Fourty Three

Author

The people who lost their lives in the airplane that crashed in India were inside both the plane and nearby houses... I pray their souls rest in peace. Amen 🤲

Juma'at Mubarak to you all. 🕋🕌🕋

Zhan hurried out toward the main sitting room, hoping to grab something to eat before heading to the hospital. Today's schedule was packed, including a procedure involving three children. He wasn't new to being late, but that didn't mean it didn't weigh on his mind.

Everywhere Zhan moved, a soft, pleasant scent lingered around him....especially noticeable if you were close. Any outfit he wore fit him perfectly, but especially the ones that covered him fully. Only his face and hands were visible, even his feet were always neatly tucked into covered shoes. This was Dr. Xiao Zhan....elegant, composed, someone who captivated not only women but even earned admiration from his male colleagues. Many admired him without knowing the full journey he'd taken to get to where he was now.

The sitting room was empty, just as he expected....it was still early morning. Zhan headed to the kitchen, heated water, added a fragrant blend, and pulled three fresh samosas from the fridge to fry. Standing at the counter, he began eating them right there; he rarely ate outside, preferring home-cooked meals.

"Bah," came a familiar voice from behind.

Without turning, Zhan already knew it was Jianghu. He glanced back while wiping his hands with a tissue. Jianghu was dressed in a blue shirt and pants...an outfit Zhan himself had picked out for him earlier that morning after giving him a bath and putting him back to bed. But apparently, Jianghu had followed him again. He'd been begging to go along to the hospital since dawn.

"What is it now?" Zhan asked, studying him.

Jianghu's head drooped slightly, on the verge of tears. "Please, Bah… you promised me that day… Please let me go with you today, please…"

Zhan was silent for a moment. He generally disliked taking children to the hospital. Jianghu had a way of drawing attention...too much of it. He'd wander from one doctor to the next nurse, never staying in one place, which made Zhan avoid bringing him altogether.

But today, something in Jianghu's persistence wore him down. Zhan sighed, returned to change his clothes, and the two of them left together.

As soon as they arrived at the hospital, Jianghu began attracting even more attention than usual. Some people already recognized him but had never had a chance to speak to Zhan. Others were seeing him for the first time. To avoid delay, Zhan quickly ushered Jianghu into his office.

Forty minutes later, he was ready for surgery. Dr. Adrian tried to convince Zhan to leave Jianghu with him, but Zhan refused. Instead, he left the child in the care of a trusted nurse....there was no way he'd risk Jianghu overhearing something or unintentionally revealing anything regarding Dr. Adrian feelings for him. Zhan wouldn't gamble with that.

As always, the surgery was a success. Afterwards, Zhan returned to his office, took a seat, and quietly reflected on the procedure's outcome. It was his usual practice after a major operation.

Not long after, Jianghu sat beside him playing, when there was a knock at the door. He granted permission to enter. It was John. The moment Zhan saw him, he knew it was about a patient.

Zhan smiled. "You're not going to let me rest, are you?"

John smiled and replied, "I guess you already know why I am here, it's about that patient...the one you said should be given a room upon arrival. She's important to us, you know."

"If you haven't forgotten, then. She's already here. I assumed you'd want to check in on her personally."

Zhan gave a small nod. "Of course. I was just about to head there. VIP Room 1, right?"

"Yes, sir," John responded respectfully before stepping out.

After handling a few more matters, Zhan changed and took Jianghu by the hand as they headed to the room together.

Just before reaching it, his phone rang. He paused and glanced at the screen.... Jiu. His one and only close friend during his time in Washington, another foreign arrival like himself. Despite their differences, they had an inexplicable bond that had grown into deep friendship.

"Don't tell me you're back?" Zhan said as he answered.

"Guess again, friend....I've got a surprise for you," came the reply, followed by laughter.

They fell into an easy conversation, catching up, before finally saying goodbye. Zhan ended the call with a smile...only then realizing Jianghu was no longer beside him.

He looked around. There was no exit nearby, so he figured Jianghu must have wandered into the room ahead of them. Zhan walked over and pushed the door open, peeking inside.

