Di Mingjue, standing in the empty corridor and staring at the locked door, returned to the bedroom. A few minutes later, he reappeared in the corridor.
Beyond the door, Xingxing felt someone appear at his room's entrance.
Something was being turned in the keyhole. Just as he peered in with curiosity, the door was pushed inward.
Xingxing's body leaned against the door, relying entirely on its strength to support him.
"Move aside a bit," Di Mingjue instructed through the gap in the door.
His upper body tilted to one side, unable to move. He willed himself to shift, but his body was powerless.
The door was pushed again, met with resistance that prevented it from opening further.
Di Mingjue spoke with helplessness, "You're blocking the door. I can't open it if you don't move."
"I can't move..." Xingxing said, feeling wronged.
Ye Shaoting's action of throwing him from a great height had led to his current inability to move.
As the nurturing he received was all a lie, he began to miss his biological parents. If they were still around, they must be searching for him desperately. If they could be reunited, would he also receive the love of his biological parents like Xiao Ran and the others?
Xingxing longed to see his biological parents.
Di Mingjue sensed something was wrong. He bent down and reached his hand into the narrow gap of the door.
His fingers explored in the void before touching Xingxing's shoulder.
Without any force exerted, Xingxing cried out in pain.
"Are you injured?" Di Mingjue guessed.
Silence was his answer.
Di Mingjue voiced another guess, "Did Ye Shaoting lay hands on you?"
He spoke of his unique parenting methods, but resorted to physical discipline?
"Step back a bit, let me in first."
With that, Di Mingjue tilted his body and forced himself through the gap.
His movement was swift, and Xingxing was almost pushed backward, making the pain less noticeable.
Upon entering the room, Di Mingjue observed Xingxing's strange and curious posture. "Where does it hurt?"
"My back," Xingxing replied.
His clothes were lifted, revealing his back to be red and swollen. Looking further down, Di Mingjue noticed that some of his bones were crooked. He gently touched them. "Does it hurt here?"
No answer was needed; Xingxing's trembling body responded for him.
Di Mingjue glanced back and saw a layer of cold sweat on Xingxing's small face. "I'll take you to the hospital."
The superficial skin injury would not have a significant impact; with proper bandaging and no infection, it would heal quickly. However, a bone injury was problematic. A displaced bone could severely affect his ability to walk in the future.
Going to the hospital was an order, not a discussion. Di Mingjue picked up Xingxing and carried him out of his room.
Half an hour later, Di Mingjue held Xingxing's examination report with disbelief.
Coccyx contusion.
Had Ye Shaoting indeed laid hands on him after they left? As he pondered this, Di Mingjue received a call from Ye Chenhan.
"What did you say? Say it again!"
"My friend mentioned a child in Nancheng who strongly resembles Si Bao, the one you're looking for. I've already booked tickets to Nancheng. Do you want to bring Ziyu with you?"
Nancheng was not far from Si Jiu City, but it still took five to six hours by car. Di Mingjue considered for a moment before replying, "I'll join you later. Don't tell Ziyu about this for now."
Sometimes, the greater the hope, the greater the disappointment. Si Bao hadn't left their side recently. So many years had passed, leaving countless possibilities and uncertainties.
Ye Ziyu was currently very fragile and could not withstand any blow.
"Okay, I've bought your ticket as well. We'll meet at the airport later."
"Alright."
After hanging up, Di Mingjue looked back and saw Xingxing being pushed out in a wheelchair by a nurse.
"All done?" Di Mingjue stepped forward.
The nurse said, "You cannot engage in strenuous activity for now. You need plenty of rest and quiet."