20 A Cold Person

At first, Anton did not know how to react, being given a teddy bear. He thought, 'Whatever did Yanmei think of me that she gave me a stuffed toy? How daring can this woman be?'

However, because nobody dared to give him such a plaything, the idea amused him so that he could not stop the grin from appearing on his face.

He looked at Yanmei's smiling expression and saw pure intentions. Base on how her eyes glistened, he realized she sincerely gave him the teddy bear as a birthday gift. He shook his head and in a flat tone, he said, "Thank you for the cushion."

"Awww… That is so sweet, Yanmei. Something for Anton to hug at night," Yeong Soon added, trying to break off the odd reactions from everyone else in the table.

Soon the shock from Anton's relatives turned into light giggles. They themselves had never given him such a gift.

As a child, Anton received electronic cars, flying helicopter tops, or gadgets. His adoptive father had already started giving him a collection of knives at an early age, knowing his background.

Everyone in the Yeong's side knew Anton as an indifferent person. He was a smart, handsome, a skillful fighter, but he was unsociable, curt and most often bad-tempered. No one would ever think to give him a stuffed toy.

Anton Yeong is an adopted son to the Yeongs. They took him in when he was still fourteen years old. His birth name was Anton Li and now changed to Anton Yeong. His close friends, however, including his sister only call him Yeong.

He and his sister, Andrea, was put up for adoption after the death of their parents. They had considered adopting Andrea as well, but there were other families who were after the siblings. They were only able to secure Anton.

Despite Anton being an adopted son, Yeong Soon and Yeoon Jae-won cherished him so. Especially since they could not bear a child of their own and especially knowing how gifted he was as a boy. When they took him in, he was already an adept martial arts fighter. He was also very proficient in defending himself with the use of knives.

They knew that as a child; he was taught to be a strong warrior. Although Yeong Soon tried to turn him into a normal teenager, his heart was already filled with skepticism to the goodness of the world and that his life demanded constant defending. The Yeongs could not blame him. Knowing the history of Anton's biological parents, he had every right to be prudent.

Instead of changing Anton, Yeong Jae-won decided to hone Anton's skills further. It was also because of his growing empire that he needed a son to reign ruthlessly against his rivals. He provided him with all the training he required, supported his methods and even created a private facility for him to form an army of followers under his leadership.

Everything that has led him to this day, turned Anton into a cold person and it was only now that the Yeong's realized their mistake.

Anton Yeong grew up to be doubtful of the world, dubious of building relationships and uncaring to women. Yeong Soon and Yeong Jae-won were given the impression that their son had no plans to ever marrying and giving them a grandson.

It was a painful truth that Yeongs only recognized when they saw their friends and relatives having grandchildren. In their circle, they were one of a few couples left who remained to have no little toddlers running around their big estate.

When Andrea, Anton's sister told Yeong Soon that she is trying to match Xia Yanmei to Anton, she was hesitant at first. They had long paired her son to other beautiful women in the country, but no one captured his heart. They never even got to the friendship stage. They were all utterly ignored by Anton, not even considered as an acquaintance.

When Yeong Soon learned that Yanmei and her son were in talking terms. She saw a glimmer of hope. She called Junsu to ask if the matter was true; that Anton had a decent conversation with a woman. After getting all the juicy details, she agreed Andrea to help achieve the goal, playing cupid between her son and Yanmei.

What Yeong Soon did not know, Yanmei had a righteous side. It was because Yanmei did not like an unfair judgment that Andrea told Yanmei Anton was gay when, in fact, he was not.

Back to the dinner party.

It was getting late and Yeong Soon offered her son to bring Yanmei home," Anton, please bring Yanmei to her apartment."

"Oh, it's alright, me and Junsu can take get a cab on our own - "

"No! No, my son has his own penthouse. He does not live with us all the time. Your apartment is in the same way," reasoned Yeong Soon before turning to Anton. "Right son?"

Anton glanced blankly at them for a second but soon said, "Junsu and I will take you home."

After a while, Junsu began loading all the gifts inside the limo. He opened the door for Anton and Yanmei at the back while he took the front seat, next to Minsuh.

They did not speak during the entire ride but as soon as Minsuh pulled over at Yanmei's apartment building, Anton said, "Thank you again for your strange gift."

"Pfft! Strange?" Yanmei asked while giggling.

"No one has ever given me - a stuffed toy," he explained.

"Then - " She paused for a moment before resuming her words, "They don't really know you at all?"

Yanmei gave a big smile after that, waiting for his reaction.

Puzzled, Anton ignored her and said, "Good night, Yanmei."

"Good night, girl."

Anton immediately turned to her asking, "Girl?"

"Oh, sorry. My expression sometimes when calling a friend." She then turned to Junsu and said, "Good night Junsu - girl - Junsu, girl. Haha! Girl… I say that unconsciously."

"Good night, Mr. driver, girl!"

"Haha! She is a funny one," said Minsuh. "No wonder our boss likes her - "

"I do not like her! Mind your own business!" Anton scolded after hearing his driver suggest he was giving in to a woman. He thought, 'No, that will never happen. She even dared to call me a friend?'