TL: Zhao

　　Editing: Krisaia

　　"So, Huaibei, where do you live? Do you have any siblings? What about your parents? You must be terribly busy with work, aren't you?" Liu Meng's mother pushed the plate of fruits toward Li Huaibei and delivered a flurry of questions.

　　"Mom…" Liu Meng spat out between her clenched teeth. 'Is she… my actual mother?'

　　"Oh, I see! I see! You talk. I just remembered that I have to go play mahjong with the neighbor. Have a great time." Liu Meng's mother smiled at the two, picked up her handbag and made for the door, but not before stopping at the front and signalling Liu Meng.

　　"Uh… sorry about that…" Liu Meng said with an embarra.s.sed smile.

　　Li Huaibei, who was struggling to find an answer, picked up the cup of hot water and took a long sip without minding its burning temperature.

　　"So, what are you here for?" Liu Meng took a deep breath and asked.

　　"I need to speak with Li Yiming." Li Huaibei quickly regained his composure.

　　"Yiming? He's back in Lishui…" Liu Meng was quite confused as to why Li Huaibei was able to track her down but not Li Yiming.

　　"He's not home, I went there. I've tried calling him too, but he didn't answer."

　　"Really? I just got a call from him this morning…"

　　"What did he say?"

　　"Uh… He said that he had something to do and had to leave for a few days?"

　　"Leave? For what? Do you know where he went? And now of all time?" Li Huaibei was not ready for that answer.

　　"He didn't… tell me about it. Maybe I can try calling him now?" Liu Meng was dumbfounded by the avalanche of questions. Although Li Huaibei had shown hostility before, Liu Meng was well aware that it did not arise from malice on his part, but rather from fry at the catastrophe Li Yiming had caused unwittingly. If Li Huaibei was so concerned now for Li Yiming's whereabouts, then there had to be a good reason for it.

　　"h.e.l.lo, the number you have dialed cannot be reached at the moment, please…"

　　"Do you have something important to tell him?" Liu Meng put down her phone. 'I guess I can't reach him because he probably put it away in his storage bracelet…'

　　"What is he up to?' Li Huaibei mumbled to himself, paying no mind to Liu Meng's question.

　　"What is it exactly?"

　　"He's planning on letting you face it alone?" Li Huaibei asked.

　　"Face what?" Liu Meng had no idea what Li Huaibei was talking about.

　　"You mean, you don't know?" Li Huaibei threw the question back at Liu Meng. 'It really looks like she doesn't know… Or maybe she doesn't care? But how can she be so confident… or so ignorant?'

　　"What? What is it?" Liu Meng was a little irritated; she was displeased whenever people avoided her questions.

　　"So you don't know…" Li Huaibei squinted.