(SENGYOU)
Qing's untimely arrival in our home this morning prompted a sudden family meeting.
Our issue. The article published online and in a newspaper about Wowo receiving money from Feng LiXong that our grandfather used to get an education.
That article also detailed our Wowo's life from his start as a servant of the Fengs until his life in the University.
My Wowo was described as a bright boy with ambitions to improve his servant status. He got what he wants by working hard to become a top doctor but his start only happened because Feng LiXong took mercy on him and gave him money.
"Does he really have to include that the money he gave to me came from his inheritance from his loving mother?" Wowo gritted his teeth in suppressed anger. "Feng LiXong really knows how to paint himself as the saint in every situation."
"What should we do?" Mama asked in concern. "What happened in that convention was also dug up with this article. It's making it sound like we are all ingrate who bit the hand of the one who fed us by quarreling with the Fengs."
At the mention of the Fengs, we all look at Qing. "Why are you here?" Wowo asked my brother.
Qing sighed, "What do you mean why I am here? I am a Wang. This is a serious family issue. Of course, I am here to get involve..."
"Or to spy away," Mama grumbled.
"Spy?" I snorted at that. "Who do you think Qing is...James Bond? He is not even that charming..."
Qing eyed me intently. I smirked at him. Mama rolled her eyes at us, "Will the two of you stop it. We have more pressing issues to tackle here..."
"Like what?" I asked. "The article is already out. Our options are simple. Either we deny that or put out a more scandalous item to cover it up. People nowadays have attention span of a gnat. They always want new things to chew on."
"I don't think we have something more scandalous than this," Baba said. I nodded in agreement with him.
"We don't need anything more scandalous than that. We just have to present something as shocking." Qing said before fishing his phone out. He dialed a number and put the phone against his ear, "BaoBao, can you help me?" He asked the other person on the line.
BaoBao? He is calling LuBao to ask a favor?
Qing put the call in speaker. "What can I do? Qing, what you want is not ready yet." BaoBao sounded stressed on the other line.
"But the studies are solid. The datas had been checked and rechecked. This one research is working. Can't we present it?" Qing asked.
BaoBao sighed on the other line, "Fine, I think we can. But you have to be careful in phrasing the words, Wang Qing. We are talking about leukemia here..."
We all eyed Qing. "Just present me the data of patients under ten years old that received the treatment through our trial experiments. And the results."
"I will fax it to you. Are you on your office?" BaoBao asked.
"No, I am at our home..."
"Oh really? How is Dayu? Can I talk to him?" I clamped my lips when I saw my mother grew rigid at the mention of Qing's boyfriend.
Qing grimaced, "No...not that home. I mean, my parents' house. And you are on speaker..."
"Oh my God!" We heard scrambling noises from the other line. "Hello Sirs, Ma'am...uhm..." and on lower tone "Damn it, Wang Qing why didn't you said it earlier?
"We can hear you," I said to warn BaoBao.
We heard a faint "fuck", followed by a hurried "sorry" and "shit".
He is...cluelessly adorable.
Then BaoBao's voice came out clear from Qing's phone, "I will just email the details to you. If you will do what I think you will do, make sure that Dr.SengYou talks with the press. He is in Internal MD and he was stationed with kids before. Plus he register well on TV."
"Okay, thanks for the advice." Qing said. "I will expect those datas. And ready the stage. How about that new commercial we are readying?"
"It's ready, but it's due to be launched next week to the TV stations. Why?"
"I want to add a few component to it. And can it be aired tonight?" Qing asked.
"If it's some minor changes, that is doable. But we will pay a lot more if you want it to be aired in a rush," BaoBao said.
"Spare no mind about the cost. I will handle it. I will email back the details of the changes I want to be made for the new commercial. I will see you later. Anything else?"
"Nothing. Just call me when you are done with your meeting. I will call Dayu next..." BaoBao gasped when he realized his mistake. "I mean I will...bye," he just stopped trying at the end there.
What should I do to him? BaoBao is...
Qing pocketed his phone again. Baba frowned at him, "What is your plan? We are reserving those datas for another recheck..."
"Let's release it now." Qing said. "I will contact some of the patients on that trial treatment. A new blood medical procedure to reduce relapse in leukemia, especially on children, will be something everyone can rejoice about. Then we can present Wowo's impressive resume to people through the new commercial for the hospitals. We will not shy away with the issue but Wowo doesn't need to come out and address the issue personally. For now..."
Those sounds like some solid plans.
"Why are you helping?" Wowo asked my brother.
"Because this is my fault. It happened because I approached Chairman Feng and asked him questions," Qing confesses.
"Questions about what?" I frowned at him.
Qing stared at me, "About Nana's past with Feng LiXong...her first love." He said.
"Wang Qing!" Our parents and Wowo exclaimed Qing's name while I blinked rapidly at him.
"Who is Nana's first love?" I look at everyone on our living room. Most member of my family evaded my eyes, my brother shrugged. "This is the past Wowo have with Feng LiXong, that Dayu's grandfather was Nana's first love."
"Qing," Baba gave my brother an exasperated look. "You shouldn't have done that..."
"I have to know," Qing replied in a mulish tone. "You talked about Dayu's grandfather harassing Nana before while she was carrying you, Baba..."
My eyes widened this time, "Harassment?" I look at Wowo. "Is this true?"
"Yes..."
"No,"
Wowo and Qing stared at each other as they answered my question at the same time. Wowo saying yes while Qing gave a negative reply.
"When did you heard all about this, Qing?" I asked to get my brother's attention.
"On Baba's birthday. When I entered back here to get Dayu's bag and our coats. I heard them talking loudly at the study room."
