After I Was Gone, Mr. Song Said He Loved Me - Chapter 21 - Song Yu's Gentleness

I cleared my throat and answered the phone: “Hello?”

Bai Fei’s crying voice came through instantly: “Brother, can you come back? Grandpa had a stroke and it’s not looking good…”

My heart skipped a beat and my breathing weakened.

“Grandpa always cared about you the most, you have to…”

“Bai Fei, who are you calling? Is it your brother?”

“Dad!”

“Who let you call that wretch?”

“Dad, let brother come back, please Dad…”

“…”

I couldn’t make out what was said next on the phone, I could only hear my sister’s crying and my dad’s shouting, followed by the busy tone.

I stood there, stunned, as my phone slipped from my palm and clattered to the ground. Everything around me seemed to come to a standstill. I wanted to speak, to scream, but my mouth moved in vain without making a sound.

Grandpa was critically ill.

Was the only relative who truly accepted me about to leave me too?

I clutched my aching chest, gasping for air, feeling a burning sensation at the bridge of my nose and around my eyes.

Drip, drip.

Tears uncontrollably spilled over, soaking my face.

Why?

Why is this happening?

I had just called Grandpa not long ago, and he was fine. I even told him I would save up money to bring him to the city to live with me.

How could this happen all of a sudden…

No, I refuse to believe it. Grandpa has to be okay.

I picked up my phone and dashed out of the building.

I had to go back to my hometown to see Grandpa, even if it meant facing my father’s wrath, I had to go back.

I hailed a taxi and rushed to the train station. My hometown, Xin Ze, isn’t far from Hai City, just a two-hour high-speed train ride away. However, as it’s a small city, there aren’t many trains available, and getting a ticket back to Xin Ze today was next to impossible.

Still, I decided to try my luck at the train station, hoping to find a ticket from someone who had changed their plans, or even a standing ticket would do.

Knowing I would need at least a week in Xin Ze, and to prevent Song Yu from thinking I had run off with money, I took the rare initiative to call him.

Song Yu picked up quickly, and I could faintly hear someone in the background quoting numbers and reports.

“President Song.”

I startled myself with my own voice, which was hoarse and weak, sounding as if I was about to lose it.

“What’s wrong with your voice?” Song Yu asked before moving the phone away to say, “You guys go on out.”

“President Song, are you in a meeting?” I coughed twice, my voice sounding a bit clearer, but still rough.

“What’s wrong with your voice?” Song Yu asked again.

“It’s nothing, just a bit rushed.”

“Rushed?”

“My grandpa is very sick.” My voice choked up, and tears uncontrollably began to flow.

“Where are you now?”

“In a taxi. I couldn’t buy a ticket online back to Xin Ze, so I’m heading to the train station to see if I can get a standing ticket.”

I hesitated for a moment, then softly negotiated: “President Song, I’d like to ask for a week off to go back to Xin Ze. I’m afraid I won’t make it in time if I go back late…”

“Get out of the taxi now!” Song Yu interrupted me abruptly.

“President Song, my grandpa is really sick, I have to go back today, I’m not running away with the money, please…”

“I’m telling you to get out and wait for me there, I’m taking you to Xin Ze.”

“…”

I blinked, momentarily stunned, still not understanding why Song Yu would offer to take me home.

Was he worried I might disappear with the money?

That seemed unlikely. With his wealth and influence, finding someone like me would be no challenge at all.

Or was it out of sympathy for an employee?

That made even less sense. I had done nothing noteworthy for him or for Huanya; why would he show such concern for me?

While I was lost in thought, a black Rolls-Royce Cullinan pulled up in front of me, honking loudly, drawing curious glances from passersby.

Then the passenger window rolled down, and I saw Song Yu’s face.

“Get in!”

I snapped back to reality and hurried into the car.

“Thank you, President Song.” I sincerely expressed my gratitude. Without him, I certainly wouldn’t have been able to reach Xin Ze that day.

“It’s nothing.” Song Yu focused on driving.

All I could think about was my grandfather’s critical condition. Bai Fei had only mentioned that Grandpa was very sick on the phone, but she hadn’t said which hospital he was in.

I scrolled through my contacts, trying to reach any members of the Bai Family who might still speak to me, but after several calls, no one picked up.

“Why isn’t anyone answering? Why won’t they answer?” I became increasingly restless.

My fidgeting caught Song Yu’s attention, and he turned his gaze slightly towards me: “What’s wrong?”

“My family isn’t answering my calls. I don’t know which hospital Grandpa is in.” I sniffled, holding back tears.

“Why aren’t they answering your calls?”

I bit my lip, unsure how to explain to Song Yu that I had been disowned by my family.

“Hmm?” Song Yu made a questioning sound.

I decided to tell him the truth but downplayed my past experiences.

“Because I’m gay, my family doesn’t like me, so…”

“So, you were kicked out?” Song Yu glanced at me.

I nodded.

“I lived in a small town below Xin Ze. Somehow, my school found out I liked men, and the news spread throughout the town. My dad, a fisherman with a volatile temper, saw it as a huge disgrace. He locked me up and beat me all night, even threatened to throw me into the sea to feed the fish.”

“It was Grandpa who secretly let me out and gave me a thousand yuan to get away.”

“That’s how I managed to come to Hai City. I had hoped to earn enough money someday to bring Grandpa here to live with me, but…” My voice broke, and tears fell uncontrollably.

A tissue appeared before my eyes, and I took it, muttering a thanks.

“Birth, aging, sickness, and death are natural laws; you shouldn’t be too upset,” Song Yu consoled me.

Although I knew he was right, I couldn’t stop crying.

“Alright, stop crying. It’ll be a few hours before we get there, try to get some rest.” Song Yu pressed a button on the dashboard, and my seat slowly reclined.

I lay down, curling up in the seat, perfectly positioned to see Song Yu’s profile.

“President Song, is there anyone you really don’t want to lose?” I asked, tears still in my eyes.

I wasn’t sure why I asked him that; perhaps when people are grieving, they seek someone who can empathize with them.

Song Yu kept his eyes on the road, replying softly, “Yes.”

“What happened then?”

Song Yu chuckled as if recalling something humorous: “There was no ‘then.'”

“How is he doing now?”

“He’s doing alright, just not as well as I thought. I believed he’d have the life he wanted without me, but…” Song Yu gave a bitter smile and shook his head.