The next morning, Heero was having his breakfast at home, but the usual lively atmosphere was now turned quiet. Even the little tigress who was usually noisy was weirdly quiet while eating her breakfast reservedly.
This was totally different from the usual Shen Miao who always found fault with Heero. This morning, she was unusually quiet as she ate breakfast peacefully.
Heero had noticed the little tigress' change since the arrival of the two kids from the Kang Family. After the sister and brother came, Shen Miao truly acted like a proper lady.
It was evident that the two kids were the main reason for Shen Miao's change, but why she acted differently was still a puzzle for the adult. Heero was not used to the current Shen Miao, using his chopsticks, he poked Shen Miao's small arms.
"What's wrong with you? You are unusually quiet, it's strange~" Heero teased the little girl. At Heero's words, everyone on the table looked toward Shen Miao.
Even Han Ying also did not know why her daughter was unusually quiet today.
Usually, if Heero poked her with the chopstick, the little girl would get angry and began lecturing Heero about table manners. Surprisingly, the little tigress did not give her usual reaction. She only gave a glance at Heero before continuing with breakfast.
Heero was surprised, even Han Ying and Hong Yu were also surprised. The change was just too big and the little girl's change began making her mother worried.
"Miao Miao, What's wrong with you? Are you sick?" Han Ying put her hand on her daughter's forehead to feel the temperature.
Shen Miao put her chopstick gracefully back to the bowl and took her mother's hand off her forehead. She smiled at her mommy and replied, "Mom, don't worry, I am not sick~"
As for Kang Dong-Woo and Kang Myung-Hee, they found nothing weird at all. After giving a glance to Shen Miao, they continued savoring the noodles in their bowl. The six people continued breakfast in a quiet atmosphere.
After they finished breakfast, Hong Yu dragged the gloomy Kang Myung-Hee and Kang Dong-Woo outside. She wanted to cheer the two kids, spoiling them with snacks in the Xing District.
As for the little tigress, she surprisingly offered herself to join the group, "Auntie, can I come along with you?"
Her words were so polite, polite enough to make Hong Yu suspicious whether the little girl in front of her was her niece or not. Heero even used his Mystical Eyes at Shen Miao. He was afraid the little girl in front of him was a specter in disguise.
Everything about Shen Miao was normal. Heero cast an odd look at the little girl while her mother was worried as well. As the group went out, Heero came closer to Han Ying and asked in a low voice, "Does your daughter have two personas?"
Han Ying rolled her eyes at Heero as she tidied the table.
"You can go, I am alone enough here." Said Han Ying when she noticed Heero wanted to help her.
"I have nothing to do this morning…" He paused for a moment before continuing, "Han Ying, I need your help."
Han Ying was surprised when she heard these words from Heero. It was rare for Heero to ask for her help and certainly she was curious about what Heero wanted to talk about.
She nodded in response and let Heero help her with the dish. Both walked to the kitchen when they reached the kitchen, Heero talked about his concerns regarding the two kids. He asked Han Ying about what to do with the kids.
Of course, he also filled in the details about the conflict between the kids and their parents. He was inexperienced in this regard. Sharing his concerns with Han Ying, he wished to get a solution from the mature Han Ying.
"Hmmm… Hmmm…" Han Ying nodded while moving her hand to wash the dish. After a moment of silence, she voiced her thoughts, "We can provide them a place to stay until their parents pick them up…"
Heero wanted to say that he did not want to meddle, but Han Ying stopped him.
"Let me finish first. I don't mean to meddle with other families' affairs, but we only provide them a place to stay until their family picks them up. At least, we can help them that much, right?" Han Ying smiled at Heero.
Heero responded with a nod as Han Ying continued with her gentle voice, "As for Kang Dong-Woo begged you to be your disciple, the decision is in your hand. It has nothing to do with the conflict between the kids and the parents."
"You can accept him as your disciple just like you accepted Sun Zhou Yi, Hirata, and Uncle Wang. From what I saw, you also never meddle in your disciples' private life, so what are you worried about?"
Heero's expression changed from "how" to "aha". Then he realized that it was himself who made things complicated. No, to be more exact, he wanted to help the two kids without him realizing it. However, he did not know how to help the two kids.
