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Confession: I’m embellishing a couple parts here and there (about 200 words total I think), because the pacing of this chapter was blisteringly fast otherwise. I personally think such a fast pace cheapens the emotions; and plus, there’s too much scene-jumps without a proper lead-up.
When Xing Lixuan and Yu Antong rushed to the hospital, the old lady had already been transferred to the intensive care unit.
Xing Lixuan saw his grandma lying on the hospital bed with her eyes closed and wearing an assisted ventilator. Seeing his parents, he directly asked them, “Dad, Mom, how is Grandma?”
Mr. Xing replied with weary eyes, “She’s temporarily out of danger.”
Yu Antong asked, “Why did Grandma suddenly…”
To that question, Mr. Xing explained, “She’s already old and has advanced lung cancer, and her body’s resistance is too weak. When the temperature suddenly drops, her body can’t hold it anymore. The old lady went to bed early today, and she should’ve had a fever when she fell asleep.”
“Thankfully, your mother took a look before going to bed and found something was wrong, so we rushed her to the hospital immediately. However, on the way there, she suffered from respiratory arrest,” Mr. Xing continued. He had to be consoled by Mrs. Xing, who was patting her husband’s shoulder.
With tears in her eyes, she said, “The doctor said… that although your grandma is out of danger, her body is already at the end of her life. After this illness, she probably won’t last for long…”
Xing Lixuan’s eyes suddenly turned red.
Yu Antong was very worried. “Husband, are you okay?”
But Xing Lixuan didn’t reply verbally.
Xing Lixuan’s grandfather left early, and his parents had to work hard to make sure the Xing Conglomerate could run smoothly. As a result, Xing Lixuan was basically brought up by the strong Old Lady Xing. She taught him how to behave in the world and manage the company… In short, their relationship was very close.
Naturally, Xing Lixuan was very sad and on the verge of grief. Although he knew that his grandma would have such a day sooner or later with her lung cancer, he didn’t expect this day to come so soon. He was very caught off-guard.
Knowing that it would be useless to say anything now, Yu Antong opened the folding bench and told everyone to sit down. He sat beside Xing Lixuan and silently accompanied him.
After a long time, Xing Lixuan collected his emotions. Facing his parents, he said, “You go home first. It’s cold here, and it’s easy to get sick.”
Mr. Xing sighed and nodded.
Xing Lixuan said to Yu Antong again, “I can’t send you back, you go home with my parents first.”
Yu Antong refused to leave his husband alone like this. “How about I stay with you?”
Xing Lixuan replied, “No, you go home and rest. I’m fine, and besides, there’s only one bed for visitors here. You have nowhere to sleep if you stay here.”
Mrs. Xing also joined in persuading her daughter-in-law, “Tongtong, you have to go to class tomorrow, so you should go home with us.”
“Okay then,” Yu Antong acquiesced, “I’ll make you breakfast for tomorrow and ask Mom to bring it to you.”
Yu Antong followed his parents-in-law back to the old house for one night, and got up early the next day to cook Xing Lixuan’s favorite food.
Despite his promise last night’s promise, he skipped his morning class and went to the hospital anyway.
When Yu Antong went there, the old lady was awake. But her spirit was very low, and she fell asleep again without saying much.
For the next few days, the old lady was in a coma most of the time. And for a while, everyone’s daily life revolved around hospital’s visits, Yu Antong included.
Most of the time, it was Xing Lixuan who was accompanying the old lady. At times, it was his parents who did it, especially when work called. Xing Lixuan was still a very busy businessman, after all.
Days passed by too quickly for comfort. And soon, it was the end of the term at Yu Antong’s university, and he couldn’t come to the hospital as often because his exam was approaching.
But finally, Yu Antong had time to visit on the weekend. On that day, Old Lady Fu was in good spirits and talked a lot.
She took Yu Antong’s hand and said, “Xiao Yu, grandma wants to eat your cooking… especially your stewed tofu with freshwater fish.”
Yu Antong hurriedly agreed, “Grandma, just wait, I’ll go home and make it for you.”
There’s an uncomfortable premonition inside his chest. He hurried home in record speed, not wanting to let the old lady to wait for so long. After he finished, he went back to the hospital. The old lady happily ate a lot of the still-hot food.
Yu Antong stayed in the hospital for a day, and went back with his parents-in-law after dinner.
That night, Yu Antong was awakened by a news–
The old lady has gone.
At the day, everyone had already felt something. They all guessed that the old lady was getting better before her final day. During the night, her cancer worsened, and she died within a few minutes from relapsing.
During the past few days when the old lady was lingering on the sick bed, everything that should be prepared was prepared. The funeral was carried out in an orderly manner.
On the night when the old lady was buried, Xing Lixuan hugged Yu Antong like a child and was silent for a long time. He only shed a few stray tears, but this was the first time Yu Antong saw such a vulnerable Xing Lixuan.
Xing Lixuan might have seen it coming from miles away. He might even have tried to prepare his heart. But still, his sadness was debilitating.
Yu Antong knew that any words were powerless in the face of life and death, and all he could give was a hug and companionship.
He patted Xing Lixuan on the shoulder in a circular soothing motions, thinking quietly, ‘Feelings are really a terrible thing. It can turn an extremely strong person into an extremely fragile being.’
It may be related to his experience of being abandoned by his parents due to illness when he was a child. Out of self-protection, although Yu Antong was sincere and straightforward when getting along with others, it was difficult for him to be overly emotional.
Yu Antong himself didn’t realize that, in fact, his need for affection was almost a crazy desire. If left unchecked, it would engulf him whole, leaving behind a messy, emotional, codependent mess. That’s why he had to resist it from the depths of his heart.
This phenomenon became more obvious after he transmigrated here. On the one hand, he only pursued the happiness and comfort in front of him. On the other hand, he kept people at an arm’s length, with the only possible exception being Yu Annan, who he felt responsible for her future.
The footsteps of time will never stop, but thankfully, time really lessens the wound of the heart.
A light snowfall accompanied Yu Antong’s last exam. He walked out of the school gate, stepping on the thin layer of snow, and made a video call to Xing Lixuan.
“Hey, husband, are you still working overtime today?”
Xing Lixuan shook his head. He was still weary, likely hadn’t moved on from his grief. “Sigh… I still have work. I’ll go home after I finish them all.”
These days, Xing Lixuan was swamped by finishing the old lady’s affairs. Dealing with tons of back-logs and important deals, Xing Lixuan’s energy expenditure was sky-high while he hadn’t got enough rest. As a result, he lost a lot of weight.
Yu Antong planned to cook him a sumptuous dinner to replenish his body. So he asked, “Then do you have anything you want to eat? I’ll make it for you.”
Xing Lixuan smiled and replied, “I love everything you cook.”
At night, when Xing Lixuan returned home, Yu Antong kept picking up vegetables for him to eat. “You’ve lost a lot of weight, hurry up and eat more.”
Xing Lixuan asked, “Do you feel sorry for me?”
Yu Antong looked at Xing Lixuan’s thin face and felt a little distressed. He nodded and said, “You’re my husband, of course I worry about you. You’re still handsome, though.”
Hearing Yu Antong’s praise, a hard block inside Xing Lixuan’s heart felt like it was lifted. While his grief was still lingering, he was able to taste this warmth that soothe the aching pain in his heart.
He was lucky to have married Yu Antong.