Probably because only the leg was injured, Xiao Bacong's operation was over very quickly, in less than two hours. During the operation, the doctor came out and asked Mrs. Xiao for her opinion on whether Xiao Bacong should have his leg amputated, but she didn't get any answer - because she fainted with her hands covering her mouth.
Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu stayed in the ward until Yang Jie told them that Xiao Bacong's operation was over. Then they went there. By then, Mrs. Xiao had already woken up.
She sat in a daze on the chair in the ward, the housekeeper stood quietly beside her, and the atmosphere was very solemn.
"lady."
Seeing Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu coming over, the housekeeper called them softly, causing Mrs. Xiao, who looked stunned, to raise her head.
She saw Xiao Yuanmu standing with Song Xuanhe not far away, she suddenly covered her mouth, stood up, walked quickly to them, hugged Xiao Yuanmu and burst into tears.
After crying for a long time, she choked up and said, "Your brother...what about him?"
"He is still so young, just an adult, at the best time to be active, and he lost his legs like this, what will he do?" Madam Xiao tightly grasped Xiao Yuanmu's arms, her eyes red, no longer the usual elegance and calmness in front of others, revealing the fragility of a mother without concealing: "Cong Cong is so young, why are those kidnappers so cruel?"
Xiao Yuanmu lowered his eyes and looked at the woman in front of him. Her makeup was still delicate, but she had no manners at all. There was a faint look in his eyes, without the slightest ripple.
"Aren't you sad?" Madam Xiao shook her head, frowned at Xiao Yuanmu, and asked him, "Your brother has become like this? Why aren't you sad?"
Song Xuanhe frowned and raised her hand to push Madam Xiao away, but although she looked thin, she actually held Xiao Yuanmu's hand with great strength. She held him tightly and then questioned him.
"Why aren't you sad?"
Xiao Yuanmu seemed to feel no pain, and said calmly: "It's a great blessing that he can save his life."
"Do you hope that your brother will not even be able to save his life?" Madam Xiao asked with her eyes wide open: "Then the Xiao family will be completely yours. Do you think so in your heart?"
"lady!"
Before Song Xuanhe could speak, the housekeeper interrupted her.
"I apologize to you on behalf of Madam, Master." The housekeeper bowed and said, "The young master is not in good condition right now, and Madam's mood is not very stable either. Moreover, the gentleman does not know the situation here yet, so Madam is under even greater pressure. I hope you can understand her."
Xiao Yuanmu's expression remained unchanged. He nodded calmly and said, "Take good care of the madam."
The butler nodded respectfully without any emotion, and helped Madam Xiao take a step back.
Madam Xiao also reacted during the housekeeper's cold but clear words. She looked up at Xiao Yuanmu in panic, opened her mouth to explain but didn't know where to start. She opened and closed her mouth several times, then her shoulders suddenly collapsed heavily, and she cried, "Yuanmu, please forgive me. I'm just too sad."
Song Xuanhe pulled Xiao Yuanmu behind him and said with a fake smile, "Madam Xiao, I'm sorry that your youngest son met with such misfortune, but I was very upset by what you said to my lover before. I can understand that you were too emotional, but I can't understand why you questioned your eldest son just because your youngest son was injured, and even said such chilling words."
"I..." Madam Xiao's mouth twitched. She looked at Xiao Yuanmu with guilt and pleading in her eyes: "Yuanmu..."
"Mrs. Xiao." Song Xuanhe interrupted her: "I know this is very rude to you, but I don't want you to continue talking to Xiao Yuanmu now. Whether you mind or not, I will take him to the ward now, because his leg has just been stitched and he needs to recuperate. Of course, if you still remember this incident, I believe you won't mind."
Song Xuanhe held Xiao Yuanmu's arm and turned to walk away. After taking two steps, he stopped and turned around and asked, "Do you remember what I said to you?"
Mrs. Xiao stared at Xiao Yuanmu's back in a daze. She was brought back to her senses by Song Xuanhe's voice and blinked in a trance.
Song Xuanhe's eyes were cold. Without even looking at Madam Xiao, he helped Xiao Yuanmu leave.
Back in the ward, Xiao Yuanmu held Song Xuanhe's hand tightly.
"I don't want to stay in the hospital. Can't I go back to recuperate?"
"No." Song Xuanhe pulled his hand away and said, "It's very late now. Let's go back tomorrow morning and sleep here tonight."
