EIP 86

Ming Qi tried offering a few more words of comfort, but they carried little weight. From the moment Zhou Jun laid eyes on the pouch, he hadn’t looked up, his silence making it clear the words hadn’t reached him. With a resigned sigh, Ming Qi glanced at Xiao Fu, who had just entered, and quietly excused himself.

Xiao Fu had encountered Ming Qi earlier and, trusting his instincts about the officer, asked a few probing questions before allowing him through. When Xiao Fu stepped into the room, the scene before him was unsettling. Zhou Jun sat clutching the pouch, his expression impossible to read. In recent days, Zhou Jun had been silent yet seemed to retain an inner resolve. Now, even that faint strength had vanished. He sat like a lifeless boulder, unmoving and impervious to everything around him.

Xiao Fu thought coldly, he couldn’t allow this incident to completely break Zhou Jun. Too much was at stake. Zhou Jun had a duty to his family, and the Zhou family couldn’t afford to lose another head of the household. Still, for now, Xiao Fu decided to give the 26 years old young master some time to grieve for the fallen major general.

This particular day, however, was both cruelly ironic and unbearably painful. It was Zhou Jun’s birthday.

Last year on this day, he had been entangled with Yong Jin. At the time, he hadn’t known that their entanglement would eventually carve such deep scars into his heart. That birthday had been celebrated with a party. Yong Jin hadn’t been invited, nor had he shown up, not even to make a phone call. He had only sent a gift through someone else, and Zhou Jun had tossed it carelessly onto the growing pile of presents from his guests.

Back then, the Zhou family hadn’t yet fallen apart. Zhou Jun had returned home drunk that night to be met with his older brother’s disapproving glare. It was his sister-in-law who had soothed his brother, pinched Zhou Jun’s face for a long time, and then had the housekeeper bring him a steaming bowl of longevity noodles. She told him that the noodles had been hand-rolled by his brother himself. “Don’t be fooled by his bad temper,” she’d said. “He cares about you more than anyone.”

But this year, his brother was in the hospital, his sister-in-law had gone back to her family, and Yong Jin… had left him with only the news of his death and this bloodstained pouch.

Zhou Jun’s fingers slowly curled, clutching the fragile object tighter and tighter. It seemed as though the pouch, having been retrieved from a corpse, had borne the brunt of battle, fire, and wind, traveling countless miles to return to its owner. Now, it was delicate beyond belief, crumbling further under his grip, a stark reminder of the permanence of loss.

Zhou Jun’s lips trembled into the faintest of smiles. “Liar… You promised it wouldn’t get ruined.” His lips quivered again, and before he could stop himself, tears fell, striking the pouch. The heat of his tears melted away the bloodstains bit by bit.

Clutching the pouch as if it were someone’s hand, Zhou Jun bent forward under the unbearable weight of his emotions. He buried his face in his hands, pressing them tightly against the last relic his lover had left behind.

His entire body shook with sobs, and he cried like a child. Amid the muffled wails, he muttered something unintelligible over and over. But in the empty hospital room, no one was there to listen.

Zhou Jun wept until he could no longer stay upright. He slid off the bed, collapsing to his knees on the cold floor, curling into himself like a wounded animal.

Xiao Fu never expected Zhou Jun’s emotions to spiral so drastically. When he entered the hospital room, Zhou Jun was already lying unconscious on the floor. The situation had clearly escalated, leaving Xiao Fu with no choice but to notify Zhou Yan once again.

On the other end of the call, Zhou Yan fell into a long silence before finally making a decision. He would leave the hospital temporarily and instructed Xiao Fu to come and file the necessary application.

Xiao Fu was horrified and immediately refused, but as usual, he was no match for either Zhou Jun or Zhou Yan. Within a few terse exchanges, he gave in, ending the call with a sigh and driving off to Zhou Yan’s hospital.

In the brief window of Xiao Fu’s absence, another visitor arrived at Zhou Jun’s room. Zhou Jun, still unconscious, lay motionless on the bed, his pallor stark against the sheets.

The visitor had pleaded incessantly for the chance to see Zhou Jun. Upon finding him still asleep, she carefully dragged a chair closer and sat down, unsure of what to do. Eventually, boredom led her to pick up a book from the bedside table and start reading.

Zhou Jun’s restless dream soon turned into a nightmare, jolting him awake. The sudden movement pulled at his injuries, and he groaned in pain. A pair of hands pressed him gently back against the bed, and a soft female voice murmured reassuringly, “It’s alright, it’s alright. Don’t be afraid.”

His hazy vision gradually cleared, revealing the visitor’s face. It was Xin Wanjun.

Compared to when Zhou Jun had last seen her, Xin Wanjun looked much healthier. Her cheeks were rosy, her eyes bright. Zhou Jun didn’t resist, letting her guide him back onto the bed. After a long pause, he rasped, “The child…”

“They’re fine. A strong little one,” Xin Wanjun replied, her tone light as she patted her stomach.

In truth, the situation had been perilous. She had bled profusely and suffered a terrible fall that nearly resulted in the loss of her child. Mr. Shi had been livid, punishing the kidnappers severely and even scolding Xin Wanjun in his anger.

Her ordeal was made worse when Mr. Shi discovered her pregnancy. Terrified, she had clutched her belly, apologizing profusely, insisting she hadn’t revealed anything about Mr. Shi to the kidnappers, and explaining the child wasn’t his.

But her words only darkened his expression further. He’d stared at her belly for a long moment before finally asking whose child it was. With no other options, Xin Wanjun threw Zhou Jun under the bus, naming him as the father.

Mr. Shi had scoffed and walked away without another word. Days later, he returned with biting sarcasm, mocking her for choosing to compete with men for another man’s affections.

Xin Wanjun had no idea what he meant, but Mr. Shi had dug deep into Zhou Jun’s past. Naturally, he uncovered Zhou Jun’s connection to Yong Jun, the son of Governor Yong.

When Xin Wanjun learned of Zhou Jun’s lover’s death, tears welled in her eyes and she pressed a hand to her mouth, stunned into silence. After a long, heavy pause, she finally looked at Mr. Shi and pleaded solemnly for permission to visit Zhou Jun. His temper flared instantly. He erupted at her request, storming out and slamming the door behind him.

The delays dragged on until the doctor finally confirmed that the child in Xin Wanjun’s womb was no longer at risk. Only then was she permitted to leave the house. She boarded a car, her heart full of anticipation, and arrived at the hospital where Zhou Jun was staying

As soon as she saw Zhou Jun in person, her eyes welled up with tears again. Perhaps it was due to her pregnancy, but she had become increasingly emotional, often crying herself to sleep at night over matters related to Mr. Shi.

Now, sitting by Zhou Jun’s bedside and seeing his gaunt, sickly appearance, she pressed a handkerchief to her eyes, at a complete loss for how to console him. Zhou Jun, on the other hand, lightly patted her hand. “Why are you crying? People who don’t know might think I have a terminal illness.”

Xin Wanjun sniffled a few times and finally managed to stifle her sobs. “Is there anything I can do to help you?”

Having shared a bond forged through life-and-death experiences, Zhou Jun was someone very special to her. If she could help him in any way, she was more than willing. However, she didn’t have much to offer, only a modest amount of wealth and some connections. She had once associated with a few officials, which might allow her to pull some strings.

Zhou Jun looked at this earnest, foolish girl and shook his head. There was nothing he wanted.

He only wished to recover as quickly as possible so he could attend Yong Jin’s funeral.

He wanted to see Yong Jin laid to rest with his own eyes. That would be the only way to let go. This was the final bit of time he could spend with him, the last way he could accompany him.