Chapter 41
After sending the message, Murong Cheng turned on airplane mode.
The announcement came: they were about to take off.
He glanced at Chi Yu.
“Don’t you need to tell anyone you’re leaving?”
Chi Yu chuckled. “I’m a freelancer. Freedom is my motto. Who do I need to ask for leave?”
Murong Cheng: “Right, forget I asked.”
“Don’t worry, you’re a freelancer now too. Free to go wherever you want,” Chi Yu said, ever the comforting friend.
Murong Cheng: “…I’m unemployed. And don’t tell my parents I was fired. I don’t want them to worry.”
Although his unemployment was mainly due to Murong Yan, it wasn’t something to be proud of.
Chi Yu nodded. “Don’t worry, I know when to keep my mouth shut.”
Having barely slept the night before, he slept soundly during the flight, missing the meal service.
Upon landing, he had intended to send Chi Yu home and go to the hospital alone, but Chi Yu insisted on joining him, saying he had no luggage anyway. They took a taxi directly to the hospital.
His mother’s hospital wasn’t far from their home, the only Class A hospital in the area. Despite being lunchtime, the lobby was crowded. They dragged their suitcases through the throngs of people, finally finding the cardiology ward.
His mother, Xing Li, was in a three-person room, lying in the middle bed, an IV drip attached to her hand, scrolling through her phone. The other two patients and their families were eating lunch.
“Mom,” he said, his voice thick with emotion, as he entered the room.
Xing Li, still looking at her phone, didn’t hear him. He let go of his suitcase, squeezed through the narrow space between the beds, and leaned closer.
“Mom…”
“Xiao Cheng? What are you doing here?” she asked, her face lighting up with surprise and then concern. “Did your father call you? He’s so dramatic. I’m fine, just fainted. The hospital insisted I stay for a couple of days. Go back to work. Don’t worry about me.”
Tears welled up in his eyes. “Mom, I heard about what happened. I’ve already taken leave. Two weeks.”
Xing Li frowned. “Two weeks? Can you take that much time off? You just started working. Your boss must be upset. Last time, during the New Year holiday, he even came to H City to find you. Just stay tonight and go back tomorrow. It’s not a big deal. We’ll sort out the homestay issue. We can renovate, pay the fines. Don’t worry about it.”
Knowing he couldn’t argue with her, he changed the subject. “Mom, have you eaten? Where’s Dad?”
She was easily distracted. “He stayed here last night. He’s home resting now. I told him it wasn’t necessary, but he insisted. He’s getting old, and the conditions here aren’t great. He can’t handle it.”
“Have you eaten, Mom? I’ll go downstairs and buy you some food.”
“No need,” she waved her hand, pointing to her bedside table. “The hospital has a cafeteria. Take this container. It’s down the hall. I’ve already washed it.”
He took the container and called Chi Yu over. “I’m going to get Mom some lunch. Chi Yu will stay with you. Call him if you need anything.”
“Hello, Auntie,” Chi Yu said politely.
Xing Li looked embarrassed. “Why did you come back too, Chi Yu? It’s really not a big deal…”
The cafeteria was at the end of the hall, a long queue snaking down the corridor. He joined the queue and messaged his father.
[Cheng: I’m at the hospital, getting Mom some lunch. You rest at home. I’ll stay with her.]
His father replied quickly, asking if he had eaten.
[Cheng: I ate on the plane.]
He lied to reassure his father, who then agreed to stay home and rest, saying he would come to the hospital later.
The queue moved slowly. He switched to his chat with Murong Yan and saw a notification. He hadn’t noticed it earlier.
[Y: I heard about what happened at the company. Don’t worry. Rest well at home. I’ll be back soon.]
No reply to his voice message, just a text. He must still be busy. He replied quickly.
[Cheng: Okay.]
[Cheng: Waiting for you.]
He bought lunch and water, waited for his mother to finish eating, and then washed the containers.
Returning to the room, he was informed by a nurse that his mother’s hospital deposit was insufficient and he needed to pay more.
“Okay,” he said, turning to leave, when his mother called him back.
“Xiao Cheng, take my phone. Use my card.”
“No need, Mom. I just received my bonus. I have enough. You rest,” he said, referring to his severance pay.
His mother seemed pleased, reassured by his apparent financial stability.
While she napped, Chi Yu ordered takeout, and they ate lunch in the corridor. He sent Chi Yu home and then spent the afternoon chatting with his mother.
He hadn’t had this much time with her in ages. High school had been filled with studies, then he had left for university, and now, even after graduating, he could only visit during long holidays. The holidays seemed long, but travel time ate into them, and he usually slept half the day away.
His father arrived in the evening with a bag of clean clothes.
“Xiao Cheng, tired from the flight? Go home and rest. I’ll stay with your mother,” Murong Maohua said, patting his shoulder.
Hearing the dinner cart in the corridor, he grabbed his mother’s food container. “Dad, I’m not tired. I’ll go get dinner.”
Standing in the queue, he checked the news on his phone. News of Murong Yan’s dismissal had spread, dominating headlines. The media, as usual, sensationalized the story, rehashing the car fire incident and even fabricating rumors about Murong Yan being detained.
[Netizen A: I heard Chairman Murong announced his son’s dismissal at the board meeting himself. That’s his own son! Murong Yan must have done something terrible!]
[Netizen B: Doesn’t Murong Zhenguo have two sons? Is he trying to promote his younger son?]
