138 A Father's Love

January 28, 20XX (Monday)

Hospital

The golden sun woke up from the east, rising like a baby. It's rays began to paint the black sky into different chroma of blues. On a private VIP room at a particular hospital in Beijing, the sun's rays caressed the eyelids of a handsome patient laying on the hospital bed. Zhao Yang's eyes fluttered opened as the light irritated his amazing dream of kissing a woman who was known as Xue Mei Li.

Slowly, his eyes wandered around the ceiling and into the rest of his surroundings. On his right side was a woman sleeping, her face buried on her arms that were on top of his bed sheet. Mei Li had slept on a chair using his bed as his pillow instead of the small mattress a couple of meters away from him.

Yang runs his uninjured hand through her hair, stopping to scratch her scalp to wake her up. When he saw the painter getting up in surprise and yawing large after she realized where she was and who she was with, Yang greeted her, "Good Morning."

"You're awake early..." Mei Li commented while pecking Yang's checks before she went to pour water on the glasses for them to drink.

Yang's eyes almost popped out of its sockets in surprise. That kiss was unexpected, although he wasn't complaining. He watched Mei Li hand him the glass of water to drink. After a while, Yang also watched as the nurse came in to give him breakfast, gave instructions on his medicine, and checked his health. Mei Li was his voice and the one that made all the decisions. Yang was grateful for her doing so; It has been a while that he did nothing but watch.

Remembering a necessary thing after the female nurse went out, Yang said, "Can you text Mom to get me some clothes? I don't like wearing this hospital dress."

Yang watched as Mei Li had a new towel on her hands and had begun to wipe his body again. He smirked, secretly, when he noticed that Mei Li had only cleaned the part where the nurse had touched. Her jealousy is so cute!

"You're too choosy." Mei Li replied after she had finished her task. She sat down on the chair, grabbing Yang's phone, and asked, "Anything else?"

"... Bring me underwear so you won't have to get an eyeful everytime you wipe my thighs."

Mei Li blushed before typing his words. She tossed his phone on the table and poked Yang's side with a glare. His snickers turned to laughter. She wondered when he would stop teasing her.

It was in this moment that Giusseppe Alfonsi and Elizar had knocked and entered the room after Mei Li granted her permission. The mentor and student greeted each other before Mei Li was sent out by Yang to buy herself food. Mei Li did not hesitate to agree, so she took her wallet and went to the hospital's canteen after giving Yang a peck on his lips.

When the door closed and her footsteps were not heard, Giusseppe Alfonsi's hunched back straightened. Yang would be nervous if he weren't powered by anesthesia. It was weird to see Giusseppe Alfonsi behaving like Jerome Bonaparte.

Mei Li's father cleared his throat and said, "I approve of your relations with my daughter."

"Huh?!" Yang strained his ears to hear. Had he heard right with all the anesthesia in his system or did he approve of him?

"When that incident happened, I only thought for myself but you, " Jerome told. His hands clenched his walking stick before he continued, "You had not only turned the car to hit your side instead of her but had also made sure that I would get out with minimal damage."

Yang stayed quiet. At least he noticed his efforts. Yang waited for the Bonapart to finish. He asked a question that has been bugging him for a while, "Why was she left in an orphanage?"

The two fresh national looked at each other. Their eyes are warring with who will tell. It was Bonaparte's agent, Elizar, that replied, "When the crossfire happened between the terrorist and us, the name Xue was known. They don't know where, what, and who. To let her bare that name is impossible."

"What about Chang Min?"

"He was here, so he isn't as recognized like the baby that was in Bonaparte's arms, but he deals with assassination most of the time to," Elizar answered.

"Do you have a clue who was behind our accident?" Bonaparte sat down on the chair where Mei Li sat. Yang refrained himself from scowling.

"Is this her chair?"

Yang wanted to wipe the smirk in the Bonaparte's face. If only his left hands were not injured. He sighed, "I thought you approve of me?"

"... Doesn't mean that I'll like you." grumbled the father. Elizar coughed to cover his chuckles.

Jerome could not believe that his youngest daughter was going to marry a Zhao. It was supposed to be Chang Min and Yue marrying each other as per their mothers' request but the two never once tried to talk with each other let alone be a couple.

Jerome Bonaparte eyed Yang's cast and the rest of his injuries. The fact that he was willing to die in his daughter's stead was enough reason to approve. He had even assured her and comforted her despite unimaginable pain. Fractures were neither painless nor enjoyable, and Yang bared with it like a real man.

Remembering his late wife, Jerome felt a tear rolled down his eyes. It was likely for Mei Li to marry Yang with or without interference. Destined people always have their intended meetings, after all. Xue Mu Lan would have loved to plot Mei Li's love life with Xing Hui Ying.

If only the dead had visiting hours like criminals in prison does. He would visit her every second of ever minute in every hour for every day.