Early in the morning before the chaos has started, Shao Cheng has silently left the Shao residence, of course, not after skilfully dropping a letter on his second brother room that was finally able to have a peaceful sleep when Mei has finally stopped her creepy action.
Of course, Shao Cheng has used the back door of their residence when he left while wearing snow-white clothes despite trying to be silent about his movement which doesn't really matter since he is able to skilfully blend in anywhere and anytime despite how eyes catching he appeared to be.
Shao Cheng has many years of experience sneaking, hiding, and basically the one who has to perform most of the work in the previous life, which is truly showing its uses now in his new life.
Right now, all those hard work is definitely paying off.
Although Shao Cheng has still taken a simple mask with him when he felt like the needed to cover his appearance, which the mask starts from his nose and down toward his chin, especially when he still absolutely remembers Ren Yuan insistence a weeks ago, although the veil idea is already thrown out the window since there is no way that he will be using that object.
As for why Shao Cheng has taken a simple mask, well, there is a high chance that he will be able to meet Ren Yuan while wondering around the Capital, after all, that man is basically out all the time and hanging all around the places, completely unpredictable of where he will suddenly appear making the people that have wanted to stay away from him to grit their teeth in utter annoyance and frustration.
Nevertheless, Shao Cheng couldn't have predicted the certain idiotic misunderstanding that will make him feel slightly regrettable to have chosen this day out of all other times when an absolutely moronic and downright trouble matter happened because of the two crazy people going batshit crazy without any single care about the problem that they are causing to other people.
While Shao Chonglin who was preparing to accompany his third brother to the dining hall to eat breakfast together once more has shown a sulky expression after reading the letter that was placed upon the table in his outer room.
From the beginning, he was extremely suspicious to found an item inside his room when it wasn't there when he went to bed especially causing a grim and dread expression to appear on his face when he didn't even wake up when an intruder has suddenly entered his room.
The past three days, Shao Chonglin can no longer sleep peacefully even in his own residence, at least, he was far more alert and guarded than ever after witnessing the usually kind and gentle Mei creepy action that spoke volume of how suspicious and downright horrifying her attitude was regarding on his third brother, especially when of all places it's happening inside their Shao Family.
If Mei, the person that all of them have believed and assumed harmless the entire time was like that in the shadow, then how about the other people inside their residence?
Right now, Shao Chonglin unquestionably unable to relax and feel at peace, especially when it concerns the safety and well being of his family.
And thankfully though, Shao Chonglin notices the familiar handwriting of his third brother outside the letter caused him who is the person that has secretly enter his room.
It was an unbefitting manner to enter another person room without permission, however, in the Shao Family, all of them isn't that much strict about it, although everyone needed to learn the bare minimum of how to behave nicely since they couldn't really act extremely rude to the Royal family if they ever meet them.
Besides, it was Shao Chonglin's third brother that has done it so he was perfectly alright with it, rather, he felt happy knowing that his third brother is finally opening up and interacting with them once again.
For now, though, Shao Chonglin better heightened his senses since he finally recognizes how vulnerable he is even if he was inside the Shao residence, and that wouldn't do at all because he should be capable enough to wake up anywhere and no matter what time it was if someone has suddenly intruded upon his space.
"... Soon I needed to discuss to mothers about what is happening to Shao Cheng… and just in case… I also need to train Yao, Yanlin, Cai, and Chia."
And with that, Shao Chonglin has walked over to the dining room after carefully placing his Third Brother letter into his hidden safe where he places important and treasured object, after all, it was his third brother first letter written to him, so Shao Chonglin needed to keep it safe before showing it off to his older brother when he got back home.
While Shao Chonglin imagining the envious expression on his older brother after showing off the letter of Shao Cheng, he also didn't forget to think about numerous ideas of how to train his sibling's senses starting today.
"... hm… it needed to be hard and difficult to the point that their body will instinctively move if someone dangerous and strange has suddenly gotten dangerously close toward them…"
After arriving at the dining hall, Shao Chonglin has pacified his two mothers that have shown an uncomfortable and uneasy expression after seeing that Shao Cheng wasn't with him while learning at the same time that he went out early in the morning.
