They investigated the area around the carpet of corpses but couldn't find anything suspicious--not even a scent. As if, whatever it was, it never existed.
Shen Zhufu felt chills run down his spine at the horrible thought. They decided to return to their house as the sky began to glow a tinge of orange. Many possible things ran through Shen Zhufu's head.
Shen Zhufu, lost in thought, turned around to face his companion, XiaoMeiNan. He was deeply pondering what could have caused the dreadful occurrence that had taken place and then vanished without a trace. He stroked his chin, considering every possibility and even giving a name to the mysterious phantom - 'Mr. Vanishing Killer'. Shen Zhufu couldn't help but smile at himself for being such a genius, but his mind was still preoccupied with this perplexing mystery.
Meanwhile, XiaoMeiNan listened attentively to his companion's rambles with a soft gaze fixed on him. He would nod his head when necessary, indicating his interest and understanding. He didn't seem to mind the sometimes-- absurd questions that were being poured at him. He observed the person beside him excitedly making up several instances in his head, sometimes even leaping and clapping his hands in excitement like a child given candy.
In his excitement, Shen Zhufu took XiaoMeiNan's hand into his, not realizing what he had done. XiaoMeiNan was surprised by this sudden act but never flinched nor retracted his hand. His gaze went from the held hands to the giggling person beside him before stilling his gaze on those warm hands that held his. His eyes were hidden by thick and long lashes, making it difficult to decipher his feelings. The soft glow from the rising sun revealed pink lobes that fluttered slightly.
Shen Zhufu kept talking and walking until he felt something warm and big in his grasp. He finally realized what he had done. He let out a loud gasp and immediately retracted his hand. His cheeks flushed red in embarrassment. "I—I'm sorry," he whispered, not looking back, and quickened his steps, leaving XiaoMeiNan staring at his warm hand, disappointed. Before catching up with his Gongzi.
Up ahead, Shen Zhufu kept blaming himself for being so careless and not being an exemplary Gongzi. Why did he do that to that poor boy? He scolded himself several times, even pulling on his hair in embarrassment. He made up his mind to make it up to him and never do that again, no matter how excited he may become. To him, it was harassment, a grave mistake.
Deep in his thoughts, making several obnoxious scenarios, he unconsciously glanced behind him. His 'poor boy' was right behind him, with a blank face, as if he was less bothered about the 'harassment' done to him. This made Shen Zhufu want to beat himself up or smash himself up a tree. He couldn't believe he had made such a foolish mistake.
Soon, Shen Zhufu caught a quick glimpse. of their house and was glad, sighing a breath of relief. He planned to go straight up to his room and punish himself for his sin. Shen Zhufu turned around to face those eyes that looked burned and heated under the influence of the rising sun. Did he hallucinate it? He couldn't just look directly straight into that gaze fixed on him, like they were seeing through him, like an open book.
"Can you please keep this a secret?" Shen Zhufu finally asked, desperate for XiaoMeiNan's agreement to avoid any further embarrassment.
"Keep what a secret?" An arm snaked around his waist as a warm breath brushed his ears. He flinched and looked who would dare to do this.
Who else? If not peacock? His flamboyant feathers spread out with a smug look on his face.
He smirked as he tightened his hold around the waist and glanced at the person in front--- cold eyes staring down at those arms wrapped around the slim waist before raising his eyes slowly to meet the smirking face.
However, all this went unnoticed by Shen Zhufu. He was too occupied with his self-punishment to notice. Even if he wasn't, all this would still go unnoticed. "Cao Chang!!" he yelped, "What are you doing out here?" He pushed the resting redhead off his shoulder.
Cao Chang groaned in annoyance like a little child whose favorite pillow was taken from him. Cao Chang, "I should be asking you that." He raised a brow in question.
He deserved an answer to his question; he woke up to the giggling and clapping of a certain annoying brat, who stared at him with big confused eyes as if he was figuring something out. He too was quite confused. They stared at each other for a while but his father never came looking for his son.
Shen Zhufu is never without his son.
He realized why this brat was in his room; On top of him and inspecting him as if he were a new toy—He was looking for his father.
He checked the house for Shen Zhufu--- To keep the brat away from him--- He found neither Shen Zhufu nor XiaoMeiNan.
He decided to wait for them till they came back from their rendezvous and that was when he heard Shen Zhufu asking XiaoMeiNan to keep something a secret. That heightened his suspicion.
"I went for a walk."
Cao Chang, "…." His eyes narrowed as he searched the side-view of his Gongzi. His unconscious hands tightened around the waist.
Shen Zhufu flinched from the sudden pain around his waist. By instinct, in a single move, he tore the arms off his waist and squeezed it hard which resulted in a loud yelp. He hadn't realized the arms wrapped around his waist till now.
"Gegee~" He hissed in pain, rubbing his red swollen hand which the imprint of an iron grip. He shoved his swollen hands which looked like a lump of battered meat, to Shen Zhufu's face, "See what you have done!!" he stomped his feet to the ground as if to prove his point.
Shen Zhufu's face twisted as he stared at the lump right in front of his eyes. He pushed away the hand off his face, "Let's get back inside." He dusted off the invisible dirt of his clothes and went back in. Not turning back to the two.
He had several things disturbing him.
Cao Chang pouted, watching his Gongzi leave like a petulant child denied attention. "He didn't even care," he muttered to himself, throwing a small tantrum before catching sight of a tall figure entering the house. With a mischievous glint in his eyes, he scampered inside, his voice echoing through the halls as he called out, "Gege!"