PDGUT - 39

When Yan Ming said he was free tonight, although Yu Tian didn’t want to admit it, she felt an immense sense of relief, as if she had been saved.

Having someone to accompany her in handling this matter was such a comfort.

Yu Tian could remain calm and composed when dealing with her own issues. However, this was about her mother. She was anxious, flustered, and overwhelmed. She couldn’t believe it was true, yet the details made her feel something was terribly wrong.

Fortunately, Yan Ming quickly took off his white coat, changed into casual clothes, and led Yu Tian to the parking lot.

Yu Tian swiftly entered the address of Old Dai’s house into the navigation system. Fortunately, it wasn’t far from the hospital.

Yan Ming drove quietly, while Yu Tian began calling her mother’s phone. As if fate wanted to heighten her anxiety, Song Chunxiang’s phone went unanswered.

The closer they got to Old Dai’s house, the more tense and heavy Yu Tian’s heart became.

She still hadn’t been able to reach her mother.

When they finally arrived at the door and started knocking, there was no response from inside. Yu Tian’s heart sank.

Because of the loud noise, no one came to open the door, but it did bring out a neighbor—

“Little girl, they’re not home. They’ve gone out.”

Not home? Then where could they be?

At this moment, Yu Tian truly felt lost and helpless.

Should she just wait here by the door?

But would Old Dai bring her mother back? What had happened to her mother?

Yu Tian felt like a tightrope walker who had been calmly walking halfway across but suddenly became dizzy and unsure. It was as if she had just realized that beneath her feet lay a bottomless abyss, and any misstep would result in a fatal mistake.

Was her mother safe? What kind of person was Old Dai? Did her mother really know him? Did she herself know him?

Yu Tian felt like someone who had fallen into the sea during a cruise party. The ship had sailed away, leaving her disoriented and alone. Even if she cried for help, no one would hear her.

But she never expected that in her most helpless moment, someone would return, navigating through the tumultuous waves and dark night in a small lifeboat, tirelessly searching for her and throwing her a lifeline and hope.

“Do you know where Dai Xin lives? Let’s go find him.”

Yan Ming grabbed Yu Tian’s hand, as if pulling her out of deep water. He gently touched her cheek to bring her back to reality, then locked eyes with her, speaking slowly and deliberately: “Don’t panic yet. I’ll help you find your mother.”

His voice was calm, and his handsome demeanor was always convincing. Yu Tian’s frantic heart finally began to settle, beating at a different rhythm.

That’s right—she didn’t know where Old Dai might have gone, but Dai Xin might know.

Yu Tian gradually calmed down: “Dai Xin lives in his own studio. I know where it is.”

Without saying anything, Yan Ming pulled Yu Tian back to the car and sped toward Dai Xin’s studio.

As expected, Dai Xin was in his studio. Seeing Yu Tian, he was surprised: “Little Yu?”

He looked at Yu Tian in astonishment and then turned his gaze to Yan Ming behind her.

Yu Tian, out of breath from running, skipped pleasantries and got straight to the point: “Dai Xin, do you know where your father has another house? My mom isn’t at their place. Do you know where they might have gone?”

Dai Xin was surprised: “What happened?”

“I can’t reach my mom. She went to the eye clinic today with severe eye redness. I’m worried about her health.”

Dai Xin lowered his gaze: “Maybe I should call my dad. I… I don’t really know where they are either. I’ve been in my studio these past few days.”

As expected, the call Dai Xin made went unanswered.

Yu Tian felt disappointed but also knew Dai Xin was helpless.

Dai Xin poured tea for Yu Tian and Yan Ming, then apologized: “I need a smoke. I’ll go outside for a cigarette.”

Yu Tian had no interest in drinking tea and was about to leave when Yan Ming stopped her. He blocked Dai Xin, who was about to step out for a smoke.

“You know,” Yan Ming’s tone was firm. “You know your father has violent tendencies, don’t you?”

