Chapter 55
If he hadn't experienced it firsthand, Peng Kun would never have imagined how much a missing hand could impact a person's life. He couldn't wring out a towel, open a bottle, or lift heavy objects... What he found most unbearable was the inability to trim his left hand's nails. Any action requiring the coordination of both hands had now become a challenge for him.
Every time he washes up, it takes him several times longer to unscrew the toothpaste cap and squeeze out the toothpaste. Many seemingly easy little things become difficult for him.
After his injury, he had been eating with a spoon in his left hand. One day at noon, he tried to use chopsticks, but accidentally knocked the lunchbox off while picking up food.
The lunchbox was overturned on the ground, and the food was spilled everywhere. Looking at the mess, he suddenly felt an indescribable sense of frustration and helplessness.
Fortunately, Liu Xia appeared at that moment. Since his admission to the hospital, Liu Xia had been visiting him every few days. Today, she was busy as soon as she entered the door, just like before.
She quickly tidied up the floor and then packed his clothes into a bag to take home and wash. Peng Kun wanted to say "thank you" to her, but he didn't dare to speak, afraid that she would repeat the same old lines again. She had said them countless times already: he was the benefactor of her whole family, and if it weren't for him saving the child, she didn't know how she would have survived.
He could only silently accept her "repayment." Now, she had become his half-caregiver, always rushing in and out after finishing her work. But this time, Liu Xia didn't leave immediately after finishing her work. She took out a nail clipper from her pocket and said to him, "Let me trim your nails. Your hands are inconvenient."
Peng Kun hesitated for a few seconds before finally extending his hand. He had never let anyone cut his nails since he could remember. Now, looking down at this unfamiliar person carefully holding his hand and trimming his nails, he felt incredibly uncomfortable. A deep sense of self-doubt washed over him—a feeling of losing control of his life and being forced to depend on others.
He was even somewhat afraid that if his right hand could not be restored, would it mean that he could never live like a normal person again? In the future, he would not only have to help others, but he would also need help with his own life and become a burden to others.
After being hospitalized, Peng Kun kept it a secret from his mother, telling her he was on a business trip out of town. For the past few Spring Festivals, Qi Shulan had spent them at the nursing home. Having visited so often, she had made a few friends there. That afternoon, feeling utterly bored, she asked her caregiver to prepare some snacks to take to her old friends at the nursing home. However, less than five minutes after sitting down, she learned from them that her son had been injured.
Qi Shulan found Dean Feng and asked him to take her to the hospital. Through the glass of the ward door, Qi Shulan immediately saw her son, who had lied about being "on a business trip out of town," leaning alone against the headboard, one hand wrapped in thick bandages, with no one to care for him. She could no longer hold back her tears. Dean Feng stepped forward and opened the door. She walked in tremblingly, grasped her son's uninjured hand, and burst into tears.
Peng Kun was already in a low mood, and now he had to deal with his mother who was on the verge of collapse. He felt even more depressed and could only force a smile and pretend to be relaxed, saying, "Mom, I'm fine. It's just a superficial injury. It will be fine after some rest."
Qi Shulan slowly stopped crying, angrily patted his back twice, and scolded, "Such a big thing happened, and you're just going to keep it from me?"
"I'll be discharged from the hospital in a few days. I didn't tell you because I didn't want you to worry."
"Where's your girlfriend? Why isn't she taking care of you at the hospital?" Qi Shulan asked.
“She goes to work every day, and the company can’t do without her.” Peng Kun’s words were true, but Zuo Xutong hadn’t been to the hospital for two weeks.
After finalizing the sample design, she personally went to the production line to oversee the process, checking whether the material was laid evenly, the amount used was accurate, and the fit was tight. She repeatedly adjusted the most suitable temperature, time, and pressure... and then returned to the laboratory to conduct sealing and performance tests until the sample met the standards.
During this period, she arrived at the company at eight o'clock every morning and did not leave until after eleven o'clock, sleeping only five or six hours a day, all in order to finish this batch of samples as soon as possible and help Peng Kun secure orders from European car companies.
"Then she can come over after get off work?" Qi Shulan asked again.
Peng Kun nodded: "Come on, come every day."
Qi Shulan was skeptical of his answer, but she couldn't provide any evidence to refute it. She stayed in the ward for a while before being asked to leave the hospital.
The next morning, she came again, carrying a thermos containing yam soup. Entering the ward, Qi Shulan looked around and found nothing had changed since her visit the day before; there was no trace of a woman's presence. Her suspicions grew: "Where's your girlfriend? Does she work on Saturdays too?"
Peng Kun was racking his brains trying to come up with an excuse; he couldn't very well say he was on a business trip again. But before he could even think of a reason, Zuo Xutong showed up, and not only that, she brought a fruit basket.
