The Viper Prince followed behind and got to a residence identical to any other in the reputable neighborhood. Large curtained windows set in solid concrete walls and burnt red tiles on the roof. Stone statues guarding the entrance, a freshly trimmed lawn, flowering bushes and sunlight reflecting off the surface of a pool on a typical warm summer day.
Sitting by the border sat a young woman with her pale chubby legs, staring numbly at the ripples spreading from where her bare feet glided across the lustrous water. Her red, puffy eyes were framed by disheveled hazel hair and an oversized shirt hung on her body.
"Hi Mae.. Back from school?" she displayed a radiant smile, waving at Mae.
Mae frowned as she turned slightly to look at her neighbor, shielding her face with one hand. Then she stomped aggressively to the next building and jammed the door closed.
Liang sneaked inside a garage in Mae's neighborhood and hid under a car for a while, periodically checking his wristwatch as he waits patiently for the right time to break in.
Thereafter, he came out of his hiding, and walked briskly to Mae's house, constantly checking over his shoulder if someone was watching him struggle to open the door.
He detached a scale from his skin, forming a master key. Then he twisted the door knob to enter the house.
He looked around the living room, a colossal couch occupied the living room along with a flat-screen TV hung on the wall.
He searched in between the couch, raising cushions. Then he spotted Mae's school bag on the couch and searched thoroughly inside for the Amethyst stone.
He hid behind the couch when he heard a loud voice from inside;
" GET OUT OF MY ROOM. GET OUT!!!"
His heart was racing as he stayed quietly at the back of the couch.
Then he heard a woman yelling as she banged furiously on the door;
"Mae Gia Li!" I'm talking to you. Open this door now young lady!"
He got a clue that it was coming from a bed room inside. He tiptoed, twisting the doorknob gently as he entered an empty room that was stored dejected nonmatching furniture. Cardboard boxes were stacked high against the ceiling and the content of the few that had been unpacked was dispersed throughout the room. The heavy dusty air dimmed the area.
Liang covered his nose, choking as he tried hard not to cough out loud. Next to him, an empty box of biscuits and a packet of crisps were thrown across the cushioned seats. A creaking bookcase accommodated torn books looking ahead vacantly. He blew on the dusty boxes, unpacking old toys and books.
"Viola!" he thought, holding up a hexagonal pyramid-shaped toy that shimmered with soft, slightly wavering purple light. His finger accidentally pressed the power button and the toy rolled, playing out a recorded song.
He quickly crushed the toy with his hands, panting with ease. He searched critically in the room but could not find the crystal stone.
Then he made his way quietly into a bedroom. The bed was covered in fluffy pillows on top of embroidered covers, doughy blankets and crumpled bedsheets. A wardrobe overflowing with abandoned clothing stood unhappily in its dark corner. The additional lacerated shoe storage was too small to contain every pair despairingly scattered on the floor. He was relieved the room was disorganized. He needed not to worry to put things back in place when he still did not find the purple crystal stone in Nana's bedroom.
He dashed to the kitchen, drawing out and shutting the cabinets. "Where did she put it?" He felt uneasy, wiping out the sweat on his forehead.
His ears twitched when he heard whispers. The floorboards creaked, followed by stealthy footsteps and rattles. He quickly scrambled over the counter, hiding with his hands covering his mouth as he held his breath thereafter.
"Please, please, please... Go away" He said in his thought, shutting his eyelids tightly as Mae approached closer, opening the cabinets.
"Nothing here Nana" she said to Nana from a distance, exhaling in relief.
"Phew!" He removed his hands from his mouth, sighing in relief.
"I sense strange energy here".
His ears twitched when he heard Nana's thoughts.
He held his breath, covering his mouth again as she walked directly to the counter, surveying for obstructions. Then she held up her white cane to hit his head when he got up suddenly, grabbing the stick in her hand.
"Liang Fang?" Mae gasped, dropping the broom in her hand.
