Noche Eterna

Capítulo 14

4. Xiao Lie:

I hated that patient named Zuer; she was a truly venomous woman. Her sudden loud music startled the patient in the next room, causing their surgical sutures to rupture and resulting in massive internal bleeding. This was my first surgery, a failure that ended with the patient's death. Although my colleagues comforted me, saying it had nothing to do with my skills, I couldn't get over it for a long time.

I couldn't face the female patient with the beautiful face; her unruly attitude made me increasingly disgusted.

I disliked everything she did, and I loudly reprimanded her for breaking the rules, to the point that Doukou later reminded me that I had gone too far.

Am I being unreasonable? Am I being unreasonable like her? She indirectly murdered that patient, the murderer, and she can still lie in bed so calmly, still looking at me with those innocent eyes. I really want to slap her, really, but she is my patient, my God, to hell with God!

I saw tears welling up in her eyes, and she remained silent in the face of my scolding. I glared at her and then said nothing more.

She was very depressed and seemed afraid of me. When I examined her, her delicate body trembled slightly under my hands. Perhaps she didn't understand anything.

Doukou is such a kind girl. She often visits Zuer's hospital room to talk to her. Doukou says, "I shouldn't have treated the patient that way, even if she made a mistake." Although Doukou is criticizing me, I like her criticism; it's like a spring breeze or gentle rain, making me feel soothed and comfortable. I've fallen for the beautiful, lively, and kind Doukou.

I know exactly which day Doukou is on, which night shift, and which afternoon shift. Coincidentally, I often work the same shift as her.

When she was starving, I would take out her favorite snacks, and watching her surprise and greedy devour them made me happier than eating honey. God knows how many meals I treated her best friends to for this information.

[Modern Chapter: 004 Left Atrium and Right Atrium (2)]

If nothing unexpected happens, Doukou will definitely become my girlfriend.

That day, it snowed. White snowflakes danced gently in the wind. Doukou happily exclaimed that this kind of weather was perfect for hot pot. I said, "Okay, it's on me." Doukou gave me a bright, sparkling look, her face slightly flushed.

As I was about to leave work, the head nurse called Doukou out alone. I noticed the head nurse looked very upset; Doukou must have done something to her. I was very worried.

"Dr. Xiao, patient in bed 28 has a cold and fever," the head nurse said to me seriously.

I was startled and rushed to the ward. Zuer's face was flushed as if it were on fire, and her nostrils were flaring rapidly. I anxiously shouted, "Give her oxygen! Give her oxygen!" Doukou, with tears in her eyes, quickly gave her oxygen and started an IV drip.

Doukou and I stayed by her bedside, and Doukou would take her temperature every 10 minutes.

"Why are you crying?" I asked softly.

Doukou lowered her head and sobbed softly, "I opened the window because she wanted to see the snowflakes, but I forgot to close it and she caught a chill."

"You know," I sighed. "Sometimes good intentions lead to bad outcomes." If Zu'er makes a scene, Doukou will inevitably be punished.

5. Joey Yung:

The snowflakes are so beautiful, so incredibly beautiful, like white butterflies, like angels draped in feathers. Could the souls of Mom and Dad be within them? They certainly are. Those beautiful snowflakes must hold Mom and Dad's kind smiles and deep longing. I can almost see it again, that girl in the red down jacket, happily building a snowman and having a snowball fight with Mom and Dad. Dad's laughter is so loud, it makes the snow on the trees flutter down. Mom, wrapped in a red cashmere scarf, runs lightly through the snow, so beautiful.

Standing by the window, I reached out and caught the falling snowflakes. They drifted lightly into my palm and gradually melted into droplets of water. Were they my parents' tears in heaven?

Forgetting the cold, forgetting the fatigue, my soul danced and chased with the snowflakes in the air.

On stage, the little swan in red ballet shoes stretched her limbs gracefully and tirelessly, while thunderous applause filled the audience. My father rushed onto the stage and lifted me high above his head. That year, I won the provincial youth ballet competition.

During my piano lesson, my music teacher was amazed by my talent. She told my mother that my future was limitless. My mother proudly kissed my cheek and said that I was her pride.

But all of this has become a mirage, an illusion. Ever since my parents passed away, I have never stepped onto a stage again. I dropped out of the music academy.

I don't know how I can survive in this world alone. I feel empty and lost, like a night traveler with eyes open, surrounded by darkness, unable to see or understand anything. My future is swallowed by darkness.

Suddenly, the head nurse's startled cry rang in my ears, "Why are you leaving the window open? Be careful not to catch a cold!"

Hehe, I've caught a cold. I've become so weak. I heard Xiao Lie's voice and felt his slightly cool hand occasionally touching my forehead. I liked the feeling of him caring about me.

If I could receive his love, I would rather never open my eyes again.

