"What would you like to have little girl..?" Ai spoke out and she realized that she didn't know the girl's name at all. She chuckled and decided to introduce herself first. She forwarded her hand and spoke out:
"I am Ai, and this is my brother Ah Si, you must have heard of him right?"
The little girl smiled and slowly shook her head, feeling a bit embarrassed. She reached out to Ai's outstretched hands and shook it firmly. " Li Aizhe. I am sorry.. I am new here, so I am a bit unsure.." She honestly replied back. Li Aizhe noticed the awkward look on the two people infront of her.
Did she say something that was not supposed to be said? Why are they so quiet suddenly?
"I can know you two now..what say?" Li Aizhe scratched the back of her head and smiled, in hopes to ease the tension in the air.
"Where are you from, Aizhe?" Ai shook her head and looked at the delicate and quite girl. She smiled at her wholeheartedly.
Hearing that question, Aizhe suddenly looked up from her coffee, and fixed her gaze at Ai with a bitter smile plastering on her face.
In a span of second, all the memories of that evening started to roam around her head.
Those terrifying memories which she swore to move on from..the friends and families that she loved deep within her. The alleys she grew up and ran around in and the aunties that pampered and overly complimented her everytime..
And her only family..her grandfather..
Everything came breaking down on that one evening. No one saw how much she suffered on that alone, cold and empty room. Where as, her grandfather soothed her on the sleepless nights, she now had her tears lulling her to sleep. It all came back to that same day when she was departed from the warmth of her parents at the age of 5.
Not knowing for how long, Li Aizhe was only snap back to reality when Ai lightly shook her shoulders. she tightened the grip on her cup and looked at them. She resumed to sip from her coffee.
"Are you okay?," Ai carefully and worriedly asked her.
"Yeah..I am fine..sorry.." She sheepishly lied.
Noticing her trembling hands, Aizhe slowly pulled it under the table and smiled brightly to the two people infront of her.
"Hongcai Village. I lived in Hongcai and moved here in A City not too long ago." She relaxed a bit and released the tight grip she had on the cup.
Ah Si and Ai looked at each other and sensed something off about her behavior. Ai didn't want to push the matters so she dropped it add continued to talk about other matters.
---
The whole evening, Ai and Aizhe kept talking. Ai got to know about the workplace Aizhe's village and her optimistic character. She also got to know about Aizhe's friends and grandfather. She tried to obtain more information, but decided against it. The two, however, exchanged numbers with the help of Ai's friendly character and Aizhe's inviting demeanor.
Sitting beside these two, Ah Si looked at his sister and then at this girl. He looked deeply at her and remembered his sister's words in the hospital.
Does he like her? Ah Si felt weird with how he was behaving today, and sighed inwardly.
He looked again at the little girl infront of him and a smile unknowingly appeared on the side of his face.
Noticing his smiling face, Aizhe was taken back and she smiled back. She didn't know the turmoil that was heaving inside the two people infront of her and continued to converse again.
Ai shooked her head at the love-strucked fool sitting next to her. She decided to be the translater for today and if she kept contact with Aizhe, she might fix them to meet next time too.
'That would be soo good!' Ai squeeled in her mind
She patted herself in the back while smirking. She felt proud. She looked at her brother yet again and shook her head.
Sigh, what will he do without me?