Jane! What a silly name!
"Well, if you know me, why don't you want to talk to me?" This boy was so impolite! He was more annoying than Sven.
Daniel wrinkled his brow, looking like his father. "I'm ignoring you!"
He descended from the sofa and left the booth.
'Ignoring me?' Clinching her fists, Jane hurried along after him.
"Where are you two going?" asked Ella curiously.
Daniel turned back to reply, "Aunt, I'll come back soon."
"So will I, mommy." echoed Jane.
"Take good care of little Jane, Daniel," said Lola to her son while shelling the nuts.
Daniel seemed to want to say something, but he eventually buried it down with the rest of his moldering resentments. He nodded and then walked out in a hurry.
He kept walking along the lotus pond, totally ignoring Jane who was never far behind him with some complaint or another.
He walked so fast that it took Jane great effort on her tiny legs to follow him.
She complained while trotting. "Daniel Si. Why are you so mean?"
"If I'm so mean, then why are you following me? You idiot!" Daniel stopped all of a sudden, and Jane hurtled into him.
She bounced off him, waving her arms wildly as she fell backwards. She came down with a splash into the lotus pond.
"Ah! Help!"
She punched a hole through the water when she broke through, soaking her clothes through.
Thankfully, the water was shallow. So Daniel just stood aside, refusing to help her.
Two waitresses hoisted Jane out of water in a panic. They wrung out her light purple sweater and skirt as best they could.
Jane stared at Daniel with a shiver. She shook off the waitresses, and pounced on Daniel, biting his arm like a feral dog.
His arm was exposed because it was warm inside of the hotel and a T-shirt was enough to keep him warm. She dug her teeth into his flesh, trying to leave an ineradicable mark. Though Daniel were suffering great pain, he bore it without hitting her back.
Finally, Jane let all her anger drain out of her body. "Daniel Si, I will never ever hang out with you again!" She left without looking back.
Though her clothes were mighty wet, she never relinquished that incendiary air of arrogance.
Back in the booth, the parents treated them quite differently.
Lola held Jane in her arms. It made her heart ache to see her wet all over. Samuel hurriedly turned the thermostat up. Eason sent a waiter to bring some spare clothes for Jane.
In contrast, Daniel got a good beating from his father.
When Daniel sat back down on his sore bottom, he decided from that moment on that Jane was a wicked girl.
The bite mark remained on his arm for a long time.
The new year was coming.
The Shao's villa rang with cheers and laughter. The two kids were the life and soul of that New Year's Eve.
Ella and Samuel made dumplings together for the whole family.
Near midnight, they cuddled in bed and waited for the countdown to ring out.
Samuel turned over, and leaned above Ella as the clock struck 12. "Darling, Happy New Year! I love you!"
"Honey, I love you too!"
Samuel gradually lost himself in kissing.
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