บท 48: Accusations

Siying cried harder. "M-Mama was feeling very sick a-and dizzy. I called you, but you didn't pick," he sniffled. "So-so I went out to find you...but now I don't know where I am...Dada...it's very dark here and I-I am scared…C-come quickly…"

He quickly said, "Don't worry, I am coming there. Tell me, which turns did you take when you walked? Do you remember?"

As he followed how much ever Siying remembered, he found himself in a corridor. He quickly messaged the doctor, too, to immediately check on Xinyi as he talked to Siying.

All the rooms were lit from inside which he could see from below the door slit. Only one room seemed to be dark.

Zhiyuan quickly knocked on the door.

"Siying? Siying? Are you there? Dada is here."

But he got no response. Zhiyuan got more and more worried. He knocked again, and the door moved. He pushed it more and entered the room. As expected, it was really dark so he found the switchboard. Instantly, the room was brightly lit.

But to his shock, it was empty. Siying was nowhere.

"Siying?"

On the phone, he asked, "Siying. Where are you? I came where you told me to."

There was no response. Siying didn't say anything.

"Siying? Why aren't you saying anything?"

Zhiyuan faintly heard the sound of water running in the bathroom. As he slowly approached it, the door suddenly opened.

Caihong bumped into him and widened her eyes as she jolted. She gritted her teeth. "Xiaosi you-"

But she froze to see Zhiyuan and so was he. There was a sudden silence between them.

Before he could even say anything, Caihong flared at him. "Why are you here?"

"Caihong, is this your room? I came searching-"

"Stop with your excuses! Did you come till here to ask me those same questions again? I cannot believe this. I already made myself clear last night!"

Here she had no interest in bringing up the past, but she thought that Zhiyuan was crossing his line now.

Zhiyuan said, "Wait, you are misunderstanding me."

"I don't care. Get out of here."

"No, wait."

"No! I don't want to hear anything. Leave!" Caihong flipped out.

Zhiyuan lost his patience. "Listen to me! I didn't come here for that."

She snorted. "Oh yes? So you just conveniently happened to enter my room out of so many?"

"I really did. I had no idea this was your room. I came here searching for Siying."

The mention of Siying toned her down. She blinked her eyes. "Siying?"

"Yes. He called me and was crying that he lost his way trying to find me. I came here following his directions. He said it was dark and only this room seemed dark from the outside."

Indeed, she had switched off the lights.

Caihong frowned. "But Siying is not here."

"That is what I am wondering. Siying should be here."

Suddenly they heard some noises outside the door. Two women looked inside and were shocked to see Zhiyuan and Caihong.

"Mr. Han, how are you here?"

The other woman murmured to her friend. "Isn't this strange? This is Mrs. Zhu's room, but Mr. Han came here to visit her when she was alone."

They looked at him suspiciously.

"I thought Mr. Han was so happy with his wife but here it seems completely different…"

"Is he cheating on his wife?"

"I heard Mrs. Han is sick, and I saw Mr. Zhu in the hall. Did he take advantage of this situation?"

Caihong froze as she clearly heard their murmurs while Zhiyuan shot a glare at them.

"What did you say?"

---

In her room, Xinyi clutched her stomach as her brows furrowed in pain.

Siying's expression faltered. He shifted to her side and nudged her. "Mama...you look in a lot of pain…Wait. I will call Dada!"

Xinyi smiled. "No, dear. I am fine. It's just a bit of tummy ache."

Siying pursed his lips.

Somebody knocked on the door. "Yo. Let me in."

Shuang?

"Come in."

Shuang stepped inside and, Siying immediately ran to her side. "Aunty! Look at Mama. Mama's tummy is aching…Please help her…"

Shuang looked down at the bun clutching her leg. "Well, it was bound to happen sweety since she was made to eat the wrong thing."

Xinyi wiped the sweat off the forehead. "What do you mean?"

Shuang said, "I will explain that later. Right now, your husband is in trouble."

Xinyi widened her eyes. "What? What happened to Zhiyuan? Did something go wrong in the presentation?"

Shuang amusingly chuckled. "Nothing went wrong with the presentation, but something went wholly wrong somewhere else."

Xinyi painfully got off the bed, but she ignored it. "Take me to him right now please," she anxiously said.

Shuang grinned. "If you promise me that you will work with me as my character artist for my game company."

Xinyi was stunned. "You are bringing up that now?"

She shrugged. "I never claimed to be a saint, dear. I want your confirmation."

Xinyi quickly said, "I will. I will. Now please take me to him."

---

Outside Caihong's room, the crowd suddenly increased in a matter of minutes from those two socialites. Everybody was murmuring and gossiping about finding Zhiyuan in her room.

Zhiyuan coldly said, "If you all have nothing meaningful to say then be quiet."

"How is it not meaningful? What are you doing in Mrs. Zhu's room when her husband is outside and your wife is sick?"

One woman gasped. "Is it possible that Han Zhiyuan purposely made her sick to get her off his back?"

"That makes sense."

"It is indeed suspicious that Mrs. Han Xinyi suddenly got so sick."

"Enough," Zhiyuan said, "You seem to be professionals in jumping to the conclusions without knowing the truth."

Miss Li, one socialite, sneered. "We know the truth. Very few people know this, and I am one of them. It is true, right that you and Mrs. Zhu dated in the past?"

Silence.

"But Mr. Han Huizhong objected to your relationship and forced you to marry your wife. Last night, you met her after a long time, and I had even seen you following her after the gathering and talking to her even though Mrs. Zhu clearly didn't want to talk to you. And now, we see you in her room. If this isn't cheating then what is it? Heh. I see the old flames of love are still burning high for you."