After I Died, My Childhood Friend Became Daddy - Chapter 17

Chapter 17: “President Huo has been in an accident!”

Zhao Yan’s expression became terrified. “I treat you like a brother; don’t screw me over.”

Fang Ran: “…”

He frowned. “Why do I feel like you’re a bit afraid of Huo Yan? Don’t be like that. He’s a very good person. Although I don’t understand why he set all this up right now, he really is a good person.”

Zhao Yan: “…”

He installs trackers and surveillance, but he’s a ‘good person.’

He swallowed silently. “I think you’d better not go head-to-head with him. Besides, the GaoKao is almost here. Why not wait until after the exams to talk?”

Fang Ran’s small face was set; it was impossible to tell what he was thinking.

Tonight was destined to be a sleepless night.

Fang Ran sat on the bed searching on his browser:

[What does it mean if a good brother installs surveillance in my room?] [What is the purpose of installing surveillance and tracking?]

Many of the search results that came up were about parents installing cameras to supervise their children’s studies.

Fang Ran was puzzled.

Could Huo Yan mean the same thing?!

So, he really did consider him a son.

…

The next day was the weekend, but Fang Ran packed his things early to head back. Zhao Yan was exhausted but forced himself to get up. “I’ll have the driver take you.”

However, upon opening the door, a familiar car was parked outside.

Fang Ran froze for a moment and whispered, “Why does that look like A-Yan’s car?”

The next second, sure enough, Huo Yan pushed open the car door and stepped out.

He walked toward Fang Ran and naturally took the things from his hand. “Let’s go. Let’s go home.”

Fang Ran was dazed. “Wait… how long have you been waiting here? How did you know I was leaving at this time?”

Huo Yan’s tone was calm. “I didn’t know when you were leaving, so I came a bit early to wait for you.”

How long is “a bit early”?

He couldn’t have been here all night, could he?

Before Fang Ran could ask, he was led by the hand and tucked into the car. He only had time to turn his head to wave goodbye to Zhao Yan, but Zhao Yan had already bolted without looking back.

“…”

The car started. Fang Ran, sitting in the passenger seat, couldn’t help but speak up. “Why are your dark circles so heavy? You didn’t stay up all night, did you?”

“I slept for a while,” Huo Yan said softly. “But I couldn’t stay asleep. I kept thinking… if I did something that made you unhappy, and that’s why you didn’t want to stay at home.”

!!!

Huo Yan’s sudden show of weakness made Fang Ran’s heart ache.

He knew his childhood friend too well; he was so strong-willed, he had never seen him lower his head or show weakness like this.

Fang Ran shook his head quickly. “No, no, don’t think like that.”

Huo Yan gave what seemed like a bitter laugh. “Ranran, you know… I only have you.”

Fang Ran’s heart instantly softened into a mess.

It was true. The two of them had depended on each other since they were young. Even a single candy had to be broken in half to share, and in the end, Huo Yan would always save his half to stuff into Fang Ran’s mouth.

They were the closest people in the world.

In an instant, all of Fang Ran’s grievances vanished. His eyes turned a bit red, he sniffled, and blurted out, “So that’s why you put a monitor in my room and a tracker on my clothes!”

Huo Yan’s eyes darkened.

It was indeed about that.

He then frowned and stepped on the brake.

The car came to an abrupt halt.

Huo Yan turned his head, his gaze heavy as he looked at Fang Ran, his voice slightly raspy. “You found out?”

Fang Ran stared at him with red eyes. “How could you do that? Even if we’re good brothers, you can’t! I need my privacy too!”

“I’m sorry…”

Huo Yan lowered his head slightly and said hoarsely, “I was afraid you would suddenly disappear again, just like back then.”

Fang Ran’s lips moved, but no words came out.

Huo Yan had always appeared very calm regarding the fact that Fang Ran had traveled ten years into the future, so Fang Ran had never considered how much of a psychological shadow this incident had cast on him.

“I won’t go missing again, A-Yan,” Fang Ran said softly.

But this kind of promise, this kind of comfort, was hollow. After all, the Fang Ran of back then had never expected such a thing to happen to him either.

Huo Yan shook his head slightly and gave a thin smile. “It’s my fault. I’ll have everything removed as soon as we get back.”

“A-Yan, I’ve thought about it too. Otherwise… maybe I should move into the school dormitory first?”

Fang Ran whispered, “Will I disturb you if I’m always at home?”

