Chapter 248 Nothing Is Normal
While Mu Zhi was helping everyone to her homemade sushi, she gabbled with her mouth full of a concoction of sushi rice, seaweed, and lamb, “I can’t remember who exactly.”
“I vaguely remember that my mother would always bring me to buy a box of sushi whenever we have a barbecue at home.”
Mu Zhi was not born in a well-off family.
Mom rarely brought her to any barbecues. Mu Zhi used to think that mom paired sushi with barbecue as a method of saving money.
A box of sushi used to cost only six bucks from the street vendors. Mu Zhi would be stuffed by the time she scoffed half a box it.
However, six bucks would only get them three lamb skewers. She wouldn’t be filled with just lamb.
Thus, sushi acted as a filler in the meal.
Mu Zhi used to be upset about it.
But since her mother’s condition, she had not had the chance to have lamb skewer with mom anymore. She found herself craving for lamb skewers with sushi like mom would do.
Master Lu sized up Mu Zhi with knitted eyebrows.
It took him a long time before turning his face away and said, “It tastes nice.”
“I’m tired, I need some rest now.”
Master Lu suddenly stood up and headed into the house with the help of his walking stick.
He left Mu Zhi standing still on the same spot. Did I say something wrong? She wondered to herself.
“Is Master Lu not fond of sushi?”
That can’t be the reason… However, it was clear that Master Lu did not eat much.
Mu Zhi threw a suspicious look at Lu Jinye while he casually approached her, put an arm over her shoulders, and then brought her to her seat. “Okay now, let us enjoy the food. Look at the charming moonbeam. Don’t let it go to waste.”
“Cough cough.”
Lu Yunxi could not help but clear his throat, gesturing to the pair that he was still around.
Get a room you two. He thought to himself.
But Lu Jinye glanced at Lu Yunxi nonchalantly, then put a piece of Mu Zhi’s homemade sushi into his mouth, saying, “Delicious.”
“Really?”
Mu Zhi hurriedly ate another piece, but the spiciness of the wasabi almost made her shoot steam from her ears.
She disliked the taste of wasabi, and she was wondering why Lu Jinye loved it.
However, when she had tasted the wasabi, she caught a glimpse of Lu Jinye’s playful expression before it instantly hit her that she had fallen victim to Lu Jinye’s trap. He tricked her into eating the wasabi.
Tears seeped out of her eyes uncontrollably.
When her vomit was churning near her throat, she forced it back down into her belly, then glared at Lu Jinye in vexation.
After swallowing what was remaining in her mouth, she dashed into the kitchen to pour herself some water.
It wasn’t until she gulped down multiple glasses of water that she could feel the taste of wasabi wearing off.
Upon getting rid of the tormenting spice, she turned around only to find Madam Liu was heading upstairs with something in her hands.
She was cautious with her movement.
“Madam Liu.”
Mu Zhi greeted Madam Liu out of good-will, but at the sound of her voice, Madam Liu swiftly hid the thing in her hands behind her back.
Madam Liu’s actions made Mu Zhi’s curiosity itch. Mu Zhi slowly approached Madam Liu and asked, “What’s the matter? Is there something I’m not allowed to see?”
“Nothing.”
Madam Liu took on an awkward expression. “It’s not appropriate for you see it, Miss Mu.”
“What is it?”
Mu Zhi gazed at Madam Liu doubtfully.
While Madam Liu kept the object behind her back, hesitating whether or not she should let Mu Zhi see it.
As the two of them were staring down at each other, a series of footsteps came from outside the door. Lu Jinye’s voice sounded before he showed himself, walking up to Mu Zhi insouciantly. “You’re here, Lu Yunxi wants to play a game. I was looking for you.”
When he was next to Mu Zhi, it occurred to him that there was a mysterious air hovering around the both of them.
“What happened?” Asked Lu Jinye out of instinct.
He espied an object in Madam Liu’s hands with his sharp eyes.
It looked like a photo frame.
Lu Jinye sensed that Mu Zhi had her gaze fixed on what was in Madam Liu’s hands. Thus, he spontaneously reached out to grab the object.
“What is this?”
With the object in his hands, he first unwrapped the Kraft paper to reveal a photo frame.
It was after all just a normal-looking photo frame, and by the looks of the mould at the corners of the frame, it seemed like a relic from years ago.
Why is Madam Liu so careful with it? Mu Zhi wondered to herself as she looked at Madam Liu curiously.
Madam Liu promptly and carefully took the photo frame from Lu Jinye’s hands, then bowed at him from the waist, “Young master, I shall head to my bedroom.”
“Sure.”
“If you have the time, print another copy of the photo for me, I’d like to keep it.”
“Noted.”
Lu Jinye did not hold Madam Liu back as she strode away with the frame.
While they handled the photo frame amongst themselves, Mu Zhi had no idea what was in the photo, and what yielded such a huge reaction from Madam Liu.
Moreover, everyone in the Lu’s Manor was zealous towards her but she could not help feeling that Madam Liu always carried a tinge of hostility when talking to her.
“What photo is that?”
Mu Zhi raised her head to ask Lu Jinye while he wrapped his arm around her shoulders as they headed out of the house.
“My mom’s photo when she was young.”
Lu Jinye did not feel the need to hide the truth.
“Really?”
Mu Zhi asked distrustfully.
Sensing Mu Zhi’s suspicions, Lu Jinye paused his footsteps and looked at Mu Zhi, asking, “What’s the matter? Don’t you trust me? I was telling the truth.”
“Sure, I trust you.”
Mu Zhi put her thoughts away. For some reason, nothing felt normal to her today.
After a long while, Mu Zhi asked, “Why is Madam Liu hiding your mother’s photo from me?”
“Maybe she didnt know that you’d like to see it. If you’d like to see what my mom looks like, I can bring you to where she used to live.”
Lu Jinye answered Mu Zhi somberly.
Mu Zhi shook her head in response.
“Not today, we can go next time. I’m exhausted today.” She yawned.
Then, Lu Jinye scooped her off the ground. “Since you’re tired, then let’s not walk, I can carry you.”
He made a beeline to his car. Before bidding farewell to anyone, he brought Mu Zhi away in the car.
“Lu Jinye, stop, we haven’t told Lu Yunxi that we’re leaving.”
Mu Zhi said out of retaliation.
But Lu Jinye replied to her casually, “I’ll give him a call. It’s more important that you get your rest.”
