Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

After going through a torturous night, as though all bitterness were bestowed upon Xiang Wan, she was starting to feel a little numb over the whole incident.

When she sent the message to Bai Muchuan, she had not expected a response from him, at least, not immediate.

Reason being, it was still very early.

To her delight, Bai Muchuan replied almost instantaneously.

“Yes. I’m awake. There is a meeting with the new core team members to discuss some stuff, so I should be quite busy. What’s up, my Little Xiang Wan?”

From the last sentence in his reply, it was clear he had suspected something was not right.

It was not even seven in the morning. Taking Xiang Wan’s habit into consideration, she should still be sleeping at this time. Even if she was up, she would not message him this early.

Looking at the familiar words that brought her warmth, Xiang Wan stroked the screen of her mobile phone and took a deep breath only to realize her nose was a little blocked.

She gathered enough courage and asked the question. “Are you able to come back to Jin City?”

“Not in the next few days…” Bai Muchuan responded very fast as well.

Before Xiang Wan could reply, another message from Bai Muchuan popped up. “Did something cropped up?”

Something? Yes, there is.

However, which is more important? Her problem or his work?

The establishment of the national level Serious Crime Division One, compared to their relationship… His work, seemed to be much more important, right?

Xiang Wan leaned her head against the wall. For a long time, her emotions could not be eased. She pressed the mobile phone against her chest for a while before replying to Bai Muchuan.

“Nothing much, I just miss you a lot.”

“I miss you too. Although it’s just 3 days, it felt as though 3 years have passed.” Bai Muchuan replied with a grin spread across his face. “So Little Xiang Wan, I’m eagerly waiting for you to come over…”

Xiang Wan managed to feel the passionate fervor in Bai Muchuan’s reply so much so she felt torn over it.

She was currently sandwiched between her family members who had raised her and her boyfriend whom she had just started dating for 3 months…

Even so, she knew she had no other choice. “I have something to tell you. My mom has fallen ill suddenly, so I won’t be able to come over for a while…”

Bai Muchuan: “She’s ill? Is it serious?”

“Should be fine.” Xiang Wan hesitated a little in her reply. “She’s hospitalized but the doctor at the hospital says there’s nothing to be too worried about…”

She didn’t want to make the situation sound too grave. True enough, Bai Muchuan believed her and did not give it much thought. After all, it was common for folks at this age to fall sick.

He asked: “Will it be too tiring for you to look after your mom?”

Xiang Wan: “It’s okay, I’m fine with it.”

Bai Muchuan: “What do you mean by fine? You’re never an honest kid. Just tell me, is there anything I can help you with?”

Xiang Wan: “… No need.”

Bai Muchuan: “The purpose of having a boyfriend is to use him at times like this. You don’t have to be polite with me.”

Xiang Wan: “But there’s really no need.”

This time, it took about slightly over 10 seconds before Bai Muchuan sent his reply: “How about money?”

“…”

For couples that have just fallen in love, they tend to want to protect and maintain the image that their lover had of them. Due to that aspect, their pride was also unexceptionally high, and money became a sensitive topic. However, Bai Muchuan believed wholeheartedly that for Xiang Wan to message this early in the morning, she must have encountered something tricky…

If her mother’s illness wasn’t too serious, then what could the problem be?

Hence, he concluded there was a high possibility that her problem could be money. Bai Muchuan had given it some thought before asking Xiang Wan.

Nevertheless, Xiang Wan felt a little hurt seeing his reply.

Did she give people the impression she was really in need of money?

Was it because she was not hard-working enough, and not successful enough?

Xiang Wan wiped the tears off her pair of now red eyes. “I don’t need that at the moment. I will let you know when I need your help.”

Ding! A Wechat transaction notification arrived.

It was a red packet of exactly 10,000 yuan!

A message was attached to it, “Take good care of yourself and our mom.”

Xiang Wan’s eyes felt warm as tears filled her eyes again. She could no longer hold back the tears she had been trying hide to since last night. Tears now streamed uncontrollably and freely down her cheeks.

All this while, Bai Muchuan had never sent her a red packet of a whole number like this—it was only numbers that had an auspicious or romantic meaning behind it. He had done that previously so as not to make her feel awkward or embarrassed. Another reason was to let Xiang Wan accept the red packets without thinking too much… Well, if she rejected them, he would simply reply it was not auspicious to return red packets.

In fact, he had done all these thoughtfully so as not to hurt her pride.

Xiang Wan knew all about these. Hence, she knew this was what made him more precious in her heart.

He was someone she should treasure dearly, she told herself.

Xiang Wan looked at the 10,000 yuan red packet and recalled those ‘life philosophies’ her Youngest aunt shared with her. Xiang Wan knew Bai Muchuan was the type of man willing to spend money on his girlfriend…

She was sitting quietly in the silent hospital halls early in the morning with a pair of red eyes and a racing heart.

“Thank you very much for your gift, Young Master Bai.”

“Stop that! What is mine is also yours. We are one family. You don’t have to stand on ceremony with me.”

“… Alright, but I have a question. If my family members asked me what you’re busy with, can I tell them?”

Bai Muchuan pondered for a while and replied, “Let’s keep it a secret in the meantime.”

Xiang Wan sniffed her nose and replied, “Okay, I understand. I won’t say anything about it.”

When it comes to matters related to Serious Crime Division One, Xiang Wan’s knowledge about it was also limited.

She did have some understanding when it comes to the code of confidentiality. First of all, she must not reveal it to another third party personnel without seeking his permission. Secondly, even if she told Youngest aunt the truth, she would most probably think she was just lying. The main reason for her to think that way was this division had not been officially announced to the public and would not be found anywhere on the internet.

