Chapter 279: A sign?
Chapter 279: A sign?
Liang Shin sat beside Huian. He slowly lifted her wrist, but apart from some minute movement, it did nothing. He checked her legs too and conducted a preliminary examination.
He said, “Miss Huian will have to go through a lot of exercises and treatment. It will be a little painful, but if she is determined enough, she can recover in one month. There is an extensive regime for that; otherwise, usually, it takes up to three to four months with the usual treatment.”
Xiang Wei and Xiang Wei got a little worried. But Huian’s gaze brightened.
One month…I cannot wait for four months to recover. I have already gone through so much pain. What if it is a little more?
She blinked her eyes in agreement.
Xiang Qingge said, “Dear, but are you sure? One month is too less, and yes, it is possible, but it will be too hurting and painful.”
Xiang Wei nodded. “Yes, Huian. We also want you to recover as soon as possible, but one month will be really tough. We can go slow and be done in four months. That will be less stressful.”
Huian understood their concern. But she had already decided this. She couldn’t wait. The earlier she could walk and talk, the sooner she would be able, to tell the truth.
Huian slightly nodded again. Mother and Father Xiang saw the determined look.
It was tough, but she was ready for this.
He sighed. “Okay, if that is what you have decided.”
Liang Shin was also impressed. Usually, all of his patients have chosen the four months route.
“Okay, then. We will start from tomorrow. But I already warn you that I won’t let you give up mid-way. One month may seem attractive, but when you will get into it, it will be a whole different story.”
Huian blinked her eyes again. Liang Shin liked the look in her eyes. It was easy for a doctor when the patient was equally supportive too.
Liang Shin smiled. “Let’s meet tomorrow, then.”
—
Liu Corps.
Jinhai was leaning back on his seat. The file was open on his desk, but he couldn’t concentrate on his work. There were meetings to attend, but he canceled all of them. He unlocked his phone and opened Nana’s picture.
In it, she was wearing a beautiful yellow dress. It was taken when she was in Natsukashi, serving a customer. Her face had the lovely, prettiest smile that he always loved so much. Unknowingly, his lips curved into a faint smile.
“Sir.” Assistant Xin knocked.
“Come in.”
“Sir, I got news from Miss Huian’s side.”
Jinhai squinted his eyes. “What?”
“Sir, Mr. Xiang Wei has called for a doctor from abroad to treat Miss Huian. He has just arrived yesterday.”
“Who?”
“Liang Shin from Paris.”
Jinhai couldn’t help but slightly widen his eyes in surprise. He never expected this to happen. The doctor and his family who are connected to Nana…are back in Beijing. And he was going to help Huian recover.
The turn of events was simply shocking. But what did it mean for him? This made the situation complicated. He wanted Nana to stay away from Huian and also otherwise. But there was now a link that connected both of them.
“…Hm.” Jinhai simply hummed. “Leave me alone for a while.”
Xin nodded.
Jinhai once again stared at Nana’s photo. First, the dream of last night and now this news…he couldn’t help but wonder if it meant something. Was it a sign about something?
The unrest came back to him. If he want, he could remove Liang Shin from the work. But he didn’t want to interfere in Huian’s treatment. He had already punished her for her mistakes.
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. A few minutes later, he felt a pair of warm hands on his eyes.
“Nana!”
He looked at her in surprise.
“How did you like my surprise?” Nana giggled.
He smiled. “Yes, very much. You came here alone?” He then frowned.
She rolled her eyes. “Driver Mu was with me. He dropped me. And don’t worry, I was careful.”
Jinhai stood up from his seat and helped Nana on it.
“Wait! How can I sit here? This is your CEO seat.”
“And aren’t you the lady boss? This seat is as much as yours as it’s mine. You can order around the employees too.” Jinhai chuckled. “And I smell tasty food.”
“I brought you lunch. Weren’t you a little upset last night? So I thought this might cheer you up.”
