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chronicallylatetotheparty · 7 months

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Perfect Paradise Ch.7 Wō Men Zài Zhè Li, Zài Zhè Li Deng Ni

Summary: We are here waiting for you.

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"Wài sheng nü!" Aunt Fei held out her arms and gave Emma a hug strong enough to rival Grandpa's. "Wài sheng!" She repeated the embrace with Hugo while giving Louis a fist bump. "You've gotten so tall!"

"A yí Fei," Hugo gave a broad grin.

"Thank you for having us on such short notice, Fei." Juleka accepted her own hug.

"You kidding? Buó Buo Wang loves meeting Mèi Xù's family." Fei chuckled good-naturedly. "I swear sometimes he's more grateful about restoring Shīfu's school than I am."

Hugo shifted uncomfortably.

Louis leaned in and asked Emma, "Mèi Xù?"

"She means Papa."

"Oh."

"Awwww," Rose's eyes sparkled as she grasped Fei's hands. "That's so sweet!"

Fei felt her grin widen at Rose's sincerety. "Never change, Rose. Now c'mon, we don't want to leave Buó Buo waiting!"

Emma and Louis' faces were plastered to the window as the Tsurugi car drove itself through Shanghai's streets. Never getting enough of the city their Grandma grew up in.

The cityscape blurred past Hugo's eyes. He forgot Papa gave Aunt Fei the money she needed to rebuild her dad's school as a "birthday present".

It took some convincing. Aunt Fei was as stubborn as Maman when she wanted to be. But if Hugo was remembering this right, she agreed to train Papa once the school was open.

That's probably why Monarch's involvement with Wu Shīfu's death didn't drive a wedge between her and Hugo's parents... His fists clenched at the thought of how close they were to losing yet more family to this... this... this bullshit.

"I hear Ladydragon has been getting into trouble with the cops," Louis stage whispered to Emma as he spotted street art of the shapeshifting superhero.

"Lòng Nǚshì is a servant of the people," Aunt Fei supplied. "If a law is not just then she sees no reason to uphold it."

Aunt Juleka nodded solemnly. "ACAB."

Aunt Fei grinned.

They pulled up to the Thousand Delights. Their Grunkle's restaurant closed for the day.

"Buó Buo!" Aunt Fei called. "We're here!"

"Kids!" Grunkle Wang rolled up to them in his wheelchair and stretched out his arms. The chair was decorated so that it looked like it was wearing a chef's uniform too. Rolled up sleeves on the sides and an apron string tied at the back.

Each of them bowed to him in greeting.

"So good to see you," Grunkle Wang smiled. "Shame Marinette could not come."

"Yeah, a real tragedy," Emma muttered under her breath.

"I'm sure she has a thousand things on her plate and is trying to do them all at once, like usual Buó Buo," Aunt Fei answered.

Emma couldn't quite smother her laughter.

"I mean, she's not wrong," Louis observed.

"Maman is really busy!" Hugo defended her with more than a hint of indignation.

"Buó Buo, this is Juleka and Rose. Family of Mèi Xù and Meì Mei's,"

Juleka blushed. "Oh, we're- that is-"

Grunkle Wang reached out and clasped her hand. "An honor to meet family from France. You are very welcome in our home."

Rose eyes shone. "It's great to finally meet you. Marinette always said you were her favorite part about visiting Shanghai. Well, you and Fei."

Juleka laid a hand on her girlfriend's shoulder. "Thanks, Wang Shīfu. But we already-"

"Nonesense! You are our guests. I insist you stay here."

"Buó Buo, this place isn't as big as it used to be," Fei reasoned.

Juleka started to nod.

"Which is why they'll be staying at my school."

"Exact-" Juleka did a double take.

Wang Shifu grinned. "Yes. That way they are still under the family's roof, no?"

"Well..." Juleka trailed off.

"We'd love to stay with you!" Rose beamed.

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Hugo glanced through the photos of his family on the walls of his room. It was... smaller than he was used to. And his family looked so big. He wasn't sure how they managed to fit everyone into such a space.

Still, they looked happy. Hugo wished he could've met his great grandparents. His hand hovered over a photo of what he thought was Grandma Sabine standing next to them. Hard to tell with her looking younger than he was.

Odd. The soft pressure at his chest for a time he never knew.

Hugo shook his head of the feeling as he made his way downstairs.

"-this is wise, Renren."

"I promised Mèi Xù."

Hugo blinked. "Aunt Fei?"

"Placing yourself between an unbalanced Yin-Yang could have grave consequences."

"Then it's a good thing this is something they both agree on."

"... Your sense of duty is commendable, Renren."

Hugo walked closer. His Mandarin was rusty and the voices were muffled but that sounded like...

"I know you're just looking out for me like you always do, Mei Shi. But they're family. I can't just tell them 'no'."

Aunt Fei jumped as she saw him standing outside her door. "Hugo!"

"Sorry! Didn't mean to startle you, A yí Fei. Do we have guests?"