“Um… that’s all from me. I shan’t disturb you further. You should go get busy with your work.”

Xiang Wan typed swiftly on the virtual keyboard on her mobile phone.

“Remember to eat breakfast,” Bai Muchuan carefully instructed, “my Little Xiang Wan, if you dare to starve yourself, I’ll punish you when I come back.”

“Alright, you take care of yourself too…”

“I’m actually having my breakfast.”

“So early?”

“Yup, I was drafting a proposal last night. By the time I finished it, it was already morning so I might as well have my breakfast.”

So he stayed up throughout the night as well? Xiang Wan felt somewhat glad she did not tell Bai Muchuan the truth.

For if she did that…

Wouldn’t that put him in a bind?

Xiang Wan lowered her head as she typed slowly. “Young Master Bai, do take care of yourself.”

Bai Muchuan replied, “Got it! I promise I’ll complete my mission, my Queen.”

He simply loved teasing her as always!

Seeing how relaxed Bai Muchuan was, a glimpse of light was as though shining into Xiang Wan’s heavy heart as the corners of her lips curved upwards.

“I’ll wait for your good news.”

After sending that message, Xiang Wan put away her mobile phone and closed her eyes slowly. While doing so, she could hear the cleaning lady mop up the halls and corridors. Soon, she found her mind gradually gnawed by anxiety.

…

Xiang Wan was currently in an unusual mental state of hyperactivity.

There were panic, anxiety, and misery. She was unable to really fall asleep.

When Cheng Zheng arrived at the hospital, he actually made an effort to walk softer as not to wake her up, but Xiang Wan could actually still hear his footsteps, nonetheless.

She opened her eyes and met his worried gaze.

“Are you… alright?” Cheng Zheng was standing in front of her and pointed at the hospital wards. “Why didn’t you find somewhere for a rest?”

Xiang Wan shook her head. “I can’t seem to fall asleep.”

She did not ask him how he got to know about the news, and why he was there.

At this point in time, she was too tired to say another word.

Cheng Zheng frowned slightly as he looked at her ashen face. He gave her a cup of hot soybean milk as he sat next to her, still as calm and indifferent as ever. “Aunty is currently in ICU, there’s nothing much you can do even if you stayed here. Why not go back and get some rest? The doctors and nurses here will take good care of your mom.”

“I’m going to wait for her to wake up and see if she’s well again.”

It was not the first time for Cheng Zheng to see how stubborn Xiang Wan could be.

He fell silent as he looked at Xiang Wan’s pretty face that had become thinner after a night.

“I’ve checked with the doctor earlier that Aunty’s operation is very successful. The blood clot inside her head has been fully removed and the CT scan shows the blood vessels in her head and neck are normal. Currently, the check-ups done on her have indicated her vitals and blood pressure are all normal…”

“If everything’s normal, why is she still in a coma?” Xiang Wan looked at him in anticipation.

Her eyes were puffy, tiny red vessels could be seen in her eyes, as well as uneasiness.

All family members of a patient had that same expression when they spoke to a doctor about the condition of their sick family member.

Cheng Zheng sighed. “Well… all recoveries require time.”

Xiang Wan’s voice sounded anxious. “How about a rough estimate when she will be able to wake up?”

“It varies with each individual.” Cheng Zheng really wanted to say something nice to comfort her. However, he was a factual person, he did not know how to say something pleasing to the ears. Hence, after some hesitation, he told her the worst possible scenario. “Some people will wake up really fast, while others might never wake up again…”

Xiang Wan’s eye went wide-opened.

She remembered when the doctor came out of the operating theatre, he told her the operation was very successful. Automatically, she had thought her mom would get better.

So much so she even thought her mother would wake up after a good night’s rest.

She had never thought there would be such a serious possibility…

“You don’t have to be so nervous, either,” Cheng Zheng reassured her, “I’m just telling you the worst possible scenario which would not normally happen.”

Xiang Wan could not utter a reply and simply sighed. “…”

However, now that she knew of this possible outcome, how could it be easy for her to calm down?

“When Aunty wakes up,” Cheng Zheng thought for a moment and advised, “you need to remember to persuade her to keep a peace of mind and try not to have drastic mood swings due to her high blood pressure. Otherwise, she might suffer from a relapse.”

Xiang Wan raised her eyebrow slowly. “Even you knew about her high blood pressure? How come I do not know about this?”

Cheng Zheng’s eyebrows seemed to be lowered a little as he replied to her. “I knew it from the last checkup that we went together with her.”

Xiang Wan gasped. “Why didn’t anyone tell me about it?”

“Nobody told you about it?” Cheng Zheng said without much emotion, “Oh, probably Aunty didn’t want to let you know about it. High blood pressure is very common with people of her age…”

Xiang Wan remained quiet. With regards to this matter, she could blame no one but herself.

She took a glance at Cheng Zheng and changed the subject.

“Thank you for coming to see my mom. Captain Cheng, you can go back now…”

He had just sat down, and she was already chasing him away.

Cheng Zheng’s eyes were as though covered with a dark cloud.

“Today is Saturday and I don’t have anything on today. Let me stay here for a while. I have friends in the hospital, it might be of some help.”

“Oh… thank you.”

“We are friends after all. Don’t make it sound like we are so unfamiliar.”

The way he said it… as though they were familiar with each other from the beginning.

Xiang Wan smiled and felt that at this moment in time, she was too tired to reject his help…

She didn’t want to chat with Cheng Zheng. So, she closed her eyes and leaned against the chair like a doll that had been drained of its strength.

She had thought that when he got bored, he would leave.

However, Cheng Zheng was the type of man who was especially resistant against boredom.

He didn’t disturb her and just stayed by her side quietly.

…