Xu Huiqing couldn't remember how long it had been since she heard her good friend's name from other people.
Ever since the incident in their family, in order not to implicate other people, she has been reluctantly and unilaterally cutting off contact with all her friends for so many years.
Dong Linmei could understand her difficulties and knew her gentle exterior but strong interior, so she never took the initiative to bother her over the years.
It was not until a while ago that I missed you so much that I carefully sent you a letter to express my regards.
Such a deep affection allows them to understand each other's character best.
If nothing big had happened, Dong Linmei would never have contacted her so rashly.
Not to mention, the person who called was not her, but her family.
Thinking of Dong Linmei's last letter in which she said she was not feeling well, Xu Huiqing suddenly had a bad feeling in her heart.
"How is Lin Mei now? Is she sick?"
The person on the other end of the phone heard the noise and hurried to explain.
"Aunt Xu, calm down first. I didn't mean any harm by calling you. You know my mom has not been in good health in recent years."
"The condition has suddenly worsened in the past few days. She has been in hospital for emergency treatment due to heavy bleeding. We are afraid...she won't make it this time. And thinking that you are her best friend, we specially called to let you know."
"Now that you know this, you might as well prepare yourself mentally."
After hearing this, Xu Huiqing's legs went weak and she almost fell to the ground.
"How could it be... Why didn't Lin Mei tell me directly in the letter that she was so seriously ill..."
After many years, she once again felt the anxious feeling.
Xu Huiqing held the receiver tightly and begged in a low voice.
"Which hospital is Lin Mei in now? Could you please give me the address? I want to go see her right now."
The Dong family just sighed: "My mother is still in the ward. We are not allowed to disturb her now. We family members can't see her condition. Anyone who comes can only wait at the door."
"Please wait patiently at home. If there is any new news, I will call you as soon as possible."
After saying this, the other party hung up the phone.
Xu Huiqing's mood was not relieved at all. In her anxiety, she even pinched her palms, leaving marks.
Although they couldn't meet often over the years, in Xu Huiqing's heart, Dong Linmei has always been her best friend.
She couldn't even imagine how devastated she would be if she lost another important friend like this.
Under the intense worry, Xu Huiqing's mind went blank.
Without thinking, she took her bag and walked out, trying to find someone to inquire about Dong Linmei and find out which hospital she was in.
But she didn't expect that in a moment of panic, Xu Huiqing lost her balance when going downstairs and actually fell directly down the stairs.
"hiss……"
My already uncomfortable waist hit the railing hard, causing even more pain.
Xu Huiqing's face was pale, and she lay on the ground for a long time without recovering.
Fortunately, at this time, the neighbor Aunt Luo was passing by when she was out buying groceries and saw it in time, and quickly helped her up.
"Where are you going in such a hurry in the middle of the day? You haven't been feeling well lately, how can you not take good care of yourself?"
Xu Huiqing was filled with regret and self-blame. Her already poor complexion looked even more haggard, and she could hardly conceal her sick appearance.
"How can you be like this without someone to take care of you?"
Aunt Luo made a prompt decision: "I'll call Ying Huai and ask him to come back to see you."
"No."
Xu Huiqing shook her head weakly and raised her hand to stop her.
"Ying Huai has already used up all his vacation time to take care of me. What if I force him to come back and affect the assessment in the army?"
In order not to worry Aunt Luo, she pulled the corners of her lips and forced a smile.
"I'm really fine and can take care of myself."
The more Xu Huiqing acted like this, the more distressed Aunt Luo felt.
She sighed, and supported Xu Huiqing step by step as they walked home, unable to help muttering a few words on the way.
"Try to see if your feet hurt and if you can still walk?"
"You don't have to tell Ying Huai about your fall, but you have to tell me what you're rushing to do. Can I do it for you?"
Listening to Aunt Luo's caring words, Xu Huiqing felt particularly warm in her heart.
"A friend of mine was sick and went to the hospital. I wanted to visit him, but I was in a hurry and lost my balance, so I fell down the stairs."
She tried to tap the ground with her toes and smiled bitterly.
"As for my foot, it must be sprained. I can't walk."
Aunt Luo frowned and sighed as she listened.
"Your health is the most important thing right now. Take care of yourself first and don't think too much."
"Um."
Xu Huiqing responded softly, enduring the severe pain in her ankle, and sat down gently on the sofa after entering the room.
There was a hint of worry between her brows. She was worried about her friend's condition and afraid of causing trouble for her friends and family.
How could something like this happen at this critical juncture?
Xu Huiqing was under great psychological pressure. Her illness had not been completely under control to begin with, and now she had injured her foot, which made her even more upset.
"Okay, stop thinking about it."
Aunt Luo found some ice cubes from the refrigerator, wrapped them in a towel, and then carefully helped Xu Huiqing roll up her trouser legs.
It was not clearly visible just now because of the clothes covering it, but now that she took off her socks, I could see that her ankle was blue and purple and very swollen.
"You are really able to endure pain. You didn't say a word even though your ankle was sprained like this."
Aunt Luo quickly applied cold compress to Xu Huiqing and felt so distressed when she saw her wound.
"I'll give you an ice compress to reduce the swelling. Do you have any medicine for treating injuries at home? Remember to use it. Don't go out for the time being."
"Recover for a while and see how it goes. If it still hurts, I'll take you to the hospital."
Xu Huiqing lowered her head, her falling hair obscuring the expression on her face, and only the faint trembling of her voice could be heard.
"Thank you. I'm really sorry for causing you so much trouble during this period."
Although she has a soft personality, she has a strong sense of self-esteem and cannot stand the feeling of having to rely on others for everything.
What's more, she and Aunt Luo are just neighbors, but she always troubles each other from time to time, which makes her feel more and more guilty.
Aunt Luo has a carefree personality, but she can always comfort her well.
"You don't have to be so polite to me. We have been neighbors for many years. We should help each other."
"Now that you have something going on at home, it's only natural for me to help you out. When I need help, I'll naturally come to bother you, so you really don't have to feel embarrassed."
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