Falling Dreams, Rising Hopes: Saving Mr. Boyfriend

After settling everything, the couple finally landed at their home. Mei Qingyang sat down at the sofa and immediately dozed off. Too many things had happened in last two days. But after all this, both of them felt much lighter. It was like, the heavy burdens from their hearts had just evaporated into thin air.

Yu Tian looked at his kitten. The ever present lines of concern on her forehead were finally smoothened out. She was sitting with her head resting on the back of the sofa, which looked really uncomfortable.

Yu Tian sat down at the other hand, and then slowly lowered her head into his own l.a.p. Mei Qingyang moved around in her sleep and found a comfortable position to settle in, her face facing Yu Tian's stomach.

The sudden movement did excite Yu Tian a bit but he decided to suppress his d.e.s.i.r.e. The poor girl was so tired that she had let her guard down for the first time since she joined this school. If it had been before, she would have woken up with even the tiniest movement around her.

But today, she was sleeping like a child. And she deserved it too. She had solved all the problems she had come here for and saved her boyfriend from his own tyrant aunt.

Yu Tian tucked a lock of her hair that had fallen on her cheek behind her ear lovingly. How could he be so lucky to have found her? She had changed his life in less than a year. He c.a.r.e.s.sed her cheek gently and then placed an affectionate kiss on her thin lips.

"Master, Mrs. Zhao is not in the house," Yu Bufan came back and whispered in Yu Tian's ears.

"Why? What happened to her?" Yu Tian kept running his fingers through Mei Qingyang's soft hair, as if Mrs. Zhao's disappearance did not concern him at all. He was nonchalant and uncaring.

"She saw the news and made a run," Yu Bufan explained, also expressionless.

"Pfft, to be honest I don't care about her. She was a pawn for different people all along. But she never remained loyal to me. Even though she came from my mom's house, she never trusted me and treated me as a kid," Yu Tian chuckled over how silly the old lady was. She was spying on him all her life for different people. If only, she had put some faith in her own master.

"Then?" Yu Bufan knew that his master hated people like these. But he was also a person who valued relationsh.i.p.s. So, most probably he was going to let her off easily.

"Let her be. She would have gone to that Bai Yuchen to reap her rewards for all her spying. Unfortunately, that guy is a crude man, he would only kick her out and probably kill in case to avoid the trouble of her opening her mouth," Yu Tian shrugged.

"If only we had known miss's association with Bai Yuchen. I never understood his interest in hiring Mrs. Zhao to spy on the family. Now it all makes sense."

"Go find what his motives are behind helping Qing Qing. She refuses to tell me, or probably, she herself does not know. I don't want to not trust her judgement, but I have seen too many men like him," Yu Tian's aura started to get colder as soon as he thought about that man. He had ulterior motives and Tian hated to be in the dark.

Mei Qingyang on his l.a.p trembled a bit, pursing her lips, as if she could sense the change in him even in her deep sleep. Yu Tian instantly changed back to his doting self and rubbed his hands on her arms to warm her up.

"Understood," Yu Bufan sensed that it was time for him to go.

"Actually, you know what? She has served me for so long, I do think we should spare her life," Yu Tian suddenly looked at his assistant and blurted out straight words.

"Master?" Yu Bufan was confused. His master had never pardoned any betrayer before. Did he have a soft corner for that old hag after all?

"Don't misunderstand. I am not going soft on her. But let's just say, she was trying to survive in her own manner. She does deserve to live her last days freely, don't you think?" Yu Tian lifted his chin to signal his assistant that he should hurry up.

"Then I will arrange for it accordingly," Yu Bufan left the couple alone.

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"Mr. Bai!" an old lady yelled while she was trying to get past the security outside a fancy city building. The men in black suit had easily stopped the plump old woman who was flailing her arms as if the action would magically make the men back off.

"What is she doing here?" Bai Yuchen, who was leaving his office building to head to an appointment, turned to look at the source of the voice. Dark lines appeared on his face. This old hag!

"Sorry master, apparently she has left Yu Tian's place now that everything is over. And she is demanding the 'promised' compensation," Bai Yuchen's assistant behind heard the information from his earpiece and relayed the information to his master.

"Promised?" Bai Yuchen guffawed. He had just said one day randomly that he would help the old lady settle after her work is done. But he had never asked her to leave that house. Had she panicked after he came into the limelight?

"Tell her to get out of here. I did promise it after everything was over but I never told her it was time," Bai Yuchen instructed his assistant who told the same to the security guards.

