After the Fake Young Master Betrayed the Australian Farmer - Chapter 37

“Cry if you want to. I am here.”

Eleven hours later, the three of them landed back in their home country. Han Yan, who was still suffering from a lingering low-grade fever, looked even worse. His face was as pale as paper and completely devoid of color, and his chin had noticeably sharpened.

During the flight, Han Jue had confessed everything in detail. Mrs. Song had been in an unexpected car accident last June. After emergency treatment, her condition had barely stabilized, but she had remained in a coma ever since.

“I did not tell you the truth before because I did not want you to worry too much. The hospital’s stance was that her life was not in danger and that waking up was only a matter of time.”

However, yesterday, Mrs. Song’s condition took a sudden turn for the worse. The hospital issued a critical illness notice, leaving Han Jue with no choice but to reveal the full truth.

Han Yan’s feelings were complex. Previously, he had thought Mrs. Song was intentionally avoiding contact with him. He had not realized that she actually had no way of reaching him at all. He slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air and pushed his thoughts aside. The priority now was to confirm Mrs. Song’s condition.

“Yan, do not worry too much. Aunt Song is a good person and heaven will look out for her. She will be fine.” Xie Yu patted Han Yan’s shoulder to comfort him.

Xie Yu had returned with them on this trip. His mother, Xie Lan, was best friends with Mrs. Song and had spent a great deal of effort caring for her. According to him, his mother had spent the past year contacting experts both at home and abroad while praying to every deity she knew. The merit money she had donated to temples was enough to buy a house in the city center. Fearing his mother would be devastated by this latest setback, he had come along to check on her.

Han Yan’s father had sent a driver to pick them up. The driver was a new face, not the one who used to drive Han Yan. The driver addressed Han Jue and Xie Yu as “Young Master” and “Young Master Xie” respectively, but he stalled briefly when he saw the unfamiliar Han Yan, looking to Han Jue for guidance.

“This is my brother. You can just call him Young Master as well.”

Although the driver was confused, he followed the instructions obediently. Han Yan glanced at Han Jue and said helplessly, “How did I suddenly become your older brother?”

Han Jue looked toward the top of Han Yan’s head and said in a low tone, “Given the height difference between us, no one would believe it if I said you were my younger brother.”

Why would no one believe it? Adams was much taller than him, yet he still had to call him “Brother.” At that thought, Han Yan’s body stiffened. He lowered his eyes and scolded himself in his heart.

When they arrived at the hospital, the group rushed to the Intensive Care Unit. Through the glass, Han Yan saw the woman lying on the hospital bed, her body covered in various tubes. Her eyes were tightly closed, and her chest showed almost no movement. Only the curves on the cardiac monitor indicated that her heart was still beating.

The short-haired woman sitting by the bed seemed to sense their presence. She looked up, met their eyes, and stood to open the door.

“You are here.” The woman’s face showed deep exhaustion with dark circles under her eyes. It was clear she had not rested all night.

“Mom, why are you here alone? Where is Uncle Han?” Xie Yu stepped forward to support her arm.

She let out a mocking, cold laugh. “Him? Zhiyun went into the emergency room yesterday morning. He stayed for thirty minutes and then went back to the company to handle his business.”

“He did not even come to see her after she came out of surgery. He just sent two caregivers over.”

“I told Zhiyun back then not to find such a career-driven man. His own wife’s life is hanging in the balance, yet he still has the leisure to talk about his damn business!”

Xie Lan was shaking with anger, and Xie Yu immediately tried to calm her down. “Mom, do not be angry. It is not worth ruining your health over a man like that.”

Han Yan had known for a long time that his father was ambitious and only cared about his career. However, the fact that he could still prioritize work after what had happened to Mrs. Song sent a chill through his heart. Han Jue frowned upon hearing this; he had never liked his biological father. A man who could ignore a son he had raised for over a decade was clearly cold and heartless. He was someone who would ruthlessly abandon anyone or anything that no longer held value for him.

Xie Lan calmed her emotions and spoke to Han Yan and Han Jue. “Zhiyun is not completely out of danger yet. The doctor said she still needs observation. Only one person can enter for a visit at a time. Which of you will go first?”

Han Jue pushed Han Yan forward without hesitation. “Go see Mom. You must have many things to say to her.”

Han Yan gazed at him and said a sincere thank you. As he passed Xie Lan, she patted his back gently. “Xiao Yan, stay with your mother. Zhiyun missed you very much.”

Han Yan entered the ward, and Xie Lan thoughtfully closed the door behind him. He sat down by the bed. Seeing her through the glass was one thing, but up close, he realized the woman’s frame was as thin as paper. Her hospital gown hung loosely on her as if it were draped over a skeleton. Her cheeks were sunken, her once rosy lips were pale, and they were cracked like parched earth.

