Where the hell is he??

Chen shook her head and mentally scolded herself, "No overthinking. I'll find him for sure."

She hailed a taxi and reached Si Xia's bungalow.

Standing in front of it, she could tell nobody was home. Oreo scratched at the front door upon hearing Chen's voice, and she could probably hack into the electronic lock, but she didn't want to.

Yu Chen sighed and took out her phone. The sun was setting and it was already twilight.

Chen had eaten nothing since breakfast, her stomach growled.

She called Si Xia a few times but he did not pick up. "Not again!!! Damn it!!" Chen muttered as she sat down facing the door and called out to Oreo.

Oreo whimpered from the other side of the door and the sound of scratching free louder.

Yu Chen stopped him and then Oreo also sat at the other side of the door, whimpering sometimes as Chen hugged her knees and continued to wait.

She finally looked up with a snap as her phone rang. But was quickly disappointed.

"Hello?" Yu Chen said in a dejected voice.

"Chen? What's wrong?" Sam's worried voice came from the other end.

Yu Chen stood up, shaking off the snow that had settled on her shoulders. She said, "Nothing. What's up?"

While talking, Chen walked all around the bungalow, looking for any open window or anything. But Oreo would definitely have found it by now.

Chen sighed as she reached the front door after a whole circle. She said into the phone, where Sam was ranting about something, "Hey Sam? I'll call you back okay? Just a few minutes."

Sam was silent for a few seconds before he said, "Is everything okay Chen? You sound weird. Should I come over?"

Chen hurriedly assured him everything was fine as she connected her phone to the security lock and set to work.

After ten minutes, she had it opened. Chen did not grumble about how longer it had taken her because of no laptop as she opened the door.

All she had was a glimpse of the inside of the house before a large lump of shiny black fur engulfed Chen and she landed on the floor.

Even Oreo seemed to have sensed something was wrong. He did not bark joyfully, just sat in Chen's lap, occasionally licking her face.

Yu Chen walked in the bungalow. She filled Oreo's bowl with his food and he began chomping on it.

Chen had completely lost her appetite. She stuffed the dinner she has brought into the fridge and left after fondling Oreo for a bit longer.

As she came out, Yu Chen noticed how dark it had gotten. Worry began to wedge itself in her mind along with sadness as she closed the door again and walked out of the front yard, calling Si Xia.

Yu Chen reached her apartment, still trying to reach Si Xia. By now she was so worried that there was no space for sadness in her mind.

As Chen opened the door and walked in, Xi Hua and Huo Zenghai turned around on the sofa, where they had been sitting watching television, snuggling.

Xi Hua stood up and walked over, saying, "Hey Chen!! How did it go with Xia? Did you guys make up? Chen!?!?!? What happened??"

Hua had touched Chen's hand and had found it to be icy cold. She was immediately alarmed and asked what happened.