A while later when they both calmed down, Li Fei asked," Have you informed Li Jiang?" "I forgot," she said before getting her phone and called him several times but he didn't answer.
Left with no option, she called Jianyu and asked whether he could go to Li Jiang's condo and inform him that they were at the hospital which he agreed.
A while later, the two arrived and Li Jiang said," I'm so sorry the phone was in silence. How's Dad?!" "They haven't told us anything. Thank you so much Jianyu," Li Mei said and he looked at Li Fei who had a distant look on her face. She didn't seem to have known that they were here.
They watched several nurses going in and out of the ICU and it made them wonder if something was wrong. A long while later, Jianyu realized that it was six in the morning. He approached Li Fei and asked her to come with him to the cafeteria as a way to distract her mind.
"No Jianyu, I'm fine," she replied. "But I think your mother needs some coffee. It's kinda cold," he said and after much deliberation, she informed them that they had gone to the cafeteria.
Reaching, they ordered for some coffee and he proposed that they first sit and drink before taking for the others. While taking small sips of her coffee, Li Fei couldn't help but wonder why life wasn't fair.
She still had issues with Jin Liwei and now, her father was in critical condition. She was feeling so down and devastated. Perhaps if Jin Liwei was here with her, could she have felt better? She couldn't tell.
A while later, Jianyu interrupted her train of thoughts and informed her that they should go back.
Getting two coffee cups, they left and walked back to the direction of the ICU but when she caught sight of her brother and mother hugging, she paused in her steps. What could have happened? She made quick steps to where they were and asked," What happened?!"
Li Jiang held her in place as she broke down in excessive tears. He was trying not to wail but his eyes had become teary. "What happened?!!" she was becoming desperate and unknowingly, tears gathered in her eyes. She just hoped it wasn't what she was thinking. Li Jiang turned to face her and he said," We lost him."
Her body froze and she let go of the coffee cup she was holding and it fell spilling on the floor. "What?!" she whispered tears flooding in her eyes and they blurred her vision.
...
By noon, the news had spread wide and various people couldn't believe that Li Bao was dead.
Back to Shanghai, the moment Jing Yue got hold of the news, he called Jin Liwei.
"Have you gotten the news?" he asked. "News?" Jin Liwei asked back. "Li Bao is dead," he stated. "Li Bao?" Jin Liwei's mind had not yet registered the name. "Your father in law, Li Fei's Dad," he elaborated and Jin Liwei's eyes widened in realisation and surprise "I have to go," he said before hanging up and he picked his keys in a rush. He knew that she must be devastated and he had to go to Beijing as soon as possible.
It didn't take him long to reach and he called her phone but she wasn't answering. He was confused on where to go right now. All he wanted to do was to see her. Checking something, he got her location and immediately drove towards the hospital. Reaching the hospital, he walked inside as discreetly as he could until he caught sight of them. She was still dressed in her pajamas and her hair was messy. To his frustration, he saw Jianyu comforting her. It seemed as though her brother was talking to her doctor.
As he was looking at her, he saw her looking around the place until she looked at him and before she could look again, he left the spot.
Li Fei looked at the place her gaze unwavering. Was she hallucinating?
But she was sure she saw him. She then brushed it away thinking that she was imagining things.
When they confirmed that Li Bao's body was going to be delivered the next day, they decided to leave the hospital. "I will visit the washroom shortly," she told them feeling the urge to pee. "Should I accompany you?" asked Jianyu and she refused," You don't have to" Lifelessly, she walked to the washrooms and after easing herself, she washed her hands in the sink. Looking at her face in the mirror, she looked terrible. Her face was red and swollen due to excessive crying.
That moment, her thoughts started to run back to the times when they were still young. Al though she and her brother often got into fights, their father was always on her side regardless. She also remembered the last conversation she had with him and she wondered if he knew that his time was soon. She wished he had told her such that at least, she spent the rest of his time next to him. Subconsciously, tears slid from her eyes. She just hated the feeling of regret and she wiped them dry. Just then, the door opened and she didn't bother to see who it was.
Jin Liwei looked at her and he felt bad. He hated seeing her like this. Going in, he asked," How are you?" Hearing the familiar voice, she snapped her head and looked at the door only to see Jin Liwei standing there. So, it was really him? Just how did he come here?
He immediately embraced her in a warm hug and she didn't know why but the moment she saw him, uncontrolled tears started following from her eyes. She was akin to a child who was going to report those who wronged her to her parents.
He let her cry as much as she wanted because she needed it. He kept rubbing her back to soothe and comfort her. Amidst her sobs, he heard her mumbling something that didn't reach his ears and he said," Come again."
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