Xiu Lin got back to the company and slept on Xiu Wan's office to rest off his headache.
When he woke up, Xiu Wan is already packing his things, ready to wake him up to go home so Xiu Lin got up from the couch and stretched.
"Ge, I'm hungry." he said.
"Of course, mom prepared dinner at home. Have as much as you want when we go back." Xiu wan replied, messing the already messed up white hair. "Now, wear your coat. It's cold."
"Alright..." Xiu Lin took the blue coat that hung on the sofa where he slept and followed his brother outside the company. When both had seated on the car, the young man watched the streets outside once again. The lights of each buildings was a bit dizzying so he decided to close his eyes for w while.
Xiu Wan looked at him and gave his shoulder a pat to get his attention. Xiu Lin turned his head towards him looking at the smile on the man's face, he remained staring. "You can sleep on my lap if you're still sleepy. The ride will be a bit long." he said.
Xiu Lin obliged, lying his head on his brother's leg and closed his eyes to rest his headache. Xiu Wan also helped by giving his head a massage.
Twenty minutes later, they were finally home. Xiu Wan woke Xiu Lin up. The boy, whose headache hadn't stabled yet got up. The throbbing pain was appalling he felt like he wanted to take a part of his head out and hit it with a hammer.
He could only sigh as he and his older brother walked inside the house. The evening lightened up with the night lamps aligned in the entrance. Moths were flying around the light that caused it to flicker while the siblings trailed the path towards the estate entrance.
When the two got in, Mother Xiu appeared from the open kitchen and smiled when she saw her sons walking together. "Hurry you two, it's time for dinner. Rin came home earlier than the both of you." She said.
Xiu Lin hummed while Xiu Wan made way for his younger brother to walk first and he followed behind.
"How was the company for you Lin? Wan didn't overworked you, right?" Mother Xiu asked happily.
Xiu Lin hummed. "Jian ge gave me easy ones." He replied as the family gathered in the dining room.
"Good! good! Learning process are like that. You go easy first then step up little by little." Father Xiu added.
"Actually, Lin is just fine. He managed to find errors easily. Our Lin is really smart." Xiu Wan explained, looking at his younger brother and smiled.
"That's true." Xiu Rin nodded to agree with the first brother, proudly looking at Xiu Lin who was quietly enduring a headache that felt like a migraine. 'I think I should sleep after eating something.' he told the system.
But then again, should he take a pain reliever?
'1204, can you do a physical check on my body? I want to crack my head now.' he said.
[Alright host!] 1204 enthusiastically agreed. Xiu Lin could actually hear the familiar mechanical sound moving in his head. It was probably the system scanner. After that, there was ringing sounds and the system spoke. [Host... you're head is suffering internal bleeding again. It is slow and unnoticeable, but it will quickly worsen your state. It seems like they were not able to detect this bleeding during your surgery.]
Xiu Lin's head perked up after hearing the diagnosis. His eyes sparkled a bit and felt like he was just a few days away from liberation. 'Good news! Good news!' he praised the system again and again.
[Host, you are dying!] the system cried.
'I know! So, how long?' Xiu Lin happily asked.
[in five days host. But tomorrow, you will suffer the symptoms more aggressive than headache.]
'Just need to endure it so I can leave.'
Xiu Lin, who didn't understand the pain, came to regret his words the next day.
His head hurt so bad. He felt like he's going to die right there, however, he pretended as if everything was cool. He clenched his teeth and smiled, laughed and enjoyed the day with a tasty five times meal a day.
In those days, he met the female protagonists for a coffee break. Ru Ye was quite happy to have fun with Xiu Lin but that was only a brief moment.
Since Xiu Lin's plan was to pair her and the male protagonist on his last days.
As the two drank and exchanged stories, Xiu Lin handed her a letter. Ru Ye was a bit taken aback. Looking at the white envelope and then to the young Xiu Lin. "What's this Xiao Lin?" She asked.
