Chapter 23: Departing Without Saying Goodbye

Luo Hou stared unblinkingly at Wu Bei, whose mouth was twitching uncontrollably. Just as he was pondering whether "dumbfounded" was a noun or an adjective, Wu Bei suddenly bolted out of the private room.

At that moment, Wu Bei truly felt as though he were dreaming. First, someone had inexplicably deposited two million into his father’s hospital account, and then he had received another transfer of one million. He felt that all the good luck of the first half of his life combined could not match the intensity of what had happened today. Yet, for some reason, his heart fluttered with unease—a feeling difficult to describe, as if something momentous were about to happen, filling him with a sense of dread.

Seeing him rush out, his brothers followed suit. In the end, it was the loyal Wang Shun who settled the bill.

Running all the way to the bank, Wu Bei hurried to the counter and shouted at the teller, "Help me check who just transferred money to my account!" His long experience had taught him one truth: there is no such thing as a free lunch. If fate gives you something, it is bound to take something else away, whether you agree to it or not.

The staff member tapped a few keys and said to Wu Bei, "For the safety of our customers, I can only provide you with the last few digits of the sender's account number and the issuing bank. It’s 6231..."

"How much?" Wu Bei’s voice rose sharply.

He was all too familiar with an account ending in 6231; it was his father Wu Shihao’s card. Wu Bei had previously drained the balance, leaving only an empty card he used to help the old man scrape his skin during his spare time.

"It is indeed that account!" the staff member confirmed with a serious expression.

Wu Bei’s mind went blank. He stood before the counter, stunned and unable to comprehend what was happening.

"Sir? Sir? Is there anything else I can help you with?"

Roused by the staff member’s voice, Wu Bei came to his senses. He waved his hand dismissively and, while turning to head out, dialed his father’s number.

"I’m sorry, the phone you have dialed is switched off..."

The cold, synthetic electronic voice echoed in his ears, and the sense of foreboding grew even stronger.

"Did you find out, Brother Wu?"
"Who transferred the money to you?"
The three brothers gathered around him with concern.

Wu Bei didn’t respond to them; he pushed past them and sprinted toward the hospital. He didn’t know what was happening, and only his father, whose phone was now off, could provide the answers.

Panting as he pushed open the hospital room door, Wu Bei’s eyes widened at the sight of the empty bed. He screamed at the top of his lungs, "Dad! Dad, where are you!"

He admitted he was panicking. An unprecedented fear engulfed him. Helpless, he yanked the door open and stood in the hallway, shouting, "Nurse! Nurse! Where is the patient in Bed 9?"

"Uncle Wu!"
"Uncle Wu!"

At the same time, the three brothers caught up and joined in the search. Like a headless fly, Wu Bei burst into the neighboring rooms, and after finding that the familiar figure wasn't there, he ran blankly toward the next ward.

"Brother Wu, don't do this. This floor is all cancer patients; it’s not appropriate!" Wang Shun grabbed Wu Bei around the waist to restrain him.

"Let go of me! My dad is gone; I have to find him!" Wu Bei struggled violently, his voice choking with emotion.

"Family member, please calm down. Don't disturb the other patients." Several doctors in white coats hurried over.

Seeing his father’s attending physician, Wu Bei grabbed the doctor's arm, shaking it in desperate hope. "Dr. Jiang, did my dad go for an examination?"

Dr. Jiang patiently comforted him, "Xiao Bei, don't worry. I’ve already sent someone to check the surveillance footage. Uncle Wu shouldn't have gone far; I saw him when I did my rounds just a moment ago!"

With great effort, they finally persuaded Wu Bei to return to the room. Sitting on the bed that still carried his father’s scent, Wu Bei clutched his fists, feeling utterly lost. For a long time, curing his father had been his goal, and his father had been the driving force behind his perseverance. But with that motivation suddenly gone, he felt his world beginning to collapse.

"Brother Wu, don't think like that. Maybe Uncle just went out for some air and will be back in a bit!"
"Exactly, exactly! Xiao Yu went to check the cameras; we’ll definitely find him!"
Wang Shun and Luo Hou stayed by his side, offering constant encouragement.

Wu Bei said nothing, staring blankly at his father’s hospital gown on the bedside table. In truth, the moment he realized his father had transferred the money, he knew deep down that Wu Shihao was leaving, even if he didn't know why. Seeing the hospital gown, folded neatly by his father, confirmed his suspicions.

*Clatter!*

"Brother Wu, Uncle left half an hour after you stepped out! He was alone! No one forced him, and he didn't take any luggage! At his pace, he can't have gone far. Should we go search the area nearby?" Qi Jinlong pushed open the door, out of breath.

"Why did you leave without saying goodbye?" Wu Bei murmured, as if he hadn't heard him at all.