Chapter 35 Pre-marital cohabitation: Deep down, she also longed to spend time with him...
"puff--"
It was the dull thud of a sharp blade piercing flesh, heavy and terrifying.
"ah!!"
It was the scream of pain from the perpetrator being kicked away.
"Baby!" Chai Yundu frantically supported Zhu Qingting, who was swaying precariously. His voice was distorted with fear.
The gleaming fruit knife was still stuck in Zhu Qingting's abdomen, and blood was seeping out of the wound, quickly staining the hem of her light-colored dress.
"Doctor! Doctor! Help, doctor!" Chai Yundu's hands trembled, unsure of what to do, and he could only watch helplessly as Zhu Qingting's face turned pale at a visible speed. He screamed helplessly, his voice filled with desperate sobs.
Shi Yufan, who was packing the luggage, also reacted at this moment, rushing forward and firmly pinning down the assailant who was still trying to fight back. The security guards at the scene finally snapped out of their shock and rushed forward to subdue the frantically struggling assailant.
Fang Xiaoya rushed forward to help support the injured Zhu Qingting, trying to alleviate Chai Yundu's burden, since he could barely stand on one leg. Tears streamed down her face as she frantically said, "Qingting, hang in there, the doctor's coming soon!"
Fans screamed in terror, while the media's flashbulbs went off even more frantically, relentlessly recording this breathtaking scene.
Zhu Qingting's face was deathly pale from blood loss and excruciating pain, and fine beads of cold sweat appeared on her forehead. But she still managed a weak, reassuring smile at Chai Yundu, her voice barely audible, "Don't be afraid... I'm alright... your leg..."
In that critical moment, she clearly saw how Chai Yundu used his leg, which was in a cast, to kick the assailant without regard for anything else.
At this moment, what she was most worried about was whether his leg bone would be dislocated again because of this reckless attack.
"Don't speak!" Tears welled up in Chai Yundu's eyes. He tried to press his hand against her bleeding wound, but the bright red blood continued to gush out from between his fingers. The warm, sticky touch made his heart ache.
Medical staff rushed over in a stretcher and carefully placed Zhu Qingting on it. The bumps during the move inevitably aggravated her wound, causing her to let out a suppressed gasp and her delicate brows to furrow tightly.
Chai Yundu tried to tiptoe to follow the doctor to the operating room, but Shi Yufan stopped him in time.
"Get out of my way!" Chai Yundu practically roared, his bloodshot eyes filled with madness and despair.
"Brother Du, your leg really can't take any more damage!" Shi Yufan blocked his way. "Put yourself in a wheelchair, I'll push you over! Please!"
As if suddenly jolted awake, Chai Yundu hurriedly sat in his wheelchair, his voice hoarse, "Quick! Push it faster!"
However, in that brief delay, by the time they arrived at the operating room, the cold door had already been slammed shut. The blood-red "Operating in Progress" sign blatantly lit up.
He can't get in! He can't be by her side! Is she in pain? Is she scared?
Chai Yundu slumped helplessly in his wheelchair, trembling with extreme worry and regret. His hands gripped the armrests tightly, his knuckles turning white from the force.
The terrifying scene kept replaying in his mind. If he had reacted a little faster, if his wheelchair had been closer, could he have blocked the knife for her?
At this moment, Deng Jie, who had rushed over from the doctor's office, hurriedly ran to his side, gently patted his shoulder, and tried to keep his voice steady, "Don't worry, the doctor is already taking care of it. Adu, do you... want to get an X-ray first? Your leg was so strained just now, I don't know if it's dislocated."
Chai Yundu raised his bloodshot, tear-streaked eyes, his voice choked with emotion yet unusually stubborn, "I don't want to leave here, I want to stay with her. She must be terrified to be having surgery alone inside."
“But you just used your left leg! What if your bone is dislocated?” Deng Jie continued to patiently persuade him.
"I said I'd stay here with her!" Chai Yundu roared uncontrollably, his voice echoing in the empty corridor.
After a moment of silence, he seemed to have all his strength drained away, muttering softly, almost inaudibly, "What use are these legs to me if I lose her..."
These words brought tears to the eyes of both Deng Jie and Shi Yufan. They knew that any attempt to persuade them at this moment would be futile.
The surgery lasted an hour, but for Chai Yundu it felt like an eternity. When the operating room door finally opened and a nurse came out, he wheeled himself closer.
"Nurse, how is she?" His voice trembled with anxiety.
"The patient is very lucky. The puncture wound was not deep and did not damage any internal organs. The bleeding has been successfully stopped, and the wound is being stitched up," the nurse replied professionally and calmly. "The surgery went smoothly, so please rest assured, family members."
Chai Yundu finally breathed a long sigh of relief and repeatedly expressed his gratitude, "Thank you, thank you for saving her..."
Fang Xiaoya breathed a sigh of relief and turned around to gently persuade him, "Brother Du, Sister Qingting is fine now. Shall we go check your leg now? Even though she was injured herself, Sister Qingting was still worried about your leg. If she knew that you had suffered sequelae because of her delay in treatment, she would feel guilty to death."
