Chapter 7: Family matters

"Chris! You better tell me everything," Grandma shouted the minute Chris and Feng Tan got home.

Feng Tan took the opportunity, when Chris was stumped, to run to his room. He even locked the door, afraid of his family's wrath.

Rubbing his temple, Chris began to explain.

"She's nobody. That brat tricked me into a late-night snack when I went to check on him. That's why we were there."

"Then why were you staring at her? How old is she? Why did Feng Tan speak like that? You better answer me properly, or else..."

"Grandma, it's true. I don't know her. I was just in a daze. Don't you know how cheeky he is?" said Chris, while dotingly guiding his grandma to sit.

"You rascal! Haih… then when can I meet your partner? You only want her to meet me when I'm lying in the coffin, is it?"

"Grandma, don't say things like that. With me here, I'll make sure you live a long life. It wouldn't be a problem to live up to 100 years. That's 30+ years from your age now. I'm still searching for a partner. I promised to introduce her when I have one, okay?"

"You! You better keep your word," said Grandma.

Finally, Grandma relented and went to bed. Chris knew he could not hold off finding his partner any longer. Grandma would definitely come up with some trick if he let her be.

The next morning,

"I heard you quit your job at the mall? Why would you do that? Did you win the lottery or something?" asked Anna when she saw Alice at home.

Alice had decided to let go of one of her part-time jobs so she could try doing her cooking channel. If she had the time, she would want to keep all of her jobs while starting something new, but it just took a toll on her body.

She was too tired. And after all these years of hard work, she wanted to let loose for once.

Alice's work was arranged by her mother since she reached the legal age to work. Afraid of being unfilial, Alice accepted her fate and has been working ever since.

Deep down, she wanted to help her family too. Her father was fired from his job not long before she reached the legal age. So, she never blamed them for having to start working at a very young age. She knew it's something that had to be done.

But now, all she asked for was space. She was busy enough coping with her studies. She would also like to do things that could de-stress and hopefully make money in the long run.

"No. I'm just tired. I would like to have some time off from my current schedule."

"Why do you need time off? Are you rich? Do you have money? Only people with money can rest! Don't you know that?"says Ana. Alice could not bring herself to tell her mother that she wanted to start a cooking channel. She knew she would be ridiculed by her. To Ana, doing something that doesn't generate money immediately is useless, even if it's important to her.

"Mom, please... I'm tired. I have class in a couple of hours. I want to go to bed now."

"That's why I told you not to go to college! It only takes up a huge chunk of your money. You can learn anything on the internet nowadays. Plus, it wasn't guaranteed to have a job after you graduated," rebuked Anna.

Alice frowned even more after hearing her mother's words. Her head began to hurt, and her body felt drained. She couldn't just stand there anymore but had no heart to leave the house.

Can't she have an ambition like everybody else? Is it wrong for her to want to study? Alice was confused but have no way to fight Ana's word without being rude. So, she just did what she always does. Stand in a daze while getting lectured by her mother.

In her room,

Anna buried her head in the pillow and sobbed her heart out. Almost all the words spoken by her mother either hurt or broke her heart. There was no one for her to talk to. All she could do was manage her feelings and steel herself up.

'You're great! You're doing great... Alice, chin up! You do you, girlfriend. Take the first step and bear the consequences if it fails. Never be afraid to start.' Alice hyped herself. She then took an hour-long nap before waking up, ready to start her channel.