Chapter 2 – Black pearls of the past

8:55 PM Li Mansion, Shanghai.

The honks of the car attracted the attention of the staff setting the dining table for dinner.

"I think Mr. Li has returned mam."

Li Diu turned around, her eyes fixed at the entrance, and said, "Set the dinner. He will be down in fifteen minutes after a fresh bath. Complete it before I return."

As Li Enlai walked in, Diu walked to him and enveloped him with her loving embrace, and said, "I missed you a lot today. How was your day?"

Li Enlai held her tightly and said, "I think I got rusted a bit after handing over things to the kids."

Diu smiled in the warmth of his embrace and said, "That can't be happening to the most intelligent man that I have known."

He opened his arms placed them on her shoulder, looked into her eyes, and said, "That's the confidence of the love that you have for me. I am getting old. I wish I could have some kids around this house to keep me busy while at home. I'll take a fresh bath and come down. The dinner table seems to be inviting me with its aroma."

"Fine, I'll go and get uncle down."

Diu walked up the stairs with Enlai who walked into his room, as she entered the room of Chang Bohai who was busy reading his book.

Diu walked up to him, sat down in the lounge beside his cushioned rocking chair, and said, "Uncle, dinner is ready. Let's go."

Chang Bohai returned the book to the table, adjusted his spectacles, looked up through the lenses of his spectacles, and asked, "Did Enlai return?"

Diu smiled and said, "Yes, he did."

Chang Bohai nodded his head and said, "Roulan's foolishness has turned into a blessing for the Chang family. Isn't it?"

Diu clenched her jaw, lowered her eyebrows, and said, "I don't think we should be discussing a closed matter uncle."

Chang Bohai stood up, walked to the window, looked at the clear starlit sky, and said, "I don't know why but I have been missing Wang Jiang and Ning these days. I couldn't even see him when he breathed his last. He got buried in a foreign country when he once owned a company back home. It's all due to the daughter of the Wu family brainwashing her. What was her name?"

"Abigail."

Diu walked up to him, placed her hand on his shoulder, and said, "Uncle she had nothing to do with it other than the fact that she studied with Roulan."

Chang Bohai turned around as tears swelled in her eyes and said, "Do you still miss them?"

Diu wiped her tears, looked at the moon as it spread its milky hues across the starlit sky, and said, "Of course yes. We had such a lovely time together as friends and families, uncle. Things are different here in the Li mansion, where everything circles the rule book. No wonder she was against it. Had it not been for my love for Enlai, I would have been choked up by now. I feel sorry for him. No wonder he enjoyed the company of the Wang and Chang families as a child."

Chang Bohai turned to her and said, "Things have changed now though. It now looks like a family. He cherishes you a lot."

"That's true. The price for his reciprocal love was quite high though."

"We shouldn't be discussing the painful past. I am sorry that I spoilt your starlit evening with my melancholy."

"You are always welcome uncle. Whom can you share your pain with? Aren't we families for times as these?"

"I can rest in peace now that Liqin is married. I hope I can bless his children before I close my eyes."

Diu tilted her head, narrowed her eyes, and said, "Now that's being selfish. If you leave too soon, I'll lack company."

Chang Bohai smiled, touched her head, and said, "I won't go too soon. Not before I get you a daughter-in-law to match your generosity. Don't worry. Let's go down."

Enlai walked in and said, "Who's going where uncle?"

Diu shrugged and said, "Uncle is recalling our childhood spent in the Chang Mansion along with—"

Diu bit her lips and stuttered with her speech as she stopped the sentence midway.

Enlai marched in, his eyes fixed at Diu who was fidgeting with her ring, and said, "With the Wang family. Am I right Diu?"

Diu played with her hair and stuttered, "We didn't mean to hurt your feelings, Enlai."

Enlai walked up to her, placed his hands on her shoulders as tears swelled her eyes, "Why should you hurt me Diu? When I look back now, I am glad that I had you in my company through the toughest times of my life."

