little steps at a time

Xue Qin return home quietly. Xue Nan pick her up and drive home. When she step in the house, the old servants come to greet her. They are all happy to see her. However her aunt is seen with her arms cross and looking away. Her uncle greet her with happiness. 

"Uncle, is it fine if i take back my old room?"

"Why?!" 

Before her uncle open his mouth to say a word, her aunt scream across the hall. Xue Qin knowing that her aunt will not like it have purposely ask in her present. 

"Mei Mei is already married off. She have her own apartment to stay in. Besides i grow up in that room. When we were young, Mei Mei move in, i let her stay in my room. Now i am back, i just want to go back to my room."

"Yes yes that is your room. Just move back."

"No! I mean Mei Mei occasionally will come to live with..."

"I already told her that she is married now! She should stay in her apartment! If you ladies miss each other, go move to her apartment!"

"What?! Now i don't have the rights for this? My daughter needs a room in this big house! Xue Qin have her own little attached house in the garden area!"

"You! I have enough of this! Why are you wailing at everything these days?! Nothing satisfy you then go to your daughter!"

"I have to hold my ground before everything is taken from me!"

"Who is taking things from you?! You are greedy!"

"I am greedy?! If i am not greedy how did we live till now?!"

The elder couple keep arguing till Nan Qin returns. Mrs Gu run to her son and play victim. While Mr Gu signal Xue Qin to bring her bag upstairs. 

The night Xue Qin throw away all the things that doesn't belong to her in her room. She stand my the French window and look out the scenery. She try to be nice but her aunt keep wanting to step on her feet. Slowly little by little, she will take back all the things. 

A week later, Daniel's mother arrange a dinner function for her company and inviting all to the dinner. Xue Qin goes along with the Gu family. She warmly greet her in laws but ignore Xue Qin. She push her son to go with her daughter in law but his eyes are on Xue Qin. Mrs Wei set up the seating arrangement at the last minute that her son does have a view of Xue Qin. While Mei Qin is trying hard to be demure like her cousin. She knows that Xue Qin will keep her word thus she is not worry about it. As long as her husband is her's there is nothing that she won't do to please him. That night after the dinner, Xue Qin and Nan Qin leaves earlier than everyone. Daniel comes running out to chase her at the parking lot. He grab her arm that startle her. Nan Qin stop him and wonder what is going on. Mei Qin who is running behind stop to see her husband still cling on her cousin. She feels helpless at that point, she squad down and cry. Xue Qin see Mei Qin crying, she push him away. Nan Qin stop and ask Daniel what is he doing. While Xue Qin help her cousin up. 

"Why?"

"Why? why what?"

"Why did you come back? Why can't you stay away? i already keep my promise. I am persuading my mother..."

"Mei Mei, sometimes the more we run away from it. The harder it comes back and chase you till you are breathless. It is better to face it"

After that, Nan Qin asked Daniel to bring Mei Qin back home. They will talk another day. Nan Qin drive Xue Qin home in silence. Her uncle and aunt arrives home late. The moment her aunt see her, she is being question. 

"What did you do to Mei Mei? Tell me! Why you make her cry?"

"I did not do anything to make her cry."

"I think you did! She have been acting strange and she talks strange too! She is like not my daughter anymore!"

"I would suggest you ask her, yourself on this. I really got nothing to say."

Two days later, Mr Gu introduce Xue Qin to the board of directors. They are delighted to see her as they are old friends of her parents. The introduction goes on smoothly and she is show to her office. In the afternoon, she have lunch with the directors talking about the past. She is delighted and happy. However the arrival of her aunt makes everyone uncomfortable as she keep mentioning about how much Mr Gu is contributing to the company and he should have more percentage on the stake holding. Xue Qin notice her uncle is upset at his wife. However she keep quiet and eat. After lunch is done, everyone hurry to get away from her. Only left Mr Gu and Xue Qin. She watch another round of squabbles from the Gu couple. 

The next few days, the staff in the company come to know who is the chairwoman. Many are surprise to see the updated on the company websites. Xue Qin is also starting to work as usual. Since she work from the bottom up, she understand the nature work. Since then she start work from the sun raises and the sun sets. Since then the company stork exchange have increase. Still when she goes home late at night, Mrs Gu is there to argue with her. Mei Qin sometimes is in the mansion, she try to talk sense to her mother. She wants Xue Qin to keep her side of promise to stay away from Daniel hence she try her best to return everything that her mother have taken.