He took hold of the hand resting by her side. The hand that used to be well-proportioned was now skin and bones. The feeling of her bones against his palm made his eyes sting. In the past, Mrs. Song had treasured her hands more than anything, frequently hiring professionals to come to the house for treatments. She loved getting manicures and always dragged him along to help choose designs. If he chose something she did not like, she would look at him suspiciously and ask, “Son, with your aesthetic sense, are you truly gay?”

When he had come out to his family, Han Yan would have been beaten half to death by his father if Mrs. Song had not stood in front of him. She had fought with his father over it and they had remained in a cold war for nearly six months. He had once asked her why she was able to accept it so quickly. She had been eating sunflower seeds and watching a drama when she replied, “What haven’t I seen at my age?”

“What is wrong with being gay? Life is only so long. It is enough to live happily. Nothing else matters. Besides, if I do not accept it, you will not suddenly become straight. It would just lead to everyone being unhappy. Why would I do that to myself?”

Later, he had asked her if she was truly happy since she always talked about living a joyful life.

“I am happy. Why wouldn’t I be? I do not lack money and I will not have the trouble of helping you raise a bratty kid in the future. I can do whatever I want. How could I not be happy?”

The memories of his mother’s vibrant self were still vivid, making Han Yan’s eyes ache intensely. He carefully held her hand in his and pressed his forehead against her cold skin, thinking silently to himself:

Your favorite lipstick brand released new shades that would suit you perfectly. The drama you were following has a second season with the original cast; you would definitely love it. At the beginning of last year, you said you wanted to go to Tasmania this summer to see the aurora. It is already June, which is the best time for it. Your son will be your guide and I promise to take beautiful photos of you. Mom, please get better soon.

Although there were caregivers present, Han Yan was not at ease and planned to stay and watch over her. Xie Yu and Xie Lan urged him to go back and rest.

“Yan, your fever just broke. Your body has not recovered yet. Do not let yourself collapse first!”

“Xiao Yan, there are caregivers here. If anything happens, they will call us. I will come back first thing tomorrow morning. Do not worry; everything will be fine.”

Seeing that Han Yan would not budge, Han Jue spoke up. “Xie Yu, Aunt Xie, you go back first. I will stay here with Han Yan.”

Han Yan’s eyes moved slightly, and he murmured, “I can actually do this by myself.”

Han Jue glared at him in disagreement. “She is also my mother.”

Han Yan was stunned for a moment. Before he could react, Han Jue had already sat down on a bench in the corridor. Han Yan walked over and sat beside him. The two of them watched the situation inside the ward through the glass, remaining silent.

“The first time I met Mom, she looked very shocked,” Han Jue said softly. Han Yan turned to look at him as he continued. “She did not know about you being swapped at birth. It was Dad who investigated privately and found me.”

“She did not believe it at first, but Dad produced the identification report. Do you know what her first reaction was when she saw it?”

“She said: Then what will happen to Xiao Yan?”

Han Yan’s expression was one of shock, and his heart tightened suddenly. Han Jue turned to look at him steadily. “When I told you before that she would look through your photo albums, it was the truth.”

“During those few days, she stayed alone in her room except for her regular meals, looking at photos of you when you were little. Later, she went out and that was when the car accident happened.”

Han Jue paused, patted Han Yan’s slightly trembling back, and sighed. “Han Yan, Mom truly misses you.”

By 5:30 AM, Han Yan had not closed his eyes for over twenty hours. He wanted to nap, but a string of tension remained tight in his mind, making it impossible for him to sleep. Seeing that Han Jue was still asleep, he went to the restroom to wash his face with cold water.

In the mirror, the whites of his eyes were bloodshot, his hair was messy across his forehead, and his lips were dry and peeling. He looked exhausted. He rubbed his aching temples and went downstairs to a convenience store to buy two breakfasts.

When he returned, the quiet corridor was suddenly filled with noise. Medical staff hurried past him one after another. A terrifying thought flashed through his mind. The breakfast in his hand fell to the ground instantly. A rice ball rolled out of the bag and was crushed under someone’s foot, splashing sauce onto his shoes.

He ran to the door of the ward in a panic, his chest heaving. He looked past the crowd of people toward the cardiac monitor. In the next second, his mind went blank. A suffocating ringing sound pounded against his eardrums.

He stared blankly at the moving lips of the staff as he was pushed aside. The thin face on the bed flashed before his eyes. The cold sensation of her hand on his own earlier made him snap awake. He followed quickly but was stopped outside the emergency room by a request for family members to stay back.

A moment before the door closed, he saw a thin arm, as withered as a dead branch, hanging from the side of the bed. The red light above turned on. He stood frozen in place, his eyes vacant, staring straight at a point on the door.

His clenched fists turned white at the knuckles, and his fingernails dug into his palms as he trembled uncontrollably. It felt as if a heavy stone had been placed on his heart, making it nearly impossible for him to breathe.

Suddenly, his vision went dark. A large hand gripped his wrist and pulled him into a hug. The deep, familiar voice caused him to lose all restraint. Warm liquid flowed from the corners of his eyes, wetting the rough palm.

“Cry if you want to. I am here.”