While Mu Lan was thinking of supporting Mu Liang, a nurse knocked the door. She peeked through the door and said, "Is Miss Qi here?"
Qi Ying stood up and went forward. She answered, "I am Qi Ying."
"Miss Qi, a man came to meet you here telling that he is your brother. Do you want to meet him? He is waiting for you at the end of the corridor." The nurse said.
Qi Ying was stunned. It had been so long since she met her family. She missed them very much, but she couldn't face them feeling guilty. She was also hurt when they didn't contact her for so long.
Why would they try to contact her now? And here?
Qi Ying wasn't sure what to do.
Mu Lan asked from behind, "Did he mention his name?"
The nurse answered, "He said that he was Qi Yang."
'It's older brother!' Qi Ying was astonished. She glanced at Mu Lan, not sure what to do.
Mu Lan asked her softly, "Do you want to meet him? Or talk about your family?"
Qi Ying hardly moved her head. Her eyes were filled with tears.
"If you want to meet him, then meet him. But don't show your weakness in front of them. They didn't consider your feelings either. Most importantly, ask yourself what you want to do. Asking our opinions won't help you." Xue Lin said flatly.
Qi Ying looked at the floor and tried to decide. She later said, "I'll meet him."
"Go princess, you can do it." Mu Lan gave her some words of encouragement.
Qi Ying smiled at them and left the room. After she left, there was dead silence. Both Mu Lan and Xue Lin shut their mouth.
Finally, Xue Lin opened her mouth. "You didn't tell me why you planned on having an adventure when you were injured so badly."
Mu Lan smiled thinking that there was no way she could hide anything from this friend of her. She replied, "I got an opportunity to look for my past life. I didn't want to miss it."
Xue Lin was a little curious. She asked, "Did you find out anything?"
Mu Lan nodded and said truthfully, "Yeah, my financial condition."
Xue Lin wasn't expecting this. She asked to know more, "How was it?"
Mu Lan's face dimmed. "Very bad."
"No wonder everyone tries to hide your past. It must be very painful." Xue Lin said softly.
Mu Lan rose her voice, "But I want to know about my past life. No one has the right to hide my identity from me."
Xue Lin said patiently, "They did it because they cared about you."
Mu Lan refuted, "I don't want to be cared like this."
"I would do the same if I were them." Xue Lin said straightforwardly.
"…..I.. I understand. I have to take it in my own hands." Mu Lan sighed in helplessness.
Xue Lin took a deep breath before saying, "Xiao Lan, the people around you are not your enemies. They are hiding the truth because they care about you. Don't blame them for anything because they are doing it for 'you', not them."
"I'll still look for my past." Mu Lan said stubbornly.
Xue Lin smiled a little and answered, "Of course you will. If you want to know about your past, no one can force you not to. She checked the watch on the table and said, "Xiao Ying is taking too long. I wonder what she is doing."
----
When Qi Ying went to the end of the corridor, she saw her brother, Qi Yang.
'It is him!' She exclaimed in her mind. She carefully glanced at him. He had got thinner and his expression wasn't soft anymore. He suddenly looked a lot mature.
"Brother…" Qi Ying softly called out.
Qi Yang glanced in her direction and stood up. His eyes were filled with love just as it was before. He came closer steadily and took his sister in his embrace. "I missed you." He said emotionally.
Qi Ying's eyes welled up once again. She recalled her happy life back then with her family and forgot whatever she was taught by her friends. She hugged the man and said, "I missed you too."
"Then why didn't you contact us? I thought that you couldn't forgive us, so you left." Qi Yang was still hugging his sister like she were a treasure.
"I thought the same. It is precisely because of me that you and mom…" Qi Ying sobbed while saying.
Qi Yang's body stiffened. He slowly asked her, "Do you want to meet mom? She misses you a lot."
"Can I?" QI Ying asked eagerly.
"Silly, why are you hesitating? She has been waiting to see you." Qi Yang said while rubbing his sister's hair.
Qi Ying missed his brotherly love. She missed her mother too. She hesitantly nodded. "I want to. But why are you here? You don't usually go to the hospital because you don't like the way it smells of medicine."
"You will find out soon enough." Her brother said and then he took her to another floor.
Qi Ying was about to ask why she was here and then she saw her mother in the general ward with thirty other patients. Mrs. Qi was soundly sleeping. She seemed to have aged a lot in just a year. She too had got skinny and her hair was white. Anyone could tell that she was under stress and looked very tired.
"Mom?" QI Ying looked at the woman with disbelief. Her voice quivered just like her body trembled. Tears fell from her eyes gradually. One thing that came to her mind at that time was, 'It is all my fault.'
Agatha Bonnet, Qi Ying's mother slowly opened her eyes when she heard a voice she wanted to hear for a long time and saw her beautiful daughter in tears. She smiled seeing her adorable face and said, "Why are you crying dear? Come closer, let me see your face."