"I have a recording of him agreeing to it verbally. He can't back out of the deal," the assistant heard a piercing voice from his earpiece. When he told what he heard to Bai Yuchen, the man's anger flared up.

What he hated the most in his life was when people threatened him. He dragged his wheelchair himself to the security.

"Master Bai," Mrs. Zhao smiled politely, she thought her scheme had succeeded, that Bai Yuchen got scared because he did not want his name sullied.

"So, you have learnt a thing or two when helping that person rotting in jail eh?" Bai Yuchen tilted his head without acknowledging the old lady's greeting.

"Hehe, Mr. Bai, I am not here to extort money from you. All I want is my fair share of work. What is this sudden hostility?" she finally separated herself from the two bodyguards and rubbed her hands greedily.

She had been spying for this man since that lass made a contact with him at the hospital. All he had told her was to become his eyes and ears. And that she was free to give information to Yu Rong too. She had reported each and everything to both parties while her hatred for that wench kept increasing.

That lass was not suitable for his naïve master. He needed someone from the social circle, with good head on her body and influential background, someone like Fan Ruyi or Gu Layue. Thus, she had always favored the little misses and disdained this lass always stuck to her young master Yu.

Then when this crippled man approached her, she thought it was good that another man was interested in that lass. She did not deserve any better than a double in age crippled man. Bai Yuchen would be a good match. Thus, she had agreed instantly to his request. Of course, there were benefits too like money and that promise to get settled comfortably.

Bai Yuchen narrowed his eyes at the old lady, looking a bit nervous. The more he acted that way, more Mrs. Zhao rejoiced in her heart. Good thing she had a habit of recording all the calls in her phone.

And then suddenly Bai Yuchen burst out in laughter. He laughed for about a minute, puzzling the old lady. An unknown fear crept up inside her heart. Did she commit some mistake? Why was this man laughing, should he not be thinking of ways to negotiate with her?

"Aww, thank you for such comedy late at night. My day was so boring, now I feel refreshed," he wiped a tear from the corner of his eye.

Mrs. Zhao still did not understand where this man was going with his antics.

"I am sorry, your statement was just so funny to me. So yeah, you got a recording? So what?" Bai Yuchen's eyes went cold but a mischievous smile floated on his face. He loved playing with people like this and the change in expressions this old hag was going through was just very amusing.

"I will send it to the media. That you have been employing illegal methods to obtain private information from Yu family's household," Mrs. Zhao declared boldly.

"Oh? And implicate yourself in that process? Come on old lady, I thought you were more intelligent than this," Bai Yuchen said frivolously.

"I…," Mrs. Zhao was speechless. She had not thought till here. And she just realized, her evidence was illegal too since Bai Yuchen did not know she was recording. So she could not go to court either.

"And, do you think, you, a small time maid, has more power over media than me?" Bai Yuchen's face was suddenly devoid of smile and looked very dark. He was very pissed. She had provoked the wrong person!

"Throw her out, do remember to teach her a lesson for wasting my time," he ordered the two security guards coldly. The two acted even before the assistant started pushing his master's wheelchair towards the car.

----------

"Mrs. Zhao," Yu Bufan had finally found the old woman at one of small clinics at the roadside. She had been beaten black and blue and was bandaged over several places.

She was lying on the bed motionless, her face tear stained. Where had she gone wrong? Neither Yu Rong nor Bai Yuchen helped her in the end. She bore so much humiliation from not only young master but that lass as well just for getting them useful information. Why did they treat her like a used rug suddenly?

Mrs. Zhao's heart hurt so much. She had no money at the moment apart from her meagre savings. She had no family that could help her out since she devoted all her time to young master Yu and had no time to make a family of her own. Where was she supposed to go now?

"Mrs. Zhao," she heard a familiar voice. Tears rolled down as soon as she saw the assistant standing at the side, crossing his arms against his c.h.e.s.t, a mocking smile on his face. She did not know whether she was relieved or embarrassed to the right hand of the very guy she had plotted against. Had he come to take revenge against her?

Yu Bufan handed an envelope to the old woman, "This is your parting gift from master." He then left without even asking after her. Mrs. Zhao made an angry face. She had served that house for so long and they did not even have that much courtesy? She felt she had failed herself.

In a fit, she crumpled and threw the envelope down on the floor. The attending nurse came and picked it up. She opened it curiously and screamed, "Grandma! You are rich! It's a one million USD check for you!"

Mrs. Zhao buried her head in shame as more tears of regret rolled down her cheeks.