175 Patiently Waiting

March 26, 20XX (Tuesday)

Zhao Manor

Xing Hui Ying, now commonly known as Zhao Hui Ying or Mother Zhao, sighed her frustrations loudly. She eyed her son, who was working on his paperwork. Her eyes shifted downwards to the packed tablets on her left hand and the glass of water on her right hand. Mother Zhao debated how she could wrestle with her son so he can take his medicine on time. Ever since he was a child, Yang had always hated taking any medicine. She had asked him why once, but his answer was merely a shrug.

Nodding to herself, the Zhao matriarch called the attention of Zhao Yang, "Yang, come and drink your medicine. You aren't a child anymore that I have to remind you every time."

Yang turned his head to glance her way for a brief period, and then his eyes shifted to the things she was carrying before resuming to his paperwork. Mother Zhao angrily gritted her teeth when she saw how her son had ignored her. She placed the glass on his table and smacked the tablets to show her displeasure. Yang was already thirty-three-year-old and still needed to be cared for like a child on a tantrum; she was already too old for his antics!

Mother Zhao made sure her steps were loud as she stumped out of the room. Her steps were large as she went to the dining room. She sat beside her husband's seat and began to go on her usual tirade, "I have never met a human more stubborn than my son! Do you believe he is already thirty-three?! He's behaving like a kindergarten! How did Mei Li make him drink his medicine? Soon, I will put a pipe down his throat so I can shove all the things I want in there!"

Zhao Yue sighed for the nth time this week. It has only been two nights since Mei Li went to Milan and her brother was now behaving like a teenager who just experienced his first heartbreak. He had not left his room once nor had he joined their family meals. Like a lightbulb being switched on, Yue had the most brilliant idea. She quickly stood up and whispered her plan to her mother's ears.

Moments later, Mother Zhao and Yue entered Yang's room with broad and mischevious smiles. Yang merely glanced at them before going back to face his paperwork. Yue's left eyebrow twitch in irritation. So this was why her mother was going crazy. Anybody would be angry if they were ignored so blatantly as her big brother had done. Yue nodded to signal her mother to start. The model made sure her cellphone was on speaker phone so every noise they make can be heard.

Mother Zhao tapped the desk near the glass of water and his forgotten tablets, and said, "Why didn't you take your medicine? This should have been taken two hours ago. You are ruining the schedule!"

"I'll drink it later," Yang ignored his mother and continued to do his work. Yue almost growled in annoyance. Her big brother was behaving as if life has ended. Hopefully, the person on the other line would make him see reason.

Mother Zhao turned to her daughter with a pitiful expression asking for help. Yue smirked as she put the phone near her mouth and said, "Did you hear big brother, Mei Li? He hadn't been taking his medicine properly."

The two female in the room was amazed as Yang stood up fast when Mei Li's name was mentioned. His gloomy and sulky face morphed brighter than a well-lighted Christmas tree. He rolled his wheelchair to Yue's front and demanded the phone in her grasp. Once the phone was placed in his hands, he immediately turned the speakerphone off, and said to Mei Li, "How are you there?"

Mother Zhao and Yue watched with jaws gaping wide as Yang grinned like an idiot as he was being lectured by a loud Mei Li that even they could hear without being in speakerphone mode. Yue had never believed that this day would come. First, her brother was being masochistic. Second, her best friend raising her voice that loud. Lastly, her brother taking medicine like it was nothing, even swallowing the tablets before he drank the water. It was incredible to see what love can do to change stubborn fools...

Minutes later, the two female Zhao went out of the room in disbelief. They both stared at each other with surprise, silently registering what has happened. It was Mother Zhao that showed a reaction. First, She jumped with joy and shouted, "My grandchildren!"

All the servants of the manor were confused when they heard the mother and daughter planning a wedding, and talking about gifts for a newly-wedded couple. When Father Zhao arrived back from work, he saw Yue and his wife searching for baby names on the net. He chuckled with amusement when they had retold the events. It seems, Mei Li was the firm hand needed to control his son.

Inside his room, Yang opened the files he had just received from his friends through Secretary Bai. It was the needed files he had wanted about the proprietor that had concocted the car crash that took his ability to walk for a while. He crumpled the paper that had useless information. They were after a slippery man. The studio he had used before was now abandoned, but he could be seen moving from one surveillance camera to another. The man was also seen on the slums of Beijing and the high-end restaurants on the wealthiest street. He was intelligent enough to not stay in one place; they were dealing with someone experienced. Nobody could erase there traces like this without experience.

Yang clenched his fist and gritted his teeth; the possibility of this man being an Arcadia member was high. He needed to prepare for Mei Li's new protective details.