Dai Xin froze, his eyes beginning to dart around: “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“People with violent tendencies often take out their anger on family members. Your father—he hit you, didn’t he? Yu Tian mentioned that you moved out and started your own business at a young age. Besides pursuing entrepreneurship, wasn’t it also to escape your father?”

Dai Xin moving out early and starting his own business were things Yu Tian had casually mentioned before. She didn’t expect Yan Ming to remember them so clearly and analyze them calmly at this moment.

Almost as soon as Yan Ming finished speaking, Dai Xin’s face showed unmistakable discomfort and evasion.

This likely meant Yan Ming had guessed correctly.

Yu Tian bit her lip and looked at Dai Xin: “Dai Xin, is that true? Has your father hit my mom?”

Faced with their questioning, Dai Xin finally broke down. He ruffled his hair and slumped onto a chair.

This posture was an implicit admission to Yan Ming’s accusations, and Yu Tian’s heart immediately leaped to her throat.

“Where is my mom?!”

“Probably taken to an old house by my dad.” Dai Xin’s eyes avoided Yu Tian’s gaze, seemingly unable to face her. “I’ll give you the address.”

After getting the address, Yu Tian didn’t linger or ask Dai Xin further questions. The priority now was to find her mom and ensure her safety.

Yu Tian immediately followed Yan Ming to the new location.

The address Dai Xin provided was in the suburbs, an old demolition house belonging to Old Dai’s family. Almost as soon as they got out of the car, Yu Tian and Yan Ming rushed to the front door.

Yu Tian steadied herself and was about to knock when Yan Ming beat her to it.

His voice was steady: “Delivery. Open the door.”

Sure enough, after a while, Yu Tian heard footsteps, followed by Old Dai’s voice: “Didn’t order anything. Wrong house!”

“The sender is Dai Xin. The address is correct. It’s your package. Please open the door to sign for it.”

At the mention of Dai Xin’s name, Old Dai reluctantly opened the door.

At that moment, Yan Ming forcefully pushed the door open, and Yu Tian immediately shouted—

“Mom! Where are you? Come home with me!”

Old Dai was completely caught off guard by the sudden appearance of two people and momentarily froze, allowing Yan Ming and Yu Tian to take the initiative. By the time he realized what was happening, Yu Tian had already stormed into the study, grabbed Song Chunxiang’s hand, and was fiercely leading her out.

Without the disguise of sunglasses, hat, and scarf, the injuries on Yu Tian’s mother were finally exposed to everyone’s eyes.

As expected, there were clear finger marks on her neck and bruises on her arms. Most shocking of all was Yu Tian’s mother’s eye.

Her right eye was completely swollen shut, obviously more than just scleral bleeding as Yan Ming had described earlier.

Old Dai had clearly beaten Yu Tian’s mother again after leaving the hospital and bringing her here.

Yu Tian’s heart filled with rage. She glared at Old Dai: “How dare you hit my mom!”

Facing the situation, Old Dai still tried to shift the blame: “It’s not my fault. Ask your mom what she did.” He spoke with righteous indignation: “I treated her so well, giving her everything she wanted, buying her this and that, even the best wedding jewelry. We agreed to get married quickly, but then your mom backed out, saying she wouldn’t marry me.”

“Isn’t this emotional fraud? Pretending to want to marry me, scamming my money, and then trying to run away.” Old Dai’s previously honest face was now full of crocodile tears. “I love her so much that I lost control and hit her. But ultimately, it’s because I desperately want to marry her. If she marries me, I won’t hold a grudge and will treat her well.”

“It’s your controlling nature that’s twisted. I run an online store and need to communicate with customers for pre- and post-sales service, as well as suppliers for inventory. But you didn’t care about the details; as long as it was a man, you didn’t let me contact them. At first, I indulged you, nearly abandoning the stable business I had built up over several years. But you weren’t satisfied and demanded I delete all contact information of men from my phone…”

Song Chunxiang held Yu Tian’s hand tightly and looked at Yan Ming, who stood protectively in front of them. Finally, she felt less isolated and gained some confidence.

