Chapter 202: The Clown is Me
The pressure worked, Xiu mused, listening to Xiaoyuan's report. The coordinated assault on the Gym, the sudden stabilization of food supplies via the Pokémon Center, the implied threat of the Joy Family consolidating control – it all combined to create panic among the black marketeers and hoarders.
Fear of future retribution outweighs the greed for immediate profit. They were dumping their illicit stockpiles now, trying to recoup whatever cash they could before Head Nurse Joy's hammer inevitably fell.
Cut their losses, maybe bribe their way out of trouble, or just run. Better than having their goods confiscated and facing harsher penalties later.
As Xiaoyuan finished her report, she noticed Xiu seemed lost in thought again. She quietly took the towel he'd used, stood up, and went back into the bathroom. The sound of running water came briefly.
"Do you want to shower first, or should I get you something to eat?" her voice called out.
"I can handle it," Xiu replied automatically, already moving to straighten the bedding he had disturbed when he rolled onto the floor. He needed to organize his thoughts, plan his next steps regarding the Beedrill and the Gym's legacy.
Xiaoyuan reappeared, drying her hands, leaning against the doorframe. She watched him for a moment, a flicker of concern in her eyes. "Are you going out again tonight?" she asked softly.
"Yeah," Xiu replied, preoccupied. "Still have things to wrap up."
Xiaoyuan hesitated, then pushed off the wall. "Professor Oak stopped by earlier today," she said casually. "Looking for you."
"Oh?" Xiu didn't react much. Oak knew how to handle things.
"And… I also met the little girl from room 904. Xiaochun."
Xiu stopped tidying, turning to look at Xiaoyuan properly now, a slight frown creasing his brow. "Xiaochun? Why did she come looking for me?" Oak checking in was normal, expected even. But Xiaochun seeking him out… was there something wrong? What could have happened?
"Before we get to that," Xiaoyuan said, her expression turning serious, "don't you think you owe me an explanation first?" She stepped away from the wall, approaching him slowly.
Xiu raised an eyebrow, affecting mild confusion. "Explanation? About what?"
His feigned ignorance didn't work. Xiaoyuan's face tightened, her gaze sharp. She didn't stop until she was standing directly in front of him, close enough that he could see the faint tremor in her hands. "About everything, Xiu! About knowing Professor Oak, about bringing back a little girl covered in injuries and hiding her away… about…" Her voice caught, lowering to a pained whisper. "About why you slept for almost twenty-four hours straight. About your health."
Ah. Xiu inwardly cursed. So that's it. Professor Oak must have said something. He'd assumed Xiaoyuan was just concerned about Xiaochun.
"It's just… networking," Xiu deflected, trying to sound nonchalant. "People I've met through business or circumstance. Like how you have your personal connections and I have mine." He turned, intending to resume tidying, to create distance.
But he didn't get the chance. Xiaoyuan suddenly threw her arms around his waist, hugging him tightly from behind, burying her face against his back.
He froze, momentarily stunned by the unexpected physical contact, the sheer desperation in her grip. He could feel her trembling, hear the choked sob she tried to suppress.
"Why didn't you tell me?" she whispered, her voice thick with tears. "Why do you have to hide everything? Do you have any idea how scared I was… when you wouldn't wake up? I was terrified… terrified you wouldn't…"
This wasn't about Xiaochun or Professor Oak; it was about him. He gently pried her arms loose, turned around, and guided her to sit on the edge of the bed. "Hey," he said softly, trying for a reassuring tone, though it felt awkward. "Don't be dramatic. People who didn't know better might think I was actually dying."
Xiaoyuan didn't reply, just stared up at him, her eyes glistening with unshed tears and a deep, unsettling mix of fear and anger.
He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Look, I still have fifteen years left, give or take. Not exactly knocking on death's door yet. Nothing to panic about."
"Fifteen years?" Xiaoyuan repeated, the words barely a whisper. The anger in her eyes vanished, replaced by stark confusion and horror. "What… what do you mean, fifteen years?"