"I don't like hospitals." Xiao Yuanmu glanced at the bed he was sitting on and said in a clear voice, "And this bed is too small."
Song Xuanhe was sitting on another bed, already dressed and lying down, saying, "You will just sleep for one night, and you can go back tomorrow."
Xiao Yuanmu stared at Song Xuanhe's profile and then stated his request: "I want to sleep with you."
"No." Song Xuanhe glanced at him and saw that his face was a little pale, and there was a hint of displeasure in his dark eyes. He couldn't help but feel soft in his heart and frowned as he explained, "Your bed is too small. If we sleep together, your wound will be touched."
"Then let's go back to sleep." Xiao Yuanmu said, "I don't mind the trouble."
"No." Song Xuanhe frowned and rejected him again.
Xiao Yuanmu pursed his lips and tightened his jaw. Just as he was about to speak, there was a knock on the door.
Yang Jie's voice rang out: "Brother Xiao, Young Master Song, you may have to get up."
Song Xuanhe lifted the quilt, stood up, opened the door and asked, "What's wrong?"
"Xiao Bocong is awake." Yang Jie had a complicated expression. He said, "He knows that his leg was amputated and he can't accept it now. The doctor wanted to give him a sedative but it didn't work. And... he said that his leg was crushed by Brother Xiao."
Song Xuanhe's forehead jumped, and Yang Jie continued: "Mrs. Xiao asked Brother Xiao to go over."
"Tell her." Song Xuanhe's face was cold: "Xiao Yuanmu is injured and needs to rest. We can talk about anything tomorrow."
"I'm afraid not." Yang Jie frowned and whispered, "Mrs. Xiao's mood may not be much better than Xiao Bocong's right now, and if this matter really gets to Mr. Xiao's ears, it may be very bad for Brother Xiao. Now..."
"Xiao Yuanmu needs to rest now." Song Xuanhe grabbed the door, his face colder than the light in the hospital: "Just tell her that Xiao Yuanmu is asleep."
"How could he fall asleep?"
Mrs. Xiao's voice came from the other end of the corridor with a hint of sharpness. Her high heels stepped on the ground. The crisp sound became louder and louder with her footsteps, making the haggard and angry look on her face clearer.
"Mr. Song, I think this is our family affair. As Xiao Yuanmu's mother, I want to ask him a few questions. I hope you can avoid it."
This was the first time that Madam Xiao showed a cold and almost oppressive look towards outsiders. She no longer had the elegance and gentleness of a noble lady, but had gained a bit of the courage and determination of a strong mother.
But this bit of courage seemed a little ridiculous to Song Xuanhe.
"Mother."
Xiao Yuanmu appeared behind Song Xuanhe at some point. He opened the half-closed door with one hand, put his other hand on Song Xuanhe's arm, and said calmly, "You can come in. He can know everything about me, and he doesn't need to leave."
Mrs. Xiao glanced at her eldest son, who looked unwell, and the anger in her eyes faded a little. She nodded, and walked into the ward as Xiao Yuanmu moved aside.
"Your brother said that his injury was caused by you." Mrs. Xiao said immediately, "I want to know if it's true."
Xiao Yuanmu lowered his eyes and said calmly, "What did he say?"
"He said that you had already run out and there was no one behind you, but when he got in the car again, you suddenly pushed him off the car, causing him to be crushed by a motorcycle that suddenly rushed out from behind and broke his leg. Then he held on to the car door tightly to avoid being thrown out by you."
Xiao Yuanmu raised his eyes, no emotion could be seen in them, and asked Madam Xiao very calmly: "Do you believe it?"
Mrs. Xiao was stunned. When her youngest son told her what happened while crying and looking at her legs with his beautiful but empty eyes while sobbing, she naturally believed it. Otherwise, she would not have been so angry as to ask Yang Jie to call Xiao Yuanmu immediately, nor would she have come straight up to find him without waiting for Xiao Yuanmu.
But now seeing the look on her eldest son's face, she wasn't so sure anymore.
Mrs. Xiao did not answer. Xiao Yuanmu's expression remained unchanged. He remained calm and composed, without even a trace of sadness at being questioned by his mother.
"What happened to Cong Cong's leg?"
About ten seconds later, Mrs. Xiao spoke again. She looked at my, Xiao Yuanmu's calm face, as if trying to find the answer from his emotionless eyes.
