Although his parents were still in his life, living a quieter life on their own and occasionally making demands for grandchildren, they remained outside of the business, but he was not surprised that they were waiting for him in the office, he even knew what it was about.

The car coasted to a stop at his spot in the underground parking lot and Lei Zhao exited the car without waiting for the driver to open the door. He headed straight for the private elevator, exchanging greetings with everyone on the way.

His secretary was waiting at the other side of the elevator ride with his schedule for the day and the information that his parents were waiting for him. After giving instructions to put his palms for the rest of the morning on hold he walked into his office.

When he walked in, he saw the two of them sitting together, hands clasped and speaking in soft undertones.

Contrary to what that image evoked his parents were not old, in fact, his father remained a perfect specimen of a man in his prime, his smile so much like his as his mother ever beautiful stood up to hug him. Enveloping him in a scent that somehow turned him into a little boy in her embrace

”Mother” he greeted as he clung to her, he bent slightly to receive her hug. Standing up, Lei Xiao Tong barely made it to his chest.

”My darling” she cooked, her hands tightening around him for the longest time before she let him go and shifted to the side to let him greet his father.

”Father” he greeted the man in front of him, his father had stood up and even now drew him into a gruff hug and parted his back before releasing him.

If his mother’s embrace had made him feel small, his father’s embrace made him feel ancient yet not old enough. He stood on roughly the same height as the man who had sired him but at the age of fifty-five, he was silvered at the temple and had a bit more wrinkles than his son, the only thing to distinguish between the two of them.

”Lei Zhao.” The greetings were perfunctory but Lei Zhao saw the love and pride shining in his father’s eyes “your mother wanted to see you”

Lei Zhao knew that was only coded for very important where his family was concerned and his mother proved his thoughts right with her next words

”We need to talk” Lei Zhao merely nodded and gestured them back to their seats as he took one opposite them. A steaming tea service stood on the table between them and Lei Zhao waited patiently as his father fixed two cups, handed one to his wife then his mom took on sip before nodding.

”How have you both been?” he asked, he had not kept in touch with them lately and the guilt was mildly racking

His mother waved his concerns away as she fixed him with a glare. “Forget about us, what is this I hear about you bringing another woman home to your wife”

Shock did not describe how he felt, the words were seemingly innocent but entirely not, in fact, they were spoken with a touch of acid that said he should be careful about his next words

”It’s not quite like that, it’s Yue Yan” he ventured cautiously, when he spied the look of curiosity that passed between the two of them, he knew he had said the only right words.

”What?” This came from his father, a single word loaded with questions.

”Yes. She’s been in a coma for the past three years” he informed them summarily.

This time it was a look of shock that passed between the two of them before they turned to look at him. “And you didn’t inform us why?” His mother asked this time, dropping the cup and saucer with a sharp click on the glass table

”I only just found out myself, with no form of identification on her and completely thrown off by the crash, she was rescued by a good Samaritan couple and she has been in a coma for three straight years until she woke up recently” Lei Zhao explained in detail, his mind reliving the moment he had found out

His parents mirrored the shock he had felt then, even if they had not been very enthusiastic about getting her as a daughter-in-law, the both of them had treated her beyond civilly and were naturally concerned about her. Another unable but tangible energy filled the room, it was a thread of guilt that was shared by the three of them

”Recently?” His mother echoed in confusion.

He nodded, letting the exhaustion show for the first time. “For the longest time she wasn’t sure her dreams were real but she decided to go out on a limb and tried to locate me.”

”Poor girl,” his Father finally responded after a short pause that swept the room “that changes everything”

His mother, however, was not easily convinced. “Not exactly. My daughter-in-law has enough on her plates to add convalescent nursing to it.”

”Mother, she has a live-in nurse. I would never do that to Yan Mei” Lei Zhao rushed to explain

”Nevertheless,” she continued with an edge in her voice, “that is no reason for you to bring her home, what happened to convalescent homes? Someplace where she would have had care round the clock until she was ready to get back on her feet.”

”After three years of coma, all the physical injuries have healed it’s the mental ones that worried me, she needed more than care, she needed a home” Lei Zhao segued his point

Bit his mother was more than adamant on that count. “Just not your home, why did you bring her to your home son?”

”Yan Mei suggested it, and I agreed because it seemed like the perfect choice at the time even if I was already making other plans” he recounted