Mama's Princess is Daddy's Beloved

Zhang Xiaotong was taken aback when saw her mother suddenly appear in her room in that mood. She exchanged the gaze with Lillian and they both decided of something that none around could hear. 

Then turning back to her mother, she said with a smile of nonchalance. "Ma, what are you talking about? What happened yesterday. It was nothing. I just went to Brother FenFen in his company but he wasn't there. So, I went to meet some of our company's investors. I had lunch with them and then later in the evening, I returned back home. Nothing else apart from this happened."

Zhang Qian Lan looked at her daughter and wasn't able to believe it. Her daughter was lying straight on her face, without showing the tiniest hesitation. "Xiaotong, really? In your craziness, you have also learned to weave lies to your mother. But wait, I am not going to ask you anymore. Let me ask someone else." 

She said and then directly turned to look at Lillian. Her gaze was all sharp, letting the girl know that she shouldn't dare to lie. "Lillian, you tell me about it. Where did she go yesterday and what happened to her exactly?" 

The assistant flinched at her sharp voice as her body stiffened as well. She could no longer endure to see up in the eyes of the lady. So, avoiding her gaze, her eyes at once looked down as her voice came out in a stutter. "M-Mrs. Zhang, Ms. Zhang is saying it right. After not finding President Feng in the company, she has asked me to arrange her meet-up with the investors where she had her lunch. And then later finishing the meeting, she came back home. I accompanied her myself." 

She said and her words further enraged the lady. Her eyes saw red as they switched alternatively between the two girls. Not able to hold her elegant composure any longer, she vented all half of it on the door, slamming it hard. "What are you both thinking of? Do you really think that it would be so easy for yow two to bluff me out like this?" 

"Ma, what are you saying? I couldn't …" 

"Enough Xiaotong. Who do you think I am?" Snapping her without giving her lies another opportunity, Zhang Qian Lan interrupted. "I am your mother and the woman who has made you what you are today. Do you think I can't see through your lies? Or do you think leaving you here alone, I would not care to have someone look over you?" 

"…" Zhang Xiaotong's face showed hints of known doubt. Then rejecting her thoughts, herself she looked at her mother in a delusion to ask, "Ma, I am not thinking it right about you. You wouldn't have kept someone around to spy on me. Right?" 

Zhang Qian Lan's clenched. "Why shouldn't I keep them around? Seeing you lie so blatantly on my face; I think that one thing was the most necessary. And I am least guilty of it." 

"Ma!" 

"Don't raise your tone at me, Xiaotong. Reflect on yourself. The recklessness you showed yesterday was enough to wake me up from the trust that was almost making me blind around you. But now, I won't be getting blind." Zhang Qian Lan's intimidation was clear. 

Though Xiaotong wanted to reject her dominance, right at the moment, she just couldn't bring herself to talk back at her mother. Her palms were getting sweaty as she was feeling herself slowly and slowly losing to her sickness. "M-Ma, I have grown up. You can't leave people behind to look over me. Where is my privacy? Am I still an adult you always talk about?" 

"Grown-up? Privacy? An adult?" Zhang Qian Lan snickered at the words her daughter used to excuse her wrong. "Do you even know the meaning of those words, dear? You are continuously taking the embarrassment, letting or society talk about your craziness for Feng Shufen, and also risking your life. Where are that grown-up attitude, privacy, and adulthood, you are talking about?" 

"Ma!!" Zhang Xiaotong felt insulted. But there was nothing she could say to retaliate against her mother. 

Zhang Qian Lan didn't mind her, she simply continued, "Xiaotong, after what you did yesterday, no matter what happens, I would never be able to believe you the same. So always remember whatever you do and plan to do next, there would always be my eyes looking over you. Don't be reckless. It was easy since nothing happened to you. So, I wouldn't let your father know about all this. But if the other time I find something the same, I won't hold back. No matter how much you cry and shed tears, I will tell your father to take you back. Away from this place. Away from this country. And away from that man." 

She said and then turned to look at Lillian. "And you, it's good to hear her words. But you better know you are kept to look after her. Not to keep seeing while her life is at risk. Take this as your last warning as well." 

Lillian's eyes bowed as she slowly nodded. "I will keep that in mind from the next time, Mrs. Zhang." She said and the next minute, Zhang Qian Lan left, still fuming inside. 

While behind Zhang Xiaotong couldn't hide any longer. Slumping on the seat behind her, her breathing slowly got heavier and in a blink of an eye, she felt getting suffocated. Holding her chest for some strength, she called for her assistant. But her voice was just not coming out. 

But as if sensing something wrong around, Lillian turned to check on her and her eyes widened seeing her again getting in the condition. "Xiaotong!" She called as rushed to soothe her back. "Easy! Breathe slowly. Breathe slowly. Everything is fine. Calm down, calm down." 

She cooed but it didn't seem soothing enough. 

Shaking her head, Zhang Xiaotong rejected her efforts, asking for the medicines instead, "M-my pills. My p-pills. Bring it to me or I will d-die." She asked and even though Lillian wanted to reject but seeing her situation, she couldn't.. So, nodding to her request, she rushed to her wardrobe to get the medicines.