Mark of the destiny

"Ouchh…. Stop doing that!" Suyin rubbed the side of her head when James's Elbow hit her second time.     

He instantly took a step away while continuing rotating his shoulder in the air. "Not my fault! You punched me so hard, it's hurting. Bully!"     

"Shut up. Say thanks I didn't punch your beautiful face. Next time, don't leak any information about me. Even if it's Wang Shi," she craned her neck in the direction from where the passengers were coming. "Her flight landed an hour before. What's taking so much time?"     

"Immigration and customs check,"     

"Hhaha…. so intelligent!" The next second she squealed in excitement, "There she is! Mom!!!"     

Si Han waved her hand at the duo standing in the crowd, flashing her gorgeous smile. Suyin had inherited most of her looks from her father, but the smile comes from her mother.     

Tall and slender, radiating confidence in her walk, she blew a flying kiss at Suyin. She had big dark eyes with long layered hair. High sculpted cheekbones and lush red lips. Dressed in fitted jeans and ruffled top in red and nude pumps, even at fifty plus she gives a tough competition to Suyin.     

"Holy moly! Why the hell Aunty never ages? Is she a vampire or what?"     

Suyin slapped James' arm, "Stop ogling at my mom."     

"There's my girl," leaving her trolly for James, Si Han embraced Suyin in a warm hug. She pulled away and scanned Suyin from top to bottom.     

James, "Rest assured she has not lost a single gram in my care. If you don't believe me, let's get her weight checked. She's even ready to give competition to a hippo."     

"JAMES!"     

"JAMMIE!"     

James flinched back, wincing as Si Han pulled his ear.     

They were about to come out when Suyin noticed a tall man wearing a mask and cap, standing not too far, looking in their direction.     

"Mom, you and James wait for me in the coffee shop. I've some urgent work to handle." Si Han secretly followed Suyin's line of sight and nodded. Suyin understood her mother was aware that she was being followed. "It won't take much time."     

"Okay," Si Han put on her shades and turned to James. "Let's have a coffee together, dear. Starbucks?"     

"Starbucks it is! Susu like their puff pastries, we'll get it packed too." Dragging the suitcase with one hand, he offered his elbow to Si Han, "Beautiful lady, please!"     

After they left, Suyin didn't hide and walked to the man who got flustered being found out and tried to run away. "No use escaping, I've seen you, ge."     

"Ge!" Zhao Zeng turned and pulled his mask off. "It sounds so good from your mouth, Susu. How are you?"     

"I'm fine, thank you." She looked at her elder brother, dressed in loose clothes with a cap and mask, braced to hide from being spotted by paparazzi and crazy fans. He approached and bent to place a kiss on her forehead, which she accepted without any emotions. "Did you follow mom all the way?"     

"Yes, that's the only way I could be near her. And to grab the opportunity to see you." His gaze drifted to the direction where James had left with Si Han. A feeling of melancholy and jealousy flashed in his eyes. "You both are closer to James."     

"Yes, he is our family."     

"That's where I failed." His eyes stung. Both his mother and sister had shut him from their lives. Though he can call and meet them, the feeling of being treated as a stranger never left him. By the time he realized the two women of his life had drifted too far.     

"Don't get started, ge." she dropped her hands. "I never blamed you for anything."     

"Though you never said a word, I can see it in your eyes. Your silence is the biggest punishment for me." Zhao Zeng caressed Suyin's cheeks, but once more she didn't let anything come on her face. Will she always be this distanced from him?     

Suyin looked away.... she has nothing so say about it.     

After that night with Qi Wren, the only person she thought of was her elder brother. How desperately she needed to talk to someone from her family and had called him to share her pain. After trying for three hours, he answered it.     

Yes! He answered it!     

He answered it and scold her not to bother him again and again, he's busy preparing for the grand racing championship and hung up on her.     

After four days she received a message from him, [Susu, I won. Now, tell me what you wanted to say?]     

And she just replied, [Nothing important. Congratulations, ge.]     

When she was facing the medical council, she called him, but got a message instead, [Busy. Will call you when I'm free.]     

Finally, he got time to call her after five days when she was debarred already. Once more he messaged, [I won the Singapore Championship. (Champagne emote) So…. Why did you call the other day?]     

And she replied, [Nothing important. I'm debarred from medicine and my baby died. Congratulations for the championship, ge. (Double champagne emotes)]     

*****     

How is dad?" Suyin changed the topic as none of this matter to her now.     

"Good. Missing you and mom as always." He retrieved his hand from her cheek, itching to pull her in a bone crushing hug once. She's his little doll who used to run after him every time when they were kids. "We've been following every news about you; you're making us proud. My little Susu is so brave and cool."     

Suyin's noticed a group of youngsters had raised their phone cameras at them, "Your fans."     

As Zhao Zeng turned, the fans squealed in delight. "AHHH…. That's our idol, Zeng."     

"Shit!" he cursed. "Susu, I'm in the City for one month. Can we meet again? Please…."     

"I'm busy, ge."     

"Please…. it's rare for us to be in the same city. Please, Susu. Don't say no."     

For the first time, she saw her brother pleading desperately as he held her tight. "You've my number, call me."     

"Thanks…."     

She turned away, striding towards the door to get out of the airport ASAP. She called James to come to the parking, she's waiting for them there. They didn't take more than ten minutes to come. Though James was oblivious of everything, he realized something was wrong and instantly dangled the bag of puff pastry in front of her to cheer her up.     

 "Look what I got! Don't forget to share it with me. I'm broke after feeding a hippo, so I could only afford one pastry."     

Assuring the worried Si Han with her eyes, Suyin wrapped her hands around her mother's. "Who wants your pastry when the world's best chef is my mom."