He quickly came up with a quick idea and said, "She went to buy me fruit."
Qi Shulan was relieved, and her expression softened.
Peng Kun was worried that the doctor might miss mentioning his condition during rounds, so he urged Qi Shulan to leave quickly: "You should go home. There are a lot of flu cases in the hospital. Don't get infected. She can take care of me here."
Zuo Xutong also realized what was happening and joined in, saying, "Yes, Auntie, don't worry, I will definitely take good care of him."
Qi Shulan believed it this time, gave a few instructions, and left.
As soon as Qi Shulan left, Zuo Xutong couldn't wait to tell Peng Kun: "The membrane electrode sample is finished and tested, and its performance fully meets the standards."
"Full inspection or random sampling?"
“Full inspection: 90 delivered samples, each of which underwent complete performance testing. We also prepared 10 extra samples as backup, which only underwent rapid screening.”
Peng Kun nodded. He trusted her work ability; otherwise, he wouldn't have dared to entrust her with the company's two most important projects. But as for her life skills, he glanced at the fruit basket she had brought, smiled wryly, and knew better than to expect anything from her.
"You've worked hard these past few days, you should go back and rest," he said.
"You're kicking me out as soon as I arrive?"
"I'm not kicking you out, I just want you to go back and rest."
"But I haven't finished reporting my work yet." Instead of leaving, she sat down on the chair next to her.
Seeing this, Peng Kun frowned and said, "In the future, you can report your work by phone or email. You don't need to come in person."
“I already promised Aunt Qi I would take care of you, otherwise I’ll call her back?” she said matter-of-factly.
Peng Kun fell silent at the mention of Qi Shulan.
Zuo Xutong took an orange from the fruit basket, put it in his hand, and said, "Have an orange."
Peng Kun was taken aback. He looked down at the orange in his hand, then looked up at her.
The two stared at each other for a few seconds before Zuo Xutong suddenly realized what was happening and snatched the orange back, saying, "Sorry, I forgot. I'll peel it for you."
A moment later, the peeled oranges were back in his hands. Zuo Xutong, however, looked at the basket of fruit with a troubled expression. The apples were fine; they could be eaten directly after washing. But the oranges, bananas, and dragon fruit all needed to be peeled. He had been so careless.
Just as she was blaming herself for this, Liu Xia arrived. She greeted the two people in the ward and then began to work. After cleaning, she skillfully opened the bedside cabinet, took out an apple, quickly peeled it, placed it on a plate, cut it into small pieces, stuck toothpicks in it, and handed it to Peng Kun.
Zuo Xutong was stunned by what Liu Xia did. After Liu Xia left, she exclaimed from the bottom of her heart, "Sister Liu really knows how to take care of people."
"Therefore, professional matters should be handled by professionals," Peng Kun said.
Just then, Zuo Xutong suddenly remembered something: "I almost forgot, I'm going to get something from the car." After saying that, she hurriedly left the ward and returned a short while later with a box in her arms.
She placed the cardboard box on the ground and took out a metal robotic arm from it. "I ordered this online. It arrived last week and has been in the trunk ever since."
"Will I rely on this from now on?" Peng Kun looked at the three grippers at the front of the robotic arm and felt a strange feeling in his heart.
“With this, you’ll never have to worry about peeling fruit again.” She didn’t notice the change in his expression and enthusiastically demonstrated for him, “It can hold and grasp things. For example, right now, I’m having it hold an orange for me…”
“How can I carry something this heavy around?” Peng Kun interrupted her, asking with a look of resistance. “Besides, can it help me drive?”
"I can drive you."
"Can you drive for me for the rest of my life?"
"Yes," Zuo Xutong answered decisively without hesitation. Hearing this word, he was visibly taken aback. Afraid that she hadn't been direct enough, she repeated, "I can drive for you for the rest of my life."
A glint flashed in his eyes, only to dim quickly. His expression shifted rapidly, a mixture of joy and sorrow, until finally, all his happiness, pain, and disbelief dissipated into a sigh. His gaze settled, and then he gently shook his head. He needed no pity, nor did he want to be a burden.
Zuo Xutong didn't understand what his head-shaking meant. She just wanted to tell him that no matter what he became, she was willing to take care of him for the rest of her life. But he didn't seem to understand, so she spoke again, her voice firm and clear: "If you're willing, I can be your driver for the rest of my life."
"I don't want to."
"Why?"
"You're suitable as a friend and work partner, but not as a 'driver'," he said in a low voice, as if these words had exhausted all his strength. This time, Zuo Xutong finally understood that he was rejecting her.
She stared at his face for a long time, then said nothing and turned to leave the ward.
