Chapter 308 – My Dear CEO Wife – Parents’ Meeting (08)
“Okay, okay, I won’t move, I won’t move,” Wen Changhe said.
Although he said that, he secretly found the two puppies extremely annoying. Why were they always clinging to Tang Tang? He wondered whether the two would still be there after Tang Tang woke up.
Soon, they arrived at the hospital. Bai’s parents returned to the hotel owned by Wen Changhe at night to rest, and during the day, they stayed at the hospital to accompany Bai Tang—talking to him, saying whatever came to mind, hoping their voices might somehow stir him awake.
When they arrived, it was already past seven in the evening. Bai’s parents were just about to go for dinner.
“Mr. Wen, you’re here,” Bai’s mother said warmly. She had a very good impression of Wen Changhe, who had helped them selflessly. Without him, their struggling family wouldn’t have been able to afford Bai Tang’s medical expenses for long.
Wen Changhe nodded. “I came to see Tang Tang. Tomorrow, an expert from the US will arrive. He’s very experienced in helping patients in a vegetative state regain consciousness. I hope he can help Tang Tang wake up soon.”
He spoke to the Bai elders, essentially preparing them for Bai Tang’s potential awakening.
Waking a person from a vegetative state was no easy task. The Bai family elders had been in the hospital long enough to hear such things repeatedly from doctors, and the more they learned, the less confident they became in Bai Tang’s recovery.
“Thank you, Mr. Wen. You’ve done so much for our Tang Tang—we don’t know how to repay you…” Mr. Bai said emotionally, grasping Wen Changhe’s hand. If Bai Tang could really wake up, they would accept any conditions Wen Changhe might set to repay their debt.
Wen Changhe glanced at the boy beside him, whose eyes were slightly red, and said to Mr. Bai, “There’s no need to thank me. Tang Tang is a good boy. He deserves it.”
Mr. Bai assumed that Wen Changhe had learned about Bai Tang’s achievements at school. Since starting university, he had received awards every year and had never caused them a moment’s worry.
“Yes, Tang Tang is so well-behaved and filial. I hope God will bless him and help him recover soon,” Bai’s mother said, tears spilling down her cheeks.
Bai Tang looked at his parents, who seemed even older than when he’d last seen them, and felt a pang of sadness. He knew how much he had worried them.
After escorting Bai’s parents back to their hotel, Wen Changhe returned to the hospital with Bai Tang.
Bai Tang lay on the hospital bed, an IV drip in the back of his hand. Holding him close, Wen Changhe asked gently, “How are you feeling, Tang Tang? Do you want to go home?”
Bai Tang shook his head, his face devoid of a smile, clearly still feeling down.
Wen Changhe sighed and kissed the boy’s lips. “Don’t think too much, hm? Master Li said it’s only for a few days. Once Tang Tang gets better, I’ll take care of Mom and Dad with you.”
Here, “Mom and Dad” referred to Bai’s parents—Wen Changhe had adopted the new title without hesitation.
Bai Tang nodded. Wen Changhe then took out his tablet and opened Natural World, Bai Tang’s favorite program. Before long, Bai Tang’s attention was captured, and a faint smile began to return to his face.
The Wen Family Home
Mr. and Mrs. Wen returned home after 10 p.m., laden with bags and packages. They were both exhausted—especially Mr. Wen, whose burden consisted mostly of Mrs. Wen’s shopping spree. Women’s shopping prowess was truly formidable; after experiencing it once, he didn’t want to go on another trip anytime soon. Mrs. Wen was, without a doubt, an expert shopper.
When they got home, only Wen Changrou was there.
Mrs. Wen took out the gift she had bought for her daughter. “Ta-da! Changrou, come look! Guess what Mom bought you!”
Girls love to look good, and that never really changes with age.
Wen Changrou, wearing slippers, ran downstairs and picked up the shawl her mother had bought. She held it up and admired it from every angle. Under the warm yellow light, it exuded a romantic, exotic charm.
“I love it! Thank you, Mom!” Wen Changrou said, kissing her mother on the cheek.
There was a reason Wen Changrou had grown up this way. Raised in luxury, her personality was quite similar to her mother’s.
Mr. Wen sat on the sofa, drinking a glass of water, and asked, “Where’s Changhe? Why isn’t he home?”
Wen Changrou paused mid-motion, the shawl still draped over her shoulders, unsure how to explain to her parents.
“My brother’s at the hospital. A classmate was in a car accident, and he went to visit him,” Wen Changrou said tentatively, testing her parents’ reaction.
Wen Changhe was the only male heir of his generation in the Wen family. Her parents valued the family line deeply, and she couldn’t imagine how they would react if they knew Wen Changhe had fallen for a boy.
Mentioning her son reminded Mrs. Wen of the text her daughter had sent that morning. “Rou Rou, you said your brother’s been acting strangely. Did Master Li come? What did he say?”
With both parents’ eyes fixed on her, Wen Changrou felt immense pressure. She downplayed the matter and said, “He came. That’s actually why my brother went to the hospital.”
She told her parents exactly what Master Li had said earlier at the house. There was no point in hiding it; lying would be useless. If Mr. and Mrs. Wen asked Master Li directly, the lie would be exposed anyway. It was better to tell the truth.
“Nonsense!” Mr. Wen said sternly. “Master Li should be sent away.”
In Mr. Wen’s eyes, the boy entangling himself with his son was nothing but trouble—someone who would drag Wen Changhe down.
Mrs. Wen, with her softer heart, saw things from a mother’s perspective. She felt more sympathy and pity for Bai Tang. “He’s such a good child; he probably doesn’t want this either.”
