guard
The next morning, around 8 a.m., the two of them ate breakfast and went to the hospital. Zhiwei repeatedly told Jingnan that it was the weekend and that she should just focus on her work or go home to rest. Jingnan only said that she was having surgery today, and that President Zhao wanted her to come along to see if she needed any help. She also said that if she went home, President Zhao would have to come in person. Zhiwei had no choice but to give up.
When they arrived at the hospital, Xu Anyi had already changed into surgical gowns, but there was still a queue for the operating room, and it was estimated that they would not be able to get a turn until after 11 a.m.
Around nine o'clock, Zhou Meiqi arrived. Zhiwei then realized that Aunt Mei had also come to keep her mother company. She affectionately hugged Meiqi and said, "Aunt Mei is still so beautiful. Thank you for your hard work, Aunt Mei."
Meiqi patted her head, then looked at her old friend, nodded, and said, "You look alright."
She opened her bag, pulled out a bag of things, and said, "Here, Armani's most vibrant red lipstick. I had a hard time getting it for you. An Yi always has to be the most radiant."
Zhiwei said, "Auntie Mei, you're so fashionable. This style is hard to find now."
Meiqi raised her eyebrows and said, "Of course, otherwise I wouldn't be able to show off to your mother. So, do you want me to help you apply it?"
Xu Anyi laughed in disbelief, "I don't want to be scolded by the doctor."
Meiqi shrugged and said, "Well, there's nothing I can do about that. I'll apply it for you after your surgery."
With Zhiwei and Meiqi interrupting, time passed a little faster. After 10:30, the caregiver came to take her to the outside of the operating room to prepare. Zhiwei, Meiqi, and Jingnan all accompanied her to the outside of the operating room, and all that was left was a long wait.
At noon, Jingnan ordered three takeout meals and gave them to Zhiwei and Meiqi. Zhiwei said softly, "Thank you for your help, Jingnan."
When they finished eating and went to throw away the packaging, Meiqi couldn't help but ask, "How come we got such good luck and were able to get into this hospital? After An Yi told me about it yesterday, I checked online and found that this hospital is one of the top in the country in this field."
Zhiwei vaguely replied, "It just so happens that a friend helped me."
Meiqi nodded and patted her hand to comfort her, "You've been through a lot. Don't worry too much, An Yi will be fine. She's incredibly resilient."
She then asked, "When are you going back to school? Is it okay for you to take leave like this?"
Zhiwei said, "It's okay. I've asked the professors for leave, and I'm still handing in my assignments. I'll go back after I'm settled here with my mom."
About two hours later, the surgery was completed, and the doctor came out. Zhiwei rushed to greet him, "Doctor, how is my mother?"
"Xu Anyi's lung lesions have been removed, but intraoperative examination revealed that there is still some spread. However, the lung has been removed to the maximum extent possible, and it cannot be expanded further. The wound has been sutured, and the patient is currently undergoing anesthesia recovery and observation. Once she wakes up, she can be transferred back to her ward. Tonight, our expert team will review the case together to determine the subsequent treatment plan."
Although it was expected, Zhiwei was still a little disappointed. However, she cheered herself up and said to the doctor, "Thank you, doctor. I'll need your continued help with the follow-up treatment. Please try to choose a treatment plan with fewer side effects and better efficacy. I have no problem with the cost. Thank you, doctor."
After finishing her speech, the doctor went to work on the next surgery. About half an hour later, the caregiver wheeled Xu Anyi out; she was half-awake and very tired. Zhiwei didn't say anything, but simply held her mother's cold hand and followed the caregiver to take her back to her room.
When she came out of the operating room, the doctor had already set up her IV drip and connected her urinary catheter. The caregiver was as gentle as possible when lifting her onto the bed. Seeing that her mother didn't want to sleep yet, Zhiwei helped her raise the bed a little so that she could lie comfortably in a semi-reclined position.
The painkillers were probably still working, and it was a minimally invasive surgery, so Xu Anyi's spirits gradually improved. Seeing her daughter and friends there, she forced a smile and said to them, "You should all rest too. I'm fine."
She didn't inquire about the surgery's outcome, which secretly relieved Zhiwei, who didn't know how to face her.
Zhiwei told Aunt Mei and Jingnan to go and rest, as she would stay at the hospital with her mother today. Of course, the nursing care would still rely on the caregiver; Zhiwei would mainly be there to provide comfort.
When the doctor came to change the dressing in the evening, Zhiwei saw a dark hole on the side of her mother's body, still connected to a suction tube. The doctor said that the wound could only be stitched up after the fluid inside was drained.
She didn't show it on her face, but she was inwardly shocked. She had thought minimally invasive surgery would only involve a few points, but she hadn't expected such a large wound. Looking at her mother's somewhat thin back, she felt a pang of sadness. Before she knew it, her mother, whom she always thought was calm, composed, and radiant, showed signs of fatigue. Thankfully, she was now grown up and could take care of her mother.
Mom couldn't eat at night either. The IV drip the doctor gave her contained antibiotics, nutritional fluids, and immunoglobulins to boost her immunity. Xu Anyi didn't feel hungry, but her mouth always felt dry and bitter. Zhiwei asked the caregiver to occasionally pour her some water and add a tiny bit of sugar for her to taste.
Xu Anyi said with a wry smile, "Even heroes become dejected when they fall ill. Who would have thought that one day something as simple as sugar water could make me crave it?"
Zhiwei comforted her mother, "Once you're better and discharged from the hospital in a few days, you'll definitely start thinking about dieting again and counting calories."
Before bedtime, the caregiver brought a basin, filled it with water, and prepared to wipe Xu Anyi's body and help her change into pajamas to make her more comfortable. After the caregiver finished wiping her body and changing her into pajamas, Zhiwei took the towel and said, "Thank you, Auntie, I'll wash my face."
She carefully wiped her mother's face and neck, and took out a bottle of La Mer from the bag her aunt had brought, applied it to her mother's face, and then applied night cream.
"When it comes to sophistication, neither of us can compare to your Aunt Mei. We never even thought of bringing these things with us when we packed our things."
Even though Xu Anyi was still a bit weak, she felt that her skin felt much more comfortable after taking care of her face, as if she wasn't in a hospital bed, but in her familiar home.
That evening, Zhiwei gave the caregiver a small red envelope and asked her to help her get a more comfortable folding bed and a clean set of bedding. She then lay down to sleep next to her mother's bed.
In the middle of the night, the painkillers must have worn off a bit, because Zhiwei heard intermittent groans. She woke up abruptly and realized it was her mother making those sounds, half-asleep, her face showing signs of discomfort. Zhiwei wiped her mother's forehead with a towel, straightened the blankets, and didn't know what else to do.
Xu Anyi also woke up. Seeing her daughter beside her, she told her that she was fine and that she could rest assured. Zhiwei went to the nurses' station and asked if they could give her some more painkillers so that her mother could rest a little better at night.
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