Chapter 17 - Mother

It was one of those voices that Ming Yue could recognise even if she got lost in the middle of the raging storm and roaring seas.

That mellow voice, so soothing and calm, deeply echoed in her ears whenever she was in excruciating pain.

The only person she failed to hate from her past.

"We still got two more hours for the new year, Ma." Wan Yi Jun smilingly informed as he effortlessly twirled the steering wheel, his darkened face lit up like the fireworks in the sky.

It was the phone call from the woman whom he loved the most,

Sienna Han, his mother.

"Really? I just came out of the operation theatre." The voice on the other end apologetically explained.

"Surgery at this time?" Wan Yi Jun's eyebrows arched up in worry. His mother was one of the top neurosurgeons in Novaria, and he was very much aware that she was indeed busy- but how workaholic his mother was that she decided to work on new year eve?

"Yes, it was an accident case. The 112 brought the patient when I was about to leave."

"Drunk driving?" Since he was a police officer, Wan Yi Jun unknowingly dwelled into the details, and Sienna Han, who knew about her son's personality, joined his suit without any delay.

"No. The patient got hit by a truck while being chased by some drunk men."

"Did the police charge the case?"

"Of course they did. Apparently, the Novarian police force works a bit faster than the imperial police." Sienna's voice had a faint hue of criticism as she spoke.

"I beg to differ, Dr Han. The imperial police task force comes second to none." He retorted with fake seriousness.

"I beg to differ too, captain Wan. I heard that the imperial police force failed to catch the culprits behind Chairman Han's attack."

As soon as Wan Yi Jun heard his mother mentioning the attack in the Han family, the joy in his face faded out immediately.

Chairman Han has moved his best card to persuade his reluctant nephew to take charge of the Long Wei case- the classic example of emotional blackmailing.

General Zhi, chief Wu, now his mother- everyone uses the same tactic to force him. They knew that 'family sentiments' was his weak point.

"Did you receive any phone calls from uncle?"

"No. It wasn't big brother." Sienna immediately denied even before he could read between the lines and find out that she was lying.

"It was your aunt who called me when she couldn't reach you on your phone. Even Min said the same. How come none of them was able to reach you?" Sienna sounded sceptical as she interrogated her son. She was very much aware that Wan Yi Jun grew distant to both sides of his parent's family over the years, especially after joining the police force. But did he really cut ties with the only family they got in imperial? She couldn't help but worry about her son, who preferred to stay away from family matters as he turned older. One day, if something happens to her then who will be there for him?

However, Wan Yi Jun, on the other hand, completely lost his cool as soon as he heard the name 'Min' from his mother.

He couldn't believe that his good for nothing cousin had taken the best seat to watch the drama in his life.

"When did he call you? Today or yesterday? What did he say? Did he ask you to persuade me to take charge of the case? Why is he acting like a jerk? Is he mad or what? He restlessly blurted out a bunch of questions that popped out in his mind within a very short time.

"What? No. He just wants to invite you for the family dinner." Sienna managed to reply as she struggled to control her laughter. A moment ago, she worried about her son being detached from his family, but when she heard him complaining about his cousin, Sienna could easily figure out that's not the case. Even though he denies it every time, her son still cares about Min, who has become his competitor in life.

"I got work, Ma...Too busy to go for a 'Family dinner'. He cooked up a white lie to avoid meeting his relatives.

"Don't lie, Yi Jun ah, Min said that you are free and even took your teammates to lunch today," Sienna said as soon as she heard his excuses to skip the family dinner.

"How did he know that? Did he stalk me or what?" Wan Yi Jun quickly retaliated.

"No...no..no..the owner of that restaurant is a close friend of Min. So as soon as you left, he exchanged the very confidential information of a certain someone's love for seafood platter to his friend." Sienna spoke the same words from her nephew, who called her earlier to exchange new year greetings.

"I'm not going there anymore." Wan Yi Jun monotonously declared. Even though he spoke with an aloof face, anyone could clearly see that he was annoyed by his 'stalker'.

"Ufffo…are you still on bad terms with Min? Yi Jun ah, he is your brother." Sienna tried to remind him. As a child, Wan Yi Jun was closer to his cousins, more than anyone else, and they were the people who got affected the most when he began to cut down his ties with his relatives in imperial.

"Second cousin." He corrected her right away, surprising Sienna, as well as Ming Yue, who was silently listening to their bickerings.

