Evelyn could play mahjong, but she was never any good at it.
Victoria was the complete opposite.
William was terrible at learning the game.
According to Amelia, one daughter was sharp as a whip, and the other was dumb as a rock.
Of course, after Evelyn got into a top university, Amelia changed her tune.
She said her younger daughter was wise but played the fool, and her older daughter was smart but acted dumb.
None of that ever stopped their family from playing mahjong, though.
And today, the biggest loser was treating the whole family to a foot soak in the afternoon.
They played all morning, took a break for lunch, and then went right back at it.
In the end, Amelia lost the most.
“Well, I haven’t played in ages. My skills are rusty,” Amelia sighed.
“Mom, it’s fine. As long as you had fun!” Evelyn comforted her.
“Of course I did. They say the most comfortable way to walk is to walk,” Amelia replied.
“No way! The sun must be rising in the west. Mom is being generous today!” Victoria said dramatically.
“Girl, you’re asking for a beating!”
“Mom, I’m not asking for a beating. I’m just asking for a foot soak!” Victoria laughed.
Evelyn laughed too.
So the family actually went to get their feet soaked.
Evelyn was ticklish. She couldn’t stand the massage for even a second. She begged the masseuse to stop.
So she just soaked her feet.
Victoria grinned. “You really don’t know how to enjoy life!”
“I’m ticklish. What can I do?” Evelyn replied, annoyed.
“I bet you’re not ticklish when your husband touches you!” Victoria blurted out.
“Sister!” Evelyn blushed and protested.
“Fine, fine. I’ll shut up. Love conquers all, right?” Victoria shot back.
Evelyn just looked at her sister, shaking her head with a helpless smile.
After the foot soak, they had some snacks and fruit.
Then Evelyn’s phone rang. It was Alexander.
“I’m about to get off work. Where should I pick you up?” he asked.
“I’m at the foot bath place,” Evelyn answered.
“What are you doing there?” Alexander frowned.
“Mom was generous today. She treated us all to a foot soak,” Evelyn explained with a laugh.
“Not bad. Any plans for tonight? Want to grab dinner together?” Alexander asked.
“Sure. Let me ask them. I’ll call you back.”
“Okay,” Alexander replied.
Evelyn hung up and turned to her parents. “Alexander wants to know if we have plans tonight. He wants to take us all to dinner.”
“Not me. I have plans with my friends tonight,” Victoria raised her hand.
“Why do you have plans every single day? Even if you have a man, why do you need to hang out with your girlfriends all the time?” Amelia scolded.
“Mom, without girlfriends, there’s no man. Don’t worry. I’ll be married off before I’m thirty. Promise!”
“Thirty! I’ll be an old woman by then!” Amelia exclaimed.
“Mom, thirty isn’t old. Thirty-five is when it gets risky,” Evelyn chimed in.
“I don’t care. You two need to be married by twenty-six at the latest!” Amelia declared.
“I know, I know,” Victoria said, barely holding back an eye roll.
“You two go with Alexander. Your mother and I don’t want to be third wheels,” William said with a smile.
“Dad, what are you talking about?” Evelyn protested.
“Another day, when Alexander comes over, I’ll have a good drink with him. Tonight, I’m taking your mother out for a romantic evening,” William continued.
“Dad, since when did you become so romantic?” Even Victoria was surprised.
“What’s so romantic about two old folks like us?” Amelia blushed.
“Why not? We’ll have a candlelit dinner. Just the two of us. That’s a romantic evening.”
“I know the perfect place for a candlelit dinner, Dad. Let me make a reservation for you!” Victoria immediately picked up her phone.
“I’ll pay for it,” Evelyn added with a smile.
“You two don’t need to get involved. Your mother and I can handle it. What do you take us for?” William refused.
Evelyn and Victoria exchanged a smile.
Later, Victoria and Evelyn left the foot bath place first.
Victoria went to meet her friends, and Evelyn left with Alexander.
“Why the sudden foot soak?” Alexander asked as he drove.
“We played mahjong today. Mom lost, so she treated the whole family. If you hadn’t been working overtime, you would have had a share too,” Evelyn laughed.
“Why did your mother lose and not you?” Alexander looked at her and smiled.
“I was lucky today. I won a few times on my own. Maybe I should buy a lottery ticket later. I might hit the jackpot!” Evelyn replied.
“Forget it. You used up all your luck on mahjong today,” Alexander said.
“You’re so mean. You always have to rain on my parade!” Evelyn pouted. “So, where are we eating?”
“I’m taking you somewhere. I think you’ll like it,” Alexander said.
“Okay!” Evelyn nodded.
She didn’t really care where they ate.
As long as she was with Alexander, she was happy.
So she just followed him.
The car drove out of the city and finally stopped at a restaurant halfway up a mountain.
Alexander opened the sunroof and let Evelyn recline her seat so she could see the stars.
Evelyn obeyed. The sky was full of stars, shining like diamonds.
The sky itself looked like a piece of velvet, with diamonds scattered all over it.
“Alexander, the stars here are so beautiful!”
“This is the best place nearby to enjoy the night sky,” Alexander said.
“It’s really beautiful. It reminds me of when we went to Misty Isle. But the sky there was even more beautiful. The stars were bigger.”
“It’s hard to find a place like this in the city. You’ll have to make do,” Alexander said with a smile.
“I’m more than satisfied. I’ve lived in this city my whole life, and I’ve never seen such a beautiful night view. Well, I did when I was very young. But the older I got, the less I could see it.”
“Are you saying you’ve lost your ability to see beauty as you’ve grown up, or are you saying the pollution is getting worse?”
“Can I say both?” Evelyn laughed.
“Yes,” Alexander said with a smile.
They drove to a parking lot halfway up the mountain, then walked up some stone steps to the restaurant.
Evelyn couldn’t help but wonder how much money it must have cost to open a restaurant here.
After they entered the private room, the waiter poured their tea and left.
Alexander wiped his hands and told Evelyn that the restaurant only served two tables a day, and reservations had to be made half a month in advance.
He had to book tonight’s dinner half a month ago just to have a romantic dinner with her. And he had to make sure he didn’t have to go on a business trip.
“Really?” Evelyn asked suspiciously.