Her attitude was resolute: “At first, when we started dating, you were indeed very good to me. But later, I realized that your kindness required me to sacrifice myself, cutting off all external connections and obeying only you. You even controlled what color clothes I wore. I can’t live with someone like that.”

Behind Old Dai’s apparent doting lay such a huge, hidden truth.

“We’ll return the wedding jewelry. List everything you bought for my mom and every penny you spent on her, and I’ll pay you back. My mom doesn’t care about your measly money and won’t subject herself to your control for it.”

“But I won’t forgive you for hitting my mom. We’ll report it to the police and go through legal procedures.”

“My mom hasn’t registered her marriage with you. Legally, you’re strangers. Now I’m taking her away. Don’t ever see each other again.”

These words unraveled Old Dai’s pretense. His face twisted in fury as he screamed: “Song Chunxiang, you wait and see! Trying to run, huh? No way! Remember what I told you—if you don’t listen to me, and I can’t find you, I’ll find your daughter. Don’t think I don’t know where she rents and lives. Both of you, wait and see. This isn’t over!”

Fortunately, with Yan Ming’s protection—tall, fit, and strong from years of working out—Old Dai, despite his verbal threats, didn’t dare make any rash moves or confront Yan Ming directly. Thus, Yu Tian successfully took her mother away from Old Dai’s house.

Thankfully, Yan Ming was an ophthalmologist. After a quick examination of Yu Tian’s mother’s injured right eye and asking about her symptoms, he immediately took her to the ophthalmology department of his hospital.

“Traumatic iris root detachment, severe double vision. Iris root suturing is needed. Admit her tonight and prepare for surgery. We’ll operate as soon as possible.”

Seeing her mother’s swollen eye, Yu Tian was almost overwhelmed with grief. From the moment she saw her mother, the pain and guilt had almost shattered her ability to stay calm and act rationally. Fortunately, Yan Ming was there, guiding her through the process—getting her mother examined, arranging a ward, and settling Song Chunxiang’s admission.

“Yu Tian, everything will be fine.”

In the parking lot, Yan Ming grabbed Yu Tian, who was on the verge of tears: “Look at me. Everything will be fine.”

“I’ll personally perform the surgery.” Under the moonlight, Yan Ming’s eyes were focused and serious, exuding a trustworthy strength—gentle yet unwavering. “I promise everything will be fine.”

It was okay until he spoke. Once he did, all the suppressed emotions Yu Tian had accumulated throughout the night burst forth. Tears streamed down her face, but she didn’t dare cry freely, feeling embarrassed in front of Yan Ming. She could only lower her head and clumsily wipe away her tears, trying to distract herself: “Doctors shouldn’t guarantee surgical outcomes to patients’ families. If you do this for all your patients, be careful—those with unsatisfactory results might come back to cause trouble.”

Yan Ming didn’t say anything but simply led Yu Tian to the car.

“Not for other patients.”

Halfway through the journey, at a red light, Yan Ming glanced at Yu Tian.

“Just for you.”

Yu Tian was stunned for half a second before she belatedly realized what had happened. Her face flushed red, but fortunately, the moonlight masked her blush, allowing her to maintain an outward appearance of calm.

At that moment, Yan Ming’s phone rang inside the car.

Previously preoccupied with an urgent situation, Yu Tian hadn’t paid attention, but she did notice that Yan Ming’s phone had been ringing nonstop all night, as if someone had been trying to reach him repeatedly due to some pressing matter.

The two had just left the hospital, and Yu Tian knew there were no sudden emergencies at the hospital, so it was likely a personal matter for Yan Ming.

She glanced at Yan Ming’s phone screen and saw that the caller was his father.

Yan Ming, gripping the steering wheel, couldn’t answer the call easily, so he instructed Yu Tian: “Help me hang up.”

“It’s Uncle Yan’s call. Do you want to take it…?”

