(ch.6)

When Chin got home from school, she could hear her mom puking in the bathroom, she felt sad and guilty that she can't help her mom except only pretend that she had no clue. She shouted "Mom, I'm home," in a cheerful tone as she kinda slammed the door.

Within a minute, her mom said "Hi, sweetie, how was school," in a calm tone as she hugs her.

"It was good, how was your day," in a calm voice.

Her mom answered "It was ok, I just slept most of the day. Sorry I didn't make anything for you to eat yet," in a quiet tone with an apologetic face.

"It's ok, I'm not hungry right now," with an assuring tone as a smile appeared on her face.

"Oh ok, just tell me when you're hungry," she nodded. Chin went to her room to do her homework while she was doing homework, she got a text from Da-Chung, "What are y'all doing?"

"I'm just doing homework, why?" Chin replied.

She answered, "No reason, I'm just asking."

"I'm just doing chores." Jai Li answered.

Mei Zhen texted "You guys I know what I'm doing, I'm just babysitting my brother and doing homework."

"I wish I can hang out with you guys" Da-Chung texted with a sad emoji.

Jai Li and Ching answered, "Me too."

Mei Zhen noted, "We just hung out like 3 weeks ago."

Chin answered "Hey! That's a long time," with an annoyed emoji.

"Ok ok, fine, it's been a long time."

Jia Li asked "So Da-Chung, when do you think you'll come back to visit us?"

She answered, "Um, probably when the school year ends."

"Dang, that's like 4 months," Mei Zhen noted.

Chin added "We're going to really miss you." with a sad sticker as Jai and Mei Zhen agreed.

"I know but I can't do anything about it plus my parents are expecting me to do good in school so I have to study hard too. But anyways I have to go, I'm supposed to be studying right now and my dad is going to be checking up on me." then she sent a waving sticker. Chin went back to studying.

Chin jumped onto her bed with a sigh of relief. She got a text from the group chat, Mei Zhen asked "What did you guys get on your test?"

Chin replied, "I got a B, you guys?"

Jia Li texted back "I got an A"

"I got a C but I still passed." Mei Zhen added.

Da-Chung noted "You all did a good job on your tests," with a happy emoji. They thank Da-Chung. "Chin?" her mother called.

She went to her mom and she said "Yeah, mama," in a cheerful tone.

"Can you go buy groceries," in a calm tone as she gave her a list and money, Chin nodded. After she got ready, she was on her way to the store. She bumped into someone while walking. She looked at the person, Chin saw a young woman in her 20s, she was quite pretty. The lady said "Oh my, look at you young lady," in a shocked tone.

Ching quickly bowed and said "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to bump into you," in an apologetic tone with an apologetic face.

The woman just stared at her in confusion but then started to laugh. She gushed "You're so adorable. It's fine, just pay attention next," in a cheerful tone, Chin nodded as she left. Chin could feel the woman behind her. After a few minutes, Chin turned around and asks "Why are you following me? Are you mad that I bumped into you," in a confused tone.

The lady shook her head and answered "No, I'm just going to the store," in a reassuring tone.

"Oh, sorry then," with an apologetic tone.

The lady came next to Chin, she asked "Where are you go? Hang out with friends? Boyfriend?" with a curious voice.

Chin answered "My friends are too busy to hang out, nor do I have a boyfriend. I'm going to the store to get groceries. What about you," in a quiet voice.

The lady replied "I'm going to get groceries for my little brother and his roommate," in a calm voice.

She asked "Can't they buy their own groceries," in a confused tone.

"Oh, trust me. Those two idiots never buy groceries unless someone does it for them or they realize that they have no food," she told her. She added, "It doesn't make sense, they both come from rich families but yet they don't know when they should buy groceries." Which made Chin giggled, "If you don't mind, what's your name," asked the lady.

Chin looked at that woman and answered "You can just call me, Niang," in a calm tone.

The lady laugh and asked "Isn't the meaning of that name, a girl who loves to help matchmaking couples, although she herself doesn't involve in any relationship," in a joyful, curious voice.

She nodded, "What's your name or however you go by?"

"I'm Zhanlan Kaili but you can also call me Da Zui, it means a girl who always talks," with a cheerful voice, Chin just nodded as they entered the store. Chin noted "We're here so you should go do your own shopping while I do mine," in a quiet voice as she took a cart and left.

Chin mumbled "Cabbage, 2 bundles green onion, a bag of green beans, a few broccoli, ginger, 3 tomatoes, 2 pounds of pork, 2 pounds of beef, a pack of chicken breast, apples, mandarins, mangos, dragon fruits," after reading the list she went to the vegetables and fruits area, then the meats. After she was done, she sighed as she was going to walk home with bags that were heavy.

