Friend(GL) 151

Chapter 151: Package

Zhou Tianzui was persistent, asking one person after another, “Do you know You Ruxu?” Her hair plastered to her pale cheeks, her eyes bright with a feverish intensity, as if this was the only question that mattered, oblivious to her own weakened state, the still-bleeding wound, everything else fading into the background, she was like someone trapped in a dark room, desperately searching for You Ruxu.

Her desperate search shocked the reporters present. They had covered countless stories, witnessed scenes of heartbreak and despair, but at this moment, it all seemed insignificant, the Zhou Tianzui before them like someone who had crawled out of hell, devoid of emotion, repeating the same question over and over, yet more moving than any grand pronouncements of grief.

Do you know You Ruxu?

The reporter standing in front, her eyes red, unable to bear the sight any longer, turned away, wiping her eyes. The long corridor was silent, eerily so, only the soft sounds of breathing and heartbeats.

An oppressive quiet.

Patients emerging from their wards instinctively lowered their voices, no one daring to speak, afraid of losing control, of breaking down in tears.

Zhou Tianzui’s grief was palpable, a heavy weight pressing down on everyone present, was empathy just a myth?

Yet, at this moment, they felt her pain acutely.

A suffocating, desperate pain.

A stubborn, frantic obsession.

It silenced them, paralyzed them. The doctors rushed over, seeing the scene, they froze for a moment, then quickly led Zhou Tianzui away.

Zhou Tianzui’s legs gave way, she looked at the reporters, her eyes hollow and dark, a haunting emptiness, the corridor remained silent even after she was taken away, Chen Xiang stood among the crowd, her eyes red and swollen, she turned away and went to the break room.

The break room was crowded with reporters, a cameraman took out a cigarette, then was reminded, “The smoking area is next door.”

He snapped out of his daze, apologized, and left, the others watching him go, still reeling from the scene they had just witnessed.

“Reporter You, is she really dead?” Someone whispered, and everyone’s thoughts immediately went to Zhou Tianzui, the two names and images now inextricably linked, the mere mention of You Ruxu conjuring the image of Zhou Tianzui’s desperate search.

“I don’t know, it seems they couldn’t save her.”

The police had imposed a news blackout, no details released yet. Captain Yao was in the hospital, unavailable, and the reporters waiting at the police station couldn’t get any information either.

“Shot three times, even a god…” Even a god couldn’t save her, the speaker, thinking of Zhou Tianzui, couldn’t finish the sentence, Chen Xiang sat there, remembering You Ruxu, their first meeting, her gentle smile, her clear voice, her dedication to her work, regardless of others’ opinions, always working overtime, while her colleagues were out enjoying their vacations, always the last one at the station.

She stood up, walked out, and called Shi Qi.

“Boss, I don’t want to cover this story anymore.” She couldn’t handle it, the police hadn’t released any official statement yet, but with Zhang Ping arrested, Li Ting in the hospital, and Sang Qi dead, she knew how it would end, those words online, they were different from experiencing it firsthand,

Like now, thinking of You Ruxu, she wanted to cry.

She couldn’t be rational, couldn’t be objective, she couldn’t continue covering this story, “Come back then,” Shi Qi said.

Chen Xiang paused, then said softly, “Okay.”

Shi Qi hung up, she hadn’t wanted Chen Xiang to go in the first place, she had asked Team 1 to cover the story, but Chen Xiang had insisted, wanting to pursue it herself, refusing to listen, and now, the pain too much to bear, she finally asked for help.

She knew how it felt to report on a colleague’s death.

She had experienced it many years ago.

Shi Qi left her office, her gaze lingering on You Ruxu’s empty desk, they had already prepared a new position for her, but she never came back, Shi Qi lowered her head and returned to her office.

Chen Xiang told the cameraman she was leaving, asking him to go home and rest, “I’m fine,” she said with a forced smile when he tried to comfort her,

She thought for a moment, then decided to visit Zhou Tianzui before leaving,

Not as a reporter, but as a friend.

