Momo's Gradual Change - VOL. 1

C190. Seeing Shu Fan Again.

Chapter 190: Seeing Shu Fan Again

After his rare visit to the branch office, Zhai Muyang casually took the rest of the day off. For the next several days, Secretary He didn’t catch another glimpse of him, only finding out through Zhou Xin that he had returned to the headquarters.

Secretary He chuckled wryly at herself. She had reached an impressive level in her role—if "impressive" meant that everyone envied her proximity to the company's golden bachelor. But who would have guessed that she hardly saw the boss more often than anyone else?

Nothing that concerned the boss ever crossed her desk; Manager Zhou handled all of it personally. Her presence made little difference.

And yet, she couldn’t bring herself to leave. Yuanyang was known for its high salaries and generous benefits. Plus, she clung to that glimmer of hope in her heart.

How could she just walk away?

Zhai Muyang had indeed returned to S City—and he had brought Yi Mo along with him.

Though it wasn’t her first time here, Song Yimo still felt a bit out of place in this sprawling garden villa. In a city like S, where every inch of land cost a fortune, securing such an enormous property required more than just wealth. It took connections, status, and influence.

After her shower, she stood in front of the closet full of clothes, dazed. Deciding not to argue with her brother about this anymore—she knew it was pointless—she sighed and accepted her fate. He would always promise to respect her wishes but end up doing things his way.

But she had to admit, wearing new, beautiful clothes felt pretty amazing.

Feeling lighthearted, Song Yimo bounded down the stairs. “Dage!”

Zhai Muyang turned around, his smile arriving before his words. “Hungry? Dinner will take a while. Have some fruit to tide you over.”

“Not hungry.” Song Yi Mo looked at him eagerly. “Now that you’re back in S City, are you going to be really busy?”

“Can’t avoid it,” Zhai Muyang said openly. “The stock market is gearing up for some major moves, and there’s a lot of company work to catch up on. I might even need to travel abroad a few times. But this is your home in S City now; whether I’m here or not, no one would dare bother you. Wherever you go, make sure the driver takes you. Don’t worry about inconveniencing anyone—I pay them to do this.”

“I know, Dage. You do your work; don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine on my own.”

Still, a little disappointment lingered in her heart. She’d hoped they could enjoy a bit of time together in S City…

Zhai Muyang reached over to gently pat her head. “No matter how busy I get, I’ll make time for you. Nothing is more important than you.”

Song Yimo looked up. There was something in his words, a tone that made her pause, even though she knew it was probably just her imagination.

Of course, she told herself, Dage had always treasured her—everyone knew how much he doted on his little sister.

“I understand, Dage.”

It was still early, so after a light snack, they went to the hospital.

Chen Ke, the assistant Zhai Muyang had assigned to handle this matter, hurried to the entrance when he got the call. “President Zhai, Miss Song.”

Song Yimo had met him a few times before. “Thank you for your help.”

Everyone who worked closely with Zhai Muyang knew how much he cared about Miss Song; no one dared show her anything less than complete respect.

In the single hospital room, Shu Fan had just finished feeding his sister a bit of soup. Hearing the door, he turned, his gaze meeting Song Yimo’s warm smile.

He jumped up so quickly he nearly spilled the soup, setting it down with flustered movements and muttering a soft, “Sister.”

The image of the hardened, despairing Shu Fan from the video lingered in Song Yimo’s mind, making it hard to reconcile that person with the bewildered young boy before her.

She couldn’t help but wonder what agonies he’d endured before he reached such complete despair. In those lonely, anguished nights, how did he push himself to learn all those skills, harboring such hatred that he could kill without hesitation, and end his own life without a second thought?

He was so smart—surely, he knew there were loopholes in the law protecting minors. Though he wouldn’t escape entirely, the consequences wouldn’t be severe.

But perhaps he never planned to live through it. Perhaps he’d already lost his reason to live.

Song Yimo was grateful she had met Shu Fan when he was still young, when he needed help the most, before bitterness had twisted his heart.

She approached him, smiling brightly as she looked at him. From now on, she told herself, she just had to think of him as a clever seven-year-old—a child with a future.

“Are you settling in here?”

Shu Fan dried his hands with a towel, then took two paper cups and filled them with water like a little adult. “The hospital smell is the same everywhere.”

Of course it was—the same sterile, antiseptic smell. Song Yimo chuckled, realizing she’d asked a silly question.

Zhai Muyang took the cup Shu Fan handed him. “I’m going to check with the doctor.”

Song Yimo thought of joining him, but then decided against it. She could get the details from her brother later.

Sitting by Shu Xin’s bed, she gestured for Shu Fan to sit beside her. “Dage already spoke with the doctor on the phone; today’s just a follow-up and to confirm the surgery date. They said the sooner Shu Xin can have the surgery, the better. The aim is to avoid any additional operations. She’s so young, and we all want her to suffer as little as possible.”

Shu Fan had heard the same words from doctors back in Zang City every time his sister got sick. But this time, the words filled him with hope, unlike the crushing despair he’d felt before.

“Is the doctor confident?”

“Don’t worry, the cardiology team here is the best in the country. Dage will make sure the most experienced surgeon operates.”

Shu Fan’s expression was dazed, but inside, he was stirred with excitement. Sometimes, he feared this was just a dream, and that he and Shu Xin would still be struggling to survive in Zang City when he woke up—never even daring to imagine she could have a surgery.

“I’ll be staying here for a while,” Song Yimo said, “until Shu Xin recovers enough after the operation.”

Shu Fan’s quick mind worked fast. “But Sister, weren’t you planning to study here for university? Why would you go back?”

“In our hometown, we have a tradition of holding a banquet to thank teachers when students get into good universities. We invite all the teachers from elementary to high school. Do you understand?”

Shu Fan nodded.

“Sister will have to host one as well, probably around mid-August. By then, Shu Xin should be well on her way to recovery.”

“And you’ll come back after it’s done?”

Song Yimo didn’t mention that Xinghu County was truly her home, the only place she could call “returning.” Instead, she simply smiled and nodded. “Yes. By the time it’s over, school will be just about to start.”

Only then did Shu Fan smile. Though a small worry lingered, the reassurance softened his heart. He knew his sister kept her promises.

Gently, Song Yimo placed the sleeping Shu Xin on the bed, tucking the blanket around her. She spoke softly, “Those children look up to you. Call them often. With you as their anchor, they’ll feel more settled. If they adapt well, I’ll bring them all over by early next year.”