Cheng Ran stayed by Jiang Wanqing's bedside for a long, long time. When he saw that her lips were starting to peel, he fed her water with a spoon.
I was hoping she would drink it, but the water just dripped down her lips and couldn't get into her mouth at all.
As he patiently wiped the water stains off her, the ward door opened. He assumed it was Jiang Jianguo and Xue He returning, and without looking up, he answered to himself.
"None of you need to try to persuade me. I won't let anyone treat Wanqing like she's dead!"
Upon hearing this, Hung Hing, who had just entered the ward, stopped in his tracks. Molly was supported by him, and their grief deepened.
"Brother Cheng, it's me..."
Hong Xing's voice choked with emotion. He swallowed hard, his throat dry and hoarse. Because of the sudden arrival and the tight schedule, he and his wife hadn't brought much water or food with them. They had just endured the journey and were now in their worst condition. Hearing the nurse's words downstairs only intensified his grief.
Hearing the voices he hadn't heard in a long time, Cheng Ran looked up and saw Hong Xing and Molly. His eyes flickered.
He ignored the couple's greetings and quickly pulled them over.
"You've come at the right time! Quick... call Wanqing for me. You're her friends, helping her manage the factory. She definitely can't let you go, can't let go of her businesses in the Beijing area. Talk to her, hurry!"
"Brother Cheng, you...you calm down, we just came to see your wife."
Hung Hing used to be Cheng Ran's bodyguard, and later they became sworn brothers. This was the first time he had seen him like this. Even when his injuries were so severe that he was almost dying, he was never like this...
"Cheng Ran, we came for Wanqing. I...I want to see her."
Molly suppressed a sob and finished speaking. Cheng Ran stepped aside, and she smugly approached the bedside.
The news reports were indeed correct; Jiang Wanqing was seriously injured.
“Wanqing…it’s me, Molly. Can you hear me? Our factory is making even more money now. We’re all waiting for you to come back and help us take things to the next level. Please don’t fall asleep. My son hasn’t called you godmother yet, and we haven’t even started our retirement life. You can’t be in trouble…”
She choked up more and more as she spoke, but Cheng Ran remembered something else and looked at Hong Xing.
"How did you find out? I didn't call to inform you..."
At the time, he was preoccupied with other matters and it would be difficult to arrange for his friend to come all the way from Beijing. So he simply didn't tell anyone. Who knew they would find out anyway and arrive at this special juncture? Cheng Ran will remember this kindness.
Hong Xing explained, "Brother Cheng, I saw what happened to your wife in the newspaper. She's a nationally renowned female entrepreneur. As soon as she got into trouble, a lot of news reported on it."
Cheng Ran frowned. It was one thing for the Southwest region to be reporting on it, but now there were reports in Beijing as well. Either someone behind it deliberately leaked the information, or there was inside communication within the newspaper. The latter was even less likely than the former...
Even today, he has no intention of investigating this matter, but he will definitely find out the truth later!
"I understand. Besides you, my parents..."
“Uncle and Aunt, I don’t know if they’ve seen the news, but it should be only a matter of time…” Hung Hing said.
The atmosphere in the ward grew increasingly heavy, and Cheng Ran gripped his hand tightly.
Molly and Jiang Wanqing had been talking by the bedside for quite a while, but the person on the bed remained motionless, not even moving an eyelash.
"Waaaaah..."
Unable to control her emotions any longer, Molly burst into tears, even more so than Jiang Wanqing's daughter, Nannan.
Hong Xing suddenly remembered, "By the way, what about Nannan? Is she alright? I saw on the news that Su Su kidnapped her, which led to the series of tragedies that followed. Is the child safe?"
"Yes, Nannan is fine. If it were today... her maternal grandparents would have brought her over."
Cheng Ran kept his words brief, his face filled with sorrow. Hong Xing saw Molly crying so hard that he helped her up.
"Let's wait here and give Brother Cheng and his wife some time. They... have had such a hard time."
Thinking back to how he almost gave up on his loved ones because of a finger injury, Hung Hing found it all laughable. What could be more important than life and death? Now, he realized that it was God's blessing that gave him such a fulfilling life.
Everything has its imperfections, and his hand was one of them. Perhaps Jiang Wanqing's life was too smooth, so there were always villains causing trouble. The so-called "the capable are often burdened with more work" is also a kind of torment and tragedy. The more you work, the more you gain, but you also have to suffer more. Suffering is suffering too...
The sun outside slowly moved from east to west, and when the evening glow filled the sky, the hospital bell rang at exactly six o'clock in the afternoon, but the ward remained silent.
After Jiang Jianguo and Xue He finished their business, they brought the child over.
Nannan has been crying for the past three days, crying during the day and crying at night, her eyes are as red as a rabbit's.
Molly, who was already a mother, couldn't bear to see this and immediately took the child into her arms.
"Aunt Molly, waaaaah..."
The child's feigned strength crumbled at that moment, and she nestled in Molly's arms, sobbing uncontrollably.
"You came to see Wanqing off on her final journey; how thoughtful of you."
Xue He really liked Molly and her husband, but she really didn't have the energy to entertain guests right now. Jiang Jianguo was the same; he only twitched the corners of his mouth before quickly regaining his sad expression.
As the last ray of sunlight was drawn out of the ward, Cheng Ran felt the life in his arms slipping away.
When the doctor came in again and saw that there were several more people, he understood something. Perhaps the decision that hadn't been made yet had already been made.
He stepped forward and said to Cheng Ran, "Let me take a look."
Although the hope was dwindling, Cheng Ran still made way for the doctor, who performed a routine check and shook his head again.
"Take her home tonight, clean her up, change her clothes... that's all..."
The doctor gave Jiang Wanqing a death sentence, which was like a thunderbolt from the blue. Xue He and Jiang Jianguo looked even older, and Nannan and Molly hugged each other and cried bitterly.
Only Cheng Ran and Hong Xing can still get things done.
Hong Xing swallowed hard and cautiously suggested, "Brother Cheng... let's do as the doctor said and take your sister-in-law home so she can leave in peace."
He tried to lend a hand, but Cheng Ran shoved him away forcefully.
"Don't touch her! I'll take care of her... I can carry her..."
He resisted anyone approaching him and Jiang Wanqing, and picked her up from the hospital bed on his own. She was already light, and after being on IV fluids for the past three days, she had lost even more weight.
He carried her out of the ward, with Hong Xing supporting Molly with one hand and carrying Nannan with the other. They walked behind Jiang Jianguo and Xue He, hailed a car nearby, and followed them back to their residence.
It's too late now, otherwise bringing people back to their birthplace would be the best thing to do, like fallen leaves returning to their roots...
As night fell, the courtyard and house fell into a deathly silence. Xue He wanted to wash Jiang Wanqing and change her clothes, but Cheng Ran wouldn't allow it and took the task himself.
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