Mu Shi'an froze in place upon hearing Mu Jingmei's words, staring at her with disbelief.
"Why are you looking at me like that? It's because you... insisted on marrying into that... Song Nianchu's family that Dad got so angry..." Mu Jingmei faltered under his gaze, guilt creeping in, but she refused to shoulder the blame for their father's condition. Instead, she pushed all responsibility onto Mu Shi'an.
"Do you really not know why I had to marry into their family? Or are you pretending not to?" Mu Shi'an's hands clenched at his sides, veins bulging from the force of his grip.
"I... never forced you to do it. You could have refused," Mu Jingmei retorted, raising her voice.
Mu Shi'an studied her face for a long moment. This was his sister—the one he had watched grow up, the one he knew better than anyone.
So why did she feel like a stranger now?
He looked away, letting out a low, bitter laugh.
Mu Jingmei shrank back behind their mother, unnerved by his reaction. "Mom, I'm scared."
"Don't be afraid, your brother won't hurt you," Mu's mother soothed before turning to Mu Shi'an. "Shi'an, your father's life is hanging by a thread. Now isn't the time to argue with your sister."
Argue?
She thought he was the one picking a fight?
Mu Shi'an had no words left. He simply stood, walked to the bed, and lifted Mu's father into his arms.
In his memories, his father had always been a towering figure. Yet now, he could carry him effortlessly.
"Shi'an, where are you taking him?" Mu's mother rushed forward.
"The hospital," Mu Shi'an answered coldly.
"I—" She started to say she would go with him, but Mu Jingmei cut in before she could finish.
"Big Brother, given our family's status, we can't just wander around without permission! You don’t have any proof. If you take Dad to the hospital, the doctors won’t treat him. Worse, we might all be punished!"
Panic filled Mu Jingmei's eyes. Life in Qinghe Fishing Village was hard enough. Another punishment could mean being sent somewhere even worse.
She wouldn’t survive that.
"So you're saying you'd rather watch Dad die than risk punishment for yourself?" Mu Shi'an paused at the door, turning to glare at her.
All warmth had vanished from his gaze, replaced by icy resolve.
"I—that’s not what I meant! I just think... without proof, taking him there is pointless. The journey might even make his condition worse. Besides, if Dad were awake, he wouldn’t want us taking risks for him..." She scrambled to justify herself.
Mu Shi'an only scoffed. "I never realized you were such a smooth talker."
Seeing that her words had no effect, Mu Jingmei grabbed Mu's mother’s arm.
"Mom, are you really going to let Big Brother take Dad like this? What if someone sees them? What if Dad doesn’t even make it to the hospital?"
Mu's mother stood torn, her mind in turmoil, unsure what to do.
"Mom, stop Brother quickly—let's think of another way." Seeing Mu Shi'an already stepping out of the room, Mu Jingmei's voice grew urgent.
Mu's mother instinctively leaned toward Mu Jingmei's side. She hurried forward and grabbed Mu Shi'an's arm. "Shi'an, we don’t have the proof. Maybe we should... wait a little longer?"
Mu Shi'an hadn’t expected his mother to actually try to stop him. His arms trembled as he held his father, and he opened his mouth to demand if she even understood what waiting longer would mean.
But before he could speak, a clear voice cut through the tension.
"Who says we don’t have proof?"
Mu Shi'an whipped his head around to see Song Nianchu striding toward him, her expression stern.
"I’ve already gotten the proof. There’s a cart outside—grab a quilt to pad it, and we’ll take your father to the hospital." She gestured to the document in her hand.
Mu Shi'an stared at the proof, his throat tight with emotion.
Beside them, Mu Yongnian immediately rushed into the room and came back with Mu's father’s quilt.
"No time to waste—let’s go." Without waiting for Mu's mother or Mu Jingmei, Song Nianchu nudged Mu Shi'an toward the door.
Mu Yongnian had already spread the quilt over the cart. Mu Shi'an carefully laid his father down.
Wu Zhenggui stood nearby, watching them with concern.
"Uncle Zhenggui, I’ll go with them to the hospital. Don’t worry—I’ll make sure they come back." Song Nianchu met his gaze earnestly.
She knew that for someone like Mu Shi'an, whose background was politically problematic, leaving Qinghe Fishing Village without clearing his status meant that even in death, he could only be buried here. If he fled, Wu Zhenggui, as the village head, would bear full responsibility.
He had trusted her enough to issue the proof.
"Of course I trust you. Hurry and get him to the hospital." Wu Zhenggui could see Mu's father was seriously ill. Though no one would be held accountable if a man like him died, his conscience wouldn’t allow indifference.
Song Nianchu gave a firm nod and moved to pull the cart, but Mu Shi'an lifted the handles first.
"I’ll do it." His voice was resolute.
She didn’t argue, instead pushing from behind.
"Big sister..." Mu Haoxuan trailed after them, tears welling in his eyes.
Song Nianchu glanced back, her expression softening, but she said nothing. Instead, she turned to Mu Yongnian, who stood silent.
"Yongnian, take your brother to my house. Until your brother and I return, keep an eye on things for me. There’s food in the kitchen—help yourselves if you’re hungry." She handed him the key from her pocket.
"Got it." Mu Yongnian took it with a serious nod.
Only then did Song Nianchu push the cart forward.
"Big sister—" Mu Haoxuan tried to follow, but Mu Yongnian pulled him back.
"Big brother and sister-in-law are taking Dad for treatment. We shouldn’t get in their way."
At those words, Mu Haoxuan finally stopped, though tears still rolled down his cheeks.
"Third brother... will Dad... die?" His voice shook.
At five years old, he was just beginning to understand the weight of life and death.
"...I don’t know." Mu Yongnian’s voice was rough.
When their father had coughed up blood, he had been terrified.
"Shi'an!" Mu's mother chased out from the courtyard, her eyes swollen and red as she watched Mu Shi'an's figure disappear into the distance.
"How could he just leave like this? Has he abandoned even his own mother?!"
