Peppermint Flavor

Just as I stepped outside the manor, I heard footsteps coming in my direction from behind. The sound was mixed with a slight thud of a walking cane hitting the floor. I sighed inwardly before turning around.

Just as I expected, it was Grandpa Lu. I watched as he made his way towards me. He stopped just two steps away from me.

It was silent between us after that. I raised an eyebrow when I saw the struggling look on his face. I went quiet and patiently looked at him.

I tried to think of something to say but no matter what, my lips seemed to have been glued and it wouldn't open. In the end, I chose to remain silent since I didn't know what to say. Anyway, I thought for sure Grandpa Lu would open the conversation first since he was the one who went after me.

But I was wrong. Ten minutes had passed and none of us spoke. We were just standing there at the front porch with me looking at him expressionlessly and him studying the floor with a deep frown on his face.

Then, I thought of how kind he was to Li Fei, so I figured it was only right for me to at least say thank you or something for my last meeting. However, before I could say it, Grandpa Lu had already spoken first.

"I will ask the driver to drive you home," he said after that long period of silence.

Finally, I smiled bitterly. This grandpa really loved Li Fei. It was kind of comforting to know there was at least one person that she could call family.

I gazed at him deeply. For a split second, I felt pity towards him as this kind grandpa didn't know that the Li Fei whom he loved dearly had already passed away. If he knew, perhaps he would feel the same way as I did.

So, this was the only thing I could do despite him not knowing anything. I reached out with both of my hands and gave the old man a big warm hug.

"Thank you," I whispered gently, "Thank you for your care and love, Grandpa Lu."

I thought I felt a slight tremble in my voice but then again, it wasn't possible since we were just strangers and I didn't feel any type of kinship towards Grandpa Lu.

In response to my action, Grandpa Lu too hug me back. He rubbed my back tenderly as if he was coaxing a little kid.

"Good child. It's me who should be thanking you for being patient with Tian Feng and my family."

He let go of me and rubbed my head. "And grandpa is sorry for not being able to protect you enough that you try to commit suicide."

His eyes were colored with grief and self-blame.

I thought about it right there, if Li Fei could hear this, she would surely feel touched and told him that it wasn't Grandpa Lu's fault but herself.

"Come!" He beckoned the driver who was standing not too far away from us to come towards him.

"Take her back home," he ordered the driver. Then he looked at me and finally let go of my hand. "Take care, Xiao Fei."

I gave him a slight nod before I boarded the black bentley and drove away from the estate.

——

Downtown Capital

I was walking aimlessly through the crowd after the driver brought me here as per my wish.

I didn't wanna go home knowing that it would not be my home. So this was the only place I could think of. I needed time to digest everything and I needed time to sort them out.

As I walked randomly on the street, I somehow managed to bring myself to the front of a mall. It wasn't the favorite place to go for the elites but I could see many people visiting it, even a couple of youngsters.

Without giving it a thought, I went ahead and explored the mall. I took it slow when I did. From the ground floor to the fourth floor and finally back to the first floor. Just like that, I wandered alone through the crowd, listening to every topic and every talk that came into my ears. But not even a second, the information went through my mind.

Not until I heard a childlike voice, pure and brimming with energy. That was when I stopped.

"Mommy, I want gelato!"

I followed the voice and saw a little boy around five to six years old dragging a middle age woman towards a gelato stand. The workers standing behind the glass display greeted them with an enthusiastic grin.

It didn't take long before the little boy got his two scoops of gelato and waved at the workers before he held onto his mother again. He looked very happy after getting his dessert.

My eyes dimmed at this sight and I felt a lump stuck inside my throat. My whole body froze as a couple of memories flashed through my mind.

"Which one do you want, Sweetheart?" asked the lady who seemed to be over thirty years old. She wasn't exactly a ravishing beauty. If anything, she was delicate and a sophisticated lady with a calm disposition.

Her smile was warm and kind as she looked lovingly at the two young girls standing beside her.

"Tiramisu!" The young girl exclaimed.

"And you, Ting'er?"

"Peppermint please. Thank you, Auntie!"

While the lady ordered the gelato, the young girls began chattering to each other.

"Why do you like peppermint, Ting Ting? Don't you find it weird? It tastes like toothpaste!" The girl with a braided hair asked her friend with a frown as if she could taste the toothpaste in her mouth.

"It's exactly because of that! I love the minty aftertaste. It felt fresh just like when I brush my teeth!" said the friend with a wide grin plastered on her face.

The girl with the braided hair still couldn't understand it. Oh well, she would stick with her tiramisu!

Suddenly, a voice shook me back to reality.

"Which flavor do you want, Miss?"

I raised my head and gazed at the female worker who was waiting behind the glass display. I blinked my eyes in confusion, then I looked around before I settled my gaze back at the worker. It seemed I had unknowingly walked to the stand.

I was about to reject when the worker chimed in again with a smile, "I recommend Ferrero! it's our newest flavor. It's been getting a positive respond from our customer. You may try it first and see if you like it."

She was about to get me a sample of the flavor when I stopped her.

"Oh, which flavor would you like to try then, Miss?"

I glanced at the various gelato flavor inside the display glass before stopping at tiramisu. I parted my lips for a second before closing them again.

After two minutes of silence, I finally gave her my order. "One scoop of peppermint please."

"With a cone or a cup?"

I was going to say with a cup when a cute childish voice echoed in my mind. "I can't eat the cup which means less dessert. So, of course, a cone."

I gulped down with much effort as though believing that the action could relieve the sudden tightness inside my chest.

"With a cone."

After telling her my order, I paid the bill at the cashier and they handed me my gelato.

I walked away and took a seat on a bench. I stared at the gelato in my hand.

'Blue. That was what first drew her to pick this flavor.'

I smiled and began savoring the minty taste of the peppermint flavor. Soon, the cooling sensation spread inside my mouth and down to my throat. I kept eating it despite feeling like eating a toothpaste which I very much disliked. But still, I continued until I felt numb all over.

When the last bite went into my mouth, the tightness inside my chest too disappeared.

"As I thought, I still hate it, Ting."