Chapter 35

Chapter 35

After making sure the little guy was settled, Cheng Nanyi returned to the hospital, where Mo Yikai sat alone in the corridor, looking lonely and helpless.

Cheng Nanyi walked over and sat beside him.

“Why did you come again?”

“To pick you up.”

“It’s not time yet.”

“Then, I’ll keep you company.”

“Your company won’t change anything,” Mo Yikai’s voice choked up, his hands crossed and resting on his forehead.

Cheng Nanyi remained silent, staring blankly at the ceiling.

After a while, Mo Yikai asked, “Cheng Nanyi, what did you feel when your dad died?”

“I didn’t feel much because I barely have any memories of him.”

Mo Yikai couldn’t help but snicker, “I wish he were dead, actually.”

As the sun set, a broken-hearted person, after enduring many hardships, had no choice but to learn to face them.

……

At night, Yuan Ting's foot hurt terribly. Despite applying medicine, it didn’t help much, and he lay in bed groaning.

Cheng Nanyi brought ice for cold compresses, “I’ll sleep with you tonight.”

“No, no, no…” Yuan Ting, frightened, almost jumped up, “What kind of morbid joke is that?”

“What’s wrong?” Cheng Shaolin and Shu Zhilan, also in the room, thought something was seriously wrong, seeing Yuan Ting so agitated.

“I don’t want to disturb brother’s sleep, he doesn’t need to stay with me,” Yuan Ting explained.

“Yuan Ting is so considerate,” Cheng Shaolin said with a comforting smile. “No problem, Yuan Ting hasn’t slept with mom for a long time, right? Tonight, you sleep between us, and your mom and I will both stay with you.”

Yuan Ting: “???” What are you talking about?

Sleep between you two?

Ha, haha, hahaha…

This is the funniest joke he's heard since being reborn.

Cheng Nanyi, observing the dazed little bald head, asked, “So, who do you want to sleep with, me, or with your uncle and aunt?”

Yuan Ting, with a vacant look in his eyes, blinked as if seeing the mythical figures of Black and White Impermanence. On his left, Black Impermanence grimly said, “Come this way, less pain, one swift end.”

On his right, White Impermanence, with a pale face, said, “Come this way, a thousand cuts, but with a one percent chance of survival.”

“I’ll sleep alone,” Yuan Ting said expressionlessly. “I’m used to sleeping by myself, don’t push me. If you push me, I’ll jump down.”

The little guy was very headstrong, and no one dared to press him.

After sending everyone away, Yuan Ting lay in bed groaning alone. Damn Mo Zhaohua, it hurt so much.

The pain of a sprained ankle wasn’t heart-wrenching, but it was grating. Yuan Ting woke up multiple times throughout the night, hardly getting any good sleep, and hazily noticed at least two people entering his room to apply ointment and do cold compresses.

Only close to dawn did Yuan Ting finally fall into a deep sleep.

The next day, Cheng Shaolin called in sick for Yuan Ting, allowing him to rest at home.

Yuan Ting, lounging with his feet up, watching TV, and eating chips, felt that faking a sprained ankle was worthwhile, as it saved him from going to school.

Shu Zhilan still remembered she was a mother, whether just for show or genuinely caring. She spent the morning with Yuan Ting, playing with the dog, watching TV, and sharing the pig's trotters soup the nanny made.

"Where’s dad?" Yuan Ting felt uncomfortable with this 'mother-son bonding' time. Not going to school was great, but Shu Zhilan's presence dampened his enjoyment.

"Painting," Shu Zhilan responded, pursing her lips. "Once he starts, it’s all day, and nobody can disturb him."

"Why don't you pose for him?"

Shu Zhilan picked up a piece of watermelon and said listlessly, "He can't paint me every day. Too much of it loses the novelty."

"Oh..." Yuan Ting stole a glance at Shu Zhilan, who sensed his gaze, "Why are you looking at me?"

"Nothing, just a glance," Yuan Ting swung his feet. "After all, you’re my mom. When I grow up, you’ll be old. Every look counts."

Shu Zhilan: "..."

"By the way, what exactly is happening with Mo Yikai’s family? Did his father really have children with another woman?" Gossip is natural, and Shu Zhilan was no exception.

"Seems like it," Yuan Ting pondered, then feigned innocence to ask her, "Mom, do you think Uncle Mo is trying to harm Aunt Zhu?"

"Maybe," Shu Zhilan looked at her nails, "If it's really him, that's quite impatient."

