"Mum..." Yue followed his mum around like a lost puppy. "Just this once can I just go and come back. We might get a good lead on her whereabouts"
"As I said, no means no," she continued wiping down the kitchen counters. "Don't even ask me anymore Yue I can't afford to put you at risk."
"I will not be at risk. I am fully trained!!!!"
"Who is fully trained?" Peng Peng entered the kitchen with a curious look on his face.
"Peng Peng, convince my mum that I can go to H city," he clung onto his arms like a leech.
Peng Peng just gently patted his head. "Why don't you let him go? H city is relatively close. Only two hours from here,"
"Still, it's a no for me," his mum calmly whispered. but ever so slightly, her hands were trembling.
"if you want, I can go with him. I'm free for a few days," noticing her weird behaviour. Peng Peng even tried offering this.
Zou Nui glanced back with a small smile. "That's so sweet of you Peng Peng, but I still won't allow him to go. Same goes for you, both of you are not allowed to travel,"
"mom!!! This is our only chance to find out about her!" Zou Yue shouted with a deep frown. "if we miss this then...."
"I can't afford to lose you too!!!!" she screamed all of a sudden. "You are grounded until further notice. Go back to your room."
Yue swiftly wiped his tears and ran back to his room.
Peng Peng watched him with a small frown. "You are not usually that harsh on him. What happened?"
"Something unexpected. It.... it almost feels like a Fantasy. Peng Peng, settle down quickly. Things are going to get rough around here," she mumbled whist roughly chopping some veggies.
Peng Peng froze. Yue's mother had always been meticulous in what she did. From the smallest vegetables she used to chop them into small cubes or dice them evenly, but today the potato looked so jagged and uneven. 'Something really is wrong...'
He curiously walked close. "Why? is something going on?" he casually took the rough potatoes and evenly chopped them.
She suddenly turned around and gripped his shoulders softly. "Just... just get a house close by and but a lot of non perishable food got it?"
"yeah okay.... still that request is weird,"
Clearing her throat, she went back to chopping uneven chops of cucumber. "It sounds weird even to me. But a close friend of mine suspected that there is going to be a civil unrest in the country. It's better to be prepared. Buy at least a few years' worth of food,"
Peng Peng carefully took the knife from her hands and placed it on the counter. "Got it. um it is okay if I share this with Qian?"
She shook her head whist biting her bottom lip. "No, his father has already prepared everything for it. Don't worry about him,"
"hmm..." Peng Peng helped her chop the vegetable while she cooked everything.
Yue, on the other hand, furiously ran into his room and banged the door close. "I can't believe I'm grounded!! Ugh!!!!..." he pranced around anxiously.
"is everything okay...." a hesitant voice whispered from the bathroom.
Fan stood there half naked with only a towel around his waist.
"eekkk..." he backed away, leaning against the door. 'Oh, my god, I completely forgot he is still here..... But darn look at those abs...' his eyes focused on a single stray drop of water that dipped down his abs toward his mermaid line.
He the glanced at his own tummy. It was not as defined as his was. 'I wonder how he much he works out,'
"y—Yue?" Fan Xui just blinked at him.
"oh sorry... I was just startled to see you there. I'll get you some spare clothes to change." he ran to his wardrobe, which was quite close to the bathroom door, and started to rummage though it frantically.
Only lose big shirt he had was his night wear and it was in the washer.
As he was searching though few clothes fell down and a small red thing dropped down along with them. He did not even notice that.
But Fan Xui, who was standing right behind him, spotted it instantly. Seeing the red lace panties, he started to blush red. 'Shit!! Shit!!! This is bad. I am just in my towel. Little Fan, don't you dare stand up please....,' he tied his hands in front of his waist trying his best to hide his 'ahem' hard parts.
"I swear that shirt was somewhere here." Yue bent down and started to search the lower shelves as well.
"Oh dear lord..."
"What is it?" Yue glanced up at him curiously. "Are you cold? Do you want me to increase the temperature?"
His room had a small draft from the cold storage above. It left this place slightly colder than the whole house.
"no.... yeah maybe..bye," Fan Xui ran back to the bath room and closed the door after him.
"Oh okay... I'll just get my father's clothes for you," Yue glanced at the door weirdly. 'Maybe he had to pee....'
He then arranged all the clothes that had fallen off into the wardrobe, not noticing a particular red thing was missing.
Fan Xui frantically ran back and open the shower, drenching the cold water for head to toe. "Go down, this is not an appropriate place to stand up," he glanced at his oh so prominent bulge in the towel.
As he was showering, he noticed something caught up in his toe. It was the most dreaded red lace panties.
"!!!!!" he swiftly picked it up.
But it had already gotten wet. 'What to do? If I return this now, Yue will think I'm some cheep pervert,'
He tried air drying it but it did not work, obviously.
"Fan Xui, I placed the clothes near the door."
Fan went to the door and picked up the clothes. "Thanks." the pants he was lent had pockets by god's grace.
"Let's hide the evidence momentarily.." he rolled the red panties up and placed it in his pockets.