The corner of his eyes glanced at the side of the room, not knowing how to react, he gulped, scratching his head
"Hi Mae?" he smiled charmingly, waving briefly.
"W-what are you doing here Liang?" she startled.
Rubbing the back of his neck, "Well.. I saw what happened in school today, I came to check if you are alright? Pardon me for intruding your privacy. I got your home address from the school authority. Are you good?" He showed concern.
"Y-yes yes. I'm alright" she responding. "Strange that the new student is the first to check on me at home. Nobody in school ever visits, not even when I am ill. Why does he care all of a sudden?" she thought.
He gulped after hearing her thought, then turned to Nana. "Good evening Antie..." he bowed.
"Sorry for barging into the kitchen. I wanted to quench my thirst, it's hard finding the glass cups around here" he looked around the kitchen.
Nana chuckled with her cheeks turning red "Antie? Do I really look that young to you?" she smiled shyly.
"Haha, I was just gonna ask the secret behind this beauty" He managed to fake a smile.
"Oh Mae, you didn't tell me you have such a lovely gentleman in school. Get him a glass of water, will you?" Nana said, twirling her oversized clothe in her finger.
"You should stay for dinner" Grandma surveyed the air to hold Liang's hand.
He held her hand with both palm covering her feeble hand. Then he bowed, raising her hand to touch his forehead. "I would love to stay for dinner, but I have to study. Thanks for the offer".
Nana chuckled, turning to tease Mae "hohoho! Isn't your boyfriend strong-headed? Stay son, or don't you want to find out the secret recipe to this radiant beauty?" she poked him.
"With your assistance, we would be done with the preparation in no time, then you can both go to Mae's room to study" Nana whispered, covering the side of her mouth and then, winked at him.
Mae and Liang both gulped, turning to look at each other.
"No no no Nana, he is just a classmate alright? Don't get it mixed up. I'm sure he's the lady's man" Mae disapproved, clearing the air.
"Whatever you say Mae" Nana smiled to the corner of her mouth, giggling slightly as she slide a bowl on the countertop.
"Liang honey, take out 5 eggs from the crate and crack it into this bowl, add half a teaspoon of salt and whisk thoroughly" she instructed.
"Dice the tomatoes into small bits sweetie, and Mince one garlic clove. Cut one green onion into thin pieces, separate the white parts and the green parts. Set aside." She said to Mae, proceeding to add 2 table spoons of cooking oil to a wok, heating it until she felt the hot air above the wok.
"Ouch!" Mae wriggled her finger, sucking the blood that dripped out of it.
"Oh dear, hope you are not sucking on your wound again. You should be more careful. Run your hands under the tap water now". Nana said to Mae, as Liang passed the bowl of whisk egg to her, bowing his head.
Mae turned on the tap, and ran water on her finger, applying pressure on the cut. Her eyes widened as she watched the wound heal gradually.
She turned her head to Nana, words could not come out of her mouth as Liang was standing close to Nana.
Her pupils dilated. "What is going on? Is this another dream?" She thought.
Liang's ears became sensitive. He moved to her, asking if she was alright. "Are you okay? Does it hurt?" He reached for her hand.
She receded, hiding her finger behind her "I'm fine, it's not a major cut. Accidents always happen in the kitchen, especially when you are not a skilled cook. Right Nana?!" She forced out laughter.
"Yes dear, I always tell you to be more careful, Practice makes perfect honey, don't take it to heart" Nana chortled, turning the heat to medium.
"Something is definitely going on with her. I must find out" Liang said to himself, gazing at Mae from the corners of his eyes.
They set the table to eat, sitting down on the floor with crossed legs. Liang stared at the food for a while and watched how Mae raised the bowl of tomato stir fry egg, and scooped the food into her mouth with a chop stick. She ate clumsily, spilling some particles of food on the table.
She halted when her eyes caught with his "What?" she asked with a mouth full.
He looked away, holding up the chopstick in front of him and struggled to pick up the food in the bowl.