"What? Oh, no. I was just talking on the phone with a friend. Let's head downstairs and see if Buó Buo needs help in the kitchen. If I know him he's gone all out again."

Aunt Fei placed an arm over Hugo's shoulders as they passed Grunkle Wang's elevator. The prospect of helping in his Grunkle's famous cooking almost enough to distract Hugo from what he'd overheard.

Almost.

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Louis breathed in the smells of a five star chef's cooking and tried to keep his mouth from watering.

Rose wasn't trying at all as she stared at the first course. "Ooh! Marinette soup!"

Emma narrowed her eyes suspiciously at the creamy purple bowl.

Hugo rolled his eyes from across the table and picked up his spoon.

Grunkle Wang grinned as Aunt Juleka and Aunt Rose started scarfing down the Marinette soup as politely as possible.

"Mmmm!" Aunt Rose mumbled, mouth too full for words.

"This is amazing," Aunt Juleka praised before following her girlfriend's example.

Emma's eyes went wide as she had her first mouthful. Her second quickly following.

Hugo smirked as he blew on his spoon to cool it down.

Louis savored the warmth of it's flavor. He usually didn't like creamy soups but the texture of this one was just right.

"There's a reason it's stayed on the menu all these years," Aunt Fei grinned as she swallowed. "It's very popular with the clientele." Her smile lessened. "Or at least it was..."

Grunkle Wang waved this away as he rolled up to his plate. "It will blow over once the newest scandal comes along. Then they will not find my soup suddenly 'disagreeable'."

The salty flavor was suddenly bitter in Louis' mouth. From the way Hugo's spoon stopped halfway he felt it too.

Emma looked down at her empty bowl. "Is it because...?"

"No," Grunkle Wang shook his head. "Enough of that. It's time for the second course!"

Aunt Fei stood up. "Buó Buo, let me."

"I can do it," he tried to wave her off.

"Buó Buo you did most of the cooking. Let me."

Grunkle Wang chuckled as he adjusted his position. "So I did."

Louis wasn't easily distracted from the thought of his parents' divorce hurting his Grunkle's restaurant. But the food did it's best. There weren't even any carrots in the stir fry.

He couldn't eat cooked carrots. And no white rice either. Which he recalled was something Aunt Rose was supposed to avoid.

There was brown rice though. Which Louis noticed Hugo trying to drown in sauce.

Hugo's eyes briefly met his gaze before flitting away. So he hadn't forgotten either.

The adults talked about how their jobs were going or asked his siblings how school was. All while Louis separated his food and separated his thoughts.

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Emma left her contacts in their case and took out her glasses.

Ugh, she was definitely leaning towards glasses. Emma hadn't slept well. A fact she blamed on the jetlag.

Absolutely nothing to do with her parents being so ridiculously famous that their relationship status put family business in jeopardy. Nope. Not at all.

...

Of course if it came down to it Papa would just-

Emma slapped her cheeks to wake herself up and derail that particular train of thought. She really needed to stop trying to solve everything with money.

The comb ran down her hair to smooth it out before she tied it into her ponytail.

Money did solve a lot of things though. Like getting the elevator installed or finding a wheelchair model that Grunkle Wang could maintain without relying on Aunt Fei. Reconfiguring the kitchen-

Emma stood abruptly and, making sure she was presentable, marched towards the door.

Money doesn't solve friendship problems though.

Her brothers and Aunts were waiting for her downstairs.

And it definitely didn't solve family problems no matter how much she wished it did.

"Alright!" Aunt Fei grinned. "First stop: breakfast."

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Emma greedily finished her jianbing as they walked up to the Shanghai Museum... "Wait. Who-"

Hugo's big eyes and stupid grin was her answer.

She hid the fond smile that threatened to peak out behind what was left of her breakfast. Trying not to roll her eyes. No, really.

"Keep close. This place is fu- freaking huge," Aunt Fei stated.

Emma did roll her eyes at that. Only for her to stare up at the massive crisscrossing stairs connecting the museum's levels. Families and other tourists milling inside.

Aunt Fei led them to the Gallery of Ancient Chinese Paintings.

Hugo's eyes still trying to bug out of his head.

Louis was trying to avoid touching anyone. Thankfully it wasn't that crowded.

"This is a recent addition. I thought all of you might appreciate it. Being from Paris and all," Aunt Fei said that last part like she was about to let them in on a joke.

Hugo muttered appreciatively to himself as he gazed at the paintings. No doubt able to tell what dynasty they were from. Nerd.

"...and this one is..." Hugo jerked.

Oh, his eyes can get bigger!

"Hēi Māo!"

Emma blinked before actually looking at the painting that had Hugo enthralled.

It was a man wielding a long staff. His black robes tied around his waist with the sash trailing behind him like a tail. His short hair denoting his criminalized status. A cat-like mask atop his head.

Hēi Māo. The Black Cat.

"Piáo Chóng!" Hugo exclaimed again.

