Chapter 40 [VIP]

Han Shu's nose tingled with emotion.

Facing Xu Ying, who built a defensive shell of indifference, Han Wenyu, who never smiled, and even Ling Lin, her close and trusted friend of many years, she could always smile and say that everything was fine.

But when she heard Zhiyu ask nothing and say nothing, he just stood there quietly and watched. Her eyes welled up with tears without her even realizing it.

Wen Zhiyu glanced at his mechanical watch and asked, "Have you had dinner yet?" It was already past eight o'clock.

"I've already eaten." Han Shu lowered his eyelids. "Have you eaten?"

"Hmm." Wen Zhiyu gently patted her shoulder and back. "If you ever ask, shall we find a place to sit for a while?"

Most of the shops nearby are fast food and snack shops, and there are few quiet places to talk. Therefore, Han Shu led Wen Zhiyu back to the garden in the hospital.

Unlike Hainan Island, summers in Beicheng are dry and noisy. They had chased each other on the beach, rowed boats during typhoons, and leaned against each other on the cliffs by the sea, but they had never sat side by side in the city, in such a setting, with a half-meter-wide "38th parallel" separating them.

Han Shu took off her hair clip and restyled her hair. "Did you just arrive today?"

After Wen Zhiyu sat down, he habitually crossed his legs and rested his wrists on his knees. Upon hearing this, he put his legs down and sat up straight. "I arrived a few days ago."

When are you leaving?

"The forum is over, we'll see how it goes."

A few strands of hair fell down, probably because they hadn't been tied up properly. Han Shu casually tucked them behind her ear and whispered, "Thank you for coming to see me."

Wen Zhiyu finally couldn't hold back any longer, "Are you the only one in the hospital?"

"Most of the time, my dad comes over after get off work in the evening."

Where is your husband?

Wen Zhiyu immediately looked over, the words on the tip of his tongue, but he gritted his teeth and held them back. Under the dim streetlights, Han Shu's eyelashes trembled like feathers, and her slender neck formed a jagged angle from the movement of her head bowed. He stared at that extremely taut neck bone, "When is your mother's surgery?"

"Tomorrow morning, 8:30, total thyroidectomy." Han Shu sighed, buried her face in her hands, and asked, "What if the result isn't good?"

"Treat it," Wen Zhiyu said. "As long as there are treatment options, there is hope."

Han Shu murmured, "Hope."

"Yes, I hope so."

Wen Zhiyu closed his eyes and, amidst the swaying figures and pungent odors, saw a figure that had become unfamiliar. He crouched down, covering his ears with his hands, but the cacophony of sounds still reached his ears.

"Severe open head injury, hemorrhagic shock, and death may occur at any time due to respiratory and circulatory failure."

"Does that mean she won't survive either?"

"The vital signs are currently unstable, so it's hard to say. But with brainstem damage of this degree, the chances of recovery are indeed slim."

"drop--"

Wen Zhiyu opened his eyes, and the memories vanished like reflections in a mirror or the moon's reflection in water. He took a breath, and the naturally circulating outdoor air filled his lungs. Reality shattered the illusion, and his dazed eyes gradually focused.

"Wenzhiyu".

As always, Wen Zhiyu responded, "Mm."

For days, the very bone that had been supporting Han Shu had completely slipped away, and his voice trembled with sobs. “I feel like I have no strength at all, and I feel an indescribable pain in my heart. It’s like there’s a tightness in my chest that I can’t seem to relax… But it’s my mother who’s sick. She’s going into surgery tomorrow morning, and I’m complaining about being tired. Isn’t that selfish?”

Wen Zhiyu narrowed his eyes in confusion. "Feelings are subjective. You're just expressing your own feelings. How is that selfish?"

His reaction was completely different from most people's, and his words were unexpected. Han Shu forced back the urge to cry, opening her mouth, "Caring for and being filial to one's parents is a matter of course. I—"

"Does being filial mean you have to worry about your mother for 24 hours straight without eating, drinking, or sleeping?" Wen Zhiyu swatted away a mosquito that landed on the back of her hand and shook her hand. "Feeling tired and exhausted doesn't conflict with caring for your mother. You are yourself first, and your daughter second."

