Chapter 94 - Recollections of the Past (1)

The cold wind billowed Xun Zichen's dark hair across his face. He placed his hands in the pockets of his long dark green trench coat.

"We have to make a choice, one that we'll both agree on," Su Xiang told him.

Xun Zichen nodded; his face appeared to be anguished, forlorn by the dread of having this conversation. Su Xiang hoped that her mother would accept them, but even she was prepared for the worst-case scenario. And after speaking with Qian Meigui, who had the same experience, Su Xiang was certain about how she would go forward.

"Zichen," she called him.

He looked at her with his pear-green eyes, as light as chartreuse, fixated on her. He was waiting for her to say something.

"I choose you," Su Xiang said with a soft smile.

Xun Zichen's eyes widened.

"Will you choose me?" she asked.

Xun Zichen's mouth parted open. "Of course," he replied.

"Good," Su Xiang continued. "But we can only be together if you follow my lead. I think we can convince my mother into reconsidering—not for the sake of us, but for the sake of her."

Xun Zichen stepped forward, embracing her tightly, relief washing over him. If Su Xiang didn't want him anymore, he was willing to let her go for her happiness. But, he did not expect her to fight for them. He would do the same.

Su Xiang took Xun Zichen's hand, "Let's go back."

In the main house, Song Ren was speaking quietly with her husband while holding a glass of something potent. Her back was facing them until she turned around, hearing them enter the room. She then sat down, crossing a leg over her thigh.

Su Xiang stepped forward. "I want you to reconsider our relationship," she told her unwaveringly, her eyes glued onto her mother's. Song Ren showed that she was listening.

"If you take everything from us—the company, for instance—then it's not our loss. It's yours," Su Xiang said.

"How so?" Song Ren responded.

"Everything you've built, and contributed to Song Pharmaceuticals. Would you seriously have the heart to give it to anyone else?" asked Su Xiang.

"My father almost gave it to my younger brother when I didn't listen to his demands with no hesitation," Song Ren answered.

"But did you submit to your father's demands?" Su Xiang questioned.

Song Ren almost didn't answer. "No," she replied.

Su Xiang smiled with triumph. "Then, I will not heed to your demands. I want to become a doctor; I want to take ownership of the company. I want to be your successor. And I will, not for the sake of succession but for the sake of integrity. You have raised me with the same values you have embedded in yourself. You know that no one else could do the job better than Chen and me." Su Xiang spoke each word without faltering; she gritted out the speech with confidence and ease.

Her mother looked surprised. She looked towards her husband, putting her drink aside. She sighed, standing up, approaching Su Xiang and Xun Zichen. "I always told myself that I wouldn't become my father, and yet, the way I reacted would have been something he would do." Tears started to roll down her mother's cheeks, which caught Su Xiang off guard unexpectedly.

"I see a fire in you, Xi. It's the same one I had, many years ago. And all I ever want is the best for you—for both of you," Song Ren looked towards Xun Zichen. She then smiled. "It seems I have to tell you everything I know," Song Ren continued.

Xun Zichen looked at her, almost as if he couldn't believe it.

Song Ren took Xun Zichen's hand, guiding him to the kitchen. She went into one of the cabinets, taking out a briefcase that collected dust. "I kept it here because no one ever uses these cabinets," she told him, placing it over a table.

Xun Zichen glanced out towards the living room, where he saw Su Xiang leave with Su Feng, giving them all the privacy they needed. He then sat down at the kitchen table.

Song Ren opened the briefcase in front of him, revealing loose papers, documents, and articles; old ones that he had never seen before. The pages seemed to have yellowed, and the edges appeared to be crumbling.

Song Ren sat down on the chair across him. She took a deep breath and told him everything.

…

Twenty-Five Years Ago:

Song Ren went in for an emergency on-call. The ER was being over-flooded with patients in critical condition. She asked Su Feng to come in, assisting her in attending to the patients. It was their wedding anniversary, but their job came first. Based on the number of people, Song Ren knew exactly what it was—a battle between gang organizations.

"Doctor Ren," said one of the nurses. "We have a patient that is acting uncontrollably. We attempted to sedate her, but she's become violent."

"I will see her," Song Ren answered.

"It's against protocol—" said the nurse.

"She's going through trauma, and she needs the proper support. I want the room cleared, leave me alone with her."

The nurse nodded. "Right away, Dr. Ren."

Song Ren went into the hospital room, finding a beautiful woman standing in her hospital gown. She held her abdomen; blood seeped through her stitches into the fresh gown. She had tattoos all over her arms and legs. Song Ren stepped forward. "You shouldn't be standing."

The woman stepped back. "I need to leave," she said hoarsely. "I have to go back."

"First, you need to be tended to."

The woman looked around the room, beginning to cry, though she held back with gritted teeth, almost as if she hated crying or being vulnerable. "Where is he?" she asked.

"Who?" Song Ren questioned.

"My boyfriend," she replied, almost distantly.

"His name?"

"Lu Zihuan," she replied.

Fuck, Song Ren thought. That name wasn't registered in the trauma centre, but he could be one of the ones unidentified at the morgue. Song Ren took another good look at the woman, and her eyes widened.

Xun Xiaoli.

But wasn't she the owner of an electronics company? Song Ren thought. She almost didn't recognize her. But then again, organizations are disguised within high society.

"We can find out where your boyfriend is after, but for now, let's try getting you better," Song Ren urged her.

Xun Xiaoli stumbled back, sitting on the edge of the bed; her expression was ghastly pale. Her long black hair ended at her waist. She hunched over, fighting back the tears. "He's gone," she told herself.

Song Ren bit her lip, trying not to say anything. She wasn't sure, but those who made it to the hospital were dying. She knew that only a few might survive the night. The violence appeared to be chaotic.

"He had nothing to do with this…and yet, he paid the price," Xun Xiaoli continued to say through shed tears. Her pale-green eyes watered.

"I'm sorry," Song Ren said. Typically, she dealt with cases when family members lost loved ones, but this seemed to be the hardest she ever experienced. Perhaps because she thought of her husband, and if Song Ren were to lose him, she wouldn't know what to do with it.

The woman then glanced up at her, fixating her gaze. "We have a boy," Xun Xiaoli began, "Xun Zichen."

Song Ren's mouth gaped. A son born of chaos and violence, Song Ren only hoped he was far away from all of this.

"Are you a mother?" Xun Xiaoli asked her.

Song Ren shook her head. "No," she answered.

"Even so, can you go find him? And tell no one," Xun Xiaoli asked her.

"I can ask the police to—" Song Ren responded.

"No police! My son is someone with a price on his head," Xun Xiaoli responded.

Song Ren creased his brows. "Just how old is your child?" She questioned.

"Three years old," replied Xun Xiaoli.

Song Ren's eyes widened. Only three years of age and people were hunting him. How cruel, she thought. "Where is he?" Song Ren asked her.