Xiu Lin coughed. He didn't know that he suddenly got sick just after changing houses.
This was after college exam, passing for the entrance and starting campus life as a college student. Because of this, Gu Han told the boy to move to an apartment close to school... With him.
Gu Han had a lot of reasons for doing so. One, because it's close to school. Two, because it's close to his company. Three, because he wanted the boy for himself and Grandpa Gu is stopping him from doing that.
But because the apartment environment was completely different from the main house, Xiu Lin got sick.
Gu Han entered the room holding some cold water and towel with him. "Baby, how are you feeling?" He asked, sitting on the side of the bed and touching the young man's forehead.
Xiu Lin signed that he's fine before closing his eyes. His body really felt cold and heavy, as if he had a ton on him.
It was a good thing that he didn't live alone here. Gu Han was present to take good care of him.
On the succeeding hours of the night, Xiu Lin awoke to a few indicators. The older would be on his laptop, tapping the keyboards busily. He watched the beautiful fingers of the the young master flew with precision making him sleepy again.
So slowly, the boy drowsily closed his eyes and went back to sleep.
Gu Han stopped typing and turned to look at the boy who was peacefully asleep. He stopped typing and put his work aside placing a palm on top of the boy's forehead. It was still hot.
He made sure that his baby had drank the medicine so he hopes that the young man is finally okay.
"Get well soon, okay?" He whispered, kissing the sleeping boy's forehead, then his closed eyelids, down to the nose, cheeks on both sides and finally, a quick peck on those soft buds of lips.
Then he sat back up with a satisfied smile. Returning back to his previous work more energized.
.
On the next few days, the boy was up and running like he wasn't ill at all. Gu Han sighed, thinking that his baby is slowly growing up. It's sad that time is quite fast.
The two lived harmoniously in the apartment.
With busy days ahead of them, Gu Han never thought that one day, he'd get the news that will soon shatter their quiet days.
Grandpa Gu called Gu Han one day, his voice was serious as if pondering if he should seal a kind of business deal or not kind of tone. But in the end, he said that he and Xiu Lin should go home this weekend.
The young man didn't know what was wrong with his grandpa, but deciding to just go despite the brewing uneasiness he was feeling.
He had also informed the younger about it. The boy only smiled and signed that he missed Grandpa Gu so they must absolutely go.
.
Just when the two had thought that grandpa Gu was the only one welcoming them, they were not expecting that another person will suddenly cry out loud.
"Oh, my nephew. You're really alive!" Xiu Lin immediately grabbed onto Gu Han's arm in shock, hiding half of his body as he peeked through the new person suddenly crying as soon as they met eye to eye. What is this old man crying about?!
"Grandpa, what's going on?" Gu Han asked, his eyes glaring at the new person in their living room.
"I'm sorry." The old man wiped his tears and looked at the boy behind him softly. "My name is Xiu Cai. I came to this country after one of my men saw a child resembling my sister-in-law." He started. "And they are not wrong. You resemble her so much, I couldn't help but let out my emotions."
Xiu Lin clenched Gu Han's arm tighter. He didn't know why, but his senses were giving him warning signs.
"Let's chat." Grandpa Gu told them all to sit. Xiu Cai also excitedly returned to the sofa and watched his nephew move to the opposite with Gu Han. His face looked fond of his nephew and his acting skills were quite great if it were acting.
"Mr. Xiu, you can start now." Grandpa Gu gave the man the floor.
Xiu Cai also began to recount about Xiu Lin's parents. How they met, the time that he was born. He even took out the photos of mother and father Xiu, showing a man who resembled Xiu Cai 60% and a woman who was just as beautiful as Xiu Lin.
"Alas, my brother and sister-in-law died in a car accident just when the boy was just very young. I was ready to step up as his parent, but my brother had so many enemy that before I knew it, my poor nephew had gone missing." He explained.
"Why isn't his data anywhere? We tried searching for traces." Gu Han frowned, it was really hard to believe that it's just like this.
