Evening.
Nan Shan District Second Hospital.
Dong Xuebing stood by the window in his ward to admire the moon. He appeared calm, but he was concerned about the unconscious Geng Yuehua. After resting for so long, his body regained its strength. He could get out of bed and walk around.
Knock… knock… knock….
Dong Xuebing said without turning. “Come in.”
City Inspection First Office’s Zhu Zhu entered. “Director, I got all the details.”
“Tell me.” Dong Xuebing turned and walked toward his bed. “Has the driver been caught?”
Zhu Zhu walked over quickly to help Dong Xuebing. “I asked the comrades from Nan Shan District Public Security Bureau. They found the vehicle from their CCTV cameras. It was a black Elantra, and it was found in a secluded area of the suburbs. It was stolen two days ago, and the owner was a department head of a private company. He reported it two days ago, so….”
Dong Xuebing’s face changed. “So, we still don’t know who the culprit is?!”
“Not really.” Zhu Zhu replied. “This is a serious crime, and Fen Zhou City Public Security Bureau had joined the investigation. Their technicians and officers got a picture of the suspect through the CCTV footage. That man wore a pair of sunglasses and put on simple disguises. But the officers could still identify him as a hooligan under Zhang Biao. The officers are out to arrest him when I come here. They suspect this accident is an act of revenge and is related to Zhang Huo’s corruption case. The City Party Committee had issued an order to solve this case.”
Dong Xuebing nodded. If the Public Security Bureau could not find the suspect, he was prepared to go to Zhang Biao’s house and tear him into pieces.
Dong Xuebing was furious as Geng Yuehua was almost killed.
“Oh….” Zhu Zhu replied. “The City Commission for Discipline Inspection Leader had called this morning and asked you to recuperate in the hospital. He had given you one week off from work to rest.”
Dong Xuebing smiled wearily. “The City knows about this?!”
Zhu Zhu replied. “How can we hide this from the City?”
Suddenly, Dong Xuebing’s phone rang. It was his mother, Luan Xiaoping.
“Ok. You can go back first.” Dong Xuebing said.
Zhu Zhu refused. “No need. I will accompany you tonight.”
“You don’t need to do this. Just go back and have a good rest. It’s late now.”
“Alright. Call me if you need anything.” Zhu Zhu left the ward.
Ring… ring… ring…. The phone was still ringing.
Dong Xuebing answered. “Hello, Mum?”
“What are you up to again?! Huh?!” Luan Xiaoping sounded anxious.
Dong Xuebing replied. “I am fine now. Nothing happened.”
Luan Xiaoping scolded. “Nonsenses! I felt giddy for a few days after donating 200 ml of blood. How can you be fine after drawing 2,000 ml?!”
Dong Xuebing argued. “You should know how strong I am. I am fine now.”
A woman beside Luan Xiaoping said. “Mum, let me speak to Xiao Bing.”
Luan Xiaoping said. “Your wife wants to speak to you.”
Xie Huilan answered. “Hello, it’s me.”
Dong Xuebing was nervous and cleared his throat. “Huilan, why are you with Mum?”
“Our Mum and Dad had registered their marriage. You were busy, so I went to visit them. So, I heard you had become a knight in shining armor.”
Dong Xuebing replied embarrassedly. “What are you talking about?”
“Haha…. Nan Shan District Party Secretary…. I remember she is quite pretty.”
“Pretty?! She is just average.”
“I had spoken to Yuehua a few times, and I know how she looks.”
“Look at you. Did you think I saved her because she is pretty?”
“Alright…. Stop boasting. Have a good rest, and Mum and I will visit you tomorrow.”
“No need. I am leaving the hospital now. You all don’t need to come.”
“You sound like you are fine, but I am not assured if I didn’t see you.”
“Don’t need. I am here for work and can’t bring you all with me. I am also not that weak. I know you all are concerned, but I am fine. Help me tell my Mum and Uncle Yang.”
“Alright. Come back soon.”
“Yes. I will go back once everything is settled.”
“Be careful.”
“Yes.”
“You must watch out for your own safety. Do you hear me?”
“I know. Stop nagging.”
“Huh? Nagging? Haha…. Alright. I will hang up now. I feel comfortable after hearing you.”
