Chapter 13 Missing From the Ward
When Zhou Muyan arrived, several medical staff and I had already searched the entire Hospital and still found nothing.
"Xie Mingming is lost. Zhou Muyan, call the police."
I could barely stand.
Zhou Muyan held me up. His tone was still fairly calm.
"Don't panic yet. It may not mean he's lost. I'll have people check the cameras first."
I pushed Zhou Muyan away as my emotions started to break.
"The Child wasn't raised by you. Of course you're not worried."
I had watched the Surgery succeed. I had watched Xie Mingming get better day by day. If anything happened to him now, I wouldn't be able to go on living either.
Zhou Muyan kept his patience and pulled me back into his arms.
He comforted me. "Don't be afraid. We'll find Xie Mingming."
Half an hour later, the staff finally found from the cameras that Xie Mingming had left the Hospital alone.
I couldn't wait any longer. I bolted outside.
I didn't dare imagine how much danger a child over five could face out on the streets.
But where was I supposed to look for him?
Just as I stood there lost, Huang Yuwei called me.
"Your Child is with me."
My heart clenched. "What do you want?"
Huang Yuwei laughed. "Xie Mingming, call Mom."
Xie Mingming's voice came through the other end of the line, just as expected.
"Xie Xinran, if you want the Child back, trade your life for him.
"Only when you're dead will Zhou Muyan belong to me completely."
Huang Yuwei's tone didn't sound like she was joking.
Whether it was real or not, I didn't dare gamble.
"What do you want me to do?"
"You'll do anything?"
"I think any mother in the world would choose yes to that question."
"Fine. See that big truck across the street?"
"I see it."
As I spoke, I walked toward the middle of the road.
Just as I was about to get close to that big truck, Huang Yuwei said in a flustered rush:
"Come back! I was joking with you!"
My steps halted. I let out a long breath.
Looks like I had guessed right.
"Mom."
At that moment, Xie Mingming's voice came from behind me.
I ran over and pulled him into my arms. My heart wouldn't stop shaking.
Huang Yuwei looked at us and quietly sighed.
"Can you adults keep things away from the Child when you talk from now on? If I hadn't run into him at the Hospital entrance today, Xie Mingming might really have gotten lost."
I lowered my head and asked Xie Mingming with my eyes.
He blinked, looking completely justified.
"Mom was going to leave me here, so I was going home to Maternal Grandma myself."
"You... knew all of it?"
I remembered that Zhou Muyan and I had never mentioned leaving him with the Zhou Family in front of Xie Mingming.
Xie Mingming tugged my hand and said, "Mom, Xie Mingming is little, but not stupid. You cry behind my back every day. I guessed it long ago."
Beside us, Huang Yuwei couldn't help teasing, "Oh? And who was just crying that Mom doesn't love me? If I hadn't helped prove it for you, you'd still be somewhere wiping your nose."
So that was it.
Huang Yuwei's methods weren't right, but at least she hadn't meant harm.
I stood up and said to her with a smile, "No matter what, I still have to thank you."
Huang Yuwei froze, then turned her face away.
"Forget it. For Xie Mingming's sake, I won't fight you for Zhou Muyan anymore.
"There are plenty of good men in the world. I refuse to believe I can't find one better than Zhou Muyan."
Just then, Zhou Muyan arrived as well.
Huang Yuwei didn't even glance at him and slipped away fast.
Xie Mingming took my hand and Zhou Muyan's, then suddenly said, "Dad, Mom, I want a complete family."