Chapter 50 – Bygone old friends

Chapter 50 – Bygone old friends

 

Xing Zhongwan went down the slope, got into the car parked on the side of the road, lit a cigarette and took a deep breath. Xue Qing looked at his face that was half-hidden under his sunglasses as he tapped the watch on his wrist. “Should we go?” Xing Zhongwan said to himself with a cigarette in one hand and the car window in the other. “People are most afraid of obsessions. The most difficult thing to do is let go.”

 

Xue Qing slapped him on the forehead, “Clear your head! If you want to leave the house from now on, there’ll be no door for you to leave. This sister will take care of you till you’re old!”

 

Xing Zhongwan couldn’t hold the cigarette in his sore hand. “Sister, my head is made of flesh and I don’t wear a steel helmet on my head. With how you’re hitting it, I’m going to get a concussion. You don’t know your own strength!”

 

Xue Qing started the car, “It seems that your brain is not broken. That’s still the Xing Zhongwan I know.”

 

Xing Zhongwan was stunned for a while before he was interrupted by the car window closing, “There are so many ladies in the world, without me they will cry.”

 

Xue Qing glanced at him with disgust, “Forget about what I just said.”

 

Xing Zhongwan crossed over and hugged her before whispering a thank you.

 

Xue Qing patted him on the back, laughed and called him a fool.

 

Qi Yun’s surgery went smoothly as expected. Xing Zhongwan had a few chats with Professor Gao and the answers they got were very reassuring.

 

Xing Zhongwan watched Qi Yun, who was still in a coma, through the glass window at the door of the ward, lying there quietly like an enchanted prince. In a short period of time, he has changed a lot. Xing Zhongwan glanced inside his pocket and found that there were no more cigarettes. As soon as he turned around, there was an extra pack of cigarettes in front of him. Xing Zhongwan took it and nodded at Chen Ying, “A stick of cigarette for me?”

 

“I want to apologize to you. I didn’t think carefully about the photo.”

 

Xing Zhongwan waved his hand and said he didn’t mind. Chen Ying hesitated as he looked at the young man with beautiful eyebrows and almost sharp eyes.

 

“I’m going to leave after Young Master Yun’s eyes recover. The chairman transferred me overseas. I might not have the chance to see you again in the future. I want to tell you something.”

 

Chen Ying straightened his back, “Master Yun, he is really good. He cares about you and is very happy with you. Needless to say, that kind of happiness can be felt through his eyes. I used to worry that you would become his weakness, but now that I understand more, you are his hope.”

 

As Chen Ying said these words, his entire person felt decadent. In his years of experience, he really never thought that Qi Yun would fall in love with a man. This fact caught him off guard, but he had to face it. Meeting him again, Xing Zhongwan’s change made Chen Ying flustered, he felt that the young master might lose this man.

 

Xing Zhongwan extinguished the cigarette in his hand, took off his jacket and held it in his arms, “No one should be anyone’s hope. Everyone is fickle.”

 

Xing Zhongwan opened the door and went out. Only Chen Ying was left in that narrow space when the phone in his pocket rang.

 

“Secretary Chen. The chairman is critically ill.”

 

Qi Yun woke up the next morning. He opened his mouth and moved his hand slightly beside his hospital bed as if he was looking for something. The nurse bent down and listened for a long time before realizing he was asking for Wanwan.

 

Xing Zhongwan entered the ward and held Qi Yun’s hand. At that moment, the person on the bed became quiet.

 

Xing Zhongwan approached Qi Yun and whispered in his ear, “The operation was successful. You’ll be able to see after a period of recovery. Have a good rest and just go to sleep if you want.”

 

Qi Yun moved his lips, his voice was very soft, “I…want to see…you.”

 

Xing Zhongwan sat up slowly, knowing that Qi Yun had fallen asleep again.

 

Taking out the hand he was holding, Xing Zhongwan took a box out from his pocket and put it on the head of his bed.