[Netizen C: Rumor has it that Murong Yan was supposed to marry the Oriental Group heiress, but he cheated on her with a male college student.]
[Netizen D: Why not just pay him off and be done with it? Why remove his own son from his position over something like this?]
[Netizen E: What if Murong Yan refused to break up with him? Maybe that’s why they had a falling out, and Murong Zhenguo took drastic measures. Evil grin.jpg]
Speculation ran rampant. Huaqian Technology, seizing the opportunity, announced the termination of its partnership with Guangyu and its new focus on smart home technology with Lingyu Group, gaining a wave of publicity.
His mother was in the hospital, unlikely to be following the news, so she wouldn’t discover his unemployment, or Murong Yan’s dismissal, just yet. He put away his phone, deciding to ignore the news for now. He would deal with it when Murong Yan returned.
But he underestimated Guangyu’s influence.
Back in the room, he overheard the patient in the next bed discussing the news with her husband.
“Is something wrong at Guangyu? Why did they replace the CEO?”
“Let me see,” the old man squinted at his phone. “They did! Isn’t that the company our son bought his car from? What happens to our car now? We’ve already paid, but they’re making us wait. Should we cancel the order? The news says a Guangyu car caught fire recently! And it’s a new model!”
Xing Li, about to eat her dinner, froze.
She exchanged a look with Murong Maohua and reached for her phone.
A few minutes later, her face was grim.
Mindful of the other patients and their negative comments about Guangyu, she didn’t want to reveal that her son worked there, and that he was the dismissed CEO’s assistant. She beckoned Murong Cheng and lowered her voice.
“Xiao Cheng, is everything alright at work?”
He tried to sound casual. “Everything’s fine. I just received my bonus. Mom, eat your dinner before it gets cold.”
He placed the container back in her hands.
“Tell us if you have any problems at work,” she said, her voice filled with concern.
He forced a smile. “I’m fine, Mom. I’m just a junior employee. No one’s giving me a hard time.”
After she finished eating, he washed the container. Returning to the room, he saw his parents whispering, then quickly separating when he entered, as if hiding something.
He pretended not to notice. “Dad, you can go home. I’ll stay with Mom tonight.”
“You’re tired from traveling. Go home and rest. I’ll stay with your mother,” his father insisted.
“Stop arguing. Neither of you has eaten yet. Go downstairs and have dinner together,” Xing Li interrupted.
Murong Cheng hesitated. “Mom, I can go with Dad separately. You can’t be left alone.”
Xing Li: “I have high blood pressure, not a debilitating illness. Go eat. We’ll talk later.”
She exchanged a look with her husband, then quickly looked away when Murong Cheng glanced at them.
“Okay, let’s go downstairs for dinner. Xiao Cheng,” his father said, standing up. “There’s a Hainanese chicken rice place downstairs. Isn’t that your favorite?”
While A City was just entering spring, H City was already warm and humid.
He had packed away his winter coat, but even in a T-shirt, he felt slightly warm.
He tugged at his collar and noticed his father watching him.
“Dad, what’s wrong?”
Murong Maohua looked away, flustered. “Nothing, nothing. I’ll stay with your mother tonight. It’s more convenient for me to help her if she needs anything.”
Murong Cheng: “Mom can walk to the bathroom herself. I can help her. I did this afternoon.”
“Just listen to me. Go home and rest. You can stay tomorrow night,” his father said firmly.
They ordered Hainanese chicken rice at the restaurant.
Murong Maohua glanced at the beer in the fridge. “Want a drink?”
Murong Cheng was taken aback. “Dad, Mom’s in the hospital.”
Murong Maohua cleared his throat. “I know.”
Murong Cheng: “And I can’t handle alcohol.”
Murong Maohua: “…Right. Forget it.”
Murong Cheng poured his father a cup of hot water. “Dad, just tell me what’s on your mind.”
Murong Maohua hesitated, then said, “Okay, I’ll be blunt. We saw the news about Guangyu. The CEO who was dismissed, is that your boss? The one who came to visit during the New Year?”
Murong Cheng touched his nose. “Yes.”
There was no point hiding it. It was all over the news.
Murong Maohua: “So what will you do now that your boss is gone?”
Murong Cheng tried to downplay the situation. “Dad, I’m just a lowly assistant. It doesn’t really affect me. I’ll just work for the new CEO.”
Murong Maohua’s expression turned serious. “You left work early today to come see us, right after Guangyu appointed a new CEO? Aren’t you busy?”
Murong Cheng licked his lips. “There’s a family emergency.”
Murong Maohua: “If you were still in Brand Marketing, I might believe you. But you’re the CEO’s assistant! Replacing the CEO means there was a problem! As his assistant, you’ll be seen as part of his team. Even if they don’t fire you, they’ll definitely transfer you, maybe even investigate you. Your mother and I both know how these things work.”
Murong Cheng: “Dad, it’s not that complicated… and our former CEO didn’t do anything wrong.”
Murong Maohua: “Then why was he replaced?”
Murong Cheng: “It’s a long story…”
“Fine, you don’t have to tell us. Just rest well for a few days,” Murong Maohua sighed heavily. “Your mother and I just want you to know—”
“Xiao Cheng, home is always your safe haven.”
“Tell us if you have any problems. Don’t keep it to yourself.”
Murong Cheng’s eyes reddened. He looked down, forcing a smile. “I know, Dad. Thank you.”