Huo Yan lowered his eyes. In a place Fang Ran couldn’t see, his gaze was as dark as ink that wouldn’t dissolve.

He spoke softly.

“You want to… leave?”

Fang Ran didn’t notice anything was wrong with Huo Yan. He was still counting on his fingers. “Yeah, I read about it online. It’s called a withdrawal reaction. It’ll be a bit uncomfortable at first, but you’ll get used to it.”

“Fang Ran, I’ve told you,” Huo Yan said quietly. “That’s not my home; it’s our home. If you don’t want it, then it’s just a cold, empty house.”

“A-Yan…”

“But if you want to move out, then go.”

Huo Yan’s tone became gentle. “You’re right. Perhaps I really should go through ‘withdrawal’.”

Since he agreed so easily, Fang Ran actually felt a bit uncomfortable. Huo Yan’s attitude felt strange, but he couldn’t put his finger on exactly why.

Finally, he could only say softly, “A-Yan, I want us both to be well. You run your company well, and I’ll attend university well.”

Huo Yan curled his lips. He appeared to be smiling, but the smile didn’t reach his eyes it even seemed a bit cold.

His Ranran was too naive.

What did “being well” mean?

Only when he was holding Ranran, lying in the same bed as Ranran, would he be “well.”

…

Zhao Yan never expected it.

This “little ancestor” actually managed to move out. He showed up at school to live in the dorms just like that. Did President Huo actually agree?

This wasn’t right.

Shouldn’t it be a “he chases, he flees” plot with golden chains and a little black room?

Even for an international school, the dormitory environment was quite average. Fortunately, Fang Ran had a single room, avoiding the discomfort of being squeezed in with others.

He thought Huo Yan would be like before, constantly sending him messages and video calls, but this time there were none. Huo Yan only asked if he had reached the dorm, and then there was no further news.

After washing up, Fang Ran lay on the bed. His chest felt heavy, as if something were blocked, and he tossed and turned, unable to sleep.

He didn’t know if what he was doing was right.

Would this really pull his childhood friend back onto the right track?

Irritably, Fang Ran tossed and turned twice more, took out his phone, poked into Huo Yan’s chat box, and sent him a message.

[Are you asleep?]

Huo Yan didn’t reply.

Clutching his phone, Fang Ran finally began to drift off.

And it was at this moment that the driver called.

In the quiet dormitory, the ringtone sounded piercing. Fang Ran was startled awake and sat up abruptly.

He answered the phone; it was the driver’s anxious voice.

“Mr. Huo has been in an accident!!”

…

This night was once again a chaotic mess.

About half an hour ago, the driver had driven the car to a desolate spot near the school.

He stopped the car according to Huo Yan’s instructions.

Huo Yan’s tone was very flat. “Stand a bit further away. Remember to call an ambulance in a moment.”

The driver listened with his skin crawling, his face turning pale. He said with a trembling voice, “President Huo…”

“Get out of the car.”

After a two-second standoff, the driver got out with trembling legs.

He followed President Huo’s words and stumbled to a position far away to stand.

He saw President Huo get out of the car and sit in the driver’s seat. Then, the car started and drove straight into the tree in front of him.

“BANG!”

…

Run!

Faster.

Fang Ran was so anxious he didn’t even put on a jacket; he even ran out wearing slippers. The guard quickly stopped him, but seeing the youth’s red eyes and face full of tears, the guard paused.

Fang Ran wiped his tears as he cried. “I—I have to go out. My friend was in a car accident.”

Your friend…

I thought it was your partner.

The guard wasn’t that heartless. After registering him, he let Fang Ran out and even helped him hail a taxi.

The driver had been vague on the phone and hadn’t said how badly Huo Yan was crashed. Fang Ran was terrified, trembling the entire way.

Suddenly, at this moment, he finally understood Huo Yan’s feelings.

Just hearing the news that Huo Yan was in an accident made Fang Ran feel like his heart was going to shatter. What about Huo Yan then? How did he spend those ten whole years when he couldn’t find him?

Tears went patter-patter down his face. Fang Ran wiped them away with his hand and sniffled.

A-Yan, you must be okay.

…

At this moment in the hospital, Huo Yan was frowning, using a cotton ball to wipe the blood flowing from his temple, appearing as if he couldn’t feel the pain.

