Chapter 50 - Facing Your Fear

B City

"Mom! Why did you let Dad spend Christmas and New Year with Huang Jin? He's supposed to be with us, remember?"

"Before Huang Jin's accident, he already promised me that he will spend them with us. But I don't know why he chose to change his mind." Chen Ai was sitting on the recliner while Chen Bin and Chen Ren were sitting on the sofa.

"He was busy enough with work, and now he doesn't want to be with us?" Chen Ren retorted.

"After he knew that I had communicated with one of his Vice presidents and scolded me for meddling in the company, he became lukewarm. I don't know how he found out about it because I was very cautious at that time. Vice President Peng specifically told me that Huang Jun will not check the documents. Because it was revised a couple of times before needing to pass it to the planning department for implementation.

But I didn't imagine that he will take the time to read it all. I was blindsided when he confronted me at that time. I don't know how he found out."

"We can't have our years of planned be ruin just because of this!" Chen Ren angrily told his mother.

Chen Bin bit her lips and took something from his bag and gave it to her mother.

Chen Ai's face was full of questions after receiving the folder. She opened the envelope and saw the pictures, her face turned pale.

"How! Who did this? Who gave this to you?!"

The folders contained all the pictures of all the things that Chen Bin was doing for the last three months. It was the evidence that Xun Wei anonymously gave to Chen Bin by one of his informants.

"I don't know, Mom, it just arrives by mail, I thought it was not important, but when I opened the folder, I was shocked. I did not know who did it, I was careful meeting with my lovers. Because I know that I can't be caught having affairs with the directors of the company."

When Chen Ren saw the pictures, his brow shot up with disbelief.

Chen Bin was shaking, she painstakingly planned everything and let people believe that she's a proper lady. If this evidence goes out in public, her image as pure white lotus will be ruined.

"Mom, what will we do?" asked Chen Bin in a whisper, afraid that someone will hear her conversation.

"Did the person who send this asked you anything?" Chen Ai holding the pictures, was trembling.

"No, that's why I'm afraid, What if this spread to my school? I act like a beautiful flower blooming with innocence in front of them, but if this will be known. The school will laugh and harassed me, I don't want to feel that. I feel like I'm in jail, waiting for execution."

"Then don't meet with your lover's first and stay low. Don't do anything that will make things worse."

"I know Mom, you don't have to worry." Chen Bin said, full of worries.

"We need to be careful from now on. Anything that may compromise our position and trust in Huang Jun's life will need to be avoided. Remember we need to be cautious, I'm going to try to find out who is following you. I might as well check who's following Chen Ren and me."

After dismissing both children, Chen Ai tried calling Huang Jun. But the call to his phone was always busy, he didn't even send her a message. She doesn't even know when her husband will be home.

She threw the phone on the wall, and the debris scattered all over the living room. She was angry, no, she was livid. No one was able to ignore her for the past thirty-five years of her life. And now her supposed to be husband was the only one who has the guts to disregard her.

Her face turned red, and her hands turned into a fist and took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

M Country

"Oh my God, this place is so beautiful, Ahwei. Look, the water is so blue," Huang Jin point below the cliff.

Huang Jin was standing on the edge of the cliff. There was a railing that will prevent the people from falling down. He was watching the waves hit the below the base of the cliff while Xun Wei was holding a camera taking pictures of his wife with Ahbao holding the corner of his pants.

"Okay, that's enough; the child is clearly afraid. Ahbao doesn't even want to peek at it. Look at him, his trembling." Xun Wei told Huang Jin.

Seeing the baby, Huang Jin immediately went to the child and scooped him into his arms.

"I'm sorry baby, I didn't know that you were scared of heights" Huang Jin tried to comfort the shaking child.

"I'm okay Papa, I don't want to spoil your fun because of my fear," Ahbao whispered his head was in between Huang Jin's shoulder and arms hugging his Papa.

Huang Jin tightened his hold of Ahbao's body and told him," You don't need to be afraid of telling me if your sad and happy. I don't want you to feel scared, okay? I'm your Papa now, we understand each other our worries. You cannot keep them a secret with Dad and Papa, okay?"

"Okay," Ahbao whispered, feeling assured and still inside Huang Jin's arms and Xun Wei's hand slowly caressing his back.

"Do you want to see what's below?"

The child shakes his head, and his hold in Huang Jin's hand became stiff.

"Do you believe me?"

The child slowly nods his head, he looked at his Papa's face.

Huang Jin released his hand on Ahbao and then walk to the edge of the cliff. He turned facing Ahbao and Xun Wei.

He lowered his body and bent his knees, then raised his arms towards Ahbao." Then come here, If you really believe in me. Believe that I will not let you fall, think that I will always be here for you."

"You're a strong and brave child, right baby? Try it slowly, don't be afraid I'm here. Your Dad is here, we won't let you fall. Come here, you can do it."