Xiao Yuanmu's eyes were heavy, and he recalled the scene in his previous life. He said calmly, "When I went there, there were not only the people who kidnapped Xiao Bacong in the factory, but also another group of people. They had a fight, and Xiao Bacong was tied to one side. Few people paid attention to him."
"I sneaked in and rescued Xiao Bocong, and wanted to take him away, but we were discovered when we were leaving. However, because there were two groups of people inside, the kidnappers couldn't split their forces to chase us, so we ran away."
"Xiao Bocong said he knew a small path where it would be harder for the people there to catch us, so I followed him along the path. Unexpectedly, there were people ambushing there, and I was caught. My leg was also injured at that time."
Song Xuanhe raised his eyes to glance at Xiao Yuanmu, and for a moment he couldn't tell whether what he said was true or false, but for some reason, an extremely uncomfortable emotion surged in his heart. This discomfort was not for himself, but for Xiao Yuanmu beside him. He couldn't help but reach out and hold Xiao Yuanmu's hand, interlocking their fingers.
Xiao Yuanmu lowered his eyes to glance at Song Xuan and the hand that was clasped with his. The gloom in his eyes dissipated, revealing a little warmth. But when he raised his eyes again, that warmth disappeared, leaving only cold calmness.
"Those people are Xiao Bocong's people." Xiao Yuanmu looked at Madam Xiao, his voice clear and impersonal: "The kidnapping was planned by Xiao Bocong himself."
Madam Xiao paused for two seconds, then retorted: “Impossible!”
Xiao Yuanmu said nothing, but just looked at her quietly. The words that she wanted to say to defend Xiao Baicong just surged from her throat to her mouth, but she swallowed them bit by bit. She could only whisper: "Congcong has been a kind and considerate child since he was young. He can't do this. There must be some misunderstanding. Yuanmu, you should know that now that you are in charge of the Xiao family, there is no need for him to do this."
"He has."
There was a hint of coldness in Xiao Yuanmu's clear voice: "You should also know that it is precisely because I took over the Xiao family that he has more reason to do this."
Madam Xiao opened her mouth, speechless.
Xiao Yuanmu glanced at him, then looked away and continued, "But he didn't expect that his people were not as loyal as he thought. There was another group of people mixed in with his people. The leader of those people was an enemy of one of Xiao Baicong's subordinates. That person sent him and me to that person."
"Xiao Bocong said that I am now the patriarch of the Xiao family, and he can get more benefits by getting me. As long as he is let go, he will not tell anyone anything."
Madam Xiao's face trembled, and Xiao Yuanmu continued, "It's just that the man seemed to have some grudge against him, so they crushed his legs and then let us go."
"Why did he let you go?" Mrs. Xiao asked.
"Because that person knows Huosman." Xiao Yuanmu said calmly: "I have some friendship with Huosman."
Madam Xiao still didn't quite believe this result. She said, "He knows that you are from the Xiao family, and he also knows that you are the head of the Xiao family. If he lets you go, it won't be..."
"He doesn't worry about that." Xiao Yuanmu looked at Madam Xiao and said, "Mother, he knows very well who injured my leg."
Mrs. Xiao was stunned and speechless.
She knew what Xiao Yuanmu meant.
Xiao Yuanmu's leg was injured by Xiao Bocong's men, but that group of people had never offended Xiao Yuanmu, and even saved Xiao Yuanmu's life. If they had really killed the two heirs of the Xiao family, they would definitely have had to flee to the ends of the earth. However, by letting Xiao Yuanmu, who had begun to manage the Xiao family, go, they actually created a good relationship with Xiao Yuanmu.
After all, those people knew that Xiao Bacong would never be able to inherit the Xiao family.
"If that's all you want to ask, I'm done."
Madam Xiao looked at Xiao Yuanmu's indifferent expression from beginning to end, and listened to his order to expel her. The shock, panic and fear she had experienced over the past day suddenly came back to her, making her tired and very sad.
Why is Xiao Yuanmu so cold to her?
From the moment she found him until just now, she had done everything she could to compensate him and bring them closer. She even gave him the Xiao family, but he was still as cold to her as to a stranger. She tried to take countless steps towards him, but he was always unwilling to take even one step.
Under such circumstances, what's wrong with her preferring her youngest son whom she has watched grow from a small child to a handsome young man? In terms of time and emotion, she was closer to her younger son.
It's just human nature.
