Alicia entered the house and like a magnet,gravitated straight towards the kitchen where Ryu was brewing his coffee..Hearing her enter, he looked back and saw his wife with bags full of groceries sitting on the counter.She was staring strangely at the golden and red envelope in her hand.He recognized the invite for what it was but did not say anything and brought her a glass of water,placed a kiss on her lips and waited for her to drink up.Once she had finished her glass,Ryu picked it up like a good little 'wife' and put it in the sink.Amused at her domesticated husband,Alicia smiled and asked,"Hubby,you had the misfortune to meet my ex family ,I think...Did you enjoy the visit?I see you did not accept their kind intentions."
"I did not.I was tempted to call the cleaners to clear them and their offending smell but they must have enjoyed the visit,I am sure.."
Intrigued at this assurance,Alicia looked at Ryu curiously.
"It's not everyday that a person gets to experience the sensation of being compared to house flies and having the door closed in their faces."
Ryu answered with such a serious look that for a moment Alicia couldn't believe what he was saying.But then she met his eyes and saw the satisfied look there and knew that he really had humiliated the visitors.She knew,he wanted to avenge her but had kept back only because of her wish to do it herself..
Wanting to imagine the scene,Alicia asked,"Who visited you?"
"Xu and Qing."
"Ahh...the elderly and the young. Qin Qing is pretty isn't she?I am a woman and I think so too, so you can tell me.No??"Alicia was delighted at his negative answer and suspicious as well.Narrowing her eyes,she asked Ryu,"Why?Why do yo think she is not beautiful?"
"Her eyes were full of l.u.s.t and she was almost drooling over me or rather my apparent money..Plus her perfume was horrible..In fact I think I am still not over the smell..."With that Ryu Long went to his wife and buried his nose on the crook of her neck and breathed in deeply...taking in her natural vanilla smell...
"There is only one beautiful woman in my world and that is my wife!"
Alicia melted at his flowery words and forgot her suspicion as they got busy with other more natural things....
Later at night,Alicia was about to fall asleep when she remembered,"Hubby we must love our neighbors and give them face...So you need to prepare a gift for the engagement ceremony...I will be preparing one as well...And we can go gift it to them..."
Ryu murmured an absent minded "hmm,as you wish my missus" and soon both fell asleep...
The next morning,Alicia woke up early and after preparing a breakfast porridge and pancakes for Ryu,she left their home.She had left a note to Ryu stating,"Dear Hubby,Have fun with the breakfast.I missed you while eating mine so you should miss me too...I have gone to prepare an engagement gift..Will be back soon.Be ready..we have to go see my parents...XOXO"
Alicia and Ryu had spent the last few days stuck to each other.Every morning one of them would wake up and the other sleep in..Today after a long while they had to eat breakfast separately.
Alicia had booked a hotel near the village and now she had to make the preparations for the same.Packing a small luggage case,Alicia checked into the hotel.It was still an hour until the mosquito arrived.Just perfect for her set up!She had already bribed a waiter and instructed him well.Fifteen minutes before the scene was set to play,Alicia took off her casual jeans and dressed up in a short pink dress which hugged her figure perfectly.Completing the look,she put on light make up and styled her long hair into a braid.Staring at herself in the mirror,Alicia was satisfied.She looked the right age of 18...all dewy and fresh innocence.But a cynical smile appeared on her face soon.The difference was that though she looked the same,she was no longer the same.Time and the Xu's had changed her..They had created small blocks for her to trip over.She was going to do the same.A little push here and a little snatch there until they reached the top and then a free fall for them...
A knock on the door indicated the arrival of her prey and Alicia schooled her expression to welcome the sheep into the den and discreetly pressed a button to start recording...