Chai Yundu understood this principle, but he still couldn't bear to leave even for a moment. His voice was pleading, "We've already waited so long, aren't you afraid of delaying us a little longer? Can you wait for her to come out? I'll go check on her as soon as she comes out."
After another agonizing twenty minutes of waiting, the operating room door opened again. Zhu Qingting was wheeled out; she was still asleep under anesthesia, her face so pale it was heartbreaking.
Chai Yundu immediately stepped forward and tightly grasped her hand, feeling her icy cold fingers, his heart breaking.
He rose shakily, gently kissed her forehead, and said in a choked voice, "I'm sorry, baby, I failed to protect you..."
He reluctantly let go of her hand and instructed Xiaoya, "Xiaoya, please accompany her to the ward and take good care of her."
After making the arrangements, Shi Yufan pushed the wheelchair and followed Deng Jie to the radiology department for a CT scan to examine his leg injury.
He had a premonition that the outcome wouldn't be good, because his leg in the cast was throbbing with excruciating pain. But compared to the pain in his heart, this was nothing.
The examination results came back quickly; it was indeed misaligned, and a second surgery was needed to remove the cast and correct it.
Just before being wheeled into the operating room, Chai Yundu grabbed Deng Jie's hand and said, "Brother Deng, if possible, I'd like to share a room with Zhu Zhu."
He knew that with Deng Jie's abilities, he could definitely fulfill this request. He wanted to see her the moment he woke up and make sure she was alright.
While they were undergoing surgery, the video of Zhu Qingting being stabbed went viral online. Fans condemned the malicious behavior of the obsessive fans, and the hashtag #PunishTheMurderer# quickly became a trending topic.
The few remaining fans who were skeptical of the relationship were completely moved after witnessing Chai Yundu's selfless protection and Zhu Qingting's deep affection for him despite her serious injury.
"I cried when I saw Brother Du dragging his injured leg to save her."
"Even in her own condition, Zhu Qingting was still worried about Du Ge's leg. That's true love!"
"The murderer must be severely punished! Such fanatical fans are terrifying."
"From now on, I am a die-hard fan of 'Du Qing Si'. I'll fight anyone who tries to dismantle it!"
"I hope they both get better soon and be happy!"
When Chai Yundu woke up from the anesthesia, the first thing he saw was Zhu Qingting, still with her eyes closed, in the next bed. Deng Jie had indeed fulfilled his wish and arranged for the two of them to be in the same VIP ward.
He looked at Zhu Qingting, who could only lie flat on her back, motionless, like a fragile porcelain doll. How he longed to go to her bedside, touch her face, and confirm that she was real.
Seemingly sensing his movement, Zhu Qingting slowly opened her eyes. In the instant their eyes met, they both saw in each other the relief of surviving a disaster and a deep love.
"You're awake..." Zhu Qingting's voice was still very weak.
Hearing her voice, Chai Yundu was completely relieved. "Baby, does it hurt a lot?"
She gently shook her head. "It won't hurt if I don't move." Her gaze fell on the brand-new cast on his leg, her eyes filled with guilt. "I'm sorry, it's all because of me..."
“I’m the one who should apologize,” Chai Yundu interrupted her immediately, his voice trembling with emotion. “I failed to protect you. When I saw that knife aimed at you, I felt my heart stop beating.”
Tears welled up in Zhu Qingting's eyes as she reached out her hand to him. Chai Yundu immediately grasped her cold fingers, gently stroking them, trying to convey some warmth.
“We both need to be well,” she said softly, her tone firm. “Once we’re both fully recovered, we’ll dance ‘Dance of Martial Spirit’ together again, travel to many places together, visit my parents together, and have our wedding in a castle.”
Chai Yundu held her hand tightly and solemnly promised, "Okay, once we're both better, I'll go with you to do everything you want to do!"
The next day, when Zhu Qingting's attending physician came to check on her, Chai Yundu inquired carefully about her injuries and precautions.
Upon learning that Zhu Qingting needed to be hospitalized for five days, he decided to stay at the hospital for treatment until she recovered and was able to be discharged. He then quietly returned to Shanghai and persuaded her to stay at his home to recuperate.
“After you’re discharged from the hospital, move in with me. I’ll have Brother Deng find an experienced caregiver who can take care of both of us,” Chai Yundu suggested.
Zhu Qingting paused slightly, instinctively wanting to refuse the suggestion of living together. "This isn't really appropriate..."
“I know what you’re worried about.” Chai Yundu seemed to see through her thoughts. “But you need to rest now and you need nutritious food. I’ll worry if you live alone without anyone to take care of you.”
Seeing her expression soften, he lowered his voice, a hint of ambiguity in his smile, "Besides, look at the way we are now, even if I wanted to do something to you, I wouldn't be able to." He winked mischievously, "Moreover, how could I bear to let you suffer while you're injured?"
Finally, he took her hand and said, "You're going to meet my parents and get married in the castle with me. Are you going to hesitate for so long about living together before marriage? Besides, we're sharing a hospital room now, so doesn't that count as living together?"
With each word he spoke, Zhu Qingting felt she had one less reason to refuse. Besides, deep down she also cherished every moment spent with him.
Looking into his gentle and expectant eyes, she finally nodded slightly and answered shyly, "Okay."
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