Shandy's Mother

Tila settled safely in Yamato's house and didn't need him to babysit her anymore. Yamato returned to work a few days later.

Kin Tain is a short old man with a somewhat stocky build and sparse white hair atop his head, but he mostly wore a hat to cover it. He fancies himself an expert in people. This guy is Yamato's boss.

"You came back young fellow!" Seeing Yamato walk through the door, Kin Tain was very happy that he started crying. "I thought you had quit because of some reason."

"Quit? Didn't I tell you I'll just be temporarily away?" Yamato said.

But the old man just gave him a disdainful look as if he didn't believe him. "Hmph, as far as you returned then it's all good, but next time if you have something in your mind just say it, no need to scare this old man with little tricks. Even if it's a raise then it's okay!"

"I really just had something to do though..."

"Still not coming clean, how despicable. Let's leave it at that, go and start attending to the register,"

"Sure..." Yamato felt helpless but couldn't continue explaining since the boss wouldn't believe him no matter what he said. He walked to the front register with a sour mood.

Lila the boss's daughter was already sorting out some medicines in the counter. At 27 years old she's already married, with a young child to take care of. But she's still attractive enough. Wearing a white T-shirt and tight jeans that hugged her fat bottom. Not looking at her was hard, looking away from her is even harder.

She smiled at Yamato when she saw his expression. "Did he give you a hard time?"

"He wouldn't believe me," Yamato shrugged.

"Hmm I believe you. Anyway my father isn't happy you returned just because he wants you to fill the register,"

"What do you mean?"

"Those guys returned yesterday. You were not here to beat them up so they were quite overbearing. They stole a lot of things and almost burned this shop,"

"What? How dare them?" Yamato was angry. As it was said before Yamato's other job in the shop is to repel those gangs that come to cause trouble.

"Well it is like that," Lila sighed. That's why father is very glad to see you. As far as you are here, little brother, they won't dare cause trouble!"

"Don't worry big sis, if they come again I'll teach them a lesson!"

After that Yamato and Lila continued chatting as they did their job. The shop sold traditional medicine. In this day and age in the Empire traditional medicine is no longer what people believe in when they are seek after all with the advance medical knowledge of the modern society no one will trust those olden things.

However that reality was different in Kreal city a place with lots of Street Fighters. Street Fighters are superstitious so they prefer traditional medicines to something made by unknown people.

As one of the few medicine shops in Kreal city Kin Tain's business is booming so it's only natural for people to covert the shop. Those people that always comes to trouble Kin Tain here are mostly little gangs but there are also people belonging to Lady Mo one of the five leading gang leaders in Kreal city underground.

Compared to the little gangs that Yamato could beat up without fear he's somewhat wary of the top leading gangs. Those top leading gangs are very powerful with lots of powerhouses on their pay roll, it is not something Yamato could deal with if they get serious.

Fortunately unlike the other five main gang leaders that use forceful methods though, Lady Mo prefers to use mild harassment and lots of underhand tricks to coerce people, but not too much that it'll be too dangerous so Yamato wasn't very worried about it.

By the time it was his time to get off work despite waiting all day the thugs didn't arrive today. Just coming out of the shop he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. Taking it out he saw that it was Shandy that was calling. Yamato and Shandy don't usually call each other but depends on texting to chat so he picked the call feeling curious.

"Hey Yama are you off work yet?" Shandy asked.

"Yeah... what's up?"

"I... I need you to do me a favor,"

"What's wrong?"

"Van you come to my house right now?"

"Your house?!" Yamato thought he misheard.

"Hmph! It's about my mother, she wants to see you,"

"Your mother wants to see me?" Yamato was confused. "Why does your mother want to see me?"

"You'll know when you come, she said she wants to talk business,"

Business? Yamato felt a question mark in his head. But more importantly, "I don't even know your house," he said.

"Don't worry just give me your current location and I'll come and pick you up,"

"Sure I'm outside my work place,"

"The medicine shop? I'll be right there,"

With that Shandy hung up. Yamato felt even more confused now. What business does Shandy's mother have with me? No matter how hard he thought about it though nothing came to mind, finally he took a deep breath and stopped trying to understand what he couldn't understand.

"After all I'll find out soon," he muttered.

Yamato only waited for fifteen minutes before a red car pulled up in front of him. At first he didn't think much and only spared it a glance thinking it was a stranger inside but he was stunned when the windshield rolled down and he saw Shandy on the driver's seat.

"Get in," Shandy said.

Yamato was stood frozen for a moment then came back to his senses and moved. He opened the car and went in. He stared at Shandy with an intriguing look then said, "Hey, how many secrets do you have?"

The meaning of the question was obvious, so you are this rich? The car wasn't an expensive brand but it could be said that it's not easy to buy a car in this day and age, especially one in such an obvious good condition. So Yamato guessed that Shandy's family relatively well off.

