Package From Sky Realm (3)

Despite my sour mood, the day passed by with my usual routine snapping off bean sprouts tail at Foodville—my aunt's restaurant. The place was small, as were most local bars nearby, room for no more than ten tables, and the table bar facing the beach that could seat about five people. It was still early, it wasn't packed with customers. But quite of a ruckus. I was surrounded by the Foodville mob, their attention was drawn by a man figure sitting alone off the corner. As I looked at them, I feel butterflies crawling on my stomach.

"Huayu Jie, our restaurant just came in a very handsome guy! Do you think he's available?" Xiaofei, the waitress working in Foodville, nudged me, and she pointed.

As soon as I met Jie Moshu's eyes, those pale lips curled into a smile. He tilted his head to the side, resting his temple on his fist. My stomach rolling, I quickly dropped my gaze to my bean sprouts. I still haven't got used to his sudden alluring smile. I tried not to blush like a schoolgirl and cleared my throat before replying in a low voice, "Not exactly."

Cangyu's gaze, the teenage boy part-timer, fell on him, studying every detail of the stranger that he could absorb. He shook his head, denying me, "I think he's single. He looked like he's in his late-20s. A model, perhaps. With those strong features, I bet he'd probably go for an entertainment figure."

I had to admit Jie Moshu stood out for his perfectly tailored two-buttoned suit. Broad shoulders and a wiry form, all lean muscles, and long bone. The way he pushed his dark hair from his eyes, it even caught up like some kind of slo-mo. If he had been an actor or a model that would have suited for his perfection. Oh, and again, I was fantasizing about him. I should stop doing that.

"Handsome and single. Definitely, my type!" Xiaofei's eyes beamed. "Do you think I can get his number?"

I shrugged. I was simply implied to Jie Moshu hasn't mastered using his smartphone. He got them when he moved in with me, from someone he referred to as a friend in this Human World.

Xiaofei and Cangyu's debate suddenly felt distant, as I recalled the moment Jie Moshu said that he knew a way to cure me. I faintly remembered he moved in right after. My house was too small to fit for three people, but he insisted on the condition. Not long, I finally had the honor of meeting the real billionaire Mr. Fang in person when he came to bring in some things for the move-in. The elderly man turned out to be Jie Moshu's subordinate, but from what I saw—what a harsh way to put it—they seemed to have a kind of master-slave relationship. It was like Mr. Fang worshiped him as a God.

"Please take good care of the Master. He didn't know how the world works here." Mr. Fang's voice echoed in my ears. Even an old man like him believed that Jie Moshu was a celestial-being descended from the Sky Realm. I felt chastened by his unfailing trust, and I was also influenced to believe in him—in Jie Moshu.

"You're married?!" Both Xiaofei and Cangyu's cry brought me back to earth. I sank into the shadow to hide from their scrutiny gazes fell on me in disbelief. "With Liu Huayu?"

What? Did I just miss anything? Wait, how did they know?

My mind rang in an alert. A name appeared on the back of my head. Jie Moshu.

Panic hit me like a lightning bolt. I had to get out of this situation. I had to hide.

Jie Moshu laughed quietly at the look on my face. I must've to gape at them, looking all ridiculously dumb. I gestured to him, mouthed "no". Pleeeease no, anything but that would be fine. Anything, but that!

Instead, his smile grew even wider, as he spoke, "She's indeed my wife."

Great. Just great. He totally dug my grave for me.

"Liu Huayu?" Both of them were waiting for my response.

"No!" I said quickly, flustered. "He... um... a fiancé. Yes. FIANCÉ. Future. To-be."

Seriously, so much for my stupid mouth! Did you realize what you had done? I could have just denied them, saying that he was merely an acquaintance or anything else!—other than the word "fiancé". I was too level-headed. In fact, I deeply regretted it already.

I pretended I didn't see Jie Moshu's smiling back at my impulsion. Of course, he was expecting me to say this out loud. That devilish good-looking man!

Xiaofei rolled her eyes at my confession. "That's as likely as you to be married."

