So concerned
The daylight had not yet completely dispelled the night, and the open space in front of the hospital was shrouded in a gray-blue morning mist. The early morning air was crisp, with a hint of clean coolness.
The street lights were still on, blending with the gradually brightening skylight, casting a blurry halo.
Wen Lingyi stood there alone, wearing only a thin sweater.
In one hand she held a small paper cup filled with almost black espresso, and between her fingers in the other was a slender cigarette with a long trail of ash that she had forgotten to flick off.
There was no expression on his face, but there were obvious dark blue shadows under his eyes, his eyelids were slightly swollen, and he looked tired.
This woman was completely different from the bright and radiant woman in Chu Wei's memory, who seemed to have a halo around her.
Chu Wei walked over from the direction of the hotel and stopped beside Wen Lingyi.
Her voice broke the silence of the early morning: "How come you arrived earlier than us yesterday? The hospital...did they notify you first?"
"No." Wen Lingyi shook her head, her voice a little hoarse, "I only found out when I saw the trending search." As she spoke, she finally remembered to flick the ash off her cigarette.
"I chartered a plane straight away. My mind was in a mess at the time, I was just thinking about getting there as quickly as possible, and I didn't think about contacting you."
Chu Wei was silent for a moment. This was probably what was called "evil capitalism."
However, thanks to Wen Lingyi, she was able to stay in a five-star hotel for the first time in her life in a place like City B where every inch of land is worth a lot of money.
The bed was so soft that she did feel nostalgic for it for a moment when she woke up this morning.
"You didn't sleep all night?" Chu Wei's tone softened unconsciously. She took out a still warm sandwich and soy milk from her paper bag and handed them to Wen Lingyi. "Go get some sleep. We're here for you."
"It's okay." Wen Lingyi took the breakfast and thanked him in a low voice.
She hadn't had a drop of water since she rushed into the hospital yesterday, and her stomach was feeling empty.
"I want to see her wake up with my own eyes." Her eyes passed the hospital gate and looked towards the inpatient building.
"It seems," Chu Wei looked at Wen Lingyi's profile, "that you still care about her a lot."
She paused, as if choosing her words: "Before... maybe I misunderstood you."
Wen Lingyi took a sip of her cold coffee and didn't respond immediately. After a while, she took out her cigarette case and gestured to Chu Wei: "Do you smoke?"
"I don't usually smoke." Chu Wei said, but reached out and took out a cigarette from the cigarette box, "But today, I can make an exception."
She took the lighter handed to her by Wen Lingyi, lowered her head and lit it, her movements a little awkward.
She took a deep breath, and the spicy smoke rushed into her lungs, causing her to cough lightly twice.
The two stood in silence for a while, watching the endless stream of vehicles passing by the road in front of the hospital.
Chu Wei exhaled a puff of light smoke and looked at the clouds in the distance that were beginning to appear with golden edges.
"If you really like her that much," she squinted her eyes, which were a little tearful because of the smoke, "then be with her well."
After all, that silly girl Zhou Jianxing clearly still has her in her heart.
·
It was almost noon, and no one had the mood to eat lunch. They were still gathered in front of the huge glass window of the intensive care unit.
The second hand of the clock on the wall moved slowly around and around, making a regular, light sound.
"Doctor, how long will it take for my daughter to wake up?" Zhou Shufen couldn't help but ask again when the doctor came out.
The doctor's answer was always filled with professional caution: "It's hard to say when. It varies from person to person. But judging from the various vital signs currently monitored, the condition is stable. There's no need to worry too much."
After hearing these words several times and their hopes being postponed again and again, the light of expectation on Zhou Jianjun and Zhou Shufen's faces gradually dimmed.
They sat back on the plastic chairs in the corridor dejectedly, their eyes bloodshot, leaning against each other in silence.
Chu Wei, Ajie and Xiao Min gathered around and whispered some comforting words.
Wen Lingyi still stood motionless in front of the glass window, her eyes refusing to leave Zhou Jianxing's face for a moment.
It seems that if you blink, you will miss the important moment.
