155 Grocery Shopping

February 10, 20XX (Sunday)

Various Places

It was another ordinary day in Beijing. The sun rose following its time to wake the sleeping people. The dark sky slowly faded and turned into different hues of blue. On the largest condo at The Palace Residency, Yang was seated on his wheelchair snoozing. He woke up early because Mei Li had gotten up earlier than the sun to go to the market to buy groceries. Yang could not understand why she couldn't send the guards to buy the things she needs as she had done on Chinese New Year. Yang's head rolled to the side, sleep still evident in his face. Mei Li sighed. He had been adamant to come with her that he rose from sleep even when he was drowsy because of the medicine he intakes.

"Let me take you back to bed before I go." Mei Li stood up. The noise her actions caused wake Yang from his snooze. He runs his right hand from his forehead down to his chin in an effort to keep himself awake.

"Take me with you," Yang blurted out. His eyelids are growing heavier in each passing second. Mei Li could see how much effort it took him. She sighed at his hardheadedness. Mei Li rolled him to his bed despite his weak protests. She tried to pull him out of the wheelchair and into the bed but gave up soon after because Yang had gripped the wheelchair as if his life depended on it. Why is he behaving like a child? "Take me with you," Yang demanded. His eyes are flattering close slowly then open wide and repeat for a couple of minutes. Mei Li snorted before telling him the truth of the matter, "You'll be a hindrance."

Yang felt an arrow pierce his heart from her sharp words. His energy drains, and his back slumps into the wheelchair in defeat. After the car crash, she became more tactile. After the torture chamber incident, she became more unfiltered with her words. He now discovers the negative side to her honesty. Even he was not spared.

"I'll stay in the car." He tried to reason, one last try.

"No," Mei Li immediately turned him down. Ouch!Mei Li continued with hands on her hips, "If I let you come with me, you'll command your guards to carry you to follow me."

Yang opened his mouth to defend himself then close it again when he couldn't. He touched his nose, feeling helpless. How come she knows how he thinks like she had known him for years? Is she a mind-reader?Mei Li tried to pull him into the bed again, and this time Yang did not resist. She covered him and then tucked him into the comforter like a child. Yang closed his eyes, but his lips opened to say, "Wake me up when you arrive. Be safe." "Okay," Mei Li pecked his lips, "Sleep tight."The famous painter left the room, and the doorknob clicked as the door closed. Yang was half in dreamland, but his lips had a bright smile capable of blinding everyone. He wasn't as worried because she had her guards with her.

Mei Li spent an hour looking for the ingredients needed to make different kinds of cakes. On her hand was a notepad full of recipes for spongecakes, fruitcakes, naked cakes, red velvet cake, chocolate cake, and cheesecake with strawberry filling at the top. She needed these for Yang's surprise birthday party which he already knows, but she had convinced him to act surprised because Yue had planned this especially for him.Staring at the can of already made strawberry filling in the top shelf, Mei Li tried to tiptoe to reach for it. As expected, she failed. She cursed the person who had the genes that gave her a petite height. She then jumped a little reach for it, but she had no luck.

"Do you need help?" someone came up behind her.

Mei Li straightened her body and turned to walk on another way without any response. She ignored the stranger without hesitation. Even if she was raised an orphan, she knew not to talk to strangers. Mei Li nodded to the guards blending into the crowd and gestured for a tall guard to come and help her. The tall guard quickly took the can and put it on the cart she was rolling around the shop.

David smirked after she was entirely out of sight. Nobody had ever ignored his advances. Nobody else had treated him like air as quickly as Mei Li had done. His small interest, suddenly, rose. After he kills Yang, he'd keep her as a trophy.David walked out of the grocery store without buying anything and climbed the emergency stairs of the next building. Arriving at the roof, David put his sunglasses on to cover the glare of the sun as he watched Mei Li going out of the store and into a black car sedan. He memorized the plate number before the car drove off. He took his phone and typed,「How is your injury?」A reply came immediately, 「It's getting better. I have four months to wait before the cast is off. In the meantime, I'm training with guns.」David nodded in approval. He needed help with Zhao Yang and his friends. As the Fool of Arcadia, he had never met a family so hard to approach as the Zhao Family. They haven't a lot of ties. The only hope he has was through the Hao Family. David scrolled his contacts. Finding the name, he pressed the call button and put his phone on his ear, "How are you, Miss Ye Lan?"