Zhan's eyes saw nothing else in the room except the bed where Su Han lay. She was lying down completely still, unlike the times when he'd visit and find her sitting up, chatting with someone. Around her were six doctors and nurses....Dr. Adrian among them....but they all stood in silence, their faces marked by sorrow.
Without saying a word to anyone, Zhan moved through them until he stood beside Su Han. Her eyes were closed, and his whole body started to tremble. The moment he touched the veins in her wrist, an overwhelming weakness washed over him. This wasn't just any patient....this was a toddler girl who had passed. Zhan felt like he wanted to stop understanding what was happening. His legs became so unsteady that he had to lean against the wall, trying to catch his breath.
It was only then that Zhan noticed someone with his face buried near the head of Su Han's bed, as if unaware of everything going on around him.
Zhan shut his eyes, hearing the sound of weeping outside the room....cries that he knew came from people who had known and cared about Su Han. He didn't know how he would find the words to tell them she was gone. He didn't even know what exactly had happened to lead to her death. But since Dr. Adrian himself was present, Zhan was sure a meeting would be held among the doctors to investigate the cause. As far as Zhan had seen, everything had been proceeding normally until now.
Only he knew the weight in his chest. It burned with grief. Since he began his work, Zhan had never had a patient touch his heart the way Su Han did. He had never felt this kind of affection for any of his patients, but he had truly cared for this girl with all his heart. And now… the one with power over life had taken her away. Zhan began to move slowly toward the door as Dr. Adrian announced,
"Time of death…"
They all stood as Zhan had left them, but he couldn't even recognize anyone's face through the tears filling his eyes. Suddenly, he felt someone grab his arm.
"Doctor, we're waiting for you… she isn't gone, is she?"
Zhan looked down at the woman holding him, her face streaked with tears, the one who had asked the question.
"I'm sorry," was all Zhan could say. The woman collapsed where she stood, sobbing even harder. Zhan knew that if he had the strength, he would have stayed to offer her comfort. But his heart was too heavy with sorrow and pain, so he left for his office.
At that moment, Bai Wuxia, who had been standing quietly in a corner wiping away tears, caught sight of him as he passed by. She forced herself to think clearly. Was that really Zhan? How could it be? When had he come here? When had he become a doctor?
Zhan wasn't supposed to have reached that level...not that mature, not that accomplished… but at the same time, she felt there had never been a moment when she couldn't recognize him. The boy she had spent so many nights thinking about, the boy whose memory refused to fade from her mind, the boy whose struggles she'd always pitied...how could she forget him? And now, here he was.
Her thoughts matched those of Nalan, who had been watching Zhan ever since he entered. Even in the midst of grieving Su Han, something inside her told her this was her former classmate, her friend and rival....Xiao Zhan. But how could Zhan have become a doctor?
Nalan, more than anyone, knew how Zhan had been forced into a marriage that derailed his education, the studies he had loved more than anything. How could he have made it all the way to Washington, when she knew they didn't have the means for that? Was it really Zhan? And how could she forget him, when every single day she remembered him, pitied him, and wished she knew where he was and how life had treated him? If it was really Zhan, Nalan was determined to find out for sure.
When Zhan reached his office, he loosened his tie and sank into the armchair. Covering his face with both hands, he broke down in tears. The girl's death cut him deeply. He remembered her when she was alive....her conversations, her innocent chatter about Jianghu, her few words about her father. She'd rarely spoken of her mother, but she'd always seemed closer to her father. And now, he doubted that, despite how much she had longed for them, if her parents had come to see her one last time. His heart ached to think of how Su Han had come to this country for treatment, so young, so alone, without the warmth of a parent's presence when she had needed it most.
Zhan cried in a way he hadn't for a very long time. Su Han's death opened old wounds, bringing back the pain of losing his own mother.
Since Prince Yibo lowered his head, not once did he lift it again. He wasn't a weak man, but what he had witnessed right in front of him confirmed to him that Su Han had been gone for some time. Yibo was truly strong, both inside and out. Few had ever seen him shed tears, and he knew that if anyone witnessed his tears now, it could shake the courage of many around him. So he chose to remain as he was, silent and unmoving, until he felt a hand on his shoulder.
It was Xeilin standing beside him. Yibo raised his head and looked at him, his eyes red and swollen. Xeilin gently squeezed his shoulder in comfort, and Yibo lowered his gaze again to Su Han's covered body.
Xeilin muttered some words that seemed to calm Yibo's heart slightly, then turned and quietly left, leaving Yibo seated there alone. From where he was, Yibo could hear the voices of his relatives outside, including the wailing of Qiantang, who was being comforted by those around her.
After some minutes, Xeilin returned, his hand once again on Yibo's shoulder. In a soft voice, he said, "They said either a father or mother must receive the death certificate… and the doctor must issue it. But I checked, and the doctor has left. We'll have to wait until tomorrow when they've completed the paperwork. We should take her home. Whether she will be buried here or we'll have to return to China, we need to decide."
Yibo only managed a slight nod. He stood, gathering his strength, and walked over to where Su Han's body lay.