She bought some fruit and a small gift, and when she reached the nurses’ station, she heard them say, “Dr. Zhou still hasn’t calmed down?”

“She’s so weak, where does she even find the strength?” The head nurse’s voice was filled with worry. “Dr. Zhao almost couldn’t hold her back.”

Another nurse said worriedly, “If this continues, she’ll never recover…”

They looked up and saw Chen Xiang, recognizing her, “Reporter Chen?”

Because of You Ruxu, the entire hospital was very welcoming towards the staff and reporters from Jindu TV. Chen Xiang returned to her senses, “What’s wrong with Dr. Zhou?”

“She keeps trying to get out of bed.” The head nurse said, “The doctor’s still inside with her, do you want to see her? I’m afraid she can’t have visitors right now.”

Chen Xiang looked at the closed ward door and nodded, “Could you please take this fruit to her then?”

“Leave it here.” The nurse said, “Just put it inside.”

Chen Xiang walked in, the room filled with flowers and fruit baskets, bouquets, even a few packages, the flowers placed further inside, “So many…” she said softly.

“We’ve already returned most of them, but these, we couldn’t.” The head nurse shook her head. “We can’t take them into Dr. Zhou’s ward right now, we’ll give them to her when she’s feeling better.”

Chen Xiang nodded.

She said, “Is that a package?”

The head nurse said, “Yes, it arrived this morning.”

Last time, when Zhou Tianzui was injured, the hospital had been flooded with flowers and gifts, and it had taken them a long time to sort through them all. This time, if they hadn’t returned most of them, there wouldn’t be enough space.

Chen Xiang asked, “Is it also for Dr. Zhou?”

“They’re all for Dr. Zhou.” The head nurse’s phone rang. She said to Chen Xiang, “Just leave it there.”

Chen Xiang nodded.

The head nurse went out to answer the call. Chen Xiang put down the fruit, and just as she turned to leave, she saw someone standing by the nurses’ station, she didn’t look like a reporter, holding a package. Seeing Chen Xiang emerge from the break room, she asked, “Excuse me, which ward is Dr. Zhou in?”

Before Chen Xiang could answer, the head nurse hung up and said, “Is that for Dr. Zhou?”

The person nodded: “Yes.”

“Give it to me,” the head nurse extended her hand, “I’ll give it to her.”

The person said, “This is important, I want to give it to her personally.”

The head nurse said, “I’m sorry, but Dr. Zhou isn’t accepting any visitors right now.”

Many reporters tried to use all sorts of excuses to get close to Zhou Tianzui, for interviews or photos, they had no choice but to refuse them all, “I’m a doctor from Yuxin Hospital, this is something Dr. Zhou left behind when she was in Yuhai, I’m returning it to her,” the person explained.

The head nurse was unmoved, “Just give it to me.”

Not just doctors, but even lawyers, all sorts of professions, she had seen it all before, she took the package, “I’ll give it to Dr. Zhou.”

The person paused, then didn’t say anything.

The head nurse turned to leave.

Chen Xiang took a few steps forward, just as the person was about to leave, she smelled a familiar fragrance, “Wait a moment.”

The person looked at her. She was tall, half a head taller than Chen Xiang, her hair neatly tied up, her face fair, her hands, from wearing gloves constantly, very white, Chen Xiang believed she was indeed a doctor.

Chen Xiang said, “Your perfume smells nice, a friend of mine uses the same one.”

It was a test, a probe, Chen Xiang, having seen Zhou Tianzui’s state earlier, now also felt a little crazy herself, just a familiar scent, and she was already suspicious.

The doctor looked at her intently and said, “It’s from a patient.” She had accidentally knocked over a perfume bottle while retrieving something, and the scent had lingered on her hands even after cleaning up.

Chen Xiang looked at her, “Your patient, are they, okay?”

The doctor said, “Not really.”

