Returning - Chapter 99
Chapter 99: Boyfriend
"Mom… Mom…" Low, fragmented murmurs kept spilling from Zhao Yu's lips. Xue Zhan held her hand tightly, pressing his other hand to her forehead. It felt slightly warm, but nothing too serious.
That bout of sex had drained every last bit of her strength. By the time he finished bathing her and carried her out of the bathroom, she was already fast asleep.
Just in case, he had the hotel send up some cold medicine. He had wanted to wake her to take it before sleeping, but she didn't respond even after several calls, so he had no choice but to let her rest.
"I'm sorry… Mom… I'm sorry…" Her body curled into a tight ball. The hand he held clutched his palm so tightly it almost hurt. "Xiao Yu… Xiao Yu… I'm sorry…"
Listening to her trembling, muffled sobs, Xue Zhan couldn't help but think back to that night in Yandu.
That was when she was at her most vulnerable. Perhaps, just like she was clinging to his hand now, she had merely seen him as driftwood in her painful helplessness. But what had he done at that time?
"Zhao Yu." He patted her face, flushed from being buried under the blanket, and raised his voice. "Wake up. Take some fever reducer before you go back to sleep."
Only after hearing him call a few more times did Zhao Yu struggle to open her eyes, looking at him through a blur of tears.
"Your forehead is a bit warm. Take the medicine first." Xue Zhan helped her sit up, then handed her the pills and a glass of warm water.
After taking the medicine, Zhao Yu didn't lie back down. She merely glanced at the tightly drawn curtains and asked hoarsely, "What time is it?"
"Eight-thirty."
"At night?"
"Mm. Do you want something to eat?"
Zhao Yu shook her head, then quickly thought of something else. "You haven't eaten yet?"
"No."
"Order some takeout then. I want a little something too."
But in the end, she only managed a few reluctant bites. Xue Zhan didn't eat much either.
She said she wanted some time alone, so Xue Zhan returned to the adjoining room. Only after his figure disappeared did she let out a long breath.
Her mood was already extremely suppressed. Adding a layer of carefulness in front of him only made it heavier, so heavy she could barely breathe.
But now, did he truly, completely believe her? Zhao Yu still didn't dare to be certain.
At ten o'clock that night, Xue Zhan received a message from Liu Ling. It contained brief information about Zhao Yu. The two most critical points were her name change and her going abroad.
These were the very points Xue Zhan had been suspicious about. He hadn't even ordered his people to investigate yet, but Liu Ling had already dug it up first.
You're right, that woman is not simple.
Looking at the message Liu Ling sent, Xue Zhan rubbed his brow and replied: If you truly care about Xue Zi'ang's well-being, don't tell him any of this. Otherwise, I guarantee you, your efforts will backfire. Terribly.
He knew that nephew of his far too well. Even he himself couldn't withstand Zhao Yu's tears and vulnerability, let alone Xue Zi'ang, who, once stubborn, drove forward with a one-track mind.
Early the next morning, the rain finally stopped. By the time Xue Zhan drove the car into the residential compound Zhao Yu had indicated, the sky had cleared.
But the car sat in an above-ground parking space for a long time. Zhao Yu still couldn't muster the courage to open the door and get out.
Xue Zhan glanced at the gifts she had bought at the supermarket that morning sitting in the back seat, then at her hand wringing the hem of her clothes. "Do you want me to go with you?"
Zhao Yu didn't answer. However, her already rigid body suddenly tensed even more.
Xue Zhan sensed her unease and followed her gaze.
On a weekday morning, the residential compound was rather quiet, only a few elderly people doing their grocery shopping coming and going from the entrance. Passing by the car at this moment was a middle-aged couple with graying hair. They had just returned from buying groceries and seemed to still be discussing the vegetables in their hands, chatting and laughing all the way.
Looking at Zhao Yu biting her lip tightly, Xue Zhan said, "I'll go with you."
After hesitating for a long time, Zhao Yu nodded.
The doorbell rang several times before the door was pulled open. Seeing Zhao Yu and Xue Zhan outside, the person inside was clearly stunned. "Xi Xi? What brings you here?"
Zhao Yu smiled. "Godfather."
