It'll Come Naturally

Edward frowned when Daisy turned him down. He had originally planned to take her out for relaxation. However, she said that she'd rather stay at home.

"Dad? Mom? Are you sure you don't want to come with us?" Jasmine asked while adjusting her one-piece dress. She decided to wear girlish clothes today since her grandfather, Leo, called her a tomboy the last time. What a bad decision though because she was feeling so uncomfortable with it now. "We're not going. Just go there with your brother." Daisy gently smoothed a wisp of hair from her eyes and tucked it behind her ear. She still looked beautiful despite her age and i was obvious how the years that had passed treated her so well.

"Not again! Grandpa would be so disappointed. I heard him murmur that he hadn't gotten much time left the last time we were there. I felt sad upon hearing that," complained Jasmine while pouting her lips. She discreetly stole a glance at her mother to see her reaction. However, Daisy remained cold and didn't even show any emotion at all. She just bit her lower lip as she pretended to hear nothing at all.

"Jasmine, hurry up! We're late!" It was Justin's loud voice that broke the uncomfortable silence between the two. He was already waiting for her in the car for minutes and Jasmine's delay was already annoying him to the hilt.

"For God's sake shut up!" Jasmine shouted back and trotted out of their door. Her face was still sour when she opened the passenger seat door forcefully and dumped herself into the car.

Daisy saw everything and she couldn't help but frown at Jasmine's attitude. She had always wanted her daughter to be an independent girl. She couldn't be happier that Jasmine was indeed independent now. However, her little child had grown up to be rude and that troubled Daisy a lot. "Edward, do you think I've gone too far on Jasmine? She doesn't act like a girl at all." Daisy turned to Edward who was just silent the whole time while reading the newspaper. He might have aged but it was obvious how perfect his face still was.

"Well..." he started hesitantly. The question instantly put him in a dilemma if he should tell his wife the truth or not. Making Daisy angry was not really part of his plans today.

"Loosen up! I won't blame you for that," urged Daisy impatiently.

"Well, she has a positive mentality and I think that's great. Nevertheless, I'm afraid that she might get beaten up one day. Her attitude is beyond decorum." Although Edward was a powerful man, he really couldn't assure that he and Daisy could protect their little princess round the clock. Jasmine had already grown up and frankly, his daughter's wild demeanor was something that worried him too.

"I don't think so. Look at her! She has a heart of stone. You heard what your father said, right? Does your father really think that Jasmine can take over The Mayfly?" Daisy asked anxiously. As a soldier, she knew how dangerous it could be to manage the underground forces. All she wanted was for her daughter to have a simple and happy life.

"Rest assured. We don't even have to worry about that since father thinks that she is capable. Father seldom thought highly of anyone but he has praised Jasmine so many times. The old man must have seen her forte." Edward stood up from the single sofa and walked up to Daisy who was sitting just across his. He then patted her back to console her. He had faith in their daughter and wasn't even bothered about her being with The Mayfly in the future.

"I hope so." Daisy sighed with resignation. Their daughter's fate had already been decided and she couldn't do anything about it anymore. The only thing left for her to do was to accept the fact that her daughter was going to take over The Mayfly soon.

It was already almost noon when Justin and Jasmine arrived at the Ouyang family house. The siblings hadn't been on the parking lot long when a handsome boy ran towards them and greeted them warmly. "Justin, Jasmine, you're finally here. Grandpa has been waiting for you two and his constant nagging is already driving me crazy!"

"Haha! Enrique, is that true?" Jasmine laughed and pinched the boy's chubby cheek.

Enrique Ouyang was Brian's son. He was ten years old and closely resembled Brian. He was a very handsome boy since he got most of his genes from his dad.

"Let's go inside. My mom was so upset that she almost cried." Enrique Ouyang reached out to grab Justin's hand quickly. However, he was careful while keeping a certain distance from Jasmine as she was fond of pinching his face.Property of Nô)(velDr(a)ma.Org.

"So your mom's at home! Doesn't she need to go to the TV station?" asked Justin. He knew Brian's wife very well as they had worked together several times.

