Since Ye Qianzhi had already spoken, the others dared not leave the dining table. Speaking was not allowed at the Ye residence, so breakfast concluded quickly.
Children were easily attracted to other novelties, and Xiao Ran was no exception. After putting down his cutlery and leaving the table, he forgot about his initial intention to go upstairs and deliver breakfast to Xingxing.
Ye Ziyu watched the children heading to the courtyard to play together and shook her head helplessly before entering the kitchen.
"Miss," a servant who was tidying up their breakfast dishes turned to greet her.
Ye Ziyu's gaze fell upon the kitchen table, "Is there no more breakfast?"
The servant picked up a nearby lid, revealing a plate of untouched food beneath it. "Is Miss going to send it up to the young master?"
"Yes." Ye Ziyu reached out to take it.
Carrying the food upstairs, Ye Ziyu lingered at the door of Xingxing's room for a long time. After the paternity test that revealed he was not Si Bao, she found herself unsure of how to face him.
Regardless of the outcome, it had nothing to do with him. Ye Ziyu composed herself and knocked lightly on the door.
A few minutes passed with no response from inside.
He wasn't here? She hadn't seen him come downstairs, so he shouldn't be absent.
She knocked again, still receiving no reply.
Ye Ziyu recalled what Xiao Ran had said and a sense of unease gnawed at her. She tried the doorknob; the door was locked from the inside.
"Ziyu." Di Mingjue arrived upstairs.
"Mingjue, find a way to open the door. I have a bad feeling something has happened to him inside," Ye Ziyu urged.
Di Mingjue moved closer to the door, twisting the doorknob forcefully. He then glanced towards the staircase, "Wait for me here. I'll go downstairs to get the key."
Every house had a spare key for each room, and the Ye family was no exception.
A moment later, Di Mingjue returned empty-handed.
"Where is the key?" Ye Ziyu asked.
Di Mingjue tried the doorknob again, "They said there isn't a spare key. Ziyu, please step back a little to a safe position."
Understanding his intention, Ye Ziyu moved back four or five steps.
Ensuring she wouldn't be harmed, Di Mingjue raised his foot and kicked the doorknob.
The lock clicked and fell to the floor. Ye Ziyu quickly entered the room.
"He's not here?" Di Mingjue followed her in, his gaze sweeping across the empty room.
Ye Ziyu moved towards the bathroom door as her intuition guided her. She tentatively pushed it open; the door swung open easily.
"Xingxing!"
Hearing Ye Ziyu's scream, Di Mingjue rushed over.
Xingxing lay in the fish tank, his arm bleeding as he leaned against the edge of the bathtub. He had been in this state for an unknown duration, blood already flowing onto the polished floor and outwards.
Di Mingjue pulled the startled Ye Ziyu aside and immediately tore off a nearby towel, approaching Xingxing. He wrapped the towel around the wound and lifted Xingxing from the fish tank, placing him on the bed outside.
The bright red blood reflected in her pupils. Ye Ziyu's legs went weak, and she leaned against the wall for support.
Suicide?
Why would he attempt to take his own life at such a young age?
After laying Xingxing down, Di Mingjue turned to look at the pale Ye Ziyu and then guided her to a chair by the bed. "Don't worry, he's still breathing."
"Mingjue, I want to tend to his wound," Ye Ziyu said, looking up.
Although she didn't know why he would resort to slitting his wrist to end his budding life, he certainly wouldn't want anyone else to know about it.
Ye Ziyu spoke again, "Go to the room and get my medical kit. The medicine inside can treat the cuts on his wrist."
"Alright." Di Mingjue stood up and went to the adjacent room to fetch it for her.