Mysterious Time Traveler in Dwapara Yuga

Chapter 11: Journey to China: A Test of Trust

Bhoomi decided to go to China the day after tomorrow, after attending to some important matters. She wanted to be fully present to treat the patient and nurse her back to health. When Rosy heard about the trip, her motherly instincts kicked in. She personally packed all the essentials for Bhoomi and asked Adil to accompany her. Adil readily accepted, understanding their concerns. They worried that Bhoomi might face bullying due to her age in a foreign country, even though she could protect herself. Seeing their worried expressions, Bhoomi agreed to Rosy's arrangements to ease her parents' minds.

Bhoomi told her parents she was attending a finance management seminar with Adil, so they wouldn't worry. Although her parents and brothers were concerned, it wasn't the first time she traveled abroad. Since she was young, she liked to be independent and had never crossed her limits, proving she was worthy of their trust. Knowing Adil would be with her reassured them further, as the boys in their group were always protective over the girls. Adil would do anything to protect Bhoomi from harm.

Manoj called Adil, emphasizing the importance of keeping unwanted attention away from Bhoomi. Adil assured him he would be vigilant. Any pest that bothered her would be dealt with immediately, with personal information relayed to her family. To any parent, regardless of nationality, anyone who set eyes on their daughter was a pest that needed to be eliminated.

Today, Bhoomi, Adil, and her parents were already at the airport. When they heard the boarding announcement, Adil and her father exchanged a nod before Adil followed Bhoomi. She mentally rolled her eyes, finding her father and brothers endearing as they tried to intimidate boys who glanced at her for too long.

After a six-hour and forty-five-minute flight, they arrived at Beijing Airport via Air China. The client's family had been informed about their boarding details and arrival time, and they had arranged for someone to pick them up. Near the entrance, they saw a man in a tailored suit holding a board with the alias "Parminda." Adil introduced himself first and then turned to Bhoomi, introducing her as Parminda. The man in the suit, named Chen Lee but also known as Dawn, was shocked to see Bhoomi. He stared at her as if he had never seen a girl before, his expression amusing Adil, who suppressed a laugh under Bhoomi's glare. Bhoomi took control of the situation by clearing her throat and asking, "Are we going to stand here all day?" This snapped Dawn out of his stupor. He introduced himself properly and said, "I will take you to the place where you're staying. After you've refreshed, I'll bring you to see the patient. Can we go now?"

They nodded and followed Dawn to their accommodation. Dawn asked how long they needed to refresh, and Bhoomi estimated an hour. What she didn't know was that during this hour, they tried to find out more about her. Dawn called his boss, surprised to report that the doctor was not only young but also a girl. The boss instructed him to respect her and bring her to the manor with due respect.

Bhoomi diagnosed the elderly lady, finding her osteoarthritis critical and requiring an arthroplasty (operation). She inquired about the patient's caretaker, having not seen any relatives. The kind lady asked Bhoomi to call her "grandma." Bhoomi asked for the guardian, and the lady gestured to a well-dressed man, presumably the butler, who went to fetch him.

When the man arrived, also in a full suit, he introduced himself as Zhao Xing and asked Bhoomi to call him Lucifer. As they talked, Bhoomi and Lucifer assessed each other, both sensing the power emanating from the other but not showing it outwardly. They discussed the old lady, but to her eyes, they seemed like a great pair. Over the moon, she thought she had finally found someone for her grandson to marry. The only problem was determining if Bhoomi's companion was her boyfriend. Regardless, she believed her grandson was more handsome.

The old lady knew her grandson's power and wanted someone who could handle pressure and take the lead in emergencies. She saw these qualities in Bhoomi and was pleased with their alignment, thinking she had found her future granddaughter-in-law. She instructed them to arrange the operation with a two-day gap and told them to give her the transfer of share documents after the operation to see the patient's improvement. Saying she had other matters to attend to, she took her leave, thanking them for their hospitality.

Lucifer offered to drive Bhoomi and Adil back to their accommodation, extending his hand for a shake. Before Bhoomi could react, Adil shook Lucifer's hand and, with a glance at Bhoomi, led her away. Lucifer's subordinates were angry at Adil's audacity in shaking their boss's hand, but Lucifer was more interested in Bhoomi and cared only about his grandma's recovery.

Two days later, Lucifer arranged everything for the operation, which took roughly three hours. Their organization took care of all necessary help for the operation. When Bhoomi emerged, she informed them the operation was successful and the old lady would wake in about two hours, once the anesthesia wore off. Bhoomi and Adil would stay at the manor for the night as Lucifer had converted one of the rooms into an operation theater. She instructed the family doctor to monitor the old lady's blood pressure, warning that a spike could cause atrial fibrillation. She then retired to her room to bathe, change, and rest.

Adil stayed with the old lady, subtly gathering information while the family doctor tried to extract details from him. Lucifer admired Bhoomi's courage and straightforwardness, especially when she candidly explained the operation's risks and offered to teach acupuncture to aid in pain reduction and recovery. She emphasized the need for the old lady to take several months of bed rest and avoid processed meats and sugar.

Three days after the operation, the old lady showed significant improvement, and the manor's residents highly respected Bhoomi. They tried to matchmake her with Lucifer, often attempting to get Adil away from her. Lucifer, too, favored Bhoomi, admiring her humility and integrity. When his subordinates created opportunities for them to be alone, Lucifer went along with it, which Adil noticed and found amusing.

Adil reported back, detailing the man who attended their seminar and now followed Bhoomi. Bhoomi received a call from her father during dinner, saying her mother missed her and wanted her to return quickly. She agreed and informed the family doctor that the old lady was in good health and he had learned acupuncture. She asked for the share transfer to be expedited and retired to her room.

The old lady and others worried about matchmaking them but couldn't delay using documents, given the old lady's health. The next day, they watched Bhoomi and Adil leave for the airport, where Lucifer came to see them off. He liked Bhoomi but knew she didn't reciprocate those feelings. Determined to try, he asked if she had any final words. Bhoomi replied, "Increase your company's turnover so I can have more money," and boarded the flight to India.

Back home, Bhoomi was busy catching up on three weeks of work. They reached the middle of the year quickly. Suddenly, they planned her brother Manoj's marriage to his long-time love within two months. The workload increased, but so did her happiness. Bhoomi already knew her future sister-in-law, a senior from her college, and saw they made a great pair. Her mother's joy knew no bounds.

As the wedding day approached, their manor was beautifully decorated, and friends, workers, and business partners gathered, creating a festival-like atmosphere. Bhoomi and her friends enjoyed themselves, treating the marriage as a vacation. They personally helped make the wedding memorable.

As the year ended, the spread of COVID-19 made everyone live indoors. Bhoomi adjusted to the new normal, finding joy in spending time with her family, which she rarely did due to her underworld activities. She discovered a love for cooking and took on the task of feeding her family, as they had sent the workers home with full salaries to ensure their safety.

By God's grace, their workers, business partners, and friends were all in good health. Bhoomi spent the entire one-and-a-half-year lockdown bonding with her family to the fullest.