Chapter 201: Disconnected

*Runze’s POV*

I step out of my room into the quiet guest wing corridor, pulling the door shut behind me with a soft click.

A moment later, the door next door opens.

Ling Yue emerges, having changed into the soft cotton clothes I gave him. The shirt sits a little loosely on his shoulders—a telltale sign of the weight he’s lost over the past two days—but after a hot shower and proper rest, the exhaustion on his face has eased considerably.

A trace of his usual color has returned.

Before either of us can speak, a familiar voice drifts from the far end of the hallway.

"Runze dear."

I turn instinctively.

Grandmother is making her way down the corridor toward us, dressed as always, with effortless elegance despite being inside the estate. Mrs. Wen walks half a step behind her while two maids follow quietly in a practiced procession.

I smile, taking a step forward. "Grandmother."

She reaches me first, her sharp eyes automatically scanning me from head to toe, checking my posture and the subtle way I stand to support my bump.

"You look better."

"I feel better," I reply softly.

"Hm."

Only then does she notice the figure standing beside me outside his room.

Grandmother narrows her eyes slightly.

"I was informed there was a stray dog staying in my house."

Ling Yue blinks, his mouth dropping slightly.

"...Stray dog?"

I can’t help laughing. "Grandmother..."

"What?" Grandmother looks entirely unapologetic, leaning lightly on her cane. "That was Bael’s description."

Ling Yue looks between the two of us before scratching his cheek sheepishly.

"I... suppose that’s better than being called a corpse."

That earns him a quiet, appreciative chuckle from Grandmother.

"Hm. You’ve got a mouth on you."

Ling Yue smiles faintly, his posture relaxing an inch.

"I’ve been told."

Grandmother nods once. "I’ll be joining dinner tonight." She glances at Ling Yue once more, her sharp eyes assessing. "I expect to hear proper introductions then."

Ling Yue looks as though he doesn’t know whether to laugh or bow. He settles for doing a little of both.

"It’s an honor, Madam Wuchen."

"Hm."

Without another word, she continues walking past us down the hall. Mrs. Wen pauses just long enough to give us a warm, reassuring smile.

"I’ll prepare more dishes for dinner," she whispers softly before the small procession disappears around the corner.

Ling Yue watches them go until their footsteps fade, then turns to me with wide eyes.

"...Your grandmother is terrifying."

I laugh softly, gesturing down the hall. "You’ll get used to her."

"I sincerely hope not."

***

A few minutes later, we wander out through the terrace doors and into the eastern gardens.

Unlike the front gardens guests usually see during formal galas, this side of the estate is much quieter and far more private. Stone pathways curve naturally through rows of flowering trees, while small ponds reflect the soft afternoon sunlight.

"I remember coming here once," Ling Yue murmurs, his eyes wandering over the sweeping stone arches.

"When?" I ask.

"I was... maybe nine?" He looks around curiously, taking in the serene landscape. "My family brought me for a banquet, but we were strictly kept around the main hall and the front courtyard. I’ve never seen this side."

"Bael prefers it over here," I say softly. "It’s quieter."

Mrs. Wen had insisted on giving us snacks before we left the house. Ling Yue is currently nibbling happily on butter cookies, while I slowly work through the last few ginger biscuits Bael had bought for me days ago before we picked up Ling Yue.

"They’re almost finished," Ling Yue points out, nodding at the small, crinkled paper bag in my hand.

"...Yeah."

"Maybe we can ask Mrs. Wen for more later?" Ling Yue offers quietly.

I smile, shaking my head with a soft chuckle. "She won’t give me any more. She says too many sweets aren’t good for the baby."

Ling Yue smiles faintly, a glimpse of his old, mischievous energy flashing in his eyes. "Then I guess you’ll just have to beg your husband."

I let out a breathless laugh. "Definitely not."

We both laugh softly. For the very first time since arriving today... Ling Yue almost sounds completely like himself again.

My pocket vibrates sharply.

Pulling out my phone, the screen lights up with a name I haven’t seen in weeks:

*Elliot*.

I’ve only spoken with Elliot once since my discharge from the hospital... a brief call where I subtly reassured him I was fine and recovering well.

I answer, bringing the phone up to my ear as we keep walking.

"Elliot?"