But Yan Ming remained calm: “No need. If he can’t reach me a few times, he’ll stop calling. My dad is used to this kind of thing. He’ll understand, thinking I’m busy with an emergency surgery.”

Yan Ming and Yu Tian didn’t use the same type of phone or operating system. In her nervousness, Yu Tian accidentally unlocked the phone and answered the call instead of hanging up.

Before she could ask Yan Ming for help, she heard Yan Wenhua’s angry voice on the other end—

“Didn’t you say earlier that the hospital wasn’t busy and you could attend the gathering tonight? Why did you suddenly back out? Your sister Chen Xi came back specifically because she heard you’d be there! But then you canceled at the last minute, and when I asked your colleagues, they said there was no emergency surgery tonight!”

“…”

Yu Tian looked over at Yan Ming.

Yan Ming’s expression turned slightly awkward, but after taking a deep breath, he finally said: “Dad, I’m with a girl.”

He clearly knew how to handle Yan Wenhua, because sure enough, upon hearing this, Yan Wenhua immediately calmed down: “Is she pretty?”

Yan Ming glanced at Yu Tian and replied seriously: “Pretty.”

Yan Wenhua chuckled: “Alright, alright, Dad won’t disturb you then. Have a nice date, have a nice date.”

After Yan Wenhua hung up, Yu Tian couldn’t hold back any longer: “Didn’t you say your dad’s dinner with his new girlfriend was canceled?”

Caught in his lie, Yan Ming remained composed and unapologetic: “So should I have gone to dinner with my dad and left you crying outside your house?”

He lowered his voice: “And you called yourself something other than an ungrateful little wolf.”

“…”

Yu Tian suddenly found herself speechless, unsure how to respond.

She wanted to say something, but she felt guilty because she was the one who benefited from Yan Ming’s cancellation.

Fortunately, not long after, Yu Tian received a lengthy apology text from Dai Xin, breaking the awkward tension.

In the message, Dai Xin explained the full story.

It was only then that Yu Tian learned that Dai Xin’s mother hadn’t died. Old Dai wasn’t the widowed single father raising a child alone that everyone thought he was. Instead, he was a controlling man with a pathological personality, exerting extreme control over his family. Whenever his family resisted or tried to break free from his control, he would become violent, even resorting to physical abuse. Unable to endure this, Dai Xin’s mother divorced him and ran away.

With his mother gone, Old Dai shifted his controlling behavior onto Dai Xin, micromanaging every aspect of his life since childhood. Dai Xin endured it until he became an adult and could earn money, at which point he fled from his father as well. However, Old Dai, unable to vent his frustrations elsewhere, often visited Dai Xin’s studio to interfere and boss him around.

Under these circumstances, Dai Xin came up with the idea of redirecting his father’s controlling tendencies. He actively cooperated with his father’s matchmaking schemes and pretended to be excited about his father’s remarriage. This way, with his father focused on a new relationship, Dai Xin experienced freedom and relief for the first time in his life. He became the biggest beneficiary of his father’s remarriage.

But Dai Xin deliberately ignored the source of this newfound freedom. He stopped paying attention to how his father interacted with Yu Tian’s mother afterward, convincing himself that if he didn’t ask or listen, those problems didn’t exist. Ignorance meant no fault.

“I’m sorry for using your mother. I’ve always felt guilty. Under self-deception and brainwashing, I deliberately overlooked certain details and didn’t tell you about my father’s situation right away. I held onto wishful thinking, hoping that maybe this time my father had truly changed and would treat your mother well.”

“Because I feel so sorry, I really want to treat you like a younger sister. I know it’s useless to say this now, but please let me make it up to you. You can continue to use my studio’s team for free…”

Yu Tian didn’t bother reading the rest of the message.

She trembled with anger. What divine coincidence was this? “So all of Dai Xin’s kindness toward me stemmed from guilt-driven compensation.”

“It’s all my fault for being so stupid, blindly calling him ‘brother’ for so long! I want to curse him to death!”

“I don’t want a penny of the money he lent me or his team’s services. I’ll return everything to him.”