"You've barely touched your food, son." Nana said, holding up a glass cup to sip water.
"How did she know I have not started eating? Can this woman see me? Is she pretending to be blind?" He pondered.
"Ermm... Umm... Can you see Nana?" he asked, waving his hands in her face.
Nana's pupils were stationary. "Haha, I've been blind for too long, I wish I could see your pretty face, son. Over the years, I got very sensitive to sound and touch." Her wrinkled lips quirked up.
"She can sense energy too" Mae added, forcing down her throat, a large amount of food in her mouth.
"You see that gecko on the wall? I can feel its presence." Nana concluded, pointing at a gecko resting on the wall of the dinning room.
"Oh.. Oh okay.. That's fantastic" Liang responded, scooping some food into his mouth.
His eyes widened when his taste buds met with the delicacy.
"Yum... This is good" he nodded, scooping some more into his mouth.
"You should have some more" Nana chuckled, dishing out some of her food into his bowl.
"So tell me, what do you want to do after school?" she asked.
"Erm... I haven't really thought deeply about the future. But whatever I'm going to do, I sure hope I succeed in it" he responded, running his fingers through his hair.
"That is good to know. My dear Mae wants to be a physician to take care of her old Nana---"
"No Nana! I thought we talked about this. I want to be an artist. I want to explore the world. We talked about moving to Paris" Mae interrupted, throwing down her chopstick on the table.
"I just lost my appetite. I'm going to my room now" She moved her bowl to the side and walked out of the dining room, angrily.
"Um, Let me go check on her to see if she's alright" Liang said, following behind.
He knocked on her bedroom door, waiting patiently for her response.
She opened the door "What?!" and slammed it at his face.
He hissed, showing aggravation and decided to knock on the door again.
"Go away.." she responded, rolling her eyes.
He exhaled. "Pff! Does she think I care about her? Her room is the last place to check for the Amethyst. I have to retrieve it at all costs" he thought to himself.
He knocked on the door persistently and she forcefully opened it, with him accidentally knocking on her forehead.
"Oh no, I'm so sorry for that. I just wanted to know if you are fine" Liang apologized bowing.
She blew the hair off her face "I am fine. Now could you please go away?" she frowned, attempting to shut the door again when he wedged the door with his foot and walked inside, looking around the room.
"Lovely decor. I like the painting over there" He whistled, pointing at a large painting of a goose hanging on the wall.
"Thanks" she rubbed the back of her neck.
"Nobody has ever complimented the painting in my room since no one except for Nana has been in here. Too bad Nana cannot see my painting enough to appreciate my talent" Her face appeared gloomy.
"You know what I love most about this piece? The artist behind it" he chuckled softly, raising her chin with his knuckles.
She blushed, fidgeting her legs on the ground "Can I show you something?
Before he could say no, she said excitedly "Wait right here!" and ran out of the bedroom, shutting the door behind her.
"Phew! Perfect." He said to himself and proceed to search her entire bedroom for the crystal stone.
"What? It's not here?" he became furious.
"There is only one option left. She must have it on her." he shook his head to get rid of that thought.
Soon, he heard footsteps. He straightened the bed sheet and sat on her bed, crossing his leg and smiling weirdly.
"Wha.." she asked, approaching him with a dusty frame in her hand.
"Here, I made this painting when I was little. There used to be a squirrel that comes around. Her name was Fifi. She passed away when--"
He took the frame from her hand and dropped it at the side. Leaning forward, with his soft breathe caressing her neck as his hands smooched over her body, searching for the Amethyst.
Adrenaline rushed as her heart raced, pounding out of her chest.
She held his hand saying "I've never done this before, are you sure?" she locked eyes with him, asking in a feeble voice.
He looked at her for a while without saying anything as she got lost in his eyes. Then he got up briskly.
"Thanks for hosting me" he bowed, exiting the room.
"Sheesh! What's wrong with you Mae?" she threw a pillow on the ground, cursing.