But then I heard the head nurse say that Doukou was going to be disciplined. Doukou is a good girl; she's just like my little sister. I like her. My cold has nothing to do with her. I need to explain this to the head nurse.

6. Xiao Lie:

Zuer finally woke up, but she had a lung infection. She was gasping for breath and intermittently explained to the head nurse that Doukou was the cause of her illness. She even said that she would refuse treatment if Doukou was punished.

I was very touched. I think she is not a bad person at heart. It is probably that the pampering of her environment made her sensitive and irritable.

Her arms were so thin, pale as porcelain, with a translucent, bloodless, egg-blue appearance. Doukou's eyes were filled with tears as she fed her and encouraged her to swallow.

I begged my mother to cook a pot of chicken soup or pork rib soup for Zuer every day. My mother's soup was hot and moist but not greasy. I could tell that Zuer loved to drink it, but she never said thank you.

With Doukou's meticulous care, Zuer recovered quickly.

Joey said she invited Doukou and me to her house for the Lunar New Year.

I accompanied Doukou to buy New Year's goods for her family everywhere. Although I didn't say it explicitly, I knew that Doukou liked me.

"Let's go see Zuer, she's all alone and seems lonely," Doukou suddenly suggested after buying a whole bunch of things.

She's all alone? Doesn't she have any family? I find that a bit strange.

"Probably not. She's been hospitalized for years, and no one has ever been there for her or visited her," Doukou said casually.

Joey lives in a luxurious high-rise apartment complex. It's said that the property management fee alone is 600 yuan per month. This doesn't surprise me. The rich have their own domain, and the poor have their own paradise. Whether rich or poor, everyone has their own place to live. In this respect, God seems to be very fair.

The surrounding artificial hills, flowing water, pavilions, and bridges frequently elicited gasps of surprise from Doukou. Her pretty little mouth gaped open in an "O" shape, and her eyes, like almond kernels, were exaggeratedly wide. I said, "Doukou, even if you're completely unsophisticated, you don't need to act like that."

Doukou smiled mischievously, thinking, "How disappointed those rich people would be if I didn't act this way."

I was stunned for a moment. This little devil!

Joey was startled to see us, then smiled brightly like a flower. Joey said, "Aunt Wu has guests!" This gave me a feeling of stepping back in time, as if I had walked into a luxurious mansion in old Shanghai.

Joey wore a lake-blue silk overcoat, her slightly wavy hair loosely pulled back, exuding a casual elegance and innate nobility. Her face was bare of makeup, yet fair and rosy.

The spacious and bright living room is furnished with a row of light blue sofas. Floor-to-ceiling windows allow sunlight to evenly spread to every corner of the room, giving it a magnificent feel, as if you have stepped into an ancient palace, and Joey is that beautiful princess.

While sipping the coffee prepared by Aunt Wu, I listened to Doukou and Zuer chatting and laughing.

Suddenly, the phone on Doukou's waist emitted a piercing ring, startling Zuer. Zuer laughed and scolded, "Why did you make such a lousy sound?" Doukou smiled awkwardly, glanced at the displayed number, and hurriedly answered the call, a nervous look on her face.

I asked, "Is there something wrong, Doukou?"

Doukou said that seven people at Harbin University had food poisoning, and the emergency room was short-staffed, so she wanted me to help with the house calls. Upon hearing this, I immediately asked, "Do you need me to go?"

What are you so busy with? It wasn't said there weren't enough doctors. Doukou playfully stuck out her tongue. Your job is to keep Zuer company, and give her a check-up so she can have a peaceful New Year.

I watched as Doukou darted into the winter sunlight like a fawn, and the beautiful and lovely Doukou turned around and waved to us with a smile.

I never imagined that this would be Doukou's final farewell to us, her final farewell to this world she cherished so dearly.

7. Joey Yung:

The sun is shining brightly; such beautiful weather is rare in winter. Bored, I lazily opened the piano lid, slowly sat down, and was about to play a piece when the doorbell rang abruptly. Who could it be? Probably just those property management people coming up with some new trick to squeeze money out of me again.

With a cold expression, I flung open the door, about to scold them, when I was surprised to see Xiao Lie and Dou Kou carrying large bags and small packages. Xiao Lie smiled slightly at me, which made my heart flutter for a moment. Instantly, I snapped back to reality and happily welcomed their arrival.

The huge house had been empty for a long, long time, without a sound of laughter. Doukou's laughter was so beautiful, like the silver bells my mother used to buy me for Christmas when I was little—clear, melodious, bringing joy and happiness to those who heard them. The angelic Doukou, every smile and frown, was enveloped in Xiao Lie's affectionate gaze. I think they were probably in love, or at least Xiao Lie had fallen for Doukou.

