Chapter 217: Apology
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Xiang Wan did not know when she had fallen asleep.
When she woke up, it was already late in the morning.
When she opened her eyes, she saw Cheng Zheng sitting beside her. She was slightly puzzled but quickly calmed down.
She thanked him and got up to look for the doctor.
At this hour, the doctor on night duty was about to change shifts.
There was much tension in a doctor-patient relationship nowadays. Hence, when faced with inquiries about the patient from their family members, they would tend to answer in a more conservative manner.
Therefore, the feedback received by Xiang Wan was basically consistent with what Cheng Zheng had told her.
“Alright, I got it. Thank you!”
Xiang Wan left the hospital quietly.
She did not ask questions about the medical terminologies she did not understand. She did not cry and neither did she feel sad. She went back home, washed up, ate something, and carried her laptop bag with her to the hospital.
She sat on the hospital lounge chairs along the corridor of the ICU. She put on her noise-canceling headphones and started to work on her laptop.
She was a novelist and her job was to write. While she was accompanying her mom outside the ICU ward, the only thing she could do while she was there was to keep writing her story.
For her, there was nothing more important than earning money.
If she had time to worry and grieve over her mom’s condition, why not put it to better use by trying to earn more royalties…
Cheng Zheng had witnessed all of these at the hospital.
She refused to let him accompany her, but against his persistence, she didn’t want to waste her energy to persuade him anymore.
True enough, Cheng Zheng realized she did not even want to spend some time talking to him.
What he could do for her was only to look for the medical personnel he was familiar with, to ask them to give more attention to Xiang Wan’s mom.
Subsequently, he quietly disappeared around her…
…
Xiang Wan had applied for leave due to her mom’s hospitalization.
There hadn’t been any major cases in Hongjiang District recently. Moreover, her job position was very special. Even if she was not at work, it would not affect the work of the whole unit. Hence, everyone sent their best wishes for her mom’s early recovery and did not mind the fact that she was unable to come for work.
While Bai Muchuan was away, Vice-Captain Qi Canghai was the one heading the team.
That afternoon, Qi Canghai led Tang Yuanchu, Xie Hui, Little Liu, and a few other detectives to the hospital to visit Xiang Wan and her mom. They even brought fruit baskets and flowers for her, as well as a red packet of appreciation from the team and extended their regards to her.
Xiang Wan was moved by their action.
In her current predicament, this little heartwarming act would, no doubt, be magnified in her heart.
After thanking her colleagues repeatedly and seeing them off, she uploaded the chapter she wrote that morning.
Next, she also took a look at the number of royalties she earned.
The website would make payment to their authors on a monthly basis. After her payout broke the record of 10,000 yuan last month, the number of royalties she received this month was also around this amount and had been increasing steadily.
Fang Yuanyuan had told her that “Murder The Dream Guy” had achieved good statistics. She also wanted Xiang Wan to persist in updating her novel—no filler chapters, no dragging of plot and to ensure quality… This was because Yuanyuan had managed to get an a.n.a.lysis based on the backend data 80 percent of her readers were adults and most of them were office workers…
That meant most of her readers possessed a strong discerning ability, they definitely could not be fooled.
For Xiang Wan’s current state of mentality, this was no doubt, a greater demand imposed on her…
How would she maintain a calm state of mind to ensure every update of hers were of high-quality when her mom was unwell and had yet to regain consciousness? This had become a rather big problem for her.
… However, she needed money.
… She knew she had to keep to her daily update for the sake of her royalties.
… Will this reason suffice? she asked herself.
Xiang Wan told herself to brace up and decided to take a look at her book reviews and comments page.
The encouragement from her readers was the greatest source of motivation she could get.
As the story progressed, more and more readers started to leave comments. There were also comments coming from new readers she had never seen before in her book reviews and comments page. However, that mysterious ID never appeared again.
“Wah! Second Young Master Mu spotted!”
“I’m here to look at my idol. Oh my G.o.d! The amount of gifts he gifted this novel is as jaw-dropping as his sudden appearance!”
“Excuse me, does anyone know if this Second Young Master Mu is really the renowned Second Young Master Mu himself?”
