Upon learning that He Xiang's grandmother had an accident, Shen Qingtang and Gu Xiuyuan's expressions changed as well.
After knowing each other for so many years, they had developed deep feelings for this kind - hearted and gentle old woman who had been suffering from illness.
"There's no need for so many people. Yang Xinyu, take Xiang Wan home. We'll go," Ji Nian said decisively, pulling He Xiang along as she walked.
At this moment, Lu Jinghuai naturally wouldn't be fussy. He turned to pick up the bag that Ji Nian had left behind.
When passing by Wei Junze, Ji Nian didn't forget about him. She signaled with her eyes for him to go home early.
Although Wei Junze didn't know the details, he gathered from what he heard that someone was seriously ill. So he nodded at Ji Nian and said, "If there's anything I can help with, remember to call me."
Ji Nian nodded to show that she understood.
Before getting in the car, Ji Nian specifically asked Lu Jinghuai, "Are you okay going to the hospital? If you're not feeling well, I might not be able to take care of you for the time being."
Lu Jinghuai quickly realized that she was referring to his fear of needles.
It was heart - warming that she still remembered such a thing at this moment. Lu Jinghuai couldn't quite put into words how he felt.
"Don't worry about me. I'm fine," he replied.
...
When they arrived at the hospital, they rushed to the operating room.
Unexpectedly, they saw someone they didn't expect there.
"Dad!?" Ji Nian exclaimed in surprise.
Standing outside the operating room, with his arms crossed over his chest and wearing a long gray windbreaker, looking as upright as a pine tree, who else could it be but Ji Tingzhou?
Ji Tingzhou looked over and waved at Ji Nian.
When they got closer, he was looking at He Xiang.
"Be prepared," he said.
Those words made everyone's hearts sink.
Ji Nian opened her mouth, glanced at He Xiang, but finally said nothing.
He Xiang nodded and met Ji Tingzhou's gaze, surprisingly calm.
The other three greeted Ji Tingzhou in a low voice one by one.
Because of Ji Tingzhou's presence, Lu Jinghuai couldn't stand next to Ji Nian. He could only lean against the opposite wall and glance over from time to time.
Ji Nian pulled Ji Tingzhou and asked, "Dad, why did you come?"
It was quite rare for Ji Tingzhou to come to a place he considered full of germs.
"The call was transferred to me," he replied.
After learning about this, he guessed that Ji Nian would definitely come.
Originally, he wanted to take the kids back with him. But before leaving, Zhiliao said to him, "For such a big thing, they need an adult's help. You go and take a look."
Ji Tingzhou originally wanted to say that he would send someone to handle it. But then he thought that Ji Nian seemed to value that young man quite a lot, so he swallowed the words and came obediently.
Knowing that they had all eaten, Ji Tingzhou didn't arrange for someone to bring food.
After watching them wait for a while, he told them to go back and sleep.
But the kids didn't want to go home.
They stood together and surrounded He Xiang, who was taller than everyone else there, like a strong and solid wall, silently showing their determination.
Seeing this, Ji Tingzhou didn't try to persuade them anymore.
Who didn't have friends? Ji Tingzhou himself had seen many friends off.
"There are rooms upstairs. You all go there. I'll stay here and inform you as soon as there's news," he said.
They looked at each other, and it was Gu Xiuyuan who nodded first. "Okay."
The rooms upstairs weren't too far away.
He gently pulled He Xiang and said, "You don't want to see your grandma with bloodshot eyes tomorrow, do you? Let's go and get some sleep."
He Xiang, who had been standing there stiffly and reluctant to leave, nodded imperceptibly when he heard this.
Ji Tingzhou motioned for Ji Nian to take them upstairs.
Ji Nian was a bit touched that he was going to stay and keep watch.
She whispered, "Thank you, Dad."
Ji Tingzhou tapped her on the forehead, as if telling her not to be so polite.
This was a hospital owned by the Ji family, so Ji Tingzhou naturally had a special room here.