 

He got up and kissed Qi Yun’s gauze-wrapped head. Fairy sister, you will be fine. As for us, we will never see each other again.

 

Xing Zhongwan left the ward and Xue Qing was waiting for him. She took him by the shoulders, “Hey, go back and get your hair done by teacher Tony.”

 

“Why does everyone who does styling call themselves Tony?”

 

“You think too much! Don’t let go of yourself. Be good and go back to work. Think about those little beauties who are waiting for you, big boss. You should get back to business!”

 

Xing Zhongwan’s slender arms were folded behind his head, “Let’s go back home.” He turned his head and met Xue Qing with a smile. Let’s just treat it all as a fever dream.

 

When Qi Yun woke up again, Xing Zhongwan had already left the country.

 

His headache was prominent and there was also an inexplicable ache in his heart. Qi Yun knew that there was someone around him, but it was not Wanwan. He asked in a low voice, “Where is Wanwan?”

 

After a while, Chen Ying said, “The young madam has something to do so he went back to Jiangnan. He will come back when he is done.”

 

Qi Yun was stunned for a moment and did not make a sound. Chen Ying knew that it was wrong to lie to him that Xing Zhongwan had left. Qi Yun would know about it sooner or later, but he must not know about it now.

 

Chen Ying walked out of the ward. When someone noticed him, they walked up to him and whispered, “I can’t find the young madam.”

 

“What about his flight information?”

 

“The young madam’s name was not found. All overseas flights have been checked, but we did not find anything. We also included a list of all the expats but the young madam’s name was not found. We don’t have enough authority to carry out more complex information checks.”

 

Chen Ying had a headache and he suddenly felt that Wanwan was a fictional character.

 

Before he came to the hospital, Shen Qinghong told him that once the child disappeared, no one should try to find him as they won’t be able to find it.

 

Chen Ying was worried. He glanced at the ward. What should he do? If Qi Yun knew that Wanwan was gone… He really didn’t dare to think about it.

 

Qi Yun woke up in the middle of the night soaked in sweat. The little nurse by his side asked him if he was uncomfortable. Qi Yun raised his hand and touched the gauze on his head, followed by the one on his eyes, “Where is Wanwan?” He asked with a hoarse voice. The nurse went out to call Chen Ying, who was guarding the door.

 

“Master Yun?” What is your order?”

 

“Where is Wanwan?” Qi Yun repeated. Chen Ying said, “The young madam went to Jiangnan.”

 

“How about late at night?” “Qi Yun didn’t seem to listen to Chen Ying’s answer.

 

“The young madam has gone to Jiangnan.” “Chen Ying bit the bullet and said it again.

 

“Where is Wanwan?” The hoarse voice became more and more emotional.

 

“Master Yun!” Chen Ying knelt in front of the hospital bed, “The young madam has gone to Jiangnan, he…”

 

Qi Yun raised his hand to cover his aching heart, “Wanwan left me. I dreamed that he left. During this time, he won’t leave me to go to Jiangnan unless he doesn’t want me anymore.” 

 

The corners of Chen Ying’s mouth twitched as he pinched himself tightly, “Master Yun, the young madam, he really…”

 

“He’s gone, he’s gone…”

 

In the quiet ward, Qi Yun’s deep voice kept repeating these words and Chen Ying couldn’t bear to look so he turned his head away. No matter what he said at this time, it would be futile.

 

After that night, Qi Yun seemed to have changed into a different person. He became quiet and silent. Everything was out of control as Chen Ying feared. Qi Yun’s eyes recovered well and he could see some images vaguely but they never talked about Xing Zhongwan again. There was also something Chen Ying had to pass to Qi Yun.

 

It was the bracelet after it was repaired very well. The golden phoenix pattern had been carved to skillfully cover up the cracks from the past, as though it had never been broken before. Qi Yun stroked the pattern on it very carefully.

 

“No wonder he had a bandage on his hand last time, after he abruptly broke it. He must’ve hurt so much.”

