Chapter 60 Marry Me "Senior, will you marry me?"...
A busy work week begins, and Zhu Liushuang finds herself unable to find suitable time to visit He Ming and Xie Jingzhi in the hospital. During work hours, she cannot leave her workstation, and every time she tries to contact He Ming before leaving work, he says he is not in the inpatient department.
Even so, she always kept them in her heart. Every day, she would ask He Ming on WeChat about the latest condition of Dr. Xie. However, after sending the message, he would usually take a very long time to reply.
Fortunately, Xie Jingzhi's bleeding did not continue to increase, and he managed to survive the acute bleeding period. However, this did not bring complete relief, as his body temperature continued to rise, edema appeared around his brainstem, gradually compressing his nerves, and he fell into a moderate coma.
Although Zhu Liushuang didn't go to the hospital, they thoroughly investigated He Ming's situation. For example, Gu Xufeng and Ye Xingzhi would take time each day to visit He Ming at the hospital. Furthermore, He Ming's friends, superiors, and colleagues had all visited him at the hospital to offer their condolences, but his close relatives were nowhere to be seen.
August and September are the off-season for accounting firms, but He Ming's team had an audit project on railway construction, so even though he had taken a year's leave, he still had to sit in the rest area outside the ICU with his laptop and work.
When Zhu Liushuang heard these news from Ye Xingzhi, she felt very uncomfortable.
On the fifth day after Xie Jingzhi fell ill, his body became severely swollen, especially his face, which was terribly swollen. Due to the worsening of his lung infection, the doctor performed a tracheotomy on him.
On the seventh day after Xie Jingzhi fell ill, Tian Xingyu went to the hospital on behalf of her friend. While He Ming was at work, she secretly took a photo and sent it to Zhu Liushuang.
In the photo, He Ming was dressed casually, a far cry from his usual refined and neat appearance. The dark circles under his eyes and the chapped lips were clearly visible. The moment Zhu Liushuang, who was eating lunch, opened the photo, her eyes immediately welled up with tears.
"Liu Shuang, what's wrong with you? Your eyes are suddenly as red as a rabbit's..." Zhuang Xiaoqian, who was sitting opposite her, asked curiously.
Zhu Liushuang pretended to cough a few times and said, "I just ate a chili pepper, and it's making my eyes hurt..."
She made an excuse to go back to her office halfway through lunch.
Sunday finally arrived, and early in the morning, Zhu Liushuang rode her electric scooter to the People's Hospital.
Unsure whether He Ming had eaten breakfast, she took it upon herself to bring him homemade pork shumai and fruit tea.
The hospital was already quiet on Sunday, and since she arrived early, the entrance and exit on the first floor of the inpatient department were deserted.
As the indicator light for the fourth floor lit up, Zhu Liushuang hurried towards the rest area outside the ICU. The things she was carrying swayed from side to side with her large movements. Her eyes darted around, looking everywhere but unable to find He Ming.
Zhu Liushuang sat quietly in the chair waiting for him. While waiting, she took out the photos her friend had sent her again and looked at them from left to right. He seemed to have lost weight!
She sighed deeply. He must not have been eating properly these past few days. If only a family member could take over his shifts, he wouldn't be working so hard.
It was just past 7:30 when Zhu Liushuang got up and headed towards the restroom.
Before the person had even turned the corner, they could already hear two men arguing. One of their voices sounded a lot like He Ming's.
She timidly stopped and crouched down to peek out.
Two tall men stood facing each other at the entrance to the men's restroom. The one directly opposite her was He Ming. The other man's voice sounded somewhat familiar; Zhu Liushuang roughly guessed that he was He Ming's father.
"The old man is in the ICU now, costing tens of thousands a day, and we don't know how long he'll be bedridden. Can you afford it yourself?" the middle-aged man asked seriously.
“After medical insurance reimbursement, there won’t be that much… No matter how many days he needs to stay in the ICU, I will take full responsibility and won’t cost you a single penny,” He Ming said coldly.