"I want to ask a favor to Ru jie." He said.
"What could it be?" She asked.
"Send this to a good friend of mine. And I feel bad not being able to give something in return."
"I see. Who could this dear friend be?"
Xiu Lin smiled. "Lu Jian."
On the third day, it looked like his disguise flew. In the middle of a meeting in the conference room, Xiu Lin, who was quiet and seemingly focused felt like his vision became blur and doubled. His body swayed a few times before falling off his chair and began to feel his entire body numb and his senses went awry.
Xiu Wan froze after seeing what happened but immediately responded. He ran towards him and carefully checked his brother all the while telling his assistant to call an ambulance. "Lin, Lin!" he called out.
The company went into panic as the youngest child of Xiu family was once again rushed to the hospital after collapsing during the meeting.
Meanwhile, Lu Jian, who was overseas caught wind of the news and immediately called Xiu Wan.
"What happened?" Lu Jian asked through the phone. His voice hinted a mix of emotions crumpling together from his tone.
Xiu Wan held his forehead in distress as well, sharing the same sentiment. "I don't know. They're checking out what went wrong. I don't understand what's going on too." he replied. He was outside of the emergency room trying his best not to breakdown.
"Ge!" From a distance, Xiu Wan heard his other younger brother Xiu Rin. He war running in his direction with a frantic look, already panicking. "What happened? Why Is Lin rushed here?" he asked.
Xiu Wan kept himself stern as he spoke. "They're still diagnosing." he replied.
Just after he said that, the doctor from the room finally came out. "Mr. Xiu." he greeted the oldest.
Xiu Wan nodded in acknowledgement and excused himself to Lu Jian, turning off the communication. Although Lu Jian wanted to hear it as well, this was a private matter between family so he didn't interfere.
The three of them stood on the side of the quiet room where no one will hear and where no one will be able to eavesdrop. The doctor spoke with a soft yet professional tone. He slowly told them about the cause and the organ failures that was quickly happening in the young man's body. It was internal bleeding. It's was a slow flow, but it's been there for days that it filled the mind.
"Mr. Xiu Lin must have felt the symptoms himself but might have disregarded it as simple headaches." The doctor thought about it. However, there are more symptoms than mere headaches. If he had come for a check up earlier, we would have been able to prevent this. In his mind, the young man had already known and didn't say anything. "I'm sorry, the only thing we can do is wait." he said.
.
A storm was raging in that country which is why all flights were cancelled. Lu Jian who was trapped in another country could only ask Xiu Wan what was going on through video calls and phone calls. On those times, Xiu Lin went into a coma.
Xiu Wan remained quiet and only told him that Xiu Lin was suffering internal bleeding. He didn't informed him that it was all too late. He could only guiltily put in the phone inside the hospital room prepared for Xiu Lin and let him see their younger brother's state.
For hours and hours that Xiu Lin had not opened his eyes through the video call, Lu Jian felt like his heart was slowly breaking to pieces. He didn't know what to do, he wanted to think that it was something that could wait. He held on to those zigzag lines that showed into the heartbeat monitor, stared at it as if it was a small thread of hope he could hold on to.
He waited until the storm stopped and the airlines continued to function. It was already three o'clock in the afternoon by then. He didn't bring anything with him and went first before his assistant could even say anything. When the plane landed, it's already six in the evening. The sun was setting perfectly in sight and everything was rather odd.
Lu Jian's heart couldn't stop from beating nervously. He rode a cab towards the hospital where Xiu Lin was. When he got there, mother Xiu, father Xiu, Xiu Wan and Xiu Rin were gathered in tears.
"What's going on?" Lu Jian asked.
Xiu Wan turned to him. His face had no tears, but the side of his eyes were red, indicating that he also was grieving. He smiled at Lu Jian. "Do you want to say goodbye to him?" he asked.
