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墨書 Inktalez
At eleven o'clock at night, the sleeping girl furrowed her brows, curling up into a ball.
In her dreams, she had eaten an enormous amount of food, her belly swollen like a giant balloon. But she couldn’t stop, for in front of the food lay a bloody little pinky finger and a Swiss Army knife stained with blood.
She trembled as she stuffed more food into her mouth. Across from her sat a man with a lewd tone and a terrifying laugh.
"You're eating too slowly, aren't you, little niece?"
His lazy voice startled Zhou Xiaxia, causing her to shudder and involuntarily spit out the food in her mouth. In the next moment, a sharp pain shot through her as someone seized her right wrist and slammed it down onto the table. The man picked up the bloody knife and brought it down viciously—
"Ah!!! Daddy, save me! Mommy, save me!"
Her screams echoed outside, prompting the door to burst open. Sama and Zhou Yaohui rushed in, turning on the light to find their daughter drenched in sweat and pale, huddled on the bed. Sama hurried over and gently patted Zhou Xiaxia's shoulder. "Xiaxia, Xiaxia? Wake up, were you having a nightmare?"
Zhou Yaohui, with a white bandage wrapped around his head, pulled a tissue from the table and wiped it across the girl's forehead; it quickly soaked through with cold sweat.
Zhou Xiaxia opened her eyes painfully, her expression dazed as she tried to discern whether this was reality or a dream.
"Daddy? Mommy?" she called softly.
Zhou Yaohui felt her forehead. "What’s wrong? You have such a high fever."
As he spoke, he stood up and walked outside. "Apu, go get the car!"
The Thai man waiting downstairs immediately went out.
"Mommy, I... it hurts." Zhou Xiaxia clutched her stomach; her forehead was burning hot while the rest of her felt icy cold.
Sama was deeply worried. She helped her daughter sit up while glancing back at her husband. Zhou Yaohui came over and comfortingly patted her shoulder. "Don’t be afraid."
The two of them took their daughter to the hospital. Only after an IV was administered did Zhou Xiaxia begin to feel some relief. In the VIP ward, it was clean and quiet as Zhou Xiaxia drifted into a drowsy sleep.
Dr. Marina from Marina's clinic was there to examine Zhou Xiaxia; she was also one of the family’s private doctors.
“Xiaxia’s fever is caused by a cold. The hot weather makes it easy to sweat, and the temperature difference between indoors and outdoors is significant, which can easily lead to colds. Many children get sick during this season because they sweat and then sit in air conditioning. The abdominal pain is due to acute gastroenteritis, which can be triggered by many factors such as overeating, spoiled food, or consuming cold food. Children at this age have delicate stomachs, so you must pay more attention in the future.”
“Okay, thank you, doctor.”
As soon as the door to the ward opened, the person in the hospital bed woke up.
“Mommy? Daddy?”
Zhou Xiaxia was lying on the bed with an IV in her arm, her little face pale.
“Sweetheart, come here for a hug.” Sama had just picked up her daughter when she heard a whimpering cry that sounded both wronged and scared, as if she wanted to snuggle in her mother’s arms because she was feeling unwell. Sama gently patted her daughter’s back. “It’s okay, don’t cry. Mommy and Daddy are here.”
Nearby, Zhou Yaohui furrowed his brows tightly upon hearing his daughter cry. He recalled that there had been a mishap at Tuo Sha’s birthday banquet earlier that day, and Xiaxia hadn’t returned home. After sending someone to check, he learned that she had been taken away by Zhou Yinkun. Although she was returned safely, she fell ill that very night. He couldn’t help but wonder what that madman had done.
“Xiaxia.” Zhou Yaohui approached and stroked his daughter’s head. “What did your uncle take you to do? You’re an honest child; you must tell the truth.”
Upon hearing that name, Zhou Xiaxia felt a tremor in her heart. She lifted her head from her mother’s embrace, her voice still choked with emotion. “Uncle took me to a hotel and let me eat a lot of things.”
“Was that all?”
Zhou Xiaxia nodded. In reality, Zhou Yinkun hadn’t done anything to her, but she felt as if she had endured an invisible and indescribable torment.
Seeing her nod, Zhou Yaohui didn’t press further. It seemed it wasn’t because of Zhou Yinkun.
Then... it must be because of Song En. Zhou Yinkun had caused a scene regarding the Mumbai factory issue before coming back here in a rage after smashing Tuo Sha’s place and even chopping off a finger of their only heir. By the time these events reached Zhou Yaohui’s ears, there was no room for reconciliation or prevention.
The factory issue stemmed from his dealings with Sai Peng's instructions. At that time, there was unrest in Mumbai, and Zhou Yinkun was at odds with Dawood's armed forces. Given his temperament, it was likely that neither side would be able to back down if things escalated further. Thus, Zhou Yaohui contacted the Mumbai government and preemptively acquired the land and factory at a price fifty percent higher than what Zhou Yinkun offered. That sum was exactly what the Mumbai government needed; they quickly intervened to mediate the situation, leading to Dawood's retreat against the Mumbai government forces.
However, this was indeed a blatant hijacking of business opportunities. Tuo Sha's Hong Wa Gang had been trying to clean up its image over the past few years and was very interested in the textile business. Coupled with their long-standing relationship with Sai Peng, they didn’t hesitate to invest.
This kind of hijacking was more infuriating for Zhou Yinkun than being bombarded with artillery fire; thus, he returned from India in a frenzy without saying a word.
Zhou Yaohui knew very well that Song En was his daughter's closest friend and had been for a long time. Zhou Xiaxia had witnessed such a bloody incident; it was impossible for her not to be frightened. Moreover, he sat down by the bed and said, "The matter regarding Song En is an adult issue; you shouldn't think too much about it."
Upon mentioning Song En, Zhou Xiaxia wiped her tears and asked, "But Dad, if it's an adult matter, why is Song En the one who got hurt?"
Both Zhou Yaohui and Sama remained silent. They couldn't tell Zhou Xiaxia that it was because someone didn't understand this principle, acting recklessly and arrogantly.
"Dad, do you know which hospital Song En is in? I've called him many times, but he hasn't answered." Zhou Xiaxia's eyes were filled with hope. "Can I go see him?"
"Song En is not in Bangkok right now," Zhou Yaohui informed her.
Zhou Xiaxia was taken aback. "What? But he was clearly here in the afternoon... And there are so many good hospitals in Bangkok; where else could he go for treatment?"
"His finger couldn't be reattached, but the wound isn't life-threatening, so you don't need to worry about that. However, he isn't suitable to stay in Thailand any longer; Tuo Sha has already sent him away."
During their phone call in the afternoon, Tuo Sha had indeed said so. When Zhou Yaohui apologized, Tuo Sha chuckled on the other end of the line. " A Hui, it wasn't you who cut my grandson's finger, so it's not your concern."
As for Song En, he was Tuo Sha's only hope and couldn't afford any risks. The cost of losing a finger made Tuo Sha realize that not everyone abides by the rules like they did. He decisively decided to send his grandson away. As for where he went, he didn't reveal a word.
"He’s gone..."
Zhou Xiaxia murmured in disappointment, not even saying goodbye before he suddenly disappeared from her life.
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