"Runze," Elliot’s calm, measured voice comes through immediately. "How have you been?"

I smile, watching the light bounce off the water in the garden. "I’ve been good."

"...You sound better."

"I am."

There is a tiny, tentative pause on the line. I can hear the faint rustle of papers on his end before he speaks again.

"...Is the..." Elliot clears his throat awkwardly, his usual crisp professionalism faltering for a beat. "...is the pregnancy too hard on you?"

I almost laugh at his sudden hesitation. "I’m alright, Elliot. Truly. You don’t need to worry. I’m actually outside taking a walk right now."

"I see." Elliot lets out a quiet breath and finally seems to relax. "Good."

My lower back starts to ache as we walk up the gentle incline, forcing me to slow my steps.

Ling Yue notices immediately. Without interrupting my call, he slips closer and grabs my arm, supporting my weight as he guides me toward the stone pavilion ahead. He gently leads me over to one of the built-in benches so I can sit.

I give him a grateful smile as I ease down, resting a hand on my bump.

Everything feels peaceful.

Until Elliot speaks again.

"Then..." His tone shifts into something heavier, distinctly confused. "...why are you ignoring everyone?"

I blink, my smile faltering. "...Ignoring who?"

"The firms reaching out to you," Elliot says. "The DingShan community center project construction is almost wrapped up, and developers have been asking me non-stop about your next move."

I frown, leaning forward against the stone table. "...What developers?"

"The ones emailing you, Runze." Elliot lets out a quiet breath. "A few of them even reached out to me directly, asking if you’d changed your address because none of their messages were getting a reply."

I stare blankly ahead. "I... I haven’t gotten anything, Elliot. I haven’t seen any emails since I left the hospital."

Silence stretches across the line.

"...That’s impossible," Elliot says slowly, his crisp professional tone cracking. "My brother sent you a proposal weeks ago about a joint venture under Jun Holdings..." He pauses abruptly, catching himself. "...And every formal inquiry forwarded through Wuchen Group’s general directory has been turned away."

My breath catches in my throat. My chest tightens, a sudden, suffocating pressure settling over my lungs.

"...Turned away?" I whisper.

"They were told you aren’t taking inquiries," Elliot says, sounding genuinely perplexed now. "Runze... did you shut down your work account?"

*No.*

The word freezes in my throat. I sit there, staring at the dark screen of my phone—the phone Bael had personally repaired and handed back to me after I was discharged. The phone he told me to rest with. The phone that hasn’t buzzed with a single work notification in weeks.

Ling Yue notices the change instantly. His relaxed posture vanishes. Seeing how pale I’ve gone, he steps closer to the bench, placing a firm, grounding hand on my shoulder.

I swallow past the dry lump in my throat, forcing a smooth, practiced lie.

"I... I think my work email got disconnected after the phone was repaired," I force out, my voice tight. "I haven’t checked my laptop yet. That must be why."

Elliot pauses, sensing the sudden shift, but doesn’t press. "...I see. Well... check it when you can. People want to work with you, Runze."

"I will," I whisper. "I’ll call you back."

The line goes quiet.

I lower the device slowly.

Around us, the eastern garden is still. The soft rustle of leaves in the breeze, the distant splash of water in the pond—everything keeps moving, but the air inside the pavilion feels ice-cold.

Ling Yue doesn’t say a word. He just sits beside me, his hand heavy on my shoulder, his dark eyes fixed on my face with a terrifyingly clear understanding.

All those quiet, agonizing weeks... waiting for a single notification to pop up on my screen, convinced the architecture world had moved on without me while I lay in a hospital bed...

They hadn’t forgotten me.

I was just completely cut off.

"Runze..." Ling Yue’s voice breaks the silence, soft and cautious.

"I see what happened," I say immediately, my words rushing out to fill the quiet. "Bael... he must have unlinked the work accounts before giving my phone back. He was probably just worried I’d stress myself out trying to work too early."

I look up at Ling Yue, forcing a smile onto my face, waiting for the logic to sound real. Trying to make it sound like nothing more than an overly protective gesture from a partner who cares too much.

Ling Yue doesn’t smile back. He just stares at me in silence, his fingers tightening gently on my shoulder.

And beneath his touch, my hands wrapped around the phone refuse to stop trembling.