“I’m the fan of Second Young Master Mu as I heard he was spotted here. Here are my comments: Who am I? Where am I? I’m also confused, is this really my idol—Second Young Master Mu? Is he a fan of this novel?”
“…”
Xiang Wan was a little surprised by the series of similar messages she saw.
She quickly opened the record of gifts received and just one look was enough to make her freeze on the spot.
Around half past five in the evening that day, an ID by the name of Second Young Master Mu had showered her with lavish gifts for more than 10 times.
Xiang Wan did a count—the gifts totaled 100,000 yuan.
She had never received so many gifts that she felt all perked up and excited.
It’s 100,000 yuan! After deducting the website’s shares and taxes, she should still be able to get 40,000 yuan…
However, the most important thing—was that ID really Second Young Master Mu?
Xiang Wan’s gaze started to feel fuzzy as she stared at the name of the number one gifter—Second Young Master Mu. Every nerve of hers fluttered in immense joy and excitement.
She calmed herself by thinking for a moment and sent a message to Bai Muchuan.
“You know Second Young Master Mu, right?”
“Yeah, what’s up?” His response was instantaneous.
She thought he was already very caught up with work but had to accept her interruptions and reply to her messages. That thought really warmed her heart.
“I received gifts for my novel worth 100,000 yuan… The one who gifted me is someone by the ID called Second Young Master Mu. I’m awestruck! Do you think this person is really Second Young Master Mu himself?”
“No way?” Bai Muchuan replied with doubt.
“Why not you help me ask him? I’m starting to feel uneasy already.”
“Does it matter if it’s really him or not? Gifting is a voluntary act. You don’t need to bother with who he is. Since he gifted you, you just accept them. You don’t need to feel bad at all… Hmph! Remember Little Xiang Wan, your number one idol should be me! Don’t ever change that!”
“… Okay.” Xiang Wan felt he had a point there.
Moreover, at this juncture, she didn’t want to affect Bai Muchuan’s mood lest it affected his work.
After a couple of messages asking him to take care of himself and the like, the two of them stopped chatting.
Xiang Wan took a deep breath and continued to write her story enthusiastically…
Do a good job, Xiang Gongzi Wan , she told herself.
One day, she would become the “Second Young Master Mu” in the women’s genre!
…
For the past two days, Xiang Wan immersed herself in writing her story at the hospital. Cheng Zheng also came to visit every now and then for the past two days.
Youngest aunt should know about Cheng Zheng’s visits at the hospital. Xiang Wan had also expected Youngest aunt to ask about her boyfriend, however, unexpectedly she did not say a word.
Maybe subconsciously, Youngest aunt did not wish for her ‘not so reliable’ boyfriend to appear either?
Nonetheless, Xiang Wan was glad and chose to keep quiet as well.
While waiting for her mom to wake up, she channeled all of her remaining energy into her writing career. As a result, her daily updates were a lot more than before.
On the third day, even though her mom had not yet awakened, she decided to go to work.
When everyone at the office saw her turning up for work, besides comforting her, they also wanted her to go back for a good rest and need not come for work for the time being.
They were not pretending when they said that.
This was because Xiang Wan had lost weight. Her pitiful look really brought out the compa.s.sion in them.
No one would be able to say harsh words at her or make more demands on her when one saw her current state…
Xiang Wan was very thankful to have met these kind and warm people.
She was thinking if she could wait for her mom to wake up and at the same time waiting for Bai Muchuan to come back—that would be the best arrangement. However, sometimes, life just doesn’t go the way one wanted. On the fourth day, abnormal signs showed up on her mom’s EEG (electroencephalogram) readings accompanied by a repeated fever and intracranial hemorrhage [acute bleeding inside the skull or brain].
The hospital carried out an emergency resuscitation at the ICU ward.
Xiang Wan was so distraught she nearly collapsed on the lounge chair outside the ward.
The hospital issued the critical and serious condition notification…
“Sis, it’s going to be okay. Second aunt is going to tide over this for sure.” Fang Yuanyuan held Xiang Wan’s hand tightly, but her body trembled more than Xiang Wan.
