A Prompt

Warming embrace (7)

It was a sunny morning, Shancai had taken some days off. She had already returned from the shooting for the show "Chinese Restaurant" and wanted to spent her time at the LeGrand cottage a little far beyond the doors of Paris. The old restored cottage was placed in a beautiful landscape. Eliane, Michel's vivid and caring wife has invited her. She worked as an editor with a publishing house for non-fiction books. And it was due to her profession that she and Michel got acquainted once. It took not long that both fell in love 30 years ago while working together on his first book. They had married as soon the book had been published and after nine months, they became proud parents of a son.

Since her son has been grown up and went to work for the MIT in Boston as a physicist, she has been happily taken care of Michel's little apprentice who came from all over the world every year and who were glad to find some motherly care. In case of Shancai Eliane felt highly responsible as it was mostly her impact why Michel had chosen the young Chinese in the end. Very often she invited "her little girl" at the LeGrand home and enjoyed to spoil her as if she was her own daughter.

Now at these days both - Eliane and Shancai - wanted to revise the whole manuscript of Shancai's first cookery book. 

Shancai was up to set the table on the terrace with a view to that gorgeous park-like garden which had been designed by Eliane some ages ago. As Michel had left both alone for his own projects only the two women were at home. Shancai took a seat and waited for Eliane to bring breakfast. She was very pleased not to say proud to edit her first book on her own. And the print media company and here especially Eliane was pleased to have settled a contract with the rising cooking star. The whole book referred to Shancai's cooking competition and her recipes inspired by ancient Chinese poetry "The Book of Songs". The only thing missing still was an adequate title for it.

Shancai closed her eyes, she inhealed the fresh morning air and enjoyed the warmth of the sun on her face. It took some time till Eliane returned from the bakery packed with a warm baguette and some fresh croissants as well as chocolate bread. Shancai loved French pain au chocolat.

Besides the breakfast Eliane held a bunch of papers and magazines under her arm and she had a strange gaze at her face when she placed the croissants and the rest on the table.

She searched between the papers and when found the right one she threw it on the table sliding towards Shancai. The coloured magazine slithered over the table and kept hold shortly in front of Shancai's plate.

"Who is Tian Ye?" She asked in a low but severe tone. 

"Wh -- wait -- what?" Shancai's daydream had stopped immediately and she raised her head first to look at Eliane and then to the yellow press magazine in front of her.

"Yeah, you heard right, Tian Ye, who is it? Go on page 10 and you will see. You've been caught by a paparazzi! Obviously during the takes for the show." She added in a slightly triumphant manner, Eliane kept a curious expression on her face. She was so eager to know what had happened to this girl. She was sure, no she literally could smell that Shancai hid an interesting story for the reasons she had left her homeland and for sure this reason was male. Perhaps now was the time that Shancai would open up, that tiny Chinese vault.

First Shancai tried to play cool, alas she was looking irritated and blinked unconsciously nervous with her long dark eyelashes, taking an invisible strand of hair out of her face. 

"Tian Ye," she murmured, "Tian Ye is, I mean I've been knowing him for quite long. He was also part of the TV-format last week." As Eliane stood silent watching Shancai strictly, she continued: "He is a rich heir and could take the business of his father, yet he decided to be a chef. His personal dream is to be one of the best star chefs in China. I helped him once when I was working for him to gain his graduation." 

She flipped through the magazine and kept on playing being bored by this unimportant man while she all of a sudden stiffened her back, opened her eyes and her mouth in total surprise when she found the right page. Eying the picture, she pressed her lips first in full anger but then burst out: "What? ... How?" followed by "I never kissed him in my life nor will I ever do! The whole thing is fake, this jerk!" Eliane seemed to be satisfied. Maybe she would get to know some more details from then.

"Well if so, let me call our lawyer. They shouldn't get along with fake pictures, we should take legal consequences to forbid the sale of this issue." She was still standing when she grabbed her phone and made her call. 

Shancai jumped up from her chair reading the lines under the compromising picture. "LeGrand's little uprising apprentice Miss Dong Shancai looking for a wealthy husband? Tian He, rich heir of a Chinese pharma company just smiled when asked about a possible love affair."

"What have they done these honourless smut writers? And Tian Ye this nerd, is he completely insane? Ah-Si had warned me of him, Tian Ye really is a ...!"

She wanted to add -liar- but became aware the Eliane curiously stepped closer to her the moment she had mentioned his name: Ah-Si. Eliane hadn't heard it before. "Ah-Si? Who is Ah-Si?" She asked trying not to sound too curious. 'This tiny woman needs a special treatment.' She was sure.

Shancai swallowed and her eyes started wandering around over the table and she moved her body from right to left in her garden chair. Never till now she had anybody told about Daoming Si.

Looking so desperately like a lost child, she was in need of a little warmth and Eliane opened her arms to give her a big tender loving motherly embrace.

AN:

This is my answer and attempt to "Warmth" and I tag 

@Dr-Cokebottles @rainingmeteors @Meggyhashope and  @JVH624

Hope I did not forget somebody.

Please forgive me for updating so late. The last quarter of the year usually is the most busy at my work, also I'm still training on my new job. Anyway I do care of too many things. Therefore my concentration runs short at the end of the day.

If you think I do the right thing I would be pleased if you leave a comment, if not leave a comment as well. Thank you.