Oops. Xiu felt a cold dread creep up his spine. She didn't know. He'd assumed Oak had given her the full picture, or at least the gist of it. He'd misread the situation completely.
"What… exactly did Professor Oak tell you?" Xiu asked carefully, trying to gauge the damage.
"He just said… you'd been pushing yourself too hard," Xiaoyuan answered numbly, her mind clearly reeling from his accidental revelation. "That you were exhausted and needed absolute rest…"
Xiu wanted to groan, to facepalm. He mentally kicked himself. Smooth move, me. Didn't expect the clown revealing the biggest secret to be yourself.
"Ah, well, that's good then!" Xiu said with forced brightness, standing up abruptly. "Glad that's cleared up. Anyway, I should get going…"
Xiaoyuan shot out a hand, grabbing his arm, pulling him back down onto the bed with surprising strength. "Don't you dare leave!" Her voice was sharp, laced with rising panic. "Explain. Now. What did you mean?"
Xiu sat opposite her, feeling trapped. There was no deflecting this, no smoothing it over. He had blown it. He leaned back slightly, resigning himself to the inevitable.
"It's… complicated," he began, choosing his words carefully. "The details aren't important right now. The bottom line is, due to certain… things, my natural lifespan is significantly reduced. Best estimates put my maximum around thirty."
The color drained from Xiaoyuan's face. She stared at him, unseeing, muttering to herself. "No… that can't be right… impossible… there has to be a way… there must be…" Her hands trembled uncontrollably. She'd been worried about exhaustion, maybe a chronic illness. This… this was inconceivable.
"Hey," Xiu said, nudging her gently, trying to break through her shock. "What's with that reaction? It's my lifespan, not yours. Why do you look more terrified than I do?"
"You asshole!" Xiaoyuan suddenly lunged forward, grabbing his shirt, her eyes blazing with a desperate mix of fear and fury. "Fifteen years?! How could you… how could you just leave me alone again?!" The words tore out of her, raw and anguished.
"Calm down!" Xiu snapped back, irritated by the outburst but forcing himself to keep his voice level. "I'm not dead yet. Panicking doesn't help anyone." He took a deep breath. "I know you're worried, I get it. But I need you to be calm right now and listen carefully. Can you do that?"
Xiaoyuan stared at him, her breath catching in ragged sobs. Seeing the genuine frustration and weariness in his eyes, she slowly, visibly forced herself to regain some semblance of control, though the fear still swam in her gaze. She nodded jerkily.
"Okay," Xiu continued, his tone softening slightly. "It's not quite as definitive as 'only fifteen years'. That's the baseline prognosis, yes. But there might be ways… possibilities. Extending it. Maybe to forty, fifty even. That's why I left Fuchsia. That's why I'm here, working with Professor Oak. I'm looking for a solution, Xiaoyuan. A way to fix this."
She nodded again, absorbing his words, clinging to the fragile hope he offered.
"But finding that solution takes time, resources, and focus," Xiu went on, his expression turning serious again. "Which means I can't dedicate as much attention to the company, to the day-to-day operations. That's why I need you. I need you to handle things, to keep the business running smoothly, build its strength."
He placed a hand firmly on her shoulder. "What I promised you – security, stability, and a future – I still intend to deliver. You just need to focus on your part, manage the company and grow stronger yourself."
He met her gaze directly. "Honestly, Xiaoyuan, the thing that worries me most right now is you. Your methods are improving, but still developing. Your resolve is strengthening, but not yet unbreakable. Your most valuable asset – your connection to me – is *sigh*.
If something did happen to me, even temporarily… you'd be vulnerable. That's what worries me the most."
Xiaoyuan flinched, understanding his blunt assessment. She thought back to her recent actions, her reliance on his plans, his funding, and his connections.
While she had executed tasks well, the foundation of all of it was all his. Her earlier frustration dissolved into a dawning realization of her own dependence, the weight of his efforts contrasting sharply with her own contributions.
She hadn't just been helping him; he had been propping her up, shielding her, and preparing her, all while carrying this terrible burden alone.