The Jade Seal by Yuriko Taira

Author:Yuriko Taira [Taira, Yuriko]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-12-13T22:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 11

Islept soundly. When I woke up, it was well past lunch-time. I came downstairs, and saw Shinkichi and his father in the study. Mr Abe was not as tall as his son, a bit paler with deep wrinkles on his face, but most of his hair was still black. They appeared to be in a serious discussion.

I tiptoed outside. The front yard was reasonable in size. A small Japanese cherry tree stood in the centre, and some vegetables and herbs were growing by the fence. It must be beautiful during cherry blossom season, I thought. Mr Abe’s car sat quietly in a wooden garage at one side of the front yard.

Then, I went to the back of the house. The backyard was a lot smaller than the front yard. Recyclable and non-recyclable garbage bags were neatly stacked by the back gate waiting to be collected.

There was a door to the kitchen from the backyard. I peeked in, no one was in the kitchen. So, I went inside, put on a kettle, then went to the study.

“Otōsan and Shinkichi-san, would you like to have a cup of tea or coffee?”

“Coffee with milk, no sugar, please,” Mr Abe said.

“Babe, tea for me as usual.”

“はい。” I went back to the kitchen.

I put the tea, coffee, and some mochi that I found in the fridge on a tray; then taking the tray to the study. The telephone rang.

“I’ll get it,” Shinkichi said and picked up the phone. He spoke in English.

My ears were peeled as my instinct told me that the call was not local, it might be about me. By the time I put the tray on a desk, and gave the cup of coffee to Mr Abe, the call was already ended.

“Babe, it was Missus Shilbury on the phone. She said Mister Huang tried to get in touch with you,” Shinkichi said, taking the cup of tea from my hands.

“Oh… but you don’t want me to talk to Mister Huang, do you?”

“We can use a public phone to call him,” Shinkichi suggested.

“I thought you didn’t want me to have anything to do with him?”

“No, I don’t. But you need to take control of the Yuwen Estate.”

“Do you want me to fire him?” I tried to read Shinkichi’s mind.

“Yes, we’ll do that when we’re ready. For the time being, let’s learn about the operations of the Yuwen Estate and Yuwen Foundation.”

“Okay, let’s go.” I walked towards the door.

“Babe, you’re still wearing the same clothes of yesterday.”

“But I don’t have any other clothes.”

“Yes, you do. Mum has given you two kimonos.”

So, I'm not out of his sight even at his own home. “Oh… my god, I don’t even know how to wear them.”

“I’ll help you,” Shinkichi said, putting his cup of tea on the tray. “Dad, please excuse me.”

“No problem. Go and teach her,” Mr Abe said.

We left the study, and went upstairs.

“Wait for me in your room. I’ll be there in a minute,” Shinkichi said and went into his bedroom.

A few minutes later, he came to me, carrying a black kimono.

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