Chapter 162: Missed Opportunities
"Hospital? Car accident?" The old patriarch muttered, his voice trembling as he processed Shiro's words.
An hour ago, his grandson had been standing in front of him, perfectly fine. And now, he was being told to go to the hospital to see him? This felt like a cruel joke, one too unbearable to accept.
Hualin's expression turned pale. "What did you say? Tianlin is in the hospital? Why? He was..." She almost let something slip but quickly composed herself. "What happened to him? Tell me!"
Shiro cast a fleeting glance at Hualin, his suspicion deepening at her slip-up. Turning to Liang Xiaoluo, he said, "Xiaoluo, you should head to the hospital immediately. He was in a car accident on the way. I asked Zuo Lun to take him to the hospital. You should go now—"
Before he could finish, Xiaoluo was already running toward the hospital, her mind spinning with fear and worry.
Hospital. That single word consumed her thoughts. She prayed silently, Tianlin, please don't let anything happen to you. There's so much I need to hear from you, so much I need to say.
Her heart raced. She needed answers. Why had he put her through such confusion? She wouldn't let him dodge her questions this time. She needed to hear it from his lips—his true feelings, his intentions, and why he had done everything he did.
As Xiaoluo dashed off, Shiro was left standing there, his expression tinged with helplessness and a bitter smile.
In her heart, he could never compare to Tianlin. Just two days ago, he had narrowly escaped death himself. Yet, no one had been by his side for that harrowing journey.
But wasn't this the path he had chosen for himself?
The old patriarch murmured to himself, his disbelief growing with each passing second. "Impossible... Tianlin can't be in the hospital. This can't be true."
Suddenly, his breathing grew erratic, his eyes widened, and he fell silent, slumping in his wheelchair.
"Father! Father, are you okay?"
"Grandfather!"
Hualin, Yitianqing, and Yan Ruoxi gathered around him in a panic, their voices filled with concern. The old man's face had turned ghostly pale, and his body felt cold to the touch. They quickly rushed him to the hospital.
Watching them leave, Shiro realized the gravity of the situation. The patriarch had barely recovered from his last health scare. His own message might have been the final blow. Hastily, Shiro followed them in his car, heading to the hospital.
In the emergency room, the doctors worked tirelessly to save Tianlin. Outside, Xiaoluo waited anxiously, pacing back and forth.
Moments later, the old patriarch was also rushed into the hospital.
"Big Brother? Grandfather..." Xiaoluo was startled to see the patriarch being brought in.
"Tianlin's accident... it was too much for him to handle," Yitianqing said, his expression heavy. By the time they reached the hospital, the old man's face had turned ashen, and his hands were icy cold. He feared the worst.
"How could this happen!" Xiaoluo was frozen in shock.
First Tianlin's accident, now the patriarch's collapse...
"They'll be fine. Both of them are strong and blessed. They'll pull through." Yitianqing tried to comfort her, though unease gnawed at him.
Xiaoluo clenched her fists tightly, her only wish at that moment being the safety of both Tianlin and the patriarch. She couldn't bear the thought of losing either of them.
As they waited, another emergency patient was wheeled in. Before they could make out the details, a piercing wail echoed through the corridor.
"You murdered my daughter! Give her back to me!"
Xiaoluo turned, only to find herself grabbed by Mrs. Gu, who shook her violently. "You killers! Give me back my daughter's life!"
Dazed and confused, Xiaoluo barely processed Mrs. Gu's accusations. Her eyes drifted to the patient being wheeled in. The bloodied face was unmistakable—it was Gu Lingzi.
Shocked, Xiaoluo's breath hitched. Time seemed to stand still, and the world around her faded into silence. It wasn't until Mrs. Gu's wild shaking snapped her out of it that she realized the nightmare was real.
"Mrs. Gu, please control yourself. Xiaoluo has nothing to do with this," Shiro said firmly, stepping in to protect Xiaoluo.
With Shiro and Yitianqing keeping the Gu couple at bay, they had no time to entertain the baseless accusations. They were already consumed by worry for Tianlin and the patriarch.
"Mr. Gu, Mrs. Gu, we sympathize with your loss, but don't cause any more trouble here," Yitianqing said coldly. "You've done enough to torment us in the past."
The Gu couple's faces twisted in grief and fury. They had lost their only daughter. Despite the hospital's pronouncement of her death, they had refused to believe it and demanded further attempts at resuscitation.
Trailing behind them was Tianhao. His expression was unreadable as he approached the family.
Yitianqing spotted him and scowled. "Tianhao! Where have you been? Do you even know what's happened to your brother and grandfather?"
Tianhao blinked in surprise but quickly recovered, his lips curling into a sneer. "Oh? Is that so?"
His indifference struck a nerve. Yitianqing's hands balled into fists, his patience wearing thin.
"You—!"
Before he could reprimand him further, Hualin intervened, slapping Tianhao across the face. "That's for your grandfather," she said, raising her hand again. "And this—"
But Tianhao caught her wrist mid-air. "You have no right to lecture me," he said coldly. "How much 'true affection' have you ever shown them, my dear mother?"
Letting go of her hand, Tianhao cast her a scornful look before walking away to join the Gu family.
As tensions in the hallway simmered, news broke from the emergency room. The Gu couple's cries of anguish filled the air. Despite the doctors' efforts, Gu Lingzi was declared dead. Her parents, consumed by grief, left with her body, their glares filled with hatred.
Xiaoluo stood silently, trembling. The lingering echoes of Mrs. Gu's screams only deepened her dread.
Hours passed, but the light outside the operating room remained on. Each minute felt like an eternity, their hearts heavy with fear.
Xiaoluo sat alone in a corner, a shadow of herself. She couldn't bring herself to step forward, fearing her presence might bring misfortune. Yet, she also couldn't leave, unwilling to miss the moment Tianlin or the patriarch emerged.
Shiro knelt beside her, his voice gentle. "Xiaoluo, everything will be alright."
He blamed himself for not arriving sooner. Perhaps if he had been quicker, none of this would have happened. Now, all he could do was stay by her side and pray for a miracle.
In a private hospital room, Tianlin lay unconscious, an IV drip attached to his arm. Two days had passed since the accident, but he hadn't woken up.
"Big Brother, is Grandfather... taken care of?" Xiaoluo finally asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Yes. The memorial is tomorrow," Yitianqing replied somberly.
Tears streamed down her face as she gently caressed Tianlin's cheek. "Tianlin, please wake up. Grandfather is waiting to see you. Don't you want to say goodbye?"
Her mind replayed the moment two days ago when the emergency room doors finally opened.
"Doctor, how is he?" they had asked in unison.
"The surgery was successful," the doctor had said with a heavy heart, "but the chairman..."
"What about Grandfather?" Yitianqing had demanded, gripping the doctor's collar.
"Prepare yourselves for the worst," was all the doctor could say.
When the doors opened again, Tianlin was wheeled out, pale but alive. Behind him, the patriarch's body was covered in white linen—a silent confirmation of his passing.