Chapter 77
Will my older brother still be with her?
The warning light above the ICU door flashed red continuously, and the electronic display screen on the side wall scrolled the words "Resuscitation in progress" and "Do not enter" in red.
He Zongxun, He Jingyang, and He Zihong, the three He brothers, were all waiting in the corridor outside the ICU, all three with heavy expressions on their faces.
He Lin, Zhong Qi, and Zhao Yue were also there, all three of them looking somber. They stood with their backs against the wall opposite the three He brothers.
Facing the cold, oppressive wall, He Jingyang suddenly raised his head and slammed his fist against it.
He Zongxun gave him a cold look, warning him to be quiet with his eyes.
He Jingyang seemed not to receive his second brother's gaze. Instead, he turned his head to look at the ICU door, his eyes illuminated by the red warning light, his eyes blood red, filled with intense hatred.
His eyes were red, and he said through gritted teeth, "I'm going to bring that woman back!"
After saying that, he turned to leave.
He Zongxun coldly stopped them: "Stop!"
He Jingyang stopped, but gritted his teeth and clenched his fists tightly.
He Zongxun said in a low, cold voice, "If you hurt her, your older brother won't be happy; he'll only be angry with you."
He Jingyang's voice trembled with anger: "If it weren't for her, my brother wouldn't have..."
He Zongxun interrupted him: "That's between my brother and her, it's none of our business as brothers. Besides..." He paused, then continued, "Back then, it was my brother who secretly took wedding photos with Zhao Qingman without her knowledge, it was my brother's fault. That girl was the victim from beginning to end, even my brother didn't blame her, so we have even less right to blame her."
He Jingyang was still indignant: "But my brother loves her so much! He was even planning to propose to her, but she ran away. If she hadn't run away, my brother wouldn't have chased after her in the snow, and then..."
He Zongxun interrupted him again: "Should she be grateful just because her older brother proposed to her? Did she beg her older brother to do it? Her older brother locked her up for more than half a year, no wonder she ran away. As for the car accident, it was her older brother who wanted to drive after her, she didn't force him to chase after her."
He Jingyang glared angrily at He Zongxun: "Second brother, what's wrong with you? Why are you always siding with that woman?"
Seeing that their argument was getting more and more heated, Zhong Qi quickly spoke up to smooth things over: "Alright, you two brothers, stop arguing here. If you want to argue, go outside the hospital."
He Zongxun said in a low voice, "I'm just stating the facts."
After saying that, He Zongxun turned and left, heading to the rest hall.
Zhong Jin sat on a chair in the lounge, crying so hard she almost fainted.
He Rong'an sat to the side, not crying, but with a solemn expression.
Zhong Jin's mind was filled with images of He Qingzhao covered in blood, and her heart ached beyond measure.
No matter what kind of deep-seated conflicts she had with He Rong'an, He Qingzhao was her only family in this world, a piece of her flesh, and her only child.
Now her only child is lying in the intensive care unit, his life hanging in the balance. Every second is torture for her. She doesn't even dare to wait outside the ICU. She's afraid, afraid that if that door opens, she'll be met with the outcome she least wants.
Zhong Jin closed her eyes, and countless images flashed through her mind. She saw He Qingzhao learning to speak, the white and tender little dumpling calling "Mama" in her baby voice. Then she saw her first steps, her little Zhaozhao wobbling towards her with her tender lotus root-like arms, laughing and calling "Mama" as she walked.
Her little Zhao Zhao depends on her so much, but what is she doing?
She only thought about He Rong'an every day, and didn't even smile at He Qingzhao. At that time, she was full of thoughts about how to win He Rong'an's heart and how to make He Rong'an look at her more.
Later, when He Qingzhao turned three, his mental maturity far surpassed that of his peers. He no longer drooled and cried for his mother, rushing into her arms. He calmly hid to the side and secretly watched her. When he saw that she was unhappy, he would take the initiative to recite ancient poems in front of her to cheer her up. She still couldn't be happy, and her smiles at him were very forced.
It wasn't until He Rong'an's thirtieth birthday banquet that three-year-old He Qingzhao recited a long birthday speech in front of everyone, making the entire audience laugh and praising her for "raising her child well." At this moment, everyone praised her, and even He Rong'an, who had always been indifferent to her, gave her a kind look and even smiled at her.
At that moment, she was filled with joy, and when she looked at her three-year-old son, she felt that she saw a lot of hope!
From that day on, He Rong'an was no longer so indifferent to her. He would come back three days a week to have dinner with her and talk to her about the children.
"Zhaozhao, stop playing. Daddy is coming back today. We need to memorize 'The Road to Shu' before he gets back."
Four-year-old He Qingzhao reluctantly put down her toy car, sat down at her desk, picked up a book of classical Chinese poems, and began to read them with intonation and rhythm.