Han Shu stared intently at Wen Zhiyu, tears silently streaming down her cheeks like a tap that had been turned on in an instant.

Wen Zhiyu panicked instantly, frantically pulling a tissue from her pocket. She took it, covered her face, and said, "I didn't mean to."

"Um?"

The thought of always crying in front of him annoyed Han Shu. Her ears turned red, but she couldn't stop the tears. Her tissues were soon soaked with tears. "I... I didn't mean to cry."

Wen Zhiyu found it both amusing and heartbreaking, and gently patted her shoulder reassuringly, "When you're upset, there's no such thing as doing it on purpose or not."

Han Shu shed tears for a full twenty minutes, releasing all her emotions, including pressure, confusion, and grievances.

Wen Zhiyu loathed her own clumsiness and couldn't find the right words to comfort her. But at the same time, she loathed Han Shu's husband even more.

While being busy with work on weekdays might be somewhat understandable, his complete absence the night before surgery was utterly dereliction of duty. How could someone so indifferent to his wife and mother possibly care for and love his wife? How could he possibly understand Han Shu's thoughts and feelings?

A surge of anger welled up within her. It was like seeing a blind man using the finest jade to line the bottom of a flowerpot… No, jade wasn't quite right either, jade couldn't compare to the person beside him. Blind man wasn't quite right either, it couldn't adequately describe her husband's blindness and stupidity.

Finally calming down, she asked, "Where do you live?"

Wen Zhiyu gave the name of a five-star hotel, "Not far."

How could it not be far?

Han Shu wiped away her tears and stood up. "It's almost nine o'clock. Aren't you going back to the forum?"

She quickly got up, took a paper bag out of her handbag, and said, "Keep this."

Feeling bad about accepting the gifts repeatedly, Han Shu put his hands behind his back and declined, saying, "No need, you keep them."

A smile crept into Wen Zhiyu's eyes. "Aren't you going to see what it is?"

Han Shu stiffened his neck and didn't move.

Seeing this, Wen Zhiyu opened the bag and took out a small bag from it—salt?

Upon receiving Han Shu's questioning gaze, Wen Zhiyu chuckled and showed the words on the packaging bag: "Iodized salt. After thyroidectomy, there should be a period of time when you can't consume iodine. It's good to have some in advance to avoid being caught off guard... Can I accept it now?"

Han Shu had only ever seen people visiting the sick with fruit baskets, milk, or expensive gift boxes; this was the first time she'd seen someone bring several bags of salt. Yet, these bags of salt were more timely and important than any imported fruit or delicacies. She accepted them, her thousand words and mixed emotions all contained in a single thank you.

Han Shu dropped Wen Zhiyu off at the hospital entrance, where several empty taxis were waiting.

"Tell me when you get to the hotel." Han Shu gripped the bag handle, noticing the dark circles under the man's eyes even in the dim light, and frowned. "Get a good rest tonight, don't stay up late."

Wen Zhiyu's lips curled into a barely perceptible smile. "You too."

The taillights flickered on and off as the car slowly merged into the traffic.

Han Shu carried the bags and walked slowly back. The two bags of salt were light, yet they somehow suppressed the tension and anxiety of the night before the surgery. Wen Zhiyu didn't say anything comforting like "Everything will be alright" or "Don't worry," but his presence was already a reassurance.

At eight o'clock in the morning, after changing into a hospital gown, a nurse came to give the patient an IV drip. A doctor in surgical scrubs led the patient and family members up to the top floor via the surgical elevator.

Beneath the three large blue characters for "Operating Room," both iron doors were only half-open. The doctor filled out a form and pointed to the shoe rack beside the door, saying, "Please leave your shoes outside. Family members, please stay inside."

Han Shu first supported Xu Ying's arm, then took her hand, saying, "Mom, I'll be right outside. Just pretend you're taking a nap."

Xu Ying gave her a deep look, nodded, and walked alone toward the blindingly bright operating room.

"Sit here." The doctor led Xu Ying to sit on the left and hung the IV drip on the hook above her head. "Wait a moment."

Han Shu carefully put away Xu Ying's slippers and peered one last time through the closing iron gate.

