Ru Shi woke up in the morning. She went to Fei Hong's room. There, she found Fei Hong was still sleeping. But her mother-in-law wasn't there. So, she walked to the kitchen, predicted that she must be there from the smell of fragrant tea being brewed in the kettle. The sound of he kettle whistles, telling them that the tea was ready.
"Good morning, Mother....!" Ru Shi greeted Mrs. Xiao who was pouring the tea into a cup.
Mrs. Xiao paused her work to look at Ru Shi who standing, leaning on the door frame.
"Good morning, Dear... Wanna have some tea?" Asked Mrs. Xiao.
"I would love to. Thanks, Mother...!" Replied Ru Shi, walking to the kitchen counter and sat on a stool.
Mrs. Xiao brought the cups to the counter and placed them on it.
"Has Zhan come back home?" Mrs. Xiao asked.
Ru Shi played her finger on the mouth of the cup. She shook her head.
"No. He said, Yibo's condition still unstable last night....!" Replied Ru Shi.
Mrs. Xiao hummed. She took a sip of her hot tea.
"How's their relationship as friends? I heard they only know each other for two months...!" Asked Mrs. Xiao.
Ru Shi stared at her mother-in-law. There was a suspicious look inside her eyes.
"Yeah! They met two months ago when they just moving in to the house a few blocks from here....!" Said Ru Shi.
Again Mrs. Xiao hummed. This time she bobbed her head.
"But I think.... I noticed like.... They knew each other for a long time....! They're too close for a newly met strangers...!" Added Ru Shi.
Mrs. Xiao chocked on her hot tea until she spat out of the tea that just went down her throat. She coughed violently.
"Mother! Slowly...! Are you okay?" Ru Shi took some tissues and helps Mrs. Xiao to clean the mess.
"It's ok... I'm fine. I'm fine...!" Said Mrs. Xiao. She dried her blouse with the tissue.
After calm down, she stared at Ru Shi.
"What do you mean with.... Too close?" Asked Mrs. Xiao.
"Huh?" Ru Shi was clueless. But she quickly remembered what they're talking about. "Oh! Yeah! They just met, and they seemed like they old friends to each other. I know Yibo is seek help from Zhan for his illness and has a scheduled consultation with him. But... If only a relationship between doctor and patient also won't be like that. They... I don't know what to say. It's just odd to me. They like old friends who never meet for a long time and they miss each other...!"
Mrs. Xiao silent.
"And... Zhan has changed recently...!" Said Ru Shi.
"Change?" Mrs. Xiao got alert, her brows creased.
Ru Shi nodded. Her face expressed the sadness. She took a sip of her tea slowly. Then she put the cup back down on the table. Mrs. Xiao felt her. Which woman won't be sad if the husband she loves has changed toward her since there is the third party meddling in their marriage.
"Ru Shi... There is something you want to talk about with me?" Asked Mrs. Xiao with a gentle voice. She touched Ru Shi's hand that rested on the table.
Ru Shi glanced at Mrs. Xiao,and she forced herself to smile even it turns out wryly. She shook her head.
"I'm fine, Mother...! First, I thought he just getting his second puberty, having a crush on another female. But it's normal. I just need to boost up our sex life to make him stays with me. But.... This effort also doesn't work. I tried many things to make him come back to me...!" Said Ru Shi.
"Ru Shi... Zhan still loves you. He treat ls you as usual when I saw you in the party...! And I think, sex is not everything to maintain a relationship...." Claimed Mrs. Xiao.
Ru Shi looked at Mrs. Xiao.
"Not in the bed, Mother...! In bed, he's totally changed? He's not Zhan I knew before...!" Said Ru Shi.
"What do you mean?" Asked Mrs. Xiao curious. "Do you think he's impotence?" Added Mrs. Xiao.
"I..." Ru Shi couldn't utter another words. Her mouth was opened but there is no word came out. She looked flustered, got no idea what to say to her mother-in-law.
