Love Is Sweeter Second Time Around

Looking at the dinning table, Yiu Chunxiu couldn't help but be left in awe. The dinner of Yiu family was normally suffocating and domineering. No one would utter a word, the only thing that you can hear were the breathing of the people in the table. Even the utensils didn't make any clamour. Everyone was expressionless, as if it was a meeting that requires great concentration and it not a family dinner. That was 5 years ago.

Currently, every member of their family had a smile in their faces- they wear soft eyes and gentle voice. It wasn't rowdy yet for a family that has strict values, there was a disorder.

In the rectangular table, the head of the family, his grandfather, sat the end of the table. On the other end was her father. Yiu Chunxiu was in the middle of her son and her third brother, Yiu Chaun while her two brothers and her mother was situated in front of them.

It wasn't her first family dinner with the whole family, she had one when she first arrived in the country. Yiu Chunxiu just didn't know if she should count that as a family dinner since they ate together with Zuo clan that time.

Wang Liming who was sitting in front of Yuntian scooped meats from the serving plate and placed it in Yuntian's rice bowl, "Little Yun, eat more. You're a growing boy so you need to eat more."

"Yes. Yes. Yuntian, when you grow up you need to be strong so you have to eat meat." Father Yiu Julong added in approval.

"Yuntian, eat vegetables too. It's not good to only eat meat." Her first brother, Yiu Yang butted in, adding more dishes in Yuntian's bowl.

This was the last straw from Yiu Chunxiu. Her family changed. A lot. She didn't know what happened during the past years that Yuntian stayed with her family nor how Yuntian melted the iron heart of the members of the family however she was glad that she saw some changes in her family. It was just-- they spoil him too much.

And made him eat too much. Even her, an a.d.u.l.t wouldn't be able to finish the food in Yuntian's bowl. She wanted to stopped them but she was afraid to interrupt the elders of the family.

Yiu Chunxiu stared at her son who looked confused, tilting his head towards left. With a small voice, he said, "Grandma, Grandpa, First Uncle." His round eyes blinked few times before continuing, "I can't eat this all! I'm only five year old! I still have so many years so eat this all!"

Yiu Chunxiu almost choked, she glanced at her son with widen eyes. Did her son just--?

No one spoke a word for few seconds, the a.d.u.l.ts in the table just stared at each other as if they it was the first time they heard a joke in their whole life. Without a hint, they broke into laugher. It wasn't boisterous, the Yiu family maintained their dignity while laughing.

What the hell is happening? Yiu Chunxiu asked herself.

She was the only person confused with all the things happening in the table.

"Right, right." Her third brother, Yiu Chaun, said after he recovered, "Sorry Little Yun. We forgot that you're still a baby."

Yiu Chaun's teasing manner of speaking made Yuntian pout, "Grandma, grandpa, great-grandpa and uncles always forget about it! You always do this to me!" He complained. "And I'm not a baby anymore!" Yuntian added. His fluffy cheeks inflated adorably.

Wang Liming took the few meats and vegetables away from Yuntian's rice bowl, "There Little Yun. We're sorry that we always forget it."

"We just wanted to see you being a healthy kid." Her grandfather who always had a neutral expression just used a soothing tone of speaking.

As far as she knew, 2012 already passed. How come the world was still crumbling? Was there another prophecy she didn't knew about? Her soul felt blessed.

Yuntian placed his rice bowl and chopticks in the table. He rolled his sleeves in his left arm, clenched his fist and turned his wrist to elbow upwards, attempting the show his biceps. In reality, it was just lump of muscles. "There!" He pointed using his other arm, "I have muscles so I am already healthy great-grandpa!"

There was another round of giggles in the dinning table. Even Yiu Chunxiu, herself, couldn't help but laugh at the small antics of her son.

"Yes. My great-grandson has big muscles!" He said, nodding to express his approval. "Now eat your food before it goes cold," her grandfather chided.

The dinner continued inconsistent talking and laughing to entertain the youngest in the family. When the dinner ended, it was turn for a.d.u.l.ts to discuss serious matters.

"Ah Xiu," her mother called out to her. Yiu Chunxiu cast her eyes into her mother. "After taking the medical license exam that will take place two months from now, you can start continuing your internship at First Hospital in H Province. By that time you'll probably be married and living with Zuo Haoyang so you won't have problems being in H city." Wang Liming paused and drank tea before continuing, "I've already arranged the papers needed and talked to your uncle who's currently one of the directors in the hospital. If you encountered any problems, just inform me dear."

Yiu Chunxiu lowered her head, "Yes, mother."

Ah yes, by that time she would be married. Right. She forgot about that.

"Since you'll just be preparing for the exam for the time being, be sure to accompany little Haoyang when he needed to." Her father reminded.

She nodded, "Yes, father."

"Sometimes, take Yuntian when you two are going out." Her grandfather said in a stern voice, "The child needed to bond with Little Zuo since he'll become Yuntian's father soon."

She turned her head to her grandfather, "I'll take note of that, Grandfather."

This was one of the reason why she hated having fun. Things would turn sour for her in the end and she couldn't escape it no matter how much she wanted to break free.

Apart from her engagements, Yiu Yang and Yiu Chen said that they would be staying for two months without break in the base camp. Almost the same with her grandfather and father, it was just that they have sunday day-off. Her mother on the other hand would return to the military hospital as a doctor and would be able to go home everyday. The only person who didn't spoke was Yiu Chaun, as if he wasn't part of the family.

The eyes of the family members fell in Yiu Chaun who remained silent, "What?" He asked while raising one of his eyebrows. "Ah! I don't have any business trip this month so aside from going to office, I won't have anything in my hands. Unless there's unexpected trips. I'll stay with Ah Xiu and Yuntian while the family isn't here."

Yiu Chaun had always been carefree in front of their family. He still complies with the family's tradition and customs however he disregard the family's words like it was just an air. He does whatever he wanted to. As long as it was not illegal, the family wouldn't intervene with his life.

Yiu Chunxiu felt a pang in her heart, she could've lived like that too. She admired her brother's courage to lived that way before.

Not that she was regretting conceiving Yuntian, she just wanted to free herself from the shackles of Yiu family. She just also wanted to live her life according to her will but she already lost the confidence to do so. After being left behind, her family was the only one there for her. The one who accepted her even though she did something that can tarnish the name of their family. Even though she didn't to, following the wishes of her family was her atonement from tainting the family name.