"You..." The middle-aged man's voice suddenly rose, a sentence stuck in his throat. Then he softened his tone: "A couple of days ago, your Aunt Yao and I went to a 'master' in Zhang County to have the old man's fortune told. He is destined to face this calamity, and whether he can survive it depends on you."
"When did Dad become so superstitious?" He Ming said sarcastically. "Oh, ever since you remarried Yao Ying, you've been praying to gods and Buddhas all day long. Yao Ying whispered in your ear that I was destined to have no relatives, that I would bring bad luck to both my mother and father, so you kicked me out of the house without saying a word..."
"Now are you trying to tell me... that Grandpa is like this because of me?" He Ming asked, raising his sharp thorns.
"How could you say that? The reason we had the old man take you back was because..." The middle-aged man was furious, his shoulders trembling slightly with anger, "Forget it... it's all in the past, there's nothing to explain. The 'master' said the old man likes lively and festive things, and if you get married soon, maybe he'll wake up."
He Ming's face showed disbelief. He suppressed his surging anger and questioned, "He Guanshan, are you crazy? Why go through all this trouble to convince me to be your future boss's son-in-law?"
"I...I didn't say that." He Guanshan lost his composure, startled by his son's outburst of anger, and took a step back. "It's you who insisted on thinking that way. I spent five thousand yuan to have the old man's fortune told..."
"Go away, there's no need for you to stay here and pretend." He Ming tossed the bank card in his hand to his father. "Take the card back too, I don't need it. Otherwise, Yao Ying will gossip about taking the money behind my back again."
Zhu Liushuang covered her mouth the entire time to avoid making a sound. She remembered that last time at Mengyuan Restaurant, He Ming at least managed to address his stepmother as "Aunt Yao," but now he brazenly called her by her name, unable to hide his disgust for her.
It seems he's given up on pretending altogether.
Although she only heard the latter half of their conversation, she could still empathize with He Ming. His vicious and selfish stepmother, his biased and easily swayed father, and his only loving grandfather were currently lying in the intensive care unit, their fate uncertain.
If it were her, she would probably break down too, right?
Zhu Liushuang's back pressed against the cold tiles, slowly sliding down until she collapsed onto the ground.
————
When his father, He Guanshan, handed him the bank card and said he "wanted to do his part for the old man," He Ming thought he was genuinely thinking of their well-being.
Reality, however, slapped him hard in the face. His father's true intention was not this; the so-called "helping in times of need" was merely incidental.
When he heard He Guanshan say "get married as soon as possible," he thought he was being unreasonable.
Only when the heavy footsteps gradually faded into the distance and He Guanshan's dejected figure disappeared into the corridor did he finally calm down completely.
He began to waver, which led to self-doubt and self-denial.
Even staunch materialists are forced to succumb to metaphysics when faced with the stark reality of life and death.
When my maternal grandfather was in good health, he was always worried about his marriage, fearing that he would not be able to face his mother and maternal grandmother after he passed away.
If my grandfather doesn't survive the "edema period," then he will become a true "unfilial son," leaving the old man with regret and sorrow as he passes away.
He Ming recalled that he had solemnly promised his grandfather that he would definitely put the matter of getting married on the agenda and fulfill his wish as soon as possible.
But he broke his promise!
Yesterday afternoon, he visited the old man in the ICU. The old man was lying on the bed with tubes all over his body, completely without dignity. As he sat beside him and talked to him, the old man's tightly closed, wrinkled eyes suddenly moved and then opened with difficulty.
Although the doctor told him this was normal and the patient was unconscious, he secretly believed the old man could hear him. He stubbornly fought against death, waiting for the day when sunlight would stream into the ICU window and his grandson would come to greet him joyfully as he left this room full of cold instruments.
