The sound of a heart machine beeps as the faint sll of disinfectant lingers in the private hospital room. On the bed in the center of the room lay an elderly man with a nasal cannula to help deliver oxygen to his lungs.
Despite his unconscious state, one can feel the powerful aura around him.
A teenage boy was sitting at the side of the bed. His eyes brimd with redness, but he did not care if the doctors or nurses saw him.
His attention was glued onto the elderly man with both hands clasped around the person's left hand. Suddenly, the tightly shut eyes of the patient slowly open. He stares at the white ceiling before his eyes gradually move to his left.
"Jingxu…"
Ji Jingxu's red eyes tremble with thousands of emotions. "Grandfather!"
He abruptly stood up from his seat without letting go of Grandfather Ji's hand. At the sa ti, he made sure not to cause any harm to the old man.
"How are you feeling? Do you know who I am? Can you see ? Are you thirsty? Do you feel pain anywhere?"
He blurted question after question before realizing sothing. He lets go of his grandfather's hand and darts out the door after giving a few words.
"Wait right there. Let go get the doctor."
Grandfather Ji stares blankly at the door. His grandson is undoubtedly baffled. He was asked so many questions all at once but could not answer.
He sighs upon rembering the panicked look on his grandson's face. Undoubtedly, what happened to him gave Ji Jingxu quite the scare.
When Ji Jingxu cos back, he will reassure the boy that everything is fine.
Just as he thought this, the frantic running of people outside his room could be heard.
He couldn't help but let out another sigh.
"I forgot he was here too."
"Ji Huan!"
Doctor Dong burst inside the room with his forehead slightly covered in beads of sweat. Behind him was Ji Jingxu and two nurses.
"Grandfather, I brought Doctor Dong! Tell him if you feel pain anywhere. Hurry."
Ji Jingxu squeezed past the three people to get to his grandfather's side. He stares intently at the old man while trying to catch his breath.
However, he is t with silence; his lips tremble, and he looks at Doctor Dong.
"Doctor… what's wrong with him? Why isn't he responding?"
Doctor Dong doesn't answer but checks on his old friend after signaling for a nurse to move Ji Jingxu away from the bed.
Once he finished his check-up on Grandfather Ji, he was able to sigh in relief.
"His heart is back to normal, and his breathing is stable."
He looks at the patient lying on the hospital bed, and he wants to smack the old man for not listening to his warnings.
Yet, taking a deep breath, he calms himself and calls to Ji Jingxu.
"Your grandfather is fine now. He just gained consciousness, so give him ti before he answers you."
Ji Jingxu would be lying if he said he wasn't scared. After witnessing his grandfather suddenly cough up blood and then fainting, he felt like the whole world had co crumbling down.
He can't even imagine what would happen if sothing were to happen to the old man again.
However, after hearing Doctor Dong's reassuring words, he felt the knot in his chest slightly loosen.
He walks over to the bed and sits on the chair he was sitting on earlier.
"Grandfather, can you hear ?"
Grandfather Ji's eyes t with his grandson. He notices the redness in the boy's eyes and feels pain in his heart, knowing that he (Ji Jingxu) has been crying this whole ti.
"You must have been so frightened, my child."
The last thing he rembered before losing consciousness was Ji Jingxu's terrified expression. He wanted to tell the boy that everything would be okay, but everything went dark before he could utter a word.
Ji Jingxu held his grandfather's hand and shook his head in response. If he lets it known that he is afraid, he knows that his grandfather will start to hide things from him again.
"I wasn't scared. I…"
His eyes began to tear up as he spoke, but gathering all the strength in him, he was able to fight against the urge to cry.
"I felt incompetent… I wasn't able to do anything but call out to you…"
Grandfather Ji sighs a smile. He gently squeezes the boy's hand and lightly shakes his head.
"Never say that you are incompetent. You are as competent as you can be. You did so much more in that situation than you think."
