Chapter 268 - How?

...

Once Xiao Lei was discharged, they went back to Imperial City, and the next morning, Han Ye accompanied her to Imperial High as they went to pick Xiao Zhihao out from school. 

And when they got back to their apartment building, Han Ye decided to give them some space. He went back to his own unit while they went back to theirs. 

After her son sat down on the couch, Xiao Lei sat next to him, and with a heavy heart, she told him everything. 

However, unlike the time when he found out about Yun Qi's death, Xiao Zhihao did not cry, nor did he say anything else. He was extremely calm... too calm to be in fact. To the point that Xiao Lei wished that he would cry instead. It was extremely scary for her to see her son with such a blank expression. 

When she was done, all he asked about was "How?". 

Xiao Lei did her best to explain to him, that Xiao Yunjie was a hero who died while saving the kidnapped Kai Xin and Jack. And that the reason he disappeared two years ago was that he had already passed away and that no one knew his real identity back then. 

"Your father loved you, Zhihao..." Xiao Lei said as she took her son's hand in hers, hoping that he could show her some sort of expression. Anything would be better than the cold, emotionless expression on his face. 

When she was done with her explanation, Xiao Zhihao merely nodded and said with a dry tone, "Of course my father is a hero. I'm a little tired, can I go to my room now?"

Xiao Lei looked at him for a few seconds before nodding. 

He then stood up and went back to his room. 

For the next few days, he insisted on going to school instead of staying at home, so Xiao Lei accommodated him. After all, unlike a normal funeral, there was no preparation to be done. They just had to go back to Du Family burial ground in a few days.  

As promised, Callum had hired a driver for them, but Han Ye still offered to take Xiao Zhihao to school himself. Every morning, before he left for work, he would knock on the door of Xiao Lei's apartment and asked if Xiao Zhihao wanted to go with him.

Unfortunately, Xiao Zhihao always refused his offer and chose to go with the driver, and he even asked Xiao Lei to go with him, which Xiao Lei did. It was good timing. By the time the driver dropped Xiao Zhihao off at the school, he could just send Xiao Lei to work immediately, and she would reach on time. 

When Xiao Lei finished work, the driver and Xiao Zhihao would be at the front of the company building waiting for her with the driver.  

Even last night, when Han Ye and Xiao Lei drove to pick Xiao Zhihao up after his school ended so that they could go straight to the Du Family burial ground, they found out that Xiao Zhihao had called for the driver. 

Xiao Zhihao wanted to come over with his mother and the driver. When Xiao Lei asked him why, Xiao Zhihao said nonchalantly, "I just want to sit at the backseat by myself so that I can have some time alone. I don't want to have so many people in the car. Is that alright?"

He glanced at Han Ye coldly, but instead of getting annoyed, Han Ye merely smiled and nodded. 

"I'll meet you guys there," Han Ye said to Xiao Lei. "Zhihao must be tired, so let him sleep at the back."

He then looked at the driver and said with a stern expression, "Drive safely. There's no need to rush."

The driver nodded.

Hence, they drove over separately. When Han Ye called at around 10 p.m. and asked if Xiao Lei was hungry, she said, "No, we ate. Zhihao ordered some room service earlier." 

"Alright then," Han Ye murmured. "Is he feeling better?"

Xiao Lei was sharing a bed with Xiao Zhihao, and they were in the bedroom now. Xiao Lei was near the closet. She had just finished hanging their clothes for tomorrow.

Upon hearing Han Ye's question, she glanced over at the bed where Xiao Zhihao was already sleeping on, and she whispered, "He's still the same... He fell asleep a few minutes earlier."

Han Ye was already lying down on his bed, and he placed an arm behind his head before asking, "Why aren't you asleep yet? We are leaving first thing in the morning." 

Xiao Lei leaned against the wall outside the bathroom and whispered, "I'm just... I was worried that I would cry again tomorrow."

Han Ye smiled. "Then I'd be there with you again."

"Han Ye..."

"We are friends. And I don't think you have any other friends who are closer to you than me, right?" When Xiao Lei did not answer, Han Ye said with a teasing tone, "Since you agree, you shouldn't worry that I'd make fun of you or anything. I'm not that insensitive. I'll only make fun of your gluttony."

Xiao Lei chuckled softly. Lately, Han Ye had been a lot nicer to her than before, and whenever she had a sad expression on her face, he would always try his best to make her laugh, sometimes even after she glared at him. And she was grateful for him. It did help to lessen her pain a little.  

"Alright, I'm about to sleep. You should sleep earlier as well..." Xiao Lei said with a smile. 

"Em. Well... Good night." 

"Good night." 

When Xiao Lei ended the call, she glanced over at Xiao Zhihao briefly before placing her phone on the desk. She then entered the bathroom to brush her teeth. Once the bathroom door closed behind her, Xiao Zhihao opened his eyes slowly. He stared at the phone on the desk angrily for a few seconds before turning his body around. 

.... 

This next morning, they met at the entrance of the hotel before heading over to the Du Family burial ground. It was a simple ceremony, and everything ended two hours later. Once it was done, everyone else left Xiao Yunjie's grave except for Han Ye, Xiao Lei, and Xiao Zhihao. 

Xiao Lei stared at her son, who had been extremely quiet since the ceremony began.