Chapter 181 - Suspicion
The same night, in the eldest son's house, his wife was cooking dinner when the fire suddenly became stronger and burned her face. Her sons and daughter were staying in their university dormitory and rarely came home. Fortunately, at that time, her second son came home to visit and rescued her, directly putting of the fire with the fire extinguisher, before calling for an ambulance.
She was then sent to the hospital. When her second son called his father, he found out his phone was turned off.
At the same time, the second son's daughter was on her way home when she was robbed. She wasn't raped, but she was stabbed. Her wound was critical, and she was profusely bleeding. Fortunately, she was saved by a passerby and was sent to the nearest hospital. The doctors called her parents, and told them she needed blood transfusion.
The second son volunteered. However, he found out his daughter's blood is not compatible with his.. What's going on? When his daughter was born, he also transfused blood with her because of the complications of her birth. But now?
When he went out of the doctor's office, his eyes were filled with confusion… and suspicion when he saw his wife sitting on the bench. Her face is deathly pale and has a panic expression.
He suppressed the rising anger in his heart. He isn't dumb to not know she was hiding something from him. He forced a smile and is about to call her when he heard someone called him from behind.
"Er ge!" it was his third brother. He came with his wife.
"Zhansan. What are you doing here?" Huo Xuaner asked.
"The doctor called me earlier telling me of xiao Luan's accident." Huo Zhansan answered. Huo Luan is Huo Xuaner and his wife, Lian, their daughter. "He must have pressed my name by mistake. Feifei and I came here immediately after that." He explained.
Huo Xuaner's face showed a complicated expression when he heard his 'daughter's name. "Luan… she's out of danger now." he said. Earlier, after the doctor told him his blood is incompatible with his 'daughter's, his mind immediately worked fast and had him search blood from the blood bank to transfuse to his 'daughter'. As for what will happen later… he looked at his wife from the corner of his eye. "Thank you." He told Huo Zhansan and his wife.
Huo Zhansan sighed in sympathy. "Our Boyi is fond of xiao Luan, his favorite tangmei. Unfortunately, he's still in C City, so he can't come over right now." he explained. "Oh, right. Er ge." He called when he remembered something. "Xiao Dong also called. He said Yan-saozi was burned. He tried to call da ge, but his call can't connect." He told him.
"What?!" Huo Xuaner was shocked. His eyes suddenly became cloudy because of gloom. Why does each one of them suddenly gotten into an accident? His lips pressed into a thin line when he suddenly felt nervous and panic. "I'll try to call da ge – " he said and took out his phone.
"It��s won't go through." Huo Zhansan sighed. "I tried earlier, and it's no good." He said.
"Then…" Huo Xuaner gritted his teeth. Earlier, his heart suspected his wife. Now, with an accident happening each of them, with their eldest brother missing in action, he can't help but suspect again.
Huo Zhansan noticed the strangeness in his second brother's expression. However, before he could say anything, his wife – Li Fei, spoke. "Lianhua? What's wrong? Are you okay?" she asked when she noticed Xiao Lianhua's pale face. She immediately walked towards her. "Lianhua?" she called. However, Xiao Lianhua didn't answer her and she continued to be in a daze.
Huo Xuaner sneered, and Huo Zhansan saw it. "Er ge, you… is there something wrong?" he asked.
Huo Zhansan snorted. "There is." He answered and told him about his incompatible blood with his 'daughter'. Among them brothers, he and Huo Zhansan are the closest. It's reasonable, given that the eldest son, Huo Chengyi, has greater advantages as the eldest son. As for Huo Jingsi, whose name was misinterpreted when he was born and was named Huo Jinghua after, given that he has a dull personality – in which they associated with the inauspicious number of his birth, they excluded him.
Huo Zhansan was shocked when he heard his explanation. "No way…! I was there when your blood was transfused with xiao Luan!" he said.
Huo Xuaner frowned. "Now that I think about it, the hospital where she was born… it was where she – " he glanced at Xiao Lianhua. " – worked previously before she married me." he said.
