49 THE SADNESS FROM LOSING THE PERSON YOU WANT THE MOS (1/2)
Su Yang and Hua Zhendan sat on a couch outside the operating room. For people who had someone in surgery, they both seemed particularly calm.
As usual, Su Yang's head was buried in her novel while Hua Zhendan stared at her with questionable interest.
After what seemed like an age, Hua Zhendan spoke. ”Xuan Tianmei is really something, huh? She could even get you to put a comb through your hair.”
Su Yang raised a brow. ”She is something, alright. But why are you making small talk with me? What do you really want to ask?”
Hua Zhendan decided to stop beating around the bush. ”The story you told me. About Shen Rui's entire life. I'm not the only person who thinks she might've been responsible for her husband's death, am I?”
”There is no evidence her husband was murdered. An autopsy was never done.”
”But...” Hua Zhendan hesitated. ”You think she did it, don't you? I mean, I know what Shen Rui can do, but I've never imagined she's capable of murder. And for money too.”
Su Yang closed her book. ”Yes, I do think she did it. It's fairly obvious she did. But I also think the reason she did it wasn't for money, but to save your life.”
Hua Zhendan raised one eyebrow. How did Su Yang get to that conclusion? And, judging from her angry tone... It seemed she had taken his accusation personally. Even though she wasn't the person he was accusing of murder.
”In her husband's will,” Su Yang continued. ”She would inherit everything he had after his death; but not a minute before that. She didn't lack for anything, but she didn't live lavishly back then, so she had no reason to pursue the inheritance. Moreover, it seemed she had an amicable relationship with the old man and took great care of him.
”I have bank records I can show you. It's obvious the reason she murdered him—if she did kill him—wasn't greed, but because she needed the money for your surgery. After his funeral, her next expenditure was on your heart surgery.”
Hua Zhendan was speechless.
”I can show you the records if you want. After her late husband's funeral, she paid some money to the hospital. Since she'd already settled her late husband's bills, that wouldn't make any sense unless you considered the fact that she still visited you there everyday after his death. After the hospital bills, her next big expenditure was to an adoption agency. The same one that processed your adoption. Then she spent a lot of money in some children store that's now out of business. I could go on.”
Hua Zhendan still said nothing.
”Boss,” Su Yang called. ”I might not know a lot about family relationships, but I think Shen Rui deserves a lot more affection and gratitude than you give her.”
Hua Zhendan shook his head. ”Are you taking this whole thing so personal because of your newly found admiration for her?”
”I... I just know I'll be a lot more grateful if someone cared for me as much as she cares for you.”
Hua Zhendan chuckled. ”Shen Rui and I have a complicated relationship. And I love and appreciate her with all of my being. It's just...” Hua Zhendan paused and Su Yang raised a brow for him to continue. Finally, he said, ”Well, I guess I could try making up with her.”
Su Yang smiled in approval. ”You shouldn't cause her so much heartaches.”
”Did you find anything about my birth parents?”
Su Yang shook her head. ”I didn't check. Should I have?”
”No, don't. If they had really abandoned me, then, why bother to find them?”
”You don't remember them at all?”
”Barely. The memories I have of them are absurdly disoriented; like pieces of a puzzle I can't put together.” Hua Zhendan replied. ”But I do recall the first time I saw Shen Rui. I remember opening my eyes one day and seeing a pair of kind eyes looking down at me with an enchanting smile.
”Actually, back then, people came to look at me a lot. I guess everyone wanted to see the boy who was abandoned by his parents in the hospital.
”While the nurses and doctors approached me with a chilling indifference, the other spectators looked at me with pity. I recall thinking that the look in her eyes were different; kind and soothing. I thought she was an angel. She ran her fingers through my hair, promised me I would be okay and that she would be my new mum. I can't recall the details but I remember being happy. Perhaps, I was upset I hadn't seen my own mother in a while and got excited at the prospect of getting a new one.”
”Perhaps.” Su Yang nodded in understanding.
Just then, Hua Zhendan's phone rang.
Hua Zhendan checked the caller ID and muttered to Su Yang, ”Speak of the devil. It's my mother.”
”Can you let me talk to her?” Su Yang asked with a broad smile on her face.
Hua Zhendan shook his head and turned away from her to take the call.
”Zhendan,” Shen Rui called from the other end.
”Ma?” He answered.
”I... Went through the document you sent me the other day. With Qiu Dawei's proposal on it...”
”And?”
”I liked it very much. Can you set up a meeting?”
”You liked it?”
”Yes, I did.”
”It's from Qiu Dawei. I didn't think you'll approve of it.”
”It's a good idea and I think it'll be great for business. I don't really mind it.”
”Fine. I'll set up a meeting.”
”Okay. Then... Call me when you've set up the meeting, okay?”
”Ma?” Hua Zhendan called hurriedly before she got a chance to disconnect the call.
”Baby?”
”I don't want to be mad at you anymore.” He muttered bluntly.
The voice on the other line stayed silent.
”Ma, I want my mother who was my best friend back. But that won't be possible if you don't stop meddling in my love life.”
”Hua Zhendan. You know I only want the best for you. What will happen if people find out you're gay, huh? I don't want you to experience any hardships in life.”
”Mum, if people find out I'm gay, they'll talk about it. For weeks or months. Until they find something else to talk about. I'll lose some clients, yes. But I'll get other ones. And if I'm with someone I love through it all, I'll be happy. And that's what's really important. Don't you think?”
Shen Rui stayed silent for a moment. Finally, she muttered, ”Baby, I did something bad.”
”Something bad that has something to do with me?” Hua Zhendan asked although he was certain he knew the reply to his own question.
”Yes.”
He sighed. ”Fine. I don't want to know what you did, mother.”
”But—”
”I would still have no choice, but to forgive you when I find out, wouldn't I?”
Shen Rui said nothing.
”I don't want to know, ma. I'm not mad at you right now and I don't want to be. Let's leave it at that, please.”
”Okay.” Shen Rui said after a deep sigh.
”Good.” Hua Zhendan said. ”Perhaps, we can have dinner sometime soon. I miss your cooking.”