A Phone Call From Stepmother

Yan Qing Shan has just arrived from Ying Yue Garden. Due to Zi Jue's insistence, she was forced to spend the night there after their date. Somehow though, Yan Qing Shan had an inkling that he was just making up a reason to take her to school in the morning.

She went directly to the kitchen and made breakfast. She wasn't able to eat at Ying Yue Garden because she wanted to get back to the Ace Villa as early as possible. After all, she just sneaked out the night before.

The Aces haven't woken up yet and Yan Qing Shan wasn't surprised. These people are mostly idle. Well, she'd let them enjoy it for now. Hell was coming for them a few days from now anyway.

Just as she was finishing up and was about to serve the food, she was surprised to find the dining table filled up with what was supposed to be sleeping people. They were all smiling expectantly, their eyes directed at the food in her hands. Her cold expression became stiff as she let out a forced smile.

Yan Qing Shan sighed. She really somehow made herself their cook. If that was the case she might as well impose some rules. She noticed with the few days of her stay here that these people do not know the concept of tidying.

Though the villa doesn't fall into complete disarray, it still doesn't conform to her usual standards. It has been ingrained in her to clean up after her mess and know how to do the usual household chores. Her grandpa Reo made sure of that.

Yan Qing Shan laid down the dishes before she spoke.

"If all you want me to continue cooking for you, I'd like to set a few conditions."

Eight heads snapped up at her questioningly. Yan Qing Shan was curious as to how they didn't break their necks at that collective sudden movement.

"I know the people responsible for the maintainance and cleanliness of the villa come here thrice a week. However, just because there are people cleaning up after all of you doesn't mean you're absolved from doing chores. We're all adults here. It's unbecoming that the place we stay at is unpresentable."

Yan Qing Shan roamed her sharp eyes on each of them before continuing.

"Each day two people would be in-charge of cleaning the house, including the bathroom, doing the laundry, and washing the dishes. Pair up and set a schedule for each. I want to see it before lunch. Neglect of your duties would of course result in repercussions. Two words: No food."

Yan Qing Shan spoke calmly as she gauged their reactions. The lot of them had weird looks on their faces.

"Jie jie, do you know? You have exceeded the usual limit of words you have spoken today. That's the longest statement we've heard from you. Are you somehow in a good mood, Jie?

Ning Xie Zhi said with a smirk. Yan Qing Shan looked at them incredulously. Are they seriously more concerned that she has spoken more than usual today? Okay. Maybe Xie Zhi is just a bit right at his last statement. Still, that was totally beside the point. She was telling them something crucial here and they were focusing on something else.

Also, she wasn't actually the silent type. Yan Qing Shan was actually quite loquacious. But the years of shutting herself out has caused her to develop this habit of answering amd talking monosyllabically as much as possible.

Yan Qing Shan was about to retort at Ning Xie Zhi when her phone suddenly rang aloud. Her brows furrowed at the interruption. She wanted to ignore it but the shrill tone was irritating so she answered it nonetheless.

"Shan Er."

A sickly sweet voice reverberated in her ears. Yan Qing Shan went rigid as she registered the owner of it. Her whole being went dark and chilling.

That was the last voice she heard before she died. Her laugh brimming of delight seem to ring out again on Yan Qing Shan's mind. Making her remember her uselessness back then.

Zhao Ming Hua!

A thick murderous intent leaked out from her making the people at the dining stiffen up in alert. Jia Wei Ren patted his sister's back because Jia Yi Lan was having difficulty breathing at the heavy atmosphere.

Qi Xia, Hong Zhen Yue, and Qin Jiran's eyes bore into the form of their sovereign. They wondered who could be on the other side of the phone that has caused her to be like this. To be so scary. They steeled themselves for the next possible scenario.

"What is it?"

She answered, her voice cutting and frozen over. All her previous good mood vanished because of this single call.

"Shan Er, your father and I have been talking about you. He has been really worried about you, dear. Little Xiaoyi has told us that unsavoury rumors has been going around about you at the university. This is no good, Shan Er. Why did you not tell us? This might affect you badly."

A malevolent and mocking arc formed in Yan Qing Shan's lips at Zhao Ming Hua's nonsense.

"I don't need your worry. Get straight to the point."

She spat as her grip of the phone tightened.

"Shan Er don't be like this. Alright, I won't talk roundabout any further. I'm sorry if I'm irritating you. It's just that, your father wants me to inform you that we have set a marriage meeting for you. You have to come, alright. Don't shame your father. His health has been declining already. He can't take it. That's all."

The call was ended with just that. Zhao Ming Hua didn't even give her time to refuse. She scoffed loudly. Yan Qing Shan highly doubts it. She knew better. Time sure was fast. It was already that time where they set her up for marriage. Even their lame reasoning didn't change as well as purposely putting all the blame on her father.

Yan Qing Shan knew that her father was coerced into agreeing to it. He can't refute at all, actually. She was aware of what her father was doing. The information that Zhao Ming Hua who was supported by someone in the underworld was involved in her mother's death did come from him, after all. But it was too late then, because he was already gone. His father's investigation costed him his life.

The phone in her hand snapped.

She'll make sure that this time it wouldn't be that way anymore.