Chapter 333 - It was Jianyu

Suyin wrapped a thin shawl on her shoulders, and head outdoors to get some fresh air and make an important call. Wang Shi had returned to the hospital, and Honey was training under the tree with Bagheera and Cleopatra. So no one else was likely to disturb her, and she can keep an eye on the three kids.

Just as she picked the phone to make a call, her gaze paused at the wallpaper. Their first family vacation. She, Honey, and Wang Shi, soaked from head to toe, posing in front of the waterfall. Her heart hurt a little, the way it always does when she looks into their hopeful eyes. 

Seven months!!! They haven't said it by words, but by their actions. 

A ball came rolling and stopped near her foot. Seeing Honey running to fetch it, Suyin threw it at him. Honey blew a flying kiss at her, which she caught in her fist, and save it her heart. 

She pressed the call icon, scrolling a few numbers down to call Xiu Mei. "Hello, beautiful momma." Suyin's not the type to say such words as soon as the phone was picked, but the woman in question was an expecting mother. "How are you? And howz the little one?"

"Kicking. Playing football nonstop." the lovely complaint from Xiu Mei sweetly slide through Suyin. "Yuyu and Lan were much docile if compared to this one. Thank God it's not twins this time, I wouldn't be able to handle two football players."

Suyin chuckled, picking the latest reports Jianyu had mailed her. She was Xiu Mei's doctor and had been guiding her throughout her pregnancy. "I know it's troublesome and painful, but it's also a good sign. Baby is active and healthy."

"And my reports?"

"Absolutely normal. You and baby are doing great. I have made some changes to your prescription considering your due date is in three weeks. And have sent a do's and don't list as well."

"Yeah. I can see that. Quite a long list. And you have sent a copy to Jianyu too? He's going to make me follow each and everything religiously." There was a hint of complaint in her voice.

"That's because he loves you and is worried about you. I find it very sweet. Do you know daily I receive a call from him?" 

"And what about brother Shishi? Does he ask about us?"

Suyin sensed the tightness in Xiu Mei's voice. Unfortunately, Wang Shi was upset with them and had not been on talking terms since he came to know of Xiu Mei's pregnancy. Not like he was to be blamed.

They kept such big news from him and let Mei follow him to El Sandrios when she was barely six weeks into the pregnancy. It was a huge risk. He wouldn't have forgiven himself had anything happened to the baby or mother.

"It's the mind that gets angry, but the heart still cares. I have seen him looking at your reports secretly and he always eavesdrops when Honey talks to Yuyu and Lan. He still cares, Mei. Just a little angry. I'm sure things will be as they were before." Suyin heard Mei's soft sniffing. "Mei, are you--"

"No. I'm not crying. I know I shouldn't. It's just we are missing him, Suyin. He hasn't called us in months. That never happened before. I want to tell him, we weren't trying to pay him back. It's the same love that he always gives us, made us do it. Even in our seven births, we cannot think of redeeming ourselves from his debt. We know, we can't." Xiu Mei exhaled softly.

Uneasy, Suyin took a deep breath. It was equally difficult for Wang Shi here. Only she knows how much he wants to talk to his brother. But his anger was stopping him. "If may I ask, what you cannot pay him back? What debt are you talking about?"

Xiu Mei was silent long enough that Suyin thought the call was dropped. "Mei?"

"I'm still here." Xiu Mei said, "It's-- It's about the incident that changed his life."

"Are you talking about Zena?"

"Yes. It's my husband who should be at Brother Shishi's place that night when Zena drugged him."

Suyin leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees, recallingWang Shi's words when he'd told her about his past, that he wasn't Zena's target. Now she understood, what does he mean, and why he never told her the complete story. It was his brother, Jianyu.

"Jianyu couldn't attend the meeting that night. Since Brother Shishi was in the same country, he did." Xiu Mei's voice thinned. "Suyin, had he not replaced my husband in the meeting, nothing would have happened. Nothing. Neither he would have drugged, nor abused, and nor Zena would have conceived. It shouldn't be him whose life turned upside down, but mine and Jianyu's. We snatched everything from him. It's because of us he suffered and is still suffering. Somewhere we are responsible that he isn't getting the love of his life. It's we-- I, and Jianyu.... Why the fu*k God is hurting him? WHY?" 

"Shhhh---- Calm down. Take deep breaths." by the end, Xiu Mei's voice was breaking, and Suyin could tell her blood pressure must have spiked up because of sudden agitation. Knowing Jianyu never leaves pregnant Mei alone, Suyin instantly messaged him. 

"Suyin?"

"I'm here. Jianyu is coming. Continue taking deep breaths." 

"Suyin, my brother-in-law is a gem of a person. You won't find another of him in this entire world. I don't want to push you, but don't miss out on this meaningful journey of life just because of a mistake he wasn't even aware of." oh my, Xiu Mei was inconsolable. She was letting out everything she was holding for months. "Rewinding time is not possible. The reality is things mess up, but don't let one mistake ruin a beautiful future. Please.... think over."

Suyin's grip over phone tightened. Something inside her churned. "Mei, please--"

"NO! I know you love him! I have seen it in your eyes--"

"Now you are pushing." Suyin said, "You just take care of yourself first. I promise he'll be there at your delivery. I'll make sure of that."

"Christ Suyin. Second chance should always be there--No! JIANYU NO! LET ME TALK TO HER-- I'M TIRED OF WAITING-- IT'S HAPPENING BECAUSE OF US--" 

Suyin let out a sigh of relief knowing Jianyu had arrived. Faint sobs could be heard as he tried to coax Xiu Mei. 

.....

.....

"Shh.... stop crying. It's bad for the baby, love." Xiu Mei continued murmuring 'Brother Shishi' in between her sobs, "Even Shishi won't like it if he sees you like this. Should I tell Suyin to tell him about you?"

"I told her the truth. Everything."

"Why? Shishi had made me swear on Honey that I will never tell about it to anyone. Not even Uncle Wang and Aunty Liu know about it."

"He made you swear, not me. I just want to see them together. I want to see him getting the love he deserves. How can we be happy when the one who took the biggest catastrophe of our life on himself?" in her pained voice was proof of how much Wang Shi meant to them. "When she loves him, why can't she just forgive the past and accept him? Why, Jianyu? Why? Starting all over again is not that bad. I did it with you. See, how happy we are."

...

Suyin ended the call and set the phone down on the bench with a shaky hand. A tear slid from the corner of her eyes. She scrubbed it away. But another followed. And another.....

She turned to the other side of the bench to escape being caught by Honey in this state. Her shoulders tremble. When the pain pierced her heart, she sobbed with full acceptance of the pain. 

"I won't. I won't accept you."

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