Burning Passion

CHAPTER 184: VISITING THE SHANG 

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Li Manor 

"Young miss, your parents wished to see you. They are waiting in the garden." 

Nina, age 16, is reading a book inside her bedroom. It was summer. But since she is not interested in going out. She spent her days reading books. 

Nina glanced at the maid. She said, "Thank you."

The maid bows and leaves the room. Not that long; she rose from her couch and met her parents. It was rare for her father to stay home on Saturday.

"Mama? Papa?" Nina approached her parents and greeted them, planting a kiss into their cheeks.

"Nina, come join us and have tea," Madame Dona Li's invitation to her daughter, gesturing to the empty seat.

"Thank you, Mama." Nina took the seat, she picked up the teacup and sip on it. She put down the cup, contemplating what they need from her. She told her father, "It was a surprise you were home early today, Papa." 

Nelson Li laughs. He is guilty that he spends more time dining out with his clients for business meetings. This year, he was busier in expanding his Enterprise. He is planning to target the international market. 

Nelson tears a smile, he consoles her daughter.

"I missed my daughter. Can't I see my princess? Look at you. I haven't noticed you are now a lady." 

Nina curled a timid smile. Her father has been home late these passing months. By then, she was asleep already. She understood that he was busy working in their business. But as she grew up. It has become rare for them to have dinner together. She cannot help but miss those days. 

"All right. Nina, tomorrow, we will have lunch with Shang. So we will go out today for shopping, and your father will accompany us," Dona Li said, she has a cheerful smile on her face.

Nina shifted her gaze back and forth to her mother and father. "Is there an occasion?" she asked.

"Do you remember your Aunt Mely? My distant cousin?" 

Mely? Nina tried to remember. And what she recalls, Mely is not her mother's cousin by blood. Madam Mely's uncle adopted Dona. And she rarely met her aunt because her family was living in the US.

The Shang has gradually expanded its corporation abroad. 

"I haven't seen her for five years, Mama." 

"Ah, yes. Her husband has been busy taking care of their sister's office in America. They invite us to see them. It's a splendid chance as they need to go back to the US right after Master old Shang's 90th birthday." 

"Oh. Okay." Nina was assumed that her parents would attend the celebration. Honestly, she doesn't enjoy socializing, but she can't help but come along with her parents.

Nina nods to her parents. It will also be a good chance to be with them, and she would not be left home alone. It does not count the maids and the butler. She is always with them more than being with her parents.

The next morning. Nina is hesitant to enter the Shang mansion. The house is too huge. It was an ancient building, but the richness of architecture and designs are like a house for the emperor. 

Nina followed her parents inside the mansion, and a beautiful woman wearing the latest style of clothes greeted them. She lives abroad, and her appearance tells of western culture. 

"Dona!" 

"Cousin Mely! Oh, you are so beautiful!" 

"So are you!" 

The two women hugged each other. Later, Dona introduces her daughter. 

"Do you remember Nina?" 

"Oh, my god! What a beautiful lady! I would love you to be my daughter-in-law!" 

"Mely, don't joke like that. I might agree with it!" 

The two women laughed. Mely invited them inside. The Li family greeted the Shang elders before Mely and husband Jerome accommodate their guests.

Nina watches the adult chatting and laughing from the corner. It was the reason she was bored coming to gatherings like this. She was silently sitting alone while slowly sipping her tea. She saw younger Shangs close to her age, but they seemed not friendly but glare to her direction. 

They were scanning her from the head down to her shoes. It makes her conscious being look like this. Could it be about how fancy her clothes are? But the Shang are wealthier than Li's. However, her parents spoil her with fancy things. They don't mind spending a fortune with her and dress up like a princess. 

Nina avoided meeting their gazes. She gaped at the teacup she's holding. She was certain they aged for a hundred years already from a distant dynasty. This teacup is surely expensive.

She was getting bored. Nina sits up. She approaches her mother and whispers that she needs to go to a restroom. 

A servant escorted her to the back of the house and brought her to an extension house. The servant showed her a room and pointed out the restroom. Nina followed the passageway toward an exclusion room that stands as a lavatory. Nina was done, but she didn't go back to the gathering hall. Instead, she explored the garden and sat on a bench in the gazebo. 

She heaves sighed. She wanted to go home, or maybe she should bring a book to read peacefully in this garden. 

Nina wandered her eyes, her gaze caught a separate house that name as the library. With cheerful steps, she strode toward the house, taking a wooden bridge. She was happy to found a library!

Nina went inside. It fills every corner with giant bookshelves. She wandered around, she took the stairs toward the second floor of this library. She cannot stop to cringe with excitement seeing this many history books and scrolls from ancient times. Shang owns such valuable possessions. 

Nina picks up one book and starts reading. She already read several pages when someone suddenly spoke behind her. 

"What are you doing here? You have no permission to enter the library." 

Startled, Nina turned around with a shock on her face. Her eyes grew wider. 

"Hi!" 

From a serious tone, the guy now smiled widely. She wanted to smack him for scaring her. Now, he was like an asshole smiling at her. Nina frowned. 

"I'm Harry." 

The guy extended his hand. Nina glared after she heard the name he used to introduce himself. 

"You are not Harry." Nina twitched her lips, she rose a brow and crossed her arms across her chest. 

He is cute though having those two dimples on his face. His eyes disappeared when he laughed loudly. But her blood was boiling toward him.

"Steven?" 

Nina heard a creak of the wooden stairs. Someone is climbing, and he owns a beautiful voice, calling out a person named Steven. She needs not to question who that is. The guy standing in front of her is the owner of that name. 

"Harry is now looking for me," Steven said to Nina. He stepped closer, which made Nina step backward. 

It pissed her off. The guy came closer and pinned her against the bookshelves. 

And she realized… 

She and Steven had kissed.