Zhong Feng and Hu Lei returned to Supreme City without incident. The trip had taken an unexpected turn, but the outcome was not bad. Well, at least on the surface, things seemed to be going better than expected.
As their car left the airport, Hu Lei looked at Zhong Feng with a worried expression.
"What do you think he wants?" Hu Lei asked.
The more she thought about the situation, the less she believed that Yuan Haoran was helping them merely because he found her interesting. She also did not think the man was doing it out of the goodness of his heart. Her doubts were reinforced after seeing that girl in the strange pod.
Yuan Haoran did not seem like someone who would do something like inviting strangers to his house. Also, he had agreed to help them a little too quickly. Moreover, she had a strange feeling that he had even anticipated her movements at night.
It was likely that he wanted her to see the young woman he was keeping in the basement of his home. However, she could not figure out his motives. Despite her thoughts, she could not deny that his emotions concerning the young woman were real.
At least, that was how it seemed.
"I am also not sure." Zhong Feng frowned. "It is indeed strange that he was so willing to offer help. If he is the same person who has kept control over the International Health Alliance, he cannot be underestimated."
The two of them were silent as they tried to think about Yuan Haoran's motives. Unfortunately, neither of them could decipher the mind of the strange man. They could only hope that his plans did not involve a nefarious plot that could harm them.
Their arrival in Azure Woods allowed them to take a breath of relief. Even though travelling was fun, their trip was not a simple one. Of course, they were happy to come back without experiencing a dangerous situation.
The once quiet house was a little warmer with Housekeeper Li taking charge. He welcomed them at the door with a wide smile.
"How is Xiao Bao?" Hu Lei asked enthusiastically.
She had missed her little infant angel. She did not experience a lot of separation anxiety, but she could not wait to see the cutie. However, knowing that baby, he would probably look at her with disdain and snuggle up to Zhong Feng.
She turned to glare at her husband with a poorly hidden grudge in her eyes.
Zhong Feng knew what she was thinking and patted her head in comfort. He could not help that Wang Lei was a little more attached to him. A good start for improving mother-son relations would probably be calling the baby by his proper name instead of Xiao Bao.
"Xiao Bao is as perfect as always. The nanny and the doctor have been on-site the entire time, so there is no need to worry. And Akira has been watching Xiao Bao, although she seems to be in a bit of a low mood." Housekeeper Li reported.
Hu Lei smiled. At least, they had good news for Akira. Of course, it would be better to wait until they confirmed the promise made by Yuan Haoran before saying anything. However, Akira probably needed hope more than anything.
"Thank you. Can you have the chef prepare an early dinner today?" Hu Lei said.
"Of course." Housekeeper Li was happier than a clam.
He had longed missed being around an occupied household. He could not bear the thought of his listless life in Area 99 after the young couple got married. Akira and Xiao Bao were his lucky stars for opening a door to Azure Woods.
After a shower, Hu Lei picked Xiao Bao from the nursery. She did not know if it was her imagination, but the little thing seemed to have grown since she last saw him. She lifted the baby and examined him with narrowed eyes.
"Are you growing bigger, or am I becoming smaller?" She asked with a pout.
Xiao Bao pouted his lips too and ended up blowing a bubble. Hu Lei looked at him critically. Babies did grow fast and change within short moments. But she was probably imagining a significant change in Xiao Bao. It had only been two to three days.
After staying with Xiao Bao for a while, she gave him to Zhong Feng. As expected, the Judas child snuggled to the man with a pleasant expression. Even when she fed the baby, he did not look as happy as when he saw Zhong Feng.
As soon as his father appeared, he would abandon her and stretch the tiny arms to Zhong Feng. She landed an evil eye on the little face as if promising vengeance. However, the eyes that looked a lot like hers stared back without backing down.
She snorted before leaving the room. She went to find Akira. According to Housekeeper Li, she spent most of the time in the library, working at the computer. She would only take short breaks to check on Xiao Bao.
"Don't be mean to your mother." Zhong Feng said behind her as he patted Xiao Bao's back.
The baby made a cooing noise of content. He found his father's warmth soothing and comfortable. Moreover, Zhong Feng had an inward, soothing calm, unlike his excitable mother. Naturally, it was more comfortable to be with his father.
Of course, these were the instinctual thoughts of a baby. He did not understand Zhong Feng's words.
Hu Lei found Akira in the library sitting in front of the computer, typing fast and leaning forward like she had a mission of national importance. The dark circles under her eyes made her look like a raccoon, and she looked a little dishevelled.
Moreover, her face was puffy, and her hair was a little bit of a mess. In simple terms, she looked like she had not been taking care of herself. Hu Lei felt a lot of pain for her. She was not sure she could understand what was going on with her.
However, she now considered Akira a friend. It was crucial to get her out of her funk. Otherwise, Kaito would wonder what she had done to his girlfriend when he returned.
"Oh, you are back." Akira looked up before turning back to the computer.
Hu Lei wondered if her sense of presence was that low. Had Akira only noticed her after all this time?
More importantly, it seemed like Akira did not have a lot of expectations after their trip. Otherwise, she would ask about Kaito immediately. She probably thought they failed. The disillusionment made Hu Lei once again hurt for Akira.