73 Fruit Of A Decision

"Xiao Xie isn't back yet" Meixiu said all of a sudden as she got reunited with Wei Yan.

Hou Wei Yan gave a worried look as she glanced around for her best friend. Now that Meixiu mentions it, Xie Na left a long time ago.

[ Did she leave without informing us? ]

"We should check on her" Wei Yan said before looking around for a certain kid. When she saw Yingjie talking to a child not far from them, she slowly approached him. "Baozi, come here"

Yingjie immediately jogged towards Wei Yan. "What is it Big Sister?"

"I'm going to the bathroom with Sister Qiu to check on Xie Na. Will you come with us?" she asked while crouching down his size. "I can't leave you alone in such a crowd"

After mentioning Xie Na, Yingjie immediately nodded his head. "Okay" he then turned back to the little lady he was talking to. "I'll be right back, Nana"

Jiang Nana waved her hands before jogging toward her other friends. Upon seeing this, Wei Yan can't help but look at Meixiu, and together, they gave Yingjie a teasing smile. "Oho? Found a girlfriend already? Aren't you fast, Baozi?!"

Yingjie shook his head with a smile before holding Wei Yan's hands. "Sister, don't be funny. You're my girlfriend"

Meixiu and Wei Yan can only laugh at this before they walked toward the bathroom. In the middle of their jubilant laughter, they heard a scream.

The three of them looked at one another before they ran full speed towards its source. "Miss? Miss?"

Qiu Meixiu who was ahead almost stumbled when she saw a woman lying on the cold tiled floor. One of the cleaning staff was shaking her, her forehead filled with sweat and fear apparent in her eyes. "Help! Somebody!"

Hou Wei Yan who was just behind Meixiu stepped in and she too almost lost her footing. "What---"

"Xie Na!" she yelled as she hurriedly scurried towards her. Wei Yan kneeled on the ground and hurriedly checked her pulse.

Meixiu kneeled opposite her and was glad she was breathing. She then turned towards the shaken staff. "What happened?"

"I was cleaning when I noticed her hair on the other cubicle" she exasperated. "I unlocked the cubicle she was in and found her sprawled on the floor"

"Xie Na?! Xie Na!" Wei Yan called out before taking out her phone and flashing her light in Xie Na's eyes. "Xie Na, please respond"

After a few seconds of Xie Na in an unresponsive state, a low growl was heard from her. "Hngg"

Hou Wei Yan sighed as she turned to Qiu Meixiu. "Call Fang"

Without delay, Meixiu took out her phone and dialed Fang Tao who was waiting outside with Shin. As she talked to him about the situation, Wei Yan turned Xie Na's head to the side and noticed an occipital pulsation.

[ Beccaria sign! ] she thought before she bit her lower lip in anxiousness. "Shit"

"We're bringing her to my house" she instructed after thinking about why Xie Na hid such important news from them.

"What?"

Wei Yan looked at Meixiu in panic. "I don't care if she finds out my secret. Right now, we need to get her out of here and away from the sight of her family"

"Wei Wei" Meixiu called out, unsure of what was happening or where her reasoning came from. Xie Na is sprawled on the floor, unconscious and obviously needing immediate medical attention, and yet she's ordering them to bring her to Li Wei Mansion?

"Sister, trust me on this" Hou Wei Yan stated in exasperation. Right now, the smaller the crowd, the better.

Qiu Meixiu, although still unsure, cannot help but nod her head. "Okay"

A few seconds later, Fang arrived, his sweat dripping. When he saw Xie Na on the floor, he immediately scooped her in his arms. "What happened?!"

"She collapsed. We need to bring her to the Mansion" Wei Yan said as she held on Xie Na's hands as Fang Tao raised her in his arms.

"The Mansion?"

"Fang, just follow my instructions" Wei Yan instructed as she glanced at the entrance. Luckily, there was no one other than them inside the bathroom. "Let's use the emergency exit and be extremely careful in carrying her"

Fang looked at her strangely but in the end, he gave up and did as he was told. Wei Yan walked behind the two of them before she took hold of Yingjie's hands. She began trembling in worry and her voice was evidence of it.

"God, why did this happen now" she grumbled as she turned to look at Yingjie obediently holding her hands. "Yingjie, were going home"

"Big Sister" Yingjie called out, slightly knowing what was going on. He saw earlier what Wei Yan was checking and he knows what it implies.

Hou Wei Yan merely nodded her head. "I know"

.....

As soon as Xie Na was placed in Wei Yan's bed, Fang wiped his sweat and immediately asked in worry. "How is she?"

