Chapter 12: Grandfather’s Illness
Grandfather’s illness
Entering the hospital room, Qing Tian pushed the door open with Xia Yang accompanying her. An old man lay sleeping under the white sheets. Looking along the edge of the bed, his aged hands were connected to a syringe, and the drip fell drop by drop at a regular pace!
This scene had played out ten years ago. Grandmother was also lying in a hospital bed, with tubes in her hands. Back then, she didn’t know what parting meant. She only knew that if the drip could go any faster, Grandmother would wake up!
But in the end, Grandmother never woke up. Thinking of this, her heart involuntarily clenched. She squatted by the bedside, gently stroking her Grandfather’s hand, murmuring, “Grandfather, wake up, it’s Qing Qing!”
Song Shishi hid by the doorway, watching Qing Tian call out to her Grandfather, not daring to step forward.
Li Yueqing helped Qing Tian up and guided her to the sofa nearby. With tearful eyes, she comforted them, “Qing Qing, Shishi, don’t be too sad! Grandfather will be alright!”
Song Shishi, naturally optimistic, burrowed into Li Yueqing’s embrace. Her voice trembled slightly for the first time as she asked, “Mom, when will Dad be back?”
The traces of age had begun to appear around Li Yueqing’s eyes. She looked at her elderly father lying on the hospital bed, her heart aching but unwilling to show it. Now, she had to be strong and hold on!
She stroked Song Shishi’s hair and replied with a hoarse voice, “Your Dad is rushing back!”
Song Shishi nodded, then looked at Qing Tian. Qing Tian was staring blankly at Grandpa Song on the bed. She had always thought Qing Tian was very strong. Family was her weakness, and her loved ones were the most important part of her life. If Grandpa Song were to have an accident, she didn’t know what Qing Tian would do!
Sensing Song Shishi’s gaze, Qing Tian turned her head to meet her eyes and gave a weak, forced smile, as if telling her not to worry too much!
Song Shishi blinked, as if to say she understood!
Xia Yang withdrew from the hospital room and instructed Huzi, “Go ask the doctor what illness Grandpa Song has!”
Huzi’s grandfather was the dean of this hospital, so if he asked, they would surely know the truth of the matter!
After Huzi left, he stood alone at the doorway. Peeking through the crack in the door, he saw Qing Tian. His already serious face showed more worry, and the way his brows were furrowed made his heart ache with concern as well!
He silently chanted in his heart, “Everything will be alright!”
As he turned, he saw Ji Xiangyu standing less than a meter away. From that direction, he could also see Qing Tian’s figure. For the first time, he felt that Ji Xiangyu could exude the aura of a lion preparing for a duel!
Ji Xiangyu liked Qing Tian and even considered him a rival. Xia Yang’s lips curved upwards as he looked at Ji Xiangyu with a playful expression.
Ji Xiangyu’s gaze softened, and he slowly said, “Is she, alright?”
She, must be referring to Qing Tian. If he was worried, why didn’t he go in and ask for himself?
Xia Yang feigned a calm smile, then walked over and patted Ji Xiangyu’s shoulder, “If you want to know, go in and see for yourself!”
Then, his gaze fell on Ji Xiangyu’s hand, and he asked casually, “Why are you in a plaster cast too?”
The hidden meaning of this question was: How could a high-quality student like you get injured?
Ji Xiangyu ignored Xia Yang’s sarcastic remarks and walked away, bypassing his question. As soon as he took a step, he turned back and asked hesitantly, “Are you, and Qing Tian really together?”
Xia Yang, who had been looking down, inexplicably started laughing when he heard Ji Xiangyu’s question. He then slowly walked over, circled him once, and leaned in to whisper in his ear, “You care so much?”
Ji Xiangyu took a step back, extending his hand to create a distance between himself and Xia Yang. Then, he said with a firm tone, “Don’t hurt her. If you’re not serious, don’t provoke her!”
Xia Yang burst into laughter on the spot, “What right do you have to warn me?”
Ji Xiangyu shook his head, “Simply because I like her!”
Upon hearing this, Xia Yang laughed even more distortedly. He looked at Ji Xiangyu with cold, sharp eyes, biting his lower lip, “Like her? Someone who can’t even say the words ‘I like you’ is telling me about liking her? Is that all you’ve got? Or is your so-called liking just like in romance novels, where you love someone but don’t necessarily have to be together? Heh, how noble!”
Ji Xiangyu looked at Xia Yang in confusion. How could he misinterpret the meaning of his liking someone like this?
Xia Yang rubbed his nose with his thumb and continued dismissively, “I’m warning you, don’t put on that ‘good to everyone’ expression. It disgusts me!”
After saying that, he looked at Ji Xiangyu with a look of disdain!
Ji Xiangyu clenched his fists tightly, his lips bitten in forbearance. He didn’t want to stoop to Xia Yang’s level; he was different from him!
Seeing Ji Xiangyu’s speechless expression, Xia Yang felt particularly pleased. He moved his eyebrows, let out a slightly proud laugh, then put his hands in his pockets and walked away triumphantly!
Ji Xiangyu frowned, staring at the empty corridor. One minute felt so long. He had never felt that everything in this world was imperfect, but he realized that his seventeen years of perfection had suddenly developed a flaw!
He looked at his plaster-casted hand, then at the hospital corridor. At the end of the corridor, there was a beam of light, dazzling and brilliant. For a moment, he couldn’t discern where the exit was!
