Xing followed his mother hurried footsteps out of the arrival hall. The people around him were hurrying down the same path as well, to get out of the airport. He gripped his mother’s hand with all his tiny hand’s might while another wrapped around his faithful Donald. The amount of people here scared him.

“Mommy!” he wailed when one man bumped past him, almost tripping him. Quickly, he wrapped himself around Xiao Shan’s legs, almost at tears and paralyzed by fear. How he wished Uncle Kris would be here! People were always avoiding bumping shoulders with Uncle Kris.

Xiao Shan looked down at her son. His large doe eyes were big with stunned disbelief and dread. It was his first airplane ride so he was fidgety throughout the long journey. When he saw the massive size of the place and surrounded by the many strangers, the fear took over.

Quickly picking him up in her arms, she whispered assuredly to him, “Don’t worry, Xing. They’re not going to hurt you. Mommy’s here. We’re going to go find grandpa and grandma.”

Xing hugged his mommy closer, burying his face into the crook of her neck. His stuffed duck was now squished between the two of them. Xiao Shan made her way out of the place, hoping very much that the news wasn’t as bad as how her mom had put it.

“How is she?” she couldn’t help asking once she reached her parents, waiting for her at the exit. Ignoring Xing’s small cries of greeting to his grandparents, she allowed her dad to take the small suitcase from her hand and turned to her mom expectantly for an answer. “Well?”

Mrs. Lee sighed. They had only met two months ago and already, Xiao Shan felt like her mom has suddenly aged five years more. Even her dad looked tired as if he hasn’t slept in ages. Together, they were tired and wistful. They walked out of the bustling place with her still waiting for words.

“She just woke up and the doctor said more tests have to be done to know for sure,” Mrs. Lee finally said, more like spat out.

Suddenly, she burst into tears. “Oh my God, Xiao Shan, what if…”

“Nothing is going to happen to her,” Xiao Shan cut her fiercely. Climbing into the car and after putting on the seatbelt around Xing, she asked, “Did the doctor say how long we will be able to know?”

Xing watched grandmamma cried dejectedly at the front seat with curiosity while he listened to his grandpapa talked to his mom. No one seemed to be paying him any attention since they arrived in Beijing. All they cared about was talk about adult matters. Already, Xing hated the place.

It was noisy and crowded. The adults seemed to be pushing him around too, always on a rush to go somewhere else. No one cares about him here. Nobody stops to coo at him, or to give him any candy. And to make it worse, his mom has been agitated all the way. Beijing makes his mommy unhappy and he didn’t like it when his mommy is unhappy. Now his grandma’s crying.

He didn’t understand one bit about this trip. His mother started packing some of his clothes immediately after the phone call and she wouldn’t explain why. They rushed to the airport an hour later. He didn’t like it when he didn’t get an explanation when he wants one.

Apparently Uncle Kris didn’t like it too. They had a lengthy but inaudible argument about it when he drove them to the airport. From the little he could understand, someone close to mommy has gotten into an accident and they’re rushing back to mommy’s home to see that person. But Uncle Kris thought otherwise. And he’s worried about someone else.

“Mommy, where are we going?” Xing asked when he realized his grandfather has stopped talking. The two women in the car turned to look at the boy. His fingers were playing with his toy but he looked uneasily at them.

Xiao Shan reached out to caress his hair affectionately. Smiling assuredly at him, she answered kindly, “Xing, mommy’s sister, who is your aunty, has gotten into an accident. She’s at the hospital so mommy’s going to see her, alright?”

She turned to look at Mrs. Lee worriedly but when she returned her eyes to the boy, all worry was gone.

“Xing, would you like grandmamma and grandpapa to take you out for a day? They’ll take you to the park and buy you ice-cream.”

On the mention of ‘ice-cream’, Xing’s ears perked up, his eyes shiny with anticipation and hope. His tiny worry and tiredness from the journey forgotten, he nodded eagerly. He didn’t even register that he’s supposed to look sad that his aunt is lying in the hospital.

Xiao Shan smiled more. “Mommy will just go to see mommy’s sister and will pick Xing up after Xing’s done playing, alright?” Xing nodded again. “But promise mommy you’ll not cause trouble for grandmamma and grandpapa. Xing will be a good boy.”

“Ok, mommy, Xing promise!”

“We’re here, Xiao Shan,” Mr. Lee’s voice cut into the conversation. “I’ve called earlier and the nurses said that Ann’s asleep. If you sneak in quietly, she wouldn’t notice. I’ve told the nurses that you’re coming. And Lu Han has gone back to work but you’ll still have to hurry up.”

Xiao Shan nodded. Turning to give a short hug to Xing and last minute instructions to her parents, she put on a brave smile. She didn’t know what else to do. Part of her couldn’t believe that she’s back home now. She has sworn that she’ll never step foot back here and yet again, here she is.

She has no choice. She couldn’t stay in Canada knowing that her sister lay in the hospital. However, the other part of her was worried. Bringing Xing along has its risk. Kris has been clear about it. If they found out about the boy, all would be for nothing.

“Bye-bye, mommy,” Xing called out when Xiao Shan turned to close the door. She smiled again when he waved cheerfully, displaying his toothy smile and pretty smiley eyes. Her heart skipped a beat.

She misses Lu Han too…

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I said that I'll post up the next chapter very soon~ Here it is!! ^^

It's supposed to be in one long chapter but decided to split it instead. Now we can enter the ~ Hehehe...

Oh, and I've finnaly hit 100++ subscribers!!! \(0^0)/ Thank you everyone for subscribing, upvoting & commenting. I'll keep doing my best writing so keep them coming. Love you all. Muakks~

P.S --> Has anyone noticed that Kris has another new tattoo again that he just posted on instagram? Or is it the old one? Looks new to me. ^^