Chapter 26: Zhuang's News
He didn't felt like going straight home just as he had told Ah Si. There are a lot in his mind. Not knowing where his love was or the reason of her sudden disappearance was just too much of a burden for him to just sleep it over.
Driving around town slowly, eyeing each alley, side corners and the streets, he hoped he'd bound to found Shan Chai smiling happily, safe and sound there. But, no matter how high his hopes are, he knew deep down, the chances of what he wished would happen were like finding a needle in a haystack. Sighing, he kept on driving.
Without knowing where he had driven to, he turned up by the seashore. About one hour an a half drive from the main town. Finally aware of the tiredness his body and mind felt, he stopped by the roadside and got out of the car. It was late and no other transportation was on the road.
Climbing over the road divider, he walked towards the sea. Sitting down on the white, flaky sand, he looked over towards the open dark water with the bright moon shining above him as the lime light. The view made him remembered the time he was alone with Shan Chai at the seaside, where they watched the meteor falling down to earth.
'Shan Chai, I wish at that time I have told you the true meaning of the direction of the falling meteor. Then, it wouldn't be a secret anymore...you'd know how I really felt towards you. And I would not felt the regret I am feeling now...Shan Chai, I love you.'
The girl stood still, waiting for her ride at the side of the park. Though it has been a very familiar view seeing her there, but that day was a bit different. The girl was not anxiously excited waiting for her normal ride, instead she looked solemn and out of space until she didn't seemed to notice the grey BMW approaching. When the car stopped right in front of her made her snapped back to reality. Opening the passenger's door, she slipped in slowly. Once inside, looking over at the man sitting beside her, she put up a smile for him. Leaning forward towards her, the man put both his hands on her cheek and gently planted a soft, subtle kiss on her forehead. Seeing her finally smiled and flushed, he looked forward and drove off. Driving around with no particular aim, they sat in silence until finally he broke it with a simple yet concerned word, "Don't worry. She'll be fine." Nodding her head gently, she looked over at him, "I know she is. Because I know you'll try your best to find her. I have faith in you...and the rest of F4," answered her. Taking her hand in his, he glanced over at her and gave her an assuring smile, with a squeeze of her hand. It was ten minutes past ten o'clock when the three of them reached over the Dao Ming's mansion, rushing over exactly after they all received a phone call from Ah Si, telling them that Zhuang has finally arrived. Sitting down on the sofas, each one looked excited and anxious to see Zhuang and hear her opinion on the case. Eyeing one another, they waited for Zhuang to come down from her room. Each one was feeling uneasy with the silence that fell on the room. Not knowing what else to do, Mei Zhuo took a magazine from the table and read it, unaware that it was upside down. Xi Men looked at her friend with curiosity. "Hey, Mei Zhuo. I didn't know that you could read upside down! Hahahahaha...."
"Huh?" surprised Mei Zhuo, looking away from the magazine and towards Xi Men. Xi Men kept on laughing and pointing at the magazine with Lei and Ah Si questioningly looking at Xi Men and Mei Zhuo, back and forth. "What was so funny?" a voice heard from above the stairs. All four looked over towards the stairs and Xi Men's laughter died down, leaving a big grin still pasted on his face. "Nothing...it's just that, Mei Zhuo here have a talent that I didn't know. He could read upside down. Look at the magazine in his hand," explained Xi Men, still pointing at the magazine. "I wasn't reading it... I was looking at this sexy, pretty, upside down girl. Next time...don't jumped into conclusion," answered Mei Zhuo, stucking his tongue out at Xi Men, showing the poster he was looking at. "Okay, okay, calm down. Mei Zhuo, Xi Men, Lei...it has been so long. All of you have grown so much...and taller too. But still, Mei Zhuo, Xi Men...you two are still a playboy and a pervert like when you are young," Zhuang greeted all of them with a smile. "Lei, how are you? How was Jing?" asked Zhuang again, looking at Lei. "You should ask her boyfriend...Mei Zhuo." With a shocked face, she looked over at the grinning Mei Zhuo, "You?" "Yes. We're still new. I'm surprised Jing hadn't told you about us. By the way, she sent her regards to you. She's at France right now, having a fashion show like always." "You better take good care of my best friend! Don't be like my stupid brother..." "Hey! Why do you have to drag me into the conversation? What do I do wrong?" argued Ah Si, looking displeased with his sister. "You are the one who started this whole problem! If you did not use Shan Chai as a tool to delay the wedding... this wouldn't have happened! Stupid!" "Stop calling me stupid! How'd I know this would happen?" barked Ah Si at his sister, standing up and glared at Zhuang. "That's the problem with you! You never think!! Now, sit!" commanded Zhuang. Folding his hands, Ah Si grumpily sat back in his seat. Looking to the side, avoiding his sister's deadly stare he grumbled slowly to himself. Seeing her brother acted like a dissatisfied child, Zhuang smiled a little before continuing in a serious tone. "Before I came back here, I've been asking around the roundabouts of my mother. And what shocked me was no one knew where she is. Not even her secretary. It seems that she has been gone for a couple of days. Exactly a day before you guys called me," explained Zhuang, looking intensively at the faces in front of her. Hearing what his sister has just told them, Ah Si turned his head back towards Zhuang, "WHAT?" he exclaimed. Zhuang glared at her brother. She doesn't like to be snapped of like