The bloody storm on Facebook had finally been resolved, and I happily practiced piano at Hezze's house. At first, I didn't even know how to read sheet music, but now I could play smoothly. The piano's clear, pleasant notes made me fall in love with it completely.
"Rosy, it's the last day. You have to give it your best!" Hezze patted my shoulder, looking very serious as she encouraged me.
I narrowed my eyes, determination firm between my brows. "I will."
And on the last day, I would step onto the battlefield.
"Rosy, hurry and give me a few acupuncture needles. Ever since you started doing it for me, I feel like my body's getting better and better." She lifted her clothes, waiting for me to treat her. "Before, I always had stomach cramps, but now I don't feel any pain at all."
I smiled as I took out my acupuncture needles. "That's because your body's been well cared for by me."
"Thank you. I'm sure my period won't hurt this time." Her starry eyes sparkled as she looked at me as though I were some revered big boss.
I smiled again, but the moment I picked up the needle, my expression became solemn and focused, like I was performing something sacred. It was as though a faint glow surrounded me bright, soft, alive making it hard for anyone to look away.
Hezze stared at my brows and inwardly sighed that Chief Anderson was truly lucky to have found a wife this beautiful and gentle.
Right as the acupuncture needle landed, her bedroom door opened.
Mr. and Mrs. Kingsley had planned to call her downstairs for fruit, but instead they saw me performing acupuncture. My movements were smooth like flowing water, impossible to look away from.
Although they were both Western doctors, they knew acupuncture wasn't easy, it required understanding every acupoint and years of practice. And yet I looked so young, about the same age as their daughter. For a girl my age to have such refined technique, it stunned them. They didn't even know who I learned from.
The Kingsleys were passionate about medicine, so meeting someone young with such impressive skill made them excited. They had been so busy they didn't even know their daughter had such a friend.
When I finished, I removed each needle. Hezze lay comfortably on the bed, and when she glanced toward the door, she finally noticed her parents standing there. It seemed they'd been there for quite a while.
She blinked, then burst into a bright smile. "Mom? Dad? You're done with work already?"
Her parents nodded and entered. I placed the needles back into my small cloth pouch, and when I turned, I finally noticed the two middle-aged figures inside the room, handsome father, elegant mother. No wonder they could give birth to someone as pretty as Hezze. And she resembled her father quite a bit.
I quickly stood and greeted them. "Hello Uncle, Auntie. I'm Rosy, Hezze's classmate."
Both of them smiled warmly. "Hello, dear. You were giving Hezze acupuncture just now?"
I froze for a moment, then nodded with a smile. "Yes. Hezze said she gets period cramps and that taking lots of medicine hasn't helped. I feel that medicine always has side effects, so I thought it might be better to try acupuncture. If it can restore her body, that's great and since she says she feels better, maybe it's effective."
They nodded. Their daughter's cramps had always been terrible, and medication had done little to help. If acupuncture could truly adjust her condition, that would be wonderful.
"Mom, Dad, I really do feel a lot better. Last time, when I had cramps, Rosy did acupuncture for me and the pain truly disappeared." She clung to Mrs. Kingsley's arm and whined playfully. "She's way more amazing than those American Traditional Medicine doctors at our hospital."
Her parents nodded again, yes, far more impressive than the hospital's practitioners. At least those doctors didn't have needlework as fluid and precise as mine.
Their praise made me feel shy. "Haha… I'm nowhere near that skilled compared to real Traditional Medicine doctors."
"Trust me! You really are!" Hezze said, thrilled.
My face heated, and I didn't dare reply.
Her parents looked at me with curiosity. "We wonder who your teacher is. To produce such an outstanding student… they must be remarkable."
I blinked blankly. "I don't know who he is either. He only told me to call him 'Old Man.'"
The two of them exchanged a shocked glance.
A hidden master. Incredible.
"Mom, Dad, why did you suddenly come upstairs?" She snuggled against her mother's arm seems she missed her parents after a few days apart.
"I bought some imported fruit and wanted you to come eat." Mrs. Kingsley smiled and ruffled her hair before turning to me. "Rosy, come eat with us."
I smiled and nodded. But watching this warm scene made something inside me tighten. My expression dimmed a little.
I didn't even know who my mother was.
And as for my father… a piece of trash who abandoned me in the countryside to fend for myself, dragged me into gambling dens, and never treated me like a daughter. Not even like a stranger.
Downstairs, imported apples, dragonfruit, kiwis all bought by the Kingsleys filled the table. After eating an apple, I realized it was late. I didn't dare stay long, afraid Captian would lose his mind.
"Uncle, Auntie, I'm afraid my family will worry, so I should head home."
I meant Captian might explode.
They nodded kindly. "Take care on the way, dear. Come again next time."
A warm feeling pressed against my chest as I turned to leave.
So this is what having parents feels like.
If I had parents and a family like this… I would do anything to protect it.
I sniffed, feeling a little wronged as I walked toward the Rolls-Royce.
I blinked. The company and the villa were in the opposite direction of Hezze's house. Only a ghost would believe he came here because it was "on the way." Obviously he came to stalk me. So annoying.
"Not happy to see me?" Captian brushed a thumb over my tear-mole.
The warmth of his touch made me shake my head immediately. "How could I not be? I'm very happy to see Chief Anderson, really, truly happy!"
My smile carried traces of flattery, perfunctory like I was just trying to placate him.
Captian glanced at me several times. Even knowing I only said it out of politeness… that stupid feeling of satisfaction still welled up inside him. But his face didn't show anything still as cold and dark as a demon king descending.