Chapter 7
Su Rui paced back and forth at the entrance to the First Municipal Hospital's emergency department. The early autumn breeze had already brought a chill, but it couldn't dispel the anxiety and cold sweat that washed over him. Every whistle of an ambulance made his heart leap with fear, and he stared intently at every person who got out of a taxi.
Time passed incredibly slowly, every second a torture. After Ling Yao's cold "Wait," there was no further news. Was he just being perfunctory? Did he find it troublesome and regret it?
Su Rui was almost consumed by a huge uneasiness. He regretted making that call, and the embarrassment of humiliating himself even temporarily overwhelmed his worry for his grandmother.
Just as he was about to give up waiting and rush to the emergency room to check on his grandmother, a black sedan slid silently to a stop in front of him. The car was sleek and understated, yet it exuded an air of luxury that couldn't be ignored.
The car window rolled down, revealing not Ling Yao's face but that of a middle-aged woman in a smart suit. She glanced sharply at Su Rui and said in a formal tone, "Is this Su Rui?"
Su Rui was stunned and nodded subconsciously: "I am..."
"Get in the car." The woman spoke briefly and to the point, without any unnecessary expressions or greetings.
Su Rui hesitantly opened the back door, and a cool breeze from the air conditioner, mixed with the familiar, light cedar base, hit her face - the same fragrance that Ling Yao often had. But there was no sign of Ling Yao in the car.
He got in nervously, and the luxurious yet cold interior of the car made him even more restrained.
The woman handed over a thick manila envelope that felt heavy. "Here's 30,000 yuan in cash. It should cover the initial examination and emergency expenses. Ling Yao said to use it for now, and we'll see if it's insufficient." Her tone was calm, as if she were handling a mundane matter. "We've already contacted the specialist, and they'll take over your grandmother's follow-up treatment."
Su Rui held the heavy envelope, like a red-hot iron, burning his hands and hurting his heart even more. He hadn't expected Ling Yao to use this method, so... efficient and distant.
"Ling Yao, he..." Su Rui couldn't help but speak, wanting to ask where he was and why he didn't come.
The woman seemed to see through his thoughts and interrupted calmly: "Ling Yao said that there is no need to feel psychologically burdened about the medical expenses. Taking care of your family is the most important thing." Her words sounded appropriate, but with a clear sense of boundaries, separating Su Rui from a safe distance.
"Thank you... Thank you... And thank him too..." Su Rui lowered her head, her voice choked with sobs, and complex emotions surged up - there was gratitude for being saved from a desperate situation, as well as unspeakable loss and humility.
The car quickly arrived at the emergency room entrance. The woman handed him a business card. "My phone number is on it. If you need anything later, just contact me. Go get busy."
Su Rui got out of the car and watched the black sedan merge silently into the traffic flow and quickly disappear, as if it had never appeared. Only the heavy cash in her arms and the cold business card proved that everything that had just happened was not an illusion.
He took a deep breath, wiped his face vigorously to force back the moisture in his eyes, turned around and ran quickly into the emergency room.
When they found Grandma, she had already undergone some basic examinations and lay pale on a mobile bed, with Sister Liu watching over her. Seeing Su Rui running over, Sister Liu breathed a sigh of relief: "Xiao Rui, you're here! A doctor just came over to ask a few questions and said that they've informed the higher-ups and will give you priority..."
Su Rui's heart trembled. Ling Yao... He even considered all this.
He went to pay the bill first. His hands were still shaking as he handed the thick stack of money through the window. Then he held his grandmother's cold hand tightly and said in a calm voice, "Grandma, don't be afraid. It's okay. We found a good doctor..."
The old man opened his eyes weakly, his cloudy eyes full of worry: "Xiao Rui... where did you get the money... don't do it for me..."
"Don't worry, it was me...a classmate of mine who kindly lent it to me." Su Rui interrupted her, forcing a smile. "His family is a doctor, and they were a great help."
He couldn't explain Ling Yao's existence and could only weave a white lie.
While waiting for the expert to arrive, Su Rui sat on the cold plastic bench, looking at her grandmother's sleeping face, tightly clutching the empty envelope in her hand.
There seemed to be a very faint scent of cedar lingering on the envelope.
The breath now brought him no longer the same throbbing feeling as in the corridor before, but a complex mixture of gratitude, uneasiness, humility and a hint of elusive, cold control.
Ling Yao had helped him in the most practical way, pulling him back from the abyss of despair. But he wasn't even willing to show up in person.
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