Chapter 376 - Might

"Do you own this place?" Addison asked Wuming as they stepped inside the cabin. It had been around an hour and a half drive away from the city. It didn't end there. They had to treck for about ten minutes before they reached this place.

"No," Wuming answered. 

"Then who owns this?"

"I don't know," he said, dropping his bag on the floor. "It's empty. So why not use it? Right?"

Addison only gave him a confused look. "Are we trespassing?"

"The owner's dead," he gave up and sighed. "He's dead."

Addison nodded understandably. He killed the owner of this place. He was a target. "Is this where you found him?"

"Yes and two other young girls whom he had kidnapped. So yeah."

Addison looked around.

"Don't worry," he said. "I already replaced all the furnitures." 

Then she began nodding. It was not a bad place at all. It smelled old and dusty but it was okay. This could be their resting place for tonight. "Should I unpack?" she asked, subtly asking if they were going to go back. 

"I don't know," he answered. "But one thing's for sure, I'm hungry."

They had stopped by a convenience store on the way and took some frozen food and essentials with them. Wuming disappeared to the back and the lights were on moments later. 

"Water's also good," he said.

She helped him prepared some food. It was brunch. It was until they were in the table that Wuming talked. "My mother is all kinds of messed up. Can you believe what she did?"

"But you didn't hear her side of the story."

"I don't have to hear it. I already know how the story goes. She left for our safety… blah blah blah… but nothing happened while she was away. She was just gone. Her enemy is still out there." Wuming shoved a spoonful of rice to his mouth. "How stupid is that?"

"I'm sure she did it with the best intentions."

"It's not about intentions. Her reason to leave was too weak. She should've stayed and let us handle all the rest."

"She's your mother. If you had a kid, would you put him in danger?"

"No," he quickly answered with a frown. "But if I'm in danger I'm not going to leave my kid. I'm going to be there protecting him. I was eighteen when she left. I was not some toddler sucking on his thumb."

"Point taken," Addison said. She took a bite. "What if Qing Chen calls for you to help your mother? Would you go?"

To this, Wuming stayed silent. He was still undecided. He could help then they could all get on the rest of their lives. That wouldn't be so bad.

Settling on this, he slightly nodded his head. "I might."

**

Qing Chen's call came in the afternoon. It was the reason why Wuming did not put his phone on silent. His brother was a morning person. It was strange seeing him calling way past ten in the morning.

"Hey," he answered groggily, Addison shifted inside his arms.

"Where are you?"

"Just outside the city. You?"

"I'm in my house. Are you coming back?"

"Are you?"

"Yeah," Qing Chen answered and Wuming admired that he didn't sound like he was hesitating at all. Damn, what did he expect from his younger brother anyway? "Are you?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'll be there." He rubbed a hand on his face. "Where's Lok?"

"I'm just about to call him."

"Okay," he said, already getting up. "I'll be there in a couple of hours."

"Alright, I'll see you. Be safe."

"You too."

When he looked over his shoulder, Addison was already awake. "Are we leaving?"

He nodded his head. "Get ready."

**

Qing Lok drove back to his father's house when he received Qing Chen's call. Wuming was also coming so he thought it would not be that bad if he was going to be there too. 

They were the first one there so they didn't get out of the car. He was insistent on this and Liu Meilien felt like she was going to laugh.

"I'm not going inside there without my brothers. I don't want to face them on my own," he told her when he refused to unlock the doors.

"It's going to be fine," she said. "What's the worst that they could do?"

"You know what that's a bad question to ask when you have a mafia lord as a father."

"Right," she said. 

Thankfully, they didn't have to wait long because Qing Chen's car got into the driveway and shortly after, Wuming's car was already there too. 

"You ready?" Qing Chen asked him. 

Qing Lok was feeling nervous down to his toes. Nevertheless, he nodded at his brother. "I'm fine."

Qing Chen looked at Wuming who only nodded at him.

"Alright, let's go."

**

The women all went to the other living room to wait and the men found their parents in the first living room, already poised.

They already knew they were coming back. It did not help that Qing Lok was probably outside the house for about half an hour already before they got there.

"We're here to talk," said Wuming. "No bullshitting this time. We want to help you. And we're going to."

"Of course you are," their father said. He sounded tired and he looked tired. Qing Chen almost felt bad to seem him in this state. "She's your mother. She's family. You're going to help her."

"Where's grandmother?" Qing Chen asked.

"She didn't want to join the conversation."

"Of course," snorted Wuming. Their grandmother didn't like conversations with the potential of turning into a screaming match. "Should we get started then?"

"Yes," their father answered. "Sit down."

Wuming held up a hand. "One moment. There's something I want to say."

"Hm?"

"I agree to help her." He glanced at his mother who looked confused. "But I have a condition."

Their father closed his eyes. "What is it?"

"Once we're done, she's leaving."