oh, little Hao are you really that hungry?"

He nodded with his eyes closed. 

Qiangshen smiled more seeing his childish acts. He patted the little boy's head and lifted him on the table. 

"Can uncle help you pull out of your clothes?"

"Yes, yes."

"Good good. Now tell me about your day in school today..."

Zhihao giggled and narrated how he answered the teacher's questions without giving anyone else a chance to try. 

They both laughed. Even the chefs couldn't help it.