'Tsk, it's just a simple matter, but I make it more complicated… Stupid…' Heero spoke to himself.
Han Ying's words helped him, as for now, he could only help the two kids by providing them a safe place to stay. As for Kang Dong-Woo's request, it was indeed his decision to decide whether to accept Kang Dong-Woo as his disciple or not.
"Actually, there's something I want to talk about with you…" Han Ying's words trailed off as she was still uncertain whether to speak it out or not.
"Oh… what is… it?" Heero's voice was a bit stiff as he remembered the talk between him and his wife.
'Does Han Ying want to confess? If she confesses, what should I do? Urghh… Uh…' Heero flustered inwardly as he did not know how to respond to Han Ying if she truly confessed to him.
But of course, the confession Heero thought of never came out from Han Ying's mouth. Instead, Heero was stupefied by Han Ying's next words.
"Why don't you establish a Martial House…" Han Ying had not finished her words, Heero let out a gasp of surprise.
"Huh!?"
'It's not a confession…' Heero was embarrassed deep inside.
She stopped halfway and looked Heero in the eyes, then she asked, "What's wrong?"
Heero shook his head with a faint blush on his cheeks, "No… Nothing. What… What do you want to say just now? Martial House?"
*** ***
Tonight was the same as last night, Heero sat alone in front of the computer. The only difference was that Hong Yu was not here to accompany him. He was alone while Hong Yu slept with her sister downstairs.
While looking at Star Web, Han Ying's words in the afternoon rang in his mind.
'Why don't you establish a Martial House? I mean you can establish a martial house and teach the men for self-defense. At least, you can teach the basics so they can survive just in case an outbreak like before happened. You don't have to teach them your core Martial Arts, but only the basics!'
It was more like a personal request from Han Ying. From the tone she spoke to him, he knew Han Ying was just purely wanting to help the others. However, Heero had a different thought than Han Ying.
He felt Han Ying's suggestion was a good idea, he trained more people for the district's security. Martial House was one of many ways to accept more disciples which later could be used to help him.
There were many orphans in the Xing District and he could pick the disciples from the orphans. Of course, he would not force them to choose this path, he would let them decide it by themselves.
"The only problem is the martial house establishment procedure. Establishing a Martial House must be more complicated than establishing a nursing house…" Heero muttered in a low voice.
He could not even get a permit to establish a nursing home, let alone a permit for establishing a martial house. Even though he loathed the Central Government, he did not want to blatantly oppose the government.
If he could handle the matter peacefully, it was the best. But he would not hesitate to use force if needed. So far, the Xing District had grown in the direction he wanted to. After Huo Liang Xun's subjugation went viral, there were only a few people or an organization dared to create trouble for his district.
But now Xing District lacked manpower, establishing a martial house might be the solution for this issue.
"Let's wait for Zhou Yi and Hirata to go back, I can ask them about this… That Bearded Wang can't be relied on…" Heero muttered in a low voice.
Meanwhile, inside Han Ying's room, the two sisters were not asleep yet while Shen Miao already slept a long ago.
Han Ying and Hong Yu were whispering at each other, they were gossiping something in a low voice so the little tigress did not wake up by their voice.
After a while, Hong Yu's laugh subsided as her expression changed to the solemn one. Han Ying noticed the change in her sister. She wondered and asked curiously, "What's wrong with you?"
"Sister, I want to ask you something, but you have to answer me honestly, okay?" Still, in a low voice, Hong Yu spoke in a serious tone.
Han Ying was not used to the way her sister spoke to him, but she still nodded her head, "Ask away."
Han Ying perceived her little sister wanted to talk about something serious, so she also no longer joked around. Meanwhile, her mind was wondering what her sister wanted to talk about.
'Did she and Heero quarreled…no, they looked perfectly fine all day…'
"Sister, do you like Heero?"
Boom!
The question was out of Han Ying's expectation. Never crossed in her mind her sister would ask her this. Just like a bomb exploded in her mind, Han Ying went blank momentarily as she did not know how to answer this.
Han Ying's eyes opened wide while her mouth dropped and formed an O shape. Asking about this out of the blue, certainly caught Han Ying off guard.