The ward was quite large. Ji Nian and Shen Qingtang rummaged through and found several blankets.
No one wanted to sleep in the beds.
So they all huddled together on the sofa, shoulders touching shoulders.
This was a closeness they rarely had since they grew up, but at this moment, the teenagers didn't care. They just wanted to be close to each other like little birds, accompanying their friend to face the possible parting.
The clock on the wall ticked slowly, and the room was completely silent.
After an unknown amount of time, Ji Nian and Shen Qingtang, with their heads leaning against each other, were dozing off. Suddenly, they heard the door being pushed open.
They all woke up with a start. With hazy vision, they looked towards the door.
He Xiang stood up immediately, and the blanket on him slipped off. Lu Jinghuai picked it up to prevent him from tripping.
It was a young nurse at the door.
Ji Nian felt dizzy when she got up and almost missed a step when going downstairs. Lu Jinghuai held her up, and he didn't let go of her hand after that.
She was so preoccupied with He Xiang's grandmother's situation that she didn't notice.
Ji Tingzhou was still there, and the doctor was talking to him.
After staying up almost all night, he looked a bit tired.
Ji Nian felt sorry for her father.
She thought she should have arranged for them to take turns keeping watch.
He Xiang walked closer, and the doctor told him a lot. He listened and nodded.
"Even if we continue the treatment, it can only last about three more days, and the old lady will suffer a lot. Do you want to continue?"
This was a euphemistic way of persuading He Xiang to give up.
Whether it was to try to keep her alive for a short while or to give up now, both options made He Xiang extremely conflicted.
But he had to make a choice.
"No need..." His voice was hoarse as he spoke.
The moment he said it, it was as if a hole had been punched in his heart, and his fingers trembled with pain.
His grandmother had held on for a long time so that he wouldn't lose his last relative in his most vulnerable years.
He didn't want her to suffer anymore.
The others also respected He Xiang's decision.
They all went to see He Xiang's grandmother for the last time. She couldn't speak, but she just looked at them with her kind and tired eyes, as if she was smiling.
They didn't stay long and left the space for the grandmother and grandson to have their last farewell.
Everyone was trying hard to hold back their emotions when talking to He Xiang's grandmother. When they came out, Shen Qingtang couldn't hold it back anymore. She lowered her head, and tears welled up in her eyes.
She thought of her own grandmother.
Gu Xiuyuan also had elderly relatives at home. Although he was usually calm, he was just a young adult at this moment, and the corners of his eyes were a bit red. When he saw Shen Qingtang crying, he took out a tissue and handed it to her.
He also glanced at Ji Nian, who was standing there quietly without saying a word.
Ji Nian was looking down, lost in thought, and seemed to be the calmest among them all.
Even Lu Jinghuai looked a bit down.
Gu Xiuyuan remembered that Lu Jinghuai's grandmother had passed away when he was very young.
He must have thought of his own grandmother too.
Seeing that Ji Nian was silent, Ji Tingzhou patted her on the head.
When Ji Nian looked up and saw her father, somehow, the sadness she had been holding back started to surface.
Maybe she was the most out - of - place one here.
Because she was thinking of Da Dan.
...
Ji Tingzhou arranged for He Xiang's grandmother's funeral.
He Xiang was like a puppet being pushed around, doing whatever he was told.
Finally, they accompanied He Xiang to bury his grandmother in her hometown.
Let her soul return to her native land.
The person who raised him would never smile gently at him again, stroke his head with rough and dry hands, steam delicious brown sugar eggs for him, or sit up late at night counting banknotes one by one under the lamp, neatly bundling them up and sealing them in an iron box, and muttering with a toothless grin, "This is the money our boy needs for school."
Grandma would never speak again. She had become a small urn and was buried in the soil.
A tear silently rolled down He Xiang's cheek.
His voice felt as if it were being scorched. For the last time in his life, he called out to her, "…Grandma."
