Psyche Institute's Library.
"Where is he?" asked Xie Ye.
Yun Li just stared at him and didn't answer right away. In the end Yun Li chose to avert his eyes first and once again opened the book to read.
"I don't know where he is. Even if I know I won't tell you." replied Yun Li.
Xie Ye sighed just based on Yun Li's response. It is obvious that the latter also didn't know where Gui Lan was.
Sighed. "I will take my leave." said Xie Ye intending to leave the library.
Xu Lun on the other hand felt that his boss was too pitiful and could only gesture at his lover, Yun Li, to help him. The couple converse with their eyes and Yun Li could only divulge something helpful for Xie Ye.
"Wait. I really don't know where A'Lan is right now. After all he is the type of person you wouldn't be able to catch just because you wish too. But... you can try waiting at the manor. You've gone there a few times, right? That place and this whole institute are under his name. In short he is the real owner of this land and everything on it. Though he left everything to the professor to handle."
Xie Ye stopped for a moment and listened to Yun Li's words.
Yun says, "I don't know any passcode as A'Lan usually changes his security code at his manor at scheduled time. Anyone who entered a wrong passcode would be banned in the whole institute for trespassing. But if it's you... I had a feeling you could enter his house. Why don't you try it?"
"Thank you." said Xie Ye before he left the place.
Few moments after Xie Ye left,
Xu Lun asked, "Li'er why did you say that if it's the boss, he would be able to enter Gui Lan's Manor? Isn't that the place that has the heaviest security in this whole place?"
"You haven't visited the place which you didn't know. Everything inside that house is made in pairs. From slippers to cups, plates to utensils, even the clothes that perfectly match Xie Ye's figure. A'Lan prepared it for him. That is a house that A'Lan prepared for them to live together." replied Yun Li.
"For real?! I thought it was only my boss who is obsessed. You would have thought that the other one is also like that." murmured Xu Lun.
Yun Li responded, "It is true that this land, the manor and the institute itself is under Gui Lan's name but the other owner of this place is him as well. You know why."
"Shit! This is too much!" replied Xu Lun in astonishment.
------
It was sunset when Xie Ye had reached the manor hidden behind the institute. As always the house is constructed in the middle of the forest and detached to the place where people crowd. This manor gave the feeling of security and isolation. A land that is only for him.
A Stygian Manor. The exterior is semi modern and classic. Walls were covered in rambling roses and the flower buds aren't in full bloom yet, attached on the house walls climbing like vines. The outside seems to be free and there is no security at all but Xie Ye could feel countless of hidden cameras whose location is arduous to find. Only a layman wouldn't notice the existence of the security cameras scattered around the manor.
Xie Ye stood in front of the pure white door. He is indecisive of what he should be doing next. He took a few more looks at the dark unlit windows apparently there was no one inside the house. He lighted his hands and was about to knock on the door but he remembers that there should be no one inside right now. In his hesitation he laid his palm on the white door while thinking of what he should do next.
He didn't know that as soon as he placed his palm on the surface of the white door that his identity was getting verified. The door had a scanning mechanism for security purposes. Gui Lan only gives away temporary key access for the guest who made an appointment with him ahead of time. The real method to access the house security is to pass the scanned verification of the house database. In this manner only two people's biometrics are registered. One of them is Gui Lan and the other is.
[Biometrics Verifications Completed!
Co-owner: Xie Ye's Biometric Matched!
The door will now be unlocked.]
A machine voice suddenly announced.
Xie Ye was startled at first but understood when he heard the lock of the door's manor clicked open for him.
Clicked!
Xie Ye held the doorknob and twisted it to open the door. As soon as he opened the door and entered inside the house, the lights inside the manor had all turned on. Even the cleaning machines on stand by booted and started a daily cleaning routine inside the house. A humanoid robot butler approached Xie Ye helping him with his coat.
"Master Xie you've finally come over. Let me take your coat for you." said the humanoid butler called Zero.
This isn't the first time Xie Ye had met Zero. They've already met countless times when he comes over to fetch Hei Lan before or when he comes over for a meal. Now that he remembers, this is the first time he came here to sleep over. He passed his coat to zero and wore the black slippers he wears every time he came over. Obviously fitted slippers. This is meant for him to wear as this is something Gui Lan prepared for him.
"Is Lan'er home?" asked Xie Ye.
"Unfortunately, but Master Gui said he would be away for few days and even Zero doesn't know when he will return. I was only programmed to serve Master Xie if you came over." replied Zero.
"I see." disappointedly replied Xie Ye to the house butler.
Zero spoke, "The dinner can be served in half an hour. Will you have one, Master Xie?"
"No. I will rest early instead prepare a wine bottle for me. I will be sleeping in the Master's Bedroom." responded Xie Ye.
"As you wish. The bath in the Master's bedroom will be prepared in 15 minutes. Please rest for a short moment." said Zero before walking away to hang Xie Ye's coat to the stand near the doorway and complete the preparations for the rest of his programmed tasks.
