The Ding Family's Demands

As arranged, Cassia and Old Master Ding met around eight in the evening. The elderly man came to the annex with Talia.

Dark clouds loomed on Cassia and Old Master Ding's faces while Liliana and Talia's countenances expressed their worries.

"Should we talk now, Cassia?" asked Old Master Ding once he saw his niece, his tone carrying a hint of exhaustion, "Just the two of us?"

Cassia nodded once, sharing the same tone as her elderly uncle, "Yes... Come inside..."

Cassia showed Old Master Ding to one of the drawing rooms in the annex. The niece and uncle locked themselves inside, hoping for a private discussion.

Liliana and Talia waited in the hallway. They sat at the alcove near the drawing room. The former seemed tenser than the latter. 

Seeing the uneasy look on Liliana's face, Talia gently patted her cousin's back. She understood this issue had been weighing in the young lady's mind.