"... he won't suddenly leave once again right?"
Shao Yanmei couldn't help but whisper to her older sister, completely lacking confidence and unable to stop the fearful emotion that swells up inside her after she was unable to stop imagining that everything will suddenly turn back to the way it normally was.
"Yanmei don't worry too much. Didn't our Little Cheng leave a letter to Chonglin? He will definitely come back home."
Su Chunhua tried to soothe her troubled younger sister with a bright smile on her face, however, it didn't work well since she was unable to hide the shaking of her hands after grasping Yanmei thinner one in which he couldn't help but softly whisper encouraging words that sound like she was convincing herself.
"... Little Cheng will not leave… let's believe in him alright?"
"...Yes… Little Cheng has change… he will come back home."
Soon, Yao and Yanlin that has come together with a bright smile on their faces, full of expectation and hope on interacting with their younger brother after breakfast since they have finally made sure that they all finish their promise appointment with their close friends are unable to stop the dimming light of their smile when they learned that Shao Cheng has left early in the morning.
"... should we look around the capital?"
"... but what if he wanted to be alone? Won't he get mad at us?"
With a troubled expression on their faces, Yao and Yanlin were unable to decide if they should stalk their younger brother Cheng later on.
While a bit later, Shao Chia that has appeared with her head raise up and was prepared to show her cold glare that will not lose to the cold gaze of her third brother to the point that she has been secretly practicing in the mirror for the last three days couldn't stop the sudden falter of her expression when she didn't see the familiar figure silently sitting in his usual spot.
Carefully glancing around one more time in which Shao Chia saw her two mothers disappointed and down expression causes a weak snort to escape her lip, before turning her head down after sitting in her spot while murmuring in a soft voice.
"... I told you… it's too good to be true…"
And the last person to arrive is a hurrying Shao Cai that has his scroll on his arms in which he was planning to place it aside during breakfast time and picking it up once again after they are done eating, and then having his usual time with his Third Brother has suddenly slowed down his run while looking around the dining hall with a wide eye look.
"... third brother?"
Shao Chonglin that has witness everyone reaction can only sigh helplessly in which when lunchtime was going to start in an hour, Shao Chonglin has finally decided to look around for his third brother in the Capital since he was worried that Shao Cheng might face some trouble and difficulty while looking around the place.
Shao Chonglin remembers that Shao Cheng has never hung out long enough outside the Capital whenever he returned back from his wandering around and have never bother to try learning more around the places.
Especially when the Capital isn't a safe place to wander around with when some members of the powerful and influential family can suddenly act out because of just their pride alone, pampered personalities or just basically having a rotten nature, especially when Shao Chonglin has noticed that his third brother's appearance has somehow become more eyecatching than ever.
What if someone tried to hit on his third brother? How can his third brother protect himself? Especially when there are people out there that wouldn't care about which family they belong to and would only try repenting after being caught or when they already have done their evil deeds!
Shao Chonglin is unable to stop his mind from running wild about the bad thing that can happen to his third brother that he has instantly stood up from his sit before meeting his completely unenergetic sisters and brother that was letting out their woe of being unable to interact with their third brother.
"Hurry up and find our Brother Cheng… and secretly protect him while making sure that you don't show yourself."
With a commanding voice, Shao Chonglin basically orders his siblings to go hunt down Shao Cheng that was wandering around the Capital without a protector by his side in which has instantly cause Yao and Yanlin to quickly nodded their head before practically rushing away without another word.
"Brother Chonglin, don't worry! We will absolutely make sure to beat up, in secret, a person that will dare to even eye our Brother Cheng ass!"
While Shao Chia was pulled up by a pleading Shao Cai just let out a reluctant snort before allowing herself to be pulled away in order to protect their fragile brother who was being treated as a delicate young lady that needed protection while guarding his chastity rather than a manly young man.
"... pfft… such a sissy… hehe…"