A Lifetime With You - Chapter 38

Hazel Mo wore a happy expression on her face as she watched her uncle helped her teacher to put her luggage in the trunk.

“Teacher Qian, hello,” Hazel greeted politely as the door to the back passenger seat swung open.

“Hello, Hazel.”

“I saw you standing at the roadside.”

“Hmm, the bus broke down and I was waiting for another bus to come over to pick me up,” Edith said and smiled. “Fortunately, you saw me. Or else, I did not know how long do I have to wait before I can go home.”

Hazel Mo had a shy smile on her face. It felt as if she had done a great thing and her favorite teacher was praising her. At the thought that this teacher will accompany her through the journey, Hazel felt happier.

At this time, Neil Mo slid into the driver seat and looked at the two girls through the rear mirror. Once he was sure that they have put on their seat belt, Neil shifted the gear and started to drive.

“President Mo, thank you for your help,” Edith spoke as the vehicle entered the road. Their gaze met through the rear mirror and Edith flashed a smile.

“It’s not a problem. We are an acquaintance.”

Edith paused upon hearing his answer.

If her friend, Lily Zhao heard that President Mo had thought of her as his acquaintance, she was going to jump up and down with excitement. The aloof President Mo of MH Group had considered her, Edith Qian, a mere kindergarten teacher as his acquaintance! Was this not exciting news?

Edith shifted away from his gaze and turned to Hazel to hide her awkwardness.

With her teacher beside her, Hazel took out her book and used this opportunity to ask her a few words that she did not understand.

After a few minutes, Hazel passed the book to her teacher and had asked her to read for her. Soon, the vehicle was filled with Edith’s voice who was reading the storybook with a lively voice and vivid expression. Her voice attracted both the niece and uncle to listen until the end.

When Edith shut the book, the little girl beside her had her eyes closed and she was leaning on her arms.

Edith helped to adjust Hazel into a comfortable sleeping position and took out a shawl from her backpack to cover the little girl’s body. When she looked up, her gaze met with Neil’s again through the rear mirror.

“I hope I was not too loud,” Edith let out an embarrassed cough.

Earlier, she had read aloud the book to Hazel with too much enthusiasm. Now that Hazel was asleep and there was only Neil Mo, Edith was suddenly worried that he would think that her voice was too loud that it had disturbed his concentration in driving.

“It’s fine.”

Edith heaved a sigh. She did not know how to interact with a man who spoke so little words like Neil Mo. If the other party was a small child, Edith could try to find a way to initiate a conversation. But other than Hazel, Edith did not think that the two of them have anything in common to talk about.

“You have a nice voice and you’re a good storyteller,” Neil continued after a few seconds has passed. “I find myself enjoying it.”

Edith looked up and smiled. “Thank you. It has become part of my job as a kindergarten teacher.”

There was a brief silence before Neil speak again, “You are pretty good with Hazel. She was not someone talkative whenever she was with me.”

Edith laughed. She had heard from Madam Mo that Hazel and her uncle were not familiar with each other before Hazel’s parents passed away. Although the two were staying together, it will take some time for them to get used to each other and for Hazel to trust in her uncle.

“I babysit for the neighbors’ kids sometimes when I was young,” Edith said. “After interacting with the children for a long time, I got used to it. I guess that experience helped with my job as a kindergarten teacher.”

“You babysit?”

“Hmm,” A faint smile appeared on her lips as she thought of her childhood. “I live with my grandfather when I was growing up. He often sent me over to a caretaker’s house, but this caretaker had to look after a few kids at once. So sometimes, I have to help her to look after children younger than me.”

Her expression softened as she remembered quarreling with her friend, Aaron Li while helping his mother to look after those kids. The two of them were the biggest than the others. Therefore, they would often have to look for the other kids. If any of those kids get into trouble, the two of them will have to take the blame.

“It will take sometimes for Hazel to warm up to you, President Mo,” Edith said.

“I hope so.”

As the two of them will be living together for a very long time, Neil wanted to improve his relationship with his niece. At least, he wanted Hazel to be able to talk with him freely.

Neil Mo had decided to look after Hazel until she graduated high school before he was going to let her choose her future. If Hazel wanted to come and work for the company, he will be more than happy to teach her. If Hazel wanted to do something else, he will be supporting her.

After an hour and a half of driving, the SUV stopped at an apartment block in A City.

Neil Mo get off the vehicle and tilted his head up as he looked at the old building. Soon, the kindergarten teacher appeared beside him with her luggage at her side.

“President Mo, thank you for your help,” Edith said.

“This is where you live?” His gaze was still at the apartment building. “Isn’t it too far from the kindergarten?”

“It was not that far,” Edith said. “Anyway, I’m used to it.”

Neil Mo wanted to speak again, but noticing the discomfort on Edith’s face, he decided not to say his thought. He quickly figured out that the reason that Edith has been staying at the apartment was due to its rent.

However, a frown appeared on his face when he recalled how he had often shown up late to pick up Hazel from the kindergarten. Edith Qian would often be the last teacher who had to stay.

Suddenly, Neil felt a tinge of guilt.

“Then, I will go up first,” Edith spoke again. “President Mo. Really. Thank you for your help today.” She turned to the SUV and waved her hand. “Hazel, bye-bye. I will see you tomorrow morning, alright?”