G... Grandpa

"What it is, Si?"

"It's better, if you stop what you're doing."

ZouMi's closed eyes instantly opened, "And what am I doing, that need to be stopped?" She asked calmly.

"You know what I'm saying."

"No, I don't know."

"Zu, please. Let her live peacefully, I don't want her to be dragged in this mess. So, stop being a matchmaker."

"Then set her free, let her meet new boys. Why are you not letting any man come near her? Do you think, I don't know about that? If you love her, just say. You would run away from her, but what about her dreams, you dream every night? Her thoughts that come in your mind? What about the anger you feel when you see her taking to someone? Love is something not many could get, only fools like you would do this."

Followed by the long speech of ZouMi, the car fell in silence, Si Ban gripped the staring wheel tightly and green veins were clearly visible on his hands. ZouMi's words were like arrows straight on his wounds, which he didn't want to look at.

"Would you do the same? If you love someone, will you..."

Si Ban didn't continue and left his words unsaid.

"My case is different, in my life, there isn't any place for 'ifs' and 'buts'. It's a matter of time for me to turn into a corpse. And on my list of 'to do' love has no space." ZouMi said indifferently. She was in no mood to continue talking, she plugged in her headphones and rested. Si Ban also wasn't in a mood to talk, his thoughts, mind and heart were in a mess after what ZouMi said, brushing away all thoughts, he concentrated on the road ahead.

After an hour or so, they reached the hospital back gate, where a man in his late thirties stood, white coat draped on him. Si Ban looked at ZouMi who looked like she fell a sleep, but he knew, she just lost herself in the music, which was nothing new.

"Zu" Si Ban shook her a bit, she instantly opened her eyes. She got down the car with her hoodie on and moved towards the building. The doctor and nurses greeted her, the two nurses didn't know who she was, they just assisted the doctor.

ZouMi was straight taken to a room filled with huge X-ray machine, CT-scanner, MRI machine and many more medical equipments. This was ZouMi's personal mini hospital which had every instrument and machines.

After an hour all the tested were done, ZouMi who was lying on the bed sat up and looked at the doctor.

"How long?"

"From last report's, you can't live past the next year. And I don't find any improvement in your health." The doctor, Jin Wen stated, with not so satisfying tone. ZouMi nodded in understating and got down from the bed.

"Okay, call me when the reports are ready."

"ZouMi, as a doctor I...."

"Enough, that's it for the day. Goodbye" ZouMi firmly cut the doctor's sentence, as she knew he would start lecturing her. With her head down she walked away.

Jin Wen saw the lonely figure disappearing for his sight, he sighed and mumbled, "Such a pure soul she is, yet takes her life too lightly."

Si Ban saw the depressed ZouMi, but said nothing and silently started driving.

ZouMi stared at the passing buildings, lampposts, people and.... families. One such family passing on the road caught ZouMi's eyes, a father carrying two twins which were around four or five years old. ZouMi felt more depressed, as the memories flash in her mind.

"Where too, Zu?" Si Ban who stopped at the red light looked in the rare view mirror and saw her staring at something, he followed her line of sight and saw the family of three. To divert her mind, he voiced out his question.

"Home" Just one would, and Si Ban could say today she was at her end, she is trying hard to hold herself together for sake of her family. She is going to breakdown tonight, if any topic related to her father come out.

They arrived at the An' Mansion, it took them two hours to go back. The moment ZouMi's step her foot in, she heard the soft giggles, laughter of her family, which gave her strength to hold herself a bit more. She didn't go in directly, she waited at the door and heard them laughing.

"Zu, dear, why are you standing there? And how come you're here?" YangYang noticed her sister.

"Why am I not welcome, hu?" ZouMi raised her eyebrow as she walked towards the table. She sound annoyed, but there was no hint of anger in it.

"Of course..." YangYang deliberately took a pause, "You're not" Xau completed her sentence.

"Un, huh? Is it? But I would still welcome myself" As she said, she settled herself on the dinner chair. The family looked extra livelier dude to addition of two extra members, Gu Huan and his grandpa. They weren't guest, they were family to her mother so, for them also.

"Mr. Xu..."

"You can call me grandpa, like they do" He pointed at Gu Huan and her siblings.

Grandpa, such a strange and distant word for her.

"Gr... Grandpa, why didn't you told me about your relation with my mom when we met in the past?" She hesitated.

"Because, I met, Miss. Zou Ming, not ZouMi." She raised her eyebrow in confusion. "I met the business girl, Zou Ming. Not the second daughter of An and Ah Ji, ZouMi. Both are different." She nodded her head. It's true, she behaves totally different depending on the peoples she is surrounded by. She can never be Miss. Zou Ming in front of her family, and vice versa. They continued to have their dinner.

"Ma, you wanted me to meet someone. But after that you never mentioned it" ZouMi suddenly remembered, before she was admitted in hospital her mother mentioned her something about meeting someone.

"Oh, yes. It was Dad only, he got something to attend, thus got delayed."

"Mm, I'm full. Good night." ZouMi wiped her mouth and got up.