Yuan Ting shuddered, cautiously turned his face away and asked carefully, "What do you mean?"

"Don't meddle in adult affairs, child," Shu Zhilan glanced at him, "Not hurting anymore? I’m going to get my nails done. You play by yourself."

Shu Zhilan slung her bag over her shoulder and left.

Yuan Ting: "......"

At noon, Cheng Nanyi and Mo Yikai came back for lunch. Mo Yikai approached Yuan Ting and placed a bag in front of him, filled with snacks from the school gate.

Yuan Ting, surprised and delighted, asked, "For me?" Did the sun rise from the west?

Mo Yikai, silent, sat on the sofa hugging Da Shao, appearing distracted and preoccupied.

Cheng Nanyi gently patted Yuan Ting's head, affirming, "Yes, it's all for you."

Suddenly, Mo Yikai stood up, "I'm going to visit my mom at the hospital. Can you ask the driver to take me?"

"There's not much time at noon. Maybe it's better to go in the evening," the housekeeper suggested.

Mo Yikai pressed his lips together, not responding. Cheng Nanyi then said, "Let him go. Have Xiao Zhang accompany him. They can come back in time to pick me up for school."

After Mo Yikai and Xiao Zhang left, the housekeeper sighed, "I used to think Yikai was so fortunate. How did it come to this... Ah, life is really unpredictable."

After lunch, which would typically be time for a nap, Cheng Nanyi, too restless to sleep, stayed downstairs to watch TV with Yuan Ting.

"Does it still hurt?" Cheng Nanyi inquired of Yuan Ting.

"It hurts." Yuan Ting lifted his foot and extended it towards Cheng Nanyi, "Will you blow on it for me?"

！！！

The housekeeper's eyes nearly popped out in shock.

Cheng Nanyi averted his gaze silently, "No need, blowing won't help. Better to keep icing it."

"Oh," Yuan Ting then turned his foot toward the housekeeper, "Uncle Liu, doesn't my foot now look like those steamed buns we had for lunch?"

The housekeeper instinctively glanced at Cheng Nanyi, noticing his expressionless face.

Turning to walk towards the kitchen, the housekeeper called out to the nanny, "Let's skip buns for the next few days and switch to rice."

After resting at home for two days, Yuan Ting grew restless. Not that he wanted to go to school, but there had been no news from the police. He even saw Mo Zhao Hua's car coming and going today from the balcony, suggesting the case was challenging to investigate.

Yuan Ting was helpless but also couldn’t do much. However, the silver lining was that after such an incident, Mo Zhao Hua wouldn’t dare harm Aunt Zhu anymore, ensuring her safety.

"What a lousy piece of work," he thought about the scoundrel Mo Zhao Hua.

……

Mo Yikai visited Aunt Zhu at the hospital every day at noon before picking up Cheng Nanyi for school.

But today, they were over ten minutes late than usual. Just as the housekeeper was about to call Xiao Zhang for an update, the landline in the living room rang.

Yuan Ting, closer to the phone, answered casually, "Moshi moshi, this is the Cheng residence, Operator Yuan Ting speaking. Who's this, and whom would you like to speak with?"

“Young master, Yikai's father fell down the stairs and is now in emergency care,” Xiao Zhang's panicked voice came from the other end.

“What?” Operator Yuan Ting was stunned.

Unable to find another driver, the housekeeper personally drove Cheng Nanyi and Yuan Ting to the hospital.

Arriving at the emergency room, they saw Mo Yikai and Xiao Zhang. Xiao Zhang quickly approached them and quietly explained the situation.

Today, Mo Zhao Hua had also visited the hospital, and everyone ended up meeting there.

Before the police could find evidence, Mo Zhao Hua was still Aunt Zhu's husband, an unchangeable fact, and no one could restrict his actions.

Aunt Zhu, seeing him, became infuriated, picked up a chair, and was about to smash it on his head. Chaos ensued, and Mo Yikai then pulled Mo Zhao Hua into the stairwell. Xiao Zhang, fearing Yikai might get hurt, stood outside listening to their voices. Initially, the voices were low, but soon escalated into a loud argument, followed by a thud. Rushing in, Xiao Zhang found Mo Zhao Hua tumbling down the stairs.

Normally, falling down a dozen steps shouldn’t be too serious, perhaps just some bruises, but it seemed his head had struck something, causing him to lose consciousness.

The three fell silent for a moment, their eyes simultaneously turning to Mo Yikai.

