The moment the tall man, dressed in a sharp designer suit, slid open the door to the room in the hospital's VIP ward, he was met with a resounding crash. An empty glass cup had collided with the smooth wall, perilously close to the young man's face. The atmosphere in the room instantly grew tense as the shards of the shattered cup littered the floor.
"Finally, you little jerk!"
The elderly man reclining on his repositioned hospital bed shot his visitor an irritated glance. He was still catching his breath after an unexpectedly strenuous physical activity and when he felt like he could talk again, he grumbled,
"Zhou Yu Han, it takes you nearly a week to show up after hearing that your only family member is in the hospital! You ungrateful moron!"
Yu Han gently closed the door behind him, gingerly stepping over the scattered shards of glass as he approached his grandpa's bedside. His lips curled into a fake smile as he replied in a teasingly affectionate tone,
"Well, hello to you too, Grandpa Zhou. It's quite evident that you're in good health, considering your newfound penchant for physical activity. But do remember what the doctor said – you still need plenty of rest!"
The young man settled comfortably into the chair beside the bed, nonchalantly crossing his legs. His handsome face retained a lingering hint of that previous mocking smile.
Zhou Feng responded with a vexed scoff, his grandson's attitude consistently irksome, even though this marked their first encounter in a year.
"You shameless punk! Do you honestly believe this is the appropriate moment for jokes? I'm not only concerned about your lack of consideration for your sole family member by delaying your return; I'm also worried that your immature antics might jeopardize your chances at the CEO role!"
Yu Han, at last, erased that mocking smirk from his face and released a long, weary sigh. He massaged his already throbbing forehead and replied,
"I literally just got off the plane, Grandpa. I could've headed to the hotel first, but I came to see you right away. How is that being disrespectful?"
The old man grew irked once more, aggravated by the absence of any suitable objects in his immediate reach to hurl at his grandson one more time. Zhou Feng didn't exactly harbor a strong aversion to Yu Han, or rather, he held a sort of disdain for him to some degree. This sentiment mainly stemmed from Yu Han's cavalier approach to life, living as if every day was the last, which undeniably cast a shadow over Zhou Feng's aspirations for a future, one that he hoped would encompass Yu Han as well.
Zhou Feng rubbed his face, heaving a prolonged, fatigued sigh, and shook his head in disapproval.
"This wretched behavior stops tonight. This whole... spoiled bad boy act might have worked out for you over in the States, but here, I need you to be on your absolute best behavior, Yu Han. Now that I'm retiring, those vultures won't waste a moment to swoop in on you at the faintest sign of vulnerability."
Yu Han nonchalantly reclined in his seat, arched his head backward, and shut his eyes, attempting to shield them from the irksome yellow glow emanating from the numerous tiny lamps embedded in the ceiling. Even that proved to be too much for his exhausted self.
He understood that, sooner or later, he'd have to grapple with the demands of his family's company and confront the myriad challenges that accompanied it. However, he clung to the hope that he might have a few more years to prepare.
Right now, he wasn't quite prepared for what lay ahead.
"Yeah, I guess..."
The young man responded with another audible exhale, readjusted his posture, and swiftly rose to his feet. Sporting yet another feigned, contented smile, he carried on,
"Well, I'll take my leave now, Grandpa Zhou. It's well past midnight, and both of us could use some rest. I'll drop by again... later today, that is, if I don't spend the entire day grappling with jetlag."
As Yu Han headed towards the exit, the old man punctuated the silence between them with a resounding "tsk" and redirected his sunken gaze towards the window, concealed behind the drawn curtains.
"You'll have a month to sort out any unfinished business you left behind in the United States before it begins. Bear that in mind, Zhou Yu Han."
The young man momentarily halted, his right hand poised to slide the door open, while his left hand remained clenched into a tight fist.
"Sure... Whatever. Good night."
As he shut the door behind him, Yu Han made his way towards the elevator, pushing his disheveled black bangs away from his furrowed forehead. His personal driver, who had accompanied him all the way from the United States, stood at his side, his imposing, muscular presence casting a protective shadow over him akin to a mighty rock.
The driver pressed the button featuring a downward-pointing black arrow and asked in a low tone,
"So, are we heading straight to the hotel?"
Yu Han nodded and entered the elevator, which had just opened its doors before them with a loud ping.
"Yeah, I need to change before heading out again."
The driver raised his thick, rye-colored eyebrows that perfectly complemented his short, curly hair, and fixed his big blue eyes on Yu Han, as if he didn't quite grasp the full meaning behind his boss's words.
"Go out? Where do you want to head out at this hour?"
The young man leaned against the cool elevator wall and shut his eyes. There were two things he desperately needed tonight– soft, dimmed lighting and something to calm his racing mind. So, when the perfect solution presented itself in his weary mind, Yu Han smiled and finally replied,
"I just really... need a drink right now."