He pulled her in his embrace, his strong arms enveloped her delicate frame as she sobbed and said, "Don't cry. We can't change the past now. I don't want you getting hurt all over again digging out the skeletons from the grave. I have avoided these discussions only because I didn't want you to get hurt. Haven't we fought our way through all this? We can conquer every summit if we stand together."

Diu looked up to his face that shone in confidence, wiped her tears as his warmth spread joy to her, and said, "You are right. I cannot be crying when I have you in my company."

Chang Bohai walked up to them and said, "Your love for each other reminds me of my late wife."

"Whose love reminds you of her Bohai?"

Diu quickly broke away from the embrace of Enlai and wiped her tears as Li Delun walked in hand in hand with Li Bai.

Li Bai fixed her eyes on Diu and asked, "Did you cry?"

Li Enlai curled his arms around her shoulder, tilted her head as she looked down, and said, "She is already started to miss Bao in two days."

Li Delun leaned forward with a half-smile and said, "Did he call you guys after he reached?"

Diu smiled and replied, "He messaged us yesterday dad?

Li Bai waved her hand and said, "Didn't he call? This is so unlike of him. He never missed calling us earlier even when he was studying abroad. Did some girl catch his attention on this trip?"

Li Enlai walked toward Bai and said, "I would be glad if that happens. I don't think that's the reason. He might call today. If he doesn't, I am planning to call and check."

Delun laughed and said, "The sun will rise from the west tomorrow if he finds a girl that matches his stipulated requirements. Let's get down before the food needs to be warmed up again."

"You are right dad, let's go down."

Dinner was a silent affair as none of the family members spoke much at the dining table other than the requests for passing the food to each other.

As the maids, picked up the leftovers from the table, Li Delun said, "Let's go for a walk around the garden. You can call Bao as well while we are there."

Diu turned around and said, "Let me pick up your cashmere shawl and coat. It's cold out there with the flurry that covered the land this morning."

Enlai added, "I'll join you. You need to pick one for uncle as well."

As Delun looked out of the French windows he said, "I hope the children return by Christmas."

Bohai yawned and said, "The house seems empty without them."

Bai walked close to Delun, held on to his arms, and said, "That's true."

Diu walked down with Enlai with coats and shawls. Diu walked up to Bai, helped her with a coat, and wrapped the warm cashmere shawl around her neck as Enlai helped Delun and Bohai with theirs.

Bai smiled, touched her hand that wrapped the shawl around her neck, and said, "Thanks Diu. You both make our lives so simple."

Delun added, "That's true. Let's go."

As Delun, Bai, and Bohai walked out, Enlai held Diu by her arms and said, "What about you? Here, put on your coat."

He held the coat as she slid her hands into the coat. He then wrapped the warm shawl around her neck and said, "That's perfect."

Diu looked up and asked, "Where's your shawl?"

She pulled it away from his hands and said, "Let me help you. You need to bend down a bit for me to help you. I am not as tall as you are."

Enlai bent down, smiled as she wrapped the shawl around his neck. As she finished wrapping, he gave her a peck on her lips to her surprise and said, "You are perfect as you are for me. Now let's go."

Diu stepped back in shock, turned to the windows, and said, "Thank God, mom and dad were not watching."

Enlai laughed and said, "What if they see?"

Diu looked away with a sly smile, and said, "Our son should have been married with children by now."

"Does that not give me the right to shower his mother with love? Then he better not get married."

"Don't you say that again? Words have power."

"Fine, I won't say that again, now let's go. Did you pick up your mobile?"

"Yes, I did. What about you?"

"I have mine in the pocket. Let's go."

They walked out, turned to the right, and stepped into a narrow stone tiled path arched with climbing roses in white, pink, and purple hues wound up its way to the well-maintained lawn of the garden. The winding path was lit with subtle lights that looked like inverted bell-shaped flowers.

A fountain surrounded by layers of flowering plants was a visual treat in the moonlight. Snowflakes embellished a majority of the tall trees with their crystalline beauty.

They opened to a large circular patio that adorned the garden as a center piece. They walked to the patio. The garden smelled fresh with the layers and layers of flowering plants in the cold breeze of the winter under the starlit sky that glowed in the milky moonlight.

