Chapter 47: Chen Xitong

Chapter 47 Chen Xitong

"Screech—!"

With the screech of sudden brakes, Chen Xitong lost control and fell backward. The world spun before his eyes. Before he could even feel the sharp pain of his body hitting the ground, the back of his head slammed hard against the asphalt. Like a TV that's just lost its signal, everything went black.

He opened his eyes, staring blankly at the white of the hospital room. His memory was still frozen on the moment the car hit him. But his body didn't hurt—it just felt a little weak, as if he hadn't been in a car accident at all.

The orderly noticed he was awake and immediately rushed out of the room, shouting to the nurse on duty: "The patient in 1201 is awake!"

The doctor hurried over, examined Chen Xitong, and asked him a bunch of routine questions. Finally, he confirmed Chen Xitong was in good shape, with no issues in his mental state or memory.

Chen Xitong went along blankly with the examination until Chen Li burst into the room, tears streaming down her face, she hugged him.

"Mom, why are you crying? I'm fine," Chen Xitong said.

"As long as you're okay, as long as you're okay." Chen Li touched his face, her eyes full of concern.

He turned to glance out the window. When the accident happened, it was still the tail end of a chilly spring—he'd been wearing a thick sweater and coat. Now the sun was blazing outside, Chen Li was wearing a silk blouse, and the room's AC was already running.

"Mom, was I out for a long time?"

"You've been in a coma for four months. Do you feel any discomfort? Want something to eat?"

"I want ramen."

The doctor reminded him: "The patient just woke up, so try to eat something light and easy to digest."

Chen Xitong smiled: "Then I'll have ramen in a few days—maybe with a fried egg on top."

Chen Li nodded indulgently: "Alright, in a few days then."

Once the doctor and nurses left, Chen Xitong asked about school. Chen Li had already taken a leave of absence for him, telling him not to worry—once he recovered, he could get back to normal life.

Chen Li glanced at the orderly, who was on the phone outside the door, and a flicker of worry rose in her chest. Too much had happened in these past few months, and Chen Xitong knew nothing about it. He might not know how to handle everything coming at him.

She took a deep breath and said, "Xitong, there are some things I have to tell you..."

She slowly told him everything that had happened over the past few months, and why. When he heard that Zhao Yu had taken his place to win over Gu Hansheng, his expression shifted subtly.

He listened quietly to everything, thought for a long moment, then asked: "Zhao Yu... where's my brother now?"

"He might still be at Gu Hansheng's place. I haven't seen him in a while either."

"Mr. Gu still has him around?"

"Yeah, Xiao Yu has really given so much. He's been through a lot lately." Chen Li sighed: "I've done him wrong. But he'll be so happy to know you're awake. He came to see you a bunch of times—he must have been really worried. Xitong, you need to get along with your brother. I'm planning to have him stay at your place for a while. He'll stay in the country, and we'll be a family again. No matter what happens, we can face it together."

Chen Xitong stared at her, in disbelief. Growing up, she'd almost never brought up Zhao Yu on her own. Even when Chen Xitong mentioned the name, she'd always steer the conversation toward Zhao Lianfeng, her tone dripping with hatred.

He knew she hated Zhao Lianfeng and, by extension, Zhao Yu. Yet in just four months, her attitude had done a complete 180, as if she owed Zhao Yu some great debt and wished she could spend the rest of her life making it up to him.

"Mom, I'm not feeling great. I want to sleep for a bit."

"Alright, you sleep. I'll stay with you."

Chen Xitong smiled, turned over to face away from her, and the smile vanished from his face in an instant. His dark eyes looked cold.

Over the years, he'd always played the role of the perfect son, doing everything he could to meet Chen Li's demands—top grades, piano championships, even pushing himself to place in school sports meets.

God, he hated sports. If he had the choice, he'd stay home all day playing piano.

Ever since they were kids, it had always been Zhao Yu who was lively, outgoing, and good at charming people. With Zhao Yu up front drawing all the attention, he could quietly hide in the back, coldly watching the adults beam at a few sweet-sounding lies.

But when his parents divorced, Zhao Lianfeng took Zhao Yu away. The person who'd shielded him was gone, and all eyes turned to him. Relatives asked about his grades, discussed whether he'd grown taller, whether he was better-looking than when he was little, and peppered him with endless questions.

In front of Chen Li, they praised her for raising a kid so well on her own. But once she left, they'd say: "What a shame the one with the good personality was taken away."

Chen Xitong watched them coldly as they whispered, catching every word. He didn't care what those idiots thought, but one day, when he saw Chen Li pull out a photo of the three of them and stare at it for a long time, he suddenly got scared—what if Chen Li also thought "what a shame"?

He didn't want to be traded for Zhao Yu. He hated his unpredictable father and feared the sound of things being thrown and breaking during fights.

So he learned to be a sunny, cheerful kid. He mimicked his brother's goofy grin, became obedient, sensible, low-maintenance, and sweet-tongued—until he carved that persona into his bones.