"Bang—" His fist slammed heavily on the hard marble countertop. He clearly had so much time to think about his marriage, but he only ever talked a good game and never really took it to heart. He even... argued with his grandfather about it several times, making the old man so angry that he smashed his bowl and chopsticks.
Regret filled his heart, and a bitter smile spread across his lips. He couldn't help but mock himself: If he hadn't used work to numb himself in the past few years and had fulfilled his grandfather's wish to get married and have children, would his grandfather have avoided this accident?
There are no "what ifs" in this world, so he could only make a silent resolution in his heart.
If my grandfather wakes up normally, he will go on blind dates with whichever girl he wants, and he will never disobey.
He Ming stood there for a while, his pale and gloomy face reflected in the half-length mirror behind him. He bent down, turned on the tap, and splashed water hard on his face several times.
Cold water can clear one's mind. He wiped the water off his face haphazardly, suppressed his anger, and walked out.
————
Zhu Liushuang sat alone on the ground for a long time, her phone screen lit up, with the words "Dr. Xie" clearly visible on it.
Their conversation ended several days ago, when Xie Jingzhi's cough had just improved. He told her on WeChat that he was feeling unwell and had therefore arranged a referral for Gu Chunling.
Zhu Liushuang expressed her gratitude and concern to the elderly man. Knowing that Dr. Xie liked the small cakes she made, she patted her chest and promised that she would often visit the elderly man in the countryside and bring him delicious homemade treats.
The conversation ended with Zhu Liushuang blushing; she replied to Xie Jingzhi with a "cute" emoji and stopped revealing her feelings.
The reason was that Xie Jingzhi's indirect hints made her feel really embarrassed.
"Little Zhu, if I may be so bold as to ask, do you have feelings for our A-Ming? I think A-Ming feels the same way about you. You're a good girl, and if you really like him, I hope you'll take the initiative. A-Ming is a pitiful child; he lacked love and care growing up, and his personality is a bit awkward—he doesn't really know how to interact with girls..."
Just as she was pondering her memories, a questioning voice sounded above her.
"Zhu Liushuang?"
The owner of the voice looked at her in surprise, his brows furrowed.
"Senior... Senior?" Zhu Liushuang hurriedly stood up, leaning against the wall. She made up a clumsy excuse, "I was just about to go to the restroom when I slipped and fell."
He Ming ignored her hastily made-up excuse and his sharp gaze swept over her restrained face: "Did you hear that?"
Those eyes pierced through her panic, making her feel uneasy. Zhu Liushuang nodded emphatically: "I didn't mean to eavesdrop. I brought you some homemade breakfast, but I couldn't find you..."
She looked at his thin, stubble-covered chin, and her voice gradually lowered.
"I'm sorry to have made you laugh..." He Ming lost his usual politeness, said this and walked past her toward the ICU.
He took very long strides, so long that after only a few steps, she felt she couldn't keep up with him.
Zhu Liushuang stood in the middle of the corridor, breathing heavily. As if she had made a great decision, she raised her head and called out to the indifferent figure that was walking further and further away, "Senior, wait a moment."
The man stopped in response, turned around, and looked at me with a strange expression: "Is there anything else? I might not be able to have a calm conversation with you right now. You should go back!"
A sharp pain shot through Zhu Liushuang's heart, and for the first time, he felt as if he were being resolutely pushed away.
Because—she deliberately peered into his vulnerability and pain.
Her fingernails dug into her palms, and only by resisting with all her might could she keep herself from giving up.
"Senior, will you marry me?" Zhu Liushuang's voice trembled slightly as she asked him earnestly.
The man looked up in astonishment, as if he had heard something utterly unbelievable. He gazed at her silently, his gaze reaching into her very heart.
Zhu Liushuang jogged a few steps and ran up to him: "Senior, I'm not joking."
He Ming stared intently at her face, his once-flat brows furrowing together: "Zhu Liushuang, you don't need to go to such lengths for the sake of so-called gratitude... In the end, we're just ordinary alumni."
He distanced himself from them so completely!
