Friend(GL) 149

Chapter 149: Where Is She?

The physical pain was nothing compared to the ache in Zhou Tianzui’s heart. You Ruxu’s fearless, unwavering gaze when she entered, her silent plea, it was a twisting, numbing pain.

Which ward?

She didn’t seem to have asked Yu Qiao which ward You Ruxu was in.

Were her injuries serious?

Being transferred to a regular ward meant it wasn’t life-threatening, but Sang Qi had a gun, Zhou Tianzui couldn’t shake her worry. She turned, wanting to find her phone, then remembered where she was.

“Dr. Zhou, you’re awake.” Yu Qiao and the doctor entered hurriedly. Zhou Tianzui tried to sit up, the doctor rushing to her side to help her, “Please don’t move, the anesthesia is still wearing off, you haven’t fully recovered yet.” He checked the monitors, examined her, and Zhou Tianzui, lying in bed, listened to him recount the events in the operating room, praising her calmness under pressure, how both the mother and child were safe now, the family waiting outside, wanting to see her, “Where’s You Ruxu?” Zhou Tianzui asked.

“She…” The doctor hesitated, Yu Qiao said, “She’s in another ward, you just woke up, don’t worry about so much.”

The doctor checked the equipment, Zhou Tianzui asked, “Mom, where is she hurt? Is it serious?”

Yu Qiao said, “It’s not serious, she just fainted, I’ll ask her to come over after she wakes up.”

Zhou Tianzui wanted to ask more.

Yu Qiao said, “If you don’t rest properly, she’ll be unhappy when she sees you.”

Zhou Tianzui fell silent.

The doctor looked at Zhou Tianzui, as if wanting to say something, then turned to Yu Qiao, “Auntie, let me know if you need anything.”

Yu Qiao nodded and followed the doctor into the corridor, “Can Xiao Tian stay here for a couple more days?”

The doctor understood: “You don’t want her transferred to a regular ward yet?”

Yu Qiao said, “I want her to stay in the ICU for a few more days, for observation.”

It was to avoid those news reports, wasn’t it? The hospital was buzzing with news about You Ruxu, Zhou Tianzui would find out the moment she left the ICU, but she couldn’t handle any more stress right now, a few days of rest would do her good.

The doctor said, “I understand.”

Yu Qiao said, “Thank you.”

The doctor said, “You should also talk to Dr. Zhou, losing a friend is painful, but she still has her own life to live.”

Yu Qiao nodded, watching the doctor leave, her hands and feet cold.

Talk to her?

How?

She couldn’t even bring herself to tell the truth, only avoiding the topic, she didn’t even dare meet Zhou Tianzui’s eyes, this child who trusted her implicitly, she had to lie to her constantly.

Yu Qiao suddenly thought of these past few years.

How Zhou Tianzui had faced her every day.

Was this how she had felt?

Lying, enduring the pain, unable to tell the truth, she must have suffered even more than Yu Qiao herself. This child who had already endured so much, why couldn’t fate be kinder to her?

Yu Qiao had never thought she would pray for You Ruxu, pray for her well-being, for her to be alive.

But now, she was praying, truly and desperately.

Let that child, come back.

Come back to Xiao Tian.

She couldn’t bear to imagine what would happen to Xiao Tian if she knew You Ruxu was gone.

Yu Qiao’s steps were heavy as she walked back to the ward, each step an effort. She stood at the door, looking at Zhou Tianzui, who was lying quietly in bed, her face pale from blood loss, her lips colorless, but her expression strangely serene.

As if waiting to recover, then go see You Ruxu.

Zhou Tianzui, seeing Yu Qiao hadn’t entered, called out weakly, “Mom?”

Yu Qiao snapped out of her thoughts and walked over to the bed, “Do you want some water?”

She dipped a cotton swab in water and moistened Zhou Tianzui’s dry lips, Zhou Tianzui, too weak to even shake her head, Yu Qiao said, “I’ll make you some porridge tonight, you can’t have anything else right now, tell me if you’re hungry or thirsty…”

Zhou Tianzui asked, “When can I be transferred to a regular ward?”