It wasn’t until he saw the small red dot on his phone getting closer and closer that Huo Yan finally stood up, threw the thoroughly blood-stained cotton ball into a nearby trash can, and said to the waiting doctor, “Let’s go.”

It was the first time the doctor had seen a doctor waiting for a patient, but he couldn’t say anything. Who told him this hospital belonged to the man?

…

Fang Ran started sprinting the moment he got out of the taxi. The driver was already waiting at the entrance. He was startled when he saw Fang Ran. “Little ancestor, why did you run out in your pajamas? Didn’t I say there was no rush?”

If President Huo saw this, it would be bad.

Fang Ran was out of breath. “It—it’s a car accident, how can there be no rush?”

He then saw the blood on the driver’s body; his face turned even paler and his lips trembled. “This…”

The driver quickly comforted him. “It’s okay, it’s not mine. I probably just rubbed against President Huo just now.”

Fang Ran: “…”

His vision went black, his body swayed, and he nearly fell over. The driver hurriedly supported him. “Little Mister, are you okay…?”

Fang Ran shook his head with all his might. His steps were stumbling, and he said with a sob, “I want to see A-Yan.”

By the time he took the elevator upstairs, Huo Yan was lying on the hospital bed waiting for wound debridement. The blood on his face hadn’t been wiped clean yet. He just lay there quietly, half-bathed in the dim yellow light, faintly carrying a sense of being broken.

Fang Ran: He looks so pitiful. Driver: He looks so terrifying.

Taking a few steps to the bedside, Fang Ran blinked, and a teardrop fell with a “snap,” landing on Huo Yan’s hand, so scalding.

Huo Yan’s fingers moved. Fang Ran’s eyelashes fluttered, and he hurriedly reached out to grab his hand, speaking with a sob, “A-Yan…”

At this point, the first thing Huo Yan said to him was:

“Baby, why are your hands so cold?”

Fang Ran had no time to think about what he was calling him. He cried as he said, “A-Yan, how are you? Where does it hurt?”

Huo Yan rarely regretted the things he had done.

But at this moment, he was suddenly filled with remorse.

He was too despicable, and his Ranran was too wonderful.

“It doesn’t hurt,” Huo Yan said softly. He reached out to wipe Fang Ran’s tears. “Don’t cry, Ranran.”

Fang Ran checked Huo Yan up and down, front and back, left and right. Only after confirming he wasn’t missing any arms or legs did he breathe a sigh of relief. He held up two fingers in front of Huo Yan.

“How many is this?”

Huo Yan: “…”

“Is it too hard?” Fang Ran gave him a break and folded one back, leaving only one finger. “How many is this?”

Huo Yan looked at him quietly.

What does he mean?

Is he asking me to put a diamond ring on him?

Fortunately, the doctor couldn’t help but speak up at this point. “The family can rest assured. President Huo is currently of sound mind, just with a mild concussion. It is recommended to stay in the hospital for observation for two days.”

Fang Ran breathed a sigh of relief.

This result was much better than the tragic car accident scene he had imagined.

The nurse went to prepare his medicine and the IV drip.

Fang Ran took a wet wipe and gently, bit by bit, wiped the grime from Huo Yan’s face. He would blow on it every few wipes.

“It doesn’t hurt, it doesn’t hurt.”

Huo Yan’s heart was about to melt.

“It’s too late; I’ve disrupted your sleep,” Huo Yan’s voice was slightly raspy. “I shouldn’t have let the driver call you.”

Fang Ran stopped what he was doing and glared at him. “What kind of talk is that? Is my sleep more important than yours?”

“The driver should have called me. He…”

Fang Ran’s voice paused. He turned to look at the driver and asked in confusion, “Why are you okay?”

After saying it, he felt it was wrong and hurriedly waved his hand to explain. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean anything else.”

The driver was scared to death, his eyes constantly darting toward President Huo.

“I was in the passenger seat,” Huo Yan said flatly. “The level of danger was a bit higher.”

Was that it?

Fang Ran didn’t understand these things and quickly accepted Huo Yan’s explanation.

He lay obediently by the bedside, asking every minute, “A-Yan, does it hurt?”

Huo Yan shook his head and moved over a bit. “Be good. Come and lie down with me for a while.”

Fang Ran refused immediately. “No, what if I bump into you?”

“I have no injuries on my body. Hurry up,” Huo Yan said, brook no argument. “There are still a few hours until dawn. You can sleep a bit longer.”

