Allegiance

Two white cars slowly rolled into the double-storey main entrance and eventually stopped in front of the porch. A young man in his mid twenties climbed down the first car and fetched several large shopping bags from the back seat, while a woman in her early thirties got down from the car behind him.

She approached him, "Assistant Zhou, let me help you with the bags."

"It's okay. I'll manage. Thank you for your offer, by the way." He smiled at her politely, "Let's get in. Sir must be waiting for a while now."

The woman nodded and trailed after him, into the house.

Bai Chen and Chen Nuan sprang from the couch when they saw the pair coming inside the house without a noise.

On the other hand, Assistant Zhou and the woman startled by their sudden act yet in the next second smiled and chuckled, amused when they saw the fighting stance of Bai Chen as he eying them with vigilant eyes while Chen Nuan hiding behind him, occasionally peeking at them too.

"They're my subordinates."

Everyone turned towards the direction of the voice and saw Hao Shen, whom in his loungewear climbing down the stairs in leisure manner. Yet they still could feel the pressure from every steps he made until he sat down on the armchair, crossing his legs.

"Good morning, Sir."

"Good morning, Master."

Assistant Zhou and the woman greeted and bowed slightly at him.

"Good morning. Sit down." Hao Shen pointed at the couch on his right side before he looked at the pair of children and pointed at the left couch. "You both, have a seat too."

Bai Chen and Chen Nuan timidly took their seats and frightened when he picked up the remote control and turned off the television, as they assumed he was dissatisfied with their action of watching the cartoon.

"You can continue later after I finish talking," Hao Shen impassively uttered when he perceived their fear.

He looked at his personal assistant, Zhou You. "Did you get everything?"

"Yes, Sir. Here," he passed him the shopping bags.

Hao Shen took them and looked into the bag one by one, and nodded from time to time, satisfied with his efficiency.

He chose some bags and handed them to Bai Chen whom sitting near him. "This is for you." He passed the rest of the shopping bags except one smaller bag to Chen Nuan. "And this is for you."

They took it with gratitude while bowing their head several times.

"Take a look if you want."

Curiously yet hesitantly, the pair of children peered at him before they peeked at the pair of adults across them and glancing at each other, communicating either to peek into the bags right now or later.

With trembling hands, either by excitement or nervousness, they opened one of their bags and gasped loudly when they saw the brand new clothes inside it.

Chen Nuan tossed her wariness far, far, far away until it vanished without a trace and jumped excitedly from the couch with a soft yellow sundress flapping in her hands. "This is so, so, so pretty."

She sniffed on the new fragrance of the dress and hugged it on her chest with bright smile. "Is.. is this for me?" She regarded Hao Shen with twinkling, bright eyes, waiting for his confirmation.

The stoic man nodded. Although he looked indifferent, if others observed him closer, they could perceived ripples of happiness and satisfaction in the depth of his eyes when he saw her expectant eyes and exhilarated expression when he affirmed it.

Chen Nuan leaped into his arms, embracing him tightly before she planted a kiss on his cheek. "Thank you, thank you, thank you. I love it very, very much. You're the best! No..you're the best-est in the whole world."

Hao Shen and his subordinates by the side obviously taken aback by her sudden and passionate acts yet when he gently patted her back, Assistant Zhou and the woman was floored.

He ignored their dumbfounded face and turned to look at the young boy at his left side after the young girl cheerily bouncing towards her seat and continues rummaging through the bags and tried on some shoes.

"Is it not to your liking?" He asked, raising his brow at him.

Bai Chen startled, dropping the fine shirt on his laps. "No! I mean..yes, yes! I like it. But, these clothes and shoes must be expensive. I couldn't take them. You had provided more than enough for me and NuanNuan," he stood up and explained hurriedly, afraid if his rejection induced a wrath from him, whom he viewed as a deity.

"I can ask him to throw them out if you didn't want it."

Bai Chen gaped in horror and vigorously waggling his hands. "That's not what I meant," he blurted and shuffled on his feet.

Chen Nuan had stopped on her frantic acts and bowed her head in shame, for forgetting her manner. Slowly and regretfully, she put everything carefully inside the bags again. Making sure she did not left any stain on them.

Bai Chen definitely noticed her wistful expression and guilt corroded his heart and mind, as he knew clearly Chen Nuan would not accepted the things if he refused to, even if she wanted it desperately.

His conscience immediately covered with thick cloud of self-condemnation when he saw a tear trickling down her eyes. Out of sudden, he flopped on the floor and kowtowed at Hao Shen's feet, startling him and others.

"Thank you very much for your munificence and benevolence. I'll remember your magnanimousness for the rest of my life. And today, I, Bai Chen swore to the heaven, I'll stay loyal and dutiful towards you until I died. No matter what happened in the future, I'll gladly stay by your side even at the cost of my own life."

A never seen before determination and boldness shone in his eyes when he looked up at him, surprising Hao Shen greatly although he still adorned his stoic expression. His mind lagged, as he felt overwhelmed by the intense feeling of fulfillment.

Assistant Zhou and the woman was dumbstruck once again by the unexpected turn of event and when Chen Nuan kowtowed and swore allegiance to Hao Shen too, they were blown away and stunned speechless.