Before Yu Qiao could answer, she asked, “Is Ruxu on this floor? Can I be transferred to her ward?”

Yu Qiao said, “The doctor said you haven’t fully recovered yet, your previous injury hasn’t healed, and now this, you need to be monitored.”

“Not healed?” Zhou Tianzui said, “My previous injury healed a long time ago, did Dr. Li say that? Ask him to come here.”

“Don’t bother the doctors.” Yu Qiao said, “You’re a doctor yourself, Dr. Li wouldn’t lie to you, they just want you to rest.”

Zhou Tianzui didn’t reply.

She just looked at Yu Qiao, “Okay, Mom.”

Yu Qiao sat beside her, Zhou Tianzui said, “Mom, you should go home and rest.”

“I’m staying here.” Yu Qiao said, “Do you think I can eat or sleep if I go back?”

Zhou Tianzui’s voice was low and soft, “I’m sorry, Mom.”

“I’ve already lost your father.” Yu Qiao looked down, “I can’t lose you too, so Xiao Tian, promise me, no matter what happens, don’t do anything foolish, okay?”

Zhou Tianzui looked at her, “Mom, what are you talking about?”

Yu Qiao’s eyes teared up, “N-nothing, nothing,” she wiped her eyes, “I’m just, so happy you’re awake,” her voice trembling slightly, her expression strangely sad. Zhou Tianzui felt a strange unease, but Yu Qiao had been so worried these past few days, from Sang Qi’s attack, to the surgery, she probably hadn’t had a proper rest, it was normal for her to be emotional.

Zhou Tianzui wanted to reach out and hug her, but she couldn’t sit up, “Just lie down, don’t move,” Yu Qiao said.

She gently pushed Zhou Tianzui back down. Yu Qiao sat by her side. A nurse soon came in to change her dressing. Zhou Tianzui thought, being in the ICU had one advantage, it was quiet, so quiet she could think of You Ruxu.

She suddenly remembered You Ruxu’s accident four years ago, she had also been taken to the ICU after surgery. Zhou Tianzui had sat beside her, silently watching her.

Back then, she hadn’t thought of pursuing a relationship with You Ruxu, their ambiguous relationship ending abruptly after she found out who You Ruxu was, but logic was one thing, emotions another. She could tell You Ruxu they would never contact each other again, but when You Ruxu was in danger, she was still the first to rush to her side.

You Ruxu had slept for six hours after the surgery.

And she had sat there for six hours.

Without moving.

The nurses, seeing her, would ask, “Dr. Zhou, do you want to rest in the on-call room?”

And she would shake her head, “No, thank you.”

She just wanted to wait for You Ruxu to wake up, to open her eyes, to see her, hoping that the coldness, the distance between them, would melt away, she just wanted You Ruxu to be okay.

Would she be okay?

Like last time, would she be okay?

Zhou Tianzui dreamt all night, waking up disoriented, staring at the ceiling light until her eyes grew heavy, and she drifted off again. At noon, the doctor came for her checkup and to change her dressing, and she slowly woke up, her mind still hazy, unable to distinguish between dreams and reality.

She felt like it was four years ago, when she had taken a knife for You Ruxu, lying here, but when she opened her eyes, it wasn’t You Ruxu she saw, but Yu Qiao.

Her voice was weak and raspy, “Mom.”

Yu Qiao looked at her, hearing her ask, “Why isn’t You Ruxu here to see me?”

“She…” Yu Qiao hesitated. Zhou Tianzui said, “Oh, Mom, you don’t know You Ruxu yet, do you?” Then, her thoughts wandering, “She’s from the TV station, you must have seen her on the news, she’s very beautiful, her voice is lovely.” She rambled on, “Mom, she’s also a reporter.”

“Mom, she’ll be here later, I’ll introduce you.”

“Mom, I’m sorry.”

