Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
“Hello, Matron Huang.”
Something must have happened to the orphanage since she phoned so late.
“Xuxu,” Matron Huang sounded anxious over the phone, “little Huanhuan has contracted chickenpox and she is running a high fever now. The town hospital referred us to a hospital in the city instead. I’m taking her there now, but the thing is I have to go back to the orphanage after because only Aunt Wang is there to take care of the rest of the kids. If it’s alright with you, can you watch over Huanhuan for the night?”
She then paused for a while, afraid that she was troubling Xuxu too much. “I can take over in the morning once I’ve settled the kids in the orphanage.”
“Of course! Which hospital is it? I’ll go over now.” Xuxu was already descending the stairs.
“Xuxu, what happened?” Grandfather Wen yelled from the back, he sounded worried.
“Grandfather, don’t worry. Something urgent must have come up at the orphanage. I’ll accompany her.” Jiang Zhuoheng assured the old man and rushed after Xuxu.
Xuxu had already walked over to where she last parked her car when Jiang Zhuoheng caught up with her. “Did something happen to the orphanage?”
Xuxu replied, “Matron Huang said that Huanhuan has chickenpox and she is running a high fever. She is being transferred to a hospital in the city and asked me to take care of her tonight.”
When Ah Heng heard of Huanhuan’s condition he became worried. “Then I’ll go with you. Let’s hurry,” he said and opened the back door of the car. “I’ll drive.”
Xuxu nodded and got in.
Jiang Zhuoheng started the engine and sped off.
Yan Rusheng had just reached the clinic in his black Mercedes when he spotted Xuxu’s white Audi a distance away. His face fell immediately.
He took out his phone and was about to phone Xuxu when it started ringing.
Xuxu was calling.
He waited for a few seconds before answering. “Hello, where are you?”
Xuxu spoke over the phone “Don’t fetch me at the clinic. I’m on my way to the hospital for an emergency. Little Huanhuan is ill, her fever is high, and Matron Huang wanted me to look after her for the night.”
Little Huanhuan… Yan Rusheng recalled that little girl with curly hair from the orphanage.
Worry took over him when he heard the news. “I’ll head over as well.”
“You should go home and rest.” Xuxu politely refused and continued, “You haven’t rested much these few days. I’ll be back tomorrow morning.”
Yan Rusheng understood that she was concerned for him but somehow he felt rather glum instead.
“Alright,” he replied in a somber tone and hung up.
“Wen Xuxu, why do you always have to bump into Jiang Zhuoheng every time you visit your grandfather?”
All of Yan Rusheng’s happiness evaporated into thin air in a matter of seconds when he saw how both Xuxu and Ah Heng got into the same vehicle and sped away. He initially thought that Xuxu would yet again be coaxing and dragging him to come up and have some fish soup with her grandfather when he arrived.
He rummaged for his cigarette case and started smoking which he hasn’t done in a long time.
As he puffed some smoke out, he stared into the distance where the car had vanished. His eyebrows were furrowed tightly together.
…
The doctor helped Huanhuan to do a series of checkups to ensure that she was alright. The matron left after making sure that she was alright.
Huanhuan’s fever began to subside after a nap. She got a pleasant surprise when she saw Wen Xuxu.