She tugged lightly on Mr. Wen’s tense arm. “Let’s go see him tomorrow. If we can help that child recover, it’ll be a good deed. Besides, he’s only in this situation because of Rou Rou.”
Mr. Wen’s expression softened considerably at her words. Good. If the boy woke up, he wouldn’t bother Wen Changhe anymore—or affect his luck.
Wen Changrou quickly chimed in, “Yes, yes, Bai Tang isn’t bad at all. He’s actually a very nice person. You’ll definitely like him when you meet him.”
After Mr. and Mrs. Wen went to rest, Wen Changrou stepped out onto the balcony, ignoring the late hour, and called Wen Changhe. “Brother, Mom and Dad are back. They’re coming to see you at the hospital tomorrow. They know what Master Li said about Bai Tang, and I’m afraid they won’t be able to accept it. I haven’t told them about your situation yet, so please be careful tomorrow. This is all I can do for you.”
“Okay. Go to bed early,” came Wen Changhe’s calm reply.
The next morning, Mr. and Mrs. Wen rose early. Carrying a fruit basket, they hurried to the hospital.
“Excuse me, is this Bai Tang’s ward?” When they arrived, Wen Changhe was outside, taking Bai Tang for a walk in the hospital courtyard. Only Bai’s parents were inside the ward.
“Yes, may I ask who you are?” Bai’s parents, dressed modestly, appeared nervous and restrained in front of the elegantly dressed couple.
“We’re Changhe’s parents. We came to check on Bai Tang’s treatment,” Mr. Wen said evenly. Having spent nearly forty years in the business world, building the Wen Group into a powerful enterprise, he exuded authority even without raising his voice. His mere presence carried weight.
The Bai elders, uneasy, spoke cautiously. “Oh, so you’re Mr. Wen’s parents. Thank you so much for helping our Tang Tang—we’re truly grateful…”
Mrs. Wen, noticing her husband’s visible displeasure, gave him a discreet pinch and stepped forward with a warm smile. “This must be Bai Tang. Such a good child… how did he end up like this?”
As the saying goes, appearance reflects the heart. Although Mrs. Wen had never met Bai Tang before, the moment she saw his face, she felt he wasn’t a bad person. Her first impression was quite good.
Thanks to Wen Changrou’s warning, Wen Changhe had already prepared himself mentally.
When he returned to the ward with the boy, both sets of parents were sitting together, talking. Mrs. Wen was chatting gently with Bai’s parents, while Mr. Wen sat stiffly beside them, looking more like a doorman than a guest.
“Dad, Mom, you’re here.” Wen Changhe’s tone was flat, as if he were merely commenting on the weather.
Mrs. Wen glanced at Wen Changhe. “You child, aren’t you surprised at all?”
“Not at all,” Wen Changhe replied. He turned to introduce them to the Bai family elders. “Uncle, Aunt, these are my parents—you’ve already met them.”
“Yes, yes…” Mrs. Bai gave an awkward laugh.
“You’ve met them before. Mom and Dad just returned from abroad—they should rest at home for a few more days. I’ll talk to you in detail once I’ve finished my work,” Wen Changhe said, noticing the Bai elders’ discomfort as he gently ushered them out.
Mrs. Wen noticed her son kept glancing at the person beside him. She guessed that must be the boy her daughter had mentioned.
“Alright then, thank you for having us today. We’ll visit Bai Tang another time,” Mrs. Wen said warmly, pulling Mr. Wen to his feet. She trusted her son’s judgment and decided to wait for his explanation later.
After Mr. and Mrs. Wen left, Bai Tang met his future in-laws for the first time. Feeling slightly uneasy, he traced words on Wen Changhe’s palm: “Will your parents not like me?”
Wen Changhe pinched his nose, a smile glinting in his eyes. “Tang Tang is so wonderful—how could they not like him? If they don’t, we’ll just move out.”
Nowadays, few young people lived with their parents anyway, and with his financial means, raising Bai Tang independently would be no problem at all.
After reassuring Bai’s parents, the doctor from the US arrived.
He performed a brain scan on Bai Tang and then spoke to Wen Changhe in English. Bai’s parents stood by, looking completely bewildered—they couldn’t understand a word.
Finally, Wen Changhe translated and reassured them not to worry too much.
He stayed at the hospital for several days. During that time, his mother called him home repeatedly, but he always brushed her off.
On the seventh night of Wen Changhe’s vigil at the hospital—at 11:30 p.m.—Qiu’er, who hadn’t spoken in a long time, suddenly said, “Tang Tang, wake up! The energy conversion is complete. You can return to your body now.”
Bai Tang’s drowsiness vanished instantly. He sat up from Wen Changhe’s embrace, his face full of surprise.
“What’s wrong, Tang Tang?” Wen Changhe asked in confusion.
Bai Tang gestured excitedly, pointing first to the body on the bed next to them, then to himself.
Wen Changhe immediately understood. Before he could say anything, Bai Tang—following Qiu’er’s instructions—pushed him out of the ward, refusing to let him see.
Wen Changhe obediently waited outside all night.
Fortunately, this floor was a VIP ward, and Bai Tang was the only patient. Since a person in a vegetative state didn’t require nighttime care, no doctors or nurses came by for rounds.
Throughout the night, a white light flickered inside the ward. As dawn broke, the light gradually faded.
When the glow finally disappeared, Wen Changhe rushed into the ward. Everything looked exactly the same as before—except that the boy’s soul was gone.
Only Bai Tang, dressed in his hospital gown, lay quietly on the bed, eyes closed, fast asleep.
Author’s Note :
Tang Tang is known as a “housewife killer,” effortlessly winning over Wen’s mother’s heart. And since Mr. Wen always listens to his wife—well, Tang Tang’s future looks bright.