Lu Jian was taken aback. He stared at the man, hoping it's a prank, but the look in his eyes weren't hinting a single joke. His head felt numbed as he turned to the room. There was a wide window where you can see the patient clearly.
Lu Jian made his way towards the door and opened it. He walked towards the young man who's face was covered with oxygen mask. The sound of the monitor sounding in his ears as he stared at him.
"Lin... Xiu Lin." he called out the name softly.
He reached out for the tender and smooth hand of the young man with a sad smile. It was cold just like how he remembered the last time he held it. But now, this cold felt empty. He watched those closed eyes, beautiful and soft features that made him even more endearing. However, in this state, made him more pitiful.
"Why are you like this?" he asked. "Don't leave. I still have a lot of things to say."
[Host, it's time.]
Xiu Lin's eyelashes trembled. As if they were trying to open. Lu Jian watched it but soon, it stopped. Tears escaped the side of his eyes and the line in the monitor turned straight.
Lu Jian's hold from the smooth hands went tight. His face became numb as well as his senses that even the shrill cry of madam Xiu was voided. He could only see himself standing in front of the corpse with a pain in his heart snagged away by this cruel world... once again.
He can feel it. And it seemed that this emotion had been here before that it couldn't be etched away.
Days continued just like that. After the funeral, everyone kept themselves busy and occupied almost as if robots who didn't know rest until they fell asleep.
The Xiu family became distant. Lu Jian became immersed in business, growing and growing until he was isolated.
It was almost a month by then.
Lu Jian placed his papers down as the door opened. His assistant entered with a serious look. "Sir, miss Ru Ye came to visit." He said.
"Turn her down."
The assistant looked at him and added. "Miss Ru Ye said she has something to deliver for you. It's from young master Xiu Lin." He explained.
Hearing a name he had not heard for weeks, Lu jian's eyes perked up. He didn't know how much it struck his heart... but hearing the name Xiu Lin hurts every piece of him.
Ru Ye no longer wore her disguise. A proper lady with elegant figure and unique beauty sat on the lobby calmly. In her hand, she held the letter that Xiu Lin had entrusted her a month prior.
At first, she did not understand why Xiu Lin would leave a letter. But two days later, the news of his death blew into the world making her understand what he truly meant.
The letter left for Lu Jian remained in her hand over contemplation whether she should give it or not. But now that she had confidence, she decided that now is the time to let him see it.
She could see Lu Jian making big steps towards her. His eyes were dark and his aura emanated those types of intimidating people she hated the most. How could Xiu Lin befriend such a person?
When both of them stood face to face, Ru Ye met his eyes seriously. "Xiu Lin is my only friend. Although we only met shortly before his passing, he is still a precious little brother to me." She started. "He entrusted a letter to me. Said to give it to you because he felt bad for not paying anything back of your kindness."
The letter in her hand was kept warm because she had held onto it from when she waited in the lobby until she met Lu Jian.
She slowly stretched her hand when the letter is held. "I hope you and the Xiu family won't destroy yourselves. If you really cherish him, you should know what he wants. He wants the best for all of you." She turned around and walked away.
Lu Jian blankly stared at the letter. He went back to his office still the letter in hand and opened it carefully.
His eyes darkened. He didn't really want to look at it but the moment he did, tears came down from his cold eyes.
-Ge, look forward and watch how beautiful your future is. I hope you all the best! I'll support you wherever I am, think of me when you need strength, I'll be cheering on!-
What future could be as beautiful without you? Lu Jian didn't know.
Xiu Lin assumed that Lu Jian will open the letter in front of Ru Ye. Which is why he said to look forward to his beautiful future wife. And finally, encouraging him to catch this beautiful flower with his ghostly presence.
But who would have thought? It was interpreted differently by the man who loved him dearly.
Lu Jian held the paper closer to his lips and kissed the page. The paper was soon soaked by a drop of his tear.
I'll find you...if there's a chance... on our next life, my love...