Chapter 446: Dreamed of Dad

For someone who upheld a life-long learning principle towards medicine, Fu Qingxuan did not want to let any chance to learn and observe slip by.

Fu Qingxuan decided there and then to pour his attention into Chinese medicine.

Time may be passing, but every second that went by was torture to the Fu brothers and Fu Junqiu.

At last.

The door opened half an hour later.

Before the doctor had a chance to say anything, Fu Qingxuan was the first to rush into the room to check on Mom.

Fu Qingli and the rest gathered in front of Shen Xi, waiting for the verdict.

Shen Xi said, “Madam Fu’s treatment for today is over. I should get going.”

Fu Qingye turned to her and asked, “Where are you staying, Dr. Jiu Zhou? If it’s not too much trouble, why don’t you stay here? It’d be more convenient for you to look after our mother.”

Shen Xi replied, “It’s okay. I have a place to stay. Don’t worry, Mr. Fu. I will arrive on time for the next few days and will not be late in providing treatment.”

Fu Qingye had intended to persuade further.

However, Fu Qingli cut him off and looked at Shen Xi. “We should respect Dr. Jiu Zhou’s wishes. I’ll get the driver to drive you back.”

Fu Qingli would pay Shen Xi handsomely.

Not a chance at owing any favors.

She probably did not want the favor either, seeing how she came to examine their mother in disguise.

Refusing Fu Qingli and Fu Qingye’s offer to see her to the door, Shen Xi followed the butler out of Fu’s residence and saw the car parked in front of the entrance. With her nerves finally at ease, she trod towards the car.

The butler watched as the young man got into the car. There was someone in the car, but the butler could not get a good look. Nevertheless, he could tell it was a man by the fleeting glance. He waited until the car was out of sight before returning to the residence.

In the vehicle.

Shen Xi was ready to drop, feeling drained after three hours of intense concentration. The decoction aside, Shen Xi had to put on a show the whole time and keep it airtight so that she would not be exposed. It was draining the life out of her.

Looking at the young lady who appeared to be melted into a mush, Li Yuan placed a bubble tea by her lips.

He was annoyed to see the girl so haggard and her lips dry. The Fu family was out of line to not offer even a glass of water to their VIP guest.

Shen Xi was too feeble to move a finger, especially after seeing him. Since she did not have to move, she took a sip out of the bubble tea and softly uttered, “hungry.”

Li Yuan dotingly grinned before grabbing and feeding the egg tart that he bought while driving past a pastry shop. It was still warm.

Shen Xi’s only job was to chew and swallow. After two egg tarts and more than half a cup of bubble tea, she was back to her old self. She gazed at him with smiley eyes. “Recharged!”

Li Yuan then inquired, “How is Madam Fu doing?”

Shen Xi sighed and furrowed her brows. “Not too good. Even if I treat her physical health, it all boils down to whether she was willing to accept reality. She wouldn’t have fallen sick had her daughter been found.”

Shen Xi blamed herself a little as she heard from the Fu family that Madam Fu fell ill a week ago, the day after she met her at the lab.

She was sure that Madam Fu was reminded of her daughter, setting off a chain of reactions following their encounter. At the end of the day, Shen Xi was the cause of the menacing breakdown.

Li Yuan was heartbroken by the self-reproach and upset in her face. “How can you blame yourself because of a mere coincidence?”

There was no changing the fact that they met, and all could only be put down as a twist of fate. No one was to blame, but Li Yuan sympathized with Madam Fu’s misfortune.

She had first lost her daughter, and ten years later, Mr. Fu went missing. With both family members’ whereabouts unknown, she must have taken quite the blow. A poor lady, she was.

Fu Qingxuan had no clue that Shen Xi was gone. He went looking for her after she was done examining Mama Fu. “Qingli, why didn’t you keep Dr. Jiu Zhou for dinner after he slaved away the whole night? You should take him in as well. Are we that poor to offer a place to stay?”

Fu Qingli calmly replied, “He doesn’t want to stay.”

Fu Qingxuan flipped out. “You must have frightened him with your attitude! What’s with that stone-cold face of yours? You will scare strangers away and people might think you’re impersonal.”

Fu Qingli always had a poker face and the family understood that it was done on purpose. Nevertheless, it was not as though Dr. Jiu Zhou was aware of that.

Without giving a response, Fu Qingli stepped into the bedroom and asserted, “You should return to your room. I’ll watch Mom.”

Shooting him a pouty look, Fu Qingxuan complained, “Qingli, you can’t go on like this. No one will ever dare to approach you!”

Fu Qingli turned and swept him an aloof glance. “You are disrupting Mom’s rest.”

Judging by Fu Qingxuan’s reaction, Fu Qingli could read that Mom’s situation was improving. Otherwise, Fu Qingxuan would not make such a fuss.

In the past week, Fu Qingxuan was the quietest but also the most exhausted. He had been examining Mom nonstop.

Fu Qingxuan spoke in a muted tone, “Mom’d nag you if she finds out. Dr. Jiu Zhou had to prepare Chinese medicine and apply acupuncture every day to treat Mom, so we owe it to him to provide accommodation here.”

Annoyed, Fu Qingli coldly hissed, “Get out!”

Fu Qingxuan kept going. “What you’re trying to say is ‘good job and go and take a rest,’ right? Then speak up. How am I supposed to know what you want and think if you keep it to yourself?”

Fu Qingli muttered through clenched teeth. “Have a nice rest!”

Fu Qingxuan would only continue to pester him if Fu Qingli ignored him. The pestering was not an issue, but Fu Qingli was afraid he might wake Mom if Fu Qingxuan did not shut his mouth.

“Watch over Mom and update me on the situation.” Fu Qingxuan could relax now that he got the answer he wanted and was certain Mom’s condition had stabilized. He went to his room.

Feeling rather worn out, Fu Qingxuan dozed off upon contact with his bed.

He had a dream.

He dreamed of his father.

In his dream, Dad was waving at him with a smile.

Fu Qingxuan cried out to him while running after him as quickly as his legs could carry him. However, the more he ran, the further his father was until the latter disappeared out of sight.

After screaming heart-wrenchingly for his dad, Fu Qingxuan sat up abruptly. In a daze, he reached up to touch his face. There were cold teardrops.

He sighed while staring blankly at the sun rays on his sheets, lamenting how time had passed.

It had been ten years!

In the blink of an eye, Dad had been missing for a decade!

Fu Qingxuan had never dreamed about him in the past decade. What happened to him?