Dong Xuebing felt guilty after hanging up. Sigh…. I made my family worried again. But how can I ignore Yuehua during that situation? I cannot let her die even if I don’t have my powers.
It’s already 9 pm.
Dong Xuebing couldn’t sleep, and he walked around his ward. Suddenly, he overheard the nurses talking outside.
“I heard Secretary Geng had woken up.”
“Really? When did she wake up?”
“She just woke up, but our hospital’s Director is there. I think….”
“What happened? Is she still in danger?”
“I saw Director Xu and the other directors looking terrible. Maybe….”
Dong Xuebing got anxious. The doctors had said Yuehua was out of danger.
Dong Xuebing rushed out of his ward and ignored the nurses who tried to stop him. He stormed to Geng Yuehua’s ward. The door was closed, but he could hear the conversation inside.
“Why did you all allow Xiao Dong to risk his life to save me?!” Geng Yuehua demanded coldly, and Dong Xuebing could tell she was still weak.
Geng Yuehua’s mother replied. “How can we stand around and watch you die?”
Geng Yuehua’s father added. “We had thanked Xiao Dong. He had saved you twice now.”
“Cough… cough… cough….” Geng Yuehua could not stop coughing.
Suddenly, the doctor interrupted. “Sorry, how long has your daughter been coughing?”
Geng Xinke answered. “Around six months. She had been coughing like this for a few months. It’s throat inflammation.”
“Where did she diagnose it?”
“I don’t know. She just told me it is throat inflammation. She had been taking medication for a few months, but it’s not improving. Why are you asking?”
The doctor sighed and took out a bottle of pills. “Has she been taking these pills?”
Geng Xinke replied. “Is this from her bag? Yes. The bottle has no labels.”
“The bottles have labels….” The doctor paused for a second and continued. “Secretary Geng had removed it. I sent this medicine to the lab, which is confirmed to be an anti-cancer drug.”
“Ah?!”
“What did you say?!”
“Anti-cancer drugs.”
Everyone, including Dong Xuebing, who was standing outside, was stunned.
The doctor continued. “We did not notice before the operation. We noticed shadows in her lungs when we conducted a full-body check on her this afternoon. The cancer cells had spread, and it’s confirmed to be lung cancer.”
“How is this possible?” Geng Yuehua’s mother cried. “Impossible!”
Geng Yuehua’s father yelled. “Yuehua! Is the doctor telling the truth?”
Geng Yuehua’s coughing stopped, and she did not reply.
Geng Yuehua’s mother cried. “You…. You knew about this long ago, and that’s why you refuse to let me introduce guys to you.”
Geng Xinke added. “No wonder you are not yourself after you returned from Shanghai. Did you find out at the hospital in Shanghai? Sis, why didn’t you tell us?”
Geng Yuehua continued to keep quiet.
Geng Yuehua’s father asked. “Doctor, how long more can she live?”
The doctor thought for a while. “If she underwent Chemotherapy when it was discovered, she might live one or two years longer. But now, the cells had spread. She had been using medication treatment, and I am afraid she has less than one month. At most, two months if she is lucky. She had just undergone major surgery, and her body was too weak for radiotherapy. You all should be prepared. Her injuries had not healed, and her cancer cells had spread. She might go anything.”
This means Geng Yuehua might die at any time.
Lin Pingping was in a dazed. “Sister Yuehua, since you had found out, why… why didn’t you undergo chemotherapy?”
The doctor replied. “Although Chemotherapy can extend her life for a while, it was also painful. Sigh….”
The ward became quiet, and everyone started to sob.
Geng Yuehua’s mother, Lin Pingping, and Geng Xinke were crying.
Geng Yuehua finally said in her monotonous voice. “Why are you all crying? What’s the big deal? Everyone will die sooner or later.”
Geng Yuehua’s mother yelled at her. “What do we do when you are gone?!”
Geng Yuehua’s father tried to hold back his tears. “I don’t want to send you off. What did I do in my previous life to deserve this?!”
“Sis….” Geng Xinke said. “You should have undergone Chemotherapy or operation. You should spare a thought for Mum and Dad.”
Dong Xuebing’s eyes were red. He sat along the corridor, leaning against the wall. He knew Geng Yuehua had a secret as she had been acting weird. But he did not expect her to have late-stage cancer and didn’t have much time left.
Why is this happening?
How can this be happening?!
