Chapter 9

“We’re going to your grand-uncle’s house for a visit later. Mommy bought the bangle as a gift for your grand-aunt since it’s been a while since I last went back.” Monique Xander held Little Nomi’s chubby hand as they walked out of the jewelry store. “Grand-uncle?” Little Nomi’s huge sparkly eyes on her chubby face were filled with curiosity as she looked at Monique. She heard her mother mention him once or twice, but she never met him before. “Yes, your grand-uncle is my uncle. He took me in when I was young and treated me very well.” Monique lowered her gaze to meet Little Nomi’s as she explained with a gentle smile on her pale face. Her heart was filled with warmth when she thought of how kind her uncle was to her when she was young. Little Nomi heaved a sigh with her tiny mouth. If he really treated her well, why did he never visit? Her mother was extremely easy to please. “Grand-uncle was the one who treated you well, why are you giving the bangle to grand-aunt?” Little Nomi wanted to voice her opinion that her mother should only be nice to her grand-uncle since he was the one who was nice to her. She could just ignore the others. Little Nomi was an intelligent child and she could guess that they were going to the vexing woman’s house a few nights ago. “Grand-aunt is your grand-uncle’s wife, of course I have to get her a gift! She has been good to me too.” Monique tried to persuade the exasperated Little Nomi, although she was well aware of the truth. Her uncle was genuinely worried about her so he would never give her a hard time. On the other hand, her aunt was not related to her and she had a soft spot for Yvonne Xander. Monique could not guarantee that her aunt would not be mean to her with Yvonne’s instigation. She did not want Little Nomi to suffer her wrath as she would be there too. They continued shopping for a while. Monique bought some fruits before she left the supermarket with her daughter. Little Nomi paused all of a sudden. Monique turned around to check on her daughter and looked over to where she was looking. Following her gaze, she was looking at a fine dining restaurant in front of them. A few children were enjoying ice cream outside happily, the ice cream looked delicious. Little Nomi continued standing there as she stared. She then licked her lips unconsciously as if she was eating too. Monique wanted to take Little Nomi somewhere nice for food as she rarely took her out for shopping. However, the restaurant was overly extravagant. The restaurant’s interior was uniquely stylish and all the customers inside looked like upper-class people based on their fancy outfits. The waitresses in the restaurant were carrying scrumptious delicacies on silver trays. Anyone could drool just by looking at them. Monique was conflicted inside. She stood there and looked for a while. “Mommy, let’s go. We can get some food near the streets,” Little Nomi tugged on her mother’s sleeve. She really liked the delicacies, they looked so appetizing, as if they would melt in her mouth. She almost drooled just by looking at them. However, she understood that she should not simply spend her mother’s hard-earned money as her mother was saving up to get a car. Even so, she could not move her feet to walk away because the food looked scrumptious. Looking at her daughter’s eyes that lit-up when she stared at the cakes, Monique felt her heart tighten. Her daughter had suffered a lot alongside her. “Let’s eat here. We don’t have enough money to get a car yet anyway. I can just take more requests in the coming nights after this,” Monique looked at Little Nomi with a smile. She wanted her to be happy on their special day out. “Really? I can eat here?” Little Nomi asked, her bright eyes beaming with excitement. She was a smart girl even though she was still a five-year-old. “Yes.” Monique held Little Nomi’s hand and walked toward the restaurant with her grocery bags filled with fruit. “Welco-” The waitress who initially wanted to greet them paused when she saw the shabby looking two carrying grocery bags. She retracted her smile and sneered, “Miss, this is a high-end restaurant. The fast-food restaurant is in the basement.” She was implying that they walked into the wrong place, that the restaurant was not a place for them. Monique was embarrassed but she made Little Nomi a promise, they had to dine there. “Excuse me, we’re dining here.” Monique held her head up to look at the waitress and insisted. The waitress obliged unwillingly and led her to a seat in the restaurant so that the sight of them would not affect the other customers. She thought that they were going to flee after they saw the prices on the menu. The waitress tossed a vegetable soup onto the table. Monique was unaffected. She carried Little Nomi on her lap and checked the menu. Little Nomi had no intention of bothering the waitress as she was busy checking the menu with excitement and she was already used to people looking down on her and her mother. However, the prices on the menu were far too expensive. It would cost at least 1000 yuan for a dish, some were even more than 2000 yuan. One dish would cost Monique a month’s wage. Monique was horrified. “Our most inexpensive dessert will still cost three digits. You can stop flipping the menu now, you won’t find anything that you can afford,” said the waitress with satisfaction when she noticed that Monique was flipping through the menu with her cheeks flushed. Little Nomi pulled on Monique’s hand as she was still looking at the dessert menu. “Mommy, let’s go. It’s fine if we eat in the basement. I’m happy as long as you’re with me.” Since the food there was indeed over their budget, Little Nomi wanted to leave with her mother. Then, another waitress holding a mango pancake walked past Little Nomi and served it to an overweight boy at the next table. The pancake looked succulent with fresh cream on it. Little Nomi could not help but stare at it and gulp. Monique gave Little Nomi a hug. “It’s fine, we’re dining here.” “Please order already!” The waitress was already unhappy having to serve them and became even more displeased after having to wait some time. “We’ll have a mango pancake and a strawberry milkshake.” Monique felt her heart aching after she finished ordering as the pancake and milkshake cost more than 100 yuan each. They already spent more than 300 yuan on these, which was equivalent to their expenses for a week. However, when Monique looked at Little Nomi’s longing stare, she knew that it was worth it. Some other desserts were served for the boy from the next table. Little Nomi could not help but look as her dessert was not served yet. Noticing Little Nomi’s longing stare, the boy pulled a silly face at her and teased her, “Do you want my desserts?” ‘Look at how smug he is!’ “No, fatso.” Little Nomi stretched her adorable cheeks and replied before pulling a silly face back at him. She kept looking at the serving area’s direction with eagerness as she was hoping that the dessert her mother ordered would be served soon. Little Nomi then noticed a few waitresses, each holding a silver tray filled with exquisite delicacies, walking in their direction.