"Fang, can you please leave us for a moment?" Wei Yan pleaded as she gave a worried glance at Xie Na. "I want to talk to Xie Na when she wakes up"

Fang instantly shook his head. He can't possibly leave Xie Na, not in her current condition. Even if Wei Yan says so, he can't bring himself to do it. "I can't do that"

As both of them stared at one another, not a single one backing down, Meixiu decides to interrupt them. "Fang, let us handle this. I'll stay with them"

"Just tell me what's wrong" Fang asked in desperation. [ Why can't they just tell me what's wrong? Is she that severely sick? Is it contagious? ]

"We will" Wei Yan assured. She wants to tell him but unless Xie Na admits to it and permits her to say it, she can't. "I promise you, we will tell you. But we have to settle it first"

"Please" she pleaded once more while holding his hands. For his sake and Xie Na, she needs to confirm her diagnosis.

"Alright"

After hearing his response, she turned towards where Gu Man stood. "Uncle, please turn off the surveillance or any listening devices"

"I don't want others to eavesdrop on this matter"

Gu Man nodded his head without hesitation. He then stared at one of the CCTVs and gave a hand sign to the one controlling everything.

"We shall wait downstairs, young lady" he said before closing the door and urging everyone outside.

Once they were left alone, Hou Wei Yan gently wiped Xie Na's sweat and with the help of Qiu Meixiu, placed her on an IV drip.

After settling everything in, both women sat side by side. Anxious and now aware of what worries Wei Yan, Meixiu can't help but speak up. "Wei Wei, the matter earlier, was your assumptions true?"

Wei Yan sighed at her question as she clasped her best friend's hands. She's certain about it, but she wants to hear it straight from her mouth. "Xie Na needs to tell us herself"

"If it happens to be true, then Fang---"

"Fang will be broken" she admitted, her eyes turning melancholic at the idea of seeing a sad-looking Fang Tao. "He didn't admit anything yet, but he's an open book to me now"

"I know, he likes Xie Na" she said with conviction. She doesn't know if it was because of her push, but Fang has fallen for her best friend.

"But, this---" Meixiu said before sighing, unable to finish the heart-wrenching sentence. "I don't want to imagine the aftermath"

Silence enveloped the place. All that can be heard was the ticking of the clock and Xie Na's breath. The IV continued dripping and random thoughts began to pop into their head.

This is all too sudden. All too sudden for them to take in at once.

After an hour of silence and contemplation, the woman in the bed began to stir. Hou Wei Yan immediately stood up and drew her face close to her best friend. "Xie Na?!"

"Wei Wei?" Xie Na called out as she slowly opened her eyes, the light blinding her momentarily. She then opened and clenched her fist as she sat down with Wei Yan's help.

Meixiu immediately handed her a glass of water. "Drink this first"

Xie Na accepted it without delay, her throat quite parched and aching.

"How are you feeling?"

"What happened?" she asked in return, unsure what happened to her.

Meixiu and Wei Yan looked at one another before the latter decided to break the events to her. "You collapsed in the bathroom. We brought you to my house"

"Your house? Not the hospital?" she asked as she looked around. Indeed, it wasn't the Hospital but a fancy-looking bedroom.

"I thought you wouldn't like to get exposed there" Wei Yan honestly stated, her voice quite stirred by her discovery.

"Xie Na, be honest with me" she added as she held her hand tightly, preparing herself for the news she was about to hear. "Tell me your worries"

Upon seeing her best friend's worried and betrayed-looking eyes, Xie Na can no longer hold her tears back. She brawled her eyes out and slowly stated what truly happened to her. "I'm pregnant"

[ Pregnant! ] Xie Na is pregnant and the father is obviously not who she's hoping for.

"I see" Wei Yan blurted out as she sadly smiled. "I thought so"

When she saw Wei Yan's reaction, Meixiu can't help but ask the next important question. "Who's the father? When did you find out?"

"My boyfriend, Zuo An" Xie Na honestly stated before wiping her tears away, but more tears came when she saw Wei Yan's dejected face. "I found out during Auntie Han's visit. When she came, I already had an appointment with a doctor to confirm my pregnancy"

She found out a long time ago and yet she kept silent about it.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Wei Yan asked, her voice filled with contempt. [ Did she not see me as her best friend? Pregnancy is a big thing! How can she hide it like that? ]

"I got embarrassed"

"Embarrassed?" Wei Yan slowly raised her voice upon hearing her reason. "Why would you feel that way? I'm your best friend"

"No matter how trivial or how explosive your problem is, I would be there for you" she added as she felt her feelings burst out.

