After being torn between following him to the study or waiting for him in the room, Xiu Mei finally chose the latter. Maybe she could ask him what's it all about tomorrow?

She laid on the bed, waiting for Lu Chen to return at any moment until eventually, sleep slowly took over her senses as she got pulled into the dreamland without giving her a chance to see Lu Chen's figure.

Xiu Mei woke up early the next day because of the alarm. She felt bad not being able to wake up early yesterday so she made a bunch of scheduled alarms to make sure she'll wake up this time.

She groggily rose from the bed and turned off the alarm in reflex. After stretching her arms for a short moment, she noticed the empty space beside her.

Did Lu Chen wake up early today?

Xiu Mei's brows furrowed when she noticed that the pillow next to her didn't have any sign of someone being slept on at all. Even the blanket of the side only creased a little bit with the movements she had throughout the night, but the rest, it was almost pristine clearly showing that no one slept beside her at all.

Xiu Mei grew more worried as she quickly climbed off the bed and rushed to the study. Unfortunately, she was met with an empty room with no trace of Lu Chen in it. She continued searching for him all throughout the second floor and still saw no shadow of her husband.

"Mom?

" A voice called behind her.

She turned and saw Lu Qiang rubbing his eyes.

She wanted to apologize thinking that she woke him up but she remembered her situation. Instead, she knelt in front of her son and mouthed 'Daddy' then made a gesture to ask if he had seen him.

Albeit still groggy, the little kid understood what his mother was trying to tell him.

He shook his head and answered,

"I haven't seen Dad since last night.

"

And same with her. Xiu Mei bit her lip as she fell into contemplation.

Maybe she was wrong when she thought that Lu Chen stayed in his study all night? Instead, he could have possibly left last night and went somewhere?

But where could he possibly go off to? Without even informing or saying goodbye to her.

The last time he disappeared like this… was when she figured out that he was involved in the underground world?

Wait.

That actually sounds plausible. Could he have really gone there last night?

Xiu Mei got even more worried as she thought of the dangers in that place. If he really went there and rushed out without even informing her, something big must have happened right there that needed his presence immediately.

"Mom, I'll follow you later downstairs after I take a bath.

" Lu Qiang uttered before returning inside his room, waking Xiu Mei from her thoughts.

She stood there for a few seconds before she returned to their shared bedroom to fix herself real quickly and went downstairs to start preparing for breakfast. She met the butler on her way to the kitchen.

'Did my husband go out this morning?' she asked.

The butler shook his head.

"Master left in a rush late last night.

"

So he did leave last night… but why?

She didn't ask the butler anymore than that and went straight ahead to the kitchen to prepare Lu Qiang's lunchbox. She and Lu Qiang spent their breakfast chatting as she asked him about what happened in school yesterday. After that, she personally dropped him off at school.

Her phone buzzed. It was a message from her assistant telling her that she needs some help.

Secretary Xiu: Why? What happened?

Something must have surely happened if her assistant needs some help. Maybe something big happened in the company that's why Lu Chen left last night?

Assistant Secretary: The president of Ji Group wanted to push through with the schedule for meeting later this lunch.

Secretary Xiu: Did President Lu wanted to cancel the meeting?

Assistant Secretary: I don't know…

Secretary Xiu: What do you mean you don't know?

Assistant Secretary: The President hasn't arrived yet and Secretary Lu hasn't come in either. I couldn't reach either so thinking that they weren't coming, I went ahead and rescheduled the President's schedule today. But the Ji Group President insists that we push through with the meeting today or else, they said that they don't need to meet us anymore in the future.

Xiu Mei froze. Her train of thoughts focused on the first half of what her assistant secretary said.

Lu Chen isn't in the office?

Then if it isn't the company… is it his other…?

Assistant Secretary: Ms.Xiu, are we pushing through with this meeting?

Xiu Mei woke up from her thoughts hearing her phone buzzed again signaling her of the received message.

Xiu Mei contemplated for a moment before sending her response.

The Ji Group President? Hmm… if she remembered correctly, it's that eccentric president she met once before at a party?

He's also quite difficult to schedule a meeting with so she really wouldn't want to cancel the meeting unless necessary. But Lu Chen and Lu Shao aren't around either.

What should she do? It's not like she can just walk in and attend the meeting on behalf of them right now. She couldn't even open her mouth to greet him ah.

Secretary Xiu: I'll get back to you in a bit.

After sending a brief message to her assistant, Xiu Mei quickly dialed Lu Chen's number. Unfortunately, his phone was unreachable. It seems like his phone was turned off.

After trying a couple of times, she gave up and dialed Lu Shao's instead. Like Lu Chen's, his number was also unavailable and couldn't be reached.

She stared at her phone screen in disbelief while her brows furrowed in frustration.

Gosh, of all times for the both of them to be unavailable, why did it have to be now?

She would've been fine if they did this if she's capable of working right now but her current situation is definitely not the most appropriate time for her to attend the meeting in their place.

Xiu Mei continued trying to contact them, pacing around the room only to be left with the same unavailable tone on the other end.

She silently glared at her phone again.

These two… they better pray that they don't show up in front of her soon else she'll be very tempted to hit them in frustration right now.

Ahhhh even though she knows they didn't intend to disappear again like this but gosh, did it really have to be now?!

She bit her lip as she tried to think of another solution.

She would've chosen the meeting to be canceled by now but since they're insisting it, it would prove quite difficult for her assistant secretary to convince them to postpone the meeting.

After thinking about it for a few minutes, Xiu Mei finally made up her mind.

Secretary Xiu: I'm coming in. Wait for me right there.

After sending that, Xiu Mei swiftly started preparing and changed into her working attire. She didn't forget to send Lu Chen a message, hoping that he'll see it as soon as possible.

Almost an hour later, she arrived at the top floor and saw her assistant secretary looking so stressed with all the calls and papers she's been doing at the same time.

Xiu Mei didn't bother her assistant secretary with her call so she strode to her desk instead and looked at the single folder placed on it. There was even a sticky note stuck in front.

'Proposal to Ji Group' - Today, 1 PM, Paradise Dia Restaurant

Oh, so we were supposed to propose a collaboration project with them?