Her parents were getting on in years, and as the eldest daughter, she had no reason to continue wandering capriciously. Since she had decided to return, she had to be ready to face everything that was to come. She thought six years had hardened her to the point where she wouldn't be troubled by anyone, but in reality, she wasn't as heartless as she thought. However, she also didn't want to return to her past life. So, no matter how many smoldering embers remained in her heart, she should let them die.
With that thought, she calmed down and carried her things to the hospital.
It was a familiar path.
She couldn't remember how many times she had walked it, but she knew what time the fountain in the garden started spraying water, she knew how many types of plants lined this road, she knew when the Yulan flowers bloomed and when the ginkgo leaves fell, she even knew how many floor tiles covered the ginkgo-lined pathway...
She walked carefully.
The sunlight was dazzling as she opened her umbrella, instinctively lowering it further, and further down. She really hoped none of the white-coated figures passing in the corner of her eye were him...
Walking into the hospital building, her umbrella could no longer serve as her protective shield. Once folded up, a slight panic began to flutter in her heart.
The small store outside the lobby of the main hospital building was just as it had always been, and the Boss Lady hadn't changed.
When she went to pay for toiletries such as toothbrushes and toothpaste, the Boss Lady stared at her with wide eyes: "Eh? You...?"
Again, she felt a jolt of panic, forcing a tranquil smile, "How much is it, please?"
"Oh, 54 yuan in total," the Boss Lady said, giving her another couple of looks.
She handed over the money, said thank you, and turned to leave. Behind her, the Boss Lady was still muttering, "Why does she look so familiar?"
Of course, she was familiar. Six years ago, that girl who used to wait for Dr. Ning to come off his night shift spent many nights buying snacks here...
Forget it, it's better that way.
Sometimes, the skill of "forgetting" is too difficult for people to master.
Private room.
Ruan Liuzheng knocked and gently pushed the door open; Ruan Jianzhong and Pei Sufen's gaze both focused on the entrance.
Upon seeing her, Pei Sufen's face lit up with joy. She approached quickly, not even waiting for Ruan Liuzheng to put down what she was carrying before giving her a firm hug. Tears streamed from her eyes before she could even speak.
"Mom, I'm back," said Ruan Liuzheng, her eyes wet with emotion, touched by her mother's reaction. She truly wanted to say one more thing to her mother, "I'm sorry."
"It's good you're back! It's good!" Pei Sufen had a lot she wanted to say, but her daughter's return boiled down to just this sentence. She then surveyed her daughter up and down, crying as she did so, "Oh, you've lost weight! How did you get so thin!"
In her mother's eyes, even if she were as round as a ball, she would still seem thin!
Amid the bittersweet joy, she looked towards her father on the hospital bed and called out, "Dad."
Ruan Jianzhong was still on an IV, looking pale, but no longer in danger, and he was both happy and excited.
"Go on, let your father have a good look at you. He's been thinking about you all the time," said Pei Sufen as she took what her daughter was holding.
"Yeah!" Ruan Liuzheng walked over to her father. Up close, she saw that he had aged a lot since she had left. Amidst his smile at her, she even noticed a tooth missing.
"Dad," she choked up, "how do you feel?"
"I'm doing quite well! Don't worry about a thing, Zheng'er! It's your mother, making a mountain out of a molehill and dragging you back here, keeping you from your business!" Ruan Jianzhong said.