Chapter 923: Chapter 903 Overly Frightened
Su Yan understood what he meant and tentatively asked, "Do you want to come to the amusement park again?"
Little Doubao withdrew his gaze, looked at Su Yan, and cautiously nodded.
Su Yan immediately said, "I’ll bring you here whenever I’m free, how about that?"
Joy flashed across Little Doubao’s big eyes, and he nodded his head eagerly like a pecking chick.
A faint smile played on Su Yan’s lips. Children are children, so easy to please.
What’s so hard about it? Ha.
If Jiayi can make this kid happy, so can I.
**
By the time they returned to the hotel, night had already fallen.
After going upstairs, Su Yan first took Little Doubao to see Huo Tianpei. Then, holding Little Doubao’s hand, she stepped out of the suite and instructed the assistant, "The young master played outside all day and is tired. Arrange for him to rest early."
"Yes, Madam."
Little Doubao let the assistant hold his hand and began to walk toward his own room next door. After a few steps, he stopped, turned back, and glanced at Su Yan’s silhouette out of the corner of his eye.
The innocent and harmless gaze, for a fleeting moment, carried a maturity far beyond his years.
Until the assistant’s puzzled voice floated over, "Young Master, what’s wrong?"
Little Doubao lowered his gaze, as if turning back into that pale, fragile, timid little boy, and slowly walked into his room.
****
In the following days, Su Yan, in an effort to grow closer to Little Doubao, personally took him to amusement parks or parks to play every day.
After several days, Huo Tianpei and the assistants around him all felt that Little Doubao’s relationship with Madam had improved significantly.
At the very least, Little Doubao was no longer as resistant to her as he had been before.
Most gratified of all was Huo Tianpei.
After all, it was Su Yan who was taking care of this grandson. Seeing their relationship improve naturally made him happy as well.
This day, Yunling City’s museum was holding an exhibition of famous paintings. Knowing that Little Doubao liked to draw, Su Yan, to please him, had specially arranged for tickets in advance to take him to see it.
By the time they returned from the exhibition in the evening, it was already late.
As usual, Su Yan handed Little Doubao over to the assistant to bring him to his room to rest. She then went to Huo Tianpei’s room, helped him take his medication, and shared some details about Little Doubao’s day.
Seeing Su Yan so diligently accompanying Little Doubao, Huo Tianpei was in good spirits and praised her a little.
After settling the old man to rest, Su Yan returned to the adjacent bedroom.
Ever since the incident involving the second young master, which had severely affected Huo Tianpei, causing his blood pressure to spike and land him in the hospital for a few days, the doctor had recommended that they sleep in separate rooms for his health.
Su Yan had thus moved into a small suite next to Huo Tianpei’s room.
Entering the bedroom, she let out a yawn, overwhelmed by fatigue.
Perhaps it was because of running around with Little Doubao every day, Su Yan had been feeling particularly drained.
Today was no different.
As usual, she asked the assistant to bring her a glass of warm milk and headed into the bathroom to take a quick shower.
She hadn’t originally been in the habit of drinking milk before bed.
Ever since the incident with Xiaolei, she had relied on sleeping pills and warm milk to get a decent night’s sleep.
Though the sleeping pills were long gone, drinking milk before bed had become a habit.
Emerging from the bathroom after her shower, she climbed into bed, drained her milk, and closed her eyes.
.........
The night darkened, bit by bit.
Half-asleep, half-awake, Su Yan felt a suffocating pressure on her chest, as if something was pressing down on her. She wanted to inhale deeply, but no fresh air would come through.
At last, with a low cry of "Ah," she bolted upright, drenched in sweat, panting heavily.
Though the past few days had been exhausting, her sleep remained restless. Even when she managed to fall asleep, she’d often wake up from nightmares.
Perhaps it was because of the incident with the second young master, still lingering fresh in her mind...
No matter.
Just like with the incident with Xiaolei, she told herself time would eventually heal everything.
Letting out a soft breath to calm herself, she suddenly froze!
The corner lamp in the bedroom—she distinctly remembered it being on before she went to bed!
She couldn’t possibly have misremembered.
Ever since Xiaolei’s incident, she had been leaving the light on every night, ensuring the room was illuminated while she slept!
But now, the bedroom was steeped in darkness.
The light had gone out!
Her assistants would never come in to turn it off without her permission.
And as Madam Huo, it was impossible for anyone to dare to trespass in her room...
Su Yan’s face turned pale as she scrambled out of bed, rushing to the lamp. She pressed the switch, and with a "click," the lamp lit up.
The lamp was not broken.
Yet, inexplicably, it had turned off on its own.
Goosebumps rose across her skin as a sudden chill spread through her body. Hugging her arms to herself, she climbed back into bed.
She told herself over and over that she must have simply forgotten to turn the light on before bed.
Don’t scare yourself.
Repeating this mantra to herself, she lay down, pulled the blanket tightly around her, and closed her eyes once more.
Tossing and turning, Su Yan eventually fell asleep, though her slumber was even more restless, filled with endless nightmares.
She dreamed alternately of Xiaolei standing by her bed and of the second young master angrily demanding her life.
Finally, with a piercing scream of "Ah," she jolted awake, her wide eyes staring into the daylight spilling through the curtains. Morning had arrived.
Unable to sleep any longer, Su Yan groggily freshened up, dressed, and prepared to head to the company.
Her personal maid entered and was startled by how haggard Su Yan looked. "Madam, are you feeling unwell? Should I fetch a doctor?"
It was only after the question that Su Yan realized her head felt heavy and her limbs weak. Raising a hand to her forehead, she felt a slight fever.
The maid quickly offered, "Madam, should I call the driver to take you to the hospital?"
Su Yan frowned and waved her off.
The maid stopped in her tracks and looked at Su Yan questioningly.
"No need. It’s just a minor issue. Later, ask my secretary at the office to buy me some fever medicine."
Su Yan picked up her handbag, her face as pale as paper, and headed toward the door.
Watching her stagger as she walked, the maid, worried something might happen, instinctively followed her and touched her shoulder—
The moment the maid’s hand made contact, Su Yan recoiled as though struck by lightning. She violently shook her off and shrieked:
"What are you doing?!"
The maid was taken aback. The blood had drained from Su Yan’s face, and even her heavy makeup couldn’t conceal her look of terror.
All the maid had intended was to steady her, but she hadn’t expected such an extreme reaction. She hastily apologized, "I’m sorry, Madam, I didn’t mean to frighten you..."
It was only then that Su Yan realized she had overreacted. Composing herself, she took a shallow breath, steadied her emotions, and went downstairs.
The maid watched her go, her figure disappearing into the distance, her heart filled with confusion.
Madam had always been in good health. In all the years accompanying the old master, she had rarely even caught a cold.
Now, however, she looked like someone deeply shaken.
*******
Out on the streets, Su Yan drove distractedly toward the company.
Should she really see a psychologist?
Gripping the steering wheel tightly, she frowned.
Ridiculous.
Even the incident with Xiaolei hadn’t defeated her.
How could she possibly crumble now?
She was just overtired from the past few sleepless days.
After taking some medicine and getting a good night’s rest tonight, she would wake up tomorrow as if nothing had happened.
...
By the time evening came, Su Yan left the company and returned to the hotel suite.