Chen Xitong clenched the bedsheet, staring at Chen Li's blurry reflection in the window. A car accident had left him comatose for months, but it had also given him a clarity he'd never had before, bringing back the person he truly was.

All these years, he'd kept Chen Li happy. His test scores and the trophies and certificates he'd won made her proud, and their mother-son relationship was picture-perfect.

Now Zhao Yu was back, and Chen Li wanted him to move into his place, even take over his identity, talking about the family reuniting and getting along.

You've got to be kidding me.

Hadn't he done enough over the years to make her happy? The moment Zhao Yu comes back, he has to share half his life with him? What does she think all his efforts since childhood were worth?

...

When Gu Hansheng got the news that Chen Xitong had woken up, he was at the Red Bull Ring watching Lin Su film a commercial. It was Tuotu's latest ad, and the director was shooting while gauging his expression. But after taking a call, Gu Hansheng stood up and left in a hurry, without even a word of goodbye.

He drove to Vienna and applied for the earliest available slot to fly back on his private jet.

When the sweltering domestic air hit him, Gu Hansheng got into the car, rolled down the rear window, and lit a cigarette.

Chen Xitong was awake—that made him happy. But as he returned to the city he knew best, on the way to the hospital, the first thought that crossed his mind was: What is Zhao Yu doing right now?

It was only a little past eight in the evening. Dinner service would be over, and Cao Xu would probably drag things out to cook something special for Zhao Yu, who would dawdle around until ten before heading home. He knew Zhao Yu too well—his excessive passion for cooking was his only real interest.

When the car stopped at the hospital entrance, Gu Hansheng cleared his mind and walked inside.

Up on the 1201 ward, he pushed the door open a crack. The sound of someone humming sheet music drifted out. Chen Xitong was leaning against the headboard, his fingers tapping rhythmically in the air.

Gu Hansheng's hand rested on the doorframe as he watched Chen Xitong enjoying the music, not pushing the door open to disturb him.

Even just the soft humming from his throat carried beautiful rhythm and melody, as if a piano sat right in front of him, every key's position clearly visible.

Gu Hansheng had heard Chen Xitong play many times—duets, solos, school performances, orchestra concerts. Whenever Chen Xitong was performing, he always made time to go listen.

Months had passed, and Chen Xitong's practice sessions were still just as captivating. But for Gu Hansheng, the feeling of listening had changed.

After hearing him finish a piece, Gu Hansheng eased his grip, gently closed the door, and went back downstairs to smoke.

He hadn't been much of a smoker originally—had even quit entirely for a long stretch. But recently, he'd fallen back into it, as if only nicotine could calm his nerves.

Seeing Chen Xitong so alive, it was like the young man he'd first met had returned. Yet he stood at the door for a long time and couldn't find that old spark.

Chen Xitong hadn't changed. So what had?

Gu Hansheng stubbed out his cigarette and pulled out a new one. The flint sparked, a dim blue flame flickered in the darkness, followed by the brief flare of burning tobacco, which slowly dimmed again.

Chen Xitong was in good shape, looking well-recovered and full of energy, so there was no need for him to worry. He knew he was merely a suitor, sharing no special bond with Chen Xitong, and he'd be at a loss if he barged into the ward at night, so he simply stayed out.

No matter how his mindset had shifted, his principles remained unchanged—to cherish everything about Chen Xitong and protect this pure place in his heart.

He smoked two cigarettes downstairs, then turned and headed toward the parking lot.

The direct flight back from Austria took eleven hours, covering 8,500 kilometers across Eurasia, not including the extra hours of driving. Yet Gu Hansheng had only glanced at Chen Xitong and listened to him hum a tune. He wasn't as eager as he'd thought to talk to Chen Xitong right away.

He was heading home now. The days spent at the foot of the Alps hadn't calmed his mind, and after seeing Chen Xitong, he wanted to see what Zhao Yu was doing and if the lights were still on at home.

He arrived home at eleven, and the villa was dark. He looked into the darkness through the floor-to-ceiling windows, his brow furrowing slightly, then pushed the door open and stepped inside.

Pushing open the bedroom door on the first floor, the scene he expected still wasn't there—Zhao Yu wasn't in the room, and he was met with nothing but emptiness. A few clothes lay scattered messily on the bed.

This meant Zhao Yu hadn't left, just hadn't returned yet.

Gu Hansheng's mood darkened. He leaned against the doorframe and called Zhao Yu, only to hear the voicemail prompt indicating the phone was off.

Out all night, phone switched off. He'd explicitly told Zhao Yu to keep his phone on at all times, yet it had gone in one ear and out the other.

Gu Hansheng's patience hit rock bottom in an instant. For some reason, coming home to this pitch-black emptiness unsettled him so deeply.

Zhao Yu pulling the disappearing act—he wasn't going to play along.

Scores would be settled, but only when Zhao Yu came back on his own and faced him properly.

Zhao Yu didn't return his call. It wasn't until the next day, when the caregiver relayed the news, that he learned Zhao Yu had gone to see Chen Xitong early that morning.