Even before stepping fully into the room, Zhan could already hear Jianghu's energetic voice. His gaze immediately fell on the small group by the hospital bed. Jianghu sat there with a little girl who couldn't have been more than three years old. A nurse sat nearby, holding a plate and cup, gently coaxing the child to eat. Another woman sat quietly on a chair opposite them, watching the scene unfold.

Although Zhan didn't know the patient's background, it was his habit to acknowledge everyone courteously wherever he went. His greeting drew their attention. Fortunately, they all turned out to be Chinese, so they greeted him back with familiarity. Zhan walked into the room, hands in the pockets of his lab coat, eyes fixed on the little girl's face, studying her features closely as he reached the foot of her bed.

"Look, my Baba's here," Jianghu was saying to the girl, his voice a mix of concern and mischief. "He's going to give you an injection if you don't finish your food… and I won't be your friend anymore either."

Zhan glanced at Jianghu, then turned to the nurse standing behind him with the food tray. "What's the situation?" he asked.

"She hasn't eaten anything since she arrived," the nurse replied.

"Give it to me," Zhan said, extending his hand for the tray.

It wasn't his job, but he pulled a chair up to the bed and sat down. Surprisingly, within minutes, the girl relaxed around him and began eating....finishing everything on the plate. Everyone in the room was stunned, including Jianghu, who was so overjoyed he could barely keep quiet.

Even the woman sitting nearby...who clearly came with the girl....smiled and said in Mandarin, "Doctor, you must have brought good fortune with you. You're quite gifted."

She wasn't sure Zhan could understand her, since the conversation up to that point had been in English, but when he replied in fluent Mandarin, she blinked in surprise. She had assumed he was of another ethnicity, perhaps not Chinese at all, based on his fair skin and striking features.

"Which doctor first attended to her?" Zhan asked, reaching for the two files lying at the foot of the bed. They held her full medical history from various hospitals.

The nurse gave him the attending doctor's name, and Zhan began flipping through the pages, reading the notes and records one by one while standing.

As he reviewed the girl's condition, the gravity of her situation began to settle in. The illness had clearly taken a significant toll on her. He slowly sat down, the weight of the information heavy in his chest. Looking up, he saw Jianghu talking animatedly again, which had gotten the girl chatting as well. Zhan raised a brow and spoke to Jianghu in English, asking him to lower his voice and let him concentrate. The girl immediately quieted too, which made Zhan pause.

He observed the way she interacted with Jianghu....it was as though they had known each other for a long time. It pleased him deeply. That kind of comfort and connection could go a long way in a child's recovery, and possibly even help uncover hidden factors in her condition.

Zhan spent at least twenty focused minutes reviewing her case file. When he finally closed it, he let out a long sigh. Performing surgery on her now would be dangerous....she was too weak and in need of significant treatment first. He turned to the woman.

"Where are her parents?" he asked, his tone direct.

"They haven't arrived yet," she replied.

"They haven't arrived!!?" he echoed, confused. "You mean they're not in the country? You didn't come here with them?"

The woman nodded. "Her mother is on the way. She should arrive sometime this week."

"She's on the way?" Zhan repeated, now visibly concerned. What kind of neglect was this? What kind of parents left their sick child alone during a time like this?

He turned his eyes back to the little girl, and his chest tightened with sympathy. So innocent. Oblivious to the harshness of life, burdened only by the illness ravaging her small body. Yet here she was, laughing and chatting freely with Jianghu as though nothing was wrong. Her joy even surprised the woman accompanying her.

Zhan looked away, feeling a stirring that went beyond professional compassion....something closer to affection. He called in all the nurses responsible for the child's care and met with them directly. He instructed them on everything they needed to be aware of and emphasized the importance of giving her gentle, thorough care.

He didn't leave the room until he had personally checked on her. Like Jianghu, he engaged the girl in light conversation and play. She responded to him just as openly and warmly as she did to Jianghu, her tiny face lighting up in ways that made it impossible not to be moved.