Xie Ye on the other hand looked around the manor, this time he intently discerned things that he didn't take notice of in his former visits.
In the living room, the fireplace was lit as he walked by. On the table he saw a rare print of new paper dated for today. In this high technology world newspapers are rarely printed as papers are scarce and most documents can be read online. But had the hobby of reading newspapers during his free time. Printed papers that can be held in his hands made him less bored when he had nothing to do. It's not that he didn't like using holographic screens to read the news but he is more comfortable reading printed prints instead. Beside it is an astray, he knew that Gui Lan doesn't smoke and this thing was prepared for him to use.
He walked around towards the kitchen and saw that the plates, utensils and cups were prepared in pairs. Precisely couple pairs for him and Gui Lan. Black for him and white for Gui Lan. Looking around every room and corner of the house, Xie Ye could even notice that the interior designs of the house are inline with his taste. Obviously the house was made with him in mind. Gui Lan had this manor made for the two of them. This is their home.
No wonder that every time I came over Gui Lan's eyes would sparkle as if anticipating something from him. He would always pull him in a room to another room and would always observe his reaction. Only to show a helpless and disappointed pout when he saw that I didn't notice anything at all. Then ignore me for a short while before his mood returns to normal.
"He must have wanted me to notice the things he had greatly prepared only for me. I made him sad all the time instead. I must be blind not to notice his expectations." murmured Xie Ye as he loathed his past self of those moments.
Xie Ye returns to the living room and takes a seat as he wallows in his distress in silence.
Only now he noticed every gesture and action Gui Lan had been doing for him to notice. Gui Lan told him that he was here. That he is back. I only need to point it out for him to tell me everything.
Xie Ye understood the reason why Gui Lan hid his identity even when he returned. Because their enemies are still around, there is a possibility of them running away and hiding somewhere even harder for them to look for. Once these people concealed themselves and mixed up with the normals, it would even be harder to defend from their attack if we don't even know where they are hiding.
There is also the possibility of putting them in danger once their identities got linked with Gui Lan. 15 years ago, except for Gui Lan, none of their records were left for the syndicate to salvage. Gui Lan destroyed it himself and the enemy only knew Gui Lan's appearance but none of theirs. This is the most viable reason for Gui Lan's concealment.
Xie Ye was suddenly approached by Zero.
"Master Xie the bath is ready."
Xie Ye just nodded at the housekeeper robot and climbed up to the master's bedroom. Zero escorted him the whole time while holding a tray of his wine and glasses. The humanoid housekeeper had opened the door for Xie Ye. Once he entered the room Xie Ye's nose was assaulted with the familiar scent of sweetness and peppermint. Xie Ye has always thought that this smell is a perfume used by Gui Lan but remembering it now the latter had always had this scent on his body. The first time he gets a whiff of this scent is when they were children. He remembered that he used to always keep Gui Lan in his embrace especially when they were sleeping. This is the scent that gave him a relaxing warmth which used to always accompany in his sleep.
After Xie Ye watched Zero finish preparing his drink at the small table by the side of the king sized bed at the center of the room, he then asked him to retire for the night.
"Zero after you finish the rest of the cleaning task in the house. Go on standby mode." said Xie Ye.
Zero bowed his head and replied, "I will comply. Master Xie, a pleasant evening." he left after saying those programmed words.
Soon as he was left alone, Xie Ye's presence turned gloomy. After all he is alone in this huge manor and even alone in this huge bedroom. If not for the remnant scent of Gui Lan inside the bedroom he would go home even if it's already past midnight. The aroma of glace and mint calm down his dark emotions.
He pulled off his tie and walked towards the wardrobe looking for clothes that might fit him. He didn't forget his plan to take a bath. Seeing that his Lan'er had a smaller figure than him he remembered that one time when he and the rest of the team came over to first the first time. Because of Li Guang pushing Yi Zheng on the ground that the latter had gotten dirty as if playing with mud. Gui Lan that time lent him some spare clothes that are even slightly bigger than him. As someone who had that very same size obviously those spare clothes would fit him well. He is looking for those clothes.
Upon opening the wardrobe, Xie Ye doesn't know what he should feel. In front of his eyes were clothes that matched his taste and it was placed together with smaller clothes that were obviously prepared for Gui Lan. Inside the cabinet are clothes for the owners of the house. Half of it is for Gui Lan while the other half is of his size. It was something that Gui Lan arranged for him to wear. Those spare clothes that Yi Zheng wore that day were his clothes. Clothes that are meant only for him which are put together by Gui Lan with him in his mind.
"I must get that shirt and pants back from Yi Zheng tomorrow. Those are my clothes!" uttered Xie Ye, his pettiness doesn't let him allow others to wear the clothes Gui Lan arranged for him.
Because of this Yi Zheng would be crying for a few weeks because he lost that pair of shirt and pants, Xie Ye would be pressuring him every day until he returned his clothes.