Yan Ming didn’t seem surprised by Dai Xin’s behavior. His voice was cold: “I told you before—there aren’t that many good-hearted people in the world. People are usually motivated by something when they’re kind to you, especially after such a short acquaintance. Do you believe me now?”

Though his words made sense, Yu Tian hesitated…

“What about you? You’ve been so nice to me too. What do you want from me…?”

Yan Ming paused, pursed his lips, and averted his gaze. His voice sounded unnatural as he replied: “Who’s been nice to you?”

“Didn’t you cancel your date with that sister Chen Xi at the last minute to come help me find my mom?”

“No,” Yan Ming calmly denied. “Your mom is my patient. She left before completing her treatment. As a doctor, I can’t ignore a patient’s safety. It’s just professional integrity—I couldn’t stand by and do nothing.”

Yan Ming glanced at Yu Tian: “Besides, she’s not my sister.”

He added: “My dad hasn’t married her mom yet. Unlike some people, I’m not in a rush to claim a sister.” At this point, he shot a glance at Yu Tian. “Decent people don’t do things like that.”

“…”

Yu Tian fell silent, inwardly muttering that Yan Ming held grudges well, but her mood inexplicably improved.

However, it quickly soured again when Yan Ming posed his next question.

“Where should I drop you off? How about the Hyatt? It’s close to your studio.”

The house where Yu Tian and her mother previously lived had already been rented out for her startup. She couldn’t break the lease and evict the tenant’s family of three. Moreover, Old Dai knew the address of her studio, and before leaving, he had even threatened to cause trouble at her workplace, warning her to be careful…

Though Yu Tian had already called the police, her mother was currently hospitalized, and the police report could only be filed later. The police station’s procedures wouldn’t provide immediate intervention against Old Dai’s actions.

As a pathologically controlling and violent man, it was unclear whether his threats were genuine.

But knowing the risks, Yu Tian couldn’t afford to take chances.

For now, staying at her studio was absolutely out of the question.

Although she had earned some income from a few popular science programs, most of those savings had already been spent during the early stages of her business. On top of that, she needed to repay the money Old Dai claimed to have spent on her mother and settle the funds Dai Xin had lent her for her team. She wanted to clear all debts and obligations, cutting ties completely.

But doing the math, she realized her financial situation was tight.

Fortunately, her mother had already been admitted to the hospital and was awaiting surgery. Yu Tian only needed to solve her own temporary accommodation issue for a few days.

Most of her college classmates were still pursuing graduate studies, and dormitories were strictly managed with no available beds. A few relatives living nearby weren’t close enough to impose on.

Qi Sihao was on night shifts, and his mother was traveling, leaving only his father at home—an unsuitable arrangement.

After much deliberation, Yu Tian decided to stay at a hotel near her studio and asked Yan Ming to drop her off nearby.

However, Yan Ming clearly misunderstood her financial situation. Given Yu Tian’s current means, it was obvious she couldn’t afford a five-star hotel like the Hyatt…

Yet Yan Ming had already parked in front of the Hyatt.

Feeling embarrassed to explain, Yu Tian, being a proud person, didn’t want to lose face in front of Yan Ming. After all, the events of the evening had already left her feeling ashamed and awkward.

She reflected on her mother’s strange behavior lately. Busy with her startup, she hadn’t noticed the signs of Old Dai’s excessive control. She hadn’t realized how her mother’s phone and communication methods had gradually fallen under his control after moving in with him, slowly losing her freedom.

Yet her mother had continued to protect her as always. Only now did Yu Tian learn that her mother had refrained from seeking help from Yan Ming or others because Old Dai had used Yu Tian’s safety as leverage. As a result, her mother had remained trapped under Old Dai’s control.

If not for Yan Ming informing her, she might still be unaware…

If not for Yan Ming rushing to rescue her mother in the middle of the night, who knows what her mother might have endured…

Yu Tian was consumed by deep regret and self-blame, berating herself for her incompetence and lack of awareness. Feeling both miserable and frustrated, she resolved not to let Yan Ming see her at her most vulnerable.