"No. She finished her work ahead of time so she could take a leave today." Enrique Ouyang was thrilled to see his cousins because they were his scapegoats. He badly wanted to avoid their grandfather's constant nagging.

"Justin, Jasmine, you're here. Come on in." Kelsey Jia welcomed them with a bright smile at the entrance. She was a well-known TV reporter in S City. She was a capable and experienced woman, not to mention beautiful and smart. She first met Brian in an interview program and they also had a long story.

"Auntie, you look prettier in person than when you were on TV. I'll make complaints to your cameraman because he is unable to justify your pretty face to the audience." Jasmine hugged Kelsey Jia happily. It was obvious how much she loved being around her auntie-in- law. "Hey, Jasmine! Are you trying to praise me or mock me? I'm pretty sure that you just called me ugly when I was on TV." Kelsey Jia was somehow confused if she was supposed to cry or to laugh.

"Of course I'm praising you! Look at my pure and innocent eyes. Trust me, auntie. You are thinking too much!" Jasmine stuck out her tongue and made a cute face. She then looked around but didn't see anyone else. Thus, she asked, "Where's Uncle and Grandpa?" "Oh, they're in the backyard. Your grandpa wants to grow vegetables, so they're digging the ground." A wry smile spread over Kelsey Jia's face when she mentioned what her father-in-law was busy about. Leo was acting more and more like a spoiled child as he grew older. He was on the stage where he would throw huge tantrums whenever his requirements weren't met.

"What? Grow vegetables? Are you sure he wants to grow vegetables instead of flowers?" Jasmine's jaw dropped as her eyes grew wide. Her grandfather was acting weirder and weirder. She wondered if it had anything to do with her mother's attitude towards him. "Yes, I'm sure. How about this? You go to the backyard to greet them. I'll go to the kitchen to prepare the food," Kelsey Jia offered with a dry smile. She just had a conflict with Leo and she didn't want to irritate the old man more.

"Yeah sure. Grandpa is really like a naughty boy. He can't even take care of himself. How can he grow vegetables?" Jasmine grumbled and pouted her lips. On the other hand, Justin just kept silent the whole time while listening to the two ladies. He had been pondered about how he could solve the problem between his mother and his grandfather.

"Grandpa, look who are here!" Enrique Ouyang called out cheerfully as soon as they arrived at the backyard. He was still dragging Justin by his hand as he carefully crossed the uneven ground of their backyard.

"Justin, Jasmine, why are you so late?" Leo threw his hoe aside and walked towards the youngsters happily. He was wobbling with every step he made and yet looked so energetic.

"Grandpa, I heard that you were acting naughty again?" Jasmine teased and held Leo's arm instantly to assist him.

"Only two of you? Where's Daisy?" said Leo in disappointment as he looked back and forth between Justin and Jasmine. How he wished to see his daughter too.

"You should feel lucky that we're here." It was Justin who answered the old man in a freezing tone. Although Leo was now a pathetic and lonely old man, Justin believed that he deserved it. There was really no one to blame about what happened to their grandpa but himself.

"Justin!" That was when Brian called him to signal him to stop talking. Leo had been in poor health recently and Brian didn't want Justin to trigger the old man.

"I know, I know. I'm glad you are here." Sadness flooded Leo's eyes while he still looked at the two. It seemed that Daisy would not forgive him in this life.

"Grandpa, don't be sad. Mom is busy working today, thus, she can't make it. But last night, she asked me to say hello to you." Jasmine consoled her grandfather quickly. She then cast a disappointed glance at her brother and thought, 'What is wrong with Justin? Why is he so angry at Grandpa?'

"Is that so?" In reaction with what Jasmine said, Leo's face beamed with pure happiness. He was suddenly smiling like a child again and it was easy to tell that something was really beginning to be wrong with him.

"Of course. How could I even lie to you, grandpa?" Jasmine flashed her grandfather a wide grin. Leo was very old now and could pass away at any time. She thought that her mother should forgive him. Otherwise, she would regret not doing so one day."