Liu Zhi pulled Meng Yang by the collar and wrapped her up inside. Meng Yang tried to open her arms even a little bit, but she wouldn't let her.
"Put it on." Liu Zhi rarely spoke firmly to Meng Yang.
Meng Yang had no choice but to wrap it up.
"Director Shi has gone into the operating room and we won't be able to speak until after nine o'clock," Liu Zhi explained. "We'll have to wait a little longer."
"Have you been waiting here all day?" Meng Yang asked.
“To be honest,” Liu Zhi paused, “I don’t know what else to do besides wait.”
Meng Yang took Liu Zhi's hands inside his coat and warmed them with his body heat.
"Don't just wait around, take care of yourself too," Meng Yang said. "The closer it gets to this point, the more you need to take good care of yourself."
Liu Zhi nodded. "I understand."
Is Grandma feeling any better now?
"They have been under observation in the ICU."
"Liu Zhi." Meng Yang gripped Liu Zhi's fingers tightly. "Don't be anxious, calm down first."
"Okay," Liu Zhi replied, "Calm down first."
...
The last time they ate wontons together was when Liu Zhigang moved in.
Although not much time has passed, their state of mind has changed a lot.
After drinking the hot soup, Meng Yang finally felt a little warmer. Liu Zhi didn't have much of an appetite and barely touched a bowl of wontons.
"Have you booked a hotel?" Liu Zhi asked.
"I came in such a hurry that I forgot," Meng Yang said.
Grandma is still in the intensive care unit and does not need Liu Zhi's care.
Liu Zhi booked a hotel near the hospital, but never went there. She simply handed the key to Meng Yang.
"Have you bought your plane ticket for Monday?" Liu Zhi asked. "You still have to go to work."
"It's all bought, don't worry."
Meng Yang's voice was as gentle as ever. Liu Zhi felt a lump in her throat.
“I’ve booked a room here,” Liu Zhi said. “It’s at the hotel across the street.”
Liu Zhi has been in a state of confusion these past two days. She knows she is wasting her time, but she is powerless to do anything about it.
Liu Zhi handed the room key to Meng Yang, saying, "Go and rest first."
Meng Yang grasped her fingertips with this gesture.
"I'll stay with you."
Meng Yang transformed into a little heater once again, soothing Liu Zhi's clenched heart with her warmth.
Her arrival filled Liu Zhi with strength. Liu Zhi felt that she could face everything again.
They waited together until Director Shi came out of the operating room.
Director Shi was taken aback when he saw the two of them.
“The angiography has located the specific bleeding site.” When analyzing patients, Director Shi would repeat the patient’s condition to remind himself, “Venous bleeding, not a ruptured cerebral aneurysm.”
"We've been observing her for almost a day," Director Shi said. "The old lady's condition is relatively stable."
“The most important issue right now is intracranial pressure,” Liu Zhi said, frowning.
"According to the plan, the blood has been drained," said Director Shi. "I checked before I went into the operating room, and the intracranial pressure had decreased."
"If we observe for a while longer and there are no problems, his life will be saved."
"Thank you for your hard work," Liu Zhi said.
"The main thing is that our colleagues understand us and have given us a lot of advice." Director Shi smiled. "Relax, relax, everything will be alright."
Liu Zhi felt somewhat relieved.
"thank you."
"I’m off duty."
Director Shi waved to Liu Zhi and left.
It was nearly 11 o'clock, and the hospital lights had dimmed considerably.
Liu Zhili stood at the end of the corridor, making a phone call to her family, her voice low and soft.
"Grandma is safe and sound, and there is no major risk at present."
The weight that had been hanging over Liu's mother's heart finally lifted.
"Xiao Zhi, Grandma has been moved to a regular ward, and Mom is here to take care of her..."
"It's too late." Liu Zhi lowered her head. "Let's discuss it again tomorrow."
Looking back, Meng Yangzheng was standing not far away, carrying a bag.
Chapter 48 Will
Liu Zhi is running.
The ambulance followed behind her with its siren blaring, driving along a rough, gravel road with many side streets.
Her shoes came off as she ran, and her feet left bloodstains of varying depths on the gravel.
"Grandma..."
Liu Zhi's eyes were blurred with tears; she couldn't feel the pain of her skin tearing open on her feet. Only those two words remained in her mind.
The path that usually only took a few minutes to walk became incredibly long, so long that it seemed she could never reach the end.
The small house receded further and further away from her, until it was just a tiny black dot.
...
It's that dream again.
This time, Grandma stood under the locust tree at the door, smiling as she looked at Liu Zhi.
Liu Zhi seemed to be able to never get close to her.
This dream was very painful.
Liu Zhi's heart was racing, her breathing was rapid, and her forehead was damp with cold sweat.
"Liu Zhi?"
"Liu Zhi!"
Meng Yang gently patted her cheek.
"Are you having a nightmare?" Meng Yang asked anxiously. "Wake up!"
A moment later, Liu Zhi opened her eyes.
Did you have a nightmare?
Meng Yang propped herself up on her arms and looked at Liu Zhi, her hair falling beside Liu Zhi's ear.
Liu Zhiping calmed himself down before answering.
“The same dream,” Liu Zhi said. “I’ve had it many times.”
Meng Yang gently stroked her hair. "It was just a nightmare, don't take it too seriously."
Liu Zhi turned his head and met Meng Yang's eyes.
"About my maternal grandmother."
“I called my dad and sent him the CT scan results. His friend said he’s basically fine.” Meng Yang stroked her cheek. “It’s okay, don’t worry.”
Meng Yang called his father, who had consulted an expert in the field. The expert's answer was similar to that of Director Shi.
“No, that’s not it,” Liu Zhi said. “This is a memory of mine.”
Liu Zhi looked at Meng Yang, her eyes moist, as if filled with tears.
"Can you tell me about it?" Meng Yang asked.
“Actually, my ideal job isn’t a doctor,” Liu Zhi said. “I initially wanted to be a policeman.”
"I think I can guess it." Meng Yang brushed a strand of hair from Liu Zhi's cheek. "Is it because of Grandma?"
Liu Zhi hummed in agreement.
"My grandmother suffered a cerebral hemorrhage when I was in my second year of high school." Liu Zhi's eyes darkened, and that unpleasant time resurfaced in her mind.
Mentioning his second year of high school brought back memories for Meng Yang.
“During that period, your personality changed drastically,” Meng Yang said. “Sometimes I even doubted whether you were still Liu Zhi.”
When Meng Yang first met Liu Zhi, she wasn't as reserved as she is now. She would occasionally crack jokes, and they would go out for a stroll together on weekends.
Liu Zhizhen's transformation likely began shortly after the start of her second year of high school.
She stopped laughing and became even less talkative.
"So it was because of a family tragedy?" Meng Yang ran his fingertip through Liu Zhi's hair. "Then I think I can understand."
"I really wanted to become a teacher," Liu Zhi said, her eyes welling up with tears. "But that time..."
“My family was going through a really tough time during that period,” Liu Zhi said. “My mom made all the decisions.”
“Surgery was an option at the time, but my mother didn’t pay for it. She opted for conservative treatment.”
"Is it because of financial burden?"
"Because of Liu Yi."
"Your brother?"