Episode 1 The Reluctant Homecoming
Amidst the evening chaos of Bangkok, the sunset cast a deep orange glow across the skyscrapers. Lin or Meilin now 32, leaned back in her favorite office chair and let out a weary sigh. Her elegant eyes, framed by glasses, stared at a computer screen blurred by endless rows of figures.
For others, thirty-two might be the age for building a family. But for her... it was the age where singlehood bloomed brighter than summer flowers. The scars of a past love one that betrayed her simply because of her weight remained a costly lesson. It had spurred her to revolt against her old self, transforming from a submissive, chubby girl into a fit, self-assured woman. Most importantly, she had stopped caring about the eyes of others and started focusing on the digits in her bank account.
Although the Zhang family owned a major construction equipment import business, Lin chose to strike out on her own. She wanted to prove herself by opening a small accounting firm with her close friends. Even with a team of only five, the sheer volume of work meant they rarely had a moment to breathe.
"So... are you really not going back to the main house today, my dear friend?" Ching-Ching, the beauty of the group, asked while packing up to leave.
"I really don't want to, Ching. If I go back, it's the same old loop 'When are you getting a boyfriend?' 'When are you getting married?' It's on such a heavy rotation I could recite it like a prayer," Lin replied listlessly, thinking of the luxury condo she bought specifically to avoid the family crossfire.
"But I heard Ah-Gong (Grandpa) isn't doing well, is he?" Nam-Ping, a long-time colleague, nudged her glasses up with a worried look.
"How is he, Sis? Is it serious?" On, the youngest of the group and the firm's secretary, chimed in with concern.
"Heigh-ho... just thinking about it makes me exhausted." Lin slumped into her chair as if her bones had turned to jelly.
"I'm worried he might actually be sick, but then again... Ah-Gong is the master of schemes. Who knows what trick he's pulling this time?"
"Come on, just go back for his peace of mind," Nam-Wan, the tough-talking friend whose personality didn't match her sweet name, patted Lin's shoulder.
"Think of it as checking with your own eyes. If he's really sick, you can take care of him in time."
Those words made Lin pause. Her sense of filial piety began to battle her dread of the lectures. She let out a long breath, stood up to straighten her white shirt, and grabbed her car keys.
"Fine, fine. I'm going. Thanks, girls. See you tomorrow I'd better get moving before I die of old age in this traffic."
Lin waved goodbye and marched out toward the parking lot. She headed straight for her specially painted purple Mini Cooper a color chosen specifically to scream her personality. The moment she sat inside, the faint scent of her car freshener calmed her nerves, but her hands trembled slightly on the wheel. She had a nagging premonition that had bothered her all day. This trip home felt different... as if something much bigger than a lecture about boyfriends was waiting for her.
The Collision
The main roads of Bangkok had turned into a stagnant river of red brake lights. As Lin tried to keep her temper in check, her mind drifted toward her impending encounter with Ah-Gong. Her focus wavered for just a split second... and that was when disaster struck.
CRASH!
The impact jerked Lin forward. Luckily, the seatbelt caught her, but the sound of crunching metal broke her car-loving heart. Her beloved purple Mini had slammed squarely into the rear of a brand-new black Mercedes-Benz.
"Dammit! Why the hell did you brake now?!" Lin hissed. Her accumulated frustration boiled over. She threw open the door, stomped over to the other car, and hammered on the driver's window.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
The power window slid down slowly, revealing the sharp, handsome features of a man who looked a few years younger than her. He didn't look panicked at all. Instead, he stared at her with a calm, irritatingly indifferent gaze.
"Yes?" his deep, steady voice asked curtly.
"What kind of driving is this?! Why did you brake so suddenly in the middle of the road? Look at my car, it's ruined!" Lin fumed. In reality, the car hitting from behind is almost always at fault, but right now, she didn't care about logic.
The young man adjusted his rectangular glasses, looked her up and down, and let a smirk tug at the corner of his mouth.
"Listen, Jee (Big Sis)... I think it's you who should be asked what kind of driving you're doing. You're the one who poked your car's nose into my trunk."
"Who are you calling Jee?! I'm not that old!" Lin's ears practically smoked. The term 'Jee' was the ultimate trigger.
"Fine then... how about Yai (Grandma)? Grandma, why were you driving like that?" he retorted, his face stoic but his eyes dancing with mockery.
"Agh! I am not old! You brat!" Lin looked ready to bite his ear off.
"Well, what do you want? You don't like 'Sis,' you don't like 'Grandma.' You're very difficult," the man sighed, looking at her as if she were a nagging child.
"You four-eyed Chinaman!" Lin snapped back, glaring at his glasses.
"Yeah? Well, you red-lipped Grandma!" He didn't miss a beat, tossing back a nickname that made the veins in Lin's temples throb.
"Agh! You foul-mouthed brat!"
"Old Lady!"
"AAAGH!"
"Stop screaming," he said, sounding genuinely bored.
"At your age, you might faint if you keep this up."
"You little...! Did you back into me on purpose?!"
"Look, 'Grandma'... save your aging breath. I don't have time to argue. My car is damaged too. Do you want to call the insurance or what?" He checked his watch, clearly in a hurry.
"I'm calling them right now! Don't you dare run away!" Lin crossed her arms and stood defiantly in front of his car.
"I don't have time. Give me your number, I'll contact you later," he cut her off, thrusting an expensive smartphone toward her.
Lin hesitated, narrowing her eyes suspiciously.
"Are you trying to hit on me? That's a pretty old trick, kid."
The man let out a dry chuckle, scanning her from head to toe with a provocative look.
"Grandma... look at yourself. You're old and you have a foul mouth. I'm not taking your number to flirt with you; it's for the repair bill. Don't flatter yourself."
"YOU!!!"
"Here... this is my card. Take it. I'll call you." He took advantage of her speechless rage to shove a business card into her hand, rolled up the window, and sped off. The black Mercedes, with its crumpled rear, disappeared into the traffic, leaving Lin shaking with fury.
"Don't let me catch you again! I'll stomp you into the dirt, you little brat!" Lin screamed at the receding taillights, her blood pressure through the roof. In her rage, she completely forgot that Ah-Gong was waiting for her and she didn't even bother to look at the name on the card!
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Complete volume with all special chapters included 27 chapters total Length: 455 pages (approximately 39,
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