At that time, Niji barked outside. They turned their attention to the door. Through the window, they saw Zhan opens the gate and walked into the yard.
"Heyy.... Buddy! How're you doing?" Zhan crouched down and bent in front of the hyped puppy which keeps bouncing and barking in front of him.
"Where's your master?" Zhan giggled when the puppy started to lick his hand.
"Are you just back?" Mrs. Xiao shouted from the doorway.
Zhan looked up and smiled at his mother. He put Niji on the grass, then he got up and walks to the porch.
"Mom... You're still here....!" Zhan greeted his mother and kissed her on the cheek.
"Ya. I'm waiting for Lan Lan to fetch me back...!" Replied Mrs. Xiao.
"I can send you home alone. Why do you need to ask him to fetch you? Anyway, stay a little longer here....!" Said Zhan.
"Your father needs me. I can't stay too long...! Anyway, you must be tired to drive. You better eat and take a rest...!' " Replied Mrs. Xiao.
Zhan pouted. Mrs. Xiao pushed his cheek.
"Honey.... I'll make your breakfast...!" Ru Shi meddled between them.
Zhan turned to Ru Shi who stands behind Mrs. Xiao.
"Ahh... It's ok. I ate in the hospital. I just want to take a shower then take a nap...!" Said Zhan.
Ru Shi nodded. Mrs. Xiao gave him way into the house. Zhan entered the house and gives a peck on Ru Shi's mouth. Then he went to his room. Ru Shi followed him. Mrs. Xiao watched their back as they disappeared behind the door that closed by Ru Shi.
"How's your friend?" Asked Ru Shi once they are inside the room.
"Huh? Yibo?" Zhan was in a daze for a while. "He's conscious already. But he needs to stay a little longer in the hospital. Qeng Shan is accompanying him now...!" Said Zhan. He took his shirt and pants off and threw it into the laundry basket. Then he grabbed a towel and wrapped it around his waist.
"Ohhmm..." Ru Shi mumbled.
"Let me take a shower first...!" Said Zhan
"Sure!" Replied Ru Shi.
Zhan smiled at her, then he walked to the bathroom.
After Zhan closed the bathroom door, Ru Shi took Zhan's dirty clothes from the laundry basket. She needed to send them to the dry clean. She checked the pockets of the clothes,and she found a paper folded inside Zhan's shirt pocket.
With her curiosity, Ru Shi unfolded the paper and read the report in it. She furrowed her brows. It's the report of Zhan's heart transplant 12 years ago. There was written the date and time when the surgery being done. But the heart donor was written as anonymous. There also mentioned the type of the heart.
Ru Shi wondered, why Zhan needs this report after 12 years? What does he up to? She didn't notice that Zhan jas a serious problem with his heart these couple of years.
"Ru Shi! Can you pass me a new towel? It's all wet! I accidentally spray the water on it!" Zhan shouted from the bathroom, snapped Ru Shi from her investigation.
"Uh? Yeah! Coming!" Ru Shi replied.
She quickly folded back the paper and put it on the nightstand, Zhan's side. Then she took out a clean towel from the wardrobe and went to the bathroom. She opened the door and enters the bathroom. He saw Zhan through the foggy shower screen. He was bathing with back facing the door. Ru Shi looked at Zhan's backside. Her lips curled downward with eyes glistening with tear. She hung the towel on the hook, then she exited the room.
✓✓✓✓✓
It was Sunday afternoon. Zhan decided to go to the hospital to see Yibo's condition. Ru Shi went to her friend's house with Fei Hong.
The hospitality corridors were silent. There are only the sound of the wheels from the wheelchairs pushed by the nurses or visitors who visiting the patients to bring the patients to have some fresh air, and tick-tacking the heels of their shoes. The voices of paramedics who discussing their patients murmuring lowly.
Zhan walked through the corridor. In front of the hospitality management, he took a lift to get to the VIP room which located at the second floor. He straight away took the direction to the room 324. He knocked on the door before he enters the room. There was no answer from inside. Thought that Yibo is sleeping, Zhan pushed the door open slowly. He popped his head into the room. He saw Yibo was lying on the bed with back facing the door.
