089 - Aftermath
---This chapter was translated by Joe---
Outside the operating room, mother Lin leans on father Lin, tears keep streaming down her face, her mouth keeps repeating,"It will be fine, it will be fine......"
The Cheng parents sit opposite them, their faces solemn. An Ran stands to one side, eyes and nose already red. And opposite her on the far side, Cheng Xiang knelt in the corner of the wall, his hair messy, his necktie loosely hanging on his neck, he just stared at the ground in a daze and is not moving at all.
After a long while, the lights on the operating theatre finally dims and the theatre door opens, someone wearing white walks out saying,"Are the family members of the patient inside present?"
Cheng Xiang immediately stands up and goes forward, holding on the doctor"s hands, his emotions agitated,"Me, I"m the patient"s husband, doctor, how is my wife?" Behind him the parents of both families also gathered, anxiously waiting for the doctor"s reply.
In the hospital environment such situations are common and the doctor must have been used to it, he lifted his hands to indicate for everyone to quiet down, then says,"The patient is now no longer in danger, but regretably we are not able to save the child." After saying that he pats on Cheng Xiang"s shoulder,"Don"t worry, the both of you are still young, you can still try for another baby in future, what"s most important is to make sure the adult recovers well now."
Cheng Xiang listens to the doctor"s words in a daze, his entire self a little blank, and he seems to be swaying a little, unable to keep his balance. The doctor says the child is no more! His and Lin Li"s child is no more!
The doctor again says some words meant to comfort them, wanting them not to have any emotional burden and to focus on the health of the patient instead.
Lin Li was then pushed out from the operating theatre, An Ran look at the her on the bed, her face is so pale that it seemed that it didn"t have any blood in them and she lies unconscious, lying down like that, without any sign of life at all.
An Ran"s nose soured and, unable to control herself, tears started streaming down in a torrent.
She does not like Lin Li like this, she should be happy, loves to laugh, with no worries and not lying like this quietly unconscious. Her hands holds onto her mouth, afraid that she would cry out loud.
mother Lin can no longer hold herself back, she almost fell over weakly. Cheng Xiang goes forward and want to hold her but was push away by her instead, saying in a tightly strained voice, "I don"t need you." Regarding what happened today, even though she is not aware of the beginning and reasons, but from what she saw today, it is clear that everything is caused by him, what Lin Li is going through now is all his fault!
An Ran went forward to hold onto mother Lin and the few of them walks behind the bed to Lin Li"s ward.
Cheng Xiang is just going in but was block by father Lin outside the door,"Why don"t you go back first, I think when Xiao Li wakes up she will not want to see you here." His voice very distant.
"Dad...." Cheng Xiang watches the medical personnel place Lin Li on the bed, his expression painful, "Please let me stay, I want to stay by her side."
"No need to." father Lin rejected decisively, no matter how the trouble started, the family has no wish to see him today.
mother Cheng was about to say something but was stopped by father Cheng shaking his head at her. He took a look at Cheng Xiang, sighing and shakes his head again. Such a happy and auspicious event has actually turned out like this!
The medical personnel went out and father Lin locks the door, keeping the Chengs outside the ward.
In the room, mother Lin looks on at Lin Li lying on the hospital bed, silently tearing up; the two of them were so happy to see their daughter get married, who knew things would turn out like this!?
"How did this happen, when Lin Li last called me she was still so happy. What happened between Cheng Xiang and that woman just now? Hasn"t their relationship always been very good? How did he get involve with such a woman?" mother Lin keeps mumbling to herself.
An Ran is feeling bad as well, she regrets that she did not stop Lin Li in the beginning. Lin Li is so perfect, why should she be someone else"s subst.i.tute? She regrets abidding by her decision to continue the wedding with Cheng Xiang, she should have stopped her by any means, otherwise Lin Li would not have been hurt today.
"An Ran, you know what happened right? Can you tell us?" father Lin asks An Ran politely, exclaiming,"We may be Lin Li"s parents but we do not know what is happening with her at all, only taking what she says at face value. Just look at her, she has lost so much weight, and we thought it was because of the pregnancy. Pregnancy will only let you gain weight, who have ever heard pregnancy will make you lose weight to this extent?" father Lin feels guilty inside, and cannot believe he really was not aware of his daughter"s situation.