·
Amid the ticking sound of the monitor, Zhou Jianxing's eyelids trembled like butterfly wings wet by rain.
Her vision was a blur of white, and the lights on the ceiling turned into overlapping and swaying halos.
In that halo, she seemed to see many Wen Lingyi.
Wen Lingyi wearing a white coat and with a serious expression; Wen Lingyi holding a cold scalpel; and finally, Wen Lingyi with red and swollen eyes, staring at her, frozen under the glaring light.
"So... there are revolving lanterns in heaven..." She tried to think, but her thoughts were like a tangled ball of thread, and she couldn't make sense of it.
She tried to speak, but her throat only made a slight hoarse sound, with a little pink foam.
Her consciousness floated between drowsiness and brief periods of clarity. She couldn't even tell whether what she saw was reality or an illusion. Even the concept of "reality" became vague and distant.
So, was Wen Lingyi a doctor? A nurse? Or the stranger who pressed on her chest, causing her bones to ache?
Zhou Jianxing opened his eyes slowly and with difficulty, his blurry vision gradually focused, and the first thing that came into view clearly was Wen Lingyi, with a pale face and heavy shadows under his eyes, outside the glass window.
A tear slipped from the corner of her eye without warning and seeped into the hair at her temples.
Why is she crying? She doesn't know either.
It was just a huge, unspeakable feeling of grievance and bitterness that surged up before my consciousness fully returned.
·
"Uncle! Auntie!" Wen Lingyi's voice showed a noticeable fluctuation for the first time, and her tone unconsciously rose. "Come and see! Zhou Jianxing is awake! She opened her eyes!"
Chu Wei only took a quick glance at the person inside who had indeed opened his confused eyes, then immediately turned around and almost ran towards the doctor's office.
The footsteps were particularly clear in the corridor.
In an instant, everyone crowded to the glass window, wanting to see Zhou Jianxing inside, who was about to wake up, with heavy eyelids and a confused look on his face.
Wen Lingyi silently took two steps back, giving the best seat to Zhou Jianxing's parents and friends.
She stood alone at the end, quietly looking at Zhou Jianxing's doubled eyelids.
"Doctor, doctor, can we go in and see her now? Just for a moment, just to take a closer look?" Zhou Jianjun couldn't help but grab the arm of the doctor who hurried over, his tone full of pleading.
He really wanted to see his daughter in person, who had frightened them all day.
"Yes, but the visiting time is only 30 minutes." The doctor glanced at the excited crowd and emphasized in a businesslike manner, "You need to wear isolation gowns and shoe covers. According to regulations, only two immediate family members or spouses can enter at a time."
Wen Lingyi's heart sank slightly.
She does not meet any of the above conditions.
She's just... a friend.
Her gaze passed over everyone and met Zhou Jianxing's gaze through the glass window.
The pair of eyes that had just awakened were still covered with a layer of mist, and no emotion could be read. They just stared blankly in her direction.
·
Strictly speaking, Zhou Jianxing is currently in a stage where he is conscious but not fully awake.
She could vaguely recognize people, but could only respond to questions with very slight nods or shakes of the head, and her throat could not make clear sounds because of the intubation.
The anesthetic had not yet fully worn off, and she occasionally slipped into a state called delirium, characterized by confusion and brief hallucinations.
She would not know where she was, would be unable to communicate effectively, and might even mistake the IV tube and the surgeon for a snake and a murderer.
If I had the strength, I might have to stand up and fight them.
Zhou Shufen remembered the doctor's instructions clearly and stayed away from emotions so as not to affect the patient.
Her tears rolled around in her eyes for several times, but were forced back, leaving her eye sockets red.
"Xingxing," she pointed at herself, her voice soft and gentle, "Do you still recognize your mother?"
Zhou Jianxing's eyelashes trembled, and he nodded very slowly.
"Xingxing," Zhou Shufen's finger moved to Zhou Jianjun beside her, her voice trembling slightly, "Then... who is this? Do you still recognize your father?"
Zhou Jianxing's gaze followed and he nodded very slightly again.
Zhou Shufen breathed a sigh of relief and pointed her finger at Ajie outside the glass window.