Chin got a call as she was leaving the store, she put her ear bubs in her phone as she answered. "Hello?... I'm out shopping, what about you guys... no, just things for my mom to cook... This weekend? I'll have to see with my-" just then a car honked at her.

The window rolled down, it was the lady from earlier, she shouted: "Get in, I'll give you a lift to your house."

Chin shook her head as she answered "No thank you, I can just walk home," in an assured voice.

"Just get in, there's a lot of mosquitos, plus it loo at ks like you're carrying heavy things in those bags. Don't worry, I won't do anything to you, you can do whatever you but just get into the car and it's unsafe for you to walk at night," in a serious tone.

Chin was mumbling, "Fine, where should I put my bags," in a solemn tone.

The lady answered, "Just put them in the back seat." Chin put them in the back seat and got into the passenger seat. Ms. Zhanlan noted "You can just put your address in my GPS, then we can get going," in a calm tone. Chin put her address in, then they drove off.

"So how was your day," Ms. Zhanlan asked.

She answered "Busy, I have to school work to do, take care of my mom, and I got to practice for a dance music video," in a calm voice. "What about your day?"

"My day was fine, just work, then to my brother's apartment. That's all." She continues "So is it just you and your mom," Chin nodded.

Chin noted "My brothers live somewhere else," in a quiet voice as the woman hummed.

"So I heard that you're dancing for a music video," in a calm tone, Chin nodded. She continues "My brother is actually a backup dancer from a company," in a cheerful tone.

Chin asked "Aren't you guys from a rich family? Why is he working," in a curious tone.

She answered "I don't know but he just wants so he just is," in a calm tone. "Anyways, we're here. Do want me help," in a calm voice.

"No thanks, I can handle it from here. Thanks for the ride," Chin said in a thankful, calm voice as she got her groceries and went into her house as she ended the call with her friends, the lady left. "Sweetie, you're home," with a cheerful voice as she came to help Chin with the bags. Her mom asked 'Did you find everything ok," in a curious tone as they put the bags onto the dining table.

"Everything was ok but it was quite lonely without you to talk to," Chin pouted to her mom.

Her mom chuckled, patted Chin's head as she said "Ah, ah, next time I'll come with you so you won't be lonely," in a joyful tone. "Do you have homework?"

Chin shook her as she responded "No, I did my homework earlier," in a cheerful tone.

"What about your test? Did you get your score yet," with a curious tone as they put the groceries away.

"Yeah, I got a B."

"That's good, at leat you didn't get a F," her mom said in a calm tone, "Anyways, you can rest now or you can help me with dinner."

Chin smiled and noted "I can help you cook, I don't have much to do," in a excited voice. Chin and her mom cooked dinner. While they were eating, Chin's mom run to the bathroom, covering her mouth. Chin followed behind as she asks "Mom, are you okay? Mom, open the door," in a worried voice, then pound on the door.

After a few minutes the door opened, Chin's mom reassured "I'm fine, I probably ate too much," in a quiet tone.

"But mom, you barely ate," marked Chin.

Her gave a reassuring smile as she said "I ate a lot earlier, that's why I didn't eat as much. You can continue to eat, I'm going to rest," in an exhausted tone as she walked to her room. When Chin got on her bed, she knew her mom lying to her but she just shook it off when she gt a text from her friends, "Are you guys sleeping already?"

Chin replied "No, why?"

Jai Li and Mei Zhen answered "Nope."

Da-Chung asked "Did you guys practice the next dance?"

The others answered "Yeah." While Chin replied "No, I've been too busy."

Da-Chung wrote "I have something to tell you guys but I think if it's better to call you guys," then a call came.

"What do you what to tell us," Mei asked in a curious tone.

Da-Chung grin and said "There's a company that is offering for us to do a collab with another singer," in a excited tone.

Mei Zhen marked "Da-Chung, don't get ahead of yourself. How do you know is this company is legit," in a serious tone.

Da-Chung looked to the side as she answered "Let's just say I did some research," in a suspicious way. "It looks pretty legit plus I asked my dad about the company, he said that he know the owner. So what do you guys say," in a calm tone.

Mei Zhen and Jai Li nodded in excitement, Chin utter "I don't think I'll be joining, I want to spend as much time as I can with my mom," in a quiet voice.

Mei Zhen sighed in sadness, she asked "Da-Chung, can we can still do the collab or all four us have to do it," in a curious tone.

"I'll talk with the company and I'll let you guys know as soon as possible," in a calm voice, they all nodded.

"Mei Zhen go to sleep now, why are you still up at 12 am," a woman shouted. She said "You guys, I have to go to sleep as you guys can tell," in a calm tone as they wave to each other. Chin got her things ready for bed. After, she just read a book on her phone, within a few minutes she fell asleep.