An Ran is not sure what to say, and have no idea how to offer comfort to the two elders. But she accedes to their request and summarizes what happen recently to the two.
mother Lin looks at her daughter in pain, mouth moumbling, "How can Cheng Xiang that rascal do this? Our Xiao Li has been with him for 10 years now, how can he treat her like this?"and her pain increases as she keeps on saying,"Xiao Li how can you be so foolish?! Why keep everything inside?"
"PAAA__!" a hand slaps on the table, father Lin is furious, his chest heaving,"How dare that Cheng Xiang bully my daughter like this!" He had always thought his daughter is well, had always thought Cheng Xiang will be a good son-in-law, but who knew he would turn out to be such a bas***d!
"After Xiao Li gets discharged, we"re bringing her home immediately, being at home is much better than being bullied here!"father Lin says furiously.
An Ran lightly pats on mother Lin, comforting her. Looking at Lin Li"s pale face, her heart aches and she does not know what to say.
When she goes out the door Cheng Xiang is alone outside and did not leave, seeing her Cheng Xiang hurries over, grabbing her and asking,"An Ran, has Lin Li awaken? How is she? Is she well?"
An Ran pushes him away, looking at him with some hatred, she hates him for destroying that Lin Li who loves to smile and is happy without any worries.
Looking at him, she asks coldly,"How could she be well? Do you feel you have not hurt her enough?"
"I didn"t want to, I was just not able to control my strength at that time, I did not mean to..." Cheng Xiang is unable to continue, hugging his head pulling at his hair, he had never thought this would happen. When he saw Lin Li fall on the floor and the blood staining the wedding gown he wanted to kill himself. He had never thought of harming Lin Li, it"s true, he had never even had the thought!
"If you could not give her the love she wanted, at least fulfill the promise you had given her, Lin Li has never been a greedy person. After being someone else"s shadow for the past 10 years, has she said anything about it? Has she complain to you about it? But what has she gotten in the end?" An Ran questions him, punctuating each question.
Cheng Xiang grabs onto his head painfully, he had no idea how things could have turned out like this!
"IF you are truly not able to forget that shadow in your heart, why then did you get Lin Li involved, why insist on wanting to get married to her? And if you had decided to get married with her, then why, why did you leave in the middle of the wedding in front of so many people!?" An Ran says, her tears again flowing uncontrollably,"You KNOW Lin Li is not strong, you knew that she loved you till she has forsaken all her pride, why do you still hurt her like this?! Did you really think she will always forgive you unconditionally each and every time?!"
"I didn"t, I love Lin Li, I have never had any thoughts of leaving her, the last thing I want to do is to hurt her!" Cheng Xiang says in anguish.
"Hahah." An Ran laughs coldly, finger pointing at the ward door,"You don"t want to hurt her, but just look at what you did! Now Lin Li is lying inside because of a miscarriage, now how dare you come and say that you don"t wish to hurt her and even say you love her!"
Cheng Xiang is unable to say a word, because what An Ran says is the truth. Lin Li is indeed lying in the hospital right now because of him.
An Ran turns away from him, heading to the lift in the corner. She is going to get Lin Li some daily necessities for her stay in the hospital, No matter how much she blames or scolds him will not change the truth, the most important thing right now is to help Lin Li get better, the rest can wait till later.
After alighting the lift Su Yi Cheng called, only now does she realises that it"s already quite late and she isn"t home yet. Su Yi Cheng must be worried.
"h.e.l.lo." An Ran picks up the call, suddenly feeling her eyes clouding up, her heart tightening up from all the wrong she experienced today.
Su Yi Cheng on the line says with a slight laugh,"Is the wedding fun?" He seems to be parking his car, An Ran can hear him using the remote on the car.
"It"s not fun." An Ran answers, her tone one of crying. How can it be fun? Lin Li"s child is gone, she"s in the hospital, it"s not fun at all!
Su Yi Cheng on the line paused, hearing from her tone of voice something must have gone wrong, asks hurriedly,"What happen? An Ran, are you crying? What happen?"
"Woohoo... all men are bad, there isn"t any good man at all." An Ran cries as she scolded, she feels so sad and feeling so wronged what happened to Lin Li.
"An Ran?" Su Yi Cheng is a little worried but he is not aware of what happened,"An Ran, tell me, where are you right now?"
An Ran sniffs, trying hard to control her emotions, but her tears ignores her efforts and keeps falling. When she"s able to get it together, she says sniffing,"I"m at the 1st City hospital, there was an accident at the wedding today, now I"m with Lin Li at the hospital."
Su Yi Cheng did not probe further, only saying,"Wait for me there, I"ll be right there." And with that, he hung up.
