Chapter 962: From the Bottom of Her Heart
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Pei Ziheng cooperated fully with the doctor’s treatment.
Recently, his condition had gotten increasingly stable. The doctor had finally told him smilingly that his chances of a full recovery were high and hence, gave him the green light for discharge. Pei Ziheng thanked the Heavens for this fortune—if he managed to live on, would he then able to continue protecting Xiao Ling? Maybe, he could even be a little more ambitious and aim to get her back from his love rival. His hope was reignited, especially at a time where Li Lei’s life was still in danger.
The Heavens were really with him.
He did not wish to see Xia Ling in such misery, and said to her, “Everyone dies someday, take it easy.”
Xia Ling was filled with pain and anger. She had never hated Pei Ziheng so much in her life before. Li Lei was not dead, how could he say something like this! “You will die someday!” She yelled at him, “Pei Ziheng, die on your own if you want! Don’t drag Li Lei along with you! He’ll be fine! He’ll definitely be fine!”
Pei Ziheng’s expression stiffened instantly.
Xia Ling felt that those words were inappropriate the moment they left her mouth. He was still plagued with cancer, wasn’t this too mean a curse? But… he was simply too infuriating, how could he curse Li Lei like this?! Xia Ling looked at Pei Ziheng sadly, an apology lodged in her throat, but she could not speak the words.
Pei Ziheng loosened his grip on her hand.
This morning when he found out about his chances for survival, he was bursting with joy, and his first thought was to share this news with her. He had rushed to the concert venue to tell her about it, but what he got in exchange was her angry curses. He shut his eyes slowly, and something in the depths of his heart shattered.
Xia Ling held onto the seat for support and was about to get up, but having dealt with the blow of receiving an unfavorable notice of Li Lei’s condition, she was even weaker and more fatigued than before. She was barely on her feet when she fell back.
Madam Xia’s heart ached. “Xiao Ling, you can’t be like this! You need to rest!”
She looked down at her hands and tears began flowing. “I’m so useless. After everything, I still didn’t manage to help him…” Her voice was getting weaker and softer as the world spun before her. She almost pa.s.sed out.
Xia Moyan frowned. “I’ll carry you back to your bed for some rest.” There was a small lounge at the backstage—some basic emergency apparatus and a comfortable bed were specially prepared for her.
Xia Ling raised her head effortfully and looked at her brother with pleading eyes. “Carry me to him. If he really were to die, I… I want to die with him.”
“Xiao Ling!”
“Please, Brother…” Tears filled her face. “Please let me see him, I’m begging you…”
Hearing her pleas, Xia Moyan felt as if his heart was being stabbed. He wanted very much to reject her, but knowing his sister’s determination to achieve what she’d set out to, she really might do something silly if anything were to happen to Li Lei! When someone had a will so strong, how could the people around her possibly be able to stop her?
In that case, it would be a better choice to just fulfill her wish now by accompanying her to see him.
Xia Moyan bent over to pick her up. She was rag and bones now and barely weighed a thing under her white blouse. Xia Moyan felt as if he wasn’t holding a girl, but rather, a lifeless piece of soft fabric.
He suppressed the ache in his heart and carried her to the car. They headed to the hospital.
With the help of a nurse, she changed into a hospital gown and was brought to Li Lei’s bedside.
Li Lei was still lying in bed with his eyes closed, and he looked even more haggard than the last time she came to visit him. His cheeks were slowly sinking in and his skin seemed to be turning yellow. He was becoming as skinny as she was… no, even skinnier.
Xia Ling could barely stop her tears. She had been crying too much lately.
She reached out to hold his hand that had long been poked with needles and tubes. She quietly said, “Li Lei, I’m here.”
The unconscious man did not react. In fact, even his chest wasn’t rising and falling anymore—if not for the regular peaks and crests registered on the apparatus, he’d have been thought to be dead.
She was held in her brother’s arms and tried to lean in closer to Li Lei.
Xia Moyan gently said, “Alright, Xiao Ling, we should go. Don’t let him get infected.”
This was an aseptic ward. Although they were in simple disinfected gowns, they were posing a greater threat to him the longer they stayed. But Xia Ling shook her head. “I’m not leaving. You said he’s dying… I-I want to stay with him. I want to be with him in life and in death.”
Xia Moyan teared up upon hearing that.
Outside the ward, Old Master Li, Madam Xia, Pei Ziheng, and the rest were watching her through the full-length gla.s.s panel. Although they couldn’t hear what she was saying, her sorrowful expression weighed on their hearts.
“Leave me here, Brother.” Xia Ling’s voice was soft and weak but determined. She was just like a true Phoenix, her n.o.bility could not be infringed upon, and her will was not to be violated.
As such, The Preceptor, who had a mystical power to call the shots all over the world, simply sighed, and then carefully lowered her to the edge of Li Lei’s bed. The bed wasn’t wide, but both of them were so small and thin now that there was still a little s.p.a.ce even when they shared the bed. Xia Moyan carefully arranged the tubes by the bed so they wouldn’t tangle around her, before tidying up her hair.
She reached out and wrapped her arm around Li Lei, hoping to get even closer to him.
Just like how she’d done each time they overcame a calamity together, she rested her face against his chest. She tried to feel the warmth of his body, and to listen to his almost inaudible heartbeat. Her voice was extremely soft as she said, “Li Lei, I’m here. Why were you so silly to save me at your own expense? You’re too selfish, are you thinking of dying before me? So you could leave me to grieve on my own? I won’t let your wish come true… Li Lei, if you die, I’ll die with you. Do you hear me? I won’t let you feel lonely on your way…”
Her tears were soaking his hospital gown.
The ward was very quiet, with only the soft beeping of the apparatus and her whispers.
She hugged him for a while and went on, “Liar. I held a concert as a prayer for you, why aren’t you better yet? Did you hear me sing? Shall I sing for you?”
She began singing quietly and intermittently.
It was that mystical tune. Brother told her there was no need for a music score, nor for a rehearsal before singing it. All she needed was the voice that flowed from the bottom of her heart. Her voice was hoa.r.s.e and she barely had enough energy to carry on. Her singing got softer and it became more effortful to go on. As her whispering voice suspended in the almost silent room, it felt as if that was a final lingering flame waiting to be extinguished.