Xiu Cai was prepared for this drama. He had long practiced his script and began to sigh heavily. "We received a call." He glanced at the boy who stared at him. "That Xiu Lin is in the hands of a syndicate and wanted ransom for his safety. We were told that any materials that will indicate that the boy is missing, be it posters, police, or just a photo of him online, they will kill him." He made sure to fix those loose holes and become the victim himself. "Every month, we were asked to pay millions in exchange. But he was never returned. Rather, we were given photos of the child being alive. And then one day, they sent us a casket. Inside was a corpse that resembled my nephew."
He released his tears again, looking at Xiu Lin as if heart broken.
"The autopsy report showed that he had been brutally beaten and his organs were taken. We could only cremate him after. But who would have thought, my nephew is safe."
"Did you not think about taking a DNA test? How sure we're you that it's your nephew." Gu Han sharply looked at him. He also felt that something was amiss, but he couldn't point a finger towards it.
Xiu Lin on the other hand, had seen through the lies. He didn't bother listening to the nonsense and took the photos of his parents that were placed on the table.
He wanted to ask questions himself too, but he couldn't speak. And it's highly likely that Xiu Cai cannot understand sign language. Writing them down is also time consuming.
Xiu Cai continued his theatrics. Looking apprehensive. "I didn't think about it because I was too overwhelmed by all that happened. My brother, sister-in-law, and my nephew all disappeared before I could have time to move on." He explained.
A believable and simple reason if you truly loved your family. But does he?
Xiu Lin had to get to the bottom of this. He had tried searching for traces of people with the surname of Xiu. There are actually a lot of them which also included Xiu Cai. But the information about his father, mother, and him are wiped out as if they never existed.
"Xiu Lin. I'm happy that you're alive." Xiu Cai called and said this in a fatherly tone.
Grandpa Gu also quietly observed Xiu Cai. As a business man who had worked with several kinds of people in almost half his life, he had studied the micro movements of every person he's interacted with.
Unless you're someone who has learned the same thing, it would be difficult to know if you're acting or not. By any means, Xiu Cai is no veteran at this. Even Xiu Lin noticed the flaws, how can he not? The kid had sharp eyes, this acting won't move his heart. But it seems to be true that he is the child's uncle.
The boy raised his head and met eyes with grandpa Gu as if having a tacit understanding.
"First, shall we conduct a DNA test?" Grandpa Gu started.
"Alright." Xiu Cai agreed readily. They are, after all, related by blood so it wouldn't be a problem. Then he glanced at his beloved nephew.
He really grew up to look like that wench. Even now he couldn't forget how he so eagerly wanted to take her away from his brother. She could have been his love. Too bad, she went with him on that trip.
But that's alright. As long as he gets his hand on this brat, not only will he secure the position of the family head, but he can also bury those crimes he never thought would surface again.
When Xiu Cai left, Xiu Lin, who saw him off while holding tightly into Gu Han finally relaxed. His cold hand slowly let go, but not fully while he held the photograph of his parents on his other hand.
"Lin, do you feel okay?" Gu Han asked, his hand cupping the younger's cheek with genuine concern.
The young man nodded, and then he looked at Grandpa Gu again.
Grandpa Gu looked back and smiled. "Welcome back, kiddo." He greeted.
Xiu Lin smiled, ran into him and gave him a hug. Grandpa's smug smile looked at his grandson who was stunned when the little guy left his touch. Such a funny lad his grandson is, can't even tolerate such affection sharing. How immature of him.
Letting go, Xiu Lin made distance and started signing. "Your health? How's your coughing? Did you take your medicine? Your check up yesterday, did you go?" He asked.
Grandpa Gu laughed. Petted his head and handed a red envelope immediately. "I'm fine, sweet child. This grandpa has not forgotten your reminders." He said, pleased that at least three grand daughter-in-law knows how to take care of the old.
Xiu Lin sighed. Nodded and grinned his white teeth and little canines showing.
Old grandpa Gu grinned back. "Let's go an play chess."
The young man nodded and walked in with him.
Gu -the forgotten- Han was left outside the front door. His body drooped depressingly watching his baby taken away.
But he didn't follow immediately, he made a quick call demanding investigation towards Xiu Cai.