She was always there for her. When she broke up with her exes, when she found another boyfriend, when she had trouble with her family, and when she had found another enemy. She never failed to be there to help her up despite her being awfully down.

And yet, she brushed that all aside and hid her pregnancy.

When she thinks of it this way, Hou Wei Yan can't help but cry.

[ Am I not enough? Am I lacking? ]

Upon hearing her best friend cry, Xie Na cried once more. Her sniffle and cry can no longer be muted out. "I'm sorry"

"I didn't know how to tell you. And I can't tell you when everyone is watching" she said in exasperation. She can't tell her knowing Ji Li Zhao was monitoring Hou Wei Yan all the time.

She felt embarrassed because she got pregnant before marriage and she was afraid her family would hear it. Her family had gone through a lot, finding out this news would only shatter their hope for her. She was afraid she would break their hearts.

And the other reason is her profound attraction to a certain amber-eyed wolf. "Especially not when that man is around"

"That man?" Qiu Meixiu asked despite knowing who she meant.

"Fang" Xie Na said, her lips quivering at the thought of Fang's reaction once he finds out about this.

"Tell me everything" Hou Wei Yan asked, her eyes seeking nothing but honesty. She wants nothing but the truth. "Be honest with me"

"Wei Wei, I---" Xie Na was at loss. She knows what she's about to say will sound ridiculous and awful.

She glanced at Wei Yan who was waiting patiently for her confession.

Wei Yan and Meixiu—both of them deserve to know the truth.

"I don't know when it started but I grew to notice Fang more than the cold man he is. I was attracted to him---"

"You love him?" Meixiu cut off. She views Xie Na as her little sister and Fang as her comrade, both of them are important to her. Since they already reached this abyss, she at least wants to know what they truly feel for one another.

Xie Na shook her head, her tears continuously flowing like a broken dam. "I don't know"

"You don't?"

"I'm confused" she finally admitted. That's right, they are in this situation because of her fucking confusion. "I love Zuo An. He's my boyfriend after all"

"But I was attracted to Fang more than him and I know that's wrong" she added, her face warping in the confusion of her own feelings. "Liking Fang is awfully wrong, especially when I have a boyfriend"

"Xie Na" Wei Yan softly called. She can feel her heartache at the thought of their fallen romance.

"That's why when something happened with us, I didn't fight back. I needed to reaffirm my feelings, that way I will be devoted to Zuo An once more" Xie Na confessed. When she met Zuo An, she felt like they were falling apart and he asked her if she still loves him. He asked him that even though she was in a state of confusion. They were about to break up, but she didn't like such an idea. So, despite his foolish request she eventually gave in for the sole reason of proving to him how she loves him—and to fool herself that she still loves him.

"But Fang---" she cried out, thinking again of the man she loves—but can no longer have. "Fang is---"

"You love him" Meixiu pointed out for her. She feels miserable with the thought of them hurting one another because of their own confusion and denial. "But your decision made that impossible"

"Xie Na" Wei Yan called out as she hugged her best friend. Right now, she feels like a failure. She felt like puking at her incapability to determine Xie Na's confusion. "I'm sorry. This is my fault"

"This is mine" Xie Na immediately replied as she cried on Hou Wei Yan's shoulder. "I know you, Wei Wei. I'm your best friend and your intentions are obvious"

"You wanted us to be together" she said as she tried to suppress her cry. But it was futile. In the end, she can only cry her heart out at her mishap. "But I blew it up"

"Xie Na"

"It's okay" she assured while patting Wei Yan's back. Even though she loves Fang Tao, it doesn't mean she loves the child any less. "This child is mine, and it's a product of Zuo An and my love. I will bring it up together with him"

"Xie Na" Meixiu called out worriedly. They heard plenty of things about this Zuo An, but they still haven't met him. Sure, there are pictures and they've seen plenty of it, but there's a huge difference between a photograph and a personal encounter. "Does he know?"

"Not yet" Xie Na confronted. She had tried contacting him but he was unreachable due to his hectic job. Besides, she doesn't want to break the news to him through a call, so she's left with the option of waiting until he returns. "Zuo An is in England. I'm planning on telling him when he returns"

"And the Xie Family?"

"None of them knows and I'm not planning on revealing it before I have a talk with Zuo An" she admitted, her face filled with worry about the idea. She can't tell them, not until a ring has been placed on her finger. Unless a proposal is made, the Xie Family must remain blind to the pregnancy. "You know my brothers well"

Hou Wei Yan nodded her head, understanding fully well her concern. "What about Fang? Are you planning on telling him, yourself?"

