Loving With My Mind

"Mom!" Zhao Mingzhe blurted out.

Oxford came running towards the couple. Han Yixin instinctively held it up in her arms.

"Why are you youngsters in your pyjamas? Huh! Yixin, what happened to your hair?!" Madam Zhao was casually asking at first, but was mortified when she noticed Han Yixin's uneven haircut.

Zhao Mingzhe cleared his throat. "Mom, I had called in a hair stylist. She will be coming after lunch time."

"Oh..." Madam Zhao nodded. She knew better than to pry. She had contemplated her visit, but now it seemed bringing the dog back is a good decision.

Han Yixin nodded and gave a polite smile. "Madam...I mean, Mom, please come in."

Madam Zhao was led towards the dining table. Her son poured some tea for her.

Han Yixin hurriedly put on an apron and continued working on what her husband was preparing for breakfast. However, since it was already too late for breakfast, but too early for lunch, she modified the dishes so they can be appropriate for the fusion of the two meals.

The young couple ate rather quietly with their elder, afraid to slip about their recent misunderstanding.

"Ah...Yixin, how is your new business?" Madam Zhao felt suffocated of their silence.

Han Yixin smiled subtly. "It has a good start, Mada-Mother." she corrected herself.

"That's good. Can I avail of family discount in the future?" Madam Zhao teased her daughter-in-law to ease up the tension she was still feeling.

Han Yixin finally chuckled. "Certainly, Mother."

Madam Zhao laughed, accomplishing her goal.

Zhao Mingzhe instinctively picked up the dishes from the table when they finished eating.

Han Yixin felt embarrassed to just let her husband clean up the table. She took some utensils and dishes herself. "I got this."

Zhao Mingzhe smiled at her gently, before going into the kitchen to wash the dishes.

Han Yixin awkwardly smiled and bowed to her mother-in-law before going after her husband. She did not want her mother-in-law to think that Zhao Mingzhe was being ordered around in the house.

"Hey, stay with Mom. I got this." Zhao Mingzhe took the dishes from the hands of his wife with a smile.

"No! You stay with her. I'll clean up. She's your mom." Han Yixin insisted, pushing him gently away from the sink.

"Hey, I'll tell her you don't recognize her as your mother if you stay here for another minute." Zhao Mingzhe teasingly threatened.

Han Yixin glared at him before succ.u.mbing to the threat.

She found her mother-in-law sitting on the sofa, playfully patting Oxford in the living room. Before she could utter a word, the door bell rang.

Han Yixin furrowed her brows. 'More unexpected visitors?' she thought.

She opened the door and was taken aback by the stranger with vivid hair colors standing outside the door.

"Uh...you are..?" Han Yixin asked awkwardly.

"Hi, I'm Dorothy. CEO Zhao called me for his haircut."

"Oh...uh..."

Before Han Yixin could explain that she was the one who needed the cut, her husband came towards the door, still with his apron on.

"CEO?!" The woman named Dorothy looked mortified seeing her boss looking like he was still in the middle of doing chores.

"Dorothy! You're early. This is my wife..." Zhao Mingzhe held his wife by her shoulders. "Her hair had a little mishap. I believe you can fix it." he said with a smile.

Han Yixin looked up at her husband.

"Uh...you guys can work in the sitting room. I still have work to do." He led them to another room before going back into the kitchen.

Han Yixin reluctantly led the stylist to a dresser, perfect for a haircut. She remembered hearing her husband mentioning earlier that he called in a stylist for her. However, she took it as an excuse so as to prevent her mother-in-law from asking further about her hair.

Now, it seemed he called on an expert after what happened last night.

Han Yixin sat on the chair before the mirror. She bit her lower lip as she realized how awful her work of art was.

The hair stylist dr.a.p.ed a cloth over her, securing it along the neck area.

Dorothy casually asked, "Young Madam Zhao, where did your hair get caught up for it to turn out this bad?"

Han Yixin never mingled with strangers quite easily. She just looked back at the stylist through the mirror with a blank expression.

Getting that the client do not wish to discuss things, Dorothy picked up the comb and scissors. "Oh-okay...let's get started."

.

Madam Zhao went out to the lanai as they received the hair stylist, still playing with the dog.

Zhao Mingzhe saw this sight as soon as he finished keeping the dishes.

He prepared some tea and brought it outside.

While Han Yixin was getting a haircut, mother and son sat for tea at the lanai. Oxford was running around, amusing himself of the grass and butterflies.

Madam Zhao looked at her son as she sipped tea. The way the young couple behaved made her infer that something was amiss.

"Xiao Zhe..." she called out as she placed the cup back on the saucer.

"Mom." Zhao Mingzhe redirected his gaze from the dog to his mother.

"Tell me the truth...do you love your wife?"

"I do. You might think it's too abrupt since we had an arranged marriage, but I really do. At first I thought I was just fond of her, then I realized that my feelings towards my wife are stronger than that." he explained.

"I believe you...not just because you're my son, but I can see it. I know you love your wife. I just wanted to know if you've realized it yet." Madam Zhao took her cup and had a sip of tea.

"However..." Zhao Mingzhe suddenly continued. "...I don't think I deserve her."

Madam Zhao furrowed her brows. "What do you mean? Did I not do well enough in raising my boy into a man?"

"I...I didn't know what got into me when I met my ex. I couldn't help but pry into her affairs when my wife was clearly there...such a stupid move." Zhao Mingzhe was more on scolding himself again rather than explaining to his mother.

Madam Zhao chuckled. "Well, even your father is not a saint."