Love O2O- Beyond a Beautiful Smile

Chapter 28- Blood is Thicker than Water

A/N: I'm writing this between assessment pieces- two down, a gazillion to go. But this fanfiction is turning in to my "coffee break"... literally. I put my books down, leave them in the library, go get coffee and mentally relax for as long as my coffee lasts. Then back into the study groove. Also- this chapter title? Not what you think it is. Maybe I'll explain at the end of the chapter, maybe I won't. You'll have to wait and see.

For the second day in a row, Hao Mei found himself leaving the office by himself. It was strange how quickly he had grown accustomed to having KO's company after work, and he wasn't sure he liked how lonely he was now feeling. It's been two days... it's not like it's been weeks or months. He couldn't even get mad about KO spending his weekend at the office- even though they had a month before the demonstration, what KO and Xiao Nai were trying to do was extremely complicated and it made sense to get started sooner rather than later. It made sense... but Hao Mei was feeling rather resentful about giving both men a wave, through the office window, when it was his turn to leave for the weekend.

Dragging his feet through the foyer of his apartment building, he almost missed the wave of the security guard. Ah! That's right. The locksmith.

    "Do you have my new keys?"

     "No Sir." The security guard bowed his head. "Your mother was here when he arrived so he left them with her. I believe she's waiting for you."

    "My mother?" The lump in his stomach- the one that had taken all night and all day to disperse- quickly reformed. "Why was my mother allowed to collect the keys?"

    "She is on the registration of the apartment, Sir. As one of the owners, she is allowed to authorise tradesmen."

    Mei felt a migraine forming to offset his churning stomach. "My mother isn't on the registration."

    "Sir? It was updated recently; we were informed so we knew who to allow in..."

    Sighing, Mei waved a hand at the now visibly concerned man. "I'm sure it's just a misunderstanding. Don't worry."

It wasn't. He'd spent the elevator ride trying to conjure a scenario where his mother appearing on the house registration, was entirely accidental. However, in no way did it make sense. There was no way this was just a "misunderstanding." This was called "machinations." And he really should have expected it from his parents.

"Ma." The door was unlocked and Hao Mei had a brief moment of relief that he hadn't been forced to knock on the door of his own home. His mother was waiting for him in the lounge room; perched on the edge of the couch, ramrod back and hands neatly folded on her lap. Mei hid a smile. That couch had been chosen precisely for how soft it was- swallowing you as soon as you sat on it, giving you no choice but to sink backwards and relax. Watching his mother balance on the edge, determinedly keeping her composure, was a small revenge for the lump in his stomach.

He still needed an explanation though. The words were too hard to find, and to buy himself time he looked into the kitchen. Pots and pans from last night's fiasco were piled in the sink. Dirty plates, glasses and cutlery, dropped sauce and stained the cream bench. A petty revenge for leaving that girl- what was her name again- here last night and encouraging her to ring her friends.

A subtle cough from the couch told Hao Mei that he couldn't ignore his other any longer. Smiling politely, he dutifully greeted her before pulling a dining chair over to sit on the other side of the coffee table. The two stared t each other, each waiting for the other to speak and neither willing to break the silence. Mei was confident in his patience. He already had a fair idea what had happened- he was his father's son after all and had no illusions where his parents were concerned- but he wanted to hear the words.