Painful Choices
I. The somber atmosphere in the ward
The smell of disinfectant in the ward was so strong it was suffocating. Zhong Hua sat quietly by his mother's bedside, looking at her pale, paper-white face, his heart filled with sorrow. His mother's eyes were tightly closed, her fragile vital signs seemed as if she might disappear at any moment, and the life support equipment emitted a monotonous "tick-tock" sound, as if counting down something.
Zhong Hua gently grasped her mother's withered hand. Those hands, once warm and strong, had given her countless loves and support, but now they were so cold. Tears welled in her eyes, but she stubbornly refused to let them fall. In recent days, Zhong Hua had already spent countless hours and money on her mother's illness. The hospital had repeatedly hinted that if she wanted her mother to receive better treatment, more resources would be needed, which was undoubtedly adding insult to injury for her, who was already overwhelmed by the public opinion storm.
Just then, her phone rang abruptly, breaking the oppressive silence in the ward. Zhong Hua glanced at the caller ID, her heart tightening – it was Gu Yanting. She took a deep breath, got up, and left the ward, gently closing the door behind her.
II. Threats over the phone
"Zhong Hua, what's your decision?" Gu Yanting's voice came from the other end of the phone, carrying an unquestionable coldness.
Zhong Hua gripped her phone tightly, her knuckles turning white. "Gu Yanting, what exactly do you want?"
“It’s simple. Leave Ah Yu. As long as you leave him, I will cover all your mother’s medical expenses at the hospital and arrange the best medical team. Otherwise…” Gu Yanting paused deliberately, “You should know the consequences.”
Zhong Hua's lips trembled, "This is a despicable tactic!"
"Despicable? In this world, only results matter. Your mother's life is in your hands. You decide what to do. I'll give you a day to think it over. Give me your answer by this time tomorrow." With that, Gu Yanting hung up the phone.
Zhong Hua leaned weakly against the wall, tears finally streaming down her face. She never imagined that Gu Yanting would use her mother's illness to blackmail her. On one side was her beloved mother, who had given her life and raised her with great difficulty; she couldn't bear to watch her mother lose her life because of lack of money for treatment. On the other side was the man she deeply loved, Ah Yu; they had been through so much together, from acquaintance to understanding, their feelings for each other were deeply rooted.
III. Memories and Entanglements
Zhong Hua dragged his heavy steps back to the ward, sat by his mother's bedside, and his thoughts involuntarily drifted back to the bits and pieces of how he met Ah Yu.
They met at a press conference. Ah Yu attended as a representative of an emerging company, while Zhong Hua went to interview her as a reporter. Ah Yu's unique demeanor and exceptional conversation immediately caught Zhong Hua's attention. During the interview, Ah Yu's sincere and frank answers deepened Zhong Hua's positive impression of her. From then on, the two gradually became acquainted. As their contact increased, they discovered they shared many common interests and ideals, and their feelings for each other deepened without them even realizing it.
They had shared sweet dates, strolled through the streets and alleys, and shared the joys and sorrows of life; they had also faced Gu Yanting's schemes together, supporting each other through the vortex of public opinion, never abandoning one another. Zhong Hua knew deeply that Ah Yu was the one she could entrust her life to.
But now, her mother's illness is like a mountain, suffocating her. If her insistence leads to her mother's death, she will live with guilt for the rest of her life. But if she leaves Ah Yu for her mother's sake, her heart aches as if it's being torn apart.
IV. Unsuccessful attempts to seek help
Zhong Hua decided to seek help from her friends, and her first thought was of her best friend of many years, Xiao Yan. Upon hearing Zhong Hua's plight, Xiao Yan also looked helpless, "Zhong Hua, I really want to help you, but I'm also short on money lately and simply can't come up with that much. Besides, Gu Yanting is so powerful; we can't possibly fight him."
Zhong Hua contacted several former colleagues, but the responses she received were either that they couldn't help or that they politely declined. She felt more helpless than ever before, as if the whole world had abandoned her.
Just when she was feeling desperate, she suddenly thought of Lin Wanqing. Lin Wanqing and Ayu were close, perhaps she could come up with a solution. So, Zhong Hua dialed Lin Wanqing's number.
V. Lin Wanqing's Helplessness
After receiving Zhong Hua's call, Lin Wanqing quickly arrived at the hospital. The two sat in the hospital garden, where Zhong Hua told Lin Wanqing about Gu Yanting's threats and his own predicament.
After listening, Lin Wanqing frowned. "Zhong Hua, I know you're in a lot of pain right now, and I want to help you, but I'm barely able to protect myself. Gu Yanting has been targeting me and A Yu, and there's very little I can do right now."
A hint of disappointment flashed in Zhong Hua's eyes. "Is there really no other way?"
Lin Wanqing grasped Zhong Hua's hand. "Zhong Hua, don't be too anxious. Let's think of another way. Perhaps we can resolve this through legal channels and make Gu Yanting receive the punishment he deserves."
Zhong Hua shook his head with a wry smile, "Legal procedures are too slow, and we don't have enough evidence right now. Mother can't wait that long."
The two fell silent, and the only sound in the garden was the rustling of leaves in the breeze, as if it too were sighing for their plight.
VI. Difficult Reflections and Struggles
That night, Zhong Hua returned home alone. She sat in the dark living room, without turning on the lights, letting her thoughts struggle in the abyss of pain.
She kept weighing the importance of her mother and Ah Yu in her mind. Her mother was the closest person to her in the world, and her nurturing kindness was as heavy as Mount Tai. Without her mother, she wouldn't be who she was today. But Ah Yu, the man who gave her love and warmth, had become an indispensable part of her life. She couldn't imagine what her life would be like without Ah Yu.
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