“Hm,” sniffled Xiang Wan but her eyes were filled with hope. “Yes. She’ll definitely be okay. My mom is a strong person. She told me before that ‘if one survives a catastrophe, one will be blessed thereafter’ so she will certainly be blessed…”
“B-But I’m still so scared.” Fang Yuanyuan who had come here to console Xiang Wan, ended up leaning onto her shoulder. “Sis, you don’t have a dad anymore, you can’t be without a mom…”
“…”
Fang Yuanyuan’s words made Xiang Wan’s worried heart suffered a heavy jolt.
That remark caught her off-guard, and she felt her brain got pulled into a vast world of darkness…
When the doctor came out from the ICU, Xiang Wan sprang up from the chair.
Her eyes were fixated on the doctor, but her feet were trembling in fear. She couldn’t even summon enough courage to speak.
Youngest aunt quickly went up to the doctor. “How is it?”
The doctor shook his head. Youngest aunt’s pupils shrank. She held onto the hands of the doctor and almost cried.
“Doctor, no matter how much it will cost, please save my sister…”
“It’s not about money.” The doctor’s eyebrows were furrowed. “The patient’s condition is in a very bad condition. The specialists in our hospital have just a.n.a.lyzed her condition. At the moment, they have not found the reason for the recurrence…”
They have not found the reason for the recurrence… That means, even if the current situation is stabilized, it might still recur in the future?
As Xiang Wan thought of these in her head, her heart felt so cold as if it had fallen into an ice hole.
The doctor nodded his head and left.
The family looked at each other, n.o.body spoke for a long time.
“Wanwan… Let’s ask Little Cheng to help us think of other ways to help your mom?” Youngest aunt’s expression was grim and serious. “He’s also a doctor, after all, he’ll surely know many neurologists. He might be able to help and see if he could find a reputable neurologist from the Capital or even overseas…”
In the medical profession, some problems couldn’t be solved with money.
Not all specialists could be invited just by money alone…
Cheng Zheng had not been to the hospital ever since he was given the cold-shoulder by Xiang Wan for the two days he came.
With regards to this matter, Xiang Wan and Youngest aunt were in a disarray.
She was not worried about Xiang Wan not liking Cheng Zheng as she believed the Chinese saying that ‘dripping water will wear through a stone’.
A woman’s heart is soft after all, as long as the time is long enough, there will be no heart that couldn’t be moved.
She was only worried that Cheng Zheng would lose patience first with Xiang Wan. When that happens, there would be no more chance…
“Wanwan, what is holding you back?”
Xiang Wan’s silence was greatly contesting Youngest aunt’s patience as well as tolerance.
“The doctors managed to save her the first time, it could be because we’re lucky to have send her here in time. The doctors managed to revive her for the second time, it could be because of your mom’s being blessed, but what about the third time or fourth time? If we can’t find the reason of the recurrence, we will be faced with the risk of losing your mom anytime…”
After a short pause, she stared at Xiang Wan’s eyes.
“For the sake of your mom’s life, you’re still unwilling to throw away that laughable love you’re holding onto?”
Laughable love … Xiang Wan’s vision blurred.
When Youngest aunt saw she was in a daze, she couldn’t hold back her anger anymore. “Just look at you, you’ve lost so much weight for the past few days, but where’s your boyfriend? Can’t you see what’s going on when he refused to show up? Your mom’s so critically ill now. He’s afraid of getting involved, you silly girl!”
Xiang Wan finally spoke, “He’s not afraid.”
Youngest aunt was really exasperated by Xiang Wan. “How do you know he’s not afraid.”
Xiang Wan repeated her words. “He’s not afraid at all.”
Youngest aunt wanted to flare up at her. “You—”
When she said that word, she realized something was wrong.
Xiang Wan was suddenly looking at a certain direction as her tears streamed down her cheeks. She was not looking at her Youngest aunt but was gazing at the direction of the elevator…
“I’m sorry, I’m here so late!” In a flash, a man had rushed over to her like a gust of wind and embraced her tightly.