He pecked her lips. She always understood him so well.
They both sat down for lunch. Then he asked, “Nana.”
“Hm?”
“… Nothing.”
—
Serena was in her apartment doing some light exercises. She slowly got up to get a glass of water for herself when her phone buzzed. She picked it up to see an unknown number.
“Hello.”
There was silence at the other end.
Serena frowned. “Hello?”
Still no answer.
“If you don’t want to talk, then why did you call me? I’m hanging up.”
“Z-zhilan!”
She froze. Serena clearly recognized her voice.
“Why did you call me, Mom!?” Serena furiously shouted.
Huo Xiao Fan had expected to hear her angry voice. But she said nothing.
“I…just wanted to know about you.” She mumbled softly.
“Know? What do you want to know about me? Didn’t you already see my condition yesterday!?”
Huo Xiao Fan was stunned.
“Huh? When did I see you?”
“Don’t lie! You came to meet me yesterday on the market! Didn’t you see it then? Why are you calling me now?”
Huo Xiao Fan looked confused at the other end. She had no idea what Serena was talking about.
This was the first time she was calling her in seven months. In the past, she tried many times to meet her, but she couldn’t gather her courage to do so. Because of her misunderstanding that Nana was the cause of Yu Tengfei’s death, she made Serena be her best friend and also trap Jianyu to ruin her.
And now she had lost both of them. Because of her one misbelief, Serena suffered and lost so much.
But now she was saying that she met her?
“Zhilan…I really don’t understand. I was at my house the whole day. How could I…”
“Enough! I already told you what I wanted to. Don’t pester me.” Tears gushed out of Serena’s eyes.
“I just want to know how you are doing.” She heard her sniffling on the other end. She clenched her fingers into a fist. But she could do nothing. “How are things with Jianyu…and your baby-“
“What do you care about!? Didn’t you say to raise the child myself? That I shouldn’t come to look for you for any help!?”
Huo Xiao Fan clearly remembered it. The first time that Serena told her she was pregnant, she had harshly berated her for entangling with Jianyu.
But how wrong she was. Her daughter was pregnant, but she as a mother left her alone. She knew it was selfish, but now she looked forward to her grandchild’s birth. She also knew that perhaps she would never get to meet or hold her grandchild. But she still couldn’t help but get excited.
And Jianyu? She had no idea what happened between them after that. There was no one with Serena.
“Don’t worry, Mom. I am used to it. You have always left me alone from the beginning. Whether it be childhood or now. Why are you acting like you care for me now?”
Her words stung Huo Xiao Fan like venom. Indeed, the revenge for Yu Tengfei had clouded her mind that she lost not only her daughter, but also her husband and son in the process.
“And what did you say yesterday? Child? You called me with endearment. Such a joke!” She mocked.
Huo Xiao Fan still couldn’t get it. Then she widened her eyes in shock as something struck her.
No…it couldn’t be…
I was not the one who met her yesterday, but Serena thinks I did. She is absolutely sure.
Was she…Xiao Dan?
Huo Xiao Fan collapsed on the chair as she realized it.
There was no other way Serena would have confused me with another woman. And she doesn’t know about Xiao Dan, so she might have thought of her as me.
Serena didn’t hear any reply.
“This is the last time you are calling me. Forget that you ever had a daughter because you are already dead to me.”
She hung up.
Huo Xiao Fan couldn’t say anything. The realization has struck her hard.
Xiao Dan is…back?
The last time she knew she was in Paris. Huo Shen had told her that. And then she never returned to Beijing again.
So, why did she come back after twenty-one years?
The memory of her brought the many other memories that she wanted to forget: her heartbreak, her trip to Tokyo, and that stormy night in the hospital.
Huo Xiao Fan could never forget what happened in the hospital that night when she went into labor.
She clutched the handle of her chair as tears threatened to fall. She looked up at the ceiling with a blank stare.
“Xiao Dan, Liang Zou…why are you back?”