Hearing Yamato's question Shandy felt dazed. "I... It's not a secret, it's just a car okay?" How can owning a car be a secret?

To her this kind of thing is no big deal. Why would she just go around telling everyone that her family is wealthy and she could ride a car whenever she wants? Shandy has always been a non talkative.

Thinking that he will misunderstand, she added, "The only reason I don't drive to school is because I don't particularly like driving,"

Thinking of it too Yamato realized he might having overreacted. He'd known for a long time that Shandy wasn't like the other children of Sixth High. Her uniform is always immaculate and neat without any fading or patch. And with Yamato's keen eye it was obvious that she has more than one uniform. Her family is well of.

After that Shandy and Yamato made small talk as they went. Ten minutes later the car drove into a better looking neighborhood of Band E. This district is not in the Main Street where you expect good houses but in a concealed place in the suburbs of Dragon Park Area.

Shandy drove the car to a villa. Two guards were at the gate. Seeing it was the young miss they opened up quickly, letting her pass through.

The inside of the villa was more spacious than Yamato expected. The ground was cobbled and red flowers lined the pavements. Shandy parked the car beside two other cars and came out. Yamato followed her out looking around calmly like a country bumpkin.

At this point he was really surprised at Shandy's remarkable background. He'd known she wasn't an ordinary person but he never imagined her family was so powerful that they own a villa, cars and even bodyguards.

'Seems I underestimated Shandy's background...' Yamato thought feeling some pressure for some reason.

Shandy saw Yamato's blank expression but she didn't waste any time and led him into the mansion. Coming into a large sitting room she told him to have a seat on one of the four the plush couches then went away to bring her mother.

Yamato looked around the sitting room wondering, for the up tenth time, what Shandy's mother want with him. He didn't have to wait long to find out, as Shandy soon returned followed behind by a beautiful middle aged woman in a loose blue dress with wide sleeves. Her dark hair was held in a ponytail by a jade hairpin making her look traditional. Like an ancient empress in the modern world.

Yamato felt an unexplainable pressure from this woman that he subconsciously rose to his feet when she entered the room.

The woman only spared him a glance then took her seat. "Yamato Armor huh, please seat," she gestured casually.

"Thank you," Yamato took a deep breath then sat back on the couch opposite her. He hesitated then asked, "Shandy said you have some business with me ma'am?"

"No rush, in a while you'll naturally understand. First introductions, do you know my identity?"

"You are Shandy's mother..."

"Naturally, but I meant do you know what I do?"

"I don't," Yamato found the question strange but shook his head and replied politely.

"I am Mo Xian but some people call me Lady Mo."

That name sounded familiar...

"Lady Mo?" Yamato blurted out feeling stunned. Isn't it the person he's just thinking about earlier? The leader of one of the top five gangs!

But more importantly Lady Mo is Shandy's mother?! Yamato looked towards Shandy who was standing by the side but she refused to meet his eyes. Her silence confirmed it.

Mo Xian didn't care about those things and continued, "You know my reputation? Then it's good, we can get straight to business. I called you here because I have designs about a certain medicine shop but my people say you keep standing in their way. I want you to back down,"

Yamato frowned not having any intention of obeying her. "The medicine shop is not on anyone's head, why do you want to make things difficult for people?"

"Yama.." Hearing Yamato's words Shandy went pale and involuntarily called him. She was afraid he'll anger her mother and suffer a loss.

However contrary to her expectation Mo Xian just scoffed. She didn't lash out but spoke calmly. "You are really a brave kid, daring to talk back at me. But why I do my things are not something a person like you can know, if not because Shandy is friends with you I'd have solved you a long time ago!"

"So you know me huh?"

"I do, after all you injured a few of my people every week,"

Yamato realized something and his expression dimmed. "Those small gangs are also your people?"

"You are not completely stupid I see, you have finally figured it out!" Mo Xian scolded feeling that the younger generation is ignorant of the reality of the world. She wasn't bragging but if she wanted him dead she didn't think he'll survive.

But after all she didn't like harming the innocent. Even if she's in this dirty business she didn't want to become like those crazy guys that could do anything for profit.

Yamato glared at her wanting to say something but stopped himself at the last moment. This woman owns a lot of people under her command he can't offend her if he wants to live peaceful in Kreal city.... Besides she's Shandy's mother and he might have been to arrogant and ignorant.

Finally Yamato sighed and rose to his feet. For some reason he suddenly felt very tired. "Is that all?" He asked. The woman nodded in reply. "Then I am taking my leave,"

"When you return tell Kin Tain to start paying protection money or else I'll take down his shop myself, he has three days,"

Yamato didn't turn around and just left. Shandy wanted to give him a ride back but he decisively refused her and returned on his own.

He has a lot of thinking to do on the walk back.