Chapter 7: Punishment

Lisa could feel the man's knife was getting nearer and nearer to her. Lisa was so frighten. She was near to believe that she was going to die at that moment. But her fright made her brave somehow. She pushed the man and tried to get away. She was not sure where she got all these strength, but she pushed the man and was able to get out from him the man threw the knife at her. But Tuan quickly came to grab her fast. And the knife just fell to the ground.

Tuan held Lisa in his arms.

"Its all ok now, Lis"

Lisa somehow felt warmth by his embrace. Sh lay her head on his shoulder.

The police shot the man. He was rushed to hospital and then the police investigate to hus cases.

Tuan took Lisa home by Taxi.

Lisa was not scared anymore. However, another fright came to her. How would her grandmother react to her runaway.

And she was right to be scared. Her grandmother and her uncles and aunts and others from the household were all waiting for when she and Tuan arrived to the Chou Mansion.

Madam Chou did not say anything much.

"I guess its not a good idea to run off without permission i guess. Now rest in your room for a day or two or maybe three will be good!"

Lisa was locked in her room for three days. She was not allowed to use her mobile phone too. For food, she was only given instant noodles for most meal time. The first day went passed boringly. The night came Lisa finished off her instant noodles bowl.

Then, she heard a little noise at the balcony. She went to see what was there.

She saw Tuan and Mickey down there. Lisa felt somehow very happy.

Tuan then throw something up to Lisa and she caught it. It was a pack of sandwich. A little note was stuck to the pack.

It said, "Sleep well tonight miss. You will be free again in two days. What would you like to do? I will come to take your answer tomorrow with food again. "

Lisa felt happy. She did sleep well that night.

The next day, Lisa killed time by reading some magazines in her room. When night time came Ms Nini came to her room to give her bowl of instant noodle.

"Your meal is ready now Miss!"

Lisa replied, Im not hungry yet!"

But there was some sound from her stomach. Nini laughed.

"Well, Miss if you are not fond of another instant noodles, you can have a pizza and some chocolate. Tuan made me brought it to you. " Then Nini put the food box on the desk in her room and prepare to leave but before she closed the door, Nini said , "Tuan is waiting for your answer".

After Nini was gone, Lisa just have pizza immediately and after that the chocolate.

Tuan did come that night too.

Lisa threw a note at him.

In there, she wrote, " I wanna go hiking! Breathe fresh air and feel free!"

Tuan looked up at Lisa. He smiled as he nodded.

The last day came, Nini again came to Lisa with extra food from Tuan.

Her punishment was finally over.

***********

It was morning time, Lisa came down to the living. She wanted to go into the garden where Tuan was.

She saw her grandmother sitting on the sofa.

"I just hope you would not do anything that is not allowed yet!"

"I won't go out again grandmother !"

"And your manners needed to be improved. Don't act the same as your low rank mother!"

That words somehow hurt Lisa.

"My mother is not low rank!" Lisa replied sharply.

"If not then, why would she had to catch somebody to live a life!!"

" My mother did not catch anybody. My parents love each other!"

"Love? Huh..that's probably not for her!"

Lisa did not know what to say anymore.

She could feel tears running down on her. She just ran out out of the mansion into garden.

Lisa looked at the beautiful garden around her which was decorated with classic flowers such as roses, peonies, orchids, etc. She just could not help but her tear fell down to her cheeks. She wipe it away. At that moment, she heard a voice behind.

"Hey....miss... Miss Lisa?"

He was the only one at the mansion to call her "lady".

She stood up quickly and said, "I'm completely ok... just taking a walk in the garden!"

"Miss Lisa, have you been crying..."

"No no no, it s just that, in here, the dust go inside my eyes...I'm wiping and and yep..my eyes just turn red!"

"Ummm...I see..!"

The young man said..."Im just coming to ask you if you would like to join me and Master Mickey going to hiking....!"

That made her feel lighter a bit.

"Let's go then!"