Despite the weight, he lifted her onto his shoulder. Xeilin tried his best to persuade him to let them fetch something to carry her on, but Yibo refused and moved ahead.
As he stepped outside, the weeping grew louder. Everyone followed together, making their way toward the hospital's courtyard to head home in the hired vehicles of that country.
The Queen, who had been holding on tightly to Qiantang since she started crying, hadn't let go even for a moment. Now she hurried to follow Yibo. Her own heart was heavy with grief, and her eyes were puffy from crying over the girl's death.
She was lost in thought when suddenly something bumped into her legs. Startled, she snapped out of her daze and began to say, "Sorry....."
But she didn't finish. Her words froze on her tongue at what she saw: a boy who had already picked himself up and darted off into the hospital, full of youthful energy, seemingly unaffected by the collision.
The Queen stepped back in shock, staring after the boy as her heart raced. Never in her life had she seen such a striking resemblance. Was it her eyes playing tricks on her, or was it real? Did she just see the spitting image of the one and only son she had in this world....Yibo?
She stood there, lost in this swirl of thoughts, until the boy disappeared from sight without her even realizing it.
"Mom… they're waiting. We need to go," came Nalan's voice from behind. Nalan watched her mother with surprise, wondering what had caught her attention so strongly. But when Nalan followed her gaze, she saw nothing.
The Queen let out a deep breath and began to walk, Nalan following. But the image of the boy's face lingered in her mind until they reached the car and she climbed inside.
Meanwhile, the hospital had already arranged for an ambulance to carry Su Han's body. Yibo rode along in the ambulance.
King Mo Yi, after making a call, gave instructions for her to be buried there in the country where she had passed away. And so it was done. The family stayed together, mourning the girl who had touched so many hearts, especially because she belonged to a family beloved by all in the kingdom. Calls kept coming in from relatives and friends back in China, offering their condolences.
As for Zhan, the tears he had shed had given him a splitting headache. So he gathered his things and went home, unable to stay and complete the paperwork he knew was required after the death of a patient. But since he saw that Dr. Adrian's office light was still on, he decided to leave, knowing the doctor would handle the rest.
In the hospital courtyard, he found Jianghu with a nurse. He took the boy's hand, and they left for home.
On the way, Jianghu kept chattering, asking why they had left without seeing Su Han. Zhan said nothing. He realized Jianghu didn't know she had passed, and he didn't know how to break it to him gently. Eventually, Jianghu fell silent, understanding his father's mood well. Whenever Zhan fell quiet like this, it meant he didn't want to talk.
✨✨✨
It was around nine o'clock at night in Washington. At that moment, the Prince was just stepping out of the shower, wearing only a thick bathrobe.
He walked slowly to the middle of the room, his body carrying the fresh scent of his bath. In one hand, he held a small towel, dabbing away the water from his skin.
Tonight, he felt a little more at ease than usual. A sense of acceptance for the loss of his only daughter was beginning to take root in him....though he knew it was something he would never truly forget.
He reached the mirror and began applying lotion to his soft skin when he suddenly heard the sound of quiet sobbing. For a moment, he had forgotten she was in the room, especially since in recent days he had distanced himself from her far more than she had ever known him to. He turned toward where the sound was coming from, watching her.
Qiantang sat curled up in one corner, hugging her knees to her chest. Against her knees, she pressed a photo he was sure was of Su Han. The Prince leaned back against the mirror, folding his arms across his chest, silently watching her.
In just three days, she had grown pale and thin. If you saw her now, you'd think she was in mourning. His heart ached whenever he remembered how she had abandoned Su Han's life, as if she hadn't cared, as if she wasn't even her mother. It hurt him even more to think of how the girl had arrived in a foreign country without her mother by her side. He had sworn he would punish Qiantang beyond what she could imagine, to make her see the error of her ways. But now, seeing the state she was in, all his anger seemed to melt away. Pity began to creep in. He knew that no matter how indifferent a mother might appear, if her child was gone, it would strike her harder than anything else, as it was striking Qiantang now. That alone made him feel it was time to ease up, even if only a little.
He walked over slowly and sat down beside her. Gently, he took the photo from her hands and set it aside, then pulled her into his arms.
She collapsed fully against his chest, breaking into fresh sobs that made it clear she needed his comfort. She clutched at his robe as if it were the only thing anchoring her.
He didn't say a word, just placed a hand on her head, stroking it gently, his gaze distant. The color of his eyes began to darken as memories flooded him....memories he hadn't expected at that moment.
He remembered when someone had once cried to him like this, a cry that spoke of deep pain. Back then, he hadn't paused to offer much comfort. And now he wondered: could it be that somewhere in this world, someone else was living with a wound as bitter as his own? Had the time come to finally face his past?
Had the time come for him to put aside the pursuit of wealth and go in search of his own happiness by himself? Deep down, he knew that by now, even if he defied the Queen, he wouldn't be in the wrong. He had fulfilled every goal she had set for him. He had achieved all she had wanted for him. And he had also achieved his own goal: amassing enough wealth to live independently, without needing help from his mother or father.
