After spending two hours talking business, Yao Tan looked at his watch, and decided that he needed to get back to his daughter. However, one thing was puzzling him, Anna's brother. Maybe before he needed to leave, he had to question Hou Yi about him.
"Yi, I have to ask you something. Your brother-in-law, what do you know about him?"
"Tan, according to Anna, he took a couple of years off between completing High School and University. Unlike Anna, he did not get any scholars.h.i.+ps and his parents refused to support him in following his dream to become a qualified nurse. He worked for two years, in jobs he hated, to secure financial support to undertake his degree, and he is in his final year, mainly with placements to go."
"When Anna was injured, we were able to convince his university, on the basis we kept a record of his care for Anna, that the private nursing should count for some placement hours particularly as he requires some placement hours in a post-injury setting."
"While he has been living with their parents, given his vocal support of Anna and my relations.h.i.+p living there has become impossible. Living there has been the only way that he can afford to undertake his study. Anna and I have offered him the use of a house on one of the properties we have just finalised the purchase of, if he cannot remain at home. Their older half brothers are going to run a farming business on the land, and will in the future move into other houses on the property when they are ready to commence the business."
"From all my interactions with James, he is a genuine person, without anything to hide, and who loves those he loves unconditionally. He even told me, since he got here, if he had any inclination that I was responsible for Anna' injuries he would kill me, despite Anna's feelings for me."
"Last night, though we had an interesting conversation. He spoke to me about how I knew Anna was the one for me on sight and what I would have done if she had chosen Lu Jinhu. He also spoke about Alecia, saying that when he briefly met her last night that she appeared to be so hurt in her eyes. I told him what I knew about everything. Apparently from the brief discussion with Anna, he seems willing to help her." Hou Yi stopped and looked at Yao Tan, to see that that was a surprise to him.
Yao Tan, quietly said "The police have told me that the DNA Testing to be absolutely certain will take at least three months, particularly as they are sending samples overseas to testing as well. They are concerned that the Lu's will get wind of what is happening, but talking to Anna and your brother-in-law, we agreed that she could go to Australia for three months, to experience life there."
"Anna said that they could stay at your property and Alecia could attend one of the local schools. I had in interesting discussion with James before I came over. He said that he wanted to talk to Alecia face-to-face and let her be the one to make the decision. Yes, she and her brothers are turning seventeen on the weekend, but she is still a child."
"Tan, despite what we all tell you, while legally she may be considered a child, and she has been through a lot, she is a bright intelligent and well-rounded young woman, much more emotionally mature than many of her friends. I would suspect that …"
"S*it. You are saying that your brother-in-law might have fallen for her?"
"Well how many friends of your sons have fallen for her in the last twelve months, let alone those a year or two older than them. And do not talk my friend. You fell in love with Amanda when she was seventeen. How long did it take you to marry her?"
"Well that is different, I had the children."
"Well you are about to turn thirty-four, and Amanda is now twenty-five, so you lost eight years with her from that simple att.i.tude. Do you think your daughter will make your mistakes and make the person she loves, when that time happens wait for her?"
"Screw you Yi, you should have said something. I have let him go there on his own. He will have been there for almost two and a half hours. G.o.d knows what has happened."
"Tan, if he as I think he is, he will respect her and not betray her trust."
"He will hurt her just like that b*stard did…"
Before finis.h.i.+ng that sentence, Yao Tan stood up and ran out of the office.