An Ran stood in the hospital"s garden for a while, soothing her emotions as much as possible. When her eyes does not feel as heated and swollen, An Ran walked out from the hospital and towards the little store by the side.
Because it was not planned, there wasn"t any toothbrush, toothpaste or towels etc, the daily necessities needed, when she had gathered these needed items, she was just about to pay for them when she realise she still needed a pair of slippers so she went back to get them. After reaching the section, she saw a man"s back facing her gesturing about. An Ran did not pay attention to him and picked a comfy looking pair of slippers then started on her way back, the man turned around at this time and the pair of slipper in his hands collided with hers accidentally. An Ran looks up and the man looks over as well, the two momentarily paused looking at each other.
An Ran did not think she would actually meet Zhou Han here, to think they would meet each other twice in 2 days at 2 different locations, what a coincidence!
Zhou Han paused as well, he was also surprise to see An Ran here.
"You___"
"You___"
The two sounded out together at the same time, and unwittingly laugh. Zhou Han gave a gentlemanly smile, saying,"Ladies first."
An Ran lowers her head, smiling, shaking her head,"I only wanted to ask why you are here."
"Coincidence, I was just about to ask you the same." Zhou Han says casually, then lifts up the children"s slipper he is holding,"That child has a bit of a high fever, the doctor recommends to observe him overnight."
An Ran nodded,"My friend is in the hospital, I"m over here to help."
Zhou Han nodded, looks at her then turns, heading for the cashier. An Ran turns as well, walking besides him heading the same way.
"Is your friend severely ill?"Zhou Han asks.
An Ran paused, not understanding his question.
Zhou Han did not look at her, only saying,"Your eyes are swollen like peaches."
Only now does An Ran comes back to her senses, lowers her head embara.s.singly, thinking of Lin Li, her nose starts souring again.
Zhou Han turns for a glance, then continues walking, not saying anything.
At the queue Zhou Han was in front of her, when reaching he turns over to An Ran,"Calculate together?" then takes over the basket from her and places it on the cashiers" table, telling the cashier, "2 baskets"
Taking the things and exiting the shop together, An Ran takes out her purse and prepares to pay him back,"How much is it? I"ll pay you back."
Zhou Han did not look at her, only saying,"No need, it"s not much."
"How can that be, how much, let me pay you back." An Ran insisted. They are mere acquaintances anyway. What"s more, Su Yi Cheng does not seem to get along well with him, how can she just accept this?
"Then next time, next time if we have the chance to meet again, it"ll be your treat then." Zhou Han replied. Lifting his hands looking at the watch, he seem to be in a hurry and quickened his steps.
At his insistence, An Ran can only accept and nodded thanks.
At his obvious quicken pace, An Ran ask curiously,"Is the child"s fever very high? Is he alone in the ward?"
"En." Zhou Han replied, taking larger steps. He had a dinner appointment with a client to discuss the contract details but he had placed an important doc.u.ment on the study table so he had rushed home after work. But he did not expect to see the child to be mopping and cleaning the floor and the helper auntie he had hired is lying on the couch and watching television, eating dinner. Seeing him back, the helper immediately went forward and s.n.a.t.c.h over the cleaning cloth from the child and hurries the child away. Looking at the amount of sweat the child has on his body and the dirtied face from doing the cleaning he knew what had happen then and was not hoodwinked by her act. She had seen how he does not seem to care for the child and that the child is very afraid of him. Thinking that he does not seem to care, she then begin to make the child do the housework while she watches television all day, only appearing to do the house ch.o.r.es when he is around. As such, Zhou Han immediately gives her her salary till then and ask her to scram from his house.
Just as he was about to leave for the dinner, he saw the child lay on the couch, keeps sweating cold sweats and appearing to be in discomfort. Touching his forehead, he is shock to feel how hot it feels and send him to the hospital immediately.
Looking at him, she remembers he always seems to be alone taking care of the child and no one else is besides him, An Ran without giving it much thought, ask,"Where is the child"s mother?"
Hearing this, Zhou Han stops in his tracks without turning round, his body seems to stiffen, the hand holding onto the plastic bag tightens, nails biting into his palms.
An Ran immediately regrets what she had asked, hurriedly saying,"I"m... I"m sorry, please ignore what I had asked, I just asked without thinking."
Zhou Han stood still for a moment, then replied,"Dead." The tone of voice near freezing.
An Ran was stun for a moment, and this time did not ask more, only following behind him back to the hospital.