Zhan stepped in. He looked around as if he was looking for someone.
"Where is Qeng Shan?" He muttered.
"Are you coming here to see my condition or to look for her?"
Zhan flinched when he thought Yibo was sleeping and it turns out that he is awake. Yibo moved his body on the bed, turns to the door, where Zhan still standing in front of it while closing it.
"I though you're sleeping....!" Said Zhan.
Yibo didn't replying him. He sat up and spread his arms that entangled with the Infusion and ECG cables, inviting Zhan to come into his embrace. And like a little kid who saw his mother, Zhan ran to Yibo and threw himself into the man's arms.
"I miss you so much..." Yibo whispered in Zhan's ear.
"How's your condition now?" Asked Zhan,.pulled back from the hug.
"As it seen. Infusion pumping the fluids into my body, and this cardiograpachine keeps telling me that my heart still beating....!" Replied Yibo.
Zhan took a deep breath. Pain snuck into him when Yibo replied about his illness as a joke. If it was happening to him, he will keeps crying, knowing that his life is just counting the days,.leaving his beloved ones behind.
"I will try hard to get you a heart donor..." Said Zhan. His voice was chocked in his throat.
"Heyy....!" Yibo grabbed Zhan's head and brings him into another hug. "I won't go that fast. This illness can't defeat me so easily. Do you know me,.right? I'm Wang Yibo....!" Said Yibo..
"I don't want to lose you....! Again!" Said Zhan.
"I'm here. For you. It was my fault for chickened out that time. I shouldn't go. But everything had happened. Now I'm here, to bring back your memory. Our memories....!" Yibo tried to comfort Zhan.
Zhan sat on the edge of the bed beside Yibo. He stared at the fair handsome face before his eyes. Yibo looked more attractive and mature than he always seen when they were young. His full lips more tempting curved up under his sexy nose. When he gave him a toothy smile, he could see his straight white teeth. And the smile was innocent.
"Do I look yummy until you look at me as if you're gonna swallow me?" Asked Yibo, teasingly.
"You look different...." Zhan mumbled.
Yibo pouted. He raised one of his brows, looking at Zhan.
"You're more handsome and mature...." Zhan added.
"Do you like it?" Asked Yibo, grins.
"I love you, yesterday, now, tomorrow and forever...." Said Zhan.
Yibo smiled. He tilted Zhan's chin, then he leaned in, closer to Zhan before he captured Zhan's lips. He kissed Zhan softly and sucks his lips gently. Their eyes closed, feeling the strange turbulence that stirring passionately inside them. Zhan wrapped his hands around Yibo's neck when Yibo pushed the back of his neck and deepened the kiss.
They enjoyed the kiss very much and unaware of the surrounding. They didn't even notice, that the door was slightly opened since Zhan started to cry until they kissing.
Ru Shi slammed her back on the wall next to the door with a very big shock expressed on her face. Her hand was still clutched on the door handle, while the other one was clutching on her chest. She pressed her lips very hard, so the sound of her crying won't come out while her tears already gliding on her cheeks unstoppable.
When she was unable to hold back her scream, she covered her mouth, listening to the sound of smooches from the kiss that done by the two men inside the room. She encouraged herself to walk slowly, away from the door with the support on the wall. After a few steps and she was sure that the men inside the room won't hear it, she let out her cry with a painful sound. She kept going on walking through the corridors with heart wrecked.
Now she understood, why her husband has no desire and passion in her anymore. It's not because of Qeng Shan as she always been jealous of. It's because of Yibo, his patient. She never knows that Zhan experiencing the amnesia and losing his memory about his past, about his lover, even about his sexual orientation.
Reached the hospital lobby, Ru Shi took out of her phone from her purse and dialed someone's number. She waited for the person to pick up her call. And when finally the person answers, she didn't bother to say a greeting and straight away tells her intention for calling.
"Qeng Shan. Can we meet now?"