Enlai and Diu walked up to the patio and sat down on the lounge chairs. Enlai looked up at the clear sky and said, "I hope it does not snow."

As he completed his statement the phone of Diu rang with the displaying the name of Liqin on the screen. Diu answered the phone with a smile as Liqin said, "Good evening aunt. Did you guys sleep? Did we disturb your rest?"

"No, you did not."

"How are you both. We were just discussing us missing all three of you."

"I would prefer you calling me as 'mom' now, then I can claim my right over Jia as my daughter-in-law."

"Sure ma."

"What are you guys doing?"

"We were just strolling on the beach after lunch. What are you doing ma?"

"We are all sitting in the garden, waiting for you guys to call us. Bao seems to have forgotten us on this trip. Did he call you?"

"Well, he has his attention captivated by a beauty this time around probably."

"What does that mean?"

"I was joking ma. He is captivated by the beauty of the Alps."

"It's so unlike him to send a message rather than call me."

Liqin laughed and said, "Ma you are worried unnecessarily. He will call you tonight. His luggage had been exchanged accidentally with another passenger at the airport. He drove to Zermatt after them to get it back. Hence he must have not called you."

"Did he call you?"

"Yes, he did yesterday night as he needed some advice."

"What advice was so important, that he needed to disturb your privacy on your honeymoon? It's so unlike of him to disturb a couple at a time like this. There's something fishy about the whole matter."

Diu was about to speak when Jia blurted out, "Why don't you tell her?"

"What do you need to tell me Liqin? Are you guys keeping secrets from me now? Put the mobile on the speaker, I need to listen to Jia as well."

"Wait a minute, I'll turn on the speaker."

"Speak ma, we can hear you together now"

"Jia, what are these guys hiding from me."

"Ma, they are not hiding anything. It's just that we are surrounded by security on our honeymoon. Privacy is out of the question because of them."

"What did you say? Do you have security tailing you on your honeymoon? What for? Hold on give me a minute."

Diu turned to Enlai wide-eyed and said, "Did Mr. Chen assign security to tail them on their honeymoon?"

Enlai crossed his arms, sat back, and said, "Yes he did. It was needed. He had his reasons for doing that."

Diu curled her lips and said, "What reasons did he have?"

Enlai turned away and said, "The daughter of one of the biggest diamond merchants and heir of the Li empire cannot go without security alone. They can end up with paparazzi following them."

Bohai interrupted the conversation and said, "They will not do so without a strong reason, Diu. The children are on hold, we can discuss these things later. Can I speak to my grandson? Turn the speaker on."

Diu turned on the speaker as Bohai said, "How are you doing Liqin?"

"We are fine, grandpa."

Bohai bend forward with tears and said, "I miss you a lot. Come back soon and don't worry about privacy. Yours and your spouse's security should be your priority. The one's tailing you for safeguarding you know that you guys are on honeymoon and are surely trained to respect your privacy while securing your safety. Am I right?

"Yes, grandpa. They are not at all a trouble."

"Where is Jia? I don't hear her voice. Is she doing good?"

"I am fine, grandpa. What should I get for you from here on our return?"

"I would prefer to see my great-grandchild. Can you do that?"

Jia shied away, as Liqin spoke, "That's too early to ask for grandpa. We need some time. Where's uncle Enlai? How is the business doing?

Enlai bent forward and replied, "You are better suited to be called my son. I am fine and I go to the office every day in both of your absences. Business is doing well. I miss both of you a lot when I take decisions these days. Do call the Huangs as well. They miss you both too. I spoke to him today and he was quite lonely."

"We'll do that dad. Where's grandpa and grandma? Why don't I hear them? Have they slept already?"

Bai smiled and said loudly, "We are here listening to you and both of us are doing fine. You come back soon. This house has become devoid of laughter since the time you left."

Delun interrupted and said, "Hope you guys enjoy your time. We are fine. Call us in between and we will be happy to hear you guys chirp away."

Bohai closed it and said, "We need to get some rest now. Goodnight Liqin."

"Good night to all of you."

"Goodbye ma. Goodbye, dad."

