ABOES 40: He is Yunxing

When Tan Yao and Chi Xiwen followed Chi Ling into the hospital room, they were immediately greeted by Grandma Chi’s annoyed complaints. “I’m sick of seeing you all!”

“Who would want to visit me? What’s there to see about this old woman? Instead of working, all of you come crowding in here for what?”

“And when can I be discharged? I’ve told you I don’t want to stay here anymore! Are you trying to make me die of anger?”

Chi Ling had barely said one sentence before Grandma Chi went on and on in frustration, her tone filled with impatience.

When she saw the room full of people, she turned away outright.

This wasn’t the first time Grandma Chi acted like this. As she aged, her temper worsened. Lately her health had been poor, and she was being forced to stay in the hospital, which only made her mood worse. She would rather smile at strangers and lash out at her family.

Normally, Chi Ling would try to calm her down with a few words, regardless of whether she listened.

Yet today was different. Chi Ling didn’t try to persuade her. Instead, he smiled and said, “You really don’t want to know who came to see you?”

Grandma Chi lay on the bed and snorted coldly without turning her head. “Don’t pull that trick on me. Trying to surprise me, huh?”

“I’ve lived this long. I’ve seen all the so-called surprises there are. That won’t work on me! If you really wanted to be filial, Chi Ling, you’d bring our Xingxing back to me. Only if I see Xingxing again could I die in peace and go see your father…”

“Mom,” Tan Yao finally couldn’t hold it in and interrupted the old woman’s ramblings. “Why don’t you turn around and take a look?”

Chi Xiwen glanced at Chi Yunxing still standing at the door and gave him a small nod.

Chi Yunxing took a deep breath and slowly walked into the room.

Though Grandma Chi was always snappier with Chi Ling, her tone toward Tan Yao was a bit softer now. Still, she didn’t move. “Yao Yao, what’s there to look at? Is this another one of your and Chi Ling’s schemes?”

Tan Yao smiled gently and spoke softly, “No, Mom, we’ve finally found Xingxing.”

Grandma Chi’s body instantly stiffened. After a pause, she let out a short laugh. “You think lying to me like this will make me agree to treatment?”

“No way! I—”

Just as she was about to continue, Chi Yunxing couldn’t hold it back any longer and softly said, “Grandma…”

Grandma Chi froze. Then she quickly realized that the warm voice wasn’t from Chi Xiwen and it wasn’t Duan Zhiyan either. She could tell that boy’s voice apart.

Then who was calling her?

Grandma Chi remained rigid and unmoving.

Chi Yunxing took two more steps forward. Tan Yao looped her arm through his and gently led him to the bedside, softly introducing, “Yunxing, this is your grandma.”

She then looked to the old woman who still refused to turn and gently coaxed, “Mom, won’t you take a look at Yunxing?”

Chi Yunxing glanced at Tan Yao, who gave him a small smile.

His gaze turned back to the old woman on the bed. He had visited her just days ago, how had she become even thinner in such a short time?

His eyes reddened, and he softly asked again, “Grandma, did you like the flowers I brought you last time?”

Grandma Chi picked up on something odd in his words.

She asked instinctively, “Flowers?”

Chi Yunxing nodded with a smile. “Yes. It was late when I came by, and you were already asleep, so I left the flowers and left. Officer Wang said your favorite flowers are roses, so I brought a big bouquet of red ones.”

Grandma Chi felt like something had gripped her chest. It was suddenly hard to breathe.

She remembered those roses from a few days ago.

A beautiful and vintage red bouquet.

The next morning, she had woken up to the scent of flowers.

She’d asked the nurse where the flowers came from.

The nurse said a young man brought them, saying he was visiting his grandma.

At the time, Grandma Chi was confused. Everyone who called her “grandma” was someone she knew. How could there be someone unfamiliar to the nurse?

She hadn’t thought much about it then and only told the nurse, “Get a deeper vase, roses drink a lot of water. They’ll wilt in that tiny thing.”

But the roses hadn’t lasted long.

The nurse was good at caring for people, but not for flowers.

When Grandma Chi saw them wilt, she’d felt a pang of regret. She’d thought, “If only I were well, I could’ve kept those flowers fresh. At least made them last longer than two days.”

That thought passed quickly. Her husband had been gone a while and she didn’t want to make him wait too long. She needed to join him soon.

Now, Grandma Chi couldn’t stay calm anymore. She slowly turned her head and first looked at Tan Yao, then at Chi Xiwen and Chi Ling.

Finally, her gaze lifted to the person standing closest to her. She met a pair of eyes filled with a gentle smile.

Those eyes were identical to Tan Yao’s. Soft and glistening with emotion, enough to melt anyone’s heart.

