The red alert outside the operation room had been lit for two hours.
Along the corridor, there stood Xu Kuangjie and the couple, Jiang Beiyuan and Yan Nian, who had rushed over from the scene of the accident.
The woman's hands were still stained with blood.
The bright red color had turned to a sticky maroon shade by now.
He wanted to get her to wash off the stains, but she refused adamantly and insisted on waiting for the operation to be completed.
Ding Baoyi's parents were not living in the country with her. Hence, since she graduated from university, she'd been by herself in Ning City. How was she going to answer to her friend's parents if anything fatal were to happen to her…?
After another half an hour…
The red light was finally extinguished.
A doctor wearing a white coat walked out and took off his mask. This was Director Liu from the thoracic surgical department. Looking at Jiang Beiyuan, he commented:
"Xiao Jiang, good thing you administered adequate emergency care at the critical moment. She is now out of danger but will require care in the sterile ward for the time being. If there're no other issues, you can go in and visit her now."
"What a great relief. It's so good to hear that! Thank you, Doctor."
With her friend safe at last, her heart could finally let go of the heavy burden that she was carrying. Her legs gave way and, thankfully, Jiang Beiyuan was there to hold her by her shoulders. If not, she would have tumbled straight to the ground.
Beside them, Xu Kuangjie walked away to the window ledge to receive a phone call. After hanging up, he came to report to Jiang Beiyuan. "The hit-and-run driver has been caught and in the police's custody now. He won't be able to run away this time."
The man nodded. He then signaled to his buddy with a look without another word.
His friend understood and nodded without a word as well. "Since there's nothing else, I'll take my leave now. I think the gas in the kitchen might be leaking so I better go back to take a look."
"Eh, I won't see you out."
Xu Kuangjie: "…"
This fella is telling me to leave now after making full use of me. How superficial!
After that, Jiang Beiyuan took Yan Nian to wash her hands.
Her small and soft hands were encapsulated between his palms. As he looked down past his long eyelashes, he was focused on washing her hands thoroughly.
She sniffled. Her heart was momentarily moved while watching his distinguished and smart-looking face.
Tonight was her first time getting a taste of "despondency"!
It was really terrifying.
It was a treacherous path in the first place. Good thing Jiang Beiyuan had come along, out of nowhere, and forcefully snatched her friend's life back from the grim reaper.
If not for him, her bestie would not have been saved.
"Thank… Thank you very much."
This thank-you was necessary.
She owed him this much.
He looked up, wearing a lazy expression. Smiling, he asked, "Is this a heartfelt thanks or a superficial one?"
She was baffled by that question.
Then she immediately broke into a smile.
"You don't look like you know how to joke!"
Yes, that's right.
She's right. I'm not one who knows how to joke.
But this joke was worth it when it helped to relieve her anxieties.
He continued to wash her hands and arms.
Zhang Fan walked past the washing station and happened to chance upon this scene.
Yo.
Look. He's still hard at work scrubbing her hands even though they are already clean.
Isn't it obvious that he's just trying to prolong his bodily contact with her?
He suppressed his urge to cough, quietened down his footsteps, and left the two of them alone.
The lady did not realize that someone had been standing behind her. Her eyes were looking down, and her long eyelashes caught the reflection from the yellow light, giving off a golden sheen, illuminating the brows' center with a radiance.
Sighing softly, she was so emotionally moved that she confided in him…
"Today, I realized that we only know how to treasure our loved ones when we are about to lose them. We really, really need to treasure the people around us in the present moment. We need to let go of the past and to not worry about the future."
"Eh."
The man was only willing to let go of her hands when he saw that blisters were about to form from over-scrubbing. He picked out a clean towel by his side and helped to dry her hands.
The light flooded him entirely and seemed to shroud him with a radiance that was both magical and dazzling.
"Losing a loved one is painful."
"Eh? Have you lost someone before?… Oh, right. Was it your ex-girlfriend?"
"No."
There was a pause from him. His knitted brows revealed a sense of loss that could not immediately be recognized.
"It's my older brother," he said.
"He died from late-stage lung cancer."