84: Goodbye 84: Goodbye “How did she know your dad is in the hospital?”
After picking up Li Shuru, Pala imdiately turned around and headed back towards the school gate.
“That’s not the issue, the important thing is, what exactly did she say to my mom?”
Li Shuru’s voice was calm, but it wasn’t hard to detect the hint of tension, even anxiety, hidden beneath her composed facade.
Jiang Chen was silent.
Ai Qian and Li Shuru had no connection whatsoever, so her visit to the hospital could only be for one reason—to see him.
He and Li Shuru had pretended to be lovers in front of Xue Mingqin.
If Ai Qian was spouting nonsense at the hospital, then…
“She probably wouldn’t be so foolish as to not understand the severity of the situation.”
Jiang Chen comforted her, though it was unclear whether he was comforting Li Shuru or himself.
“Her best friend just recently scolded , calling a mistress.”
Li Shuru’s words left Jiang Chen at a loss for words.
“I’m sorry.”
If Ai Qian really made a scene at the hospital and it affected Li Shuru’s parents, then he indeed had a responsibility to bear.
“I’ll give her a call.”
Jiang Chen quickly took out his phone and dialed the number, only for it to be hung up after a few rings.
Facing Li Shuru’s gaze, Jiang Chen felt a bit embarrassed and at the sa ti, a bit heavy-hearted.
As soone who had received higher education at a prestigious university, he believed that Ai Qian had basic manners.
But when a woman suffers successive emotional blows, what she might do can be hard for anyone to predict.
Wei Chuyin had said that Liang Zhenlun had also broken up with her.
“Let’s wait and see what happens when we get there.”
Though nervous, Li Shuru didn’t take out her frustration on Jiang Chen, nor did she complain.
Jiang Chen put away his phone and stepped on the gas,
“Vroom!”
Half an hour later, Pala drove into the People’s Hospital.
After getting out of the car, Jiang Chen and Li Shuru hurried towards the hospital ward, the atmosphere in the elevator was as somber as that of prisoners waiting for judgnt.
“Ding…”
The elevator door opened, and as they made their way down the corridor, approaching the ward, Li Shuru’s steps beca increasingly heavy.
She truly didn’t care about the opinions of others, she hadn’t even taken Wei Chuyin’s accusation of being a mistress to heart, but she couldn’t possibly be indifferent to the gaze of her parents.
Especially when her father was lying sick in bed.
“No matter what Ai Qian said, we can explain it away.”
The ward was just a few steps away, Jiang Chen spoke up.
At this point, all they could do was face it head-on.
Li Shuru glanced at him and nodded her head.
Jiang Chen took a deep breath, pushed open the door, and was prepared to face the storm head-on.
But strangely, the ward was unusually quiet.
Only Xue Mingqin was sitting by the bed; Ai Qian was nowhere to be seen.
“…Mom, where’s Ai Qian?”
“You’re here,”
Xue Mingqin turned her head, her expression not the angry one they had anticipated, but instead she said with a smile, “Little Ai is downstairs playing with Ni Ni.
Didn’t you see her?”
Ni Ni.
She was the little girl in the sa ward, only eight years old, also with a heart condition.
Jiang Chen and Li Shuru involuntarily exchanged glances, their expressions stiff and their eyes sowhat bewildered.
On the end of the bed was an assortnt of nutritional products, clearly brought by Ai Qian.
“Auntie, I’ll go find her.”
Having braced for the worst, Jiang Chen said without revealing anything, while simultaneously letting out a sigh of relief.
Whatever Ai Qian’s purpose for coming here had been, evidently, it was different from what he had anticipated on the way.
At the very least, judging by Xue Mingqin’s reaction, she likely hadn’t said anything haphazardly.
“You stay here with Auntie.”
Li Shuru nodded.
Jiang Chen turned and left the ward.
Downstairs.
After looking around, he eventually found Ai Qian and the little girl, Ni Ni, sitting on a long bench.
The little girl’s mother was also by her side.
“Brother Jiang Chen!”
Having seen Jiang Chen a few tis before, the little girl naturally recognized him and waved enthusiastically.
Ai Qian turned her head to look at the approaching Jiang Chen, her complexion calm, even composed.
“Little Jiang.”
Ni Ni’s mother nodded and greeted him.
“Sister Wang.”
“Ni Ni, it’s ti for us to go up.”
The little girl was very sensible.
Dressed in her petite hospital gown, the ravages of illness had left her looking gaunt, but her face always carried a smile as radiant as the morning sun.
It was clear she was reluctant to leave, but led by her mother’s hand, she obediently hopped off the bench, looking at the older sister who had played with her for hours, blinking her eyes, “Sister Ai, will you co to play with Ni Ni again?”
“I will.”
Ai Qian nodded with a gentle smile.
The pale and thin little girl laughed happily, her voice clear, “Then it’s a promise, okay?”
The girl’s mother gave a sheepish smile to both of them and then led her daughter away.
Little girl Ni Ni kept looking back with every few steps she took.
Sitting on the bench, Ai Qian watched the mother and daughter gradually walk away and said softly, “Before I ca here, I felt that the world was unfair to .
Now I realize, I have no right to complain about anything.”
Jiang Chen sat down where the little girl had been.
“Why did you co?”
“Did it scare you?”
Ai Qian withdrew her gaze, turned her head, and gave a playful smile.
“Scared?
I wouldn’t say that, but I was indeed worried you might say sothing in front of her parents, given her dad is so sick, her mom couldn’t handle any more stress.”
“In your eyes, am I such an unreasonable woman?”
Ai Qian wrinkled her nose and then let out a light sigh.
“Besides, we’ve already broken up, what could I possibly say?”
Jiang Chen gazed at the patients coming and going, as well as their family mbers, remaining silent.
“I ca here today just to apologize to Li Shuru, nothing more.
I hope she doesn’t take to heart the things Chu Yin said.”
“She didn’t take it personally.”
“That’s good then.”
Ai Qian nodded and then stood up.
“Alright, I should go back.”
Jiang Chen also stood up, hesitated to speak.
“I won’t go up to say goodbye to auntie, please pass my words to her.”
Looking at the face he once knew so well, Jiang Chen said, “Let walk you out.”
“There’s no need, the subway is convenient, and Li Shuru is still waiting for you.
It wouldn’t be right for you to walk out.”
Ai Qian’s smile was gentle as she was about to turn around, but then she paused.
“Jiang Chen, can I ask you a question?”
Jiang Chen silently nodded.
“I’ve never doubted your feelings for , but now, I’m a bit confused.”
Gazing into those eyes that once belonged only to her, Ai Qian’s eyes trembled as she smiled and asked, “Jiang Chen, did you truly like ?”
Jiang Chen didn’t hesitate, nodding slowly, yet decisively.
“Really?”
Jiang Chen smiled.
“Really.”
“Well then, it seems I didn’t lose too badly after all.”
Ai Qian’s smile was radiant.
“Okay, I’ll be going then.”
Jiang Chen was silent.
“Goodbye.”
Glancing at him one last ti, Ai Qian turned around and walked alone towards the hospital entrance, her eyes brimming but her smile never fading.
A story achieves a perfect ending.
Whose youth is without imperfections.
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