Surprise! 😀 😀 😀 😀
Qiren said to Lan Yi, "I called to tell you that you and your family have finally achieved your goal with Zhan. You've pushed him to the point you wanted.....into the life you were hoping for him. Well, it's happened. You can celebrate all you want… but I want you to know this: if anything happens to my son, wherever he may be, I will never forgive you. Whatever situation Zhan is in now, it's because of you and your family's selfishness. The blame is on you."
With that, Qiren ended the call.
Lan Yi stood frozen, as if trying to absorb every word he had just said. A few seconds after the line went dead, she turned slowly toward Yibo, who had just stepped onto the balcony. She still hadn't taken the phone away from her ear. Looking at him, without blinking, she asked in a strained voice, "Where is Zhan?"
Yibo avoided her eyes and simply handed her a paper. Lan Yi snatched it quickly and glanced at it, then immediately turned and went into the sitting room, where Granny Fang Yu was. She knelt before the older woman and broke into uncontrollable sobs.
Startled, Granny Fang Yu rose to her feet. "What's wrong? What happened now?" she asked, grabbing the paper from Lan Yi in confusion. She turned it over in her hands, her expression tense. "Did Qiren divorce you?"
Lan Yi couldn't speak; she just kept crying.
Granny Fang Yu began to cry as well. She couldn't read the paper, but her voice trembled as she said, "Please, talk to me. Did Qiren divorce you?"
Just then Yibo entered the sitting room. Granny Fang Yu hurried toward him, her body shaking, and held the paper out to him. "Yibo, what is this?"
Yibo stayed silent for a moment, looking at her, then finally said, "Zhan wrote it."
"Zhan?" she asked sharply. "What for?"
"He left," Yibo replied.
Granny Fang Yu's eyes widened. "Left? Left where?"
Yibo didn't answer. He turned and walked out to the balcony. Granny Fang Yu quickly turned back to Lan Yi. "Where did Zhan go?"
Through her sobs, Lan Yi said, "You know… even though he's not my own child, I've never treated him any differently. I've loved him as if he were my own blood. I've cared for him like a mother would her son, but....but you make me choose.…" Her voice broke, and she couldn't continue.
Granny Fang Yu sank into a chair, lost for words. After a moment, she began to cry again, her voice rising. "Who does Zhan even know in this world that he would just leave like that? Where could he possibly go? This is all that woman's doing....Yibo's wife. She stirred up all this trouble, ruined our peace. We were living happily until she came and shattered everything. And now, Shu is gone and we don't know where she is or what condition she's in. And Zhan.....gone too. Who knows where?!"
- - - - -
That same day, Qiren had taken Xuxui to his newly completed and furnished Mansion....a surprise he had been planning for Lan Yi. Not even his son's knew about the place. His idea was to tell them they were going out for the day, take them to the new Mansion, and from there simply move in without returning to the old one. He had long wanted to leave the neighborhood where he grew up and settle somewhere more secure. He'd arranged for his cousin and the cousin's wife to live in the old house so it wouldn't stand empty, and he planned to let a neighbor stay in his chalet rent-free, since the man had been struggling to pay.
But now, with Zhan gone, the joy of the old house meant nothing to him. The boy's departure had shaken and unsettled him deeply. He wished Zhan would change his mind and return home. He knew Zhan had no real support wherever he went, and he had done his best to protect him and keep him from feeling unwanted during everything that had happened. But all his efforts had failed.
Qiren was certain that if Lan Yi hadn't done what she did, Zhan would never have left. He didn't believe he could ever forgive her or her relatives. If it weren't for her children, nothing would stop him from telling her outright not to come back. He no longer even wanted to see her.....but for son's sake, he decided it was better to simply leave her the house, along with her children, and walk away.
- - - - -
At exactly half past seven, after night had already fallen, Yibo took Granny Fang Yu home. Throughout the hours they had spent at Yibo's house, Lan Yi had done nothing but cry, drowning in regret. One look at her and you could tell she was in a turmoil too deep for words. She had never expected things to turn out this way. No one had pushed her into this situation except Granny Fang Yu, who had been determined to make sure she separated from Zhan. The constant pressure from Granny Fang Yu had driven her to this point. She had only been trying to please her mother in every possible way to avoid conflict.
Granny Fang Yu had little to say, but she cursed Min more times than anyone could count. She swore over and over again that Yibo would never continue living with "trouble." Even the food Yibo had gone out to buy for them remained untouched, the tension in the air too heavy for anyone to eat.
When Yibo was dropping Granny Fang Yu off and Lan Yi began to step out of the car, Granny Fang Yu looked at her sharply and said, "And where exactly do you think you're going?"
Summoning all her courage, Lan Yi replied, "What's the point of me going back home? There's nothing there for me anymore." Then she broke down into heavy sobs.
Granny Fang Yu said, "And what do you plan to do here? I can feel it..... Zhan hasn't gone anywhere far. If you want peace of mind, then calm yourself down and focus. He'll come back. This crying will only make you sick, and you're not in perfect health as it is. Remember the last time.....he walked away when the wedding was canceled, but eventually he came back. It's just frustration and lack of direction, nothing more. He knows he has nowhere else to go and no one else but us. Zhan is a sensible boy. I'm certain he's just gone to a friend's house to clear his head for a while, but he'll return, no matter how late. Have you ever seen a child completely abandon his parents no matter what they've done?