“Be good. Aren’t you sleepy?”

Originally he was fine, having been startled awake by Huo Yan. But upon hearing Huo Yan’s words, Fang Ran immediately let out an involuntary yawn.

Huo Yan gave a slight smile. “Come and sleep.”

Sleepiness bit by bit eroded Fang Ran’s rationality. Within half a minute, he was like a drowsy puppy, scrambling onto the bed on all fours. He spoke dazedly, “I—I’ll just sleep for a bit. Call me when you need to change your medicine.”

“There’s a nurse. No need for you. Sleep.”

Fang Ran huddled next to Huo Yan and soon fell fast asleep.

Listening to the deepening breath beside him, Huo Yan’s restless state of mind from the past few days finally stabilized.

He reached out to tuck the hair by Fang Ran’s ear, then leaned over and kissed his forehead.

How wonderful.

He had won the bet.

…

He only fell asleep at dawn, and the next day Fang Ran got up entirely by willpower. To his surprise, when he scrambled up, the hospital bed was already empty.

Fang Ran was terrified and ran out in a panic. “Huo Yan! Huo Yan—”

Before he had gone a few steps, he saw the man come out of the neighboring ward. He steadily caught the pouncing Fang Ran and gently patted his back. “I’m here. I’m here. You were sleeping just now; I was afraid of disturbing you, so I went to the next room to change my medicine.”

Fang Ran’s thumping heart settled down. He then felt a bit embarrassed—clearly Huo Yan was the injured one, yet he had been snoring away on the bed.

He tilted his head and blinked. “Then I’m going to school. You stay in the hospital and wait for me to come back after school.”

Hearing the last sentence, Huo Yan’s mood improved a few notches, but he still pretended to be a bit worried on the surface, frowning. “Then are you not staying in the dorm anymore?”

Fang Ran glared at him. “You’re like this, what dorm am I staying in? Of course I’m coming over to take care of you!”

Huo Yan’s lips curled imperceptibly.

“Ranran, it’s good to have you.”

“We are good brothers for life; of course we have to take care of each other.”

…

Small mouth, don’t talk.

Even though he was in such a hurry, Huo Yan didn’t let Fang Ran leave on an empty stomach. He insisted on having him eat a bit of breakfast before letting the driver take him away.

Downstairs, the driver was already waiting for him.

Of course, the car had been changed.

Fortunately, there were more than a dozen in Huo Yan’s garage probably enough for him to crash.

The driver seemed to have recovered from yesterday’s shock, smiling broadly. “Little Mister, I’ll pick you up after school.”

Fang Ran nodded. “Then let’s go home first. I need to get some changes of clothes for A-Yan and me.”

“Okay.”

After returning to school, Fang Ran specifically sought out the teacher to explain the situation, stating that he probably wouldn’t be able to stay in the dorm for the time being.

The teacher raised both hands and feet in agreement. Having such a “little ancestor” in the dormitory made her unable to sleep well at night.

He was absent-minded throughout the whole day’s classes, wondering if Huo Yan’s wound still hurt or if his concussion was any better.

It had always been Huo Yan sending Fang Ran messages, but today it was Fang Ran taking the initiative, sending one every now and then to ask if Huo Yan felt better, if he had changed his medicine, or if his head was still dizzy.

On this end, Huo Yan was holding a video conference. Having just finished scolding the executives with full vigor, he turned his head, cleared his throat, coughed twice, and sent a voice message to Fang Ran in a low voice: “I didn’t eat. I feel a bit nauseous.”

Oh no!

How could he not eat?

This worried Fang Ran to death. He searched for many recipes online and picked out the convenient ones to send to Auntie Liu, so she could bring them to the hospital when he went home to pack his clothes in the evening.

Finally making it until the end of school, Fang Ran didn’t even have time to say another word to Zhao Yan; he just grabbed his schoolbag and ran.

Upon arriving home, Auntie Liu was simmering soup. Fang Ran dug out a small suitcase and started stuffing things inside: pajamas, toiletries… after packing his own, he went to Huo Yan’s room to pack.

He didn’t know where Huo Yan’s things were kept. He rummaged around randomly and inadvertently pulled open a certain drawer, then froze.

Inside were rows of neatly arranged medicine bottles.

He randomly took one out; it was covered in foreign technical terms that Fang Ran couldn’t understand.

Suddenly, his heart skipped a beat.

This medicine… is it all for Huo Yan to take?