Ahbao's eyes watered from his Papa's word. The child looked at Huang Jin, biting his lips hard. His heart started beating hard. Ahbao forced himself to breathe steadily. He wanted to say no, that he doesn't want to go him. Even if he realizes that his Papa was only doing this because he does not need to be afraid of heights. In his mind, he knows that Huang Jin will not give up on him. But he was still scared, memories keep on flashing on his mind. Remembering the time his real father jokingly pushed him at the balcony of their house.

That's when he didn't even want to step foot on his favorite spot anymore. The memory he spends with her mother at that place was stained with fear. He was disappointed in his self, but even though he was trying to overcome those memories, he was still afraid that he wanted to cry and cower in a corner, trying to ease his panic. He wanted to ask his father why he did that. Why try to scare him to death, he was just a child.

Ahbao didn't tell his sister what happened every time she invited him to the balcony. He always finds excuses not to go.

The child was still looking at Huang Jin's face, his eyes were calm and full of love and patience. He was smiling softly.

He walked over stiffly, not knowing what to do with his hands; It was tough to walk over, the cliff was wide at first then became narrow as you go near the edge of the cliff. Ahbao felt as if one were walking on knives.

" You can do it, baby, walk slowly, you don't need to hurry." encourage Xun Wei.

Tears were hanging on his eyes, Ahbao tried wiping his face, he forced himself to breathe steadily.

Pacing, hearing, both his Papa and Dad reassuring him.

As he walks to Huang Jin, he first thought even if his real father never really love him, he can be contented with his sister's love. That all he needed was her sister. But after her death, he didn't know how he will survived without her.

But then after knowing Huang Jin and Xun Wei, he never imagined that he needed someone this desperately, who gets him like no one else. Right, when everything was crumbling, and someone hand's reach out to him when he needed the most.

He was very grateful that he can rely on Huang Jin and Xun Wei. Ahbao was given a chance to have a shoulder to cry on and arms to hold him through painful and happy moments of his life.

"Here you are, good job, baby. My strong baby," Huang Jin, was smiling holding Ahbao hard and kissing both his cheeks.

"Look, baby, this is your reward." He turned the child head to the vast ocean below the cliff. Ahbao caught his breath, and his jaw dropped in awe as he watched the sea turned blue to deep blue and then green, shimmering with the sun's rays. Birds flying freely, A gam of big whales and dolphins jumping and playing their own kind.

Ahbao's hold on Huang Jin became tight, too overwhelmed by the scene before him.

"Papa, it's beautiful!" Forgetting his fear and scream excitedly at Huang Jin.

Huang Jin laughs, seeing the child's smiling face. " This is the reward for your bravery. You walked and managed to conquer your fear."

"Remember Ahbao, everything comes with a price. Even in fear, pain, and worries, if you can manage to heal and overcome them, there will be a reward for your effort. Seeing this beautiful scene, even if coming here and seeing this, made your fear come out. Everything will be worth it, especially sharing your growth with the people you love and who love you." Xun Wei said sincerely with a smile on his lips and eyes looking down at his wife and son.

"Yes," Ahbao nodded with a serious face, his hand gripping his Dad's side and embracing his Papa with his other arms.

The three sat down and stayed at the cliff, watching the ocean for hours.

The family of three continued to spend the rest of the day visiting tourist spots eating delicious snacks and meals, and goes shopping for Ahbao.

Huang Jin, with his camera, took pictures with his family. They had lots of photos together, especially Huang Jin and Ahbao trying to outdo the other while Xun Wei captures the funny and embarrassing moments. Some were a solo, but most of them were with Ahbao.

The older man smiled as he took several pictures of the Huang Jin doing poses with his son.

He realized that he had never had so much fun for the last twenty years of his life except those days with his family. Xun Wei felt no anxiety, no desire to go back to the army. He grinned. Well, Xun Wei liked to really spend his time with Huang Jin and Ahbao. The most amazing thing was he didn't feel tired at all. Even spending the days just walking, sleeping, and exploring every place with his family. It was exhilarating.

The three with the bodyguards continued to travel to other countries. Huang Jin and Xun Wei, at the same time, took the time to collect more supplies. Enough was never in their vocabulary because the couple knows that if they don't do this, most of the items will only be wasted and trampled by the zombies and mutated animals and plants.

The couple's honeymoon lasted for two months, but within those days, every night, the family goes to sleep. Zijing will always appear in their room and dragged Xun Wei over to come with him and find the little dragons and whatever newborn creatures he feels within his reach.

"Oh, come on!? Is there a night where I can ask for just a moment of peace and quiet? Xun Wei grumbled. He was peacefully sleeping when he felt someone pulling his feet.

"No, let's go. I can hear another dragon's cry." He dragged Huang Jin from the bed and waved his hand, leaving a copy of Xun Wei's body beside Huang Jin then disappear.

"Can I ask where are we again? Why is this place so cold? I can resist the cold after upgrading my body, but now? What is happening?" Xun Wei felt a sharp pain in his bones, his hair started showing snow and ice from the weather. He was freezing cold. Every time he speaks, the fog comes out of his mouth.

Zijing waved his arms, and a barrier appeared encasing Xun Wei completely and leaving his body warm and comfortable.