Granny Ai, who was sitting in Lan Yi's sitting room, set her teacup aside along with the leftover bread on her plate. She looked at Granny Fang Yu, who hadn't stopped crying as though her heart would break. Irritate, she said,
"Jie, please calm yourself. Your tears won't let me eat in peace. Since Qiren promised to do everything in his power to get her released, you know he'll do it. The last time when you're arrested, remember? He only make one call before you ware bailed. Have you forgotten already?"
Frowning, Granny Fang Yu snapped,
"Stay out of my business Ai. Don't ever mention this again. If it had been your daughter or granddaughter taken away, you wouldn't be sitting here sipping tea and eating bread. Life doesn't spare anyone...what you sow is what you reap."
Granny Ai stared at her in disbelief before muttering,
"Listen to her! So I should starve myself because the police took Shu? That makes no sense. Even in the cell, the police won't let Shu go hungry...they'll feed her. And you think I should go without food in my own home? Come on! Honestly, Shu deserves jail time for all the terrible things she's done. She nearly smashed Zhan's head...he ended up in the hospital, thank goodness he survived without serious injury. And Yibo's wife too...she tried to hurt her as well. If not for Qiren's influence, and out of respect for him, Min's family would've taken her straight to court by now."
Lan Yi, who had been quietly sitting there, remained silent, only watching them.
Granny Fang Yu scowled. "Fine, eat all you want. Life goes on. As for Shu, if you wish her jail time, may it circle back to you."
Granny Ai stood abruptly, picking up her tea and bread. She headed to Lan Yi's room, muttering,
"Imagine! She's saying I should starve myself because Shu got arrested. Since when has that ever been done? If someone is in jail, should the whole family stop eating? I won't. Zhan, who we don't even know the whereabouts of, hasn't kept me from eating, let alone Shu, who we know exactly where she is."
Inside, her voice dropped to a low murmur. "I don't care about Shu. Jie just wants to drag me into an argument."
Lan Yi looked toward Granny Fang Yu and said gently, "Please calm down, Ayi. Qiren said he'll do everything possible. By tonight, everything will be resolved and she'll return home. Try to put your heart at ease."
Granny Fang Yu, still sobbing, whispered, "I hope so… I hope the poor girl finds mercy."
Meanwhile, in his sitting room, Qiren sat waiting as Yibo entered after being summoned. Yibo took a seat while Qiren studied him.
"That girl Shu," Qiren began, "she stole an important man's phone. There's no chance of bail this time. Honestly, do you think her mind is sound? She might have a mental problem."
Yibo stayed silent, quietly thinking about Shu's reckless behavior.
Qiren sighed. "Her life is being ruined before our eyes. First it was violence... she attacked your wife, nearly fractured her skull. Now theft? The phone she stole was expensive, and the owner tracked it. Tell me, what kind of life is this?"
Yibo said nothing, though in his heart he knew Qiren didn't even know the half of it. Shu's chaos had been building for months. If Qiren knew about the extent of her schemes...including her hand in Zhan's departure and cancelation of his marriage...he would have never agreed to cover for her, nor let her bailing proceed. As it was, Yibo hadn't bothered checking on her since she was taken away. To him, wherever she ended up didn't matter anymore.
Qiren sighed again. "We'll know more by tomorrow morning. But this is no small matter. They say the phone's owner is coming from Guangzhou himself. Who knows when he'll arrive."
Yibo finally muttered, "Let's hope it ends well."
Qiren nodded. "Yes, let's."
His phone rang...it was Xuxui calling. Yibo stood up and left the sitting room.
These past days, Yibo had only been holding himself together with sheer willpower. Shu's absence hadn't troubled him...but Zhan's had. The weight of it pressed heavily on him, day and night. Each time he lay down, dreams of his younger brother haunted him.
He went back downstairs, collapsed into a chair, and closed his eyes, leaning his head back. The ache of missing Zhan was unbearable. Fifteen minutes passed in silence before he heard Granny Ai's voice and opened his eyes, watching her as she entered.
Granny Ai lowered her voice and said, "How are things going? Qiren couldn't reach them by phone, not even the police."
Yibo adjusted his sitting posture and replied calmly, "The phone is of someone very influential. Forget about bail...right now the issue is more serious."
Granny Ai widened her eyes. "Someone influential? Hmm… Shu has really gone far. Next thing, she'll be carrying weapons around. And that old woman upstairs hasn't stopped crying since morning, insisting it was all a setup against the orphan girl. But in my heart, I can't help thinking...what if Fang Yu Jie and Shu are actually working together? Maybe she's the one helping Shu move the stolen goods. Anyway, for heaven's sake, keep your mouth shut. Don't repeat this to anyone. They said there's no bail, so let's not lose our peace of mind over it. That old woman will spend another sleepless night, but me? I want my rest. Right now, I'm heading back upstairs to lie down and tell her Qiren hasn't returned from the police station."
With that, she carried her teacup to the kitchen.
By around eleven, Yibo was still in the sitting room when Lan Yi came downstairs, planning to prepare tea for Qiren. She glanced at him carefully and asked, "That wife of yours at the hospital...has she been discharged already? I saw you sitting here."