"What about him? Ajie, do you remember him?"
nod.
Next was Chu Wei, who also received a positive response.
When it was Xiao Min's turn, Zhou Jianxing's eyes became a little confused. He looked blankly for a moment, then shook his head gently.
She also shook her head at Huang Haifu.
Finally, Zhou Shufen pointed her finger at Wen Lingyi, who had been standing quietly at the back.
"Xingxing," her voice became softer, "What about... her? Do you remember who she is?"
Wen Lingyi's figure outside the glass window swayed slightly.
Zhou Jianxing's eyebrows frowned in confusion, the upper part of his eyebrows raised, but the tail of his eyebrows turned downward, drawing an aggrieved "eight" on his face, and his lips pouted unconsciously, like a grumpy child.
She looked at Wen Lingyi for a long time, so long that everyone held their breath.
Then, she nodded again, very, very gently.
Outside the glass window, Wen Lingyi slowly exhaled the breath that was stuck in her throat.
The warm breath sprayed on the cold glass and condensed into a small white mist.
She raised her hand, extended her index finger, and gently drew a star on the white mist.
·
The brief moment of wakefulness exhausted the little strength Zhou Jianxing had just gathered, and she soon fell asleep again.
I don’t know what she was dreaming about, but her brows were slightly furrowed and her expression seemed a little uneasy. One of her hands that was exposed outside the quilt curled up unconsciously, and her fingers rolled up a corner of the sheet, holding on tightly and refusing to let go.
The cold white light of the hospital shone evenly. Zhou Shufen and Zhou Jianjun pressed their faces against the cold glass, looking at their daughter's sleeping face reluctantly.
Her eyelids were still fluttering rapidly, and she seemed to be sleeping uneasy.
For people of their age, lack of sleep is really too much. Now that they have relaxed, they feel dizzy and sore all over.
Fortunately, my daughter finally woke up, and I could finally put my mind at ease after being worried for the whole day.
They decided to go back to the hotel to catch up on some sleep and then come back to replace Chu Wei and the others in the evening.
Huang Haifu was relieved to see that Zhou Jianxing's condition had stabilized. He said some polite words to Zhou's parents, such as "good luck comes to those who survive a disaster" and "there will be good fortune in the future." Then he hurriedly said goodbye and rushed to the airport to take the nearest flight back to City C.
"Miss," Zhou Shufen urged Wen Lingyi again, her tone unable to conceal her concern, "Xingxing has woken up, so you should relax and go back to sleep. You look so pale. We are here, don't worry."
"Yes," Wen Lingyi nodded obediently and replied, "Uncle and aunt, you guys go back and rest first. I'll go to sleep soon too."
Her energy, boosted by caffeine and nicotine, was slowly fading, but the limit of exhaustion seemed not to have been reached yet.
She always wanted him to stay a little longer, to be with her a little longer, even if it was just watching through the glass.
"Don't force yourself," Chu Wei said, seeing Wen Lingyi's steps were a little unsteady, "Go to sleep. We are watching over you, so nothing will happen."
Wen Lingyi nodded and watched Zhou's parents and Chu Wei and the others walk towards the elevator.
However, after their figures disappeared behind the elevator door, she did not walk towards the hotel, but turned around and walked towards the doctor's office at the other end of the corridor.
·
The office door was ajar. Wen Lingyi knocked gently and walked in after receiving permission. The doctor on duty looked up at her.
"Doctor, excuse me," her voice was a little hoarse from exhaustion, but she kept asking questions. "How long does a patient like her usually need to be observed in the ICU?"
"When can I start trying to eat?"
"Does fasting mean you can't even drink water?"
"Her lips are very dry and a little flaky. Can I moisten them with a cotton swab dipped in water? How many times a day is appropriate? Is warm water or saline solution better?"
"Should I buy alcohol-free mouthwash? Are there any recommended brands?"
"Is it painful for her to swallow now? Is there any way to relieve it?"
"If she's biting her lip unconsciously because of the pain from the wound, can we put a clean, soft towel in her mouth to prevent her from biting?"
…
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