that, especially by her own little brother. Seeing his sister gave him the deadly glare, he shut his mouth and looked down. His friends just smiled at his childish act. Finally looking away from her brother, she continued, "I'm not sure whether she have anything to do with Shan Chai's disappearance but I think this is what we should do for now. Mei Zhuo and Xi Men, you go around Ying De and asked any of her friends or classmates if Shan Chai has told them anything about her whereabouts. Lei, you go and looked around town and distant places like the hotels, resorts and even warehouses. Try to find out if there are any rich, new strangers went there." Looking at Ah Si, she said strictly, "And you... you and I are going to all the Dao Ming's properties. We're going to find out where she stayed." "Why must I go with you?" Going straight to her brother, she grabbed his shirt and forced him to stand up. "You were saying?" "Fine, I'll go with you. Huh!" Standing by the window, looking out the sea, she recalled back her thought of last night, 'I have a feeling that car was Lei's. I don't know why, but the sound of that car stopping by the roadside and woke me up...it's just seemed to be him. But could it really be? If it was him, why didn't he try to contact me? Maybe it's just my imagination. I hoped to high to be rescued by him that I started to imagine it was him. Wake up Shan Chai...it's already the third day... nobody knows where I am...nobody is going to find me...'
Wiping a tear that dropped on her cheek, she was startled when the door opened suddenly. The two bodyguards came in and commanded her to follow them. Taking a last look at the ocean, she walked between the two. They took her into a room that looked like a study room at the edge of the aisle, about five rooms apart from hers. A chair was set up at the middle of the room where the first guard had told to sit before leaving her alone and closed the door behind them. Looking around the room, she noticed that the room also consist of a camera, eyeing her every move. She sat on the chair and looked directly to a large mirror opposite her. 'This is just like the mirror in the interrogation room I saw in one of those police dramas. But... it can't be.' While she was looking at the room, the door reopened. This time a lady came in instead. The lady was dressed in a business-like suit, a straight face and sophisticated look. She walked around her, eyeing every inch of her body and face, up and down. Her reaction disturbed her. She doesn't like being watched and eyed at like that. It's like the lady was grading her. She had had enough of it when she asked in an annoyed tone, "Who are you?", coincidently, at the exact time as the lady.
He didn't felt like going straight home just as he had told Ah Si. There are a lot in his mind. Not knowing where his love was or the reason of her sudden disappearance was just too much of a burden for him to just sleep it over.
Driving around town slowly, eyeing each alley, side corners and the streets, he hoped he'd bound to found Shan Chai smiling happily, safe and sound there. But, no matter how high his hopes are, he knew deep down, the chances of what he wished would happen were like finding a needle in a haystack. Sighing, he kept on driving.
Without knowing where he had driven to, he turned up by the seashore. About one hour an a half drive from the main town. Finally aware of the tiredness his body and mind felt, he stopped by the roadside and got out of the car. It was late and no other transportation was on the road.
Climbing over the road divider, he walked towards the sea. Sitting down on the white, flaky sand, he looked over towards the open dark water with the bright moon shining above him as the lime light. The view made him remembered the time he was alone with Shan Chai at the seaside, where they watched the meteor falling down to earth.
'Shan Chai, I wish at that time I have told you the true meaning of the direction of the falling meteor. Then, it wouldn't be a secret anymore...you'd know how I really felt towards you. And I would not felt the regret I am feeling now...Shan Chai, I love you.'
The girl stood still, waiting for her ride at the side of the park. Though it has been a very familiar view seeing her there, but that day was a bit different. The girl was not anxiously excited waiting for her normal ride, instead she looked solemn and out of space until she didn't seemed to notice the grey BMW approaching. When the car stopped right in front of her made her snapped back to reality. Opening the passenger's door, she slipped in slowly. Once inside, looking over at the man sitting beside her, she put up a smile for him. Leaning forward towards her, the man put both his hands on her cheek and gently planted a soft, subtle kiss on her forehead. Seeing her finally smiled and flushed, he looked forward and drove off. Driving around with no particular aim, they sat in silence until finally he broke it with a simple yet concerned word, "Don't worry. She'll be fine." Nodding her head gently, she looked over at him, "I know she is. Because I know you'll try your best to find her. I have faith in you...and the rest of F4," answered her. Taking her hand in his, he glanced over at her and gave her an assuring smile, with a squeeze of her hand. It was ten minutes past ten o'clock when the three of them reached over the Dao Ming's mansion, rushing over exactly after they all received a phone call from Ah Si, telling them that Zhuang has finally arrived. Sitting down on the sofas, each one looked excited and anxious to see Zhuang and hear her opinion on the case. Eyeing one another, they waited for Zhuang to come down from her room. Each one was feeling uneasy with the silence that fell on the room. Not knowing what else to do, Mei Zhuo took a magazine from the table and read it, unaware that it was upside down. Xi Men looked at her friend with curiosity. "Hey, Mei Zhuo. I didn't know that you could read upside down! Hahahahaha...."