He needed to remind Ji Jingxu that he was as capable as everyone else. If he doesn't, the boy will always feel lacking.
Ji Jingxu knew that Grandfather Ji was trying to cheer him up. He wants to refute the old man's words but holds himself back and answers with a nod.
As they co to an understanding, Grandfather Ji scans the room before returning his gaze to his grandson.
"Wasn't Inu with us this morning? How co I don't see him?"
Ji Jingxu nods again to the first question before answering the rest.
"There was no food here, so I asked Zhong Yang to bring him back to the house."
Rembering Inu's reluctance to leave his side, he felt a wave of guilt rush inside him. It was as if the fluff ball knew he was sad and that Grandfather Ji was in pain.
However, he had to send the little guy away to be fed.
He stares at his grandfather, and he can't help but recall all their mories together.
In the past, they constantly argued in a friendly manner and often disagreed on things, but everything is different now.
He doesn't want to argue with the old man. He doesn't want his last conversation with his grandfather to be filled with regret, as no one knows what will happen.
"Grandfather…"
His lips pressed together with a look of hesitation. Seeing his grandfather waiting for him to continue, he swallows a hard gulp.
"Can't we tell Jie?"
His eyes search over his grandfather's, and he ever so lightly squeezes the old man's hand.
"I know you're trying your best for us, but think about Jie. Have you considered how she would feel knowing it was too late? How do you think she would feel knowing that you were hospitalized and she has no idea of it."
Grandfather Ji knew why Ji Jingxu was asking him these questions. His ti was short, and he could leave this world any day now.
He didn't want to tell Yue Ling about his health because he didn't want her to experience the feelings of soone she loves leaving her. He knew that feeling all too well, and it is a feeling no one wants to feel.
However, Lu Tian and Ji Jingxu were right.
He can't keep delaying this and needs to tell her now, or else he will have this regret even after death.
His eyes slowly close, and he nods with every ounce of him.
"Alright. I'll tell her once I'm discharged."
Ji Jingxu felt like a heavy weight had been lifted from his shoulders. His shoulders relaxed, and he smiled.
"That's a promise. You have to tell her, or else I will go against you and tell her. I can't keep this from her any longer."
He ant every word. If Grandfather Ji suddenly changes his mind, he will see his sister and show her their grandfather's diagnosis report.
Grandfather Ji knew that his grandson was never one to lie when it ca to promises. He doesn't say another word and turns his attention to the window in the room.
When he ca to the hospital, it was still morning, but now it was nearing nightti.
So much ti has been taken from all the things he still needed to do. He looks back at Ji Jingxu and faintly smiles.
"Go call Doctor Dong for . I need to speak to him."
Ji Jingxu didn't know why, but he felt uneasy seeing the smile on the old man's face. He hesitantly nods and gets up from his seat.
"Alright. I'll go find him."
He walks out of the private hospital room but only after taking another glance at his grandfather.
Left alone in the room, Grandfather Ji heavily sighs and stares at the white ceiling.
He was never fond of hospitals. It was a place filled with happiness just as much as it was filled with sadness.
While soone is thrilled to receive good news, soone else is devasted by bad news.
And like the latter, he must give the bad news to his granddaughter.
He knows she will be angry and disappointed in him for keeping such a matter from him. However, it wasn't that he didn't want to tell her. He just didn't know how to tell you.
Yue Ling has yet to recover from the loss of her unborn child fully. If he were to add another bad news to her, she would be beyond heartbroken.
He also has to take into consideration that she is getting married soon. Did he really want to ruin her happy mont with such sad news?
But….
What if ti did not allow him until then?
Pondering over these thoughts, he lets out a long sigh again and again until he cos to an agreent with his mind.
Just as the decision had been made, from the corners of his eyes, he sees Ji Jingxu returning with Doctor Dong. He doesn't wait for either person to speak and opens his mouth.
"I need to get discharged. There's sothing important I must do."
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