The young boy stood there, head lowered, his slender figure emanating silence and loneliness.

Yuan Ting swallowed hard and looked away, whispering, “Did the police ask anything? Any eyewitnesses?” His first thought was that stairwells often lack surveillance, making many details unclear...

This might be a good thing.

“No police,” Xiao Zhang shook his head, speaking softly, “No one called them, just summoned a doctor for help.”

Yuan Ting and Cheng Nanyi exchanged glances, realizing, indeed, police involvement requires a call.

Both turned to Xiao Zhang, who nervously rubbed his hands, “I really didn’t see anything.”

The emergency room door opened, and a doctor came out, “Family of Mo Zhao Hua?”

Mo Yikai was about to speak when a woman’s voice interrupted, “I’m his wife, you can talk to me.”

Yuan Ting, hearing this, turned to see Aunt Zhu approaching from the other end of the hallway.

Aunt Zhu seemed to have recovered quite well physically, looking thinner but otherwise in good spirits.

“Mr. Mo is currently suffering from a brain hemorrhage and herniation, and he is unconscious.”

"Brain herniation?"

"Yes, simply put, it’s bleeding in the brain or acute extensive cerebral infarction, leading to increased intracranial pressure, which is brain herniation."

Yuan Ting touched his neck, thinking it was quite a coincidence. In his previous life, his stepfather also became a vegetative state after falling down the stairs, so he was quite knowledgeable in this area. If it was indeed a brain herniation, both the mortality and disability rates were high. Mo Zhaohua was unlikely to ever return to normal life.

"Please proceed with the surgery, doctor. You must save my husband," Aunt Zhu said calmly.

After Aunt Zhu signed the critical condition notice, the hospital immediately performed a craniotomy on Mo Zhaohua.

The surgery was relatively successful. The patient was saved but paralyzed, unable to move anything below his neck.

Aunt Zhu’s mother, who initially wanted to stab Mo Zhaohua upon hearing the news, arrived at the hospital to find him lying in bed, drooling with a twisted neck.

"Divorce him," Aunt Zhu’s mother slammed the table, "Divorce him immediately, let him fend for himself. My daughter's life was completely ruined by him."

"No divorce," Aunt Zhu calmly wiped Mo Zhaohua’s mouth with a tissue, her gaze steady, "Don't worry, I won’t divorce you. I won't press charges against you either. From now on, we’ll live together, and I’ll take care of you for the rest of your life."

"Are you crazy, are you out of your mind?" Aunt Zhu’s mother furiously grabbed her daughter. "You're going to take care of him for the rest of your life? Have you lost your senses?"

She was so angry she almost fainted and turned to berate Zhu Yanyan, "Why are you quiet now? Are you happy to see your sister in this mess?"

"Of course," Zhu Yanyan, chewing her gum and blowing a bubble, responded coolly. "I support my sister's decision not to divorce. All men are the same; who cares who she’s with? It’s better to stay married." Besides, all the property would now belong to her sister.

"And, it’s Zhu Yueqiang, not Yanyan," she corrected, stepping forward to look at the bedridden Mo Zhaohua with a genuine smile, "Brother-in-law, I'll take good care of you too, don't worry."

Mo Zhaohua blinked in terror and started to murmur unintelligibly, unable to form coherent words.

"It's okay, no need to rush," Aunt Zhu comforted him. "You can slowly regain your speech. I’ll be here to help you practice."

"You can do it," Zhu Yueqiang cheered, clenching her fist. "Brother-in-law, I’ll always support you."

Author's Note:

"Couldn’t sleep last night until 2 AM. Took a melatonin and then slept like a log, didn’t even wake up for the earthquake."

"Woke up and saw everyone in my neighborhood chat had run downstairs in the middle of the night, and there I was..."

"So, I lay in bed contemplating what I should take with me if there was an earthquake. The first thing I thought of was my computer – too much important stuff in there. The thought of rewriting everything is terrifying."

"But then I realized something even scarier!!! I don’t have any backups of my work, so I wouldn’t even have the trouble of rewriting!"

"Content and peaceful.jpg"

"Thanks to the little angels who voted for me and watered me with nutrients between August 4th, 18:10:32, and August 6th, 23:00:50, 2023~"

"Thanks to the angel who dropped a mine: Mu Zilin 1 piece;"

"Thanks for the nutrient fluid: Blue Series 15 bottles; Cloud Shallow 5 bottles; Bada Horse, huttuu 1 bottle each;"

"Thank you very much for your support, I will continue to work hard!"