"It's 9 pm already, and Miss Zhang is not back!" Bolin whispered worriedly to Chuanli's ear, to avoid Mr. Fang hearing about it and going into a fit of anger.
Chuanli frowned and picked up his phone from his pocket to check the time, and saw that it was truly a few minutes past 9.
"Do you think she is back already? We are in the lab, how would we know if she is not back already?" Chuanli questioned in a whisper.
Bolin stole a glance at Mr. Fang who was busy whisking a clear substance away in a conical flask, before shifting his gaze back to Chuanli.
"I will go and check things out for myself." He said and then took permission from Mr. Fang to get a glass of water.
Mr. Fang didn't say anything to him, so he took that as a response before leaving.
He would hate for Mr. Fang to flare up when they were still here, and from the look of things, they might end up spending the night here, seeing how invested Mr. Fang was with this new experiment.
Leaving the room, Bolin climbed a few steps before taking a turn for a hallway.
This was the same room, Bolin had told Zhang Liling not to enter on the day he showed her around.
As soon as Bolin left, Chuanli glanced at Mr. Fang to make sure he wasn't looking his way, before typing a 5 worded sentence to Zhang Liling.
'Miss Zhang, where are you?'
After sending the text, he put his phone on the desk and stared hard at his screen, waiting for a response from her.
***********
"Butler Gu, has Miss Zhang returned?" Bolin asked the butler with a serious gaze.
"Inform me as soon as she returns!" Bolin said and turned to find his way back to the scent lab.
**********
"Has Zhang Liling returned?" That was the question that greeted Bolin as soon as he stepped inside the space.
Mr. Fang raised his gaze and let it rest on him as he slowly took off his nose mask.
Bolin was shocked and instinctively stole a glance at Chuanli, as if to ask what was going on.
Chuanli sighed and looked away. Even he was surprised after Mr. Fang suddenly stopped working and asked him for the time.
"What? Has the cat got your tongue now?" Mr. Fang squinted his eyes with a frown sitting on his face.
He looked to be annoyed for having made to repeat the same question.
Bolin quickly stepped forward and replied after sensing the displeasure in his tone.
"No, Sir!"
Mr. Fang nodded and slowly got up from his stool and said while taking off his gloves, "Have you seen the type of disobedient kitten I am raising?"
Chuanli and Bolin exchanged glances, before the former chuckled and tried to lighten the mood.
"Bingwen, I'm sure she got carried away since this is a party, but I will give her a call right away!" Chuanli said and took a hold of his phone.
Glancing at the screen, he saw no response from Zhang Liling yet, and wondered what was going on with her. Was she really a disobedient kitten like Mr. Fang said?
Bolin proceeded to dial her number, while hoping that she was already on her way back, or was probably with her phone no matter where she was.
After the long ring, no one answered the call, and he could no longer keep the calm gaze he had on Mr. Fang who was eyeing him.
Chuanli was a bit nervous and quickly turned to face Bolin while dialling Zhang Liling's contact again. He refused to look at that angry-faced man.
'Miss Zhang, you better answer this call!'
***********
"You want to use the bathroom? Alright, go ahead!" Tungmei said and moved her legs out of the way.
As soon as Zhang Liling stood to her feet, she felt everything in her sight swinging back and forth. She had to hold her head with her hands, as if that was what would hold everything in place.
Luckily, she didn't stagger.
Tungmei frowned when she saw her hold her head. "Are you all right?" She asked in concern.
Zhang Liling didn't want to admit that she was tipsy, and turned to flash her a full-blown smile.
"Do you mind accompanying me to the restroom? I think it would be better to go with someone instead of appearing like a loner to some hungry sharks."
Tungmei didn't feel anything was wrong with her, and what she said, and agreed to follow her.
She picked up their bags with one hand, and led the way.
Zhang Liling quickly held unto her arm for support, to stop her body from falling, but Tungmei saw things differently.
She was used to Zhang Liling holding her arms while walking, and she, doing the same.
Fortunately, the two made it to the female restroom safe.
"Alright, you can go in now!" Tungmei said to her.
As soon as Zhang Liling let go off her arm, she staggered and nearly hit her head on the wall, but thankfully, Tungmei was a bit alert, and quickly held her arm.
"OMG! Liling!"
Zhang Liling's eyes cleared a bit as she put up her arms in the air. "I'm sorry, I'm fine! Maybe I should just take off these heels!" She said and immediately squat to take off her shoes, while Tungmei watched her.
"You don't look alright to me!" Tungmei said in response.
Zhang Liling took off her shoes and left it on the side before going into the rest room.
Tungmei didn't trust that she would be alright by herself as she watched her trace the wall with her palms, so she picked up her shoes and was about to go in when she heard her phone ring.
Zhang Liling recognized her ring tone and asked after pausing in her steps. "Is that my phone?"
"Yes! Do you want to take the call first?" Tungmei asked as she tried to bring her phone out from her pink bag.
Zhang Liling waved her hands about. "No! You answer it, as long as it's not my mum or my dad's call!"
Having said that, she pushed open and empty stall and went in.
Tungmei took out the ringing phone and glanced at the brightly lit screen.
"Dr. Li?" She muttered under her breath before taking the call.
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