Chen Zhenye looked at Wu Hongjun and the traffic police officers, speaking in a calm tone:
"Father-in-law, whatever has happened, just tell us directly. We can handle it."
In truth, after that phone call was hung up this morning, he had begun to harbor an uneasy suspicion.
Wu Hongjun let out a sigh.
He nodded to the traffic officer beside him.
The traffic officer began:
"At 9:20 AM today, a traffic accident occurred in Taojia Village, Yanshan Town, Jin County. The driver's vehicle overturned. There was also a female passenger in the front seat."
"After the accident, they were rushed to the hospital. The driver is currently in the ICU undergoing emergency treatment. As for the female passenger, she only sustained minor abrasions and is currently resting at the hospital."
"After identity verification, it was confirmed that the driver of the vehicle involved is Chen Haotian, and the female passenger is named Chen Ruanruan."
Upon hearing this, Wu Peihua's legs gave way.
She nearly fainted.
"What... what did you say?! My son is in the ICU?"
"Yes, ma'am."
Wu Peihua then completely lost consciousness.
When she came to, she found herself on the way to the hospital. Seeing Chen Liuyue sitting beside her playing with her phone,
a wave of frustration welled up inside her that she couldn't vent.
"How can you still be in the mood to play on your phone when your brother is in such a state?"
Chen Liuyue looked utterly bewildered.
"Mom, Brother was in a car accident, and our whole family is going to the hospital to see him."
"As for me playing on my phone, I was asking my instructor for leave since I can't attend class today. What's the problem?"
Her reasoning was sound, leaving Wu Peihua with nothing to say.
Yet, deep down, she still felt uncomfortable.
Qian Xiaofen, who was also in the car, spoke up:
"Enough! Haotian's accident isn't Xiao Yue's fault."
"If you want to blame someone, blame the Tao family, blame Ruanruan. Why take it out on Xiao Yue?"
Wu Peihua felt a knot of frustration in her chest, but she couldn't deny that both her own mother and her daughter were right.
Just then, her phone rang.
It was Chen Ruanruan calling.
Wu Peihua quickly answered, not even waiting for the other person to speak, her voice laced with resentment:
"Ruanruan, what on earth happened?"
"How is your brother now? If it weren't for you, Haotian wouldn't be in this mess."
On the other end of the line, Chen Ruanruan, who had been preparing to cry and act pitiful, was stunned.
Was this still her gentle, forgiving foster mother?
It felt like she was a completely different person.
Her voice trembling with a sob, she whispered:
"Mom, I'm so worried about Brother too. I've been sitting outside the ICU emergency room this whole time."
"The doctor just finished the surgery and said Brother is out of danger now. That's why I thought to call and let you know he's okay."
"Mom, please don't be angry with me..."
After all, this was the daughter she had raised from childhood, and upon hearing that her son was out of life-threatening danger, Wu Peihua's anxiously hanging heart finally settled.
Her tone softened a bit.
"Ruanruan, Mom isn't angry at you, I was just too worried."
"It's good that your brother is okay. Mom was just so scared."
Chen Ruanruan also nodded obediently, saying:
"Mhm, Mom, I understand."
"It's all the Tao family's fault. They are bad people. Mom, I never want to go back to the Tao family. Can I stay with the Chen family forever?"
Holding onto her anger towards Tao Tian and Jin Minjia, Wu Peihua nodded and said:
"Good! Mom will take care of you. We won't go back to the Tao family. It's true what they say, harsh lands breed harsh people!"
"Don't cry, Ruanruan. Your dad, your grandparents, and I will be at the hospital soon. Oh, and your sister Liuyue too."
At that moment, Wu Peihua had no idea what outcome she was about to face.
She was still just relieved that her eldest son had survived.
And that the foster daughter she raised from childhood was still obedient and closest to her.
The hospital was filled with the strong smell of disinfectant.
When the group arrived, Chen Haotian had already been transferred from the emergency room to the intensive care unit.
Before Wu Peihua could get a clear look, she saw Chen Ruanruan throw herself into her arms, sobbing uncontrollably.
"Mom, Mom, you're finally here."
"I was so scared. I was sitting here all alone waiting for Brother. I was really so scared."
Wu Peihua held her, speaking gently, "It's alright, Ruanruan, don't be afraid! Mom and Dad are here now. It's okay. Those people from the Tao family won't dare cause trouble again!"
At the same time, the chief surgeon who had just operated on Chen Haotian approached.
He asked, "Who are Chen Haotian's family members?"
Chen Zhenye quickly stepped forward, "Doctor, I am Chen Haotian's father."
The chief surgeon spoke slowly:
"There is something we need to inform the family. When this patient was brought in, his leg had been compressed by the vehicle for an extended period, cutting off blood circulation. Necrosis had already set in."
"To save his life, we had no choice but to perform an amputation."
Wu Peihua's gentle stroking of Chen Ruanruan's back suddenly stopped.
She looked up at the doctor in disbelief.
Her voice trembled, "Doctor... doctor, what did you just say?..."
The chief surgeon sighed and repeated it.
Despair flashed in Wu Peihua's eyes. She couldn't accept this.
Instinctively, she pushed Chen Ruanruan away from her embrace.
The look she gave her was no longer loving; instead, it was tinged with a hint of hatred.
"How is this possible?! My Haotian was perfectly fine. How could he become disabled?" Wu Peihua took two steps back.
Wu Hongjun and Qian Xiaofen stepped forward to support their daughter.
They urged her, "You have to hold on! You're his mother. If you don't stay strong, how will he cope when he wakes up and learns about this?"
Wu Peihua was on the verge of breaking down.
"How can I hold on?! That's my son. A perfectly healthy person. How did he go to Taojia Village and come back a cripple?"
As she spoke, her gaze drifted and landed on Chen Ruanruan.
Her lips quivered, trembling, carrying threads of hatred.
She cried out:
"Why? Weren't you both in the same accident?"
"How come Haotian is so severely injured, but you're completely unharmed?!"
Chen Ruanruan shrank back fearfully.
"Mom, I..."
Wu Peihua shook her head, murmuring distractedly, "No, I'm not your mom. Your mother is someone else!"
After saying this, her legs went weak, and she nearly collapsed.
"Peihua!"
Everyone could only help her to sit down on a bench in the hospital corridor.
Chen Ruanruan felt that look just now was so unfamiliar. How could she have seen a look meant for an enemy in her mother's eyes?
She glanced at Chen Zhenye.
"Dad, I'm also very sad..."
Chen Zhenye curtly interrupted, "Don't say anything for now. Let us have a moment of quiet."
Chen Ruanruan then shifted her gaze to her grandparents, only to see them completely focused on tending to Wu Peihua, not sparing her a single glance.
Finally, Chen Ruanruan could only look at Chen Liuyue, who stood at the very back of the group.
"Liuyue," Chen Ruanruan began.
Then she heard Chen Liuyue say slowly:
"If Brother knew it was his most beloved little sister who ruined his life forever, Sister, tell me, do you think he'd go mad?"
