Chapter 347 Serious illness
After hanging up the phone, Gu Xiao turned and went upstairs.
In the bedroom, Nan Zhiyi was stuffing simple clothes into a travel bag, her fingers trembling slightly.
Gu Xiao walked over, pulled her into his arms, and gently stroked her back with his large hand.
"Don't be too nervous, Dad will be fine. Be careful on the road. Once you get to Jian'an and settle in, call me immediately, no matter how late it is."
Nan Zhiyi nestled closer to him, hugging him back tightly. "I know. I'm entrusting our son to you."
She remembered school, "Don't forget to ask my counselor, Ms. Li, for leave."
"Okay." Gu Xiao tightened his arms around her, then quickly released her.
The two quickly packed their simple belongings.
Gu Xiao picked up his luggage bag and went downstairs first.
Nan Zhiyi strode into the children's room and looked at her son sleeping soundly on the bed, feeling a pang of tenderness in her heart.
She bent down and touched her son's forehead, then gave Sister Zhang a few more words of advice.
"Don't worry, sister-in-law, I will definitely take good care of Xiaoman," Sister Zhang assured her repeatedly.
Nan Zhiyi then turned around and went downstairs to the outside of the courtyard.
Xiao Liu had already started the Jeep and was waiting, its headlights piercing the night.
Gu Xiao and Gu Yan stood by the car. When she came out, Gu Xiao opened the car door and helped her into the car.
"Xiao Liu, take good care of your sister-in-law and be careful on the road."
"Brother, don't worry!"
The car slowly drove away.
Nan Zhiyi couldn't help but look back through the car window. Gu Xiao stood at the gate of the courtyard in the dim light, his figure imprinted in the night.
She withdrew her gaze, leaned back in her seat, closed her eyes, and suppressed all her worries and sorrows, hoping only to reach Jian'an as soon as possible.
Commander Gu always took great care of their little family, whether they were stationed in remote mountainous areas or later in the capital. His care never stopped.
Since Xiaoman's birth, Commander Gu has doted on his grandson to the core, and the number of packages he sends each year has increased significantly.
He, such a dignified commander, was learning to draw crooked little animals in his letters to his grandson... Thinking of this, Nan Zhiyi couldn't help but sigh.
Sitting in the passenger seat, Gu Yan turned his head, trying to make out her expression in the dim light, and gently comforted her, "Zhiyi, don't scare yourself. Dad is in good health, maybe... by the time we get there, he'll have recovered and be in the ward scolding the doctor for making a fuss over nothing..."
He spoke with a lack of confidence.
Nan Zhiyi knew he meant well and hummed in agreement.
She picked up the blankets from the back seat and handed two to Gu Yan: "Gu Yan, put these blankets on, it'll be chilly at night. Also, give one to Comrade Xiao Liu, he's driving and it's inconvenient for him."
Gu Yan took it, teasingly saying, "Wow, my brother's become so thoughtful now? He even knows to bring a blanket when we go out? Or is it because of you that Xiao Liu and I are doing this?"
Nan Zhiyi wasn't in the mood to argue with him right now, so she gently patted the back of his seat. "What time is it? Stop joking! Put this on so you don't catch a cold."
She leaned back in her seat and covered her lap with the blanket.
Outside the window was endless darkness, with the occasional flash of headlights from an oncoming car.
She knew it would take at least a whole night to get from the capital to Jian'an.
She couldn't sleep for the first half of the night, her mind filled with terrifying images.
Until the early hours of the morning, she couldn't stay awake any longer, and with her head against the car window, she drifted off into a light sleep.
As soon as the car came to a stop, the slight jolt woke Nan Zhiyi.
She sat up straight and looked out the car window. The Jian'an Military Region Hospital building stood in the hazy morning light.
She took a deep breath and opened the car door.
Gu Yan also came to his senses and got out of the car.
The two men picked up their simple luggage and told the exhausted Xiao Liu, "Go to the military guesthouse to rest first, and then return to Beijing after you've recovered. Be sure to be careful on the way."
Xiao Liu nodded in agreement.
Nan Zhiyi and Gu Yan jogged into the hospital gate.
The hospital corridor was empty and quiet in the early morning, and the smell of disinfectant was particularly pungent.
They asked the front desk nurse, Commander Gu, for directions to the ward.
The nurse checked the records and informed them that the person was under observation in the intensive care unit and was still in critical condition.
Without asking any further questions, the two quickly headed towards the intensive care unit area, following the nurse's directions.
Just as I turned the corner of the corridor, I saw several people standing or sitting outside the closed intensive care unit.
Besides Xiao Li, who stood solemnly by the door like a benchmark, there were also his second brother Gu Jianjun and his second sister-in-law Zhang Xiufen, and his fourth brother Gu Weimin and his fourth sister-in-law Wang Juan.
Gu Jianjun's face was deathly pale, his eyes darting around, clearly filled with anxiety, and he kept wringing his hands. Zhang Xiufen stood beside him, her brows furrowed, her lips pressed tightly together.
Gu Weimin and Wang Juan were more anxious than anything else; Wang Juan was even secretly wiping away tears.
Upon seeing Nan Zhiyi and Gu Yan appear, Gu Jianjun and Zhang Xiufen exchanged a glance, their expressions complex. Gu Weimin and Wang Juan also exchanged a surprised look.
"Second brother, second sister-in-law. Fourth brother, fourth sister-in-law." Nan Zhiyi was the first to greet them.
Zhang Xiufen blurted out, "Xiao Liu, Zhiyi? You...you guys are back so soon?"
"I rushed back overnight after receiving the call." Gu Yan said succinctly, not bothering with their subtle banter.
He strode up to Xiao Li and asked, "Comrade Xiao Li, what's the situation with my dad? How serious is it?"
Upon seeing them, Xiao Li seemed to have found a pillar of support. He lowered his voice and reported, "The commander suffered a brain hemorrhage due to a sudden outburst of anger. The situation is... very serious. The bleeding is substantial, compressing brain tissue. The doctors worked through the night to save him, and he is still under close observation. He is not out of danger yet."
Nan Zhiyi's eyes stung, and she bit her lip hard.
Gu Yan's expression darkened further as he pressed, "Did you get so angry? What could have made Dad so upset?"
His gaze involuntarily swept over Gu Jianjun, whose face was growing increasingly pale.
Xiao Li shook his head: "Well... I don't know the specifics either. Yesterday afternoon, the commander received a phone call in his office, and while listening... he became very agitated, and suddenly... he collapsed. We immediately sent him to the hospital..."
As a bodyguard, it was indeed inconvenient for him to find out the specific content of the leader's phone call.
Gu Yan's gaze lingered on Gu Jianjun for a few seconds, making Gu Jianjun almost afraid to look up, cold sweat beading on his forehead.
Nan Zhiyi sniffed, forcing herself to calm down.
"Xiao Li, where's the doctor? Where's the attending physician? I want to go find the doctor to ask about the details."
Gu Yan knew he couldn't get into the ward now, and there was no use in worrying. He said to Nan Zhiyi, "I'll go with you."
The two gestured to their older brothers and sisters-in-law, then followed Xiao Li and walked quickly toward the doctor's office.
Upon learning the purpose of their visit, Dr. Zhao pointed to the shadowed area on the light panel and explained to Nan Zhiyi and Gu Yan,
"Commander Gu's bleeding site is in the basal ganglia region, causing compression to the surrounding brain tissue. The outcome depends on whether the bleeding can be absorbed on its own... Currently, his vital signs are stable, but he is not yet out of danger..."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com