Chapter 173 - Egg Retrieval Day (7)

She shook her head and said, "I'm not trying to get your pity or anything. I'm just saying, perhaps your mother thought that it would be best for him to go to an orphanage instead, and perhaps she was right. Nobody could tell what would have happened if she were to take you and your brother back then."

Xiao Lei knew something about how Han Ye was abused by his mother's ex-boyfriend. When they were kids, Wu Yuexue told her something about him before when she was trying to get her to be kinder to Han Ye. 

So, Xiao Lei knew that it was not easy for Han Ye's mother back then. And she only had one son. If she had two sons to raise back then, would she be able to leave her rich ex-boyfriend?

She knew of a woman who lost her baby to an abusive husband before. That woman's husband forced her into pr*stitution to pay his own debt, and when she gave birth to their baby, he did not believe that it was his, and he kicked the baby down the stairs, causing her death. 

"Li Li..." Xiao Lei thought sadly. She had cried and felt sorry for her when Xiao Yunjie told her about Li Li's story and how she became entangled with the underground world. 

Thinking about how well Li Li looked the last time she saw her, Xiao Lei could not help but sigh in relief for the poor woman. At least, she was in a better life now...

Looking at Han Ye, she could tell from his gaze that he was somewhat worried about her, as if he thought she had a really bad life the past two years. Sure, it had not been easy, but her life was a lot better than other women. Therefore, she did not want him to worry about it. It was pointless anyway. 

So, Xiao Lei quickly added, "Anyway, your mother was no longer here. Just think of what kind of person she was when she was alive, and from there, you could see what she was thinking when she made that decision. You should think more about the future."

Han Ye closed his eyes and took a deep breath as he digested her words. He then nodded. "You're right. I should think about the future instead of spending so much time thinking about this. I'm worried about that lady's grandson. She said that he's running out of time. And he's... somewhat my nephew?"

He then sighed loudly and grabbed his knees tightly as he murmured, "A child's life is at stake, yet I can't understand why..."

Seeing that he was frowning, Xiao Lei chuckled and said softly, "Don't force yourself. Just be comfortable with it."

He nodded. "I can't understand why Head Manager Han could not put the past aside and help him. No matter what, the child is innocent."

"As an outsider, I can't comment much, but... try to talk to him. I mean, if he has known who you are, yet he still chose to stay, and from what you told me earlier, he was by your side making sure that you remained healthy and did not do anything stupid after you pulled the plug on your wife, then... I can at least tell you that he doesn't hate you. Pester him long enough and he might tell you things." 

Han Ye smiled and nodded. That was the only thing he could do now. Well, that and go back to his old home for a visit. Since he could not remember when exactly did he and his mother move away, but he had the year pegged down. 

He had sent his men out to gather some information about what had happened during that period of time. With all that he knew now, he had a feeling that his father did not die from sickness as per what his mother told him. 

Having solved his dilemma for now, he then took a careful look at her. Xiao Lei was looking at him with a kind smile, instead of the i-don't-want-to-see-you-here expression earlier when he first came into the room.

When he was sure that she was more relaxed compared to earlier, he then asked, "So, can you tell me now? What happened to you?"

At first, he thought that Xiao Lei did not want to talk about it, because she turned away from him after showing him a sad look. However, a moment of silence later, she took a deep breath before saying in a soft voice, "Because the doctors were mean..."

"What doctors?" 

She placed a hand under her head and using her other hand, she gently tapped on the bed as she murmured, "The doctors who tended to me... They don't let me cry, and they kept me sedated the entire time even when I said no... I can't go to their funerals... I can't shout or yell... Just injections and more injections..."

As she talked, her voice got smaller and smaller, to the point that Han Ye had to strain his ears to understand what she was saying. 

"Xiao Lei, were you afraid when they gave you the injections?" 

She glanced at him briefly before nodding once. 

"Why?"

"I was afraid... that they might try to kill me. That the killer would come back for me..." Xiao Lei said in an almost whispery voice, as if she were that 10-year-old girl who had just witnessed her parents' murder again. "I was afraid that I might forget his face..." 

"The Mole Man?"

She nodded. Then she frowned as she looked at him. "Don't trick me to tell you things!" 

"I'm not... Why would I trick you?" He smiled kindly at her as he tried to reassure her.  

She looked into his bright, gentle eyes before admitting, "I saw his face..."

Han Ye had a suspicion this was the case ever since he saw her frantic expression back then. For Xiao Lei, her parents' deaths had to be the thing that bothered her the most.

Back then, Han Ye had to take many trips before he was allowed to see her at the hospital, and even then, she had been extremely withdrawn and quiet. Basically, she was nothing like the Fan Wushuang that he knew. 

Xiao Lei picked at the bed cover as she mumbled, "My parents... They died from a manmade car accident, and that accident was caused by him... He killed them... He caused our car to flip over that day, and he set the car on fire." 

Han Ye noticed from a corner of his eye that she was clenching her fists tightly as she fought the sadness of the memory at bay. 

It was the first time she had told anyone what she knew. Since she did not know that he knew about her real identity, she figured it was safe to talk to him about it by keeping the story vague...

Furthermore, having seen the Mole Man in Imperial City, it had been bothering her constantly, and she just wanted to talk about it with someone she trusted before she exploded from the bottled up feelings.  

She had a feeling that the Mole Man came for her. Somehow, he had to have known that she was alive back then... She did not know why, but she had a feeling that he was here to finish his job from back then.