Huo Zhansan was dumbfounded. "So you mean…" he said and also glanced at Xiao Lianhua before he retracted his gaze. "So, xiao Luan might not be your daughter?" he asked.
Huo Xuaner gritted his teeth. "I'll have someone to conduct a secret paternity test." He said.
Huo Zhansan nodded in agreement. He supports his elder brother's decision.
Huo Xuaner saw his younger brother's silly expression. "Zhansan." He called. "Don't you think, with what's happening recently…" he said.
"What?" Huo Zhansan asked as he waited for his elder brother to continue.
"… someone must be plotting against us?" Huo Xuaner finished.
Huo Zhansan's eyes widened. "How can that be?! Ah, no. That is possible, given that our family is wealthy…" he said as his brows knitted while he thinks. "Who do you think could it be?" he asked.
"Da ge…" he muttered.
Huo Zhansan gasped as he gaped at him. "No way!" he reacted. "How can da ge do it? Yan-saozi was also harmed!" he said.
Huo Xuaner pursed his lips. "I noticed that his relationship with her has become… cold." He said.
"No way…" Huo Zhansan muttered.
Huo Xuaner noticed that Huo Zhansan was still unconvinced, so he added. "Earlier… I received a call." He said. "It's from Jinghua." He looked at Huo Zhansan whose ears now perked up. "He said… da ge tried to kill him by hitting him with a pipe from behind when he invited him for dinner tonight. So – " he took a deep breath as his grip on his phone tightened. " – he's also in the hospital now." he finished.
"WHAT?!" Huo Zhansan said. "That… that's – " he said as his face paled in horror. "Da ge… how can he…" he muttered as his eyes reddened.
"Zhansan." Huo Xuaner called. "Do you think, with the company at stake, da ge – someone who has his eyes always on interests, would consider and be sentimental with familial relationship?" he asked as his voice turned cold. "At first, I didn't believe Jinghua. He has always been dull, and he isn't close with us. Also, I thought he might be sowing discord among us three. However – " he took a deep breath. " – when I found out m… Luan got into an accident, I started to doubt da ge."
He was about to say 'my daughter', but he paused. Until he hasn��t confirmed whether Huo Luan is his daughter or not, he wouldn't address her as his daughter for the moment.
"I was about to call him, but then you came. Then, you told me that his wife also got into an accident." He continued. "I couldn't believe it, that he would harm his own wife. But, Luan was harmed. And I remembered his now cold relationship with his wife." He looked at Huo Zhansan whose face turning paler each second. "He could even harm his wife. And, Jinghua has always been dull with his emotions. He doesn't know how to scheme. He even plead for us with father earlier. But – " his eyes narrowed. " – don't you remember da ge's acts earlier?" he asked.
Huo Zhansan gulped. His heart was beating fast because of what is happening.
"He tried to take a step back, but it was actually an advance." Huo Xuaner said. "And – " he gritted his teeth as his eyes narrowed into slits. " – he thinks I didn't notice him eyeing her earlier." He said and looked at Xiao Lianhua. And he also saw her smiling at him earlier! Could it be… he clenched his fists.
"Er ge…?" Huo Zhansan called when he saw Huo Xuaner's murderous expression while looking at Xiao Lianhua. Could it be, she really cheated on him? He thought. His heart became cold at the thought.
Huo Xuaner took a deep breath to calm his emotions. "Zhansan…" he called his younger brother, and his voice is heavy with emotions. His face showed a sorrowful expression for what he is about to say. He pulled at his hair. His eyes reddened because of his tears he's about to shed. "The paternity test I would have a trusted doctor to conduct… I think. It's the paternity test between Luan…" he said as he bit his lower lip. "... between Luan and… and da ge." He said through his gritted teeth. He turned and looked at Xiao Lianhua who, at this time, has come to her senses and raised her head.
It just so happened that she met Huo Xuaner's resentful gaze.