"Since when you have a boyfriend? Surely, Huayu Jie, as we've known you so far, you seem to be single. And not ready to mingle." Cangyu hissed, looking all suspicious.

Why did I get the feeling of being interrogated? I winced and snapped my bean sprouts at full speed. And snapped. And snapped. I had to look down because my mind went blank! How was I supposed to handle this?

The rear door opened, ringing Foodville welcoming bell. When that sound of grand entrance took all of our focus on that person, my chest tightened. Tatty shoes emerged, followed by a pair of trousers and those familiar unsteady walks...

My hands stopped snapping. I couldn't be more shocked and disbelief with my own sight. "Baba?"

"Who's getting married?" Baba was standing there, all smiling. He raised both eyebrows at me. I knew he was only asking out of curiosity, but I felt a squeeze of guilt. Okay, don't panic, I told myself fervently. This was just my own guilty conscience speaking.

"So, who's getting married?" Baba asked again, sounded perplexed. "Liu Huayu, you didn't actually move out from our home to secretly get married, did you?"

Heavens. He heard. He heard everything.

"Of course not." I crossed my fingers behind my back, hoping I sounded convincing. I wasn't practically lying. Half-lie-half-truth. "Everything just normal—"

Baba turned to Jie Moshu, glaring at him from head to toe. "And who is this man here? Is he one of your customers?" He paused, didn't intend to mask his skepticism. "Or something else?"

"Baba!" I heard myself yelling. Why did it feel like I was covering for him?

I glanced over Jie Moshu, and he was the opposite of me—nothing but calm and sophisticated. Resolved.

"Father-in-law, I've been looking forward on meeting you for a long time." He bowed his head humbly and respectfully.

What actually surprised me the most was seeing Jie Moshu not wavering a little in front of Baba. Even if I've fallen into silence, my mind was jumping ahead. I found myself thinking like Mr. Fang. If a celestial-being like him bowed to Baba, then what kind of gratitude that we all as mere peasants should do in response? I shivered. But that was just uncharacteristic indulgence of mine.

I didn't know whether Baba was furious or shocked. After all, his expression abruptly changed. He held his temples. I've had hunched away even further. I could sense Baba's questions circulating in the air: Why? How come? What's going on?

"Father-in-law. Father-in-law?" Baba repeated as he stared at me in puzzlement. "I only let you living alone for six months, and now you bring... a man calling me, father-in-law?"

My unease grew.

Jie Moshu grinned. "Father-in-law, I hope you're not blaming Huayu for anything. I'm simply courting her with the initiative to go on for marriage." When no one spoke, he added, "I'm very well acquainted with your daughter. Now, I can see why."

Baba tsked in disapproval. "What do you mean by that, boy? I can see clearly there's a wide gap between your age and my daughter. It's unlikely to you to be attracted to someone way younger than you."

"As a parent, you've raised her well and I respected you for that. I'm in love with your daughter since the very first sight I met her," he said firmly, his eyes showing calmness and humility. "I'm dedicated to protecting her from any harm, and this is my promise to you that I'll never break, Father-in-law."

The room filled with gasps and buzz of whispering on the other. I frowned. Jie Moshu had astonished every one of us the way that he charmed me before. Who could stand against him? I shook my head, rubbing my temples to get rid of all this bewilderedness.

"What are you implying?"

Something flashed in his eyes. I saw them, but I couldn't tell what it was. It vanished quickly as his normal resolve took over. "We're going to the next step if Father-in-law allows. I'm sure Huayu will consider."

I just barely caught what he meant, only visibly agitated by Xiaofei and Cangyu's exaggerate muted screaming. Did they have to be that enthusiastic?

Xiaofei beamed. "Huayu Jie, your man looks so cool!"

Cangyu nodded in agreement. "As a man myself, I'm jealous of you."

I couldn't help to laugh sarcastically. I supposed you could say that because you weren't in my situation. He was too perfect, the only imperfection was he had a son, and he wasn't a human. Just what on heavens did I just get myself into?