When it was time to leave, Su Han threw a tantrum...she absolutely refused to let them go without her. The woman accompanying her tried everything to console her, but she remained firm. Zhan also attempted to reason with her, but she wouldn't budge. Even Jianghu had no luck. In the end, Zhan had no choice but to pull up a chair and sit back down.

They continued playing with Jianghu until Su Han finally dozed off, giving them the chance to slip away quietly. The woman kept thanking Zhan for the extraordinary care and affection he'd shown the child.

On the way back, Jianghu kept chatting about Su Han as if he'd known her for years. Zhan remained mostly silent, lost in his own thoughts. He couldn't shake the feeling of sympathy....and a growing fondness....for the girl. It was clear she wasn't entirely neglected, but she lacked maternal care. The way she clung to Zhan and called him "Mommy" was hard to ignore. Even after they got home, Jianghu wouldn't stop talking about her. And he ended up relaying the story to Jiangji.

That night, Zhan couldn't sleep. He spent hours thinking about Su Han's condition and brainstorming ways to approach her treatment after the week... possibly two weeks....of preliminary care he had planned. Beyond the two small holes in her heart, there were also tiny lumps partially blocking blood flow between her heart and lungs. These obstacles added to the complexity. Zhan didn't fall asleep until deep into the night.

***

The next morning, when Zhan got ready for work, he was visibly tired. His eyes were still heavy with sleep. Jianghu had just woken up too, stepping out of the bathroom and rubbing his eyes when he spotted Zhan.

"Bah…"

Zhan tilted his head. "What is it?"

"Bah, please let me come today too."

Zhan frowned. "You're not going anywhere. Hospitals aren't for children unless they're sick."

He resumed getting dressed, but suddenly Jianghu burst into tears. Zhan stared at him, taken aback. Jianghu wanted to go just to see Su Han. Zhan stared in disbelief, then began to scold him.

"What kind of nonsense is this, Jianghu? I used to take you with me before, but that doesn't mean just because school's on break you can follow me around like this!"

Just then, Aunt Anu knocked on the door and came in. "Hey, hey...who's upsetting my precious one?"

Zhan looked away from Jianghu and explained what happened.

"It's been a while since he's followed you anywhere, Zhan. Let him go with you," Aunt Anu said, giving Jianghu a wink. He squealed in delight and darted into the bathroom...he'd already mastered his routine and could handle it all on his own.

Aunt Anu smiled at Zhan. "After two or three visits, he'll get bored. Right now, it's just the novelty."

"You're only siding with him because he's your favorite, Momma" Zhan replied dryly. "If that's the case, what if Jiangji says he wants to come too."

Aunt Anu scoffed. "Leave that grumpy kid alone. The day he asks for something with his own mouth, I'll believe the world is ending. But Jianghu wants to go....I don't see why not."

Zhan just smiled, having nothing more to say. They moved on to the topic Aunt Anu had originally come to discuss.

It wasn't until they were already on the way that Zhan noticed Jianghu had smuggled in a stash of chocolates and biscuits.

"What's all this?"

"They're for Su Han," Jianghu said. "Poor thing keeps saying she wants to see her dad. She really likes him. He's the one who used to buy her chocolates and open her snack packs."

Zhan fell silent again. He still couldn't understand why Su Han's parents weren't around. Were they truly alive? Was she being raised by someone else? The more he thought about it, the deeper his sympathy grew. Something about her situation just didn't sit right with him.

Within just two days, Su Han and Jianghu had become inseparable. Every morning, before Zhan even woke up, Jianghu would already be dressed and waiting by the door, ready to go with his Baba. Zhan gave in after resisting a few times. Soon, Jiangji started tagging along too.

On Jiangji's first day at the hospital, he kept to himself, sitting quietly and observing from a distance. He watched as Jianghu and Su Han played and chatted nonstop. Jiangji, being naturally quiet and reserved, didn't join in....but he didn't take his eyes off them either.

The hospital bed, once Su Han's alone, now seemed like a shared space between her and Jianghu. Five days passed, and it felt like they had known each other for years. Zhan even started adjusting his hospital shifts around Su Han's schedule more than his own.