The young teacher who once held her hand, walking briskly down the corridor of the teaching building in high heels, no longer had the upright posture of her youth, and deep wrinkles at the corners of her eyes bore the marks of time.

Han Shu pulled Han Wenyu towards the family waiting area. "The doctor said it will take about five or six hours to pack up, there's still plenty of time. Would you like to go to the ward to rest for a while, or—"

"Right here." Han Wenyu took off his glasses, his slightly hunched body leaning back in his chair. "Go have some breakfast."

Han Shu glanced at the time; it was almost 8:30. "Then I'll bring some back for you."

Han Wenyu closed his eyes and waved his hand inwards.

Han Shu once saw a saying: "Parents are the mountain that stands between their children and death." As they aged at a visible pace, she finally saw the never-ending timer in the void; with each passing minute, they aged a little more, and thus moved a little closer to separation.

She didn't have much of an appetite, so she drank a bowl of porridge and took two steamed buns, an egg, and a cup of soy milk with her.

Back in the waiting area, Han Wenyu remained motionless in the same posture he had when he left, his chest heaving rapidly.

Han Shu sat down silently, without disturbing him.

My phone vibrated as I put it in my pocket.

Han Shu guessed it was Wen Zhiyu, but he was still eager to confirm.

On the lock screen, the time is exactly 8:30.

The message below is a note that was just changed last night.

[Adorable Ghost Teacher: Everything is going well.]

all the best.

From morning to noon, and from noon to afternoon.

People were coming and going in the operating room, and people were coming and going in the family waiting area, but Xu Ying's name was never heard.

From sitting to standing to walking around, Han Shu became increasingly anxious and restless as time went by.

The operating room door opened at 2:30.

"Family members of patient Xu Ying!"

Han Shu rushed over immediately; it was the same person who had just brought Xu Ying inside. "How is she?"

"The right thyroid gland has been removed; we'll send it for a biopsy immediately." The doctor handed her a pen. "Sign here after confirmation."

Han Shu didn't dare look too long at the blood-soaked object from that day, and quickly signed his name, "How much longer will the surgery take?"

"It will take some more time."

Another long wait.

At 3:30, the interview room broadcasted a name, asking Han Shu to confirm the left thyroid gland that had been removed, and then informed him of the biopsy results for the right side.

"Papillary/nipple tumor, lymph node dissection performed, no metastasis."

Upon hearing this, Han Shu's heart, which had been hanging in suspense, pounded back into her empty stomach. Han Wenyu squeezed her shoulders tightly and also breathed a sigh of relief.

No transfer is the best news.

An hour later, the two iron doors of the operating room opened simultaneously, and the doctor pushed the transport bed to the ward. After the bed was moved, the monitor and oxygen were connected, and the head nurse gave a series of instructions.

Xu Ying had woken up, but couldn't make a sound. Han Shu told Xu Ying about the surgery results to reassure her, and then told Han Wenyu to go have lunch first. He stayed by her bedside alone, observing the numbers the nurse had mentioned.

When the lowest breathing rate dropped below 10, I reminded Xu Ying to lift her legs and move them in circles. When it rose above 10, I told her to put them down and rest.

Xu Ying had a long bandage on her neck, and a tube connected to a transparent container from the wound, from which blood occasionally oozed out. Han Shu felt sorry for her, but his mood was unusually cheerful after a week.

She finally had a moment to reply to the message.

[Invincible Strong Cabbage: All is well, no relocation required.]

The moment the message was sent, Wen Zhiyu replied.

[Adorable Ghost Teacher: Okay, take good care of Auntie and yourself too. Contact me anytime if needed.]

"Mom, move your legs a little more."

Han Shu waited for a while, and after confirming that the value had increased, he turned around, put his hands on the windowsill, and a light smile appeared in his eyes and brows.

The thyroid surgery ward is located in the inpatient building closest to the road, and the wards face north, so they can see the main entrance.

Just then, I caught a glimpse of that familiar yet unexpected figure.

Despite the scorching sun, Wen Zhiyu was still dressed in a suit and tie, and stretched out his long legs to get into the car.

Han Shu seemed to understand a little.