A Billion Dollar Exchange

Liu Wei dashed into the ward, his face looking very troubled. He was quite taken aback when Jin Yue's secretary called to tell him that Jin Yue had fainted.

Throughout the ride to the hospital, he wondered what on earth could make his friend pass out. The Jin Yue he knew was someone who liked taking care of himself well, so passing out was kind of strange.

The man who was lying, stretched out on the bed was near unrecognizable. He looked worn out, his eyes were swollen and there were thick bags under them. His lips were dry, his face was pale, in fact; he looked like he was suffering from a deadly disease.

Liu Wei paused reflexively as the view came into sight. He was so shocked that he had to take steps quietly to be sure that Jin Yue was the one lying there.

''What happened? ''

He asked the secretary who was standing by the side.

The secretary sighed sadly before explaining in details what had gone on for the past four days.

''After the woman left, I heard a loud thud in his office only to go in and see him passed out on the floor.'' He concluded.

Liu Wei was beyond surprised, from the story the secretary said, it was clear that there was something wrong somewhere and it had a lot to do with Xin Yong.

Liu Wei thought for a while before taking out his phone and calling Liling. He told her that Jin Yue just fainted and is in the hospital, very well skipping the 'Xin Yong' part. In the next thirty minutes, Liling was flying into the ward.

''Holy Mary, mother of…''

Her steps came to a halt as her eyes fell on the body lying quietly on the bed.

''What happened to him!?? ''

Liling whisper screamed as her eyes widened frantically.  She held her mouth with her hands as she shifted her stare from Liu Wei to Jin Yue, consecutively.

Liu Wei was in no mood to talk, he was still wondering what must have gone so wrong between those two to reduce his friend to this state. Liling, seeing that no-one was answering, looked around and noticed that someone was missing from the room.

''Where is Xin Yong? Have you told her yet?''

She asked, fishing out her phone.

She dialed Xin Yong's number but she was met with a switched off phone.

''What? Her phone is switched off. ''

She stared at her screen unbelievably. Liu Wei, who did not want to conclude earlier, hearing what Liling said was beginning to sense that something was really wrong. 

''Well, I'll go check at her place, she said her mom was sick so she went to take care of her.''

Liling turned to leave and Liu Wei stood up immediately.

''I'll follow you ''

''Okay. Let's go! I'm sure she'll be freaking out when she sees his state, oh my! What really happened to him?''

The ride was quiet, except for Liling's constant screams for him to drive faster.

When they arrived, Liling did not wait for Liu Wei to park the car well; she immediately jumped down and rushed towards the gate.

She pressed on the doorbell anxiously. After a while, the front door creaked open and Xin Yong's mom came out. Her steps paused when she saw the people at the gate. Hesitating for a while, she finally decided to walk over.

''Ma, good afternoon, is Xin Yong in?'' Liling was not in a mood for exchange of pleasantries.

Xin Yong's mom stared at her for a moment. She opened the gates and signaled to Liling.

''Come on in, the man should wait outside.''

She was not harsh, but Liling found her words scary. She turned to look at Liu Wei pitifully, and he nodded with a slight smile.

Xin Yong's mom locked the gate afterwards and took Liling into the house.

''Make yourself comfortable, you care for coffee?''

''No, I'm okay.''

She replied, her eyes scanning the house for Xin Yong.

Xin Yong's mom, as though reading her mind, came to sit beside her.

''She's not here. ''

It took Liling a moment to realize that she was talking to her.

Her brows creased nervously.

''No, she said she was here, she told me you…''

''Liling, Xin Yong is not here, she's not here anymore. ''

Liling felt a bombshell explode. He eyes blinked severally.

''Ma, I don't get you, what do you mean by she's not here anymore? Is she back at Jin Yue's place?''

''Please don't mention that name here again!''

Xin Yong's mom flinched, her chest rising and falling. She closed her eyes for a moment to steady her breathing.

Liling was getting confused by the second,

She shook her head and tried fixing the points, but they were too puzzled.

''Liling, he hurt her. He hurt her badly. ''

Liling's lips fell. Her eyes widened and her ears stood upright as she took in what she just said.

''It's not possible…''

''I thought so too. You see, I don't want to go into details, it breaks me to remember how broken she looked, how those memories tormented her every day, I didn't know how love can break someone, until I saw my daughter, who was always the strong one, frail and reduced to nothing.

 Up until now, I cannot understand how a man would engage a woman just to see her hurt. And I saw this coming…''

Her voice derailed as tears filled her eyes.

''I saw it coming and I warned her but she did not listen! She said he was different, now how different is he?''

Liling's head was pounding at this moment.

''Ma, I don't understand. Jin Yue hurt her? No, it's not possible, he can't, he adores her; I'm sure…''

Xin Yong's mom cleaned her eyes briefly.

''Yeah, I thought so too. I didn't want to separate them because she was so happy, now I wished I did.''

''Where is she? Where is she now?''

The woman was quiet for a while before she shook her head.

''I can't tell you. I called you in relay her message to you. She says that whenever you stop by, I should tell you that she's doing fine and you shouldn't worry about her, you shouldn't try looking for her either, because you won't find her. She says, she'll be back, but she's not sure when. But she's sure that when she returns, she would have put the past behind her.