The woman was similarly dressed to her partner except with less armor and more spots. Her hair denoting that she was at least well off.

The Ladybug's yo-yo twirling around Piáo Chóng.

"I thought the Miraculous wielder's were more well hidden?" Aunt Rose asked.

"These paintings are ancient. Far older than anything found in Europe that relates to the Miraculous," Aunt Fei explained. "Even so they were donated to the museum by an old family. I doubt the painter, or painters, ever meant for their work to be observed by the common people."

Emma stared at these ancient predecessors to the heroes of her city. Feeling strangely connected to the legacy of the Miraculous. Even though it was Hugo who was rattling off their names and what villains they had fought.

Aunt Rose nudged Aunt Juleka and pointed to a painting of Purple Tigress' predecessor. Aunt Juleka blushing for some reason.

"You certainly know more about the Miraculous lore than I do, wài sheng," Aunt Fei praised.

Hugo beamed. "Yeah, Papa taught me everything... I know." His face fell a little as he stared at the image of Húdié, the Butterfly. "Papa didn't know much so he taught himself so he could teach me."

Emma remembed that. It was one of the few fights her parents had before the big one. She couldn't say why.

Aunt Fei froze as she moved to put a hand on Hugo's shoulder. Head tilting up as though she was listening to someone.

"In broad daylight?" she muttered.

Louis looked up at her in confusion. "A yí?"

"Sorry!" Aunt Fei snapped to attention. "I have to take care of something real quick! Be right back!" She gestured to Aunt Rose and Juleka to watch them as she practically sprinted down the stairs.

Emma blinked. Aunt Fei's sudden departure reminding her uncannily of the times her parents would vanish due to 'something important'. "Must be a grown up thing," she muttered. Yes, absolutely nothing suspicious about that.

Louis was talking quietly to Hugo so Emma decided not to interrupt that. Aunt Rose and Juleka were keeping one eye on her brothers and another on the paintings.

Emma turned and- Blond hair in a green suit turned a corner on the other side of the museum. "Papa?"

He definitely looked like her Papa. And it was only the gallery right across from them. She had her phone with her... "Going to the restroom. Be right back!"

Her Aunts nodded to show they heard.

It could not be Papa, Emma thought as she went down and up the stairs to arrive at the same level. But y'know, opposite. In which case it would be slightly less embarrassing without an audience.

Emma turned a corner and to her surprise there he was. "Papa!"

Papa grinned and held out his arms for a hug. Which Emma accepted. Weird, he was wearing cologne.

"Hey there, Em!"

"What're you doing here? I thought you needed to stay in Paris for paperwork reasons?"

"True, but I couldn't just leave my darling daughter like that now could I?"

Emma rolled her eyes. "Papa!"

Papa grinned as he moved away from her play shove.

He felt lighter too. Not a lot. But enough that it seemed like the suit was hiding some weight loss. Was Papa eating enough?

"Oh!" He snapped his fingers. "Before I forget, I wanted to ask you. Have you seen my brooch?"

Emma's brow furrowed. O...kay? "A brooch?" Papa wore plenty of rings and sometimes earrings but she didn't remember him ever having a brooch.

He rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah I seem to have forgotten where I put it. It's silver. Shaped like a fan or a fancy flower." He stepped closer with a friendly smile. "You haven't seen it?"

Emma suddenly felt the chill of the museum air against her back. "Felix?"

Felix's charming smile melted into something sharper as he glanced at the other patrons. "I just want what your father stole from me."

Emma backed away from him and closer to the open space of the foyer. "I don't know-"

Felix's hand snaked out and clasped itself around her wrist. "Think! Adrien isn't that good at hiding things!"

"You're hurting me!" Emma cried out. The bones of her arm felt like they were sliding together with the force of his grip. Which didn't budge no matter how much she pulled at it.

"Just tell me-"

A flash of pink and Felix was sent hurtling across the gallery floor. Thankfully missing the exhibits. Patrons screaming in shock and fear.

Emma stumbled back as Pigella stood between her and the impersonator.

"Alright, fuck-face!" Pigella cracked her knuckles. Despite her short stature she radiated Fnd Out energy. "You got two choices. I beat your ass senseless and call Pagasus to dump you into a nice cozy French prison cell. Or you get the hell out of Shanghai."

Felix sneered condescendingly at her. No easy thing to pull off with him holding a black eye.

In answer he pulled something out of his coat and smashed it on the floor. Smoke billowing out of it. Eliciting another round of panicked screams.

"Remain calm!" Pigella held her arm over Emma as though worried Felix might try for her again.

But when the smoke cleared Felix was gone.

"Stupid supervillains and their fucking smoke bombs," Pigella muttered.

"Emma!" Aunt Juleka was on her in a flash. Looking over her for injuries.

She could see Hugo and Louis hovering worriedly behind her.

"Are you ok?"

"I- I- I-"

Breathe Emma.

Breathe.

Emma took a shakey breath.