She thanked Yan Ming and planned to pretend to enter the Hyatt lobby for a quick look around. Once he left, she would slip away to find a cheap hourly room or small inn nearby while searching for a suitable place to live.

Unexpectedly, after aimlessly wandering through the Hyatt lobby and stepping out, intending to turn into a nearby alley to find a small inn, Yu Tian was caught red-handed by Yan Ming—he hadn’t left! He had been driving slowly, following her from behind.

The car window rolled down, revealing Yan Ming’s handsome yet aloof face. He glanced at Yu Tian: “Why aren’t you staying at the Hyatt? Don’t you like it?”

Without waiting for her response, he cleared his throat and awkwardly explained: “I didn’t stay around to ensure your safe check-in. I just happened to take a call, and then I saw you leave the hotel lobby again.”

After finishing, Yan Ming looked toward the alley Yu Tian had been heading toward: “That road leads to a dead end. There aren’t any proper hotels, just some hourly rooms…”

Pausing, he looked at Yu Tian: “You’re planning to stay in one of those hourly rooms?”

Yu Tian bit her lip, silently cursing whoever had called Yan Ming at this moment, preventing him from leaving.

Her silence confirmed Yan Ming’s suspicions.

His expression darkened: “Why would you stay in such a place? The clientele is mixed, and it’s unsafe for a young woman like you.”

Yu Tian was well aware that Yan Ming’s family was wealthy. However, Yan Ming had never flaunted his wealth in his work or daily life, so she hadn’t fully grasped it.

Now, she understood perfectly.

Under Yan Ming’s questioning gaze, Yu Tian carefully chose her words: “Well… I know the Hyatt is better than an hourly room, and I’d prefer to stay at the Hyatt, but… there’s a man who won’t let me stay. Can you understand?”

Yan Ming clearly didn’t. His expression grew even darker: “Who’s stopping you?”

This man pursed his lips, as if catching a cheating spouse: “Yu Tian, have you started dating someone recently? Do you have a boyfriend?”

His guesses were getting more absurd.

“How about a beloved figure printed on pink paper? Does that sound familiar?”

Finally, Yan Ming put it together. He stared at Yu Tian, as if choking on something and unable to speak.

After a tense moment of wide-eyed silence, he finally spoke again—

“Get in the car.”

Startled, Yu Tian suspected Yan Ming still didn’t understand. She forced an awkward smile: “Um… I’m out of money… Even if you take me to another hotel, I probably can’t…”

“We’re not going to a hotel.”

After Yu Tian got in the car, Yan Ming finally revealed the other half of his sentence—

“To my place.”

Yu Tian was utterly shocked, nearly jumping out of the passenger seat: “Huh?!”

“You don’t have money for a hotel, right?”

“But I can’t…”

“I live alone, and there’s an empty guest room. You can lock the door.” Yan Ming’s tone was steady, and he sneered: “Do you think I have ulterior motives like Dai Xin? Why do you look at me with suspicion?”

“Of course not!” Yu Tian waved her hands frantically. “I already owe you a huge favor tonight. I don’t know how to repay that debt…”

“Then owe me another favor.” Yan Ming glanced at Yu Tian. “Ungrateful little wolves usually do this—they rack up favors and then keep eyeing you suspiciously, as if you’re a predator.”

“…”

Help! All I did was glance at him unconsciously, and this man holds such grudges!

While Yu Tian inwardly complained, Yan Ming continued calmly—

“You’ve been calling me ‘brother’ for a while now. I can’t let you call me that for nothing, only to secretly curse me behind my back later.”

“…”

She had already cursed him behind his back…

Unaware that Yu Tian had solidified her reputation as an ungrateful little wolf, Yan Ming glanced at her.

After a moment, she heard his voice, as steady as his driving skills—

“Clothes may feel less comfortable with wear, but people remain unchanged. Now you know which brother—new or old—is better.”