"But you grew up together."

"So what? I'm an adult, now."

"Well, you don't sound like one." Sienna ended their argument by pointing out his immature behaviour towards his cousin.

"Mamma!!!" Wan Yi Jun called her in a sulky tone. He couldn't believe that not only did his mother blame him while taking his cousin's side but even dared to call him immature.

"See, who is whining now?" Sienna smilingly pointed out. It was true that he was a well-respected police officer, so intimidating and forbearing to others. However, in front of his mother, he returns to his childish self, the little Yi Jun.

"I really don't want to go there, Ma. You know how awkward I feel whenever I go to family dinners." As a person who disliked judgemental relatives, family dinners and social gatherings have always been a difficult task for Wan Yi Jun.

"Your grandma's health doesn't seem good nowadays. She wants to see her grandchildren and spend some time with them. Why don't you go there for her sake?" Even though Sienna anticipatingly asked but got no reply from Wan Yi Jun, who turned silent all at once as if he was weighing down the possibility.

"Yi Jun ah, are you listening to me?"

"Hmm."

"Can't you take an hour from your busy schedule and have a meal with her?" Sienna tried to coax her son, who grew up under the care of his grandmother.

"If I go there, aunt Lin will start the "marriage talks" and try to set me with some random women. "' After a long minute, Wan Yi Jun confessed the truth that stopped him from going to family gatherings.

"Oh, good lord!!! You know how worried your aunt when she came to know that both of her nephews were wasting their youth chasing criminals instead of women?"

"Your Min is planning to get married." Wan Yi Jun let out a scoff as he shared the brand new information he got uu

"Of course, your aunty told me about it. She is glad that at least one of you is finally agreed to get settled and looking for a perfect bride for Min. Lin is just worried about you. Why don't you introduce your girlfriend to everyone? Let them know that they will be attending two or maybe three marriages very soon." Sienna innocently threw bait and waited for her son to come clean about his relationship status and future plans. Even though Wan Yi Jun kept refusing, she did know that her son had a girl he liked. What if he changes his mind after meeting his grandmother and agrees to settle down?

However, Wan Yi Jun, who saw through his mother's plans, smoothly avoided answering the question.

"Of course, if everything goes well, you will be attending two weddings this year- your nephew's and niece's wedding." Wan Yi Jun replied in the same tone.

"Why? Are you going to become a monk rather than getting married?" Sienna half-jokingly enquired, "Wan family needs an heir, son. You can't become a monk."

"I will. Let the Wan family line end with me." He shrugged his shoulders as if its no big deal.

"Hahaha. I don't think your girlfriend will not be happy with that decision."

"I'm going to cut the call if you say that again." Wan Yi Jun warned his mother. He didn't understand why his mother, who has been highly supportive of his career, has lately been obsessed with his marriage.

"I was just joking, dear. Listen, I need to go now. I will talk to you later, okay?"

"Hmmm. Don't tire yourself, Ma."

"Hmm. I won't. Bye then. "

"Bye, Ma. take care."

"Yi Jun ah, I'm telling your aunt that you will be there for lunch. Okay, bye." Sienna cut the call even before Wan Yi Jun could come up with another excuse.

As soon as the call got disconnected, he glanced at Ming Yue, who stayed silent throughout the entire conversation without a slight change on her face.

"Sorry...my mother..lives abroad...so she is a bit..." He tried to explain and apologise to the girl, thinking that he might've made her awkward by letting her listening to the conversation with his mother.

"It's alright. Can you stop the car on the next street?" Ming Yue requested.

"Huh, did we reach, already?" He wondered and checked the location. She was right. While he was on the call, he did drive downtown. "Do you remember the location of your house?" He asked as soon as he pulled over the car at the last street in the down Town market area.

"Hmm... I can walk from here. Thank you for helping me out." She quickly shared her gratitude and urged to get down. However, after hearing the accident case from his mother, Wan Yi Jun couldn't simply let her go alone in the middle of the night.

"We came this far. Let me drop you at home."

"No. It's alright. The streets are going to be blocked for the fireworks display. You won't be able to cross the central square if you delay it anymore."

"Leave that to me, miss Ming and now tell me where do you live? I will take you there.." Wan Yi Jun suggested and drove the car inside the narrow alley in the last street, giving Ming Yue no other option but to agree.