Her godfather was so overjoyed he didn't even bother to ask who Xue Zhan was. He hurriedly led them inside and shouted towards the kitchen, "Xi Xi is back!"
Her godmother rushed out quickly, still holding an apron. She was also surprised and delighted. "Didn't you say you couldn't come back because of a business trip? Why didn't you tell us in advance?"
"My boss is nice. He gave me a break after the trip."
Zhao Yu walked forward with a smile, reaching to take the apron to help cook, but her godmother pushed her away. "Go rest properly. When would you ever need to lift a finger here?"
Only then did she turn her attention to Xue Zhan. "And this is…"
"Oh, I forgot to introduce him. He's my…"
"Boyfriend." Xue Zhan smiled politely. "Hello, Uncle, Auntie. My name is Xue Zhan."
This was an anticipated answer. Her godparents weren't overly surprised, but the smiles on their faces grew even wider, and they immediately began warmly entertaining their guest.
Before coming, Zhao Yu had told Xue Zhan about the three million and this apartment. Upon entering, Xue Zhan had instinctively scanned the place. It was indeed a newly decorated home.
Moreover, a large photo frame sat on the bookshelf. It was a group photo of five people: the two elders now warmly hosting him, Zhao Yu with short hair, a middle-aged woman who resembled Zhao Yu slightly, and the other young girl, who must be Yu Jin.
These weren't necessarily ironclad proof that couldn't be fabricated. But sitting at the same dining table for a meal, listening to the conversation between Zhao Yu and the two elders, observing the atmosphere of their interaction and the topics occasionally, deliberately skirted around in their words, Xue Zhan understood very clearly: suspicion had no place here.
After lunch, Zhao Yu helped her godmother clean up the kitchen. Her godmother quietly glanced at Xue Zhan sitting outside drinking tea, closed the kitchen door, and whispered, "He looks older than you. How old is he?"
"Almost thirty-four."
"Divorced? Any children?"
"No, he's never been married."
Her godmother looked worried. "Not married at his age… could there be… some hidden issue?"
Zhao Yu shook her head with a smile. "Don't worry. He's just been so busy with work he never had time for relationships. There's nothing else wrong."
But her godmother's face remained full of concern. "Does he know about your situation? Xi Xi, your godmother knows you're a good girl, but some things… some men do care about them. This Xue Zhan seems quite nice, but if he minds, then he's not the one. We won't suffer this kind of grievance."
Zhao Yu nodded. "I know. Don't worry, I won't let myself be wronged."
In the living room, the two men drinking tea together, though strangers, were also engaged in earnest conversation.
"That child, Xi Xi, has had a hard life since she was little. Her mother raised her alone. It wasn't easy for either mother or daughter. Now, even her mother is gone, leaving her all alone. No matter how well her godmother and I treat her, it still can't compare to her own mother. Every time we think of her out there, alone and helpless, our hearts ache. Now that someone is by her side to take care of her, we can finally rest easy."
Xue Zhan responded politely. Glancing at Zhao Yu coming out of the kitchen with cups, he said quietly, "You can rest assured. I will take good care of her."
The household rarely had guests. When her godparents originally chose this home, they only wanted this two-bedroom unit. The other bedroom was meant for Zhao Yu. So that night, Xue Zhan slept on the sofa.
Zhao Yu got up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom and found the wall lamp in the living room still on. Xue Zhan was sitting on the sofa, casually flipping through a book, seemingly having not slept at all.
"Is the sofa too small and uncomfortable? Why don't you take the bed? I'll sleep on the sofa."
Xue Zhan closed the book and stood up. "It's fine. I'm just not tired yet."
When they were neither in a desperate situation nor in bed, the atmosphere between them actually became somewhat awkward.
Zhao Yu cleared her throat quietly and said softly, "Thank you for today. If you hadn't come with me, I probably… wouldn't have even dared to step through that door."
As she finished speaking, she turned to leave, but Xue Zhan suddenly called out to her: "Xi Xi."
Zhao Yu froze, looking at him in astonishment.
Xue Zhan lowered his head, slightly embarrassed, and rubbed his nose. "I got used to calling you that in front of them."
Zhao Yu bit her lip and nodded. "Then… get some sleep soon."
"Mm." Xue Zhan paused, then suddenly wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Goodnight."
Comments
Post a Comment