"So stop torturing yourself and go home. Make a plan with your husband and his schoolmates to start looking for him tomorrow. The friend you called earlier isn't his only friend.....he might be at someone else's place. Don't let what Qiren told you push you into confronting him tonight. I'm sure Zhan is still nearby. I'll also call Shu's father's relatives to see if she's there....it might help settle our minds. But believe me, Zhan's good sense wouldn't allow him to run away for long. He's close by."
After saying that, Granny Fang Yu unlocked her door, which had been left ajar, and stepped inside slowly, muttering, "Imagine… today, my dignity dragged all the way to the police station." Then she burst into tears and locked the door.
Yibo left the neighborhood after dropping her off. Since earlier, he hadn't spoken a single word to Lan Yi.....not even to comfort her despite her sobbing. But really, what could he say? Deep down, all he wanted was to go home, grab his bag, and walk away for good.
***
Around nine o'clock, Zhan woke up from his sleep. It was still raining, though not heavily. By then, his body was burning with fever. Forcing himself, he got out of bed, quietly opened his bag, pulled out a jacket, and put it on. He then took his ATM card, walked slowly to the door, unlocked it, and stepped out, locking it behind him.
He made his way downstairs to the hotel reception, trying to keep his composure. Looking at the receptionist, he began, "Please, where can I locate…"
But he couldn't finish his sentence....his hand went to his head as he staggered. The receptionist quickly came around the counter to hold him when she saw he was about to collapse.
"Are you okay, sir?" she asked, her colleague hurrying over to check on him as well.
Zhan only nodded slightly. The receptionist helped him over to a chair and sat him down, watching him with concern. Other hotel staff gathered around.
"You don't look well at all, do you?" the receptionist asked, but Zhan didn't respond. His breathing had started to become labored, and panic spread among the staff.
One worker suggested they take him to the hospital, since the hotel wasn't equipped for emergencies.
Just then, a man came down from upstairs on his way out. He stopped, noticing the crowd of staff fanning Zhan. He walked over and asked, "Is everything alright here?"
"He's not well," one of the staff replied. "We're just waiting for the car keys so we can take him to the hospital."
"I've got my car right here," the man said. "Let's take him now. I'm heading out anyway."
He stood in front of Zhan, looking at him closely. "Hey, do you have asthma?"
Zhan didn't even seem to register the question.....his eyes briefly flickered at the group, but he looked dazed.
"Come on, help him to the car," the man told the staff, before rushing off to start his vehicle in the parking lot.
The receptionist and another worker guided Zhan to the car. The hotel staff member climbed in beside him in the back seat after taking his ATM card so it wouldn't get lost, handing his room key to a colleague to return upstairs. The man drove them out of the hotel compound once the gate was opened.
While driving, he called a friend. "Hello, Doc, are you at the hospital?" he asked. Then, "Good, we've got an emergency.....a man isn't feeling well, and we're on our way there now." He ended the call.
About an hour later, Zhan slowly opened his eyes in the hospital. The first thing he saw was the receptionist from the hotel, sitting by his bed in the ward. She had been waiting for him to wake up so she could contact his family before returning to work, as instructed by the hotel manager.
She gave him a gentle smile, stood up, and said, "Glad to see you awake."
Zhan slowly sat up, glancing around the ward. It was spacious and spotless....clearly a top-class hospital. Even from the bed, it was easy to tell this was no ordinary place.
The receptionist said, "Let me go and tell them you're awake."
She left the ward, and Zhan watched her go before noticing the CCTV camera in the corner. His gaze dropped to the drip attached to his hand just as the door opened. He quickly looked up to see a man enter, followed by another wearing a white lab coat and a stethoscope around his neck.
Zhan kept watching them until they reached his bed. The first man leaned slightly, resting a hand on the bed's rail as he asked, "How are you feeling?"
"I'm much better now," Zhan replied.
The doctor came closer, adjusted the flow of the drip, then looked at him. "Hope you're feeling a lot better?"
"Sure," Zhan answered.
The receptionist added, "The manager said I should call your relatives, then return to my desk."
Zhan's chest tightened a little.
The doctor nodded. "Yes, that's a good idea. You should contact your family and let them know you're in the hospital."
"My phone's in the hotel room," Zhan said quickly.
The man who had brought him to the hospital took out his phone and offered it. "You can use mine."
Zhan accepted the phone, still thinking about what to do. Then, an idea came to him..... he dialed his own number, which was switched off, and put the call on speaker. Everyone looked at him when they heard the automated message.
"That's my father's number," he explained casually. "Let me try my elder brother."
He dialed another line, but that one was also switched off.
Turning to the receptionist, Zhan said, "You can go now. Thank you for your help. I'm sure I'll reach them later."
"Alright. Here's your ATM card," she said, handing it over. Zhan had almost forgotten about it. He took it and nodded.
"Thanks," he said.
On her way out, the man who had brought them offered, "Do you want to wait so we can leave together in thirty minutes?"
"Oh, don't worry. I can get a cab once I'm outside. My manager's instructions were to return to work as soon as he's awake," she replied.
"Alright then," the man said.
After she left, Zhan straightened his clothes and muttered, "I'm fine now. They can discharge me, and I'll settle the bill."
Dr. Wu Jing exchanged a glance with his friend Daniel. Then Dr. Jing said, "We haven't finished giving you the proper medication yet, and look.....the drip isn't even halfway done."
"I'm fine," Zhan insisted. "It was just my blood pressure dropping, but I feel much better now."
Daniel said, "Okay then, just discharge him and write down the medications he needs."
Dr. Jing lowered his voice. "You know the hospital's policy…"
Daniel shrugged. "He said he wants to go. That's not your responsibility."
Dr. Jing nodded. "Alright then."
Zhanxianyibo💚❤️💛