Years ago, he had agreed to follow the Queen's wishes so that he, too, could become something....so that he could build the fortune that would one day allow him to support himself and his family, once he found them. Back then, he had no wealth, no power. If he had defied his mother then, he wouldn't have had the means to find Zhan and their unborn child. He wouldn't have had the wealth to protect them from her. He knew that if he had gone against her then, she would have made sure his life was miserable by hurting Zhan. He didn't have the strength or resources to shield them. That's why he let Zhan go.....to protect them from his heartless mother. She would have stopped at nothing to achieve her goals, no matter who got hurt in the process, not even her own son.
Her ambition had been all that mattered to her. So at that time, letting Zhan go had been the hardest decision Yibo had ever made.
And now? What was left? It was time to find Zhan and fulfill the duty that weighed on his heart....to search for him, wherever he might be, and bring him home himself.
For a long while, both of them remained lost in their own pain and the scars in their hearts. At last, the Prince let out a deep sigh, his chest rising and falling with the force of it. Qiantang, lying quietly against his chest after crying her heart out, inhaled the natural, comforting scent of his body. He hadn't applied any fragrance, but his skin carried a clean, fresh smell that lingered from how often he bathed.
"So… she's really gone, my Prince? She's gone and left us behind?" she asked in a broken voice.
The Prince lifted her gently from his chest, his hands resting on her shoulders as he looked into her face.
"That's how it is… what's meant to be happens, no matter how hard it is for us," he said softly, trying to calm and soothe her. In the end, he urged her to go and bathe, hoping it might ease her spirit a little.
He, too, got dressed and opened the door of the room, stepping out.
He entered the sitting room, which was connected to the rooms where the Queen, Bai Wuxia, Nalan, and the rest of her attendants were staying. Qiantang's mother had already returned home after staying a few days, so the house was quiet except for them.
The Prince made his way to the kitchen himself, feeling hungry, though for the past two days he hadn't been able to eat much. Even he had noticed, since before Qiantang mother left she had often argued with her about forcing herself to eat.
He took two cartons of chilled fresh milk....he was feeling the emptiness in his stomach strongly tonight. He wasn't someone who usually neglected his health. He grabbed two cups and left the kitchen.
As he stepped out, the Queen came out of her room at the same moment, and they nearly collided. She glanced at him with concern, noticing the milk cartons in his hands.
"You could have just asked if you needed something. No need to go to the kitchen yourself," she said gently.
He looked down at the cartons too, then replied, "It's nothing. I just wanted to get some milk."
"You mean you're only going to drink milk for dinner?" the Queen asked as she turned and found a seat. Seeing this, he joined her and said, "It's enough. I'm not that hungry."
She shook her head. "I don't believe that. How many days has it been since you ate properly? I've been watching…" Before he could respond, she called out to Nalan in the other room.
Nalan, who had been on a call, got down from her bed and entered the sitting room with her phone still in hand. She hadn't expected the Prince to be there.
Seeing him made her quickly end the call, remove the earpiece from her ear, and approach, flustered under the weight of his intense gaze.
"I'm here, Mom."
"Go to the kitchen and prepare something light for your brother, something quick." Nalan nodded and hurried off. The Queen had chosen her because she knew the Prince might refuse food made by anyone else.
"So… what's the latest about Nalan?" the Prince asked, looking at the Queen.
Her face showed sadness as she replied, "The same… we're still waiting. I think maybe the man she was supposed to marry hasn't shown up yet. She doesn't turn anyone away...she gives them all a chance...but nothing has worked out."
The Prince fell silent, thoughtful. Of all the children in the house, Nalan was the only one still unmarried. Sometimes, he questioned whether a woman could become so deeply immersed in her studies that men began to see her as beyond their reach, even if she wasn't older than them. That seemed to be Nalan's case: highly educated, from a powerful royal family, with beauty, good character, and noble lineage. But those very things intimidated suitors.
"May the best outcome find her," he said quietly.
"Amen," the Queen answered, though her heart was heavy.
She had everything she could want in life, except that Nalan remained unmarried. That was the one thing that weighed on her, and she saw no way to solve it. Even her peers, and those who envied her, often used it as a point against her. What made it easier to bear was that all of Nalan's older siblings were married, so there was no direct comparison....she was the youngest.
The Queen's thoughts drifted again to that boy....the one who had unsettled her so deeply with his resemblance....and to how he had walked away, full of youthful innocence. The memory often returned to her, though she kept trying to dismiss it as a foolish, groundless suspicion.
There was no way, she told herself, that that boy could be tied to this land. No reason to believe her uneasy thoughts had any truth to them. That certainty gave her a small measure of peace.
Surely that boy wasn't Yibo's child, despite how much he looked like him. But if that were true, then did it mean Zhan really had been pregnant back then?
NB
Get ready, double update, the next chapter... Is the chapter you're all waiting for...i know you know what I mean. 😉
Coming soon in few hours...
Zhanxianyibo💚❤️💛