When the question was brought up, Xie Na remained silent all of a sudden. [ Can I tell him? ]

[ With my current state, can I tell him? ]

"I don't think, I can" she blurted out all of a sudden making both women frown at her decision.

[ Does she want to hide it from Fang? ]

[ What is she planning then? ]

Sooner or later, her stomach will bloat and that is something they cannot hide.

"I'm going to become a mother, I have to rid of my feelings for him and focus my attention on my child. If I were to confess to him, I would only bring more trouble to myself" Xie Na said, quite agitated at herself.

"Besides, he and I...simply aren't meant to be" she added.

She can no longer have Fang—that's a fact she needs to place in her mind. That's why she will keep her feelings to herself and stay away from him. She can't go near him, because she knew for herself that her control over her emotions is too weak that she can no longer trust herself.

"At least tell him this news. Don't you feel bad for him? He's been with us for a long time, and perhaps in his heart, he already considers us as his friends. Don't you think he deserves to know from you?" Meixiu stated, her voice filled with worry, and her tone slowly turning enraged.

She loves Xie Na, but she's not considering Fang at all! Even if not romantically, Fang deserves to be informed because he is a friend to them all. By doing this, she's hurting him more than she should.

"Sister Qiu" Xie Na called out weakly. She sounds ridiculous and awfully selfish, but she can't do anything. She's still baffled and she doesn't want to create more trouble by going near Fang. "I'm sorry. At things like this, I turn into a coward. Forgive me"

Hou Wei Yan turned towards Qiu Meixiu and held her clenched hands. Meixiu slowly turned calm and in no time, she opened her fist and accepted Wei Yan's warm hands.

"Alright, I will tell Fang" Wei Yan said before placing the blanket back on Xie Na and helping her lay back on the bed. "Rest up"

Once they were outside, Meixiu pulled back Wei Yan with a worried look. She can't brush off what Xie Na did. Fang deserves to know and it must come from her personally.

"Wei Wei"

"I don't know what to say" Wei Yan said to her while shaking her head. Indeed, what Xie Na decided to do is a mean thing. In fact, it's torture to Fang, but she can't force her to do what she doesn't want to do. "This time is crucial for Xie Na. We can't stress her out too much. If we push her to talk to Fang, we might just find ourselves buried deeper in the ground"

She then sighed and looked away. "This is my fault"

If only she didn't do anything, if she just stayed out of it and didn't pair them up, Xie Na wouldn't turn confused and resulting in her reaffirming her love in such a way.

"You had good intentions" Meixiu said as she patted Wei Yan's back.

Besides, Xie Na said it, they were on the brink of breaking up, that's why she decided to do it. And even if Wei Yan started the pair up, it was Xie Na who chose Zuo An in the end.

"Good or not, I'm still at fault for doing something recklessly and selfishly" she said as she frowned. She shouldn't have started anything in the first place.

Meixiu can only turn silent. She can't say anything more because she knows that Wei Yan will only continue blaming herself. For now, they need solitude to absorb the news and decide what to do next.

"How is she?" a voice called out as soon as they stepped downstairs. Both of them nearly teared up when they saw how worried Fang is.

[ He loves her! ]

[ It's evident that he loves her! ]

His eyes are telling them everything.

If the truth can be hidden, then she'd choose that route. But looking at him, Hou Wei Yan knew he deserves nothing else, but the truth.

The truth may hurt him, but he will be spared from lies and deception. "Fang"

"What's wrong?" he called out, his anxiety building up as Wei Yan and Meixiu prolonged the news.

"Xie Na" Wei Yan called out gently, her voice slowly turning like a whisper to the wind. "She's pregnant"

Her announcement was gentle and hushed, but it was enough to break someone's heart. Despite such a whisper-like announcement, all of them heard it.

All of them slowly turned to Fang Tao, whose heart is obviously bleeding. "Fang---"

Before anything more can be said, Fang smiled a forced one.

"That's great news" he said, his voice sounding jubilant, but all of them knew it was forced, and truly, he's breaking inside. "Congratulate her for me"

After saying such a thing, he abruptly turned around and walked upstairs to his room. Once they heard his room shut, everyone can't help but frown in pity.

"This is the first time I saw a happy yet painful expression on his face" Ye Zhe blurted out while shaking his head. Fang is a newbie to this, so he must be breaking more than any of them can imagine.

Gu Man nodded his head. "This is probably a first to him as well"

Hou Wei Yan glanced back towards his room and silently called out his name, her heart aching for her friend. "Fang"