Yibo shook his head. "Not yet. Tomorrow. Her relatives are still there. But Mama, I'd rather she went straight to her family's house from the hospital. I need my space. Yet Baba insists she comes here, and honestly, I can't stand the sight of her right now."
Lan Yi didn't say a word, just continued into the kitchen.
~**~
As usual, the next morning at 7 a.m., Zhan came out of his room, dressed for work. He went into the kitchen to boil hot water for Wei Po. For five days now, he had been the one preparing her hot water and breakfast before heading out. He entered her room, placed the items on the table, and greeted her.
Wei Po opened her mouth and said, "I'm fine. Look, today I woke up feeling fresh, no pain anywhere. Looks like the poison has finally left my body."
Zhan smiled. "That's how it should be."
Wei Po gave a small laugh. "They really wanted me gone so they could even take over my inheritance. But I know everything that's happening."
Zhan only smiled quietly as he prepared her tea. Wei Po continued, "Bless you, child. I heard you're also working at Dr. Jing's hospital?"
"Yes," Zhan answered simply.
"Then I wish you success. And listen... don't be too soft with the children in this house. They're disrespectful, troublemakers, and their mother never corrects them."
Zhan just smiled again. "I should get going before I'm late."
"Go on then, take care," Wei Po said.
Zhan rose and left. He skipped breakfast, since the hospital expected staff by eight sharp. He said goodbye to mother Chang at the door and stepped out. It had been five days since he last saw Dr. Jing, who had gone with others to a workshop in Shanghai.
Around eleven, Zhan was coming out of one of the wards when Dr. Balogun arrived at the reception. The nurses greeted him warmly. He reminded them, "The MD is around, so keep yourselves composed." Then he went upstairs.
Moments later, the Managing Director himself entered, smartly dressed in a black suit and white shirt, holding his laptop. Zhan followed him with his eyes. All the nurses immediately stood straighter, greeting him respectfully as if he were a prominent figure. He acknowledged them briefly without looking up, then headed upstairs. Dr. Jing followed behind, also with a laptop in hand, and waved to the nurses.
Hannah turned to Zhan, who was tidying some files. She leaned closer and whispered, "That's him, the MD."
Zhan glanced at her. "He's a foreigner?"
Hannah shrugged. "I'm not sure. But he's strict, very sharp. Nobody jokes around with him."
Quickly remembering he had a patient assigned by Dr. Han to check on, Zhan excused himself and headed to the ward.
- - - -
By 2:30 p.m., Zhan brought a file to Dr. Jing's office. He greeted him, and Dr. Jing replied warmly, "It's been a while. How's work?"
"Going fine," Zhan answered. "How was the trip?"
"So stressful," Dr. Jing said with a tired smile. "We'll be going again in a month."
Zhan nodded. "Hopefully it will be smoother."
Dr. Jing leaned forward. "Just be very careful. Our Director will remain around until the next workshop before returning. Make sure you stay diligent. Any unpleasant encounter with him won't be funny. But honestly, I'm not worried about you...especially since even Balogun commended your work."
Zhan sat quietly without saying a word.
"How's mother?" Dr Jing asked.
"They're all fine," Zhan replied.
He chuckled. "She told me you've grown close with Wei Po lately."
Zhan laughed lightly, and he added, "Just be careful not to annoy her."
Zhan only smiled and nodded.
"Did you go to foshan over the weekend?"
"Yes, I did," Zhan answered.
Just then, the phone on the desk began to ring. He glanced at Zhan and said, "That's the MD calling. Don't leave yet...wait for me. I'll drop you off since I'm heading there too."
"Alright," Zhan agreed.
He stood up, and Zhan rose as well. They left the office together...he went upstairs to the MD's office on the top floor, while Zhan went downstairs to collect injections on a tray for a young girl admitted that morning.
When Zhan entered the ward, the girl's mother was feeding her hospital food. He waited until she finished, then prepared the injections. Suddenly, the ward door opened. Zhan turned and instinctively stepped aside.
It was the MD, followed by Dr. Jing. The woman greeted them. The MD looked at her and asked, "Hello ma'am, any improvement?"
Speaking in English, the woman replied, "She still has pain. The fever goes down, but it comes back again. And she keeps jolting awake."
The MD turned to Zhan. "Diagnostic procedure?"
Zhan's chest tightened. He quickly grabbed the girl's file and began flipping through it nervously. His hands shook, and he lost his composure. Dr. Jing stepped in, took the file, and gave the diagnosis.
The MD straightened. "So he can't even handle this...you have to do it?"
"Doctor, we still have nineteen more wards to cover," Dr. Jing reminded him.
The MD asked again, "Therapeutic procedure?"
Dr. Jing read it out within seconds.
"Any medical history?" the MD pressed.
Dr. Jing confirmed the details, still reading from the file. The MD then moved forward, checked the girl's temperature, and listened to her chest with his stethoscope. After a few moments, he glanced sharply at Zhan.
"Give her the injections."