 

Qi Yun muttered to himself, as if he was just talking to himself.

 

“I thought I could wait until the day he told me his name.”

 

“I wanted to see what he looked like. I really wanted to. When I was blind, I had countless fantasies about what he would look like, but now I don’t even have the chance to ask for his face. Not any more.”

 

Chen Ying wanted to appease Qi Yun, but what should he say? No matter how much he consoled him, it wouldn’t be as good as Xing Zhongwan himself.

 

“We searched for all the information regarding entry and exit from this country, but we couldn’t find the young madam.”

 

Qi Yun said nothing. Chen Ying bowed down, “Master Yun, the chairman is dying. Please go see her for the last time.”

 

The silence was enough to suffocate a person.

 

Qi Yun’s right hand rested on the Buddha bead on his left wrist, “What’s his name?”

 

Chen Ying raised his head in surprise and Qi Yun’s cold and pale face was blank, “What’s his name?”

 

Chen Ying silently said three words¹1.Xing 2.Zhong 3.Wan.

 

Qi Yun said, “Get out.”

 

“Yun’er, it’s a pity that the child is a boy. If he were a girl, grandma would definitely ask her to be your daughter-in-law.” This is what his grandma often said jokingly.

 

Back then in the hospital…

 

“Your Aunt Xing is not in good health. Take the little brother out to play later.”

 

“Sister, you are so beautiful.”

 

“Yun’er, how could you just let go of the little brother’s hand? How impolite.”

 

“He called me sister. I don’t look like a girl anymore. I don’t like him. He’s dirty and disgusting.”

 

“Yun’er, have you visited Aunt Xing and the little brother? Grandma is dying. I really want to see them again before I die.”

 

The boy suddenly remembered that he had thrown the teacakes into the trash can. He didn’t intend to look back, but he saw that child’s eyes filled with some sadness that didn’t belong to his age.

 

In Jiangnan, when Qi Yun asked Xing Zhongwan, “Have you seen me when I was a teenager?” 

 

The other only covered it up.

 

The dirty little boy looked at him with adoration on his face.

 

“Sister, you look so pretty. After I’m all grown up, will you marry me?”

 

Qi Yun couldn’t stand up straight in pain. His eyes were red as he covered his eyes, but there were still tear stains seeping from between his fingers .

 

The Xing family has always been full of people. Qi Yun, Qi Yun, why didn’t you think that Wanwan could be Xing Zhongwan?

 

How could there be someone who was so inexplicably kind to him, even with a body that he hated himself? He had been taking good care of him for so long but he left without saying a word. He already told him that he will never forgive deception. He knew it, he knew it all, but why didn’t he ask him a single question? It’s okay for you to just scold me twice. It’s better than you leaving silently.

 

“Look at the child’s eyes and you’ll know that he is a good boy. Yun’er, he is a good boy but it’s a pity. Even if you both can’t get married, it’s good enough if you can grow up together, it really is a pity.”

 

Qi Yun was in distress and couldn’t sit still. He crouched down as his fists turned red from clenching them too tightly, leaving marks.

 

The pain in his heart made him unable to bear it any longer, 

 

Ah… Ah… Ah! 

 

Whyy?!

 

It was like he was strangled by the neck, unable to make a full-syllable sound.

 

The rough cry was intermittent with unspeakable pain deeply embedded in every word. The shouting alarmed the bodyguards at the door, but Chen Ying stopped the person who was about to rush in. There was then some muffled crying from inside.     

 

Chen Ying dismissed the bodyguards and the little nurse did not dare to go in with the tray. Chen Ying waved her away as the little nurse looked inside worriedly before sighing and turning away.     

 

The ward soon regained its tranquility and Chen Ying knocked on the door. Qi Yun sat in the wheelchair with his back to him. His thin back was crumpled, as if his whole self had spirited away and there was not a trace of anger left in his hoarse voice.

 

“Take me to see Shen Qinghong.”

 

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T/N: This concludes volume 1 of Forced into the Deep.

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