Fatal Desire

Chapter 25 Aunt is in the hospital
Zhao Yansen showed her for a while before saying, "Just passing by."

"I see." Song Xi said with a smile.

Luo Xiao, in the driver's seat, glanced at the rearview mirror. Their interactions were generally amicable, though somewhat distant and indifferent.

He looked away, started the engine, and pushed the car into the bustling traffic. Streetlights flashed past the window like colorful film reels.

In recent years, Song Xi has developed neurasthenia. She tries to rest early, but no matter what she does, she can't fall asleep. She keeps herself busy, often working until very late before dragging her exhausted body to bed, but even then, she still can't sleep. Even if her eyelids are heavy and she falls asleep, she'll wake up in the middle of the night and stay awake until dawn.

She leaned back in her chair, tilted her head back, closed her eyes, and mentally reviewed today's tasks and tomorrow's plans.

Perhaps it was because she had too many things to do, or perhaps it was the pleasant fragrance of gardenias in the car that relaxed her nerves and made her drowsy. She fell asleep in no time.

The sound of his even, gentle breathing was barely audible in the quiet carriage. Zhao Yansen lifted his eyelids slightly and glanced to the side.

A few rays of warm orange light shone in, silently tracing her porcelain-white face. Her thick, curled eyelashes trembled, and her nose and lips rose and fell delicately, like a work of art depicted in the most exquisite meticulous brushwork.

Time passed as the light and shadow shifted, and Zhao Yansen observed Song Xi without batting an eye.

On the way, his phone vibrated to ring. He answered it slowly and deliberately, his expression calm and indifferent.

The red light ahead turned green, and Luo Xiao was about to start the car when the man in the back seat ended his call and said in a calm tone:

"Go to the General Hospital."

"Yes," Luo Xiao replied without a trace of doubt or hesitation.

The jet-black luxury car blended seamlessly into the deep, cold winter night, swiftly and smoothly weaving through the traffic before finally pulling into the general hospital and stopping in front of the inpatient building.

Luo Xiao parked the car and glanced at the two people in the back seat through the rearview mirror. The girl was still asleep, and the man had his eyes closed, showing no intention of getting out of the car.

Luo Xiao remained silent in the driver's seat for a minute before glancing at the rearview mirror.

Zhao Yansen leaned back lazily in his chair, his eyes still closed, and spoke.

"You can get off the bus now."

"Yes." Luo Xiao gently pushed open the car door and got out of the car.

While asleep, Song Xi sensed something suddenly approaching, and the elegant, cool woody scent instantly enveloped her sense of smell.

It smelled so good that it was intoxicating, making her temporarily forget her fragile and sensitive nerves.

After an unknown amount of time, the soft patter of snowflakes hit the car windows, waking the sleeping passengers inside.

Song Xi opened her sleepy eyes, stretched, and found that the car was parked inside the hospital. The car was quiet, with only the sound of snowflakes hitting the car windows and the stereo playing.

As she stretched, the covering on her body slowly slipped off, and Song Xi instinctively grabbed it—it was a crisp black suit jacket.

The style is exquisite, the workmanship is fine, and the clothes exude a refreshing and pleasant sandalwood scent, which is a special ancient perfume.

During her four years abroad, she searched for all kinds of sandalwood and sought out all the masters who made perfumes, trying to find this fragrance, but she could never find the exact same scent.

The master said that everyone's body scent is different, and the same scent will produce different effects on different people.

And so she found out—

No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't find the same scent.

Song Xi pondered for a long time, then turned her head and unexpectedly met Zhao Yansen's gaze. Her heart almost stopped for a moment.

Those black, jade-like eyes were cold and clear, unfathomable, as if they could suck her in at any moment.

The surroundings were dimly lit, concealing Song Xi's sudden clenching of her suit jacket. Her expression remained unchanged as she looked at Zhao Yansen, called him "Brother," and asked in a gentle tone:

"Why are you at the hospital? Is someone sick?"

Zhao Yansen also looked at her: "Aunt Yu." Upon hearing this, Song Xi was shocked: "Auntie is in the hospital?"

She hurriedly opened the car door and rushed into the inpatient department in great anxiety, but was grabbed by the wrist at the gate and forced to turn around.

Zhao Yansen looked down at her, his long eyelashes obscuring his dark eyes: "Do you know which ward you're in?"

Song Xi shook her head.

"You didn't know and you still ran around like that." Zhao Yansen raised his hand and smoothed down the few strands of hair that had stick up from her sleeping. "Why are you so anxious?"

Song Xi looked up at him, her wildly beating heart gradually returning to normal, and asked with pursed lips, "Brother, how is Aunt?"

"His condition is currently stable and there is no major problem," Zhao Yansen said.

"That's good." Song Xi breathed a sigh of relief.

Zhao Yansen grabbed her slender wrist with his large hand and pulled her straight towards the ward.

Song Xi followed him absentmindedly, her mind preoccupied with Song Yunyu. She was troubled by the previous nightmare, yet calmed by Zhao Yansen's composed demeanor.

If something serious happened to his aunt, he wouldn't have this expression...

Zhao Yansen gripped Song Xi's slender wrist tightly with his large hand; her body temperature was slightly low, and her hand was icy cold. He tightened his grip even more.

Zhao Yansen only released Song Xi's wrist when they reached the door of the ward.

Just then, Zhang Ma and the doctor came out of the ward.

When Zhang Ma saw them, she put on a gentle smile: "Sir, Miss, Madam is still resting."

After greeting everyone, Song Xi hurriedly stepped forward and nervously inquired about Song Yunyu's condition. The doctor patiently explained Song Yunyu's illness to her, saying it was a recurring problem—shortness of breath and chest tightness—and recommended hospitalization for a period of time.

"An old ailment?" Song Xi's fingers unconsciously tightened around the fabric of her trousers. When did her aunt develop an old ailment?

Aunt Zhang nodded: "Three years ago, Madam caught a cold and suffered a serious illness that left her with lingering health problems."

Three years ago... she was abroad at the time. Every time she called back, my aunt looked radiant and showed no signs of illness.

"What about the family doctor?" Song Xi remembered that the family employed both a skilled traditional Chinese medicine doctor and a Western medicine doctor.

"I saw it," said Zhang Ma. "It was Dr. Lu who persuaded Madam to go to the hospital for a full check-up and to rest properly."

Upon hearing this, Song Xi felt a mix of emotions.

Just then, the ward door opened, and a nurse came out and said, "The patient is awake. Anyone who wants to visit can come in now."

Song Xi immediately went inside.

Zhao Yansen exchanged a few words with the doctor, then followed her into the ward with steady steps.

The VIP ward was clean and spacious, with a faint smell of disinfectant in the air, which was not unpleasant. Song Yunyu leaned against the headboard and smiled when she saw the visitor.

"Yansen, Xixi, you've arrived."

Zhao Yansen called out to Aunt Yu.

Song Xi walked straight over and sat on the edge of the bed. Seeing Song Yunyu's pale face, she hadn't even spoken yet when her eyes welled up with tears.

"It's alright." Song Yunyu patted Song Xi's hand, her voice gentle but somewhat tired.

“Aunt…” Song Xi stared intently at Song Yunyu, her eyes brimming with tears, “Why didn’t you tell me about such a serious illness?”

(End of this chapter)