"Huh?" surprised Mei Zhuo, looking away from the magazine and towards Xi Men. Xi Men kept on laughing and pointing at the magazine with Lei and Ah Si questioningly looking at Xi Men and Mei Zhuo, back and forth. "What was so funny?" a voice heard from above the stairs. All four looked over towards the stairs and Xi Men's laughter died down, leaving a big grin still pasted on his face. "Nothing...it's just that, Mei Zhuo here have a talent that I didn't know. He could read upside down. Look at the magazine in his hand," explained Xi Men, still pointing at the magazine. "I wasn't reading it... I was looking at this sexy, pretty, upside down girl. Next time...don't jumped into conclusion," answered Mei Zhuo, stucking his tongue out at Xi Men, showing the poster he was looking at. "Okay, okay, calm down. Mei Zhuo, Xi Men, Lei...it has been so long. All of you have grown so much...and taller too. But still, Mei Zhuo, Xi Men...you two are still a playboy and a pervert like when you are young," Zhuang greeted all of them with a smile. "Lei, how are you? How was Jing?" asked Zhuang again, looking at Lei. "You should ask her boyfriend...Mei Zhuo." With a shocked face, she looked over at the grinning Mei Zhuo, "You?" "Yes. We're still new. I'm surprised Jing hadn't told you about us. By the way, she sent her regards to you. She's at France right now, having a fashion show like always." "You better take good care of my best friend! Don't be like my stupid brother..." "Hey! Why do you have to drag me into the conversation? What do I do wrong?" argued Ah Si, looking displeased with his sister. "You are the one who started this whole problem! If you did not use Shan Chai as a tool to delay the wedding... this wouldn't have happened! Stupid!" "Stop calling me stupid! How'd I know this would happen?" barked Ah Si at his sister, standing up and glared at Zhuang. "That's the problem with you! You never think!! Now, sit!" commanded Zhuang. Folding his hands, Ah Si grumpily sat back in his seat. Looking to the side, avoiding his sister's deadly stare he grumbled slowly to himself. Seeing her brother acted like a dissatisfied child, Zhuang smiled a little before continuing in a serious tone. "Before I came back here, I've been asking around the roundabouts of my mother. And what shocked me was no one knew where she is. Not even her secretary. It seems that she has been gone for a couple of days. Exactly a day before you guys called me," explained Zhuang, looking intensively at the faces in front of her. Hearing what his sister has just told them, Ah Si turned his head back towards Zhuang, "WHAT?" he exclaimed. Zhuang glared at her brother. She doesn't like to be snapped of like that, especially by her own little brother. Seeing his sister gave him the deadly glare, he shut his mouth and looked down. His friends just smiled at his childish act. Finally looking away from her brother, she continued, "I'm not sure whether she have anything to do with Shan Chai's disappearance but I think this is what we should do for now. Mei Zhuo and Xi Men, you go around Ying De and asked any of her friends or classmates if Shan Chai has told them anything about her whereabouts. Lei, you go and looked around town and distant places like the hotels, resorts and even warehouses. Try to find out if there are any rich, new strangers went there." Looking at Ah Si, she said strictly, "And you... you and I are going to all the Dao Ming's properties. We're going to find out where she stayed." "Why must I go with you?" Going straight to her brother, she grabbed his shirt and forced him to stand up. "You were saying?" "Fine, I'll go with you. Huh!" Standing by the window, looking out the sea, she recalled back her thought of last night, 'I have a feeling that car was Lei's. I don't know why, but the sound of that car stopping by the roadside and woke me up...it's just seemed to be him. But could it really be? If it was him, why didn't he try to contact me? Maybe it's just my imagination. I hoped to high to be rescued by him that I started to imagine it was him. Wake up Shan Chai...it's already the third day... nobody knows where I am...nobody is going to find me...'
Wiping a tear that dropped on her cheek, she was startled when the door opened suddenly. The two bodyguards came in and commanded her to follow them. Taking a last look at the ocean, she walked between the two. They took her into a room that looked like a study room at the edge of the aisle, about five rooms apart from hers. A chair was set up at the middle of the room where the first guard had told to sit before leaving her alone and closed the door behind them. Looking around the room, she noticed that the room also consist of a camera, eyeing her every move. She sat on the chair and looked directly to a large mirror opposite her. 'This is just like the mirror in the interrogation room I saw in one of those police dramas. But... it can't be.' While she was looking at the room, the door reopened. This time a lady came in instead. The lady was dressed in a business-like suit, a straight face and sophisticated look. She walked around her, eyeing every inch of her body and face, up and down. Her reaction disturbed her. She doesn't like being watched and eyed at like that. It's like the lady was grading her. She had had enough of it when she asked in an annoyed tone, "Who are you?", coincidently, at the exact time as the lady.