The child is in pediatrics and it is on the 13th floor, while Lin Li"s ward is on the 16th.
The lift ring and Zhou Han went out, looking at her, nodding,"I"m here now, I"ll make a move first." After that he left without turning back.
An Ran looks at him curiously but did not ask further, she"s not in the mood either. If he does not want to say she also does not have the mood to ask about such gossips.
Back at the room Cheng Xiang is kneeling on the floor outside the door, looking as if he has been forsaken, tragic looking.
An Ran did not spare him a glance and enters the room directly.
Lin Li has not gained consciousness and the Lin parents looks on in anguish. An Ran"s heart aches for them, originally they had come happily to attend a wedding but it turn out like this! Because of their worries the two had seemingly aged a lot and even seem paler.
An Ran says worriedly,"Uncle auntie, why don"t the two of you go back to the hotel and rest for a bit, I"ll stay and look after Lin Li. The doctor has also said she will not wake up so soon after being sedated."
"How can we leave, Lin Li is still lying on bed." mother Lin says, her voice devoid of life.
father Lin turns round, asking An Ran,"An Ran, you go back have a rest, you were with Lin Li yesterday night as well, what"s more after what happened today. Go back first, it"ll be fine with us here, if Lin Li wakes up I"ll give you a call."
An Ran shakes her head refusing,"It"s fine, Uncle auntie, I want to wait till Lin Li wakes up."
father Lin was about to say more when An Ran"s phone rings. It"s from Su Yi Cheng again, An Ran heads out, he must have reached.
Answering the call, Su Yi Cheng has indeed reached and is waiting outside the hospital door, after An Ran gave him the location he heads up immediately.
After giving him the floor and room number, she waits in front of the lift.
After a while, the lift door flashes the changing red numbers and stops on the 16th floor. The lift door opens with a ding and Su Yi Cheng came out, his hair slightly messy, his jacket is nowhere to be seen and his tie crooked to one side.
When An Ran saw him, it is as if all the wrong she experienced for the day surges up and she stood there, her lips slightly moving, her nose souring and her eyes heated up immediately.
Seeing this, Su Yi Cheng feels so sorry for her, her red shot eyes, that wronged expression, Su Yi Cheng lightly sighs, walk forward and holds her in his arms into his embrace. Lightly patting her back, whispering in her ears, consoling,"It"s ok everything"s fine now, it"s alright, I"m here now, it will be fine, everything will be better...."
An Ran leans into Su Yi Cheng"s embrace, letting out everything, her tears, snot all pasted onto his shirt, she cries loudly. For Lin Li, for her 10 years of feelings, for her silly stubborness not to let go, for the baby in her belly that is now gone, for all the wrong and hardship she has suffered.
Su Yi Cheng hugs her, only repeatedly patting her and telling her she is fine now, just staying besides her. A lot of people pa.s.s them by but the two just stay there hugging, not bother at all by other people"s gaze.
After crying for a while, An Ran finally kept her tears and slightly removes herself from his embrace.
Su Yi Cheng looks at her very red bloodshot eyes and wipes away her tears dotingly.
The two sat on the plastic chairs on the side. An Ran succinctly relates what happened during the day to him, as she was talking again she starts to tear up.
Su Yi Cheng hugs her darlingly,"It"s alright, no crying now, it will be fine."
When An Ran returns to the room Lin Li remains unconscious. The Lins were surprise to see Su Yi Cheng and looks inquiringly towards An Ran. An Ran only clarifies that he is her husband, the Lins did not probe further probably because they are still worried about Lin Li.
An Ran accompanies the Lins in the room while Su Yi Cheng exits alone. He remembers he had the phone number of the hospital"s director. Maybe he can help Lin Li to change to a better ward and give Lin Li a more comprehensive checkup.
"Alright, Director Zheng, then I"ll trouble you then." After hanging up, he turns and saw Cheng Xiang who is still kneeling on the floor in front of the room door. After looking at him a while, he turns his head coldly away. He despises this type of man, wishy washy, unable to make a decision, forever not knowing what he wants and desires and only regrets when he experiences lost. The damage has already been done, what"s the use of regreting what has been lost. If you are not sure you can fulfill the promise, then why make the promise easily in the past? If knowing you cannot give the happiness someone desires, then why be greedy for that one moment of warmth from her? The result from that can only be pain for both parties!
Su Yi Cheng turns and heads for the lift. They had been busy for the whole day so they must not have had anything to eat yet. Maybe he should go buy something for them to fill their stomach.
-------End of Chapter------