Chapter 95 Is Uncle Sleeping

Chapter 95: Is Uncle Sleeping?

"Please do your best to save him; I'll cover the costs." Jiang Huaiyan glanced lazily toward the door, as if reminding the doctor that someone might be listening.

The doctor had never done anything like this before, and he immediately grew alert, standing up to check if anyone was eavesdropping outside the door.

Jiang Huaiyan stopped him and shook his head.

The doctor quickly realized that he was simply discussing with Director Jiang whether to invest more medical resources into saving a patient. There was nothing secretive about that.

Rescue efforts required staff and resources, and since no family member was available to make the decision, it made perfect sense to discuss it with Director Jiang.

Since Mr. Jiang had said so, he would simply do his best to save the patient.

"Do your best to save him." Jiang Huaiyan repeated in a flat tone.

"Understood. We'll do everything we can."

Of course Gu Zhen had to be saved.

A living Gu Zhen was a real person—one who would become a grain of white rice on a collar, a spot of mosquito blood on the wall.

But if Gu Zhen died saving Zhu Shinian, then Jiang Huaiyan could never compete with a dead man.

From then on, in every happy moment, every sorrowful one, every embrace, every kiss, Zhu Shinian would remember Gu Zhen, who died before his eyes.

He would remember that without Gu Zhen, his life might have ended at that very moment.

Jiang Huaiyan had weighed the pros and cons clearly.

Gu Zhen had to live.

At 11:14 the next morning, less than forty-eight hours after the shooting, Gu Zhen was wheeled out of the emergency room.

The doctors announced he was out of danger, but had fallen into a coma, and there was no telling when he might wake up.

It could be weeks, or it could be months.

Jiang Huaiyan thought that, in a way, this might be a mercy for Gu Zhen.

He wouldn't have to watch his once-glorious, proud nation crumble bit by bit, nor watch his once-disciplined and well-trained army gradually scatter and suffer defeat after defeat.

For a man like him, dying before that accident, dying on the battlefield, would have been the most dignified way to go.

Otherwise, watching the resistance's territory expand bit by bit, watching Zhu Shinian sweep across the battlefield with victory after victory—should he feel proud of Zhu Shinian, or mourn for the empire?

The marker on the map inched southward. Zhu Shinian was drifting further from him, yet drawing closer to the day of their reunion.

Jiang Huaiyan had always been confident in Zhu Shinian's military skill.

He seemed born for the battlefield—whether in a stalemate or a losing position, the moment he appeared, morale stabilized instantly.

Two months passed in the blink of an eye. The empire initially put up stubborn resistance, holding out in District 11 for over a month, and the resistance couldn't break through.

The empire celebrated at home, cursing Gu Zhen as a useless traitor who colluded with the enemy. Just as everyone believed the counteroffensive was about to begin, the empire collapsed like a house of cards.

From then on, it was defeat after defeat, spiraling out of control.

.......

For Tingting, these days meant no kindergarten, but being in the hospital had its own kind of boredom.

There was always an IV needle in his hand, everything hurt a little, his father was always working, and no one was around to play with him.

Once his condition improved, at least the doctors and nurses let him walk in the hallway instead of being cooped up in his room.

But there were no kids his age on this floor, so even with permission to go out, the days dragged on unbearably.

When will Father come see me? When can Daddy come back?

He thought about these questions every single day.

Wearing a hospital gown that was a bit too big, sleeves rolled up twice, fuzzy slippers on his feet, he walked slowly down the corridor.

Most of the doors on both sides were closed. Occasionally a nurse passed by with a cart, and seeing his cute, chubby face, some would smile at him.

Tingting smiled back goofily, showing his two little baby teeth and the two new ones just starting to come in.

Then he saw Uncle Zhang.

Uncle Zhang was wearing the familiar military uniform, hurrying down the stairs, his steps quick, military boots thudding dully against the floor.

"Uncle!" Tingting called out happily.

Uncle Zhang didn't respond. Tingting instinctively followed him, wanting to say hello, his fuzzy slippers making soft pat-pat sounds on the floor.

Out of breath, Tingting climbed two flights of stairs after him and watched Uncle Zhang enter a room, the door left ajar.

Peeking through the crack, he saw Uncle Zhang standing with a doctor in a white coat, the doctor's expression very serious.

"...If he doesn't wake up soon, he might never wake up again."

"I see." Uncle Zhang had his back to the door, so Tingting couldn't see his face, but he could tell Uncle Zhang was upset.

"...Whose child is this? Where are your parents? Are you from the inpatient ward? How did you get up here?"

The doctor spotted him first and pushed the door open in surprise.

"You're... Tingting?" Recognizing him, Uncle Zhang looked taken aback. "How did you get here? Did you follow me?"

"I saw Uncle just now and said hello, but Uncle didn't hear me," Tingting answered earnestly. "Before, whenever I saw Uncle, I could see Daddy too."

Xiao Zhang paused for a moment. He usually stayed by Zhu Shinian's side, so Tingting thought that seeing him meant seeing Zhu Shinian as well.

"Silly Tingting, if your daddy were back, how could he not come see you first?"

"And running off to another building like this—what if your family can't find you?"

Tingting's bright eyes dimmed a little at Uncle Zhang's scolding. Uncle Zhang seemed to notice his disappointment and, as if to comfort him, crouched down and scooped him up.

From his new position, Tingting noticed there was another uncle lying in the hospital bed, seemingly asleep.

That uncle looked a bit familiar.

Tingting searched his memory hard—not the kindergarten security guard, not Fatty's dad, not the neighbor uncle...

He remembered! It was Uncle Gu, the one who had given him that super tasty chocolate that day.

Uncle Gu looked so different from last time.

His face was pale gray, his eyes closed, his lips drained of color, and he was covered by a white blanket.

All sorts of tubes extended out from under the blanket, connected to a machine that hummed softly.

"Is Uncle Gu sleeping?" he asked in a hushed voice.

"......Yes," Uncle Zhang, who had him in his arms, paused before answering. "He's been asleep for quite a while. I hope he wakes up soon."

So that's how it was. Tingting nodded thoughtfully.

He wriggled in Uncle Zhang's arms, indicating he wanted to be put down.

Then he went over to the nightstand, stood on his tiptoes, and pulled a chocolate he'd saved from last time out of his pocket, placing it on the table beside the hospital bed.

The chocolate had originally been shaped like a puppy. It was a bit squished now, but still cute.

Every chocolate in the box Uncle Gu gave him was a different shape, and this puppy-shaped one was Tingting's favorite, which was why he'd saved it for last.

But he was willing to give it to Uncle Gu. Waking up was rough, but if you could see a cute puppy chocolate when you woke up, it wouldn't be so bad after all.

"Uncle Gu, please wake up soon," Tingting said very seriously. "The chocolates you gave me—Dad doesn't let me eat too many, so I've saved one. This puppy one is for you. Waking up is hard, but if you get up now, you can eat the puppy chocolate."

Xiao Zhang and the doctor glanced at him, then exchanged looks, both smiling helplessly at the same time.

"Beep—beep—beep—"

"Which floor is Tingting on? I'll walk you back."

Just as Xiao Zhang's words left his mouth, the monitor's beeping suddenly became sharp and frantic, so piercing it sounded like someone screaming.

Tingting was startled and took a step back, bumping right into Xiao Zhang's leg.

The doctor's eyes went wide in an instant, as if he were seeing something that couldn't possibly be happening.

He whirled around and slammed the call button on the wall, his voice coming out strained with excitement.

"Bed 151 patient is showing signs of revival! Quick! Get everyone in here!"