Chapter Seventy-One: Discharged from the Hospital and Returning Home
It's all my fault. If I hadn't gone to pick up Chu Lin, this wouldn't have happened, and an innocent life wouldn't have been lost. It's all my fault, all my fault.
My heart ached as I recalled Chu Lin's radiant smile and her repeated calls of "Mom," and I felt a deep, unpleasant ache.
"Lin Dang, Chu Lin is a sensible child. He certainly wouldn't want to see you like this." Perhaps I was gritting my teeth to keep myself from crying out loud, but tears were streaming down my face uncontrollably.
I looked at Chu Zhen. I wondered how much he had been suffering these past two weeks. Chu Lin's departure, my coma—his love for Chu Lin was no less than mine. How had he gotten through these days? And he had only recently had surgery; his heart was still aching from time to time.
"Chu Zhen~"
I opened my arms, and he understood what I meant, embracing me. At that moment, we didn't need many words, just each other's embrace.
When everyone heard that I had woken up, they all rushed over to see me. My parents came to see me with red and swollen eyes, and they looked much older.
"Dad, Mom~"
"It's good that you're awake, it's good that you're awake!" Dad patted my back, afraid that I would get too emotional.
"Do you want to eat anything? I'll make it for you when we get back." My mother, being a woman, couldn't hold back her emotions and asked me with tears in her eyes.
"I want to drink porridge~" Actually, I have no appetite at all and don't want to eat anything, but seeing my mother like this, I still find something to do for her.
"Okay, okay, I'll make it for you when I get back." Mom wiped away her tears. "Chu Zhen, Lin Dang is awake now. Come back with me and rest for a while. Your uncle can stay here."
"You and your uncle go back, I'll stay here."
My parents couldn't persuade Chu Zhen. Looking at them now, I didn't want anyone to stay, but Chu Zhen insisted on not leaving. In the end, I also helped persuade my parents to go home first.
When Huang Yanyan arrived, she asked Chu Zhen to leave for a moment. Only then did I realize that Chu Zhen had been here for as long as I had been unconscious, never leaving my side. I didn't even know when she had eaten. Sometimes when she brought food over, the food was almost untouched.
After the incident, Chu Zhen only visited Chu Lin after my surgery and stayed there for a long time. He did not participate in any of the funeral arrangements afterward. Chen Weiqi and Huang Yanyan helped with everything. Chu Zhen said that he would wait for me to wake up so that he could go see Chu Lin with me.
"Lin Dang, no matter what, take care of your health first. I believe you will wake up because Chu Lin is protecting you."
"Yan Yan, my heart aches, I feel terrible!" I finally couldn't hold back anymore. Chu Zhen was there, and I was afraid of upsetting him, so I kept holding back, but my heart was really hurting.
"I understand, you can cry, you'll feel better after you've cried!" Yan Yan hugged me tightly, and in front of her, I completely released my emotions.
When Chu Zhen came in, I composed myself, wiped away my tears, and knew that my red eyes couldn't lie to him, but he didn't say anything and just made me a glass of warm water.
Chu Zhen and I didn't talk much when we were alone. Sometimes, just knowing that we were in the same space made me feel at ease.
The car accident made the headlines on TV and in newspapers. Fortunately, I wasn't exposed. According to Song Ji-hyo, Chu Zhen refused all interviews and visits, so they only used videos and pictures from the accident scene. However, the TV station and newspaper knew I was a victim, and my colleagues and superiors came to offer their condolences. Of course, Amy also came.
When she arrived, she was carrying a bouquet of flowers, their vibrant colors making her even more alluring and charming. During her simple words of comfort, her eyes never left Chu Zhen. I could see the complex emotions in her eyes: unrequited love and heartache.
Chu Zhen was worried that her presence would bother me, so he told her to put down her things and leave. Amy didn't linger either.
Chen Weiqi came a few times, always with Huang Yanyan. Seeing how happy Yanyan was, I didn't ask any questions, and I didn't say anything when Chen Weiqi came either.
From the time I woke up until I was discharged, I stayed in the hospital for another month. Chu Zhen went back to work after my condition stabilized, but he still spent most of his time at the hospital with me. When he wasn't there, my parents would come over. Despite my parents making me different kinds of nourishing food every day, my weight continued to increase.
"Lin Dang, they didn't tell me. They only brought me here today. My child, you've suffered so much~" When I got home, it was Grandma Chu Zhen who opened the door. The old lady burst into tears when she saw me.
"Grandma, look, I'm perfectly fine. Everyone was just worried about you." I circled around in front of Grandma and even managed a rare smile, because I didn't want the old lady to worry about me.
Professor Huang and my mother were preparing meals at home. Their first meeting was because of my car accident. Later, Chu Zhen said that their first meeting was at the door of the operating room. Professor Huang kept comforting my mother. After I woke up, their feelings were different. They hit it off immediately. After that, he kept preparing delicious food for me.
Lunch was the most complete gathering of both families we've had together. Because of our time together, there was no awkwardness at all. My two mothers sat on either side of me, constantly piling food into my bowl, and my grandmother kept asking Chu Zhen to serve me soup. Not wanting to refuse the elders' kindness, I ate until I was stuffed. Just as I was about to stand up and sway, Chu Zhen immediately appeared beside me, supporting me as if afraid I would fall.
"I'm fine, you're making it hard for me to walk!"
“You don’t need to walk in front of me.” Chu Zhen actually picked me up in his arms in front of everyone. “The doctor said you need to rest more.” Then he carried me into the bedroom in front of everyone.
My face flushed and my heart pounded. I had been keeping our cohabitation a secret from my parents, but now everyone probably knows!
"Grandma is still here. She can't accept your behavior." I scolded Chu Zhen when we got to bed.
“I’m in my late thirties, and Grandma has been wanting a grandson for a long time. She didn’t urge me before only because there wasn’t a more suitable granddaughter-in-law than you. Do you think Grandma can accept it this time?”
Hearing the barely suppressed laughter outside, I knew that everyone had accepted the fact that the two of us were living together, and even supported it.
My parents, Professor Huang, and Grandma stayed here for several days, and it was a very happy time. The two families got along very well, and the most frequent topic of conversation was my marriage to Chu Zhen. My previously depressed mood was greatly relieved by my family's company. However, seeing Chu Lin's old toys still makes me miss that poor child. I always thought Chu Zhen saved his life, and that Chu Zhen and I gave him a new family, but in the end, he still died because of me.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