Zhan picked up the syringe and approached the girl, but his hands trembled. It was as if it was his first time administering an injection. The child's cries unsettled him further.
The MD frowned at Dr. Jing, visibly irritated. "Why is he so slow? Does he even know his job?"
Dr. Jing reached to take the syringe, but the MD stopped him coldly. "What for?"
Zhan shot the MD a sidelong glare, masking his unease with a stiff expression. Then, forcing himself to focus, he administered the injection properly.
The MD left the ward abruptly, with Dr. Jing following him out.
By 5 p.m., a senior nurse announced to the staff at reception that those on evening shift should wait...there would be a meeting. The night staff would join, while the day staff would meet with the director in the hospital's meeting room. The next day, before the evening staff left, they would also have their session.
As Zhan stepped out of another ward, Dr. Jing approached him.
"Go home," he said quietly. "You don't need to attend the meeting. Besides, he doesn't even have your data yet...I'll pass it on to him. After the meeting, I'll be heading home too."
Zhan felt relieved. Ever since Matron mentioned the meeting, he'd been unsettled. The last thing he wanted was another encounter with the MD. Something about the man made his skin crawl...he didn't like him at all. Arrogant, cold, and sharp-tongued, the MD seemed to enjoy belittling others.
Zhan lowered his gaze, then looked at Dr. Jing and nodded. "Alright. I'll wait for you at home."
Dr. Jing asked, "I hope you have enough cash on you?"
Zhan replied, "Yes, I do. Thank you."
He didn't even spend ten more minutes at the hospital before grabbing his bag and leaving. On his way out, he stopped by the injection room to say goodbye to Nurse Hannah. Once Zhan stepped outside, the nurses at the reception desk immediately began whispering among themselves, surprised he had gone home despite being told there was an all-staff meeting.
From the day he first arrived, some of the hospital doctors had already taken a liking to him, which only fueled jealousy from others. Their envy became so obvious that some of them barely even greeted him. Not that Zhan seemed to care...he wasn't the talkative type and rarely engaged in casual conversations. Still, it was telling that within just ten days of starting, people were already taking sides. Even the way Dr. Jing often called him into his office, or how Dr. Balogun interacted with him, left many unsettled.
One nurse leaned toward her colleague and muttered, "So this one, all polished and proud, thinks he can just skip meetings? Did you see him walk out with his bag? Hmph. He must think he's on the same level as Dr. Jing, Dr. Balogun, or even Dr. Han, who's always flashing him smiles. Just wait. The MD will find out he missed today's meeting. Unless they never cross paths, this arrogant one will get the same treatment as the rest. Let's see if he's still untouchable then."
Nurse Victoria shook her head. "Honestly, I don't get it. From the day he arrived, he's been acting like he's above everyone else. Coming in here and prescribing left and right like he's the only competent one. Who does he think he is?"
Nurse Bola, overhearing them, added, "My only hope is that the MD notices his absence. After all the meetings he's skipped, we'll see how long it takes before reality catches up with him."
But when Nurse Hannah appeared in sight, their whispers fell into silence.
When Zhan got home, he found mother Chang seated in the living room with Zhe...Dr. Jing's wife..and Chang's younger sister, Ruyue, whom everyone called Aunty Ruyue. Since Zhan had moved into the house, this was the first time he'd seen Zhe visiting.
He greeted mother Chang, then Aunty Ruyue, and finally Zhe. She glanced at him once, then quickly looked away, giving only the barest reply to his greeting.
Feeling the weight of her coldness, Zhan excused himself and retreated to his room.
Once he locked the door behind him, Chang frowned at Zhe and asked, "What kind of disrespectful response was that, Zhe?"
Zhe shrugged. "Disrespect? He greeted me, and I replied. Isn't that enough?"
Aunty Ruyue cut in. "Chang Jie, don't tell me he still hasn't found a place of his own. The last time I visited, you said he was house-hunting. Even if he's been eyeing one of those brand-new builds. Hasn't he secured anything yet?"
Chang shook her head. "No. And to be honest, I doubt he'll find one anytime soon."
Aunty Ruyue pursed her lips. "Well, let's just hope for the best."
By the time it was past 7 p.m., Zhan still hadn't come out of his room. The memory of Zhe's dismissive attitude had left him completely drained.
It was Mimi who finally knocked and entered. She peered at him and said, "Uncle, Maa asked me to call you."
Zhan sighed. "Alright."
He stood up from where he had been sitting on the carpeted floor and went to the living room. Mother Chang was the only one there.
"I'm here, Maa," he said softly.
"I noticed you didn't touch the food," she said.
"I was waiting until it got later," Zhan replied.
"Well, it's late enough now," Chang told him. "Wei Po asked about you earlier, and I said you were resting."
Zhan gave her a small smile...just as someone's voice rang out with a greeting at the door.
Mother Chang looked up in surprise and said, "Ah… You? What about the five weeks talking?"
Zhan turned toward the door, and his heart dropped instantly. He quickly averted his eyes, trying to hide the turmoil on his face.
Zhanxianyibo💚❤️💛