"Zhaozhao, stop playing. Daddy will be back tonight. Copy the Lanting Preface twice more, and write it out for Daddy when he gets back."
Four-and-a-half-year-old He Qingzhao would hold a calligraphy brush and write all day long, until his wrists ached, his fingers trembled, and he was covered in cold sweat. He finally collapsed on the ground to rest.
"Zhao Zhao, you were so naughty today. You only cared about playing with the cat and didn't even practice the piano. Mom has to punish you."
Five-year-old He Qingzhao was punished by being forced to practice the piano until midnight, and the orange cat that had played with him all afternoon was lost by Zhong Jin and never found again.
"Zhaozhao, you must win first place in this calligraphy competition! If you win first place, Dad will come back to see us."
"Mom, if I get first place, can you buy me a puppy?"
"Okay, if you get first place, Mom will buy you a snow-white Pekingese."
"Zhaozhao, we can't keep this Pekingese anymore because Daddy doesn't like it."
"Zhaozhao, you must win the Go championship this time. Dad likes smart children."
"If I win the championship, can you give me a parrot? Parrots don't bite."
"Okay, if you win the championship, Mom will give you an Amazonian green parrot."
Amazon parrots are very intelligent and loyal, and will only recognize one owner for their entire lives.
Seven-year-old He Qingzhao was overjoyed to receive the Amazon parrot, and his face lit up with smiles, displaying the vibrant energy that a normal child should have.
"Zhaozhao, Dad said that playing with toys will ruin your life, so we can't keep the parrot."
Seven-year-old He Qingzhao finally snapped, lifting the jade chessboard and smashing it on the ground. The jade shattered with a crisp sound, and the boy roared out a clear question: "Zhong Jin, what do you take me for? Do you even consider me your son?"
"What nonsense are you talking about, child? What else would I call you if not my son? Stop fooling around! Your father doesn't let you keep parrots for your own good. He loves you, values you, and is raising you as the heir of the He family, hoping you will be even more outstanding."
For the first time, the seven-year-old boy began to doubt "love." Was this love? And why did this kind of love only make him feel sad and tired?
"Zhaozhao, Dad is coming back today. He'll play Beethoven's Fifth Symphony ten more times."
"Zhaozhao, Dad said you can't keep goldfish. Your most important thing right now is to study. After you finish your math Olympiad in the morning, practice your calligraphy twice, and then practice the piano in the afternoon..."
When did He Qingzhao stop calling her "Mom"? Probably from the day the parrot was sent away.
He Qingzhao was seven years old that day. From that day on, he never called her "Mom" again, and he never smiled at her again.
The day after He Qingzhao finished her college entrance exam, He Rong'an proposed a divorce. She cried and begged him to stay, but He Rong'an ignored her and coldly threw the divorce papers in front of her. She hid in her room and cried loudly, while sixteen-year-old He Qingzhao stood outside the door watching her cry.
From that day on, He Qingzhao regarded He Rong'an as an enemy, and did everything in her power to climb up the ranks, using every means to oppose He Rong'an and suppress his promotion.
He Qingzhao forced He Rong'an to undergo sterilization by using his own marriage as a condition, not necessarily for his own sake, but possibly for the sake of his incompetent and selfish mother.
She was married to He Rong'an for eighteen years, but not only did she not receive a single bit of love from him, she was even hated and resented by him for eighteen years.
She knew that He Qingzhao was standing up for her; what she hadn't gotten, He Qingzhao didn't want other women to get either.
Therefore, He Qingzhao wanted to prevent He Rong'an from having children with other women. He did not allow other women to have happy marriages and many children with He Rong'an.
She knew that He Qingzhao had done that to help her solidify her title as "the mother of He Rong'an's son." After all, with He Qingzhao's current status and abilities, she didn't need to care whether He Rong'an had a son or not. Even if He Rong'an had a whole litter of sons, it wouldn't threaten He Qingzhao in the slightest.
The more Zhong Jin thought about it, the more her heart ached, as if it were about to shatter. She suddenly stood up, her eyes bloodshot as she glared at He Rong'an.
He Rong'an also looked at her, his eyes also filled with bloodshot veins.
Zhong Jin suddenly stood up, walked up to He Rong'an, raised her hand, and slapped him across the face. After hitting him, she slapped herself on both sides of her face, screaming hysterically as she did so: "I deserve to die, I deserve to die, it's all my fault! I should be the one lying inside!" She then pointed at He Rong'an's face and said, "You deserve to die too, He Rong'an, you deserve to die!"
She then frantically grabbed He Rong'an by the neck, but as soon as she got a grip, He Rong'an kicked her away.
He Zongxun hurriedly stepped forward to support Zhong Jin and said to He Rong'an, "Second Uncle, calm down. Second Aunt is just too worried about Big Brother."