Chen Xiang’s eyes instantly filled with tears, looking at the doctor, wanting to say something, but the words wouldn’t come, the doctor quietly watched her, and finally, Chen Xiang asked, her voice trembling, “Will she be okay?”

The doctor said, “Hopefully.”

Chen Xiang nodded, tears streaming down her face, “Hopefully, hopefully…”

The doctor didn’t look at her again, just turned and left. Chen Xiang, thinking of the package, turned and asked the nurses which ward Zhou Tianzui was in. The head nurse was startled, seeing her tears, she gave the room number after a moment.

Chen Xiang rushed to the ward, but was stopped at the door by the doctor, Yu Qiao, and the security guard. Chen Xiang was frantic, “Auntie, please let me in, I have something important to tell Dr. Zhou!”

Yu Qiao said, “Reporter Chen, she’s not well, she can’t have visitors right now.”

“I’m not here for an interview!” Chen Xiang said, “I!”

The doctors and security guards looked at her, she opened her mouth, but couldn’t speak, her words caught in her throat, rendered speechless by their misunderstanding, she stood there, waving her arms frantically like a crab, trying to get Zhou Tianzui’s attention.

Yu Qiao said, “Reporter Chen…”

The ward door opened. The doctor came out, “Auntie, Dr. Zhou said she’ll see you.”

Yu Qiao looked at Chen Xiang and stepped aside.

Chen Xiang entered the ward, carrying the package. Seeing Zhou Tianzui, her eyes filled with tears, her voice choked with emotion before she could even speak, “Dr. Zhou.”

Zhou Tianzui lay in bed, restrained, her hands and feet tied to the bed frame, as if they were afraid she might hurt herself. She looked at Chen Xiang, seemingly indifferent to her own vulnerable state, her voice flat and emotionless, like a puppet, “What is it?”

Her voice was hoarse and raspy, her face and lips pale and bloodless, her entire being like stagnant water, undisturbed, Chen Xiang suddenly didn’t dare mention You Ruxu.

What if.

What if she was wrong?

What if this package wasn’t from You Ruxu?

Could Zhou Tianzui handle it? She suddenly felt that Zhou Tianzui was clinging to life by a thread, and if she gave her the wrong information, if she gave her false hope…

A chill ran down Chen Xiang’s spine, she didn’t dare test her, didn’t dare risk it.

Zhou Tianzui asked again, her voice still flat, “What is it?”

Chen Xiang said, “Someone delivered a package earlier, I took it for you, do you want to open it?”

Zhou Tianzui shook her head.

Chen Xiang hesitated, wanting to say something, then didn’t, she nodded, placed the package on the bedside table, “Then I’ll be going.”

Zhou Tianzui didn’t reply.

Chen Xiang turned and left.

After she left, Yu Qiao walked in, tears welling up in her eyes, seeing Zhou Tianzui’s state, and sat beside her, “Xiao Tian, I’m not trying to control you, I just don’t know what else to do.”

Zhou Tianzui’s frail body, that unexpected burst of strength earlier, she couldn’t control her alone, she didn’t dare imagine what would happen if Zhou Tianzui really gave up, how could she bring her back?

Yu Qiao looked down.

Zhou Tianzui said, “I’m sorry, Mom, I scared you.”

She seemed to have returned to her usual self, Yu Qiao wiped her eyes, the ward was quiet, the silence stretching, and Yu Qiao said, “Try to get some rest.”

Zhou Tianzui turned her head slightly, wanting to close her eyes, but she couldn’t sleep, her gaze fixed on the package by the bed, who sent it?

It seemed to be Chen Xiang.

What did Chen Xiang send her?

Zhou Tianzui’s voice was soft, “Mom, could you open it for me?”

“Which one?” Yu Qiao turned and, following her gaze, saw the package, the one Chen Xiang brought, she nodded, picked it up, it was a little heavy, she tore open the outer layer, revealing the fabric inside.

Yu Qiao frowned, it looked familiar.

She ripped open the packaging, and Zhou Tianzui turned her head.

Inside the package.

Was a teddy bear.