You and I

Chapter Twenty

They headed out at one in the afternoon, Yu Hao directing Zi Xuan to this little apartment hidden in a village east of Shenzhen. They kissed in the car before getting out, and Yu Hao had already talked about how nervous he was.

He intertwined his fingers with Xuan's, leading him up metal stairs. Yu Hao recalled sliding down these when they were slippery with rain, sneaking out of the house to go a party. He remembered moving out, bringing all his bags down these. Now, almost eight years later, he would take his fiancé up these stairs and apologize to his mother for being an asshole.

He knocked on the door, holding his breath, waiting for his mother to come to the door. But instead, a unknown lady answered. She had blonde hair and was obviously foreign, but she spoke in perfect Chinese.

"Hello. Is there something I can do for you?" She asked, looking expectantly at the two men.

Yu Hao peered behind her, his brows crinkling slightly when he saw a frail woman laying in a hospital bed in what used to be the living room.

Yu Hao bit his lip, letting go of Zi Xuan's warm hand and ducking under the lady's arm. Zi Xuan gasped, following Yu Hao, ignoring the confused calling of the blonde woman.

Yu Hao was already kneeling by the bed, staring at the skinny old woman with the oxygen mask on. Every breath he took in shook, and tears fell slowly from his eyes. Zi Xuan stared helplessly between son and mother, seeing every resemblance but at the same time mourning the sorrow in his lover's eyes.

The blonde woman stood behind the two now. "Your her son, I assume." She smiled weakly, patting Yu Hao's shoulder. "She... she hasn't been doing well. Thanks to your money we've bought her time... but, you should be glad you came. Today she's decided to say goodbye."

Yu Hao shook his head. "No, no, no." He reached his hands out, taking her frail body into his arms and pressing his face against her chest. "Ma, ma." Zi Xuan put a solitary hand on his back, feeling the warmth.

The woman opened two spice brown eyes, identical to those of his lover. His breath hitched when she put a hand on Yu Hao's head, rubbing the hair carefully.

"Ma, I'm so sorry." Zi Xuan felt the back underneath his fingers hitch as he began to cry. "I didn't mean for this to happen. I'm a terrible son."

She shook her head, and the blond woman assisted her, taking off the oxygen mask with a sucking noise. "Yu Hao." She whispered, voice rasped. "My beauty."

Slowly, she took his hand, squeezing it tightly. "I waited for you. For years." She patted his hair carefully. "I knew... you would... come back... when you had grown." The blonde woman put her mask back on, letting her take a few breaths before taking it back off so she could continue. "Now look at you... back to me... so grown up... and soon a ring on your finger." She took so much effort to sit up and place her hand on Zi Xuan's head, smiling at him. "I'm so... so... proud of you."

Yu Hao looked up, biting his lip. "Ma, I was a terrible person. But I'm better now. I want to take care of you." He used his now free hand to smooth her grey hair. "All good sons take care of their mother."

She shook her head. "Look at you, all grown up." She paused to take a few breaths from the mask. "Son, can't you see? I'm still alive today because of your money." She touched his cheek briefly. "I know.... I know it's time to go."

"Ma." Yu Hao's voice was whiney and he was crying when he spoke the word. "Ma, please don't go. Zi Xuan and I will take care of you." His lip quivered.

"Xia... Yu... Hao..." oxygen mask. "It's hard for me to breathe. To move... talk... walk... can't do anything anymore." She smiled weakly. "In so much pain all the time... I know when I need to leave."

Yu Hao nodded, taking her hand. "Let me stay with you, be by your side." She nodded, wiping a tear from his eye. Giving a nod to the blonde lady, a switched was turned off. The whirring of machines stopped, and the blonde woman tapped Zi Xuan's shoulder. They left the room.

Yu Hao talked to her about his life. He told her about Zi Xuan and his career as a volleyball coach, and she smiled and patted his face and stroked his hair.

She had missed her son, but now he was back. Honestly, she wished she had more time with him. Dying was a scary thought, but with her son there talking about how he was doing, it seemed easier.

Her breathing slowed even more, so that it was hardly noticeable and Yu Hao began to cry softly. He regretted not coming to see her sooner. He regretted being such a asshole, leaving her alone. But most of all, he really regretted thinking everything was okay when it definitely wasn't.

He cried until her chest stopped rising, until her hands turned ice cold. Minutes later Zi Xuan returned to the room, and Yu Hao melted off of her body, standing up and clinging onto him for dear life.

Zi Xuan patted his hair gently, whispering in his ear. "Yu Hao, it's okay, it's okay." Yu Hao nodded, but he couldn't stop the tears from falling down. Zi Xuan kissed the side of his head.

Yu Hao sobbed. "I don't have a mother anymore."

Zi Xuan shook his head. "No, baby, you still do. She'll always be watching over you, protecting you." He felt Yu Hao nod. "And I'll always be here looking after you."

Yu Hao calmed down after a while, listening solemnly to Zi Xuan's shushing and comforting words.

A/N:

Here you all go! 1/2 of the plot twists.

This book ends in two chapters. But good news! I'm making a sequel. You'll see why in the next chapter 😏😜

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