He stared in the direction she had disappeared, utterly despondent.
These past two days, his stitches were just removed, leaving a scar that runs across his entire palm. The doctor said his injury was too severe; the tendons and nerves were completely severed, almost reaching the metacarpal bone. At night, needle-like nerve pain wakes him from his dreams, and painkillers only provide temporary relief. He is tormented by the pain and cannot sleep.
But if he had to choose again, he would still save the child. He just happened to be in this situation. Since it was fate, he could only accept it. But he couldn't drag his loved one into the quagmire of fate.
Peng Kun looked out the window; the wind blew through the withered branches, just like his withered heart.
He lowered his head, burying it in his arms like a wounded hedgehog. He didn't know how much time had passed before someone nudged his shoulder. He looked up, a surprised expression on his face: "Why are you back again?"
"I didn't leave, I just went to the supermarket." It turned out that she had noticed two small cuts on his left cheek earlier, and she immediately remembered the manual razor on his bathroom counter. She stared at his face and guessed that he must always shave manually. Before, when he had both hands, it was fine, but now that he only had one hand, it was inevitable that he would cut his skin. So she found a large supermarket near the hospital and bought an electric razor.
She placed the razor on the bedside table and said to him, "Use this from now on, it won't cut your face."
He was silent for a moment, then suddenly asked, "In your eyes, am I a useless person?"
“No, in my eyes, you are a warrior,” she replied seriously. “I just don’t understand, if you’re not even afraid of death, why are you afraid of ghosts?”
Peng Kun lowered his head and thought seriously for a moment: "Maybe it's because most of the ghosts in movies look too scary. If they all looked like Nie Xiaoqian, I wouldn't be afraid."
Zuo Xutong couldn't help but laugh, and then he said, "Actually, the scariest thing is that if ghosts really exist, then death is not the end of suffering."
“That makes sense, but you shouldn’t have those concerns.”
Because in her heart, he was a man who loved others as himself. Let alone a single hand, he would give his life to save someone, even facing a blade as if cutting through a spring breeze. In this era that generally idolizes self and prioritizes profit, he successfully became a negative example of "refined egoism." Such a person should go to heaven after death, and won't become a ghost, right?
At that moment, Peng Kun felt a sudden sharp pain in the nerve of his right hand. He gasped and looked at the hand in a cast.
"What's wrong? Does your wound hurt?" Zuo Xutong asked.
Peng Kun shook his head: "No, it's nerve pain. It hurts even more after the stitches were removed."
"The stitches have been removed? When were they removed?"
The day before yesterday.
"It's a pity I wasn't there, I didn't see your hand," she said with a hint of regret.
"Aren't you a perfectionist? Can't you appreciate the Venus de Milo?"
“My perfectionism is on a spiritual level, not on a material level, much less a physiological level. As for the Venus de Milo, that was just something I said offhand. You actually took it seriously?” Zuo Xutong rolled her eyes at him and said irritably, “I could also say that I can appreciate David, that naked man with a landlady-style haircut who’s about to throw a shot put. You actually believed that?”
Peng Kun stared at her, dumbfounded: "Wait, are we talking about the same 'David'?"
"Are there any other 'Davids' besides Michelangelo's most famous figure sculptures?"
“Now I understand, what you can’t appreciate isn’t just Venus…” Peng Kun covered his face, not wanting his smile to be too obvious.
“Besides, what David is holding is a slingshot, not a shot put,” he corrected. “Not everything that’s held on the shoulder is called a shot put.”
Zuo Xutong shrugged, completely ignoring his mockery, and said to herself, "Just let me know in advance when you remove the cast next time."
"Why?"
"I want to see how your wound is healing..."
"It's just a scar, what's so interesting about it?" Peng Kun didn't know how she would react to seeing that shocking scar, and he hoped she would never see it.
"Everyone has a scar or two in their life," she said, taking off her coat and throwing it on the bed. Then she stepped forward, lifted her clothes, unbuckled her belt, and pulled her pants down forcefully...
Peng Kun stared at her, wondering what she was up to. If he hadn't been sitting on the bed, he would have run away long ago.
She pulled her pants up to her hips, revealing the lower right side of her abdomen: "Look, I also have a scar on my body. It's from when I had an appendectomy when I was six years old. Back then, there was no minimally invasive surgery, so we had to have open surgery."
His gaze fell on the several-centimeter-long scar on her waist, imagining her as a child lying on a cold operating table.
"So I'm not a perfect person either, I don't have an appendix!" she said seriously.
Peng Kun was both amused and exasperated to see her so diligently undressing in order to show him her "imperfections": "Hurry up and put them back on, it's cold, don't get cold."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