Now the life of her little son, whom she had always held in the palm of her hand, was ruined. His legs could no longer walk like a normal person, and he might never be able to use his athletic ability, which he had always been proud of. He might even never recover from this. When she thought of this possibility, and of how her lively and cheerful little son would become gloomy and depressed in the future, she felt so heartbroken that she couldn't breathe.
Did she do something wrong?
Even though her attitude was wrong when she came to ask Xiao Bacong about Xiao Yuanmu, Xiao Bacong was her son. Seeing her child become like that, which mother could remain calm and composed enough to think everything through before asking?
She was just doing what any normal mother would do.
Moreover, if Xiao Yuanmu had not come back, none of this would have happened.
Madam Xiao's eyes were red. She looked at Xiao Yuanmu's cold expression and asked him, "Since you came back, have you never considered me as your mother, your father as your real father, and your brother as your real brother?"
Xiao Yuanmu's long eyelashes were half drooped, covering half of his eyes. After a few seconds, they were raised and faced straight in the direction of Madam Xiao, like a sharp sword, coldly unsheathed with a cold light.
He said, “Yes.”
Madam Xiao shook her head: “I don’t believe it. If you really treat us as family, none of this would happen, and nothing would happen now.”
Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu increased the strength of their interlocked fingers, and pursed their lips tightly, but did not speak.
Xiao Yuanmu caught a glimpse of his expression from the corner of his eye, shook his hand back calmly, and said calmly: "I want to rest."
Madam Xiao stood up and glanced coldly at the interlocked hands of Xiao Yuanmu and Song Xuanhe. She said, "I have doubted many times whether you have no feelings or just no feelings for us. I even tried my best to recall the scene before you left us. I wondered if you would smile at that time, if you would stick to me and call me mom, and if you looked forward to your father coming home every day."
"I don't remember it, but I know you are not without feelings, just towards me and your father." Madam Xiao asked Xiao Yuanmu: "Do you hate me and your father for not finding you earlier?"
"No."
"Sometimes I really wish..." Madam Xiao took a step back, looked at Xiao Yuanmu's calm expression, and said in a hoarse voice: "Sometimes I really wish that it would be great if I hadn't found you back."
After saying that, Mrs. Xiao turned around and left without looking back.
The door of the ward opened and closed, leaving silence.
Song Xuanhe held Xiao Yuanmu's hand and looked up at his expression.
Xiao Yuanmu covered his eyes with his other hand, rested his chin on his shoulder, and said in a clear voice with a hint of hoarseness: "Don't look."
Song Xuanhe tightened his interlocked hands, nodded slightly, and put his other hand around his waist, letting him hug him.
"What I just said is all true." Xiao Yuanmu said.
The hot air hit Song Xuanhe's neck. He moved and whispered, "I know."
"you do not know."
Xiao Yuanmu chuckled, and there seemed to be many things mixed in this laugh, but it also seemed like it was just a simple self-deprecating laugh.
"Then can you tell me?" Song Xuanhe asked.
"When the time is right," Xiao Yuanmu said softly, "I will tell you my biggest secret."
Song Xuanhe tightened her arms around him and hummed softly.
"If I never tell you, will you be angry?" Xiao Yuanmu's hoarse voice sounded again.
"No." Song Xuanhe closed his eyes, his eyelashes trembling, and said, "Everyone has secrets that cannot be told to others."
Xiao Yuanmu raised his head, let go of Song Xuanhe, stared at him and asked, "You too?"
"Yes." Song Xuanhe opened his eyes and met his dark pupils. He couldn't tell what kind of emotions were hidden in his deep eyes, or maybe there was nothing at all: "I have a secret too."
"Will you tell me when the time is right?"
Song Xuanhe's pupils trembled, and a smile appeared on the corner of his mouth: "When the time comes, you will know."
Xiao Yuanmu's index finger fell on the end of his eyebrow, slid down from his eyebrow bone, slid down from his eyelashes, and along his cheekbone to the corner of his mouth. He gently stroked it and whispered, "I'm curious."
"Are you feeling more curious than sad?" Song Xuanhe blinked and a smile appeared on the corner of his mouth.
Xiao Yuanmu said: "Just curious."
"Don't be sad." Song Xuanhe hugged him, kissed the corner of his lips, and whispered: "But in front of me, you can show sadness."
Xiao Yuanmu shook his head, looked at him seriously and said, "I'm not sad."
He said: "As long as you are here, I won't be sad."
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