I got to know two other servants besides Erin.
One was Briana in her fifties.
One was Doris in his thirties.
Ming asked Jessop Family for Briana. She was good at cooking, so she cooked at home.
Doris was the child of Briana’s relative. She had no job. We were short of servants so she came.
When I got to know about them, Lester woke up.
He came down the stairs barefoot. When he saw me, his eyes were shining, “Mom!”
He ran to me shouting. He climbed onto the sofa and then onto my leg. He held my neck and shouted, “Mom, you’re back!”
“Yes.” I saw the shallow scar on his face, and my heart ached.
I wanted to ask him what Ming had done to him these days, but Ming was upstairs and may go downstairs at any time. After thinking about it, I asked, “you’ve been with Uncle Jessop these days. Did you give Uncle Jessop any trouble?”
“Of course not!” Lester sat on my leg and shook his calf. He said with a smile, “Uncle Jessop is very kind to me. He bought me a lot of toys and snacks!”
“Really?”
Children didn’t cheat.
When I mentioned Ming, Lester had no fear or hesitation in his eyes.
I knew Ming was really nice to him.
I touched his head gently but I dare not relax.
I hoped Ming could always be so nice to him, but what if one day he changed?
That was what I was worried about.
“Uncle Jessop!” I was holding Lester.
But Lester suddenly jumped off me and ran towards the stairs!
I turned around and saw Ming walking down the stairs.
When he saw Lester, he walked faster. He came up to Lester and picked him up and said, “why did you go downstairs without socks?”
He was reproaching, but there was no reproach in his tone.
When I watched Ming pick up Lester, I was very nervous.
But Lester was in Ming’s arms and holding his arms and they looked close, and I knew I was paranoid.
Briana had dinner ready.
Doris and Erin served and Ming sat with Lester in his arms.
“Erin, get Lester’s bowl for me.” I called Erin.
At this time, Ming, who was sitting opposite me, suddenly looked up and turned to Erin.
His eyes were cold but immediately normal. He turned to me and asked, “why do you call her that?”
“Her name is Erin and she’s young, so I call her Erin.”
I explained at will.
Ming didn’t ask again, but there seemed to be something else in his eyes.
I couldn’t understand these things and didn’t ask any more.
Erin put Lester’s chopsticks next to mine and then stood aside.
I patted my side and said to Lester, “come on, Lester, sit here.”
“OK.” Lester nodded and came.
After he sat down, I served him. He already knew how to eat by himself.
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: President's Substitute Wife