Yu Qiao, looking down, Zhou Tianzui’s behavior increasingly erratic, her heart filled with fear, she immediately went to find the doctor, who examined Zhou Tianzui, her physical condition stable, but her mental state confused, “The attack, it was quite traumatic, it’s understandable that she’s a little disoriented, let her rest for a couple more days,” he reassured Yu Qiao.

As expected, Zhou Tianzui returned to normal in the afternoon, no memory of what she had said earlier, just wanting to see You Ruxu, Yu Qiao’s face was grim, she didn’t speak, and Zhou Tianzui softly called out, “Mom.”

Yu Qiao deliberately avoided the topic of You Ruxu, “What do you want for dinner? The doctor said you can have some soup.”

Zhou Tianzui said, “I’m not hungry.”

“You have to eat even if you’re not hungry.” Yu Qiao said, “You Ruxu hasn’t woken up yet, the doctor said she hit her head, she needs to be monitored for a few more days.”

Zhou Tianzui’s voice was filled with concern, “Which ward is she in?”

“She’s—” Yu Qiao hadn’t really paid attention to the room number, she just casually said, “906.”

She looked down, blowing on the water to cool it down. Zhou Tianzui looked at her intently, and later that evening, “Mom, I’m hungry,” she said.

It was the first time in almost two days she had said she was hungry. Yu Qiao said, “What do you want to eat? I’ll go buy it for you,” then after a pause, “I’ll ask the doctor what you’re allowed to eat.”

Zhou Tianzui said, “Just some porridge, ask the cafeteria to send it over.”

The cafeteria did have a delivery service, but Yu Qiao always went out to buy food herself, Zhou Tianzui said, “Where’s your phone? I’ll call them and ask them to deliver it.”

Yu Qiao said, “My phone, it’s outside.”

“Go get it for me.” Zhou Tianzui said, and Yu Qiao hesitated, “The doctor said you should…”

“Mom, I’m a doctor.” She looked at Yu Qiao, “What are you hiding from me?”

Yu Qiao looked at her, silent.

Zhou Tianzui said, “Mom, do you still hate You Ruxu, is that why you don’t want me to see her?”

Yu Qiao’s hands clenched into fists, and after a few seconds of silence, she said, “Yes.”

Zhou Tianzui started to say, “Mom, she’s already…”

“Xiao Tian, we agreed, we’re not talking about You Ruxu.” Yu Qiao stood up. “I’m going to buy you some porridge.”

Zhou Tianzui watched her leave quickly, turned, her wallet was still on the bedside table, she pressed her hand against her wound, tried to get up, but the pain was too much, she fell back onto the bed, her body covered in cold sweat. She reached for the call button, pressed it twice, and a nurse soon entered, smiling at her, “Dr. Zhou, what’s wrong?”

Zhou Tianzui said, “Did my mom leave?”

“Auntie just went out.” The nurse said, “Do you need anything?”

Zhou Tianzui said, “She left her wallet, she’s going to the cafeteria, could you please call them for her?”

The nurse nodded, “No problem, I’ll call them now.”

Zhou Tianzui said, “Thank you.”

The nurse, seeing she didn’t need anything else, turned to leave, when Zhou Tianzui called out to her, “Is the patient in bed 906 awake?”

“906?” The nurse said, “906 is empty.”

Just as she finished speaking, Yu Qiao entered, and the nurse greeted her, “Auntie, Dr. Zhou said you left your wallet.”

“I came back to get it,” Yu Qiao walked over to the bed and heard Zhou Tianzui ask the nurse, “Then which ward is You Ruxu in?”

The nurse instinctively looked at Yu Qiao.

Zhou Tianzui also looked at Yu Qiao.

Her eyes instantly reddened, her hands clenching into fists, those words echoing in her mind, she’s in another ward, she’s unconscious, she’s not awake yet, she can’t come.

Yu Qiao didn’t speak.

Zhou Tianzui’s voice was choked with tears, “Mom, where is You Ruxu?”