Never Far Away

Chapter 28 - Too little, too late

Yibo could not wait to hear news about how Zhan was. Many of their friends had taken turns staying with him while Zhan was in the operation room. What seemed to be straight forward turn out to me more complicated as the doctors had trouble to stabilise Zhan. He had taken many beatings and doctors were surprised to find out that Zhan managed to stay alive through it all.

Cao: "Yibo any news?" Cao asks as soon as he arrived with Yanli. As much as he tried to keep her away from the hospital for her own good, Yanli wanted to be as close to her brother as possible.

Yibo: "Doctors still have not given any information. He has been in for hours now." He says back while tears fall from his face.

Yanli: "He is the most strongest person I know and he has fought hard to come back to us. We just need to keep praying that he will be fine." She hugged Yibo.

At this moment all Yibo could ask for was support. He was beyond tired with the lack of a proper sleep and food for the last few days but he did not seemed to care. Having news about Zhan was all that he could care for.

A few more hours later, doctors finally came out and informed Yibo that Zhan conditions were not the best. They have managed to stop the bleeding and sort out his lungs but the damage was extensive and for that reason and to avoid him moving around and causing more problems, doctors have put him into an induced coma.

They have taken him to a ward where Yibo could finally be able to stay with him. The moment Yibo walked into the room he could not help himself from breaking down. He was blaming himself for not saving Zhan sooner and for not stopping He Peng from hurting him. It was hard to see him with bandages as well as seeing all the swelling and bruising that Zhan had. If he did not know Zhan so well he would have not been able to say it was him.

He Peng and Yifei had beating him badly. He knew that it was just a matter of time before they would kill him. He had no doubts about it. So in a way he was thankful that he had Zhan still with him and alive.

He walked closer to the bed and carefully held his left hand and brough it to his lips.

Yibo: "My love... I'm so sorry for not be able to stop He Peng, Wen Xiu and Yifei from hurting you. My Zhanzhan you are save now and no one will ever do anything more. They will have to go over my dead body before I let them get even a hair from you. I love you soo much. I'm so sorry." Yibo had failed to realise that some people had walked in the room.

Yanli: "It is not your fault Yibo. This people are the evil ones and did not seem to care about anything else besides money. To them Zhan was just in the way. He is fine now and with our love and support I'm sure that he will be out of here before you know it." She said coming and hugging his back trying to show him some love.

Cao: "Agreed. There was no way we could have seen this coming. It was no ones fault but them. However it is all over now. He is in the right place and we are here to support him."

Yibo could have not asked for better support. He had lost a mother and father but gain many brothers and sisters in return that loved him and accepted him for who he is and for who he loves. What more could he asked for?

Yibo together with Yanli and Cao spend time with Zhan until Yanli managed to convince Yibo to go back home and get some rest. Zhan was now in a safe place and been guarded by the intelligence agency so nothing would happen to him. As much as Yibo wanted to stay, he knew that they were right. Zhan would be ok even if it was for a few hours so in the end he left the hospital with them.

Yanli helped him by leaving some food ready while Yibo took a deserved shower to relax his muscles. Now that the stress of not knowing where Zhan have been was gone, his body was giving signs of how exhausted he was. After getting dressed and going downstairs, Yanli and Cao said their goodbye and left him alone. They made sure that Yibo would be ok before leaving.