John, started teasing him. "The patient you refuse to take her case...She's turned into your favorite now, sir."

Zhan only smiled in response. He wasn't sure how or when it happened, but somehow Su Han had found a place in his heart. Perhaps it was the bond forming between her and his own children that opened him up in ways he hadn't expected.

✨✨✨

Prince Yibo stood before the Queen, facing her directly. He was dressed in an impeccably tailored suit....expensive, stylish, and perfectly fitted....highlighting the natural elegance and presence he carried.



"I'm heading out, Your Highness. I can't seem to find peace of mind, so I'd rather just go. Bai Wuxia will join me the day after tomorrow."

Queen Zhaiye was doing her best to mask her growing frustration over the situation with Qiantang. She had come to realize she had absolutely no grasp on the girl's behavior anymore. Qiantang went about her affairs carelessly, as if nothing had happened. Even yesterday, when the Queen had called Qiantang's mother for a casual chat....hoping it might remain them over Su Han.... Qiantang had answered the call with her usual airheadedness, as if everything was perfectly normal.

Was it madness to act so oblivious when you had only one child?

And Qiantang mother? She'd simply said, "I've been struggling to get her to go check on Su Han, but she refuses. Says she'll only go once Juren returns so they can go together. She doesn't understand what it means to care for a sick child. Instead, she just keeps calling the girl for idle chit-chat. I honestly don't know what kind of foolishness is clouding Qiantang's head."

The Queen had been too irritated to reply. She simply muttered,

"Let's hope things work out."

"We'll be coming together in two days," Queen Zhaiye said. "Make sure to give Su Han our love before we arrive." With that, Yibo took his leave.

He was escorted to His Majesty's chambers, where he found the King seated with several senior officials. It seemed their meeting was wrapping up, as some were already rising to go. Yibo approached respectfully, bowed, and greeted them. Each responded warmly and with a sense of familiarity. Once the room cleared, His Majesty turned his full attention to Yibo, studying him with quiet interest.

He noted the subtle but significant changes in his son's demeanor. Perhaps it was maturity....or the intensity of business, which left him no room for rest.

"Businessman," His Majesty teased lightly, his tone carrying warmth.

Yibo gave a small smile, bowing his head modestly. He deeply loved his father, just as he did his mother, though they were very different in personality. His father was kind, approachable, and easy to reason with. He didn't take life too seriously and was quick to forgive.

"I hope your health continues strong and steady," Yibo said respectfully.

"Health, sure. But as for how many days we get? That depends on what we gather while we're here....best not to waste any of it," His Majesty replied in his usual cryptic wisdom. Yibo nodded, then said, "I'm heading to see Su Han in Washington."

The King's expression shifted at once.

"I've been watching you and her mother play your foolish games in silence," he said sharply. "Even Zhaiye stood by and watched you both lose your grip. I didn't realize how reckless you'd both been until yesterday."

His father launched into a fierce lecture about leaving Su Han in the hands of caretakers while they chased health and peace elsewhere. It mirrored the scolding he'd given the Queen the day before. He was a man deeply devoted to his grandchildren, and he didn't take it lightly when they were neglected.

Yibo wasn't surprised. He had expected worse. His father detested seeing anyone's rights neglected, no matter who they were. With his head lowered, Yibo offered a sincere apology and asked for permission to leave. The King didn't let him go without personally walking inside and handing over a generous box of dried fruits....Su Han's favorite.

In the car, Yibo sank into thought.

This time, he was sure: if Qiantang couldn't step up and be a real mother, then there was no question....he would take Su Han with him wherever he went. Or he'd leave her with Bai Wuxia, someone who at least understood what it meant to care for a child. Because clearly, her birth mother didn't.

He let out a deep sigh as the plane lifted off the runway and into the clouds. Strange emotions churned through his body....restlessness, anticipation. Maybe it was just eagerness to see his daughter again. He closed his eyes, breathing out another long sigh.

His longing to land in Washington, D.C., only intensified. He found himself counting the hours, even the minutes, until they touched down.

Zhanxianyibo💚❤️💛