As the call got disconnected, Enlai said, "Call Bao now."

Diu tilted her head toward Enlai and asked, "Did you feel that they were hiding something about Bao?"

Enlai ran his hands through his hair, looked away, and said, "I don't think so. You are overthinking Diu. Now call him up. Will you?"

Diu tapped her feet, looked down, and rang the number of Bao. As the call was connected, Bao said with a cheerful voice, "Good evening mom. How are you?"

"I am fine. Why didn't you call us yesterday?"

"My luggage got exchanged with another person at the airport and I was busy retrieving the same. Hence, I sent you a message. I was about to call you guys when you called. Put the phone on speaker I want to speak to everyone."

As Diu turned on the speaker, Enlai asked, "How was your trip, Bao? Is it snowing there?"

"The trip was a memorable one till now dad. It is snowing but it's just a flurry now and then. Did it start snowing in Shanghai?"

"Yes, it did son, but it's like you said, it's just a flurry now and then."

Bai interrupted and said, "We miss you a lot Bao. There's pin-drop silence around the mansion with you two away and Enlai busy with the office."

"I miss you a lot grandma. Whenever I miss you, I look at the ring you gave me and smile."

Delun interrupted and asked, "What ring did you give him?"

Bai pressed her lips together and rolled her eyes and said, "That's a secret between him and me. Isn't it Bao?"

"Yes, it is. No discussing my special gift."

Bohai interrupted and said, "How are you son? We just now spoke to Liqin and Jia."

"Did he call you grandpa?"

"Yes, he did. We called you after speaking to them."

"I spoke to him yesterday night after I returned from an evening stroll around town. It was nice talking to them. I missed him on this trip."

Enlai interrupted and said, "Antonio told me that you did not go to Cervinia."

"I stayed back in Zermatt yesterday after I came down to exchange my luggage and, in the process, found some friends."

"Are they trustworthy, Bao?"

"Come on dad. Why do we need to pass people through the lens of our suspicion always? They are doctors who have reached Zermatt from the United States. Two of them are Chinese expatriates whose parents are renowned doctors in the U.S. and one of them is a Chinese who studied Cardio surgery in the U.S. Are your doubts cleared now, dad?

"I was just worried about your safety."

"Talking about my security. Mr. Chen is persistent in tailing security around me. Is there something to be worried about dad?"

Diu turned to Enlai with darting eyes and asked, "What's going on dear? Why is he assigning security to the kids when he has not done so in the past? Are you hiding something from me?"

Bao interrupted the conversation and said, "Mom he must have sound reasons to do so. I am safe and enjoying myself to the fullest while you guys are worried without any reason. Dad, tell him I don't mind him doing so as long as it doesn't interfere with my privacy and the privacy of my friends. I have not disclosed my status to them as I want to enjoy this trip being one among them. I don't enjoy the attention I get back home. I want some time alone from being the heir to the Li Empire."

Enlai rubbed his hands and said, "Fine, I'll inform Mr. Chen about it."

Diu interrupted and asked, "Are there any girls amongst the doctors?

"Mom, what are you up to now?"

"You didn't answer my question?"

"Yes, there are."

"How old are they?"

"I didn't ask them their age. Don't you think it would be rude of me to ask them their age? Since they have just graduated, they must be around twenty-three or twenty-four years old."

"Is there anyone whom you like?"

"Mom, I knew you would come up with this question. Can't I be friends with ladies without liking them in another sense? Come on we are living in the twentieth century."

"Fine. Let's not discuss this matter."

Enlai interrupted and said, "If you like any of them, we would welcome her with our whole heart."

"Dad, I didn't expect this from you. What's the time in Shanghai? It's ten minutes to twelve. Don't you guys need to sleep? I need to take a bath. I'll call you later. Good night all of you."

"Good night Bao."

As the call got disconnected, Enlai shook his head and said, "He disconnected on purpose."

Bai smiled and said, "Why did you speak to him about getting himself a girlfriend?"

Delun interrupted and said, "We need to get back and sleep. It's quite late. Enlai needs to get to the office tomorrow as well."

They walked back to the respective rooms and retired for the day.