Chapter 51

"There may be a need for rehabilitation but we won't know his condition until he wakes up. For now, everything looks fine."

"Thank you… When will he wake up?"

"That depends on himself, the brain is a tricky thing. He could wake up in a few minutes, hours, days, though it gets concerning when it's the latter."

Xiao Yi frowned as he listened to the conversation between Lee and the doctor, but he didn't look away from his elder brother's sleepless face. Ironically, this was likely the best rest he'd had in months, no longer bearing bags under his eyes. He looked incredibly peaceful, the exact opposite of how his younger brother was feeling.

The door closed as the doctor left and Lee sighed as he watched Xiao Yi's leg shake. "There's nothing you can do."

Exactly, that's why he was so anxious.

Despite the emotionless expression on his face, Xiao Yi was anxious, terrified and angry. This was the second time in his life that he wasn't able to gain some semblance of control over a situation, the second time that he couldn't do anything to help. He wasn't a doctor, he didn't have superpowers. He was absolutely helpless, he only had money.

The first time was when Xiao Qiu was first diagnosed with cancer.

Amidst the low lull of the machines, a phone buzzed once. Then again. It stopped after the third time and Xiao Yi pulled out his phone.

[V]: I've touched down, going to head to the hospital after putting our shit away.

[V]: Attached is the address if you need somewhere to shower.

[V]: Also, I found the security footage.

To be more precise, his people found it. They'd gone to the businesses in the area and were able to find one that had a camera covering part of the alleyway where the boys were attacked. Xiao Yi opened the video and skipped through, unwilling to see his brother being beaten until he found a frame where he could see one of the masked attacker's arms as his sweater rolled up.

There, on the inside of the wrist, is a simple yet beautiful black lotus flower.

Xiao Yi's breath stopped.

"My parents are going to kill me once they find out…"

Nearly ten years ago, he sat in the passenger seat of a red Super car eating ice cream. He glanced over at the driver, his second cousin, Xiao Huang, with an eyebrow raised.

Why would his parents kill him? He'd just run into him at the hospital and was bringing him home, was that a crime?

Xiao Huang glanced over at the boy's face and saw he was confused. He chuckled lightly and rolled up his black shirt to show his wrist with a fresh tattoo covered in a clear wrapping. "I got this today, I showed your brother earlier when aunt and uncle went to grab lunch."

Xiao Yi glanced at the tattoo in wonder, it was beautiful and clear against the pale skin.

In a way, it matched the gentle demeanor that his cousin carried.

"Aiya, it was a split-second thought but I think they'll kill me this time. It means strength and resilience, maybe if I explain they'll accept it."

Xiao Yi zoomed into the arm on the video and matched it with the arm in his memories.

Xiao Huang.

That fucking pretty-looking middle-aged bastard.

What beef did Xiao Qiu have with their second cousin? Absolutely none. If his cousin should be targeting anyone, it should be their other cousin who took up the business after the two brothers left the family.

How. Dare. He.

Ah... Wait... He knew why his twisted brain would want to beat him and his brother up.

A soft hand reached out to rub Xiao Qiu's cheek as Xiao Yi muttered. "Wake up soon, I'll be back."

He nodded toward Lee as he left, not giving him the chance to speak as he closed the door behind him and went down to the parking lot to find the car that one of the guards V sent was in and knocked on the tinted window.

The window rolled down and a toned man, probably only a few years older than himself, nodded. "Boss has informed us. No suspicious vehicles or people have been around a block of the hospital."

Xiao Yi shook his head and slipped a piece of paper through the crack of the window. "Call half the guards away, have them set up around this villa. Best fighters. Have one of them find me some rope, a baseball bat, beer, cigarettes, and a lighter."

The man looked at him for a moment, then at the paper, before he chuckled. "I'll take a group over there now. Want to get in?"

Xiao Yi shook his head. "Wait for me there."

He turned away from the car and found a pillar to lean against before calling V. "I'm in the basement parking lot, come get me."

V, who had already begun driving over to the hospital to visit Xiao Qiu. "… Where are we going?"

Xiao Yi hummed. "Found one of the attackers."

"Already?"

"Mhm."

"You're not going to do anything illegal are you?"

Xiao Yi paused for a second before asking. "You have a mask?"

"…"

"They did it first, why can't I?"