Chapter 22.3 - Job's tears 薏苡仁
Her body trembled heavily, a chill running from the soles of her feet to her brain. She hurriedly threw off her apron and ran out of the kitchen. In the courtyard, two or three locals were pulling the doctors outside, saying, "We found Dr. He, but he's unconscious now, with several bruises on his body. We didn't dare move him, afraid we might do more harm. We just had a few people stay with him."
For a moment, the pain was so intense she couldn't breathe, but her instincts as a doctor quickly brought her back to her senses. "I'm coming too!"
The few hundred meters from the health center to the village head felt like the longest distance she had ever traversed. The end seemed unreachable, everything around her shrouded in misty rain. She could only run as hard as she could, fearing that missing even a second might mean missing a lifetime.
Her vision blurred, only one thought spinning in her mind: He Suye, as long as you're okay, I just want you to be okay. If heaven asked me to give up everything, I would.
At the village head, a few people had already gathered, and they were overjoyed to see the doctors arriving. "The doctors are here, they're here!"
The lead doctor rushed forward, and she followed, the scene before her nearly bringing her to tears. An experienced doctor assessed the situation, "Concussion, contusions. From the outside, there don't seem to be any major injuries, but we don't know if there's internal bleeding or brain displacement. We can't make the best assumptions yet."
The man lay there, eyes closed as if in deep sleep, but giving her the illusion he might never wake up. Fear, despair, cold to the extreme, unable to breathe, even her consciousness was not clear, her blurred vision filled with a hazy gray.
All they could do was pray for the ambulance to arrive quickly.
After what seemed like an eternity, the sound of a siren suddenly lifted everyone's spirits. The ambulance doors opened, and several doctors came out with a stretcher, expertly lifting He Suye onto it. She jumped in after them, "I know him best, I should go."
The rain had made it hard to keep her eyes open, but she forced them to stay open, watching the doctors measure his blood pressure and check his pulse. Her mind was filled with a buzzing noise, and she desperately told herself to stay calm, to call Qiu Tian.
She fumbled for her phone, struggling to press the numbers. Qiu Tian answered quickly, "Fang Kexin, what's up? I'm on duty."
Like a floating weed in a vast river finally grabbing onto a root, she finally had someone to rely on. A sharp pain erupted from all over her body, bringing her to the brink of collapse. She trembled violently, her teeth chattering, "Qiu Tian, hurry, get to the General Military Hospital. He Suye, something's happened. The external injuries aren't severe, but he's unconscious and needs further diagnosis. Also, notify his father."
Qiu Tian, being experienced, responded, "I understand, keep your emotions in check, I'll go right now. Don't panic!"
Being a military hospital, the emergency response was swift. After confirming that He Suye only had a mild concussion and fractures, he was immediately taken to a VIP room. All they could do now was wait for the patient to wake up.
By then, all of Fang Kexin's strength had been drained. She leaned against the wall and slowly slid down. She told herself not to cry, not to cry, but she was utterly exhausted, unable to hold on any longer. Her heart ached with every beat, everything was a blur, and tears streamed down her face.
The pain she had endured for so long dissipated upon hearing the news of his safety.
As long as he was safe, as long as he was happy, there was nothing she wouldn't compromise or concede. Wasn't this the way to love someone? Only if he was safe and happy could she be happy.
Until someone gently called her, "Fang Kexin, Fang Kexin, don't cry, he's fine, he's fine."
She refused to look up, her voice hoarse, "I know, I just can't help it, Qiu Tian, let me have a moment of quiet."
Qiu Tian sighed but said nothing, standing quietly beside her. In the empty corridor, only the two of them were present. The door to He Suye's room opened and closed, but no one paid them any attention.
After a long while, Fang Kexin spoke, "Qiu Tian, does senior brother like Shen Xifan?"
"Yes."
"Call her then, tell her that senior brother is in trouble. He must want to see her the most right now. Maybe knowing she's here will wake him up. I just want him to wake up now, and then, whether he ignores me or continues to treat me as a junior sister, I don't care anymore."
"Miss, it's already midnight. I'll definitely call tomorrow."
"Qiu Tian—"
"Yes?"
"Do you think Shen Xifan likes senior brother? Would she hurt him like Zhang Yiling did?"
"I don't know, but your senior brother likes her very much, and it's been hard on him."
"Qiu Tian, if I call Shen Xifan here, would senior brother blame me? Given his personality, he definitely wouldn't want her to be sad. What if he gets angry and ignores me?"
"Maybe your senior brother would be quite happy inside, you never know."
"Qiu Tian, if senior brother likes Shen Xifan and she likes him too, that would be great."
"What about you?"
"Me—what can I do? In the love story of two people, there's always a supporting role, but it's never needed. Once the play is over, aside from bowing out with a smile, there's no other choice."
"Fang Kexin, don't say that, it makes me feel terrible."
"Qiu Tian—"
"Yes?"
"I'm hungry..."
So be it, she told herself. Waiting any longer was meaningless. How many years of a woman's life can be spent waiting for someone who will never turn their gaze upon her? Her youthful recklessness was over; her youth had been squandered on a love that was profound but unreciprocated. What little remained of her life was still long, and there would be a man who loved her, cherished her, and cared for her.
Unrequited love is the most painful thing in the world, but also the happiest, because at that time, we never regretted loving someone so unique to us.
In the end, we smile and bless them, even if we are reluctant, heartbroken, and our smiles are forced, we must let go.
But we all know, loving him before, was the best thing she ever did.