"And you didn't tell me?" I scowled at my brother. "You kept it to yourself..."
"I couldn't believe everything I heard that night," Qing said in defense. "They all raised questions in my head,"
"And so, you approached Dayu's grandfather to get the answers to your questions instead coming to us to clear things up for you?" Baba sounded disappointed at my brother.
"I don't trust any of you," Qing said unabashedly. "Dayu just got mistreated that night..."
"Mistreated?" Mama sneered. "We hardly criticized the boy, Qing..."
"Either way, I don't trust any on you. So I seeked out Feng LiXong to get some answers."
"And then what? You believe him?" I clucked my tongue. "You believe Dayu's grandfather over our own?"
"No," Qing shook his head. "But I believe him when he said that he didn't harassed Nana..."
"He lied," Wowo cut in in a hard tone. "Feng LiXong lied..."
"You mean he lied when he said that you and him were friends before you started hating each other?" Qing inclined his head a little to the side as he stared at our grandfather.
Baba coughed at what we heard from my brother. "Friends? You and Feng LiXong...Baba?"
Wowo closed his eyes. "Yes we were friends..."
"And Nana was his woman first. Feng LiXong claimed that you betrayed him by taking his woman," Qing looked deadly serious while he was uttering those words.
Betrayed? Well, if Wowo and Dayu's grandfather were indeed friends, sure, a betrayal must have occured.
"I didn't betray him..."
"He trusted you. And you claimed the woman in the end." Qing countered Wowo's words. "Why?"
"Why are you asking Wowo that?" I cannot follow the conversation anymore.
Qing looked at me. "I am asking Wowo why, after taking Feng LiXong's money and help, did he betrayed Dayu's grandfather."
Oh...that.
We all turned to Wowo for the answer. Wowo focused his gaze on Qing. "Why else? Love. I love your Nana. So much that I turned my back on LiXong to have her."
"And she loved you back that's why she also betrayed Feng LiXong with you. Right?" I said while looking at everyone.
Silence. No one replied to what I said until Baba had spoken. "Of course. That's what happened." He said to me.
But Qing and Wowo are still locked in a staring duel that no one is willing to break.
I cannot take it anymore. "Qing," I called for my brother. "When will your plan start?" I asked.
Qing forced himself to look at me, "It's starting now. BaoBao is onto the details. You will take your cue from him. I will start contacting people. I want Wowo to remain at home today. Just today. We will see how the public will react from the new medical procedure we will present and to the commercial. Then Wowo can appear and start answering questions."
All of us nodded to his plan.
"What about Dayu's family?" I asked since no one else seems to want to go to that route.
"I will handle the Fengs," Qing replied confidently.
Mama sighed loudly at that. "You will just handle everything now. I see..."
"Yes," Qing smile coldly at our mother. "Because I won't let any of you near Dayu again. Like I said, I don't trust anyone in this family when it comes to my lover. Dayu is off limits. I will handle the Fengs. End of the story."
Wowo grunted, "If you think there is a way to handle Feng LiXong, then you are a bigger fool than I suspected. Look at what he did. He intends to destroy me while lifting his ownself. LiXong always believes that he is standing on a pedestal. That he is untouchable."
"No," Qing smirked at our grandfather. "YOU put Feng LiXong in a pedestal. YOU think he is untouchable. I don't. He is just a man. He is clever, sure. He has connections, he has money, I get that. But aside from having Dayu as his grandson, I don't find anything redeemable about that man. YOU are intimidated at him. I am not you," Qing snorted before turning away.
I sighed as we all watch my brother leave. Wowo laughed. "Arrogant bastard. Whose blood is he again?" He smiled at us. Totally pleased at Qing.
"Yours," I answered his question before taking my leave as well. I think I have a press conference to look forward to. As if I don't have enough to deal with.
But while walking away, I can still hear Wowo's laughters.
He is truly pleased at Qing.
..............................
(FENG LIXONG)
It looks like the Wangs has suddenly acquired class.
The way they responded to the news article I commissioned was a class act on it's on.
They released a new medical procedure that will help leukemia patient reduced their chances of having relapse. Wang Guan's eldest grandson made the announcement in a covered press conference.
"Through testing the patient's blood and mixing it with newly discovered medicine, we will inject the processed blood back to the patient and it will help the patient to produce more healthy blood. This new process will reduce the need of patients for blood transfusions and even, hopefully, dialysis."
Then the Wangs followed that with a new TV commercial for their hospitals.
In the new commercial, they took the time to list the things Wang Guan accomplished for the medical world plus all the awards he had received through his research and risky but fruitful investments on medicine.
It was a simple but impactful response to the article I released.
And more importantly, it diverted the public's attention from Wang Guan's poor past.
Nice response, Guan. It looks like you are finally acquiring some backbone and class. I will give it to you this time.
I closed my eyes as I listen to the silence in my surrounding.
I am alone.
I have no time for Wang Guan. I need to focus my mind on my son. On my family. I refused for it to end like this. ZhuTuan angry at me and him leaving our home.
No. I have to somehow convince my son to come back home.
I opened my eyes and I look down to my hand. The hand that struck my grandson.
"You are wrong. You are no different from GrandPa. You are cruel like him, or even worse..."
ZhuTuan's words. I can still hear them. And Yu, oh my Jian Yu. I can still feel my grandson's skin on the hand I used to struck him.
Why? Why did I do that? Hurt my precious grandson. How could I?
My hand fisted, I shouldn't have done that. More than anyone, I should be protecting Yu. From the Wangs. From everyone. Yu is my future. My heir. Couldn't afford to lose my grandson.
What should I do to make amends? How can I get my son and grandson's hearts again?
How?