Last Day Of Freedom

Roulan filled her mouth with the noodles Shihong bought for her.

She couldn't eat earlier at the mall because of how much her stomach could be filled and how much food was being served.

Heck, Roulan even caused a scene because of the antsy food they were serving.

*

Roulan couldn't help but be awed by the interior of the restaurant she and Shihong entered.

Shihong has made a reservation and asks her to eat with him, wanting to know more about his future daughter-in-law and how exactly she made his daughter fall.

As they sat down, Shihong began his interrogation, asking Roulan almost everything.

Roulan wouldn't want to lie to Shihong because, with one word coming out of his mouth, he could surely background check the girl.

But what confuses her is that the man could ask someone to do that, yet here he is, asking her questions.

She couldn't help but ask him about it, to which the man replied that it'd be better if she is the one to answer because background checking sometimes stinks as it does not check every detail about the person.

There will be some details that the investigator will leave out because they think they're not that important while putting in those that aren't important.

Roulan could only furrow her eyebrows at the information Shihong told her. For sure, no one will dare give him ideas that aren't important.

As the two continue to talk, the waiter finally arrives and puts down the first dish they ordered.

Roulan's eyes bore into the plate as Shihong gestured for her to eat.

Roulan, of course, does what she's told until they finish their last ordered food, which is the dessert.

The waiter came back with the receipt, handing it down on the table before bowing and leaving the two.

Roulan decided to look at the receipt and gasped upon seeing how much the food cost.

"Are you going to pay for it?"

"How the hell does food cost like this!?"

She asks, looking at the man in front, what causes these foods to cost that much.

Shihong did as she wanted, giving her the list of ingredients and stating the estimated amount they could buy for the dish.

Roulan's jaw dropped as he looked back at the receipt. For sure, there are still those things they called taxes and an added amount for payment to everything, but still!

This amount could feed the homeless for a whole month if they were to share it with others.

"So, are you going to pay for it?"

"Oh hell no! I don't have that kind of money, and besides, I could use that to live for a year!"

Roulan said, slamming down the receipt on the table. Shihong couldn't help but be amused by the girl in front.

Earlier, she was so scared of him, but now she didn't hold herself back from telling him what she had in mind.

*

Shihong couldn't help but smile at the thought of Yanmei marrying Roulan, as it seems the girl would bring her to her other side.

Which is the good side of Yanmei.

Just imagining it, Shihong couldn't help but feel happiness flowing onto his body as he imagined the new side Yanmei might show.

Roulan looks up from her bowl of noodles and furrows her eyebrows as she sees Shihong's wide smile.

She shook her head before drinking the water beside her, looking at the waiter as she nodded to ask for another bowl of noodles.

"You're creepily weird."

Roulan initiates a conversation, snapping the older man in front of his dreamland.

He glares before looking back up, seeing the waiter come back again for the third time, serving Roulan her bowl of noodles.

"Aren't you full?"

Shihong couldn't help but ask the question. This has been the third bowl of noodles Roulan stuffed inside her mouth.

"Tell me, how can you feel full with those expensive, antsy foods they were serving?"

Roulan's forehead frowned as she looked at Shihong weirdly. The older man shrugs before crossing his arms over his chest.

"Maybe because it's late at night already?"

Roulan couldn't help but look at her phone and see the time as it read one in the morning. She shrugs and continues to slurp the noodles.

"Who cares? I wouldn't probably sleep anyway because of how stressful yesterday was for me."

Shihong nodded, leaning a bit closer.

"Tell me about it."

-

"Well, thanks for treating me to the noddles."

"There's a payment for that."

Shihong said as Roulan sighs before nodding her head.

"Do I have a choice with your daughter?"

"Nope, not that."

Roulan furrows her eyebrows, confusion clouding her face as she crosses her arms over her chest.

"What is it?"

"Well, I'll have to eventually introduce you to my daughter, so get ready for tomorrow. I'll pick out your outfit and send someone to fetch you."

Shihong said this before rolling up the window of the car and telling the driver to drive away. Roulan was about to disagree, but the car drove like a madman in the street.

She sighs before walking inside her apartment building. She came inside her apartment as she flopped down on her couch.

Roulan did everything to kill her boredom. Review for the upcoming test next week, scrolling through her phone, and, well, cooking and eating in her kitchen.

The sun came up not long ago, and Roulan went out to buy groceries for her and Huiqing to consume later.

She went to the nearest mini-mart and was shocked when someone suddenly clung their arms onto her right arm.

She looks at the mysterious person and smiles widely upon seeing Huiqing smiling at her.

"What are you doing here?"

"Well, I'll buy food for your stay later."

"Aww, how sweet of you!"

"Of course! I have to for my baby."

Huiqing and Roulan both stop in their tracks and look at each other. Huiqing's cheeks quickly went red as she looked away and removed her arms around Roulan.

The taller woman, on the other hand, clears her throat as she scratches her nape in the process, thinking that she went out of line for that.

"Sorry, you might be uncom-"

"No! It's fine."

Huiqing said, attaching herself back onto Roulan's limbs before dragging the girl to the back of the store.

"Uhm... I'm not planning on buying meat; they're quite expensive for my budget."

"Oh, don't worry. I'll pay for it."

-

"Are you sure about this amount?"

Roulan scratches her nape as she looks at the amount of meat on the counter. Huiqing looks at her and nods her head, embarrassed that she panicked and almost emptied the meat section.

"I thought you'd only buy two..."

Roulan doesn't know what to do and can't look Huiqing in the eyes. She sighs before grabbing her wallet and emptying it.

"Here's the payment."

Huiqing puts her hand on Roulan's and pushes the money toward her.

"I'll pay for it."

Huiqing said this with a smile on her face. Roulan and her both held eye contact as the cashier looked at the two, seemingly interested in the unexpected eye contest.

He smiles as Roulan sighs and nods, looking away before he raises his eyebrows at Huiqing as the girl grabs a card in her wallet and pushes it forward.

"Here."

She said this as she bows down and the guy takes down the transaction. Roulan went to the bagger as the man opened up their conversation.

"Hey, she's beautiful."

"Huh?"

"You're lucky, but she's... what's the word?"