He Rong'an touched his neck and said in a cold voice, "I have a meeting this afternoon. You guys stay here and keep watch. Call me if anything happens." Then he looked at Zhong Jin with disgust, "Crazy!"
As Zhong Jin watched He Rong'an's departing figure, she shouted hoarsely, "He Rong'an, you deserve to die! You deserve to die! If anything happens to Qing Zhao, I won't let you go. I'll drag you down to hell with me!"
Two hours later, the warning light on the ICU door turned white, the door opened, and the attending physician, Gu Xiwen, wearing a mask, came out to announce the good news that He Qingzhao was out of danger.
Then Gu Xiwen changed the subject and said, "But he injured his eyes, and the damage to the structure of his eyeball is quite severe. This may cause temporary blindness, and he may also be photophobic after recovery."
When Zhong Jin heard that He Qingzhao was out of danger, she breathed a sigh of relief. Her tense nerves relaxed, and her vision went black as she collapsed.
He Zongxun was standing right next to her, and the moment she collapsed, he immediately caught her. Medical personnel arrived shortly after and took Zhong Jin to receive treatment.
A week later, He Qingzhao's condition stabilized, and he was moved to a VIP ward. However, his head and eyes were wrapped in medical gauze, and his right arm was in a cast, making him look like a doll that had been broken and stitched together.
He Qingzhao has woken up. Since waking up, he hasn't said a word and doesn't respond to anyone who speaks to him.
Zhao Yue asked Gu Xiwen in a low voice, "Are you sure Boss He injured his eyes, and not his vocal cords and eardrums?"
Gu Xiwen: "He just doesn't want to talk to you."
He Qingzhao ignored everyone and lay quietly in the hospital bed every day, as quiet as a vegetable.
Before he knew it, the year was drawing to a close. He Qingzhao's external injuries had almost healed, but the blood clot in his brain had not yet been cleared, and his eye injury had not yet recovered. His vision was still blurry, and he could not even look at electronic devices. He was still staying in the hospital to recuperate.
It started snowing again outside. In the quiet hospital late at night, the sound of the falling snow was exceptionally clear.
After He Qingzhao's vision was impaired, his hearing became exceptionally sensitive, and he could clearly hear the sound of snow falling.
In winter, dense snow falls, creating the sound of shattering jade.
Today is Lunar New Year's Eve, and everyone is exchanging New Year's greetings.
"Happy New Year." In the hospital corridor, a young nurse greeted Gu Xiwen with a smile.
Gu Xiwen replied, "Happy New Year."
Just then, He Qingzhao's phone chimed; it was a text message notification.
He Qingzhao didn't care; he couldn't look at his phone anyway.
He Jingyang picked up his phone, unlocked it with He Qingzhao's thumb, and saw that it was an unfamiliar number from Dongguan.
[I didn't mean to bother you, but I couldn't resist sending you this message. He Qingzhao, Happy New Year! I miss you and want to spend the New Year with you.]
He Jingyang replied: 【Who are you?】
The other party quickly replied: "I assumed you knew."
He Jingyang: [Cheng Jiamo?]
There was no reply from the other side.
He Jingyang was certain it was Cheng Jiamo. He gritted his teeth and gripped his phone tightly, so hard that the veins on the back of his hand bulged!
He replied to He Qingzhao's message with his back turned: "Cheng Jiaming, don't message me anymore, and definitely don't call me. I'm married now. I got my marriage certificate last week, and the wedding will be in Bali after the New Year. I won't invite you; after all, a poor student like you can't afford to fly. Oh, and by the way, if you have any integrity as a scholar, return the money I gave you before. Don't use my money while acting all high and mighty; it makes me look down on you!"
Dongguan City.
Cheng Jiamo sat on the old sofa in her rented room, staring blankly at the text on her phone.
After a while, she replied: "Okay, I'll add you as a friend first. Please accept my request temporarily. I'll transfer the money to you and then we'll delete each other."
Ding!
He Qingzhao's phone rang with a notification that the money had been credited to his account.
He Qingzhao frowned and asked in a low, hoarse voice, "What's going on?"
He Jingyang said with a smile, "Oh, it's a friend of mine. He borrowed some money from me, and I had him transfer it to my older brother's account."
He Qingzhao's Adam's apple bobbed, and he said in a low voice, "Second brother, don't make things difficult for her. It's my fault for letting her down."
He Jingyang chuckled: "Don't worry, brother. I don't even know where she is, so how could I possibly make things difficult for her? Besides, she has never contacted you, and I don't have her contact information. Even if I wanted to make things difficult for her, I couldn't."
After saying that, He Jingyang tentatively asked, "By the way, will you still be with her after you recover from your injuries, brother?"
[Author's Note]
In this chapter, you might find it strange that Momo sent a message to Lao He. The reason will be revealed in the next chapter.
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