That look had always made Yunxing the most spoiled one in the family.

Yes…

This young man standing before her, his eyes looked exactly like Yunxing.

Grandma Chi’s pupils trembled. Her pale lips parted, and after a long pause, she asked, “You brought those flowers? You’re…”

Chi Yunxing’s eyes were red as he gently took her bruised hand and softly said, “Grandma, I’m Yunxing. Chi Yunxing. Don’t you remember me? Mom told me yesterday you loved me the most when I was little…”

Grandma Chi stared at him without moving, like she was trying to memorize every pore on his face.

Suddenly, her hand began to tremble uncontrollably.

Her aged eyes welled with tears, and her voice trembled as she turned to Tan Yao with a smile. “Yao Yao, he looks just like you! Those eyes are exactly the same…”

“Mom,” Chi Ling interrupted gently, “He is Yunxing. He’s our son, of course he looks like Yao Yao.”

Grandma Chi’s emotions abruptly surged. “No! You’re lying to me!”

She yanked her hand back and pulled the blanket over her head, nearly shouting, “You’re lying! You just found some random person to pretend to be our Yunxing! Our Yunxing…”

“Grandma!” Chi Xiwen’s eyes were red. “Why would we lie to you?”

“Grandma…” Chi Yunxing looked helplessly toward Tan Yao for help.

Tan Yao, anticipating this, pulled out a DNA test result and gently lifted the blanket. “Mom, look at this?”

Grandma Chi stubbornly shook her head. “I won’t look! You’re just trying to trick me into treatment. You—”

“Please look.” At that moment, even the nurse who had been silently crying spoke up, her voice shaking. “Madam Chi, please… He really is young master Yunxing…”

She couldn’t stop herself from quietly sobbing.

He looked so much like the little master in her memory.

Why hadn’t she recognized him last time?

Grandma Chi finally opened her eyes.

Tan Yao flipped the report to the last page.

In truth, they didn’t need the report. Anyone who saw Tan Yao and Chi Yunxing together would immediately note their resemblance.

They had brought the report only to give Grandma Chi peace of mind.

Grandma Chi stared fixedly at the printed conclusion. No one knew how long passed before tears rolled down her wrinkled cheeks.

“We… we found him?” she whispered. “We found our Xingxing?”

Tan Yao turned her head to look at Chi Yunxing beside her and nodded with a smile. “Yes, we found him. Mom, look at Yunxing again.”

Grandma Chi looked up, her eyes already filled with tears.

Chi Yunxing’s nose stung, but he forced a smile.

At that moment, Grandma Chi’s emotions crumbled.

Clutching the test result in her hands, she sobbed uncontrollably.

Chi Ling reacted first. “Doctor!”

“Grandma—” Chi Yunxing rushed forward and held her hand.

Her skin was dry, but her grip was strong. She clutched his hand tightly and cried out hoarsely, “My… My Yunxing! Grandma’s Xingxing!”

Tears streamed down Chi Yunxing’s cheeks as he leaned forward to hug her. “I’m here, Grandma, I’m here…”

“Mom, calm down…” Tan Yao’s expression was full of concern.

Chi Xiwen had already run out to find the doctor.

Eventually, the chaos in the hospital room ended only after a sedative was administered.

Grandma Chi still had tears on her cheeks. The hair at her temples was soaked with them.

Chi Yunxing stayed at her bedside. Even in sleep, she refused to let go of his hand.

The room quieted, but none of them had yet recovered from what just happened.

Then, someone knocked gently on the door.

Chi Xiwen spoke first. “Come in.”

When he saw who it was, he blinked in surprise. “Zhiyan? No filming today?”

Duan Zhiyan replied, “It ended already. I was nearby, so I stopped by to see Grandma.” As he stepped inside, he noticed Chi Ling and Tan Yao and was about to greet them but then his gaze landed on Chi Yunxing beside the bed.

He froze.

He had known the Chi family had been at the police station yesterday, but Chi Xiwen hadn’t told him the full story. He didn’t even know Chi Yunxing had gone home with them.

Yet now, seeing this scene, he understood everything.

His lips moved, and after a long pause, he softly said, “X-Xinian… you’re back?”

Chi Yunxing looked up and met his deep, dark eyes.

He was about to respond when Chi Xiwen cut in, “Wrong. Yunxing is back.”

Chi Yunxing greeted him, “Mr. Duan.”

Duan Zhiyan smiled, and the emotions he had suppressed finally poured out. His dark eyes sparkled with starlight, and his voice, low and warm, was full of affection. “Wrong again, Yunxing. You should call me Zhiyan Ge.”