Nervousness and grievance made her tongue tie, but she did not back down: "No... I am not doing this to repay a debt of gratitude, nor out of pity."
She knew, of course, that He Ming would reject her without hesitation, so she found another reason.
Zhu Liushuang smiled bitterly, "Senior, you should know something about my family situation. My father passed away early, and there are no men in the family. My mother and I have suffered cold looks from relatives and have been bullied when we go out. Last time we encountered thugs at the night market... I was so scared that my hands were shaking. At that time, I thought that if I could find someone to rely on, maybe my life would be easier in the future."
To make her reasons sound convincing, Zhu Liushuang deliberately positioned herself as weak and helpless.
She watched as He Ming's tightly furrowed brows slowly relaxed and then gradually furrowed again. He seemed to be pondering her words very seriously.
"I'm sorry, but if that's the case, then I'm even less likely to accept it. You should know... a marriage without a foundation of love will not last. I can't give you what you call support, and I can't just drag you into a fire pit because I want to fulfill my grandfather's last wish." In his heart, Zhu Liushuang was a good girl, worthy of someone better to entrust her life to.
As expected, she still couldn't persuade him, and Zhu Liushuang gave a weak smile.
But that's alright, she has an even more convincing reason.
"I'm glad you've considered my feelings so deeply, senior." Zhu Liushuang changed the subject, trying her best to keep her tone calm and collected. "Then let's speak frankly!"
He Ming crossed his arms and waited quietly for her to continue.
"To be honest, I have no intention of getting married in this lifetime. It's because there's a hereditary disease in my family. My maternal grandfather died from complications caused by ankylosing spondylitis. My mother inherited his genes and suffered from rheumatoid arthritis in middle age, which caused her great pain. And I, I inherited the same genes..." Zhu Liushuang scoffed, "Wouldn't someone like me marrying someone and having children be just harming them?"
She held her chin high and calmly met He Ming's gaze.
She was pleasantly surprised to find that the icy look in He Ming's eyes was quietly melting away.
As if encouraged, Zhu Liushuang looked him straight in the eye and continued, "So... if it's a marriage of convenience, senior, can you accept it? You're good-looking, kind-hearted, and have a good job. To outsiders, you're definitely a perfect match. I don't need you to fulfill the duties of a husband; I just need you to help me deal with others during holidays. If you could also help me out when I run into trouble at my stall, that would be even better..."
"You..." He Ming only managed to utter one word before she interrupted him.
“If we get married now, maybe Dr. Xie will actually wake up because of this good news… After all, he still likes me quite a bit; before he got sick, he kept asking me to visit him more often,” Zhu Liushuang chuckled. “Of course, if you find true love in the future, we can part ways amicably, and I will never pester you…”
The corridor was empty, and sunlight slanted in through the glass, half falling on the floor and half onto Zhu Liushuang's brave and fearless face.
After she finished speaking, she waited anxiously for his "verdict."
If he agrees, then from now on they will be bound by a marriage contract.
If he rejects her, her affection for him will likely scatter like dust motes dancing in the air, never to gather into a sea.
The surroundings were eerily quiet, as if the entire hospital ward was empty except for her and him.
Just as she was losing hope and her heart sank to the bottom, his tightly pursed lips moved slightly.
"Okay," He Ming replied hoarsely, "Let's set a time to go to the Civil Affairs Bureau tomorrow morning!"
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Author's Note: [Shrug][Shrug] Writing this was so difficult. In this small town, people tend to turn to superstition when they get sick, so it's probably somewhat reasonable, right? [Chin resting on hand]
In short... let's raise a toast to our courageous and determined love! Love belongs to those who bravely pursue it.
[Cat emoji][Cat emoji][Cat emoji] Wishing all my readers a Happy Chinese New Year and all the best! (I'll be a bit busy tomorrow and the day after, so I'll be taking a couple of days off. No need to stay tuned! See you after the New Year! [Milk tea emoji])
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