I forced a smile, trying to use words to mask the sorrow in my heart. Xiao Lie, won't you even look at me once more?

Doukou's phone suddenly rang. It was an old, worn-out phone with a severely worn casing. The phones I throw away every year are dozens of times better than hers. The sound was awful, and it startled me.

Doukou said she was leaving, and she asked Xiao Lie to stay with me. This excited me, and I watched her run out of our sight with a smile. It was us, ah, us! Finally, I could be alone with Xiao Lie.

Xiao Lie seemed somewhat dazed and reserved.

Let me play you a piece. I walked straight to the piano, and to his astonishment, beautiful music flowed from my fingertips.

He gradually relaxed, his fingers tapping lightly to the rhythm of the piano music, his eyes filled with surprise and appreciation. I felt a little smug; at that moment, I was no longer his patient, and he was no longer my doctor. He was…

In such a wonderful moment, I wish time could be like amber, perfectly preserving everything forever and ever.

With a "thud!" I was startled and turned around to see that Xiao Lie's cup of coffee had fallen to the ground. He was probably too focused on it. I smiled and gestured for Aunt Wu to clean up the mess.

Xiao Lie's face turned grim and deathly pale at that moment. Suddenly, he grabbed his coat, said, "I have something to do!" and quickly fled my house—fleeing, so desperately trying to escape from my sight.

I stared blankly out the window. Happiness, you came so suddenly, and you left so suddenly.

[Modern Chapter: 005 Left Atrium and Right Atrium (3)]

I heard a clicking sound from my heart, the murmur of the transplanted metal valves rubbing and colliding against each other. I was a patient, a semi-mechanical heart patient. My broken heart seemed unable to bear my worries any longer, and it began to pound violently. I groaned and said to Aunt Wu, who had rushed over, "Call an ambulance quickly!"

When the doctor arrived, I was already in a daze. I didn't see Xiao Lie. Why didn't he come?

8. Xiao Lie:

My hands trembled, my heart wept, and I couldn't bring myself to plunge that gleaming scalpel into that delicate skin. Large tears rolled down my cheeks; I couldn't suppress the sorrow and despair in my heart. Was there anything more cruel than this in the world?!

I'm going to rip out the heart of my beloved girl with my own hands, the heart of that once young and vibrant woman! God! Why be so cruel!

However, time was of the essence, and the director pushed me aside and personally took the knife!

My beloved girl has closed her eyes. I will never hear her clear laughter again, and I will never see her crescent-shaped smiling eyes again.

"Xiao Lie, you must pull yourself together. You are the only PhD in our hospital, the only organ transplant expert who has undergone rigorous training. You have to help me!" The director looked at me seriously.

The heart, tightly sealed inside the glass bottle, was still beating regularly; every second counted!

I concentrated all my energy and implanted the heart into Joey's chest. It moved! It moved! The people around cheered. The heart of that lovely person had resumed normal function.

The surgery was over, and I slumped weakly into a chair. Blood still clung to my hands—was it Doukou's? Or Zuer's?

When the coffee cup that Doukou had used fell to the ground, I suddenly had a bad feeling. Doukou, something must have happened to Doukou!

I rushed back to the hospital in a taxi, and as soon as I entered, the head doctor pulled me into the operating room.

"It's hopeless," he said.

Lying on the operating table in front of me was Doukou! The ambulance Doukou was on her way to make a house call had been in an accident!

Doukou, beautiful Doukou, lovely angel, she signed a voluntary body donation form before her death, and in accordance with her wishes, we transplanted her heart into Joey.

9. Joey Yung:

Fate has been kind to me. Just when I was on the verge of death, someone was in a car accident and died, leaving me with a healthy heart. I heard that Xiao Lie was the surgeon, which explains why he's been coming so often.

He would come to my ward several times a day to check my wounds and listen to my heartbeat. Each time, his eyes were filled with tears. Was he excited? Was he excited about his perfect masterpiece?

Haha, I have a healthy heart now! I can enjoy the perfect life!

My laughter grew even crisper, as cheerful as Doukou's. Strangely, I hadn't seen Doukou for so long.

I asked Xiao Lie, and he said with a dejected look that she had been transferred to another city.

So Xiao Lie broke up with his girlfriend! How could Dou Kou abandon Xiao Lie for someone else? Is there anyone better than Xiao Lie?

I was discharged from the hospital, and Xiao Lie took me home. For a while after that, Xiao Lie would come to my house to keep me company whenever he had free time.

Xiao Lie said, "Let's get married."

"I'm so happy," Xiao Lie said. "Let's get married!"

As I walked towards Xiao Lie in my pure white wedding dress, like an angel, I vaguely saw tears in Xiao Lie's eyes again.

After we got married, Xiao Lie took meticulous care of my daily life. He loved to lean against my chest and listen to my heartbeat.